《Mitou Shoukan://Blood-Sign》 Volume 1, Prologue Volume 1, Prologue How about a quick review. The simplest example is the First Summoning Ceremony that of course refers to overwriting yourself. For example, if your daydreams go too far, they can become an uncontrollable persecution complex, right? But if you could control that power, it could be turned into extraordinary ideas. If it became a companys new project or an inventors new invention, it could bring in a massive fortune. No, no. This does not apply only to mental activity. Athletes and military snipers have techniques to release their brains limiters with a war cry or by entering the zone. In techniques dating back to BCE, people would become an animal by covering themselves in the animals fur or play the role of nonexistent people using special makeup or masks. But you must not look down on these methods by saying they only overwrite the contents of your mind and do not physically affect the outside world. They can sometimes produce a power great enough to do anything from elevate an individuals social status to altering the history of superpowers. By following set steps based in definite logic, these techniques can overwrite the contents of ones mind with 100% accuracy. Even so, the term generally refers to the full methodology for achieving definite profit through those methods. Hey Thinking about it that way, doesnt summoning seem surprisingly close to home? You start to understand why the VIPs of well-known corporations hire fake-sounding fortunetellers as advisors. Now, then. With that groundwork laid, I have a question for you. Something on that small a level isnt enough to satisfy you, is it? Next is the Second Summoning Ceremony. By exciting ones own mind into a state unexplainable by normal psychology, this methodology allows you to call forth a demon from a grimoire, hold concrete negotiations with the gods of legend, or otherwise control phenomena beyond the realm of human knowledge. By using a pentagram in a circle, a lotus wand, or the rose cross sigil, modern Western magic cabals did a lot to develop this methodology during the 19th century and the start of the 20th. And during the Cold War, the parapsychology of the Stargate Project and the former Soviet Unions secret research could also qualify at least in part. Nwa ha ha ha ha!! It could be anything from rainmaking, assassinations, or even saving the world. These are the convenient summoning techniques that people in need think of. And in 1999, the Third Summoning Ceremony was discovered beyond that. To be honest, this is where things truly begin. Right, brother? Facts: On occasion, even a single love can bring an end to the world. Volume 1, Opening X-01 - Lazy Beginning Volume 1, Opening X-01: Lazy Beginning Ahh, my shoulders sure are stiff. Breasts really do get in the way. This old woman is provoking me with the standard golden word!! (Opening X-01 Open 04/14 23:00) Lazy Beginning Now, imagine a high class 40-story apartment building. If you were to live there, where would you choose? The top floor with a nice view? But Id be afraid of a fire. And what if the elevator stopped due to a power outage? Then somewhere near an emergency exit or staircase? Are you sure a robber or thief wouldnt use the stairs to reach the apartment? How about somewhere as close to the ground as possible? Any water trouble on the floors above would reach me. In the end, there may not have been an optimum answer. Any positive came with plenty of negatives, so you would never be able to choose a room without preparing yourself to take on some negatives. Shiroyama Kyousuke was a boy in an overly generic outfit one could find anywhere at any time of day. Namely, he wore a hooded sweatshirt and sports brand track pants. The room he entered was a top class apartment that took up two whole floors which had been opened into a single space. In fact, the roof had also been purchased with cash as an open-air park and home garden. Kyousuke was pretty sure the three-story space had some long name that took several dozen letters to spell out, but he did not remember what it was. But as he did not live here, that was nothing to worry about. He entered without using the intercom and the sound of the door opening and closing must have made its way inside because a girls voice called to him from the other end of a long hallway. Welcome home, bro. This is not my home, we are not blood related, and we are not brother and sister. You should be saying welcome or Im glad you made it. And this is your home, so you need to learn how to pick up after yourself. After putting down the plastic bag and luggage he held in his right and left hands, Kyousuke moved toward the girls voice. I had a rough time out there. A road or bridge is out, so the traffic is in complete gridlock. And the monorail is stopped, so everywhere is crowded. Not that any of that matters to a shut-in like you. The girl in question sat in a living room large enough to play tennis in. But was she on a chair or a couch? No. Ahh! You got Tropical Jewelrys full ruby apple sherbet! You complained so much on the phone, but you really did line up for it! I love you, bro. Now, now. Ill pat your head in thanks, so hand over the offering. I dont need your love or your humiliating animal training. Ahh! You even got the apple tea they only make thirty of at morning, noon, and night! H-how much of a reward are you after here? Do you want to join me in the bath today? By the way, Im kind of scared over here! And it mostly has to do with that tiger youre sitting on!! Im pretty sure that violates the Washington Convention!! The rooms owner was sitting on a giant tiger that was five meters long. And this was not a couch made from its fur or a stuffed tiger shaped like a couch. It was a living tiger lying sleepily on the ground and lazily waving its tail back and forth. The girl puffed out her cheeks. Bro, this isnt a tiger. Its a white liger made from crossbreeding a lion and a white tiger. Its a super-rare species that costs at least 700 million yen a year to rent from the zoo. Im more worried about the curious look Im getting from that monster thats name sounds like some kind of secret weapon. Roar, roar, she said jokingly. Stop that! I might be a summoner, but a surprise attack will still kill me just fine! Incidentally, the girl herself was a short A-cup with her brown hair wrapped into thin braids that made large rings on either side of her head which Oh, what a pain. One could just say she had a tricky sort of twin tail hairstyle. However, she had another even more obvious trait. She wore a swimsuit. Even in mid-April, she wore nothing but a neon green bikini. No, that explanation is lacking. She wore only a neon green and white striped bikini and stayed moderately warm with the comfortable heater that was the body heat of a carnivorous animal. Shiroyama Kyousuke held back the girl who tried to grab at and devour the limited-production dessert and he passed her a disposable wet towel and fork from the plastic bag. Um, Aika. Im not about to comment on what goes on in your mind. Its a little late for that. But cant you at least wear underwear and normal clothes in your everyday life? Do you have a problem with this? Thats the entire reason I brought it up! I will admit it makes laundry easier, though! Clothes Oh, so youre lamenting that Im not wearing knee socks, are you? Dont worry!! Ive already ordered twelve different colors from the internet! Now, choose your favorite variation. Wearing nothing but knee socks does not count as being dressed!! Dont use those Award 50 level people for things like that!! So what are you saying here? Do I have no choice but to get the help of an actual counselor at this point? Stop being so shy. No guy doesnt want a little sister in knee socks. And since I have so many, you can get carried away and eat two or three of them. Id really prefer you didnt treat me like that liger youre sitting on. The girl named Aika leaned forward from the white liger she was using as a couch and began to do battle with the snack made by carving out a raw apple and filling it with fruit and a liqueur sherbet. Silly bro. To be honest, the white ligers fur is so oily that I cant play around with it while wearing normal clothes. And why did you give up on clothes for this animal? That may have been why Aikas soft skin reflected the warm lights and looked oddly captivating. If she took a stroll through the savannah like that, she would probably not be attacked by a single other animal. Now, since Aika the swimsuit beast girl was focused on the sherbet on the glass table, the chaos of the world finally began to settle down, but then another hand reached in from the side. This hand belonged to a woman trying to swipe Shiroyama Kyousukes share of the apple. She had long black hair that looked wet and she had transparently clear blue eyes. She wore a red China dress with a fair bit of extra fabric cut away and she looked like the sort of woman who would make a heavenly homeroom teacher or apartment manager. Out with it, said Kyousuke. What are you doing over there? That little sister character sent me an email to brag that she had you lined up at Tropical Jewelry, so I thought I would ruin it for you by taking the leftovers before you could get them. You had nothing but malice in your heart!? Thats right. And Im not a little sister character. Im his actual little sister. Keep quiet, Aika. Youll only make this more confusing. And we arent blood related or any other kind of family. Were complete strangers! And Im supposed to be working on jobs, so why am I looking after you, the middleman, instead!? Heh heh heh. Im prepared to get a full bone marrow transplant so I can produce the exact same blood as you. In fact, Ive already secretly taken a skin sample and am working with a tissue engineering specialist to put the plan in motion. Im going to fulfill the dream and ideal held by every guy in the entire world by having the same blood in my veins but no genetic problems whatsoever! Eh heh heh heh heh heh. The short girl was spilling disturbing delusions from her mouth like a sticky biochemical mess regurgitated from a drain, so Kyousuke decided it was not worth replying. He simply prayed this would remain a mere delusion. We all know Aika is a crazy swimsuit girl, but you seem to have lost your modesty as well, Lu. Oh, this? While shrewdly skewering the apple dessert with a fork to accurately claim it for herself, Lu Niang Lan looked down at what she was wearing. In general, it was a red China dress, but a vertical area from the center of the chest to the navel had been removed. She further increased her seductive appearance with hair decorations, a garter belt, stockings, long gloves, and other Western lace decorations. With the opening in the center of the chest and the slits on the hips, the design made one wonder just how she wore underwear. Well, that explanation got long. But simply remembering the conclusion is enough. That being, her outfit was filled out in all the right places. Just to be clear, this wasnt my choice. Its fromwhat was it? Tom Josts new film. Ahh, they all have people firing a pair of handguns at each other with kung fu mixed in, so they all blur together for me. Black Tiger? Thats the one that brought Hey, is the protagonist a fried prawn this time? into the online slang lexicon, added Aika. Right, that one. Anyway, they had me dress up as one of the characters for a special campaign in Chinatown. Of course, the movie itself was shot in C Block, so they didnt even have to put together any sets for the event. And its human nature to want to capitalize off of it as much as possible, so stuntmen are doing periodic action shows in the streets and blanks are being fired day and night. Its so noisy. The room contained a swimsuit girl who used a wild beast as a couch and a beauty who wore a modified China dress so beautifully that she outdid a movies leading actress. The two stood out so much that aliens looking for samples of earthlings would probably spot them first, but they might not have been all that rare in this city. Someone wearing a normal outfit like a hooded sweatshirt and sports brand track pants would be buried beneath the people in this city that seemed to be attending a never-ending costume party. The TV had been left on and some voices could be heard coming from it. Last month, the city of Harukawa officially admitted to economic collapse, but the privately-owned Toy Dream Company just officially announced its intentions to fully support the city. This makes Harukawa the 40th revived city around the world. So weve finally reached #40 since the revival of Detroit in the United States. It went by so quickly. Toy Dreams ideology is to build giant amusement parks around the world to spread smiles and vitality and the bright news they bring has become a staple in these otherwise dark times. On the other hand, some people are voicing their concern that a foreign corporation is taking control of regional governments. Some of the more extreme members of the opposition claim the cities are a source of money for the CIA and act as footholds for military activity as America continues to withdraw from its overseas bases. That really was fast, casually commented Lu Niang Lan in her modified China dress while crushing the frozen apple with her plastic fork. It wasnt all that long ago that this city was filled with excitement over Toy Dream 35, but theyre already up to 40. Of course, this will probably be overshadowed by #50. Even as the internet-addicted little sister, I cant keep up with the passage of time. In other words, Ill forever be 14 years old. Bro, I love you. The triumphant look on Aikas face made it clear she thought that was clever, but Shiroyama Kyousuke ignored her. Speaking of things progressing quickly, its a little strange that the three of us are all here together. Especially you two. Before, you had set aside your normal jobs of exterminating monsters and sealing ancient texts and were instead trying to kill each other with friendly smiles on your faces. What are you talking about, silly bro? As Alice (with) Rabbit, you were doing more damage than either of us and with a completely nonchalant look on your face too. No, no, no. Dont be ridiculous. Yes, that really was quite bad, said Lu Niang Lan. The stupid swimsuit girl was bad enough, but Kyousuke was something else entirely. I dont want to hear that from an old woman whos past her prime but still gets by with hidden weapons and not a hint of the occult, said Aika. It probably took many long years to get that kind of skill. Ahh, my shoulders sure are stiff. Breasts really do get in the way. This old woman is provoking me with the standard golden word!! Liiiigerrrrr!!!! Heh heh heh hah hah. That cute pet might be an excellent beast and an excellent vessel, but Im confident I can destroy five of its vital points before you can snap your fingers. Please dont underestimate the Perfect Dragon, okay? Being flat as a board is one thing, but its painful to look at a washboard whose ribs are poking out. Also, who are you calling an old woman? An aura of lightning exploded between the two of them, so Kyousuke considered sneaking away to safety. His apple sherbet had already been taken, a five meter beast was about to go on a rampage, and a boldly smiling young woman was claiming she could take out those five meters on her own, so staying seemed like an all-around bad idea. Not so fast, bro. And what kind of brother abandons his sister less than a second into the battle? Aika, I already finished the errand you gave me, so Id like to go home and get some sleep. Liger. The bikini girl snapped her fingers and her couch moved. It lightly bit the neck of his sweatshirt like a mother cat carrying its kitten and that was enough to quiet Kyousuke down. With her couch gone, Aika sprawled her upper body across the glass table. That errand was of course just an excuse. Dont forget that I have something important to discuss with you. And whats that? You have the nickname Alice (with) Rabbit and yet for some crazy reason you say youre washing your hands of the summoning business. What else would it be about, silly? Dah dah, dah dah, dadalah dadadadadah? Wait, Kyousuke. Why are you humming intro music and pulling out a small convenience store cake? To celebrate my graduation from the summoning business, of course. But buying your own cake is just too sad!! exclaimed Lu Niang Lan. And that had better be a joke! In fact, if you are retiring, then Ill take you for myself!! Hes mine! And if he falls for anyone else, Ill brand his face with the Aika symbol. Thatll be a constant reminder of who he belongs to!! If I can get my hands on Alice (with) Rabbit through simple romance, dont think I wont go all out! Youll see what happens when an adult woman switches back on the romance she banned herself from after realizing she was a stalker in the making. Does the water in your water bottle taste funny? Thats because its my leftover bathwater! Hah!! Please stop!! Youre both creeping me out!!! Kyousuke, the boy with a dangerous nickname, gave a girly scream. Besides, I consulted both of you about this half a year ago. Id reached the end of one incident and I had lost the vessel I use for summoning. Itd be more accurate to call it a graduation, though. Anyway, I said I would completely wash my hands of the summoning business if I didnt come across a new vessel over the next half year. Uuh You did promise that, didnt you? Today is the end of that half year limit, but there isnt a new vessel by my side. So thats that. I may be called a summoner, but I cant summon anything without a vessel, so theres no point. And its not like I was driven by a goal like becoming the greatest summoner or exploring the possibilities of as-yet-unseen Materials. Thats actually strange in itself. How did you manage reach such a high level when youre so noncommittal and have no special motivation? How should I know? I had no choice but to save someone every time I heard the cursed word. And next thing I knew, people were using that weird nickname. I didnt do anything more than that. Thats what makes you so exciting. And its a huge help that youll come make your little sisters food and wash her swimsuit every day when she uses that cursed word. Actually, you need to start doing that on your own. Im retiring, remember? So Just as he started to continue, the white liger gently biting the neck of his sweatshirt let go and growled. Come to think of it, the ligers been really agitated since you got here, said Aika with a tilt of her head. Bro, did you stop for fried chicken or pork buns on the way here? Oh, I think I know what thats about. With that, Kyousuke left the room. The other two assumed he had gone to get something from the hall or entranceway, but another possibility soon entered the back of their minds. What if he was casually making a run for it? Aika and Lu Niang Lan frantically ran into the hallway, but they tripped over something and fell. They then checked on what had tripped them. Some large object lay in the center of the long, wide hallway. It was covered with crudely applied bandages that were oozing blood and they soon recognized it as an unconscious shrine maiden. Her limbs were sprawled out in what was not quite lying face up and not quite lying face down, but despite the painful-looking position, the shrine maiden did not move an inch. Her long hair was more blonde than brown and it was accented with what first appeared to be a leather hairband. However, a closer inspection showed it was a blindfold. Similarly, what looked like a necklace was actually a bit like the ones placed in a racehorses mouth. You called that thing a white liger, right? I thought the smell of blood might excite it, so I wasnt sure what to do about this. B-bro brought another girl to my hou- bgyhh!? Who is this girl? The beauty in a modified China dress asked that question after physically nipping a commotion in the bud. Kyousuke shrugged. I found her collapsed while out on Aikas errand and she said help, so I guess you could say I couldnt help myself. Oh, I see. Lu Niang Lans response contained a complicated undertone. It was a mix of understanding and resignation. As she rubbed her index finger against her temple, Kyousuke concluded his explanation. I dont want to leave anything undone, so this will be my final job as a summoner. I will protect the life and lifestyle of this girl who asked for help. I should be able to manage that without a vessel. Facts: *There are techniques known as summoning ceremonies and there are summoners who use those techniques. *The residents of other worlds are generally known as Materials. They are viewed as a threat used as a tool that does not need a will of its own. *Especially powerful summoners gain nicknames. Most of those are popularized by third parties, so the actual summoner does not decide on the name. However, some rookies will spread one themselves to make a name for themselves. *A summoner and a vessel act as a single set. Normally, both roles are filled by humans, but there are some exceptions like Aika and her white liger. *Shiroyama Kyousuke is weak to serious requests for help. Volume 1, Opening X-02 - Tense Beginning Volume 1, Opening X-02: Tense Beginning (Its beginning.) (A battle between summoners. And at the worst possible time!!) (Opening X-02 Open 04/14 22:25) Tense Beginning Let us move back in time a little. Let us return to the instant that certain twin shrine maidens realized they had failed. Dammit!! International Revived City - Toy Dream 35. Former name: Natsumi. After letting a massive foreign corporation take care of its economic collapse, all of the citys administrative authority had been handed over and it had been reborn as a giant profitable amusement park filled with the dreams of children and the hopes of adults. This new standard had spread beyond just America and Japan to reach every continent. In the harbor on the coast, the never-ending expanse of the dark sea seemed to symbolize the night and death. This was the entrance for the materials needed to support the amusement park that was an incarnation of mass consumption. Like a hole in the bright festival that was covered in decorative lights and fireworks, this one spot was ruled by darkness. And that darkness that counterbalanced the ever-consuming city was a battlefield for two girls. Meinokawa Renge. Meinokawa Higan. They both had smooth skin and long, straight, and glossy hair. They both wore the scarlet hakama of a Shinto shrine maiden, but while Renge had the stereotypical black hair and pale skin of a shrine maiden, Higan had blonde hair and blue eyes that contradicted that stereotype. And they also had different roles. Renge was a summoner and Higan a vessel. Both were necessary for the summoning ceremony. Renge muttered to herself as if growling like a beast. We screwed up. Or was this what they were planning from the beginning? Either way, this is dangerous. Higan, dont think about fighting! The job doesnt matter anymore. We need to escape to safety! R-Renge, um, what do you mean this is what they were planning? Despite her sisters hesitant question, Renge did not have time to explain. It was supposed to have been a simple job. The ghost of a white woman was supposedly appearing in Toy Dream 35s harbor. In the world of summoning ceremonies, that usually meant a gathering of power had been left wandering due to a few overlapping circumstances. Whether it was physical or a kind of data, it was common knowledge to summoners that the soul existed. And if some kind of conditions were thrown off, an error could occur and the soul of the dead would lose its destination. It would be stuck in this world like rainwater gathering in a drain clogged with leaves. And in most cases, a summoner would not even need to fight. If they simply made their way to the location and prepared to summon something not of this world, the ghost would disappear on its own as if the clog had been removed. It was unknown whether it was simply a phenomenon being destroyed or if the soul really did go to heaven, but it did resolve the paranormal phenomenon. Compared to making use of all their secrets to ruthlessly battle other summoners, exterminating ghosts or monsters and sealing ancient texts were like odd jobs to earn some extra money. It was much like the bamboo hat-making side job of a ronin. But this should not have happened. The instant the clash began, all of the disposable summoners - including the Meinokawa sisters - thought the same thing: we failed. (Like hell there was a white woman. This was actually a way of checking on their enemies. You could call it forced reconnaissance. I dont know whos behind this, but theyre trying to judge their true strength by seeing how many of us they can defeat. I should have suspected something when so many freelance summoners were gathered in one place!!) The entire asphalt ground shook. While hiding behind a giant warehouse, the sisters began to sweat when they realized what had caused the shaking. They could see the gantry cranes used to lower containers from cargo ships, but several objects twice their size were slowly moving through the harbor. Yellow and green light indicated the location of the monsters eyes in the darkness and the great height of those eyes was enough to fill the girls with fear. And they were not optimistic enough to think these had been summoned by their allies. Renge, those areFafnir and um, uh, Yamata no Orochiarent they? Dammit. Theyre summoning Divine-class Materials!? Monsters of such high purity and power did not simply appear on their own. Long ago, people had believed the gods could appear anywhere and at any time, but once it was all calculated out, the places and conditions for them to descend were so few it had left the religious leaders speechless. There was only one possibility here. This was the work of summoners. Those monsters had undoubtedly been artificially called in with a summoning ceremony. But these giant dragons did not swing their arms, try to bite, or spew flames or poison from their mouths. They simply extended their bodies and collapsed forward. It was a very simple attack, but that was exactly what made it so difficult to avoid. It was the same principle as a giants hand swatting at a fly. However, the result of this simple action was massive. At the center of the blast, warehouses, piles of containers, and cranes flew up into the air. A wave several meters tall traveled through the thick asphalt ground like it was a liquid. But even if one saw that wall approaching, there was nothing they could do about it. Renge and Higan were thrown into the air like a charging bulls horns had jabbed them from below. At the same time, the giant warehouse they had been hiding behind began to collapse because its entire foundation had been destroyed. The sisters did not have time to worry about what had happened to the other freelance summoners who had been the target of that attack. Renges back slammed into the ground and she grabbed and tugged on the shrine maiden outfit of Higan who was gasping and having trouble breathing. They had to move as far away from the collapsing warehouse as they could. (I wont let her die here.) Renge clenched her teeth that tasted of iron and dragged Higan behind her. (My sister means the world to me, so I wont let some people Ive never even seen crush her as some disposable pawn!! We will escape here. We will! Ill do whatever it takes to ensure that!!) Higan! Stand up! Force yourself if you have to, but gather strength in your legs! If they crossed the fence three hundred meters ahead, they could escape the harbor. However, there was no cover along the way, so they would be out in the open. There were plenty of lights and they would be spotted right away if they approached carelessly, so they needed to find some other route or method. R-Re-Renge Um, how many Incense Grenades do you have? I have three left. I used too many at the beginning. You counted them with me before, remember? And they arent biscuits in your pocket, so there arent going to be more of them when you count them again. Th-then Higan was still gasping for breath, perhaps because of all the fear and confusion filling her. We can only begin a battle three more times? Look how many summoners they have on a high enough level to bring out Divine-classes. It doesnt matter how many we had, it still wouldnt be enough. I said not to think about fighting, remember? If we dont focus on slipping past them, well be cornered in no time. Each of them was a powerful soldier, but an overwhelming army was attacking them. Meanwhile, they were forced to lament their lack of ammunition. It was just like a hopeless scene from an old war movie. If they did not shift their goal from defeating the enemy and winning to surviving, nothing but a heroic death awaited them. A low tremor filled the air once more. The Meinokawa sisters held their breath and checked their surroundings, but fortunately, they had not been noticed by Fafnir, Yamata no Orochi, or the other giant dragons who towered more than a head above everything else. The monsters were slowly moving in a distant area, but that meant some of their allies were on the receiving end of that fierce attack. Higans face grew pale and Renge heard her mutter something under her breath. (Oh, White Queen who guides us to victory in extraordinary battles, please reach out to this fragile human soul. I-Ill eat the bell peppers I dont like and Ill do what my sister tells me, so) That good luck charm was not uncommon in their business. The unsophisticated behavior of her sister reminded Renge of something. She had vowed to do whatever it took to let her precious sister escape. She bit her lip at what she had promised herself and only bit down harder as time passed. Summoners can speak with the gods in more ways than prayer. Lets go, Higan. Wh-where? Back home, of course. And now you definitely have to overcome your dislike of bell peppers. With that answer, Renge lowered down to hide behind the wreckage of the warehouse and she began to move once more. She was already picturing the layout of the harbor. She had an idea of a safe exit, but it was a fair distance away: 1.3 kilometers. They would have to cut across almost the entire harbor. If they did so at random, they would be found almost instantly, but they could ensure their survival by advancing cautiously as if passing through the eye of a needle. They moved in quick bursts as if leaping from pile of rubble to pile of rubble. They avoided the light and did their best to blend into the shadows. When a suspicious figure - most likely an enemy summoner - passed by within two meters of them, they desperately held their breaths and waited for them to leave. With her throat stinging from the tension and a hand over her sisters mouth, Renge slowly but surely approached the exit. But then she heard some nearby rubble collapsing. In the street lights, she could see large objects littering the ground here and there. One looked like a giant dinosaur egg, one like an adult who had collapsed and was futilely moving his arms and legs like a clockwork doll, one like a dead tree, one like a doll trying to start an invisible engine with its mouths hanging half open, one like ice cream fallen to the ground, and one like a woman sitting on the ground and muttering to herself. These were the losers. Summoners fought by calling in Materials which were beings not of this world. Those Materials had godlike power, but if they were defeated before your eyes, a shock on the level needed to kill a god would be carved into your heart. That was the despair of seeing the end of a legend or the end of the world. People were unable to make the obvious decision to fight it and they could do nothing more than stare blankly at the approaching wall of calamity. They had not passed out. They were conscious, but they could not move. An old phrase referred to the mummy hunter becoming a mummy, but this may have been closer to becoming a zombie. They would slowly continue their meaningless actions and they would slowly obey anyone who gestured simple instructions to them. It was a disturbingly ironic fate for those who controlled such powerful beings. Medically, it was much like the state that anyone fell into after a stun grenades intense flash and sound went off nearby. But while that state of not knowing if they were alive or dead lasted for only a dozen or so seconds, this complete lack of understanding lasted for over a day. There was no room for overcoming it with empty ideas like fighting spirit or hard work. The basic structure of the human mind simply could not endure it. But that alone was not enough to kill them and sometimes they would be spared, but could they expect that kind of mercy from the enemy who was thoroughly mopping up every intruder in the harbor? The enemy could kill them at any time and they would not resist or protest if someone pulled on their hand and led them into a blast furnace that boiled metal, so the victors were focusing on exterminating those that could still move. The enemy would kill them when they happened across them or after all of the fighting was over. And it would be as easy as crushing a raw egg someone had left on the side of the road. (R-RengeRenge! We need to help them before theyre found!!) (We cant, Higan! We cant run around carrying people right now!!) The losers would follow anyones gestured instructions or anyone who tugged on their hands, so the sisters could guide them by tying a handkerchief to a stick and waving it. However, moving with so many people would stand out too much. They would practically be asking the enemy to kill them. Higan almost rushed out without thinking, so Renge quickly moved to stop her. However, something else happened first: a bloody hand reached out and weakly grabbed Higans shrine maiden hakama. Dont You willend up just like them It was a middle-aged man in a worn-out suit. There was no need to ask which side he was on. They had not noticed him yet because he had been hiding in the shadows and his legs had been crushed by the rubble of a collapsed warehouse. You lost too? I quickly got rid of my Material so I didnt end up like them, but that means I lost my protection too. I freed my mind, but I was caught in the rubble. My vessel is in there too. Higan looked up at the mountainous silhouette with despair in her eyes. The middle-aged summoner gave a self-deprecating laugh. Guard of Honor. What? Thats what they call themselves. Theyre willing to exterminate us to hide any information on them, so I think spreading that term is a way to get back at them. Tell your client. Im sure that name is just that important. Guard of Honor? Renge frowned. In its standard use, that term referred to special soldiers gathered for extravagant parades. However, they could be viewed both as the soldiers gathered for a ceremony and the soldiers who carried out a ceremony. When both summoners and vessels were using the name, it was difficult to say which meaning was being emphasized. And they did not have time to sit around thinking about it. A tremendous impact rang out in the distance. It was the roar of a giant dragon using its body to crush someone. Not only did another wave run through the broken ground around the center of the blast, but the few remaining buildings and the piles of rubble collapsed. The sisters were thrown into the air and began to choke as their backs hit the ground. And once they recovered, that man was nowhere to be seen. The giant maw of rubble had swallowed him up and all that remained was a dark red liquid dripping from the cracks. This was reality. The nightmare was not over yet and they were not just going to wake up. Cough, cough. Oh, White Queen, please watch over the path of this lost human soul. Higan, we dont have time to pray for every person who dies! Damn, theyre coming this way!! A moment later, something was thrown from behind cover and toward Higan. It was a cylindrical metal can the size of a hairspray bottle. An Incense Grenade!? Renge had no time to spare. She too sprang out into the cold light just before the can exploded. But unlike a normal grenade, no explosive blast or fragments tore into Higan. Instead, a transparent mist sprayed out over the area. The harbor air that smelled of oil quickly changed to the air next to a clear mountain stream. At the same time, complex symbols of light were drawn on the road in the center of the blast and dim pale light filled the area. Even someone with little knowledge in the field would understand that this was a type of magic circle carefully calculated out using a system of occult techniques. It was known as an Artificial Sacred Ground. It was also a cage. This field was cut off from everything else to allow for large-scale and high-purity summoning ceremonies. Objects and normal people were ignored as the twenty meter square cage accurately enclosed only the summoner, the vessel, and the individual set as their target. (Its beginning.) Meinokawa Renge accurately grasped the situation. Something had changed. At some point, two people had appeared in the center of the blast. They were both white women wearing red and black riding suits. The one in black had a thick collar around her neck. The collar was the same as the blindfold on Higans forehead and the bit around her neck. A vessel always wore symbols of bondage. That was to prevent a vengeful or evil spirit that had not been summoned from taking control of their mental state from the outside. (A battle between summoners. And at the worst possible time!!) Renge reached into her shrine maiden outfits pocket and scattered a bundle of Japanese paper through the air. They whirled through the air and quickly formed a hard stick about 180 centimeters long. However, that was the most magic a single human could accomplish. They could not shoot fire from their hands or fly through the sky on a broom. Producing a magic wand with no tricks up their sleeve was the limit. And that was exactly why those fragile humans relied so heavily on the higher beings that possessed great power. Higan! Get ready!! As she shouted, the riding suit pair also moved. One of the glamourous beauties swung an arm horizontally and controlled sand to create a two meter rod. (Uniquely Selfless?) Renge frowned at the words carved into the side of the long rod. (Ive never heard that nickname before, but I doubt a rookie trying to make a name of herself would appear here. Is this a hidden player who doesnt show up in the official awards!?) Meinokawa Renge and Uniquely Selfless made gentle strokes with the long rods in their hands and the color red trailed after the moving tip like a cars tail light. The name changed depending on religion, but among professional summoners, this was simply known as the Blood-Sign. Inside the Artificial Sacred Ground cut off by the Incense Grenade, something like a hologram appeared between the Meinokawa sisters and the riding suit pair. At first glance, the object looked like a die with colorful patterns on its sixty centimeter sides, but it was not. It was a gathering of spheres of light that were as big as apples and as red as blood. These were the crimson Petals that were divided between low, middle, high, and lowest sounds. All 216 Petals were gathered in what summoners called a Rose. These girls in Japanese clothing had little connection to it, but the Rose had its roots in a symbol of Western magic that used a rose emblem to conceal the secrets of summoning archangels. The appearance of the Rose acted as a signal. Three spheres of white light suddenly appeared near Renge and the beautiful woman known as Uniquely Selfless. These spheres of light were distinct from the previous ones and they were known as White Thorns. No one there questioned their appearance. They simply gathered strength in their right hand which held the long rod known as a Blood-Sign, supported it with two fingers of their extended left hand, used all their strength by transferring the rotation of their legs and hips to the rest of their body, and forcefully jabbed the tip into one of their White Thorns. The Rose was struck from both sides and it scattered in every direction. The Petals emitting crimson light were sent every which way. Those spheres of light contained the elements of various sounds, divided between low, middle, and high. They bounced off the ground, walls, rubble, and edges of the Artificial Sacred Ground, but they passed right through the Meinokawa sisters and the riding suit beauties. That was because they were not actually physical objects. There was no need to stop their movement. Renge jabbed with her Blood-Sign and its tip almost seemed to be drawn in toward the second glowing White Thorn floating near her. A change had come over the battlefield. As soon as the box-shaped Rose had fallen apart, Spots had appeared across the space isolated by the Incense Grenade. They appeared on the ground, the walls, in the gaps between the rubble, and in midair. These fist-sized holes would cause something to fall into it no matter what direction it contacted it from and there were thirty-six in all. Renge looked around in search of them. (Fourteen. Damn, so over half of them are hidden!!) Meanwhile, one of the ricocheting crimson Petals contacted one of the many Spots and fell inside. All of the Petals had a single letter of the alphabet carved into it in accordance with a certain set of rules. Even from a distance, a summoner could intuitively feel the meaning just from seeing the light. The low sounds were b, c, d, f, g, h, and j. The middle sounds were k, l, m, n, p, q, and r. The high sounds were s, t, v, w, x, y, z. The lowest sounds were a, i, u, e, and o. The twenty-six letters of the alphabet had the five vowels removed as the lowest sounds and the remaining twenty-one were split into the three categories of low, middle, and high. Renge had knocked the high sound s into a Spot. This was where the battle truly began. Its starting! Higan, keep strong!! R-right. Got it. Um, Ill do my best! Before Higan had finished speaking, the change began. Summoners called in Materials, life forms that did not exist in this world, by having them possess the physical body of a vessel. Once the Material was temporarily fixed there, it could be used. That was a simple overview of the system. With a sticky sound, Meinokawa Higans body and the shrine maiden outfit she wore both changed form. She became a three meter mass of sticky liquid with the unnaturally yellow coloration of some sodas. This form was thoroughly unpleasant, hideous, and blasphemous. Floating deep in the transparent slime was a smooth one-meter human form known as the Silhouette. That was Meinokawa Higan. She was the Silhouette used to hold the monster in this world. Everything else was a decoration and crushing that Silhouette would end it all in a single strike. (The Original Yellow (s), costs one high sound. And the enemy chose) She heard a similar sound, but it was an unhealthily red mass that created a spiral next to the beauty known as Uniquely Selfless. (A low sound? Damn!! At this rate, well be taken out by the circular relationship!!) Renge immediately switched over her thoughts. Basically, if she hit the sound spheres into the Spots using her White Thorns, the number and arrangement of the sounds would transform the Material. Ignoring the lowest sounds, the low, middle, and high sounds had a circular relationship much like rock-paper-scissors. If they were at a disadvantage, they only needed to switch to a different range of sound or a different individual Material. Of course, during a deadly battle, the enemy was not necessarily going to sit idly by and let that happen. (Tch! Shes good. This goes beyond simple technique. Shes predicting everything I try to do!!) Both Renge and the Guard of Honor assassin sent out White Thorns. Each time one struck a Petal of the different categories of sound, complex blood-red lines would be drawn through the air and the various sounds of the Petals landing in the Spots would reach their ears. Like someone randomly messing with piano keys or guitar strings, it created a primeval song of destruction that filled anyone who heard it with confusion. The intense dance of light and sound caused the bizarre Materials to change form again and again. They became a stuffed animal holding a bloody axe, a giant stag beetle thats legs and pincers had been torn off by a mischievous child and who had wheels and razor blades attached in their place, or a massive gear that could roll around on its own. The White Thorns floating in the air were replenished at ten second intervals, so they could be fired off quite quickly if necessary. Renge interpreted this as a way of carving out a name. The supernatural was brought in by calling its name. Every part of the world had traditions about not using a gods name in vain or using code words when speaking about fairies. That had been raised to the level of a ceremony when the Sigil of modern Western magic had created a charm for summoning angels by laying a thin sheet of paper over a special diagram of the alphabet and drawing lines to connect together the name of the angel to be summoned. The modern summoning ceremony had taken that a step further. This was not contained to ones mind. Nor did it leave it up the gods to decide if they would come. It was a methodology to summon legendary beings into the real world with 100% certainty. The god was not assisting a human; the human was having the god obey him. (Honestly, its like asking for divine punishment. We go beyond our own minds and physically draw out the Materials floating on the other side so we can directly use them!!) Modern summoners used their White Thorns and the low, middle, high, and lowest Petals to freely control those non-standard monsters within the limited space of the Artificial Sacred Ground. The trick was how to use the Blood-Sign and White Thorns that determined what happened. No matter how advantageous a sound range you tried to give your Material, your disadvantage would never end as long as the enemy stayed one step ahead of you in transforming their own Material into the sound range that was your Materials weakness. Sometimes the enemy would accurately knock Petals into Spots and sometimes she would use her Petal to knock Renges Petal off of its course. The riding suit woman had more than one method and she fluidly switched between them. And meanwhile Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!! With a roar of anger, the giant monsters clashed over the summoners heads. They no longer resembled the colorful slime from before. In fact, they were going through countless transformations in real time. They would become a giant wolf with a metal jaw, a giant serpent wrapped in flames, a giant fish that tore through the sky, or a queen bee with a human face. It never ended. Oftentimes, the next transformation would begin in just a few seconds, before the previous one was even complete. It looked like two flows of never-ending transformations were crashing into each other. The struggle between bizarre creatures gave the impression that whichever ones evolution progressed further would win. And while this happened, the minds of Meinokawa Higan and the summoned Material were in constant conflict. By their very nature, vessels could not fully control the Materials body. This was true even of the colorful slimes with a cost of only one. The Materials themselves had certain desires that drove them: the desire to devour flesh, to suck blood, to crush everything in sight, or to smash everything after petrifying it. The vessel could not stop those desires. All they could do was try to control the aim by choosing who those desires would be directed at. With a single Material, it might have been easy to determine how they acted and work something out. But things were different when the Material was changing every few seconds. If the vessel did not say focused, their mind could be tossed around and they would let loose indiscriminate destruction in their confusion. Currently, Meinokawa Higans physical body had taken the form of a squid large enough to crush a patrol boat in its grasp. Its name was DEC Tentacle (nu - o - re - a - btv - ag - y). Its yellow eyes glowed as it used the ten thick chains it had in place of tentacles to grab the enemy Material. A great roar burst out. A giant arm was growing from the ground like a tree. This was Guard of Honors Material named Tree Hand (tzf - qux - o - alc - a - ge) and it struggled against the chains binding it. Once it shook the chains loose, they crashed down from directly above Meinokawa Renge. They were as thick and heavy as the anchor that held a super-heavy tanker in place. That weight and speed alone would have made a strike powerful enough to slice a midsized truck in two. (Stop shouting in my head. I have my protective circle, so Ill be fine either way.) Sure enough, Renge was unharmed as she stood within the asphalt dust. Traditional summoning techniques involved two especially important circles. The most obvious was the summoning circle itself, but the protective circle that guarded the summoner was also important. With modern summoning ceremonies, the top priority while using a Materials power was to prevent the summoned monster from interfering with the ceremony. The circles effects could be divided into two major categories: stopping all external elements and preventing the summoner from collapsing mid-ceremony due to internal elements such as lifespan or illness. (i.e. in the unlikely event that the protective circle was pierced from outside, the summoner would not die. It could happen the instant the circle was released, though.) In either case, it was less like the monster was taking pity on the human and more like a computers emergency power supply. It simply let the summoner safely end the ceremony before they collapsed. Only the human controlling the monsters existence as part of the ceremony would be protected and only so they could guide the ceremony to completion. As such, a battle between summoners came down to the clash between the Materials they had summoned. They could swap out or strengthen their Materials, but they could not interfere any more than that and they could not directly kill the opposing summoner. For better or for worse, they could only continue to watch within the protective circle. Yes. As long as the Material continued to live and function, that is. (Even so, this is bad. Really, really bad!!) Renge clenched her teeth while hitting away her White Thorns with her Blood-Sign. She could not relax just because she had the protective circle. It felt just as nerve-racking as diving down to the pitch-black depths of the sea in a small submarine made of thin glass. Materials were superior to humans by definition and a human alone could not avoid or defend against their attacks. In other words, the summoners death was unavoidable if the thin glass that was the protective circle broke. If another attack arrived after they had already lost and been put into the clockwork doll state of mind, they would undoubtedly be killed in a way more gruesome than being crushed by the water pressure of an ocean trench. Renge shuddered as a vision of loss filled the back of her mind. She saw an attack powerful enough to kill the gods hitting her head-on and she saw herself and Higan curled up and trembling in the fetal position. Would the enemy crush them instantly or would they take advantage of the summoner and vessels nonresistant zombie-like state to lead them to some cruel public execution? (Theres nothing I can do. No matter what I try, she cuts me off ahead of time!!) She supposedly had an endless number of cards available and could continue in any direction, but no matter what, Uniquely Selfless was one step ahead of her. Rather than lying in wait, this enemy was actively matching her movements. It was like the woman could predict the future. It felt like playing rock-paper-scissors dozens of times and losing every single time. That situation continued on and on and Renge could no longer tell if it was a mere technique or if it was a subtle trick. And that was exactly why she made a mistake she would never have made under normal circumstances. By the time she realized what had happened, she had already used her last White Thorn. (Oh, no! Im out of ammo!?) Those white spheres were automatically replenished with time and a maximum of seven could be held at a time, so she should never have run out if she had kept a proper pace. But her confusion had caused her to lose sight of that pace. She had been too focused on switching out her Material. The White Thorns were replenished at about one every ten seconds. That was only one-sixth of a minute, but in that time, she could not affect the low, middle, high, or lowest sound Petals or switch out her Material. And the fatal result arrived a moment later. At that time, Higan had taken the form of DEC Tentacle, the giant squid with thick chains, and the Materials chains were wrapped around the Tree Hand that resembled an arm growing from the ground like a giant tree. The riding suit beauty then fired a White Thorn that knocked a new Petal into a Spot. The target in the DEC Tentacles grasp changed form under the control of Uniquely Selfless. It became a five meter sphere that seemed to be made of balled-up barbed wire as thick as a human arm. Its name was the Giant Hostile Eye (cuw - nu - o - qux - o - ag - du). The red pupil in the center intently stared down its target. As soon as a faint light flashed in the center of the barbed wire ball, it expanded in every direction as if it had exploded. That strike blasted away the ten chains and sent Higans giant body staggering backwards. The enemys sound range had shifted from middle to low. Higan contained a high sound Material, so this was a fatally poor match. The mass of barbed wire exploded and contracted again and again. Each time, it tore away at the giant squid body of Higans DEC Tentacle Material. It was all over if the cracks reached Higans soft Silhouette filling the center of the monsters translucent belly. It was accepted practice that one could not win against your Materials weakness no matter what. The proper course of action was to change the Material out for one with a different sound range, but Renge could not since she had run out of White Thorns. It all came down to the circular relationship of the sound ranges. Unless there was a large difference in the cost levels of the two Materials, that relationship could not be overcome with brute force. Ten seconds. She only had to wait ten seconds. More and more of the DEC Tentacle was torn away like wet paper or pieces of styrofoam and the scars of the damage were approaching Higan inside. The tentacle arms made of thick chains were torn off or blown away and a nearby streetlight was broken completely in two. Renge clenched her teeth while listening to Higans screams directly reaching her mind. (Has my stock of White Thorns still not replenished!? Higan is in danger!!) Renge could only wait for that time to come, but she suddenly noticed something odd. The riding suit beauty known as Uniquely Selfless was preparing to hit another of her White Thorns with her Blood-Sign. (I was wrong.) Renge gulped. Guard of Honor already had the sound range her Material was weak to and that advantage would remain for the time being, so the woman had no reason to swap out her Material. That meant she had another reason to use that White Thorn. (I misread what she was after!!) Uniquely Selfless was not aiming for the low, middle, or high sounds. She was aiming for the color white. One of Renges White Thorns continued to slowly ricochet off the floor and walls even after she had run out. After a White Thorn was sent out, it would disappear on its own once it stopped moving. In other words, a summoner could only affect them with the initial hit of the Blood-Sign. But that also made them defenseless when they were moving. Unless a new White Thorn hit them to alter their path, the summoner could only watch them continue on. (Taboo 3. If a White Thorn still in the field accidentally enters a Spot while the summoner has no White Thorns in stock, the summoner will be killed. They will lose control of the Materials composition, it will be replaced by the Black Maw that Swallows All (nu - lp - eu - bf - zuh - ei - jkv - iu - a - xw) which is the worst of all the monsters, and it will devour the summoner.) A chill filled Renges entire body as she recalled that standard and inviolable rule. The enemy had never even truly focused on the clash between Materials. She was planning to use the taboo of the Black Maw that Swallows All to directly kill the summoner. (Not good! Not good!! How much longer? Five seconds? Three? Either way, I cant do anything until my stock is replenished!! And if Im killed, Higan wont be able to use any of her power!!) Uniquely Selfless gathered all her strength to jab with her Blood-Sign. The enemys white sphere of light shot forward like a bullet and the riding suit woman clearly intended for it to ricochet off the warehouse wall and then hit Renges old White Thorn into a Spot. Its course was aggravatingly accurate. Renge had nothing to work with. There was nothing she could do. She had nothing in stock and if her White Thorn was knocked into the Spot now, she would be killed. And so she did not rely on her own power. Higan!! Destroy the warehouse on the left! Hurry!! !? The riding suit womans expression changed just a bit. A moment later, the giant squid being torn apart by the exploding barbed wire collapsed on top of the warehouse to crush it. It destroyed the metal structure as easily as stepping on a paper box. The enemy had tried to hit Renges White Thorn by ricocheting it off the warehouse wall. With that wall completely gone, the White Thorn fired by Guard of Honors summoner strayed from its intended course. (The enemys Material is the Giant Hostile Eye (cuw - nu - o - qux - o - ag - du). If you ignore the six lowest sound vowels, its made up of three low sounds, two middle sounds, and two high sounds. That puts it in the low sound range and lets me use that.) The small bit of time that bought gave Renge a replenished White Thorn. That single item appeared out of thin air. She jabbed the tip of her Blood-Sign against the floating White Thorn to immediately fire it. But she had not panicked or not given this proper thought. This time, her attack was based in calm and accurate calculations. She was targeting the White Thorn the enemy had fired. This was her revenge. The two White Thorns collided, their paths changed, and Uniquely Selflesss one hit both a middle sound and a high sound Petal floating in the air. The two Petals were knocked into and absorbed by Spots. That made three each of the low sounds, middle sounds, and high sounds. Taboo 1. When the riding suit beauty heard Renge speak, her face froze over. She had likely remembered what Renge went on to announce as if reading the womans mind. A summoner must not gather an equal number of low, middle, and high sounds. If they do, their own Material will transform into the Black Maw that Swallows All and swallow them whole!! A sticky sound rang out and the barbed wire form of the enemys Giant Hostile Eye transformed into a vortex of pitch-black slime. It rose up like a snake and the very top of the tornado was absolutely filled with fangs. There was no scream. Before the woman could make a single noise, the Black Maw that Swallows All attacked from above and instantly devoured the puny human. A disturbing sound filled the air as a life was lost. And as if to prove it, the Black Maw that Swallows All transformed yet again. The unconscious vessel woman was thrown carelessly to the utterly broken ground. But there was no salvation for her either. Upon the summoners death, the vessel in which the Black Maw that Swallows All resided had her mind shattered. The previous middle-aged freelance summoner could not have survived being swallowed up by the rubble either, so nothing was gained from this victory. The piles of rubble would not be returned to normal and the lost lives would not be resurrected as if it had all been a joke. All that remained was the simple fact that they had won and survived. That was the world summoners lived in. Renge then heard the muttering of Higans heart through their linked minds. We dont have time for sentimentality. Higan, were going to make a run for it. We cant afford to hide. Well have to use a chain to break through!! In a summoner battle using an Incense Grenade, the Artificial Sacred Ground would disappear on its own when either a conclusion was reached or ten minutes had passed. However, immediately after defeating the opposing summoner, the summoner could freely move along with the Artificial Sacred Ground for about ninety seconds. Modern summoning ceremonies were a technique to summon the gods using battles, but the residual heat remaining after a target was defeated could be used to borrow the enemys existence to run the system without it being bound to their thoughts. If a new enemy was taken in for a battle before the ninety seconds ran out, the battle would begin with the current Material intact. That was a major advantage. The enemy would be forced to build up their Material from the weakest level, but Renge and Higan could begin with a much more powerful Material. If that lasted long enough, they could build up a Material much more complex and advanced than could be summoned in only ten minutes. Of course, the damage taken would carry over as well and losing the chain for even an instant meant losing it all and having to start from scratch again, but keeping it up would eventually bring the strongest levels within reach. Even the lowest of rookies would be rewarded for their effort if they kept it up. Just as some giant fireworks were cheerfully launched on the coast opposite this harbor battlefield, the two sisters began running along the asphalt with Higan still transformed into the Material. There was no point in hiding any longer. Higan, were going to break through!! The enemy will have to start with the first Materials, so we just have to crush them before they can build it up!! They defeated enemy after enemy after enemy after enemy. While keeping the negative chain going, the two ran through the nighttime harbor. They destroyed one enemy and then hunted down the next. And as they did so, the Material residing within Higan continued to grow. People lay collapsed along the route they had taken. Unlike with the Black Maw created by violating the taboos, defeating the Material via normal methods did not kill the summoner. They instead became clockwork dolls that repeated the same action over and over again due to the attack that killed the god they had summoned. The standard was to finish them off at that point, but it may have been lucky for both sides that they did not have time for that now. Standard firearms were useless against both summoner and vessel and gathering together only allowed them to continue fighting in a chain. That was what made them so useful, but they were not almighty. Guard of Honor responded appropriately. Theyre keeping their people away to break our chain. Theyre planning to try again once the Artificial Sacred Ground disappears and you return to a normal human. But this is actually perfect for us!! Summoner and Material ran to their destination. After about ninety seconds, the chain broke and the Artificial Sacred Ground vanished. Higans body transformed from being a strange monster and back into a lovely girl, which meant their built up power had been lost. Higan swayed to the side in her shrine maiden outfit. Kh Are you okay, Higan!? Chaining battles together was something like a secret trick and the burden of surpassing the ten minute restriction was placed on the vessel and it grew as time went on. She was fortunate to not have passed out. And as soon as Renge lent her sister her shoulder, they were surrounded. There were twenty people in all which meant ten summoner/vessel pairs. While able to control a powerful Material due to their chain was one thing, these numbers put them at an overwhelming disadvantage when they had to restart from the beginning. Renge looked around and grimaced. The shape and sizes of their Blood-Signs were all different, but there was one trait in common. (They all have the name Uniquely Selfless? Dammit, that wasnt an individuals name?) They were directly below the giant bridge connecting the reclaimed land of the harbor with the rest of the city. It was a multipurpose bridge with a road on top, a monorail track down below, and power lines and communication cables running through it. Renge did not remember what its name was. Amid the great din coming from the bridge, a voice slipped smoothly into her ear. It belonged to one of the several Guard of Honor summoners with the name Uniquely Selfless. Its over. I wouldnt be so sure. Can you not see this? The summoner shook a small can. The object with a pin and safety lever on the top was an Incense Grenade. When it detonated, an Artificial Sacred Ground would open and the final battle would begin. (Honestly, I cant believe you can summon a god with a can. Whoever invented those things was insane.) With that thought about that tool they used, Renge felt sweat pouring from her body within her shrine maiden outfit. Meanwhile, Uniquely Selfless continued. With everyone we cornered here, weve asked who hired them. Ill try it with you as well, but Im honestly not expecting much since none of the answers have matched so far. It doesnt matter what. Just give me an answer and Ill kill you right away. Hey, said Renge while stepping forward to protect Higan. Sorry, but weve got some extra Incense Grenades. Do you mind if we start this one? It doesnt really matter who sets up the Artificial Sacred Ground, right? What, do you like exposing your belly to the man-eating beast after losing all hope yet laughing as a living mannequin? The summoner sounded surprised and Renges eyelids twitched. However, she managed to maintain her smile. One, simply using the Incense Grenade is meaningless. If it is not used while looking directly at the target individual, the Artificial Sacred Ground will not appear. A quiet high-pitched sound reached her ears. She had pulled the Incense Grenades pin while holding the safety lever in place. Two, no matter where the summoner and vessel are when the Incense Grenade detonates, they will be automatically moved to the center of the created Artificial Sacred Ground. With that said, she forcefully threw the Incense Grenade. However, she did not throw it to her feet or into the enemy formation. Three, the Artificial Sacred Ground will be constructed relative to the surface the Incense Grenade is touching when it detonates. This goes beyond the floor or the ground. If the Artificial Sacred Ground is created relative to the wall or ceiling, those inside can freely run around on the wall or ceiling!! She threw the can directly upwards and onto the bottom of the giant multipurpose bridge covering them. More specifically, she threw it onto a car of the unmanned freight monorail racing along the track attached to the bottom of the bridge. After a bursting sound, the Meinokawa sisters were thrown forcefully into the air as if invisible wires were connected to their bodies. The shock was enough to knock the breath out of them and cause an unpleasant sound in their necks, but it successfully brought them from the harbor and all the enemies there. They slammed into the bottom surface of the freight monorail that was racing along at nearly eighty kilometers-per-hour. The car had a super-deformed image of a lion painted on it as part of an advertisement and Renge had a feeling the things face had dented a little. Gah!! Kh Higan, are you okay? At any rate, we need to get up. This Artificial Sacred Ground wont last longer than ten minutes. Do you have anything to tie yourself on with? If you dont, youll fall off as soon as the effects wear off. The twin sisters stood upside down on the bottom of the monorail like bats. The harbor that had been such a place of terror was growing smaller by the moment. Incidentally, just one of the summoners surrounding them would have been dragged along with them as the Artificial Sacred Ground moved with the monorail, but that was no different from being hit by a giant wall moving at eighty kilometers-per-hour. The summoner would not have had time to summon a Material, so their supernatural protective circle would not have functioned. They had most likely been turned to mincemeat. At any rate, the sisters were finally safe. Or so they thought. A moment later, the giant bridge that was also used as a landmark broke completely in half. For an instant, the two girls did not understand what had happened. Their vision shook like crazy, but they still spotted a cruiser in the dark ocean directly below. A woman in a pink nurse uniform stood on its deck and she rested a long rod - a Blood-Sign - on her shoulder. (A summoner!? She interfered!?) At the same time, what had destroyed the bridge came into view. A small short-haired girl could be seen on the cruisers deck next to the summoner. She wore a dancers outfit whose purple cloth just barely covered the important parts of her body. Her exposed skin felt more sickly than seductive, but that may have been because she was sitting in a worn-out and rusty wheelchair. Her head was tilted and nothing resembling a will could be seen in the green eyes half-covered by her bangs. She then made a slight movement of her terribly skinny index finger. That was all she did, but it was enough to slice apart the several hundred ton bridge. A massive amount of seawater burst up like a giant wall and a space of several hundred meters was forcibly sliced through. The laser beam gathered any and all objects inside itself, compressed them like a black hole, and tore apart their bonds. Thats beyond Divine-class. The modern summoning ceremony using the Blood-Sign was a thoroughly simplified technique to summon and use a high-quality version of the fickle gods of legend. Before, decades were spent carving away stone to build a temple, the movement of the stars was observed to calculate out the perfect timing, and living humans were even prepared as sacrifices, but even then it was up to the god whether they would show up or not. However, those days were over. With the vessel, the Incense Grenade, and the Blood-Sign, it was possible to invite in what was not human with perfect reliability. The Regulation-class such as the DEC Tentacle that Renge and Higan had used or the Giant Hostile Eye were nothing more than manmade frameworks put together as stepping stones to reach the Divine class. Those true monsters could not be harmed with thermobaric warheads or laser bombardments and they could of course be used in battle, but that was merely a side-effect of being tools to reach the gods. However, humanity had come to learn something else. There was something beyond the Divine-class which they had assumed was the final destination of the worlds laws. There was a territory hidden beyond that and a term had been coined for the secret residents who sat stagnant in that territory. The Unexplored-class. The Spirit of the Fluttering Yellow Gills that Rules the Heavens (s - a - so - voz - tix - ei - yw - za). The White Queen who Wields the Sword of Unsullied Truth (iu - nu - fb - a - wuh - ei -kx - eu - pl - vjz) And the one wielding its power against them now. The Lady of Purple Lightning that Separates Good from Evil (iu - ao - eu - ei - kub - miq - a - ci - pl)!? As soon as Higan uttered the name, the freight monorails cars lost their connections and fell down into the ocean. The mascots painted on them continued to smile as they crashed into the cold ocean and began to sink. There was nothing Renge or Higan could do but fall along with the rubble. They had failed. That same thought entered Renges mind once more. Even so, she desperately reached a hand out toward her sister who had been flung out into empty space. Higan!! But her wish was not granted. She could not reach her sister and she was slammed into the surface of the dark, cold ocean. What had she been thinking then? Gah!? Unlike her sister Renge, Meinokawa Higan did not fall into the ocean. Inertia flung her body over the waterway and to the opposite bank. A number of boats were moored along the bank and she seemed to have landed on one of those. She had trouble breathing and her mind blinked in and out of consciousness, but she thought to herself while unable to get up. What had she hoped for then? (ge) She could not form words or even cough. Her mind was on the verge of tearing apart, but she focused and gained some strength even if it was only in her mind. As if representing the exact opposite of her mental state, great colorful rings of fireworks burst in the night sky. Their brightness and peacefulness seemed to coldly reject everything about Higan. (Renge) The enemy summoner had to have set up an Artificial Sacred Ground to summon the Lady of Purple Lightning from the Unexplored-class, but it had not captured the twin sisters. However, Higan did not view that as good luck. That would not have happened without good reason. The enemy had started by separating the summoner and vessel. Renges fall into the ocean was dangerous. Artificial Sacred Grounds worked relative to ones footing, so they did not work well in deep water. And neither of the girls could summon a Material alone. Pursuit would soon arrive to defeat them individually while they were defenseless. The man crushed by the rubble had given his own life to tell them the enemy was an organization named Guard of Honor and the enemy summoners would not allow anyone to leave with that information. A small scraping sound proved her bad feeling true. Guard of Honor had already surrounded the group of boats on the water. That meant Higan had been intentionally thrown right into their net. How was just a summoner or just a vessel supposed to stand up to a Material that could not be harmed by bullets or explosives? But despite the hopeless situation, the first thing on Higans mind was not her own predicament. Something more important filled her mind. An enemy unit had been lying in wait for Higan, so what about her sister Renge? Had a group of frogmen been waiting in the ocean? Or would the Lady of Purple Lightning target her directly from the cruiser? Either way, her odds of victory were almost nonexistent. She would be unable to even set up a proper battle. (O-oh, White Queen whoguides us to victoryin extraordinarybattles) She mouthed the good-luck charm she had repeated again and again since she was young. It had partially been a type of rote learning meant to familiarize her heart with the Materials which were literally not of this world, but she had also innocently believed it. She believed that if she called out and focused her heart enough, it would create some kind of connection. (Please reachthis fragilehuman soul.) But no help was coming. It simply could not happen. Summoning ceremonies were a strict technique. The most useful parts of every ceremony around the world had had been re-unified to create them and they would make the gods (or that which lay beyond them) work for humans with 100% reliability. But when relying on a traditional appeal to a god, the odds of help were something known only by the gods. And as her vision went dark, Meinokawa Higan lost sight of what she was praying to. She just vaguely spoke the words. Help She would lose her sister at this rate. (Someone.) She would lose the sister who shared her blood. (Anyone. Just save my sister) She would literally be devoured. Help No response was coming. No help was coming. And yet An instant later, she heard a series of loud metallic sounds. Something fell to the boats deck. It was a man in a suit dark enough to blend into the night. As he lay sprawled out with both his strength and consciousness gone, he looked more like an abandoned doll than a human. She was surprised to find Guard of Honor had already made it that close, but the real shock was that the enemy summoner had been defeated. Who had done it? What had done it? She desperately worked her mind that was still fading in and out, but she could not find an answer. However, as she tried to focus her blurry vision, she heard a certain sound. It was the whoosh of something lighter than a bat tearing sharply through the air. She had heard the sound countless times before. It came from a Blood-Sign, the long rod that summoners used to hit the White Thorns. However, this was not the sound of someone jabbing with the tip. They were instead casually and lazily spinning it around. (A BloodSign?) Meinokawa Higan desperately tried to raise her head. (But theresno Material here. Theres no summoningceremony. Thendid they use it to stab like a spearand hit the man directly?) But just as she forced herself, her vision filled with black and she could no longer tell who was there. Dammit. I never thought Id hear that cursed word here. And so she simply listened to the boys words before relinquishing her consciousness. Thisll make a bit of a detour. The apple sherbet wont melt, will it? Facts: *When an Incense Grenade is used, an Artificial Sacred Ground is created. The summoning and all other supernatural phenomena can only occur within that space. *A summoner summons by carving out the name of the Material and having it possess their vessel. *Only the Blood-Sign can affect the White Thorns. The White Thorns, Petals, and Spots will pass through humans and Materials. The White Thorns disappear on their own once they stop. Three are supplied at the beginning and a maximum of seven can be held. One is replenished from thin air about every ten seconds. *The cost of the Material is determined by the number of Petals placed inside Spots and its sound range is determined by the number of small, middle, and high sounds included. The lowest sounds do not influence the sound range. *The Material contains the Silhouette which stores the vessels mind. If it is destroyed, the battle comes to an end. *During battle, the summoner enters a protective circle created with their Materials power. The summoner is essentially invincible during the battle. *Taboo 1: An equal number of low, middle, and high sound Petals must not be placed in Spots and added to the Materials stock. *Taboo 3: When a summoner has no stock of White Thorns, a White Thorn remaining in the field must not enter a Spot. *The White Thorns, Petals, and Spots are not affected by gravity. However, they are affected by their own sort of friction from the air. *An Incense Grenade will have no effect unless it is used while viewing the target with the naked eye. Also, an Artificial Sacred Ground can be placed on walls and ceilings. Once the Incense Grenade detonates, the summoner and vessel are pulled toward the center of the Artificial Sacred Ground. *An Artificial Sacred Ground has a fixed location, but it will move along with the summoner for ninety seconds after their enemy has been defeated. If contact is made with the next enemy in that time, a chain of battles can be achieved while continuing to use the same Material. However, this increases the vessels fatigue. *Materials are divided into three classes: Regulation, Divine, and Unexplored. The upper two classes cannot be summoned through normal means. Volume 1, Stage 01 - I Don’t Do That Anymore Volume 1, Stage 01: I Dont Do That Anymore Will you help my sister? No, I dont think so. (Stage 01 Open 04/14 23:10) I Dont Do That Anymore So anyway, we were talking about how you werent attracted to your little sister here because I wasnt wearing a white school swimsuit, right? No, we were not! We were just listening to something pretty important! Life or death levels of important!! A fluorescent bikini just isnt pure enough for you, is it? I understand. I was wrong and prideful to think you would just dig right in as long as it had stripes. Ive learned my lesson. So youre just going to keep on with your insane logic? Doesnt it seem wrong that reasonable people have a harder time living in this world? Hey? Are you listening!? How about you look me in the eye and either nod or shake your head!? Their location had changed. That said, they were still inside the same apartment. Aikas residence used both the top floor and the one below it with staircases and an atrium connecting them, so it had plenty of rooms and plenty of space. The shrine maiden lying in the hallway had turned out to be alive. They had just finished hearing what she had to say after she had finally woken up. There were two reasons they had changed their location. The first was the white liger that Aika used as a sofa. The shrine maiden was injured, so they had needed to move to another room lest the scent of blood carelessly worked up the animals bloodlust (not simple animalistic lust). And the second Guard of Honor Weve heard that name recently too. We? Do you mean Government, Aika? Onii-chan, Government is the great ally of justice funded by sixty governments, religions, and giant corporations. Basically, its an occult version of a UN army. Of course we keep an eye on any dangerous groups. Swimsuit-wearing Aika waved her index finger around. Guard of Honor is a new organization gathering a bunch of strength in Illegal, that collection of 330 criminal groups which forms another of the three major powers. Illegal I had a feeling. Kyousuke looked over to the rooms door. Lu Niang Lan in her modified China dress was not here. She was hanging out with the white liger in the living room. She had complained about having to listen to any troubles involving Government, but that was because she was an equipment supplier for Illegal. Incidentally, both Shiroyama Kyousuke and the blonde shrine maiden belonged to Freedom, a group of individual summoners with no hierarchy restricting them. The summoning industry was basically a three-way struggle between those groups. Come to think of it, beauty and the beast are alone together in there. Will she be fine without the owner? It would be a disaster if she were attacked. Heh heh heh. The liger loves marbled beef with plenty of fat, so it would be great if it tore those lumps of fat right off her. That would not be great. And if it came to a scuffle between those two, Id be more worried about the white ligers safety. So the only ones here were Shiroyama Kyousuke, Aika, and the bandaged shrine maiden girl. Her name seemed to be Meinokawa Higan. She had long blonde hair and blue eyes. That was far removed from the standard image of a shrine maiden, but it gave her a pure and graceful image that was oddly appropriate for the Japanese holy outfit. The fact that it looked so perfect on her may have been proof that she had worn the outfit for many years. Her story could be summed up as follows: She had been attacked by a monster and had gotten separated from her twin sister. That sister was being pursued by the people controlling the monster, so she would be in danger if not found and protected soon. What do you think, Onii-chan? Its a mystery what that Guard of Honor organization was doing at the harbor, but they must not want anyone to know they were there. I would assume theyll chase down and slaughter anyone who escaped. Higan had managed to reach a Government stronghold, but Renge would be the perfect target while wandering around outside. She had no organization to shield her and she could not use a summoning ceremony when separated from her vessel. She would be killed the instant she was found. It was best to assume that worst case scenario. Meinokawa Higan hesitantly opened her mouth. U-um, this is acontact point for Government, right? That summoner told me this place is expensive but that I wouldnt be abandoned You sign up for insurance in advance so you can use it when you need it. It sounds like your mistake was getting the funds you needed taken by a cheap and greedy middleman. Swimsuit girl Aika put her hands on her hips and snorted as she said that, so Shiroyama Kyousuke interrupted from the side. Hold on there. This happened because Government agitated some Freedom summoners into clashing with a new faction inside Illegal, so of course you and Government have to take responsibility here. Eh? Or are you only pure allies of justice because you refuse to admit to your mistakes? Hmph. Government isnt just a giant monolith. There are several factions inside it. There you have it. And youre the one that acts like its one giant organization, too. Onii-chan, are you the kind of brother who pokes at his little sisters weak points until she cries? If I went around cleaning up after all the fools in Government, Id never do anything else. Im not interested in supporting some defeated soldiers. Besides, I already know youll take care of it. What the hell was the comment you just slipped in there!? Tah dah!! Shiroyama Kyousuke here is Freedom Award 902, the skilled summoner known as Alice (with) Rabbit! Hes also been called the Ace Destroyer, the Unexplored-Class Summoner, Loved by the White, Eternal Wearer of Material, the Hive Crusher, and many more. In fact, its rude of you not to have notice the second you saw him, you rookie. If you twin sisters are from Freedom, then hes your superior. Stop it! Why are you making a sales pitch about me? Well, Aika!? Explain it to me in your own words!! He shook her by the shoulders when she simply smiled and averted her gaze, but not even that stopped the swimsuit girls sales pitch. Meanwhile, na?ve Meinokawa Higans eyes were sparkling with a pure light. A-Award 902 It was hardly surprising that her voice had grown a little shrill. Government, Illegal, and Freedom had all made a contract with one of the three great Materials standing at the peak of either the low, middle, or high sounds. The summoners belonging to the group would be given awards by residents of the other side based on the outcomes of their actions. These awards were directly carved into their souls. Generally, the more awards a summoner had won, the greater their skill. Also, summoners believed in a certain legend: Award 1000. When a summoner of the three groups reached that number, it was said the world they lived in would be reversed. This world and the other world would be swapped out and they would become a lifeform of the other side. Instead of summoning the gods, they would stand alongside the gods in the world of the gods and they would become the star of a new legend comparable to those of the other gods. Award 902 was well within reach of that legend. Youre in the 900s!? S-someone that amazing will really help me save my sister? And for free!? Did she just mix her own hopes in there!? Who ever said anything about for free!? Ohbut I dont have any of our money. My sister always carried the wallet, you see. So youll have to wait until we find my sister to be paid, and since she doesnt know about any of this, youll have to renegotiate everything with her, and no one can beat her in an argument, and based on how you look, it just seemed to me that it would end up being for free. Thats it. Im going home and climbing in bed. Wait, wait, wait! I-I apologize for telling the truth, so, u-um, wait just a little more!! What, what? What is with you!? Do you like stabbing people with your words with that pure look in your eyes? It certainly looks like it! You mustnt let this shock you, Onii-chan. Thats the true form of the purity (heh) youre always looking for. Besides, how is someone with no self-interest supposed to grasp the subtleties of others hearts? Wh-whatever you might say, my sister really is in danger! B-b-back thenshe might have been attacked by the Unexplored-class Lady of Purple Lightning. If its a human up against a Material, wont they be killed in an instant even against the weakest of them, not to mention an Unexplored-class? Shes definitely still alive!! Meinokawa Higan nearly shouted to make that alone clear. When the blonde shrine maiden continued, she seemed to be counting on her fingers. I dont know where my sister is now, but sh-she cant summon a Material without me as her vessel. Theres nothing she can do if Guard of Honor finds her. You know that a human cant hope to fight back against even the weakest Material, dont you!? When I say I dont care, I really mean it, but what do you think, Onii-chan? Id say shell last three days at the absolute most and she cant leave the city. Shiroyama Kyousuke calmly and digitally calculated out the answer. The swimsuit girl agreed with him. Things would be different if we had some proof that the Meinokawa sisters attacked Guard of Honor on Governments request, but this was a greedy middleman who used the summoners of another group as sacrificial pawns. Im sure theyve covered their tracks and will feign ignorance. No one wanted to rush out and fight an unnecessary battle. Aika viewed Government as a giant army. They were not a group of guerrillas or terrorists that was willing to destroy their own. That giant organization of winners would prioritize a reduction in their own losses over achieving their objective. Even if they defeated one hundred thousand enemies, it would be recorded as a horrific defeat if a thousand of their own were lost in the process. They were so used to winning that their very way of thinking had been rewritten like that. B-but Meinokawa Higan paled. Guard of Honor is far more powerful than we had heard and now we cant even rely on that giant organizations strength? Th-then who is going to save my sister? (Glance, glance) Aika. Theres nothing pure about her at all!! Shes clearly trying to send me to my death for her own ends!! The truly pure are those who dont try to hide their desires, Onii-chan. Or maybe its the ones where you cant tell whether they are or not. Hee hee hee. Holding back tears yet? Lets go back over the situation. The Meinokawa sisters were being pursued by Guard of Honor. Renge was a summoner, but she could not use summoning ceremonies while separated from Higan, her vessel. At this rate, Renge would be captured and killed by Guard of Honor before long. The (self-styled) allies of justice of Government were not going to be much help and both Illegal and Freedom had no obligation to help in the first place. The Meinokawa sisters belonged to Freedom, but Freedom was a group of five hundred individual summoners. They couldnt ask for help from a colleague unless they knew each other personally. However, Shiroyama Kyousuke was a summoner and Meinokawa Higan was a vessel. Kyousuke was skilled enough to hold Freedom Award 902 and he had accomplished the Hive Crusher feat in which he destroyed an entire organization on his own. The two of them were incomplete parts of a pair, so if they joined forces, there was still a chance of success. B-back then Meinokawa Higan spoke quietly while embracing her own bandaged shoulders. Even when we were surrounded by Guard of Honors Materials, m-my sister tried to let me escape first and foremost. She never put it to words, but I could tell. She had to have had a few ways of letting herself alone escape to safety, but she let me escape instead. Kyousuke did not know Meinokawa Renge. She was apparently a fellow Freedom member, but there was no information on those twin sisters in the prominent Awards. They also didnt seem to have one of the nicknames that others began using to refer to people. But the other sister, Higan, was here now. That fact said something about the summoner named Meinokawa Renge. So this time Ill save her. I want to save her! A vessel cant summon Material on her own, but that changes when theres also a summoner not bound by a contract. If you work with me, we actually have a way of reaching my sister where shes suffering!! Kyousuke found himself wondering if he could do that. Not in reference to his number of Awards on paper. And not in reference to his skill. Was he the kind of summoner who could choose to protect his family by passing the ultimate decision to someone else in a hopeless situation with no right answer? Please, said Higan through her trembling lips. This was her final hope, a tiny light, a far-too-thin thread. It looked like a careless touch would cause it to snap, but she could not help but reach her hand out toward it using her voice. Please!! Work with me to help my sister!! Shiroyama Kyousuke sighed when he heard that one word in particular. Swimsuit girl Aika shrugged next to him. There was a reason he was known as Alice (with) Rabbit. That boy had decided this would be his final job. So what was the best choice here? What would he reach for with everything lined up in front of him? What could he do with a girl crying in front of him after losing everything? After giving it plenty of thought, he spoke. No, I dont think so. Shiroyama Kyousuke walked through the streets alone after leaving Aikas luxury apartment. It was already past midnight, but this was the giant amusement park known as Toy Dream 35. Simply put, the concepts of good morning and good night did not exist here. Bright lights flashed on Ferris wheels and roller coaster tracks, projectors displayed countless images on building walls, fireworks were launched from the boats anchored out at sea, and laser art colored the night sky along with those fireworks. This is Sergeant Howards AR Survival Game! Dont you want to take part in a shootout in a thermal power plant!? 100 toy chips to play. The line starts here!! If you want to have some fun at the Royal Casino, follow the red rabbits instructions. Only 300 toy chips a game. Gozaru, gozaru. I am the Gozaru Samurai! Everything from bunny girls suggestively showing off their bodylines to strange costumed characters were walking back and forth. It was impossible to tell who was a worker and who was a tourist. However, Kyousukes location was odd. It was something like a giant land bridge connecting two high-rise buildings. The structures were sometimes seen near train stations, but they seemed to fill every nook and cranny of this city. Directly below was the dark seawater decorated by neon and laser art. There was no concept of ground here. The intelligently designed buildings stuck directly out of the ocean. The first and second floors were all covered in glass, creating a half-natural aquarium. Pirate ships and Japanese-style yakatabune moved freely through the giant canals that existed in place of roads. Directly above were several more similar bridges. In this theme park city, you could look up and see the fireworks from almost anywhere. While Shiroyama Kyousuke thought about that, he heard a jangling noise. He turned around and saw a girl ringing a hand bell in a miniskirt Santa outfit even thought it was an April night. Jan, jan, jan! Congratulations on being the two millionth person to cross this bridge. Now, now, now. As a small prize, you will receive Oh, its Shiroyama-kun. Huh? Is that you, Librarian-chan? A Santa girl in the early spring? Going on the attack, are we? Im your classmate, so try to remember my name. Oh, and this is a joint campaign with The Santa Girl who Couldnt Get Home. Its playing now, so head on over to the nearest movie theater. You can still make the late show. I didnt want to know that. Oh, and please dont let the school know about this. I dont want them to know Im working part-time. Before even getting to the school rules, Japans laws forbade minors from working late at night, but this was Toy Dream 35. The division wasnt as clear as a fenced-off foreign military base, but the rules were still different here. Kyousuke accepted a box wrapped like something from a Christmas sales war, waved toward the student librarian who clasped her hands in front of her face in a Please! pose, and began walking once more. But he soon came to another stop. He turned around to find Meinokawa Higan standing there on the verge of tears in her shrine maiden outfit. She had her hands on her elbows and was gasping for breath. Pant, pant W-wait. Please wait! Do you need something? II told you my sisters in trouble, didnt I? Im a vessel and, um, youre a summoner. If we update our contracts, we can work together and go help my sister. So!! But. Kyousuke leaned against the giant bridges railing. Thats what you want. I have no reason to risk my life here. Or are you saying you have a reason for me? I-Im, um!! Higan shouted within the crowd while grabbing the center of her shrine maiden outfits vermilion skirt. Im wearing striped panties!!!!!! A mysterious sound effect followed her announcement. A pirate ship in the canal below seemed to have fired a blank from its cannon. Shiroyama Kyousuke did not understand in the slightest, so he asked an honest question. U-um Do shrine maidens even wear underwear? Part-time ones aside, I thought the legit ones traditionally didnt wear any. Oh, um, going without is the standard, but today is special. I happened to overhear someone saying, Onii-chan is a genius who will accept anything if its got stripes. A-and that apartment just so happened to have a clothes dresser labelled Ultimate Weapon that was full of striped things!! Im not even sure where to begin on this one. Should he begin with the fact that she actually believed he would be willing to die if she showed him a striped pattern? Or maybe with the fact that she had stolen that striped object from someone elses home? In fact, he could even start with the fundamental fact that she was willing to put someone elses panties on her bare skin like that. He had heard on a variety show that the generally obedient and quiet girls would do the most unbelievable things when they felt cornered and finally exploded, and that was proving surprisingly accurate. But despite straying from the proper path, Higan did seem to still have a shame meter (even if it was broken). K-khhh! You dont believe me, do you? B-but I really am wearing them! I guess we cant move on until I prove it to you. F-fine then. If its to save my sister, I-I-I-I-I-I-ow! I bit my tongue Im prepared to lift up this skirt right here! H-hnnn!! Wait, wait, wait, wait just a damn second!! Thats where I need to start!! Oh, White Queen who holds the greatest power of the Unexplored-class, give me the courage to bear the embarrassment needed to save my sister!! If you have enough sense to find it embarrassing, then stop!! What do you think youre doing out in public!? Hm? In fact, is a shrine maiden skirt really made to lift up like a normal one? U-um, theres a lot of varieties depending on the school and style used, so some are more like normal skirts and some are more like pants. I use whats known as a lantern design, so it wont be a problem. Thats beside the point!! Im trying to say that a young girl lifting her skirt in public is more than enough of a problem in and of itself! Honestly!! Y-you mean you want to do it in a closed room? Tremble tremble. Why are you looking at me like a terrified animal? Youre the one that started this and Im the one trying to stop you. B-but Higan tilted her head with her skirt pulled at the borderline level that could be titled, Young Lady with a Long Skirt Playing in the Water. Being in public or a closed room, um, makes no difference for us. Well, that is true. As soon as Kyousuke replied, a hand bell rang behind him and the miniskirt Santa librarian spoke up. Congratulations on being the two millionth person! Huh? Where did the prize go? Well, I have a spare, so it doesnt matter. She was not just forgetful. That was the correct reaction. Anyway, youre the two millionth person!! Oh, and this is a joint campaign with The Santa Girl who Couldnt Get Home. Shiroyama Kyousuke tossed his small prize into the air and caught one-handed. Whether summoner or vessel, anyone with a close connection to Materials would begin to have their presence fade after earning an Award of around 100. Or rather, they were removed from peoples minds. People could see them, but they would forget about them as soon as they left their field of vision. There was a simple reason that summoning ceremonies had not spread throughout the entire world and it wasnt because some dark organization was suppressing the information. The human mind simply was not strong enough to directly accept the evidence of something so vast. It affected their friends, their lovers, and their families. It did not matter how well they knew someone. But even if you know theyll forget about you a moment later, it wouldnt feel right. Im certainly not going to run around out here in the nude. Thats completely abandoning your humanity. I-I thought your reaction was a little light So even in a quick hypothetical, you want me to go that far!? Ah, ahhyaaaahhh!? Y-you pervert!! Ah, ah, ah!! Bhah!? B-before you squeeze your eyes shut and kick at me with your skirt still lifted, how about you work at figuring out that I gave that as an example of what isnt acceptable!? Kyousukes throat was starting to hurt after all this yelling. He himself never did anything too odd, but he was tragically surrounded by strange and eccentric people. He felt like a calm and mature actor taking a pie to the face on the stage of some intense comedy. I-I have to, um, save my sister no matter what! Y-you already told me that. But- gwah. I need your help to do that. I-I cant stop here. We know that the world of summoners is harsh, but, um, w-we still decided to do our best there! Hm? Kyousuke frowned at that. Something had seemed different in that one. I understand that you would want to save your sister, but are you still thinking of staying in this world after all this? You must have experienced even more awful things than I know about. I thought youd wash your hands of this after saving your sister. Butthis is all we have. She did not seem to know what to do with the skirt she had gotten carried away and lifted. It wavered at the borderline and she looked away from him a little. Our shrine was taken away. Th-the debt just kept piling up and minors like us had no way of paying it back. At this rate, not only wont we be able to get our home back, but our parents will be kicked out of the rehab facility. Kyousuke had noticed few ominous terms in that. He knew asking more questions would lead to nothing good, but his tongue slipped. Can I ask how this all started? Our parents gambling addiction. An especially cold night wind blew between the two of them. All kinds of entertainment had been developed across national borders in the international revived cities that were popping up around the world. Casinos were quite common even in Toy Dream 35. That was just the age they lived in. Y-youre a summoner too, so, um, surely you know that vessels never have happy backstories. Originally, only I was supposed to be used up to pay off the debt, but my sister punched the man who was buying me and made the contract with me instead. Thats the kind of person she is. Shes always the first one to put herself in danger, but, um, sh-she doesnt understand how fragile and delicate she is. Kyousuke thought a bit about that girl who was not here. He had assumed that the fact that her twin sister, Meinokawa Higan, was alive summed up Renges value. That had been both accurate and inaccurate. Higans presence here was testament to more than just the events of this night. It was also testament to the fact that she had overcome a much longer and crueler path. I think its thanks to my sister that I can still, um, see the word family as a warm thing. Without her, I would probably just view the word with a dark smile. It went beyond just her life. Her sister had also saved that gentler part of her. Thats why I want to save her. Her eyes looked like glasswork as they viewed what may have been reality and may have been her memories. I dont want to just be saved. Sh-she needs help just as much as I do, so Ill do anything. P-p-panties are nothing. I dont even care if you tell me to rush back into that hell brought by Guard of Honor. I dont want to lose my sister I dont want to lose my one and only sister!! She was probably telling the truth. In his few interactions with her, he could tell she wasnt skilled enough to keep a lie going this long. If Meinokawa Higan was presented with the one and only way of saving her sister, she would likely jump at the chance, even if it meant losing her own life. That may have been a beautiful thing. But that was exactly why he had to say this. Then go die in vain. Just dont drag anyone else down with you. Her expression clearly changed. She looked a stake had been driven into her heart as he said even more. The summoning ceremony doesnt work without both the summoner and the vessel. Youre so desperate to save your sister that you cant think about this rationally. Working with you would be useless. Not only will you lose your sister, youll lose the life she threw away her own life to protect. Wh-what are you saying? Im telling you to cool your head. You wont gain anything by starting a fight you cant win. Guard of Honor is supposed to be a powerful new organization with plenty of summoners skilled enough to summon the Divine-class. Do you have any concrete vision of a way to win? I may be Freedom Award 902 Alice (with) Rabbit Shiroyama Kyousuke, but Im not someone who appears after you rub a magic lamp. This world isnt so simple a place that things will just work themselves out once you speak your wish. Oh, come on! Um, I-I know Im not being rational here! B-but, um, I cant help it. My family is in danger. If you really think I can cool my head and be rational here, then, um, you must be a cold-hearted demon or something!! She spoke strongly as if everything building up inside her was exploding out. But Kyousuke gave a simple response to the shrill cry made a step in front of him. But you cant win if you dont. !! He sounded so definitive that Higan fell silent. And If you cant win, nothing you do can save your sister. Will one of you die or will both of you die? And if you include me, thats three of us dying. If those are the only options available to you, I only have one piece of advice for you: do not head to that cruel battlefield. That was all he had to say. He turned his back on her but then looked back as if he had just remembered something. If you are aware you dont have the power to fight, then you should head right back to Aikas apartment. I know youve been focused on your sister, but Guard of Honor will be after both the sisters who escaped. That girl likes to complain, but she wont abandon someone who showed up seeking shelter. Living with a wild animal might seem tough, but you can safely hide there for the time being. My final job is already complete. I saved your life. With that said, he walked into the crowd. He had nothing more to say. He had already finished this discussion back in the apartment. That isnt A frail girls voice reached his back from the distance. That isnt what I meant when I asked for help!! He of course knew that. Shiroyama Kyousukes temporary home was far less impressive than Aikas luxury apartment, but it still may have been unusual for a normal high school boy. It was not a house, an apartment, a dorm room, an inn, a hotel, a tent, or even a cardboard box shanty. Then what was it? It was one of the cruisers packed in on either side of the large canals. While it was a small boat, the cabin was larger than a student apartment and it even had a bedroom with a double bed, a simple kitchen, a bath, and a bathroom. It was not a bad place to live if one ignored how frightening stormy nights were and how annoying all the seagull droppings were. Some people saved money by buying run-down boats without an engine, but Kyousukes was still able to cruise. Sigh He stepped into the bedroom without turning on the lights, moved his smartphone from his pocket to the bedside table, and then hopped into the large bed. When he shut his eyes, his mind turned to the nickname he had spoken a few times this night: Alice (with) Rabbit. With a few exceptions, people did not give themselves their nickname. In Kyousukes case, it was even a humiliating name. Even so, he had used it. In order to get across the necessary information, he had chosen not to beat around the bush, but he started to wonder why he had gone that far. He quickly found the answer. When you get down to it, do I just not want that girl to die? Nevertheless, the fact remained that there was nothing he could do. Pairing up with Meinokawa Higan would not be enough, but this remained true even when ignoring that. However, explaining that would have gotten him nowhere. If he could not do it, he could not do it. She only needed to understand that. He looked over to the bedside table. There was a picture frame there, but whose picture was inside it? He thought for a bit in the darkness and finally remembered. Olivia Highland. That twelve-year-old girl with bright blonde hair had lent her body to him as a vessel to pay the investigation fee needed to search for the mother she had never known. They had worked together for a total of three weeks, but she was gone now. She had safely returned to the sunlit world. Shiroyama Kyousuke would never let a vessel of his die. What was the last thing she had said to him? He remembered and then regretted it. That was when his smartphone received a call. A gentle vibration sounded and the flashing backlight dimly illuminated the smile in the picture frame. He grabbed the phone from the bed and saw it was from Aika. Onii-chan, are you having a passionate night? Whats this? Do people pick random fights over the phone these days? Hm. If your cruiser had become love nest, I was prepared to graduate from my shut-in ways and make a late-night attack with the liger, but if not, this probably isnt good. Sensing something was wrong, he got up from the bed. Keep it short. Meinokawa Higan hasnt returned. A tingling feeling crawled along his spine. That was the sensation of death. There are three possibilities: One, she was spending the night at your cruiser. Two, Guard of Honor found and captured her while she was wandering around outside. And three She got fed up with it all and went to search for her sister alone? Goddammit!! He cursed without meaning to. As the middleman, Aika calmly spoke over the phone. You were thinking the rookie vessel named Meinokawa Higan could avoid any further danger if the summoner didnt cooperate, but it looks like your plan failed. Yeah. It wouldve taken three days at the most. If I could have tracked down the Government middleman who gave the Meinokawa sisters that job and found proof that they had been deceived, then responsibility would have fallen to that giant organization. After that, all of Governments strength would have driven Guard of Honor from the harbor region and carefully searched for Meinokawa Renge. That might have solved everything without that powerless girl having to face those dangerous Materials!! If a summoner and vessel joined forces, they could fight. That was simple enough, but there was still a problem there. If a vessel already had a contract, they could still overwrite their contract to make a new one with a third party, but that only meant it was possible. The details of the system were not fully known. No one could say how much of a burden it would place on her. Onii-chan, I have something to tell you about Government. He had a bad feeling about this, but Aikas voice reached his ears regardless. Government has no choice but to officially register Meinokawa Higan as an enemy. You know why, dont you? Yes. Government is the ally of justice funded by about sixty governments, religions, and multinational corporations. And our primary purpose is to appropriately manage the invisible asset that is the summoning ceremony. She was only a part of Freedom before, but now that she has asked for Governments protection, she is under our management. Running away for her personal convenience was a huge mistake. Anyone could misuse this wandering asset, so we need to freeze the account immediately. Even if it means ripping up the bankbook. Depositing money in a bank was a good thing. It helped increase the assets of good people and it was useful for monitoring and weakening the assets of bad people. But what if there was a large sum of money of unknown ownership that anyone could withdraw? Government would either manage it under their own trusted name or they would dispose of it. (This is awful) Meinokawa Higan was already out of her league against Guard of Honor, but now Government was pursuing her too. It was like having both the wolf and the hunter pursuing Little Red Riding Hood. Of course, this decision was not based in Aikas personal feelings. She had made this call because things had reached a point where she was no longer in control. If she showed too much of her own discretion, Aika too could be labelled a wandering asset. Who has the Government sent? A summoner/vessel pair with each of five Repliglass units. The military? Thats not good. Oh? Not the summoners? Youre in Government, so you should know. If a unit focuses on fleeing, they can stop a chain and then either carpet bomb the area with freefall bombs dropped from high altitude bombers fifteen thousand meters up or fire from a cruiser out at sea beyond the horizon. If they destroy the terrain itself when you cant even see them, theres not much you can do. Normal firepower is the scariest thing of all. Theres a reason thats the power that rules the world. Umm, Onii-chan. This is a battle between summoners And dealing with another summoner is a lot easier. Whats the name of the strongest one? Government Award 930, Golden Luxury. The president of Quad Motors, an American multinational corporation, is her father. In other words, shes one source of our funding. She gets especially good results in complex terrain like urban areas or inside buildings. And the Material she prefers to summon is She hesitated for a moment and Kyousuke realized why once she continued. The White Queen who Wields the Sword of Unsullied Truth (iu - nu - fb - a - wuh - ei -kx - eu - pl - vjz). Thats one of the Unexplored-class beyond the Divine-class. That instantly blew away his previous mood. Every summoner knew the name of the Queen. That Material was known as the strongest even among the Unexplored-class beyond the Regulation and Divine classes. Government, Illegal, and Freedom were in constant conflict, but ironically, all three had arrived at that exact same conclusion. Being the strongest meant ones victory was assured as soon as they summoned the Queen, but the conditions for summoning her were far too unique. It was rare for anyone to summon her in a true battle rather than a mock battle held on a vast experimental field. However, this summoner supposedly specialized in summoning her. This was not just a theory. In a battle of life or death, she was summoning that Material to take her enemys life. He had Award 902, but that was only within Freedom and it could not be confused with the numbers within Government. Also, Kyousuke had not accepted a single job in half a year. He could not guarantee he had full use of his previous power, so he did not know if he could defeat this summoner even if he went all out. As a side note, Award 930 was more powerful than the Aika and White Liger pair. If this person really was capable of summoning the Queen, it was possible she would reach Award 1000. Do you know where Meinokawa Higan has gone? If I did, I wouldnt have called you. Then where are Golden Luxury and the disciplinary units? If theyre ahead of us here, Meinokawa Higan is probably inside their dragnet. ? You seem oddly motivated here, Onii-chan. I never intended to just let them die. And a moment ago, I remembered something a little unpleasant. Theyre in R Block. They seem to be blocking the route to the harbor. But theyre in motion, so they must be searching. Im guessing they know shes in the area and are performing a thorough search. I see Kyousuke reached for his hoodies hood. He always kept an Incense Grenade on him. He placed it on the bedside table and pulled out the storage drawer below the bed. He had not worked for about half a year and had not really resupplied, but he had about three spare Incense Grenades. They weighed around three hundred grams, so they felt a little heavier than a can of coffee in his hands. (Thats four in all. Wiping them out in a Hive Crusher might not be possible, but I have a chance if I just get in and get out.) By the way, what was the unpleasant thing you remembered? Olivia Highland. My previous vessel. You remember her, right? Yes, I do I do!! Shes that cruelest of girls who ignored me and clung to your arm with an innocent smile while muttering Onii-chan in her sleep!! Ahhh, its pissing me off just remembering it!! That doesnt matter right now, but do you remember the last thing she said? Aika fell silent for a moment. She must have remembered because she mimicked the girls voice: Yes, but I wasnt scared. After all, I knew youd always come to save me, Onii-chan. Alices rabbit is the friend of any girl that wanders into this world! So if you wish for my happiness, then Ill make a wish too. I hope more and more vessels like me will meet you and be given happiness. Eh heh heh. Ill ask the White Queen!! Kyousuke grimaced a little. Alice (with) Rabbit was the name given to him by a girl who had once been Alice. That kind of traumatized me. Well, after knowing you for only a few weeks, she couldnt have known about your true worries. But remembering that made me realize that Meinokawa Higan might be the same, even if I only just met her today and have no real connection to her. Or maybe I should say shes a human being who wanted to be the same. Can you no longer see her as just a name on a document? I dont remember ever treating her like that. Well, now that Im looking at it this way, I guess theres no point in forcing myself to hold back. Hmm. Then I have something to tell you as the little sister that loves her big brother. After a short pause, she almost seemed to whisper the rest. Welcome home, Onii-chan. And now its time to head out again. With the central square at the center, Toy Dream 35 was divided up like a pizza to create twenty-six blocks labeled from A to Z. Each block had a unique concept and was named after the first letter of an English word describing that concept. However, it was not widely known what those words were, so even the residents tended not to know about any of the blocks outside the one they lived in. Meinokawa Higan was hiding behind a flower bed. She was in the courtyard of a perfectly normal looking school. A new rectangular building had been constructed above the older L-shaped building and the courtyard was located at the center of that three-sided square. More specifically, this was a high school in Toy Dream 35s R Block. It was artificial land built over the ocean and the three hundred meter square of land was supported by about forty pillars. Giant bridges could be seen both above and below it, but that was the standard multilevel structure of this city. The one open side of the three-sided square led to the edge of the float and the salty wind blew in despite the cliff-like difference in height. The amusement park city never slept, but there were exceptions in places. The cold stillness of a school or hospital at night was gradually eroding the air here despite the year-round festive atmosphere. She had no idea where her sister Renge might be. She had simply been planning to start her search around the harbor area where they had parted ways and then to gradually widen her area of search in hopes of finding her sister or some hint that would lead to her. But (Wh-what are those?) After leaving the block the Government middlemans apartment had been in, she had entered the central square and then walked through R Block to reach the harbor area. That was all she had wanted to do, but she had found herself unable to make it even halfway through R Block. She had no interest in this school, but as she had continued making detours to avoid the strange attention she was receiving, she had found herself here. It was almost like she had been led to an open space where someone could go on a rampage. (Are they summoners? Are they from Guard of Honor thats after my sister? No. Th-they seem different somehow. Theyre differentbut um, theyre still dangerous!!) As soon as she heard quite a few mechanical sounds, something had dropped down to block her way forward. They were human. Pitch black external armor covered their bodies and they had extra legs sweeping back behind their normal two. They dropped down as if it were nothing special. For humans equipped with grasshopper-like leg units, a difference of over ten meters may have been the same as climbing or descending a flight of stairs. But that was not all. Units that looked like a spider body added onto a humans upper body were silently crawling along the schools walls and the bottom of the giant bridge running overhead. Water strider units with four legs sticking out were skimming along the surface of the dark water flowing below the artificial schoolyard. Fifty or sixty of these bizarre humans were blocking her way. They were Repliglass. In a divergence from older weapons, this armor had bones, muscle, and blood made from processed silicon cells. They were the invention of the century and they had twisted the current age itself to the point of creating a new division of the military beyond infantry or tanks: Pilot Soldiers. But despite all that, they were not the stars of the show. Surrounded by these bizarre shapes were the residents of a world Higan recognized: a summoner and a vessel. That equipment looked like it could win a war against aliens, but those soldiers were only the eyes and ears. They would find the target and the summoner and vessel would supply the finishing blow. That was the setup. And there was more than the one pair. From Meinokawa Higans position, she could see four such pairs hanging around waiting for a report to come in. She doubted she had simply been caught in the middle of some other incident. She did not know who they were, but she doubted they would help her in any way. (If theyre blocking the way because they know Ill pass through here, then, um, my sister must be up ahead.) She clenched her teeth, calmed her racing pulse, and forced herself to think. She could not fight. She was a vessel, but without a summoner, she was only a girl. Her death was assured the instant they found her. (Then this is my chance. This is the way back to my sister. If I can get back to the harbor where we were separated, I can save her. So!!) So So So It took a full thirty seconds for her thoughts to continue on toward an actual course of action. In fact, even after thirty seconds, she could not find an answer. She was simply frozen in place. And once she realized she had done nothing at all, it dawned on her: she was afraid. Her skinny body was assaulted by uncontrollable shaking. She could not move. Not even a single step. She could not move forward or even back. She knew just how powerless she was at the moment. If a summoner and vessel found her and attacked her with a Material, her flesh-and-blood body would be smashed to bits. Even if it was the weakest Material, no resident of this world could defeat a resident of the other world. That rule was absolute. And even if the Repliglass soldiers were only acting as the eyes and the ears, her life was not guaranteed if they found her either. A vessel could do nothing on her own. If they attacked her with normal guns, she would be turned to Swiss cheese. If they kicked her or tackled her with their giant bodies, her bones would be crushed. She was weak. She was hopelessly weak. But that was not why she was afraid. These excuses kept coming to mind. She was afraid of how her heart was giving in to all those indulgences in preparation to give up on her beloved sister. (No) In a desperate attempt to bring back what little courage she had, she pictured the face of that family member who had risked her own life to protect her. But every time she did, it was blotted out by even more excuses. Renges smile, words, and scent were all lost in the blink of an eye. (No!! I-I dont want to lose her. Im the only one that can save her. Even if its impossible, Im the only one that can do it!! I know that. I know that, and yet) No matter how much she yelled in her heart, her physical body did not move a single step. No words escaped her mouth. She still could not move forward or back. She could only tremble in hiding in order to save herself. It was hopelessly pathetic and hopelessly shameful, but she could not hide those thoughts. She could not keep going. She could not win. She did not want to die. She recalled the monsters she had seen at the harbor. They appeared vividly in her mind: Fafnir, Yamata-no-Orochi, and The Lady of Purple Lightning that Separates Good from Evil (iu - ao - eu - ei - kub - miq - a - ci - pl). As Divine and Unexplored classes, they had been special cases, but they were essentially the same. That was what happened when a human ran afoul of Materials. They could die even with the best of preparations, so it was obvious what would happen without those preparations. Her true nature was showing itself now that she had been placed in this extreme situation, but even after seeing that, she could do nothing more than cower behind cover. (White Queen, White Queen, White Queen! G-gr-grant me courage. Grant me the courage to save my sister even if it means sacrificing myself!!) She prayed again and again to calm herself. Each time, the exact opposite happened. Her mind was growing blank. She could not stop trembling. She could not stop it no matter what she did. Just hiding here placed so much pressure on her that she thought she would pass out. She then realized that was because passing out would be a self-destructive yet easy way out for her. Nothing could have been more shameful and nothing could have been more painful. Her blank mind then recalled something pointless. On that day, at the instant she had been separated from Renge, what had she asked for on that boat? When she had prayed to the White Queen in the same way and nothing had happened, what had her heart hoped for? help Something like a groan escaped her lips. It was relying on others to the extreme. And even as she tried to escape the reality before her eyes, she could not let the Repliglass soldiers or the summoners hear her. Someone help And as she gave her quiet plea, a human form slowly approached from behind. !? Sensing their presence, she turned around in surprise, but Mgh!? As soon as she did, a hand covered her mouth and a great force pulled her once more behind the flower bed she had been hiding behind. A familiar face appeared before her eyes. It was Shiroyama Kyousuke who held a finger to his lips. Shh. Pwah. Wh-wha-what? Um, wh-why are youow!? She was cut off by a light chop to the head. What do you think youre doing here? he whispered. That harbor is Guard of Honors stronghold and its guarded by a ton of summoners. Whether youre searching the surrounding area on the assumption your sister is still on the run or youre searching the inside on the assumption shes been captured, thats too much ground to cover. How many warehouses are there and how big are they? Arent there over a thousand containers piled up around there? If you searched randomly through there on your own, not even a week or two would be enough. And Guard of Honor isnt exactly going to sit there and let you search. Right? Th-then Even if you have to go there, you need to have a specific target in mind that you can rush in to reach. Without that, you wont be saving anyone. Kyousuke glanced out from behind the flower bed to check on the several figures throughout the courtyard and to check on the shortest route to the exit. Now, our current problem is the allies of justice. I can see four pairs from here and it doesnt look like Golden Luxury is here. Maybe shes inside one of those Hornets flying around. Eh? Eh? You mean that high-level Government Award holder? S-so this really isnt Guard of Honor? Theyre our enemy either way. If they love human wave attacks that use quantity over quality and theyve sent out units wearing Repliglass designed from silicon DNA, then it has to be Government. Not that it matters now. I can leave the low-priority explanations until later. Kyousuke was speaking rapidly. This is an unnecessary detour. If were going to find your sister, we need to get out of here safely. If youve had enough of those idealist fantasies and that heroic pessimism and you actually want to realistically save your sister, then help me here. A summoner cant do anything on his own. You Higan sounded taken aback. Youll help my sister? That line is off limits. Dont use it so carelessly. His voice grew unpleasantly cold there. He pulled a small razor blade from the pocket of his sports brand track suit. We need to create a new contract as summoner and vessel. This will overwrite your previous contract, so youll lose your connection to your sister. Are you fine with that? Create a contract? You mean were going to fight them? B-but Are you afraid? His blunt question caused her heart to leap in her chest. She felt like he had seen right through her. But even at such close range, she saw no hint of disappointment on his face. He smiled a little and spoke. A vessel needs talent, but a summoner doesnt. Every summoner begins with the Original series and has to work up to more and more powerful Materials. You dont get a convenient seed position from your bloodline, an item you inherited, or special training. Do you understand what Im getting at? ? Even the greatest expert has to start at the beginning and even the lowest rookie has a chance of using the strongest Material. All of the fear you just felt can become a powerful weapon if you use it. So Im not telling you not to be afraid. Our style is to feel that fear and then smile because you now have a new method to add to your repertoire. He was not just idealistically denying the existence of the darkness in her heart. Summoners have no limits on the Materials we can summon and those Materials can be swapped out any number of times, but that isnt because we want so many weapons. We have a single path to our goal and all else - even the gods - are only stepping stones used to reach it. Its both an all-purpose tool and the greatest blasphemy. In this cheating game of rock-paper-scissors, the optimum answer changes from person to person. Depending on the situation, the identity of the trump cards and the worthless cards can change entirely. So if you want to win, you have to find your own path. Even if that starts from fear. He accepted and even approved of her weak and fearful heart. As soon as she heard that, the trembling of her body came to a stop. She had learned this ugliness was not hers alone. She had learned the boy in front of her had once felt this same fear and overcome it. She had learned there was a way to overcome it. They were only words. They were only sound waves vibrating the air. They took on a completely different form from the White Queen that people worshiped as the concentrated ideal of all things. This was a human sort of salvation that differed from that extreme sanctity that did not allow a single drop of corruption. Lets get started. Kyousuke used the razor blade to make a shallow cut on his right hands index finger. When a bead of blood appeared there, he held it out toward Higanor more accurately, her lips. I bind this covenant of blood in the name of The Spirit of Fluttering Yellow Gills that Rules the Heavens (s - a - so - voz - tix - ei - yw - za), one of the Three which manage and guide the summoning ceremony. You are of human flesh with a proper heart and soul, yet from this moment onward, you shall be a limited vessel that can hold all things. Higan stared blankly at the fingertip and red blood held out toward her mouth. Each word forced open her heart and exposed the invisible connector needed to bind this new contract. You shall be a lord of emptiness that uses the power filling you to at times bend the laws of this world. An ominous sharpness entered the air. They could no longer hide because Governments summoners would have already detected the change. But it did not matter as long as they could complete the contract. So I shall prepare this vessel. I am a summoner, unable to leave the world of man, yet a symbol of haughty intellect that uses power from beyond the world of man to guide the world of man to the next age!! Meinokawa Higan licked the bloody finger, placed it between her lips, and took it into her mouth. She swallowed. That was the beautiful and somewhat suggestive contract ceremony. The single drop of blood used magical power to explosively rearrange her entire body. Her five senses were stirred up and her mind was briefly thrown into a psychedelically colorful world. Shiroyama Kyousuke caught her slender body as she wobbled dizzily. Her contract had been overwritten, so there was no need to hide any longer. He and his newly-acquired vessel girl stepped out below a bright streetlight. He reached for his back and pulled something from behind his hoodies neck. It was a 180 cm rod made of Repliglass. It normally hid behind his back like a coiled snake, but it had returned to its normal shape and size. It was a Blood-Sign, the symbol of a summoner. As everyones focus turned his way, he spoke. Despite what I said, you dont need to fear anything else tonight. You arent alone. And She was not a pitiable girl who could only fearfully wait for death. Nor was she a burden that had to be protected by some great strength. This was how he saw her. Right now, you are the Alice with the Rabbit. That was Freedom Award 902. In that moment, a fight began between the summoners who would leave behind countless legends. Facts: *There are three major powers: Government, Illegal, and Freedom. They manage their summoners with their own Award systems. They have each made a contract with one of the three great Materials standing at the peak of either the low, middle, or high sounds and the Awards are directly carved into the souls of summoners as formless rewards from the residents of the other side. *Guard of Honor is a new group gathering power in Illegal, but the details are unknown. *When people involved with Materials, such as summoners and vessels, earn Award 100, they leave the awareness of normal people. They can speak with normal people as long as they are in their field of vision, but the people will forget about them as soon as they leave their field of vision. *A summoner and a vessel form a pair by binding a contract. If both of them fully consent, then a new contract can be made. (This does not work under duress, while unconscious, while hypnotized, or under the influence of other forms of suggestion.) This overwrites the previous contract and no thought is given to the other member of the old pair. There are many mysteries about this system, so there is a possibility of unexpected side effects. *Even the lowest rookie and the greatest expert must begin with the weakest Material, but in exchange, anyone has a chance of reaching the most powerful Material. *The White Queen who Wields the Sword of Unsullied Truth (iu - nu - fb - a - wuh - ei -kx - eu - pl - vjz) is the most powerful even among the Unexplored-class, but the method of summoning her is so unique that she is rarely summoned outside of mock battles and ceremonies. *The types of Awards and the conditions for earning them differ between the three powers. The more one earns, the more inhuman they become. Upon earning 1000, their affiliation between this world and the other world reverses, making them a resident of the other side while still alive. Volume 1, Stage 02 - The Rabbit is Alice’s Guide Volume 1, Stage 02: The Rabbit is Alices Guide Milady. Yes, lets get started. (Stage 02 Open 04/15 00:30) The Rabbit is Alices Guide Government Award 930, Golden Luxury. Her real name was Azalea Magentarain. The girl seemed too delicate even for her young age of fourteen. She had smooth white skin, transparently blue eyes, and extremely long reddish blonde hair. Her ringlet curls were long enough to reach her waist. She wore what looked like a business suit with a tight skirt, but it also had frills and lace in places. It was of course custom made. She would never be allowed to touch a premade product that could have been soaked with any number of strange chemicals. She elegantly crossed her legs in the cargo space of a mid-sized vibration wing craft known as a Hornet. A Hornet was an armored weapon meant for ground attacks and personnel transport in place of helicopters. It was fifteen meters long and it went without saying what its silicon shell was shaped to resemble. It was of course more than a hobby item. It used various deception weapons and its four rapidly vibrating wings created unique lifelike movements. It had achieved overwhelming results in tests, only being hit by one of fifty surface-to-air missiles and by zero of fifty air-to-air missiles. Recently, Repliglass had been used for more than just military and construction purposes. A giant one hundred meter silicon core had been closed in a concrete box for a new type of power plant. It only consumed water and earth (or silicon waste like glass and silicone), so it was being touted as an environmentally friendly energy source. The lights decorating Toy Dream 35s night came from the massive energy produced by that Repliglass core. Inside that cutting-edge weapon, the girl held several colorful disks two centimeters thick and ten centimeters in diameter. They were reels of silk ribbon. What do you think? If I want high speeds and am expecting a long match, then I think it would be best to shift the Blood-Signs center of gravity a little farther forward than normal and to make it a little thinner. I think #6 would be best. Her dignified voice resembled a Buddhist monks bell used to drive out impurities and its loveliness overwrote the surrounding atmosphere. A single person was listening. Due to its lifelike movements, the Hornet shook quite a bit, yet the old man in a suit stood perfectly straight. He was her vessel and his name was Fractal Leskins. Normally, vessels wore handcuffs, a collar, or other tools that bound them in order to avoid summoning something unnecessary beyond what their summoner ordered of them, but this old man wore nothing of the sort. Or rather, his suit itself was the symbol of the servitude binding him. It had grown that way over many long years. If you wish to suppress his movements with a series of swift attacks, I would suggest the thick, short, and heavy #5. Or if you would prefer to attack from outside his field of vision by avoiding obstacles with a spin, then what about #12? No, if Im going up against him, its going to be a frenetic battle from extreme close range. There will be no easy victory here. So dont you think it would be best to take the time to build up the ideal form? Ha ha. My aging eyes are no match for your discerning vision. Then I suppose #6 would be best. Azalea and Fractal could achieve a certain level of results in any environment, but they still had their preferences. They preferred a high speed battle in an urban environment. That was their territory. The girl re-crossed her legs and did not even glance at the old man who respectfully lowered his head. This was nothing special. In Azalea Magentarains life, this was no different from drinking water or breathing oxygen. She did not think much of it, but she would be in trouble without it. That was who he was to her. Freedom Award 902, Alice (with) Rabbit, is it? We only have a report from the men down below, so it could be a fake, said Azalea while grabbing the pink reel labelled #6. Still, it would be wise to be careful. And if it really is him, nothing could be better. Its been so long since I had a satisfying battle. When using an Incense Grenade, summoners and vessels could not be seen by mechanical cameras and sensors. Precision GPS-guided bombs and cruise missiles could not be used for a surprise attack. That was why no unmanned devices were being used as the summoners eyes and ears. They were forced to rely on hearsay from their subordinates and they had to assume their target could vanish from the monitor at any moment. However, Governments infantry were not normal soldiers. They were all new summoners who had been late to acquire a vessel. A lot of them died before being promoted, but those that fought through a true battlefield without a vessel gained quite a bit of power. Those who knew fear and had conquered it were strong. Tentatively deciding to trust the reports from those novices still going through their baptism of blood, Azalea brought the radio mic to her mouth. She spoke to the Hornets pilot. What is the hold up? When are we going to reach the location in the report? Our ETA is ten minutes from now. Make it five. If you dont, the five units in Block R will be wiped out. B-but She switched off the radio without waiting for the response and she spoke to the old man next to her. What is the meaning of this? I personally designed this Hornet and its speed and mobility are its selling points. Is it malfunctioning? I am sorry to say it, but I believe they are worried that shaking the craft too much could harm you. Ridiculous, spat out Azalea Magentarain. The old man gently continued. Four groups of Government Elites from Award 501 to 780 were deployed. Dont you think they have enough pride to fulfill their roles? You say that, but you dont actually think they can win, do you? Azalea and Fractal were not simply looking down on their subordinates. She had more going for her than being from a wealthy family and being a high Award summoner. Quad Motors was the worlds greatest defense contractor that supplied cutting-edge weaponry for all four branches of the American military. These two were deeply involved in the core of that corporation. They did not design tanks using the knowhow of the automobile industry. They designed them as weapons from the ground up. Most of her family had intentionally left themselves at around Award 50 so they would not vanish from normal society while also properly perceiving summoners. High Award summoners like Azalea were an extreme exception for her family. On top of that, her family was not technically an American power. Quad Motors had ruled the defense industry in place of the big names of the domestic automobile and aviation industries who had lost the ability to compete, but they were in fact a Trojan Horse sent by the Round Table, a European alliance of nobility, because they were unwilling to let those newcomers of the New World hold the position of the world police. They were a family of unrepatriated golden birds of prey who had sharply honed military knowledge, development skills, and financial knowhow yet possessed the iron will needed to cast aside their position of nobility to secure American citizenship as immigrants, infiltrate the field of national defense, acquire political power, and achieve their goal. For that reason, their opinions were surprisingly cold yet accurate. Award 501, Perfect Game. Award 590, Tricky AAA. Award 719, Diabolos. Award 780, Bloodbath Rhapsody. Theyre all useless. Especially 501. Is that supposed to be a joke? He probably only has a perfect record because he only ever finishes off the losers that another summoner let live. Cant he at least die here? We will arrive in ten minutes, but the units deployed there will be wiped out. So what should we do? Hand it over. The old man immediately complied with the girls brief instruction. That summed up just how long the two had known each other. The butler held out a giant tube made of layered plastic. It was 130 centimeters long and the bottom surface was equipped with a cushion for the shoulder. Azalea did not hesitate to rest it on her shoulder and Fractal forcefully slid open the cargo door on the Hornets side. A chilly night wind struck the girls delicate body, but she did not even flinch. In fact, she gained a challenging look of fierce joy. She stared at one point of the night scenery and spoke to the pilot over the radio. Sorry, but it looks like I will have to make up for everyones incompetence. The giant tube was in fact an 80mm grenade launcher. And if a summoner was going to put all of her trust in a single projectile, it could only be one thing. She rested the launcher on her shoulder and smoothly whispered under her breath. Oh, White Queen who guides us to victory in extraordinary battles, please save this fragile human soul. In the courtyard of the Block R high school that Shiroyama Kyousuke attended on weekdays, everything looked like death to Meinokawa Higan. Repliglass weapons were partially or entirely modeled on insects and other animals. They were the armored weapons of a new age and they had drawn a clear line between themselves and all previously existing weapons. Regenerative medicine was used to create all-purpose silicon cells which could be rearranged to form any kind of muscle, bone, nerves, blood vessels, internal organs, or sensory organs. Simply put, anyone wearing that armor took on the role of an intelligent beast that did not exist anywhere on earth. And those weapons were commanded by four summoner-vessel pairs. Their summoning ceremony could summon life forms not of this world on a limited basis, so they could ignore even the laws of physics and in some cases achieve results not even a great Repliglass army could. Including incidents involving paranormal phenomena that traditional military might was helpless against. And yet Meinokawa Higan heard a loud noise. With his long Blood-Sign in hand, Shiroyama Kyousuke left her behind and took a large step toward the enemy. The nearest summoner responded by throwing something like a can of coffee toward him. Needless to say, it was an Incense Grenade. At the same time, the Repliglass soldiers moved back. Once a battle between summoners began, normal bullets would be useless. Leaving the fight to the summoner was the standard tactic and that was how they distributed their duties here. Finally, two summoners would wield the paranormal to fight. But in that moment, Higan saw something unbelievable. Freedom Award 902, Alice (with) Rabbit, held up his Blood-Sign like a baseball bat. With a solid metallic clang, he swung the Blood-Sign and scored a homerun with the Incense Grenade. In just an instant, it vanished in the dark sea beyond the large high school campus. And Ah. While watching the grenade disappear, the summoner seemed to belatedly realize what that meant. When an Incense Grenade detonated, the summoner and vessel who had used it were carried to the center of the Artificial Sacred Ground. Bfgrfeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!??? As if they were connected to a passenger jet by an elastic cord, the summoner and vessel became two stars in the night sky. The boy ran further forward and spoke coolly. Award 501: defeated. You!! The female summoner he turned to as his next target dropped an Incense Grenade at her feet. He could not hope for another homerun from this distance and he only had three to five seconds until it detonated. But by that time, Shiroyama Kyousuke had already moved right up to his next target. However, that target was not the female summoner. He suddenly changed direction and moved right up to one of the bizarre Repliglass soldiers that had grasshopper-like legs added near the waist to help with jumping. The soldier was a sturdy armored weapon, but the carbine he held was a standard model. Kyousuke made a spear-like jab with the tip of his 180 cm stick to tear off the high-powered military light attached on the bottom. At the same time, the counterattack began. The enemy selected the face out of the many vitals available and threw a frightening kick with its silicon leg. This rear leg held the strength needed to send the soldier himself flying ten to twenty meters or to crush a traditional armored truck like a steamed bun. Shiroyama Kyousuke swung his upper body to avoid it by a hairs breadth. A few of his own hairs flew through the air. His entire body was noticeably emitting extreme tension. His cheeks twitched as he moved his Blood-Sign. Swinging it down like a hammer would not harm the pilot soldier contained inside the silicon muscles and armor, but he was not foolish enough to think he could destroy that armored weapon like that. He was targeting something else. The carbine in the bizarre weapons hand had been made as small as possible while completely ignoring the recoil of firing. The powerful military light that had been torn from the bottom used a honeycomb pattern of bright LEDs and it was meant to blind an opponent rather than provide illumination. Kyousuke caught the rotating light on the tip of his Blood-Sign, pulled it back toward him, grabbed it, and switched it on. Oh, no muttered the female summoner preparing for battle with her Blood-Sign held up like a spear. Incense Grenades are only effective when the target can be seen with the naked eye. Despite the muffled explosion, no Artificial Sacred Ground appeared. The flashlight was as bright as a strobe light and it had blinded her. She could not summon a Material into her vessel like this. That brief opening was all Kyousuke needed. He threw aside the light and stuck a hand into his pocket. He pulled out a metal can as heavy as a can of hair spray: an Incense Grenade. He threw it to the side, but not to fight like normal. He was trying to break the female summoners nose with the three hundred gram mass. Caught off guard, she was unable to evade or defend. After a metallic sound of impact, the blow hit her square in the face and she collapsed onto her back. The grim reaper whispered his next statement. Award 719: defeated. (Not good) Finally, the surrounding Repliglass soldiers changed their way of thinking. (The normal distribution of duties wont work here. Leaving this to the summoners will only get us defeated!!) They too would be his prey if they left this to the experts. Fortunately, this target had yet to use a summoning ceremony. Unless he activated the protective circle created from the Materials power, he was no different from any other human. Normal bullets would fill him with holes like normal. Their expected victory had crumbled before their eyes, they had restrained their confusion, they had swapped out their way of thinking, and they had begun to take action. All in all, it had taken four seconds. Everyone there accurately aimed their guns and pulled the trigger. Those battlefield soldiers recovered and reacted with extraordinary speed. However, they had forgotten something. The projectile used to break the summoners nose had not been a mere weight; it had been an Incense Grenade. The slight explosion drowned out all else. Gunfire rang from the Repliglass soldiers at almost the exact same moment as the Alice (with) Rabbit boy used his Blood-Sign to hit the white sphere - a White Thorn - in front of him. The deluge of noise seemed to continue without end, but not even one of the bullets tore into Kyousukes body. He and Higan had been automatically taken to the location of the detonating Incense Grenade. The Repliglass soldiers quickly corrected their aim, but it was too late. The Rose pieces floating in the air were knocked about, a middle sound Petal was accurately sucked into a Spot, and Higans body changed form with a sticky sound. She became a three meter mass of a translucent green sticky liquid. That Material contained the girls body at its center. At the cost of one middle sound, it was one of the weakest Materials, the Original Green (k). But even if it was one of the weakest, a Material was still a Material. A protective circle that eliminated all attacks was immediately constructed around the summoner and that defended against the countless bullets. And of course, at the same time Higan! Take out the Repliglass soldiers!! They dont stand a chance now!! Higan moved with her body transformed into a giant sticky Material. With the roar reminiscent of sandbags being hit by a barrage of blows, the soldiers were easily swept away. Higan freely controlled the seven hundred liters of her body. Despite being liquid, each strike was as flexible as the human fist yet filled with an impact rivalling a car accident. She understood that she was the one doing this, but she started to lose her awareness of that fact. She went on a rampage inside the Artificial Sacred Ground field where she could use her occult power to its fullest. As she accurately knocked the cutting-edge armored soldiers unconscious, she felt a strange feeling running through that body that was not hers. Yes. That was right. When Higan had been separated from Renge in that harbor region, Kyousuke had saved her from the Guard of Honor pursuers. But he would not have had a vessel with him then. So how had he protected her from those members of a professional summoners organization? He could get involved in the world of summoning ceremonies and yet return alive without summoning a single Material. He could return with at least a single person in his arms. And he did not have the muscular strength of some ferocious beast, he was not a kung fu master living deep in the mountains, and he was not using the worlds greatest prototype weapon that a stranger had given him. Then again, he was not the same as Lu Niang Lan who was feared as the Perfect Dragon. He was not an expert in slaughtering veteran summoners using only his own body and hidden weapons instead of Materials. But when in a bind, he knew enough about this small field to put together a workable strategy on the fly that would let him fight without a Material. It could be written off as a series of adlibs, but he did not bring about the optimum result by gambling. He simply had enough useful experience to instantly search for the relevant information in any given situation. He may have been physically using his arms and legs, but his true weapon was his intellect as a summoner. That had been enough to save a girl from that hellish harbor, so he would not lose here. Shiroyama Kyousuke could gain the upper hand against Guard of Honor with a handicap, so there was no way he would lose when he had Meinokawa Higan as his vessel and could use his full power. Higan, focus on weight more than speed! Repliglass is a mass of silicon muscle fibers, so they wont be able to move if you press down on them enough to snap them. You dont even need to knock them out. Destroy the outer shell and theyll be trapped in their own armor!! Shiroyama Kyousuke ran all across the Artificial Sacred Ground and Higan swung her giant Material body around based on his instructions. Repliglass soldiers were the main players of modern warfare and they were a symbol of fear for the guerillas and terrorists being wiped out around the world, but she easily swept them all away. They were gone in no time at all. Things were progressing almost too smoothly. She felt like she was watching an example video, so the victory did not feel like hers. Dammit!!!! Two summoners remained. Someone with devastatingly slow reaction speed quickly raised their Blood-Sign and struck a White Thorn. To Higan, the movement was slow, like someone moving underwater. And Kyousuke did not just sit idly by. He took a powerful step forward and charged toward the enemy summoner. By this point, Higan had caught on that even that step had a meaning. If he had only been swinging around his Blood-Sign randomly, he would have been shot up by the Repliglass soldiers before the Incense Grenade could detonate. His movements also had the psychological effect of creating a gap and throwing off ones timing. If someone who could easily jump to either side instead charged straight toward the large truck driving their way, anyone watching would be briefly paralyzed with shock. A baseball would sometimes slip between two infielders who could have easily caught it. This was the same. He seemed almost supernaturally skilled at binding the enemys body with a stimulus that they could not fight with their rational mind. He took a short breath, shot forward like a bullet, and literally collided with the enemy summoner. Both of them were guarded by the protective circles powered by their Materials, so they did not actually come into contact. With a solid sound of impact, Kyousukes charge was obstructed at extreme close range. Both of their protective circles had decided allowing him in range would bring death. But Kh!? Wh-what? Youre in the way You cant see the world behind me, can you? And when were this close, you cant swing your 180 cm Blood-Sign like you want to. Isnt that right? A summoner could freely build up their Material by gaining an accurate understanding of the vast Artificial Sacred Ground and using their glowing White Thorns to knock the Petals of low, middle, high, and lowest sounds into the Spots. The pressure tactics that Shiroyama Kyousuke was using with his own body produced a simple yet devastating effect. B-but neither can! The summoner trailed off as he finally noticed the sound of something whipping through the wind. Kyousuke had reached both hands behind his back and spun his Blood-Sign like a baton. With a top-class summoners spatial awareness, one did not always need to rely on sight. He could manipulate his Blood-Sign behind his back to accomplish the exceedingly precise summoning ceremony. The tip struck a White Thorn with enough frightening speed to sense the absolute confidence behind it. With several hard sounds of reflection, it collided with several Petals and knocked them into Spots. The crimson trails of light and the dance of a broken song filled that small world. He did not even bother to check on the result. The poor summoner looked up at something with a blank look in his eyes. A giant Material towered behind Shiroyama Kyousuke. The giant squid monster had gold eyes and ten thick chains that could probably squeeze a tank. It was the DEC Tentacle (nu - o - re - a - btv - ag - y). The summoner currently had a human-sized Material with green eyes known as the Sharp Mermaid (nal - cb a - pl), but the difference in cost was too great and the matchup between sound range could not have been worse. It would be killed in a single blow. The Silhouette at the mermaids core that contained the vessels mind would be destroyed. Unpleasant sweat poured from the summoners body and the grim reapers quiet voice slipped into his ears. Award 780: defeated. The giant Hornet tore through the night sky that was filled with city lights. The side cargo door was fully open and Azalea Magentarain had finally spotted her target with her naked eye through the optical sight of the 80mm grenade launcher on her shoulder. He was a few kilometers away and he was only a tiny speck even through the multiple lenses. Freedom Award 902, Alice (with) Rabbit. Confirmed. A school had become a battlefield. She had expected it, but not even disastrous was enough to describe the situation. The four summoner groups had already been defeated and the soldiers wearing Repliglass equipment supplied by Quad Motors had been wiped out. And they had all been incapacitated without spilling a single drop of blood. The girl felt a little faint at the fact that the enemy had showed mercy. She could feel the noble blood stirring inside her delicate body. Alice (with) Rabbit Even if they were grunts, he has the nerve to mock their resolve to die if necessary!? Milady, everything is prepared. You may begin at any time. The elderly butler knew Azalea better than anyone and his words cooled her boiling head. No, perhaps it would be more accurate to say they lowered it from an intense burn to a calmer burn. They did not particularly care who the master was and which one was in control. The girl did not hesitate to pull the trigger on her companys own device. With the deep sound of incendiary gas bursting out, a large explosive flew accurately to the courtyard of a high school in Block R. According to their rules, when an Incense Grenade detonated, the summoner and vessel who had used it were carried to the center of the Artificial Sacred Ground. Shiroyama Kyousuke had sensed that presence. It was a stinging tension and a dense premonition of death that nearly left one unable to control their body. Yet it contradictorily stirred up the combat instincts that wanted to give in to that feeling. He had detected this great presence not with his five senses, but with a sixth sense only held by those who had spent a long time on the battlefield. That was why he ran across the courtyard at full speed. He ran to the edge of the three hundred meter Artificial Sacred Ground and he immediately gave his instructions. Higan!! Destroy the ground! Hurry!! Dont question it!! The time loss may not have added up to a full second, but it was enough for Kyousuke to lose sight of his victory. The odds were dragged down to 50/50. Finally, the DEC Tentacles thick chains swung down with tremendous force and smashed half the artificial ground - the courtyard that included one end of the square campus - like it was made of tofu. They were currently in the chain state that began after defeating a target. They had the special privilege of free movement during that time and they used it to fall straight down. This was Toy Dream 35, the giant amusement park city located over the ocean. The ground had been intentionally flooded and the transportation network had bene built up above using several layers of giant bridges. So what was it that awaited them down below? In the frustrating but short time needed for the arrival and detonation of the fired Incense Grenade, Azalea Magentarain saw the truth through the lenses of the optical sight. Below them isa reverse bungee!? Honestly, this is the problem with entertainment for the masses!! A reverse bungee was the opposite of a bungee jump in that it launched people upwards. A seat was fixed at the center of a thick piece of rubber that was attached on either end to a metal pole. It might be simpler to think of it as a giant slingshot with a seatbelt attached. The sides of the metal poles were engraved with the high schools name, so it may have actually been a school event. Anything was possible in this amusement park city. Of course, it was blatantly obvious what would happen if it was used without the safety harness. Azalea clenched her teeth as her Incense Grenade finally landed on the outer edge just short of the destroyed part of the ground. It immediately detonated. (Make it.) The user of an Incense Grenade was automatically taken to the center of the created Artificial Sacred Ground. If she could arrive on the scene before her target left, she could deal with the rest herself. (Make it!!) As soon as the distant Incense Grenade detonated, Azalea Magentarain and Fractal Leskins of the Golden Luxury team were launched from the aircraft with tremendous force. Rather than fall, they sliced through the air. They ignored gravity and air resistance while slipping between buildings like precision guided missiles. Their shaken vision finally stabilized, but Azaleas brow wrinkled in displeasure. Alice (with) Rabbit had been slightly faster. He and his Material had fallen into the six-person party seat of the large reverse bungee. The DEC Tentacles great weight caused the entire device to bend and one of its ten chains slithered out like a living creature to smash the safety hook. The great force built up in the thick rubber was released and they were launched diagonally upward. To provide a greater thrill, they shot toward the ocean which contained height differences thanks to the giant bridges on the lowest level. They were not captured by Azaleas Artificial Sacred Ground. At the same time, the giant squid Material was replaced by a girl in a shrine maiden outfit. Shiroyama Kyousuke had chosen to end his chain that could last up to ninety seconds, so their Artificial Sacred Ground vanished. There was an obvious reason for that. For only a brief instant, Alice (with) Rabbit and Golden Luxury passed by within a few centimeters of each other. If he had let his Artificial Sacred Ground remain, Azalea would have been caught in his field and the battle would have continued. That was exactly what the girl wanted, but the boy refused. Curse you Time seemed to stop and their eyes met. There was a small but unmistakable smile in Shiroyama Kyousukes eyes. His goal was not to win this battle; it was to retrieve Meinokawa Higan and escape. Such a powerful foe was within arms reach and yet the match would end before she could fight him. However, this would not qualify as a draw. Given the situation, he was quitting while he was ahead. How great was the humiliation and regret of being defeated without crossing swords even once? The girls noble blood boiled over. Curse yoooooooooooooooouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!!!!! Their intersection came to an end. The speed of time returned to normal. Azalea Magentarain and her elderly butler slipped down to land on the edge of the schools smashed artificial ground while Shiroyama Kyousuke and Meinokawa Higan vanished into the dark sea far in the distance. The girls Blood-Sign was made of wrapped pink ribbons and she slammed it down at her feet. Fractal Leskins gave a respectful bow and made a suggestion. We have the Water Striders on the ocean surface and the Bottlenose Dolphins inside the ocean. If you order them to search for Its no use. Do you really think they would find anything? Azalea stared at the dark sea and spoke the words like she was spitting on the coward who had fled from her. Having lost sight of her target, that golden bird of prey said one thing more. I know youre wandering around the hunting grounds, wild rabbit. You had better entertain me next time. Oh, dear. So thats why youre shivering from the cold, said Lu Niang Lan of Illegal with a light of both exasperation and admiration in her blue eyes. She stood behind the counter of a used goods store in the large Chinatown of Block C. The store was dimly-lit, it smelled of sweet incense, and the walls and columns were red. It was so red that one had to wonder if buildings in China were really quite that red. That was hardly surprising given this Chinatown had not developed naturally. The entire Block had been constructed as a film set for the kung fu movies distributed by the Toy Dream Company. In other words, it was the unrealistic image of China that Westerners pictured in their heads. Incidentally, those movies included one with a shirtless muscular protagonist chaining two shotguns together like nunchucks and swinging them around while shooting in every direction. That should give you a good idea of how unrealistic this Chinatown was. Shiroyama Kyousuke and Meinokawa Higan were shivering with chilly water dripping from their hair. After landing in the ocean near the school in Block R, they had boarded his cruiser home that he had secretly moored nearby. From there, they had used the canals to reach Block C. They had showered and changed clothes on the way, but that had not fully rid them of the chill that had soaked them to the bone. They had come to this store for two reasons. First, to stock up on equipment such as Incense Grenades. The contents of an Incense Grenade had to be delicately mixed for the specific summoner who would use it, so they could not use one stolen from an enemy. A summoner either made their own or relied on a specialist. The second was to gather information. Your hair is wet, Kyousuke-chan, but why are your clothes the same as always? I have several pairs of the same clothes. And why is Higan-chan wearing a maid outfit? And a miniskirt one at that. Because the only girls clothing I had were the ones you forced on me when you were drunk a while back! Why did you even give a guy a miniskirt maid outfit!? Even if the cruiser was equipped for daily life, it did not have a washing machine or dryer. They would use too much water and power. Her wet shrine maiden outfit was soaking in a tub of water, but they needed to visit a laundromat before long. Otherwise, it would stiffen up from the seawater. However, that revelation led the beauty in a modified China dress to lean over the counter. That was the only girls clothing you had? Then! Does that mean what I think it means!? What? Holy Shrine Maiden Higan-chan isnt wearing anything under there!? Tch!! I was doing my best not to think about that, so why did you have to be so blunt about it!? Anyone would have noticed at a glance, but Meinokawa Higan was blushing, holding down the maid outfits miniskirt with one hand, and fidgeting her legs. Someone who did not know the situation would have assumed she needed to use the restroom. (Oh, Wh-White Queen. Give me the noble heart needed to endure this extreme humili-hyah! I-I bit my tongue!!) The sexy oriental beauty seemed to overflow with energy when she saw the shrine maiden muttering under her breath again. Th-this is some high level stuff. Youre this girls only chance at survival, but not only do you order her to wear a maid outfit, you dont let her wear any underwear and then take her for a walk around Chinatown in the middle of the night. How high level can you get, Kyousuke-chan!? Please stop smiling like that! Forcing her to wear my boxers would be pretty perverted too, wouldnt it!? I-I had no choice! What else was I supposed to do!? Meinokawa Higan could not get a word in as the other two argued. Was this really the Alice (with) Rabbit who had ruled that battlefield not long before? The difference was so great that she was not sure how to approach him from now on and she began panicking a little. Lu Niang Lan must have seen through that because she grinned and asked Higan a question. Are you worried because you cant get a read on Kyousuke-chans character? Eh? Um The answer is that everything you see there is a part of him. Show him your cleavage and hell grow flustered. Give him a teary upturned look and hell do most anything you say. Remember that because itll be on the test. And the clincher is Help Please stop telling her more than she needs to know!! Kyousuke loudly and quickly cut her off. The modified China dress woman worked at cooling herself down and spoke to Higan again. Anyway, Higan-chan, dont worry. Based on what Ive heard, theres nothing to worry about for the moment. Eh? Um, uh, what do you mean? Now that youve teamed up with Kyousuke-chan, the two of you have been registered as the new Freedom Award 902, Alice (with) Rabbit. That means youre no longer the kind of wandering asset that Government sees as a threat. B-but, um, will they really accept it that easily? Not normally, no. But while Illegal is legitimately their enemy, Government actually works with and hires summoners from Freedom. They could eventually kill Alice (with) Rabbit, but its more efficient to tame you than to accept the many sacrifices it would take to defeat you. Government as a whole gains very little by forcing the two of you to fight. Theyre also indebted to a certain someone Anyway, added Shiroyama Kyousuke as if to urge caution. Thats really only wishful thinking, so dont get too optimistic. That may be true of Government as a whole, but theres still a decent chance Golden Luxury will attack as an individual. After all, we picked a fight with her, threw sand in her face, and ran off. Shes got to be pissed right now. Higan let out a trembling groan. That summoner was skilled enough for even Kyousuke to decide fleeing was the best plan. It scared her to have a monster like that know her name and face. A-and she specializes in the White Queen. Thats the White Queen, isnt it? Her face had gone completely pale and Kyousuke sounded a little annoyed as he answered. Yes. Its that queen you love so much. And she doesnt just pray to her. She wields her power as a deadly weapon. Higans face only grew paler. The noble being ruling her mind would now bare her fangs as an enemy. Merely imagining that scene was probably enough to nearly faint, but that was the world of summoners. The Unexplored-class are beyond all of the Regulation and Divine-class Materials and she stands at the peak of even the Unexplored-class W-we even worship her as, um, our shrines unofficial second god. Well, she is the most popular. Lu Niang Lan laughed while resting her elbow on the counter. Even in this store, the White Queen sculptures and plates sell the best. Government, Illegal, and Freedom each have a contract with one of the Three to receive their Awards, but in truth, all of them think the White Queen is the strongest. A-and weve made enemies of someone who summons her to fight? In the world of summoning ceremonies, the lowest rookie and the most skilled expert have an equal chance of summoning any Material. You cant measure someones strength based on what they can summon. Kyousuke and Lu Niang Lan were both carefree. Could experience really change someone that much? But now it looks like you can focus on the main issue here. Based on what youve said, this new organization called Guard of Honor attacked you and your twin sister, separating the two of you. You want to meet up with your missing sister before shes killed and the time limit would betwo days now that its past midnight. That was your original goal, right? Lu-san Um, Id heard Guard of Honor is a dangerous new organization thats been gathering a lot of strength in Illegal lately. Hmm. But Ive never heard of them. The altered China dress woman sounded indifferent. She felt no obligation just because she was also part of Illegal. The Russian mafia would feel no responsibility if a South American drug cocktail was being misused, so this was probably a similar way of looking at it. Illegal had their own issues to deal with. You twins got your information from Government, right? Can you really trust that? And And? If this is an unregistered group using the Illegal name without permissiondont you think a legit Illegal member like me would be able to tell at a glance? Shiroyama Kyousuke could not believe his eyes. This was due to a fifty-by-fifty centimeter cardboard box about fifteen centimeters tall. It was stuffed full of Incense Grenades just like an industrial box of drink cans. Lu-san, this is way too many. How am I supposed to carry all these!? Divide the extras up between your cruiser and coin lockers. Itll be a pain coming back here every time you run out, wont it? More importantly, how about you replace your Blood-Signs tip? You dont want to complain about poor maintenance if youre attacked without warning. Lu Niang Lan messed with the laptop on the used goods store counter while recommending him all sorts of equipment. That included a short-bladed knife for handicraft work, fine waterproofed sandpaper, and instant glue. Meinokawa Higans eyes opened wide when she saw it all. They all looked like tools for home carpentry or summer projects, so she could not imagine how they could help in a summoning ceremony that could reach even the ancient gods. U-um, that Yes? Kyousuke pulled his Blood-Sign from his back, placed the knife blade a few centimeters from the front, and pressed down with his body weight. After a dull popping sound, the entire tip came off. A piece of wood as soft as cork rolled along the floor. They were generally made from valuable sacred trees, but something of that level could be grown in a greenhouse if one knew how. That Repliglass Blood-Signi-its for practice, n-not combat, right? Um, they use them in Government, dont they? I think its officially known as a Quad Motors Phosphorus. Its for beginners, so it doesnt have any outstanding features yet is still better than average overall. Adding my own customizations on top of it is the most effective method. Plus, a custom-made one using rare materials is a lot harder to replace if it gets damaged. Kyousuke answered her while carving off the bits of the tip still stuck to the Blood-Sign. Then he used the instant glue to attach a new piece of wood. He traced the blade across the side of the Blood-Sign to get rid of the glue that oozed out and the wood that stuck out too far. Just seeing his practiced motions was enough to give Higan the general idea that he had been doing this for a long time. Then Lu Niang Lan spoke up while operating the laptop. Oh, there we go, there we go. Found it. This looks fishy to me. You found something, Lu-san? asked Kyousuke while rounding off the surface of the newly-attached tip with the fine sandpaper. The China dress beauty removed the laptop screen and held it out toward him. He took it and Higan peered in from the side. U-um, is thisan occult site? Its a collection of urban legends, said Lu Niang Lan. You cant take these things too lightly. Higan did not seem to know how to respond and Kyousuke asked a question. Do you not use the internet much? Wellmy sister told me this is what, um, stole our gods place in the world. Higan may not have been entirely wrong there. Isnt it more accurate to say people assumed gods could appear in or descend to our world whenever they wanted, but it turned out the conditions and locations were quite limited? Shiroyama Kyousuke and his fellow summoners used an Incense Grenade to create an Artificial Sacred Ground before performing the summoning ceremony. That implied the existence of natural sacred grounds that did not require the artificial clarifier. They could be unexplored regions like deep valleys or thick rainforests and they could be temples, sanctuaries, or cathedrals designed by human hands. It had to be more than someplace hidden from human eyes where people were forbidden to enter. They had to naturally fill people with a desire to stay out. Someone could easily peek inside one if they could, but they would never think to do so. People would decide they would be happier not knowing if the alternative was exploring somewhere like that. It was in those places the gods would appear. Well, the internet is certainly convenient, but being too convenient can be a problem, said Lu Niang Lan. You can easily search for satellite photos and you can freely explore 3D models of the pyramids. Thatll have really limited the number of beds the gods like so much. Although if theyre really one of the mystical locations spoken of in our field, people will avoid digitizing them or viewing that data even if they have the technical capabilities, said Kyousuke. What really happened is we revealed just how few true sacred grounds there were in the first place. There are a fair number of partial ones, but in those, the exit gets clogged up and it turns into a haunted spot. Although if monsters like the Kuchisake-Onna show up, that gives us more work to do. People no longer feared the darkness. Or rather, they had forgotten the darkness existed. That was a dry fact, but it meant they had no choice but to use whatever was available to them. Summoners and vessels arent perceived properly by normal people and you can even trick cameras and sensors in some situations, said the modified China dress beauty. But that will sometimes leave behind incomplete witness data. Shiroyama Kyousuke scrolled through the page and saw a list of various rumors. There was supposedly a giant server for an online casino below the amusement park and anyone would be able to add in some malware if they located it. There was supposedly a human trafficking organization walking boldly through the crowds by mixing in with the official costumed characters. Like that, most of the rumors were the standard fare. But he frowned when he saw one of them. ~The Carnivore Girl~ In an accident at Block Zs zoo, a girl fell into the lions cage. She died and the lion was shot by the zookeeper, but she continues to wander this world in search of the person who pushed her in so she can feed them to the lions ghost. Um, isnt this talking about Aika? She generally holes up in her apartment, but she apparently goes out late at night to go for walks or bathe in the moonlight with that wild animal of hers. I really wish she would stop calling herself a shut-in when she can go to the convenience store on her own. But you understand now, dont you? Summoners and vessels arent properly perceived by normal people, but they cant control how that perception shifts out of place. Thats why partial information like that will pop up from time to time. Lu Niang Lan tapped at one point on the screen and the text enlarged. But this is different. Someones been spreading information for damage control. And on a pretty large scale. This is on the level of the Cyber Forces high-speed parallel servers. ??? Um, uh, wh-what do you mean? The modified China dress beauty smiled and answered Meinokawa Higans question. It means theres a rumor containing some kind of dangerous truth that warrants this. Not that just anyone could tell by looking at this screen Lu Niang Lan belonged to Illegal, which was (according to Government Middleman Aika) a collection of criminal organizations. That was why she could acquire anything one might need. And that included the software or specialized groups needed to accurately analyze the flow of data on the internet that could not be fully grasped even by a company worth billions of yen that managed both the advertisement and search business. When Illegal is manipulating stock prices or dabbling in the kind of land speculation that doesnt require any violence, then well purposefully spread rumors online like this. But this one has nothing to do with us. And yet it has a very Illegal smell to it. Guard of Honor might be doing something while making it look like our doing. Shiroyama Kyousuke and Meinokawa Higan looked to the screen again and read the rumor in question. ~Terror of the Part-Time Empire~ Toy Dream 35 is a city of adults hopes and childrens dreams, but it is apparently putting a lot of effort into training its part-timers. If a part-timer treats a guest poorly and ruins the dream, their superiors will take them away. Recently, a black-haired girl in a shrine maiden outfit was seen being chased by men in work uniforms. U-um, is this, um Higan grew flustered and Kyousuke spoke for her. This is a city of costumes, so the shrine maiden outfit alone isnt a sure thing. But since it matches your sisters description, I think its worth pursuing. By the way, this rumor has been blocked three times in just the past few hours. That is, from eleven at night to one in the morning. Where the shrine maiden part-timer girl appears has been all over the place, though. Wait. You mean? Yes, shes being seen more often. Almost as if shes purposefully making appearances. Hm, said Kyousuke as he stopped to think for a moment. He did not know what route she was using, but Meinokawa Renge had apparently safely escaped the harbor area and was traveling between blocks. She should have been able to hide if she had a secret route like that, but she was purposefully showing herself from time to time. If Guard of Honor was trying to block the information, then the information on her location was reaching them each time she appeared. Why would she do something so dangerous? After some thought, Kyousuke looked over at Higan who was staring at the laptop screen. Eh? Eh? Um, do you need something? No, was all he said. Meinokawa Renge was putting herself in danger to draw Guard of Honors attention toward her and away from her sister Higan. Lu-san, I get that Meinokawa Renge is purposefully letting people see her, but is there a pattern to where and when she shows up? To put it more bluntly, where will she show up next? Eight next morning in Block G. Eh? Wait Um, how do you know that? Well, Ill admit three data points is too little information to say for sure, but this city has twenty-six blocks from A to Z. If you convert the letters to number, compare them to her past appearances, and do a biiit of calculation, a simple pattern shows itself. Material is summoned by spelling out the name with the Blood-Sign I guess that is a summoner-esque dying message. Kyousuke tapped at the edge of the flat screen where the time and date were displayed. It would be difficult to get to the current point from here, so well just have to wait until eight in the morning. With that much time, the odds are good Guard of Honor will notice the pattern too. U-um, uh, what does that mean? Higan was almost in tears and Kyousuke gave a simple answer. Itll be a race to reach her first, like a game of beach flags. They had the necessary equipment and they had some information to base their next move on. Just as Shiroyama Kyousuke prepared to leave the store, Lu Niang Lan called out to him while leaning on the counter. Oh, right. Kyousuke-chan, why not take a side arm with you? I think Id be better off without one. It seems Im Alice (with) Rabbit, after all. With that quick response, he stepped out the door. Meinokawa Higan seemed puzzled by that exchange but started to follow Kyousuke while worrying about the short skirt of her maid outfit. Thats fine. Higan-chan, take this just in case. Dont let Kyousuke-chan know, though. She placed a military knife with a twenty centimeter blade on the counter. It was the kind with a jagged back often seen in movies. However, the grip was strange. It did not hold the blade equally on both sides. One side was longer. Thats a trick knife that also works as a gun. It has two shots inside. When firing, align the tip with the center line of your targets body and press the button on the grip. But assume you cant hit from more than ten meters away. Its essentially a replacement for a blade thats fired by a spring. Eh? Eh? Wait, um!? Higan was confused. She belonged to the world of the insane fights to the death known as summoning ceremonies, but the term gun filled her with an entirely different sense of rejection. It was strange, but a part of her still saw herself as existing within this countrys laws. Her mind subconsciously searched for an excuse to not take it. Um, uh, I thought normal weapons didnt work on a summoner inside the Materials protective circle. Thats true. But let me tell you something that Ive already accepted. ? Long ago, I killed a summoner with this. At the time, they were Government Award 1000. That was enough to shock Higan. Not only a summoner, but a Thousand Eater who held the greatest power of one of the three groups. Their affiliation would supposedly shift from this world to the other world and they would create new legends as a resident of the other side. Higan and her sister could never hope to defeat someone like that at their best, but this woman had killed them with nothing more than a modified handgun? The modified China dress beauty laughed. To be blunt, I was forced to be their vessel. It was pretty awful. I really was living in a cage with a collar around my neck. I was sick of that life, so at the very, very end, I saw an opening, killed them, and ran off. Lu Niang Lan belonged to Illegal. According to Government, that was a collection of criminal organizations. Thats why I dont believe in the assumption that only summoners can kill summoners. Youll find plenty of opportunities depending on the methods youre using. I may be an exception known as the Perfect Dragon, but that isnt something only I can do. Its best to be on your guard. Especially with high Award summoners like Kyousuke-kun, youll often find yourself relying on him no matter what. So you take that. You arent a customer or a guest anymore; youre half of Alice (with) Rabbit. You need to compensate for the things he cant do. The woman gave a thin smile. Meinokawa Higan thought she had a point, but her hand still wandered hesitantly through the air. And theres also the circumstances for tonight in particular. You might find yourself in need of some simple self-defense. ? Kyousuke-chan lives alone in a cruiser, but where do you think youre going to end up sleeping tonight? And with nothing underneath that miniskirt maid outfit, no less. Higan grabbed the trick knife so quickly she nearly set it off right there. Toy Dream 35 was a metropolis bordering the ocean. Its nightscape encroached on the dark sea as well as the land. This was due to the many ships. The small ones were boats meant to transport personnel and equipment or cruisers used as villas. The large ones were tankers and luxury cruise ships that could circumnavigate the globe. One of the ships was especially large. It was the Princess Azalea. It was said the capacity of a CD had been decided because it could hold the entirety of one of Beethovens symphonies, but something similar could be said about this cruise ship. The bridges of major port cities around the world - New York, Shanghai, Sydney, Copenhagen, Kobe, Singapore, etc. - had been modified so this ship could just barely pass through. It had begun operation ten years before to celebrate the high society debut of a single mysterious girl, but it was well known that even the water gates of the Panama Canal had been widened for the appearance of the ship. That legend summed up the influence of the world-famous American defense contractor Quad Motors. However Milady, said the gentle voice of an old butler. Azalea Magentarain sat next to a convenience store trashcan munching on Whitefish Nights Fried Fish, a popular hot snack. With the exception of the character illustration on the cardboard packaging, there was no creativity whatsoever in the product. If the maids waiting back on the cruise ship had seen this, they might have fainted. If you are hungry, shouldnt we return to the ship? No, thanks. Everyones too strict there. She tossed the cardboard packaging in the plastic bag and pulled out a cheap spring roll instead. Seventy-eight yen each and made with entirely unknown ingredients. No lengthy menu and no bragging chef. Ahh, now this is the ultimate thrill. I could never eat something like this back home. You are incorrigible, milady. Just to make sure, you are going to keep this a secret, arent you? If my family found out about this, theyd punish me with a detailed medical examination that very day, said Azalea as her small tongue licked up the grease on her thumb. Any word on Freedom Award 902? I apologize. We are putting in every possible effort to gather information, but Well, yelling at you isnt going to make them appear. Even the old butlers eyes sharpened when he saw Azaleas slender hand reach for the plastic bottle of soda sitting directly on the ground, but Azalea was clearly enjoying that reaction as she gulped down the drink. Rather than chasing after them, we should chase after what they want. I received a report on Meinokawa Higan when she was brought under Governments protection. It seems Guard of Honor is also taking action concerning them Then this is business as usual. Either way, a summoner cant reveal their true value without beginning a battle. As I defeat enemy after enemy after enemy after enemy after enemy, Ill come across Alice (with) Rabbit eventually. She held the fizzing bottle up in front of her eyes and pictured an imaginary image inside the translucent liquid. Doesnt that seem like the first worthwhile target in a while? She desired a powerful target, but she gave no real thought to the target itself. There was something else that excited her. The peak of the Unexplored-classthe White Queen. Its been so long since I came across a delicious target that wont be crushed before I can summon her. Beyond the Regulation-class and Divine-class was the Unexplored-class. A certain Material was said to be the most powerful of that class and thus her popularity approached the level of worship. She was known as the White Queen. As the summoners of Government, Illegal, and Freedom honed their skills to crush each other, they had ironically cast aside the Three at the peaks of the low, middle, and high sounds and instead named her the most powerful. When it came down to it, a battle was not a one-on-one affair to Azalea. It was a stage on which she alone would shine. And the most wonderful performance of all was to dance with the beautiful White Queen. That inhuman beauty would complete that one-night-only performance in a way that could never be captured by a painting or sculpture. That was Golden Luxurys reason for existing in this world. Really, that is your biggest bad habit. Call it the true essence of the summoning ceremony. Its obvious why our combat-focused techniques can summon the gods and the Unexplored-class beyond them: combat is beautiful enough to draw them to us. Isnt that right? That was why she spent so much money and used so many personnel and yet never left the conclusion to her subordinates. In a game of chess, she would have been the king, but she would charge right into the enemy lines. It was all to stage the most beautiful battle. No matter how much risk it entailed, she would choose to stand before an enemy powerful enough to rival her. I am truly, truly hoping you can last long enough for me to reach the White Queen, Alice (with) Rabbit. The next morning arrived. Why arent you sleeping? And after I let you have the bed, too. Shiroyama Kyousuke had tried to get what sleep he could by placing the kitchen tables chairs next to each other. He asked his question while cracking his back, but Meinokawa Higan did not answer him. She was filling her cupped hands with tap water and washing her face that still looked discouraged. On a cruiser, fresh water was fairly valuable. Basically, mineral water was pumped into a tank. Although there were reports saying Toy Dream 35s tap water taken from a Repliglass bacteria pool was of higher quality than commercial water bottles. Next up is our Trend Catcher!! section where we discuss cutting-edge technology and the latest products. Today, we will be discussing the Logical Cables everyone has been talking about lately. Have any of you ever had trouble with your electric cords getting all tangled up at home? But prepare to be amazed! These Logical Cables will untangle themselves even if theyre as tangled as an afro!! But Tomcat-chan, arent these made from Repliglass!? That was originally a military product, so surely it has to be expensive. Huh? Its this cheap??? (Honestly, that stuff is showing up everywhere these days.) Kyousuke listened to the cat costume and the female announcer (he could not remember her nickname) on the TV as he poured cereal and milk into two large bowls and prepared a salad from the ingredients in the fridge. We have at most two more days. After eating this, lets pursue that rumor about the part-time girl thats probably your sister. R-right. We need to find her as soon as we can. Higan clenched her small fists. And you need rice and miso soup for a proper breakfast. Yeah, well cereal and damp bread is all Ive got. B-but I didnt expect a legendary summoner to, um, buy Tomcat-chan cereal. This is Toy Dream 35. Everything from toilet paper to molester-repellent spray is branded with some kind of character or another. Its harder to find something without an illustration on it. To add some more flavor, Kyousuke put a single scoop of plain yogurt in his bowl. I-I see Why are you so on edge? None of this is genetically modified if thats what youre worried about. Our shrine performs doll funerals, so I dont really like seeing all these mass-produced character goods that just get thrown out. Nothings scarier than a smile buried in mud While Higan preferred Japanese food, her empty stomach won out and she stuck a silver spoon into her large bowl of cereal. Before taking the first bite, she muttered something under her breath. Oh, White Queen. Thank you for the happiness of having food at the table for another day. Youre praying again? I-Im a shrine maiden, so of course I am. Didnt I tell you the White Queen is our shrines unofficial second god? I understand wanting to rely on her when shes known as the strongest, but you should be focusing on the entire summoning ceremony system more than a single temporary Material. B-but Higan took a bite of the cereal and then reached for the bottle of honey on the table. The name on this boats side is the White Queen. And you have no idea how much I regret that. If Id known how hard it is to change a boats name once its been registered, I never would have given it that name. Higan was puzzled by the way he seemed to spit out the words, but he changed the subject before she could find an answer. Oh, right. We need to do something about that once you finish eating. ? Im talking about that. Kyousuke used his spoon to point toward the floor where the seawater-soaked shrine maiden outfit was soaking in a tub of water. Toy Dream 35 was a giant amusement park filled with hopes and dreams, but it of course had the stores needed for daily life in addition to the souvenir shops and official fashion shops. But Meinokawa Higan spoke up as soon as they entered the laundromat they found on the way to the nearest station. Oh, um, we cant use this. Why not? She was looking at the synthetic detergent, not the washing machine. My sister said our outfits are dyed using the rubia plant, so u-using something like this will, um, wash the color out. Then what kind of detergent can we use? I think everything like this is off limits. Kyousuke held his head in his hands. It was looking like they could not use the laundromat. So let me get this straight. To wash this thing, we have to use expensive dry cleaning? In this city that prices everything at hotel levels? Iguess so. And with the special hand-washing option needed for a kimono or dress!? It would be, um, m-meaningless otherwise. That costs too much. I guess well have to give up on that. ? Meinokawa Higan blankly tilted her head and he gave what might as well have been a death sentence to a girl who was still wearing a miniskirt maid outfit. On buying you some panties. Ten minutes later, Shiroyama Kyousuke held the receipt from the dry cleaners they had dropped the shrine maiden outfit off at as soon as it had opened. He had also been hit over and over by Meinokawa Higan whose entire face was beet red. Wh-why!? Um, how could this have happened!? One: I got some Incense Grenades and information at Lu-sans place. Thats an Illegal business, so it isnt cheap. Two: this is an amusement park city, so pretty much everything is expensive. Three: hand-washing traditional Japanese clothing requires an expert, so its super expensive!! Just to be clear, my savings are pretty much down to zero now. Zero! Once my fridge is empty, Im going to have to catch some dinner with a fishing rod! B-but I thought you were Freedom Award 902, Alice (with) Rabbit!! Ive been using up all of my savings without doing any work for about half a year now. Got a problem with that? Besides, before taking issue with my financial situation, how about you take a look in your own wallet!? Uuh B-but we had our shrine taken away because of our debt Um Just out of curiosity, how did you and your sister even get to Toy Dream 35? Surely you have some spare clothes at the hotel or apartment you were staying at. We dont have anything like that. Dont tell me you were living in a home of newspaper and cardboard Thats just sad. S-say a word more and, um, I might not be able to control myself. Nevertheless, they could not spend money they did not have and she could not wear panties she did not have. She nearly accepted her fate, but then something occurred to her. Huh? There is a way!! Y-you can sell that cruiser! Hell no!! Surely you dont think Im crazy enough to sell my home to buy some panties! And thus Meinokawa Higan was forced to continue her strategy of utter defenselessness. Once this is over, you should probably go running to Government or Illegal and accept a few small jobs. At this rate, youll be digging through the trash for food. U-uuh D-do you have to, um, verbally attack me like that? Yes, I do! Were supposed to be a pair, but I feel like one side isnt exactly supporting the other much! It was 7:58 in front of Block Gs monorail station. The citys ground had been intentionally submerged and all of the roads floated in the air like elevated highways or giant land bridges. The plaza in front of the monorail station was large enough for a basketball court, but it too was not solid land. At this time, the people on the way to work or school were mixed in with the tourists who had gotten up early. But that area in front of peaceful Block Gs monorail station was also a delicate powder keg where multiple summoners were prepared to clash head-on. I-its about timeisnt it? asked Meinokawa Higan while holding down her maid outfits short skirt with both hands. She was standing out more due to her fidgeting than her clothing, but Kyousuke held his tongue because he knew telling her that would not help. B-but how is, um, my sister moving around? I-I was found by Government right away. Shes probably using the staff-only pathways, calmly answered Kyousuke. There are apparently tons of passageways spread out through the city like a spider web to quickly transport supplies, trash, and famous people who might cause a scene if they were in the public eye. Some are undersea tunnels, some run through the giant land bridges, and so on. I dont know all the details myself, but its the hidden side of this land of dreams. But Renge had used those to survive until morning. Although no one knew how long that would last. Assuming Guard of Honor isnt filled with complete idiots, theyll be hiding around here somewhere. Your sister Renge and the people pursuing her are both here somewhere, so focus. The target was a human being and lives were on the line. The ultimate game of beach flags would soon begin. Meinokawa Renge had long black hair and smooth white skin, so no one could have looked more at home in a shrine maiden outfit. She was near the plaza in front of Block Gs monorail station, but she was actually on a different land bridge passing directly above that plaza. She was extremely close, but she would never cross paths with Kyousuke or Higan. A weird costumed character that kept saying gozaru cheerfully passed her by. She had an extremely simple reason for being here. She was intentionally following a pattern to capture Guard of Honors attention. That would allow Higan at least to escape their information network. (It scares me that my connection with her was severed, but I cant go searching for her now. If I chase after her, I might lead Guard of Honor right to her. I can only trust that shes alive and keep doing what Im doing!!) She would do anything for her sister. Their opponent was skilled and this cheap attempt to remain on the run would not last forever, so she wanted to be of some use instead of dying a worthless death. She wanted to protect her family. She had resolved herself to that, and yet (Why is Higan here!?) Renge crouched behind the concrete railing to make sure she could not be seen from below. This defeated the entire purpose of her acting as bait. Guard of Honor would soon close in on Renge, but Higan was here too. Plus (And why is she wearing a miniskirt maid outfit???) That question only brought further questions. (Plus, who is that boy standing next to her? Eh? Dont tell me thatsa new summoner!? Is that why her connection with me was severed? But a contract cant be forced through threats or hypnotism, so, um) Those questions brought further confusion. (Absolute consent is needed. But that means he could have deceived her like a host chatting up women in a host club D-dont tell me that bastard laid his hands on my cute little Higan!!) She nearly forgot her situation as anger flared up inside her. Found you But then she heard the sound of creaking metal. The wave of pedestrians naturally opened on either side to avoid her. It was a young woman wearing a light pink nurse outfit. However, her fingernails were painted a venomous color and a single tuft of her long, loose hair was dyed deep red. Both were unhygienic things an actual nurse would never do. However, the entire city of Toy Dream 35 was an amusement park, so a costume was not going to gather much attention. The attention was drawn by something else. The sound of creaking metal continued. One of her hands held an IV stand with wheels. The transparent tube led to a girl in a plain, long-sleeved navy blue sailor uniform. The skirt was long and the legs poking out were covered in black tights. But very few people would think of the words delicate or slender upon seeing her. The words in their mind would be far more frail, devastating, and hopeless. They would be similar to the thoughts of someone seeing an old tree that had started to rot from within. The girl swayed unsteadily on her feet as if she did not even have the willpower to remain standing. If some third party followed the nursing instructions and supported her back while tugging gently on her hand, she would probably have followed them to the ends of the earth. They were a summoner and vessel. The summoner went by Guard of Honors shared name of Uniquely Selfless. She was the skilled summoner who had summoned the Unexplored-class Lady of Purple Lightning that Separates Good from Evil (iu - ao - eu - ei - kub - miq - a - ci - pl) on a cruiser at the harbor. However, she had used up more than fifty vessels to reach this point. The vessels head continued lolling unsteadily and she did not speak a word, but that was hardly surprising when the drug in the IV kept her mind muddy twenty-four hours a day. The nameless girl probably had no idea she was a vessel. The effect was technically somewhat different, but it may have been similar to pharmaceutically recreating the hopeless trance that left someone only able to smile a little as the final calamity of defeat approached. But here, it continued indefinitely. Meinokawa Renge sighted And if shes been sighted, then Im close enough to use this The Uniquely Selfless in the nurse uniform grinned and let her slender fingers crawl along her own thigh. She pulled a metal can from her skirt. It was an Incense Grenade. Summoner Meinokawa Renge did not currently have the vessel needed to summon Material, so she would be killed by even the weakest Material at a cost of one. The enemy summoner licked her lips that were covered in an excessive amount of lipstick and she pulled the IV needle from the girls arm. That was another sign of the coming battle. In her long life, the vessel only had any awareness during the few minutes of a battle. To that ignorant girl, that life may have seemed like a fragment of a psychedelic nightmare. Hee hee Ahh, I knewwww it This moment when I hold a human life in my hands This is the moment of ultimate bliss Ha ha ha Ah ha Ha ha Ah ha ha ha Ah ha Ah ha Ah ha ha Ah ha ha ha Ah ha But then she heard a girls voice as clear as a bell slip into her ears from behind. Oh? If you really want to take your cruelty to the next level, you need to create some benefit to society so its value will be widely accepted, dont you think? For example, like this. A rumbling burst out. It was over in less than fifteen seconds. Shiroyama Kyousuke heard the whistling of something slicing through the air as it slowly rotated. The people in the plaza had started screaming and fleeing in confusion after an explosion directly above, but that quieter noise sounded oddly loud to his ears and heart. Meinokawa Higan looked up without thinking. At that exact moment, a woman in a nurse outfit fell from the giant land bridge crossing above the plaza. A dull, soft sound followed. Despite falling solidly onto her back, the woman forgot to choke and continued making a single action. She was not holding a Blood-Sign, but she slowly continued miming the act of striking something with one again and again. Kh!! Kyousuke took Higans hand and began to run. He nearly leaped forward to hide below the land bridge running by overhead. Higan looked like she was going to ask a question, so he covered her mouth with a hand and held his breath. He heard a pure girls voice. In fact, it was so pure it sounded like it would kill germs. The speaker was likely looking down at the plaza from above. And from the sound of her voice, she was speaking over a cellphone or radio. Yes, yes. I defeated them. It was Guard of Honorswell, its a little confusing since theyre all called Uniquely Selfless. Anyway, this is the eighth one. Its so easy Im having trouble holding back a yawn. (That voice. Government Award 930, Golden Luxury!?) Shiroyama Kyousuke gulped with his hand still covering Meinokawa Higans mouth. The timing could not have been worse. Like the ally of justice Government was meant to be, they must have used their own information network to hunt down Guard of Honor. But the enemy of your enemy was not necessarily your friend. Kyousuke and Higan had already given Azalea Magentarain a reason to fight them. Meinokawa Renge was nearby. And Guard of Honor may have sent more than the one summoner. If Golden Luxury noticed them while speaking on the phone, she would probably use a Material even in this crowd. Who could say how far the damage would spread. Ill leave it to you to pick up the trash. How about putting her through a strength test to see how far you have to go before she tells you everything? Whatever the case, they could not afford to begin a battle here. Meeting up with Meinokawa Renge came first and then they needed to focus on safely leaving this place. Is this necessary? Of course it is. I am Government Award 930. Are you sure you havent misjudged my value? (M-my sister was there) In his arms, Maid Higan looked up at Kyousuke and pleaded quietly to him. It was an earnest plea. (When I looked up before, I saw my sister there! We have to do something!!) (Wait. Something isnt right.) Kyousuke felt a scorching sensation on the back of his neck as Azalea continued speaking overhead. You all have talent that rookies do not, but there is too much variation in that talent and not everyone is going to earn a passing grade. Dont you think we need to weed the failures out at some point? With a large plan, even the smallest mistake could lead to it all falling apart. He had assumed Golden Luxury was speaking with a Government contact, but she was not. If they can keep me from catching up to them, we know other members of Government cant catch up to them either. We are in the process of carrying out a delicate plan, so they need to be able to accomplish at least that much. Anyone caught by my network would be caught and tortured by other members of Government. You should thank me that they were only caught in this practice run. If this was a real fight to the death, those incompetent grunts would have been defeated, thrown in a dark room, and tortured for every detail of our plan. Azalea Magentarain was speaking with someone else entirely. With a cellphone in hand, someone walked past the workers inspecting and restoring the destroyed harbor area. It did not matter that the area was open only to authorized personnel. By the time the workers tried to warn them, those normal people had already unnaturally forgotten this person even existed. That did not matter to this person. They had lost the concept of individuality even more than when they had gone by the name Uniquely Selfless. However, this person spoke quietly. The organization has changed quite a bit since you arrived. Oh? I have no interest in talk of hierarchy or the new and the old. We are equally Uniquely Selfless, after all. I see. So Im supposed to take consolation in the fact that you have changed as well? You are definitely not a queen. The person gave an emotionless laugh with no hint of enjoyment in their face. As you said, Guard of Honor needs to weed out the weaker elements that could trip up the organization as a whole. And a top member of Government, the world police who know quite well how official pursuit is carried out, would be perfect for that job. But you havent forgotten about pursuing the escapees, have you? That too is of utmost important. Yes, yes. I have already restrained Meinokawa Renge. I had to be very careful to make sure I didnt kill her in one blow, though. The summoners did not bother hiding their voices. They and everything they said would be erased from the peoples memories before long anyway. Did you take me for the kind of fool that loses sight of her primary task while taking a detour? Shes lying handcuffed on the ground, so come collect her. (They wereconnected?) Kyousuke frowned. From there, his expression grew more and more serious. (No, that isnt it. Doesnt this mean Golden Luxury changed her nickname to Uniquely Selfless quite a while ago!?) Now. The girls voice suddenly stabbed into his ears. But this time it was clearly directed toward him. If we are willing to attack our own to secure our safety, did you really think we would let a wild rabbit like you escape, Freedom Award 902, Alice (with) Rabbit!? (Why would she throw away her current position to join Guard of Honor? No, I dont have time to be questioning this now!!) He clicked his tongue, released Higan from his arms, and spoke. We cant hide any longer. Higan, are you prepared to work with me? We need to defeat Government Award 930no, Guard of Honors Uniquely Selfless!! O-okay!! The blonde girl and her aged butler dropped down from the sky. Shiroyama Kyousuke raced forward like a bullet in the instant they landed and absorbed the shock with their knees. He pulled the long Blood-Sign from his back, extended it, and thrust the tip toward the center of the girls neck that seemed more fragile than glass. This was the same as crushing someones throat with the flat tip of a wooden sword. The full-strength strike of the military Repliglass Blood-Sign was clearly a killing technique. A dull sound burst out. But the girl was unharmed. The butler had calmly stepped in front of Azalea and crossed his arms to block the Blood-Sign strike. The old man spoke to his master without the slightest change to his expression. Milady. Yes, lets get started. A solid sound followed those words. An Incense Grenade had fallen straight to Azaleas feet and the pin remained in her hand. Kh!? Kyousuke grabbed the middle of the long Blood-Sign with both hands and used both ends to make repeated strikes from a variety of angles. He was trying to knock the Incense Grenade into the distance before it exploded, but the butler acted as a barrier and would not let any attack through. Also, Azalea poked her slender fingertip into the face of the collapsed nurse to guide her toward the boy. Before the slowly-moving figure could get in the way, Kyousuke swung the tip of his Blood-Sign near her nurses face to send that loser walking in a different direction. Fractal Leskinss arms moved swiftly and nearly grabbed the Blood-Sign, so Kyousuke clicked his tongue and jumped back. Only a few seconds had passed, but he had missed his final chance. With a light bursting sound, an Artificial Sacred Ground explosively filled the area. We are both in the 900s. A pink ribbon wrapped in a large reel whipped through empty space and became a 150 cm rod. The girl known as a golden bird of prey grabbed the Blood-Sign from the air with one hand and gave a fierce smile. Truly high-quality fruits are most delicious when eaten without any kind of preparation, dont you think? I have set this rare stage, so dont try anything crass and let me enjoy this. The effect would only last ten minutes. The gate to true hell had opened for one-sixth of an hour. As soon as the two of them clashed, the giant land bridge directly above the plaza crumbled. The summoners had their protective circles, so mere rubble was not going to kill them. The dust was simply meant to block Kyousukes view and prevent him from using his Blood-Sign. Meanwhile, Golden Luxury took action. Un. Her voice ruled the battlefield. Deux. Like a Buddhist priests bell, the mere sound seemed to drive out evil. Trois. It was a pure voice. It was frightening. Meinokawa Higan had become the Original Red (b), which cost one low sound. It was a three meter tall mass of red sticky liquid. The girls thoughts had nearly ground to a halt when she saw the reality that accompanied that adorable voice. Un, deux, trois. Azalea Magentarains actions were simple. She merely used her Blood-Sign to launch all three of her initial white spheres of light known as White Thorns. But she was very accurate. Almost too accurate. Un, deux, trois. Un, deux, trois. Un, deux, trois. Looking just at their paths, they drew a large rectangle that spanned the Artificial Sacred Ground. The White Thorns she had launched returned accurately to herself. They came to a stop with a slight spin and her Blood-Sign would sharply strike them once more. As a result As a vessel, Higan had become one with the Material that had both an inhumanly large body and a bizarrely artistic appearance, but her heart was filled with very human fear. A dance of crimson light exploded in that tiny world along with a broken song that destroyed the psyche of all who heard it and that sounded like someone banging their hands on a pianos keys. The dance and song continued endlessly without any kind of break. White Thorns that came to a stop would naturally vanish. But if they were hit by the Blood-Sign again within the three seconds before they vanished, they could be reused. Some summoners tried running around the large Artificial Sacred Ground to reach the White Thorns stopping point before it arrived. Even as the number of White Thorns grew, her accuracy did not change. All the while, her additional stock was being replenished every ten seconds. The White Thorns did not just strike the walls and floor. They also hit the Petals that carved out the names of Material with the low, middle, and high sounds as consonants and lowest sounds as vowels. Whenever the Petals collided with each other or fell into a Spot, they produced a crazed rhythm with their respective sounds, further escalating the broken song. Higans focus turned to her summoner partner. It may have been a form of escapism to reject the dizzying fear before her eyes. Needless to say, Shiroyama Kyousuke had not been sitting idly by as all this happened. He was constantly making the quickest and shortest movements to hit the White Thorns and knock various Petals into the Spots. Sometimes he knocked two or three Petals in at once. As a vessel, Meinokawa Higan could only watch the summoners skill and she was truly impressed. She became a giant umbrella with fangs covering the outer edge while the old butler became a goddess statue filled with murderous gimmicks. There was a great serpent made of several chains, an automaton created by sewing together human skin, an old tome covered in countless eyeballs, a gear with a giant smile plastered on the side, and a dinosaur not found in any encyclopedia. Both sides Materials were changing in the blink of an eye. But they could not catch up. Kyousuke was controlling a single White Thorn at a time, so he was not standing in the same realm of speed as Azalea who constantly controlled several White Thorns as if juggling them. !! Oh, dear. What seems to be the matter? Where has the supposedly imperturbable Alice (with) Rabbit gone? When it came down to it, the summoning ceremony was a battle between Materials. Their strength was determined by the sound range and by the cost, aka the number of Petals hit into the Spots. Both of those factors came down to how well the White Thorns were manipulated by the Blood-Sign. If one was accurate yet took time to hit the Petals, they might be overwhelmed by pure numbers. If one hit a lot of Petals but had poor aim, they might be outdone by accurate and efficient movements. But how was one to face an opponent who had both strengths and cast aside both weaknesses? Was there even a way of doing that? There was a winged alligator, a giant face made of stone, a jellyfish giving off a putrid stench, and finally just a vague mass that was changing forms too quickly to see. It unleashed a barrage on Meinokawa Higans temporary form, a giant suit of armor, and she was torn into again and again. The Silhouette contained inside - the soft outline of her body - was just about to be exposed. She could not even fight a defensive battle as she reflexively held up her arms to protect her face. Kyousuke used the most effective sound range to suppress the damage as much as possible, but the difference in cost had grown to more than ten. Normally, a hit or two would be enough to destroy her. Nevertheless, Higan had yet to lose, and that was due to Kyousukes skill. When he saw Higan was just about to be defeated, he would bring her to her next Material form, providing her a new body. That way, he prevented the damage from severing Higans mind at the core. It was forceful, but even with a liter package of blood, a blood transfusion could not be made without first harming the individual to shed their blood. Kyousuke was waiting until she had bled right up to the limit, providing a transfusion, waiting for her to bleed right up to the limit again, providing another transfusion, and repeating the process. He was only making sure she never lost a fatal amount of blood. Alice (with) Rabbit Shiroyama Kyousuke. Since you threw the glove at me, I did some research on you. The girl smiled thinly while accurately controlling well over ten White Thorns with just the one Blood-Sign. Once you hear someone ask for help, you will end up saving everything and everyone, as if a switch has been thrown. You do not keep a single vessel and instead make a contract with someone you come across who possesses the necessary qualities before releasing them to the sunny side of the world. The flaw in your insistence on saving everyone you lay eyes on is not that your results do not live up to that ideal. In fact, the problem is that you are too perfect, isnt it? Kh. Yes, thats right, isnt it? Saving everything is really no different from someone who cannot clean up their room or throw anything away. So when you try to save the world, you end up saving more than necessary and end up with piles of chaos around you. Even if each individual element is desirable, as a whole, it does nothing but harm, doesnt it? You seem to know about me, but I barely know anything about you. They clashed at close range. The two summoners pressed their protective circles together while glaring sharply at each other. Youre Government Award 930 and the daughter of Quad Motorss president. What possible complaint could you have with the public side or the hidden side of that? I cant imagine why you would throw all of that away to join Guard of Honor!! Oh, dear. Are you serious? Do you really think the normal way of looking at things has any bearing on our world? Azalea giggled, but accurately called countless White Thorns back to her. My position on the public stage? The number of dollar bills I own? What value does any of that have when we are immediately forgotten by earths entire population? If I want something, I can grab it from the store. If I dont like someone, I can kill them in public. I can normally accomplish those things. And in the same way, no one will care even if I do take things from them, said Azalea. More importantly, is there any real meaning in summoner Awards? Youve reached 902 in Freedom, so you should understand that. Reaching Award 1000 reverses your affiliation between this world and the other world, so you will begin writing a new legend on the other side? Hah! Not likely! Some morons who might as well be amateurs will carelessly say theyre so close once they reach the 900s, but you know that isnt going to happen, dont you? The Awards grow much harder to earn when there are so few left. That unimaginable difficulty makes me wonder if it was intentionally made to be impossible in order to create an upper limit for summoners. But if I change sides in hopes of earning Awards, Id be treated as a traitor in this cramped field. Youre left blocked on all sides, yet they still tell you to simply earn the rest of the Awards. I knew Government Award 1000. Although they were killed by a certain woman before making the reversal from this world and the other world. Those are only the cheaters who know how to erase all the secrets and rumors about them as they walk freely between the three major powers. In the end, the human rulers and the Three have rigged the system so only those they approve of becoming a god can reach 1000, dont you think? That persons brutal strength was nothing as soft as that, muttered Kyousuke under his breath. Azalea continued with a muddy look in her eyes. Why does the rose symbol used for summoning use the twenty-six letters of the English alphabet instead of the standard twenty-two letters of the Hebrew alphabet? Why is the symbolism consistent between the Rose, Petals, and White Thorns, yet the Spot is not? The logic and rules must have been constructed for someones convenience. There must have been someone who benefited from it. Its wrong to think you can reach 1000 and cross that line just by following their rules. Even as she spat out these words, Azalea showed no sign of regret. It was as if she truly had cast aside her position as Golden Luxury, Governments ace. And on top of all that, there is no objective way to confirm where the Thousand Eaters actually end up. Is the other side really an otherworldly heaven? Are they even going to the other side? We have no idea, so its only natural to be hesitant to jump right in, dont you think? Shiroyama Kyousuke had a bad feeling about this. There was something decidedly bad about what Azalea was going to say. That is why we have searched for a more definite and simpler method of confirming that for all to see. She let out a soft giggle. So we have searched for a way of remaining eternally with the gods without relying on anything as uncertain as going to the other side. Azalea Magentarain clearly stated her conclusion. Yes. We were searching for the method used in the miracle that you alone once successfully created. !!!!!! A dull sound rang out. It was the sound of Kyousuke gripping his primary weapon as a summoner so tightly it nearly broke. Hee hee. Ah ha ha ha ha ha!! Do I detect a disturbance in your strokes? We do not have your level of genius, but we have gathered the techniques we need to reach that former genius. So we no longer need a genius. Knowing that it is indeed possible by human hands is more than enough, dont you think? Even as her temporary body was incessantly torn into, Meinokawa Higan forgot her pain. A greater question was rising within her. You understand nothing. Supposedly imperturbable Kyousuke spoke so fiercely it sounded like he was spitting out blood. His eyes were not focused on the present world. He was shaken in that world Higan was unfamiliar with. There is no paradise or joy beyond there. That only leads to bottomless despair!! Ha ha. Thats fine We too wish to stand on the kind stage that lets us speak such superhuman phrases!! The movements of Azaleas White Thorns grew even more skillful. Her Material changed form again and again as it attacked Meinokawa Higan. They could not win like this. Kyousuke directly faced that dizzying reality and also quickly searched for a way to win. (Uniquely Selflessthe former Golden Luxury specializes in ricocheting a set number of White Thorns back toward herself to remove the quantity limit without using them up.) You need to summon one hundred Regulation-class to summon a Divine-class and you need to summon fifty Divine-class to summon an Unexplored-class. Honestly, doesnt that system seem so very annoying? Your average summoner is defeated before I can reach the Unexplored-class. (She uses the floor, walls, streetlights, vending machines, and anything else inside the Artificial Sacred Ground. She also often uses the boundaries of the Artificial Sacred Ground itself.) That is why I have high hopes for you. (Not all of the Materials she uses are all that large. Although I dont know if thats due to her personal tastes or because she doesnt want to destroy the terrain if she can avoid it.) With your level of endurance, you might just last long enough for me to reach the peak of the Unexplored-class, the White Queen who Wields the Sword of Unsullied Truth (iu - nu - fb - a - wuh - ei -kx - eu - pl - vjz)!! Kyousuke ignored her nonsense and sucked in a quick breath while using his Blood-Sign. The fighting spirit in his eyes grew sharper. In that case, can you use this? One level above, the shrine maiden girl named Meinokawa Renge groaned on the edge of the destroyed land bridge running above the plaza. With a click, the handcuffs unlocked behind her back. Unlike the locks on front doors or safes, handcuff locks were generally quite simplified. If one was used to it, they could open it with a hairpin. Did they really think they didnt have to worry about me if they put these on me? spat out Renge as she rubbed her freed wrists. Do they watch too many movies? The work had taken a few minutes, but even that felt like too much. Her one and only sister was literally having her life worn away nearby. That was the family member Renge had tried to save even if it meant throwing away her own life. (Dammit Theyve been fighting a completely defensive battle for a while now.) Renge clenched her teeth as she watched from above. The boy paired with Higan was far from weak. In fact, he was easily a few levels more skilled a summoner than Renge. He was using the Petals up at tremendous speed. New Roses were appearing and breaking apart into Petals quite frequently. Out of the 216 Petals of a Rose, there were seven each of the consonants. If all of a consonant or all of a vowel was used up, a new Rose would appear. Renge knew that rule, but she rarely saw it in action outside of a long match created by using several chains in a row. But even then, he could not catch up to his opponent. The girl with reddish blonde ringlet curls used an unlimited strategy with unbelievable speed. Her Material grew stronger without end, so even if Higan was far from weak, she looked weak as she was torn to shreds. Her monstrous body was frequently broken apart to the extent that Higans soft Silhouette could be glimpsed inside. And on top of that (This is bad. Their opponent is going to reach the Divine-class soon. If that happens, the sound range wont matter. Higan and the ground around her will be smashed to pieces!!) Renge had heard what that girl said. That curly-haired girl was apparently fixated on the Unexplored-class White Queen who Wields the Sword of Unsullied Truth. With that in mind, Renge noticed something interesting when she looked across the entire Artificial Sacred Ground. (There are two ways of summoning an Unexplored-class. The first is to summon one hundred Regulation-classes and then fifty Divine-classes to prepare the environment needed to carve out the name of the Unexplored-class.) That was difficult to pull off. The Artificial Sacred Ground created by an Incense Grenade only lasted about ten minutes. While hitting multiple Petals at once and constantly building up a new Material every two or three seconds, it would take over seven minutes. While it was doable in a mock battle, it was not easily achieved in a real battle where the summoner had to see through the enemys actions and put their life on the line. (The other is to carve out the name in order without a single letter out of place.) That one was not easy either. The acquired Petals could not be rearranged to make the name. From beginning to end, not a single letter could be wasted and not a single letter could be replaced. Naturally, if the enemy noticed the attempt to summon an Unexplored-class and attempted to interfere, it was all over. But (Shes so fixated on the White Queen who Wields the Sword of Unsullied Truth that shes preparing multiple methods of summoning her. Shes working at the one hundred Regulation-classes and fifty Divine-classes, but shes also secretly preparing other patterns around the Artificial Sacred Ground so she can hit all the Petals into the Spot in order with just a slight hit from a White Thorn.) She was setting up those rows of dominoes here and there. And no matter whose fingertip poked at them, the tiles would fall just the same. The dominoes were not complete yet. She was simply placing the parts here and there as a side project. But if a few of those incomplete pieces were linked together, she would have the conditions needed for the summoning. Then a single White Thorn would link it all together. (Once a century, a lucky chance comes along. It scares me that shes skilled enough to create that kind of chance herself, but she isnt the only one who can use it.) Renge thought this provided a chance at victory. The Guard of Honor summoner baring her fangs toward Higan would soon surpass the Regulation-class and reach the Divine-class. But if the much more powerful White Queen was summoned first, the difference in skill would no longer matter. (Anyone can summon her now. With the materials shes set up as insurance, even I would be able to reach that peak of the Unexplored-class.) She could tear victory from their enemys grasp. But what did she need to do that? Begin remote resonance, begin organ synchronization, receiving life signals from organs, synchronization complete. This was not originally Meinokawa Renges ability. She justified it to herself because this was an emergency, but she still apologized to her sister in her heart. Foreign reaction detected in body linked by pseudo-resonance, viewing contract, deleting and overwriting one portion A quiet creaking sound came from Renges chest. It was a series of ever-so-slight sounds like thin, thin wires being gradually pulled on from both ends. You might think youre quite the summoner after claiming my sister for yourself. After the sound of rustling leaves, she held a Blood-Sign made of countless gathered charms. A summoner could not use the summoning ceremony without a vessel. But Dont underestimate sisterly boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooonds!! At that moment, Shiroyama Kyousuke was aiming for a Petal using a White Thorn, but then he was overcome by the feeling of something being pulled from the center of his body. He had an abundance of experience as a summoner, but not even he had felt this before. Something was escaping him and being stolen from him. Wha!? All of his White Thorns vanished and he lost his connection to Higan who had invited the Material inside herself. Tch. Azalea Magentarain seemed to have noticed the change as she accurately controlled her Blood-Sign. But the look on her small face was not of confusion or triumph. It was irritation that her grand stage had been ruined. Someone jumped down from the destroyed land bridge. The shrine maiden holding a Blood-Sign was Higans sister Renge. When Kyousuke saw the many White Thorns floating around her, he finally grasped what was going on. (She stole my contract between summoner and vessel!? That shouldnt be possible. Did their blood connection as twins affect it somehow!?) Having stolen his rights as summoner, Meinokawa Renge sharply struck a White Thorn with her Blood-Sign. As he watched the white light cut across the Artificial Sacred Ground like a shooting star, Kyousuke felt a chill run down his spine. This was leading to the peak of the Unexplored-class. This would summon the White Queen who Wields the Sword of Unsullied Truth (iu - nu - fb - a - wuh - ei -kx - eu - pl - vjz). The summoning ceremony is a technique to evenly summon any Material. It doesnt matter if youre the lowest rookie or the greatest veteran!! Even if you were the one to set this up, that Unexplored-class is mine as long as I knock it into the Spot!! The conditions were set in place. A moment later, a tremendous pure white light blew out from Meinokawa Higan. It was a cocoon of birth. The intensely bright vortex stabbed into ones retinas even with both arms covering the face, but it suddenly vanished. Instead, countless small feathers that glowed like an angels scattered about like a blizzard of flower petals. A lovely girl stood in the center of it all. Even with twintails, her beautiful silver hair reached her waist. She had black jewel-like eyes that seemed to see through everything. Her pure white clothing resembled a wedding dress, but it was far too revealing for that. A bright light from behind would probably have been enough for every line of her body to show through. Some parts of the outfit glittered with a silver light, but they were unlikely to be crass armor that directly blocked blades or arrows. For one thing, nothing could hope to harm that glowing and glittering skin of hers. She had no weapons. In the many legends, that clothing would transform to match the current situation and would form billions or even trillions of weapons to slaughter her enemy. However, it was hard to say those weapons were the whole of her power. When speaking of pure destructive power, her two slender arms were the greatest of all. She was the ultimate Material that stood at the peak of the Unexplored-class which lay beyond the Regulation-class and Divine-class. She was the White Queen who Wields the Sword of Unsullied Truth. Her very presence did not allow even a drop of impurity. She was an incarnation of benevolence, a symbol of sanctity, and a personification of radiance. (We can win) Meinokawa Renge held her Blood-Sign tight. (We can win like this!! No matter how accurately and quickly she uses her Blood-Sign and even if she can freely summon Divine or Unexplored-classes, theres nothing to be afraid of. The White Queen is the best of the best, so the battle is pretty much over once shes been successfully summoned. Now no one can hurt Higan!!) She was confident of her victory. The distinctions between rookie and expert or individual and organization did not matter. When it came down to it, a battle between summoners was settled by what they could summon. But a moment later, she saw something unbelievable. Wha? The sight was such a shock that she could not help but speak aloud. Government Award 930, Golden Luxury, was now Guard of Honors Uniquely Selfless. That girl with red-tinged blonde ringlet curls released the Material serving her. Then she and the vessel who had returned to being an old man got down on one knee and bowed their heads. Time briefly seemed to stop. The broken song of the summoning ceremony came to an end and absolute silence enveloped them. Renge almost forgot they were in the midst of a deadly battle. Those two had wished to see this great existence, even if it cost them their lives. It was an audience with a great lord. Oh, Your Majesty Please forgive us for not preparing more for this audience. Yes. We of Guard of Honor are doing everything in our ability to quickly construct a suitable audience chamber. That such a vulgar individual was able to summon you is but one sign of that. Please wait a while longer before we can truly invite you in from the other side. They almost looked like knights kneeling before their queen. This was not at all how one acted around the Materials that were treated like tools without wills of their own. Whatis this? Oh, no Oh, no!! Release your Material at once. Summoning thatthat thing in front of me is a terrible mistake!! The boy who had been with Higan was shouting something, but Renge was not listening. The pure white queen gently smiled. Like a solid bud blooming into a lovely flower after being exposed to the breath of spring, just seeing the smile filled ones heart with happiness. But destruction soon followed. The old man in a suit was kicked away like a ball and the blonde girl had her bowed head stomped down to the ground. The dull sound seemed to arrive only after a short delay. This was of course not caused by the speed of sound. Renges mind had hesitated to comprehend the truth before her eyes. Nnnnhh As Renge watched in a daze, the White Queen raised her arms and bent a little backwards. As she did, her alluring bodylines moved seductively. It was the action of a student stretching after the boring principals speech was finally over. Material was supposed to be an inhuman monster that could use power beyond human comprehension in the isolated Artificial Sacred Ground, but her action completely overturned that idea. Then her pure eyes stopped on Shiroyama Kyousuke. She ignored the girl groaning below her foot, put on a venomously refreshing smile, and greeted him. Long time no see, brother. Have you been doing well since I last saw you? She had the enchanting voice to match her sexy body, but when she called him brother, the tone of a little girl was mixed in. It was imbalanced and inhuman, so it brought chaos to the heart of whoever heard it. Kyousuke blatantly clenched his teeth. Renge could not believe anything happening before her eyes. Not that a violent Material was speaking just like a human and not that the two of them knew each other. That was why she voiced her confusion. Eh? Waitwhat are you saying? That was a mistake. Hm? Who the hell do you think you are, butting in between brother and me!!??? Sounds of snapping and breaking came from all around Renge. Ghbh!? Even as she coughed up an impressive amount of blood, she had no idea what had happened to her. She had been hit by a tremendous amount of pressure, as if thrown from a safe submarine into the deep sea at a depth of several thousand meters. Gahbah!? Aghaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhh!? Did you think you were safe with the protective circle blocking all external and internal obstructions? Stop acting like thats your doing! That power comes from us, the Materials!! All I have to do is alter the orientation of the circle a bitand tah dah! Get it now? Stop it. Ah ha ha!! Look at that ugly mug thanks to the pressure crushing you evenly from every direction A robber with a stocking over their head would probably look better. Nowww, lets see. If I squeeze you a little more, what color of organs will come out of that mouth I said stop it!!!! Shiroyama Kyousuke shouted from the bottom of his gut and the White Queen released Renge almost amusingly easily. Kyousuke watched the shrine maiden collapse to the ground with a sticky sound, but Ahh When you give me such powerful orders, it reminds me of old times, brother. Such a thrill. But there is a limit to what I will let you get away with. For examplelooking at other girls in my presence. There was a flowing difference in temperature in her words. They were human yet unstable. It made one think she could be lovingly rubbing her pets head one moment and crushing that head in her fist a moment later. Shiroyama Kyousuke had thought he could help the Meinokawa sisters if he defeated Azalea Magentarain and did something about Guard of Honor. But this changed everything. The White Queen had laid her eyes on the Meinokawa sisters. And when they were with Shiroyama Kyousuke. That alone raised the difficulty of his original task beyond even world domination. That was just how difficult it was to oppose her and to protect someone from her. Was Guard of Honor an organization made to summon you? Who knows. I am quite popular, so I receive requests from all over the world. Do you really think I pay attention to why any particular person summoned me? In truth, it had actually been Meinokawa Renge and not Guard of Honor that had summoned the White Queen, but she did not seem to care in the slightest. She had kicked or stomped on Azalea and the old man and she had reversed the protective circles power to crush Renge. The order likely had no real meaning. Even if the other side had done the summoning, she would likely have tormented them all the same. I am aware of a collection of desires to acquire me using the Control method as a more definite method than instantly summoning me with a Blood-Sign and Incense Grenade, but I dont know the details. After all, Im not interested in anything other than you, brother Control. That was a twisted desire held by some summoners. The modern summoning ceremony was simple and had few risks. Anyone could feely grasp a Blood-Sign and any rookie could summon the most powerful Material, even if it was limited to ten minutes. But that meant the gods who were reliable allies one day could stand in ones way as the greatest demon the next day. However, it would seem their techniques are far from reaching your own, brother. The initial job the Meinokawa sisters received included a ghost story about a white woman appearing at the harbor filled with Guard of Honor. I had assumed that was a dummy job, but now Are you even listening? Why the hell would you bring up other girls in the middle of our date? But, but. I love you for being so utterly clueless, so Ill forgive you! That seems to have been another me from a failed experiment. They were afraid of her. They could not allow others to use her. And that was why they wanted a deeper bond. Even if it was an illusion, they wanted to think that the most powerful, most beautiful, and most frightening of the monsters belonged to them alone. They wanted the peace of mind that would bring. Instead of shuffling the deck of cards and evenly dealing them out to enemy and ally alike after each game, they would cut out the dealer and keep their own deck for themselves. They would work at it, set it up, and line it all up to obtain assured victory. They wanted to eliminate the complicated system and simplify it. They only needed to summon from that one deck. As long as that was the ultimate trump card, they did not need anything else. Besides, it seems less like they want to rule over me and more like they want to be my chosen servants. That way I will prioritize them over others. Its such a submissive way of thinking. Now. Is that really what these goddess-serving priests or queen-serving guards of honor want? Or are they simply trying to distract me from their true desire to place a collar around my neck and drag me around? Its completely insane That was why they wanted that Control method. They would place a hook in the mouth of a fish and release it into the ocean so they could reel in the fishing rod only when they wished to appreciate their catch. They would provide that limited freedom and bask in the sense of superiority it gave them. They wanted to believe that was the right thing to do. From the moment they referred to what they summoned as mere Materials, it was obvious what hopes and desires guided how summoners treated them. Well, they tested out a lot of other ideas too. There was thatRepliglass is it? Even that was an experimental product originally meant to provide an artificial and permanent body for me in place of a vessel. Although as you can see, it was a failure I cant believe this Kyousuke looked down to his own Blood-Sign. That artificial serpent that controlled the gods was a bundle of silicon muscle. Was the greatest weapon that he relied on nothing more than a failed body for the Queen? But these days, Repliglass is used not just for military purposes but in power plants and water purification plants. Just how fast are this worlds distortions accelerating? The White Queen lightly clapped her hands together in front of her face. Its the same idea as what you built so long ago, brother. Its just that Guard of Honor is nowhere near your level, so I seem to recall it being ugly and overly large. Honestly, the original one was a cute little toy that would fit in a household shrineyes, like the size of a bottle ship. So why has it spread enough to cover two-sevenths of the worlds continents with this city in the center? Kyousuke felt a chilly fingertip running down his spine. It did not matter to her, but that was why there was no extra layer to her words. She only spoke the truth. What are you all planning to do in this world? he asked. Wait. Dont tell me youre already working toward the worst possible answer! Ah ha ha. Im glad to see your proper instincts are finally coming back to you. Yes, thats right. You need to be thinking on at least that level if youre going to talk about me. From Toy Dream 01 to Toy Dream 40, which is currently under construction, each of the cities used a different method. It was Toy Dream 35 here that produced the greatest results. The rest of the plans were ended and all of that power and technology was concentrated here. The Queens tone was plain. Toy Dream 35 had succeeded in producing the summoning technique to control the White Queen, but that likely had little to do with Guard of Honors methods. It was because a certain boy lived in that city. The Queen had chosen to appear at that location like she was popping in for a visit on a whim. But it doesnt matter to me what they might say. Guard of Honor may have been deceived, but as I already said, I am not at all interested in anyone besides you, brother. To be blunt, I wouldnt care in the slightest if this puny city and the nation or continent around it sank into an ocean of blood. The White Queen smiled. But anyways, I was a liiiiittle hopeful since I thought going along with this would reunite me with you eventually. Im glad that wish came true This was the true nature of the White Queen. If Kyousuke, who she respectfully referred to as her brother, would pay attention to her, she was willing to trigger a war or natural disaster. If he would rub her head, she was willing to start killing every single human being one at a time to see how many hundreds of millions she had to kill before he would do so. That was the type of girl she was. Then thats enough. You got what you wanted! Theres no reason to destroy anything else!! That is fine by me, but wont Guard of Honor continue on with this? Besides, they are the ones that want to order me to selfishly wield my power once they can control me. Then stop them!! If theyll listen to you, then tell them to stop!! Id rather not Doesnt that destructive turn of events sound like so much more fun? I think I can just let Guard of Honor do what they want. You reallyarent planning anything? Then what do you think Im planning? she asked with the ultimate smile. Do you think Im sending all sorts of enemies after you to finally raise you to Award 1000 so youll be sent to the other side where we can be together forever? Do you think Im going to exterminate mankind and Material alike to create a new world for just the two of us? Do you think I want to stay in this world and try making a contract with you as your vessel? Or do you think Im trying to visit you enough that you start empathizing with me so I can seduce you with this captivating body and spend those ten short minutes doing things I would rather not speak aloud with you? Yes, what exactly do I plan to do? You decided it was no use thinking about and gave up, didnt you? We have a winner! Do you really think I would put together some grand plot and make detailed preparations? That is the mentality of the weak who are afraid of losing and cannot stand back up if they do lose. I am meaninglessly strong and simply achieve victory, so do you really think I would think like that? No matter what kind of hell I am swallowed up by, I will never want to do anything more than flirt with you, brother. Queen!!!!! Brother. I believe I already said there is a limit to what I will let you get away with. If you refer to me like a stranger, it makes me want to kill you, you know? When calling to me, do it like you used to, in that manly yet adorable voice. The Queen gave a soft yet somehow insane smile. Yes. Alice (with) Rabbit, the cute little rabbit that respectfully welcomed the white ruler visiting from another world. Just like that oozingly sweet honeymoon when we become one inside that frame you provided me. There once was an innocent boy. That boy would help anyone asking for help. Passing between worlds is truly inconvenient. As I stand at the very peak, calling for me is not easy. That would place a great burden on you, brother. I simply wish to remain by your side like this, brother. That boy was too talented to realize there was a difference between the ideal and reality. And thus he succeeded without hitting any major setbacks. It was a device shaped like a small wooden box. He had fully investigated the existing summoning ceremony using the Blood-Sign and Incense Grenade and he had built this different method, this new approach. I dont think you should just have to obey the summoners orders just because youre a Material. I want to hear so much more of what you have to say. I want to hear your thoughts in their purest form. After all, were comrades who place our lives in each others hands. And he succeeded in it all. He lost nothing and was not asked to sacrifice anything in exchange. Alice was a visitor from a different world and the rabbit was the guide who lived in this world. Wow! Wow! Its no longer restricted to ten minutes or to a battle. You can really summon me whenever and however you like. Ah ha ha. Now I can go play with you whenever I want! I can give you anything I want!! And the boy came to regret his actions. He learned why they had been contained within the Blood-Signs ten minute restriction. The system had seemed inconvenient at first, but there had been a reason for it all. He had been faced with the greatest hell imaginable. Facts: *The Silhouette that acts as the Materials weak point changes size and is stored in different places depending on the specific Material. *Guard of Honor was not simply a new force within Illegal. *Summoners can control even the gods of legend, but some worship the Unexplored-class that lies beyond the Divine-class. Guard of Honor is an organization created to praise and serve the White Queen who Wields the Sword of Unsullied Truth who is most popular of them all. *Summoning one hundred Regulation-classes earns the right to summon a Divine-class and summoning fifty Divine-classes earns the right to summon an Unexplored-class. *The Unexplored-class can also be summoned by perfectly hitting the specific Petals into the Spots in order. *The Petals knocked into the Spots can be freely rearranged. Also, acquired petals can be cast aside without being used. Once a Material is summoned, the unused Petals are automatically discarded. *When the number of Petals in the Artificial Sacred Ground grows low - specifically, when all seven of one of the low, middle, or high sound consonants is used up or when all of one of the vowels is used up - a new Rose appears. *Meinokawa Renge used some unknown method to steal the contract with Meinokawa Higan away from Shiroyama Kyousuke. *The White Queen has no interest in Guard of Honors actions, but she is fine with anything if it means Kyousuke will pay attention to her. *Shiroyama Kyousuke and the White Queen know each other and were once lovers. Although the way she refers to him is a little strange. Volume 1, Stage 03 - Travel Back in Time to Approach the Truth Volume 1, Stage 03: Travel Back in Time to Approach the Truth Travel Back in Time to Approach the Truth (Stage 03 Open 04/15 15:00 ATTENTION! Reverse count) lpus. If youre going to say all that, then help us. Meinokawa Higan opened her eyes. Only then did she realize she was lying on something. She was inside a comfortably heated space, lying on her side atop a bed that felt like a cloud, and surrounded by a side table and one-person sofa that reminded her of a luxury hotel room. And now its time for Space Captain Whitebeards weather forecast! As always, Im here live on the civilian space station Toy Dream OP-05!! First up, this evenings atmospheric pressure Where am I? Higan sat up on the bed and muttered her question while staring at the TV. As she looked around, she found some familiar faces. Oh. Looks like shes up. It was the Illegal equipment seller and the Government middleman. They were both Shiroyama Kyousukes acquaintances. What were their names? She dug through her memories and came up with Aika and Lu. In that case, this was probably Aikas apartment where she had initially escaped to. This space did not look at all lived in, so she guessed it was one of several guest rooms. For a while now, Higan had not known where she would spend the night or what she would eat, so this was on an unimaginable scale for her. Swimsuit Girl Aika was lazily leaning against the wall. Its already three oclock Im hungry Onii-chan, Onii-chan. Your little sister wants a snack. Eh? Um, three oclock? Thats how long youve been asleep. We have sesame dumplings to snack on. Mwa ha ha ha. Bow down to me and I might just share some with you! Higan waking up must have meant something to Aika and Lu Niang Lan because they left through the door. However, Higan still had no idea what was going on. (It was around eight in the morning when we went to search for my sister, wasnt it?) Seven hours had passed since then. What had happened? Normally, a vessel did not lose their memories even when letting a Material reside in their body and fighting with an abnormal mind and psyche, but something had been different this time. However, she could not remember what exactly that difference was. She looked to the digital clock on the bedside table and tilted her head, but then she remembered something important. What had happened to her sister Renge? Had they found her? Had they met up with her? Had she come back safely? Or? W-wait Tell me what happened. Um, wheres my sister!? She quickly stood from the bed and tried to chase after Aika and Lu Niang Lan who had left the room. On the way, she was shocked to find she was still wearing that sketchy maid outfit, but she had more important things to worry about. She needed to gather what information she could, so she flung open the guest room door. And another thing! Now that I think about it, how could you make my adorable sister walk around town in that unnatural maid outfit!? And she wasnt wearing anything below the skirt!? What the hell were you thinking!? She found a pure and traditional Japanese shrine maiden sitting on top of a boy and swinging her clenched fist down at him. She was beating him up while using some slightly filthy language. Nfh, nfh!? I-I already explained that! The only other options were her soaking wet and thus see-through shrine maiden outfit or walking around town at night in the nude!! I will accept she needed different clothes, but explain how that could possibly lead to putting her in a maid outfit!! Can we maybe discuss this more calmly? Besides, that was something Lu-san forced onto me when she was drunk once, so it wasnt my idea. It should have been obvious that outfit was out of the ordinary from the fact that it didnt come with any underwear!! Kah!! You make it sound like it was right to not let her wear any panties, so maybe I need to hit this broken TV a little harder. Well? Dont you think? Well? Higan finally breathed a sigh of relief when she saw her sister creating a series of dull impacts. Her sister was right in front of her. That was perfectly normal, but the path to retrieve that perfectly normal thing had been a long one. But even as the relief washed over her, the sounds of destruction prevented her tears from flowing. Should she maybe stop this? She decided she probably should. R-Renge Wait, um, it may be true he claimed he didnt have anything else for me to wear and forced this ridiculous outfit onto me, but, um, he did save us. Wait, you idiot! Dont walk that close when youre dressed like that, Higan!! ? Youre not wearing any panties!! So whats going to happen when you walk up next to a boy lying on his back!? It took her several seconds to properly grasp the situation. It took a few more seconds for Higan to drop her heel on Shiroyama Kyousukes face with every inch of her own face beet red and for Renge to continue raining blows down on him. Ive learned something about Guard of Honor, said Aika after contacting someone. The battle at the harbor was a complete loss, but a few of the summoners had small cameras on them and weve finished analyzing that footage. Its only of those outside the Artificial Sacred Ground, though. When an Incense Grenade was in effect, the summoners and vessels would vanish from all cameras and sensors, but they still showed up just fine between battles. The modified China dress beauty sounded exasperated. That sure took long for some simple facial recognition. The time was 2:30 PM. Lu Niang Lan must have been bored without any information and without anything to do because she had fried some sesame dumplings for a snack (using someone elses kitchen without asking). They were currently on standby. Watching Meinokawa Higan sleep for so very long had not produced any noticeable results. But now some good news had come in. They were all starving for information. Thats just how long it took, so theres no helping it. Although technically, all we know is that comparing them against every known summoner and vessel didnt turn up a single match What do you mean? Shiroyama Kyousuke frowned and Aika put her hands on her hips. That means they dont belong to any of the three major groups. Wait a minute. After all that, we have nothing!? cut in Meinokawa Renge. They were all skilled enough to easily summon Divine and Unexplored-classes. They werent exactly being covert, so they would have to have been caught by someones antenna somewhere. When we checked those registered as normal people with no connection to the world of summoning, we found a ton of matches. This is only a guess, but I think I know where Guard of Honor came from. Kyousuke quietly continued for Aika. They didnt start as summoners or vessels. They got involved in the summoning ceremony some other way. What do you mean by that? Normal people. The many others who saw our battles and had their memories and cognizance automatically rewritten without even knowing it. Not even the experts like us know exactly how things are overwritten in their minds. No, maybe we dont know because were the experts. We cant deny the possibility that some of them are implanted with something that attracts them to the Material. Yknow, something like Stockholm syndrome. They all fell silent. Just how frightening a theory that was slowly sank in. Finally, Kyousuke said more. At first, they werent necessarily directly caught in the middle of one of the White Queens battles. In fact, the odds of that are way too low. But its the same in the end. Even if they started pursuing some minor Material, their self-study would ultimately lead them to the White Queen at the very top. So no matter where they started, they would all be ensnared by her after crossing a certain line. It might be like an ant lion pit or a black hole. And it would work the same for an expert and an amateur. I should have caught on sooner. Sooner or later and for better or for worse, anyone who comes into contact with the summoning ceremony is sucked in toward the White Queen to a certain extent. Thats just how large a presence she is. Wait That scratchy voice of protest of course came from Renge. She seemed to be trying to reject something. That doesnt make sense. We really were attacked by the Divine-class Yamata-no-Orochi and the Unexplored-class Lady of Purple Lightning! A normal person could never summon those! Even in the world of experts, someone has to spend a life of work to maybe reach that realm! Originally, it was probably a small grassroots sort of community that showed up sporadically. It may not have held their attention, so they might have even returned to their senses pretty quickly, spat out Kyousuke. But Im guessing someone gave them some help. Someone constructed an organization, managed it, taught them how to run it, taught them how to earn funding and build up connections, and most importantly, gave them high level instructions on summon ceremony combat. Azalea Magentarain. An important member of the world-class defense contractor Quad Motors and Government Award 930. She had everything needed to trigger that mutation. It may not just have been her, added blue-eyed Lu Niang Lan. Guard of Honor was initially mistaken for a new Illegal organization, remember? Maybe they happened to find some participants from Illegal. If so, they might have had an instructor or two each from Government, Illegal, and even Freedom. As unique as the summoning ceremony is, its still a type of skill. Maybe they used drugs or suggestion for some abnormal teaching method. Or maybe having their memories and cognizance automatically rewritten upon witnessing a Material was enough to plant the inspiration leading to superb genius as if frying their brain. Either way, they might have some way of artificially creating ace-level summoners. B-but Renge must not have been able to believe it because she continued arguing. Her pride as a professional summoner may have had something to do with it. The summoning ceremony is a deadly battle. Even if they were given the necessary knowledge in the classroom, they still couldnt reach the Divine-class or Unexplored-class. They wouldnt be able to defeat those of us whove been in real battles! Wouldnt they need a fair bit of actual experience before they could create the hell we saw in that harbor!? Yes, and they probably built up that experience. How!? If they had done anything, one of the three groups would have noticed them! Renge continued shouting as if to cast aside her own doubts. They couldnt just practice together like friends. Not even a vessel can fully control the violence of the Material. They can only guide it, so holding back is simply impossible. Even in a mock battle, you have a good possibility of crushing your opponent!! Yes, smoothly replied Kyousuke with his expression as calm as a Noh mask. So maybe theyve been standing by our side for quite a while now. Theyve stuck to the category of the harmless masses as they steal the techniques we use. Meinokawa Renge was overcome by a strange sense of disgust, like she had been blindfolded and then had a thick tongue licking across her back. Meanwhile, Kyousuke continued speaking. They would learn everything they could just by watching. And on occasion they would wait for a battle to grow too chaotic to tell who was attacking or guide the battle in that direction. Then they would summon their own Material and butt in to earn the experience points in actual battle they needed. And of course, they would be killing all of the people they used as a stepping stone. But Onii-chan. We checked for battle records where multiple groups fought and everyone ended up dead, but we couldnt find any sign of Guard of Honor. In fact, if we had, this would have become an issue much sooner. Finding zero errors is no reason to relax. That just shows how thoroughly and cleverly theyve been hiding the evidence. Besides, even if it led you to the wrong conclusion, Government wouldnt have hired an external summoner to attack that harbor if you didnt have some information on them. If they succeeded, they could slip into the crowd and feign ignorance. If they failed, they would be categorized as a normal person who had the misfortune to be caught in the crossfire. How much would they have to repeat that process for an uninvolved person to become a summoning ace? They had continued secretly devouring that knowledge in the shadows of history for long enough to do that. That much was certain. And they had not built up just a single ace. They had enough for an entire organization. The secrecy behind Guard of Honor felt like a monstrous maw in and of itself. It felt even more frightening than their pure combat ability. Renge could not rid herself of the chill. It came both from Guard of Honor for growing in that way and from Shiroyama Kyousuke for so calmly seeing through it all. How much were people distorted when they grew too closely involved with the White Queen? It was said the development of art was always closely connected to religious motifs. It was also said the evolution of life required a harsh environment. The presence of the White Queen may have fulfilled both roles in human society. Just like the animals that learned to wield fire became humans. Just like the armies that equipped themselves with iron built great kingdoms. Looking back at the battle in the harbor, Guard of Honor might have several skilled summoners on the Award 800 and 900 level. Aika expressed her thoughts as a part of a large organization. The exact number of members is unknown. Is it dozens, hundreds, or thousands? We dont even know that. That means Government cant do anything until weve gathered some accurate data. Of course not, said Lu Niang Lan, the modified China dress beauty. You might only be planning to mop them up quickly, but you could carelessly trigger a much longer fight. And while youre struggling there, it would be a real tragedy if one of the other groups stabbed you from the side. The worlds power balance could truly be rewritten, so none of the organizations are going to act. In fact, they might focus on keeping an eye on each other, hoping one of the others will overplay their hand. Their opponent would be planning to use that chaos to its fullest. The battle in the harbor and the escape of the Meinokawa sisters had both been unexpected events for Guard of Honor, so they would probably try to end this quickly, before any leaked information could harm them. The White Queen, huh? spat out Kyousuke. Everyone there fell silent. From the lowest rookie to the topmost expert, almost any summoner knew that name and even respected it in some way. However, its meaning changed entirely coming from that boys mouth. In Government, Illegal, and Freedom, her popularity exceeds even the Three and reaches the level of worship. Theres even a wooden statue of her at our shrine as the unofficial second god. The White Queen was almost certainly the focus of Guard of Honor. With enough skill, the Queen became more than something to look up to. She became something one could actually summon. She became an achievable legend. And then they could teach a lesson to every other summoner and vessel. She was a symbol of strength. She was a symbol of beauty. And most of all, she was a symbol of righteousness. She was an overwhelming symbol that those concepts and statuses could be acquired by brute force. As the Guard of Honor that protects the Queen, decorates her, and performs her ceremony, they intend to permanently keep her here for themselves, using a form of the Control method. They want to use a special summoning method different from the standard time-limited Blood-Sign method, spat out Kyousuke. That Sewn Realm Summoning is the method I once used successfully. The modern summoning ceremony using the Incense Grenade and Blood-Sign was the most certain and simplified summoning technique that required the least preparation. It did not require a sacrifice or a temple built over centuries and it allowed one to freely control any monster, god, or even those who existed beyond that. It could be seen as the ultimate technique. But it was a little too convenient. Everyone could equally summon any Material, so there was no clear concept of enemy or ally. That was why some would look at it in reverse. What a ridiculous desire, muttered the boy while his eyes seemed to focus on the past. The Materials leave your hand after every battle, so its a lot like wanting to seal them inside a card and collect them. Its a truly one-on-one summoning ceremony that doesnt allow any interference from anyone else. If you could put a collar on the monster, summon it whenever you wanted, and send it away whenever you wanted, that would be the same as an eternal summoning that ignored the ten minute time limit. And the ability to summon it at will would eliminate the risk of the Material killing you in your sleep. Hm? But Onii-chan, isnt there something wrong with that? Yes. Theres a hole in that concept of monopolizing a Material. In this case, the summoner could call the White Queen between the two worlds at will, as if pulling a lever, but even if she had a collar, another summoner could still summon her with the Blood-Sign method while shes waiting in the other world. Then what does Guard of Honor want to do? Theres still a risk of being attacked by the White Queen, right? If that doesnt change, wouldnt the current method work just as well? But isnt that exactly what the traditional priests did? Kyousuke sounded fed up with it all. They respectfully bowed to their god while looking down on and ordering around the common folk. They called themselves the gatekeepers of miracles and built temples or cathedrals to make themselves even more special. But the gods themselves were protecting the civilization and the world as a whole. There are legends of gods exceeding the bounds of the church or temple and saving the common folk. Even so, the priests would insist they are the standard, no matter what anyone might say. Kyousuke-chan. Are you saying Guard of Honor would simply overlook it if the White Queens power was leaking out to others? They would claim to have the strongest bond and insist those others are getting carried away, even if those excuses are no practical help whatsoever? Lu Niang Lans voice contained strong hints of doubt and confusion, but that may have been because the way priests felt joy in serving a supreme being did not fit with how summoners wielded those gods as tools and weapons. Even if she was an exception among exceptions who defeated her enemies without summoning a single Material herself. I dont know since Im not one of them. But based on what Azalea and the White Queen were saying, they intend to provide her with true freedom and serve her as soon as they complete their Control method. What!? Theyre causing all this trouble to put a collar on the White Queen, but their final objective is to release her and have her step on them!? Well, the harder it is for normal people to understand a desire, the stronger some will crave it. That sounds pretty dangerous coming from someone with those lumps of fat on her chest. It sounds nice and clean coming from you, Aika. Then again, it might be even less of a laughing matter with that slender frame of yours. Kyousuke cut in to drive the point home. Unless we actually peer into their hearts, we cant know whether this is actually what they want or if its just an excuse allowing them to ignore their more depraved desires. Renge still had trouble accepting this and that may have led her to nitpick Shiroyama Kyousukes opinion. Truly one-on-one Summoning and sending them away at will She seemed to groan the terms below her breath. Th-this framework of a Sewn Realm Summoning and the Control method may be new, but it feels more like taking a step backwards. Isnt that the same as the magic circle summonings in picture books? Yes. Ideologically, its like the First Summoning Ceremony. Technique-wise, its like the Second Summoning Ceremony, agreed Kyousuke. But no one has actually taken that to a usable level. Eh? The gods of legend appear to protect some group, be it a tribe, a village, a nation, a continent, or all mankind. Contracts with an individual are almost unheard of. There are some extreme exceptions like the Annunciation, but in that case, the god was selecting the appropriate human. Cases where the human chooses the god and makes an exclusive contract are a different matter altogether. Now thatyou mention it Then what about demons summoned with a piece of parchment? Humans can summon them, but anyone can summon them. After the contract fails or is completed, the demon searches for the next human. That lacks uniqueness. Im talking about a purely exclusive contract thats something like a marriage. Its bound between two individuals and then no one else can summon it, even the summoners children or grandchildren. That dream is pure enough to be drawn in picture books, but that pure beauty is something that cannot be achieved by human hands. Um, Kyousuke-chan. I dont think that would function as a proper system of techniques. If no one can inherit it, it has no way to spread. Thats right. If that succeeded, mankind would never be able to summon that Material again once the summoners lifespan came to an end. Thats one thing that Solomons 72 did well. Those secret techniques were built up into a workable system, but thats also why they ultimately spread as standard fortune telling and good luck charms. Even Kyousukes original Sewn Realm Summoning had not fully bound the White Queen, so the risk of other summoners summoning her beyond that framework had remained. Not even he had been able to cross that boundary into the unexplored. But even as a group, Guard of Honor cant reach what you once completed, right? Lu Niang Lan worked to keep her voice cheerful and Kyousuke stopped to think for a moment. Yes, they will fail. And even if they fail, this will cause great damage, but He trailed off there. Something there filled even Alice (with) Rabbit with a feeling of hesitation. He was likely overpowered by a specific example of that great damage. As if taking a detour around a blocked road, Aika changed the subject. According to Governments official report, a luxury cruise ship called the Princess Azalea is docked here at Toy Dream 35. Oh, dear. Im surprised Quad Motors actually provided you with that information. They refused at first, but they decided this was too much to cover up. It has 1500 beds, the ship itself is made of Repliglass, and it can travel around the world while barely needing to resupply because it extracts the silicon materials dissolved in the seawater. Do you think thats their base? It would probably be faster to ask Kyousuke-chan, said Lu Niang Lan. Everyones focus turned to Shiroyama Kyousuke as he slowly opened his mouth. If they took the same path as me, they drew on the image of the fairys spring. That would be the type in picture books with the gold and silver axes. That lets you freely summon a supernatural being from another world and have them grant your wish. Its an extremely restricted contact point for humans. And conveniently, Toy Dream 35 is a type of ocean city, so it has plenty of water. If they brought in their giant ship, they could make whatever secret preparations they wanted inside. But then he made a reversal and began rejecting the idea. But I dont think its the ship. If the mobile cruise ship was their base, they wouldnt need to do anything inside Toy Dream 35 itself. The Princess Azalea probably isnt what were looking for. You dont have anyevidence of that, do you? I have no proof, he bluntly admitted. But the White Queen stands at the top of Guard of Honor. Even if she talks about it in roundabout and majestic codes that only those in the know would understand, she really only thinks about me. She might be making grand commands and manipulating Guard of Honors summoners, but theres really no logic behind it. She only wants me to pay attention to her, so shes only thinking about where she can lure me. It surprised me back then, but why is she so obsessed with you? In fact, if shes head over heels for you, cant you just ask her to end all this? Give up on that idea. And that isnt the best way of describing it. The only thing the White Queen is in love with is love. It may look like shes chosen me, but thats because Im tougher and harder to break than other people. Im not stupid enough to try to control her when she could wake up at any moment. Kyousuke and the White Queen knew each other, so they likely understand how the other thought better than anyone else. No matter what emotions those thoughts were based on. So in the opinion of the great Shiroyama Kyousuke, what location seems most suspect to you? The staff only areas, he immediately responded. Toy Dream 35 is a city-sized amusement park, but they need to construct a great number of systems to protect its image of hopes and dreams: trash collection, staff transportation, and covertly moving celebrities to avoid a commotion. Theres probably a spider web of hidden passageways not opened to the public for a variety of reasons. Quad Motors Repliglass was a blessing in many areas of life, but the largest one was construction and underground excavation technology. The development of equipment modeled after bugs that lived underground like earthworms and earwigs had brought an end to the days when tunnels or dams took decades to build. If the earths environment were to be ruined by global warming or pollution, some specialists were suggesting it would be faster to dig underground than to escape to the moon or Mars. Swimsuit Girl Aika spoke in a monotone voice. Technically, that spider web of staff only passageways runs from one end of this ultra high-rise city to the other on multiple levels and while complexly intersecting, so it covers a distance of more than three million kilometers in all. There are about two hundred thousand residents and an estimated fifteen million tourists. About nine thousand tons of trash are produced and five thousand forty-foot containers of goods and materials are shipped in every day. Thats the problem with relying on external agricultural and industry in order to help out the local area. And including part-time and full-time workers, the staff is made up of approximately twenty thousand people. All of this personnel and equipment has to be smoothly moved in and out without the guests seeing and the staff needs the infrastructure to eat, take breaks, and take showers. In other words, something that vast is boldly hidden from view. Looking at pure surface area, you could probably say theres another entire city coexisting with Toy Dream 35. Modern summoners like Kyousuke used the Incense Grenade to create an Artificial Sacred Ground, but a natural sacred ground was a location where the beings of legend could naturally appear. But due to the spread of the internet and civilian satellites, it turned out those mysterious spaces that normal people naturally avoided were far less common than anyone had imagined. So the underside of a massive amusement park has become a modern sacred ground. Its a place you cant see inside by punching the name into a search engine or booting up a map or satellite app. And its a rare space where everyone accepts that and in fact prefers not seeing it. Now that you mention it, youre right. Looking at it like that, this place is far more twisted than some strangely discounted real estate or a ghost tunnel. Everyone knows its there, but everyone turns a blind eye because they dont want to ruin the dream. Theyll irresponsibly spread rumors about it containing a giant underground casino that uses illegal rates or hidden passageways for human traffickers that kidnap babies, but maybe thats because normal people naturally want to keep their distance. I get it now. That might be why Guard of Honor was pursuing me so intently, groaned Shrine Maiden Renge. If those staff only passageways and facilities are their base, then I was looking right at it. Thats exactly what I was using to hide after escaping from the harbor. Twenty thousand staff members use those passageways every day, but they might not be able to recognize the symbols of the summoning ceremony. That would change if a professional summoner peeked inside, though. Guard of Honor may have feared Renge had seen their grand plan, so they had made sure to hunt her down. That was why even former Government Award 930, Golden Luxury, had been sent after her. Guard of Honors goal must be to remake that vast staff only space into a sacred ground for the White Queen. That would indeed let them escape the yoke of the Incense Grenade and its Artificial Sacred Ground. But that might not be all, said Kyousuke. The modern summoning ceremony is a method to safely, surely, and swiftly summon those not of this world, said Swimsuit Girl Aika. So just like a tanka or haiku, all the waste has been shaved away, leaving no room for anything else. Forcing in anything else will distort the whole. Modified China Dress Lu Niang Lan sighed. We have no idea if that sacred ground would last for a minute or a century, but Kyousuke-chan said before that the Sewn Realm Summoning is not bound by the rules of the Blood-Sign method. And this will be the abnormal monster known as the White Queen going on a rampage. Kyousuke-chan, give it to us straight. How bad is this compared to normal? Yes, I stopped before, but I guess I should tell you. Kyousuke spoke carefully. I dont know how accurate their Sewn Realm Summoning is, but whatever the case, theyre trying to construct a spring using the entire ocean bordering Toy Dream 35. In that case, the White Queens influence will cover the entire ocean. Just like the spring the fairy comes from is known as the fairys spring. The entire ocean? Are you saying the whole city will turn into a deadly region of sea? By entire, I meant the entire thing. In the worst case, it would cover every ocean on earth. Kyousukes words caused not just Renge but even Aika and Lu Niang Lan to freeze up a little. The White Queen is something like a black hole that distorts time and space. Keeping that in this world by illegitimate means will drag countless other Materials, both large and small, in with her. With me, it was localized, so we somehow managed to bring it to an end. But if her influence spread to the seven seas, there would be nothing mankind could do. Even if only the smallest theoretical number appeared, the history of primates would probably meet an untimely end. Itd be that bad? Renge was dumbfounded. Butits the White Queen, isnt it? Everyone relies on her and shes being summoned in important wars all over the world, right? How could summoning her just once bring about the end of the world? Oh, none of this would happen if shes summoned normally, replied Kyousuke. The Blood-Sign method uses the Incense Grenade, vessel, Petals, and White Thorns like its a sport. Anyone can start it, but truly achieving victory is complicated and roundabout. To someone without any real skill, it would probably look like what Material is summoned comes down to pure chance. But all of those steps and decorations are safety measures. If you mess with that black box without knowing why its there, youll only have the critical vulnerabilities leftover. And that could be enough to destroy the world. Does Guard of Honor know about that? At the very least, Azalea didnt seem to. She questioned why the Rose used twenty-six letters instead of twenty-two, but it didnt look like she had dug into it any further. What if Materials not controlled by a summoner and vessel endlessly overflowed into this world? They might directly prey on mankind until humans went extinct, they might ignore the humans altogether, or they might create friendships using a method other than the modern summoning ceremony. The only certainty was that the existing peace held together by the existing countries would be destroyed in the blink of an eye by the creatures that crawled up from the ocean. In that period of chaos, national borders and currencies would collapse and some percentage of the human race would be lost due to the intense chaos and famine. What does Guard of Honor want to do? muttered Renge, looking like her senses had numbed over. The Control method? They dont care who summons her, but they want to be the chosen servants who serve her before anyone else? But what do they hope to gain by getting so close to the White Queen? I doubt theyre even thinking about what happens after they meet her, spat out Kyousuke. The accomplishment is their goal, so they arent thinking about what happens after they arrive in heaven. According to the Queen, their Control system is meant to create an environment where they can hold audiences with her as the chosen servants while ignoring the slight holes in that system. But as I said before, we dont know if thats what they actually want or if theyre turning a blind eye to some other desire. Its also possible they themselves arent aware of that other desire. If thats the case, theyll be unable to control it and will be swallowed up without ever knowing what it was. Renge fell silent. Not because she found that creepy. It was because she sympathized with them just a tiny bit. That may have been because she was a shrine maiden instead of a pure summoner. The intense popularity of the White Queen and a longing for her strength were common to all summoners. Renge herself could not remember where that had come from. She had stepped onto that path without realizing it and that path was precisely what led to the driving force that had driven Guard of Honor mad. There was no special staring point. Everyone stood on that path, the question was whether they walked down it or not. That was the only difference. I also think they believe the White Queen will solve every problem in the world. Probably some convenient belief that shell exterminate all of the monsters covering this planet. But Kyousuke thought the White Queen might truly be capable of that. That was because he knew the true threat she posed, not just the legends. However (She would never care what happens to the world or to mankind.) The insane retainers had an insane queen. He grimaced because he felt like he had caught a glimpse of who his enemy truly was. Theyre twisted in two ways. To know something was not always a positive thing. First, Guard of Honor has been driven mad by the White Queen and will do anything to please her. And second, the White Queen doesnt care in the slightest about those people shes driven mad. Its frightening because the gears dont fit together. No negotiations, persuasion, or threats will work here. Theyll continue on forever in their madness. Whatever the case, they had no time. And currently, the only ones who could stop the White Queen and Guard of Honor was this group centered on Shiroyama Kyousuke. After all, every last one of the codes, symbols, signs, commands, documents, and other suggestive statements was nothing more than the White Queen playing around. Everything was set up so the first thing Shiroyama Kyousuke would think of would be of utmost importance. Azalea Magentarain and Fractal Leskins, the pair known as Golden Luxury, had returned to a certain place. After the battle at eight in the morning, they were only returning now at 1:40 PM. That was just how long it had taken for their condition to stabilize after the serious wounds they received from the White Queen. This was one of the vast forbidden areas of Toy Dream 35 blocked off by staff only doors. The emergency water purification plant was located even deeper than the ocean. It was a transparent spherical container with a radius of ten meters. It dangled down near the ceiling and it was filled with bacteria made of Repliglass. It ate and purified any impurity, but Azalea had helped design it and knew it was no actual use whatsoever. First, seawater could be made into drinking water even with something like an oil refinerys distillation tower. Second, the bacteria pool could not meet the demand of Toy Dream 35 which consumed 450 tons of water every day for home and business use. Third, the Japanese had a bad habit of making a brand name out of safety and purchasing it. In other words, it was nothing more than a way to show off the citys cutting edge technology. Thus, the vast underground space would never actually be used. It was much more efficient than digging down below a strange Western mansion and building a ceremonial ground there. In the end, they had not reached Shiroyama Kyousukes level. They could create a convenient spring, but they could not drag out the higher-level lifeform known as a Material. Thus they were attempting to achieve their goal in an incomplete form. Instead of dragging their queen to the surface, they would dive down below even the vast spring of the ocean and they would hold an audience with their absolute ruler lurking in the depths of another world. If the springs fairy would not come out, they only had to jump in themselves. Even if they could only hold their breath for a short time, they only needed to catch a glimpse and bow their heads. Even if they drowned, that was enough. Are you sure youre okay? asked a young man. He was one of those known as Uniquely Selfless. He had cast aside all else and vowed to become the chosen servant of his beloved White Queen. He was now one of the guards of honor that lacked individuality. The meaning of his question was obvious: Azalea and Fractal had bandages and gauze covering their bodies. And rather than pure white, they were soaked with painful-looking red in places. The shock of the sight was all the greater when combined with Azaleas slight frame. But that girl smiled thinly. Of course I am. Not only did we have the honor of a direct audience with Her Majesty, she directly caressed and toyed with us. What greater joy is there in this pitiful world? Perhaps. I am truly jealous. The young man was not being sarcastic. He really did think that from the bottom of his heart. Ultimately, they would be filled with joy even if they were killed, so long as it was at the hands of the White Queen. While aiming to Control her, they wished to give her freedom so she might crush them underfoot. They wished to be trampled first to show the worlds summoners just how close they were to that queen. That was who they were. Still, you certainly took your time. Yes, agreed Azalea. Her audience with the White Queen had held one other important meaning. For some reason, conditions are naturally aligning to more easily summon Her Majesty. Even second- or third-rate summoners from Award 150 to 200 can summon her now. This is a sign that her influence is gathering in reality. Dont you think the time is just about right? The Queen currently resided inside a pure white cocoon. This was not the cheap dregs that anyone could summon to a limited degree with a Blood-Sign. This was the truly noble White Queen, pinned to this world with a different method so that they might hold an audience with her. However, they could not break open the cocoon to check on its contents and they lacked the technology to perform a nondestructive scan. Judging when it was okay to let her out was the biggest bottleneck for Guard of Honor. Are you ready? Yes. Were all Uniquely Selfless, but every one of us has been putting in an effort worth a gold medal. Earlier, we calmly defeated Illegal Award 880 and Freedom Award 854 that were sniffing around. I may be one of us, but we really are an unbelievable collection of mutations. Do you want to go greet them all? That will not be necessary, bluntly rejected Azalea. We are all equally Uniquely Selfless after all. Including Azalea from Government, they had three at the 900 level to act as instructors. However, they had no concept of a favorite apprentice. There was no hierarchy whatsoever. They had no center. It did not matter who had founded the group or who had caused the mutation. No one cared who crawled at their feet or surpassed everyone else. These guards of honor were all equally Uniquely Selfless. The young man did not push any further. We have to settle this quickly. We safely gathered an even greater force than expected, but we barely have any food or other supplies needed to live here. Dont think youre going to get anything better than a burger to eat. Oh? Thats one more thing to look forward to. Just what kind of thrill awaits me here? Azalea the junk food junky licked her small lips and the old butler sighed. The ceremony wont be an issue, continued Uniquely Selfless. We were running Projects 01 through 55 in this city alone, but weve gathered all the data from the various failures. Now we can fill the holes left in the equation. There were stories of a white woman in the harbor. Quad Motors had a secret project to create an entirely artificial vessel out of Repliglass. It had been known from the beginning that those past projects would fail. It had all been to complete a single equation. It had all been for this one true goal: the creation of the incomplete cocoon and the emergence of what resided inside. What about the decorations? We will be summoning Her Majesty, so a dusty old hideout is out of the question. It has all been brought here from the Princess Azalea. And this really is unbelievable. Im pretty sure a golden palace in Russia would have more restraint than this. This is the bare minimum. I wanted enough to fill one hundred cruise ships, but I restrained myself and chose very carefully. Guard of Honor had enough sense to restrict themselves to the bare minimum in order to hide their plot. In truth, the most difficult part had been naturally bringing in the mountains of furniture and artwork needed to create a suitable palace for the White Queen. They could not use a normal moving service. And moving so much at once would catch the eye of the hyenas looking for a deal on the precious metals market or at antiques auctions. But if they hid it in some complex way, they would be suspected of tax evasion. The ultimate answer had been cruise ships. Instead of hiding their intentions, they showed off that a rich individual was carrying their luxurious residence with them in a way that did not rouse suspicion. And several cruise ships would blend into the normal scenery at the giant seaside amusement park of Toy Dream 35. So the Princess Azalea and four other cruise ships had gathered and the treasures inside had been secretly carried out. It was all to construct a gorgeous palace suitable for the White Queen. The focus on the decorations over the plan itself showed who they really were. They did not act based on self-interest or logic. It was all about emotion. They only wished to be the White Queens absolute servants and to receive her love. They were priests or a guard of honor. They all wished to equally earn the Award that only one boy had ever earned before: Loved by the White. This is where it all begins. Im sure we will be very busy. Yes. That was all they needed. They were willing to engulf the planet in an ocean of fresh blood for that. It was just before 1:00 PM and Shiroyama Kyousuke headed out while trying to slip into the lunchtime crowds as much as he could. This was incredibly dangerous when he did not have his vessel partner with him and he did not know where the Guard of Honor members were, but he wanted to visit his cruiser no matter what. The next battle would be the last. He wanted to gather as much Blood-Sign maintenance tools and Incense Grenades as he could. However Brother. I know this violates the schedule, but I just couldnt wait any longer He was thrown into an Artificial Sacred Ground without warning. Immediately, a spine-chillingly sweet voice reached his ears. He looked back in shock and found the White Queen approaching. The way she waved and jogged over looked just like a girl who had spotted the person she had arranged to meet. (I didnt notice an Incense Grenade detonation. So was I dragged into the Artificial Sacred Ground using a Chain!?) Not to mention that the White Queen could not be summoned right away. And the summoning ceremony format was centered on a battle, so it could not be activated when the summoner was alone. He could not summon a Material without fighting alongside someone else. There were examples of allies fighting each other to summon a specific powerful Material. That was commonly referred to as cannibalism. Even if a Material could be somewhat controlled by the vessels will, it was not 100% accurate. In other words, they would sometimes not hesitate to crush their opponent even in a battle between allies. While rising up through the ranks of the Regulation, Divine, and Unexplored-classes, just how many summoners had been cannibalized? Even if its because my influence has spread across this entire city as I lurk in the watery depths, it gets on my nerves to be Summoned so simply. But Ill allow it if it means meeting you!! Butoh? I can appear here more easily because of the me thats down therebut Im also here Hmm??? Had she forced them through all that for a tryst that would last just a few minutes? But that question seemed meaningless when faced with the White Queens smile that glowed with absolute purity. This is about my beloved brother. Destroying a nation or two would be well worth it, dont you think? Beloved, huh? Does something about that bother you? I dont think theres anything about it that doesnt. If the White Queens love for him were real, he could use it. However, she was essentially in love with being in love. It was unclear whether she knew that herself, but Kyousuke did not trust her love. Even if he did try to manipulate her through her feelings of love, the odds were good she would suddenly wake up at some point. When his life and the worlds future hung in the balance, that was far too dangerous. Why are you here? Oh, come on The details of that are far too vulgar to come from a lovely maidens mouth, so Ill have to be more vague. You could say Im here to have some fun with you. Is that a problem? Kyousuke honestly thought the structure of the world was entirely worthless. No matter how much one built up and no matter how valiantly one risked their life to face the unreasonable side of the world, a far-too-powerful being like this would end up rendering all that change meaningless with a single willful command. But when he thought about it, that should have been obvious. She stood at the peak of the Unexplored-class that was hidden beyond even the most hidden of the Divine-class. She did not obey the world. The world obeyed her. Oh, dear. Brother, you dont seem very excited. Im sick of you calling me that. It isnt even possible for a human and a Material to have a blood relation. But when I search for a reliable gentleman that is the word that pops up. He had no idea what she really meant by search. She may have spent many long nights curled up in an internet caf or she might have checked some collection of information, like the Akashic Records, in the depths of the other world where the Unexplored-class lurked. To her, they both were about as meaningful. No. Perhaps it would be more accurate to say he knew nothing about the Queen. The worlds scholars were greatly divided even about her origin. Shiroyama Kyousuke had once walked by her side, yet not even he knew her true age. He had no intention of being manipulated by the strange theories that said she had existed alongside human civilization from the birth of mankind or that said she had been born just this instant and history was being overwritten in real time to add her in. But if someone asked him if he knew the answer, he would have to shake his head. He did not know the source of her power, he did not know why she had a feminine form and heart, and he did not know why she chose to almost mockingly refer to him as her brother. Setting aside siblings, do you even have a concept of parents and children? I find it hard to believe you have a normal ability to reproduce. Or rather, I could almost believe you do it by splitting in two. Eh heh. Then how about we try it out? Yes. What was the White Queen on a fundamental level? Now, now. Lets have some fun, brother And if you refuse, Ill exterminate every last human in the area. Her tone was light, but that only made it more frightening. Given her power, it would actually be harder for her to not destroy the world. That was why Kyousuke did not hesitate to abandon his principles and his pride. That would be a shame. ? If you went on a rampage like that, the Ferris wheel would stop running and we wouldnt be able to ride it together. The White Queens smile froze on her face. Y-you meanyou would let meride on the Ferris wheelwith you!? Yes, assuming an Unexplored-class doesnt go on an apocalyptic rampage that breaks the Ferris wheel from its supporting pillar. Wait. Please wait. Um, uh, to ride a Ferris wheel together is for a young boy and girl to spend time together in a small, private room, right? No one has managed to figure out how old you really are. The theory that you drifted in from the other side at the birth of history is pretty popular, but there are other theories that you were born the instant the Third Summoning Ceremony was created, that you were born this very instant and the past is being overwritten to match, or that youve secretly existed since before the world was created. And youre such a singularity that you could probably fit any one of those. Brother, you are getting off topic!! Are you trying to tease me!? Lets just say you dont see many people riding the Ferris wheel to look at the scenery. Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhh The White Queen pressed her small palms against her cheeks and trembled as her entire face grew red. If its that distressing, we dont have to do it. What are you talking about!? You know exactly what I meant, dont you!? You sweet brother!! So lets go get in line! No, lets destroy the line to get on right away! Again, go on a rampage and it will stop running. Th-the vessel at my core right now is a middle-aged man, but will you still flirt with me!? Cmon, youre getting in everyones way. With that, the White Queen took up her position at the end of the line. It was a horribly surreal sight. Is this really something to get so excited about? My, my. You just dont understand girls, brother. Besides, Id be happy even in a sea of blood as long as Im with you. Im not that great. Any human would have their gears shifted out of place to a certain extent if they reached me. You are no exception there. If you had never met me, you would not have ended up like that. She giggled with a smile indescribable by human words. It was not quite fascinating and not quite bewitching. But your gears arent bad. While other peoples will spin fruitlessly, yours alone stimulate my heart and draw out parts of me I never knew were there. What else could I call this but love? Youre imagining it, spat out Kyousuke. The Shiroyama Kyousuke standing in front of you and the Shiroyama Kyousuke in your mind are just too different. The person you picture in your head only exists in your heart. I cant have you expecting that from me. She only giggled some more at those words. It was said that love is blind, but the foundation of that was empty and unbelievable. You really havent changed, brother. If youre willing to run all over the place to save a complete stranger, you should keep your eyes on me alone. Im not sure how you reach that conclusion. If you became mine, it would eliminate about half of the worlds chaos. Eh heh heh. It is truly wonderful that you dont just agree to that. Thats the brother I know. I yearn for you because I cannot make you mine so easily. Supposedly, romance in this world brings the most happiness in the time leading up to the confession. And what in the world are you doing? Just as this mysterious Guard of Honor shows up, I find you cheerfully supporting them. Its not like you have any real attachment to that method. Hmm. I just want to be with you, brother. Whether thats for a single moment or for all eternity. Its essentially the same either way. Dont you take issue with accepting help from a group thats willing to blow away the entire world for something like that? Ah ha ha. Your original was the fairys spring. That was a wonderful thing. There was no waste in the structure or functioning and it was just so lovely. That splendid item demonstrated just how you viewed us Materials. What part of a dangerous item that endlessly summoned Materials into this world is splendid? I was right to destroy it myself. Oh, dear. Youre hopeless, brother. The White Queen smiled happily. Youre always like this. When faced with a situation where you can only save one hundred people, you forcibly save two hundred, which produces a new conflict. You give no thought to the remaining oxygen, the remaining food, or the number of lifeboats. You simply save everyone before your eyes. Have you found the perfect world? Have you become the ruler of the world? Youve done enough to earn that title, and yet I feel like youre still nothing more than a rabbit traversing a world of chaos. She continued with joy in her voice. You caused that secret war where Materials briefly overflowed into this world and mankind nearly went extinct, but that was no different. You saw us being summoned and used as mere Material, so you wanted to treat us like people just like you, right? I was wrong, spat out the boy who likely held a legend great enough to truly stand alongside the White Queen. I was wrong for so very, very long. Im probably still wrong now. I know that. But even so, I couldnt ignore the voices of those sinking into the bog. I dont do this because of any strength. Im being driven by the weakness that keeps me from accepting defeat, tragedy, pain, despair, or loss. Perhaps so. The White Queen sounded cheerful. I can let the world live or die with a single fingertip, but I dont have any intention at all of carrying that burden. I might hear a scream or the cries of death, but so what? An individual just has to take responsibility for their own life. This worlds custom is to let individuals deal with the misfortune and tragedies brought about by their own decisions, right? I see no reason to feel the slightest twinge of responsibility. Shiroyama Kyousuke could not help but laugh at that. Yes. This was what it meant to be the strongest. Setting aside whether she was right or not, the White Queen was definitely stronger than anyone else in this world. Well have to agree to disagree here, he said. Are you sure? But there is no compromise with actions born of weakness. You need to remember that. They say a cornered rat will bite a cat. Well, just so you know, Im feeling pretty cornered right now. Enough that I cant smile and insist we play fair and square. Thats fine with me. Everyone is free to use the power they hold. I will save Meinokawa Higan. I promised I would, so I swear to you Ill protect her. Is mentioning another girls name a small form of resistance? No, if I was going to harass you, I would put a little more effort into it. He snapped his fingers. By the way, the sign says the Ferris wheel has about a thirty minute wait, but how long do you have until your time limit? Eh? You!? T-toying with a maidens pure heart will earn you some legitimate divine punishkssssshhhhhh!!!??? The Artificial Sacred Ground and the White Queen vanished. The middle-aged vessel collapsed to the ground and Kyousuke vanished into the crowd once more. He had driven her off without fighting. And it was now time to resume his efforts to save Meinokawa Higan. A heavy silence filled the guest room of Aikas apartment. Meinokawa Renge, Aika, and Lu Niang Lan were the only ones there. No, technically maid-outfit Higan was sleeping in the luxurious bed, but she was completely unconscious and thus so inhuman she nearly did not count. She had no presence and seemed more like a decoration. She had not woken up since then and that succinctly indicated how dangerous her situation was. I lost my composure before. Renge slowly inhaled as if switching mindsets. But please let me check on Higans state again. I want an accurate knowledge of her state to think about what comes next. Well, anythings fine as long as it doesnt end up like before. Swimsuit Girl Aikas quiet response held a tone of warning. Renge groaned. S-sorry. Now, now. Squeezing any harder isnt going to get anything more out of her. Suicide and revenge generally are based in escapism. If that girl is saying she wont try for a heroic death anymore, then why not go with that? Lu Niang Lan casually sided with Renge and Aika grabbed a hand light from the bedside table. Instead of a light bulb or LEDs, it had a fifteen centimeter fluorescent light in the side. Plus, the fluorescent light was not a normal one. You said thats different from a black light, right? It doesnt cause cancer, so dont worry. It isnt a scientific issue. Basically, its important to view this from a different viewpoint. And light from a different wavelength is a convenient way of doing that, explained the Modified China Dress Beauty. We probably need to remove your sisters clothes to see this. Should we do that for you? ! Ill do it!! How does this thing work? The top doesnt seem to have any buttons H-how are maid outfits made anyway!? Theres a zipper on the back. Its an apron dress, so its just a type of dress. Why do you know so much about this? Block C is all about movies and kung fu. You have no idea how many costumes Ive worn for different campaigns. With some difficulties, Renge removed her sisters maid outfit. Moving the unconscious form required more strength than she had expected, so it really was a kind of physical labor. After she removed the clothing, she must have been filled with embarrassment and guilt because she pushed the removed clothing around the unconscious girls waist and chest. Could you not stare at Higan so much? I have no interest in seeing anyone but Onii-chan naked. Aika clapped her hands twice and the rooms lights slowly went out. A thick light-blocking curtain covered the window, so the room was as dark as a home theater. Then an unhealthy bluish light came from the hand light Aika held. There should have been a slender girl lying there. The light should have reflected off her fine white skin like ceramic and she should have glowed like the moon in the night sky. However, the dark blue marks covering Meinokawa Higans entire body were so vivid the three watching could almost hear them oozing. Her body had the coloration of rotting fruit. It covered about half of her body and the extreme white of her skin only caused that decomposition to stand out all the more to Renges eyes. Simply changing their viewpoint was enough to see this. The truth hidden behind the normal light of day was anything but beautiful. Renge had known it would be like this. She really had, but the sight was still enough to shake her mind. She gulped. Theres even more than before. Time has passed without finding a fundamental solution, so of course it has. And its 12:30 now, so it spread this much in just four hours. Even now, Higans life was being worn away. The spread of that dark blue color visualized that life. This is it. At noon, Modified China Dress Beauty Lu Niang Lan spoke bluntly with a spoonful of her homemade fried rice soup in her mouth. Her empty hand held a pair of tweezers with something sharp in their metal grasp. Her blue eyes viewed a strange object that looked like a pure white needle only a few millimeters long. Investigating its composition with a centrifugal separator would likely only receive an error. Ive finally got a sample. Honestly, these things are all intertwined like some kind of puzzle ring. It was not a substance that existed on the planet earth. It may have been most accurate to call it a piece torn from the White Queens body. Having more than three thousand of these embedded throughout a human body is like a nightmare. And none of them burst a major blood vessel or organ. Its like an iron maiden. It was obvious where the object had come from: Meinokawa Higan, the girl sleeping in the guest room bed. Lu Niang Lan had never heard of someone ending up with these symptoms after letting the White Queen use their body. However, this was the Queen they were talking about. It would hardly be surprising if she could easily cheat by twisting the rules that summoners relied on to add in new rules she made up on the spot. The White Queen had the absolute power necessary for that. Lu Niang Lan focused on the small digital voice recorder sitting next to her bowl of fried rice soup. The countless objects are applying pressure to Meinokawa Higans blood vessels and organs like tiny clips. Removing them all surgically by the time limit would be impossible. Im sure the White Queen calculated it out that way. And rushing their removal could easily lead to her death. She took a sip of jasmine tea. After wetting her lips, she tossed the object held by the pincers into a small bottle. This is exactly what we suspected, but it looks like defeating the White Queen within the time limit is the only way of saving Meinokawa Higan. Defeating the Queen herself will also erase the more than three thousand objects from the world. Its exactly the worst case scenario we expected. How boring. Higans life would be eaten away, but there would be no noticeable symptoms until just before her death. In other words, she would feel no pain. The White Queen had left Shiroyama Kyousukes vessel with him, which implicitly told him to come to her. She had given him a chance so she could enjoy this. The question is whether a normal summoning ceremony will be any use against the White Queen when she can move around freely without the support of a summoner or vessel. After all, she stands at the peak of all Materials. Shes the strongest even among the Unexplored-class. No matter which sound range you choose or how powerful you build your Material, the White Queen might be able to end it all with a single gesture. The situation was hopeless. The White Queens insane love (or illusion thereof) sent her after Shiroyama Kyousuke, but that very insanity meant his safety was not guaranteed. Just like a friendly bear might kill a human while simply playing around, the White Queen could not control herself in front of Kyousuke. I can see what drove her sister Renge that far. The Modified China Dress Beauty scooped up a spoonful of fried rice soup and spoke her personal opinion into the digital voice recorder. But I still think she has to be insane to try to get an unlicensed doctor to remove all of her own organs and give them to her sister to replace these infected ones. As soon as he heard the term unlicensed doctor, Shiroyama Kyousuke ran out from Aikas apartment. The digital clock on the Ferris wheels main support said it was 10:30 AM. Well, theres nothing we can do for her sister, so I understand wanting to try anything. But if she shows up uninvited with an Ultra-C difficulty request shell probably just be kicked out. Lu Niang Lan was (abnormally) knowledgeable on the subject and she had that to say, but Kyousuke had different expectations. Renge and Higan were twin sisters. As their genetic information was so very similar, the compatibility of their organs would be overwhelmingly high. And Higan was suffering due to the pressure that the fragments of the White Queen were placing on her blood vessels and organs. Simply put, if they had a full set of replacement organs, Higan could be saved without a clash with the White Queen. However, that would mean Dammit!! He ran. He sometimes even jumped down from one giant bridge to another as a shortcut to get him to his destination as quickly as possible. Fortunately, he did not need to search at random. Lu Niang Lan had told him the name of the merchant she had told Renge about. Block C had been built to recreate a film set modeled after an outsiders view of a Chinatown. If an unlicensed doctor was lurking there, they had likely been drawn in by the unrealistic image of the place. He caught a glimpse of the unique shrine maiden outfit mixed into the usual crowd of colorful costumes. He approached from behind and grabbed her slender shoulders. Before she had time for surprise, he dragged her into a nearby alley and slammed her back against the building wall. Do you really understand what youre trying to do here!? he yelled at close range. The girls shoulders shook and she seemed to shrink down like a small animal. But even as the boy held her against the wall, Renge glared back at him. This is the only way. She was forcing out the words. What did that mean? It likely meant she had been properly weighing her own life on the scales. She had worried over this so much that she had lost sight of the correct answer. Were up against skilled summoners led by the ultimate White Queen and no Material can defeat that monster!! Theres no way we can defeat the White Queen in just a few hours to remove those three thousand objects from Higans body. So what else can we do but give up on that direct method!? Even if youre twins, you cant skip past the tests as a shortcut to the surgery. You have to test for compatibility, infectious disease, immunosuppressants, and more. Organ transplants arent the same as replacing a clocks gears. And I can tell just from looking at your hair and eyes that youre fraternal twins. Unlike identical twins, you have different genetic sequences, so youd have to start at the very, very beginning with a blood test. Theres simply no way you could complete all of the surgeries before the time limit. Renge smiled thinly after listening to all that. I wouldnt be so sure. What? Higan and I arent just twins. He did not know what she meant. He was caught off guard, so she brushed off his hands. But not to run away. She opened the neck of her shrine maiden outfit to show him something. He assumed dazzlingly white skin would reach his eyes. He was not wrong about that. But a moment later, Meinokawa Higan opened her chest at the center of her ribs. Eh? Shiroyama Kyousuke had seen plenty of psychedelic worlds, but his thoughts briefly ground to a halt. The ribs that opened like a strange umbrella or flower were made of wood polished to an amber color. The contents were far removed from soft masses of dark red. There were shells shaped like the different organs, but they did not look alive. They looked more like handmade leather bags. They pulsated, but there was no heartbeat or mechanical noises. The gears moved so smoothly they produced no noise. That indicated the skill put into their construction more than any craftsmans signature could. He recalled some useless trivia about western automata being created by clockmakers. What isthis? Its known as the Joruri Method. Although after creating something that looks and talks just like a human, Im guessing they were hesitant to directly call it a toy or a machine. There was a somewhat self-deprecating tone to her answer. And she kept her bizarre internal structure exposed all the while. Didnt you find it odd? asked Renge with her chest truly opened. Could a lone summoner separated from her vessel really escape an organization like Guard of Honor so easily? Could I really do that if I had become nothing but a normal human? He could not definitely say she could not. Take Lu Niang Lan of Illegal for example. That Perfect Dragon hated the summoning ceremony and exterminated skilled summoners entirely on her own, so she might be able to do it. But it would have been impossible for Shiroyama Kyousuke himself. He might have been able to lose them for a short time, but he would have ultimately needed to rely on a vessel and Material. Even Alice (with) Rabbit would need that. But His tone made it clear he still could not believe what he was seeing. What even are you? Ive never heard of a wholly artificial summoner. For one thing, the summoner and the Material vanish from all cameras and sensors while the Incense Grenade is in effect. No unmanned weapon or missile should be able to see them. That was why manned weapons like the Repliglass soldiers were still used even if they could not directly combat the Material. With the exception of primitive optical devices like glasses and binoculars, anything beyond the naked eye was useless as ones eyes or ears. And yet My family has long worked in this field. Renge, who existed outside that assumption, readily answered. Repliglass is modeled after insects and other animals, but youve heard that it was originally developed as a container for the White Queen, havent you? This is the same. Before Repliglass became widespread, we secretly built Joruri Method vessels. We originally specialized in doll funerals, but after we gained an interest in machines that moved on their ownwell, I guess you could say the hunter became the hunted. The ideal form was to have a human summoner and a Joruri Method vessel to control the Material with no interference whatsoever. That was the ideal form, but in reality, Renge was the summoner and Joruri Method while Higan was the vessel and a human. Or was Meinokawa Higan also not human? That girl is human. That is why she has suffered through so many unreasonable things. ? Even if it was through an irregular method, the Meinokawa family found its social significance by producing stable and skilled summoners. I was the machine produced later and Higan was originally the only heir. Now do you see the problem she faced? I do. No inborn talent is needed to become a summoner, but it is to become a vessel. But then those with that talent cant become a summoner. The Artificial Sacred Ground created by an Incense Grenade was basically an area where it was a little easier for ghosts to make an appearance. The vessel acted as a contact point, so if they tried to be a summoner themselves, the Material would hijack their body. The very fact that a pair was needed for the summoning ceremony proved that the vessel needed the support of a third party to maintain control. An excellent vessel was a type of genius. But she had not been given the opportunity to use that genius in the small Meinokawa world. Blonde hair and blue eyes. Id thought you seemed pretty different for twins Did you think we were a half or quarter non-Japanese? She is entirely Japanese-made. She just ended up like that as they messed with her body, trying to medically remove the trait that allows the Material to possess her. That attempt had presumably failed. The trait had only been partially removed and yet she was still such an excellent vessel. So how great a vessel had she been originally? Kyousuke recalled how famous ukiyoe pictures had been balled up as cushioning for decorative plates during the Meiji period. That was exactly what had happened to Meinokawa Higans life. That is why I was made. The Joruri Method in a shrine maiden outfit spoke quietly. The skeletal structure, arrangement of organs, and other basic features of Higans body were combined into the ideal Meinokawa Higan that the entire family felt should have been born. That is Meinokawa Renge. That is me. And that is why Im treated like the elder twin despite being made later. That explained some things. Kyousuke had never heard of a third party hijacking the contract between a summoner and vessel, but this meant that the connection between Renge and Higan was not normal. Had that irregularity been caused by the powerful bond created by a being that did not exist in the natural world? Istill have a hard time believing this. Higan showed no sign of hiding something like this. She even ran from safety and toward almost certain doom to save you. If she had been forced down by you and covered in hatred, she never would have done that. She Renge hesitated to speak, but she did so anyway. She does not know the truth. Or rather, she cant see it. After all, Im the ideal form of Meinokawa Higan. Her hair and eyes may have changed, but I might as well be her mental image of what Meinokawa Higan looks like. She must see a truer version of the Meinokawa Sisters when she looks in my face than when she looks in a mirror. That is why we are twin sisters even if we look so different. Summoner and vessel. Ideal and reality. Older sister and younger sister. It had all been flipped upside down, so what had Meinokawa Renge thought while living alongside Higan? She was an artificial creation, she was being used by humans, and she had gained trust based on a false understanding. The more Higan smiled her way, the less she would have been able to accept it. Even so, she had refused to run away and she had continued to protect Higan. That was why she was here now. And that was why she had made the decision to throw away her own life. Thanks to this, the normal theories of organ transplants dont apply. Renge kept the inside of her opened chest on display. We dont have to think about rejection or immunosuppressants. I was created as the ideal Meinokawa Higan, so her body will accept my artificial organs better than any others. We can make it in time this way. Defeating the White Queen might be unrealistic, but we still have a way to save her. She would protect her sister. She had lived with only that in her heart and it had led to this decision. That desire may have saved her as well. Kyousuke did not know how many years it had been since Meinokawa Renge had been created, but she had been burdened with a definite purpose from the moment of her birth and that purpose came from the destruction of the dreams held by the very person who idolized her. How could she have remained calm when faced with that? So saving her sister may have also saved herself. But That wont work. Her feelings, her resolve, her determination, her devotion, and her love had all led to this dark red conclusion, so could he really say they were right? Why not? Im a Joruri Method machine while shes human. Protecting her is my only reason to continue functioning. The optimal answer is right before my eyes. We dont need to bet on the ridiculous possibility of defeating the White Queen. I can save her like this! So!! That may be logical. When weighing the value of your lives, maybe we should choose the human life. But Higan told me something in her own words. When you were separated by that battle at the harbor, she could have abandoned her sister and hidden in safety on her own, but she said something else! What are you talking about!? She said that isnt what she meant when she asked for help!! And then she returned all on her own! She returned to the battlefield to bring you back!! Renge stopped breathing. Her despairing thoughts came to a stop. And Kyousukes shouted words slipped in through that gap. Higan was separated from you back then. Death was approaching her too and most anyone would honestly speak the ugly thoughts deep inside them. But then! At the very, very end!! When she spoke the thoughts deep inside her, it was a desire to save you!! So can you still say that throwing away your own life would save Higan!? Thatsthats only because she doesnt know the truth. Thats only because she cant see reality! Shes being deceived!! I meanIm just a Joruri MethodIm just a machineand I stole everything from her!! So what? Even if she doesnt know the truth of this world, Ill still follow the dream in her eyes. It might be silly, but that resolve came from her heart. She spoke the cursed words to me, so Ill help her. I may be reluctant and I might not gain anything from this, but Im not going to accept a half-assed conclusion now that Ive agreed to this!! What about you? After coming this far and protecting her for so long, are you going to accept an imperfect conclusion in the very, very end!? She fell silent. Renge fell silent. She too had to know what the most ideal answer was. She had decided to be Meinokawa Higans sister, so she was not a machine that could only obey her source code and she was not a shell of a human that could only repeat the same action again and again after losing during the summoning ceremony. But she had realized how difficult it would be to achieve that, so she had fled to another answer. She could not do it. The Meinokawa Sisters could not do it even if they worked together. But Say it, said Shiroyama Kyousuke. I will defeat the White Queen myself. That will remove everything eating into Meinokawa Higan. I will use everything available to me, I will cheat in every way I can, and I will sweep aside everyone who stands in my way. Freedom Award 902, Alice (with) Rabbit, swears it. So say the cursed words. That will complete this. Meinokawa Renge remained silent with her head lowered. Finally, she bit her lip a little. She closed up the unnatural and grotesquely lacking contents of her body. Now that she was just a girl once more, she slowly gathered all of her courage and spoke the decisive, triggering words. lpus. At first, it sounded more like an escaping breath than a voice. It slowly but surely grew into the words that could shake the human heart. If youre going to say all that, then help us. A certain tone filled her scratchy words. It was a heated emotion. It was a raw torrent of mixed emotions that could not be easily identified as any single one. Higan doesnt have much longer. I dont have time to be picky about my methods! The White Queen is hopelessly cruel and powerful! Shes so frightening that not even gathering up all the summoners around here would be enough! In fact, I cant even break through the protection of Guard of Honor that serves her! I might rely on luck or pray for a divine miracle, but the White Queen reigns beyond even the Divine-class! So! When I find myself utterly helpless and sink into the bog of despair, no final prayer is going to conveniently solve everything! It wont do a damn thing! Renges carefully-prepared words were falling apart. Her tone was shaking and sobs mixed into her voice. But At some point, her tear ducts had opened. If youre going to brag that you can make the impossible possible She cried. Her face grew red, she did not wipe away the clear liquid dripping down her cheeks, and she threw her words at him from close range. If you think you can help us, then prove it!!!!! Shiroyama Kyousuke narrowed his eyes little. The individual before his eyes was only a girl. It did not matter if she was a Joruri Method or an artificially-created summoner. She was nothing more than a girl driven to absolute desperation in her desire to save her sister. He did not need to give it much thought. He did not need to say anything grand. All of that would be entirely superfluous. There was only one thing he had to say. He only had to make the one announcement to the crying girl before his eyes. As you wish. The contract had been updated. The giant gears that moved Alice (with) Rabbit heavily yet quietly began to turn once more. Shiroyama Kyousuke was curled up in the hallway of Aikas apartment with his back pressed against the wall. The female announcer on the living room TV said it was nine in the morning. Aika and Lu Niang Lan were checking on Meinokawa Higans condition in the guest room. He had screwed up. He had put his partner and vessel in danger. It was Meinokawa Renge that summoned the White Queen, not you. (That isnt an excuse.) You did not know that twins could ignore the contract between summoner and vessel to seize control. (That isnt an excuse.) If you had been able to settle things with Golden Luxury there, this would not have happened. (That isnt an excuse!!!!!) For one thing, combat never went as planned. If there were rules he did not know about, that was his fault for not learning about them. This was not a sport held in a ring, so it was not necessarily going to remain one-on-one from beginning to end. That was the most basic lesson. The smallest things had built up and the discrepancy they created had bared their fangs against his vessel instead of him. What is this Alice (with) Rabbit crap? He heard a low growl. He glanced over and saw the five meter white liger that Aika used as a sofa sluggishly approaching him. He did not move in the slightest. Stop this. I dont have it in me to deal with you right now. The beast did not understand human language. It moved its giant face in close enough for him to feel its warm breath on his own face. Then he spoke more succinctly. Stop. The word pierced the silence. Only once he spoke it did he realize what had happened. That cross between a lion and a white tiger, that king of beasts that did not exist in the natural world, had pressed its stomach against the wooden flooring as it cowered down like a child after being yelled at. When he saw the giant beast trembling, Shiroyama Kyousuke sighed a little. Sorry. I should have known that shouting at you wasnt going to help. He held out his hand and the white liger licked his fingertips with its large, rough tongue. He then reached an arm around the neck of the beast as it hesitantly approached once more. Its okay. It really is. Thanks for worrying about me. A nearby door opened. It led to the guest room. Swimsuit Girl Aika stepped out with a dumb look on her face. Onii-chan, if you were craving your little sisters scent, you just had to hug the real deal. Or are you a true genius whos only satisfied with the scent she leaves on things? Hows Higan? His short, monotone question elicited a shrug from Aika. That China Dress is using acupuncture to slow down the progress, but its really only buying us a little more time. She says well be lucky to get even a few extra hours out of it. I see, was all Kyousuke said. But someone was dissatisfied with that exchange. What is with all of you? It was Meinokawa Renge, Higans twin sister. By the White Queen, you mean the White Queen, right!? Shes the top of the Unexplored-class who gathers cult-like popularity from Government, Illegal, and Freedom. Everyone knows and yearns for that Material, from the lowest rookie to the most skilled expert!! Shes the collection of benevolence, symbol of holiness, and anthropomorphism of radiance that Higan prayed to every single day!! So howhow does that lead to her body being eaten into like this? Ive never heard of anything like this before!! Meinokawa Higan was unconscious and nearly half her body was covered in a dark blue mark. Once it covered her entire body, she would die. This was happening due to the simple fact that the White Queen had resided inside her body. But at the same time In a way, the White Queen is the most famous Material in the world, isnt she? Its true you dont often get a chance to summon her in a real battle, but some of the top ranked summoners have to have summoned her in the past, right? And if that led to their vessel being eaten away from within and dying, there would be rumors of that, wouldnt there!? And yet!! Theres no meaning to it, spat out Kyousuke. If you summoned the White Queen like normal, it wouldnt lead to this. And while that was an abnormal situation since you forcibly stole the contract from me, I doubt that was the reason for this. Then!! Shes in love with being in love. Theres no more to it than that, he decisively stated. Shell keep running forever even though she doesnt know where the goal is. Shell destroy an entire country or the entire world without a second thought if its to fulfill a desire she thought up on the spot. Creating this time limit inside Meinokawa Higan was to prevent me from escaping her. Thats all. Theres no grand reason, singularity, or law behind this. That really is all that there is to it. Youre kiddingright? Renge started mumbling, but she did not stop there. She continued in a low groan. I cant believe this. I saw it with my own eyes and I still cant believe it. I mean, isnt the White Queen the symbol of justice held up by summoners the world over? Shes basically an indulgence we hold up to prove that were just in using her. And yetshe talks on and on like that and she grows violent when she doesnt like something? Thatsthats The White Queen was the legendary Material longed for by every summoner. She held the greatest power within the Unexplored-class that lay beyond the Divine-class. After seeing her for herself, Renge could not reconcile that with what she had seen. Do you know the White Queens official name? The White Queen who Wields the Sword of Unsullied Truth (iu - nu - fb - a - wuh - ei -kx - eu - pl - vjz). For summoners, its like a childrens counting song. I think youd be harder pressed to find one who didnt know it. Now what about the opposite? Whats the name of the Material every summoner hates? ? Taboos one and three. The Black Maw that directly kills any summoner that makes a fatal mistake. Oh, you mean the Black Maw that Swallows All (nu - lp - eu - bf - zuh - ei - jkv - iu - a - xw). You never need to summon it yourself, so theres no real point in memorizing the letters, though. Kyousuke stared intently over at Renge as he continued. Rearrange the letters for those names and compare them again. Huh? Wait a second As she did the work in her head, her face froze over. Kyousuke gave the answer They both have twenty-one letters and those letters are identical. Theyre made from the exact same number of low, middle, and high sounds. In other words, the famous White Queen and the infamous Black Maw are one and the same. With that in mind, one could guess what was hidden behind that pure white smile. She was not something that would obey mankind. She was capable of selfishly tricking people into worshipping her even as she feigned obedience while consuming countless summoners. She was capable of fully sealing such great evil behind her smile. A god did not serve man. Man served the gods. That should have been the proper way of things, but it looked so twisted due to the great evil at its core. What is she? asked Meinokawa Renge as if digging down to the heart of the matter. What is the White Queen? Kyousuke had a simple answer. If I knew that, this would be so much easier. Oh. My. Dear. Brother? At just past eight in the morning, the White Queen smiled thinly in the Artificial Sacred Ground created by an Incense Grenade in the station-front plaza covered in the wreckage of the fallen bridge. I hate to do this when we finally have a chance to see each other again, but I will be leaving for the time being. Still, I know that you are at these coordinates. That alone was well worth the trip. Whatare you thinking? Im always thinking about nothing but you, year-round. You are not thinking about me. Youre only in love with being in love. Whats the difference? What you have is only an illusion. Hmm, this sounds like the beginning of a love story Id want to listen to all night long, but the Artificial Sacred Ground is about at its limit. Complaining any more would only ruin the mood. Glare at me all you want, but is there anything you can do against a Material without a vessel? Hee hee. Not that you would have much of a chance against the peak of the Unexplored-class even at your best. That was the truth. His vessel, Meinokawa Higan, was currently giving form to the White Queen. Plus the contract had been torn from his grasp just before she had been summoned. He had no power at the moment. Not even the standard protective circle. If she so much as flicked him on a whim, it would probably tear off his head. How long are you going to keep this up? As long as it takes to make you mine. Yes, I adore you so much I wish I could snatch you away right this instant. But this vessel is just so frail. If I ignore the Artificial Sacred Ground and extend the time limit too much, there might be no saving her. What? Youll know just what I mean if you look into things afterwards. I would prefer you didnt look at another girls skin too much, but motivating you is more important. But if it arouses even an ounce of lust inside you, I will physically wring this vessel out like an old rag. The sound of static filled their surroundings. The ten minute time limit was up. Oh, right. If you wish to kill me and save a certain someone, I recommend starting by smashing Guard of Honors rather amusing ambitions. To be honest, I am currently somewhat separated from the Blood-Sign style summoning ceremony. Although their Sewn Realm Summoning isnt very good, so I can exist in two places at once like this. But it is still based on the Sewn Realm Summoning, so you need to destroy both the system supporting it and that version of me if you want to eliminate the change. The details of the White Queens outline blurred, but she continued speaking with a smile. My time is up. Until we meet again, brother. I will be waiting until the end of the world. Do you really think Ill do what you want? You will. I guarantee it. 100%. She was smiling. That alone would have been lovely, but she spoke with an endlessly toxic elegance in her voice. After all, you are Alice (with) Rabbit. You are the great hero who will save two hundred when you should only be able to save one hundred. With human techniques, I expect you cant extend the limit past seven this evening. Once you notice what has been done and find a life will be lost, you will run to the dark side of the moon if necessary. That was all. The ten minutes were up, the mysterious Artificial Sacred Ground dispersed, and the White Queen vanished. All that remained were the scars of destruction and the summoners and vessel she had selfishly beaten up. Plus Meinokawa Higan who collapsed limply despite not having used an extended Chain. She would die at seven oclock. The White Queen had said so, so it would not be a lie. So this is the item in question. It was a gorgeous reception room decorated with gold and jewels far too gaudy for a supposed monastery. An extremely large man had been the one to speak. If he had told people he had noble blood, no one would have believed it. Even in the modern day, he would have sounded more credible introducing himself with a cutlass in hand and a pirate ship behind him. The butler waiting behind him further drew out the crude impression he gave people. He was facing a small man. This man almost looked like a little grey in a human costume. He had a smile on his face, but it showed as little emotion as a plastic doll being melted with a flame. The alien spoke. The Bloodline Preservation Committee intends to regain all members of the proper Magentarain bloodline that has been so neglected for a variety of reasons and we intend to receive those members of the bloodline with the treatment they deserve. Hmph. A young girl with reddish-blonde hair and white skin stood next to the alien. She looked like a doll, but that was not meant to disparage her. Her gorgeous dress and the sweet scent of her hair were proof that everything had been stripped away from her for the life that awaited her. All of the warm things that had made her who she was had been erased and then overwritten with the Magentarain name. It was such a warm welcome, that it was surprising there had been no handcuffs or collars involved. The treatment they deserve? Shell be kicked out of the main familys line of succession either way. This is some illegitimate child that showed up out of the blue. Those purity-obsessed freaks wont even treat her like a human being. Perhaps, but she is still a Magentarain. No one can find any faults in her basic specs and she will do well in any field. And that of course includes your world of the summoning ceremony, young master. Im not about to form a team. Yes, but I believe there are still ways to use her for your purposes. The alien grinned. She can act as bait to draw out the enemy, she can use her position as a child to gather information, and she can simply act as a human shield. You could even use her as a sandbag to relieve stress. No one would care. So you saved her to make her expendable, did you? This was the truth behind the vast sums of money the Magentarain family spent sending agents around the world to search out hidden blood. They were not interested in saving those who shared their blood. Jealous wives wanted to see her cheating husbands illegitimate family line destroyed. This was a game that nobles had played for centuries. The large man cracked his neck once and stared at the product. Whats your name? Whatever you decide to call her, be it Toy, Doll, or Device. I wasnt asking you, he said lightly. Immediately afterwards, a tremendous sound of destruction was followed by the alien flying easily five meters through the air. He rolled along, taking out luxurious chairs and tables as he went, but the large man did not even glance that way. The butler behind him brought a hand to his forehead, but the large man once more asked the girl a low question. Whats your name? A-Azalea I see. Hey, old man. Cancel your contract with me and make one with her. The kid apparently has promise as a summoner, so it wouldnt hurt to give her a vessel. What an odd thing to say. You would ask a faithful servant to leave his master? And surely you know how much pain those words will bring. Of course this is going to be painful. This is our sin. Not just mine. Ours. Honestly. You leave me no choice. The butler gave an exasperated shake of the head. The young girl could not follow the conversation. She knew this supposedly had to do with her, but she felt like she had been left behind. Sorry about this, said the large man. Your life belongs to you. You can follow whatever path you want and join any world you want. Ill give you this old man to take care of anything you might need, but you dont have to rely on him. Just make sure you live a life you can be proud of. This isnt about the Magentarain family. Go find the kind of happiness that wont bring shame to the name of Azalea. That was all. That noble girl never again met that large man. And she had yet to come across a life she could be proud of. Facts: *Even after Guard of Honors appearance, the three major powers are only monitoring the situation and cannot be expected to clean things up. *Guard of Honors goal is a Sewn Realm Summoning of the White Queen. By binding a one-on-one contract with the White Queen, they will become her first chosen servants and joyfully serve her as her priests or guard of honor. However, they have little chance of success and carelessly carrying out their plan could endlessly summon Materials into the worlds seas around the White Queen, destroying modern society. *The White Queen has no interest in Guard of Honors actions. *The Award Loved by the White is only given to those loved by the White Queen. It is a rare Award held only by Shiroyama Kyousuke. *But in truth, the White Queen is only in love with being in love, so it is not really necessary for it to be Kyousuke in that position. (According to Shiroyama Kyousuke) *Meinokawa Renge is the worlds first fully artificial summoner known as a Joruri Method and she was created as the ideal version of Higan, using her skeletal structure and organ arrangement. That seems to be why she was able to hijack the contract between summoner and vessel. *Meinokawa Higan will die if the White Queen is not defeated by 7:00 PM. *Meinokawa Higan does not know this fact. Volume 1, Stage 04 - There’s No Meaning to It Volume 1, Stage 04: Theres No Meaning to It I havent the slightest interest in anything except you, brother. Who said that? Theres No Meaning to It (Stage 04 Open 04/15 16:03) I bind this covenant of blood in the name of The Spirit of Fluttering Yellow Gills that Rules the Heavens (s - a - so - voz - tix - ei - yw - za), one of the Three which manage and guide the summoning ceremony. You are of human flesh with a proper heart and soul, yet from this moment onward, you shall be a limited vessel that can hold all things. You shall be a lord of emptiness that uses the power filling you to at times bend the laws of this world. So I shall prepare this vessel. I am a summoner, unable to leave the world of man, yet a symbol of haughty intellect that uses power from beyond the world of man to guide the world of man to the next age!! Shiroyama Kyousukes contract with Higan had been stolen in an irregular fashion, so he had restored it to its proper form. He had already discussed this with her sister Renge. I think we would both be in agreement that we need to search for every possible means of saving her. Get to the point. Which one of us can make better use of Meinokawa Higan as a vessel? If you want to increase her odds of survival as much as possible, then I want you to hand her over to me. He felt that was an inhuman opinion. He was basically telling her to butt out when her sister was in great need. Even so, he forced it through. That was why he was known as Alice (with) Rabbit. Fwahh I-Im finally back in my shrine maiden outfit. Below the countless crisscrossing bridges of Toy Dream 35, cruisers and boats were moored in the evening sunlight. There, Higan lightly patted the waist of her shrine maiden outfit. To her, that was likely about as important as the fate of the world that hung in the balance B-but where are we going to sneak in? Guard of Honors headquarters is located in those staff-only passageways covering this city like a spider web, right? Doesnt that mean any part of this thirty kilometer square city is a candidate? According to Aika, the passageways covered a combined total of three million kilometers. One could not cover all of that in a lifetime while wandering around randomly. There are entrances everywhere. Kyousuke did not sound worried. And even if this looks like an over-the-top setup with a complex ceremonial process, its really just a treasure hunting game set up by her and her love for being in love. Theres no meaning to it. So Im betting the first place that comes to my mind will be the right place. Thats just how its set up. He did not need any obvious evidence. His confidence came from the long time they had spent together. W-we have to do everything we can, said Higan. Theyll finish in three hours and then uncontrollable Materials will pour out, swallow up the people of this city, and wreak havoc on the entire world. We have to do something. Yes. But to be honest, fighting the White Queen is more than enough of a threat on its own. Going up against her at full power is more frightening than fighting a million summoners. The White Queen Is it still a shock? Yes. Of course it is. But we have to do something If the White Queen will really bring that kind of catastrophe, um, we cant just ignore it. Higan sounded more sad than afraid, but that may have been because she did not directly remember the White Queens violence. She had managed to shake free of her dependence, but that likely had nothing to do with herself. It would have more to do with seeing the painful-looking injuries left on her sisters body. Fortunately, Guard of Honors Sewn Realm Summoning is apparently full of holes. The White Queens perfection is unstable and she might have a few extra vulnerabilities. It looks like there might be something we can take advantage of. That was not a lie. However, there was something Shiroyama Kyousuke was not telling Higan. This is the only way. A certain girl had literally tried to chop up and sell her body to protect her family. Thanks to this, the normal theories of organ transplants dont apply. She could have run away if she had wanted to. If she had given up on this one thing, she would have been free to live a completely different life. But out of those infinite possibilities, she had chosen death in order to protect her sister. Why not? Im a Joruri Method machine while shes human. Protecting her is my only reason to continue functioning. The optimal answer is right before my eyes. We dont need to bet on the ridiculous possibility of defeating the White Queen. I can save her like this! So!! That was beautiful, but it had to be mistaken. Just like a sculpture that ignored proper anatomy in order to increase the apparent beauty, it was praiseworthy but wrong. So Shiroyama Kyousuke had broken her heart for his own convenience. And he had drawn a certain word out of her. If you think you can help us, then prove it!!!!! Kyousuke lightly cracked his neck. He shifted his focus from inward to outward. Now, lets get started. Wh-what exactly are we going to do? Guard of Honor is a collection of summoners powerful enough to face the aces of Government, Illegal, and Freedom head-on, right? And they even have a Repliglass army. A direct attack on them would turn into a real war, wouldnt it? I have an idea. Higan heard a thunk. It was the sound of Kyousuke lightly kicking something in the evening road. She hesitantly looked down. It was a Horseshoe Crab. It was a cutting-edge amphibious Repliglass soldier with a giant hemisphere of armor on its back. Including the tail, it was about four meters long. It was one of the things Kyousuke had fished up while scouting out their strength. An unarmed boy could not defeat that cutting-edge weapon covered in a shell and artificial muscles made of silicon. But if he threw an Incense Grenade into the center of the enemy formation, a great number of guards would notice and it would cause a huge commotion. However, that had not been enough for Shiroyama Kyousuke to give up. He had started by spotting a single Repliglass soldier carelessly moving out alone on the very edge of their patrol route. He had then walked right up to it and thrown the Incense Grenade backwards. The Artificial Sacred Ground had opened with its outside edge just two meters ahead of Kyousuke. He accurately brought in that nearest Horseshoe Crab without including any of the other guards. The surprised target had tried to fight back with its close-range weaponry, but Kyousuke had already been automatically moved back to the center of the Artificial Sacred Ground. Then, as the Horseshoe Crab stared in confusion at the spot where its target had dodged with inhuman speed, he had used his Blood-Sign to summon the weakest and simplest Material and quickly defeated it. He had dumped the defeated Horseshoe Crab into the ocean directly below the bridge and then collected and towed it away using the cruiser he had waiting in case he needed to flee. It had been over in less than five seconds after the Artificial Sacred Ground had opened. They would almost certainly have seen that two meter glowing cube from the outside, but it had only lasted five seconds, there was no report of an intruder or a battle, and searching the scene would turn up nothing. A group that takes in so many summoners would first assume an Incense Grenade had gone off by accident. Of course, if they checked the reports of all the summoners working for Guard of Honor, they would eventually find out that no one had done that. However, it would take some time before that happened. Finding a definite hole was easy, but checking to see if no one did anything required going through what every single report said and deciding if they were telling the truth or not. Either way, theyll get suspicious as time goes on and this Horseshoe Crab doesnt make its periodic reports. It doesnt really matter if they figure it out sooner or later. We just have to get in before that. Kyousuke calmly answered Higan who looked worried. She nervously peered at the unmoving Horseshoe Crab. Theres, um, a bunch of stuff underneath that shell, isnt there? I dont know what its all called though. There was indeed a Gatling gun made for underwater use, a super-high temperature saber that reached temperatures of five or six thousand degrees using a plasma jet also made for underwater use, and amphibious guided weaponry. A specialist in that sort of thing would probably have been drooling if they saw all that cutting-edge technology, but that was not Kyousukes focus. So its completely reliant on the detachable visor during night battles. Infrared, ultraviolet, ultrasound visualization, and light amplification It combines them all into a single grayscale image. It looks like a modified version of the Quad Motors CE-30. Summoners and Material did not appear on mechanical sensors when the Incense Grenade was in effect. The visor was detachable so they could switch between the naked eye and the mechanical sensors. After checking over the equipment, Kyousuke grinned. I think we can use this. H-how? One: the advantage of numbers doesnt really apply in summoner battles unless its a large battlefield like a desert or plain. If you can build up a high-level Material with a Chain, you can defeat all of the others that have to start from scratch. He bent another finger down as he continued. Two: Summoners can bend the laws of physics, but even they have to follow a few steps to summon a Material. To put that another way, theyre almost completely helpless if you can seal off those steps. At that point, he asked a sudden question. Just to be sure, you dont have glaucoma, do you? ? The place looked like giant ruins from the BCE period. There were disaster-relief waterways that gathered the rainwater, subway tunnels, and passageways for buried high-voltage lines and high-speed communication lines. The underground area of this great city was a collection of cutting-edge technology, yet people viewed it just like ancient ruins. In the end, the awed fear of giant structures beyond an individuals understanding remained unchanged in the modern era. Uniquely Selfless stood in one of those sealed areas that overwhelmed everyone who saw it. She had already abandoned the name of Freedom Award 954, L.D. 250. She had also been a part of Government and Illegal in the past, but she had repeatedly abandoned her past to move ever onward and forward. She had even lost the ability to think of those things as abandoned. So she had nothing. Point 13: nothing to report. She was in her early twenties, her long hair was tied back, and she wore a cheap track suit. She wore no real makeup. Just like a shut-in who had forgotten how to interact with other human beings, she had lost any distinction between at-home clothes and outside clothes and she essentially wore pajamas year-round. Although it was impressive in a way that she could still attract others despite completely losing the ability to focus on herself as an individual. Do we really need to make these periodic reports, Uniquely Selfless? she asked. How are we supposed to know who youre talking to? Maybe we should have at least added numbers to the end. It doesnt matter who Im talking to as long as I get the right answer. I suppose thats true. This was a giant tomb surrounded by thick concrete in every direction. Uniquely Selfless sat on a pile of construction materials and spoke with another Uniquely Selfless over her cellphone. All the while, she looked down at the countless Repliglass soldiers, those giant bugs wriggling down below. Periodic reports are the standard for guards. We cant rely on mechanical cameras and sensors when an Incense Grenade is active, so a report from a physical voice is all we can use. Ha ha. But these phones are mechanical, arent they? We cant use them if were swallowed up by an Artificial Sacred Ground. Yes, but then we will notice the lack of periodic reports. We would be unable to detect a summoners attack if we only had you call in during an emergency. That textbook answer led Uniquely Selfless to briefly recall someone. However, she could not remember who they were or which of the three major powers they were from. Everything from her past was simply placed under the category of the past. Both the living and the dead. Hey, who do you think will be first? It doesnt matter who. Government, Illegal, and Freedom None of them are functioning at the moment and none of them is a match for us. Out of the 450 we instructed, at least 70 of them rose to the higher 800s, so we can survive even a full-on war. Her use of the word war was no laughing matter. By making Incense Grenades from wood and glass, they could be carried in secret and slip past metal detectors and searches. If anyone looked away for just a second, they would be completely forgotten. All cameras and sensors for defenses and guided weaponry were useless inside an Artificial Sacred Ground. With the protective circle, they were immune to all kinds of firepower. If they continued a Chain at length, they could continue their paranormal battle without resupplying. Simply put, heading out with a party like this, they could reach the president of a great nation. Before the so-called industry rules had been created, wars meant to target and kill just the top commander had been quite common. So to Uniquely Selfless, her enemy would be nothing more than someone who had disappeared into the past. Whoever arrived first, it would be nothing more than someone whose name and face she could not remember. A moment later, all of the lights went out at once. The giant windowless structure felt like ancient ruins. Darkness filled every inch of the space, as if to remind her this was a thick concrete tomb. At the same time, she heard a quiet yet solid sound. It came from the cellphone held to her ear, and it was the sound of the LCD backlight breaking. It seemed to have been pierced by something sharp, not hit by a blunt object. With every light source gone, true darkness reigned. She heard someone breathing nearby. She reached for an Incense Grenade on reflex, but then she remembered something. If she could not see her target with the naked eye, the Incense Grenade would not create an Artificial Sacred Ground. Even with someone right in front of her eyes, there was nothing she could do if she could not see! Wait She had not given any thought to this possibility she had buried in her past. A dull sound burst out as killer intent rushed out to surround the entire area. Kyousuke felt his enemys defeat through the Blood-Sign he had thrust out like a spear. The summoner had been crushed. But there was still the vessel and the countless Repliglass soldiers. (Hurry!!) He gestured to Higan and ran through the dark. Yes, he gestured. They did not need to defeat all of the enemy soldiers. Their top priority was reaching the deepest area where the White Queens Sewn Realm Summoning was being carried out. The two of them slipped past the Repliglass soldiers as they ran. Those soldiers armed with cutting-edge weapons pulled down their visors for night-vision the instant their own vision went dark. They also turned their heads toward the footsteps. But they could not see Kyousuke and Higan. However, Kyousuke doubted this cheap trick would last for long. (We need to slip past as many as we can while this confusion lasts!! Unnecessary fighting will only use up what time we have!!) They moved from the giant stone tomb to a narrow passageway and ran down a stairway with a metal pipe railing forcibly attached. They ran into a few two meter Repliglass soldiers that resembled praying mantises or pill bugs on the way. Normally, they would have had difficulty with those monsters that could crush an armored car and dig through a concrete wall, but they slipped right past them and kept running. Their progress was oddly smooth. They continued down, down, down, and down. There were no windows and no sunlight reached them. Partially thanks to that, they gradually lost track of whether they were currently above or belowground. It felt like a Mobius strip or a Klein bottle. They were gradually afflicted by a sense that they were plunging into some alternate world removed from reality. There was great confusion. But as soon as new footsteps rang through the large transformer substation, the summoner Uniquely Selfless did not hesitate to shout out. Fire at those footsteps!! A deluge of gunfire burst from the walls and ceiling. That was not due to echoes. The giant bug Repliglass soldiers really were clinging to those surfaces. The intense strobe light of their disturbed vision showed something fluttering through the air. It was a gray plastic sheet about the size of a blanket. (The bugs night vision visors use grayscale, dont they? So just like the color red vanishes under a red light, their vision is weak to the right form of gray. So thats why the intruders have slipped past before the Repliglass can react.) But now they had lost their means of camouflage. Uniquely Selfless called out again. This summon-sealing darkness means they cant use their summoning ceremony either! Your bullets will reach them now!! Countless gunshots and explosions followed. And that was why Uniquely Selfless was so slow to notice the much smaller bursting sound hidden behind the deluge of noise. Specifically, the sound of someone throwing an Incense Grenade. Hang onwait Uniquely Selflesss voice trembled in the darkness. He had heard the characteristic sound of bullets being deflected by a protective circle and felt the sensation of something wrapping around himself. How can you summon Material here? You created this darkness! You need to see your target with the naked eye rather than mechanical night vision just as much as we do! Otherwise you cant open an Artificial Sacred Ground!! He received no answer. The true darkness was torn apart by the explosion of scarlet lines and broken music created by the summoning ceremonys Petals. One of them could use it and one could not. The difference that created was demonstrated with overwhelming destruction. As reports came in of the battle lines crumbling one after another and panicked voices reached her ears, Azalea Magentarain sighed with the old butler by her side. I see. So thats his trick. She understood it now, but it was too late to pass the information along. The enemy had already broken through. On top of that, the attacker was not serious about this. He was only using the trick to gain as much ground as he could. Which meant Milady. Yes. Get everything ready for me. A deep sound, much like a giant drumbeat, reverberated more in her gut than her ears. This was two hundred meters below Toy Dream 35. Pure white bubbles filled the inside of the giant spherical bacteria pool created from silicon as a Repliglass water purifier. At this rate, he will definitely make it here. When you get down to it, greater numbers mean nothing in a battle between summoners. She grabbed a few reels of ribbons. It would seem we need to crush him ourselves. Shiroyama Kyousukes vision was dazzled among the strobe light of so much gunfire. The protective circle defended against all paranormal and physical phenomena now that he had summoned a Material, but anything that did not threaten his life would pass through the protective circles filter. There was nothing he could do about this. (Dammit. So our trick isnt going to get us any further. Higan, well have to force our way with a Chain from here on!!) It was too dark to see even the hand in front of ones face with the naked eye. However, they could not use the summoning ceremony when relying on mechanical night vision equipment either. So how had Kyousuke and Higan conquered that darkness and summoned a Material? The answer was quite simple. Um Are these eye drops? They contain homatropine, a parasympathetic nerve blocker. Its an over-the-counter drug you can buy at a train station drugstore, but I had Lu-sans help concentrating it a fair bit. Its a mydriaticwhich, simply put, causes your pupil to dilate unnaturally wide. ? Basically, it gives you really good night vision, but in exchange makes you more susceptible to camera flashes and the like. Anyway, you dont have any eye diseases like glaucoma, do you? This is a concentrated version of a drug you cant give people who have things like that. They only put the special eye drops in one eye. As soon as they were swallowed up by the dance of gunfire, he squeezed the one eye shut and switched to using the other one, but that did not entirely eliminate the effect. Still, he ignored it. He shook off the sharp headache stabbing into the core of his head and they took out more and more of this normally unbeatable firepower. They kept the Chain going and kicked through the thick door leading even deeper. But then Ugh!? His mind was shaken. For just a brief moment, Shiroyama Kyousukes awareness grew distorted. First, there was an overwhelming light. The underground structure had been like a construction zone with the power cut off, but this large area was filled with old-fashioned lights such as gas lamps, candles, and chandeliers. Those directly disturbed the eye he had used the eye drops on. Second, it was an utterly luxurious palace. It was so very unlike the exposed concrete from before. It was filled with so much gold and art from all around the world that he could hardly believe this was more than fifty meters underground. It felt like that door had led into another world. Kyousukes brain was shaken as if in a waking dream and he completely forgot where he was and why he was here. Lastly, there was a giant spherical container. The ten meter sphere bubbled near the ceiling of that palace and it shined like a star. It was filled with a white bubbling liquid and it just barely retained some traces of its original form as a bacteria pool using Repliglass technology. Oh, my. And that slight pause was a fatal lag when it came to first-rate summoners. So it comes down to this in the end, does it? Well, if this world revolves around Her Majesty, I suppose this makes sense. She would have been absorbed by the Chain-state Artificial Sacred Ground regardless, but she still threw her own Incense Grenade. It was likely a symbol much like throwing a glove at him. The noble blood in her veins had wanted a way to signal the beginning of this duel. And Azalea did not care about the handicap created by the cost difference in the Material already built up in the Chain. She had her non-consuming strategy that created an endless loop of her White Thorns with incredible speed and precision. She could immediately catch up and surpass that difference. A gorgeous ribbon wrapped around in midair to form a long rod. With her Blood-Sign in hand, the young lady spoke directly below the unique bacteria pool that resembled a giant crystal ball. Now, how about we settle this? You or me? Which servant can move closest to Her Majesty and which one is most worthy of her deep love!? Un. A clear voice filled the air. The White Thorns launched from the Blood-Sign collided precisely three times with the walls, floor, decorations, edges of the Artificial Sacred Ground, and the low, middle, high, and lowest sound Petals to draw a variety of different squares and accurately return to her. Deux. It was not quite a dance. Nor was it like a circus act. The many White Thorns were released one after another to draw different squares and different loops in a process that accurately built up her Material at great speed. Azalea viewed it like a Gatling gun. The structure was simple, so there was no fear of error. The amount was great, so it could break through any obstacle. Trois. There was a deafening deluge of noise. The bright red dance of light and chaotic deluge of noise were the song of a mad god that desired war and bloodshed. Azaleas Material normally would have been easily crushed by the difference in cost level, but it caught the giant claws rushing at it. It stopped them. It endured them. And all the while, it was being built up further. It grew stronger and greater and would soon catch up. Azalea had the Crimson Calamity of Countless Bestial Heads (nic - a - zx - a - c - ei - tf - b - qux - wzb - a - hatl). Countless red eyes glowed from a hideous ball-like Material made from dozens of dragon and beast heads, each over a meter tall. Each mouth produced a shockwave-like roar that evenly crushed all foreign objects in its territory. Shiroyama Kyousuke had the SSC for Puppet #2000 (yi - a - ns - ou - wh - ia - iu - seb - e - hig - o - sd - c - li - dr - oq). The giant empty armor was controlled by invisible threads attached across its body and two red lights escaped from gaps in the armor like eyes. The twenty meter monster was inorganic, yet it gave off a bestial odor and tore its preys internal organs to shreds using sharp claw- and fang-like protrusions. It was simple yet effective, so as long as it could get close, it could tear open an aircraft carriers flight deck like a can. But. There was little meaning in describing the details of their Materials. Before it even reached its perfect form, Azaleas Material changed form. It never obtained a stable body, so it almost looked like a melting amorphous stew. (Normal people might be able to frighten their opponent by taking slow shots and letting them see the result.) This was Azalea Magentarain, who had once been known as Golden Luxury. (But my Gatling gun readily destroys the concept of numbers. Cheap, plentiful, and certain. In the face of an army that washes away the individual, the skills and strategies of a single summoner are meaningless.) She was certain of her victory. The elegant young lady licked her lips as she manipulated her Blood-Sign. The cost difference had vanished. The puny savings and tiny handicap were no help when it came to stopping Azalea. From here on, it was her turn to drive out Shiroyama Kyousuke. But something odd happened. With a pleasant sound, a White Thorn flew in the wrong direction. Wha? All of the Thorns should have been moving in square paths to accurately return to her. They would never vanish while her stock naturally replenished itself. That should have allowed her ferocity to grow as time passed. But a slight fray caused it all to fall apart. The flying White Thorns were sent off course. The amount returning to her shrank. The speed of her Materials growth dropped and the advantage of the Gatling gun-like quantity collapsed. (What happened?) She was baffled, but her mind worked furiously to analyze the situation. She reached calculation speeds rivalling a ballistic prediction program and concluded that the mistake had not come from her. But the fact remained that her Gatling gun system had failed. Which meant What did you do? What did you do to me!? Azalea shouted in anger but also attempted to bring back the accurate movements of her Blood-Sign. Sometimes she successfully completed the White Thorn loop and other times it flew off in the wrong direction. Overall, something was tripping her up, but she could not figure out what that was. The situation simply continued. Meanwhile, Shiroyama Kyousuke adjusted his grip on his Blood-Sign and responded calmly. Its true that infinite loop technique will sweep you away if you face it head-on. If I took aim at each individual White Thorn, well, Id probably never fill the cost gap. Yes. That was how it was supposed to work. What made no sense was Kyousukes unconcerned expression. He should have been sweating bullets with a look of despair as he saw his Material chewed to pieces by the overwhelming cost gap. That was how the equation was set up. Just as one plus one was two, no other result should have been possible! But that accurate square loop is a simple structure. You bounce the White Thorn off of the wall, floor, ceiling, decorations, furnishings, Petals, White Thorns, or edges of the Artificial Sacred Ground three times to continually draw that rectangle. Thats really all it is. It was a simple and basic structure, but that did not mean it was stale. It was the same idea as a trustworthy weapon having been simplified to the point that it would not malfunction. But at the same time If the structure is simple, its also easy to mess with. You send out a ton of White Thorns and open up the cost gap with overwhelming speed, but as long as I can escape the panic that brings, it isnt that difficult to think up a way to bring an end to your undefeated legend. And Im asking what exactly that is!! You still havent figured it out? There was likely a hint in the chaos that Guard of Honor caused before we even met. Azalea strongly reminded herself that she could not let her thoughts go blank. She began to suspect that her opponents words were no more than a form of psychological warfare meant to keep her from thinking. But April 14, 10:30 PM. Block Rs harbor region was overrun with the Divine-class Materials you set loose: Fafnir and Yamata-no-Orochi At several dozen meters tall and twice the height of a gantry crane, their ferocity must have looked like hell on earth. But that brings a certain question to mind. They were too big. The Artificial Sacred Ground is initially a cube with twenty meter sides, but youd have a hard time fitting Fafnir or Yamata-no-Orochi in there. At the very least, they wouldnt be able to fight. So how were those Divine-classes being used so effectively? Youcant mean The Artificial Sacred Ground can grow under certain conditions. Its probably based on the size of the largest Material inside it. And you use all the obstacles inside to set up your loops. In that case, obstructing you couldnt be easier. I just have to change the size of my Material again and again, which changes the size of the Artificial Sacred Ground each time. Those moving walls are all it takes to overturn your accurate calculations. That was all it took. Ive managed to gather a bit of information on a celebrity like you. Government Award 930, Golden Luxury. You specialize in high-speed battles in complex areas such as cities or inside buildings. Is that why youd never really thought about it? Because you generally use the building walls and ceiling rather than the edges of the Artificial Sacred Ground? But an excellent weapons developer like Azalea knew first hand not to underestimate simple things and simple structures. She would come up with a countermeasure for his countermeasure. If she did not pour her all into thinking up a way to crush that, she would simply be cornered. She adjusted her grip on her Blood-Sign and used the solid sensation on her fingertips to restructure her mental combat manual. She recovered her fighting spirit from the confusion. Tch!! Then I just have to take back the right to determine the Artificial Sacred Grounds size for myself. If I always summon a bigger and larger Material, I can maintain control!! Perhaps. But surely an expert like you knows how risky it is to continually choose Materials based on their appearance rather than their sound or cost. Head that route too easily and Ill bite back immediately. Im already prepared to do just that. !! Then I only have to complete my loops without using the edges of the Artificial Sacred Ground!! Perhaps. But reducing your freedom will trip up your high-speed tactics. If it isnt too fast for me to react, there are all sorts of things I can do. !!!!!! His spoken provocations were proven in actual battle. They both sent out their White Thorns, but Azaleas lacked their former brilliance. Kyousukes did not provide an overwhelming threat, but she could tell he was gradually nipping at her heels. Her position reminded her of the fallen royalty, whose blood flowed in her veins, when they had been dragged down by the people in a revolution. That was a mistake. A moment later, Kyousukes speed surpassed hers with a deafening noise. Ah? Even if it had declined, her square loop Gatling system was still active. She believed her inferior position was due to his cheap tricks, not a notable difference in pure skill. She tried to believe it. She wanted to believe it. However Who said I only had one countermeasure? With those words, Kyousuke once more launched a White Thorn. Solid collisions sounded again and again. If Azaleas was a Gatling gun, Kyousukes was a shotgun. Each time, he produced a wince-inducing deluge of noise like someone slamming their hands down on a piano keyboard. Your system accurately draws out a square so the White Thorns always return to your hand, but that means you cant move a bunch of White Thorns at once. Since you need three points for your square, I guess its three at the most. But the loop is so fast that it ends up looking like youre hitting the Petals into the Spots all at once. Yes. This was Shiroyama Kyousukes second countermeasure against Azalea. Then dont I just have to go the opposite route? If I hit five or ten Petals into the Spots with each White Thorn, I can fill the gap. That was easier said than done. Once or twice could be written off as a fluke, but it would be incredibly difficult to constantly and reliably knock multiple Petals into the Spots. To be blunt, it involved a lot of luck on top of simple skill. It was only possible if the Petals were conveniently clumped together, so it was not something that could have a steady supply. Including that kind of uncertain element in a weapons system should have led to a malfunction. (No.) After thinking that far, a shudder ran down Azalea Magentarains spine. (All of the Petals in Toy Dream 35 right now are being influenced by Her Majesty to some extent. Butit cant be Is he pushing past even that influence and ignoring the main arrangement of Petals to use the seemingly coincidental scattered arrangement?) She felt like a great number of eyeballs were staring at her. Those red spheres were scattered around the Artificial Sacred Ground. Those many Petals had looked like weapons and opportunities worthy of entrusting her life to, but now they seemed to surround her and look down on her. Conversely, a king stood in the center of it all. He took the form of a boy and spoke to Azalea. This plan was also meant to handle you at your full strength. But now youre a far cry from that, so it seems obvious to me how this will turn out if we continue. Dont be ridiculous Itit isnt possible for me as Uniquely Selfless to lose to something like this! My Gatling gun will tear through any obstacle. Even you have been driven to the precipice of death!! I was judging you. It was a quiet voice, but it was enough to make Azalea gasp. Was your high-speed loop tactic just one of many options or was it all you could do? I waited until the last second, but Im glad to see that was all you had, said Kyousuke. For us, the key to all this was whether you would use the trump card wed already seen and knew about. Those were not words one spoke to a nightmarish threat. But Azaleas noble blood refused to say what they were spoken to. Who ever said you stood at the top of the world? But she could hear him. His voice slipped into her ears. As Azaleas shoulders trembled and she faced her nemesis head on, Kyousuke simply spoke. For us, another summoner like you is nothing more than one point along the way. Solid sounds followed. A White Thorn collided with Petals, the Petals were swallowed by the Spots, and his Material changed form again and again. Above Azaleas head, a fifteen meter pitch black dragon clashed violently with a ten meter giant wielding a magic sword. The monsters had already surpassed the Regulation-class and reached the Divine-class. Crimson eyes glowed from both giant Materials as they repeatedly clashed above the Summoners heads. But (Im breathing heavily.) Azalea Magentarain was failing to control herself. Her mental combat manual was falling apart. The cause was obvious. Anyone could tell which of them was being pushed back. (I cant keep my fingertips from shaking. Whatwhat is this feeling!?) Someone had told her to be happy. She had not understood the value of that at the time, but after pursuing that target of her admiration, she had finally realized just how difficult that was to say in this world. So she had pursued happiness. She had swept aside the other potential heirs who shared her blood, she had crushed underfoot all the bugs that swarmed in from outside hoping to gain something for themselves, and she had obtained the power of the highest rank in the world of the summoning ceremony. Even so, one thing had always eluded her. So I wished for the greatest achievement. She spoke under her breath as she recalled the past. This shaking went by the name of fear. She recalled the days so deeply dyed in its colors and she recalled the crude and violent man who had so unreasonably and overwhelmingly saved her from it. To reach something that achieves balance when placed on the scales with what I once lost, I cant fall back now!!!! Shiroyama Kyousuke narrowed his eyes a little at that. Meanwhile, he accurately moved his Blood-Sign and used the gigantic Divine-class black dragon to definitively corner Azalea and her Material. That boy likely had no idea what she meant. Her fragmentary words would not allow him to picture the detailed scene in her mind. But Yes. I dont know what happened to you. He spoke of a hypothetical. But if the order of things had been a little different, you might have been the one I was working to save. Those words destroyed the perfectly composed young ladys expression. The name Alice (with) Rabbit told her he had the skill to make that kind of idealistic hypothetical a reality. Azalea Magentarain shouted something as she thrust her Blood-Sign forward with all her might, but Shiroyama Kyousuke did not show a single opening or any mercy. They were divided between enemy and ally. One of those sides used a great dragons maw to grasp definite victory. The pitch-black dragons sharp fangs bit deep into the throat of the giant that held a burning magic sword. It tore the throat out. Ink-like black light burst from the wound at point-blank range. After the horrifyingly primitive violence, the enemy Material vanished. Azalea, who had been held inside the protective circle, and Fractal, her vessel, rolled along the floor after being hit by the shock that had killed a god. They were nearly zombies in the original sense of the word. After controlling the gods and losing, they were ironically made to dumbly obey any instructions. To prevent any unnecessary injuries as Azalea crawled slowly off, Kyousuke lightly pushed on the back of her head with his Blood-Sign so she would lie down where she was. He had won. He had achieved victory. (No) He pulled out his smartphone during the few dozen seconds of their Chain state. The screen indicated they had less than an hour until the limit. Higan said something, but Kyousuke did not respond. (Unless we defeat the White Queen who Guard of Honor worshipped, we cant remove the three thousand or more thorns from Higans body. And theyll definitely take her life once enough time passes. What should I do now? It would be very bad if the White Queen showed up, but I cant save Higan without someone summoning her!!) That was when he heard air bubbles bursting so loudly he felt it in his gut. He looked up at the Repliglass water purification system. Its core was an artificial bacteria pool made from silicon. The contents of the transparent hundred-meter sphere had grown and were bubbling madly. When Kyousuke saw that, he felt sweat pouring down his body. The equipment was meant to change seawater into fresh water in order to mass produce fresh water. Pure water welled up from within, so it symbolized a spring. Azaleano, Guard of Honor had rethought the existing summoning ceremony from the ground up and attempted to build a new system to eternally control a Material. Yes. That meant the normal process was unnecessary. There was a chance they could overwrite the rules that required summoning one hundred Regulation-class and fifty Divine-class or to accurately hit the Petals in the Spots in just the right order if you wished to summon an Unexplored-class. Dont tell me In a way, this was what he had most wanted. In a way, this was what he had most feared. Is that it? Oh, no!! Higan, get ready. No, maybe it would be best to tear through the bacteria pool before its complete!! Shes coming!! His warning proved meaningless as it happened before Higan could react. The spherical container burst from within and stained the entire golden palace with its living soup. It was like a white downpour. It was a similar phenomenon to the red tide where an excess of plankton gave the seawater a rusty color. In this case, the world was dyed white rather than red. It covered up the colors of Golden Luxury in the blink of an eye. All of the decorations and artworks were thoroughly stained to display their masters color: white. That was the color of the Queen who ruled this bloodthirsty world that reeked of rust. Its been too long, brother. She floated calmly in the spot the giant crystal ball of a container had been. There was no real reason for it, but since she preferred to stand in the same place as him, she floated down to the palace floor so slowly that gravity did not seem to apply. He had seen his new enemy. The Chain state changed to something else and the enemy was taken into the Artificial Sacred Ground. Hmm. I have a feeling you met a different me a little ahead of time, but every day away from you feels like a thousand yearsno, a trillion years. So Im glad everything advanced as planned. If you made me wait any longer, I might just have been angry enough to split apart an earth or two She had loose pure white clothing and a silver coloration. Her waist-length twintails were closer to white than silver. Shiroyama Kyousuke was forced into silence. He had toyed with the summoners of Guard of Honor who were powerful enough for a direct war with the aces of Government, Illegal, and Freedom and he had coolly defeated Azalea Magentarain who had ruled over them, but one look at the Queens face was enough to silence him. It was best to view her as just that great an opponent. She was not controlled by a summoner or bound by a vessel. She was not restricted to the Artificial Sacred Ground or to the ten minute time limit. The White Queen had been released upon the world. Just like the mistake a young Kyousuke had once made in his ignorance. There is no need to tremble like that. Heh heh. But I kind of like it when you act like a cute little animal, brother. The White Queen laughed gently yet insanely as she spoke. Everything Guard of Honor had to offer just wasnt nearly enough to reach your intellect, brother. They failed to control me with their Sewn Realm summoning and there are countless weaknesses all throughout their methodology, but that has not affected my specs all that much. I seem to be restricted to about the same level of power as with the Blood-Sign method you usually use. But not to worry. The things that crawl from the sea wont appear unless Im exposed for 180 seconds in a row. Right now Im bound to your Artificial Sacred Ground, so you just have to throw a new Incense Grenade once the time limit arrives. Of course, that will mean building up your own Material from scratch. Their work had come to nothing. Their efforts had been wasted. The White Queen had indeed appeared in this world, but she was still contained to a smaller frame no different from the Blood-Sign method. But she felt no frustration or anger over that. That had been Guard of Honors desire, not the White Queens. Plus, she was already the strongest. It did not matter if some details had changed a little, if she was not at 100% purity, or if she was only the mere remnants of what she could be. Her position at the top would not be shaken. Now, brother. She spoke calmly, like a songstress speaking to the audience from a large stage. I have failed just as you wanted. This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance for you. Not taking advantage of this perfect setup would be a disgrace to your masculinity. Now, now. You can start whenever you like. Or if you want, you can stay on the run to delay things until I run out of time. (Like I can do that) He spat out the words in his heart without speaking them aloud. The White Queen was not relying on an Incense Grenade this time, so she likely had no ten minute time limit. It might be a minute and it might be an hour. He knew Guard of Honors Fairy of the Spring style of Sewn Realm summoning had failed, but he had not analyzed how exactly it had failed. Going for a lengthy battle now would be like running full speed in an endurance race without actually knowing where the goal was. He would be unable to pace himself. (No, its also wrong to think I could fight a defensive battle against someone with firepower as extraordinarily high as the White Queen. Whether its just a minute or just thirty seconds, wed be worn down and killed. Ill have to look for a way to attack, no matter how dangerous it might be. As she said, this is my best chance at this since Guard of Honors method failed.) It may have been like taking a dose of poison one hundred times the lethal limit after diluting it one hundred times. It may have been like getting hit by a three hundred kilometer per second bullet train after slowing it down three hundred times. Either way, it was a threat. Either way, it was fatal. But His vessels voice slipped into his mind. Her words could be seen as na?ve, but it gave the push his frozen heart needed. The summoner slowly inhaled and gave a shout. Higan, lets go for it all at once! She isnt at her best now, so we can defeat a foe we could never normally!! He was unable to finish. A brilliant band of white light instantly slammed Higan into the wall in her gigantic black dragon form. Wha? The strike had pierced straight through her torso. Knowing where the Silhouette that held Higans mind was stored, the sight was enough to feel his throat dry up. But Kyousuke could not even watch the Materials giant body slide down to the ground. There was a flash of light. The pure white laser beam of an attack burned a seemingly permanent afterimage into the air. No (Did she tear away the world itself to make it pure white!?) The standard theories no longer applied. Even the Petals and Spots that no one could normally touch were swallowed up and vanished. Everything from this world and the other world was torn away and deleted. After a lag of a few seconds, the pure white remnant receded. The world returned with some static. That compressed power was meant to kill a summoner and the Material. No master plan was needed to destroy the world. If she lost control of her power and it scattered outward, that single attack might have caused the planet to crumble like a biscuit. Ahh, brother. How could you speak another girls name during our date? What the hell are you thinking? The White Queen was not bothered that she had only temporarily deleted space-time. The naturally regenerating rifts in the world must not have been worthy of surprise. She did not bother running around or approaching. A portion of the white clothing loosely wrapped around her transformed in silence. It took the form of a hammer, flew through the air on its own, and dropped toward Kyousuke like a shooting star. The summoner was contained within a protective circle that defended against any physical phenomenon and Material attack. The impact that rattled his brain easily overturned that assumption. It was not an issue of any actual injury. He could clearly sense the presence of death approaching. He gasped, his mind grew muddy, and his vision twisted as he worked desperately to grasp the situation. Bhgah!? Impossible Fresh blood dripped to the floor from his forehead. The next one came before the confusion faded. The protective circle might as well have been a plastic balloon as the corner of a shield thrust up into his jaw and a club knocked him back down before his toes could leave the ground. His mind was shaken as he rolled away from the scorching light of the scene. The damage of the white rampage was clearly arriving within the protective circle. That circle protected the summoneror rather, the ceremony itself from any external attacks, internal illness, or anything else that might get in the way. But that assumption was rejected by the approaching chill of death. Ah hah hah!! Even in this state, I am still the extraordinary Queen that stands at the top of the Unexplored-class The circle that protects the summoneror rather, the ceremony is generally made from the excess energy of the Material. That small fry cant hold a candle to me even if it goes all out, so did you really think the life support environment created from its dregs would be enough to block my lethality? She was insane. Her actions completely ignored the laws of the world. No other Material could replicate this. Did the Queens clothing physically exist or was she just manipulating light to make it look that way? Before even judging her power, he had more fundamental doubts. And on that note, what was she herself? Could something like that really exist? (Was Iwrong?) More than the pain, it was the absurdity of what was happening that nearly robbed Shiroyama Kyousuke of his consciousness. He nearly forgot what he needed to do and lost sight of his very first assumption. He wavered. He wobbled. The extreme confusion turned that ever-composed boy into a mere human. (No matter what happened, should I not have faced this monster using the rules of a summoner? Should I not have placed Meinokawa Higan in front of her?) A gigantic being collapsed atop several crushed pieces of artwork by the wall, but now it began to move. It was the pitch-black dragon. The will inside it was sent to Kyousuke via their contract. Her rebuke may have been misguided. She may have had the wrong objective in mind as they had intentionally kept information from her. But Those words saved him, even if just a little. That nickname had actually been given to him by the nemesis before his eyes. If he looked back on this later, it might seem like a traumatic mistake. But at the time, Shiroyama Kyousuke was definitely saved by those words. That nickname had been forced on him from above as he sank into humiliation and defeat. But now he felt like it had been given new meaning. Meinokawa Higan knew nothing. She had not noticed the true meaning behind the original job at the harbor, she had mistaken Government for Guard of Honor at the school, she did not know the White Queen held her life in her hands, and she did not know Renge, Kyousuke, and the others had risked their lives to free her from that. She knew nothing from beginning to end. But despite that, she was the one who had reached the most correct answer. Higan. He spoke her name again. Just one of the White Queens eyelids twitched, but Kyousuke continued regardless. Were about to defeat the White Queen, the peak of the Unexplored-class. Lets end this farce as soon as possible and fix everything that was twisted! So lend me your strength, Meinokawa Higan!! In truth, what was there that they could still do? Ah The Queen had destroyed the small kingdom made just for her. She spun around and around at the center so that her loose white clothing and long twintails fluttered around her. The cloth on her back instantly changed form and burst out like giant wings or a bed of spikes. A total of 256 spikes wholly tore apart the opposite walls. One of the black dragons wings was torn off and the rest was cruelly pinned down. One of them flew toward Kyousuke. It easily penetrated the protective circle, so the boy himself used all his strength to swing his upper body out of the way. A single line of blood appeared on his right cheek. Kyousuke did not overestimate his ability by thinking he had dodged it. If a Divine-class Material had been unable to dodge or defend against the attack, a mere human never could have. The White Queen was clearly toying with him. Oh, dear. What seems to be the matter, brother? The white light that seemed to have been burned into the air by the attack was proof that it had damaged the world itself. If you were going the futile resistance route, you could have jumped a little further than that. Why, it almost looks like you were using the protective circle to protect your enemy lying on the floor there. Kyousuke clicked his tongue. Azalea and her elderly butler were still crawling around behind him. If he had not slightly diverted the white spikes trajectory by intentionally letting it pierce the protective circle, one of them would have died. Did they speak the cursed words of help me? This isnt about that. I decide what happens to the enemies I defeat. These days, Alice (with) Rabbit doesnt just apply to allies. Times have changed, Queen. But its too bad. The twintailed Queen giggled as if to reward him for a perfect answer. That means you can no longer move from that spot, brother. Higans thoughts cut in. Vessels did not have complete control of their Material. When and how to attack was left up to the Materials own desires and the vessel only forced it all to work out by determining who to attack. That meant the vessel could not continue fighting if the Material itself lost the will to attack. The pitch-black dragons crimson eyes were filled with the frightened light of a helpless prey. This too ignored the usual way of things. A Material was normally a cruel creature that destroyed anything and everything it set eyes on. Didnt I tell you, brother? The metal wings vanished and elegant fabric covered the White Queens back once more. This time, she gave a quick wave of a hand. Most of the clothing on her right half formed a giant fist and slammed into the black dragon from the side. I stand at the peak of all Materials. Opposing me is simply out of the question. Everything in the other world serves me. If you would just become mine, I would be willing to give you half of them, though It sounded like a full-speed bullet train crashing into a truck stopped on the tracks. The Queens clothing transformed further. Metal balls, metal rods, hatchets, and other pure white weapons rushed out to torment the giant black dragon from countless angles. All the while, the world itself was carved away into whiteness. Kh!! Kyousuke used his Blood-Sign to launch a White Thorn. It hit various Petals into the Spots and the Material changed form. A dance of crimson light and a broken song swept over that small world. He had already reached the Divine-class. That meant these were the gods of mythology. He searched for something with even the slightest will to oppose the White Queen. Didnt A pure white spear pierced through a great man with golden eyes who summoned lightning with a vajra. I tell you Three red-eyed sisters known as goddesses of revenge were crushed one after another by a massive maw. its useless? A violent dance of white arrows rained down on a golden-eyed god of death known as the smoky mirror. The incredible destruction was entirely one-sided, the very structure of the world crumbled, a portion of the scene filled with the color white, and the palace that Guard of Honor had decorated with treasures old and new from around the world finally collapsed. Decorations and works of art that had untold historical value were cruelly crushed. This was the greatest way for that master of violence to enjoy them. The White Queen looked like a lovely girl, but a portion of her true nature could be seen here. Higans screams echoed directly in Kyousukes head. He just barely managed switched her to a new Material right before she was annihilated, but they all refused to fight the Queen. They stepped down from the stage before doing so. The Divine and Unexplored-classes are entirely different categories. This is like racing a normal luxury car against a custom drag racer that can reach half the speed of sound using the rocket engine forcefully strapped to it. Ah I made an effort to learn about this world so I could speak with you, brother. I think thats worth at least one head pat. If the White Queens mischievous-sounding comment was correct, he at least needed to push their Material up to the Unexplored-class. So Ill give you a chance, brother. The White Queen clapped her hands in front of her chest and gave him a beaming smile. Hurry up and raise your Material up to the Unexplored-class. With your skill, that shouldnt be difficult, should it? If I dont get in your way, that is The White Queen walked slowly closer like she was strolling around an art museum and enjoying the exhibits. But hers was truly the royal road. No one could stop her advance. Kyousuke clenched his teeth, but he had no choice but to go along with her suggestion. In fact, the summoning ceremony battles were all about changing from one Material to the next, so the White Queen was the odd one for never changing and ignoring the sound range and cost. Goddammit!! Solid sounds rang out again and again as Kyousuke built up the Material containing Higan. The mad dance of red light and the broken song were so quick and accurate that they could only be perceived after the fact. She became a giant bird that produced all the worlds winds and she became a hero who had fished up an island in the southern sea. Each one was a power great enough to influence the outcome of a war, but Kyousuke continued using his Blood-Sign as even those gods were only midway points. That soon crossed a certain line. With a brilliant light, the design of the Material greatly changed. It became a short-haired girl in a wheelchair who wore purple cloth that only covered the bare minimum. But perhaps due to how very skinny she was, she looked more sickly than alluring. Her head lolled weakly and her limbs dangled limply, but her right hand alone rose up to express her will. She was one of the Unexplored-class. She was the Lady of Purple Lightning that Separates Good from Evil (iu - ao - eu - ei - kub - miq - a - ci - pl). Higan honestly thought that. Even with her green-glowing eyes lowered and covered by her bangs, the Lady of Purple Lightning extended her one slender hand that wriggled like a living creature as she pointed the index finger at the White Queen. A purple light glowed at the tip of that finger. She was not afraid. She knew her opponent was the White Queen, but she still demonstrated the will to fight. Higan remembered this Unexplored-class slicing apart a giant metal bridge and artificial waterway at the end of that battle at the harbor, so fear of it had permeated her bones. And Kyousuke had once said that it did not matter if you were a rookie or an expert, everyone had the same chance at any strategy and any Material. So for the first time, she decided to fight back. A moment later, a deafening sound of destruction burst from the Lady of Purple Lightnings body. Meinokawa Higan was appropriately dumbfounded. It had happened just after the White Queens skirt had fluttered. As soon as she thought the entire large piece of cloth had transformed, there had been countless thick chains with anchor-like three-pronged hooks at the ends. The Queen had spun around, creating a steel tornado for several dozen meters around her. The world itself was wiped away and that massive white light also pursued her target. A hook lodged itself in the Lady of Purple Lightnings left shoulder and tore all the way into her chest. For better or for worse, the rapidly rotating hook launched the Lady of Purple Lightnings body so she rolled along the floor rather than having her heart torn out. The heart had to be where the Silhouette storing Higans mind was. One attack. All of this was just one attack. If you build your Material up past the Divine-class and to the Unexplored-class, it is true you can oppose me to an extent. The White Queen laughed as she returned her skirt to normal. She was completely unchanged. But so what if you can oppose me? Even if you have the #2 or #3 of the Unexplored-class or even one of the Three that support Government, Illegal, and Freedom, they are no match for me at the top. #1 is known as #1 because there is no one else there. Do you understand now? Goddammit Of course, thats assuming a one-on-one structure. The White Queen smiled as she placed her index finger on her jaw and slightly lifted her gaze as if recalling something. I am in an imperfect state at the moment, so you might have a chance if you make a saturation attack using several dozen Unexplored-classes. Yes, just like when your theory succeeded but your equipment lacked the strength to hold onto my reins and you could not send me back to the other world. If only you had about 10% of the fighting force sent to that largely unknown war where so many summoners and vessels died to clean your mess. Goddammiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit!! Kyousuke finally cast everything aside and shouted at the top of his lungs. This was not the veteran summoner or Alice (with) Rabbit. It was the remaining child within him that could not stand how hopelessly unreasonable this was. He had thought he would have a chance when she had her guard down. He had thought he could stab her in the side if he could slip away from her playful attempt to suppress his actions. But this was all he had managed. She had given him that chance just to provide all the more despair by taking it away. It had all progressed according to her plan and he had not moved even a millimeter outside of it. And the resulting suffering had been placed on Meinokawa Higan. Kyousuke was the underlying reason why her life was at risk. Now, brother. The White Queen smiled. The strong did not change and were not shaken. She was the most extreme example of that. Now, now, brother! What shall we do now? Is it time to entertain me by begging for your life? Using a hostage to make you my servant might be nice. Oh, but I know what to do. I love you more than anyone else in the world, so wouldnt it be a lovely symbol of our love to enjoy your tearful face as I wreak havoc around you? Eh heh. Eh heh heh heh heh heh. Shiroyama Kyousuke gasped for breath while desperately working his mind. Was there really nothing he could do? There was not. The Regulation and Divine-classes could not even fight. And while the Unexplored-class could choose to oppose the White Queen, the difference in strength was simply overwhelming. Not even the #2, the #3, or the Three that protected the three major powers could defeat the White Queen who reigned at the top. He could not make a saturation attack with several dozen Unexplored-class. A summoner could switch between Materials, but they could not summon multiple at the same time. Could he just give up? He could not. But what realistic action could he take? No matter which of the three sound ranges his Material belonged to, he could never defeat the White Queen. She existed outside the rules of the summoning ceremony, so he could not defeat her as a summoner fighting according to those rules. Then what had he resolved himself to do before coming here? After thinking that far, Shiroyama Kyousuke smiled a little. He realized he had yet to use everything available to him. No, he realized something in his heart was still holding him back. He needed to remember what he had told Meinokawa Higan when she had been cornered at the school. Dont reject the fear. Accept the fear and smile at the fact that a method like that even exists. Oh, what a lovely expression Of course, any expression of yours is perfect. By the way, what are you thinking to put such a photo-worthy look on your face? Oh, I just remembered a bit of a promise is all. Kyousuke used both hands to lightly spin his Blood-Sign around. The thing is, Queen, I made a promise. It isnt about money and I didnt sign a strange contract on parchment, but it was still a promise. The White Queen continued smiling as she tilted her head a little. Alice (with) Rabbit stood there, but that name meant something different from when she had given it to him. I promised to save a strange set of twins named Meinokawa Renge and Meinokawa Higan. I promised to do whatever it took to accomplish that. Yes - ha ha - what could be more basic? I cant believe I didnt realize this until the very end. I was fighting yet Id forgotten the promise I made, so I must have gotten careless. So its time I remembered Alice (with) Rabbit. You dare speak not one but two girls names in front of me, brother? That is worthy of quite a few deaths. Yes, perhaps I should kill you about ten times for it Werent you listening? said Shiroyama Kyousuke as he raised his Blood-Sign in both hands. I said I would do whatever it takes, didnt I? I announced I would use whatever dirty trick necessary to save the Meinokawa Sisters. That means Ill even place my allies in danger to utterly defeat you. Oh, dear. Oh, dear, oh, dear, oh, dear. An ominous shadow fell over the White Queens smile. This was not a woman catching her beloved boyfriend in the act of cheating. This was not that sort of appropriate anger. This was the look of someone who had yet again caught their beloved dog tearing up the sofa and cushions while they were out and were now pondering whether they should beat it to death with a bat and stuff it in a garbage bag. Are you so angry that some boyish power blossomed inside you? Or are you the type whose latent talent (ha ha) comes to the surface when your life is in danger? I dont care if your hair turns gold or you become a savior in full-body tights, but what can you actually do? Youll see. Then you might not make it in time. The cloth on the White Queens arms turned to particles of light. They became primitive and giant scissors that resembled a stag beetle and would crush its target from either side. This was a method of providing the greatest suffering without killing the target too easily. After all, brother, Ive lost just a bit of my patience. As soon as Shiroyama Kyousuke made a pointless strike with his Blood-Sign, great cruelty rushed back at him. It was said a mother cat would sometimes get so worked up protecting her kitten from an external threat that she herself would kill that very kitten. The boys fate was sealed. Low, middle, and high sounds. Regulation, Divine, and Unexplored-class. The White Queen could easily ignore all of those categories and she was, in all seriousness, coming to kill Shiroyama Kyousuke. The protective circle meant to defend the ceremony more than the summoner had already been proven entirely useless against her fierce attacks and they could not be dodged with human reflexes and kinetic vision. That meant the boys fate should have been sealed. Even with the supernatural power of the summoning ceremony and a Material, he could not stop the White Queen. She would twist the worlds destiny and the natural laws to fulfill her personal objective and at the moment that objective was to kill Shiroyama Kyousuke. That was nothing more than data entered so it could be fulfilled. And yet. And yet. And yet!!!!! A moment later, something deflected the giant stag beetle scissors. What? For a brief moment and likely for the very first time, the White Queens smile froze on her face. Her ever-confident thoughts had momentarily come to a stop. No Material could stop her. That meant there was no one in this world or the other world that could reach her level. Nevertheless, Shiroyama Kyousuke was still alive. The Lady of Purple Lightning had grown dark and discolored as her arms forcibly pushed at the giant stag beetle scissors from within!! What is this? Didnt I tell you Id use any dirty trick!? Using the standard rules of summoning, isnt there one really, really bad plan that can actually defeat you!? Taboo 1: A summoner must not knock in an equal number of low, middle, and high noises. Taboo 3: When a summoner runs out of White Thorns, none of their White Thorns remaining on the field must be knocked into a Spot. Something like amorphous black mud rose up like a tornado. The top spread out like a trumpet mouth and would be packed full of sharp and disturbingly uneven fangs that could be seen as organic or inorganic. It was a symbol of execution. It was every summoners greatest fear. And in battles between Materials, the strict numbers matter most. Even if the difference only amounts to a scratch or the slightest bit of exhaustion, if the exact same Material is summoned on both sides, the one summoned first will be at a disadvantage!! Normally a summoner would use their Blood-Sign to swap it out for a different Material, but you cant even do that right now, Queen!! Impossible Brother, do you really understand what this means? That Black Maw is punishment from the gods. It attacks the one who summoned it, not their enemy. That means you will be the first one it attacks!! Perhaps, bluntly admitted Shiroyama Kyousuke. But wont you save me? After all, you love me. Even if its still you, can you really just sit idly by and watch a different version of yourself kill me and steal everything from you? He ignored her and continued. You wanted to fight alongside me and you wanted me to rely on, right? In that case, arent you yourself your greatest rival since youre the only one that can put up a fight against you? The White Queens face had nearly melted and Kyousuke shuddered as he realized what that meant. I havent the slightest interest in anything except you, brother. Who said that? Some thin thread within the White Queens head seemed to snap from immense joy. Hehheh hahheh hahha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ah ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ah ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ah ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!!! At the same time, a dull sound rang out as the giant black tornado-like jaws burst from within. The pieces splattered around with a sticky noise and something squirmed at the center. It had black skin, black clothes, and black hair tied in waist-length twintails. And it had pure white eyes that stood eerily out from the rest. It had revealed its true identity. As if she had been provoked, this alternate form of the same individual destroyed her own expression. Brother! Oh, brother!! Hee hee hee heh heh heh heh ha ha!! F-finally, the day has come when I get to chew apart my beloved brothers body from head to toe. Heh heh heh. Ah ha ha. Ee hee ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!! Two voices rang with laughter. Two gazes intertwined. Two faces lost all expression. Two thoughts made a single decision. Shes in the way. I cant have brother to myself with her here. Shes in the way. I cant have brother to myself with her here. Immediately, the end of the world played out before Shiroyama Kyousukes eyes. He had never seen more destruction. The boy had said he would use any dirty trick if it meant saving that girl. Cut, bite, crush, pierce, shoot, squeeze, scrape, repel, soak, burn, sever, uproot, freeze, beat, squash, strangle, split, break, throw, twist, gouge, rip, absorb, and smash. It only lasted a few seconds, but after the light and darkness caused enough destruction and catastrophe for the world itself to crumble around them, only one of the white and black remained. Hehheh hah. It had come down to a hint of exhaustion or a slight scratch. That had determined this battle between Materials with identical specs. Just as Kyousuke had expected. Ah hahah hah hah Brother. Oh, brother It had been cannibalistic. It had been the slaughter of ones own. It was amazing that the black-dyed Queen could even stand. In fact, she did not even have all four limbs anymore. She may have been standing and she may have been floating, but she slowly approached all the same. Now, that nuisance is gone No one in the world can stop me. Ah ha, ah ha ha. Its time to chew you apartfrom head to toe Thats one idea. Kyousuke smiled a little as he spoke. The Black Maw was a symbol of the taboo. Once she devoured the offending summoner, she would vanish on her own. To save Meinokawa Higan, he needed to have the Black Maw leave as soon as possible. Her actions were restricted by a clear objective and set rules, so there was a lot more hope than with the White Queen who had gone on an indiscriminate rampage with the power of the spring. A sticky sound spread as what had once been the beautiful Queen approached. If she devoured him, it would all be over. In exchange for Shiroyama Kyousukes life, Meinokawa Higans life would be saved. Yes. But a certain thought came to his mind. He considered what that meant He wanted to live and see what happened afterwards, but what was it he wanted to see? Your idea ? Wouldnt count as saving them He had told Meinokawa Renge that sacrificing someone would not truly save her sister Higan. Meinokawa Higan had said they were both Alice (with) Rabbit and that she could support him. So in that moment Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!! Shiroyama Kyousuke fought back. He raised his Repliglass Blood-Sign and used his one and only chance by forcefully launching a White Thorn. The black Queen did not even bother looking that way. She bit at the feast before her eyes. The protective circle was meaningless. Kyousuke kept his eyes on the White Thorn while ignoring the intense pain and disturbing chewing noise coming from his shoulder. It was a simple method listed even in Governments strict textbooks. The White Thorn flew straight out and hit a low sound Petal. That Petal was absorbed by a nearby Spot and a single pure sound rang out. Yes. This abnormal Material had been created from the even number of low, middle, and high sounds, so this shot broke that balance. Ah. Th-this might be a first. Normally, the Black Maw kills the summoner as soon as it appears, so they dont have time to try this. Ahhh, ah. Farewell, Black Maw. I dont need to cheat, so Ill defeat you within the rules. Youre still a Material. And even if I lost control as a penalty for the Taboo, youre still a Material under my command!! The balance had been broken. She shifted to another Material. Brother. Oh, I can still taste you, brotherrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!! That catastrophic love was swallowed by a vortex of transformation and erased from this world. The Material became one of the Unexplored-class, but once the ninety seconds of the Chain waiting period passed, it too would be released. The enemy was gone. With no one left to fight, the summoning ceremony could not continue. Still covered in blood, Shiroyama Kyousuke watched as the strange monster transformed into a certain girl. Uuh? As the girl collapsed from extreme exhaustion, she groaned and that told him she had been freed before her heart was entirely eaten away. He determined he had fulfilled both sisters requests to save the other. Now, then. He slowly breathed out. He grabbed the Blood-Sign with a hand that had nearly been torn to pieces, used his unharmed hand to place Meinokawa Higan over his shoulder, and slowly looked up at the ceiling. He heard quite a few hurrying footsteps. He had taken the shortest route here while avoiding as much combat as possible. He had defeated the White Queen at the center of it all, but Guard of Honors elites were still active. And his goal had not been to save the world or defeat the Queen. It had been to bring Meinokawa Higan safely back to her sister Renge. It isnt over until were back home. The door was thrown open from outside. Kyousuke looked over. He could no longer use the summoning ceremony that used the Blood-Sign. They would have put together a countermeasure for his surprise attack using eye drops and darkness. But he had not given up. After all, he was Alice (with) Rabbit. Facts: *The size of the Artificial Sacred Ground grows or shrinks based on the size of the Materials. *Regulation and Divine-classes lose their will to fight in front of the White Queen. Even other Unexplored-classes have little hope of putting up a fight. *The White Queens attacks can destroy the basic components that make up both worlds. If her concentrated and controlled power were to disperse outwards, it could destroy the entire planet. *The Unexplored-class Lady of Purple Lightning looks like a normal person and her Silhouette is in her heart. *When the White Queen once appeared in this world with a Sewn Realm summoning, a great number of summoners summoned hundreds of Unexplored-classes and somehow managed to settle matters with a saturation attack. This is known as the Secret War. *The Black Maw that appears to punish those who violate the taboos is actually a girl who looks just like the White Queen. *As she was summoned by a new system, the White Queen should not have had the weakness of a Silhouette, but since the Black Maw had identical specs, it is thought she had a temporary weakness to take its place. *Hit a Petal into a Spot after the Black Maw appears and it will turn into a different Material. But thats only if you have a chance to. *Shiroyama Kyousuke became the first to earn the Award named White Slayer on ones own. *Despite being at a disadvantage, Shiroyama Kyousuke took control of every battle facing him and kept his promises to the Meinokawa Sisters. Volume 1, Ending X-01 - A Certain Parting and an Ending Volume 1, Ending X-01: A Certain Parting and an Ending If the Meinokawa Sisters still manage to find you Wouldnt that qualify as a miracle, Onii-chan? A Certain Parting and an Ending (Ending X-01 Open 04/16 14:50) After escaping with their lives, Meinokawa Renge and Higan were given a large sum of money to keep quiet about what happened. It could have come from Government, Illegal, Freedom, Quad Motors, or the Toy Dream Company. That unknown origin may have been a test to see if they would simply stay quiet and not search out where it came from. It seems the Meinokawa Sisters obediently accepted the money. Thats good to hear. You must know where it came from since you gave it to them, Aika. In that case, I can assume its safe. I dont want any strange trouble cropping up after all that. Swimsuit Girl Aika was speaking on the phone. She held the cordless phone to her ear while sitting on the white liger that was lying in her luxury apartments living room. Her eyes wandered aimlessly through the air as she sank deeper into her pets fur. It wasnt a bunch of cash inside an attache case. It was just a memo with the ID and password for an online bank, so it didnt seem to quite seem real to them. It doesnt matter. They can tie up all their loose ends if they pay off their debt and get back their shrine. Their parents gambling addiction didnt seem that deep-rooted, so they can redo things if they get back to the normal world. So did you sever the summoner/vessel contract before Meinokawa Higan woke up? Thats right. Again? Ill keep doing it as many times as I have to. Their conversation hinted that they had repeated this exchange many times before. Ive earned too many Awards. Im Freedom 902no, I guess Im 903 now. Ive invited in too many unpleasant things along the way, so it seems cruel to keep Meinokawa Higan in the Alice (with) Rabbit framework any longer. This industry isnt kind enough for me to keep someone around after theyve achieved their goal and lost their reason to fight. That is true, but Aika sighed. The problem was Shiroyama Kyousukes powerful connection with the White Queen. To live with and walk alongside him was to face that level of danger 24/7/365. That was not something one could survive on simple skill alone. Not even having luck on their side was enough to ensure their survival in that environment. The Meinokawa Sisters were angry. Yeah, probably. Hm? You mean Renge was too? Im not sure why I would want to help my rivals, but you should think more about what you gain by helping people. The white ligers ears twitched. It had heard a sea bird crying through the phone. That may have stimulated the hunger of the carnivorous couch. Where are you right now, Onii-chan? Stop that. Do you really think Id tell you? Dont tell me youre leaving Toy Dream 35 in your cruiser. Then who will wash my swimsuits!? Again, youre going to have to look after yourself once I retire, so start learning. I am moving the cruiser, but Im staying in the city for a while. I wont tell you for how long, though. Ill just show up when we need to meet. Is that okay? Either way, Im a shut in, so Im not about to leave. As long as youll look after me, I dont care what you do. Aika spun the cordless phone around just once. I think the Meinokawa Sisters are going to go looking for you. Even if that means running all over the city. Perhaps. But Im used to that. By the way, Onii-chan. Do you believe in miracles? I think they do happen, but theyre not ours to mess with. Thats why we wanted a way to freely control the Materials who do cause them. No, not that. I mean miracles made by human hands. ? You did everything perfectly, Onii-chan. You even cleaned up afterwards perfectly, so no one had any chance to intervene as all the loose ends were tied up. Aika sounded somehow excited as if she were rolling a candy around in her mouth. But if the Meinokawa Sisters still manage to find youwouldnt that qualify as a manmade miracle, Onii-chan? And somewhere in the city, Shiroyama Kyousuke turned around with his smartphone in hand. He looked up ahead into the flood of lights beyond the bustling crowd. And there he saw Facts: *The Meinokawa Sisters escaped their life of debt thanks to a large sum of hush money. *The contract between summoner and vessel can be canceled by the summoner if they can see the vessel with the naked eye. *The contract was canceled and Meinokawa Higan ceased to be part of Alice (with) Rabbit. *Shiroyama Kyousuke has parted ways with people again and again to ensure they would not drag around Alice (with) Rabbits baggage. Volume 1, Ending X-02 - A Certain Meeting and an Ending Volume 1, Ending X-02: A Certain Meeting and an Ending But. Im sure you will end up saving even me in the end. A Certain Meeting and an Ending (Ending X-02 Open 04/16 15:00) There was no one there. It was to be expected. Shiroyama Kyousuke smiled a little as he looked back across the large land bridge. He stuck his smartphone in his pocket, but the action was somewhat awkward since he had one arm in a cast. (What was I expecting?) This was exactly the result he had been working for. Even so, he felt a twinge of pain as he continued forward. If there were indeed manmade miracles, he might meet the Meinokawa Sisters again as Aika had suggested. He did not know if that would be a good thing, but they would likely be drawn together. Did he want that or not? For some reason, he could not reach an answer. Now, then. At any rate, the job was complete. He had not always been able to predict the Meinokawa Sisters actions, but he doubted they could find him so easily. So this was the end. Or it should have been. Oh. My. Dear. Brother Unpleasant sweat poured down his body as soon as a sweet voice reached his ears. This had happened once before. A summoner had likely approached using a Chain rather than an Incense Grenade. He found himself inside an Artificial Sacred Ground and she was right next to him. It was the White Queen. It was the highest of the Unexplored-class. It was a collection of benevolence, a symbol of holiness, and an anthropomorphism of radiance. It was a pure white goddess who would not allow even a drop of impurity. Or so the summoners and vessels across the world believed. In this giant amusement park city, her otherworldly apparel would be seen as just another costume. Her beauty would gather attention, but she did not seem to care. Kyousuke hesitantly spoke to the Queen who was so lethally close by. Shouldnt you be dead? Well, yes. But that me was an irregular version summoned with something other than the normal summoning ceremony. Plus, it was an unfinished product that did not quite manage to sew me into one of this worlds human souls. You meanyour very being was split in two? Although if the Sewn Realm summoning had worked, that ghost image wouldnt have appeared. So it wasnt so much an insignificant lizards tail as it was ahm, a doppelganger I guess. Either way, it has nothing to do with me. Shiroyama Kyousuke could not stop himself from pressing his forehead against the railing. Then he let out a meaningless yell. Now that he thought about it, that monster had continued to appear before him with a smile even after being destroyed once in the so-called Secret War. The White Queen giggled. Oh, and the hostage that version of me was playing with was freed as soon as that me was annihilated, so dont worry. That too has no connection to me. Id be in serious trouble if that at least wasnt true. Allllso. I would like you to thank me. Because I selfishly said I wanted to see you, the remnants of Guard of Honor destroyed each other through infighting and couldnt go into hiding again. Heh heh heh. Basically, summoning me in my pure form isnt that easy a thing to do. What were you hoping to accomplish with all that? Nothing really. Didnt I tell you before? Guard of Honor was using me on their own and I had no personal interest in any of it. I didnt really think of them as belonging to me. Oh, dear Were you worried I would attack you to get back at you for destroying that organization? He had not thought that. The White Queen did not have such blatant plots. She was simply in love with being in love and that let desire influence her actions. She was so simple that it was in fact impossible to grasp the whole. Does that mean you wont interfere with those two? Heh heh heh. I appreciate that you avoided speaking their names. Yes, I am only interested in you, brother. I have no real reason to pursue someone who has left you. Theres no need to glare at me like that. This is the scene that leads to the words happily ever after. Guard of Honor was crushed, so that should be the end of any trouble for those humans parents. What do you mean? Didnt you find it odd that a shrines priest would have a gambling addiction? Then there was the secret of one of those twins. And lets not forget that Guard of Honor tried to create a life-size Repliglass figure as an artificial vessel for me, but kept failing. Are you saying their starting point was set up? The plan was to take everything from them with the power of money. Dont you think it was lucky Guard of Honor decided to go the peaceful route and didnt just slaughter them all to steal the Joruri documents? Now that it was all over, it was true that some of it may have been lucky. The Meinokawa Sisters parents had not been so obsessed with gambling they lost sight of their family. They had been pitiable victims who had ended up making a rigged bet in order to protect their familys lifestyle. Guard of Honor was at the root of it all, but they had been destroyed. Since the daughters had also paid off the debt, it may have been that all the loose ends really had been tied up. But that depended on if that would be allowed to happen. So why are you here? Do I need a reason? The White Queen laughed. All the worlds members of Guard of Honor gathered here and were destroyed, but there are still plenty of organizations that worship me. Im sure something else will rise to the surface among them. We may meet again sometime and somewhere, but do what you think best when that time comes. If only I could take that as a joke Government, Illegal, and Freedom are still pretty shaken as they work to clean up after all this and they still treat you like a goddess. People tend to rely on the supernatural when theyre feeling weak, so theres a decent chance someone will go too far when it comes to you. In this case, they would decide Guard of Honor had been behind it all and the White Queen herself was innocent. Personal beliefs with no canon to follow were endlessly flexible. And those people would be entirely oblivious to the fact that they were working against their own best interests. Ah ha ha. Im glad to hear we will have plenty of exciting locations for dates. But to be honest, I think half of the worlds chaos would utterly vanish if you became mine, brother. Yes, but thats because youre directly or indirectly causing half of the worlds chaos, spat out Kyousuke. And I think the other half has to do with me. Or to be more accurate, all sorts of problems keep coming to the surface because of all the truly skilled summoners and vessels that were lost during that Secret War. Think about Guard of Honor. If those truly skilled people were still alive, the three major powers wouldnt be in this weird stalemate and a large unit would have been sent in to deal with Guard of Honor before they grew this large. Do you really think its right for me alone to be happy when I was the one that pulled the trigger that started that? That was why Shiroyama Kyousuke continued to fight. He could not shake off those cursed words of help me, but he could not call himself a righteous hero. He was the opposite. He had created the root cause. That weak boy continued to fight because he felt responsible and could not escape it. Then why not join forces with me and then use me to save even the other side of the planet, brother? No, that would literally be the end of the world. Half the planet would be destroyed and wed only have half a planet left. I love you so much for seeing it that way, brother Besides, youre only in love with being in love, so you dont really care about me, do you? If I gave in, youd lose interest in less than a week, just like how people start seeing the negative sides of someone once they start living together. Right now, I know youre after me, but if that hint were gone, the power to destroy the world really could appear anywhere at any time with no way to predict it. Id rather avoid that. Heh heh heh. Then should I favorably interpret that at as you at least wanting to keep me around? Shiroyama Kyousuke sighed. The thing isI did summon you to this world and sew you here for my own desire. Yes? What about it? That was because I knew I couldnt kill you on my own, so I wanted to keep you here and cut off your escape. That way, I could get everyones help to kill you once and for all. I thought something as powerful as you was nothing more than an evil that would drive both worlds to madness. But in the end, you acted as a singularity that drew a ton of Materials to this planet. That left our cooperation in shambles and led to that awful Secret War. Then what was that about them being lovers? He may have been a prodigy, but what had been the backbone to building such a great device? The White Queen thought about all that. However Perhaps. She moved her face in close. Their lips were only a few centimeters apart. But. She made it sound obvious. Im sure you will end up saving even me in the end. That was when the limit arrived. The Artificial Sacred Ground came undone, the White Queens outline vanished, and the poor vessel girl collapsed unconscious at his feet. Shiroyama Kyousuke pondered the words of his nemesis for just a moment. Finally, he turned around and vanished into the crowd. The two of them parted ways. Neither of their paths would accept the other. Facts: *Due to the White Queens selfishness, Guard of Honors remnants destroyed themselves before they could go into hiding. *The Meinokawa family was destroyed by their parents gambling addiction because Guard of Honor had forced the debt onto them to obtain the Joruri documents to help with their stalled research. *In the Secret War, Shiroyama Kyousuke and the main force of skilled summoners and vessels tried to truly kill the too-powerful White Queen as a way to save the worlds of man and Material alike. The plan was broken into multiple steps including the personal contact with the White Queen, but it ultimately ended in failure. *Because the White Queen, who is in love with being in love, is far, far too powerful, she pays no heed to peoples futile resistance. *Half the problems in the world are caused by the White Queen and the other half are closely connected to Kyousuke. Or at least, Kyousuke believes so and thus he cannot shake off the cursed words of help me. *This is a fairy tale of two opposites, but is not a story of a righteous hero and an evil ruler. *The battle between those two strongest individuals will continue until one side falls or until one side is saved. Volume 1, Afterword Volume 1, Afterword Afterword (Postscript Open ??/?? ??:??) A new series!! This is Kamachi Kazuma. The theme this time was summoning! When you look into magic and sorcery from any part of the world, once things pass a certain line, it starts being about contacting and borrowing the power of a higher intelligent being. (And ultimately either becoming one with them or going to the other side as a new member of their group. All the talk about UFOs isnt all that different when you get down to it, is it?) But this time I put even more focus on that. If youre interested, it might be fun to look into the rose and sigil at the basis of the Blood-Sign style of summoning ceremony. This is also true of magic weapons like wands, cups, swords, and pentacles, but (setting aside the psychological work of sanctifying them) you can make the actual tool from magnets and cellophane and it looks something like a craft made for a school project. (Yes, it looks more like a craft than artwork.) Its interesting because it demonstrates the idea of things close at hand summoning things that are out of reach. Due to the summoning theme, I focused this entire novel around (a mistaken usage of) the idea of being reliant on others. The protagonist of Shiroyama Kyousuke is a legendary sort of person, yet he cant display his true power without a partner, he uses a product of Quad Motors which belonged to the enemy, and his catch phrase was to repeat back what the other person had said earlier. I think the key to this novels summoning theme was to see how cool I could make it look to be reliant on others. Personally, I think summoning isnt just about a great power that no human could hope to match; it also emphasizes twisted relationships (e.g. being bound by a contract on parchment or working for the person you accept as your master), so I put a lot of that in the novel too. Everyone was referring to each other like they were family (e.g. Onii-chan, brother, my sister), but if you think about it, the only actual blood relationship was the pair from the flashback. Thats also why the final boss was the way she was. The protagonist has mastered being a summoner and become somewhat Material-like as a result. The final boss has mastered being a Material and brought her human-like thoughts to the forefront as a result. I had those two interact because I wanted to express something about the relationship between the summoner and the summoned. For example, without that amazing skill, he wouldnt have had to see all that. And it isnt just the human thats affected (goes insane?) when they catch a glimpse of a monster. Cant the opposite happen as well? For this, I referenced a lot of myths about crossing between worlds such as Orpheus traveling from earth to the underworld or Samyaza traveling from heaven to earth. My personal impression was that it ends up being too much of a good thing. As for the Repliglass solders who played the role of the grunts in full-body tights, I added them into the settings because I thought they werent much different from summoners in that they used human intelligence and technology to efficiently make use of other plants and animals structures. That was an experiment to approach the novels theme from multiple angles, but what did you think? Now for some internal information. An experimental theme for this novel was to have the series final boss do a lot from the very beginning and to always be by the protagonists side. Rather than a plotting rival who is equal to the protagonist, this is a final boss whose power is hopelessly greater than the protagonists. I wanted to take a protagonist who has a composed look during any battle and show off his adorable human side by having him tremble in fear whenever the ultimate (or worst?) ex-girlfriend shows up. In this volume, the final bosss own power was used to defeat her, but can Shiroyama Kyousuke ultimately grow enough to outdo her even though he already seems to have reached his limit spec-wise (since he already ranks near the top). I hope you will stick around to see. I give my thanks to my illustrator Ikawa Waki-san and my editors Miki-san, Onodera-san, and Anan-san. With the creature-esque Materials, the mecha-like Repliglass soldiers, and the great difference in size between the humans and creatures, this has to have been a pain of a novel to illustrate. Sorry for all the trouble. I hope you will stick with me. And I give my thanks to the readers. Ive started a new series, but did you enjoy it? I hope you can relax and stick around for a while. And I will end this here. I wrote an extra dictionary for all the original summoning terminology, you know? -Kamachi Kazuma Volume 2, Battle Tutorial Volume 2, Battle Tutorial Phase 1 Upper Cube: Collection of Petals Left Dark Figure: Summoner Right Dark Figure: Vessel Left White Figure: Summoner Right White Figure: Vessel Overall Box: Artificial Sacred Ground K: The Summoning Battle begins when one of the summoners uses an Incense Grenade. Q: When the Incense Grenade is used, an Artificial Sacred Ground forms around them. Summoning and other paranormal phenomena can only be reproduced inside there. Q: Inside the Artificial Sacred Ground, a cube of about 60 cm appears at the midpoint between the summoners. K: It is a collection of the 216 Petals which are red spheres about the size of an apple. Phase 2 Dark Ball: Petal White Ball: White Thorn White Stick: Blood-Sign Q: 3 white spheres known as White Thorns appear with each summoner. Those are hit with a long staff known as a Blood-Sign and they collide with the Petals. K: You hit the Petals with the White Thorns in order to knock them into the spherical Spots that appear in 36 locations inside the Artificial Sacred Ground. Q: What Petals are hit into the Spots changes what can be summoned. K: And the vessels body is used to create Phase 3 White Monster and Dark Sword: Vessel transformed into a Material Q: a Material. The summoners use them for a fight to the death. K: The Petals used to summon the Materials are each engraved with a letter of the alphabet and each of those belongs to a certain Sound Range. Q: aiueo are vowels and thus the Lowest Sound Range. As for the consonants, bcdfghj are Low, klmnpqr are Middle, and stvwxyz are High. K: There are of course rules governing the summoned Materials and they are based on the Petals rules. Q: Low wins against High, High wins against Middle, Middle wins against Low, and I win my brothers heart. K: Werent we supposed to avoid making jokes during the explanation section!? Phase 4 K: And after the vessels transform into Materials, they continued to be updated into new forms as they fight. Q: The Materials start at Regulation-class. After summoning 100 of those, you gain the right to summon the higher Divine-class. And after summoning 50 of those, you gain the right to summon the even higher Unexplored-class. K: The vessel has a core known as their Silhouette. If that is destroyed, the battle ends. The losing summoner and vessel will become dolls that wander around in a stupor. Q: And that concludes our simple explanation of the Summoning Battle. As a summoner fights more and more battles, they earn more titles known as Awards. And if their number of Awards reaches 1000hee hee hee. Now, I wonder what happens then. Volume 2, Prologue Volume 2, Prologue I dont mind discussing hypotheticals, you know? After all, reality is so strict it leaves no room for fun and its hard to find anything to excite your heart. Being stuck in a solidified hierarchy of power and unable to move from the peak is difficult in its own way. Now, now. Its time to have some fun with wordplay, brother. Lets say you had the worlds worst method in your hand. What if there was someone before you who can only be saved by using that method? If you just want to do whats right, you would surely choose to let them die. If you just want to save anyone who is suffering, you would surely take on the burden of that worst sin. How valuable are the rules made by man? Each of those rules was built up and civilized to hide the truth behind misunderstandings and differences in interpretation, and as a result, they grow further and further from the essence of why they are necessary. For one thing, the very idea that staying true to justice will make people happy has never been proven or assured by anyone, right? By the way, which one would you choose, brother? I already know the answer, though Facts: *It is sad when people die. Yet all civilization is built on the assumption that people die. Volume 2, Opening X-01 - Rainy Days Don’t Have to be Boring Volume 2, Opening X-01: Rainy Days Dont Have to be Boring At any rate, the map is filled with hotels, hotels, hotels, and more hotels!! Byahh!! Ligerrrrrrrrr!! (Opening X-01 Open 04/29 19:00) Rainy Days Dont Have to be Boring It was an incomplete Golden Week. If the office workers used their paid leave well, they could get a maximum of fourteen days off of work, but that meant nothing to the students. They got a few bursts of two or three days off and they could already predict that their mood would quickly grow blue as they switched back and forth between staying up late on their days off and heading to school first thing in the morning on the school days. On top of that, it was raining. It was not raining hard, but it showed no sign of stopping anytime soon. That gentle but constant rain had continued almost nonstop since the end of last week. The days repeatedly switched back and forth between cloudy and rainy, so no one could make any plans to head out. But all of that meant nothing to Swimsuit Girl Aika who was holed up in her top-floor luxury apartment! Her half-opened eyes looked somehow boundless. Her long brown hair was tied into two slender braids and then tied into two large loops on either side of her head for a variation on the twintail. She almost always wore a swimsuit and used her white liger (a cross between a lion and a white tiger, making a monster 1.5 times the size of a lion) as a couch, but today things were a little different. Aika had made a fortress out of the luxury apartment buildings top floor, the floor below that, and the roof which functioned as a midair park. She stood on that roof letting the light but unending rain pelt her entire body. She also wore a baggy T-shirt over her bight green and white striped bikini. A genius like Onii-chan isnt satisfied by a simple swimsuit anymore, but I can win his heart with the wet and see-through effect. The fabric clings to my bodylines and my girly skin color will show through, so no boy can resist a baggy T-shirt over the standard stripes!! The earpiece she wore produced a quiet beep. That meant she had a guest. Earlier, she had received a text saying Well be there soon from Shiroyama Kyousuke who she referred to as Onii-chan (even though they were not siblings, blood-related or otherwise). The fact that Lu Niang Lan, a busty beauty in a modified China dress, would be with him was unfortunate, but Aika kept her thoughts positive. Yes, having those extra-large bags of fat in front of him would emphasize her modest and slender body!! Heh heh heh heh heh! I hope you enjoy your position as the potatoes served next to the main meatno, the onions laid out below the meat, you old hag! Onii-chan belongs to the little sister who can call him Onii-chan!! Certain of her victory, Aika walked back indoors with wet and bare feet. The large and needlessly bright space looked just like the model rooms seen on TV commercials. The showy living room was large enough to hold a normal family apartment and the visitors had already come in using their spare key. However For some reason, Shiroyama Kyousuke and Lu Niang Lan were gasping for breath, soaked with sweat, and leaning up against each other on the sofa bed. In his sports brand hoodie and track pants, one might think Shiroyama Kyousuke had been jogging, but the beauty in a modified China dress gave off an entirely different impression as she lay sprawled out there. Her breasts smoothly rose and fell with her breaths, the full length of her slender legs stuck out of the dresss large slit, beads of sweat trailed down her fine exposed skin, and warm breaths escaped her scarlet lips. Altogether, it brought a vision of certain actions to mind. Shut-in Girl Aikas face paled. She directly gave voice to what first came to mind. Wh-whatwhat happened between you two!? What happened in the few minutes it took me to get here, Onii-chan!? D-dont tell me youve stooped to new levels of cruelty by using a shut-in girls final stronghold as a place to bring girls for some fun! You arent that kind of Onii-chan, are you!? Incidentally, the white liger who was her pet, couch, conversational partner, and vessel was as relaxed as a cat curled up in a pot. Ahuehauh Kyousuke somehow managed to speak even though he was still gasping for breath and his throat was still blocked up. Th-that was allpantLu-sans fault Shes the onepantthat suddenly knocked me out What are you saying, Kyousuke-chan? PantThis was all your doing, Kyousuke-chan Pant, I told you to stop, but you went for it anyway Collapsed on the sofa bed and unable to move, their arms crossed as they pointed at each others face and blamed the other. But none of that put Aika at ease. In fact, her vision grew dark. Wh-what is this perfect synchronization? I feel like something happened without me and theres no room for me here! I-it should beon the news before long Kyousuke finally wiped sweat from his brow with a handkerchief and answered from the sofa bed. Lu Niang Lan waved a hand and used her toes to poke at an attache case on the floor. It was a pretty impressive incident, so the stations are probably holding back until they can carefully look over the report and remove anything that would foster social unrest. But then the amateur online news and video sites beat them to the punch and you start to wonder what the point of the TV news even is ? Aika tilted her head, so Kyousuke started to explain. Lu-san and I were out at A Block. And whats located there? The girl reached for a glass table and grabbed a notebook-sized tablet that had a waterproof cover for use in the bath. She operated it with her index finger and the ceiling turned into a giant projector screen. It was originally a joke product meant to let her surf the web while lying down. She had taken being a shut-in to the point that going to another part of the same room seemed like too much effort. She did a search on Toy Dream 35s A Block and displayed its webpage for tourists. The A of A Block is for Airport and it acts as a giant entrance for Toy Dream 35. It might be heard to imagine how an entire block could be named after the airport, but it was basically an area filled with duty free shops that sold luxury bags and wristwatches. Overall, it had a chic and mature atmosphere, but that may have come from the people there as much as from the simple urban planning. After all, brand-name bags could be bought there for (a little bit) cheaper than usual, so it tended to be filled with couples(?) that had an unnaturally large age difference. As she continued her search, Aika found it. She found another unique trait of A Block. O-Onii-chan, what is the meaning of this? Of what? Because of all the foreigners coming from the airport or people who were waiting for a cancelation that never came, A Block has everything from super luxury three star hotels to super cheap capsule hotels. At any rate, the map is filled with hotels, hotels, hotels, and more hotels!! Eh? Ah? Members of the opposite sex vanished into a hotel districttheyre out of breathand they wont give a straight answer about what happened Im asking what in the world is going on, Onii-chan!! How did looking at a map of A Block make this my fault? Im having trouble keeping up with the connections of your synapses!! Byahh!! Ligerrrrrrrrr!! For some reason, Aika gave a tearful command with Xs in her eyes. The giant beast had been curled up like a sofa in a corner of the room, but it immediately began to move. All it did was stick out its front paws and stretch its back, but that was enough to demonstrate the threat of its five meter body. It was now the ruler of this scene. Everything was instantly recolored by its presence. But no matter how large it was, it was still a nocturnal feline. It produced no sound as it walked. Its approach toward Kyousuke seemed oddly unreal and he felt like he was watching an overwhelmingly powerful ghost. However, the beast did not use its gigantic claws and fangs to tear apart the boy on the sofa bed. She (it was a girl) approached Kyousuke on Aikas orders and then Lick. She licked across his cheek with a tongue that looked like a giant rubber spatula. Wahyah!? Kyousuke nearly jumped back, but the white liger did not care. She used the pad of her front paw to stroke his head and rubbed her tree trunk sized neck against him. She was putting her scent on him to claim ownership. Wait, what, eh!? Furmy mouth is full of furueh!? Then Aika exploded. Ligeret tu, liger? Are you saying even youre going to get ahead of me? This love is just like the warring states period. And that means I can throw out all my morals, doesnt it!? Im not even going to try to comprehend your synapses. I give up, sobwahcant you do something about this white liger!? There was a reason Kyousuke sounded so concerned. The white liger meant no harm. In fact, she had narrowed her eyes sleepily and let down her guard just like a kitten curled up in its favorite cat bed. But that did not change the fact that the white liger was a five meter beast. She weighed between 300 and 350 kilograms. To be blunt, it was like being crushed below a small motorcycle, so the sofa bed began to creak in protest while Kyousuke was sandwiched between. Waitthis isnt good Aika, this really isnt good! And, Lu-san, you can help too. Just someone get this thing off of me! Heh heh heh heh heh. So is this your plan, Onii-chan? Youre going to flirt with the liger too in order to burn me with the flames of jealousy? I understand. I understand all too well. I wont hold back anymore either. It looks like I have to take things a step beyond the swimsuit strategy!! Kyousuke-chan, you really dont understand how girls hearts work, do you? If you dismissively say I can help too, of course Im going to refuse to help. Why was Alice (with) Rabbit Shiroyama Kyousuke being crushed by the weight of a midsized motorcycle? What had led to this? To find out, let us turn back time a bit and see what Kyousuke and Lu Niang Lan were up to. Let us see what they were doing in A Block. Facts: *Shiroyama Kyousuke currently has no contract and thus has no vessel to act as a partner. As such, he cannot use the summoning ceremony. *Shiroyama Kyousuke went to Toy Dream 35s A Block with Lu Niang Lan of Illegal. *Some kind of major trouble occurred in A Block. Something big enough for the state-run and privately-owned stations to hold off on reporting it. *Aika loves her Onii-chan. *The white liger also loves her Onii-chan. *But that does not mean their actions will make everyone happy. Volume 2, Opening X-02 - Inside A Block’s International Airport Volume 2, Opening X-02: Inside A Blocks International Airport You cant, Kyousuke-chan. You cant. Just calm down, okay? That lack of strength is my own fault, so it isnt a reason to abandon them. (Opening X-02 Open 04/29 17:20) Inside A Blocks International Airport Toy Dream 35 was the worlds 35th international revived city. Natsumi City had fallen into the red and gone bankrupt, so the worlds largest entertainment corporation, the Toy Dream Company, had bought up the entire city and remade it into a giant amusement park. The harbor had been used to directly build countless buildings in the sea and giant bridges crisscrossed between them. It was split into twenty-six Blocks named from A to Z and they were laid out in a circle like the slices of a giant pizza. The urban planning was colored more by the unified opinion of what the corporation financed than by the opinions of the residents. The A of A Block stands for Airport, right? Lu Niang Lan, a beautiful woman in a modified China dress, made that comment while holding an umbrella below the never-ending rain. Her eyes were too blue and her skin too shockingly white to be stereotypically Chinese, but that was hardly surprising. Her family had married and crossbred with all the peoples of the planet in search of the most superior form of the human body. Lu Niang Lan had been one of the leading candidates among her family. The other candidates included a black boxer with an afro and a Native American nature girl who claimed she could speak with animals. It was the kind of family that could fill out the roster of a fighting game all on its own. As such, Lu Niang Lan and her family did not belong to any nation or homeland. No one knew anymore where they had first come from. However, standing next to her with his own umbrella was Shiroyama Kyousuke. He was a stereotypical Japanese boy, but it was not entirely accurate to say there was nothing to him. It may have been more accurate to say a search on his name turned up unnaturally little. It was currently just past five in the afternoon, but he wore his usual hoodie and sports brand track pants instead of a uniform. He had switched to his private and business outfit. He also had his business expression on his face. I really want to make this the last one. I want to wash my hands of this industry and live a carefree life. Yes, yes. I wont take your dreams from you, Kyousuke-chan. Um, Lu-san? Are you sure this is okay? Isnt this an airport block? You have weapons hidden all over your body, so I get the feeling youd be cuffed right away if the police stopped us. The police focus on checking peoples bags and checking for drugs, so Ill be fine. This country puts a lot of focus on civil liberties, so they cant just tell me to strip naked because I look suspicious. Oh, Im so glad I was born a woman. Lu Niang Lan belonged to Illegal. That was one of the three major powers in the world of the summoning ceremony. It was said to be a gathering of about 330 criminal organizations and she was in a position where, if she wanted to, she could call in a shiny black luxury car that no one would dare put a scratch on. There was a reason they had nevertheless taken the crowded monorail that was full of wet umbrellas. Simply put, they were on a job where standing out would be a bad idea. Kyousuke-chan, sorry for calling you here on such short notice. Its fine. But I dont have a vessel right now and you havent told me what were doing. Of course, you know what kind of person I am, so I doubt this is something that will ruin anyones life. Correct. Today, we wont need any special dumpsters and we wont need to call in a reservation at the pig farm. We just have to pick up an attache case while pretending to be meeting a friend in the airport lobby. She did not explain what would be inside said case. That likely meant it was best not to know. It might sound strange in a world where everyone wanted to make a search on anything they did not know, but not knowing could be a weapon at times. Why do this at the strictly guarded airport? Because its so strictly guarded, of course. Open a case in a shady harbor or back alley at night, and a group will intervene with machineguns. A lot of people leave their guns at home when theyre headed near the airport, so its the best place to mug people. You didnt know that? Um, but guns arent allowed anywhere in this country As they discussed that, Kyousuke and Lu Niang Lan walked into the international airport. A Blocks airport was a giant square with three kilometer sides. One hundred pillars placed at even intervals supported the worlds only midair airport at a height of 250 meters. The runways needed as much of that limited space as possible, so other than the terminals, the buildings holding cafes, restaurants, duty free shops, and other businesses were hanging down below the structure. Lu Nigan Lan spoke as she folded up her umbrella and stepped through the terminals automatic glass door. Okay, Kyousuke-chan. Head to the flower shop and buy us a welcome bouquet. Ill buy some cardboard and a marker to make a sign saying, Welcome to Toy Dream 35, Gunfan Alhazred. It needs to be red and white roses and then babys breath, right? The roses need to be Wedding Dress and Virgin Road. Those are the signor rather, the password. The three major powers of the summoning ceremony could freely manipulate inhuman monsters known as Materials and sometimes even ignore the laws of physics, but they were not facing each other with those monsters year-round. They were still human organizations made up of humans, so they would break apart if they did not make some effort toward mutual relationships. This is nothing like being a magician in a childrens picture book. If this job was as peaceful as stirring a pot deep in the forest, I might not want to quit so much Well, if you think about how actual witches were treated, pursuit of the supernatural is a rather empty endeavor. At any rate, they just had to follow their instructions and receive the attache case. Then they just had to leave the airport. There would be no need for summoners or Materials. There would be no supernatural battles that ignored the laws of physics. That was how it should have ended. However Okay! Dont move!! As long as you obey our rules, we wont hurt you!! This airport is now under the control of the Black Wings. We are the rules and dont you forget it! The entire area was filled with black masks and machineguns. A group of about one hundred men and women were taken hostage in the glass-covered airport lobby. Toy Dream 35 loved explaining things by saying Its normal in the West! and now they had gunmen occupying the airport. What is going on here, Lu-san? Nearby, Shiroyama Kyousuke whispered while hiding behind one of the thick columns lined up at even intervals. The masked men were confiscating the phones and luggage of the hostages. The odds of them hiding a gun were much smaller than elsewhere, but the masked men still seemed to be searching quite carefully. Meanwhile, Lu Niang Lan was messing with her smartphone while more or less leaning up against Kyousuke to hide behind the same column. However, she was not searching the normal internet. She was using strange devices and connections unique to underground assassins in order to view information that was normally impossible to find. Oh, here we go, here we go. Within twelve hours, they want their comrades released from the various prisons theyre being kept in and they want three hundred million yen for each of them sent to an anonymous bank. You dont actually believe that, do you? The timing is way too good and I bet theyre searching everyones luggage for this. The two entangled people had left the attache case at their feet. Its contents were still a mystery, but it was likely the most valuable case in the airport. It was possibly even more valuable than a passenger plane or a hundred peoples lives. I thought the airport was safe because you didnt have to worry about people intervening with guns? Well, to be honest, even I didnt expect them to disguise themselves as terrorists. Any guesses who this is? The name Black Wings has got to be a bluff. We vanish from peoples memories as soon as we leave their field of vision, so the fact that they could ignore that rule and put together an attack plan means they still have their memories. My guess is a summoning ceremony group is pretending to be someone else. How do you think they slipped past airport security? The airport has guards, barricades, and tire spikes. Theyre well defended against threats coming by land, but theyre unprotected against someone descending from the air. Thats just how airports work. Lu Niang Lan smiled bitterly over the boys shoulder while continuing to practically embrace him. This beautiful woman could still smile. Airports are based on mutual trust. They assume they can invite a plane in because it was already confirmed safe at the airport it left. Its all based on that. Meaning? Buy up an entire airport in a small poorly-managed country. Load soldiers and armored vehicles onto a passenger plane and then give it the stamp of approval. Then when you open the lid, they come pouring out. Its a modern day Trojan Horse. The Modified China Dress Beauty had mentioned something especially dangerous: armored vehicles. Three eight-wheeled armored vehicles had crawled out from the passenger planes cargo space. That was all it had taken for the first wave of guards to flee. It was too much firepower for duralumin shields and police cars to protect them. Yeah, those things have 20mm heavy machineguns, automatic grenade launchers, and one of them even has a low-pressure anti-tank gun on top, doesnt it? Attacking them on the ground isnt going to cut it. Theyll need something to attack from above like an attack helicopter or multirole fighter. This is a job for the military, not the police, but no country wants to send the military in for a domestic incident. It hurts their pride as a nation of laws if they cant resolve everything with those laws. I bet theres a scuffle going on right now between the suits way, way, way at the top, so theyll be too slow to make the right decision. This group will be able to do whatever they want in the meantime. Shiroyama Kyousuke narrowed his eyes just a little. Um, Lu-san? You know were the ones that got everyone else caught in the middle of this, right? But the best option would be to leave with the case. If it leaves the airport, theyll end this school play and pursue us with bloodshot eyes. Whereas if they get the case here, theyll stick with the school play to the very end. And to place the blame on some real terrorists, theyll take some volunteers from the audience to play corpses. He likely would have clicked his tongue if one of the masked men had not been patrolling just two meters away on the other side of the column. In the end, the attache case took top priority. He still felt like he was letting Lu Niang Lan manipulate him, but it was true he had no clever answer. Fine, if itll save the hostages. In that case Just as Kyousuke grudgingly agreed, something new happened among the hostages on the other side of the thick column. A girls voice rang out. Stop, stop! Dont touch my mom! Why are you trying to take her away!? Didnt we tell you were the rules here? It looks like theyre trying to break in with a small group, so were tying a few of you in front of the barricade to deter them. That way they cant blow open the door to get in. I said stop!! When they heard that shrill voice, Lu Niang Lan sensed a change in the look in Shiroyama Kyousukes eyes and the aura around him. You cant, Kyousuke-chan. You dont have a vessel, so you cant use the summoning ceremony. You said you were going to retire after this job, remember? So you cant. Just calm down, okay? Meanwhile, the exchange beyond the column continued. As the girl tried to take back her family member, she was struck in the gut by a machinegun stock. Once she fell to her knees, it struck the back of her neck. Finally, the muzzle was pressed against the back of her head. It was enough to elicit a scream from the mother who would be used to keep away bombs. But not even that was enough to stop the girl. Fallen to all fours, she tried to reach her hand out into empty air. Nono The masked man clearly placed his fingertip on the trigger. The girl knew that, yet she still opened her mouth. Someone. Oh, no, thought Lu Niang Lan, but not because she thought the girl was going to die. The problem was the next words that came from the girls lips. Someone help my mom!! An explosive noise followed. Shiroyama Kyousuke had not hesitated to charge from behind the thick column and to throw the 180cm Blood-Sign that he hid inside the back of his hoodie by having it wrap around him like a snake. It flew like an artillery shell and the tip accurately hit the forehead of the masked man who held the arm of the girls mother. The masked man collapsed limply backwards. Lu Niang Lan quietly set down the case and brought her other hand to her forehead. Gravity pulled the Blood-Sign down toward the floor. The light sound of it landing echoed through every corner of the silent lobby. And a moment later Ah ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha Lu Niang Lan pressed her thumb against her smartphone. All of the security cameras ceased to function. She reached inside her China dress. She pulled out a gorgeously decorated fan. She disassembled its frame. She grabbed more than twenty assassination needle darts. Kyousuke charged toward the man with his gun aimed at the girls head. She supported him by throwing three each toward all of the enemies in seven directions. The masked men finally peered down their gun sights. Their thick tendons and joints were pierced and they collapsed after a short delay. ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!! It all happened in the span of a breath. Lu Niang Lan roared with desperate laughter and a splendid noise reached her ears. It was the sound of Kyousukes elbow smashing the jaw of the masked man aiming his gun at the back of the girls head. The rescued girl looked around nervously. Wah, wah. Stop that. If you dont want to die, then dont move and pretend youre still a hostage! It takes fifty to a hundred people to take over a three kilometer airport and there were only seven here. If the others notice somethings up and attack the lobby all at once, youll be shot in the back and wiped out before you can escape outside!! A-ah, um, whoare you? Oh, you dont need to worry about that. Youd forget soon enough anyway. With that said, Kyousuke kicked up his Blood-Sign and caught it in one hand. He met up with Lu Niang Lan who had picked the case back up and they ran through the glass-covered lobby. Kyousuke-chan! Just like a sushi chef prepares sushi and a restaurant chef prepares Salisbury steak, an assassin prepares death for a living. And that cooking of course comes with a price tag. You cant just expect me to treat you to a meal whenever you want!! You knew who I was when you asked me to come along, so you must have planned for something like this! They ran into a group of two on patrol. Kyousuke swiftly silenced one with his Blood-Sign and Lu Niang Lan silenced the other by swinging around an assassination tool called a Feizhao that was a metal rake on the end of a rope. If they attacked the airport because they knew about our attache case, we cant use the fact that people forget about summoners and vessels when we leave their field of vision. Theyll notice in five minutes at the latest. That doesnt change what we have to do. Lets escape the airport while showing off that weve got the case. That should send them all after! Kyousuke never finished his sentence. The glass wall next to them shattered and an avalanche of glass shards rushed toward them. And a mass of composite armor pushed its way through that to enter the building. It was an eight-wheeled armored vehicle. And it was the special one with a tank gun attached to the roof. Kyousuke heard a sharp whistle-like breath. Then the attache case was thrown his way. By the time he heard the whistle and caught the airborne case, Lu Niang Lan was already running forward with frightful speed. Her red modified China dress fluttered around her. She shot forward like a laser beam, circled to the side of the armored vehicle, and slammed both palms against a single point. A deep noise shook Kyousukes gut. A moment later, the twenty ton armored vehicle came to a stop as if it had stalled. This was the Perfect Dragon. Monsters that ignored the laws of physics were perfectly normal in the world of the summoning ceremony, yet this heretic among heretics made her way through that world without relying on any form of the supernatural. After instantly transforming the armored vehicle into a steel coffin, Lu Niang Lan gestured Kyousuke over. He ran to her side and asked an honest question. The gasoline tank? The battery acid. If I only stopped the engine, the electrically powered turret could still turn. Of course, no matter how much one trained their body, the human fist could not break through an armored vehicle. But a slight impact would pass through. Whether it was an armored vehicle or a tank, it was still an automobile. In that case, one only had to provide a slight vibration with a certain pattern. Engines were reliant on the ratio of air to liquid in the fuel, so mixing some air bubbles into the gasoline could be fatal. That would trigger an imperfect combustion and the engine would stall. Lu Niang Lan had gone a step further and wrapped a bunch of air bubbles around the electrodes soaking in the battery acid. That created a wall which significantly reduced the efficiency at which electricity was drawn from the acid. It was originally an assassination technique that created bubbles in someones lungs through their thick armor Finally, hatches and cargo doors opened all over the armored vehicle and masked men poked their heads out, but by the time their machineguns filled the wall with holes like a giant sewing machine, Kyousuke and Lu Niang Lan had already escaped around the corner. Fed up with it all, Kyousuke shouted at the woman. What the hell is inside that case!? Oh, you want to know? Ill have to keep it at a level I can actually tell you, but its strategic outline for defeating an enemy nation that a certain nation developed deep underground. In other words, its simulation data. Of course, every country does this, but this ones a little too well made. If it made it to the people at the very, very, very top, theyd probably turn straight toward war, so someone decided it had to be consigned to oblivion. And in so thorough a fashion that there isnt the tiniest sliver of a fraction of a percent of a chance that it can be recovered Illegals doing that? Illegals doing that. We want to get rid of the current flawed system by ruling the city, the country, and the world with our own inviolable rules and bonds of blood. We just want to supply a better life for everyone like that. Of course, Government sees us as the evil crime lords who want to tear down their stronghold, but destroying the entire world would work against our goal. In that case, were they up against the people who wanted that war? Or was this a third nation that wanted to threaten the source of the strategic outline using the fact that they had put together a plan to destroy their neighbor? Either way, the men in that armored vehicle had to have seen the case and that information would quickly spread to the rest of them. If Kyousuke and Lu Niang Lan escaped the airport with the attache case, those masked men would pursue them. That would finally settle this nearly worst case scenario. Or so they thought. However, something happened to entirely overturn their assumptions. It had passed the audible range. This time, an even greater impact shook the entire airport supported by a hundred pillars. All the glass shattered and disconcerting cracks ran through the walls and ceiling. But even that was only a side effect. A bluish prism of light filled a distant corner of the airport. Kyousuke narrowed his eyes a little. (An Artificial Sacred Ground? But) It was larger than a normal one and that meant the Material inside was gigantic. A frightfully large form showed its face while tearing away one three kilometer edge of the nearly square airport. The monster was easily over fifty meters long and covered in eerie scales that shined a leaden color. LeviathanA Divine-class Material!? The giant fish leaped up like fish leaping from a river to catch bugs and it held something odd in its mouth. The scene looked something like a dog with a toy bone in its mouth, but their size changed things. The object in the Materials mouth was a mass of dark metal. It was about thirty meters long and had a large capsule shape. Asubmarine? Oh, honestly. I was wondering how the group planned to safely escape the airport! The submarine was crushed in the giant fishs mouth and the two halves of its wreckage fell onto the runway. It crushed a refueling passenger plane that had been left empty due to the incident and a large explosion enveloped them both. A nearby armored vehicle was caught in the flames too. Once the giant fish reached the zenith of its jump, it was not pulled down by gravity and instead wiggled back and forth to swim through the gray sky. Directly below it, a small figure could be seen on the flame-covered runway. Him. It was a boy who looked only ten or twelve at the most. He wore a black shirt and black bike shorts with a helmet and elbow and knee protectors all colored neon yellow. His clothing provided the warning colors of a bees belly and looked like the equipment for skateboarding or rollerblading. But besides that, he held something familiar that had been customized for his body size. It was a Blood-Sign. His identity was further confirmed by the protective circle that defended a summoner and the ceremony as a whole from all external and internal threats. Him!! Kyousuke shouted in anger because the boys Leviathan dove down from the gray sky to attack the runway. It was true the people there were the masked men who had occupied the airport. They may have been undeniable monsters who had involved a great number of civilians in their search for the case. But That boy had made the merciless decision to unleash that unilateral red dance and that monster despite knowing what would happen. He was clearly taking this too far. Kyousuke-chan, stop. Stop for just a moment, said Lu Niang Lan from the side. Given the situation, thats probably an Illegal assassin like me. Ill admit even I dont like seeing such a one-sided slaughter, but if he was sent here to let us escape with the case, then we have no reason to fight him. You may not, but that doesnt apply to me. They havent asked you to help them. They might have. Maybe Im just too far away to hear them. Thats a Divine-class. You dont have a contract with a vessel, so you cant use your power as Alice (with) Rabbit. You have no chance of winning this. That lack of strength is my own fault, so it isnt a reason to abandon them. Kyousuke stared at the ferocious Divine-class monster. Lu-san, escape on your own if you have to. I wont just blindly charge into the Artificial Sacred Ground, but there has to be something I can do. Oh Lu Niang Lan placed a hand on her forehead and looked up toward heaven. Shiroyama Kyousuke clearly had no intention of smartly making an escape. Having concluded that, she applied a merciless blow to the back of Kyouskes neck. Ah Kyousuke could not support his own weight and helplessly crumbled to the ground. Lu Niang Lan supported the boy with one arm. To safely escape the airport and completely lose pursuit in a car chase, she grabbed the attache case, placed the boy over her shoulder, and ran out onto her battlefield. It was unclear if she was using her full strength, but no one could outdo Lu Niang Lan when it came to a purely unarmed fight. Facts: *Shiroyama Kyousuke will help with Illegal jobs if Lu Niang Lan asks him to. *Lu Niang Lan is known as a skilled assassin within Illegal, but she does not rely on the summoning ceremony. *The case contained a storage medium with a surefire method of destroying an enemy nation. *Illegal is only an incarnation of evil from Governments point of view and not everything Illegal does is bad. *To help them complete the job, Illegal sent an assassin summoner and vessel to the airport. The summoner is skilled enough to summon a Divine-class according to a plan rather than relying on coincidence and he is the type of person to mercilessly send that Material after the masked men who could have been defeated by the very weakest Material. *The Leviathan appeared in the ocean far below while the summoner boy stood on the airport runway. *The protective circle is meant to protect the summoneror rather, the summoning ceremony itself from any internal or external threat. It is something like a computers UPS meant to protect against power outages. *Not even Kyousuke can defeat Lu Niang Lan in an unarmed battle. Volume 2, Stage 01 - The Rumored Rainy Girl and Librarian-chan Volume 2, Stage 01: The Rumored Rainy Girl and Librarian-chan I guess salt butter is the best after all. Just one more bite. No, lets trade bowls! Please stop that! Are you trying to steal all the joy from my life!? (Stage 01 Open 04/30 07:30) The Rumored Rainy Girl and Librarian-chan Voice SNS Voice Friends. From an invitation-only voice chat: Hey have you heard? You need to be careful on rainy days. It might be best to just not head out on those days. When the school chime sounds all distorted on rainy nights, its a sign that the Rainy Girl is about to appear. The Rainy Girl is a small girl who was killed on the way to or from school one rainy day about five or six years ago I think. I dont recommend looking into it since itll put you in a bad mood, but its apparently a real incident. You can find articles on news sites if you search under the old Natsumi City name. Its true, I swear. Now, no one knows what the Rainy Girl looks like. Its because shes holding a battered and broken umbrella that hides her face. But the clothes underneath that are soaked red and, based on the actual incident, you probably dont want to see her face anyway. What happens when you meet the Rainy Girl? That I dont know. Ah ha ha. Maybe it would be better with an obvious ending like with the Kuchisake-Onna or Hanako-san. Like if you could never escape or youd definitely die after meeting her. But I think that makes it all so cheap. Its scary, but it sounds fake. And thats why people are comfortable whispering about it. But this Rainy Girl is somehow different. Maybe it just feels real. Its nothing like all the other stories. Theres no sign of anyone intentionally trying to spread it around, yet it never gets forgotten. Theres a weird ghastliness to it. Yeah. I dont know what happens when you meet the Rainy Girl, but there is one thing in common there. Everyone who has met her wont say a word about it. What could possibly have scared them that badly? Yesterdays occupation of A Blocks international airport ended unprecedentedly quickly when all 102 hostages were safely rescued less than fifty minutes after the ordeal began. This has proven to the world just how skilled the police special forces have become to deal with this age of terrorism. However, it was not revealed how the elite team was sent into the airport and even the experts are split on the issue. Toy Dream 35 is a giant amusement park city, so there are rumors even the airport has secret entrances and exits for VIPs to avoid the paparazzi. The internet is filled with speculation that those were used here. More importantly, they may be accused of being overly equipped. All of the criminals bodies had far too much damage for the weapons registered with the government. That said, over one hundred lives were at risk, so I doubt they will have to directly face the anger of the carefree civil groups. Also, part of the criminal group left the airport and began a car chase over the vehicle bridges of A Block, but they all ended up crashing. There is still the question of what they were chasing after, so the police will continue investigating every Shiroyama Kyousukes home was not a house, an apartment, or a student dorm. It was a cruiser stopped in a harbor. He yawned as he prepared a breakfast of cereal and milk. The news coming from the TV was filled with errors, but no one was maliciously lying to take the credit from him. Anyone too deeply involved in the summoning ceremony industry would be forgotten as soon as they left peoples field of vision. The people were simply left with the fact that the occupation had ended at some point, so they had filled in the gaps the best they could. Up next is Space Captain Whitebeards weather forecast. Captain! Hello, this is Space Captain Whitebeard in the civilian space station Toy Dream OP-05! Heres what todays weather looks like when viewed from up in space. Toy Dream 35 has a 20% chance of rain. Even if its only cloudy now, it would be best not to let go of that umbrella! Toy Dream 35 is still running its Rainy Screen campaign, a special event only available on rainy days. How about a lovely show as rain and reflected light are woven together in the night? See the official website for details. Unfortunately, his refrigerator had no salad inside. He had failed to procure the necessary food after the previous days excitement. He had no choice but to get his vegetables by supplementing his bowl of cereal with some dried fruit he had for emergencies. After finishing breakfast, he stuck the bowl in the water-conserving automatic dishwasher and quickly washed off his sweat in the shower room. He changed into a red blazer instead of his usual hoodie and pants. Everyone has probably forgotten by this point, but he was technically a high school student. Of the pizza slice sections of the city, his high school was in R Block. The large square platform was supported by several pillars rising from the ocean. This was a lot like the international airport from the day before, but it was much smaller at only three hundred meters across. Hey. When he entered the classroom, a few boys casually greeted him. Quite a few boys and girls had already gathered for morning homeroom. Kyousuke was not the type to be constantly late, but he did not arrive particularly early either. There was one person he tended to speak with, so he went with the usual routine and approached a desk at the front of the classroom. The desk belonged to Rendou Akiya, the head of the going-home club who was known for trying everything and losing interest in everything. Did you see the news? Amazing, isnt it? The police did a hell of a job. I hear the Toy Dream Company is taking action too, so people are speculating therell be an airport occupation attraction out in no time. Yknow, something like a survival game. Despite the rough manner of speech, Rendou Akiya wore a girls blazer and pleated skirt and had semi-long brown hair. But as the name Akiya suggests, he was a boy. According to the student handbook, All students must wear the designated uniform as they diligently work at their studies. In other words, it never specified a difference in uniforms for boys and girls. Although it was probably just an oversight because that difference was assumed. And Rendou Akiya only wanted to expand the realm of fashion, so he was not actually a so-called trap. The boys who had made a mistake there and sent him a love letter had received a broken nose as a response, so it was an important point to keep in mind. Whats this, whats this? Are you talking about a new job opportunity? Then a girl with braided hair and thin-framed glasses approached. Oh, its just you, Librarian-chan. Learn my name already. Its going to be May soon, you son of a b*tch. It was the Librarian-chan who had a way of ruining everyones image of her along with their hopes and dreams. After replying in a low voice, she dropped her voice down to a whisper. (Cmon, if theyre taking applications for a part-time job, tell me. I have a weakness for that kind of thing.) Youre getting a little ahead of yourself. Were only talking about rumors of a new attraction. (If you only look for openings after everyones talking about it, all the positions will already be filled. You cant get the best position unless you act first. And I think that applies to just about everything.) Anyway, I think this would be on the horror side of things, and dont you have trouble with that? What do you mean by that? This was based on the distorted version of Kyousuke and the others actions. But that distortion did not affect him, so he had no way of knowing how exactly it had been distorted. He just hoped they had not left any odd hints at the scene. Apparently the Rainy Girl was spotted before and after the occupation. But his fears had been way off base. He doubted busty Lu Niang Lan would fall into the category of girl. Online, theyre saying it might have been a harbinger of things to come like when dolphins go nuts before a disaster. I doubt the Toy Dream Company really understands Japanese horror, but if they go for it, this might turn into a haunted house. Ahah ha ha. In that case, I think Ill sit this one out You really cant stand horror, can you? You even avert your gaze when you see things like scary fairy tales. Whats wrong with that? Those things are sick. Theres nothing wrong with having your corners rounded off by the flow of time like rocks on the riverbed. I dont understand why everyone goes out of their way to make rough and inaccessible stories just because theyre original. Librarian-chan laughed dryly and really did take a step back. She seemed to have a lot of trouble with that genre. Kyousuke frowned. Isnt the Rainy Girl a ghost that appears on the way to or from school? Yeah, but thanks to the spread of rumors online, shes apparently showing up in front of schools in Guam and New York these days. What a shame. If she only appeared inside the school, we might have been able to make a great haunted house for the cultural festival. The way Rendou Akiya spoke made it obvious he did not believe the stories. For anyone not involved in the world of the summoning ceremony, that was the normal view. Librarian-chan was overly sensitive to still be afraid of ghost stories in high school. Although just like having trouble with seeing blood, it was something some people simply could not overcome through effort alone. Ive heard that your classs festival attraction is factored into your student score. And Ive heard the Toy Dream Company sends out scouts to check them out like a ramen magazines investigator. That means we cant get careless. Were talking about a global corporation here. If we gather attention in a good way, well be set for life, dont you Rendou Akiya was cut off by a blaring emergency bell. However, the students did not start running around in a panic because of the alarm. They first looked up at the speaker in confusion. What a pain. Did some idiot get all worked up and hit the button? muttered Rendou, but things seemed to be different. The usual tones came from the speaker, followed by a girl, presumably from the broadcast committee, speaking. We will now begin surprise emergency crime prevention training. Each class is to obey their teachers instructions and quickly evacuate. I repeat Ugh. Did you hear that? asked Librarian-chan in disgust. Its already started raining outside, but do they want us to all gather outside and listen to the principal speak? Since its raining, wont they change it to the gym? suggested Kyousuke. Its a pain either way! shouted Rendou. Whats this about? Was I not the only idiot who got caught up in all the talk about the airport occupation on the news? If terrorists or a gunman attacked the school, what good is it sending us all out in the halls? Morning homeroom hasnt even started, so what are they going to do about attendance? Oh, damn. If my absence wouldve been overlooked in all the confusion, I shouldve gone back to bed this morning. But their complaints changed nothing. The event was clearly pointless, but it was well known that mocking this kind of training could lead to a serious deduction on ones student score. On the instructions of their homeroom teacher (a gentle type with gigantic breasts whose secret nickname was The Cow), they walked down the hall in two lines, one for boys and one for girls. It felt like being forced to hold up a sign saying Please slaughter us all. Well be your meat shield. As they descended the stairs, they ran into another class. It was an upperclassman class. Outta the way, first years. Its not about being polite, you idiots. Those are the rules. Dont get involved. They dont look too bright, so anything you say would be a waste of time. The group of boys chuckled as they passed by. Rendou dug into his ear with his pinky. Ahh, ahh. Theyve given up on their humanity already? I dont want to end up like that. Do they think that single year of difference makes them adults or something? They might as well be old men with plenty of ego but no actual ability. I can already tell theyll still be failures even at thirty and forty. I bet the only thing thatll change is how much hair they have left. Yeah, but high schoolers like us might disappoint some middle schoolers if they saw us. Im not proud of it, but when I was in middle school, I believed Id lose my virginity the instant I advanced to high school. I thought a kind upperclassman or female teacher would lure me into the gym supply shed at the opening ceremony. Really? I still thought I could save at least one world back then. The two boys laughed like idiots. And no one realized that one of them had said something which may have been no laughing matter. Then Kyousuke noticed a gentle citrus scent. One of the upperclassmen was a girl with long black hair tied near the end with a large ribbon and with a chest large enough to give Lu Niang Lan a run for her money. She gestured him over with a hand, winked, and whispered in his ear. It was unclear if she realized she was squishing her soft breasts with her own arm. (Sorry about having you go along with this boring event first thing in morning, Shiroyama Boy. But this student assembly will use up first period, so hopefully that makes up for it.) It may have been to keep their conversation private, but she was far closer than he had expected. She was not actually touching him, but he could feel the warmth from her soft cheek. Should the student council president really be saying that? Kyousuke replied wearily and the upperclassman replied as a sweet smell wafted from her hair. (Dont be silly. I was forced to spend all night writing up a speech for the assembly greeting. I dont like this any better than you. Although I am glad this is getting me out of my first period social studies elective.) Really? You chose it yourself and youre still complaining? (Its a miracle that anyone can make a world history class that boring. Why does he just write a list of dates up on the board? He doesnt understand all the romance found between the lines. And unfortunately, hes a complete lost cause as far as thats concerned.) She waved goodbye and continued down the stairs. Librarian-chan cut in then. Ugh. Shes just on an entirely different level from the rest of us if she thinks history is normally any fun. Huh? But Librarian-chan, as our Librarian-chan, dont you love things like Water Margin and Shakespeare? Learn my name already. And I only do this to establish my character. While I do like books, I dont really know that much about them. Ive only ever bought two or three books and the rest I borrow from my parents bookcase. Hearing that felt like seeing an idol without makeup on. Her student score was likely composed of magic. Kyousuke started feeling a little blue, but Rendou Akiya made an unexpected recovery. Keh, keh. But all you read are surprisingly fantastical fairy tales. Sh-shut up!! Toy Dream 35 is a foreign-owned amusement park city, so we kind of are citizens of a fairy tale!! Librarian-chan blushed, but she seemed unable to deny her love of fairy tales. As Rendou had said, it was a surprising side to her. But that wealthy president with F1 specs is nothing like us commoners with moped specs, said Rendou. Shes the most likely candidate to be recruited by Toy Dream HQ. Her economic thesis Repeat Customers and the Catharsis of Repetition was published in the British magazine Business & Credit and gathered a ton of attention. Shes on her way to an important position in a global corporation. Cut the string of her balloon and shed probably fly up above the clouds. Shes nothing like us. Kyousuke had been exactly right about the students gathering in the gym for the surprise crime prevention training. What good was gathering here if this had become a school of death with terrorists and gunmen wandering around? Kyousuke was used to fighting, but even the other students could tell this would become a giant execution ground. The principals speech was so bad that even a summoner like Alice (with) Rabbit Shiroyama Kyousukes endurance was pushed to its limits as he tried not to fall asleep on his feet. If this was a supernatural ability to distort peoples sense of time without relying on a Material, it was a high level one. And after that lesson on how not to give a speech, the upperclassmans speech was all the more effective. It felt like being handed frigid mint ice cream after wandering on and on through the desert. What matters most is to be prepared for the unexpected and the best way of doing that is repetitive practice. In other words, these are preparatory exercises to make sure your knees are not trembling uncontrollably when it actually matters. Think of it like swimming in the ocean. If a child who has never even placed his face below water is suddenly thrown into the sea, everyone knows what will happen, right? And unfortunately there is no life buoy analogue in a firefight. The only way to learn how to swim is practice. Falsely assuming you know what to do is the scariest thing of all. The text itself was the formal language of a school assembly speech, but unlike the principals bland reading, she added gestures at the important points and changed the inflection of her voice to create dramatic waves. It was the difference between reading and performing a speech. She also gave familiar examples to deal with peoples frustrations and confusion as to why they had to do this, which provided the same sense of accomplishment as solving a riddle. Instead of feeling you had simply been told the answer, you felt you alone had figured out the answer because of how smart you were. It did not matter if you had been guided every step of the way by her explanations. If she put that together overnight, she could become a playwright or a politicians secretary, commented Rendou. But that means working behind the scenes. Dont you think she would look more at home in the spotlight herself? asked Librarian-chan in the line next to them. But if theres this much of a difference, why doesnt the principal just get her to write his speech for him? I bet its a matter of pride. Do that and the adult will cry. As Kyousuke and the others whispered to each other, a member of the broadcast committee brought the assembly to a close with a microphone in one hand. That was Student Council President Benikomichi Fuuki-san. With that, the emergency crime prevention training is complete. Classes will resume as normal with second period, so please return to your classrooms in a timely fashion. In other words, it was just another peaceful day. Otherwise, they could not spend so much time on training like this. The lunch break began. Shiroyama Kyousuke tended to eat lunch alone. This was simply due to the fact that his classmates would scatter as soon as the lunch break started. And as a summoner, they would forget about him as soon as he left their field of vision. They would forget any kind of promise they might have made, so any promises to eat lunch together were rendered invalid. For that reason, he went to the cafeteria on his own, ordered some salt butter ramen, and took a seat. Then an upperclassman girl sat across from him. It was Student Council President Benikomichi Fuuki. Do you mind if I sit with you, Shiroyama Boy? No, go ahead. What is that? As long as they were sitting across from him, a normal person would not forget about him. And their temporarily forgotten memories would return during those times and smoothly accumulate across meetings. The boys puzzled question was in reference to the mysterious dish on her tray that was not registered in any of the cafeteria vending machines. But this was not a luxurious lunch provided as a special privilege for the president. Its low calorie konjac Chinese noodles. Theyre testing it out for the cafeteria menu. Its not an orthodox dish, but it also doesnt go far enough with the novelty factor either. I think its a health food thats abandoned trying to be good as food. Health food? But even if you make the noodles out of konjac, doesnt the sauce have a lot of fat? Im more worried about the taste. Describe it as fancily as you like, no ones going to order something that tastes bad. Thats why you have that meaningless butter on top of your ramen. Yeah, why does it seem so much more bourgeois just by adding a clump of butter on top? I know what you mean. I dont like the vinegary pickles on a burger, but when you make it a fresh slice of tomato instead, it seems so much more luxurious. And yet the pickle is actually more expensive. The lemon next to karaage. The vanilla ice cream in an ice cream float. The grilled rice ball you make on the edge of the grill when cooking yakiniku or barbecue. The sugar doll on top of a cake is just the best, isnt it? For some reason, Shiroyama Kyousuke and Benikomichi Fuuki exchanged a firm handshake. It felt like they had found someone who truly understood them. The student council president looked like her flesh and blood were made of pianos, violins, tea ceremonies, horseback riding, and conversational English, but she seemed to know the proper way to eat ramen. She used wooden chopsticks like normal and she slurped up the noodles like normal. Although the way she used one hand to brush her long hair up over her ear was pointlessly seductive. It was rare to find someone who actually looked out of place not twirling it up like pasta. Hm? Do I have something on my face? No. It tastes okay, I guess. I have to admit Im surprised how much the texture is just like ramen. I bet people will figure they might as well eat normal ramen, so Im worried how theyll advertise this flavor. It would be perfect if you could simply say the same taste with half the calories. Konjac noodles arent that effective. But its perfectly edible. Here, have a bite. But my tongue is growing fat on salt butter, the top class ramen flavor! Thats why Im jealous. Im telling you to give me a bite for a bite of this. They stuck their chopsticks in each others bowls and traded noodles. For some reason, there was no romantic feeling of, Kyah! Is this what they call an indirect kiss? Ramen was the ultimate food of the masses, but it was not even remotely suited for romance. As for of the rumored konjac noodles It tastes like normal ramen and you can eat it like normal. Yeah, it feels like an evolutionary dead end. Im not sure how else they can improve this Right? This is the product you hate to have as a producer. And the developer hasnt done anything wrong, so you cant just abandon them. But damn. I guess salt butter is the best after all. Just one more bite. No, lets trade bowls! Cmon, this is your chance to have this mysterious new product all to yourself!! Please stop that! Are you trying to steal all the joy from my life!? After eating this, those konjac noodles barely feel like eating anything! Its like chewing on a flavorless sponge!! Kyousuke bent protectively over his bowl and glared at her with a fairly serious look in his eyes. And then they overhead the conversation of an athletic-seeming group carrying their trays to an empty table. Its true. A first year who stayed behind to clean up the equipment said he saw that Rainy Girl!! Yeah, right. I bet he saw it online and decided to have some fun with it. Its based on a story of a girl who had a grass sickle swung down on her head nineteen times, right? And by a huge man who barely had a human skeletal structure thanks to genetic tuning. The murderer scares me way more than the ghost. The topic dried out the atmosphere. After the group passed by, Benikomichi Fuuki took a sip from her cup of water. Theres been more and more talk of that around here lately. Based on the age of the ghost, the story probably started at an elementary school somewhere in Japan, but the school connection allowed it to spread to high schools like this. Its spreading all over the country and the world thanks to the internet, so the age of the Rainy Girl probably changes to match the school, just like with Hanako-san. Do you believe it? Why would I? Although hearing that would probably make my tearful and religious mother sad. That may have been the standard reaction. At least, that is, for normal people who knew nothing of the summoning ceremony and had no fear of being forgotten by someone. And as Kyousuke thought about that Ahyhay, how hahout hoo hade hor hork hor hy haruho? (Anyway, how about you trade your pork for my naruto?) Ah! Why would you suggest that after shoving my roast pork in your mouth!? In the world of the summoning ceremony, ghosts were said to come from a place, not an individual. Something was needed to pass between this world and the other world. When that grew clogged up for some reason, the soul that should have departed would be stuck there. Ghost exterminations were one of the most basic requests. Unless the ghost was a very powerful vengeful spirit, it was almost never necessary to fight the ghost with a Material. In most cases, one only needed to throw an Incense Grenade and set up an Artificial Sacred Ground. The ghost was a paranormal being, so the Artificial Sacred Ground would give them a boost and allow them to wield greater power than normal. However, they could not actually use that power. Once the conditions were set to summon a Material, the clog would be forcibly removed and the ghost would vanish like the rainwater left in the drain pipe. Did the ghosts go to heaven as the religious claimed, were they sent to the other world where all the Materials lurked, or were they simply annihilated? The answer to that question was not yet known. But as far as the humans in this world were concerned, the problem was solved. That was really all they knew. Very little was known about the phenomenon of ghosts, even by the top tier summoners who were within arms reach of the Regulation-class, Divine-class, Unexplored-class, and even the White Queen at the top. That afternoon, the rain was gradually picking up. It created a constant pitter-patter on the classroom windows. There were a lot of people passing around notes or stealthily typing on their cellphones because those on sports teams were competing for training spots. On rainy days, they could only use the weight room or sprint along the hallways and stairs. And while they normally would not want to run, rainy days were an exception. It may have been the same effect as the butter on top of ramen. They were all trying to secure the hallways for their team. Once the afternoon homeroom was over, school was finally out. Once his classmates scattered, they would soon forget all about Kyousuke, but that did not happen immediately. In the slight time between the end of class and the club activities, Kyousuke spoke with Librarian-chan. Ugh Its still raining. Is it going to keep pouring into the night too? Huh? Do you have plans to go somewhere, Librarian-chan? Could you make at least some effort to learn my name? I have a meeting with the Library Committee and then its my shift at the library counter. If I could at least play some classical music, I might be able to nap comfortably. Then why is the rain a problem? wondered Kyousuke. A rainy day would not be enough to get the library books damp. Then Rendou Akiya popped in from the side and cut in. I bet shes afraid of that Rainy Girl rumor. Theres talk that the original story was actually in this city. And this season, itll get dark before her library work is done. N-no, it isnt that But your knees are shaking. If we really make this into a haunted house for the cultural festival, maybe I could get some girls to cling to me in fright. Hah hah hah!! Well, I-Ive got to get going said Librarian-chan as she walked quickly out of the classroom. Rendou tilted his head after she left. What is it? asked Kyousuke. I was just wondering if she always had that much trouble with ghost stories. Its only the end of April, so dont ask me. She went to the same middle school as me, but I dont think she used to be that easily scared Unable to answer his question, Rendou too left the classroom. A few students remained, but Kyousuke decided to spread out his school supplies on his own desk. Maintaining decent grades was not easy while living a double life as a student and summoner. Since its gravitational acceleration, you just use g, right? No, in this case, you dont need to multiply by 9.8. Do you remember the formula for a conical pendulum? Hint: it uses pi and a root. Cmon, youre the one that chose physics for your science elective, right? And yethow should I put this? It just doesnt seem like a good fit for you. Its not that youre dumb or dont have a scientific mindits more like youre used to the physical constants of some other world. Its really hard to correct because its wrong and yet it all fits together. Um, senpai? Kyousuke was alone in the classroom with President Benikomichi Fuuki. She sat across from him at a fairly small desk and asked What is it? with a puzzled look. He felt no need to hold back. What in the world are you doing? Taking a short break. What do you think is going on right now in the locked room known as the student council room? The answer will fill you with despair. Then Id rather not know. Simply put, the Secretary and Treasurer are grabbing at each others hair and fighting. They just cant reach an agreement on the budget. Then again, those two are in love, so it may be a form of communication for them. Why would you warn me and then tell me anyway!? And thats personal information!! The president readily ignored his protests, placed her elbow on the top of his desk, and rested her cheek in her hand. This placed two large objects (which will not be explicitly named here) on the desk with enough force he could have sworn they made a noise. Normal people forgot about summoners when not in their field of vision. Kyousuke could only curse the fact that he had carelessly decided to study in a noticeable place. He had been forced to play the role of a temple refuge. At first they were thankful when I helped mediate things for them. But lately it feels like they just assume Ill do it, so I tried leaving them be. As expected, they looked troubled but had gone too far to back down, so they started attacking each other. Now, which one will you bet on!? Attention, student council!! I have found your inappropriate president over here!! This was getting to be a pain, so Kyousuke called out loudly and had his mouth quickly covered. A soft, gentle, and decidedly not male hand covered the lower half of his face. People would forget about a summoner when not looking at them, but his voice would still be perceived as a voice they did not quite recognize. He had planned on repeating that trivial experiment, but he was stopped. Now, now. Theres no need to choke up just because the well behaved, academically gifted, literarily and militarily skilled, peerless in battle, invincible, and beautiful student council president is willing to help you with your studies. I will even allow you to lick my palm if you like. Pwah. I dont want anything to do with someone whose self-aggrandizement grows more and more frightening like that. I get the feeling youre going to crush my head in her hand. Oh, how boring. The president traced her index finger along Kyousukes lips and then returned to resting her head in her hand. When you get down to it, all academics is about romance, not just history. Just think of how many scholars lives were spent on each discovery and each formula. And things like English grammar and pi are a lot easier to remember if you learn about the drama surrounding them. Empathy is the best way to learn. I guarantee it. Senpai, reading an assigned book to write a report on it is far more painful than reading a book you chose and bought yourself. Hm. Unfortunately, the concept of forcing myself to learn is foreign to me If you find something you dont understand, isnt it human nature to be curious why it exists and what led its discovery or origin? (If you find something you dont understand, hm?) Kyousukes mind briefly filled with the color white and a great evil shaped like a girl flashed through the back of his mind, but he shook his head to drive out the hallucination. This upperclassman who knew nothing of the summoning ceremony giggled and pointed her index finger at his nose. She kept it right on the verge of touching the tip of his nose and spoke. I feel like youre looking to some far distant place. Where did this come from? Youre aware theres something off about you, arent you? Its not that youre broken or damaged; youre just a little off. Your heart is a lot like these silly physics equations. The way you act is weird for a normal high school boy, but it feels like it would fit perfectly in some other place. Just to be clear, Im not part of any club and I dont have a part-time job. Ha ha. I see. Well, thats fine. To be honest, Im feeling a little tired of a high school life where everything goes perfectly. So, well, you dont have to tell me now if you dont want to. But if you ever do feel like telling me, then could you tell me about the other side of your double life? It can be a UFO Research Council or the Youkai Busters or whatever else. The extremely curious girl moved her face in close and actually did just barely touch her index finger to his nose. Theres just something pleasant about how youre off. If theres a world where thats normal, then Im sure it would fill me with some extremely pleasant stimulation. Ill use my best judgment. That doesnt sound promising. To avoid answering, Kyousuke reached for the highlighter he used to mark things in his notes. However, he could not find it. He wondered if it had fallen on the floor, but it was nowhere there either. Something was pressing down on the desk with almost audible weight. The highlighter was being engulfed by two objects that were quite difficult for a teenage boy to directly describe! Hm? Whats the matter? Do you need help looking for something, Shiroyama Boy? Are you doing this on purpose!? Is this an incredibly soft version of the Mouth of Truth!? Once it was time for all the students to leave, Shiroyama Kyousuke ran into Librarian-chan in the hallway. Huh? Shiroyama-kun, youre not in a club, so what were you doing all this time? The main job of a student, I guess. ? The student council president had been dragged back to her home ground when the other executives came crying to her. Not even Kyousuke knew what had happened to her. She may have been living up to her self-proclaimed titles of peerless in battle and invincible by beating up the rampaging Secretary and Treasurer with the crane style. Kyousuke and Librarian-chan walked down the hall while chatting. The fluorescent lights had already been switched off, so the only illumination came from the city lights outside. The raindrops hitting the windows placed an amoeba-like filter over the outside scenery. They keep talking about that Rainy Screen, but will anyone actually visit an amusement park when it keeps raining like this? Librarian-chan? Eh, ah!? R-right, right. But things seem pretty busy at work. They say a lot of people are gathering for the novelty of it all. Although the concept itself is pretty simple. Theyre just using a projector to display video footage on all the raindrops while playing the sound with directional speakers. Kyousuke wondered if she no longer cared about her name, but he decided it would be best not to ask. Does that mean you have part-time work after your library work? That must be tough. Tell me about it. The Rainy Screen is supposed to be for people to watch from their hotels or cars on rainy nights, and today Im working at a delivery service for sports cars on the vehicle bridges. You know, the one that relies on their smartphones GPS and guarantees the food will be there in thirty minutes or less. That isnt a job to do in the rain. That sounds like a dangerous job for a girl to be doing at night. J-just cause its night doesnt mean there will be ghosts!! D-dyont be so unshientific! Not what I meant. Over the phone, you cant tell if the order is going to one man all on his own, right? And if youre delivering to a car, he can park in some deserted place and claim its just a nice quiet spot to view the scenery. We always head out in groups of two and were issued mace and stun guns. And why didnt you think of the possibility of those being taken from you and used against you? If they order from a stolen phone, the data at the store wont be enough to identify them. Librarian-chan froze over at his casual criticism. She seemed to have belatedly realized just how thin of ice she had been treading on. Heh. Eh heh heh. By the way, Shiroyama-kun, are you free tonight? Do you maybe have plans to coincidentally take the exact same route as me!? No thanks! That sounds like a huge pain in the ass! Id be out in the rain all night doing the exact same thing as you, so why would I be the only one not getting paid!? As a bonus, youd get to have a walking date with a girl and you wouldnt have to pay for dinner! The place I work is French, so the veal is really good!! Ghh!? He was once more struck by the same effect as the butter on the salt butter ramen. This was veal. Not just beef. Veal. He had no idea if the veal would be stewed, grilled, or whatever else, but the power of the word veal just about took his soul away. Its the exact same substance, its the exact same substance. Theres no difference in the molecular structuremumble mumble But its veal! Cmon, cmon! Even if its just the leftovers for the workers, you dont get to eat that often, right? Y-youre not bad for a Librarian-chan. Thats destroying my character, so use my name. And I take it that means you agree to go with me? I guess I can if it means veal, but are you headed there now? Or is there some time in between? Hm? Does it matter? She would forget this promise as soon as she took her eyes off of him, but he had no way of explaining that. And using a cellphone to regroup with someone who had forgotten about you was a lot more difficult than it sounded. Until he was in their field of vision again, they would never remember no matter how many times he explained it in words. My shift begins at 7:30, sooh, were actually cutting it pretty close. We might not make it if the trains are stopped due to an accident or something. Anyway, lets start by heading to S Block. Thats where the restaurant is. I guess Ill be nice and point it out: youre using me for insurance, but Im a guy too. Are you sure you should be bringing me into deserted areas at night? What? Youre completely safe, Shiroyama-kun. Youre like someone from an educational puppet show, not someone from a Monday night drama. We could be alone in a hotel with pink wallpaper and nothing would happen. The summoner decided he was not going to shed any tears. So he responded with a serious look on his face. Now, then. I think its about time I chose not to save someone for once. Wah!! Wait, wait, wait! If you back out now, Ill cry, Ill hate you, and Ill piss myself in fear right in front of you!! Footsteps fled down the dark hallway and more footsteps pursued them. But Kyousuke screwed up when he lost too much time changing into his leather shoes in the entrance area. Librarian-chan managed to grab the back of his blazer. I cant believe you! I really cant believe you! You get me that scared and then you seriously try to run off!? If I hadnt grabbed you here, you wouldve run off into the rain, wouldnt you have!? I guess I shouldve thrown out all common sense and left in my indoor shoes. You monster!! How can you do that when a girl is in serious trouble!? Librarian-chan sounded like she was about to erupt, but then she came to an abrupt stop. There was a simple reason. All of the schools announcement speakers exploded. No, they only burst with a great cacophony far removed from the kind of noise they were meant to produce. As a summoner, Kyousuke was relatively accustomed to bright lights and great noises during battle, but even he grimaced and covered his ears at this deafening vortex of noise. It seemed to be coming from the schools speakers, but some of the speakers may have truly been broken by the very noise they were producing. The wall of sound continued for about ten seconds. After that, all sound vanished. A thought occurred to Shiroyama Kyousuke amid a silence so intense it almost hurt his hears. (That noise It was some out-of-tune electronic tones that lasted about ten seconds. Was itthe school chime?) Even the sound of the falling rain sounded distant. He also realized Librarian-chan had not said anything for a while. She was looking at something and had entirely forgotten that Kyousuke was right next to her. She was looking outside. She was looking beyond the school entrance. After spotting something there, her eyes had widened and her entire body had stiffened. (Whats there?) Kyousuke turned his head to look that way while an absurd rumor came to mind. The ghost story had spread across Japan and the entire world thanks to the internet. One had to be careful when a distorted version of the school chime played on a rainy night. That was a sign that the Rainy Girl was going to appear. cha A scratchy noise escaped Librarian-chans lips. Shiroyama Kyousuke saw it too. The rain continued to pour outside the entranceway and a girl of only ten to thirteen stood there. However, he was unsure if the term cute applied. First, the girls face was hidden behind a battered umbrella. Second, the girls raincoat was stained red. As a professional, Kyousuke understood. That amount of blood was far beyond a lethal amount. And based on the muddiness of the blood, it was not fresh blood that had just erupted from a wound. Nevertheless, she stood there. She stood in Shiroyama Kyousuke and Librarian-chans way as if to not let them leave the school. She was a ghost. She was the Rainy Girl. She had lost her life in a gruesome incident from the past and now she appeared on the way back from school for some reason. That was how Kyousuke interpreted the situation. But he was wrong. A moment later, Librarian-chan moved her trembling lips to speak. Onee-chan? During their lunch break, President Benikomichi Fuuki had mentioned something to Shiroyama Kyousuke. Based on the age of the ghost, the rumors of the Rainy Girl had their origins in an elementary school somewhere in Japan, and they had spread to high schools as well due to the school chime connection. And the stories would be customized for each school, so the Rainy Girls age would likely change to match the high school setting. But that was wrong. The Rainy Girl was not a ghost fixed to a single location. She was fixed to an individual and had thus been brought to this high school with that person. (That explains why Librarian-chan was so afraid of the Rainy Girl stories. She may have already known what it was talking about) No. Or (Was she not thinking of it as a hallucination and illusion? Had its existence already been proven to her? That would mean this isnt her first time meeting the ghost.) Unlike the foolish experts on TV, a summoner like Kyousuke did not bother proving the supernatural phenomenon occurring before his eyes. He could tell it was real. The ghost slowly approached with the unpleasant sound of wet rubber. It was nothing more than the soles of the childrens rain boots rubbing against the ground, but each additional piece of information seemed to infect his mind. The ghost did not speak. She may have been moving her lips behind the battered and broken umbrella, but her voice did not reach Kyousuke and Librarian-chans ears. Ah, ahh Librarian-chan could not even back away. She simply trembled in place and shook her head over and over. Her mind was doing everything it could to reject the scene before her eyes. But that was impossible. Nothing she did would change the horrific reality before her eyes. The Rainy Girl would enter the school building at any moment. No. Librarian-chans lips released what may have been a word or just a sound. Even so, it was filled with an unbelievable amount of raw emotion. No I cant gowhere you are, Onee-chan. I just cant. Youre already dead and Im still alive! Sotheres nothing I can do!! The sound of the small rain boots stopped. The broken umbrella spun around. Eyes that were dyed red by something other than being bloodshot peered out through the gaps in the torn material. A powerful stench like a crushed frog on a rainy road followed that gaze. It was like her hostility and killer intent had been given physical form. Librarian-chans mind seemed unable to reach the standard idea of turning tail and running. So leavejust leave!! You arent supposed to be here, Onee-chan. You wanted to go here and we should have all been here together, but even if that chance was cruelly taken from you, you cant be here!! So!! (Her sister, hm?) Shiroyama Kyousuke narrowed his eyes a little at that relationship. He was reminded of the twin shrine maidens who had formed a summoner and vessel pair. Then he thought a bit about the contents of his school bag. Exterminating a ghost was one of the most basic jobs for a summoner. There was no need to summon a Material and fight. Just by setting up the Artificial Sacred Ground, the ghost would vanish and go somewhere else. But he had no vessel at the moment. Without meeting that minimum requirement as a summoner, throwing the Incense Grenade he had hidden in his bag would not set up an Artificial Sacred Ground. But looking at it another way, that just meant he needed a vessel. No talent or skill was necessary. He just needed the conditions for setting up an Artificial Sacred Ground. But What if Shiroyama Kyousuke looked to both Librarian-chan and the Rainy Girl and then spoke quietly to draw his classmates attention. What if there was a way to erase your sisterthe Rainy Girl from this place? Does she go to heaven, doe she go to hell, or is she simply annihilated? No one knows what happens to the soul, but what if there was a way to erase her from this place? If Librarian-chan was telling the truth here, then the Rainy Girl was her family, no matter how much she had changed. This would erase a human soul. It would obliterate the last remaining traces. Would she accept that or not? Librarian-chan moved her trembling lips to answer the question. As she did, she thought of this ghost who had been so utterly transformed that she would bare her fangs against her own family. If theres a way to do that, then go ahead and do it She would accept it. I cantI cant bear to see this!! It may have been horribly unfair that my sister was attacked. You can hardly blame her for hating the world after that. Butbut! Nothing she does can save her now!! At the same time, the footsteps grew harder. The rain boots had crossed the line from the wet outside to the dry inside. She had taken the first clear step into the school buildings entranceway. She had stepped into their territory. Librarian-chan viewed it that way and it broke down the final dam inside her. So help me. I dont want to die and letting my sister suffer any longer wont accomplish anything. If theres a way to stop this bloody despair, then tell me! If theres a way to do it, then help meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!! Understood. A switch was thrown in Shiroyama Kyousukes mind. He used his canine tooth to make a small cut on his index finger and let a drop of blood form on the surface. Then he recited the necessary text. I bind this covenant of blood in the name of The Spirit of Fluttering Yellow Gills that Rules the Heavens (s - a - so - voz - tix - ei - yw - za), one of the Three which manage and guide the summoning ceremony. You are of human flesh with a proper heart and soul, yet from this moment onward, you shall be a limited vessel that can hold all things. The solid footsteps continued. But Kyousuke paid them no heed. What mattered most here was not hiding or running. He had to complete the necessary ceremony as quickly as possible. You shall be a lord of emptiness that uses the power filling you to at times bend the laws of this world. Librarian-chan could not have understood what the ceremony meant. Even so, her focus was drawn in toward the drop of blood on the index finger held out toward her. It inspired a devilish fascination. Even though she did not understand what it meant, it forced an understanding of what she had to do. Her small tongue poked out from between her lips and calmly licked up the drop of Kyousukes blood. So I shall prepare this vessel. I am a summoner, unable to leave the world of man, yet a symbol of haughty intellect that uses power from beyond the world of man to guide the world of man to the next age!! A moment later, the wind whipped up around them. The contract was complete. As the gust of wind nearly shattered the entranceways windows, Kyousuke reached into his school bag. He pulled out an Incense Grenade. They did not need to fight the Rainy Girl. Simply setting up the Artificial Sacred Ground would annihilate most ghosts. But Nevertheless Before he could pull the pin, the schools speakers produced another explosion. Kyousuke grimaced and shrank down as if lightning had struck nearby. He had taken his eyes off of the ghost for less than a second, but when he looked back up, she was already gone. The Rainy Girl had vanished. Only the sound of the rain ruled the otherwise silent darkness. Kyousuke no longer had a use for the Incense Grenade in his hand and Librarian-chans voice reached his ears. Shell be back. On the next rainy night She gave a thin, exhausted smile. Shell be back to kill me. A monorail ran through the citys night. It was past seven and more of the passengers were beginning to be office workers rather than students. The first after-work rush hour had begun and it was also raining, so there were more passengers than normal. And the air was quite damp, either due to the raindrops on the umbrellas or due to peoples sweat. The colors of one pair of twins stood out among them. Meinokawa Renge. Meinokawa Higan. They were both long-haired shrine maidens in bright red outfits. Their faces looked similar, but one had black hair and black eyes while the other had blonde hair and blue eyes. At the same time, they lacked the unnatural appearance of dyed hair or color contacts. Two shrine maidens sitting alongside people in suits may have looked out of place, but even Shinto officials shopped online and wore 3D goggles at the movie theater. The two of them were looking at the same notebook-sized tablet. That means this train were on is the one in question, said Renge, the one with long black hair. She used her fingertips to zoom in on a newspapers letters-to-the-editor section. A story from Toy Dream 35s Nohara Amahiko-kun (Age 9). When people fall asleep on the last train or on a train that begins deadheading, they go missing and never return. But for some reason, the fact that people are vanishing never ends up in the news. H-hmm. Would a nine-year-old boy, um, really know much about being on the last train? That may be why he added or on a train that begins deadheading. Just like the Kuchisake-Onna, it may be a story meant to frighten students on the way back from cram school. Like wondering what happens to the drunk man whos passed out on the train when they get off. But if thats all it is Yes. Then a Freedom summoner like us wouldnt have been hired to investigate it. Renge was most interested in the last part about the missing people never ending up in the news. It was quite convenient for the purposes of a rumor, but it was simply not possible. If someone vanished, someone would notice: family, friends, lovers, classmates, coworkers, etc. However When a summoner or vessel pass Award 100, theyre rejected from peoples perceptions and memories. I wonder if this monorail or the switchyard are hiding something that can only be explained with the rules of our world. L-like, um, theres some kind of system that causes all the passengers to summon a Material without realizing it? Blonde Higan nervously looked down at her feet on the wet floor. She may have been imagining something like an axe murderer hiding under the bed. The rumor has a lot of different versions and theyre not all the scary kind. According to some, if you ride a train that begins deadheading, youll meet your first love you havent seen in forever, your long-dead pet will return to you, or youll find a treasure you had lost. All the variations make the entire thing seem less credible, though. There are even some saying you end up in Guam. Oh? Youll meet your first love? Eh heh heh. Higan? Renge grew a little angry, but her sister did not seem to notice. At any rate Lets put the tablet in the bag and set that up on the luggage rack to film what happens when the train begins deadheading. We need to pick up on where exactly anything strange occurs between the last station and the switchyard. B-but summoners and vessels dont show up on cameras and sensors when an Artificial Sacred Ground is set up. Uuh And to meet the conditions, we have to prepare a napping passenger. B-but we cant just skip straight to a human experiment, Higan. We have no idea whats going to happen. Eheh heh heh. Renge, I, um, did my best to help there. What do you mean, Higan? Um, what do you think was in that drink I gave you earlier? Higan said something incomprehensible with a smile on her face. A moment later, Renge felt like the core of her body was shaking. Higan? You didnt put a sleeping pill in my drink, did you!? Yawn O-of course I wouldnt go that far. I just mixed in some allergy medicine that said on the box not to mix it into your teamumble Y-you mean one of the ones full of ingredients that make you drowsy!? The ones that are the bane of long-distance drivers!? Renge desperately tried to maintain her consciousness, but the rhythmic shaking of the monorail car quickly robbed her of all ability to resist. It was like trying to use a single hair to support a bowling ball on a slope, so as soon as something small snapped inside her, she could only roll down into the gentle darkness. Uuh Meinokawa Renge was awakened by her own voice. She was surrounded by darkness. Based on the weight and texture, she could tell the notebook-sized tablet was still sitting in her lap. The monorail car was no longer shaking and the monorail seemed to have come to a stop somewhere. All that humidity had vanished and the air felt chilly instead. Where am I? Higan? This is all your fault. She complained while pressing the tablets power switch with her index finger. The backlight immediately came on and vaguely lit up the entire car. Before, adults in suits had nearly packed it as full as a sardine can, but none of them remained. There was no one at all there. And more importantly Wait a minute Higan? She was not there. The blonde girl who looked just like Renge had vanished from the seat next to her. !? Renge frantically stood up and looked around, but there was no sign of her sister who had been dressed so distinctively. There was no sign of anyone else either and the cold atmosphere seemed to reject all life. Higan! Where are you, Higan!? Renges only light was the tablet which displayed the newspaper letters-to-the-editor section. That elementary school boy from Toy Dream 35 had said the following: When people fall asleep on the last train or on a train that begins deadheading, they go missing and never return. But for some reason, the fact that people are vanishing never ends up in the news. Facts: *Ghosts are beings that, for some reason, cannot continue onto some other world. In most cases, the location has been clogged up and they will vanish once that is resolved. *Anyone closely connected to the summoning ceremony (i.e. summoners, vessels, and Materials) will be forgotten by normal people once they leave their field of vision. The gaps in their memories are filled in with what makes the most sense. But once Normal Person A forgets about the summoner, if the summoner appears before them again, Normal Person As memories will return and accumulate for as long as the summoner remains there. *A summoner cannot set up an Artificial Sacred Ground without binding a contract with a vessel. *The Rainy Girl ghost was Librarian-chans older sister. For some reason, the Rainy Girl is appearing before Librarian-chan and intends to kill her. *To stop that, Kyousuke bound a contract with Librarian-chan. *Shiroyama Kyousuke heard the cursed words of help me. Volume 2, Stage 02 - Summoners Fight in the Shadows Behind Strange Phenomena Volume 2, Stage 02: Summoners Fight in the Shadows Behind Strange Phenomena Would it be a violation of your style to ask why? This is to keep you from telling anyone what you just now realized. I cant say any more than that. (Stage 02 Open 04/30 19:30) Summoners Fight in the Shadows Behind Strange Phenomena Yomikiri Newspaper, 10/22/20XX Edition. Newspaper clipping of an editorial. A young life has been lost. Her name was Umie Shouko-chan and she was an eleven year old girl living in Natsumi City. She was attacked by a man on the way back from school and was stabbed nineteen times in the head by a grass sickle. How can people grow so violent? The murdereryes, the paperwork has yet to be completed as his address, occupation, and other identifying information are still unknown, so a name has yet to be revealed in the papers even though an arrest was definitely made. The man was apparently shouting nonsense such as, They protect the children, they protect the women, they protect the sick, and they protect the old, but whos going to protect me? That large man had undergone genetic tuning by an underground doctor in order to leave behind no records, so it must have been strange indeed to see him throwing a tantrum. When did people grow so very weak? Why couldnt he see that as his chance to be a protector? Taking a life is the most unreasonable act there is. Even if it is taken in a fight over lifeboats and even if there is legal justification, I doubt the people of this world will ever approve of taking someones life. If you are willing to take a life to save a life, you must be taught the weight of a life as the guilt weighs on your conscience. And in cases like this, it will not be rewarded. Let us at least pray for her happiness in death. And let us pray that heaven really does exist. Whatever result the human courts reach, that man will never go there. If heaven really does exist, it must be an ideal place where Shouko-chan will be surrounded by nothing but warmth and kindness. Although that may be nothing more than a selfish wish of us adults who could not make this world into heaven. It was a rainy night. Countless giant bridges crisscrossed through the air, as if weaving their way through the gaps in the giant buildings. The rain never seemed to end, but the light from projectors reflected off of those raindrops. In addition to the normal decorative lights, giant mascots danced through the night sky. If one leaned over the railing and looked down to the dark sea at the lowest level, they would find it filled with dancing light, as if glow-in-the-dark paint had been dumped into the water. This was the Rainy Screen campaign. It was supposed to be a special event to keep guests coming to the amusement park, but to the residents who had to live with it for days on end, the colorful lights and deluge of noise from directional speakers had grown into a horrible nuisance. According to the clock of light projected on a film of water flowing down a building wall, it was 7:30 PM. That was when Librarian-chan should have arrived at her risky job, but she had not made it due to some trouble. However, she did not have to worry about her boss being angry with her. She looked incredibly confused as she held the umbrella and held a cellphone to her ear. U-um, like I said, Im telling you Im going to be late Im not sure what to tell you. Recruit #1077B? Ive checked several times now and I cant find that file. Boss! I worked there last week too. Yes, yes. If youre trying to claim I messed up so you can work without any paperwork or an interview, its not going to work. Adult society isnt that simple. When her boss hung up on her, she stared at the small screen in a daze. Didnt I tell you? asked Kyousuke with a sigh. You have to be in their field of vision. I cant believe this. If you want, you can try someone from our class, your family, or the police. Try calling whoever you want. I guarantee you not one of them will take you seriously. Its like youve been forgotten by the entire world. Librarian-chan rubbed her thumb across the phones buttons. She hesitated for a bit, but she did not try any of the speed dial numbers. The boss she had only known for a week had been enough of a shock. Her heart may have been rejecting the fear of being forgotten and left behind by someone she knew far better than that. But the information hasnt been completely erased or anything. Once youre directly in their field of vision, theyll remember it all for as long as youre there. Then Are you finally ready to hear about the summoning ceremony? Kyousuke doubted any normal person would be able to accept a description of summoners and vessels if it was just suddenly thrown at them. The fastest method was to actually summon a Material, but that required a one-on-one battle. That is, it was easy to do, but it would mean a fight to the death. On the other hand, safely and surely demonstrating that paranormal world was quite difficult. It was said that you did not even take your first real step into the world of summoning until you could smoothly explain it all. Anyway, you dont have to worry about your job, so I think it would make sense to focus on your sister. Or should I call her the Rainy Girl? You can do something about my sister? As long as we can catch her. We control the beings that lurk beyond the gods, so theres no way we could lose to a human ghost. Librarian-chans face looked pale and thoughtful as it reflected the countless lights in the rain. It almost looked like she herself had become a ghost, left behind by the flow of time. Kyousuke sighed. Your condition is only temporary, so dont worry about it. Eh? I can go backto normal? Once this is over, you just have to end your contract with me. Not counting extreme outliers like Lu-san who earned more than 100 Awards as a vessel alone, the supernatural is generally reliant on the summoner. The vessel becomes a normal person again once the contract is gone. That meant Kyousuke could not return to normal. Once they lost sight of him, even a friend or lover would completely forget about him. And that would never change. And once he died and was buried, no one could ever see him again. The fact that he had died - no, that he had lived - would be sealed away behind the lid of forgetfulness. If you just want to return to normal, we could do it right away. But that would leave your sisters issue unresolved. You might not know what I mean by the summoning ceremony, but youve at least sensed that theres a strange power at work here, right? Separating you from your sister without that would be quite difficult. Can you believe me about that? Its true I cant rely on a knife or a gun when my sisters like that. But I dont know of any staffs that shoot out fire when you swing them. This is the only mysterious power I know about. She seemed to be speaking to herself more than to Kyousuke. Stepping past the common sense that bordered on science worship was more painful than one would expect. But it was probably not due to Kyousukes way with words that she had been able to do so. It was due to how cornered she was already feeling. This had not been her first time to encounter the Rainy Girl, so she had already tried everything she could and discovered first-hand just how fragile common sense could be. So she had stepped past it. She had let go of the world she had been born to and she had plunged into this world. Where should we start? Well. Kyousuke spoke in his usual tone of voice while holding an umbrella. How about we start by binding your body? Librarian-chan fell silent for a bit. Then she smiled brightly. Lastly, an impressive sound burst out into the city night. A girls wholehearted slap contained a special power!! Bgh, gbhah!? Youre the worst!! You really are the worst!! Shiroyama-kun, did you think you could take advantage of my situation to do whatever you wanted with me!? N-no, wait. Let me explain Explain what!? The details of your special proclivities!? With umbrella and school bag in hand, Librarian-chan tightly held her own body, blushed bright red, and snapped back at him. Kyousuke was a little overwhelmed at being branded a pervert. I-in the world of the summoning ceremony, a summoner fights alongside a vessel. Youre that vessel right now, Librarian-chan. But theres a risk of you summoning vengeful or evil spirits and other things beyond my instructions. Librarian-chan could not have understood even half of what Kyousuke was talking about. However, the mention of vengeful or evil spirits was enough for her expression to cloud over. We need a safety to prevent that. It can be anything really, as long as its a symbol that solidifies your heart. Collars and handcuffs are the most obvious, but it can also be something closely related to your everyday life. There has to be something you use to restrain your actions or desires, right? Like a scale or your skirts zipper. Why are your examples focused on my weight and measurements? Because those are pretty common for girl vessels. For example, some use a push up bra, bra pads, orgweh!? As soon as Kyousuke made his insensitive comment, Librarian-chan acted on behalf of every worrying maiden on the planet by slamming her school bag into his face. Sigh. In other words, it can be anything I wear that keeps me focused? I have no idea if it will work, but I suppose its worth trying, just like a protective charm or something. Uuh I made sure to explain everything properly, so why do you have to treat me like this? In that case, hmm. This might work for me. Librarian-chan showed Kyousuke her right wrist. She wore a very, very small wristwatch thats face was only the size of her little fingers nail. I always wear it when I head out, so its the first thing that came to mind when it comes to switching my tension on and off. Then that would be best. Do you have any emotional attachment to it? It cost a fair bit, but not really. Then lets stop by a clock shop. I want to modify it a little. By adding in a magic charm or something? No, Ill just swap out the strap. I want to add in the symbolism of the summoner modifying it and giving it to you. That will make sure it works. To get the work done, they left the usual path and looked around for the necessary store. They first tried a brand-name shop that sold all the best clock maker brands, but they gave up when they saw all the zeros on the price tags. They next tried a repair shop run by an old man and had the watchs strap replaced with one made from a thin silver chain. That completes our preparations. I doubt it will be a problem since you always wear it anyway, but make sure you dont forget to keep that on. Got that? Understood. Librarian-chan rubbed her wrist to check the feel of the new strap. But what exactly do we do now? Stay up every night waiting for my sister to show up? Were going to bring the fight to the Rainy Girl. I dont know how much truth there is to the rumors, but I recommend changing into clothes you can wear out on a rainy night. Even though everyone will forget about me? Theyll remember if you happen to run into them. And wouldnt it be best to avoid playing a game of tag with a police officer? Just once, Kyousuke checked the surrounding area on his smartphones map. Were a bit far from my cruiser, so Ill go grab a change of clothes from a storage locker near here. You head back to your home and change into some casual clothes. Try to make it as adult-looking as possible to match the situation. With that said, Kyousuke started to leave, but Librarian-chan tugged on his arm. Wait, she said in a weak voice. Dont leave me. Summoners and vessels are both removed from the norm, so we wont forget each other even if we cant see each other. That doesnt matter. She bit her lip once and finally continued her confession. Im scared to be alone here. Please stay with me. They dealt with Kyousukes errand first. He picked up a change of clothes from a storage locker near the monorail station and he changed from his uniform and into his usual hoodie. They then stopped by a student apartment in M Block. It seemed to be Librarian-chans home. It was located on the 27th floor of an ultra-high rise building towering up from the city. But with the large bridges on either side every five or ten stories, it felt more like being on the second or third floor. The room was a stereotypical one-room apartment. That meant she must not have been living with her family. Where are your parents? They live somewhere else. Its like time stopped for them after my sister died. It was like being surrounded by the awkward silence of an elevator twenty-four hours a day. I just couldnt stand it, so I used high school as a chance to leave. Librarian-chan turned on the lights and grabbed the air conditioners remote as she spoke. My mom and dad are kind and there isnt any real problem with them. In fact, I think theyre more loving than in a normal family, even including the amount they give for allowance. But I couldnt stand it. It was like I was getting everything that should have gone to my sister. They were probably telling me to be happy enough for my sister too, but it was a complicated feeling for me. That may have been why she talked about working part-time so often. She did not want to rely on what should have gone to her sister, so she had decided to live off of money she earned herself. Kyousuke glanced over at the table. A few hard cover books sat there. At school, she had claimed to have only bought two or three books and to borrow the rest from her parents. That suggested their relationship was not entirely cut off and she visited them from time to time. It was a complicated relationship, but she must not have felt completely cut off from them. At the very least, she did not want to lose her connection to them. That was obvious from the fear she had felt when faced with the fact that summoners and vessels were so easily forgotten. Some people who were dissatisfied with their life would actually rejoice when they heard that. Do you have a picture of your sister? No. As she selected her clothing from the closet, Librarian-chan replied with a self-deprecating smile on her lips. She walked to the changing room with the clothes in her arms. I havent been able to face her since that day. Thats why shes so angry. Thats what I realized when rumors of the Rainy Girl first started showing up on the internet around Japan. I knew people must be seeing her everywhere because she was searching for me with a look of pure rage on her face. She disappeared beyond the frosted glass door. He could tell she was removing her clothing from the movements of her silhouette. What kind of person was she? Im not really sure, replied a muffled voice in the changing room. To be honest, I cant really remember her anymore. And I dont just mean Im too scared to remember. Because of how her body ended up, her coffin was empty during the funeral. Thats all I can remember now. I should have so many memories: when we went to the beach, when we went to festivals, when we stayed up late into the night together, and so on. But theres just a blank spot there where her face should be. Just that blank emptiness seen through the coffins window. Kyousuke narrowed his eyes a little. (If she knew how the Rainy Girl acted in life and where she generally went, we might have been able to get ahead of her, but this doesnt sound very hopeful.) I see. Then thats fine. Youre so kind. After the incident, I was surrounded by people asking all sorts of questions. The Rainy Girl herself could be annihilated with a single Incense Grenade. It was hard to say if that was truly the best choice, but that was what Librarian-chan wanted. Which meant Sorry about the wait, she said after sliding open the frosted glass door. She wore a tight black shirt, a beige culotte skirt, and thick black tights. Overall, the outfit had a chocolate coloration and it was fairly adult-looking, just as he had requested. Like this, she would not immediately be taken into protective custody. Im ready to head out now, so where are we headed? I want to start by gathering some information. On my sister? That and anything else related to the current situation. The ghost phenomenon can be explained with the larger rules of the summoning ceremony. So if a ghost is showing up under unnatural circumstances, the odds are good the rules of the summoning ceremony are being used in some unnatural circumstances. That means I want to see what that industry is up to right now. He was not going to get anything out of Librarian-chan, the closest information source to the Rainy Girl herself, so he had to come up with another plan. That was one reason behind his suggestion. He pulled out his smartphone as he continued. Aika and Lu-san. It looks like Ill have to buy some information from the usual sources. Although being too indebted to those two could seriously be a matter of life or death. He complained as he used his index finger to send a text message to Aikas apartment. It said he had accepted a new job, he had bound a contract with a vessel, and he was on his way to buy some information. And there was one more thing. Yes. I should probably look into that as well. ? Ghosts do occur naturally, but since theyre explained by the summoning ceremony, its also possible for a summoner to intentionally cause one. The Rainy Girl herself is definitely your sister, but it bothers me that she started appearing so suddenly. It sounds like the rumors have spread throughout Japan and even to places like Guam and New York, but if we assume it truly started here in Toy Dream 35, its worth seeing if a nearby summoner maybe had something to do with this. He did not wait for a reply to his message. He had just about turned into Aikas caretaker, so he had a spare key. Also, that true shut-in and that top-class assassin had no concept of day and night. Lets get going. Knowing Aika, shell welcome us as long as we stop by a convenience store and buy her some limited edition chips or something. Come to think of it, I havent had anything to eat since I skipped work. Can we buy something on the way? They discussed their plans as they left the one-room apartment. It was still raining outside, but that did not mean the streets were not crowded with pedestrians. The Rainy Screen may not have been a useless endeavor after all. The polices anti-juvenile crime team was probably beginning their patrol at this time, but they could still see a few boys and girls wearing the same school uniforms walking across the bridges. Huh? Isnt that the student council president? Where? Over there in that crowd. Librarian-chan pointed over, but Kyousuke could not see any specific person among all the colorful umbrellas. As he searched, something bumped into his shoulder. Hm? What is it, boy? Isnt it a little late for someone with no club activities and no job? It was Benikomichi Fuuki. Their umbrellas audibly pressed against each other. And what are you doing here, Senpai? Im only now heading home, you coldhearted boy. As usual, I had to waste the entire day working things out between those spoiled student council members. Honestly, if you had acted as my human shield, I wouldnt have been dragged back to that boring student council room. If youre going to complain, can you at least not ignore the laws of this world as you do so? And after all that, there was some trouble just before leaving. Oh, you probably wouldnt know, but every speaker in the school was blasting static. We had to go around checking them all and we never did figure out what caused it. Sadly, it was about as wasted as wasted effort can be. Librarian-chans shoulders shook at the student council presidents exasperated and exhausted comment. The supernatural phenomenon in her head was now an objective fact and not just a vision she had seen. That simple fact seemed to peel back the thin layer of common sense from her mind. It seemed like she would have blood oozing from her heart before long. Benikomichi Fuuki seemed oblivious and continued casually chatting. Thanks to that, I suddenly realized it had gotten this late. I wont miss tonights drama since I can set my digital recorder with my smartphone, but I might have screamed if I couldnt do that. I see, said Kyousuke just to have something to say. However, the president seemed unwilling to say goodbye and leave. She pressed her umbrella further in against his and gave him an upturned look. B-by the way, Shiroyama Boy, I have a request. What is it? When Kyousuke asked, she used the hand not holding her umbrella to fidget with her long hair by her ear. This might ruin your image of an upperclassman, but Ive never actually walked out in public this late before. Ive heard rumors that the type of guest at Toy Dream 35 completely changes when all the neon turns on, so Id really rather not walk around alone at night if I can avoid it You cant, Shiroyama-kun!! You promised youd help me, didnt you!? Oh, whats this? Youre a popular guy, Shiroyama Boy. But Im not going to give in so easily. Wait, wait, stop pulling on my arms! And I dropped my umbrella! Im getting soaked! An outside observer might have been jealous, but the girls were acting out of fear. That meant they did not hold back. Pain raced through his shoulders and he was legitimately concerned his arms would pull right out of the sockets. And then, with no warning, all sound instantly vanished. The crowd walking every which way around them was still there and the rain providing constant noise had not vanished. It was a psychological issue. As a great number of people crossed the bridge, he heard a sound within the parade of so many lights. He heard it as clearly as a pebble thrown into a cave. It was a footstep. Wah! Shiroyamakun? What is it, Shiroyama Boy? He did not have time to answer. He looked back and saw a short boy standing about fifteen meters away. The boy was at most twelve. He wore a black shirt and bike shorts as well as a fluorescent yellow helmet and similarly colored elbow and knee protectors. They looked like kids rollerblading gear and the coloration was reminiscent of a hornets abdomen. His eyes did not contain the bright and innocent look one would expect at his age. The darkness lurking in his eye sockets was that of someone who lived in a world of killing. Hi. He spoke to Kyousuke. Immediately afterwards, he pulled something from his back. It resembled a three-sectioned staff, a nunchaku-like weapon of three connected rods, but when the internal wire tightened, it was remade into a long rod. It was a Blood-Sign. This was clearly a summoner. Benikomichi Fuuki knew nothing at all about the summoning ceremony, but even she must have noticed the odd aura surrounding the boy. Or perhaps without the summoning ceremony as a mental excuse or point of compromise, her mind worked uselessly and failed to process it. Do youknow him? The desire for any answer at all may have been why she asked that. But Kyousuke did not look back her way. He did not want to take his eyes off of this opponent. Are you an Illegal assassin? I saw your disgusting handiwork at the international airport. Even if you dont know why, surely you know where this is headed. A killer was sent out to kill, and here I am to do just that. If this assassin was from their industry, he would not have been sent out for something unrelated to the summoning ceremony. But at the same time, it would not be a continuation of the airport occupation surrounding that attache case. Thanks to Lu Niang Lan, Kyousuke had been taken out of that fight partway through. It had all ended just how Illegal had wanted, so he doubted they would do anything to him now. He also could not imagine it was related to the issue Alice (with) Rabbit was working on. He had only just bound his contract with Librarian-chan, so that would not have any connection to that industry. With one exception. Namely, the Rainy Girl who was connected to Librarian-chan and could be explained within the rules of the summoning ceremony. (Were investigating the Rainy Girl, we stopped by Librarian-chans apartment, and were taking this route to Aikas apartment. Where did he pick up on that information?) After some thought, he easily found the answer. Their communications had been intercepted. However, the problem would not be with Kyousukes smartphone or Aikas computer. A professional would focus on the flow of information more than the average person. More importantly, there was a simpler and more realistic answer. (Had he already set something up in the Librarian-chans apartment and the surrounding cellphone towers? That way he could have stolen my message inside the relay hardware. That would mean hes been monitoring anyone connected to the Rainy Girl for a while.) But that was all he knew. Illegal was a collection of about 330 criminal organizations. This assassin belonged to that group and he would supply professional violence for anyone who paid an appropriate sum, so why would he be fixated on a ghost like the Rainy Girl? Kyousuke had no way of figuring that out. The only path to revealing the answer was to fight. Would it be a violation of your style to ask why? This is to keep you from telling anyone what you just now realized. I cant say any more than that. Just as he gave his answer, the wall of the building behind the small assassin exploded and crumbled. Pieces of concrete larger than bricks poured down. They collided with the glass of a monorail passing by nearby and the monorail rapidly braked, creating a row of orange sparks and a screeching noise. Quite a few umbrellas were broken and people screamed as they fled in every direction. They were all driven by the identical desire to escape as quickly as possible, but they pulled at each others legs as they tried to push forward. Kyousuke immediately reached behind himself to pull out the Repliglass Blood-Sign coiled there. But a hand tugged on his arm. It was Benikomichi Fuukis as her face grew pale with fear. Wh-what was that!? Did that boy do that? B-butah wah wah wah wah wah wah wah wah! The policewe need to get downum, we need to do something! Meanwhile, the assassin lifted the corners of his mouth in a smile and raised his Blood-Sign. He moved the tip from Kyousukes face and aimed it at Benikomichi Fuuki instead. As soon as he saw that, Kyousuke swept the nearby presidents feet out from under her to knock her to the ground. At the same time, he took a step forward and pulled an Incense Grenade from his hoodie. Only after completing the series of actions did his mind realize why he had taken them. Yes, why did he need an Incense Grenade? To set up an Artificial Sacred Ground. What did it mean if an Artificial Sacred Ground had yet to be set up? The environment was not yet prepared for summoning a Material. Then where was the assassin boys vessel? It was true that buildings wall had crumbled, but had a Material really done that? It happened a moment later. Suddenly, a dull impact struck him from behind. He looked over his shoulder and saw a large pair of sewing scissors stabbed into the center of his back. He looked up at who held them down at their hip with both hands. It was Student Council President Benikomichi Fuuki. An unpleasant scraping sound was audible even from outside his body. The glasses and braid girl that Shiroyama Kyousuke called Librarian-chan did not understand what had happened before her eyes. Based on what Kyousuke had said, the short boy standing in their way was a summoner. And that boy had something to do with the building wall being blown away. But who was the student council president if she was assisting the summoner? If she was his helper, did that make her a vessel, just like the girl? That seemed like the most sensible answer, but then some things did not add up. Yes. Benikomichi Fuuki was a high schools student council president. If, like Kyousuke and the girl now, she was forgotten as soon as she stepped outside ones field of vision, a discrepancy would crop up somewhere, but nothing had seemed off before. But at the same time, Kyousuke was also easily forgotten. So even if a normal person was helping the enemy summoner, they would forget about their target. That would prevent a planned attack. So when it came down to it, what was Benikomichi Fuuki? Was she a vessel or a normal person? Sothats it, said Kyousuke with the scissors still stabbed deep into his back. As long as youfollow the necessary procedure, a summoner and vessels contract can be reworked at will. And any pair awards are generally managed by the summoner. He was answered by a breath of laughter. Benikomichi Fuuki looked overjoyed as she practically leaned up against Kyousukes back. Thats right, Shiroyama Boy. Just cancel the contract and the vessel becomes a normal human once more. And then people wont forget about you. Were yourepeatedly binding and releasing the contractat intervals of five or ten minutes? What if we were? Rebinding the contract is possible, but no one knows exactly how it works or how safe it is. Who knows what kind of side effects will show up later on Still, it allowed us to safely defeat Freedom Award 903, Alice (with) Rabbit. Dont you think that will extend our lives a lot, lot longer than any eventual side effects could counteract? Isee. Kyousuke took a shallow, shallow breath. And then If that was the plan, then Ive got bad news. His voice was low. A moment later, a cloud of doubt appeared on Benikomichi Fuukis face as she held the sewing scissors. With a dull sensation, intense pressure reached the blade buried in his body. Push or pull, they would not budge. Not even a single millimeter. It felt like they were caught in a gap inside a giant boulder. What!? This cant possibly all be human muscle!! Of course it isnt. A tremendous force hit the scissors and they were knocked from the presidents hands. As they flew up into the air, the back of Kyousukes hoodie split vertically. The sewing scissors spun through the air, over the bridges railing, and down into the sea. The torn hoodie fluttered in the wind. Only then did Benikomichi Fuuki catch on. She had not stabbed Kyousukes back. It was a Repliglass Blood-Sign!? Sorry, but its usually coiled up on my back. You could shoot me from behind with a handgun and it wouldnt kill me. Youd caught on from the start and intentionally lured me in? No, it couldnt be that simple!! No, Im not about to claim Id figured everything out. I had my doubts, but I still tried to protect you. You tricked me just fine. Kyousuke did not try to show off. He did not need to. But my body moved on its own while my mind was hesitating. I was probably searching out every possibility at some deep, subconscious level. For example, wasnt it odd for you to appear just before this happened? Even as he spoke, Kyousuke was taking his next action. His elbow shot back and mercilessly struck the president in the gut. Gahah!? Her sexy body doubled over as she gasped for breath. This time, he sent his Blood-Sign back to fill in the slight gap created between them. The tip flew like a bullet to knock her unconscious. She had trouble breathing, but the president still managed a shout. Hayato!! That was the magic word. As soon as she said it, Kyousukes aim was thrown off. Benikomichi Fuuki had nearly been clinging to him, but her presence suddenly vanished. However, she did not seem to have any special physical abilities like Lu Niang Lan. And a normal high school girl should not have been able to avoid Kyousukes attack. Then what had made it possible? The answer was simple. The assassin summoner named Hayato really had thrown an Incense Grenade this time. In addition to setting up an Artificial Sacred Ground, it automatically called the summoner and vessel over to the point of detonation. Tch!! Kyousuke clicked his tongue and rotated the Blood-Sign in his hand to immediately shift from a martial arts stance to a summoning ceremony one. The two enemies were leaning up against one another. The summoner was the assassin named Hayato and the vessel was Student Council President Benikomichi Fuuki. The three-dimensional Rose created from the 216 Petals was already floating between Kyousuke and Hayato. The initial three White Thorns floated in front of them. This is perfect. Librarian-chan! Its time I showed you just what we can do in the summoning ceremony. You can learn how to be a vessel while we fight!! Eh, eh!? Were going to fight her? Really!? What do you mean fight!? But, um, thats the student council president! I dont know why, but theyve decided they cant let us investigate the Rainy Girl any further and are here to stop us. Theres some information there they want to keep hidden even if it means killing someone. If we dont break through this, we cant reach the truth. So lets go, Librarian-chan!! They were surrounded by the solid sounds of hard objects striking each other. The Rose was a three-dimensional shape made from the 216 Petals. Kyousuke and Hayato simultaneously launched White Thorns as if to crush the Rose from either side. The White Thorns left a laser beam-like trail behind and instantly smashed the Rose to pieces. The low sound, middle sound, high sound, and lowest sound Petals scattered in every direction and bounced wildly around on all the obstacles: the ground, the streetlights, the edges of the Artificial Sacred Ground, etc. As soon as the Rose was smashed, countless holes known as Spots opened around the Artificial Sacred Ground. They were dark, fist-sized holes opened in space itself. They looked like miniature black holes and the ricocheting Petals were sucked into them. As they fell into the Spots, they were added to a summoners stock. Librarian-chan!! Fuuki-san!! They both cried out as the vessel girls changed form. Librarian-chans silhouette spiraled around and she became a giant mass of sticky yellow liquid three meters tall that weighed seven hundred kilograms. It had a cost of one high sound. Known as the Original Yellow (s), it was one of the most basic Materials. Meanwhile, Benikomichi Fuuki became a similar mass of sticky green liquid. It had a cost of one middle sound and it was known as the Original Green (k). Everything could grow infinitely from there. Depending on how things developed, this could lead to the Divine or even Unexplored-class. It was frightening to think of, but even the White Queen, strongest of the strong, was no exception. (In the three-way stalemate of sound range, I have the advantage. If hes skilled enough to easily reach the Divine-class, it might be best to finish this before he can build up his Material too much. If I can continue predicting what hell do next, I can keep my sound range advantage and crush him with that!!) With that in mind, Kyousuke thought of a few different Materials and the evolutionary tree that branched out from them. He instantly grasped the locations of all the Petals and Spots scattered throughout the Artificial Sacred Ground and accurately calculated out what rails his White Thorns would follow after he hit them. But Yes, I know that, Fuuki-san. Hayato muttered to himself as he held a mental conversation with the president. You are my mistress. As always, you just do what you want. Ill make sure it all works out. A moment later, the battle began. However, it did not start with the yellow and green goo clashing at the midpoint between each other. The Original Green that Benikomichi Fuuki had become, mercilessly smashed the giant bridge. Kyousuke and Librarian-chan immediately sank down. Gravity was pulling them. Their footing crumbled, but as a summoner, Shiroyama Kyousuke immediately saw what they were after. You!! Ha ha. Thats right!! The summoning ceremony contained the following rules: The Artificial Sacred Ground is set up once an Incense Grenade is used. The Artificial Sacred Ground is set up relative to the contact surface when the Incense Grenade detonates. Thus, it can be set up relative to a wall or ceiling rather than the floor or ground. In that case, the summoners and Materials will ignore gravity and stick to the wall or ceiling. But what happened if the Artificial Sacred Grounds contact surface was destroyed? The answer was simple: The Artificial Sacred Ground will be reconstructed based on the next contact surface stepped on by the summoner who set up the Artificial Sacred Ground. If that is a wall or ceiling, the direction of the artificial gravity will change to match. In that case, unlike when the Incense Grenade detonates, the opponent summoner and vessel will also be pulled toward the new gravitational direction. As he fell, Assassin Boy Hayato forced his feet onto the building wall as if stomping onto it. A moment later, the direction of Kyousuke and the Original Yellows fall greatly changed. They fell toward the building wall. Unable to land properly, they collided with the wall. Librarian-chan, abandon your human senses! Right now, not even a sword or bullet could hurt you!! Her problem was a much more fundamental one. Even if she liked fairy tales, it was not so easy to accept the real thing so suddenly. Meanwhile, the situation was already underway. The many Petals floating around the old Artificial Sacred Ground poured down into the new one as if they had been struck by a giant hand. They bounced around wildly even without any interference from a Blood-Sign and White Thorn. Hayato targeted them and accurately launched his White Thorn. Before Kyousuke could get up and pursue this new turn of events, Benikomichi Fuukis Original Green smashed the building wall as well. He did not even have time to regain his balance. Each time they fell, collided, and created a new surface, the Material would destroy the new contact surface after only a few seconds. Each time, Kyousuke, Librarian-chan, and the many Petals were pulled around with the moving Artificial Sacred Ground. It felt like being attached to an invisible chain and flailed around as a human morning star. !! The Materials body was incredibly tough and the summoner was surrounded by a protective circle, so this was not enough to kill them. But being swung around so constantly cost Kyousuke any chance to aim and launch a White Thorn. The simplest shot in the summoning ceremony was to place a straight line between the White Thorn, the Petal, and the Spot and then to hit the center of the White Thorn with the Blood-Sign for a shot with no spin. That way, the Petal would only travel in a straight line. Even a rookie could easily build up their Material like that, but it was completely unusable in this situation. Each time the Artificial Sacred Ground changed, all of the Petals were pulled with it and began bouncing around wildly. Unlike a stopped Petal, a moving Petal would deviate from the direction in which the White Thorn hit it. That required taking two vectors into consideration when launching the White Thorn. And that was while the artificial gravity constantly moved to the walls or ceiling to swing the summoner around. Whether or not they knew in advance where the stage would move created an unavoidable gap in reaction speed. And that lag led to a definite difference in Material development. They spread destruction for that reason alone. They destroyed the city, the scenery, peoples homes, and the places of rest for complete strangers. Again and again, they could be heard landing on new surfaces. At the moment, Kyousuke and the others were inside a giant office. Thick columns were lined up horizontally like log bridges and they each landed on different ones. Petals no one had touched fell into Spots on their own and fruitlessly vanished. Countless steel desks and wheeled chairs were lined up vertically. The bottom of the valley below them was a group of shattered windows. Their Materials had changed again and again as time passed. Kyousukes was the Greedy Demon-Devouring Spider (nu - wm - ei - lvz - fc - o - zi). Cost: 14. Sound Range: High. It was a brutal, three meter spider colored red and black. Rather than spinning a web for an indirect attack, it directly attacked its prey and injected digestive fluids with its fangs to melt the enemy Material from within. Hayatos was the Ugly and Pitiful Insect Swollen with Tragedy that Eats into the Void (lu - ei - map - ab - ou - od - nu - mel - o - yi). Cost: 21. Sound Range: Middle. It looked like a caterpillar larger than a car. Each time that incarnation of hunger wriggled and greedily moved its mouth, it ate into the scenery like it was biting into a leaf. Librarian-chans voice reached the back of Kyousukes mind. Her tone was distorted and she still seemed confused, but she must have seen something she simply could not accept. The core of that cry may have overlapped with her family issue. The dead monster that had become the Rainy Girl had once been her sister. After having her family so unfairly taken from her, she could not overlook that same sort of unfairness here. And that emotion brought enough anger to overpower the confusion and fear of becoming one with an incomprehensible monster. Just maintain that spirit. Hold the reins of the Materials mind and imagine youre pointing its targeting cursor directly at your opponent! Then the monster will attack that opponent on its own!! In the artificial gravity control strategy, one repeatedly destroyed the Artificial Sacred Grounds footing and frequently moved between the walls and the ceiling. Assassin Summoner Hayato was using that strategy as a means of obstructing his opponents growth rather than building up his own Material. Figuring out the trick did not give his opponent a solution. First, using the Blood-Sign and White Thorns to build up a Material was as mentally taxing as sniping. When the artificial gravitys direction was constantly changing and the summoner was being swung around every which way, there was no way they could focus. Second, all of the Petals moved to new locations each time the Artificial Sacred Ground changed. Hitting moving Petals into the Spots was far more difficult than with stopped Petals. Plus, the Artificial Sacred Grounds footing was always established relative to the summoner who had started the battle. Even if Kyousuke destroyed their footing, the next Artificial Sacred Ground would still be established relative to the surface Hayato stood on, so he could not copy his enemys technique. That meant Hayato always knew whether the next footing would be on the floor, the wall, or the ceiling. The summoner and Petals moved in relation to him, so he could begin his calculations before making his move. Hayato could prepare and focus while Kyousuke had to react after being swung around and that recovery time created a slight lag. As that accumulated, it affected his skill with the Blood-Sign. The gap in Material development speed grew to dangerous levels. But even in this situation, Kyousuke kept fighting back against the assassin. He continually switched to the sound range that allowed him to make up for the growing gap in cost. But even that would not last forever. Once the cost gap grew to 10, the difference in sound range could be overpowered with brute strength. (The current cost gap is averaging to about 5. Im always out ahead and he cant turn this around now.) Sometimes on the offices round columns, sometimes on the windows, sometimes on the underside of a giant bridge between buildings, and sometimes on the side of high rise buildings, Hayato moved from footing to footing while swinging around the Alice (with) Rabbit pair. The lines of red Petals chased after them like a group of tail lights. Each move left the area wrapped in serious damage, but he did not care about that. The assassins did not sneak through the shadows to do their work. When a crime occurred, people grew angry. Wars created even longer and more powerful chains of hatred. But could people feel anger when faced with a natural disaster that utterly surpassed human understanding? The answer was no. When the destruction was on too great a scale, people were robbed of the normal emotions. By using beings of another world to kill, they had already entered that realm. So once Hayato and Benikomichi Fuuki used the summoning ceremony, there was nowhere to run, nowhere to hide, and no way of dodging the issue. As if showing off that otherworldly majesty, they would wield its fury until their objective was complete. So any who stood before them would be crushed by those jaws. Even if it was Freedom Award 903, Alice (with) Rabbit. Except What? Hayato expressed some slight confusion as he used Benikomichi Fuukis power to break horizontally through three high rise buildings worth of windows and land on the side of the rail to a roller coaster that was going unused due to the rainy weather. He had yet to defeat Shiroyama Kyousukes Material. He had yet to pass a cost gap of 10. In fact (How is he catching up!?) Kyousuke had the Wind-Consuming and Obstacle-Crushing Horse (va - ei - lvz - km - ei - ox - cec - uy). Cost: 18. Sound Range: High. As its name suggested, it was a rampaging horse as large as a train car. Its method of attack was simple: it simply charged straight ahead and leveled anything in its path. Hayato had the Pitiable Doll Covered in Spikes of Hatred (jok - bf - ei - md - a - xov - wuz - r - mel - oq). Cost: 22. Sound Range: Middle. It was a life-sized doll fully bound by chains and with countless metal spikes stabbing into it. The monster used the power of blood to fire out the spikes so it could take as many people as possible along with it to the grave. (Why is the cost gap shrinking?) Kyousuke had the Man-Eating Stuffed Animal Swollen with Innocent Darkness (mul - o - iu - ou - dhc - weq - ei - lvz - a - icg). Cost: 23. Sound Range: Low. A giant shredded stuffed animal had reddish darkness rather than cotton bursting from the ripped cloth. Instead of biting or tearing, it swallowed its target into its belly and contaminated them. Hayato had the Scorching Killer Smile in a Vortex of Purple Electricity (kub - miq - a - sx - wzb - mu - ou - vew - l - a - zfc). Cost: 24. Sound Range: High. A neon bluish-purple light appeared directly in space itself and formed a giant smile over ten meters across. Anyone who touched it or even carelessly approached would be fried. It was gradual, but the gap between their Materials costs was closing. Plus, Kyousuke was always maintaining the sound range that gave him an advantage over Hayato. At this rate, Hayato would be the one having trouble. In fact (Will he catch up? No, could he even pass me? But Im the one creating our footing, so he should be playing catch up.) Even now, the world seemed to be spinning around and around as their footing moved to new walls, floors, and ceilings. Each time they moved to a building, bridge, attraction rail, or pillar, all of the preconditions crumbled away. Before even thinking about landing, it should have been difficult to make any sense of ones shaken vision. And yet Its simple. Kyousuke raised his Blood-Sign and spoke as if he had read Hayatos mind. And he landed on the new footing almost more nimbly than Hayato, the supposed master of this place. Its just like the long jump or the high jump. The athletes dont start preparing for their landing only after making their jump. They determine how to position their body before the jump and even before the approach run. They only start moving after deciding on their target. You dont mean Your breathing, the movement of your eyes, the tension in your muscles, the adjustments to your balance All the information I needed was right there in your body. All I had to do was read that and I knew when and where the next footing would be. In a world turned 90 degrees on its side, Kyousuke and Hayato landed on streetlight and a traffic light poles. And the calculations for the moving Petals are simple too. I just have to think of it from a starting point of 45 degrees. If I hit a moving Petal at a right angle with a White Thorn moving at the exact same speed, the Petal will continue at a diagonal angle of 45 degrees. Thats an easier calculation than determining the position of the sun with the hands of your watch. That was nonsense. It was nothing more than a theoretical value. If he did not perfectly hit the center of the Petal or if either one had even a slight spin to it, the Petal would veer off course. But Kyousuke had actually done it. He had the power needed to do so. But Hayato could not accept it. (That just means hes intercepting my behavior patterns to predict our footing and the movement of the Petals. Even if he could catch up like that, he couldnt pass me.) No, wait. The assassin boy looked down at his own feet. He finally grasped something as he stared at the traffic light pole that had become something like a log bridge. (Is this like shogi or chess? I get to choose our next footing, but my choices arent unlimited. I have to create the Artificial Sacred Ground relative to where I next place my feet, so I cant use any location I cant reach on the first step.) Which meant (The summoners location, the cost and sound range of the Materials, and the terrain conditions If you could accurately analyze all that, you could create a tree diagram of the possible courses we could take. Then this wouldnt be the same as a highly random game of rock paper scissors. Sodid hesee through all of that?) Is something the matter? Hayato heard a voice. He heard the voice of a summoner who had likely predicted their next footing before the assassin boy himself had. Did you figure something out this late in the game? Haha ha. Hayato laughed. At that point, he had already lost most of his advantage. Kyousuke had the Shark King that Swims through the Ocean of the Void in a Vortex of Purple Electricity (kub - miq - sx - lu - a - hf - ei - tok - enl - a - vjz). Cost: 25. Sound Range: Middle. A man-eating shark the size of a semi truck swam freely through the air. Each time its razor-sharp teeth bit down, bluish-white sparks flew and the target was thoroughly shredded with extreme temperatures exceeding those of an arc welder. Hayato had the Sharp Shockwave Wings that Blow Away All that Oppose Them (du - vo - a - cuw - bf - ei - zix - nal - me - a - qi - a - fd). Cost: 26. Sound Range: Low. A giant bizarre bird had eight wings arranged in a circle like propellers. When it flapped those wings, shockwaves scattered through the entire surrounding area and the shockwaves focused in on a single point to crush the enemy like light gathered by a concave mirror. The cost gap was almost entirely gone. Hayato had the disadvantage as far as the sound range was concerned. Given the situation, he would soon be caught up and surpassed on the cost front as well. It was just like a cup filled so full the surface tension was at its limit. Once the collapse began, there was no going back. It would all be over. More than nine minutes had already passed. An Artificial Sacred Ground created by an Incense Grenade lasted around ten minutes on average. There were only a few dozen seconds left, but even that felt like an eternity. Each and every second seemed to stretch out infinitely with a sense of death and defeat. But Did you think this was all I had? If youve got another trick up your sleeve, Id hurry it up. You dont have much time left. Thats exactly what Ill do. With those words, the Material that Benikomichi Fuuki had fused with dropped down and violently broke the traffic light pole Hayato stood on. The footing was lost, so the Artificial Sacred Ground sought its next surface. That was the same as before, but something was different. ? Kyousukes eyebrows moved a little. At first, he may not have been able to predict what Hayato was doing. That was hardly surprising. A moment later, the Material took a U-turn and struck Hayatos airborne body from below. The summoner was contained inside the protective circle, so he was not crushed. Hayato shot upwards like a ball hit by a metal bat. As he did, he placed his feet on one of the streetlights that were evenly spaced along a vertical line. He was about five hundred meters away. However (Since the Material hit me, I was moving far faster than a humans falling speed. So what happens now that I created a new Artificial Sacred Ground?) The answer was readily apparent. (Youll be forcibly accelerated when the wall of the new Artificial Sacred Ground slams into you. This goes far beyond a trampoline. Youll be thrown like you stepped onto a catapult.) This was his secret technique. It was his vertical launching tactic. After a short delay, Kyousuke caught up to Hayato And the many Petals came with him. Kyousuke had not just fallen upwards. He had been thrown nearly to the top of the new Artificial Sacred Ground like he had been stuffed into a cannon and fired. Unlike Hayato, Kyousuke had no footing. That was a simple but crucial difference. Even if he was a summoner who controlled Materials from another world and wielded their paranormal power, it was still based in the physical actions of using the Blood-Sign. The ability to plant ones feet on the ground and use their bodys full strength made all the difference. Using all the muscles in the body and rotating the hips to throw a ball was far more powerful and accurate than only using the strength of the hands. This was the same. Hayato raised his Blood-Sign as if targeting Kyousuke up in the air. He thrust the tip forward. There was still a risk of Kyousuke catching up or surpassing him, but that was only a possibility. As things were, Hayato still had the upper hand. So he would end the current trend. He would nip that possibility in the bud before Kyousuke actually caught up. His opponent would be unable to build up his Material properly while tossed up to the top of the Artificial Sacred Ground and while the footing changed yet again. The damage would build up during that time. Hayatos Material could completely crush Kyousukes in its jaws. Lets end this, Freedom. This is an assassins job. But then a change came over Shiroyama Kyousuke after being blasted up into the sky. He quickly twisted around and rotated like a gymnast. It was not at all the same as pathetically flailing his limbs around. He must have been helping his own bodys spin because there was a clear axis to it. Even now, he maintained his stability. For an instant, his gaze pierced Hayato. Itcant be Tension ran through the assassin boys body as he stood on the streetlight pole. Sweat covered the palm holding his Blood-Sign. (Hes still fighting even now? He plans to accurately launch his White Thorns!?) Deafening sounds crossed paths like nearby lightning strikes. They were Kyousuke and Hayato. They both used their Blood-Signs to powerfully launch a White Thorn. Would Kyousuke catch up or would Hayato pull out ahead? That question went unanswered. The Artificial Sacred Ground suddenly vanished. Ten minutes had passed. The time was up. Their bizarrely shaped Materials returned to being lovely girls. At the same time, gravity returned to the proper direction. Hayato and Benikomichi Fuuki slid down and landed on a giant bridge. But Kyousuke and his vessel had moved out past the bridge, so they fell down between the high-rise buildings. They would likely slip past the countless crisscrossing bridges and reach the ocean at the very bottom. Benikomichi Fuuki spoke as she placed her hands on the railing and peered down into the dark ocean far below. So we failed to finish him off. Should we pursue them, mistress? No, weve used up the advantage of a surprise attack. If were going to kill him, we need to plan everything out from scratch. We arent looking for a fair fight. An assassin searches for a surefire way to kill their target. A girls high-pitched scream burst out. Kyousuke spread out his arms and legs like a skydiver to increase his air resistance and moved horizontally to avoid the many levels of bridges. A single hit would mean instant death. However, Librarian-chan fell right past him in a tailspin. She had not kept her balance. At this rate, she would hit one of the bridges. When he saw that, Kyousuke made a change of plans. He brought his arms and legs together to make a single line out of his body. This lowered air resistance as much as possible and boosted the speed of his fall. Aware of the risk, he dove head-first toward the earth in an attempt to catch up to Librarian-chan. He grabbed her arm. He swung his arms and legs to spin them around. The two of them passed just twenty centimeters from the railing of a bridge and continued plummeting toward the water below. The dark ocean surface approached. The water parted and Kyousuke heard the ear-splitting roar of a splash taller than he was. He immediately started for the surface, but then he saw Librarian-chan floating like seaweed. Hitting the water had knocked her unconscious. He grabbed her again and swam toward the surface. Once his head finally broke the surface, he filled his lungs with oxygen. Librarian-chan? Librarian-chan!! Uhah? Her groans changed to intense coughing as she came to. Cough, cough, cough!! Wh-what in the world is going on? We lost them for the time being, but we cant relax just yet. Lets use some building or another to get back up and lose them for real. If they keep attacking, itll just wear us down. Whowas that? An assassin from our industry. That much seems certain. What does someone so dangerous have to do with my sisters ghost? I dont know. But that interference has changed the situation somewhat. ? At any rate, we need to find a safe route and get to Aikas apartment. We need as much information as we can get. But first, they were soaking wet. It had been raining on and on in and around Toy Dream 35, so a fair number of people were wet after forgetting their umbrella or having it stolen while they were inside a store. The problem was how they smelled of seawater. On top of that, Shiroyama Kyousukes hoodie had been torn in the battle. Even if they would be forgotten soon enough, it meant the end of his humanity if he stopped caring if he gathered an embarrassing sort of attention. As an adolescent high school boy, he could not allow himself to shamelessly walk around the city while defenselessly exposed and soaking wet. So Phew. Its times like these when these storage lockers really come in handy. Um, Shiroyama-kun. Why do you have so many identical hoodies and pants? Oh, this isnt an obsession or anything. These are the most common models from this company. So if another summoner happens to see me on the job, I dont have to worry as much about them identifying me by my clothing. Although its a relatively small industry, so it isnt a huge help. But what about a change of clothes for me? Do you really think I own girls clothing? When he answered her question with a question of his own, she grabbed his ear and dragged him to a nearby laundromat. She then made a demand while in her soaking wet clothing. Shiroyama-kun, take off your hoodie and hand it over. Now youre essentially mugging me!? I have to wash and dry these clothes! That will take about an hour altogether, so are you telling me to stand around naked that entire time!? So just take that off already!! Cmon, strip!! Stop, wait! Mhh, mhh! Before Kyousuke could protest too much, Librarian-chan stole his hoodie. The summoner held his body and trembled while she made yet another demand. Okay, Shiroyama-kun. Turn around 180 degrees and dont you turn back around until I say you can. Im cold Im going to catch cold like this A girl is about to strip with nothing to hide behind! Youre supposed to be blushing!! He waited as instructed and heard a wet sound behind him. The wet clothing must have clung to her skin because he heard occasional breaths of struggle. After he heard one of the washing machines along the wall running, Librarian-chan made an announcement. You can turn around now. He did so and saw Librarian-chan wearing his hoodie. He could see her white thighs almost all the way up to the base, more than one washing machine was running, and one of them was set to the stockings and underwear mode, so she apparently truly was naked except for the hoodie. When she sat on the bench next to topless Kyousuke, the scene gained a somehow criminal feel and it was incredibly awkward. But even if summoners could not be punished by the usual rules, he disciplined himself with his own policies! Librarian-chan sat there like a substitute athlete warming the bench and she watched her clothing spinning beyond the transparent lid. She had undone her braid, so her hair was wavy and wet. She had also removed her glasses, so she looked quite different from normal. It only made her look more refined. Shiroyama-kun, are you always doing things like this? N-no. I have to admit I dont often have my clothes stolen by my vessel. Not that. Librarian-chan faced the washing machines and swung her white feet. Are you always, um, how should I put it? Causing trouble like that? She may have been reluctant to use the word fight in reference to reality. Kyousuke sighed. Did it scare you to become one with the Material? It did, but more importantly She briefly hesitated to continue. I think it really freaked me out that everyone would forget about me. I mean, if they can forget about me, that means the world can get on just fine without me. Its almost like Im looking at a world where I died and am no longer a part of it. She may have seen it that way due to her sister. The Rainy Girl. Does it not scare you, Shiroyama-kun? Im used to it. Do you ever want to return to the way things were before? Im still going to school just fine like this. He was Freedom Award 903. Once someone reached 1000, they would become one of the gods rather than a part of mankind and they would become the protagonist of a new legend as a resident of the other side. But there was no point in bringing that up here. Librarian-chan only wanted to do something about her sister and Kyousuke was not driven by such an obvious desire. This was smaller than that. It was the story of two people who were willing to risk their lives for something like this. School, hm? Its only been a day, but that seems so far away now. Shiroyama-kun, do you never get bored looking at the textbooks? I get the feeling you could look at it all and decide its worthless to you. And you would actually mean it, unlike the people who use it as an excuse. No, not really. On this alone, Kyousuke did not hesitate even a second to answer. Im just some brat who hasnt even lived two full decades, so what do I know about the world? I still trust that I at least have enough sense left to remember that. Or perhaps it was the world that he wanted to trust in. Was the miniature garden of the school a symbol of that? Since he would be forgotten as soon as anyone looked away, he could never pass a real entrance exam and get into the school. Even if he scored a perfect 100, no one would remember it. Since he was still attending high school, he had to have used some kind of special method and that alone showed just how attached to the school he was. Librarian-chan squeezed the sleeves of the hoodie in her hands and smiled a little as she spoke. Im glad you arent a robotic kind of person. Humans arent that strong. You learn that all too well when youve been a summoner for long enough. For example, Aika had been so badly hurt when everyone forgot about her that she had given up on holding any hope in the outside world. For example, Lu Niang Lans life had been dragged around by her great skill and she could no longer escape Illegal. For every one of them, life was a struggle. The more superior any of them looked from the outside, the more twisted they truly were. The president was pretty incredible too said Librarian-chan. That girl had stabbed someone in the back with sewing scissors and accepted in a monster as a vessel. Not even Kyousuke knew where Benikomichi Fuukis true nature lay. She might have been like that from the moment she was born or there may have been a major turning point in her life. But Librarian-chan seemed to think it was taking a step into this industry that had done it. Was it not a shock to you, Shiroyama-kun? You seemed to get along pretty well at school. Wegot along? It at least looked that way. Librarian-chan actually looked surprised by Kyousukes response. But that may have had less to do with his relationship with the girl and more to do with his inability to judge how close he was to other people. Finally, he answered her question. It was a surprise, I suppose. If it was a shock, then it means you did get along. I see. Does it not upset you? I do wonder what Ill do starting tomorrow. When I realize I might not be able to talk with her at school like that anymore, I guess it does make me a little sad. Oh, so you like your pretty friend, do you? Librarian-chan then laughed a little. She seemed to have remembered her comment about being glad he was not robotic. But in that case, dont you want to save her? I mean, my sister takes top priority, but, um, I could still help with that. Kyousuke narrowed his eyes a little. No, I cant do that. Why not? I still havent saved you after you asked me to. Sorry, but I cant make a promise that amounts to abandoning someone. As he spoke, Kyousuke looked Librarian-chan right in the eye. I-I see. When the girl blushed and averted her gaze a bit, Kyousuke interpreted it incorrectly. Did that make you think Im robotic? Eh? No, it wasnt that But its hard to explain Dont worry. As I said before, the uniqueness of the summoning ceremony is dependent on the summoner. Save for exceptional cases like Lu-san, you just have to cancel your contract with me once the job is complete. Then people will stop forgetting you and you wont be susceptible to possession by vengeful and evil spirits. So you can just think of this like an overseas trip. She could return to normal. Her expression briefly lit up at that, but then she realized something. Hey, in that casewhat will you do? He shrugged. Im still trying to figure that out. Onii-chan. How many times do I have to tell you this is a shut-in girls final stronghold? And? Why and for what possible reason are you thoughtlessly bringing yet another girl here!? It doesnt make any sense!! It was just before ten at night. They had run across that summoner assassin at around 7:30. After the ten minute battle, they had spent about an hour at the laundromat and then come here, so that meant they had taken a very careful and roundabout route. That showed just how cautious Kyousuke was about their enemies. Librarian-chans clothing had made a full recovery in the washer and dryer and Kyousuke had his hoodie back, so he was back to normal aside from the faint scent of soap on his hoodie. Oh, this is the new Korokke-chan they were selling at the convenience store. Its a special for the Rainy Screen campaign and it has Western wasabi powder on it. Hm. That Ill take. I still refuse to accept my Onii-chans thoughtless behavior, though!! As she complained, Aika opened up the paper bag used to shake up the wasabi powder-covered fried food. Um, Kyousuke-chan, cut in Lu Niang Lan. Something greasy probably isnt best, so did you buy a normal meal too? We bought and ate sauted pork and grilled vegetable sandwiches on the way. More importantly, I have something to ask you, Lu-san. Before that. ? How about you look after that girl? She looks really jumpy and isnt showing any sign of joining in the conversation. When the Modified China Dress Beauty pointed that out, Kyousuke looked behind him. The always cheerful Librarian-chan had become incredibly quiet ever since entering the large living room. She was wearing her idea of adult-looking clothes after drying them at the laundromat. She uncomfortably fidgeted with her braided hair, but it was not that she was feeling shy around the strange people here. The real reason was obvious. It had to be the sofa that Swimsuit Girl Aika was leaning against. Anyone would grow nervous when faced with five meter beast. U-um, Shiroyama-kun? Thats a pet, isnt it? It isnt going to get up and roar, is it? Dont ask me. But knowing Aika, I doubt its been trained properly. And Im not too confident a white liger can even be tamed in the first place. Then why are you all so calm!? Shh! Shouting or turning your back on it is dangerous! Meanwhile, Aika, its owner, was leaning up against the beast in a completely defenseless outfit while chowing down on junk food that had to be stimulating the animals stomach with its smell. It was unclear what was safe and what was dangerous. And if you feel unsafe, you can always hide behind Lu-san. If the beast goes on a rampage, she can deal with it barehanded. Umm, thats scary enough on its own. Is she a hermit who lives deep in the mountains or something? Librarian-chans voice was shaking. But since that young woman had the skill to take out any summoner with nothing but her bare hands and hidden weapons, it may have been right to worry about her more than the white liger. So Kyousuke-chan, what did you want to ask me? Its about the Illegal assassin that showed up at the end of everything at the airport before, said Kyousuke. He attacked us earlier, so do you know anything about him? Oh, him. Lu Niang Lan seemed hesitant. I decided to look into him since he pissed me offbut I couldnt find any Illegal records on him. What does that mean? Since he showed up there, his actions had to have been a plus for Illegal, but he may have been a summoner with no connection to us, a Freedom summoner that Illegal hired through an intermediary, or A secret weapon who Illegal keeps hidden? The information had dried up right off the bat. That was fine if they never saw him again after that one battle, but the odds of that were low. So it was best if they could gather some information on his habits, special traits, and weaknesses, but By the way, Kyousuke-chan, how skilled was this unknown? He was more of a pain than he was powerful. We used the full ten minutes, but we never even made it out of the Regulation-class and to the Divine-class. An interference type, huh? That does sound like a pain. Lu Niang Lan smiled and waved a hand dismissively. Then, Kyousuke-chan, besides his technique as a summoner, did you sense anything about his principlesor rather, did he seem to follow any inviolable rules? Hm? Librarian-chan looked confused, so the Modified China Dress Beauty raised her index finger and explained. In Illegal, we dont bother obeying the existing laws and treaties. We dont gain anything by obeying them since we specifically exist as an organization not protected by the government. In that case, what do we obey? That would be the inviolable rules of our team or the bonds of blood of our family. Stop trying to make yourself sound good when youre just a group of perverted criminals who kidnap, confine, and assassinate people. From your perspective in Government, maybe. But in Illegal, its all based on our own rules which are meant to maintain order. In other words, its the same as what you call an investigation, an arrest, an arraignment, a trial, and a punishment. And its obvious what wins out when the existing laws clash with our inviolable rules. That was why Government and Illegal simply could not get along. The people of the heavens above controlled the international laws while looking down on everyone. The people of the earth below corrupted the masses from within to expand their own share. Freedom joined neither side but helped both, so they basically had extraterritoriality like Nagasakis Dejima. Of course, they did not just obey them. If either one went too far, they were prepared to retaliate with an intense war. In a way, they were the individual summoners who fought alone against an international coalition force or an international mafia. That was (the original meaning of) Freedom. Those inviolable rules and bonds of blood arent unified within Illegal. If the summoner who attacked you really was from Illegal, knowing his principles could help narrow it down to the specific team or family. Kyousuke shrugged at Lu Niang Lans suggestion. Unfortunately, I dont know that much. All I know is he has pride in his work as an assassin, hell speak with his target but not empathize with them, hes willing to use tricks or deceit to take out his target, and hes fixated on the Rainy Girl. Librarian-chan hesitantly cut in there. I asked this before, but how is that assassin connected with us? The Rainy Girl is just a rumor to most people, right? And from what youve said, ghosts arent very significant to summoners. Lu-san. Didnt I already tell you that unknown wasnt in any of Illegals records? Dont ask me for help here. Oh, right. It might be a fake name, but what about someone named Benikomichi Fuuki? Shes our student council president but also the vessel for that assassinHayato I think she called him. Benikomichi, hm? Give me a second. Ill shoot some Illegal people an email and ask them to gather some information. Lu Niang Lan operated her smartphone with her index finger as she spoke. She seemed entirely carefree. Aika must have thought the half-eaten korokke tasted too bland because she put it back in the paper bag and shook it around. To be blunt, maybe that assassin is the one behind the murder the ghost is based on. Maybe hes afraid of you approaching the truth as you pursue the ghost. Idoubt that. Librarian-chan immediately rejected the idea. She had a simple reason. The murderer was caught almost immediately. He was a crazy man. My parents told me not to watch the news, but I still remember it. Was it called genetic tuning? He was apparently like a mass of muscles that completely ignored the usual skeletal structure. That boy was only about twelve, so I doubt he was behind some murder in the past. Kyousuke agreed with that assessment. I disagree with the idea that a small child cant kill, but, well, I agree he wasnt behind the murder. Why? We arent quite sure who he is and he might not even be with Illegal, but Im pretty sure hes still an assassin. He wasnt the type to kill for his own sake. And based on what Ive heard of your family, Librarian-chan, I doubt it would have been worth hiring a professional assassin to attack a child. Of course, that would change if your parents were politicians or executives of an international corporation. But then this makes no sense, does it? said Lu Niang Lan. We know this unknown is standing in your way. And we know he is skilled enough to instantly resolve that airport occupation by stably and reliably summoning a Divine-class without relying on beginners luck. I wonder why hes challenging you to a fight. Maybe he was lying at some point or we made a mistake at some point, said Kyousuke. The Rainy Girl, a murder from the past, an Illegal summoner, and a professional assassin One of our premises is off and thats why the gears dont seem to fit together. But they must fit together. Were holding something worth sending in that assassin. So what exactly is it were not seeing here? Aika and Lu Niang Lan exchanged a glance. As outsiders, they readily gave objective opinions. Is it possible the Rainy Girl doesnt actually have anything to do with that past murder? That was definitely my sister. Could the unknown be an amateur assassin whos only claiming to be a professional? With that skill and pride? I doubt it. Their suggestions were not serious. They were simply cutting away the blatantly needless fat. And finally, just the core remained. Maybe the crux of the issue isnt the Rainy Girl, muttered Kyousuke. Librarian-chan frowned. Wait a minute. What do you mean? All of this weird stuff started when I started seeing that ghost. But that premise might be wrong. Kyousuke chose his words carefully. Im not suggesting the Rainy Girl isnt real. I saw her with you, after all. But is she really a naturally appearing ghost? Ghosts can be explained with the rules of the summoning ceremony. And if they can be explained with them, they can also be reproduced with them. Which means Oh, I get it, said Lu Niang Lan as she placed a hand on her forehead. Librarian-chan still didnt seem to understand, so Kyousuke stated his conclusion. In other words, there might be a completely different plan at work here. And as a side effect, it just so happened to cause the Rainy Girl to appear. That would mean the ghost isnt at the center of all this. Its just that we might discover the truth behind it and whatever its connected to. And if they pursued the cause of the Rainy Girl, they would run into the assassins plan. Afraid they would discover what was going on, the assassins had acted first. Since they had already been monitoring Librarian-chans home or the surrounding cellphone towers, the assassins had to be aware that the Rainy Girl was their Achilles heel. They had not annihilated her with an Incense Grenade, so they may have had a reason to keep her around or her appearances were too random to reliably run across her. But Librarian-chan started to reject the idea on reflex, but then she had second thoughts. The rumors of the Rainy Girl only started spreading over the internet after I entered high school. At the very least, my sisters ghost wasnt seen when I was in elementary and middle school. If she started appearing recently, it might be best to assume something happened recently to cause it. Hmm muttered Aika while licking off her greasy fingers. She then grabbed the notebook-sized tablet from the glass table. The entire ceiling functioned as a giant projection screen. It showed a simple map of Toy Dream 35. Red, yellow, green, and blue colored bars appeared on the edge of the map. It looked a lot like the rain map shown on the weather forecast. What is this, Aika? Packet Atmosphere. Its a type of information system built by Government. Simply put, it visualizes the distribution of rumors. Can you make that more detailed but simpler? Dont underestimate the expressiveness of a shut-in. With the cooperation of a major mobile SNS, we can run automatic searches of when and where different keywords were typed in and then it can be displayed on the map according to time. Surely you can understand that. For example, research had shown that areas with an explosive increase in searches for the flu really did have an outbreak of the flu. Necessity was the mother of invention and people wanted to search when they had the search box right in front of their eyes. What Aika was using had narrowed that down to more of a pinpoint. When she entered a search term, the devices that had made corresponding blog entries or SNS posts would be listed up and the device locations would be displayed on the map. For example Lets try searching for house fire. And look. Colors were added to the map of Toy Dream 35. Blue and green dots were scattered around, but the dots were noticeably clustered around a few spots. And they had warning colors of red and yellow. Most likely, there are actual houses on fire in those areas. This system throws the concepts of personal information and privacy out the window, commented Lu Niang Lan. But what else would you expect from the governments and corporations of Government? SNSs are used by people who want to show off. Plus, this just scrapes all that text with a program, so were not actually reading what their blogs say. Wait, Aika. Im pretty sure youve crossed a line when you start displaying their location without permission. Onii-chan, are you the kind of Onii-chan that uses logic to trample on the cooperation of a benevolent soul? Anyway, we can use this to find exactly how far the rumors of the Rainy Girl have spread. After Aika narrowed the results down to Toy Dream 35 and entered the search term they actually cared about, the results appeared almost instantly. Just like on a weather forecast, they could fast-forward through time to see the clusters of red, yellow, green, and blue dots crawling along like living creatures. The SNSs first hit for the Rainy Girl was about a month before. As Librarian-chan had suggested it was at the start of April when the school year had begun. Dots sporadically appeared and disappeared from there, but there were places where they occasionally grew like crazy as if people had suddenly remembered it. R Block, April 15, 10 PM. S Block, April 17, 2 AM. D Block, April 23, 1:30 PM Are these red places where my sisters ghost was seen? Thats just when the witnesses posted about it on the SNS, so she might have also appeared where no one saw it. Come to think of it, these arent where I saw her Librarian-chan looked up at the map on the ceiling with a troubled look on her face. Kyousuke spoke to Aika. Do you know what happened at these times? Did a ghost story TV drama air, was a sound truck with a message about demons driving around, or was a costume parade underway? It could be anything. I just want something that matches all of these appearance times. Governments got you covered. Aika minimized the Packet Atmosphere window and opened a different application. A bunch of text scrolled quickly by and finally some human-readable text started appearing. Ive detected a few patterns that match the noise problem. Like what? It could be a lot of things: people, vehicles, buildings, etc. It seems to be a building Look. Aika gave the answer. Here it is. It fits the operation records for the Toshima Industries 3rd Toy Factory on the outskirts of Toy Dream 35. Isnt that the factory that makes the character goods that Toy Dream 35 sells? asked a skeptical Librarian-chan. The Toy Dream Companys international revived city project bought up rural cities that had fallen into bankruptcy and remade them into giant amusement parks, but that of course did not entirely eliminate the unease and backlash from the local residents. To erase that sort of impression, the amusement park city contained almost no manufacturing facilities. From food to industrial products, it was almost entirely reliant on the nearby cities. That way they shared the wealth with the local residents instead of monopolizing it. The Rainy Girl rumors perfectly match the time they spent testing a new production line. Most likely, thats had some kind of effect. A factory testing a new line on rainy nights muttered Kyousuke, but that was not enough to reach an answer. But they arent going to all this effort just to summon my sister to scare meright? And if they were trying to get the ghost to kill me, a simple knife seems like a better method. Well just have to look into this and figure out whether shes their objective or just a side effect. Of course, things were likely to change if they actually snuck into the toy factory on the outskirts of the city. It had likely been turned into Hayato and Benikomichi Fuukis hideout. Librarian-chan. My name, my name. And what is it? You asked me to protect you from the Rainy Girl. If thats all you want, we might not need to investigate this factory. It might be enough to just wait for the Rainy Girl to appear and annihilate her. Butwere up against assassins, right? And they came to kill us because we were becoming a problem. Can we really step down from the stage now? Based on the situation surrounding the attack, they were monitoring your home or the surrounding area. Since they hadnt done anything before, it might mean they wont actually kill you. If you werent going to approach the truth, they were going to leave you alone. So with that in mind, let me ask again: what do you want to do? I dont mind if you make that decision. Is that even a question? Librarian-chan did not hesitate to answer. Even though she had likely reached an instinctual understanding of their opponents skill. Im still scared of my sister. I really think shes trying to kill me. But this isnt right. That factory might be summoning her, right? Even if we defeat her, she might appear again as long as that factorys still running. I cant allow that kind of pain. What do they think a human being is? Even if shes dead, shes still a human being. Do they really need someone to explain to them that the dead have rights too!? What do you want to do? I want to destroy that factory. But I need power to do that. Shiroyama-kun, lend me a hand. Im sure that will solve all of this. Unlike before, she did not just ask for help. Instead of hoping someone else would do something, she wanted a helping hand to do something herself. Kyousuke smiled a little. And he answered. Then lets go with that. He spoke clearly as if to motivate himself. I dont know who were up against, but this means war. When people fall asleep on the last train or on a train that begins deadheading, they go missing and never return. But for some reason, the fact that people are vanishing never ends up in the news. The rumor had branched off into a number of forms, so some had a less frightening conclusion: a reunion with a forgotten first love, the return of a runaway pet, or the discovery of a lost treasure. But those derivations had spread outside Japan to places like Guam, so they had even less credibility. It was already almost midnight. Even so, Meinokawa Renge could not find her sister Higan. Her confused mind went back over everything that had happened. The monorail had come to a stop at one of Toy Dream 35s switchyards. She had checked through every nook and cranny of every car and managed to pry open the doors even though the power was off, but she had not found her sister anywhere in the darkness. The switchyard was large, but it was all indoors. There were no windows, so she had no idea if it was underground or a giant box dangling in midair. A few possibilities had come to mind. It was possible Higan had gotten off at another station while Renge slept. It was possible Higan had woken up first at the switchyard and gone on alone. It was possible it was Renge who had disappeared and not Higan. My phoneisnt any help. She checked the cheap cellphones screen, but it had no bars for some reason. Her notebook-sized tablet also had no signal. As she checked around the switchyard, she found wet footprints on the concrete ground. They looked like the footprints from the geta she wore, but she did not think she had run across her own footprints after wandering around too much. These footprints continuing further on were likely Higans. (Although I dont know if this was Higan herself or someone who stole her shoes.) Even if it was a trap, it was definitely information leading to the next hint. Renge gulped and slowly followed the wet footprints. As she did, she noticed something odd about the scenery. This was definitely a switchyard, but there was no sign of the maintenance equipment moving. There was not even a scent of machine oil and everything was covered in clear plastic as if being preserved as a crime scene. Confused, she continued on, but then the hint came to an end. The footprints led outside. And beyond the stainless steel door was the rain that seemed to be oozing from the night sky. The wet footprints vanished once they reached the wet roadway. Dammit!! Renge violently cursed and ran outside despite the rain. She searched around the door for some other hint, but she could not find any clue to her sisters location. Panic grew inside her, but she did find something strange. The city was entirely silent. When she had visited before, the place had been filled with decorative lights twenty four hours a day, but not a single light bulb was on now. She also heard no passing cars and no talking people. There was no trash on the road and the entire place seemed entirely unlived in. (Wh-what? What is going on here?) To be blunt, this phenomenon was stranger than a national TV stations power going out. This was a city of sightseeing, so the economy had a 100% chance of collapsing if they could not maintain a certain number of tourists. Renge looked around in shock and found something else. The billboard on a building wall was covered in a clear plastic sheet and duct tape just like the switchyard maintenance equipment. She looked to the text on the billboard through the raindrops on the plastic. Lets give Toy Dream 35 a lovely name! In this new campaign, its your ideas that will name the city!! Whatis this? muttered Renge. Toy Dream 35 was Toy Dream 35. She had never heard of it having another name. Some clearly odd things were mixed into the familiar city. While unrealistically thinking it looked like a half-made city, she looked up and found something else that was odd. A large retro flip clock was attached to a building wall. But the arrangement of numbers on the glow-in-the-dark display was clearly wrong. The date it showed was a few decades into the future. The amount of deterioration and filth on a single building completely changed from floor to floor. Each of the roadside trees had grown drastically different amounts. The scenery was a complete mess, as if someone had torn up several different photos and cobbled them together. Renge thought for a bit and then looked down at the notebook-sized tablet that was acting as a light source. She looked for any rumors that sounded related to this. She used her fingertip to slide from one article to another. Then she found a rumor that fit the current situation. A writer for a town information magazine had gathered several ghost stories he had heard about in Toy Dream 35. I started to drift off on the train and suddenly woke up to find I was the only one onboard. I was too scared to see if anyone was in the drivers compartment up front. As I trembled in fear, I blinked and suddenly found myself back on the train full of other passengers. I thought I had just woken up from a dream, but what if I have been wandering through a dream ever since? Or? Another was an excerpt from Strange Reports from the Official Records, a popular collection of tidbits that ran in a weekly magazine. As the planner viewed the scene, he complained into his cellphone: Your huge-ass sign is in the way, so no one can see our advertisement from the station. When the construction workers checked the plans back in their office, they all tilted their heads. There shouldnt have been a giant sign there, so what was this guy seeing? Where had Meinokawa Higan gone? No. That was not the appropriate question. Where am I right now? This was an empty city. All the lights were out in a place where the lights should never have gone out. Strange things which should not have been found in the real Toy Dream 35 were mixed into the scenery. What proof did she have that she was really in Toy Dream 35? Facts: *Student Council President Benikomichi Fuuki was the enemy vessel. She repeatedly canceled and rebound her contract at intervals as short as five minutes to blend into normal human society. However, the risk of side effects is high. *The Artificial Sacred Ground is set up relative to the surface the Incense Grenade detonates on. This can be the floor, the ground, a wall, the ceiling, or a vehicle. In that case, artificial gravity is created to allow the summoners and vessels to stand on the wall or ceiling. *If the Artificial Sacred Grounds reference surface is destroyed, the next surface stepped on by the summoner who instigated the battle will become the new reference surface. Unlike when the Incense Grenade detonates, the enemy summoner and vessel will also obey the new artificial gravity. New Spots will be set, but the Petals be forcibly slid from the old Artificial Sacred Ground to the new one. *A Petal that falls into a Spot without touching anyones White Thorn will vanish without counting. *Summoner Hayato and Vessel Benikomichi Fuukis affiliation is unknown. At the very least, they were not registered in the Illegal lists that Lu Niang Lan could check. Also, Hayato refers to Benikomichi Fuuki as mistress. *The times a toy factory on the outskirts of Toy Dream 35 tests a new line match the times the Rainy Girl appears. Rainy nights and the factorys activity likely have some kind of influence on the Rainy Girl. Volume 2, Stage 03 - A World Void of Death, but Not a World of Happiness Volume 2, Stage 03: A World Void of Death, but Not a World of Happiness Lets get started. Get started? From here!? (Stage 03 Open 05/01 00:10) A World Void of Death, but Not a World of Happiness An archived file stored on analog microfilm for fear of a cyberattack. From a Government report on enemy forces. There is an organization known as Killer Intent Antenna. It is rumored to have between one and two hundred members, but the details are unknown. They are all specialists taken from the front lines: former police officers, former soldiers, former white hat hackers, former doctors, former firefighters, former reporters, former politicians, former scientists, former pilots, former bankers, former spies, etc. By sharing and teaching their skills within the organization, they thoroughly analyze the actions of those who protect the public order. They are also said to use that to freely slip through the holes of the net, but it is unknown whether that is true or a legend. Their objective is extremely simple: to search out and eliminate people who deserve to die. In other words, they are an elite organization of intelligence agents who gather information and assassins who slaughter the people they identify. Their basis for who deserves to die surpasses the interests of a specific religion, nation, corporation, or other such framework and it cannot be changed by external pressure. It may be similar to the concept of changing history seen in discussions of time travel. It is entirely unknown what sort of ideal world they are attempting to create by killing the people on their list. The construction and maintenance of the organization must require vast amounts of money, so it can at least be assumed they have a reason warranting that sort of investment. So on the surface they are less of a criminal organization seeking dirty money and more of an ideological group whose actions are based on twisted dogma. The reason they have not been eliminated - no, have been impossible to eliminate - is simple. They just have that much power. A certain man stood at the top. The founders name was Yasuzumi Reiji. He was also a skilled summoner known as Illegal Award 910, Telomeres End, but his life met an unexpectedly simple end. He committed suicide. He left an extremely short suicide note, but its authenticity is unknown. There are even many doubts as to whether or not his death was really a suicide. Regardless, his two-sentence suicide note said the following: I failed to kill someone who deserved to die. The least I can do is pay for that crime with my life. The sort of van used by foreign delivery companies had the back windows covered with plates. Its mustard yellow coloring stood out like a sore thumb and it was currently stopped in an industrial district on the outskirts of Toy Dream 35 late at night. All of the seats had been removed from the back and replaced by a stretcher and fluorescent lights. It resembled an ambulance, but it was not one. Student Council President Benikomichi Fuuki lay face-down on the stretcher. She only wore the paper underwear used at beauty salons, her long black hair was tied up, and her white back was fully exposed in the light. Someone whistled lightly. It was the young male technician who had been grinning inside the van even as she changed clothes. Now thats impressive. Not the design Id expect from a student council president. I would like some maintenance done on it. Just fill in the patterns faded colors like this is a coloring book. You can easily make a bit of money that way, right? Well, the age of doing tattoos by hand is over. The machine does all the work, so itll be over in no time. But the quicker you want it done, the more itll hurt. The young male technician readily answered her while moving a hydraulic metal arm and pressing what looked like a sewing machine to the girls back. Yes, this was a mobile tattoo shop. When Toy Dreams international revived cities arrived, the local countrys culture and ethics were overwritten by the Western norms. Japanese-style tattoos were still strongly associated with organized crime, but Western tribal tattoos were a common sight. Benikomichi Fuuki had an angular tribal pattern carved across her back, covering both shoulder blades. Overall, it looked something like drawing out wings with the printed circuits of an electronic circuit board. However, this was not for fashion. Just like a collar or handcuffs, it was her symbol of bondage as a vessel. Should I use anesthetic? It would be meaningless if you did. Wow, youre hardcore. With the sounds of motors, gears, cranks, and other mechanical parts coming from the box, a burning rather than stabbing pain covered Benikomichi Fuukis back. Even that expert vessel could not deny the pain itself. But she clenched her teeth. She delighted in finding meaning in this. Kids these days (ha ha) always ask me to make it as painless as possible, like this is the dentist or something. I wouldnt have thought a schools star pupil would have a personal opinion on how to do tattoos. Its because Im a star pupil and from a well-known family that this functions so well as a symbol of bondage. Bondage? Yes. Tattoos themselves were not uncommon, but there was a time and a place for them. This girl was from a well-known family, she was the student council president, and she was close to receiving an important position at the global Toy Dream Company. Her position in society suggested she lived and breathed tea, cakes, pianos, violins, horseback riding, tea ceremonies, and flower arrangements, so this tribal tattoo on her back was truly disastrous. It was a secret utterly at odds with the impression she gave people. She could never let anyone see her skin. That feeling of rejection worked perfectly as a symbol of bondage. When your symbol of bondage is reliant on an object, there is a risk of having it stolen or destroyed. So carve it into your body. It can even be a small scar or burn. A summoner man had told her of this method long ago. That man was no longer with her, but she smiled at the fact that she continued to follow that rule so faithfully even now. Summoners were those who accepted their own weakness and then reached for greater heights. Vessels were those who entrusted their independence to another and then reached for honor. At least, that was the way she saw it. That was why she could not escape her dependence on that summoner who was now gone. The cellphone sitting next to her vibrated. Even with lasers and ultrasonic waves constantly scanning her skin, she could not move her arms while the work was being done to her back. Doing so would move her shoulder blades. She ignored the phone and it vibrated a second and third time after short breaks of silence. It was most likely from Hayato. He was clearly waiting for further instructions. He was like a puppy who, after being brought to an unfamiliar land on a trip, looked fearfully over to his family while hiding his usual mischievous personality. Benikomichi Fuuki gently narrowed her eyes as she looked to the cellphone. Your boyfriend? asked the young technician. No. But he is my support. She had taken everything of that dead summoner and shoved it onto Hayato, her current partner. Reaching this point had not been easy. When a vessels contract with their summoner was broken, they returned to being a normal person. They forgot everything about the world of the summoning ceremony. That was true even if the summoner died, so if she had not been coincidentally picked up by another summoner, she would never have remembered. She had deceived that summoner and pretended to obey to keep those memories. And then she had found the greatest potential. After achieving some success in educating him for his talent, she had gotten rid of her temporary home and made a new contract with that greatest potential. And so this student council president drifted within the warmth of a man who was already dead. It did not matter if that warmth was artificially created. It was like transferring over the original flame. It did not matter if she had to manipulate everything around her. But, young lady, are you sure you should be doing this? Doing what? Letting some random guy on the street see this shocking secret of yours. You have a mobile shop so you dont end up with regulars, right? Ha ha. But a beauty like you will stick in my memory whether I like it or not! How do you know Im not a bad guy who will order you do to all sorts of nasty things? Oh, theres no chance of that. Oh, dear. Do I look that harmless? No. Whatever kind of person you are, youll forget all about me soon enough. ? After waiting for midnight, Kyousuke and Librarian-chan made their way to the factory district on the outskirts of Toy Dream 35. This was obviously to arrive while Toshima Industries 3rd Toy Factory was testing its new production line. If something was happening, they could likely get the most information if they aimed for the time when it was happening. Of course, that also meant arriving when the factory would be most cautious. They took the monorail outside of Toy Dream 35. The rain continually switched between pouring and letting up outside the window and they happened to catch one of the rainless periods. Since the factory is running, is my sister wandering around somewhere today too? Librarian-chan gloomily asked her question while staring out the window. The light quickly vanished once they left Toy Dream 35. They found pure darkness. While the amusement park city was filled with decorative lights 24/7, there were only occasional fluorescent lights here. They were enough to break through the nights darkness, but the color black stickily clung to everything. When they stepped out onto the platform, the temperature seemed to have dropped by a degree or two. Even without a map, Toy Dream 35s location could not have been more obvious. A vague region of light was visible despite the darkness. They were on the outskirts. To coexist with Toy Dream 35, countless factories were scattered around, sometimes even affecting the livability of the area. The mascot characters on the sides of the trucks parked alongside the road were enough to see the level of economic dependence. It feels weird to see an actual dirt ground, said Librarian-chan as she looked to the puddle at her feet. No, I guess its us thats weird. People are so good at adapting to their situation. The area around the monorail station had nothing more than dark soil and some woods. It only had an asphalt road and streetlights, so it was almost entirely undeveloped. When they looked down a gentle five hundred meter hill, they saw a fence that seemed to stretch on forever. That was Toshima Industries 3rd Toy Factory. The term factory could refer to a number of things, but the one beyond the three meter tall fence was a lot like an automobile factory. It looked like a square box with each side over a kilometer long. The square factory was over five stories tall and the only distortions to its shape were the smokestacks sticking up from its flat roof at even intervals. Kyousuke held a small pair of binoculars in one hand to observe different parts of the factory grounds. It took him less than a minute to finish. Librarian-chan was shocked when he handed them to her. Eh? Ah? Youre done already? Yes. Why wouldnt I be? Because thats a huge fortress of a factory. There have to be a ton of guards even at night See, I barely had to look and Ive already found a bunch! It looks like there are security cameras all over, so sneaking in wont be easy Thats where youre wrong. Kyousuke reached over to the binoculars Librarian-chan was looking through. But not to take them from her. He pushed them from the side to guide her gaze. The first thing we need to think about is where to get in from. The factory has no windows to speak of. The entrances and exits are all locked and theyre either thick steel shutters for vehicles or reinforced stainless steel doors for people. There are panels near the doors, so you probably need a card key. That means were already out of luck We just have to change our viewpoint. Look over there. Kyousuke moved the binoculars to the next point. It was a point on the ground inside the fence but a short distance from the boxy factory. A few metal tanks that resembled truck-sized cans were lying on their side in a row. The pipes connected to them ran underground. A few large containers were lined up next to those. Confused, Librarian-chan read the writing on the side of the tanks. Caution: Flammable? Based on the shape of the tanks, theyre filled with LNG for gas turbines. It isnt much for a factory this big, so my guess is its fuel for emergency power. What good is that? If we set it on fire, it will cause a huge commotion and we wont be able to sneak in. And its too far away from the factory to blow a hole in the wall if it explodes. We dont need to go that far. Kyousuke gently took the binoculars from Librarian-chan. He pointed at something nearby and continued his explanation. This is a gentle downwards slope. And? There are a ton of large trucks with mascots painted on them. After he pointed here and there, he moved his finger from one truck, down the slope, and to the factory. Opening a door thats locked from the inside is easy. You just have to get the people inside to open it. After growing accustomed to military uniforms, the unnecessarily starchy guard uniforms felt too stiff. To make matters worse, they had to wear raincoats over them due to all the rain. The guns they carried felt unreliable. They understood it had to be small enough to hide in their pockets, but with a submachine gun with a barrel less than 20 cm long and only three magazines, they could only buy time rather than kill. That role of theirs was especially obvious from the fact that their military flashlights were their most expensive piece of equipment. Their inviolable rule was the following: Justice is power. Thus, the weak must support the strong. Even if it meant a tactical failure, they had to pave the way toward strategic victory. Simply put, if a bomb was thrown at the summoners feet, they were to jump on top of the dangerous object to suppress the blast. And if they did not want to die in vain, they had to increase their own power. Anyone could be the most powerful. But that person had to be aware of the many comrades whose blood had paved their way and thus use that power to help the weak. What they feared most here was the arrival of a summoner. If that happened, they had to hold the intruder in place while their summoner could prepare for battle. That was their role. They were the bright light that blinded the enemy while also pointing out the targets location in the night. So the soldiers patrolling around the factory had not expected this sort of trouble. Hey? Someone gave a confused comment. A large truck was slowly rolling down the gentle slope. Its headlights were off and its movements showed no sign of a driver. It did not look like anyone was stepping on the gas. It looked more like the handbrake had failed to work. But even if it was only moving at five or ten kph, it was still a mass of metal weighing over twenty tons. Submachine guns that fired handgun rounds would be useless. And with no driver, warning shots would be meaningless. The truck veered off the road and broke through some of the trees in the woods before finally smashing through the chain link fence and onto the factory grounds. The soldiers watched the truck in a daze, but then they noticed where the mass of metal was headed: the emergency power fuel tank stored a short distance from the factorys outer wall. Oh, no!! Someone shouted, but it was no use. As soon as the giant metal tank was broken like an empty can bitten by a fierce dog, a dazzling explosion tore apart the dark night. Kyousuke had walked alongside the large truck that had been moving even slower than a bicycle and now he glanced over at the broken fence inside the woods next to the road. Lets get started, he whispered to Librarian-chan. Get started? From here!? But that explosion was like poking at a hornets nest!! But it will have torn down their highly organized guard shifts. Their focus is no longer evenly distributed, so we can walk around safely by slipping through the gaps. Are youreally my classmate Shiroyama-kun? For some reason, Librarian-chan felt the need to ask that. There were two general ways to get into a strictly guarded facility: sneak in the back way or boldly walk in through the front. They could not directly walk in through the broken fence as there were too many eyes focused on it. But instead, the factorys main gate (which was protected by a bar like at a train crossing and retractable spikes on the ground) was wide open. There was no one inside the large phone booth that normally held a guard. Librarian-chan asked a question while crouching down as she walking nervously through. Did the person here go to the fire too? Im glad since it makes this easier, but why? She looked toward the fire where black smoke completely covered the area where the truck had ended up. The fire was only growing more intense, but the number of people there was also growing. All those solid metal doors were opening from the inside. Whether its an armory for anti-government guerrillas or a storehouse for drug dealers, any group stockpiling things they cant have found will always have their own firefighting group. If they called a normal firetruck, the firefighters would discover their secret. Kyousuke leaned into the guard station and messed with something as he answered. And emergency fuel will be stored someplace that wont blow up the factory itself if it explodes. Thats why theyll use that same spot for other things that would cause a problem if they exploded. Those metal containers next to the tanks are probably their armory. They would be in trouble in a number of ways if the fire spreads to them, so this is more than just a fire to them and it gathers a lot of attention. I see. So thats why they Librarian-chan trailed off as she remembered something. The guards eyes were all gathered on one spot and the locked doors had been opened from within. However, those were not the only problems. But what about all the security cameras? Im sure they can monitor all of the passageways inside the factory, so how are we supposed to walk around without getting caught? Thats why I cut the security line. Dumbfounded, Librarian-chan saw Kyousuke wave around a few torn cables. After what happened, theyll assume the explosion and the heat of the fire knocked out the buried cables. So lets get inside the factory already. Kyousuke stepped inside the factory grounds using the black smokescreen to hide. Librarian-chan followed after him. They could hear a storm of yelling voices and footsteps running all over the place. Librarian-chans shoulders jumped each time, but Kyousuke did not react. Based on the size of the factory and grounds, they would need between fifty and a hundred people. To put out the fire, theyre ignoring their usual section assignments and gathering here, so no one will question it if someone is walking around where they wouldnt normally be. Kyousuke then added something else under his breath. Government would have military-level Repliglass posted around and Freedom would have a bunch of individual summoners. Despite what Lu-san said, this reeks of Illegal. But we arent dressed anything like them. Well stand out if they see us here. We just have to make sure they dont see us. Its night and theres smoke everywhere. In the world of the summoning ceremony, even a paper-thin barrier is enough to keep you safe as long as your opponent cant see you with the naked eye. If they just hear footsteps or see a silhouette, theyll assume its one of their own. Kyousuke used his smartphone to gather the electromagnetic signals in the area and to convert them to audio. Simply put, he was intercepting the soldiers voices. Someone inside the factory seemed to be speaking with the fire station. Yes, yes. So it isnt a problem. As Im sure you can see if you check our records, our factory is breaking in a new production line at night. That was probably what people mistook for an explosion. But we received reports of an explosion from the nearby residents Not to worry. There was some protective coating caked onto the inside of the smokestacks. To get it all off, we intentionally upped the power. Think of it as something like an extreme version of the after-fire in a cars muffler. So from a distance, it might very well have sounded like an explosion. If you drive out here with your sirens blaring, youre just going to feel stupid. Since they explained it away so smoothly, they likely had a thick manual prepared for how to act in all sorts of situations. Or maybe they had hired an expert at making excuses like a companys corporate lawyer. But the fact that they were making those excuses meant the factory was still working to deal with it all. The situation had yet to calm down, so there would be holes in their security. Kyousuke decided they could get inside without issue like this. But then static ran through the voices coming from his smartphone. Then he heard the sound of wet rubber scraping along the ground. It was just like a childs rain boots stepping on the wet asphalt. Librarian-chan silently turned toward the sound. It was a few meters behind them. Visibility was poor thanks to the smokescreen Kyousuke had created, but they could still see a silhouette two sizes smaller than the adults running around. The silhouette wore a raincoat and held a broken umbrella. They could not tell if it was facing them or facing away from them and they could not even tell if it really had a head. It was the Rainy Girl. The ghost simply appeared and did not speak a word. Lets go, said Kyousuke. Just chasing after her wont get us any closer to the truth. Thats why you decided to come to this factory, right? A small door for the night hours was installed on the wall next to an automatic glass door that was covered with metal bars. They stepped inside through that. Surprisingly, they first found themselves in a reception area just like an office building. Even the factory must have cared about its appearance. They used the building map on the wall to walk down a dark hallway lit only by emergency lighting and to the new production line that was currently running. Unlike a semiconductor plant, there was no clean room on the way. They just had to open a door to reach a production line larger than a schools gym. It contained extremely long conveyer belts with various sizes of robot arms on either side. Several of them were lined up side by side like a bowling alley. Almost all the work was automated, so it really did remind them of an automobile factory. However It isnt running. And I dont see anyone around. But the motors and cylinders are still warm and newly-made products are left on the conveyer belts. I bet they only temporarily stopped it when everyone left to deal with the fire. Theres a pamphlet here. Its apparently a mascot doll that links with your smartphone and moves around. Do they really need all this equipment for that? Toy Dream is involved in this, so theyre probably being paid quite a bit for it. He could not use the flash, but Kyousuke used his smartphone to snap a few pictures of the production line. Librarian-chan did not know what to do and simply looked around. But what does this factory have to do with my sister? Thats what were trying to figure out. This production line doesnt have any windows and isnt connected to the outside, so I dont see how it could be related to the rain. Were they making some kind of secret modification to the products? Or Related to the rain, huh? Kyousuke said that as he lightly touched a piece of machinery located at one end of a conveyer belt. It was larger than the car washes found at gas stations. The mass of metal completely surrounded the conveyer belt and it seemed to drip melted plastic down to create shapes like a pastry chef with whipped cream. This production line did not place it in a metal mold like normal. A steam pipe to melt the plastic. Thats probably directly connected to a large industrial boiler. Come to think of it, the factorys roof had several smokestacks. Eh? Wait, Shiroyama-kun!? Librarian-chan frantically called out to him, but Kyousuke lay face-up on the stopped conveyer belt and shoved his upper body inside the giant machinery. She knew it had been deactivated, but watching him still brought a crawling sensation to her fingertips. However, Kyousuke was too focused on his work to think anything of it. This smell. Could it be? What is it? Librarian-chan, can you open the pouch I handed you? Theres a glass tube the size of a pen inside. Hand that to me. She did so and he continued with whatever work he was doing inside the machine. Finally, he pulled his body out, attached a thin cable to the glass tube, and connected that to the bottom of his smartphone. Then he called someone. Lu-san, Im about to send you the results of some spectral analysis. Its most likely remnants of the materials used to make Incense Grenades. Those are made to order for each and every summoner, so a close examination of these parameters might turn up some useful information. Okay, replied Lu Niang Lan. But dont forget this means you owe Illegal one. This might lead us to the unknowns identity. What is all this about? asked Librarian-chan. This machine is connected to the smokestacks via the steam pipe and boiler. And the Rainy Girl is closely linked to the rain. Now, what determines the composition of rain? Do you mean the smoke coming from the smokestacks? I found something similar to the materials used in the summoning ceremonys Incense Grenades. And its all but confirmed that the Rainy Girl appears when this production line is being tested. The wind carries the smoke over a wide area. That gives us another way of looking at the fact that the rumors have spread throughout Japanno, throughout the world. I dont know what role this plays in it, but this is the first step. The production line was larger than a school gym, so they could not thoroughly search the entire thing in a short time. After generally checking over it, they left the production line. Where do we go next? This scent Ive smelled it before. Yes, I think it was over there Kyousuke turned back the way they had come. Librarian-chan had not noticed any kind of scent, so she simply followed in confusion. Kyousuke returned to the main entrance and looked around. (This is the place.) He started whispering, so Librarian-chan naturally held her breath. He pressed his ear against one of several metal doors, placed his fingertips on the doors surface, and waited. He looked a lot like someone from a drama opening a safe with a stethoscope. (I can hear two people breathing. Theyre discussing something. Even if theyre summoners, I just have to settle this before they can throw an Incense Grenade.) (W-will it actually work out that well?) (The door seems to be locked, but we just have to get them to open it for us.) Librarian-chan just about shrieked out loud at that suggestion, but Kyousuke actually knocked violently on the door so the sound echoed all around them. Then he raised his voice while pressing against the wall next to the door. He mixed in the bits of information they had gathered so far. On Hayato-sans instructions, Im here to check the security wiring! I need to check each and every room to figure out where the wiring has been cut, so please cooperate. I have the tester with me, so it wont take long! As soon as the doorknob defenselessly turned, the wind whipped up. Kyousuke pulled his Blood-Sign from his back, swiftly neutralized the two people inside, and bound their hands behind their backs with their belts. The security shifts will be back to normal soon, so lets go over everything we can get our hands on in that time. Kyousuke beckoned Librarian-chan inside, shut the door, and locked it from within. What is this place? The braid and glasses girl looked around the room. Unlike the production line, all of the machinery had apparently been removed. Instead, a few large tables were lined up and covered with lab equipment like gas burners and flasks. An entire wall had been converted into a whiteboard and it was covered in the straight lines, hexagons, letters, and numbers of chemical formulas. Overall, it looked like a schools chemistry room. Librarian-chan had never been in a normal toy factory and thus had nothing to compare this to, but she could still tell this was not a normal toy factory. Thats a mixture list. Looks like it really is the incense that goes into an Incense Grenade. What is this stuff that looks like weird grass, white powder, or crushed and transparent rock candy? These arent the same as some weird herbs, are they? We can ask these two for details. Shiroyama Kyousuke used the tip of his Blood-Sign to tap the forehead of one of the men in lab coats. The lab coat man groaned and came to. Nn, what? Dammit, my arms Who are you peopgh!? Before his question could change to a shout, Kyousuke pressed the Blood-Sign against his throat to keep him from breathing properly. Kyousuke looked down on the man and asked a question. What were you doing here? Hgh, cough! D-do you really think Ill talk? I dont know where youre from, but you cant escape now. A turnaround victory will come to me if just wait here. So how many of those wonderful soldiers of yours are there? Ten? Fifty? Heh. If its more than a hundreddo you really think Ill care if I lose one or two of you? The lab coat man fell silent. An unpleasant sweat poured from his face and his eyeballs rolled around to look up at Kyousuke. I-I wouldnt recommend that. Why not? T-t-torture isnt as easy as people think. Hitting someone doesnt guarantee youll get accurate information. Haha ha. If you kill me here, you wont get the information you want. Sh-Shiroyama-kun!? You cant do that!! Librarian-chan had been listening from his side, but she had gone pale and she cut in with a shout. The lab coat man grinned. He had predicted this, so Kyousukes expression remained entirely composed as she spoke. Librarian-chan. Wh-what? II wont help you with any kind of violence. Maybe its a little late to say that, but torture or whatever is differe Sorry. With a quiet sound, the Blood-Signs flat tip cleanly buried itself in the girls solar plexus. There was no scream. Her body collapsed to the floor and stopped moving. Then Kyousuke turned back. Now, then. The last bit of conscience holding me back is gone. !!!??? The human mind could grow accustomed to even the strongest of stimuli if the same situation continued long enough, but it would raise the white flag in no time if there was more variation. Haunted houses did not have ghosts appearing nonstop from the entrance to the exit. They would also occasionally have needlessly long hallways and corners with no trap set up. This was the same. I-I wont tell you anything. Either way, you arent skilled enough to get me to talk! Oh, I wont be the one doing it. Kyousuke lifted the mans chin with the tip of the Blood-Sign. This is Phosphorus, a Repliglass Blood-Sign. It isnt just a stick. It can move around like a snake, so if I shove it in your mouth, how do you think its going to move around inside your body before coming out again? Thats not possible. This is second-hand information from Illegal, but apparently people can survive that. Then again, it is only second-hand information, so it might not be true. And maybe I just wont be able to do it properly. Bgrfgh!? Vah, wait, Ill talk, Ill talk, Ill hyalk!? Kyousuke merely traced the tip of the Blood-Sign along the lab coat mans far-from-clean lips and he started crying like a baby. Kyousuke asked a question without any change of expression. Tell me what you know and keep it concise. Th-this factory was bought. It was hijacked. The owner was supposed to be persuaded with a payment of 300 million yen, but he still wouldnt agree. We started spreading money around his surroundings and more than a hundred of his friends and acquaintances gave us his personal information. It wasnt hard to take him out after that. It was a job! In Illegal, the rules of the team or family are more important than the countrys laws. If we mess up, those rules mean well be executed or become nothing more than a number doing hard labor. The normal news calls it confinement or murder. Once a decision is made, we cant disobey! What was all this for? The smokestacks. This factory is a frontline base for spreading a thin amount of incense over a wide area using the smokestacks. If it gets into the westerlies, it will cross national borders and cover most of the Northern Hemisphere. Was that connected to the Rainy Girl who appeared on rainy nights? The incense diluted into the atmosphere would be concentrated in the raindrops that poured down onto the earth. That may have created an effect similar to the detonation of an Incense Grenade. And that may have invited in a number of bizarre phenomena across Japan or even the world. Normally, an Artificial Sacred Ground would remove the clog that allowed the ghost to appear, so just setting one up would eliminate the ghost. But these irregular raindrops may not have been pure or effective enough. And an Artificial Sacred Ground always had the effect of allowing otherworldly beings to appear. It was just that a ghost would be eliminated before that effect could be seen. In a partial Artificial Sacred Ground that did not eliminate the ghost, the ghost would indeed be able to demonstrate its full power. (But setting up an Artificial Sacred Ground requires seeing the target with the naked eye. Whose eye is at work here?) Kyousuke thought for a moment and then pointed at the whiteboard with his thumb. Those chemical formulas have the telltale signs of an incense expert named Ellie Slide. I see the designer medicines she likes to use. Is she part of this? The external staff handled that. They were only hired to complete the chemical formulas and we already paid them at the wharf. Paid them with metal drums and asphalt, that is. That was a very Illegal way of doing things. Kyousuke suppressed the urge to forget the rules and smash the mans head in. What are the incenses traits? Who was it mixed for? For no one. The lab coat mans lips twisted into a smile as he sat on the floor. Its a universal incense that matches anyone. But that detracts from the overall scent, so it cant be used to summon a normal Material. Then what is it for? I want to hear about the Rainy Girl too. Even if this is accidentally creating an Artificial Sacred Ground, someone would still need to see the target with the naked eye. Who is it? Whose eye are you using? Just so you knowthis is in everyones best interest. The lab coat man suddenly said something strange. You might not understand now, but the time will come when youll thank us. Thats the sort of proposition were dealing with. Theres no room for personal feelings here. Do you really think I can accept that answer? If you dont, I guess youll have to think of some other way. Oh, dammit. A moment later, a loud sound came from the lab coat mans mouth. He had stuck his tongue out and used his full jaw strength to bite off his own tongue. And he would have succeeded had Kyousuke not noticed and stick the tip of his Blood-Sign inside the mans mouth. !? Before the lab coat man could do anything more, Kyousuke slammed his knee against the mans forehead. With a dull sound, the man somersaulted backwards and passed out. I guess thats all Im getting Kyousuke thought about this new information as he woke up Librarian-chan who was still collapsed on the floor and stuck his knee into her back until she got up. This was a universal incense that could not summon a Material. They were using the large factorys smokestacks and the westerlies to spread it over the entire Northern Hemisphere. But what for? Two people were speaking. A three story atrium space formed a large square directly above the production line. It was the production management room that monitored the entire line. The primary wall was made of glass, but there was little meaning in looking below with the naked eye. The countless consoles and LCD screens by the walls were more important. However, these two were not monitoring the products. They were monitoring the smokestacks. One of them was Yasuzumi Hayato. The other was Benikomichi Fuuki. Weve used up 80% of our inventory now. Its about time, mistress. We had set the dissemination amounts with room for having a bit of fun, so we should be ready to go now. The plan will succeed even if we start a little early. Most likely. But this took longer than I thought. A lot of it caked onto the inside of the smokestacks. Its still enough. We only have an early weather map, but it should be accurate. The rainclouds are changing form in a way that blatantly ignores the normal rules. It will form the giant magic circle just fine. A short silence followed. The student council girl who was also an assassins vessel sat directly on the edge of a console rather than in a chair. Now weve taken a different path than him. My dad took the wrong path. Thats why he died. Im still not certain of that. Then Ill show you the truth, mistress. When this plan succeeds, we will have a world without death. A world without death, hm? The idea itself is simple, but the effect will be truly impressive. Every single human problem will be solved all at once. That will be our victory. Just to be sure, the Artificial Sacred Ground really will cover the entire planet, right? And permanently. We can start with the Northern Hemisphere. The rest will either go along with it or fight it. And if they fight it, we can just ignore them and let the flow of time drive them to extinction. And once the Southern Hemisphere has gone extinct, we can use factories there for a second dissemination to truly cover the entire planet. And then all of humanity will be contained in their own protective circles. That circle protects the summoner from all external threats and all internal threats such as illness and their own lifespan. It only lasts about ten minutes with a normal Incense Grenade, but our method is different. It will be permanent or at least semi-permanent because its a plain and universal incense that can affect anyone. But the protective circle is made from a portion of the Materials power. Even with an Unexplored-class, protecting all six or seven billion people on the planet wont be easy. Unless we use that. Do you really think we can control that? How many hypotheses do you think we have worked through to that end, mistress? Our method is perfect. Assassin Hayato smiled thinly as he leaned against the door. And a mere five centimeters away, on the other side of the door, Shiroyama Kyousuke silently eavesdropped on their conversation. It was far too unrealistic. Their master plan was so megalomaniacal he wanted to laugh out loud. A world without death. Next to Kyousuke, Librarian-chan was unsure how to react as she whispered to him. (This is a joke, right? A world without death? What are they talking about? It was enough of a surprise to hear they were assassins, but this is just too much.) (The problem is that it checks out on a theoretical level.) Kyousuke tilted his smartphone on its side and held it out toward the door as he answered. (Unlike a vessel, a summoner doesnt need any inborn talent. That means anyone can become one. If they designate a large number of people as summoners for a single ceremony, set up an Artificial Sacred Ground over an extremely wide area, surround them all in protective circlesand set that up to continue indefinitely, then everyone on the planet will be made artificially immortal.) They did not have time for a detailed investigation here, so he was recording everything he could. Based on the voices, at least one of the people speaking was near the door or leaning against it. If Kyousuke opened the door even a crack, they would notice, but if they moved from the door, Kyousuke wanted to record a video of them speaking. Even now, he could hear the young boy and girl speaking on the other side of the door. That is of course powerful, but also fickle. She is a lot like a plasma fusion reactor with no guarantee of safety. But placing everyone in a protective circle without giving them a vessel requires a bit of risk. And I have separated her mind from her body, mistress. I doubt she can wield her power of her own free will at the moment. I just hope she really can be contained within the framework of human understanding. Power can be controlled. That is true even of a sun and of a black hole. Mankind had its victory over the monsters from the moment we defined the Third Summoning Ceremony. This wont be a problem. Their universal incense was not limited to a specific summoner and could not summon a normal Material. They had a Material that could create protective circles for all seven billion people on the face of the earth. The extremely high power needed for that was too much for even the average Unexplored-class. (What? What are they talking about?) An unpleasant sweat began to pour down Kyousukes face like his skin was being roasted. It was possible he already knew the answer. It was possible his entire being simply wanted to reject it. A moment later, a lovely face appeared on the smartphone screen he held in front of him. It seemed to be peering in from the side. !!!??? He just about lost sight of the current situation and screamed. It took all his strength to hold his breath and silently back away. The small screen displayed a girl with waist-length silver twintails and a pure white outfit that resembled a wedding dress. She was an incarnation of benevolence. She was a symbol of sanctity. She was a personification of radiance. She was an absolute white that did not allow for even a drop of impurity. She was the strongest of the strong that far surpassed the Regulation-class, the Divine-class, the Unexplored-class, and even the Three. (The WhiteQueen!?) The White Queen who Wields the Sword of Unsullied Truth (iu - nu - fb - a - wuh - ei -kx - eu - pl - vjz). She had exceptional power even among the Unexplored-class that existed beyond the gods of legend. She alone held the name of absolute. And she was the Material that was always found at the center of conflict on a global scale. She was a monster that would smile as she trampled over all the human good and evil that mankind had spent so much time and effort building up. Her strength had also driven people to madness. Kyousuke was not about to treat those assassins as victims because of this, but the Queen was the one behind it all. Despite his extreme panic, Shiroyama Kyousuke still stood in front of Librarian-chan who simply stood there in confusion. But something was not right. Confused, Kyousuke looked back and forth between the smartphone screen and the actual scenery. The smartphone definitely showed that greatest and worst of the Materials, but no one actually stood in front of the door. It was like a strange sort of ghost video, or (Is thisAR?) The Queen gave a sparkling wink and blew him a kiss on the screen. (Materials dont show up on digital cameras and sensors. The network shouldnt be able to recognize you.) (What method did they use?) (The End of the Worldhm?) In Toy Dream 35, Azalea Magentarain and the rest of Guard of Honor had caused trouble using the old concept of the fairys spring. The End of the World was another well-known concept that had thoroughly permeated the minds of normal people who knew nothing of the summoning ceremony. There were stories that miracles, objects, foods, or other things no human could reproduce could be found beyond the sea, beyond the mountains, beyond the sky, or anywhere else people could not reach. In most cases, it was said that arriving there or returning from there would conquer death. Which meant (If it can be called the End of the World, it cant be somewhere touched by human hands.) (Where exactly is it?) The White Queen seemed to be enjoying herself. Kyousuke narrowed his eyes a little. He knew he was only looking at an image displayed on the screen, but he still moved silently to better protect Librarian-chan. He knew the Queen was liable to order him to kill his vessel just to make him suffer. And if he refused, she might very well use every underhanded method available to overturn all assumptions and kill the girl herself. Depending on the situation, she was a much more pressing threat than even the assassins on the other side of the door. The world was clearly ending when the White Queen was the sensible one. The White Queen smiled on the small screen as she gave the answer. Her slender finger pointed straight up. Toy Dream OP-01 to Toy Dream OP-07 were all civilian space stations. But there was one other station that had been used only in the early demonstration experiments and was currently abandoned. OP-XX. It now silently orbited the blue planet as a giant coffin. (How could this happen?) muttered Kyousuke. The White Queen did not seem to mind. (Like I can believe that. If you wanted to, you could use an explosion in orbit to crash the entire station into the earth.) It did not matter where exactly the Queen was. She could smash the entire world to pieces as long as she had appeared somewhere in the world, wherever that might be. Kyousuke agonized over the fact that no one seemed to understand that. Did Yasuzumi Hayato and Benikomichi Yuuki really think they could control her? (But the End of the World, huh?) That phrase may have contained a small hint of hope. Even if they were his enemy, he hoped beyond hope they would actually control her. Never mind the fact that he knew that was hopeless. (That was just an empty theory. It seems to make sense, but I doubt it would actually work.) (Again, it wouldnt work.) The fact remained that the White Queen was here before his eyes. Even if the method was wrong, she remained in this world by force. Who was the truly frightening one here? Hayato and Benikomichi Fuuki for carrying out the plan or the White Queen for going along with it on a whim? Kyousuke refused to believe it so easily. For one thing (Why are you helping humans? A space station? The End of the World? If you wanted to, you could easily break free of that manmade cage.) (That doesnt explain anything. Youre the strongest of the strong, so I cant imagine why you would obey anyone else.) A sweetness even more concentrated than gum syrup could be seen in her carefree smile. There was affection there, but also something unhealthy that felt like it would burn his chest if he so much as licked at it. (Why are they trying to create a world without death? Do they have a good enough reason to explain your cooperation?) (The salvationof all mankind?) Librarian-chan had fallen silent for a while. She did not want her sisters ghost to appear all over the place and she herself had nearly been killed by that ghost. But were the people in this factory really doing anything wrong? A world without death. An age in which everyone was immortal. If that was possible (It would lead to hell on earth. Do they actually understand that?) Kyousukes words stabbed into Librarian-chans chest. He had likely been speaking to the White Queen, but it had been enough to tear away Librarian-chans na?ve thoughts as she listened in. (Civilization is built on the assumption that people die. For example, people dont commit crimes because theyre afraid of being executed. Countries dont start wars because they dont want a ton of their people to die. Thats just how we think. When you get down to it, people go along with civil rights and environmental protection because the alternative could threaten their lives. But all of that will crumble in a world without death. If that age arrives too suddenly, all the safeties weve put in place will fail. Kind metropolises will transform into post-apocalyptic ruins in no time.) The White Queen sounded like she was questioning his sanity. And she continued in a graceful, insane voice. (This is on another level entirely. This planet truly will be covered in desert.) (But this time no one will be able to die as it happens!! This could lead to an age in which seven billion starving people crawl around a desert planet! And it will continue for centuries, millennia, and all eternity!!) Librarian-chan could not bring herself to speak. She finally understood why Kyousuke had called it a living hell. A world of no restraint and no benevolence. All cities would crumble, all nature would vanish, and only scorching deserts would remain. Nevertheless, they would be unable to die and forced to crawl around as dried-up mummies, searching for even the slightest puddle. Death would become an unreachable hope. It truly was the hell seen in picture books. And instead of being sent to hell, hell would come to this world. (You knew it would turn out like that, didnt you?) (You knew, but you didnt correct their mistake! You just smiled and pretended to obey them as they dreamed of their paradise without giving it any real thought!!) Her intoxicated voice was that of a dreaming maiden. The loveliness of her face and voice made her unbelievably hideous to Kyousuke. When people did evil deeds out of malice, one only had to remove that malice. But the White Queen could not be persuaded or threatened. She could not be controlled through external stimuli. (What are you talking about?) Kyousuke looked to the door. He had thought Hayato and Benikomichi Fuuki would attack if they noticed him here. But he had been wrong. (It cant be) It cant be!! A moment later, more than three hundred plastic explosives attached to the factorys primary columns and rebar detonated all at once. Rather than being crushed, the building seemed to have been blown to pieces by firecrackers pointed straight up. Hayato was more than five hundred meters away as he held the wireless detonator, but pieces of concrete still fell near him. There was no disguising this as something else, so firetruck and ambulance sirens were sounding here and there. He spoke with a composed look on his face. Its over. Thats right, replied his vessel Benikomichi Fuuki. They had blown up a factory filled with more than a hundred of their men, but they did not seem to care. Then who were the two people inside the factorys production management room? The answer was simple: body doubles. Its sad losing someone to speak with. After all, she could perfectly disguise herself as me. Ive never met anyone who understood me so well. But these were the final sacrifices. It all leads to the world without death. And it was thanks to those sacrifices that Shiroyama Kyousuke and his vessel had focused so much on infiltration that they let down their guard in a way. The sacrifices had been necessary. They had been mankinds final sacrifices. As far as they could see while monitoring from a distance, Kyousuke had not set up an Artificial Sacred Ground. That meant the Material and protective circle could not have saved them from harm. Summoners could cause damage exceeding the laws of physics, but they were normal humans if they did not follow the proper process. Normal explosives would kill them like normal. The standard Incense Grenade was set to detonate three to five seconds after pulling the pin, so it was too late to start once the explosions had already begun. They had either been torn to mincemeat or they were crushed beneath the rubble. Whatever the case, the necessary amount of incense is already in the air. We just need to buy another dissemination factory within five years. What do you think, Hayato? We didnt get enough work out of the factory, so its hard to say its products reached all mankind. I doubt we made the connection there. It doesnt matter if we didnt. Creating our immortal group comes first. After that, the passage of time will put us in control. Everyone else will only have two options: be exterminated or join the undying. Then our world without death will be complete. Hayato stopped speaking for a moment and then forced out some more. Okay, mistress. Lets add the finishing touches. Yes, replied the vessel girl. Weve sprinkled the oil on the straw. Once we set it alight, no one can stop us. The entire area had become a pile of rubble. It had originally been a giant factory, but that had thoroughly crumbled into a pile over ten meters high. The scene looked hopeless at first, but there was a surprising escape route. The inside had not been entirely crushed, so it was now something like a vast labyrinth Dammit Kyousuke cursed as he crawled out into the rain that had resumed pouring outside. He held Librarian-chans limp form in his arms. A few dozen firetrucks and ambulances were gathered out front. Their red lights were flashing all around. The pressure that should have kept them away was no longer functioning. With Librarian-chan still in his arms, Kyousuke turned back toward the pile of rubble. How many people were buried alive in there? Even now, the White Queen was laughing. She had already left his smartphones screen. A life-size version of the White Queen stood next to Kyousuke as an image projected on the raindrops. The Rainy Screen, hm? He received a response from the directional speakers that were used to make the voice data sound like it was coming from the projected image. The White Queen clasped her hands behind her back and moved her chin in needlessly close. When she passed right through Kyousuke, the Queen puffed out her cheeks. The bombs had been set up to destroy the massive factorys most important structural points. But that meant the blast spreading within the factory was not evenly distributed and it was thus weaker in places. Kyousuke and Librarian-chan had quickly hid in one of those air pockets to escape the danger. But not even Kyousuke could make those calculations on such short notice. Searching out all the bombs in that instant would have been impossible. Without help from the White Queen who had seen where the bombs were in advance, he would not have even had the necessary data for the calculations. Were you hoping I would thank you? After you just let this happen? The White Queen projected on the night rain spoke with the expression of a girl opening a homemade lunch in front of the boy she had a crush on. To her, this may not have been much different. If they could stop that ignition, they could prevent the world without death from being constructed. Rain and factory smoke, linking the people who bought the character goods with the factorys activity, the End of the World, and the final ignition Kyousuke muttered to himself and the White Queen waved her index finger in front of his face. The Queens image grew badly distorted with static. That continued for about ten seconds before returning to normal. Kyousuke heard a wet sound like a childs rain boots scraping against the wet asphalt. He slowly turned around. Since Librarian-chan was unconscious, he could face this ghost without seeing it through her emotional filter. He found a small silhouette quite nearby. A broken umbrella hid the face of a girl in a bloody raincoat who was between ten and twelve. She was the Rainy Girl. She was Librarian-chans sister and was supposedly plotting to kill that girl who rejoiced at being able to live on her own. This was not the same as the fake Rainy Screen. This was a mistake that appeared in the world itself. He could only see her lips and they were moving silently. Librarian-chan had been terrified from beginning to end, but when he calmly observed her, he could read her lips. This is what she was trying to say: Save my sisters world. When had this ghost realized the truth? And to how many people had she tried to tell the truth? She had not been appearing to kill Librarian-chan. Even after death, she had been wandering the earth in order to protect her family. Im not that perfect. I just thought the Rainy Girls actions werent focused enough for me to accept what Librarian-chan said at face value. If I hadnt heard this here, I might have taken Librarian-chans side and helped eliminate the ghost. At the very least, the summoner and vessel advocating a world without death had seen the Rainy Girl as a danger. They had gone as far as bugging Librarian-chans house or modifying the communications equipment nearby. They had not directly killed Librarian-chan because the Rainy Girl had been fixated on her sister. It was a lot like the relationship between Kyousuke and the White Queen. If they got rid of Librarian-chan, they would no longer be able to predict the Rainy Girls actions. That was why they had left her alive. Ghastly wide eyes peered out from the gaps in the torn umbrella. It was true that ghost did not look normal. Given how she had died, some might have screamed as soon as they saw her face. But that was not the girls fault. That did not explain why that girl would be malicious. In the end, the Rainy Girl had only been focused on the nearby people she cared about. But no one had noticed and she had become the star of a ghost story. The White Queen seemed to be enjoying herself. She asked despite knowing the answer. And that was why the boy responded as if to confirm what she already knew. He had been asked to save someone and Alice (with) Rabbit could only give one answer when he had heard those cursed words. My answer is of course, as you wish. When people fall asleep on the last train or on a train that begins deadheading, they go missing and never return. But for some reason, the fact that people are vanishing never ends up in the news. The rumor had branched off into a number of forms, so some had a less frightening conclusion: a reunion with a forgotten first love, the return of a runaway pet, or the discovery of a lost treasure, but that only made it less credible. I started to drift off on the train and suddenly woke up to find I was the only one onboard. I was too scared to see if anyone was in the drivers compartment up front. As I trembled in fear, I blinked and suddenly found myself back on the train full of other passengers. I thought I had just woken up from a dream, but what if I have been wandering through a dream ever since? Or? As the planner viewed the scene, he complained into his cellphone: Your huge-ass sign is in the way, so no one can see our advertisement from the station. When the construction workers checked the plans back in their office, they all tilted their heads. There shouldnt have been a giant sign there, so what was this guy seeing? Meinokawa Higan woke up to someone violently shaking her shoulders. She shrieked when she realized it was a middle-aged worker and not her sister. The man with stubble on his chin just looked annoyed. How long are you planning to sleep? Im amazed those cleaning brushes whirring around outside werent enough to wake you. If I hadnt done one last check through the cars, the shutters wouldve closed and youd have been trapped on the monorail. Eh, ah!? Um, wheres my sister? Your sister? Oh, please dont tell me theres someone else hiding in here. The annoyance in his voice suggested he really knew nothing about that. Higan shook her heavy head and pulled out the cheap cellphone that matched the one her sister had. It was already past ten and both calling and emailing received no response. Hey, can you get off the train before messing with your phone? I really want to lock up and get home. O-oh. Sorry. I cant believe this. Now I have to check back over everything for that sister of yours. The worker complained as he left the monorail. Higan started to follow, but she nearly fell. Unlike at a station, the switchyard had no platform and thus there was a one meter drop. It was easily overcome if you knew it was there, but it could lead to a broken arm if it caught someone off guard. The man supported her with surprisingly quick movements. Watch out! If theres an accident here, I might be held responsible. Please give me a break!! S-sorry. He was being a little cruel, but from his perspective, Higan was a step away from being a trespasser. No one would want to be responsible for the actions of someone like that. She moved away from the worker and looked around. Monorail cars hung down from the parallel rails running along near the ceiling. There were also garage-like shutters and large maintenance equipment. It was a vast space, but it was all indoors and the rain could not get in. There were a few other men and women in work uniforms, but it was a small number for such a large space. It felt more like they were the few remaining workers rather than the full workforce. They might have been closing up shop as it was called. And there was no sign of a shrine maiden outfits noticeable red color scheme. Higan walked around unsteadily, left the switchyard through a door, and entered a narrow passageway. She felt around as she continued. Finally, she opened a stainless steel door and stepped outside. She was nearly blinded by the bright decorative lights. Toy Dream 35 was always filled with colorful lights, but a special event known as the Rainy Screen was underway to keep guests around during the long rain. That was why a surface of light burned into her eyes like a movie screen. Where did Renge go? The girl had not been in the switchyard, but Higan did not know where she had gone. She had no idea what to do, but then an odd sound reached her ears. ga It was strangely scratchy and she did not even realize it was a voice at first. But Hin Renge? As soon as she said that, she heard another sound. The disturbing sound reminded her of rubber scraping against the rainy road. Meinokawa Higan silently turned around. She did so ever so slowly. And there she found Facts: *Summoner Hayato and Vessel Benikomichi Fuuki are pursuing a world without death that will be created by a worldwide Artificial Sacred Ground and seven billion protective circles. If all mankind is placed inside a protective circle within that semi-permanent Artificial Sacred Ground, it will theoretically create a deathless world that rejects all external and internal death. *Hayatos group used the factorys smoke to place a special substance in the westerlies. And by placing the factorys products in peoples hands the world over, they forcibly involved them in a portion of the summoning ceremony. *The Material at the core of the plan is the White Queen. Her body is in space and her mind alone can walk freely on the earth. Thus, she is currently harmless. However, it is unknown if that balance can be broken. *The current system of society is built on the assumption that people die and civilization will quickly collapse if people suddenly stop dying. Hayatos group either has not realized this or is trying not to think about it. *In a system not reliant on the Artificial Sacred Ground, Materials can be picked up by cameras and sensors. *The Rainy Girl ghost had noticed some of what was going on and was trying to give a warning to protect her sister and the small world around her, but that warning did not reach anyone. *To create the world without death, Hayato must activate some final ignition. *The White Queen super loves her super super brother. But that super super super love is super super super super scary. Volume 2, Stage 04 - Even If It Isn’t Right Volume 2, Stage 04: Even If It Isnt Right Some might say this is absolutely wrong and some might say its a grand farce. But!! This has to be what everyone really wanted to do!! (Stage 04 Open 05/01 01:07) Even If It Isnt Right From an undated voice recorder file: My dads method must have been wrong. By providing death and eliminating people, he worked to remove the dangerous elements and thus improve the world. But if he missed even a single person, he could no longer maintain the proper history. That single point would spread to the whole and the distortion of history would never end. That is why you cant build peace on a foundation of death. Even if you do build that peace, it will not last. We corrected that method. Instead of accepting death, we will utterly reject it. By creating a world without death, people will lose the very reason for their conflict. Most human conflict is based on an unfulfilled need. And topping that list is the preservation of their own life. The creation of a world without death will likely create a fair bit of chaos, but the people will soon realize they have no more reason to fight. Luckily, we have all the tools needed to accomplish this. All that remains is to do it. There is some fear of unwanted phenomena occurring as a side effect of creating a planet-wide Artificial Sacred Ground and placing all of mankind inside protective circles, but establishing the world without death comes first. Once that is complete and all conflict has left the human world, I will finally have the right to inherit everything my dad left behind. Killer Intent Antenna. Telomeres End. That is when I will inherit those two names. Then again, they might have lost all meaning by the time we have a world without death. In that case, they will only be a legacy I inherit from my father. Fuuki-san. She was a vessel for the previous generation as well, but she alone may still have value in the world without death. Oh, goddammit!! shouted the modified China dress beauty named Lu Niang Lan. She was in Aikas apartment and they must have reached a break in the rain because she could not see any out the window. However, she could not see the starry sky either. Was that due to the thick rainclouds or Toy Dream 35s Rainy Screen campaign? The white liger must not have liked the moisture because she looked a little upset as she gave a large, large yawn. Meanwhile, Shut-In Aika was more cheerful than she had been during the day (although it was hard to tell just by looking at her). She was busy leaning against the ferocious beast while watching a late-night variety show and posting complaints on a message board in real time. But as a summoner who was forgotten when not seen with the naked eye, no one would respond to any of her posts. Her information could not reach anyone without some help from someone below Award 100 who would not be forgotten by normal society. Even if she bought something online, the order would be forgotten if she did not use one of those people. Lu Niang Lan switched her phone to speakerphone and called someone with the results of her investigation still on the screen. She was calling Shiroyama Kyousuke. I found it, I found it. Hayato was a dead end and the incense registration list didnt turn up anything, but I finally got a hit with the vessel named Benikomichi Fuuki. Shes registered as one of the vessels paired with a summoner called Illegal Award 910, Telomeres End. One ofthe vessels? Telomeres End kept several vessel candidates on hand. He would bind and cancel contracts over short periods of time to choose the right vessel for the job like a set of golf clubs. Benikomichi Fuuki was one of those. Shes been active since she was nine years old. She had been able to stand on the public stage as a high school student council president and blend into human society without anyone forgetting her because she had repeatedly cancelled and renewed her contract like that. It may have been that history of risky usage that allowed her to do that without fearing the unknown side effects. It was not that her body had built up a resistance to it. Her mind had. So the person trying to create this world without death is that Telomeres End guy? No, Telomeres End is already dead, dryly answered the modified China dress beauty. After his death, his vessel candidates scattered. Some returned to normal lives and some bound new contracts with other summoners. In the end, none of the vessels stayed with Telomeres End. Except for one, that is. And that was senpaiBenikomichi Fuuki? But she has a contract with a summoner other than Telomeres End, doesnt she? What if that summoner was a memento of Telomeres End? Telomeres End had brought together a small organization as a member of Illegal. And Illegal families focus on bonds of blood. It might sound odd for criminal organizations to care about familial love, but its far deeper and stronger than people think. You could call it an idiosyncrasy of Illegal. Even if Telomeres End himself didnt want it, that would have had some effect. Yasuzumi Hayato was his heir from a physical and genetic perspective. Benikomichi Fuuki was his heir from a psychological and technical perspective. They were trying to follow in the footsteps of Telomeres End by joining forces. That was the identity of Shiroyama Kyousukes enemy. Our Awards are mainly dependent on the summoner rather than the vessel. Thats why Im not Government Award 1000 and why your enemy is on par with Telomeres End and yet has not inherited his name or Awards. A child does not inherit his parents Awards just because he is using the same vessel. That would explain why someone so skilled isnt in any of the records. Kyousuke sounded annoyed. And from what Ive heard, I dont think the summoner is in charge here. Its probably senpaithe vessel who has seen both father and son who is leading the pair. She has given the son some special education to help him learn his fathers techniques. Thats an unusual arrangement. When I was a vessel, I wore a collar and was kept in a cage. Im not sure how I should respond to that. Feel free to get all flustered while you imagine it, readily answered Lu Niang Lan. I dont mind if its you. That was something she had already dealt with. Dealt with by personally killing the summoner behind it, that is. As the name Telomeres End suggests, he was an assassin and he apparently really thought he could bring about peace if he killed everyone standing in its way. But based on what youve said, Kyousuke-chan, it sounds like his son is heading in the opposite direction. When the one-man leader died, it may have cast a shadow over his ideals. Thats why they decided to take the other way. If they succeed, theyve succeeded. And if they fail, it proves that his father was right all along. By the waytheres one thing I need to tell you about and then apologize for. Just one? Just one? Thats not a very nice thing to say!! Ahem. Remember when you helped me retrieve that attache case at A Blocks international airport? Yeah. The one carrying a plan to defeat a certain country, right? Right. The thing is, that plan was a lot like this. ? The method of destroying their assumed enemy nation was just like this deathless world. But instead of creating an indefinite state of immortality, the plan was to only create a temporarily deathless world. Once the nations system had collapsed, they would switch off the deathless part. It was simple enough to describe, but what it meant was truly nasty. The targets themselves would thoroughly destroy the kind system that was necessary to preserve their normal lives and then their immortality would suddenly be snatched away from them. What would happen then? They would no longer have the clothing, food, shelter, currency, electricity, gas, water, and everything else provided by that kind system, but a world of normal death would suddenly return. Without what was needed to live, they would of course be unable to live. Even if that meant one or two hundred million people, there would be no exceptions. They would have destroyed themselves and driven themselves to death. It would be mass suicide on a grand scale. That peaceful solution was really a horribly cruel way of destroying a nation without firing a single bullet. So thats why Yasuzumi Hayato and Benikomichi Fuuki showed up at that international airport. Had someone intercepted their plan and built it into their own plan or were they trying to prevent a coincidentally similar plan from getting out? Either way, they needed to steal that no matter what. Thats why they showed up and pretended to be our allies. Im glad I didnt trust them, commented Kyousuke. I know what you mean. Its looking like those so-called Black Wings that occupied the airport may have actually been soldiers from the old Telomeres End days. In that case, simply stealing the case during the first wave would have worked, but if that failed, they just had to slaughter their own soldiers to earn our trust and begin a summoning ceremony from close range. Lu Niang Lan traversed the world of the summoning ceremony with nothing more than her bare hands and hidden weapons, but not even she could escape the basic rules. Once she was closed in an Artificial Sacred Ground and her target was contained within a protective circle, none of her attacks would get through. They might have been in trouble had that second wave tricked them. Its the same method they used when blowing up the factory with their soldiers inside For advocating a world without death, they sure are quick to take peoples lives, enemy or ally. Theyll probably be the first to starve if their plan does succeed. By the way, what are the three major powers doing? Theyll probably take action soon. A world without death sounds nice, but it will only bring harm to everyone. However, these people planned for your interference from the beginning, so theyll have put together their timetable on the assumption they were going to blow up their HQ. Their next move will be checkmate, so shouldnt we assume this will all be over by the time those large organizations get going? In that case, well have to do this on our own. Do you have any idea where their ignition will take place? Yeah. Theres only one place it could be. Yasuzumi Hayato, the memento of a summoner known as Telomeres End, looked up into the night sky during a brief break in the rain. Do you think theyll be here? Im sure they will, replied Benikomichi Fuuki, his vessel. She had viewed Telomeres Ends techniques from closer than anyone and had thoroughly trained this novice summoner in their true essence. She had not demanded it, but her training had been harsh enough that he had naturally started to call her mistress. First, they know I went through a special process and protected my social status to remain here. Second, they may have seen the Rainy Girl appear at the factory as well as here. There are small changes occurring around the world, but the Rainy Girls most noticeable actions are concentrated on this city. With those two facts, it should be obvious that the ghost has been appearing near crucial parts of our plan to leave behind some kind of message. He isnt stupid enough to overlook that. He should have died in the explosion. That would have been best, of course. And it is logically correct. But didnt I teach you that you will occasionally run across apparent violations of probability - that is, miraculous despair - in actual combat? They stood in Toy Dream 35s R Block. They were on the roof of the high school were Benikomichi Fuuki served as student council president. As soon as Shiroyama Kyousuke knew she was his enemy, he would wonder why she had gone to the effort of canceling and renewing her contract as a vessel just to preserve her social standing here. Unless he sentimentally concluded she had wanted to enjoy her peaceful high school life, he would have predicted that she was modifying the high school as a cornerstone of her plan. How is the weather map looking? asked Benikomichi Fuuki. Im only using a civilian service, but it looks good. The effects are starting to show themselves. The rainclouds are taking a shape that completely ignores the arrangement of wind and atmospheric pressure. The Northern Hemisphere itself is clearly transforming into a giant pattern. In other words, that will give away where the center is. And if its that obvious with a civilian service, everyone in the world will know. This creates a third concern. We have two options: complete the ignition before any pursuers arrive She heard a creaking noise. It was the sound of a steel door opening and closing. Two more people stepped out onto the late night rooftop. Or mow everything down to buy the time we need. Right, Shiroyama Boy? The two summoner pairs faced each other. Shiroyama Kyousuke and the Librarian. Yasuzumi Hayato and the Student Council President. They were beginning the final battle over the deathless world a ghost had revealed. When Kyousuke arrived on the roof, his opponents were standing in the rainy night without an umbrella. They were a little more than twenty meters away. The summoner known as Alice (with) Rabbit did not ask his opponents why they were doing this and he did not try to talk them out of it. He would stop them no matter what their reason was and he would use any means necessary to do so. His silence was a sign of that resolve. But he did recall some small things: The student council president who had apologized for making him take part in the useless crime prevention training. The girl who had innocently stolen the pork from his bowl in the cafeteria. Benikomichi Fuuki who had helped him study to fend off boredom after school. The memories rose to the surface. But then he sealed them away as if to part ways with those peaceful days. Instead, he made a demand. Name yourself. This was an issue of definitions. He had been speaking to Yasuzumi Hayato, but the summoner said nothing and looked over to his vessel. Benikomichi Fuuki answered on her own without checking with the summoner behind her. We are Illegal Award 910, Telomeres End. Shiroyama Kyousuke narrowed his eyes ever-so-slightly. That quick exchange had revealed the general outline of some things: the balance of power between his two enemies, this plan led by the vessel, what supported the vessels heart, and what desire had led them in this direction. So to sum it all up, Kyousuke spoke a simple phrase with Librarian-chan to his side. Theres no saving you. A moment later, an Incense Grenade burst at Hayatos feet. An Artificial Sacred Ground expanded from there. The summoning battle had begun. The Rose made up of 216 Petals appeared. Kyousuke pulled a serpentine Blood-Sign from his back and Hayato pulled a three-sectioned staff of a Blood-Sign from his back. They both became long sticks. They forcefully sent out one of the White Thorns that had appeared. Both White Thorns pierced the Rose at about the same time and it broke into scattering Petals. Countless Spots appeared within the Artificial Sacred Ground and the Petals were absorbed by them. Librarian-chan and Benikomichi Fuukis bodies transformed as if spiraling around. Kyousuke had the Original Green (k). Cost: 1. Sound Range: Middle. Hayato had the Original Red (b). Cost: 1. Sound Range: Low. They were both three meter, seven hundred kilogram masses of goo and the only difference was the color, but Kyousuke had the upper hand in the sound range. But Hayato did not quickly build up his Material to change to a different sound range. As Kyousuke continued to aim for the Petals floating in the air, the assassin gave a yell. Fuuki-san!! Destroy the roo Like well let you!! Librarian-chan!! Kyousuke loudly cut him off. A dull sound rang out. As Benikomichi Fuuki tried to smash the concrete below them in her Original Red form, Librarian-chan used her own Original Green body as a shield. Kyousuke had the upper hand in the sound range, so she could take a few hits without worrying about a fatal blow. In the blank moment created by the failed attempt to destroy their footing, Kyousuke used his Blood-Sign to forcefully hit a White Thorn. He moved onto the next step. By gaining an advantage in sound range and cost, he could crush his opponent before they even left the weakest Cost 1 range. But Hayato gave a shout even though he had to know that. Did you think you could get in our way forever!? The red goo took the form of a giant fist and repeatedly attacked the rooftop. Librarian-chan moved quickly, but she could not help but let a few hits through which sent disconcerting cracks through the concrete. The limit arrived in no time. With a dull breaking sound, Kyousukes entire vision dropped down as if he had fallen into an enormous pitfall. He knew what Yasuzumi Hayato had to be thinking. They would fall into a classroom or hallway. Either way, it was a limited indoor field that would allow him to fight while switching from one foothold to another. By using the floor, the walls, the ceiling, the blackboards, the desks, and the lockers, he could switch between footholds every few seconds to send the artificial gravity every which way and toss Shiroyama Kyousuke around. He could overwhelm his opponent by building up his own Material without giving his opponent a chance to use his Blood-Sign. But Kyousuke did not just sit idly by. With a tremendous sound, he pressed his feet against the crumbling rooftop and charged forward like a bullet. His target was Yasuzumi Hayato himself. Their protective circles collided, creating an almost metallic clang. The two summoners were distanced from anything that would bring death, so this would of course not defeat him. But Yasuzumi Hayatos body still floated up somewhat. ? Librarian-chan!! Hit me!! The response was swift. An otherworldly monster mercilessly beat Shiroyama Kyousukes protective circle from behind. This provided far more power than before, so it almost looked like the physics experiment using metal balls hanging from strings. All of the monsters kinetic energy was transferred from Kyousuke to Hayato. Kyousukes position remained almost unchanged while Hayato shot horizontally when he had been falling straight down before. Wha!? He was thrown far from his expected landing point. Instead of the classroom directly below, he was thrown to a long hallway. A new Artificial Sacred Ground appeared and the remaining Petals were swept over to it. It must have felt like intentionally jumping into a pitfall only to find there was a second pitfall at the bottom. Hayato frantically corrected the position of his legs, but that slowed him down and worked against his plan. Meanwhile, Kyousuke was using his Blood-Sign. He used his White Thorns to accurately target the Petals bouncing freely around the limited miniature world. His Material was already the Ramming Fish (n h - c b). Cost: 4. Sound Range: Low. It was a giant fish that swam freely through the dark night and had a single sword-like horn. Yasuzumi Hayato must have sensed that sticking with the weakest Original Red would be dangerous, so he finally started hitting out his own White Thorns. Fuuki-san!! The student council president transformed from the red goo into a man-eating flower that crawled around with tentacle-like roots. Unsurprisingly, she smashed the hallway floor. Their footing vanished once more. Hayato set his sights on the inside of the outer wall. The new artificial gravity would swing Shiroyama Kyousuke around by 360 degrees. But then Hayato saw something unbelievable. Before the artificial gravity had even changed, the soles of Kyousukes shoes were already planted on the wall. He was running along the wall. Using the same principle that kept water in a bucket as it is was swung around, it was possible to walk two or three steps on a vertical wall with enough of a starting run and centrifugal force. But that was only if one was prepared to fall back down and possibly break an arm if they messed up the landing. However, Kyousuke did not need to worry about landing. After all, the footing had already been destroyed and Hayato was on the move. The enemy assassin could not stop now. Before Shiroyama Kyousukes body could be dragged back down by gravity, the new footing was set. That meant he did not fall. The battle continued on this new footing. Meanwhile, even if Hayato had set this up, he still had to use his knees as springs to cancel the momentum of his own weight. He was delayed a bit when compared to Kyousuke who had been attached to the wall before it even became the new footing. Hayato should have been the one swinging his opponent around, but his own plan was beginning to strangle him. You!? What? You dont have anything else up your sleeve? Shiroyama Kyousuke simply smiled as he precisely held up his Blood-Sign. He seemed to be proving again who the master of this field was. Benikomichi Fuuki felt a strange emotion rising from within her heart. She had transformed into the Feasting Flower (l v z - j). All Materials were filled with violent and belligerent thoughts, but this was something else. Yasuzumi Hayato, her partner and summoner, stood on the hallway wall as he fought Shiroyama Kyousuke. As Fuuki received his support in her man-eating flower form, she clashed with Kyousukes Material, a giant single-horned fish. To be blunt, things were not going well. They had supposedly inputted the optimal values and made the optimal calculations, but they had not received the optimal answer. Hayatos side had set all of this up, but for some reason Kyousukes side always seemed to have the upper hand. It felt like handing their spare ammunition to the enemy and being shot by those very bullets. However The emotion rising from within the transformed girl was joy. She gave no thought to the fact that her thoughts might be reaching her partner. As Yasuzumi Hayato stood vertically in the hallway, he gave her a quick confused glance. Yes, she was rejoicing as they were being cornered. She was delighting in the existence of someone who could push them to the limit like this. It felt like remembering the distant past. It was like finding the same atmosphere as when she had joined hands with a veteran assassin and lived a life of constantly being pushed to the limit. She had taken on the unnecessary risk of side effects to hide that she was a vessel and thus avoid unnecessary battles with other summoners, but there had been no real reason to become student council president. She could have lived the life of an inconspicuous and obedient student. Had she done so regardless because she had wanted to try walking a path besides that of the dead summoners teachings? She had lived up to everyones expectations, stood before everyone, and aimed for something beyond them all. But it had not been enough. No matter how much she succeeded as a human, that summoners shadow never vanished. The traces of that man had become a part of the girl named Benikomichi Fuuki. To the point that she was willing to use his memento of a son to immerse herself in those memories. Kyousuke had said there was no saving her. He must have seen through it all in that quick exchange. And Yasuzumi Hayato had likely seen it too. As the man-eating flowers fangs clashed with the giant fishs horn, Benikomichi Fuuki mocked it all. The vessels feelings were not directed toward the summoner. To her, there was only one person superior to her. In fact, she felt fonder of the formidable foe who had reminded her of those days. Yasuzumi Hayato was considered a failure after scoring a perfect 100, so there was no reward for him here. And Benikomichi Fuuki was an extraordinarily cruel girl for forcing that onto him so readily. Blood and knowledge. Genes and techniques. The assassin summoner boy was trapped between both of those, but he had created a place for himself in the slight gap between and he called out a girls name from the bottom of his gut. He awaited instructions like a machine. Fuuki-sa!! But the poor boy was cut off. He seemed to realize something that frightened him. His mouthno, his entire body came to a stop. The summoner looked to his feet. He stood on the schools outer wall, so the entire surface was made of glass. There was no need to have the Material break it. If he stomped his foot, he could break it himself. And that transparent footing led to a never-ending expanse. There was nothing horizontal of here. If this broke, he would seriously continue falling for hundreds of metersno, perhaps even for kilometers. His life would not be in danger as long as the protective circle lasted, but since he could not predict what high-rise building would become his next footing, that would not improve his situation. Doing that would mean throwing out all his calculations and gambling with his life and future. No plan could be more foolish. And yet Benikomichi Fuuki shouted at him as if pushing a doll forward. The Material ignored the summoner and started on its next attack. But before it could Librarian-chan. A voice even colder than the assassins reached their ears. The Devouring Wings. Cost: 5. Sound Range: Middle. The monster that reacted to Kyousukes words was not so much a bird as it was a giant stingray and it had rows of human teeth. It happened in an instant. Do it. The monster did not hesitate to break the glass earth below their feet. Fuuki and Hayato were both overcome by the falling sensation that felt like a weight in the stomach. Dumbfounded, they looked to the enemy summoner. Had he made a desperate gamble because he had no chance of winning? That (from Hayatos perspective) optimistic idea came to mind, but he would soon realize he was wrong. There was no surprise on Kyousukes face. This was the territory of the true Telomeres End. Yasuzumi Hayato was nothing but his memento, so he could never reach this point. Oh, ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!! The summoner could no longer speak. But he did have a direct mental link to the vessel he fought alongside. Benikomichi Fuuki realized what the assassin intended to do, so she collided with Hayato from the side as a burning metal ball of a Material. That bent his fall by a right angle, so he flew like an artillery shell and stabbed into the outer wall of the gym built next to the school. He had avoided the thousand meter fall and set the gyms outer wall as their new footing. Shiroyama Kyousuke followed, as if being dragged over by the wall of the newly created Artificial Sacred Ground. So did the group of red Petals. Kyousuke landed on the gym wall with the force of a meteor. No. With a great roar, the protective circle around him mercilessly broke through the wall. Hayato and everyone else were thrown horizontally into the dark gym. They landed on the opposite wall and the Petals rained down like a red meteor shower. As a burning metal ball, Fuuki clicked her tongue at Hayatos wide-eyed look. But Hayato had good reason to be concerned. The Artificial Sacred Ground only lasted for ten minutes, so he would not be thrown beyond the solar system. But it was obvious what would happen to a flesh-and-blood human if the effects wore off during a horizontal fall. Fuuki knew that, but she still worked to motivate him. And Shiroyama Kyousuke did not hesitate. Librarian-chan. Dammit!!!!!! When he heard that, Yasuzumi Hayato ran full speed along the gym wall. He ran toward the floor. At the same time, he instructed Benikomichi Fuuki to drop down from above to destroy their footing. The burning metal ball crashed down and achieved the desired destruction. Hayato had arrived at the right angle connection between wall and floor and he stepped onto the floor the instant the footing crumbled. He had finally escaped the hopeless threat of being thrown out into empty air, so he breathed a small sigh of relief. But Now, then. Kyousuke lightly spun his Blood-Sign around. His previous method would no longer work, but Alice (with) Rabbit did not look concerned. This is a large floor with no walls or ceilings in reach. You can no longer use that artificial gravity tactic you love so much. !? And if you cant use your interference tactics, this comes down to pure skill as a summoner. You are no longer much of a threat. If all were doing is hitting our White Thorns, I have the upper hand. Or am I wrong?" Haha ha. Yasuzumi Hayato raised his Blood-Sign and looked around the dark gym. There were large holes on both side walls and the ceiling was too far away. The polished wooden floor was the only surface. There really was nothing he could do. There was nothing left with which to create his next footing. However Hah. Have you forgotten, Alice (with) Rabbit? This isnt a normal school. Its a midair float supported by dozens of pillars! And that means!! Theres plenty of free space down below!! With those words, the burning metal ball that Benikomichi Fuuki had become dropped down from above. It was a lot like a lightning strike. The world split. It went beyond the waxed wooden floor breaking. The foundation of the building and the entire artificial surface of the midair float split, broke, scattered, and crumbled. Below them was a drop of twenty to thirty meters, several large bridges, and the many thick pillars that supported the midair float. The Rainy Screen that projected images onto the falling raindrops was mainly meant to be viewed from indoors, so there were not many people outside, especially on these bridges with their view of the night sky blocked by the midair float. There was no sign of anyone on those bridges. They could use any of those and land on any of them. They had recovered. Hayato could continue at his own pace now. He would make a complete comeback. It would all be over when he landed on his next footing. But what happened next betrayed his expectations. Librarian-chan. It happened as soon as Shiroyama Kyousuke said that. The Spear that Pursues Fresh Blood (bih - ei - dp - tq). Cost: 9. Sound Range: Low. A flying spear over five meters long moved in the span of a breath. With a deafening noise, the Material stabbed through the bridge Hayato was trying to land on. The bridge broke in two and Hayato nearly lost his balance in midair after preparing his legs like springs. And Kyousukes Material did not stop there. It smashed through bridge after bridge. With all of his possible footholds gone, Hayato was sucked into the deep darkness beyond. Theocean!? The sound of the splitting water stabbed into Yasuzumi Hayatos ears. The ocean surface was not recognized as the Artificial Sacred Grounds next footing. Without the Artificial Sacred Ground, the Petals were not dragged to him and there was nothing around him. The assassin was simply shocked at first, but then he realized where the next footing would be. If he continued to sink Fuuki could see the two summoners sinking. The protective circles kept them safe from all external and internal forms of death during the ceremony, so none of the seawater made it inside those circles. However, that also meant their arms and legs could not reach the water. That in turn meant they could not swim and thus they could only continue to sink. Also, the protective circle apparently did not function like a float despite the air inside them. They could reach the water with their long Blood-Signs, but it would be difficult to lift a humans weight to the surface like that. And on top of that, Shiroyama Kyousuke mercilessly dropped down on Yasuzumi Hayato while they were both contained within protective circles. This did no damage, but Kyousukes weight could not be ignored. Both their weights together invited them to the cold and dark ocean depths. When Fuuki prepared to help, Kyousukes Material glared at her. She had the inferior cost. Not only would she be held back, but she could easily be defeated. Do youdo you have any idea what youve done, Alice (with) Rabbit!? Yes, I believe the ocean here is about thirty meters deep. That wont be a problem while the protective circles are active, but after the ten minute time limit, the water pressure will rush in at us. Things might be different if you slowly dove down like a normal diver, but even thirty meters is enough to knock you out from shock if it arrives as suddenly as throwing a switch. And if Hayato passed out in the water, it was obvious what fate awaited him. He would lose the right to struggle and would drown without putting up a fight. Butthenthe same thing will happen to you!! Ordo you have a way out? No, there isnt one. You dont have an oxygen tank on you. And even if you did, that wouldnt help with the water pressure squeezing at your blood vessels and organs. Then!? You tossed me around a lot with that artificial gravity. Kyousuke showed no sign of fear as he sunk toward the ocean bottom like he had been thrown off the pier at night with a concrete block in his arms. That was probably around 4 or 4.5 Gs. A roller coaster can recreate that, so the protective circle wont cut it off. But if you combine that with a special way of breathing, you can adjust the oxygen level in your blood without visiting a specialized hyperbaric chamber. Unlike you, Ive already prepared for a high pressure environment. Do I really need to tell you anything more? O-oh, owaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!? Yasuzumi Hayato swung his Blood-Sign like crazy to hit his White Thorns, but his hands came to a stop. But this was not just because he was not used to fighting underwater. When he destroyed his footing and set up a new Artificial Sacred Ground, the Spots would appear based on that new Artificial Sacred Ground. That meant the Spots would not appear until that new Artificial Sacred Ground had been set. Nor would the remaining Petals slide this way. In other words, he could not interfere with his Material even with the White Thorns he had. There was nothing he could do. Benikomichi Fuuki was still trying to grasp, crush, and kill Kyousukes Material. The giant spear was fighting the burning metal ball, but Kyousukes had the upper hand in pure cost and in the sound range. Plus, Fuuki never had a chance without him constantly moving from footing to footing to throw off their opponents pace. No help was coming. He could not float back up to the surface. The chain of death was attached to Yasuzumi Hayatos feet and it dragged him down to the watery depths thirty meters below. Then the new Artificial Sacred Ground appeared and the artificial gravity chained him here. As if to prove his life was bound here, the petals rained down from above and the new Spots opened wide. With that, Yasuzumi Hayatos chances of victory were extinguished. If he lost, his protective circle would vanish, the water pressure would crush him, and he would lose consciousness. Even if he won, how far could he reach in just ninety seconds? At A Blocks international airport, he had used the Divine-class Leviathan to drag a submarine high overhead, but that was because he had had room to send the Material below the target. Plus, the protective circle would repel the summoner (meaning the Material could only contact him for an instant), so the Material could not interfere with the summoners body for very long. To put it simply, it was very difficult for the Material to grab the summoner in a giant hand, place him on its back, and carry him around. It differed on a case-by-case basis, but the summoner tended to slip away like an eel or wet bar of soap. In the end, Hayato could not use that method unless he could swim up under his own power to create some space below him. Unlike with the school building, he would need to build up his Material quite a bit to smash ten meters of the hard bedrock, but it was unlikely he could reach that point after focusing so much on interference tactics. But then the assassins heart leaped in his chest. The directionless voice that reached his head or chest breathed new life into him. Strength returned to his hands as he held the Blood-Sign. Fuuki could tell even from a distance. But first Something broke. Did Fuuki really understand what had caused it? On the ocean bottom far below, Hayato let go of his Blood-Sign and blankly stared upward. They were only a few dozen seconds away from the time limit. But that would be enough time for Kyousukes Material to wear down and kill the burning metal ball Fuuki had become. She felt fear. But even greater was the joy of battle that filled the student council presidents mind. Was it the lack of this that kept Hayato from reaching that golden age? Was it the presence of this that kept Fuuki from forgetting that golden age? Yes, she could not forget it. Fuuki smiled at that fact, as a ferocious form charged toward her. What was the true desire swirling deep inside her heart? But even if Fuuki had betrayed Hayato, she could not have simply stabbed him in the back. She had needed to put everything into the planning and execution yet have it foiled by some other summoner. That had been the only way to establish an official ranking that included Telomeres End. That had been the only way to prove his superiority. Her thoughts were only linked to Yasuzumi Hayato, so they would not reach Shiroyama Kyousuke. But she did not care. Benikomichi Fuuki shouted her thoughts as the innocently cruel girl who was Telomeres Ends vessel. She had not cared about the memento. The world without death had not mattered. There was just one thing that girl had wanted: placing that mans deeds in an eternal hall of fame and protecting that ultimate record to ensure no one could trample on it. She had simply wanted to prove that Telomeres Ends methods had been correct and that any other methods would only bring pain. Even if it was his relative or son, she could not allow anyone to disturb that sanctuary. Even if it was meant to challenge him. She had achieved her goal. The vessel named Benikomichi Fuuki thought of the summoner she had once stood beside. She pictured the face of that man who had been too distant to call it love but too close to call it respect. The time limit became entirely moot. The giant spear pierced through the burning metal ball. And with the Materials defeat, the protective circle on the ocean bottom burst. Benikomichi Fuuki and Yasuzumi Hayato. That moment determined their defeat. Even though Kyousuke had prepared himself for a high pressure environment, there was only so much he could do on the fly. However, he could not float while inside the protective circle. As soon as the battle ended, he discarded the Chain time, returning Librarian-chan to her human form and removing the circle that prevented him from swimming. His vision immediately shook. He just barely remained conscious. That was the most his safety measure had bought him. He clenched his teeth and grabbed the arm of the assassin floating at the bottom of the ocean. The boy did not put up any kind of resistance. When a summoner or vessel lost, they entered a state of mental shock similar to seeing the god they worshipped slaughtered before their eyes and that state would continue for more than twenty-four hours. They became puppets that did anything they were told, but he would definitely drown if left like this. Kyousuke swam toward the surface. Librarian-chan was a slender girl again and she was already swimming up as well. He had instructed her to keep the fight on the upper edge of the Artificial Sacred Ground. More accurately, he had told her to keep the lower position so she could drive Student Council President Benikomichi Fuuki ever higher and keep her at the ceiling of the Artificial Sacred Ground. Artificial Sacred Grounds were twenty meter cubes by default, so at a depth of thirty meters, the top would be about ten meters deep. That was shallow enough to keep the water pressure from crushing her. Librarian-chan grabbed Benikomichi Fuukis arm because the girl was still suffering from the water pressure (and had become a zombie in the original sense of the word after the shock of losing). Kyousuke swam after them, but a dull pain ran through his head. He felt nauseous, like a magnified version of carsickness. (Dammit I have a light case of decompression sickness) A rapid change from low to high pressure was a problem, but the opposite was also a problem. The nitrogen in the blood would form bubbles that could cause headaches, nausea, internal bleeding, etc. The symptoms were known as decompression sickness or the bends. However, he could not stay underwater forever. He clenched his teeth and forced down the urge to vomit as he stuck his head out from the water. If he had been about twenty meters deeper, the symptoms would have been more severe and may have killed him. Bwah!! Wait, Shiroyama-kun, what is that!? Your eyes are all bloodshot and theyre shedding bloody tears Im lucky thats all it is. More importantly, lets find somewhere to get out of the water. We cant float forever with this baggage weighing us down. And itll probably get more troublesome once they come to. To make sure the dazed summoner and vessel did not drown, Kyousuke and Librarian-chan placed them on their backs and supported them from below as they swam. They felt like otters, but they finally arrived at one of the pillars holding up the high schools midair float and climbed up using the staircase wrapping around it like ivy. Librarian-chan looked up while carrying the student council president on her back. W-we really messed up our school, didnt we? Maybe we should be glad youve calmed down enough to be worried about that, spat out Kyousuke. That summoner and vessel pair had their origins in the summoner known as Telomeres End. They had planned to create a world without death. That had all been stopped now that no one remained to complete the final ignition. The world built on the hatred and acceptance of human death would not be destroyed overnight. It was all over. For the time being, anyway. The school buildings roof had collapsed, the gym had been smashed flat, and the midair float supporting them had broken apart and fallen into the sea. The collapse had reached the school building which was shaped like three sides of a square, so around half of the building had been lost. Most of what remained was the empty schoolyard. Phew When they arrived at the partially-collapsed schoolyard, Kyousuke and Librarian-chan set down the assassins who were now dazed dolls. Kyousuke confiscated their Blood-Sign and Incense Grenades before tying their hands behind their backs. Once they were bound, he pulled out his smartphone. Aika, how is the weather map looking? The unnatural currents that ignore the wind direction and pressure changes are beginning to fall apart. At this rate, their circle will be gone in a half hour or so. Is there anything else we need to destroy? Government personnel were sent to that factory in the name of an inspection. Based on the documents they found in the rubble, the special materials in the atmosphere will not last long-term without the ignition, so they will break apart on their own. In that case, time would solve the rest. Kyousuke said goodbye and hung up. And then A harsh look came over his eyes when a girls voice cut in. He looked over and saw a new figure on the crumbling schoolyard. The Queen with silver twintails and a white dress seemed enveloped by pale glowing particles. That peak of the Unexplored-class was known as the strongest of the strong. She smiled as she used the Rainy Screen to appear in the extended rain and used directional speakers to speak. Why are you here? The White Queen pointed up toward the night sky from which the rain fell. Really? Thats really the only reason? The world without death had been stopped and the mysterious things caused by the masterminds would be gone by the following day. But then someone else came to Librarian-chans mind. She could never remember what that person looked like no matter how hard she tried. They should have been closer to her than anyone. The rainy image of the Queen briefly blurred. Rubber rain boots could be heard on the wet ground. A small girl hid her face behind a broken umbrella and her raincoat was dyed red. Oneechan? The Rainy Girl did not reply to Librarian-chans trembling voice. No, it was just that she did not speak out loud. Her small lips may have been moving below the umbrella, but her posture kept the broken umbrella in the way and Librarian-chan could not follow those movements. She too would disappear. A paranormal system had twisted causality and allowed the impossible to appear, but that would collapse with time. Once that happened, the Rainy Girl could no longer appear. The same was true of the White Queen who was supported by the Rainy Screen. Once the rain let up, they would return to their proper places. No one could stop it. Even if they tried to stop it by force, it would create a great distortion just like Yasuzumi Hayato and Benikomichi Fuuki had. For a while, Librarian-chan and the Rainy Girl faced each other. Only Librarian-chan knew what thoughts filled her heart then. No matter what anyone said, that was her sister. At the same time, no matter what explanation she was given, she could not rid herself of the deep-rooted fear she felt. Even so, she finally spoke. This isfor the best. She was not just talking about now. Her voice seemed to restart the time that had been stalled ever since a certain tragedy had thrown a certain family into despair. I mean, it would be wrong to leave you wandering in the rain forever. It isnt right for everyone to treat you like a strange monster. So we need to end this here. I dont know if theres an afterlife or if were reborn, but there must be some place youre meant to go. So The Alice (with) Rabbit boy briefly thought of a certain pair of twins. But there were as many different endings as there were people. Without saying another word, Kyousuke handed Librarian-chan a single Incense Grenade. He then held her small hand in his own. He aimed it toward the target while it was in the vessels hand. This was not the kind of distortion that Hayato and Benikomichi Fuuki had created. This would create a true Artificial Sacred Ground. The clog would be removed and the ghost that was unnaturally caught here would be swept away to somewhere else. It was a tool to assist a wandering soul. Librarian-chan had said this was for the best, but her face crumpled up and she fell silent when she felt the actual weight in her hand. But the summoner had concluded she would regret it later if she just let it happen and had Kyousuke do it for her. The Rainy Girl said nothing. The broken umbrella spun around with its bearer in the center. Unlike her thorough silence, the small movement seemed to reveal a slight will. And that will relaxed the tense atmosphere. This would end it. More accurately, it would accept that this life had already ended. The rain let up just a little. A break might open in the clouds and the rain might stop entirely. If that happened, the Rainy Girl would disappear. She might never appear again. So Librarian-chan decided to place her finger through the pin along with Kyousukes finger, pull it out, and see it through to the end. However, something interfered. Uuh She heard an odd sound. No, it may have been a voice. Uuhohhh The terribly distorted voice seemed to be coming from a broken audio system, so she could not tell what it was saying. But at the very least, it was not coming from the Rainy Girl. That ghost could not produce her own voice as a sound. However, it was not Shiroyama Kyousuke, Librarian-chan, or the White Queen either. Then who was it? Something happened as soon as they all turned toward the sound. Ohhhhh, aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!! Notice us alreadyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!! There was an explosive sound much like bluish-white sparks scattering. Static ran through the White Queens image. The raindrops that should have all fallen in the same direction had their paths bent in every direction by the noise. And with that explosion, the producer of the voice appeared as if through a split in space itself. It was a pair of twin shrine maidens with long blonde and black hair. Kyousuke spoke in confusion. Meinokawa Renge and Higan? Ohh So we finally made it to this side. I dont know what layer we were on, but when our presence is observed strongly enough by the people of any of those worlds, were pulled toward them. Its scary how those fields overlap. Eek!? W-wait a second. Is that the, um, White Queen smiling over there? Librarian-chan could not keep up and her mouth flapped open and closed. What are these layers youre talking about? A-and where did you come from? Hm? Who are you? Well, that doesnt matter. The black-haired shrine maiden, Renge, casually ignored Librarian-chans questions. We were investigating some mysterious disappearances in Toy Dream 35 and - while Im not sure this is the best way to put it - we fell victim to it ourselves. Well, it was something like that girl with the umbrella over there. What? Layers. Mysterious disappearances. When their presence was observed strongly enough by the people of any of those worlds, they were pulled toward them. Nothing Meinokawa Renge mentioned seemed to fit with the assumptions Kyousuke and Librarian-chan were working from. After all, the girl with the umbrella she had mentioned was Librarian-chans ghost who had been killed years before. But. What if it was those assumptions that were wrong? W-wait! What do you mean mysterious disappearances? That isnt what happened to my sister. If she had just gone missing, there would have been some hope left!! She really was killed, there was no hope at all, and thats why shes appearing to me as a ghost now!! Did she look like a ghost to you because she was suddenly appearing and disappearing? But thats just a normal girl. And she isnt causing this. We dont understand it all ourselves, but we do know something since we lost our way too. The issue is with the world, not the people. I thought Higan was a ghost at first too. This was not over. They did not understand it all. If the Meinokawa Sisters had appeared out of thin air, there had to be a reason for it. Those living girls had mysteriously disappeared somewhere and had now returned. That much made sense, but the Rainy Girl was different. She had to be different. After all, she had already died several years before. And yet. And yet! And yet!!!!!! Only the White Queen was laughing. And she had more to say. Shiroyama Kyousuke felt like the blood was boiling in his head. The current situation and the basic assumptions vanished from his mind and he tried to grab at the illusion in the rain. Queen!!!!! The Queen gave him the look of a playful kitten. Then what was this? No, wait. Dont tell me!! So you knew from the beginning? There was blatant enjoyment in the White Queens voice. Kyousuke knew he could not reach her, but he still yelled at her. You knew and you kept giving me unneeded hints to distract me!! You knew every moment I spent on stopping that world without death was wasting the time limit of another girls life! Whats going to happen to this girl who is unnaturally living here? What happens once time runs out!? Is what Im thinking accurate!? If it is!! The Queen placed a hand on her cheek with a smile reminiscent of thick gum syrup. Whatare you? Librarian-chan spoke up as the rain hit her tearful face. Then her voice rose to a confused shout. What are you talking about!? I mean, my sister wasI mean, she had to have been killed way back then!! Even now shes covered in blood! What could you call that if not a ghost!? How can all of you say shes alive!? The White Queen giggled at her confusion. She had maintained her lovely smile even when idolized by Guard of Honor and when used by the heirs of Telomeres End. Her boiling point lay elsewhere. She could accept any impoliteness as long as it did not involve Kyousuke. All of a sudden, she held some ice cream. Eh? Eh? The core of her voice was powerful enough to shut down any resistance, but it also had the strength to invite dependence. Librarian-chan gasped and forced out her voice. Where is it? Arent you holding? Before she could finish speaking, the White Queen took a step to the side. The ice cream left her hand and floated in midair. Not only that, it was quite far away. The two images displayed in the rain had simply overlapped and the ice cream image had been displayed much larger in the distance. What? Librarian-chans mouth flapped wordlessly. The Meinokawa Sisters did not interrupt either. But not because they were flabbergasted by what the White Queen had said. They were overwhelmed on a more fundamental level. It was like coming across an alien that spoke Japanese. Librarian-chan looked over to Kyosuuke as if asking for help. She may have wanted him to say this was all the Queens insanity. But Kyousuke could not give her the common sense she wanted. As the heirs of Telomeres End spread their thin layer of incense across the globe, the laws of this world were gradually distorted. And probably without them even noticing. Can you picture that much? Y-yes. But how does that mean my sister is alive? Im getting to that, spat out Kyousuke as he agonized over the situation himself. Say you have a window in front of you. If you color the window red, you would see a red scene when you looked through it. But just looking at the red window, you cant tell which side of the window was painted. In other words, the concept of sides goes away. If Toy Dream 35 is the red window, then was the entire world being dragged into it? The White Queens outline blurred. Then gray static filled her Rainy Screen image. It looked like a swarm of small bugs was crawling across her. She remained a twintail girl, but ones impression of her could transform into anything like with a Rorschach test. If she exists, breaths, walks, and speaks like a personand she has been defined as something other than a ghost, then the Rainy Girl here is alive. We have to view her as alive Kyousuke tightly clenched his back teeth. He was ashamed that his own miscalculation had brought him a step away from being won over by the White Queen. If we save her here, she will live. If we kill her here, she will die. The rules couldnt be simpler, right? But why the Rainy Girl? If she was called back because shes missing and was lost, then shouldnt the age of the dinosaurs show up too? I could calculate it out that far. But that isnt a reason. The White Queen had become a mass of gray static that almost made Kyousuke feel like he was facing himself and she answered him as if rewarding him. A subconscious bias entered the fine-tuning of their ceremony? blankly muttered Kyousuke. And that twisted causality enough that it altered the murder that led to all of this? The world without death itself had been an ideology born of a desire to escape an unbearable reality. And what reality would have felt most unbearable to themno, to the original Telomeres End? That line of thinking naturally led to the answer. They had wished to reject a certain girls death. Even if it meant using a giant Artificial Sacred Ground to twist causality and vaguely erase the concept of sides. And I was about to confirm that death Ahh, ahh. The Rainy Girl was what Librarian-chan told me about in the very beginning! But I got distracted and rushed into the unrelated matters of Killer Intent Antenna, Telomeres End, and the world without death!! And all the while, the Rainy Girls time was running out!! W-wait. Librarian-chan spoke up with a tremor in her voice. She was trying to reject that the Rainy Girl, her sister, was alive, but not because she did not want to accept it. She suspected that some great malice was hidden behind it all. She suspected that something would ruin it all. My sister is all bloody and broken! If shes still alive, she wouldnt look like that! The Queen gave a malicious smile as a bloody-smelling illusion oozed from the gray static. The twin sisters were afraid of the sandstorm-like White Queen, but they also seemed confused by the topic at hand. Yes, they had simply called the Rainy Girl a girl. Whether she was a ghost or not, that was not how someone would describe a girl who had been stabbed in the head nineteen times by a grass sickle. She had to look different to the Meinokawa Sisters than she did to Kyousuke and Librarian-chan. And if she looked different If she was really just a normal little girl Whatsgoing to happen? Librarian-chan hesitantly spoke up. She could tell from the ominous conversation that this would be more than just a reunion. It would mean abandoning the Rainy Girl and throwing her back to the murderer. Those words stabbed into Librarian-chans chest. Whats going to happen to my sister!? The Rainy Girl was a murder victim, but in this place where everything is mixed together, why would we only meet the victim? Youdont mean The White Queen cheerfully answered. Youre kidding, right? Right!? My sister is still standing! Shes here and shes alive in some form! We might be able to change something, but youre saying we cant do anything as shes killed again!? Th-thatsthats too much. No, wait. Itll be all right. We defeated a paranormal-controlling summoner and an assassin! A normal murderer doesnt stand a chance against us, right!? Tell me Im right!! Queen. The White Queen said and as she snapped her fingers in her rain-projected image. The mass of static instantly vanished and only the beautiful Queen remained in perfect clarity. In the image, the White Queen, raised her arms like a set of scales and turned her palms toward the rainy sky. The monster among monsters giggled as she whispered to him. He had the worst possible solution in his hands. If the White Queen and the Meinokawa Sisters were telling the truth, then this was indeed a crossroads. When the Rainy Girl had been killed, her death had influenced the original world. In the same way, intercepting the murderer and preventing him from killing her might change something. He was not just viewing a news story from the past. Nothing was certain in this world and he stood here as an active participant. But should he really change that? But was it right to not change it? Help her. Librarian-chans voice shook. She had been prepared to say goodbye, but that was only when there was no other option. Now that she knew her sister was about to be killed and would become a ghost again, could she really abandon her? Could she watch the tragic scene of the girl being stabbed nineteen times in the head? The answer was obvious. And so she raised her voice. If theres a way to save her and a way that she might not have to die, then I want to try it! Shiroyama-kun, tell me what to do!! Tell me how to save my sister!! But However The broken umbrella spun around. The tattered edge of the fabric failed to cover the bottom of the girls face, giving a view of the small lips. No voice left them. Even so, what they said was clear. I dont need help. !? Why not!? Librarian-chan tearfully shouted back, but the Rainy Girl mouthed more words. It was a definitive rejection. I dont want to destroy your world. This was no longer a spooky ghost. It was nothing more than a girl who had pursued this incident from beginning to end and seen her sisters part in it all. The long rain looked like it would let up at any moment. The Rainy Girls body faded. If she vanished now, they would lose their one and only opportunity. Even if they grabbed her hand and tried to shelter her, she herself would vanish, so there was nothing they could do. And could Kyousuke, Librarian-chan, and the others really find her if they ran around the city? Wouldnt the murderer find her faster since he would appear for the sole purpose of killing her? In other words, her fate was sealed. It felt like waking from a long, long dream. When she came to, the girl was alone. Her little sister who had grown bigger than her was gone, the boy and the two girls were gone, and the very, very scary white girl was gone. She was still in Toy Dream 35. At first, she thought she had returned to the pastno, to her original world, but she soon realized that was not the case. The city around her looked a lot like it, but the paint and signs were completely different. And when the girl had been killed, the citys grand opening had been approaching and the power had been off. She had snuck in, thinking it was like a secret base, but then she had run into that monster. It was because the city had been like a brand-new model house that no one had come to save her no matter how much she screamed. This was still the distorted world, her sisters world. But the location itself was the scene of her murder. Because people around the world had taken a mild interest in the ghost known as the Rainy Girlno, in the depressing crime from the past, the incident had been searched for. And that had summoned her here. And the most appropriate place was the spot at which she had been killed. Furthermore, if the people had subconsciously, involuntarily, and irresponsibly searched for and brought her back like restoring a deleted virus, what if that applied to the murderer as well as the victim? Just as the Rainy Girl had been summoned here, that murderer would also arrive here. The end was nigh. The deathless world at the foundation had crumbled away and this mysterious space was supported by the bugs and errors that world had created as side effects, so this too would be broken. Yet oddly enough, the girls outline was clearer than ever before. It was like a cruel joke. It was like she was being displayed more fully now so she could experience the pain, fear, and destruction of her murder all the more vividly. The world returned her sense of pain so it could torture her and it returned her throat so it could hear her scream. That was the extent of the malice she felt here. Still holding her umbrella and with raindrops still falling on her raincoat and rain boots, the girl simply looked up. That strange person stood there without wearing any kind of rain gear. Even after taking into account her childs point of view, he was clearly abnormally huge. His muscles bulged out with complete disregard for his skeletal structure, so he had likely undergone the genetic tuning that had been all over the news for a while. Injecting banned drugs from outside the body was against the rules, but if they were produced inside the body, nothing could be done. At the very least, it was not banned under the existing rulebook. This was the result of undergoing the one-way ticket of organ surgery for that reason. In the end, that simple loophole had been filled by an updated rulebook and those people and their superhuman strength had been driven from the world of sports. A grass sickle blade glistened wetly. The weapon looked out of place in his baseball glove-sized hand. He may have wanted to seem like a civilized human being by using a weapon. Or perhaps he had decided beating her to death with his fists would be like leaving behind a calling card. The words he muttered below his breath did not reach the girls ears. More than the quiet volume, the intonation was bizarre and made it sound like a strange incantation. The girl more or less knew what would happen next. She remembered how her grown little sister had seen her and described her in that living dream. Im going to die here. Im going to die without returning to the world I came from. Only the fact of her death would return to that world. That could not be changed now. And that was not a bad thing. No matter how it happened, it would be odd for her to survive here. What was odd was wrong and what was wrong was bad. It was right for her to be murdered here. What was right was just and what was just came from a good heart. Thus, goodness had abandoned the girl. Thus, justice had left her to her death. Yes, she muttered. The man shouted something and shoved the girl. She collapsed backwards and he leaned over her while raising the grass sickle. She could tell from his eyes that he was taking aim at her face or head. She would die here. That weapon would be swung down nineteen times and she would be so thoroughly killed that she would no longer have a real face or head. She knew that, but some words spilled from her mouth as a dark look filled her eyes. This wasfor the best. For a brief time, she had seen her sister all grown up in that intersecting world. With a smile on her face, her sister had lived in a fairy tale of a place and had found people she could rely on. The girl could not destroy that. So she chose what was right and spoke those words to herself while staring up at the deadly weapon. However A great noise interrupted. It was a tightly clenched fist. As the man leaned over her and prepared to swing down the grass sickle, the fist dug into his cheek with enough force to break the bone. The blow had someones full body weight behind it and it knocked the man off of the girl. He then rolled along the wet ground. The girl recognized the newcomer. A boy had thrown the fist. He was the one who had stood beside her mature, grown little sister. It was Shiroyama Kyousuke. But he should not have been here. Why? As the girl forced out a scratchy voice, Kyousuke crouched down and reached into her raincoat pocket. He pulled out a smartphone. Id appreciate it if you wait until later to bring up the privacy issues. As soon as I noticed the White Queens malice, I switched the GPS on and snuck it into your pocket. After all, I had no way of knowing when or where you would disappear and reappear. I wanted to increase the odds of finding you as much as possible. I was worried the disappearance and reappearance would mess with the electronics, so Im glad I could pick up its location. No, not that! Im supposed to beI have to be killed here!! At that point, Kyousuke ended their conversation and turned his back on the girl. He used his body as a shield. He of course did so because the man he had punched away was squirming. He would get up again at this rate. The entire world seemed to be saying it was right for the girl to die and no amount of opposition would change that. That meant Kyousukes actions here were wrong. Or they should have been. While keeping the girl protectively behind him, the boy spoke without looking back. Why do you think Im doing this? The calculations to reach the relevant answer shouldnt be that complex. But!! The girl shouted a rejection of what was happening to her. But I cant survive here! Pulling away the foundation just for me is wrong! Its right to let me die here and we have to do whats right! Theres no room for me in this world!! None at all!! Everyone changes the world. Its just that most people dont realize theyre doing it. But!! Not everyone can bring the dead back to life! Everyone calls that cheating!! If so, have you ever thought about why people think its wrong? Kyousuke spoke with his back to her. Youre using an irregular method to save someone whose death has already been determined. That seems wrong because the effects of the change will spread throughout the world and change everything, which will reject everyone elses honest efforts. It would erase everyone elses bright happiness and smiles for your own convenience. Then!! The girl shouted until her throat was dry. She had seen her grown little sister in that world where everything intersected. Her sister had been smiling and a happy world had surrounded her. The girl had felt lonely when she found no place for her in that world and it had saddened her that everyone feared her when all she did was stand there, but even that small girl knew she must not destroy that. Then why are you destroying your own world!? Im not necessary destroying it, he immediately answered. Just think about it like this: What if altering it wont take away anyones happiness, wont rob anyone of their smile, and will actually benefit everyone? What crime is there in that? And if it isnt a crime and it wont produce any evil, then theres no reason not to save the dying person. Theres nothing wrong with saving you here. This is our last chance. Alice (with) Rabbit seemed to thrust his words before the girl. He faced the murderer who was trying to reboot his mind, but he was clearly speaking to the girl. In that distant world you saw, Librarian-chan was smiling, wasnt she? She was happy enough and satisfied enough with her life, wasnt she? But what if? Dont you think adding you into the mix would create an even more wonderful world that removed the enough? Butbut Besides, spat out Kyousuke. What even is the proper world. Thats the world where Im killed!! All of it was built on top of that!! Was it really? Kyousuke calmly replied to the girls cries of true desperation. Does the White Queens evil really stop there? She was intentionally lying. In order to break me. Eh? Before being pulled back to her world, the Rainy Girl will be killed by the murderer in this chaotic world. Thus, her death will remain unchanged and everything will revert to normal despite any irregularities. Thats what she led me to believe, but its completely wrong. The place and the murderer might be the same, but you werent supposed to arrive in this chaotic city. If youre killed here, then that murder technically wont happen. That means whether I save you or abandon you, the world will still be changed. B-butno, but! In other words, her death would be meaningless. Weighing her life against seven billion other lives was a complete falsehood and that one lie would take away an irreplaceable life. It was the ultimate evil. The White Queen knew that, but she still tried to have me choose it. She wanted to see me do the right thing by abandoning a girl I could have saved only to discover the world changed regardless. She wanted to crush me with the fact that I had chosen to let you die when I could have saved you even if it was the wrong thing to do! And by so thoroughly defiling the name of Alice (with) Rabbit, she would have broken me and obtained a convenient dress-up doll to play with!! Are you going to say doing what she says and dying would really protect the proper world!? The girl was dumbfounded. What did this mean? The girl herself had been prepared to offer up her life to protect her grown little sister, but had that resolve been trampled underfoot by that pure white smile? The girls small body trembled at that bottomless malice. However, it was not over yet. This would not end in despair. Not as along as that boy possessed the will to fight the Queens evil. So let me say it again. It doesnt matter how trivial a difference it is. Now that the murderer and victim have met in a situation where they shouldnt have met, the world will change. It has to changeno, we have to change it. And if the risk is the same, it all comes down to our decision. If it can only change for the better or for the worse, we have to change it for the better. What do you want? Do you want a world with a few more smiles around a girl whose life was spared, or do you want a world where that girls death was assumed and a family falls into darkness as planned. Which do you want to be the right thing to do? She had thought the worlds justice had rejected her. She had given up, assuming the worlds goodness had abandoned her. But Really? The girl hesitantly spoke up. I dont just have to wait for whats right? I can really stand on the side Ive chosen? How about I rephrase this to make it a little more unfair? If the circumstances of the murder are changed just a little, the investigation back in your world might change. And if he escapes, he might kill even more people after you. So this isnt about doing something or doing nothing. Just letting this play out has its own risks. A time bomb is about to explode and were the only ones nearby. The police and the military wont make it in time. In that case, I think we have the right to make the ultimate decision. Do we sit there and wait for it to explode, or do we try to disarm it despite the danger? I say we risk our lives, tremble in fear, and choose one of the colorful cables to cut. Choosing the best option available seems like the right thing to do to me. Save my sisters world. Who said that? If theres going to be risk either way, it cant be wrong to work toward reducing that risk as much as possible, toward reducing the tragedy as much as possible, and toward increasing the number of smiles as much as possible. Is what Im saying really that strange? The girl looked back and forth between Shiroyama Kyousukes back and the man squirming on the ground. For a while, she was unable to speak. She reflected on Kyousukes words and faced what she had seen. There had been no place for her in that scene. However, that did not mean she had not been needed. Her little sister had pursued the secret of the Rainy Girl and had grown angry when someone was trying to toy with that existence. When she had learned that the Rainy Girl would be killed by the murderer whether she remained here or returned to her original world, she had clung to the summoner boy and tearfully begged him to save her. Having no place there after so much time had passed was not the same as being rejected from the very beginning. They had wanted to accept her if it had been possible. But that gruesome murder had torn it all apart. If that was all If it was just some gear out of place If she could have been there too (I want tostand.) Something changed in the girls chest. The gears that had been jammed for so very long were slowly beginning to turn once more. (I want to stand thereand smile with my sister again) So she looked up. She faced that utterly depressing reality. There was no such thing as a proper world. The weight bearing down on her had been a false illusion. The only thing standing in her way was the creepy murderer. Not even offering up her life would fix this and it would only fulfill a few peoples dark desires. The invisible path forward was not something someone else prepared for you. It was something you made and walked down yourself. In that case If Shiroyama Kyousukes answer was correct If she could choose that Then no. I dont want to die. She finally said it, as if peeling the pure feelings from her stubborn soul. I want to go to festivals, I want to get first place at the athletic festival, I want to have fun at an amusement park, and I want to go around Toy Dream 35 with my sister once its finished! I want to go to middle school, I want to go to high school, and I want to grow up! I want to fall in love, I want to learn all sorts of things at school, and I want to show my sister how amazing her big sister is!! I want to be proud of myself! I want to face forward!! I want to see the future!! I want to walk my own path and become something someone can look up to!! What the girl really thought was released into the world. She gathered all her strength and shouted to the summoner who could overturn it all. Sohic, so please! H-helphelp meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!! That voice should never have reached anyone. That hope had been snuffed out. That scream had been sealed away. But that boy heard it. And to prove that simple fact, Shiroyama Kyousuke looked back to the girl just once. The summoner known as Alice (with) Rabbit pulled his Blood-Sign from the back of his hoodie and accepted her request with a fierce smile. As you wish. At the same time, a roar finally reached them. Their opponent had finished rebooting. Instead of just squirming on the wet road, he rose up with the grass sickle in hand. Kyousukes Blood-Sign produced a whistling sound as it spun around. The girls little sister was not here. The boy could not use his mysterious power. If by some coincidence or in some kind of bad joke that blade stabbed deep into his body, Kyousuke would die. That large mans muscles swelled out to an unnatural extent, so if he swung his powerful arms with no concern for the damage to his own body, he could probably break through a car door. But as the boy stood protectively in front of the girl, he spoke to his opponent. Youre a lucky man. He aimed the tip of the Blood-Sign toward him. After all, you wont become a murderer today. Your arms and legs might get a little messed up, but youll be able to rethink your entire life. A pretty good deal, dont you think? He received a yell in response. The man ran forward with the deadly blade at the ready, so Shiroyama Kyousuke also stepped forward. It would end here. The very, very end was truly beginning. In that instant, Shiroyama Kyousuke determined the location of his opponents center of gravity from his build, determined the range of motion of the mans arms and legs, and accurately calculated out where he could strike to knock him out in a single blow. At the same time, he was thinking about something entirely unrelated to his victory. (I need to at least take out his knee so the girl can definitely escape. I need to make sure he can never get back up. I can only interfere while theyre in this place that was summoned based on peoples searches. Once its all over, she has to step back into the world where she belongs. If she cant reach safety on her own, this will all be meaningless.) He coolly analyzed the situation and stood up while just barely remaining within the limitations of Alice (with) Rabbit. (Its true some people might think this is wrong. They might laugh and call it a farce soaked in opportunism. Even if I cheat like this, it might not be enough to shake all of mankind and it might only slightly expand the circle of smiles surrounding a single family.) The grass sickle approached from overhead. (But.) Kyousuke swung his body to the side to dodge the deadly blade and stared calmly at the man who tried to tackle him. (Some might say this is absolutely wrong and some might say its a grand farce.) He gathered strength in all his bodys muscles as if drawing a bowstring and he took aim with the tip of his Blood-Sign. He targeted the mans right leg. His kneecap. He stared at it with almost ruthless accuracy so he could smash it with a single strike. Time seemed to stop. And in that moment, Shiroyama Kyousuke shouted from the bottom of his gut, as if releasing all his pent up anger. But!! This has to be what everyone really wanted to do!! He released the Blood-Sign like a bullet. A tremendous roar burst out. The knee shattered. This time, the man collapsed with a scream and writhed in pain. He was now no longer a monster or a murderer and the tip of the Blood-Sign jabbed into his gut. It was like the final sword strike to finish off the writhing dragon after a fatal blow from a spear. The man was truly knocked out. The world would now change. Kyousuke could never accept the idea that the girls gruesome murder was right. Not as long as he possessed these perfectly normal feelings. Facts: *The Artificial Sacred Grounds reference surface cannot be the waters surface. *When the reference surface is destroyed, the Spots will not reappear until the new Artificial Sacred Ground has been set up. *The Material cannot interfere much with either summoner due to the protective circle. It differs from case to case, but if a giant hand tries grab them, they will usually automatically slip away as if grabbing an eel or a wet bar of soap. *The Rainy Girl was not a ghost. She was a girl with the possibility to survive. *As a side effect of the world without death, the global Artificial Sacred Ground twisted even causality and created a world with no concept of sides because you cannot tell which side of a red-painted window is painted just by looking through it and the observer cannot tell if they are on the inside or outside. *The one and only target that the previous Telomeres End failed to kill was the Rainy Girls murderer. *Whether Yasuzumi Hayato and Benikomichi Fuuki were aware of it or not, they were influenced by Telomeres End and fine-tuned their plan in accordance with his wishes. That meant to reject the Rainy Girls death. *Shiroyama Kyousuke saved the Rainy Girl himself. No matter what he did or did not do, the world would have been distorted, so he prayed it would accept this as a new form of right. Volume 2, Ending X-01 - After the Nice Ending Volume 2, Ending X-01: After the Nice Ending Okay, Onee-chan. See you at lunch. Honestly, youre just after my food, arent you? (Ending X-01 Open 05/01 08:20) After the Nice Ending The rain had finally let up and it was sunny. Due to the day of the week, they had to go to school like normal on May 1. Shiroyama Kyousuke held his thin school bag as he walked along the giant bridge to school. He spotted a familiar face on the way. It was Rendou Akiya who always wore a girls uniform for some reason. Summoners were forgotten when they were not in someones field of vision, so Kyousuke had to call out to his friend to gather his attention. Good morning, Akiya-san Oh, hey. Morning. Why so polite? Im starting to suspect I have low blood pressure and its dragging my mood down pretty low too. If you can joke around like that this early in the morning, youre doing fine. So dont worry. Rendou sounded bored. But this incomplete Golden Week is a real pain in the ass. If only theyd give us tickets for our days off like paid leave for office workers. Thatd be better than just - boom! - summer break and then - bam! - winter break. If that happened, wont we end up in hell when a heat wave rolls in? Maybe so. The fact that he complained but showed no sign of actually skipping school may have been a virtue of his. By the way, have you heard the latest ghost rumors? What good are those? Unlike soy bean and soy milk trivia, I dont think ghost stories would be very useful. Now, now. The ghost stories are for scaring the girls so you can escort them down the dark streets at night! Youll never reach the starting point of romance unless you take advantage of their weaknesses!! And theyve set up that Rainy Screen event and everything! Rendou, if bringing someone their lost wallet was enough for them to fall in love with you, no one would ever have trouble with love. In fact, it would probably begin a trend of pickpocketing to meet girls. You moron, I said it was the starting point! If you just sit there satisfied with that, youll never get anywhere!! Rendou Akiya had far too much energy for the early morning, so Kyousuke started to suspect the boy had high blood pressure. So whats this ghost? I seriously doubt it, but it isnt the Rainy Girl, is it? Hm? Whats that? Rendou Akiya gave his confused comment just as the school came into view. Yes, they could see it. During the fight with Yasuzumi Hayato and Benikomichi Fuuki, the school building and gym had been destroyed and about half the square midair float had crumbled away, but there was no sign of any of that damage. It was the usual high school. It was untouched, as if that battle had never happened. Meanwhile, the classmate who chose to wear a girls uniform spoke. On rainy days, they say you can see the ghost of a guy who saved a girl from an attempted murderer. Its a happy ending full of justice, so I bet its the ghost of some legendary martial artist or martyred policeman. Shiroyama Kyousuke smiled just a little. That was the story now. Perhaps no one remembered that battle any longer. Perhaps there no records of it remained. But Okay, Onee-chan. See you at lunch. Honestly, youre just after my food, arent you? He heard those voices. A single braid swayed within the crowd of students. Two girls were smiling together there. What is it, Shiroyama-chan? asked Rendou in a curious tone. Its nothing. Shiroyama Kyousuke said nothing more and looked away from those two. This was a kind end to a series of events. Alice (with) Rabbit walked a different path than the girls who no longer needed saving. Facts: *The girl lived. She chose that path. *The rumors of the Rainy Girl vanished and rumors of a male ghost who saved a girl spread in their place. Most likely, some of the data from that final clash lingered on. *Because the incident related to the deathless world vanished, the world of the red window and searches that the White Queen mentioned also vanished. Kyousuke and Librarian-chan never bound a contract together, the school was never destroyed, Benikomichi Fuuki never planned to create a world without death, Yasuzumi Hayato never received any special education, Telomeres End never committed suicide, and the Rainy Girl did not die. *Librarian-chan has no memories of what happened. Shiroyama Kyousuke, the summoner who put his life on the line to fight, is now just a classmate who she forgets about like normal. *But by adding just one more girl to that scene, there must be more smiles there than before. Volume 2, Ending X-02 - Nevertheless, We Cannot Reconcile Our Differences Volume 2, Ending X-02: Nevertheless, We Cannot Reconcile Our Differences This wont happen again, Queen. Yes. Next time, I will make you love me, brother. (Ending X-02 Open 05/01 16:30) Nevertheless, We Cannot Reconcile Our Differences School let out for the day. The fun part of the incomplete Golden Week - that is, the long weekend - started tomorrow, so most of the students were rushing joyfully out of the school. Shiroyama Kyousuke, however, had a grim look on his face. A sun shower poured from the beautiful evening sky. Glittering orange light was reflected throughout the scene outside the window, but the one boy remaining in the classroom was facing a certain individual. It was the White Queen. The summoner wore a school uniform and the monster was displayed on the Rainy Screen. They faced each other through the red window, one on the classroom floor and the other in midair outside. She giggled as she spoke using the directional speakers. The change to the Rainy Girl had entirely erased the deathless world incident that had followed from the previous Telomeres Ends suicide, but the White Queen seemed to retain her memories of it. Was that due to being an otherworldly Material or was it something only the White Queen could do? Kyousuke sighed. Why are you here? No ending could have been better. I cant think of anything that was lost here. At the very least, I avoided falling for your trick and abandoning that girl. The floating White Queen truly seemed to be enjoying herself. What do you want to know? The White Queen smiled as she leaned in closer. She bent over to peer up at the boy through the window. Which is different from your close-minded acceptance of only whats pure. He knew what she was trying to say, so he looked her in the eye and spoke. That is your delusion. She giggled and continued in a sweet voice. The White Queen displayed on the Rainy Screen held her slender hand out toward Kyousuke. She seemed to be asking him for a handshake. I see Kyousuke looked down at his palm. But he did not take the White Queens hand. He would never reach for the hand of that girl who floated outside the window. After all Is that how you kindly tempted Yasuzumi Hayato and Benikomichi Fuuki? Silence followed. His words seemed to freeze the entire area. The White Queen continued smiling. And then Her laugh was full of scorn. And of satisfaction. Arent you just imagining that? You failed. Can you really laugh after that? At that point, the White Queen asked a question instead. It was not a warning filled with sharp thorns. She sounded like she was rolling around the most enjoyable experience on her tongue. And? Thats easy. Kyousuke did not hesitate to answer. I would do whatever it took to take responsibility for every last thing my decision had changed. If the White Queen was a monster, then so was the boy who faced her. At the very least, he showed some hints of that. After all Kyousuke narrowed his eyes. The boys techniques and the Queens power. If they worked together, who could say how much they could accomplish? But he did not want to see where that led. We will never understand each other. I cant join you. The White Queens outline blurred. The deathless world plan had never even been started in this altered world, so the White Queens body would never have been summoned and sealed inside the abandoned civilian space station. Then what was this here? He had no way of proving it, but Kyousuke suspected she was using brute force to reject the changes he had made. But even that must have reached its limit. She would vanish soon. She would return to the other world. And she would eventually reappear somewhere in this world. Shiroyama Kyousuke did not feel sentimental about the White Queen vanishing. He instead threw his words at her. This wont happen again, Queen. And thus, the two of them parted ways. Even after saving the world and even after rescuing a girl from unavoidable tragedy, they would still never work together. Facts: *The White Queen used brute force to hold back the incidents changes and thus maintained her memories. This suggests that even rearranging causality would fail to affect her being, anything she caused directly, or anyone she killed. *Shiroyama Kyousuke rejected the suggestion (or temptation) to work together for peace. *Shiroyama Kyousuke will not hesitate to do whatever it takes to recover from his own mistakes. Even if that means violating the greatest of taboos. *Despite Shiroyama Kyousukes great skill and determination, the White Queen continues to smile. That is just how overwhelmingly powerful she is. *Shiroyama Kyousuke and the White Queen turned their backs on each other. They will clash again soon. Volume 2, Afterword Volume 2, Afterword Afterword (Postscript Open ??/?? ??:??) And here is Volume 2. This is Kamachi Kazuma. The conflict of Volume 1 was centered on formless things such as faith and loyalty, so I made this volume much simpler by basing the conflict directly on peoples lives. And in Volume 1, the main enemy was Azalea who (supposedly) belonged to Government, so Illegal was a little overlooked. That is why I focused more on them here. That meant there was no Repliglass in this one, but I think that difference in technology helps show the distinction between the three main powers. And the criminal families bonds of blood were different again from Azaleas noble blood. I am praying that dividing things up between Government and Illegal like that was effective. So does that mean the next enemy will be from Freedom? Ghost stories. You probably already know this if youve read a few of my books, but I like them. Still, theres one odd thing about them. Well, it isnt surprising that a ghost story is unreasonable, but why do those stories tend to turn the victim into a monster and not the murderer? Ive always found that weird, so while following a ghost story here, I also tried to make it a story about not simply treating a ghost like a monster. It of course depends on the genre, but no matter what happens along the way, I want to write a protagonist that ultimately decides they want to save the ghost rather than fearing it. And was this the first clear school life part of this series? I had fun writing that while thinking how a summoner would live his school life when people forget about him the second they take their eyes off of him. Classmate, homeroom teacher, librarian, and student council president. School characters tend to directly take their overall image from their role, dont they? You need to put some distance between them and the role before fleshing them out. But I dont want this to end as just a normal school story!!, so I had them utterly destroy their school in just the one volume. That was a pretty big adventure as the one writing the story. Ive written a few different series now, but I think this was my first time having the protagonist turn their school (a symbol of peace) into a pile of rubble. Shiroyama Kyousuke smashed windows at his school at night while using cheap methods to save a girl who could not be saved. I think Ive had him acting with more reckless abandon than in Volume 1, but what did you think? For the Summoning Ceremony, I used the rose symbol and sigil from a certain magic cabal, but for the actual actions, I was using the extremely intuitive image that it would be fun to compete at bouncing a whole bunch of balls around a school or hospital. The Incense Grenade was added in for the intuitive image of wanting to walk on the walls or ceiling and wanting to fly through the sky. Of course, its really just the work I put in so I could avoid just having the summoners stand there doing nothing throughout the fight. I went a step further this time and had the summoners themselves thrown like projectiles to further emphasize that intuitive sort of action. Did it seem more like a two-on-two fight? I just hope you thought it sounded like a fun amusement park attraction even if you didnt quite understand it. This was Volume 2 of Shiroyama Kyousuke going on a rampage, but I personally think the most frightening part of him is the ending when he said, I would do whatever it took to take responsibility for every last thing my decision had changed. I think that one line created a definite difference from my other series protagonists who more optimistically say they just need a 1% chance of success if theres a girl they can save. At first glance, Kyousuke seems to stand on the guardian side, but if the system wont save the person suffering before his eyes, he wont hesitate to destroy that system even if its supporting seven billion people. He holds the danger of possibly reaching for that. And he plans to make it all work whether he succeeds or fails, so he shows hints of being a monster himself as he faces the White Queen. Theres room for discussing which one is dragging the other around. The special summoning this time used the End of the World theme from Urashima Tarou or Kaguya-hime. Unlike Kaguya-hime who came here, it might be wrong to think of Urashima Tarou as a summoning since he went there, but as the White Queen said in the novel, who gets to decide which side is here and which side is there? From that perspective, I think it is a form a summoning. Due to the idea of moving freely between this world and the other world, that type of summoning commonly involves resurrection, immortality, and invincibility. (There are also stories of ones death or lifespan returning after breaking the rules.) If you have the time, it might be fun to look into all that. And while Volume 1 included a ton of top-rank Divine and Unexplored-class Materials, I had all the fights this time stick to the Regulation-class except for the Leviathan at the beginning. That was due to the enemy using obstruction tactics, but while the previous volume was about worshiping the strongest, I was focusing more on the basics of summoners this time. That is, they were choosing the best Materials for their objective and even the gods are just a rite of passage needed to reach even greater heights. Guard of Honor and an assassin use the paranormal in very different ways. Also, I felt the power creep would quickly get out of hand if I didnt do this. I give my thanks to my illustrator Ikawa Waki-san and my editors Miki-san, Onodera-san, and Anan-san. I think the Rainy Girl had to be the hardest part this time. She had to actually be her secret true identity and yet it couldnt be too obvious at first glance, so she couldnt have been easy to design. I am truly grateful. It took place at school, he fought alongside a classmate, and a human life was on the line. I wanted to return to the starting point while also adding in some twisted elements I hadnt used before, but what did you think? But setting aside the trickier parts, I hope you at least felt your blood pumping at the This has to be what everyone really wanted to do!! part. And I will end this here. Its important to maintain that line where the White Queen is dere yet isnt kind. -Kamachi Kazuma Volume 3, Battle Tutorial Volume 3, Battle Tutorial Phase 1 Upper Cube: Collection of Petals Left Dark Figure: Summoner Right Dark Figure: Vessel Left White Figure: Summoner Right White Figure: Vessel Overall Box: Artificial Sacred Ground K: The Summoning Battle begins when one of the summoners uses an Incense Grenade. Q: When the Incense Grenade is used, an Artificial Sacred Ground forms around them. Summoning and other paranormal phenomena can only be reproduced inside there. Q: Inside the Artificial Sacred Ground, a cube of about 60 cm appears at the midpoint between the summoners. K: It is a collection of the 216 Petals which are red spheres about the size of an apple. Phase 2 Dark Ball: Petal White Ball: White Thorn White Stick: Blood-Sign Q: 3 white spheres known as White Thorns appear with each summoner. Those are hit with a long staff known as a Blood-Sign and they collide with the Petals. K: You hit the Petals with the White Thorns in order to knock them into the spherical Spots that appear in 36 locations inside the Artificial Sacred Ground. Q: What Petals are hit into the Spots changes what can be summoned. K: And the vessels body is used to create Phase 3 White Monster and Dark Sword: Vessel transformed into a Material Q: a Material. The summoners use them for a fight to the death. K: The Petals used to summon the Materials are each engraved with a letter of the alphabet and each of those belongs to a certain Sound Range. Q: aiueo are vowels and thus the Lowest Sound Range. As for the consonants, bcdfghj are Low, klmnpqr are Middle, and stvwxyz are High. K: There are of course rules governing the summoned Materials and they are based on the Petals rules. Q: Low wins against High, High wins against Middle, Middle wins against Low, and I win my brothers heart. K: Werent we supposed to avoid making jokes during the explanation section!? Phase 4 K: And after the vessels transform into Materials, they continued to be updated into new forms as they fight. Q: The Materials start at Regulation-class. After summoning 100 of those, you gain the right to summon the higher Divine-class. And after summoning 50 of those, you gain the right to summon the even higher Unexplored-class. K: The vessel has a core known as their Silhouette. If that is destroyed, the battle ends. The losing summoner and vessel will become dolls that wander around in a stupor. Q: And that concludes our simple explanation of the Summoning Battle. As a summoner fights more and more battles, they earn more titles known as Awards. And if their number of Awards reaches 1000hee hee hee. Now, I wonder what happens then. Volume 3, Prologue Volume 3, Prologue Brother, what do you picture when you think of the ultimate power? Hee hee hee. I dont mind if Im the first thing that pops into your mind, but that doesnt make for much of a discussion. Honestly, this isnt easy when you know the answer from the beginning. Do you think of the physical strength to smash a mountain? Do you think of a cannon with an extraordinary firing range? Do you think of perfect stealth that lets you escape everyones senses? Do you think of a master at information warfare who can wear down the enemys teamwork? Thats what this is about. But strength and power do not exist in a vacuum. A process and effort are needed to obtain them, obtaining them creates obligations, and measures are needed to control them. Unless were talking about an extreme irregularity like me, all living things are influenced by that power. Just as people obtain power, power obtains people. It would probably be easier to think of it like analyzing an insect that has evolved as it pleased and specialized in a certain function. Now, how about a hypothetical? What if there was a power that could control people just as you control Materials? And Im not talking about just any old person. It could be that girl in your class who is always by your side, a beautiful woman youve never met that you see passing by on the street, or a princess you could never hope to reach. What if you could control all of them with your desires on full display? Would you be able to retain your human heart? Oh, dear. Look at that upset face. Brother, did you realize this could be more than just a hypothetical if you analyzed and reconstructed the already optimized Summoning Ceremony? Hee hee. It looks like a few formulas have already appeared in your mind. But if someone had that power, how would that power bind them? Would nothing actually change? Would they abandon their rational mind and become an animal? Would they get sick of everything and fall into depression? Would they be able to conquer the entire population of the world but find themselves unable to control their beloved? Hmm, what would it be with you, brother? Of course, if you fell for a girl other than me and tried to have your way with her, I might just smash an earth or two Facts: *There are only two types of people. The controllers and the controlled. If you actually think that, Im going to die of laughter. Volume 3, Opening X-01 - Let’s Settle This Once and For All Volume 3, Opening X-01: Lets Settle This Once and For All Oh, Onii-chan. Im cooking a meal for Oh, honestly!! This is already leading to my death, isnt it!? (Opening X-01 Open 05/20 12:30) Lets Settle This Once and For All It was midday on May 20. Once Golden Week ended, May grew much duller. That may have been why Shiroyama Kyousuke, the skilled summoner also known as Freedom Award 903, Alice (with) Rabbit, had let his guard down. (Honestly, why do I need all this money to retire? Now Im stuck getting help from Aika as a middleman) As soon as he opened the door to Aikas apartment like usual and caught a whiff of that odor, he should have turned right around. No, he should have noticed when he placed his hand on the doorknob. And he should have run out of there as quickly as possible, even if it meant jumping down the elevator shaft. (Nothing good ever comes from the jobs that Government hires Freedom for, but this will be the last one. I can put up with just a little more.) But he carelessly stepped inside. He heard a cheerful girl humming some kind of tune down the hall. When he walked on in, he found Aika wearing an apron over her white and green striped bikini that looked mint-flavored. She looked back from the large kitchen area and spoke. Oh, Onii-chan. Im cooking a meal for Oh, honestly!! This is already leading to my death, isnt it!? He could hear it. It was a bizarre sound like gas bubbling up from the depths of a horrible bog. He heard something flopping on the chopping block and heard hard bones being cut with a thick knife. What was that? What was she doing? Kyousukes eyes were already bulging and something other than the name of a dish came to mind: Oh, come to think of it, didnt the firefighters find an old man who had turned to soup after he died while reheating the bathwater? Ah!? C-come to think of it, wheres Lu-san? She can cook like a normal human being. If she was supervising Aika, then this should still be within the acceptable limits of mankind!! Yeah, she was supervising me Oh, I see. Good. Tell me that sooner. Now theres nothing to worry But he trailed off. She was supervising her? Why was that in the past tense? He found the answer before long. With no warning, the cupboards large door opened outwards. No one had touched it, so it had to have been pushed open from within. Then something fell out. The person who collapsed to the floor and stopped moving was Lu Niang Lan in her modified China dress. L-Lu-san!? There is no response. It is merely an empty shell. But in all seriousness, Lu Niang Lans look of peaceful rest had grown ashen. People called that a pallor of death. Something red dripped from the corner of her mouth, but it may have been ketchup. However, he could not help but see it as blood. Y-you fool. Did you start feeling sorry for her as you watched, Lu-san? Did you decide to taste Aikas cookingno, test it for poison!? Tch. You noticed. Anyway, yours will be ready soon, Onii-chan. Take a seat and wait. Youre not even giving me time to collect the body!? Kyousuke reached into his hoodies pocket. Instead of an Incense Grenade for the Summoning Ceremony, he pulled out a military stun grenade used as a smokescreen. It looked exactly the same, so it was useful for cruelly blinding a careless summoner and then pummeling them the old fashioned way. He pulled the pin. But Liger. A carnivore larger than a tiger or lion caught the airborne hairspray-sized explosive in her mouth. A stun grenade created intense light and noise, but it was almost entirely nonlethal. In some cases, there were accidental deaths when they detonated while in contact with someone, but that was when the fragments of the exterior case hit them. When using a metal case made for repeated uses, the lethality dropped even further. It detonated inside the white ligers mouth, but no light escaped. After it exploded like crackling gum, the liger spat out the remains. Aikas pet, partner, and sofa slowly approached Kyousuke. He turned tearfully around, but it was too late. Before he took his third step, she grabbed the back of his hoodie in her mouth like he was a kitten. W-wait, liger!! Lets make a deal. Ill give you twenty kilograms of angus sirloin red meat, so can you please let me go!? As if to say shut up, get over here, and do as youre told, the animal placed Kyousuke in the seat of honor at the dining table. Then the time of his execution arrived. In her swimsuit and apron, Aika placed a large plate of it in front of him. That was enough for an unpleasant sweat and tears to well up on his face. Aika sat across from him, placed her elbows on the table, rested her small chin on her clasped hands, and smiled. She would not let him escape until he ate it. I made omurice today. I can already smell something really raw from here. Its an egg dish, so of course it smells raw. That you think that is enough reason to worry right there! Theres no way this can have a happy ending!! He struggled, but it was no use. The white liger growled behind him to demand he continue. Kyousuke grabbed the silver spoon with a trembling hand as if he were picking up a handgun on the second or third round of Russian roulette. He squeezed his eyes shut, tensed his lips, and prayed to god, but when he opened his eyes, the yellow mass was still there. Perhaps a summoner who used the gods of legend as a stepping stool would not receive their blessings. He made up his mind and touched the yellow surface. The film of cooked egg split apart with a sticky sound. Like the abdominal cavity bursting to let the organs spill out, the chicken rice inside came into view with a color halfway between red and flesh-colored. The steam and heat reached his face, so he felt like he was staring into a colorful ditch on a summer day. It was sticky and slimy. The bizarrely sticky sheen confused his sense of sight. The fluffiness is the key to making a good omurice. Thats why I only half-cooked it. Eheh. A-are you serious? The raw smell is hitting me like an invisible wall. The stomach acid rose up his esophagus, but he just barely managed to force it back down. He had yet to take a single bite, yet he was dying for some water. The ingredients had to be the same. It couldnt have anything in it that would kill him. He tried telling himself that, but it was not working. He recalled the peaceful look on Lu Niang Lans face as she lay pale and unmoving on the floor. He seriously doubted it was happiness that had caused that. He had heard that a type of gas weapon would relax all the muscles of the body, so the corpses would look like they were smiling when rigor mortis set in. Perfect Dragon had ended up like that. That Illegal woman could defeat the average summoner barehanded even within the Summoning Ceremony that allowed free use of all sorts of monsters, but even her steel body had not been enough to save her. Escaping unscathed was not possible. He had to give up on that. Would he cut off the leg trapped below the rubble or would he stay there and die? He had to make that sort of warriors decision. Two daysno, three. A short stay in the hospital might not be so bad!! Toryah!! If he hesitated, it would never end. And most likely, it would only grow more hellish if he let it grow cold. The spoon stabbed into the omurice with an indescribable sound and he felt the utensil tearing through something stringy. He forcibly suppressed the disorientation coming from his inner ear and brought the bite to his- Oh, brother. My, my. I didnt expect you so soon. Have you finally given up on the world of the living? Bh, fwoooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!??? He had believed people thought with their brain. He was familiar with the folk belief that they thought with their heart. But In that moment, Shiroyama Kyousuke took a step into the unknown. All living creatures ate food to obtain nutrients and continue living. So of course, the stomach had to be central to peoples lives. Something exploded in his stomach. The surge raced along his spine, sent irregular wriggling movements through all his organs, and stabbed into his brainstem. All five of his senses flashed in and out. The outlines of everything before his eyes were filled with an oozing dance of psychedelic colors. It made no sense for food to mess with his vision, but people used more than just their eyeballs to see. They also analyzed it with their brains. Shiroyama Kyousuke nearly entered an artistic trance and nearly had his soul taken away by a hallucination of the White Queen lazing around and enjoying some afternoon TV, but he used all of his strength to return to the world of the living. It was all over if he vomited. He chugged three glasses of water to force it back down. Finally, he could speak the human tongue once more. Whatthe hell!? Was this really an egg dish!? It tasted like licking the inside of a hungover old mans stomach!! Thats a little too poetic for me to understand. Theres way too much ketchup in the chicken rice and its so salty I think its dangerous on a medical level rather than a culinary one!! But if I dont put that much in, I cant get that beautiful blood red color. And why is it all so gritty!? Is it sand? Or pebbles!? Onii-chan. Aika cut him off and got to the heart of the issue. A little sisters cooking cant be delicious, can it? Its perfect because it isnt any good. The hopeless flavor is what makes it so charming. The boy heard the thin strands of his nerves snapping. I knew it!! I knew you had to know it was bad!! I can accept trying your best only for it to not work out, but purposefully making it bad is an insult to the ingredients!! Shiroyama Kyousuke roared just like the white liger. Clear drops fell from Aikas eyes. And of course, this was nothing as cute as being sad that he had insulted her cooking. She was a skilled summoner known as Government Award 870, Hikikomori, and she worked as a top-class middleman who managed the distribution of jobs. She did not have a heart as soft as tofu. Onii-chan, said the apron swimsuit girl. You complain, but you noticed, didnt you? You noticed how the world works, at least enough to have your own view of what a little sisters cooking should be. Wha? Im happy. Im so very happy, Onii-chan. I was right I was right to continue my shock therapy for so long!! I never said anything about that being a little sisters cooking, so stop trying to force it in that direction!! Ive spent so long waiting for this moment!! Liger! Today is Onii-chans first little sister day, so we need to cook some red rice!!!!!! What a pain. Oh, what a pain in the ass!! Everywhere I go is a dead end, so I have no idea where to go next!! He struggled, but it was no use. Round two of the insane home cooking had begun. Facts: *Aika can cook, but a little sisters cooking must not be good. *Her deadly skill defeated Lu Niang Lan, the dreaded Perfect Dragon, in just one bite. *As soon as Kyousuke took a bite, he saw a hallucination of the White Queen, but it is unknown what that means. *As a form of shock therapy, Aika really just wanted Kyousuke to give his personal view of a little sisters cooking. *She will apparently be cooking red rice today. *In the end, it is still unknown what Shiroyama Kyousuke thinks about a little sisters cooking. Volume 3, Opening X-02 - Midair Battle, Altitude 5000m Volume 3, Opening X-02: Midair Battle, Altitude 5000m Im glad we made it within the ninety second standby period. Now, how about we get Round 2 started? (Opening X-02 Open 05/22 03:00 Attention! Local Time) Midair Battle, Altitude 5000m The local time was three in the morning on May 22. A formation of several large Repliglass transport ships known as Whooper Swans were flying five thousand meters above the Pacific Ocean. With an escort of Repliglass aircraft known as Swallows, the heavily guarded group sliced through the dark night, so no one would mistakenly think they were filled with tourists enjoying a vacation. As their name suggested, the Whooper Swans were designed after migratory birds, so they could takeoff from land or water, carry thirty tons of cargo, and fly 13,000 km without refueling. When used exclusively to transport personnel, they could carry two hundred soldiers to the other side of the planet. They also had a unique navigation system that accurately picked up their direction and location using the earths magnetic field, so they could avoid the foolish scenario of being shot down by a surface-to-air missile after a civilian app picked up their GPS signal or collision avoidance signal. They were all primary products of Quad Motors, an American defense contractor. Currently, the third Whooper Swan was filled with spiraling alarms that sounded like screams or angry shouts. The internal lighting had switched over to the red lights that indicated an emergency. Escort Swallows #3 and #8 are down! The remaining four are being overpowered!! There are twelve enemy aircraft. No, there are some high-level stealth fighters mixed in! Their numbers are unknown!! Angel 02 to Seraph 03. The numerical difference has grown too wide. We cant hold them back any longer! Theyre going to reach the main unit!! The crew was ignoring the proper manual by removing their seatbelts and running around in a panic, but one boy remained entirely motionless as he leaned against a bulkhead with his arms crossed. He was Shiroyama Kyousuke. He kept one eye closed and spoke to the master of this small fortress. Did you know this was going to happen? At least the Swallow pilots were able to eject safely Well, if I hadnt, I wouldnt have paid so much to hire a Freedom summoner. A gentle womans voice answered him. She went beyond calm and seemed to have left the flow of time behind. She had long and fluffy chestnut-brown hair, thin-framed glasses, a tight skirt, and the kind of white blouse and bolo tie that went with a suit. That might make her sound like an office worker, but the lab coat she wore on top of that entirely changed that impression. But due to the aura surrounding her, she may have looked more like a school doctor than a cold scientist. She was Government Award 109, Academia. Her name was Maria Heartocean. She was a summoner who had surpassed Award 100 without fighting even once and she participated in the Summoning Ceremony industry as a pure researcher, so in a way she was a mutation on the same level as Perfect Dragon Lu Niang Lan. Maria elegantly relaxed in a folding chair with her legs crossed. Thats what it means when those of us in Government hire someone from Freedom, right? And didnt you know the risks when you took the job? That mysterious stomachache is turning out to be surprisingly expensive. Of course, part of that was due to relying on Lu-sans Chinese medicine which is about as rare as a jewel ? Maria tilted her head before continuing. So what do you think as a professional fighter? This ship is carrying a brain and some research results that could destroy the worlds balance, so do you think Illegals cleaners will be satisfied just by giving me a watery grave? What are you talking about? It was not Kyousuke who interrupted. It was a senior military officer with plenty of medals displayed on his chest and he spoke to prevent the boy from saying anything unnecessary. Let me be clear, lady. With our army, navy, air force, and marines, we have the worlds largest military and we can achieve victory no matter the situation. We are the world police! Thus we need no help from an outside mercenary! Buuuut, you only have fourno, three Swallow escorts left, right? You dont have the numbers or strength to push back Illegals force now. Alice (with) Rabbit, how long until the enemy reaches our main unit? Less than three minutes. You heard him. We only have what I think amounts to a king and two pawns on the chess board while Illegal has the full set. So how are you going to turn this around now? Impossible This cant be possible The commander groaned and finally started shouting at his closest subordinate to release the pressure building up in his heart. Were only up against outdated fighters, so what in the hell is happening!? Our military has the highest Repliglass standards in the world! These are Quad Motors products!! We should be a generation and a half ahead of every other army!! W-well The young crewmember seemed on the verge of tears, but not because he did not know the answer. He knew answering would only throw oil on the fire. Kyousuke sighed and took on the thankless role while leaning against the wall. Theyre using old-fashioned fighters. Based on the movements Ive seen on the radar, theyre probably Generation 6.5. I think its a combination of the Euro Guilds manned Cold Waves and unmanned Blizzards. Y-you have to be joking We have cutting-edge Repliglass! In the mock battles, just one of these soundly defeated two hundred stealth fighters and avoided all fifty surface-to-air missiles. That outdated junk could never catch up to us. Besides, Europe admitted defeat in the technological race and decided to import our weapons! Maria shrugged in her folding chair and Kyousuke continued with a calm look on his face. But as long as they know youre only using Repliglass, they can put together a specialized method of shooting them down. The Whooper Swans and the Swallows both use the earths magnetic field to determine their direction and location just like migratory birds and they use that data for evasive actions. If Illegal uses magnetic jamming, dont you think your avoidance rates will drop like a rock? Wha? Its often said that numbers from mock battles are useless in actual battle, said Maria. Well, this is generally how it works when you try to make the ultimate almighty legend that can do everything on its own. I mean, were not talking about something that surpasses human understanding like the White Queen. Her point was a very summoner-like thing to say, but that name of great evil sent slight ripples through Kyousukes heart. He made a point of calming himself before saying more. These things have silicon armor and muscles and they have extraordinary shock absorption rates thanks to their structure, but that just means they can be effectively damaged with the kind of chemical rounds that corrode glass. And luckily for our enemy, the Cold Wave and Blizzard are mysterious aircraft that fought against and lost to the Repliglass in the development race. Doesnt it seem likely they developed plenty of options for defeating Repliglass to help advertise their technology? Kyousuke stopped for a moment there. He looked to Maria for permission before continuing. Now, I apologize for getting a little off topic here, but What is it? Europe has a tendency to insist on developing unique weapons. Even if that means sharing technology with the other European nations when their own cant do it alone. Thats exactly why the Euro Guild was formed. But they ultimately found they couldnt stand up to the Repliglass of Americas Quad Motors and reluctantly agreed to import those weapons. Of course, the Magentarain family isnt purely American and are actually an extremely influential lobbying group sent in from Europe, so that may have helped soothe their wounded pride. S-so what? We dont have time to chitchat right now!! What do you think happened to the Cold Wave and Blizzard production lines after they lost the development race without ever once being used? To put it another way, where did Illegal buy these from? The rumors Ive heard say a portion of the US military took on part of the Euro Guilds debt so such a major client wouldnt go bankrupt. I believe the official reports said you were taking in external DNA to promote diversity of weapons, but was that the real reason? Id like to hear what someone very familiar with this topic has to say. First, Shiroyama Kyousuke stared at him. Maria also looked curiously at him and then the young crewmembers all focused on him as they rushed about. They all focused on the senior military officer with the mountain of medals on his chest who had been so angry earlier. How does it feel to be tormented by fighters built using the very production line you sold? Since their tech was a generation behind, did you think America would be nice and safe protected by its cutting-edge Repliglass even if some bad guys were menacing the rest of the world? At first, the officer forgot all about the passing time and stood there with a blank look on his face. But as soon as he realized what Kyousuke had meant and recalled his current situation, he tried to swiftly pull his side arm from its holster. But before he could, the young crewmembers rushed at him from all around. Maria did not even watch as the officer was pinned to the floor. This isnt good This hasnt solved anything. As I said, I was getting off topic. Then lets get back on topic. Do you think Illegal will rejoice if they give me a watery grave since I can destroy the worlds balance? No. No assassin fails to check the corpse and theyll want your tech if they can get it, so I doubt theyll send you crashing into the dark sea late at night. If you were wearing a Water Bear specialized for life support, you could survive in the ocean for over a month in a state of suspended animation. Meaning Theyre going to board us. They made it sound so simple, but it surprised one of the young crewmembers holding down his officer. Impossible Even if transport ships are relatively slow, were five thousand meters up and moving at seven hundred kph. And its not like the cargo door will open if they politely knock. How could they board us under those condi Unfortunately, they can do it. If, that is, they use a summoner who can ignore the normal assumptions, readily stated Kyousuke. Five thousand meters is above the clouds. It would be best to hide the Whooper Swan in the clouds. We need to avoid being seen by the naked eye. The young crewmember was clearly confused but did as he was told because Government was in charge here, not America. Luckily, he kept his eyes on Kyousuke - and thus kept the summoner in his field of vision - as he used the intercom to contact the cockpit. Meanwhile, Maria spoke calmly. Buuuuut. Running isnt enough. In fact, I doubt we can get away. So if Illegal is sending a summoner to board us, Id like to have Government send out a summoner to intercept them. With that comment, a single footstep sounded oddly clearly through the din of noise. It was a short, white-skinned, small-chested girl with bright blonde hair cut short. She wore a red hat and an identically-colored military uniform with a tight skirt. The black belts placed all over the uniform allowed it to double as a straightjacket. On her feet, she wore knee-high boots which also had belts wrapped around them. But in the world of the Summoning Ceremony, restraints such as handcuffs and blindfolds had a special meaning. They were the symbol of the vessel who formed a pair with a summoner. They had to bind their own mind so they were not possessed by vengeful and evil spirits they had not summoned. In other words This is Isabelle, a Government vessel. Shes free right now, so she can become one half of Alice (with) Rabbit at any time. You knew this was going to happen from the beginning, didnt you? You lured Illegal in here to create a situation where I would bind a contract with her. Oh? This is a brand-name vessel built up by Government, the world police made up of about sixty governments, corporations, religions, and other groups. I cant see any room for complaint there. Kyousuke sighed. Either way, they would all die if the Whooper Swan was boarded. Unlike the combat Swallows, this aircraft had no ejection device. In addition to the summoners and vessel who were soaked in the world of the Summoning Ceremony, there were plenty of ignorant normal soldiers who had been sent out too. And most importantly, Kyousuke had the title of Alice (with) Rabbit. He looked to the military uniform girl while still leaning against the bulkhead. You heard her. Are you ready? Yes. Im willing to fight, but Id like an injection of motivation. ? Specifically, I want a tangible reward. Something other than lets all work together. Kyousuke gave Maria a dead-eyed look, but the woman simply shrugged in her folding chair. She seemed to be saying that was the kind of girl this was. What about a Daioh Bowl at the Dengeki Restaurant? I prefer the Moe Meal. The Maoh Combo? The Gs Lunch. The Hobby Set is the most I can do. Hmm. Kyousuke and Isabelle pointed at each others face and spoke at the exact same moment. Here we go. Here we go. The boy left the bulkhead, the girl walked to his side, and they both moved to the very back of the Whooper Swan. I bind this covenant of blood in the name of The Spirit of Fluttering Yellow Gills that Rules the Heavens (s - a - so - voz - tix - ei - yw - za), one of the Three which manage and guide the summoning ceremony. You are of human flesh with a proper heart and soul, yet from this moment onward, you shall be a limited vessel that can hold all things. Kyousuke almost sang the whispered words as he cut his index finger with a razor blade. You shall be a lord of emptiness that uses the power filling you to at times bend the laws of this world. A bead of red blood appeared on the end of his finger and he held it out toward Isabelle. So I shall prepare this vessel. I am a summoner, unable to leave the world of man, yet a symbol of haughty intellect that uses power from beyond the world of man to guide the world of man to the next age!! Isabelle used her small tongue to expressionlessly lick up the iron-tasting liquid. That signaled the completion of their contract. Shiroyama Kyousuke pulled out a 180 cm rod that had been curled up in the back of his hoodie. It was a Blood-Sign, one tool of the Summoning Ceremony. The two of them arrived at the very back of the Whooper Swan. Kyousuke used his own voice to speak to a soldier who wore a special mask to work in an extreme low pressure environment. Unless he gathered their attention, the summoner and vessel would be forgotten. Can you close the first barrier and open the cargo door? Eh!? What!? But were five thousand meters up. What are you thinking of doing without a suit or mask!? Just do it. We only have twenty seconds. The Euro Guilds Generation 6.5 fighters came in two varieties: the manned Cold Wave and the unmanned Blizzard. They were a unique weapon that stuck to a structure of one manned command craft per three to four unmanned high-mobility fighters, so the Blizzards may have been more like the secondary ships in a shooting game than like any previously-existing weapon. They pursued the enemy craft with sharp turns that exceeded the human limits of inertial Gs and the manned fighter always remained close at hand to prevent interference from cyber-attacks and jamming, so they provided certain attack power and overall safety. Bam, bam, bam! That magnetic jamming is working like a charm. The turkeys stripped bare, so we can go at any time!! Come in from the front just to be sure. I want to see the pilots face from the cockpit. That would be the most effective method. Aiko, get ready. Their top priority objective was not shooting down Governments Repliglass Whooper Swan. It was securing a certain research result as well as the scientist behind it. If that proved impossible, they would shoot it down. In other words, that was their secondary objective. Anyway, this is completely insane. Government has finally started messing with peoples souls. Its technically spiritual damage and not the soul itself. They find the souls impurities and either wash them away or use them. Not even they have a definition of the soul itself. Its the same either way. They can possess and corrupt people all they want, right? By now, theyre probably developing a new breed of human with wings on their back. As she listened to that exchange, the Cold Waves female pilot stroked the revolver-style grenade launcher attached above her lap. It fired Incense Grenades. And if she had those, then the pilot was also a summoner. An Artificial Sacred Ground was set up when a summoner saw their target with the naked eye and threw an Incense Grenade. And the Artificial Sacred Ground could attach to any surface: the wall, the ceiling, a high-speed train, or even an airplanes wing. The pilot was known as Illegal Award 701, Sky Brain. A lot of summoners preferred highly idiosyncratic localized battles or unique strategies, and she was one of those. She was a rare example of a summoner who specialized in midair battles. Her feminine curves were clearly visible even through her anti-G suit. Instead of using the radio, she spoke to the sub seat behind her without looking back. Aiko, are you ready? Y-yes. When you are. The next action occurred during that exchange. The target group of Whooper Swans rapidly lowered their noses and began to enter the thick clouds. Dammit! Theyre diving down!! We wont be able to see them with the naked eye!! #1 and #4 were lost. But we still have the all-important #3!! Keep on that one at least!! Its head is already in the clouds, so I cant see the cockpit!! She switched off the radio to avoid listening to that pointless exchange. The vessel girl spoke behind her. Can we make it? You bet. As previously stated, an Artificial Sacred Ground was only established if the Incense Grenade was thrown while the summoner could see their target with the naked eye. The problem there was how the target was defined. Did it work when they were just standing there? What if they were wearing a mask? What if they had a character costume covering their entire body? What if they were inside a tank or warship? No definite answer had been found, but based on Sky Brains experience, she felt it had to do with the ability to accurately picture the target in ones mind. If the target was entirely covered by a character costume, the Artificial Sacred Ground would still appear as long as the summoner could accurately picture the person inside it. It was the same with a tank or a warship. But no matter how accurately one pictured the designs and knew the position of the seat, it would fail if there was not actually anyone sitting there. On the other hand, a hallway corner or a single layer of paper was enough to prevent it as long as the summoner could not picture the persons position on the other side. Formless things like powerful backlighting or thick clouds were not much fun for summoners. That was why she had to finish them off before they could hide. It did not matter whether or not she could directly see the pilots face through the cockpits reinforced glass canopy. She only had to see the whole of the #3 Whooper Swan so she could know the position of the cockpit and the pilots seat like the back of her own hand. She pulled the ejection lever located between her legs. Lets go, Aiko!! Sky Brain knew she would never receive an answer if she asked if they could go, so she pulled the lever without waiting for a response. The outer framework of the reinforced glass canopy was severed with the power of gunpowder. The wind pressure blew it backwards and the front and back seats were ejected vertically. Even after being thrown into the empty air, Sky Brain accurately aimed her revolver-style grenade launcher in one hand. She targeted the #3 Whooper Swan that was trying to escape into the clouds. She was closer now. If she accurately saw them and fired the Incense Grenade, she and the girl would be guided to their target because the summoner and vessel were dragged to the center of the Artificial Sacred Ground when the Incense Grenade detonated. But just before she could, the Whooper Swans rear cargo door opened wide. It transformed into a gentle slope and a boy and girl stood on it. Also, something was thrown out from it. A hairspray-sized metal can cut horizontally through the night sky thanks to the violent winds. It stabbed into the fighter that had been abandoned to the sky after losing its pilot. It was an Incense Grenade. Oh, shi The sound of the explosion filled that space. She did not have time to curse or to warn her vessel partner. Shiroyama Kyousuke and Isabelle jumped out into the night sky at an altitude of five thousand meters without the protection of an oxygen tank or pressure-resistant suit. If they were mountain climbing this high without acclimating themselves to the altitude, the risk of altitude sickness would rise considerably. Their vision wavered, their head hurt, and their chest felt tight, but they ignored it all as they flew horizontally through the night sky. The boy and girl seemed to be magnetically attracted to the main wing of the fighter with an open canopy and they firmly planted their feet on it. Kyousuke knew that any risk to his life would be resolved as long as he accomplished one thing. Stay focused!! This will all be for nothing if you pass out before we summon a Material!! Right. And I would be in super-sized trouble if the summoner lost consciousness. Id fall from here. He used his Blood-Sign to launch a glowing white ball known as a White Thorn. A collection of 6 x 6 x 6 red balls of light for a total of 216 floated above the Artificial Sacred Grounds reference surface while matching that surfaces speed. When the White Thorn struck that Rose, the Rose broke into many Petals. Those were low, middle, high, and lowest sounds. As those red lights scattered, he hit one of them into a Spot, a dark fist-sized hole opened in space itself. At the same time, a protective circle surrounded Shiroyama Kyousuke to keep any external and internal factors from harming him. Isabelles entire body transformed into a three meter mass of translucent red goo known as the Original Red (b). All of the pain afflicting Kyousuke vanished in an instant. The battle was also settled in the blink of an eye. Kh!! The enemy summoner and vessel were hit by the massive wind pressure and could no longer stand on the ground (that is, on the fighter). They were blown backwards and placed their feet on the transparent wall of the Artificial Sacred Ground. The summoner woman threw away her revolver-style grenade launcher and produced a unique Blood-Sign by gathering moisture until it spiraled around like a whirlpool. It was indeed praiseworthy that she had the swift strength to launch a White Thorn from there. But it was too late. She would not make it in time. Before the transformation could affect her vessel, Isabelles slime twisted into a drill-like point and charged forward. She collided with the vessel who was still a girl and mercilessly sank into the girls solar plexus. With a dull sound of impact, the girl was knocked out. A vessel could not function while unconscious. And since the summoner had already launched a White Thorn and was thus contained within a protective circle, they would still receive the penalty for losing. As soon as both the summoner and vessel went limp, they slipped through the wall at the edge of the Artificial Sacred Ground. They were no longer a target of battle and had been fully neutralized, so they were no longer obstructed by that wall. They were swallowed up by the roaring wind and they vanished into the darkness. Kyousuke started to follow them with his eyes, but Right. Lets hurry on. As soon as he said that, Isabelle realized what he meant and used her translucent slime body to smash the fighter below their feet like it was a candy box. An Artificial Sacred Ground had a reference surface and, if it was destroyed, the next surface stepped on by the summoner who had setup the Artificial Sacred Ground became the next reference surface. Free of that surface, the summoner and Material flew through the dark sky. Once their footing and the artificial gravity were gone, the fierce winds washed over them and the intense wind pressure swept them backwards. All of this was part of the plan. They flew through the sky to reach their second footing. At times, they would stand on the main wing of an unmanned high-mobility Blizzard and break that wing to jump to the next aircraft. At other times, they would stand on the bottom of a manned Cold Waves nose and tear apart the fighter like a paper box before the summoner and vessel could show themselves. The hard part was the inability to use a purely unmanned craft as a target for setting up a new Artificial Sacred Ground, but as long as they knew that from the beginning, it was easy enough to use. Either way, they were immortal as long as the Chain lasted and the protective circle remained. They hopped from one to another. They rode the wind from branch to branch. As they alternated between landing and leaping, they destroyed each of the fighters as they jumped away from it. A Material that could change based on sound range and cost was effective here. By freely changing its shape, he could switch to the ideal option for the aerodynamics, lift, and air resistance they needed. Kyousuke was always inside the unchanging protective circle, but he could receive some benefit by staying right next to the Material. And sticking out the tip of his Blood-Sign would spin his body around. The ninety-second Chain state would reset when a new human target was taken into the Artificial Sacred Ground. Using that like a time bonus, they alternated between destroying manned and unmanned aircraft. It took no time at all. The frontline summoner reduced those steel birds of death to nothing more than fireworks in the night sky. And They came to the final one. E-eek!? Atop the Cold Wave, Shiroyama Kyousuke turned his robotic eyes down toward his feet. He could see the pilots looking up at him through the reinforced glass canopy and they showed no intention of coming out. They worked to swing the aircraft around, but it was a waste of time. No matter what happened, the summoner and vessel could not be thrown from the Artificial Sacred Grounds reference surface. The fact that they had forgotten such a basic fact showed just how blank their minds had grown. Hurry on out and summon something. If we take you out in a single blow, you can escape with your parachutes. Kyousuke tapped the canopy with his Blood-Sign and let them read his lips. During battle, the vessel cant fully suppress the Materials violent nature. If you dont make up your mind before the first attack is thrown, youll have to take the hit as normal humans. Kyousuke kept his promise. The summoner and vessel pair had completely lost the will to fight, so it took less than five seconds to defeat them. Then he asked his vessel a question from the nose of the now-empty fighter. How much can you restrain the Material!? Then keep it up. Weve got another job to do!! Were going to attack their aircraft carrier before more can take flight. The reinforced glass canopy had opened for the emergency ejection, so the cockpit was exposed. However, Kyousuke did not bother grabbing the control stick. He lightly jumped from the nose to the main wing and pushed on the end of the wing with his Blood-Sign. He was pushing on the flap that changed the flow of air to redirect the aircraft. He then pushed down with all his weight. The fighter began a large turn with Kyousuke and Isabelle seemingly magnetically stuck to its surface. The term aircraft carrier brings to mind a large-scale collection of military secrets that only the most powerful of nations can produce, but that was not the case here. The main point was whether or not it contained cutting-edge catapults, but that meant it was relatively easy to build an aircraft carrier that did not use steam, linear, or other technology for short takeoff catapults. For example, it could be an aircraft carrier that used a sloped jump similar to a ski jump. This Illegal faction had bought (using falsified paperwork) a rundown tanker set to be scrapped and attached the sloped jump. The command system and early warning radar were outdated and it had no fleet for protection, but it was more than enough for a criminal group to freely send out double digit numbers of Generation 6.5 fighters. But then a fighter crashed right into it. In a line of explosive flames that resembled an orange flood, the sloped jump was smashed to pieces. At first, they likely thought one of their own had crashed. The crew likely clicked their tongues and ran out to extinguish the fire and save the pilots. But before long, they gasped. They were already in a summoners realm. Im glad we made it within the ninety second standby period. The youths had unwittingly rushed into the Artificial Sacred Ground, so they were trapped within the Chain, giving the enemy a further ten minutes. The boy standing in the crimson flames rested his Blood-Sign on his shoulder as he spoke. Now, how about we get Round 2 started? A human-formed disaster had fallen like a meteor. That violence reached the normal soldiers as well as the Illegal summoners and did not end until the aircraft carrier disguised as a tanker had been torn in two. Facts: *People have no definition for the human soul. However, research is underway on the impurities stuck to the soul which are known as spiritual damage. It is thought this holds the possibility of reaching the human soul itself. *When the Incense Grenade is thrown, the summoner must have a view of the target with the naked eye. However, if they can accurately picture the internal structure and the person is actually there, the person can be defined as a target even inside fully sealed armor or a giant weapon. But their presence can only be confirmed by seeing if the Artificial Sacred Ground actually appears, so it is safer and more certain to observe the person themselves. *If the Artificial Sacred Grounds reference surface is moving, such as on a train or airplane, the Rose, Petals, Spots, etc. will automatically match its speed. When the vehicle turns, the people fighting turn with it. In that case, the White Thorns and Petals are not thrown around by the movement and turning, so the battle can continue like normal. *A Chain can be used for a long-term midair battle. *If the vessel is defeated after a Petal enters the Spot but before their body transforms, the summoner and vessel still receive the penalty for defeat. *When the Artificial Sacred Ground is established, the enemy is trapped inside it. But once they are defeated, the unconscious people are no longer considered targets and can slip through the walls. *The Spots and Rose do not exist during a Chain, so the Material remains but cannot be built up further. It can only be built up when an enemy is present. Volume 3, Stage 01 - A Transfer Student in Early Spring Signals the Collapse of the… Volume 3, Stage 01: A Transfer Student in Early Spring Signals the Collapse of the School Hey, hey. Where are we supposed to dump this? It sounds like Government is interested, so lets contact Aika. (Stage 01 Open 05/23 07:30) A Transfer Student in Early Spring Signals the Collapse of the School A jetlagged mind made it hard to get up in the morning. In the cabin space of the cruiser he lived in, Shiroyama Kyousuke rubbed his eyes on the double bed as the alarm clocks ringing assaulted his senses. He got back at it by hitting the switch of the bedside alarm clock. And for some reason, the vessel named Isabelle had slipped onto the double bed while wearing black cat pajamas. Kyousuke tried to get his sleep-addled brain working, but he ran out of strength and gave into the urge to fall back asleep. He heard a girls voice from below the covers. I put my body on the line for the best setup I could manage, so Im disappointed you arent going along with it. Zuuun (deadpan). ? What was this? Why could he hear something below the covers? To figure out what this was, his foggy mind led him to reach out and touch itbut what was it? It was soft and warmso what in the world was it? A steamed bun? It seemed a little too small for that. And when you just start groping me, Im small-sized unsure how to respond. His mind finally caught up to reality. He was reminded of a shameful summer morning long, long ago before he had become Alice (with) Rabbit. That morning, he had wet the bed. At first, he had refused to believe it, but he had been unable to ignore the strange sensation. Just like back then, he hesitantly peered below the covers and the experienced summoner screamed just like his past self. Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!??? Oh, I finally got the reaction I wanted. Pinpon pinpon (deadpan). Quickly rolling out of bed with a mixture of surprise, shock, and slight sadness was just like that day. Wh-wh-wh-wh-wh-why-why are you here!? The crawling black cat pajamas reigned supreme as the only one left on the double bed. Nya nyaaan (deadpan). I havent gotten my reward for that midair battle. What? I believe we settled on a Dengeki Restaurant Hobby Set. I thought we parted ways for the night at A Blocks international airport. And why!? Actually, how did you even get inside the cruiser? Did you pick the lock? Did you melt it? Or did you use a power drill? I wont get mad, so be honest with me!! The girl who had fallen into a feline mentality gave him a displeased look from the bed. I need to give you a super-sized punishment for breaking our contract. Except now youre breaking the law! Just because normal people forget all about summoners and vessels is no reason to stop following societys rules! And if you broke the lock to break in, Ill have to get a new one, so just tell me! So its time for a super-sized attack using the cheetah style! Whoosh (deadpan). !? Why are you leaping at me when Im the angry one here!? The black cat pajamas used her lithe, muscular body and the bed springs to launch herself with great force. Kyousuke was helpless as they started rolling around together on the cabin floor. As the young girl mounted him at full force, Kyousuke lay on his back, covered his face with his hands, and sobbed. I dont even care anymore, so can you just get off of me? Only if I get my reward. No further orders will be accepted until then. Isabelle started bouncing her hips up and down to hurry Kyousuke along. The behavior might have looked seductive if the blows had not been hitting him in the solar plexus, making it even more painful than the boxer training in which a large ball was dropped on the stomach. Hurry, hurry. Hobby Set. I want a Dengeki Restaurant Hobby Set. Gh, gbh!! I-I cant exactly do anything unless you get off of me first!! The black cat pajamas stopped moving up and down and tilted her head instead. Hmm. The task will never be complete without the reward, but I cant receive the reward without agreeing to a new task A dull spiraling light appeared deep in her eyes. Ghhh (deadpan). Oh, no. I dont understand even a small-sized bit of this anymore. Oh!? Why would that make you strangle me!? He put up a struggle and finally managed to push Isabelle off of him. It took her more than thirty seconds to cool down. I-I want my Dengeki Restaurant Hobby Set Fine, fine. Wait, are they even open in the mornings? It did not look like he would be given time for a shower, so he stuck to the bare minimum of washing his face and then changed into his school uniform in the shower space. He had school today. He lived a double life, but he wanted to do as much as possible to avoid neglecting either one. Isabelle used his time out of the cabin space to change into her red military uniform. She must have gotten bored waiting for Kyousuke because she had grabbed the TV remote and started watching a morning information show. Lets get rid of those May blues by having a second Halloween in early summer! The witchs night comes late to Toy Dream 35! The Delayed Walpurgis campaign has begun. We actively recommend you all wear costumes and anyone in costume will receive a variety of benefits while the campaign lasts. Cmon, lets go. Your Hobby Set is waiting for you, right? Right. The Juddark toy is waiting for me! They left the cruiser together. Toy Dream 35 was the result of a foreign entertainment company buying up a bankrupt Japanese city and converting it into a giant amusement park. Most of it was a collection of super high-rise buildings built over the ocean and they were connected by layer after layer of giant bridges in a spider web-like arrangement. Kyousukes cruiser was in the harbor that bordered the ocean on the lowest level of the city. The first floor (that is, around the waterline) of the giant rectangular buildings generally had cruisers and boats moored around them. There was a small path that may have been a protruding part of the building or buffering material to protect against collisions from the cruisers, but walking along that was a good way to slip and fall, so they jumped from ship to ship to reach the stairway up, just like he always did. After a bit of climbing the emergency staircase that zigzagged up the buildings wall, they finally reached one of the giant bridges. There, they could enter the crowds. Perhaps due to the costume campaign mentioned on TV, the crowd was filled with people dressed as witches or Little Red Riding Hood. Happy Walpurgis!! Cmon, hand over the donut! Otherwise, thisll be a one coin donation!! Gozaru, gozaru. The Gozaru Samurai has transformed into a gargoyle! The place was packed with dragonfly-winged fairies, gray costume characters, and more. Even costume weapons must have been banned because a police officer was scolding a samurai and a kunoichi. Faster, faster. Hurry, hurry. Breakfast isnt going anywhere. Juddark is really popular and I dont want him to sell out. We need to super-size it! Make a super-sized dash! Hm? Juddark? The giant bridge was packed full of office workers in suits, students in a variety of uniforms, and a costumed group of foreign tourists who had decided to get an early start. It was easy to forget the bridge was as wide as a road with three lanes in either direction. They followed the crowd of giant pumpkin costumes and sexy bunny girls and then took a turn into a building. Burgers, frankfurters, barbecue, beef steaks, and sodas. As a foreign-owned amusement park, Toy Dream 35s restaurants served a lot of American junk food, but the Dengeki Restaurant was known to some for being even more chaotic. While most domestic chains were in decline, this one had made a push overseas and actually seen some success. If anything, it could be classified as a family restaurant. With bowls, plates, meals, combos, and lunches, the menu was something of a mess, but that careless obsessiveness was very much like a Japanese chain restaurant. It was fairly busy, so they could not get a table seat. They were guided to a counter seat where they sat side by side. Whoosh(deadpan). Waitress, I want a Hobby Set! I know it comes with a Juddark toy!! Kyousuke still had no idea what a Juddark was and it made him think of some kind of chocolate, but then he saw some information on the corner of the menu. Its the dark mascot hero Juddark! His dark judgments will slay evil!! He did not know the details, but it was apparently a bipedal black cat with a mean look in its eyes. The somewhat large-headed cat had a wire in its hands(?). Something like that could become a strategic international product with annual revenue exceeding 500 billion, so the Toy Dream amusement park cities really were unique. A character could be as valuable as an oil field. Why do you want that so bad? Isnt it just a kids meal that adults know their kid will like because it comes with a little toy? What it is doesnt matter. ? Its super-sized important that we close out the task by proving the contract was fulfilled. Kyousuke despaired when he did not find cereal and milk on the breakfast menu and settled on ordering an eggs benedict, seafood salad, and iced coffee set. While waiting for their order, Isabelle swayed her small body back and forth and spoke. What are we going to do after this? Oh, you mean about that? Yesterdays midair battle was unexpected, but it doesnt really change what we need to do. Lets just do the job we were given. Then you should have made the contract from the very beginning. If we could have settled this without a contract, that wouldnt have been necessary, right? That was when someones hand interrupted them. Kyousuke looked over, thinking it might be the waitress, but it was another customer. It was Rendou Akiya, a classmate of Kyousukes who at first looked like a girl with semi-long brown hair but was actually a boy who liked to wear a girls blazer and pleated skirt. But today, he was wearing something else. As part of the Delayed Walpurgis, he was wearing a three-pointed witchs hat and a cape. And the boy looked like he had only noticed Kyousukes presence after sitting down next to him. Oh. What are you doing eating out, Shiroyama-chan? I thought you subsisted on supermarket meals. I have my reasons. What, did your fridge or microwave break? More importantly, whats with that getup? Oh, this? His classmate spread his arms to show off the miniskirt costume. I had trouble deciding between a witch and a fairy. During the campaign, you get a discount if you shop in costume. I think you get 15% off at this family restaurant. And isnt that military uniform girl in costume? That isnt a costume. And dont we have school after this? You silly puppy. I cant understand why anyone would wear their uniform all day long. Doesnt make any sense. The miniskirt witch boy ordered a Japanese-style breakfast based on tamago-kake gohan. By the way, have you heard about the transfer student? Thats news to me, answered Kyousuke. Unfortunately, its a guy. I guess we wont be getting the triple sevens of a beautiful, mysterious, and virgin. As you can see, Rendou only chose womens clothing as a fashion statement and he was not a true trap. Witch Rendou waved sociably at the waitress who brought him his tamago-kake gohan set. As Kyousuke watched, he frowned in realization. Rendou had ordered after him, but his food had arrived first. Which meant Oh, this isnt good What is it? I need to step into the kitchen a moment. What is it, Shiroyama-chan!? Are you the kind of person who likes to call out the chef? Kyousuke ignored the frantic shout and stepped through the staff only door with Isabelle following him. At first, the cooks looked surprised, but Hm? Huh? Oh, thats right! I forgot your order!! As long as youve remembered. People forgot that summoners and vessels existed as soon as they left their field of vision. Even if there was a mechanical order slip, it was all over if they mistook it for an erroneous input. U-um, uh, this will not happen again, so you can return to your seat Sorry, but I have a fairly serious food allergy, so could I watch you cook it? Nuuun (deadpan). It would be a super-sized problem if you forgot my Hobby Set. Even ordering food at a restaurant was difficult. It was easier at a school cafeteria where the kitchen was visible from the counter. Once they returned to their seats with the completed food, the waitresses had forgotten about them and other customers butts were filling their seats. Pressing their foreheads against a nearby wall in sorrow was their only option. After eating on their feet, Kyousuke parted ways with Isabelle once more. Can you kill some time until schools out? I will be super-sized okay. If I need to, I can break a window. Smash, smash(deadpan). Just this once, you can pick the lock if you want, but dont break anything. Kyousuke continued alone to a high school on a square portion of R Block. Once he entered the classroom, his classmate Librarian-chan noticed him. Once in school, everyone was wearing uniforms, so there werent any wolfmen or Frankensteins walking around. Good morning, Shiroyama-kun. Morning. Arent you here pretty early today, Librarian-chan? My name, my name. She had been caught in the middle of some summoner battles concerning a ghost known as the Rainy Girl, but that entire incident had ultimately been made so it never happened and she had no memory of it. Are you doing that Delayed Walpurgis thing, Librarian-chan? Gh!? How did you hear I was stuck as a cat ears girlno, a cat leotard girl for a costume event at work!? Um, Librarian-chan? Geh! I shouldnt have said that!! Just to be clear, this is a wholesome job! There isnt anything untoward about it! Its just a delivery service!! Librarian-chan blushed and tried to explain away some sort of misunderstanding, but Kyousuke was unsure how to react when that misunderstanding only existed in her mind. And apparently she was still a part-timer girl even after that incident was changed. After calming down some, she changed the subject. To ho ho. Thats just the uniform for the job and it doesnt match my tastes at all. Maybe its just an issue of rose-colored glasses, but I had an awful time with a job yesterday too. What was it? Sexual harassment? In a way, it was worse!! Her blood pressure seemed to rise as the memory worked up her anger. I was working as an eco-friendly bicycle delivery service, but sometimes you get asked to make mysterious deliveries of pets people are sick of or memorial tablets! And they dont care where it goes, so its up to you to figure something out! And youre not allowed to complain or refuse!! Yeah, Ive heard scammers will get people to pay them using a bike delivery service instead of an ATM. But the most common one lately is Girls Backdoor. Its just what it sounds like: a product that lets you bend teenage girls to your will! And theyre selling for huge amounts on online auctions, so theyre being sent out for delivery all over the place! Apparently the rumors started right here in Toy Dream 35. I dont know what its all about, but I ended up having the police stop me and bring me in for questioning. Can you believe that!? Hey, you there. I doubt you are, but you arent being paid to assist in an auction scam, are you? God, it pisses me off!! What exactly is it? Do you plug it into their temple to rewrite their brain? Dont ask me. And who would actually believe something like that? The actual product isnt the problem; its how theyre using the rumors to make a ton of money off of the auctions. It doesnt matter if its a cardboard card, hairspray with the label peeled off, or a plastic pendulum. As she spoke, Librarian-chan held out her smartphone for him to see. An online auction page did indeed show quite a few entries for something called Girls Backdoor. She scrolled down the list, but there was no end in sight. The example photos showed a great variety of forms: everything from strange old tomes to something like a homemade laser gun. It was definitely a movement, but Librarian-chan may have been right that it was more about using the name to sell junk at a high price than about the Girls Backdoor itself. Thats pretty incredible. All the numbers are up in the thirty or forty thousands. Even if you take into account these are auctions, its quite something. I know, right? What I cant believe is there are this many people out there who secretly want to bend girls to their will! That feels like enough of a threat on its own!! But dont the back covers of magazines have ads for lucky necklaces and bracelets with phony-sounding stories about how it made someone popular with girls? The demographic for those has just moved onto the auctions, so I bet the total numbers arent that much different. Thats like telling someone not to worry because there have always been that many roaches behind your dresser and you just never noticed. It doesnt help at all! It just creeps you out!! Kyousuke began to wonder if there were similar lucky products that supposedly made girls popular with boys. He did not have a habit of checking manga or fashion magazines for girls, so he did not know what was advertised in them. That was when Rendou Akiya entered the classroom. He must have changed since leaving the family restaurant because he wore a girls uniform instead of a witch costume. Morning, everyone! Huh? Werent you with me earlier, Shiroyama-chan? We must have gotten separated in the crowd. More importantly!! cut in Librarian-chan. You! You were making money selling five or six of those Girls Backdoor products through online auctions, werent you!? Why do you have to make people like us work up a sweat running around town just so you can make some dirty money!? Dont be silly. Those are just joke products! Its not like Im taking advantage of the commotion to trick people!! The description of its effects is just a personal opinion!! Grr, grr! B-besides, if those stupid guys send me all their money, they cant get their hands on a real Girls Backdoor, right? Of course, thats assuming real ones actually exist. All Im doing is preemptively stopping their evil deeds. You should be praising me as Dark Paladin Rendou Akiya, the hero who protects the citys peace from the shadows!! Cmon, tell her Im right, Shiroyama-chan!! I dont like that anyones excitedly buying these things, but I dont like how youre making such easy money either! Dont underestimate a diligent part-timer girl! Roar!! The crossdressing boy fled with the librarian girl in hot pursuit. They forgot all about Kyousuke the second they took their eyes off of him, but he just sighed at his unchanging daily life. He may have been a summoner who used the gods of legend as a stepping stone to reach his goal, but even he was fond of a peaceful life. Even if he had no idea how long the peaceful part would last. They had to move classrooms for third period, so Kyousuke was walking down the hall at the end of the short break. He saw Student Council President Benikomichi Fuuki walking the opposite direction with her long black hair tied together at the end. She seemed to have noticed him. She was wearing her gym outfit, so she likely had gym class next. Hi, Shiroyama Boy. If youre cooking something for home ec, call me afterwards. My elective science is physics. Well probably just be clacking together metal balls suspended by strings. Oh, thats too bad. I hear theyre making popsicles in chemistry. Its part of an experiment where they sprinkle some salt in chunks of ice to lower the temperature below zero. Oh, cmon!! Its not too late, so go see if you can change electives! And I really want a popsicle now!! A distant look entered Kyousukes eyes as he wondered if she would really be willing to eat a popsicle made with the school test tubes that probably had not been properly washed. Then Benikomichi Fuukis cellphone vibrated. Her expression clouded over a little when she checked it. What is it? Well, Im not sure why, but some neighborhood kid has really taken a liking to me. Honestly, and I told him to stop using his phone at school. I might have to teach him a lesson later. Kyousuke silently narrowed his eyes, but the student council president failed to notice. Im really more intoyknow, an older, hardboiled kind of guy who looks good in a trench coat and drinking some whisky, but I guess you cant always get what you want. As she spoke, Benikomichi Fuuki put her phone away. But her gym outfit had no pockets, so it looked more like she was just sticking it into the side of her bloomers. By the way, Senpai, Ive always wondered why the girls still wear bloomers here. Hm? It isnt that unusual in Toy Dream schools. Thats not really an explanation. Hah hah hah. This city is meant to make kids dreams and adults hopes come true. Thats still not an explanation!! Without solving the mystery for him, Benikomichi Fuuki waved goodbye and left. She had been an Illegal vessel who had been prepared to destroy the worlds current system to achieve her goal, but now that incident had never happened in the first place. He was not entirely sure if she was still registered with Illegal, but she was at least no longer working to take anyones lives. And Shiroyama-san. Someone called out to him from behind. He looked back and saw a girl with short black hair. He had once seen this somehow gloomy older girl listed as Umie Shouko in a newspaper article and heard her referred to as the rumored Rainy Girl. But now no gravestone bore her name and she was nothing more than a living girl who attended school like normal. Are you on your way to your next class? I have my science elective next. Oh, an elective Then do you know where Ryouko-chan went? I want to give her this. She held an English-to-Japanese dictionary. She must have borrowed it from someone she knew. The same thing could be loaded on a smartphone for only two or three thousand yen, but there were still rules banning phones during class. But that was not what caught Kyousukes attention. Ryouko? Umoh. What if I called her the Librarian? Oh!! Ryouko? The answer seemed to confuse Kyousuke. It did not sound right to him. Librarian-chan has biology, so shes on the third floor of the new building. I see. So shes taking biology, the one science a literary type can get through with rote memorization. There was nothing more to discuss, so Kyousuke waved goodbye and started to leave. But then Umie Shouko whispered something to him. Keep looking after her for me, Mr. Bunny. Hm? He looked back, but the girl simply waved and walked down the passageway leading to the new building. Before long, it was lunchtime. Ordering two meals at the family restaurant that morning had increased the cost a fair bit, so he chose to be economical for lunch. Instead of using the cafeteria, he stopped by the school store and bought the Expanding Bread (aka Poor Bread) that was most popular with the athletic boys. He sat all alone on a bench in the courtyard to eat it. The courtyard was not a bad location since the flower beds were fairly well tended to and it was nice and cool in the shade, but since the students preferred the more open feel of the rooftop, the courtyard was fairly unpopular despite how pleasant it was. It was also a troublesome spot because lovers would often meet up there afterschool, later realize it was in full view of the school buildings windows, get into arguments along the lines of Stop watching us!! Stop doing it where we cant help but see you!! Oh, you wanna fight!?, and end up in a great war. But at lunchtime, it was nice and peaceful. As Kyousuke battled the hunk of carbs that oddly expanded the more he chewed it and disturbingly never seemed to vanish from his mouth, a new visitor arrived in the lunchtime courtyard. Wow, wasting your teenage years eating lunch alone, are we? R-Renge, um, dont say that while looking him right in the eye. It was a pair of twin sisters. Meinokawa Renge and Higan were both shrine maidens with long, straight hair, but Renge had stereotypical black hair while Higan had blonde hair and blue eyes, making them a tricky pair of shrine maidens. To them this was a long-awaited reunion, but this sad vision must have blasted those emotions from their minds. However, Kyousuke stared at the sisters with equally dead eyes due to the unreasonable scene he saw. Visitors arent allowed in this high school, so why are you two boldly walking around in shrine maiden outfits? Because normal people forget all about summoners and vessels, of course. That made sense at first, but it was really the same as saying there was nothing wrong with walking around in the nude as long as no one knew it was you. They were throwing out their common sense in favor of their special traits. That line of reasoning was also why summoners and vessels tended to wear outfits that were far from normal and strayed from modern society. But Kyousuke chose to kindly interpret it as them thinking people would assume their shrine maiden outfits were costumes for the Delayed Walpurgis. So what do you need today? We have something to discuss with you. Kyousuke gestured for them to sit next to him on the bench, so blonde Higan sat down first. But then black-haired Renge sat down between the two of them. Renge What? Im supposed to protect you, Higan, so let me act as a barrier. For some reason, Meinokawa Higan got back up and forced herself between Kyousuke and Renge. Then Ill protect you! What!? You have some nerve as the younger twin! Renge! Higan!! Ow, ow, ow, ow!! I feel like my thigh is being crushed by a steamroller here!! When Kyousuke raised his voice, the two shrine maidens finally stopped moving. Kyousuke had been forced to the edge of the bench, Higan sat right next to him, and Renge was pressed tightly in beyond her. Once the crisis passed, the feminine body temperature and aroma finally reached him. That said, this was not a part of the safe and peaceful life he wanted. Can you just get this over with and give me my daily life back? Makihara Youji. Meinokawa Renge clung to her sisters upper arm and spoke an unfamiliar name. Kyousuke looked puzzled, so she held out a notebook-sized tablet. It displayed a list of personal information. The included photo showed a sharp-eyed boy with both sides of his hair dyed blond to emphasize the black hair in the center. You havent heard of him? Hes supposed to transfer into your class. He suddenly remembered that Rendou Akiya had mentioned that at breakfast. But Why is a summoner and vessel from the underside of the world discussing my classs transfer student? W-well, the thing about him isstrange things keep happening around him, so hes been marked by people on this side too. More accurately, by Government. We were given a job by them, so we were wondering if you had overhead anything about him. Kyousuke fell silent. A normal person like Rendou Akiya had been able to talk about the transfer student. That meant he had not been forgotten even while not in view of the naked eye. It seemed highly unlikely, but Kyousuke thought it was worth asking. Is it possible hes a summoner or vessel like us? Were looking into that as well. At the very least, he doesnt seem to be registered with Government. Illegal doesnt release their records and Freedom doesnt even keep a list since none of us are interested in anyone but ourselves. Its impossible to be sure. Just tell me what you know. Makihara Youji himself is the kind of high school boy you can find anywhere. All of his paperwork is in order. He seemed to have made more than ten girlfriends at his previous school. The only real problem is why hes changing schools. For one thing, it was strange to change schools in May when the school year had only just begun. You mean it isnt due to his parents changing jobs or moving in with his grandparents? Hearing that, Renge fell silent for a moment. She closed her eyes and inhaled. Once she opened her eyelids again, she spoke. His home was burned down in a fire. It was Kyousukes turn to fall silent for a moment as he scrolled through the tablets information with a fingertip. Ominous records were mechanically listed as brief lines of text. A-and when we looked into it, there was more than that, added Higan. During a school trip at the beginning of spring, there was a landslide and everyone in that school year was killed. The fitness gym he attended was destroyed in a gas explosion. The mall he worked at part-time collapsed. A stalker attacked his home and his parents died. Um, people get caught in terrible tragedies wherever he goes, but he always ends up unharmed. And it just keeps happening. Plus, its all happened recently when he was a completely normal person receiving no real attention not long ago. Its all been over the past few weeks. It sounds like something from a horror movie, doesnt it? Renge waved a hand dismissively. The funny part is every last one of the tragedies was caused by a girl Makihara was intimate with. You could almost say he ordered the girls to do these things, they did everything he wanted, and they destroyed themselves in the process. Even the landslide and building collapse? The landslide happened on a rainy day, but when the police investigated, they found it had nothing to do with that. Theyve been suppressing the information to avoid any social influence, but apparently a schoolgirl blew herself up using the construction explosives she was holding. No matter how unhealthy the sense of dependence developed, no one would go that far for a high school romance. This was not the White Queen and her worshipers after all. But Kyousuke had heard another worrisome rumor. His class had been talking about the transfer student just as much as a mysterious device that could bend teenage girls to ones will. Namely Girls Backdoor. Oh, so youve heard of it? Government seems to be showing an interest in it. But as a summoner, I do have to wonder why it would be limited to girls. Um, theres that state people get in when they lose during the Summoning Ceremony and get hit by the mental shock of their god being killed, right? They can only do simple things, but you can control them. And that slow-moving suggestible state continues for more than twenty-four hours. In other words, a summoner could bend someone to their will without a special device. It did not matter if you instructed them to take someone elses life or their own. But that doesnt make sense. Kyousuke thought for a bit and opened his mouth once more. That only happens after summoning a Material and fighting. If I defeated a normal soldier or guard, they wouldnt end up like that. That would mean the victims of this Girls Backdoor thing are from our line of business. Right. And summoners and vessels are removed from normal peoples minds, so the police wouldnt even treat it as a real case. But these Girls Backdoor incidents are being recorded. Government seems utterly perplexed by this. It is possible theyre all extreme rookies with only one or two digit Awards, though. Are they using Summoning Ceremony tech or not? If they are, is it a normal Blood-Sign system, or is it some variation on that? And if it is a variation, does it end at just providing the hackneyed ability to have complete control over a girl, or is there more? Those questions have pushed this way up their list of priorities. Once, Azalea Magentarain and Guard of Honor had attempted to destroy the world just to hold an audience with the White Queen and to receive her love. Once, Benikomichi Fuuki and the other heir of Telomeres End had attempted to destroy human society just to construct a world without death. Both of those had broken down the Blood-Sign system and rebuilt it as a twisted variation. They had also been resolved in secret so no one except Kyousuke knew about them. Was something on the same level standing before him again? Girls Backdoor. That mysterious device would allow its user to manipulate someone close to them and even have them unquestioningly detonate the construction explosives they were holding. That alone was dangerous enough to mess with the world around Kyousuke. And conveniently enough, hes stepped right into Alice (with) Rabbit Shiroyama Kyousukes territory, right? If Makihara Youji is aware what hes doing here, hes quite something. It wouldnt hurt to be cautious. Thanks. If youre really in trouble, um, we can help out at any time. If it comes to that. After hearing that, the twin sisters put away the tablet and stood from the bench. Renge pointed toward Kyousukes face. Listen. We dont know yet whether or not this Girls Backdoor thing that Makihara Youji seems to be using is related to the Summoning Ceremony system. But its still dangerous even if it isnt. In fact, were more likely to be caught off guard if it isnt a part of our field of expertise. Even if youre Freedom Award 903, I dont think you should underestimate this guy. Thanks for the warning. Alsoyou didnt wear a glove on your left hand last time we met, did you? Its a fashion statement. He waved his hand at the girls who tilted their heads while leaving the courtyard. Kyousuke left the black leather glove on his left hand as he leaned back in the bench with the Expanding Bread in his other hand. He slowly let out a short sigh. A moment later, he heard a rustling in the bushes behind the bench and something was dumped on the ground like a garbage bag. It was Makihara Youji. This boy was suspected to have used Girls Backdoor to cause a number of incidents. It was the same boy seen in the background information on the Meinokawa Sisters tablet. However, he had been so severely beaten that the resemblance to the photo may not have been immediately obvious. The villain had bruises and other marks all over his body, he could just barely be heard breathing, and his limbs were entirely limp. It was doubtful he was conscious. Kyousuke did not even glance in his direction. There was no real reason to confirm his presence at this point. He leaned back in the bench and looked up into the blue sky as he munched on the Expanding Bread. A short moment later, a small form left the bushes. It was the vessel named Isabelle. Hey, hey. Where are we supposed to dump this? It sounds like Government is interested, so lets contact Aika. Nuuun (deadpan). Hell get away if we do that. He wont be able to move for a while after all that. With all those wounds, we could probably give him some zombie makeup and dump him on the side of the road for Government to pick him up in broad daylight. Everyone would think he had just gone overboard with his costume and gotten heatstroke. With that, it was over. The concerning incident had ended before it even began. But this doesnt seem to follow Freedom Award 903s rules. Thats because it doesnt. These are the rules of a normal student. Kyousuke did not sound very interested. I really dont want to talk about turf or territory. It makes me feel like Illegal. Although I guess Government follows a similar concept. I want to know how that Girls Backdoor thing works. That I cant tell you. Kyousuke replied casually while opening and closing his left hand and the glove he wore there. If I controlled a few people and took some physical data on them, I could probably figure it out pretty quickly, but that would be going too far. I dont want to do that when I dont even know if there are any side effects. Could it be mass-produced to a super-sized extent? Thats part of what Ill look into. Although, looking at this guy, I doubt he has the brains or skill to create something like this. Meaning? Its best to think theres more to this. Or maybe I should say we still havent found the real villain. This was one down, but it was just the beginning. Then should we continue defending against future intruders? Why? Kyousuke answered her with a question of his own. Why should a professional work for free to protect this school? Except that was not what he meant. Why do we have to stick to defense? Wouldnt it be a lot simpler to go on the attack and crush the source of all this? Hmm. Looking at it more rationally, thats a small-sizedno, medium-sized bit better. Just to be clear, this isnt an official job for Freedom or Government. Its pretty much a personal fight. And we dont even know what were up against here. As we search around blindly, we might just find ourselves wandering deeper and deeper into the bog. Im fine with anything as long as my contract partner gives me the promised reward. The girl in a red military uniform did not seem to give it all that much thought. And she made sure to add one more thing: Of course, thats only if you promise to complete my job to a super-sized extent once its all over. His enjoyable school life had to be put on hold. From here on, he would be living in the bloody world of summoners. This was the best. Makihara Youji finally felt truly alive. If he been asked to sum up his life, he would have used the words pointless and ineffective. It was not that he had received any cruel abuse at home or in the classroom. Nor had everyone constantly ignored him like he was invisible. But everywhere he went, he had found nothing but pain and humiliation. Whenever he recalled some moment from his past, he felt an urge to collapse on the spot and flail his arms and legs around. He could speak a hundred words and be lucky to get two or three in response. Even when he frequently updated a blog or SNS page connected to the entire world, the increase in the hit counter never left the single digits. No one ever left any comments. It was all a waste of time and effort. No one ever recognized his successes, but they were quick to lay on the insults when he failed. When he spoke to a group, none of them would turn his way, but when he verbally abused someone along with the group, all the attention would turn his way and they would turn on him. He stood out in the worst possible way. Everything worked against him. How could this have happened? He could work a hundred times harder than anyone else to be considerate and no one would give him a second glance, but when he complained even a hundredth as much as anyone else, they would attack him with the force of a raging wildfire. The pile of stones he had so carefully piled up would be mercilessly toppled and he would have to restart from the beginning. He even started suspecting everyone else in the world was conspiring against him. But that unfairness was gone now. The world had been corrected. Yes Makihara Youji slowly held up his left arm and stared at the back of the hand. Everyone responds when I do something. A single word gets ten in response. Thats right. This is how the world is supposed to work. He lowered his raised hand and gaze and instead directed them both straight ahead. There he saw a girl so slender he thought she might break if he pulled her in close. She was blankly swaying on her feet. If he commanded her to give him a shoulder massage, she would do so. If he demanded she strip naked, she could not put up a fight. He had to be careful about what he commanded since she really would bite off her tongue if he told her to, but things were generally going well. This girl was held in the bonds of Girls Backdoor. Makihara felt no pangs of conscience over externally and remotely controlling her body while ignoring her own wishes. After all, his life up to this point had been so very wrong. If everyone was given the same amount of luck to be used over their entire life, then he was only making things even. After all the pain and humiliation he had suffered through, what was wrong with being a little more special than the people around him? And Eek. A frail voice shrieked in a corner of the dark room. Curled up there was a different girl from the one Makihara Youji was controlling. Eek, eek, eek, eek, eek Oh, shut up. Just accept the reality before your eyes already. Makiharas voice was somehow cold. With a glove on his hand, he moved his fingertips as if tugging on a marionettes strings. As you saw from my tests, I can make this girl do whatever I want. I could have her go on a rampage with a knife or I could have her strip off all her clothes and run around town. Of course, you can always abandon your friend. Then again, no onell ever believe what happened here, so no ones ever going to take her side. But if you dont like the sound of that, then Id like you to help me contact some people. You work in the entertainment industry, dont you? Even just a guest ID would be fine. Then I can use this to get close to a number of people. As its name suggested, Girls Backdoor could not be used to control just anyone. In fact, the conditions for its use were quite limited. But what did that matter? No man was an island. If he held one persons life in his hands, he could restrict the actions of a few people in their address book. It continued as a chain reaction from there. Like the Straw Millionaire, he just had to move from person to person, betraying them little by little, until he had arrived at and taken over an area he never could have reached otherwise. He could remote control them and bind them. In that sense, he was not restricted by sex or age. People were connected to others in unexpected places: politicians, corporate executives, the police, celebrities, and sports stars. He could reach them all through his chain reaction. He had gone too far at his previous school. But what exactly had he done that went too far? He had already forgotten. (Yes.) He was so fulfilled that he felt no need to remember each and every thing. He had no need to contemplate the past when his future was so bright. (This is what it feels like to hold the world in your hand.) He was not out to rule over anything. His goal was not to obtain a specific person. He simply wanted everyone to pay attention to him. He wanted to create situations where they had no other choice. And that attention would eventually spread through the city, the country, and the entire world. He could not help but enjoy the gradual progress in that direction. But just as he thought that, a deafening dull sound exploded from the back of his head. His head hurt like his skull was swelling out. It throbbed with pain. Only after breathing in the dusty air did he realize he had fallen onto his side. Had someone hit him? Makihara Youjis mind was not functioning properly. It did not make the switch from confusion to fear. His arms and legs twitched but did not move, so he could not stand or even sit up. He could not turn his head, so most of the room was a blind spot to him. He moved just his eyeballs and finally saw a boy and girl. As soon as he spotted them, their backs seemed to stab deep into his consciousness. It was like something he had previously failed to notice had risen rapidly through his mind. What do we do now? I have the sample I wanted. Simply put, we dont need him anymore. But I get the feeling hell get into some super-sized trouble if we just let him go. But whos supposed to pass judgment on him and how? There isnt an actual crime the police can charge him with. Zuuuun(deadpan). Okay, fine. How about this? The horribly careless-sounding male voice continued. Lets leave him here for about half an hour. Well let the girls he was controlling pass judgment. Dont worry. If hes innocent, theyll probably tend to his hurt head. Wait. Makihara Youji squeezed out his voice. The fear finally seeped out past the confusion. But the boy and girl did not seem to care. Their footsteps continued and they left. Wait!! Please wait! Dont leave medont leave me here!! He could not move. And the other boy had a Girls Backdoor in his hand as he left. It was obvious where he had gotten it. Makihara Youji had lost the source of the power that had made him special. Outside his field of vision, he heard several noises that sounded disturbingly like people picking up metal bars. Sweat poured from his entire body and he felt a squeezing pain in his heart. H-helhelp It was all a waste of time and effort. That dull and boring prison once more stole all depth from Makihara Youjis world. Hey, wait! Please help me!! The footsteps stopped for just a moment. When the voice reached him, Makihara was already in tears. I will help you. But Once the half hour is up. That was all. When he heard the door close, it was more like being buried alive than being imprisoned. And And And Several people peered down at Makiharas face. The emotion in the girls eyes was as unfathomable as an insects. Facts: *The vessel named Isabelle takes part in battles based on the personal reward she will receive. *Based on Kyousuke and Isabelles conversations, the two of them took on some kind of job before binding their contract for the midair battle. *Umie Shouko (aka the former Rainy Girl) remembers the deathless world incident that was altered and erased from existence. *The behavior and outfits of summoners and vessels comes from a general desire to see just how far from the normal world they have grown. (According to Shiroyama Kyousuke) *Makihara Youji, user of Girls Backdoor, was already defeated. For analysis purposes, Kyousuke retrieved the glove device thought to be Girls Backdoor. *Kyousuke and Isabelle parted ways ahead of time in order to determine Makihara Youjis location and prepare for their attack. *They do not know for sure, but they doubt this ends with Makihara Youji alone. In fact, they are guessing the true villain has yet to be seen. Volume 3, Stage 02 - The Scheming and True Beginning of the Girl’s Backdoor Volume 3, Stage 02: The Scheming and True Beginning of the Girls Backdoor But if Im going to do any work, I need to be given a super-sized reward first. Yes, yes. Would this almond jelly be suffic (Stage 02 Open 05/23 14:00) The Scheming and True Beginning of the Girls Backdoor Toy Dream 35 was divided into twenty-six blocks shaped like pizza slices. Block A was known as the main entrance due to the international airport and the duty free shops surrounding it. Perhaps because the giant amusement park city had been constructed by a monster of a foreign company, the area was plenty crowded even midday on weekdays. There were businessmen in suits, parents with children holding balloons, two lines of uniformed students out on some kind of school activity, and even a mascot in a full-body costume saying gozaru, gozaru. Countless nationalities, races, and religions were all mixed together. They all wore colorful outfits, but that was due to the Delayed Walpurgis costume event more than due to foreign fashion. That may have been why one pair blended into the otherworldly background even though they should have been a walking landmark. One of them was a girl of middle school age wearing hot pants and a short-sleeved shirt over a long-sleeved shirt, both of which left her midriff exposed. On her feet and legs, she wore black knee socks and sneakers. Her semi-long hair was dyed brown and a somehow lively light filled her eyes. She wore a thin chain around her neck, so some sort of accessory was probably hidden at her chest. The other was a college-aged woman. She had a sharp shaggy hairstyle and her straight long hair was dyed pink. She wore a miniskirt waitress uniform colored white and pink. The headdress, gloves, and knee socks were decorated with elegant white lace. The corset around her waist and the suspenders for her skirt accentuated her already large breasts. For accessories, she wore a pair of horns on the sides of her head and a something like a tail on the back of her waist, but it made one think of something other than a cow. It made her look like a demon. What she held in her hand did not look like a bag containing clothing and everyday necessities. It looked more like a silver pipe folded in two, wrapped with a red leather belt, and given a handle near the middle. The brown-haired girl glanced around with that woman by her side. And she spoke. Biondetta, something isnt right. Yes, everything is running more smoothly than expected. If the Girls Backdoors we spread around in advance were causing trouble, the airports security level should have been increased. So was that plan a dud? I seriously doubt every last person was too afraid to use a gadget that stimulates ones desires so much, maam. That leaves only one possibility. It worked, but someone already hunted them down, huh? The girl crossed her arms and rubbed her chin as she spoke under her breath. She wore some sort of black leather glove on her left hand. But we made sure to choose people with no social connections and as little in common as possible. How could someone figure out who to suspect, find their location, and deal with them before it led to a commotion? Maam, I suspect whoever it was predicted the algorithm rather than searching out their location. Youll need to explain it better than that. It is true we worked to choose people as randomly as possible to make sure they could not all be defeated one after another. But some points in common were unavoidable. The demonic waitress raised her index finger. In other words, it had to be someone who would want to do awful things if they were given supernatural power. It had to be a weak-willed person whose rationality and conscience could not hold back their desires once they were given even slight power. That will naturally lead to similarities in their behavior. So after capturing the first one, they used that one to create a flowchart? The girl spat out the words. Biondetta, the original plan was for me to use the tenth Girls Backdoor to slip into Toy Dream 35 while the other nine threw the city into chaos. Then I was to quickly achieve my objective. Yes, but I dont see a paradise of naked girls awaiting orders as far as the eye can see, so we need to assume we will not receive the benefit of that disturbance tactic, maam. What do we do now? Yes, what do we do? How about we abort the mission and turn right back around? Dont joke. The girl pulled on the chain around her neck and produced the accessory that was the size of a large coin. She snapped open the cover, looked at the photo inside, and then closed it once more. She had made up her mind. She had already been prepared to burn down the world and commit any hypocrisy if it meant achieving her objective. In that case, well just have to keep going without everything wed hoped for. Biondetta, keep in mind this could come down to a war of attrition. We must eliminate every last one of those Anthills and the people sucking up the sweet nectar they produce. Yes, maam. The two of them continued speaking as they walked through the airport. Summoners and vessels were abnormal individuals who would be entirely forgotten once they left a normal persons field of vision. But they could not escape peoples eyes that easily in a crowded international airport. So of course, the young woman in charge noticed when the two of them tried to slip past the border control gate. U-um, excuse me! Uh, please get in line and wait your The girl ignored her and moved the black leather glove on her left hand. She placed her thumb and forefinger at a right angle as a handgun gesture and aimed the pointer finger forward. Simply glaring at her target had immediate effects. Several red threads that only she could see shot out. The ends of the threads contained thick phantom blades with a four-on-top, one-on-bottom structure. They resembled bear traps or a human hand and they tore into the airport workers arms, legs, and torso one after another. Only the victim and the assailant could hear the series of painful sounds. And the airport worker was not allowed to speak a word despite the intense pain she felt. Get lost, amateur, spat out the girl. After what sounded like arms and legs folding up, the female worker forcefully turned around like a poorly-controlled marionette. She then took off running in a straight line without stopping. The demon known as Biondetta gave an exasperated suggestion. Did you remember to specify how far she is supposed to go, maam? I dont think you had enough time to put together a proper flow. I dont know and I dont care. This isnt a problem with the specs of the Girls Backdoor you gave me. The girl with semi-long hair spat out the words as she passed right through the gate that had lost its guard. Biondetta, recite our regulations. Yes, maam. I, Biondetta, have bound a contract to assist my client, Murasame Kuina-sama. The contract lasts until your objective has been achieved and we will use any means necessary. You will pay for the necessary expenses such as weapons and ammunition and I will bear the responsibility for any deaths or injuries. And, if deemed necessary to achieve your objective, we will immediately attack anyone related or unrelated to the matter at hand. Okay, said the girl named Murasame Kuina. Reciting the regulations may have acted as a switch for her. Good. Well be assuming the decoy Girls Backdoors had no effect, but that doesnt change what we must do. Our target is Government and well start crushing the locations we already know. For the locations we dont know, we can check through the data we find in the rubble afterwards or use the Girls Backdoor to draw the data out of people. Do you understand the plan for the moment? However, Biondetta did not respond. But not because she was being rude to her vessel and client. Before she could respond, another voice cut in from the side. Hey, you! What do you think youre doing!? Hearing a deep voice, the small girl started to form a handgun gesture with the hand in the leather glove, but she stopped partway through. The guard who approached was a middle-aged man. Murasame Kuina released the half-made gesture, waved her opened hand, and spoke to the demon next to her. Biondetta. Yes, maam. As soon as the woman answered, she released the luggage she carried. The red leather belt came apart and the folded silver pipe became a single long rod engraved with an ivy pattern. While listening to the latch click into place, the demons slender fingers stroked smoothly across its side. This was a Blood-Sign. It was the symbol of the summoners who used even the gods of legend as a stepping stone to reach their goals. Biondetta smiled thinly as she spun it around and pointed it at the confused guard. If we could only have escaped your field of vision or controlled you with Girls Backdoor, we could have settled this peacefully. A thud followed her words. Something had fallen to the ground from between the demons legs and up her short skirt. It was a black sphere less than five centimeters across. Was the poor victim even aware it was an Incense Grenade with the pin pulled? An incredible tremor shook the entire airport. The gods may have been rooting for those who lived honest lives, but summoners could move beyond the Divine-class. Shiroyama Kyousuke sat on the roof of an office building among the high-rise buildings of R Block. One end of his Blood-Sign was sticking off the building, the railing acted as a fulcrum, and he sat on the other end. He held his smartphone in one hand. This is the ninth one. Aika, do you think there might be more Girls Backdoors out there? Short, panicked breaths interrupted his conversation. He glanced into the air beyond the railing and saw a young man in a janitors uniform dangling down from the Blood-Signs tip caught on the back of his collar. Just like with a seesaw, Kyousuke could not sit on the Blood-Sign without that. The Government middleman spoke quietly over the phone. They were probably just expendable decoys, so they wouldnt have received any accurate data from the real culprit. But based on the confessions weve gathered from the captured Girls Backdoor users, a total of nine seems likely. Ghhh (deadpan). Isabelle wore a red military uniform with a tight skirt and several black belts and she leaned over the railing to reach toward the janitor man without worrying about the view it gave Kyousuke of her small butt. However, she was not attempting to save the dangling man. Good, good. I just super-sized retrieved the Girls Backdoor from his left hand. Then do you even need him anymore? asked Aika. At that moment, Kyousuke got up from the Blood-Sign seesaw. The Blood-Sign seemed to rotate more than tilt as it quickly swung around. Just before the nearly vertical object actually fell, Kyousuke grabbed it in one hand. At the same time, the janitor man vanished from the world while trying to shout some kind of excuse. The Doppler Effect transformed his scream as it grew more distant and it was finally punctuated with a splash of water far below. Whatever the case, its lucky we managed to stop them before they actually did anything. I would expect nothing less of my Onii-chan. Im not commenting on that anymore. Anyway, how did you get them to talk after we beat them up, threw them on the side of the road with zombie makeup on, and let an ambulance pick them up? Did you drag them into a garage lined with plastic sheets and use a raincoat and vegetable grater combo? Please, were not that hunk of fat from Illegal. The great Government would never do anything so uncivilized. Torture is a war crime banned by international treaties. But I doubt those scumbags would just tell you the truth. All we did was invite them to a royal suite room in the Princess Gate Hotel. Theyre probably ordering champagne in the finest of rooms right about now. Hm? Wait. Dont tell me But the way the world at large sees things, the rooms are listed under those scumbags names. So what will they think when they see the bill? The room alone is about 500,000 yen a night and the food and other services cost extra, so their debt will balloon out of control real fast. And they cant solve this just by leaving the room. They will find that they are strangely unable to checkout no matter how much they complain at the front desk. Not until they have Governments permission anyway. You people are the worst, thought Kyousuke while sympathizing with the enemy. It was a lot like sneaking into someones house while they were on an overseas trip, removing the phone from the hook, and leaving it connected to an automated premium rate information service. No obvious torture was needed to apply pressure to someone. With the proper preparations, making them feel like they were wasting precious time worked just fine. The balloon known as their heart would be filled to the limit in no time. This would only look like they were treating someone to a top quality room, so Government was frightening in a pure sort of way. Isabelle toyed with the Girls Backdoor leather glove in her hand. Nuuun (deadpan). What should we do with this? If we throw it in a train station coin locker, the world police at Government will retrieve it. It isnt very exciting, but thats their job. At that point, Aika said something more over the phone. Onii-chan, we just got in some new information. ? Someones started a Material battle in A Blocks international airport. At the very least, it isnt a summoner and vessel pair registered with Government. Is it related to the issue were dealing with? There was some evidence suggesting a Girls Backdoor was used just before the Artificial Sacred Ground appeared. Kyousuke thought for a moment and then honestly spoke his question. This time I cant see the algorithm. I cant imagine where theyll go next. Then could this be the real culprit who was distributing them to the scumbags? That I cant say. Can you at least track them for us? Summoners and vessels vanish from all cameras and sensors while using an Incense Grenade. Follow the gazes of the normal people around there. Even if you cant see them on the cameras, the people will be focusing on some spot for no apparent reason. Thats where the summoner and vessel will be. Follow that line and youll have their route. Even as he gave instructions, Kyousuke knew they were playing catchup here. They did not have enough information. He could not predict what their opponent was thinking. They could never catch up if all they did was chase after whoever this was. What did he need to fill that gap? How could he catch up? It could be a school, a hospital, a prison, a sports gym, a prep school, a hotel, a cruise ship, a military base, a police station, a fire station, a company, a space station, a largescale farm, or anything else. It just had to have more than a certain number of people being managed as a group as well as a framework that hid them from the outside world to a certain extent. Murasame Kuina, the girl served by Waitress Demon Biondetta, was after the Anthills, but they had not been informed about every single one. So their plan was to attack the one they knew about and gather information on any unknown Anthills from there. If that was not enough, they would control people with Girls Backdoor and contact someone who knew the answer. It was like a computer virus. By repeatedly destroying and infecting, they would start at a single point and spread throughout the system. Thus, they started by bringing down the Anthill in D Block that they knew about. It took the form of a live music club. When they were still walking along the giant bridge outside the highly soundproofed building, the girl with semi-long brown hair was already whispering to the demon next to her. Biondetta. Yes, maam. They must have used an under construction sign or information on their website because the crowed vanished from the bridge. Then someone slowly stepped out from the building in question. It was an unattractive middle-aged man in a ratty old suit and a slender girl in a dress with an extremely girly design. The man asked a question while pulling a similarly faded hat deep over his eyes. I assume you two are Freedom Award 920, Liar Cat. We heard you caused some trouble down at A Blocks airport. Instead of answering, the brown-haired girl looked to the demon next to her. Explain. Yes, maam. I believe this is Government Award 809, Scorpion 11. Then should it be an easy victory? Why of course. However, this summoner has something of a legendary jinx. He is constantly taking on opponents he should not be able to defeat and yet he always survives until the end. It doesnt matter. Biondetta, win this for me. Yes, maam. The man in the ratty old suit let out a gentle sigh. I cant believe this. With those words, several solid sounds surrounded the brown-haired girl and the waitress demon. There were ten in all. The sources of the sounds came from all directions, including up and down. Instead of just standing on the giant bridge, they also clung to the building walls and the bottom of the bridge passing by overhead. These were Government Repliglass soldiers. By wearing external armor made from silicon stem cells, these next generation soldiers took the form of other animals and plants while enhancing or interpreting their traits and abilities. Specifically, these were Snails. They wore giant round backpacks and their legs were enveloped by a sticky material that allowed them to cling to walls and ceilings. The backpacks contained high-pressure water sprayers that took in powder from the building materials (such as concrete or steel) worn down by the leg units and produced enough destructive power to instantly slice through twenty centimeters of steel from a distance of fifteen hundred meters. This many of them this close would be fatal. The targets could not escape on foot and would be sliced in two along with the wall if they hid behind cover. Sorry, but this is how Government does things. Exactly the disgusting methods I would expect from an Anthill. We get that a lot. But this is the optimal answer, said Scorpion 11 without a hint of emotion in his voice. We dont bother looking worthless wannabe villains in the eye. The protective circle protects the summoner and the Material protects the vessel during battle, but without setting up an Artificial Sacred Ground, youre nothing but flesh and blood. Even if you pull out an Incense Grenade now, we can kill you twenty times over before you pull the pin. That keeps me from earning many Awards, so it is a bit of a problem. I dont really care either way, but the higher ups want to hear what you have to say. But since I dont care, that gets a pretty low priority from me. Will you surrender, or will you die? Its your choice. The waitress demon jokingly raised her hands a little and laughed cruelly. Whats so funny? Oh, nothing much. Biondetta moved her lips while relaxing her shoulders. Its just that our nemesis has already overlooked three things he cant afford to overlook and that is hopelessly funny. Scorpion 11 narrowed his eyes a little. The surrounding Snails produced quiet creaking noises from the nozzles of the high pressure water sprayers that could slice through steel panels like butter. The demon ignored it all as she spoke. First, you gave a warning before firing. Then again, thats probably a unique Government trait since you like to call yourselves the world police and you probably wanted to take us alive and do a background investigation to put your minds at ease. There was no tension in her voice. It was like the hand of a clock slowly turning. Second, an Artificial Sacred Ground can only be set up if we can see our target with the naked eye when the Incense Grenade detonates. If you were going to stand in front of a summoner, you should have at least used a smoke or stun grenade. Or perhaps this was another act. It was all to let Murasame Kuina, the client who had bound a contract with that demon, comfortably achieve her goal. Third, you let your pride get the better of you when you dont even know what kind of Incense Grenade I use. You dont know the size, the shape, the chemicals used, how I use it, or anything at all. The waitress demon spread her legs wider than her shoulders. With a metallic thunk, a sphere one size smaller than a baseball fell from her miniskirt and onto the bridge. Scorpion 11 reacted by pulling his hat even deeper over his eyes. And he spoke. Too bad. That settled everything. Incense Grenades came in a variety of types, but most detonated at an average of three to five seconds after pulling the pin. And without setting up an Artificial Sacred Ground, the summoner and vessel were helpless. If the Snails released their high-pressure water attacks from a total of twenty different directions, their bodies would be torn to pieces before the detonation. So this would end it. On their signal, the Snails did not hesitate to release the great power built up in the tanks on their backs. With the assistance of pressurized air, the thin, thin layer of concrete and steel carved away by the foot units was turned to a powder, mixed with the water, and given the effect of a file using ultra high speeds. The end result was much like multiple simultaneous laser-like sniper shots. But just beforehand Nee hee The demon laughed. A quiet clicking sound came from Biondettas mouth as if she had ignited an electric lighter there. Did anyone there realize that was the sound of her biting the switch for which she had swapped out one of her back teeth? At the same time, the demon and the client girl were tugged backwards as if by an invisible elastic cord. Due to the extreme accuracy of the high pressure water attacks from twenty directions, the two of them completely escaped by vanishing from those coordinates so suddenly. To set up an Artificial Sacred Ground, the Incense Grenade had to detonate while the target was in view. When the Artificial Sacred Ground opened, the summoner and vessel were automatically moved to its center. But it was not necessary for the summoner to be holding the Incense Grenade when it detonated. It was just as effective from a distance. Meaning (Before approaching, they must have set up an Incense Grenade with a wireless detonator instead of a timed one. Then they showed themselves and dropped a decoy right in front of us. As long as she could see us with the naked eye, nothing else mattered. By manipulating our aim, she can begin the Summoning Ceremony battle in a more advantageous position.) As he thought to himself, Scorpion 11 pulled out an old match and scraped it against the bridges railing. What looked like a sharp spear of fire followed the movement of his arm and then he held a Blood-Sign made of ultra-hard black charcoal that resembled diamond. Ayaka, get ready. Understood. Their opponent was clinging to the wall of a building more than thirty meters away. The waitress demon undid the belt and connected the two pieces of her Blood-Sign. Since Artificial Sacred Grounds were twenty meter cubes on average, it might seem that they were out of range, but that was not the case. Even if the Material itself could not leave the Artificial Sacred Ground, projectiles could do damage outside of there. In other words, Scorpion 11 could leave them be and let the Snails deal with it. Or so he thought. But then he heard an ear-splitting gunshot. Biondettas tail decoration had been swaying as she raised her Blood-Sign. But she was not holding it like a summoner would. She pressed the bottom against her shoulder, placed her gaze along the side of the long rod to aim, and prepared her finger to flick a clasp that stuck out somewhat. It looked a lot like someone aiming a sniper rifle. Nee hee Scorpion 11 saw a smile. The waitress demon was targeting his vessel Ayaka instead of him. Did she think she could crush the girls human body before the Material could be summoned inside it? But The rifle bullet did not pierce the young girls face. An extended high-pitched vibration shook the air. Scorpion 11 had held his Blood-Sign in front of the girls eyes to slightly divert the bullets path. Before a few severed hairs could fall from the girls head, both summoners began to move. The Liar Cat waitress demon attached a cork-like part to the tip of her Blood-Sign and the unattractive Scorpion 11 man pulled a cylindrical Incense Grenade from his suit pocket, pulled the pin, and threw it toward the summoner and vessel attached to the wall. When it detonated, the Scorpion 11 pair was also freed from gravity, flew through the air, and attached to the building wall. They had intruded on their opponents Artificial Sacred Ground. Just like during a Chain state, anyone could enter an Artificial Sacred Ground with no enemy inside. They were more than ten meters apart. They glared at each other as the three-dimensional Rose appeared between them. Scorpion 11 held his hat low over his eyes while speaking in a low tone. Ill kill you. That was my intention from the beginning. They both hit White Thorns straight forward. The Rose shattered into Petals of low, middle, high, and lowest sound ranges and ricocheted all over the Artificial Sacred Ground. A few of them were knocked into the dark fist-sized holes known as Spots. Liar Cat had the Original Yellow(s). Sound Range: High. Cost: 1. Scorpion 11 had the Original Red(b). Sound Range: Low. Cost: 1. Both Materials were three meter masses of slime. (I have the advantage in the three-way deadlock. That means shell try to change sound ra) Scorpion 11 quickly got to thinking, but his mind soon went blank. The waitress demon specialized in spin shots that sharply struck her White Thorns on the edges instead of the center. They flew along even sharper curves than a curveball in baseball. They moved almost like a boomerang as they slipped past any Petals in the way and accurately knocked just the desired Petals into the Spots. That was enough of a threat on its own, but it was not the most frightening thing about Biondetta. Scorpion 11: Original Red (b). Sound Range: Low. Cost: 1. Liar Cat: Demonic Corpse (wm). Sound Range: Low. Cost: 2. Scorpion 11: Devouring Wings (lvz - fd). Sound Range: Middle. Cost: 5. Liar Cat: Bound Armor (re - ia - dr). Sound Range: Middle. Cost 6. Scorpion 11: Predatory Fire (lvz - wzb). Sound Range: High. Cost: 6. Liar Cat: Celestial Blade (tix - a - wuh). Sound Range: High. Cost: 7. (This woman!!) One side had a flying monster that looked like an enraged skull contained within a giant flame. The other side had a giant double-edged Western sword that sliced through the air as it flew around on its own. But as each Material changed to another too fast to visually keep up, the unattractive Scorpion 11 man clenched his teeth. He knew what his opponent was trying to do. A mocking smile appeared on the waitress demons lips as she swung around her Blood-Sign that doubled as a sniper rifle. Oh, dear. Is something the matter? Youre intentionally matching my sound range. And youre always staying one cost above me! Yes. Theres no need to even think about that three-way stalemate if I just follow your lead. If the sound ranges are the same, the one with the higher cost will naturally win. Plus, the Material summoned first is worn down quicker. The corners of Biondettas lips rose like melted cheese. In other words, whoever goes second has the advantage using the Blood-Sign Summoning Ceremony. Her method of fighting utterly abandoned all thought and effort. Her heretical method simply looked at her opponents Material, matched the sound range, and easily tore victory from their grasp. But Did you really think you could defeat me like that? A White Thorn audibly collided with a Petal. Scorpion 11 specialized in forceful power shots. The Blood-Sign method is more than playing your hands and seeing whose is better. Its a fight for the Petals scattered around the sacred ground. In theory, you might be able to corner me by constantly matching my sound range, but it wont work that well in practice. The Petals arent arranged in a perfect mirror image, so youll eventually run out of resources if you keep mimicking me!! He simply had to preemptively take away the Petals she would need. He simply had to eliminate them. That way she would lack the Petals needed to mimic him. And if he continued to build up his Material while she ran back and forth in pursuit of the Petals, he could increase his cost enough to defeat Liar Cat without much trouble. The Blood-Sign method isnt that simple. Scorpion 11 belatedly realized the blood was rushing to his head. He may have had a fair bit of pride in his Government job even though he had viewed it as a mere bureaucratic position. You lost because you didnt understand that. But He heard a giggle. The laughter had come from the waitress demon named Biondetta. And she spoke. Did you think this was all I had? Only five seconds later, a great noise rang out and Scorpion 11 was defeated. C Block was a cheap Chinatown much like a movie set. But that may have been unavoidable since it had been built as an attraction or theme park based on Western ideas of China rather than appearing naturally like a normal Chinatown. To match the color of the block, most of the costumes were based on Chinese entertainment. There was even a shirtless kung fu man and a Jiangshi girl who had gone all out and painted all of her skin blue. Shiroyama Kyousuke and Isabelle had arrived at a caiguan - that is, a Chinese restaurant - run by Illegal, one of the three major powers. However it was a relatively cheap restaurant and it was more like a set meal shop. The restaurant had just dealt with the lunch rush and was now bringing in tourists looking for a dessert of sesame balls or almond jelly. But it turned out someone was there ahead of them. A boy of about ten must have stopped by on the way back from school because he still wore his school backpack as he pouted his lips next to the modified China dress beauty named Lu Niang Lan. According to him It makes me angry when you talk with other guys. Oh, my. But thats a bad feeling, so this cant be a good thing! So Im trying to cool my head!! Oh, my, my. The small boy finished eating a mango pudding snack as he spoke with Lu Niang Lan and he left the restaurant after checking the time on his cellphone. The Illegal tool dealer waved goodbye with a smile and then called over a nearby employee. Wang-san, could I ask you a favor? Its urgent. Id really rather you didnt, Miss Lu. His emotional points have crossed a certain line, so dress up as a thug and scare him for me. I dont want him ever wandering around stores connected to Illegal ever again. And of course make sure you dont hurt him. No fair, Miss Lu. You always shove the dirty work onto me! The large muscular man complained, but he still scratched his head with one hand and walked to the back of the restaurant. He was probably on his way to dress up. Kyousuke and Isabelle walked in to take the boys place and Kyousuke spoke up with some exasperation in his voice. I dont see why you have to go that far. Normal people forget we even exist as soon as they take their eyes off of us. But the routine of visiting this caiguan remains. And in certain circumstances, this place could be the site of a shootout or a terrorist bombing. Or he might get abducted as a bargaining chip. Thats the kind of work we do. I dont like talking about responsibility after the fact as if I suddenly remembered it exists. She sighed and glanced toward the door the boy had left through. As if to switch over her train of thought, she looked back to the table and gestured with her slender hand for Kyousuke and Isabelle to sit. Welcome to the Hai Hong Caiguan. Is this the vessel you were talking about, Kyousuke-chan? Yes. My name is Isabelle, so you can call me Isabelle. Umm? Well, whatever. Nice to meet you. Its super-sized nice to meet you. The modified China dress beauty crossed her legs after sitting at the table that was not particularly red and did not spin. So did you visit this Illegal base because you wanted information on the person disseminating the mysterious gimmick known as Girls Backdoor? She sounded a little exasperated. Youre always walking a dangerous road, arent you? Well, its just that I cant read the culprits algorithm, but thats because I dont have enough data to derive that algorithm. So I was thinking that Aikasthat is, Governments information sources alone werent enough. In that case, I might be able to see their algorithm if I can go at this from a different angle and get some new data. The world of the Summoning Ceremony came down to a standoff between Government and Illegal. And Freedom was only an unrestricted neighbor that mediated the issues between them. It was just that each member of Freedom was such a powerful warrior that they ended up acting like a third major power. Hmm. So is that glove on your left hand the rumored Girls Backdoor? This is my first time seeing one in person. Yeah. I cant believe someone was handing these things out. Oh, my, my. Speak of the devil. My body is moving all on its own What could be happening? Why is that making you lean up against me!? And I think youre a little old to call a girl. Did you say something? Ill just have to drown it out with a young womans charm! Lu Niang Lan sat sideways on his lap and wrapped her arm around his shoulder while jokingly rubbing her voluptuous body against him. It was no longer an issue of which specific parts of her body were rubbing against which specific parts of his body. Her seductive assault threatened to drag his soul away if he did not focus his mind. And if you defeated the enemy and got a sample Girls Backdoor, why not use it for some sexy fun!? Or are you not satisfied unless you win her over with your own power? Oh, that just makes you an even greater catch, Kyousuke-chan!! Umm, can we move on with the discussion? Well, keeping it around but not actually using it is exactly what I would expect from you. Youll do whatever it takes to win, but you set up these boundaries in the weirdest places. What are you talking about? Ill use any weapon available to me. I just havent been blessed with an opportunity yet. Can I throw that right back at you? What are you talking about, Kyousuke-chan? Get back on topic. You say that, but Lu Niang Lan moved away from him, placed her index finger on her chin, and looked up at the ceiling. Military Uniform Girl Isabelle stared curiously at the almond jelly the waiter placed in front of her, but for some reason, she did not eat any. She may have been able to restrain herself from her personal preferences if it was not part of her contract and reward system. Kyousuke had no choice but to sigh and make a request. Sorry, Isabelle, but Can you hand me the soy sauce? A-ahem(deadpan). But if Im going to do any work, I need to be given a super-sized reward first. Yes, yes. Would this almond jelly be suffic The small bottle of soy sauce approached him with deadly force. He accepted it in shock and Isabelle breathed from her small nose and boldly stabbed a spoon into the almond jelly. If he had swiped it from her now, he had a feeling she would murder him not with a knife or fork, but with the spoon. Delish(deadpan). At least she seemed happy. No other response came to mind. To be honest, Illegal is lacking in information on Girls Backdoor. And to be blunt, we only really noticed it when you contacted me, Kyousuke-chan. Does that mean Illegal played no part in the production and use of Girls Backdoor? Id guess this is either Government or Freedom. Or maybe the former hiring the latter for a job Lu Niang Lan sounded cheerful. Illegal is a little more focused on another issue. In the Pacific, we were supposed to steal a Government leader and the results of their research, but some summoner challenged us to a midair battle and even destroyed our mobile air squadron which included a disguised aircraft carrier. It apparently caused significant damage, but oddly enough there were precisely zero deaths. Cough, cough. Kyousuke began coughing to avoid the issue. Then the waiter silently approached Lu Niang Lans side. He whispered something into her ear and she indifferently revealed the information. Kyousuke-chan, it seems things are on the move with Government. ? A Government base in D Block was attacked and destroyed. And I doubt its just a coincidence given the timing. And I also doubt anyone would use a Government summoner to attack Government and this has nothing to do with Illegal. So our enemy here is Freedom Right, right. Now, Im sure youll be contacting the wild beast girl soon. Since Im in a bit of a bullying mood, can you ask her something for me? You dont want me to ask Aika her weight or her measurements, do you? Id rather not have a five meter white liger tear me to pieces in your place, Lu-san. If you asked her that, shed answer without batting an eye. And that would be boring. Thats why Ill give you something much more difficult to answer. She laughed. Ask her about the Anthills. The Anthills? Oh, dont look to me for answers. Not even Illegal has the whole picture of that term. So its some kind of classified information that Government is desperate to keep hidden? And we had suspected that the live music club that was attacked in D Block was one of those Anthills. Someone disseminated those flashy Girls Backdoors as a largescale disturbance tactic and then made a pinpoint attack on an important Government base. I can almost see them holding their heads in their hands. After asking Government Middleman Aika over the phone, she made the following suggestion: Theres something Id like to discuss with you too. I would appreciate it if you could visit my apartment. You cant discuss it over the phone? But you shouldnt have to worry about the encryption strength of this connection. The Anthills are a bit of an embarrassment for us. Aika sounded annoyed. Between members of Government would be one thing, but I dont want to leave behind any official records that I passed information to Freedom. Do you understand my situation now? That was why Kyousuke and Isabelle made their way to Aikas luxury apartment. Inside a living room large enough for a game of tennis, Swimsuit Girl Aika waited for them while lounging on the five meter white liger she used as a sofa. Perhaps to maintain her pride as a shut-in, she ignored the Delayed Walpurgis going on outside. She wore her swimsuit year-round. Welcome home, Onii-chan. I told you Im not going to bother complaining about that stuff anymore. If anyones going to complain, its me. ? Kyousuke looked confused, so Aika pointed at him again and again while leaning against the wild beast. Technically, she was pointing at the girl in a red military uniform standing next to him. How many times! Do I have to tell you!! This is a shut-in girls final stronghold!? Why would you so blithely bring another girl here, Onii-chan!? Come to think of it, it was the same thing with Olivia Highland!! Isabelle slowly tilted her head in her red hat. Then I have the perfect solution: you leave. Point(deadpan). This does not bother me even a small-sized amount. Dbhloebgabrmdgrzvebrfehh!? Aika was so angry at having her shut-in territory not just invaded but nearly stolen that her limiter broke. Kyousuke ignored it and tried to get back on track. Ill ask you again: What are these Anthills that Lu-san mentioned? Drfdrndrn!! Pant, pant. Wh-why would you mention her!? And curse that hunk of fat. Where did she even get data on that? While Aikas mind nearly stalled, the white liger must have been worried because she got up, raised her head, and licked the swimsuit girl with her giant tongue. But until an evil god arrived from some distant star, it would never look like anything more than the animal grooming the girl. Not so much, liger. Your tongue is rough and it hurts But anyway. You could say the Anthills are Government facilities for mass producing vessels. But its more sinful than simple education. Studying at school is nothing more than adding knowledge and technique to the base of inborn talent. Mass producingvessels? Government has come a long way in training summoners, but we are chronically lacking when it comes to vessels. The rookies are sent out as Repliglass soldiers and only those who can overcome the baptism of blood sans vessel can gain any power. But what if we found a way to solve that problem? Constructed talent? That would mean Kyousuke glanced over at the military uniform girl standing next to him. Isabelle said nothing. Aika shrugged and answered instead. A summoners skill increases with knowledge and technique, but a certain form of talent is everything for vessels. You could call it their talent as a spirit medium. Normally, thats unchangeable and you have to recruit people based on their inborn foundation, but Government has started working on that field. Artificially implanting people with spirit medium talent, you mean? groaned Kyousuke. A certain pair of twins came to mind. Higans family had hoped she would be an excellent summoner, but she had ended up living as a vessel due to being born with that talent as a spirit medium. Renge, a Joruri Method, had been artificially created in her place as the ideal summoner those around them had wanted. Higans blonde hair and blue eyes had been the result of the various efforts her family had put into removing that talent. If there were techniques to remove it, could they be converted into techniques to add it in? Onii-chan, do you remember the specialty of Maria Heartocean who you protected before? Spiritual damage research. This is a problem. I am being medium-sizedno, large-sized left behind here. You can think of it as the troubles that get stuck to your soul. We still havent found a definition for the soul itself, but some researchers are trying to use this to work back to that truth. Its like how we cant observe a black hole itself, but we can search out its identity using the space-time distortions around it. Which means The unprofitable foundation of her research isnt enough to raise the funding she needs. Thats why Maria dragged tons of money from the high officials by demonstrating some effective applied research thats so simple even an idiot can understand its value. The Anthills have two major benefits. Aika raised her index finger. First, they simply increase the number of vessels which strengthens our forces. After all, Government has so many rookie summoners that we have to send them out as Repliglass soldiers when they finish their training and dont have a vessel to pair up with. Just giving all of them a vessel would destroy the current balance between the three major powers. She raised her middle finger too. Second, if we can increase the quality of their spiritual medium talent, they will be able to control the Materials with much greater accuracy. The most they can do now is direct the Material toward a target, but they would then be able to accurately dodge attacks and focus on critical attacks that target the Silhouette weak point. That could lead to upsets beyond the existing three-way deadlock and cost differences. However, there had to be more than just benefits. For one, how exactly where they implanting this talent? Since it was linked to their ability to act as a medium for spirits, it had to be more than just drilling a hole in their skull and messing with their brain. It would require remaking them so completely that it could be medically called changing who they are. And what would it mean to have extremely high talent as a spirit medium? Even normal vessels had to wear collars, handcuffs, or other decorative restraints to manage the data port and prevent their body from being taken over by an evil or vengeful spirit. What if they grew even more sensitive to that? What if external measures were no longer enough? It was said some people in the West would have a portion of their stomach or cerebellum removed to lose weight, but when it did not fit their lifestyle, apparently quite a few of the patients would later ask the impossible and beg to be returned to normal. What if something similar was occurring in the field of spirit mediums? Why are you giving me that scary look? Hanyaaan(deadpan)??? No reason, said Kyousuke as he shook his head toward the military uniform girl. Would anything have changed had he known the details from the beginning? What good was it wondering now whether or not he should have saved the researcher? Anyway. Kyousuke ended that line of thought and changed his focus. After the incident at the airport, the Anthill in D Block was attacked. Given the timing, it doesnt seem like they checked into a hotel in between. Unlike the Girls Backdoor incidents, its hard to imagine this is a diversion or bait. In fact, they probably tried to spread our focus with the Girls Backdoors because they knew they were taking such a direct route. Weve finally found them. This is the original enemy. This is our enemy. Isabelle, this is your target. Hmm. If that algorithm is correct, Onii-chan, then youve figured out a fair bit, havent you? Hunyuuun(deadpan)? I still dont get it. Not even a small-sized bit. A lot is at stake with these Anthills. Illegal and Freedom are in trouble if Government gets as many vessels as they want and Government might find enemies within their own ranks. For example, a skilled recruiter might lose their job if vessels can be mass produced so easily. Kyousuke then added a but. Whoever this is isnt able to restrain themselves. They know its risky, but once they saw their target, they took the quickest route there. If they had calmly calculated out what is at stake and decided crushing this project was worth it, they wouldnt act like this. It feels like theyre acting on emotion rather than a calculated plan. But I also feel like theyre beautifying that emotion and using it to excuse their own lack of restraint. But at the same time, theres none of the intense waves of an incubation period and an actualized period that you see in people with a lust for destruction. Theyre keeping their cold flame burning at a set level. Explain it so I can understand. Make it super-sizedsuper-sized simple. What Im saying is Shiroyama Kyousuke smoothly answered. He was finally putting together the algorithm as he viewed the true intent hidden in the forest of distractions. This is all about a desire for revenge. Isabelle, you can understand that, cant you? There was a clinking sound. A finger in a leather glove had flicked a small piece of metal. Murasame Kuina, the girl who had made a contract with a demon, pulled an accessory out from the chest of her clothing. Something the size of a coin hung from the thin chain around her neck. The gold-colored cover opened like a pocket watch and she viewed the small photograph inside. It was not that she felt no guilt. The pangs of conscience clinging to her soul were not so easily erased. That was the reason for this ritual. By reflecting on the smile of someone who had been lost, she could regain control of her feelings. She could make the signal of her emotions entirely flat. The most important factor when taking revenge was whether or not one could maintain the initial feeling. It was more than just the desire for revenge fading and vanishing. She would have a change of heart. The flame would burn just as bright, but its color would change far too easily. If she started working up the funding for pure revenge but ended up focusing on the monetary gain, it would not even make for an amusing story. She could not make excuses for her revenge. She had to continue holding revenge up as her goal. Biondetta. Yes, maam, gently answered the waitress demon. That woman was a strange person too. She was Freedom Award 920, Liar Cat. Her greatest characteristic was her intent to do whatever it takes to help others with their revenge. You mentioned it before, but is it true you removed one of your back teeth for that one battle? Can you really keep that up for long? Of course. For one thing, I do not have a single normal tooth left in my mouth. So it would be truly foolish to distract yourself from your revenge by worrying about such trivialities. The demon showed off her pearly whites with a smile while dumping some pills into her mouth directly from the bottle. The bare midriff girl gave her a curious look, so Biondetta smiled and said more. I can use my Blood-Sign as a sniper rifle, but it isnt actually one. That means it takes some doing to soften the recoil. Of course, my right arm has more artificial bone than real bone, so it isnt that difficult to suppress the impact. Then what are those pills for? Due to compatibility issues with the artificial bone, I need to take antibiotics or I will rot from the inside. However, this is still much easier to use than the latest Repliglass. The conversation would normally have been frightening, but the girl did not particularly care. She did not know Biondetta very well and was skeptical of a lot of what the woman said, but she wanted to make use of whatever she could. All that mattered was wiping out the Anthills. The information at the site of the attack revealed the locations of a total of four more Anthills. Do you think thats all of them? Either way, we need a proper list to check our answers against. But you knew that, didnt you? Biondettas tail waved back and forth as she spoke and Murasame Kuina briefly thought on those words. Wont attacking that place so directly take a lot of work? That just means we have to attack it in a more irregular fashion. We do have the item I gave you. The waitress demon sounded entirely indifferent. Her eyes focused on the black glove device on Kuinas left hand. Anyway, wouldnt it be best to attack the four other Anthills we know of while we wait for some results there? Isnt it pure torture for you to wait around when you know where your target is, maam? True. I might not be able to wait much longer. I do feel bad making you go along with me, though. Dont be ridiculous. I could not feel more fulfilled!! Biondetta spread her arms as if rejoicing over her life. The single word revenge can refer to so many different things. Some complain and complain but never intend to actually do anything about it. Some use their desire for revenge as an excuse to ignore the boundaries between their public and private lives and then indiscriminately indulge in their desire for money and women. Others lose interest after slaughtering a bunch of unrelated people and never actually reach the target of their revenge. Its so boring. Oh, its just so sad how many people let their desire for revenge transform into something so boring! The demons list of complaints was likely also a peek into her past. That was just how many vengeance-seekers she had lent a helping hand to and just how much blood stained her hands. But your desire for revenge is superb Yes, and you can trust me here because I am a connoisseur of revenge. You do not let it transform into anything else and you do not allow it to fade away into nothingness! You have managed to maintain your initial desire unchanged!! I dont care how insane you are, Biondetta. Yes, maam. I just want to have my revenge. Once we finish drinking this, lets go. I cant bear to wait around. If I know at least one location I can crush, I cant relax until I do it. Yes! Maam!! The two of them drank down the rest of their cups of jasmine tea and place them on the saucers. Then they forcefully stood from their seats. They were in C Block. They were in a Chinese restaurant known as a caiguan. It was a relatively cheap restaurant and it was more like a set meal shop. And It was the restaurant that Lu Niang Lan used as an Illegal meeting place. However, there was currently no sign of anyone there except for at the table where the demon and her client had sat. The bell of the intercom rang through the luxury apartments living room. Before Aika could pick up the cordless receiver, she heard the front door click unlocked. Only two people had a spare key and one of them, Shiroyama Kyousuke, was already in the living room. Is that Lu-san? Kyousukes comment was right on the money. It was the modified China dress beauty who stepped into the living room from the long hallway. Now theres two girls scents invading this shut in girls final stronghold Auhhh, Im feeling faint at this loss of territory. How can the world be so cramped and oppressive? Why does it have to crush even the slightest freedom!? Lu Niang Lan did not respond to the swimsuit girls confused exclamations. The modified China dress beautys head was somewhat lowered as she silently entered the room. However Ah. Isabelle, who was closest to her, must have tried to say something, but not even Shiroyama Kyousuke could tell what. With a surprisingly gentle sound, the Perfect Dragons fist sank halfway into the center of the military girls flat chest. Time seemed to stop. The fist slowly twisted about ninety degrees while embedded in the girls chest. Only after a short delay did a great roar of impact burst from the girl. Even if she was small, she was still a 150cm and 40kg mass, and yet she flew straight across the living room and over the open kitchens counter. Loud destructive sounds came from the back of the kitchen. Isabelle!! You old hag, what do you think youre!? Aika started to yell at Lu Niang Lan, but her voice was drowned out by the white ligers growl of warning. At some point, the sofa beast had gotten up and moved to protect the swimsuit girl. Kyousuke belatedly caught on. He did not think this was a detailed fake of Lu Niang Lan, but something was not right. Her expression and movements were smooth, but the dilation of her eyes was unnatural. It was completely ignoring her surroundings and the light sources. He could only think of one possibility at the moment. Tch!! Girls Backdoor!? Oh, please!! Youre telling me this old hag counts as a girl!? As she loudly complained, Aika flipped over the snack box on one corner of the glass table. An egg-shaped Incense Grenade rolled out. Kyousuke was shocked, but This is no time to wait around! Which gives us a better shot: the liger as-is or the gooey Original series!? Whisper (Then again, she might die either way) Aika pulled the pin and rolled the Incense Grenade at her feet. Lu Niang Lan did not speak a word. Nor did she make a mad dash to grab the Incense Grenade and throw it out the window before it detonated. The Perfect Dragons outline simply vanished into thin air. Wha!? Aikas target should have been standing right in front of her. In fact, she most likely was still standing there. Nevertheless, Aika had lost sight of Lu Niang Lan. The woman had utterly hidden her presence. And the Artificial Sacred Ground could not be set up if the target could not be seen with the naked eye when the Incense Grenade detonated. It did not matter if the target was standing right in front of the summoner. Aika had not even considered the possibility of that failing, so her thoughts ground to a halt. Lu Niang Lan took advantage of that by reappearing in front of her. Her fists and legs were now well within range of the swimsuit girl. At the same time, the five meter white liger and Shiroyama Kyousuke, who pulled his Blood-Sign from his back, dashed toward Lu Niang Lan from the left and right. One of them was a ferocious beast with 300kg of weight behind her claws and fangs. The other was a veteran summoner who could run circles around a summoner in the 600s or 700s without even using a Material. But Even so Lu Niang Lan started by sending a fist toward the leaping white ligers nose as a cross-counter. With a great roar of impact, the five meter beast fell straight down. This exposed her back to Kyousuke, but the Perfect Dragon did not even look back as his Blood-Sign thrust in like a spear. She twisted around and lowered her upper body, but not to dodge it. She allowed it to rest on her hips and then she used her back to knock it upwards. !? It pulled Kyousukes arms up along with it, leaving his upper body entirely defenseless. She made a heavy counterattack much like a roundhouse kick and it mercilessly stabbed into his exposed torso. The impact sounded like a giant drumbeat and Kyousuke flew across the large living room. Yes. He took the exact same course as his vessel Isabelle had earlier. Loud sounds of destruction sounded once he landed. Bh!? Cough!! (Dammit, I knew it was coming and even lured her into it, but I still couldnt counteract the full impact!?) Isabelle had done the same thing. If she had not jumped backwards herself, the impact would likely have wreaked havoc inside her body and caused all of her organs to rupture. Kyousuke looked around while half buried in the mess that had been a kitchen. Isabelle had broken through a table and the cabinet door below the sink. He crawled over and slapped her cheek, but she did not respond. She seemed to have a concussion. Even if he used an Incense Grenade, he would not be able to use a Material. Isabelle and the white liger had both been knocked out of the fight. Kyousuke and Aika could not use the Summoning Ceremony on their own. They would have to stop Lu Niang Lan without that. Kyousuke awkwardly crawled around the broken kitchen. He knew he had no chance against the Perfect Dragon in hand-to-hand combat. At this range, he was not sure he could win even if he could use an Incense Grenade. So he did not even think about doing that. Shiroyama Kyousuke grabbed at the gas range, climbed on top of it, and reached for the gas main behind it. He pulled out the hose and let the gas escape out past the open kitchens counter and into the living room. He released the city gas that contained a unique odor. No normal attack could hit Lu Niang Lan. No matter what he tried, he would only end up receiving a cross-counter with twice the force behind it. But that just meant he needed an attack that could not be dodged. And that meant an attack that would fill the entire room. Lu Niang Lan was quick to respond. She did not try to stop Kyousuke or take control of the gas main. As soon as she detected the odor, she kicked over the pen holder on the glass table, kicked up the stainless steel scissors from the office supplies scattered on the floor, and used a double kick to send the scissors flying forward. The scissors stabbed into the distant floor like a knife-throwing trick. The slight spark blew everything away. The Perfect Dragons plan was as follows: reduce the damage by triggering a smaller explosion before the room fills with gas. After a bright flash, an explosive noise and shockwave swept across the room. Only the modified China dress beauty remained standing. But After a short delay, water poured down like a sudden burst of rain. It came from the sprinklers on the ceiling. Lu Niang Lan glanced up but soon looked in a different direction: the kitchen. Shiroyama Kyousuke slowly got up beyond the open kitchens counter. She was most focused on the power cord to an overloaded power strip he held in his hand. The thick power cords for the refrigerator, microwave, rice cooker, and other appliances were plugged into it. And the boys other hand held a knife to the main cord like it was a hostages throat. Kyousuke smiled while soaking wet. And he did not hesitate. Sorry, everyone. Looks like were all in this together. He cut through the power cable and threw it to the floor. A bluish-white flash filled a space large enough to hold a tennis match. Kyousuke, Aika, Isabelle, the white liger, and Lu Niang Lan. The electrical current struck all of their hearts equally. Ugh, groaned Shiroyama Kyousuke on the wet floor. The sprinklers must have stopped automatically because he was surrounded by silence. The rooms breaker must have tripped because none of the appliances seemed to be functioning. Isabelle was closest, so he checked her pulse first and then dragged his aching body into the living room. He secured Lu Niang Lan. After checking her pulse as she lay sprawled out on the floor, he used an extension cable to tie up her wrists and ankles. The room was soaked and the breaker had tripped, but he spotted the light of a tablet on the glass table. That was thanks to its waterproof cover and internal battery. It had received a few emails from Government. One of them was about Girls Backdoor, so Kyousuke grabbed the tablet. The writing was stiff and formal, but he recognized the sender: Government Award 109, Academia. Her real name was Maria Heartocean. She was the top researcher in the field of spiritual damage and the woman he had been tasked with protecting during that midair battle over the Pacific. She had seemed like a gentle school doctor then, but she was apparently able to display different personalities in different situations. Although Kyousuke was not sure if the difference was between work and private or between online and real life. To Official Award 870, Hikikomori. I am sending you a progress report on the analysis you requested. I have put off breaking down the black box in the core, so I will begin with what I have discovered through nondestructive tests along the surface of the device. The Girls Backdoor behaves much like a device that allows a human target for a vessels ability to intervene in a Materials mind and take limited control of the Material. The mental capacity of a Material is so much greater than a humans that the vessel can never take complete control, but I estimate a human can take nearly perfect control when the target is another human. There is still a lot I do not know as to why it only works with young girls, but it may be somehow related to the fact that all Unexplored-class Materials have female forms. After some clinical trials on recruits within Government, I have revealed a few specific uses and conditions for the Girls Backdoor. 1: Girls Backdoor is shaped like a glove and the target is set by wearing it and pointing at the targets face or head. 2: Girls Backdoor works by inputting data. The target is controlled with tree-style settings that provide a programmed flowchart of what to do when certain things do or do not occur. 3: When inputting the data, the user can move the fingers of the glove to display a keyboard interface in empty air. The flowchart can also be formed as a combination of movements: run, jump, land, etc. 4: When putting together the flowchart, there is no need to start from scratch and mention every little movement of the targets fingers. The user can draw on and use the targets skills and knowledge. For example, telling a chef to cook a meal or telling a safe keeper to open the lock. 5: There are no real risks or dangerous side effects of using Girls Backdoor. 6: Girls Backdoor can control up to three people at once. If the user attempts to control a fourth or more, their existing stock will be released in the order at which they were initially controlled. 7: Girls Backdoor can only control girls and young women between the ages of 10 and 25. The effects continue even if a controlled vessel transforms into a Material. 8: When someone controlled by Girls Backdoor is released, they lose their memories of being controlled. 9: There are multiple ways for someone controlled by Girls Backdoor to be released: the user announcing that they are released, the user attempting to control a fourth person, or the controlled person being knocked unconscious. When Kyousuke saw that knocking someone unconscious would free them from Girls Backdoors control, he breathed a small sigh of relief. Tying up Lu Niang Lan had apparently not been necessary. And since she would lose her memories of being controlled, he had a feeling she would make something of a misunderstanding. However, that relaxed thought was quickly swept away by what Maria Heartocean wrote next. I will now address some of my thoughts concerning the application of Girls Backdoor. Girls Backdoor can only control three people at once, but I have revealed that it can spread. That is, not only can Source X directly control three people, but Source X can control A, A can control B, and B can control C. Of course, a new flowchart tree must be written each time, so it is a lot of effort. Without time for that work, this method is only viable for simple commands. And in this case, only Source X needs to be equipped with a Girls Backdoor. The upper limit of three seems to remain. For example, if Source X controls A, B, and C and then tries to control D via C, the original A will be released. Also, if it goes from A to B and then B to C, if control of B in the middle is lost because she is knocked out, a chain reaction will cause C to also lose consciousness and be released. Releasing A would also release B and C in that case, so trying to control a fourth person that way would release all of them. Kyousuke slowly looked away from the tablet. There were still two individuals whose pulse he had yet to check. One was the white liger. And the other Aika? He received no response. Why had the enemy spreading Girls Backdoors around the city come to Toy Dream 35 in the first place? If it was only to crush the vessel mass-production facilities known as Anthills, would they have needed to send Lu Niang Lan to attack Aikas apartment? And if control could spread from Source X to A and from A to B Why had Aika passed out? Because Lu Niang Lan had attacked her? Because of the electrical current Kyousuke had sent out? And if it was neither of those Kyousuke hesitantly approached Aika. The collapsed girl held a smartphone in her hand. The words Message Sent danced across the screen. What message? Shiroyama Kyousukes voice was quiet. And to who!? But it quickly grew to a shout. Murasame Kuina snapped her fingers. She opened the email and attached file sent to her cellphone. It easily displayed all of the data that had seemed so impossible to find until now. In other words There are 41 Anthills in all. Now we have all their locations and detailed information on their defenses. Well done, maam. Now that they knew that, there was no need to hold back. They could dig in like a wild beast in front of a pile of meat. The girl of revenge spoke to the demon who lived to fulfill that revenge. Lets go, Biondetta. Lets destroy them all. Yes, maam. With that, the two of them silently walked away from a pile of rubble. It was another of the Anthills they had already discovered. They had created those pitiable ruins with an unconventional method: blowing up the entire location while the summoner was inside her protective circle and the vessel had become a Material. They moved from Anthill to Anthill and hatred to hatred. They did not seek a moments rest as they sought their next target. They were focused on nothing but fulfilling their revenge. Facts: *During battle, the summoner and vessel cannot leave the Artificial Sacred Ground, but any projectiles can. This is not limited to the Materials attacks and applies to sniper rifle bullets as well. *An Artificial Sacred Ground without an enemy is the same as a Chain state, so anyone can join it with no risk. But unlike a Chain state, the Artificial Sacred Ground does not move with the summoner. *The Anthills are Government-controlled vessel mass-production facilities and many of them exist. However, a lot is unknown about how they work and the process is risky. *Girls Backdoor makes use of the technique that allows a vessel to interfere with a Materials mind. A human cannot fully control a Material, but a human can almost perfectly control another human. Using a tree-style command list of what to do when certain conditions are or are not met, the target can semi-automatically fulfill their orders and make decisions. In other words, there is no need to look after every little thing. *All Unexplored-class Materials are shaped like human girls. *Murasame Kuina and Biondetta used Lu Niang Lan and Aika to acquire information on all of the Anthills. *Kuina wishes to have her revenge and Biondetta wishes to help others have their revenge. They have formed a pair known as Liar Cat and their skill is equal to Freedom Award 920. Volume 3, Stage 03 - The Rabbit Guide and the Liar Cat Volume 3, Stage 03: The Rabbit Guide and the Liar Cat Cheshire Cat. Shut up, you damn rabbit. Im in a good mood right now. (Stage 03 Open 05/23 16:00) The Rabbit Guide and the Liar Cat Nn Lu Niang Lan, the modified China dress beauty, breathed a sultry sigh from her scarlet lips. She quickly realized she had been tossed onto the wooden floor with her arms and legs bound behind her. Huh? Im all wet and see-through. She looked down at her chest which was swelling out even more than usual due to the arched back of her pose. The fabric was unpleasantly clinging to her skin somewhat and she could not move her arms or legs. Im tied up!? Finally realizing the gravity of the situation, she looked around. Wait a second I was in C Blocks Hai Hong Caiguan, so why am I in a Government apartment now? The floor was wet. However, the government dog named Aika as well as Shiroyama Kyousuke, Isabelle, and even the white liger were looking down at her with exasperated looks. K-Kyousuke-chan? Can you explain whats going on? You havent broken our unspoken understanding by selling me off to Government, have you!? Still confused, Lu Niang Lan suggested the worst possibility she could think of. But when Kyousuke and Aika exchanged a glance, their expressions were even graver than that. Onii-chan, what should we do about this? When youre released from Girls Backdoor, you apparently lose your memories of being controlled, so Im not sure theres anything we can do. Ehh!? You mean she gets off scot-free!? I refuse to accept that! This old hag gave us a whole lot of trouble!! My chest still hurts. Somewhere between medium-sized and large-sized. Throb throb(deadpan). Cmon. She didnt actually do anything wrong here, so lets leave it at this. ??? Lu Niang Lan was clearly baffled by their exchange, but they ignored her. They had something else to focus on. The tablet produced the sound of an incoming video chat call. Aika sat on the wet floor and tried to use the white liger as a sofa like usual, but the beast slipped out from under her. The five meter pet rejected Aika and the girl flipped over on the floor. The white liger may not have wanted to lie on the wet floor, but she also seemed to be having trouble relaxing after the Perfect Dragons rampage. Animals were fiercest when they were afraid, not when they had the advantage. Ahh! Onii-chan, go grab that baby bottle. Ill win this stubborn liger over with a stomach full of milk!! Dont. Give her anymore and youll make her sick. But that spoiled liger almost always goes right to sleep if you give her some warm milk. That old hags sacks of fat must have really scared her I dont blame her. Zuuun(deadpan). I think Ill be having some medium-sized nightmares Aika. You were controlled too, so dont forget that attacking her is the same as attacking yourself. Aika pouted her lips and grabbed the tablet from the glass table while still lying on the floor. She answered the call and a woman in a military uniform filled the screen. However, hers was much more subdued than Isabelles. It had a dark blue base, she wore pants instead of a tight skirt, and she lacked the black belts that acted as restraints. Instead, she had plenty of decorative medals. She was a Government coordinator. Or perhaps she could be called a planner or a troubleshooter. Regardless, she was sent in to build a new plan when something failed inside their organization. She would also make alternate suggestions to minimize the damage. Overall, she was a bureaucratic specialist. We have finished regulating the data and updating our plans, she said. Might I get back on topic? Yes. Currently, we have two primary problems. First, all information related to the Anthills has been passed to the enemy summoner. Second, that apartment where Government, Illegal, and Freedom meet was abused to pull it off. Unfortunately, most of the higher ups are viewing the second problem as the more serious one. Although if they feel they can calmly think about punishment now, I have to wonder if they believe no bullet could reach their heads even on the front line. Just to be clear, that Illegal old hag was being controlled by Girls Backdoor, so she had no control over her actions. That is not all that relevant. The coordinator gave a light sigh. The problem is that the information would not have been leaked if you not been on such good terms with an Illegal assassin and if that contact point did not exist. I cannot cover for you here. If you have a complaint, bring it to the higher ups. And while it was Lu Niang Lan who went on a rampage, it was you who leaked the classified information with your mobile phone, Aika. Thanks to that, two additional Anthills have been attacked. The valuable research data and precious lives there have been lost. Do not think this does not apply to you. You played a primary role. She made it sound like Girls Backdoor did not exist and Lu Niang Lan and Aika had simply conspired to leak the classified information. Isabelle spoke to Kyousuke as she listened in. Nuuun(deadpan). This is small-sized irritating. Oh, what a coincidence. Its pissing me off a fair bit too. You are part of this too, Alice (with) Rabbit. The coordinator winked and tapped her temple with her index finger. With the suspicion on Aika and Lu Niang Lan, they are a step away from disaster. If you wish to remove them from the list of possible executions, you must take on a share of their debt even if there is no suspicion on you directly. This is especially important to silence the higher ups who have never liked that apartment where all three major powers gather. Oh? Thats quite the compromise. Could you not get at me without asking first? This isnt much different. Freedom Award 903, we will receive your help free of charge. We will send you to our fiercest battlefield at the moment. Refuse and we will add those two to the official list of wanted criminals. The world will bear its fangs against them and they will essentially be sent to the gallows. Get to the specifics. The data Aika leaked could not have been worse. It included the locations of the Anthills, the personnel, the funding routes, the equipment procurement routes, the defense forces, and the emergency evacuation routes. Two bases have already been destroyed using that data. We do not intend to lose any more of the research equipment, personnel, and research results that the higher ups paid large sums of money for. Simply put, we are evacuating. When he heard that word, Kyousuke brought a hand to his forehead and looked up at the ceiling. Isabelle tilted her head next to him. Mh? Im not even small-sized sure why thats so bad. Its really bad. By the way, how many Anthills are still functioning? 34. And how many people are inside? Assume there are around one hundred in each. You want to evacuate all of them from Toy Dream 35 at once? Using every route available, be it land, air, or sea? How are you going to protect them all? Liar Cat can use all of the information they got using Aika. If they have all your evacuation routes, they can attack you whenever and wherever they want. An amateur might think they could quickly create a new route, but that would not work. If it was that easy, they would not bother to create routes in advance. They needed packages, bodyguards, knowledge of possible attack points, a secondary route in case they were attacked, a tertiary route, an idea of where they could find safety, and a second and third shelter in case the first was compromised. Working it all out on paper took a week and not even a month was enough to confirm that it was indeed a valid route. And instead of getting a VIP or two out, this was sending around three thousand personnel in every direction. And just because they could not do it did not mean they could sit around thinking about it. Even if they tried to barricade themselves where they were, Liar Cat was above Freedom Award 900, so that summoner would mercilessly crush the Anthill Project along with those bases. Simply put, they were cornered. The higher ups have a plan. The coordinator began grinding her index finger against her temple. They will prepare a great number of transport groups, including decoys and then have them all simultaneously evacuate Toy Dream 35 in every direction. Even if our enemy has 900 level skill, they are only a single pair. A few of the transport groups might get hit, but Liar Cat will not reach the real one. What do you think of that? But that was part of the information they have now, wasnt it? We arent choosing the target; Liar Cat is. Its all over if they snack on a few of them and then get to the real one before the limit arrives, said Kyousuke. Not to mention that Liar Cat will almost certainly maintain their Materials cost as much as possible by continuing the fight with Chains. If they can build up through the Regulation-class and Divine-class to reach the Unexplored-class, theyll charge into the enemy forces at their most powerful. But I doubt they can always reach the next target in the 90 seconds given. What do you think theyll do then? Were talking about Liar Cat who gave out Girls Backdoors for civilians to use as nothing more than a disturbance tactic. Nuuun(deadpan). So if their Chain isnt going to last, theyll attack normal people to keep their super-sized Chain going? Kyousuke nodded at Red Hat Isabelles question. And theyll be cutting back and forth across the city to pursue the transportation groups scattering in every direction. Toy Dream 35 wont just be filled with pools of blood; the entire city will collapse. But I doubt the higher ups will change their minds so easily. Or rather, it is hard to stop a giant cannonball once it has started to roll. If you wish to reduce the damage done, your only option is defeating the summoner pair as soon as possible. But if Liar Cats possible targets are scattered everywhere, we cant exactly lie in wait. Meaning? If we narrow down their targets to just one place, we know exactly where Liar Cat will show up. What are the most important personnel and resources among the Anthills? If you keep everything else as-is but try to evacuate them ahead of time, Liar Cat will definitely take the bait. We can beat them down there. Even if they know it is a trap? That type cant resist the taste of revenge. The coordinator sighed. A slight shadow or waver seemed to enter her previous stiffness. But the higher ups will never accept it. They truly believe that they are protecting themselves by refusing to admit to their own mistakes. If they know that such a risky method was suggested by an outsider, I seriously doubt they will change their evacuation plan. You sound troubled. Kyousuke smiled thinly. Their plan had already failed and 3000 lives depended on its success. Despite her overbearing behavior, this woman could not have enjoyed having this forced onto her. Do you have a suggestion? It sounds like Governments higher ups dont understand the danger theyre in. They must truly believe that they can settle this by shoving responsibility onto someone else, that the problem only exists on paper, and that no physical flames are going to rain down on them. So how about I remind them? Im willing to play the thankless job of the bitter medicine. Very well. It was now the coordinators turn to look up toward heaven. She had apparently heard the legends of Alice (with) Rabbit, but her pride may have prevented her from actually speaking the words. But she shook free of that and verbally raised the white flag. I would appreciate it if you would help us. I mean it. Apartments came in many different shapes and sizes, but this one was a one-room apartment for university students. The front door led directly into the room and the newspaper slot carelessly installed in the door would allow anyone to peep on the room if they wanted. That made changing clothes a daily challenge, but it was still an attractive residence for its relatively affordable price in the amusement park city of Toy Dream 35. Despite the poor customer service, there were no vacancies in May, which was past the season for beginning a new life. Steam rose from the kettle. Biondetta, the demon in a pink waitress uniform, hummed to herself as she prepared some tea. She removed her white lace glove to manipulate the tools with her slender fingers. Maam. Hm? Murasame Kuina, her client and vessel, blankly replied while sitting on the pastel colored bed with her knees in her arms. To be honest, I dont know much about tea, said the girl. Ive only ever had it from a bottle. So dont bother talking on and on about it. Not to worry. This is a blend. Hm? The Summoning Ceremony battles are mentally exhausting, so I have combined a few different types of tea leaves to provide a calming effect. As long as you know how to make it, standard store-bought teas are good enough. Yes, just like a clever usage of cold medicine and allergy medicine can create a sleazy drug that will put an innocent young girl fast asleep. I dont want to hear that from a woman who takes antibiotics by the handful And isnt caffeine a stimulant? There are a number of ways to use it. Most summoners either have a special supplier or mix their own Incense Grenades, so we tend to be quite skilled at this sort of work. A student apartment did not come equipped with the kind of tea set used for the British royal family, but Biondetta used tools likely bought at a 100 yen shop for makeshift replacements. And she had done more than memorize the manual. She had broken it down and built it back up to absorb as much knowledge as possible. Midriff Girl Kuina fidgeted on the bed. Did I ask you to do this? I thought our contract only said you would help me get revenge for Sayuri. And I will provide everything necessary for you to truly enjoy your revenge. It would all be for naught if you were too sleep deprived to savor the taste of revenge when the time came. If you like, I could climb in bed with you to sing a lullaby, I could join you in the bath, or I could try my hand at providing a massage. No, thanks. Kuina got down from the bed and sat at the glass table in the center of the small room. She sipped at the tea poured into a plastic mug, but I really cant tell any difference. I appreciate the honesty more than pretending you know what you are talking about, maam. But I have no intention of taking a nap. Im too on edge to fall asleep. The core of my body is telling me I have to hurry up and get out therehurry up and kill. I would expect nothing less from my client. And that is why I prepared this as a type of inflight refueling. Murasame Kuina had trouble judging what the smiling demon was truly after. Normally thinking, helping a stranger with their revenge came with enormous risk. Not only was there direct combat, but it meant making an enemy of everyone around the target and, if they could not earn their partners trust, it was possible they could be stabbed in the back. Plus, revenge tended to end in failure after being outnumbered and the enemy would not forgive them if they said never mind at that point. Nevertheless, Biondetta chose to take part. She gained nothing from it. She had no enemy in common with her client. This revenge only had any meaning for Murasame Kuina. Even if it succeeded, Biondetta would not gain anything at all from the violence. It was almost like a reckless surfer heading to the beach on a stormy night despite the danger. She was losing herself in the act itself. It was the madness of someone taking a hobby much too far. Biondetta. What is it? I dont know your situation. I dont care if youre secretly benefiting from this, if someone else hired you to do this, or if youre acting as a double spy and all my information is fed right back to Government. She narrowed her eyes and shook around the contents of the mug a little. All that matters is that it helps me with my revenge in the end. Im even fine with dying after the fact. So lets go over the basics again, Biondetta. Help me with my revenge. It doesnt matter if youre my enemy or my ally. Yes. I am delighted to hear that, maam. The pink waitress demon gave a smile that was far too rotten to call charming. I do not often meet someone who expresses that with her actions and not just her words, but you seem to be different. I am relieved. Hmph. Murasame Kuina must have had trouble with hot drinks because she only took small sips at the mug. Once it was empty, she set it on the table and stood up. Whats our next move, Biondetta? Well, how about we go for something that is half for peace of mind and half pure harassment? Theyve probably noticed us by now. And they will know about these clothes. As she spoke, Biondetta pinched the sides of her waitress skirt and waved it around. I brought in an entire containers worth as part of the costume event, so I was thinking we could spread some money around to hire hundreds of people to walk around dressed like this. How can you hire people when summoners and vessels vanish from peoples minds? We can use an intermediary by way of your Girls Backdoor. I can only control three people. Is this really worth using up that stock? If we no longer need it, we can remove them from our control. And Government is sure to think that the decoys might be manipulated by Girls Backdoor and thus could make indiscriminate terrorist attacks. As the world police, they cannot ignore that and will have to waste some of their personnel on them. Meanwhile, we can take advantage of our freedom. So when you get down to it, you dont know how effective it will be? As I said, its half for peace of mind and half pure harassment, maam. Anyone with any sense will catch on immediately, but it will still allow us to rest easy. The trick to enjoying revenge is to add some fun into the efficiency Hmph, snorted Murasame Kuina. She nodded to give her approval and then spoke. Then are you ready to go? Yes, maam. I am ready to go anywhere you want. Despite the care she took in preparing the tea, she apparently had no intention of cleaning it up. There was a simple reason for that. As soon as the two of them stood up, something shook in a corner of the room. The figure lying on the wooden flooring had two arms, two legs, and long black hair that spread out like seaweed to hide the face. It was the owner of the room. The college girl had been controlled by Girls Backdoor and given a flowchart with only one instruction: curl up in the corner. Miyama Gouta was a man in his prime who would turn fifty this year. He was a soldier who had never once set foot on the battlefield and yet the chest of his deep blue military uniform glittered with a great quantity of medals. He stood inside one of Governments Anthills. A number of conditions were necessary to construct an Anthill, but the most important was a facility that functioned as a miniature model of society. It could be any number of things: a school, a hospital, a prison, a military base, a casino, a theatre, a hotel, a prep school, etc. Any relatively closed facility that managed a group under a single system could be remade into an Anthill. That meant Miyama was inside one such facility. It was A Blocks international airport. What? Are you still falling behind on preparing for the evacuation operation? Were pressed for time, so finish as scheduled no matter what it takes! I dont care about trivial safety management! We need to focus on ensuring the core of the Anthill escapes!! Use your head, you fool!! They may be bloodthirsty murderers, but their skill is at Freedoms 900 level. Do I really have to tell you that losing our valuable research results in an indiscriminate attack is simply unacceptable!? There was not the slightest doubt on his face as he shouted angrily into a cellphone. He truly believed that the scales of good or evil were entirely dependent on whether or not whatever it was would allow the entire project - including himself - to escape safely. Listen. Do not delay this evacuation operation even by a single second. I dont care if its a hangnail or a mouth ulcer; even the slightest loss or damage is your responsibility. If you get that, then get those hands working! Yes, your hands! We dont need your mouth or your brain!! The airports floorplan looked quite open, but it was cleverly designed so a full two-thirds of its space was off limits. Miyama Gouta swaggered past the strict defenses, ignored the guards who made sure to salute, and knocked on a waiting room door. His expression made a complete about-face. The middle-aged military officer put on an almost creepily bright smile and spoke sweetly to the young woman lounging on the sofa. He spoke to the researcher who was a central member of the Anthill. I am so very sorry, Miss Heartocean. Our schedule has been delayed due to inclement weather. Once the conditions clear up, we can take off immediately. Anythings fine with me as long as you let me continue my research. Maria Heartocean did not bother looking in the soldiers direction and stared at the back of her hand and her fingernails instead. Miyamas right temple twitched disconcertingly, but he managed to respond with a smile. Is there anything else you lack? Everything. Maria said that with no hint of sarcasm. She made it sound like that was simply the truth. She seemed to be displaying the colors of Government, the world police. Id especially like for you to do something about the internet connection. I mean, nothing but Wi-Fi and only two antennae? Is that supposed to be a joke? Humans have a limited lifespan, so wasting time like this could lead to missing a major discovery. And can you take responsibility if that happens? How? I will arrange for it right away. I was given strict orders to give you the best hospitality possible, Miss Heartocean. Also, does this violate the safety standards? Maria pointed straight ahead. This was the strictly guarded off-limits zone of an international airport. This was an important Government base. This was the core of an Anthill. Nevertheless, a large knife was stabbed vertically into the cushion of the two-person leather sofa across from Maria Heartocean. A boy wandered in here earlier and did that, but Im not too familiar with the local slang. Do you think its some kind of message? Impossible Miyama froze up for a moment, unable to believe what he was seeing. Someone had carried a blade into the same room as their top priority personnel. And no one had noticed. It was just as unreasonable as finding unidentified fingerprints all over the inside of a nuclear weapons vault. Impossible!? Who!? How!? His extensive knowledge of the usual security setup robbed this feat of all reality. He was utterly confused and turned toward the door to call for his men. That was when Miyama Gouta saw it. Hi. Would you have preferred a box of chocolates? Alice (with) Rabbit spoke calmly with his arms folded and his back resting against the door. !? The military officer was shocked speechless and Maria gave a casual wave. Yahoo. Now that I think about it, youre still borrowing Isabelle, arent you? Hows she doing? Are you using her well? At the very least, Im treating her with more humanity than any of you did. Im not entirely sure I should give her back. Ah ha ha. Yeah, I guess you would figure that out. That isnt good After that quick exchange, Kyousuke turned back toward Miyama Gouta. Just as a warning, we didnt use an Incense Grenade to get in. We simply used the fact that people forget all about summoners and vessels as soon as they look away. Do you get what that means? Heh hehn(deadpan). I already super-sized get it. Thats great, Isabelle, but I dont think he understands just how serious the situation is yet. And even if theres a big event in the city, its probably not a good idea to have the airport workers wear costumes too. Their uniforms act as something like an ID. Whawha? Miyama seemed to finally remember how to breathe. He saw Maria lightly waving at Kyousuke and realized they had gone over his head. The dirty reality of authority and hierarchy dragged his mind back to the colorful world. He had been humiliated here. To anyone with bureaucratic power, that felt more damaging than being stabbed with an actual knife. What are those lowly hired hands doiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiing!? It might be unofficial, but youre the man in charge here and yet you fell for it more than anyone. Kyousuke did not bat an eye as the man stepped closer. They glared at each other from only a few centimeters apart. Listen. If I can do this, then someone else can too. Just to be clear, expert assassins are a lot better at this sort of job than expert bodyguards. Liar Cat will go even further. Once you understand that, rethink everything youre doing here. Theyre Freedom Award 920. Thats higher than 903. Dont you talk down to me! Do you have any idea who I am!? Good question. Who were you again? Kyousuke continued leaning against the door. Were you the optimist who honestly believes bullets will magically avoid him? Or maybe you were the narrow-minded fool who has lost sight of the approaching threat because hes so busy figuring out how to corner Aika since he hates her so much? No, maybe you were the coward who was willing to abandon all 3000 of his men just to get the last seat on the ark. Peoples reputations are just like summoner names; theyre chosen by the people around them. So what does that make you? You!! You dare criticize me while ignoring your own failure!? We were after Girls Backdoor in the first place. Without Aika and Lu-sans help, the initial diversion plan would have caused much more damage. Plus, the targets would all have been innocent civilian girls. And lets not forget that we didnt keep what we learned to ourselves. We sent Government detailed reports including sample Girls Backdoors. Although the only people who did anything useful with that information were Aika and Academia here. You didnt put together any kind of plan, you ignored the threat to civilians, and then when your precious world police were attacked, you shove all the blame onto us? Didnt I tell you that people dont get to choose their own reputation? Thats up to the people around them. Kyousuke pointed to the other side of the room with his chin. The military officer hesitantly turned around in time to hear a relaxed comment from Maria Heartocean who was looking at her fingernails on the sofa. To be honest, I dont really care either way. M-Miss Heartocean? But Alice (with) Rabbit did a pretty good job of proving that Im just waiting around to be killed under the current system. Im not sure I like the sound of that. I cant stop wondering why I should even listen to you when I can tell youre going to fail. His career was dead in the water. That simple fact burned through the last thread of rationality in the military officers head. I-Ill kill you. Ill beat you to death, you damn brat!! Yes, yes. Thanks for playing. As the military officer tried to grab him, Kyousuke slammed the mans face against the door, knocking him out in a single blow. Then he spoke indifferently. Now you wont have to lose your life in your reckless evacuation operation, so I hope youre at least a little thankful. Nuuun(deadpan). I dont think theres even a small-sized chance of that. Kyousuke showed no respect for the organization or the slightest courtesy while intruding on someone elses territory. It was true Aika and Lu Niang Lan had made a mistake, but he was essentially forcing Government to overlook it by threatening them. From beginning to end, he selfishly prioritized his own feelings, so he could never function properly in an organization. But. That was exactly why Shiroyama Kyousuke belonged to Freedom rather than Government or Illegal. Those who praised freedom above all else and hated any kind of restrictions would meet some level of resistance from society. But some of those people would force through it with their own strength and those were the people who had naturally gathered together and built a loose framework around themselves. In that way, he was the same as Liar Cat. If he was to take advantage of those traits, he had to understand them. So. Maria looked away from her fingernails and asked a question. What should I do now? If you want a 100% chance of death, feel free to continue with Governments plan. If you would prefer something risky but with a chance of survival, then help us. Kyousuke explained the counter-proposal they had come up with. It would minimize the damage and ensure they could predict and intercept Liar Cats attack. There was only one enemy pair, so even if it was risky, there was nothing to fear once that pair was defeated. To do that, they had to drag the most important piece of the Anthill Project - Maria - to the front line as bait. All other personnel and equipment would remain on standby. There would be no diversions or body doubles. By bringing the biggest target out in just the one place, Liar Cat would definitely take the bait, knowing full it was a trap. And when they knew the attack was coming, it would be easy to fight back. In a way, the plan would show its effects much more quickly. But it was also like throwing the president out onto the battlefield alone to draw out the guerillas or terrorists. The king in shogi had nothing on the underside because it was assumed the king itself would not move out to the enemy side of the board to be promoted. It was a plan that the Government world police could never agree to. But Thats fine. It barely sounded like Maria Heartocean had even thought about her answer. In fact, she so casually threw out Governments standard assumptions that Kyousuke was a little worried that she had not even considered the fact that this was her life they were talking about. I never really cared who was handling the evacuation operations security or how they were doing it. As long as a product works, who cares who made it? As long as you have no reason to worry about its quality, that is. She was implying that the military officer collapsed on the floor had been inadequate. Isabelle tilted her head. Im medium-sized worried whether everyone will accept this. Dont worry, dont worry. Government is all about the vertical divides, so they have to obey no matter how selfish the people above them get. Maria laughed. And I bet no one really wanted to be the sacrifice to let some VIPs escape safely. Theyll probably breathe a sigh of relief when they hear that farce has been called off. Especially when the replacement plan lets them get back at Liar Cat. She waved her hand. Also, Aika-chans pretty popular around here. From what Ive heard, she really looks after people in her middleman job, so she never leaves a summoner stuck in the middle of the battlefield and she acts as a buffer with Illegal and Freedom which helps them avoid needless killing. There must have been a lot of people with a hidden dislike of how all the blame was being shoved onto her. If we give a small push in the right direction, things will change a lot easier than you think. Then lets do that. Id appreciate it if you contacted us once those adjustments are complete. Oh? Youre going to look after me to the end? No matter how it happened, I do feel responsible for the leaked information in my own way. Are you sure it isnt about Liar Cat? Shiroyama Kyousuke briefly fell silent at her smooth reply. There was no real sarcasm or irony in Maria Heartoceans voice. She was simply stating the facts with a boldness unique to Government. Freedom Award 920, Liar Cat. An unusual summoner who binds a contract with her client and thoroughly supports their revenge. For that reason, her vessel changes every time and can be seen as identical to her client. Dont forget that we are Government. Were going to do our research on the enemy trying to take a bite out of us. And Maria continued. That means the summoner is in charge. Or rather, her beliefs and specs form Liar Cats identity. Which leads me to a very, very, verrrry interesting fact about this summoner named Biondetta. She laughed. Apparently, her full name is Biondetta Shiroyama. Interesting, no? Shiroyama Kyousuke temporarily parted ways with his vessel Isabelle. Toy Dream 35s P Block contained a lot of parks and sports fields and the rooftops were being proactively covered in greenery. Kyousuke was in one of the parks there. The artificial land was as large as a soccer field and it was forcibly supported fifty meters in the air with somewhere between a few dozen and over a hundred pillars. Although the park looked more like a caf terrace thanks to the chain caf there. The short grass was dyed orange by the setting sun. Thanks to the Delayed Walpurgis, people dressed as Snow White or Little Red Riding Hood were sitting at the large rectangular tables and chatting over coffee or tea. The tables had a billiards motif and it looked like the game could actually be played on them, but with all the water drops and stains, they did not look suitable for an official game. With all the costumes everywhere, a normal hoodie stood out. And he had been fully aware of that fact when he came here. Kyousuke was casually enjoying a saccharine new product with honey, milk, cinnamon, and who knows what else inside an iced coffee. His left hand felt itchy in the leather glove. Before he could even remove the ice cubes from the transparent cup, the demon arrived. In this citys twisted sense of normal, the demon was able to blend in more than him. May I sit here? Sure. The demon in a pink waitress uniform sat across from Kyousuke before he even answered. She placed her cup, a mille crepe on a small plate, and a bottle of antibiotics on the edge of the table. You were waiting for me. How did you know I would be here? To be honest, I had been keeping tabs on that Murasame Kuina youre using as a vessel. I wasnt able to put together an algorithm since I didnt know who she was working with, but then Government contacted me. They said the infamous Liar Cat had destroyed the Anthill in D Block. Oh, my. The rest was easy. One: The Cheshire Cat likes to watch the evening scenery from an elevated place. Two: The Cheshire Cat cannot go three days without honey and cream. Three: The Cheshire Cat practices hitting balls for two hours a day to hone her fingers and ensure she does not forget that feeling. You would have begun to relax now that you had all the Anthill information you needed thanks to Aika. I figured you would want to increase your efficiency by intentionally taking some time to relax before getting to work, just like the Spanish siesta. You dont have to call me that every single time, you damn rabbit. The atmosphere grew so tense they could almost hear the sound of cracking glass. But Kyousuke saw a nearby costumed caf worker go pale as if overcome by sudden hyperventilation and the waitress demon took a bite of her mille crepe, so they both relaxed for their own reasons. Time seemed to move once more, the oppressive sense of heavy glass left, and a normal atmosphere returned. The part-time worker in an orange pumpkin-style uniform quickly left. Anyway. The waitress demon smiled and clacked together the equipment next to her. One was a strange Blood-Sign. A silver pipe was bent in two with a leather belt wrapped around it and a disposable handle carelessly attached to the side. The other was a bolt-action sniper rifle that used 7.62mm rounds. I was fully aware of the danger, so I laid a trap. Didnt you think I might start by sniping you even if I did come here? I know you can read my algorithm to a certain extent. You have your vessel positioned at the most likely spot, dont you? So while I was lying there preparing to take the shot, she could take advantage of my narrowed focus and field of vision by hitting me over the back of the head. The demon took a sip of her tea and glanced to a different buildings rooftop. Her vessel was not here either. She had laid a trap for his trap. In the end, their ideas may have been quite similar. But the Summoning Ceremony industry is surprisingly small. It seemed like some kind of mistake that we escaped that miniature garden 500 meters belowground, but here we are butting heads again. You still havent really escaped that place. Please, call me Detta. And is it really that surprising? Kyousuke narrowed his eyes as he watched Biondetta pour the antibiotics into her mouth straight from the bottle. A summoner that binds a contract to help people with their revenge? No, what youre doing is different. You want to take revenge and you cant forgive yourself, so youre forcing those words out of other peoples mouths. Hee hee hee! Youre one to talk, boy. Im no different from you. You help people because you hear the cursed words of help me? You dont really want to do it? Dont make me laugh. When you get down to it, you want to save them and you cant forgive yourself, so you force those words out of other peoples mouths. Were not so different. We want to do it, so we create a system that allows us to do it. Am I wrong? Salvation and revenge. They stood at complete opposite positions, but this strange pair both saw what they were doing as helping people. And they were both at the 900 level, so they had the incredible power needed to fulfill that request. No, Im not like you. I really do want to wash my hands of all this. You say that, but the second you hear those cursed words, youll jump right back in. It is true that half the worlds problems might be my fault, said Kyousuke to cut her off and drown her out. A thick and hopeless darkness filled the depths of his eyes. But I also think it might be for the best if I stay out of it and dont get involved. Taking responsibility is my own selfish desire and the world might be left with shallower wounds if I give up instead of making such poor attempts at a solution. And leave the White Queen to do whatever she wants? When no one but you can even speak with her? See? That changed the look on your face. You cant escape this industry, boy. No matter what you say or think, theres nothing you can do when it has influenced your very soul. Cheshire Cat. Shut up, you damn rabbit. Im in a good mood right now. The reclaimed atmosphere ground to a halt once more, as if the worlds gears had jammed. The air of death that expanded did not allow the average person to even breathe adequately. Either way, I will not quit my revenge. Just like you and your addiction to saving people. No matter what? Yes, of course. That Fifteen Siblings Project held in the Queens Miniature Garden was quite the sinful project, but dont you find it a fascinating sign that its products - that is, us - are involved in this incident? A closed miniature garden. A facility that managed a certain number of people with a single social system and maintained a certain level of secrecy. Fifteen people of different nationalities, religions, races, and sexes had been gathered together. The project had been meant to thoroughly analyze familial and sibling bonds. They wanted to make the planet one giant family. But not as a mere ideology. In that grand farce, they had hoped to implant those bonds in all of humanity on the level of brain structure. They had truly believed that would act as the ultimate safety device that would bring an end to all conflict around the world. To determine the effects under the harshest conditions the world had to offer, extreme environments had been artificially created using the greatest Materials of the Summoning Ceremony and the research data on them. And this had produced If youre talking about the Anthills, youre way off the mark. But the sequence of events suggests that those were created based on data obtained from the wreckage of the Queens Miniature Garden. Of course, they never moved past the surface level and never even approached its true essence, but if they had, they would have gone far beyond simply mass-producing vessels, dont you think? Half of the fifteen died in that war and the other half reached the 900 level. Just as an honest question, do you really think that was all thanks to the lessons there? Its impossible to know for sure at this point. But personally, I think it had more to do with our careless contact with the Queen. But I cant even be sure of that. The Queen might see it in reverse. I get the feeling she would point at you and insist it was all her brothers doing. It had not failed. They had simply failed to predict what would happen once it succeeded. So youre saying an incomplete Fifteen Siblings Project was turned into a vessel mass-production project? If so, we have the right to tear it down since that project messed with our lives. I have a reason to take revenge and an excuse that justifies my doing so. Isnt that exciting? Why had no one realized the truth? It was true that certain kinds of love and affection might develop between families and siblings. But it was not restricted to that. For example, the death of any one of humanitys seven billion people would bring the same shock as losing a close relative. So could anyone maintain their sanity when people died on a daily basis? For example, there were feelings fostered by sibling bonds beyond love and affectionsuch as hatred. If that intimate hatred covered the world, wouldnt the subsequent destruction be far deeper rooted than with normal negative emotions? How did this happen? asked Kyousuke without expecting an answer. A lot happened in the Queens Miniature Garden, but not all of the fifteen arrived on the same path as you. Cheshire Cat, what did you see there? How did you end up like this? Shut the hell up, you damn rabbit. Youre the one that completed your Sewn Realm Summoning during the Fifteen Siblings Project. That stabilized the White Queen and allowed us all to view her from different angles. It may have been the Queens fear, the Queens passion, the Queens violence, or the Queens allure. The waitress demon counted on her fingers as she spoke. And then But you were the only one to see the Queens love. Youre the one I have a question for, you damn rabbit. How did you manage to keep your sanity? After seeing that incarnation of destruction, how were you able to accept the Queen? What did you learn about her that would allow you to even consider that possibility? Accept? Shiroyama Kyousukes mind went blank. Unable to understand, he repeated the words as if throwing them back at her. Youre saying Iveaccepted the White Queen? Of course. The demon smiled while pointing right at the boys nose. I seek revenge because - no matter how nauseatingly disgusting I find it - the very roots of my soul were influenced by the Queens hatred I saw back then. Similarly Oh, no, thought Kyousuke. He could not let himself hear this. Because they knew each other so well, these fatal words would pierce straight through his hearts defenses. Your help me syndrome is a role the powerful White Queen was supposed to play, isnt it? She is summoned because people seek her, she fights because she is called upon, she saves every last life through absolute victory, and even the enemy bows down to her after the battle. She is supposed to be a saint who saves two hundred when trying to save one hundred. How can you snuggle up with the Queen with that refreshed look on your face? Its just plain creepy. His mind fell into darkness. Atop another building in P Block, another confrontation was underway among the greenery growing on the square rooftop. It looked like a scene from a costume party. Isabelle had been waiting on that building in case a sniper targeted Kyousuke during his meeting with Biondetta. When taking into account line of fire, wind direction, the layout of the buildings, the flow of the crowds, the location of the sun, etc., there were relatively few good sniper spots even in a wide open area. That was why there were experts who took all that into account and used it to their advantage. As Isabelle waited there, she heard someone stepping on the gravel. And as soon she looked that way I found you. ? I finally found you!! Sayuri!! A girl with semi-long brown hair and an exposed midriff had suddenly appeared. It was Murasame Kuina. Isabelles eyes widened in confusion as the girl tightly wrapped her arms around her. Still held in the girls arms, Isabelle pulled her head back a little. Nuuun(deadpan). You do not seem to be hiding the components to a super-sized sniper rifle, so I will attempt to engage you in conversation. Hm? What is it, Sayuri? However The red military uniform girls eyes clearly focused on the girl in front of her. My name is super-sized not Sayuri. It is Isabelle. What are you talking about? Your name is not Isabelle! Isabelle stepped back several meters for no real reason. She had not particularly changed her location and she was not hiding, but Murasame Kuina seemed satisfied and spoke to her more quietly this time. Listen. Your name is Kawamo Sayuri. You were a normal middle school girl living in Harukawa Cityno, in Toy Dream 40. You havent had any military training and you arent part of some weird group called Government. You really are just a middle school girl. You would go home without participating in any clubs, you were awful at anything athletic, and you always stuck by my side! ? Oh, honestly!! Just look at this picture! This is you! The girl grabbed the thin chain around her neck and pulled an accessory out from the chest of her clothing. It was about the size of a large coin and it seemed to be a locket. She snapped it open to reveal the face of a slender Asian girl with long black hair. Isabelle viewed the photo from a distance instead of moving closer for a better look. She seemed to be keeping distance between them and keeping an eye out for a surprise attack while her focus was on the photo. My face is not this expressionless. Zuuun (deadpan). This is super-sized wrong. The way youre acting now is whats wrong! That Anthill Project messed with your very soul!! Murasame Kuina grabbed the shoulders of the red military uniform and roughly shook Isabelle while shouting at her. But it did not get through. It was like an infinite panel of soundproof glass separated them. How much do you know about the spiritual damage research that Government has been doing? Not even a small-sized amount. Oh, honestly. At least that part of you hasnt changed, groaned the girl. Listen. Thats a catchall term for all the impurities, bugs, errors, or whatever you want to call them that stick to peoples souls. They cause illness, insanity, and other bad things, so the usual desire is to find a way to get rid of them. Now that you mention it, that is exactly what I thought it was. Point (deadpan). You werent thinking anything of the sort, were you? Anyway, theyve shifted beyond that. Simply put, they want to improve peoples specs by attaching artificially-created spiritual damage to their souls. Kuina looked disgusted just saying it. But she continued despite the bitter look on her face. Its the digital version of what has long been known as an evil spirit or namanari. They start eating raw meat for nutrition, they grow horns from their head, they grow hair all over their body, and they grow claws and fangs You can just think of it as redesigning a human. If they wanted to, they could probably give you wings to fly through the sky or gills to breathe underwater. And if Government can do that, surely you can tell that you mustnt rely on your current appearance. In her red hat, Isabelle - or the girl going by that name - looked down at her hands. The Anthills. That project added the traits of a vessel to artificially create vessels. Hey, youre a vessel, so you know the penalty when you lose, right? O-of course. I have a super-sized understanding of that. Ah ha ah ha ha (deadpan). You do actually know that, dont you!? A-ahem. The losers heart is hit by the same shock as seeing the god they worship killed before their eyes. Theyre stuck in a mindless daze for twenty four hours and theyll slowly obey what anyone says like a zombie. But it normally doesnt leave any lasting effects. Yes, normally. Am I not normal? No. Government must have given you certain orders afterwards: Stand and fight. Summon something in sound range *** with a cost of *** and then lose. The loser cant fight a complex battle, but there may have been something assisting you. And what do you think would happen to a human soul after doing that every few minutesno, every half minute or so? Nuuun (deadpan)??? Then Ill tell you. There are different patterns to a damaged heart. By having you summon the Materials on a list put together for a certain purpose and then losing each time, they can reshape your soul how they want. Its a lot like chiseling away at a stone pillar. And thats what Isabelle is. The pillar named Kawamo Sayuri was chiseled away again and again and again!! They chiseled away at you until you were an unrecognizable vessel!! Government was an ally of justice and they likely believed they were doing the right thing. Even if they were creating a new table by taking apart, sawing at, and hammering at a beautiful paulownia dresser without knowing its value. Thus, this was different from multiple personalities. It was more like a diamond created from a corpse. The original person was no more. There was not a neat and tidy distinction between one and the other. Just as the picture in the locket and the blonde-haired blue-eyed military uniform girl looked nothing alike. There was only Isabelle now. Hmm. Your claim does not even make a small-sized amount of sense. Why not? Summoners and vessels work together as a set, so a summoners soul would have had to be destroyed along with mine. Oh, that. The Anthills are supposed to mass-produce vessels, so destroying a summoner for each vessel is super-sized inefficient Its simple. Government sacrificed someone. Thats all. ? One-on-one, they would destroy a summoner along with the vessel. But they just had to pair the mindless and broken summoner with another vessel candidate. And then they just had to give their orders. That summoner just had to bind contract after contract after contract after contract after contract after contract The summoner doesnt actually die. They dont die, but they have to continue the process forever. Their life becomes nothing more than losing mock battles alongside each new vessel candidate. Thats a tragedy in its own right. That is the truth of the Anthills. Everyone had called them Anthills. They may have assumed that was in reference to the building or facility. But it was not. The ants were eating through a person, not a thing. Just like letting maggots crawl through stinky cheese, they intentionally opened holes in a human soul that was on the verge of crumbling into nothingness. While smiling at the improved flavor and value, they viewed the collapse as a good thing. It was a nobles game. Unfortunately Murasame Kuina bit her lip and kept her voice low. It doesnt look likely that its possible to make you Kawamo Sayuri again. The research on the soul itself hasnt gotten far and the greatest experts are in Government. But Government is full of scum and a single mistake could kill you instantly or transform you into some bizarre form. Theres nothing we can do. But. At this point, the girls tone dropped even lower. Rather than coming from a vibration in her throat, it sounded like pure resentment seeping out from some other invisible organ. The people who did this and made you like this? I will send every last one of them to hell. Showing them hell isnt enough. I need to send them all there. Thats all I can do, but because its all I can do, I will do it as best I can. Youll see. Perhaps it was coming directly from her soul. It was like a dark red mist that would be fatal to merely touch or inhale. So withdraw from all of this, Sayuri. You dont need to protect them. You have no reason to. More importantly, the summoner Ive bound a contract with is perfect. Biondetta will smash it all to pieces and I dont want you caught in that. I said the military uniform girl as her shoulders trembled. Im not very smart, so I dont understand all these details even a small-sized amount. Sayuri!! Call me Isabelle. Sayuri doesnt sound right to me. She looked up. But if I was created as something super-sized new after chiseling away a large pillar She looked to the eyes of the girl she had once walked beside. And if, regardless of how it was made, it is a human soul that keeps me moving And she said it. Was this Kawamo Sayuri or Isabelle? Had this been there from the beginning or had it been added on later? She did not know, but she spoke the honest thoughts in her mind. Then I dont know if I should let my hatred destroy this. !! Isabelle heard the sound of teeth grinding together. It came from Murasame Kuina. Her left hand trembled ominously in its leather glove. That was Girls Backdoor. When shaped like a gun, the strange device could control the young girl it pointed at. But Murasame Kuina did not aim it at Isabelle. She knew that was the simplest answer, but she could not let herself do it. After all, Murasame Kuina knew that perfect answer had not come from the creation known as Isabelle. Her deep understanding of the girl named Kawamo Sayuri told her that. But. That was the real problem. Why did they have to take so much from you? It lit the fire. Massive firepower danced inside the internal combustion engine known as revenge. Why did the girl who thought like that have to be chewed up and spat back out as something entirely different all for someone elses benefit!? Why did someone who thinks like that have to have her heart destroyed!? You werent chosen because you had one-in-a-billion talent. It wasnt because you drew a legendary sword, because you were delivered by an angel from heaven, or because of any other grand trigger! Biondetta told me even I probably had better talent as a vessel. But Government chose you because they wanted to know if they could make something usable out of a completely normal person!! That was all!! Government gathered people like they were searching for files and throwing them in the trash! They gathered them and used them up!! And yet!! But that is not even a small-sized reason to overlook what you are doing now. Kh. No one wanted you to do this. Khhh. I dont want you to do this. I super-sized dont want it. Then!! What am I supposed to doooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!? Murasame Kuina let out a roar as if filling the world itself with her resentment. She already knew that. She had understood it from the very, very beginning. Even if she had been worried, a kindhearted girl like Kawamo Sayuri would not want anyone to take vengeance on her murderer. If the alternative was someone dirtying their hands like that or letting it influence them forevermore, she would have preferred to be forgotten. But Murasame Kuina could not accept that. It was her, not anyone else in the world, who could not allow it. Revenge was nothing more than a way of soothing ones own heart. By losing oneself in the act of revenge, they could avoid looking at the unbearable loss that felt like an insurmountable wall towering before them. She knew that. She knew that, she knew that, she knew that!! So was she supposed to coldly process the information and continue forward? Was the proper human response to trample on her anger and loss with the precision of a clocks second hand and dispassionately continue on into the future? She did not think so. She did not care if that conclusion meant her gears were broken. When it came down to it, the girl named Murasame Kuina did not want to forget. The everyday life she had assumed would continue like normal had been cruelly destroyed beyond repair. Her childhood friend of ten years had been altered and destroyed until she did not even recognize her own name. She did not want to accept that. She did not want to move beyond that. So Her vengeance was directed at more than just a simple criminal. Society, the world, and the current age acted as tyrants who could only make justifications for using overwhelming quantity and speed to wash away, fade, and erode what she cared about most. She did not want that and could not accept that, so to protect what had once been, she acted alone to face it all. A fierce wind blew back at her. A great pressure pushed back at her like a flash flood or a landslide. But the girl had challenged it all head-on and made it this far. And so much of her had been worn away in the process. I refuse to accept it. Her voice sounded like the heavy creaking of a giant rusty gear being forced into motion. This might all be for naught and I might be meaninglessly running away from reality, but I dont care. Those people tore Kawamo Sayuri to shreds and feasted on the profit, so I absolutely refuse to just let them go! Even if the entire world and you yourself dont want it!! I still wont accept it!!!! That was likely a form of justice. And that made it much harder to stop than a simple evil deed. Revenge was a justice that did not forgive, did not save, and did not bring happiness. elp Isabelle finally spoke as if she had been overwhelmed. The unclear sound grew to a quiet voice. Help. But she was not asking to be saved from this revenge. Nor was she speaking on behalf of the researchers who had created her. The face in the picture did not look right. The name she heard did not sound right. But this was still someone who was willing to express anger on her behalf. So Please help my friend. Shiroyama Kyousuke had first met Isabelle before binding a contract with her to take down the old-fashioned Illegal fighters over the Pacific. It had been aboard the large Repliglass transport ship known as a Whooper Swan. He had first asked if her name really was Isabelle. She had not understood the point of the question, so she had answered that any name was fine: Sayuri, Isabelle, Before, or After. Even Doll or Weapon was acceptable. What she was called had no real meaning. The boy had looked up into the sky. When she had asked why, he had simply held a file out toward her. It had given the name of their expected enemy. A vessel was after revenge and working with an unknown summoner. The vessels name was Murasame Kuina. The file had nothing to do with the midair battle over the Pacific. Shiroyama Kyousuke had already found bits and pieces of information on the enemy they were expected to run into that after that skirmish was over. And he had known the reason behind the girls revenge. He had not known what Government was doing, but he had known that Isabelle was the result and that some kind of sacrifice had been made. None of it had held much meaning for Isabelle. She could not remember her original face or name. Nothing in the file had seemed real to her. But. Even so. The created girl named Isabelle had felt a slight ache in her heart when she saw the attached photo. She had not wanted that person to dirty their hands or destroy their body for her. She had not known where that feeling came from, but she had obeyed who she was at the moment. She had accepted it as correct. So Help her. The words had naturally left her lips. She had pointed to her own chest with her thumb and relied on the slight feeling that remained inside her. Help this girls friend. But No, I dont think so. The summoner had shaken his head. And he had said something else instead. But Ill lend you a hand as soon as youre willing to call her your friend. A metallic sound burst out. It came from Shiroyama Kyousuke and Biondetta. They had both pulled out an Incense Grenade and slammed the bottom of it against the caf billiards table. It was like slamming down an empty glass after downing a strong drink. The savior and the avenger glared at each other across the rectangular table. I will save Isabelle and her friend. Oh? You arent giving in even after I brought up the Queen? How rare. I dont care if Im contradicting myself. I can think that through later. None of that has anything to do with Isabelle who is asking for help right this instant. Hee hee. You are obsessed with battle, arent you? The two of us are so very similar. She could say whatever she wanted. She could mock and deride him however she wished. With his eyes displaying renewed faith in himself, Kyousuke reached for the pin of the Incense Grenade he pressed against the table. Horned Biondetta responded in kind. Even so The savior rabbit made a definite declaration. Yes The vengeance cat spoke in the exact same tone of voice. I will never stop helping people. I will never stop helping people. They pulled the pins. They kicked their chairs back as they stood up and simultaneously pulled out their Blood-Signs. After precisely five seconds, both Incense Grenades detonated. A twenty meter Artificial Sacred Ground was constructed and the two vessel girls were forcibly called over from the distant building rooftop. Lets do this, Biondetta!! I have decided on a super-sized reward for myself! So I will fight that girl!! The battle had begun before the girls even landed. It was an extreme close-range fight. The opening ritual was the breaking of the three-dimensional Rose made of Petals, but they interfered with even that. Bang Biondetta acted first. With an explosive sound, she fired a sniper rifle round at close range. She had yet to unfold her Blood-Sign, so she pulled the trigger in that state. Kyousuke forcibly kept it away with his Repliglass Blood-Sign and rotated the Blood-Sign to let the force escape. He swung the long rod around for a powerful blow, but Biondetta used her folded gun barrel to hold it back and forcibly grabbed the heated joint of hers. She ignored the disconcerting sizzling sound as she unfolded the Blood-Sign. A second and third exchange followed. They slipped through the slightest opening to launch White Thorns. One from each of them struck the Rose simultaneously and the 216 Petals scattered across the Artificial Sacred Ground. As the Petals were hit into the Spots, the two vessels changed form. Murasame Kuina became the Original Green (k). Sound Range: Middle. Cost: 1. Isabelle became the Original Yellow (s). Sound Range: High. Cost: 1. They were both three meter slime Materials, but then something strange happened. Kyousuke and Biondetta climbed directly onto the billiards table and directly clashed before the Materials could. The attempt was obstructed by their protective circles, but those monsters of the 900s did not care. Cheshire Cat!! Shut up, you damn rabbit!! They glared at each other. It was almost like infighting in boxing, except they fought with their 180cm Blood-Signs. Not even the Blood-Signs could break through the enemys protective circle, but anything else was fair game. When one Blood-Sign left its protective circle, the other would strike it. They deflected, diverted, and pushed. They worked to throw off their opponents aim, obstruct the growth of their Material, and gain the advantage themselves. They seemed to be using spear or staff techniques, but it went beyond that. The essence of a battle between summoners was building up their Materials and having them clash violently. They would find slight gaps in the direct battle or work the interference into their plans and thus use the diverted path of their Blood-Sign to launch their White Thorns accurately around the Artificial Sacred Ground. A cushion of three or four ricochets was standard. Sometimes, they needed a complex set of six or seven ricochets to accurately hit the necessary Petal into a Spot. This was a battle between those at the 900 level. This was the realm of the monster children born from the results of the Fifteen Siblings Project. It was a clash between savior and avenger. Learning the rules of the occult and treating the Summoning Ceremony like a gamewas just plain silly. This was the ultimate form of the ceremony in which they used everything the world had to offer in order to bring down the enemy before their eyes. Kyousuke had the Feasting Flower (l v z - j). Sound Range: High. Cost: 4. Biondetta had the Dancing Hammer (k k - h d i). Sound Range: High. Cost: 5. Kyousuke had the Blood-Seeking Spear (b i h - e i - d p - t q). Sound Range: Low. Cost: 9. Biondetta had the Scorpions Tail in the Sandstorm (h u - c e - k k - d i - a - x). Sound Range: Low. Cost: 10. Kyousuke had the Glittering Steel Mantis Reaper 05 (v i - o u - q u c - s n - a - r o l - e i - y w - f v - l i). Sound Range: Middle. Cost: 21. Biondetta had the Bubbling Gears that Bring Aging and Reap Lifespans (n j - o u - h a - j v - a - l m - e i -t z - k r - n o - x i - g). Sound Range: Middle. Cost: 22. One was a five meter mantis seemingly made of silver armor. That ultimate predator sliced through everything with its scythes that glittered like laser blades, bit into it all, brought it to its mouth, and chewed it apart. The other was a collection of countless gears of varying size, making it one of the most inorganic Materials. That bizarre sadist sent the grinding sound of its interlocking gears slipping into the targets ears, which caused them to rapidly age like some kind of curse. Kyousuke had made the first move, but Biondetta had followed after and always matched his sound range. Plus, her cost was always one above his. As he was acting first, Kyousukes Material was naturally more worn down and cost was everything in the same sound range, so it was like being forced into a race where your rivals car was always blocking the way ahead. But that just meant he had to put a stop to that. During their high-speed exchange of White Thorns, Kyousuke used every method he had to interfere with her: grabbing at her Blood-Sign with his, throwing a smoke or stun grenade disguised as an Incense Grenade, using his Blood-Sign to grab at the coffee or tea cups on the tables and throw them at her, etc. But none of it got through. She kicked away the smoke grenade, she placed a metal tray over the stun grenade and stomped on it, she dodged the drink containers so they would not even hit her protective circle. And in response, Biondetta spread her legs to shoulder width. Kyousuke naturally grew cautious of what was hidden up that short skirt. (Is it an interference style of grenade!?) Your gaze. Hearing that, he realized the action had been a feint. Tch!! He quickly looked up just in time to hear Biondetta clack her back teeth unnaturally. The sharp light of a magnesium reaction escaped the demons mouth and stabbed into his eyes. Isnt being two steps ahead the standard for us? In that slight pause and safe period she had created, Biondettas Blood-Sign rapidly launched a White Thorn. It was not a strength-focused power shot. She just barely grazed the far right edge of the glowing white sphere for an intense spin shot. The White Thorn drew a sharp curve like a boomerang and accurately struck a certain Petal. My formation is already complete. It was a small pile of three or four Petals. And when they scattered, they reached other piles. And on and on and on. My mirror-image copying strategy is only a smokescreen to hide my true intent. More and more Petals were hit like falling dominoes, the chain reaction grew, and they were all flooded into the Spots. With each one, Biondettas Material grew with frightening speed. Instead of a great number at once, it was a great number in a row. She built up the cost in no time as if running up a flight of stairs. And that true intent is to lay landmines which trigger a chain reaction!! Once the avalanche has begun, you have no way to stop it!! It was like a clean sweep. The next thing he knew, she had exceeded a level that could be described with cost difference and sound range. As Biondetta shook her tail decoration, a tall dark figure spoken of in Egyptian mythology stood next to her. That evil god was the symbol of injustice who ruled over dryness and darkness. He had killed Osiris, ruler of the underworld, and temporarily taken his throne. In other words, this was from the Divine-class. Kyousuke was still stuck in the Regulation-class, so there was simply no way for him to defeat this. Farewell, savior. Farewell, my despicable mirror-image. Biondetta lightly spun her Blood-Sign around like a baton as she smiled thinly. She rested the long rod on her shoulder and spoke. When you next wake, this will all be over. So rest easy and enjoy the taste of defeat. The waitress demon snapped her other hands fingers. A moment later, the darkness rushed in. The dark figures silhouette crumbled into a deadly mist that dried up everything it touched. And that flew toward Kyousukes Materialtoward Isabelle. No Regulation-class Material of any sound range could defeat a Divine-class. Thus, she should have been destroyed in a single blow. And she would have been if not for the high-pitched sound as Kyousuke himself cut in between them inside his protective circle. That circle would remain as long as his Material was not destroyed and he would not experience the mindlessness of defeat. The protective circle defended against all external and internal factors that would obstruct the summoneror rather, the ceremony itself. Biondetta spun around the Blood-Sign that had been resting on her shoulder. Stalling for time earns you nothing. True, this doesnt solve the fundamental problem. And this cheap trick wont work again. My kinetic vision cant keep up with a Divine-classs movements. And more importantly, all Materials are filled with combative instincts, so itll probably charge at me itself. Yes. If this strategy was effective, the theory of these battles would be very different. The summoners would stand out front to receive all the attacks while the Material bombarded their enemy from safety. But that was not how things worked. The Material moved out front and the summoner stayed back. There was a good reason for that. And yet But it took you an awful long time to set everything up, didnt it? The Artificial Sacred Ground lasts for an average of ten minutes. So how much time has passed? Eight minutes? Nine? The White Thorns are recharged every ten seconds, so it shouldnt be that hard to keep track of the time. You dont mean? I just have to escape. He thrust his Blood-Sign forward this time. Besides, this isnt our real fight. So thanks for showing off that special strategy that Im sure youve put a lot of effort into developing. I think Ill put that data to good use when it comes to our evacuation operation. Youyou damn rabbiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit!! Kyousuke did not respond to Biondettas rage. He spoke to his partner instead. Isabelle, destroy our footing!! <> Isabelle, dont get too hung up on this one chance!! The ground split and swallowed up everything. Kyousuke, Biondetta, and the two Materials all fell straight down. They fell several dozen meters within the forest of dozensno, of more than a hundred pillars that supported the large park. They fell straight toward the ocean below. Maam!! You can do it now! Focus your aim on As soon as Biondetta shouted to her vessel, the protective circle wavered around her. Then it vanished and the powerful wind struck her unprotected body from below. (The ten minutes are up!?) The monsters created from the girls returned to their original forms. (But thats fine. Wherever we land, I just have to use an Incense Grenadeno, my sniper rifle!!) Biondettas mind was boiling, but then she noticed Kyousuke smiling thinly her way as they both fell at the same speed. His lips moved. His voice did not have time to reach her, but she could tell what he was saying. Your protective circle is gone. ? So you need to be careful. Theres nothing left to protect you. Wha!? Oh, no!? She did not have time to shout. One of the countless pillars had something like a metal tower or framework sticking out horizontally. As soon as she spotted that maintenance crane shaft with its attached pulley, a dreadfully dull sound burst out. Kyousuke did not bother checking what happened to Biondetta after she vanished from view. He extended his arms and legs to control his midair position and approached Isabelle who was also falling. He held her in his arms and aimed for the ocean surface. They produced a mighty splash. An object quietly swayed back and forth in midair. Honestly It was the waitress demon named Biondetta. Just before colliding with the crane shaft, she had used the wind pressure and her position to twist around like an acrobat jumper and wrapped her entire body in the long leather belt that normally held her Blood-Sign. And instead of randomly, it was calculated out to distribute the impact to her body like a parachute harness. Then she had intentionally wrapped it around the metal framework of the crane shaft to fully escape the impact that should have torn off a limb if not breaking her torso in two. Her cellphone rang. She answered it while still dangling down and heard the voice of her client and vessel Murasame Kuina. Where are you!? If you look up, you should see my finest pair of adult underwear. Well, as long as you can still move. I landed in the water safely, so lets decide where to meet up. Yes, of course. But please be on the lookout for that damn rabbit. He loves tricks as much as me, so I could see him finding you on your own and defeating you to avoid the battle between summoners. Then you come get me. Yes, maam. She manipulated the leather belt so it seemed to move on its own like a strange tentacle and she managed to climb on top of the complicated framework of the crane shaft. The closest emergency staircase was three meters away, but she did not hesitate to take the jump without a running start. She did not reach the landing on her level, but her feet accurately found the landing a level lower. It hurts that he managed to get away with knowledge of our technique. Biondetta, do you have a way to make up for that lost advantage? I will prepare anything you desire, maam. Biondetta jumped more than ran down the emergency stairs located alongside the pillar. I already explained that there is a good possibility that their evacuation operation and bodyguard plan have been changed, didnt I? What about it? Given the balance of power within Government, that damn rabbit wont be able to change their bodyguard plans so easily. To put it another way, theyll ignore him at some point. And that will create friction. I just need to read his algorithm. I just need to ask what I would do. Get to the point. I can settle this with a single phone call. She arrived at the lowest level which was just off the oceans surface. She removed the cellphone from her ear and spoke directly to the soaking wet girl in front of her. What demon doesnt whisper into the ear of an impure soul to bend them to her will? Kyousuke and Isabelle had arrived on the opposite bank. The leather glove on his left hand felt uncomfortable after soaking up the seawater, but he could not complain. They climbed onto the concrete base and used the emergency stairs to arrive at a giant bridge covered in pedestrians. He casually glanced around, but the costume event worked against him here. That striking waitress uniform would be buried among all the outfits of the Delayed Walpurgis. The Government coordinator spoke to him over his smartphone. Alice (with) Rabbit, Government has made some adjustments based on your request. For the withdrawal operation, we can spare a Stingray Repliglass transport ship and a Blue Whale Repliglass submarine. They will be carrying the classified server that acts as the core unit of the entire Anthill Project and Miss Maria Heartocean who leads the project. Is that acceptable? Perfectly. I have emailed you the details of the plan, but simply put, the Stingray will pick up Miss Heartocean within Toy Dream 35, carry her to the Blue Whale outside the city, and that will dive to bring her out of the country. You can only help in the Stingray zone which is the only part that Liar Cat can attack. Thats fine. The Cheshire Cat is bound to show up no matter how obvious a trap it is. She isnt going to wait for her revenge to grow cold. Are you saying youve already made contact with her? Kyousuke hung up without answering. Isabelle shook her head like a wet dog and looked up at him with water dripping from her. I said it in the beginning. Yeah. As long as you fulfill my objective in the very, very end, Ill go along with a super-sized number of detours. I remember. So lets go save your friend whos been deceived by that liar of a cat. Its true she may have been the initial spark, but it never would have grown this much without that Cheshire Cat continually dumping fuel onto it. What was salvation to the girl named Isabelle and what could he do to help her? Not even he knew that anymore. She was a cheaply and simply made vessel. For that purpose alone, her soul had been eaten away, her physical appearance had crumbled due to that, and not even her own parents or best friend could have recognized the pitiful ruins she had become. She was what had budded from that. But the girl had hoped for something. Her sense of self, mind, personality, memories, and everything else were only vaguely defined, but she had still wanted to save the friend whose name and face she could not remember but who she had apparently once walked alongside. That was her most pressing desire and she felt granting it would save her as well. So Alice (with) Rabbit would respect the definition Isabelle had found for herself. He would respect the heart that, before even thinking of saving herself, had wished to return that misguided friend to the proper path. Ill ask you as many times as it takes. Bow (deadpan). Right. Please help my friend. It was only slightly different from the cold and distant request she had made before. But the words had definitely come from the small girls heart. It was not someones empty shell. It was not the mere vestiges of someone. It truly came from the heart of the girl named Isabelle. Kyousuke still had no definite definition of what would save this girl. But he smiled just a little. In the end, he was taking the same path as Biondetta. It was a twisted path that could never be seen as straight. At first glance, it looked like he was granting a request, but he was really drawing out the words he most wanted to hear. He knew that, but he was still satisfied. Even if that path was about to crumble away, he still believed it could bear the weight of at least one life. As you wish. The summoner and the vessel disappeared into the crowd. The sun would set soon. Then the all-important Anthill evacuation operation would slice through the darkness. They had been together since they were little. They had always, always been together. Even among childhood friends and groups of friends, a leader or a hierarchy tended to form. But that sort of distortion never seemed to form between Murasame Kuina and Kawamo Sayuri. They could decide who made the days decisions with a coin toss. Sometimes Murasame Kuina would tug on her friends hand and head out to play, but other times Kawamo Sayuri would selfishly insist they were going out to eat ice cream and crepes. If someone had asked them who the leader was, they both would have immediately pointed at their own face and said me. But that was fine. That was why they were truly equal friends, unlike the other groups whose equality was only skin deep. Kuina-chan, over here. Eh heh heh. Were in the same class again. What should we do over the next break? Is there anywhere you want to go? Of course, it was a human relationship, so there had been complications. But in the end, they had shared everything. They had always found themselves smiling together once it was all over. They had been the best of friends. No matter what happened, they had assumed there was no way they could ever be separated. Lets make a promise. If either of us runs into some kind of trouble, well go help each other out. Its a promise. Okay, Sayuri? Murasame Kuina remembered something that filled her with despair. She stood by a grave as the sun set. She had made it herself. There had been no remains and no one knew whether Kawamo Sayuri was alive or dead, so the grave was empty. I told myself I wouldnt cry in front of her, she muttered as the waitress demon stood next to her. But she must have told herself the same thing. She was a crybaby and a worrier. It was the worst possible combination, but she was always smiling in front of me. She remembered. Only Murasame Kuina remembered. The girl had seemed plain and quiet, but she had actually been a jack-of-all-trades who could do anything. But she had never noticed her own value and instead focused on collecting mascots like Juddark and Sheriff Kitty even after entering middle school. Instead of climbing to the next stage, she had believed happiness lay in what she already had. She had been Cinderella before finding the fairy godmother. It was a meaningless conversation. The endlessly dry air blew between the two of them. And finally, Biondetta quietly spoke. Maam. What? There is no need to restrain yourself any longer. That had been her limit. Murasame Kuinas face crumpled and something clogged inside her flowed out. Her tear ducts opened and large clear drops filled her eyes. Before they could fall down her cheeks, the waitress demon embraced the girl. All she could do was cry. Why!? Why!? All the words she had been holding back spilled out and she shouted at the worlds unfairness. Why did it have to be Sayuri? Why did she have to be chosen, why did she have to have everything taken from her, and why did she have to be made into a toy for whoever those Government people are!? Why did she have to have her soul messed with and her body and personality destroyed! Thatthat isnt Sayuri anymore! She looks like a French doll made from her body!! Why did something so terrible have to happen to her!? Biondetta said nothing. She simply waited as her client let out everything she had kept bottled up in her chest. And worst of all, why dont we have the power to turn her back into Sayuri!? I dont care about any of this summoner or vessel stuff. I couldnt care less about the gods or the Unexplored-class beyond them!! If you have so much power stored up, then why cant you save just one girl!? It was a lament of despair. It was a cry of resentment toward herself and others and a call for the destruction of the world. But Biondetta did not laugh. Nor did she show any disgust or mockery. Who had decided that the will of the world mattered more than individual circumstances? Who had decided that a small heart had to be crushed when it saw that giant metal ball at the top of a slope? It had nothing to do with logic, efficiency, calculations, or profit. What was wrong with fighting simply to fulfill ones own heart? Maam. Biondetta quietly spoke to Murasame Kuina who continued to bawl in her arms like a child. It is true I lack the power to save Miss Kawamo Sayuri. My power may not be what you truly desire. She spoke earnestly and sincerely. She gathered strength in the arms around the girl. But if you wish, I will assist you with any form of revenge. There is no need to worry about the realistic difficulty of it. I am Freedom Award 920, Liar Cat. I am nothing more than a tool to accomplish your revenge. The girl simply sobbed for a while. But as time slowly passed, Murasame Kuina wrapped her arms around the waitress demons back. She grabbed at the fabric and clenched it so very, very tightly that it nearly tore. Lend me your strength, Biondetta That resentful voice seemed to echo up from the depths of hell. At the same time, it was the voice of a girl who felt hopelessly trapped. I can never forgive Government!! They turned Sayuri into that!! They tore our memories to pieces! And yet they have the nerve to call themselves the world police!! So I dont care if its wrong or if it means straying from the proper path! Lend me your strength, Biondetta!! I need that for myno, for our revenge! So help me!! Help us!!!!! Still embracing the girl who was as dangerous as shattered glass, Biondetta silently smiled. And the demon spoke the decisive words. As you wish. Facts: *Shiroyama Kyousuke and Biondetta Shiroyama are both Summoning Ceremony experts raised in the Fifteen Siblings Project. Each participant came into contact with the White Queen and later either died or became a summoner at the 900 level, but the individual details, survival, and affiliation are unknown. *Similarly, Kyousuke seems to have taken in the White Queens love and Biondetta the White Queens hatred. Biondettas speech patterns and general behavior show some similarities with the Queen, but details are unknown. *The Anthills are much like imitations built up from the wreckage of the Fifteen Siblings Project. However, it became something entirely different due to a failed understanding of that projects true meaning. *Isabelles real name is Kawamo Sayuri and she is Japanese. The Anthill Project had someone experience repeated planned losses in the Summoning Ceremony over a short period of time to intentionally carve away at their soul and create the spiritual traits needed as a vessel. *Maria Heartocean destroyed Kawamo Sayuris soul and constructed Isabelle. *If multiple summoners use Incense Grenades simultaneously and their Artificial Sacred Grounds come into contact, the Artificial Sacred Grounds will fuse. Ownership of the Artificial Sacred Ground remains with the summoner who set up theirs first. *The protective circle can be used to stop Material attacks (although there are exceptions such as the White Queen). But based on the Materials mobility, the summoner can only react once or twice at the most, so it is not a good long-term strategy. *The girl said she wanted Shiroyama Kyousuke to help the avenger named Murasame Kuinano, to help her friend. Volume 3, Stage 04 - Revenge and the Plan for Perfect Vessels Volume 3, Stage 04: Revenge and the Plan for Perfect Vessels Maam. This is the very best part, so kindly shut the hell up (Stage 04 Open 05/23 19:00) Revenge and the Plan for Perfect Vessels Let us review the specs. The Stingray was a large Repliglass sea transport vessel 35 meters long and 43 meters wide. Its overall silhouette was similar to a stingray or like a boomerang-shaped stealth bomber with a long tail attached. Despite its size, it could travel across the ocean surface at 200 kph. The worlds largest air cushion ship was a 50 meter amphibious assault ship, but this could hold an even larger load. The Blue Whale was even bigger. It was a Repliglass submarine 70 meters long. It did not have the same speed, but it was a rare model that brought together great size and silent movement. There were many varieties: for combat, for transportation, for underwater data management, etc. Its overall silhouette goes without saying. As a side note, some environmental protection groups seemed to hate that a strategic missile weapons platform had been given that name. And with that out of the way The coordinator woman who wore a military uniform spoke with her back to a whiteboard in the large conference room of A Blocks international airport. First, Miss Maria Heartocean and the Anthill classified server will be placed on the Stingray. It will be guided to the ocean surface directly below this airport which is supported in the air by several pillars, so that should not be difficult. Of course, our information says Liar Cats Blood-Sign can be used as a sniper rifle, so we cannot let our guard down. Miss Heartocean will be wearing a small Repliglass VIP protection suit known as a Water Bear and we will surround her with riot shields. A map and cross section of the airport were projected on the whiteboard and some arrows were added. In addition to the simple route to the Stingray, a few possible sniping points had apparently been located. We must keep in mind that the Stingray must get away from Toy Dream 35 with Miss Heartocean onboard. That might sound easy at 200 kph, but that is not how it works. With its size and all of Toy Dream 35s pillars, do not assume it can move freely through the ocean. It will be taking a very indirect route. If Liar Cat attacks with the Summoning Ceremony, it will likely be here. Simply put, they will jump onboard. Now a map of Toy Dream 35 and the surrounding ocean appeared. There were a few different options for the Stingrays route, but they all looked as indirect as the coordinator had said. The Blue Whale submarine will be waiting sixty kilometers out at sea. If the Stingray arrives here, Miss Heartocean and the server can be transferred over. This is the final challenge. While it isnt impossible, it is unlikely a summoner can attack the Blue Whale when it is deep under the ocean. You can effectively think of this as the goal. The coordinator paused there, did not sit down, and looked to Shiroyama Kyousuke who was leaning against the far wall. Governments Repliglass soldiers and summoners also focused on him. Now, then. All of that is nothing more than a flimsy excuse to draw out Miss Heartocean. This will come down to a battle between 900 level summoners. Several Anthills and their bases have already been destroyed, so Liar Cats skill far exceeds what our defenses were designed for. What we can muster now could easily just get in your way. This is of course dependent on the situation, but can we generally leave the fighting to you? Yes. The Government personnel did not protest Kyousukes blunt reply. Freedom was a gathering of around five hundred individual summoners. They were all mighty warriors with no hierarchy and barely any friendly relationships. Nevertheless, they could stand on the same level as the world police of Government and the criminal organizations of Illegal. In other words, it was widely understood that they were seemingly legendary people who could singlehandedly hold their own against entire groups and could push back an international coalition if all five hundred gathered together. The only ones who ever snapped back at Kyousuke were high officials who knew nothing of the frontline or high officials who had never seen a Freedom member with a high level of Awards. And with that in mind, I would like to ask something. The battle will most likely occur on the Stingrays deck, so is there any problem with that? Not at all. We wont be thrown off while the Artificial Sacred Ground is active and its size should be adequate for whatever kind of fight we end up having. It should be perfect for settling this once and for all. Are you confident in your skill? If I was going to lose to that Cheshire Cat, I wouldnt be standing here right now. Good. Then lets get started! The coordinator woman clapped her hands twice. Like a switch had been thrown, the people gathered in the conference room left to prepare for battle and take their positions. The military uniform girl named Isabelle followed Kyousuke out and asked a question as they strayed from the general flow of people. Nuuun (deadpan). I would super-sized like to know where were going. I would like to take a detour before taking our position. The two of them walked between an elf and an alarm clock costume on their way to the maintenance hatch leading below the midair international airport. The door opened like a submarine hatch and a glance through it showed they were already on an elevated floor. More than one hundred pillars were lined up to support them several dozen meters up. The airport float itself was 250 meters up, but the many shopping buildings extended straight down like icicles. This was like the rooftop of a normal building. Far below that, a giant stingray silhouette floated in the dark ocean. It was the Repliglass Stingray. What do you think? ? If I was making the attack, I would stop the Stingray right away. Wouldnt the simplest method be pouring a ton of rubble down on it from above? And this is Kyousuke leaned down through the maintenance hatch as he spoke. This was an upside down rooftop and the underside was not a flat surface. Just as the underside of a metal bridge was reinforced by a framework of steel beams, a steel framework was built up like a jungle gym. It must have doubled as a means of maintaining the wiring and plumbing because skinny walkways and stairs were set up like a theatre catwalk. You wouldnt even need to use a Material. A single bomb and you can send down as solid a shutter as you need. That isnt good. If theyre going to bring down an entire building, were super-sized not up to the task. Wed never find the bomb. They wont go that far. And Im not just being optimistic; it would be too inefficient. Demolishing an entire building would require dozens if not more than a hundred bombs precisely placed at key structural points and then they would all have to be detonated at once. Even with a group of specialists, its a precision job that takes more than a week. To be blunt, it would be unnecessary work and the odds of failure are pretty high. If all they have to do is stop the Stingray, stripping off and dropping the top of the roof would be enough. Then will the Liar Cat pair be coming here? First, we need to see if theres a bomb already set up. If not, we can lie in wait at least until the Stingray below leaves. That was their first step. And the lack of an attack was not a cause for celebration. Biondetta and Murasame Kuina of Liar Cat would definitely show up. Kyousuke and Isabelle had to fight and defeat them somewhere, so they needed to take up the most useful position for that. Oh, Marias coming out, said Isabelle in her red hat. Several bodyguards with transparent shields surrounded a single figure in the Repliglass Water Bear that resembled a lumpy human caterpillar. They used the upside down rooftop of another building to reach the emergency stairs along one of the giant pillars supporting the international airport. Kyousuke slowly exhaled and looked around. As far as he could see, the demon with the folded Blood-Sign that doubled as a sniper rifle was not present. And in that self-defense Repliglass suit, Maria Heartocean would not die from a 7.62mm rifle bullet. Theyre bringing out something else. Fidget fidget (deadpan). Is that the Anthill server? Several Repliglass soldiers left along a different pillar. They were units with grasshopper-like back legs. They carried a metal cube like movers. It was likely the classified server that weighed more than a ton. That was the cornerstone of the project that had smashed Isabelles soul and ruined her life. And it had done it so thoroughly that she could not even judge how sad that was. What did it look like for her to see it carried to safety like this? Kyousuke watched Maria and the server as they were carried to the Stingray using different emergency staircases. He glanced around, searched for presences, and read his enemys algorithm. And then he muttered to himself. Odd What is? They seem to be making quick progress. Whoosh (deadpan). Thats whats odd. If I was making the attack, I wouldnt wait for my opponent to complete their preparations. Even if this wasnt where I planned to settle things, Id still use a bomb or rocket to hinder them right at the beginning. Even if they want to pursue their target to savor their revenge, it would stimulate their sadistic desires more if they broke one of their targets legs first. Hm? If you were making the attack? Well, I dont often run across someone I hate that much. I think the color white would be the only exception. At any rate, Maria and the server had arrived at the Stingray floating in the ocean. This would be the easiest time for an attack, but there was no sign of Biondetta or Murasame Kuina. Were they hesitating to attack because the bodyguards were on the highest alert? Nonsense. Liar Cat had broken right through the main entrance of fully-equipped Anthill bases. Had they not figured out where Maria was hiding or how she would escape? Nonsense. They had acquired all the information on the Anthills using Lu Niang Lan and Aika. Biondetta would be able to read ahead on the algorithm to know what they would do at normal times, during emergencies, and after Kyousukes interference. And yet they had not shown up. Kyousuke spent a few seconds wondering what that meant. Dont tell me ? Isabelle looked puzzled and Kyousuke grabbed the back of her collar. He immediately jumped from the catwalk-like walkway. They were several dozen meters up. Falling on the Stingrays deck (which was larger than a tennis court) would mean instant death. Falling into the ocean would knock them out and they could drown. But instead of dropping straight down, Kyousuke made quick hops between different surfaces: from pillar to pillar, from emergency staircase railing to railing, from maintenance crane shaft to the heavy hook dangling from the end of the wire, etc. In less than twenty seconds, they descended the height of ten flights of stairs and landed on the Stingrays deck. He let go of Isabelle and approached Maria Heartocean just as she was being loaded inside the Stingray. No, he approached the Water Bear she wore. He asked a question as he walked over. What is the meaning of this? What are you? It was the surrounding Repliglass soldiers who attempted to reply. After holding out a hand to silence them, Kyousuke grabbed the Water Bears hand and forcefully twisted it. Like an aikido throw, it spun around and its back slammed against the deck. Before the bodyguards could panic, he let out a cold voice. Show me your face. Did you think youd be safe if you were inside that Water Bear? I know plenty of ways to take that thing apart. With the sound of a soda being opened, the neck and torso split in two and opened. Happy Walpurgis, muttered Kyousuke. It was not the Maria Heartocean who he knew so well that appeared. Instead of a woman who looked like a school doctor, he saw a muscular soldier. The bodyguards must not have been informed because they were taken aback and froze in place. Im guessing the server is a fake too. These were my orders. I dont know what hes thinking, but I cant disobey my commanding officer. The body double raised her hands and argued her case. This was why Biondetta and Murasame Kuina of Liar Cat had not attacked. I even told him increasing the number of targets would shift the enemys aim and make them harder to predict Kyousuke gestured to a nearby Repliglass soldier. That solider must have contacted the Stingrays bridge because he finally replied. Another large reading was detected nearby. Until now, a secret code had interfered and caused it to disappear from our radar. Its the same size as this one, so another Stingray was likely sent in. Miss Heartocean and the server may be there. And Liar Cat didnt show up here. They read this all perfectly, including this irregularity. In fact, it may have been Biondetta that set this up. Wait a second. Then? Dont worry about it. This wasnt your mistake. The problems are all in your commanders head, spat out Kyousuke. Where is the other Stingray? Not far. Between two and three thousand meters. Then hurry. All hell will already have broken loose out there. What had happened was simple. Miyama Gouta had happened. He was the military officer from Government who was in charge of security at the Anthill Project using a portion of A Blocks international airport. He was also the man who had argued with Shiroyama Kyousuke during the planning stages of the evacuation operation and gotten his nose smashed against a door. At first, he had been furious. But not because a little boy had slighted him, not because a Freedom member knew about Governments internal situation, and not because he had been shamed in front of Maria Heartocean. He did not care about loyalty to the organization, the success of the mission, or fulfillment of his duty. There was only one thing he wanted. He only wanted a seat on Noahs Ark along with the other Anthill VIPs. Goddammit!! Then someone had called his private cellphone. Only his wife and son should have known that number, but the voice he heard belonged to a complete stranger. Nice to meet you. I am Biondetta Shiroyama, aka Freedom Award 920, Liar Cat. I have some very valuable information for you, my enemy. Could I have a moment of your time? Wha!? His mind had gone blank. But before he could say anything more, it was over. Someone had grabbed his shoulders from behind. He was supposedly alone in his office, but he was turned around and his back was slammed against the top of a nearby table. While he was lying on his back and unable to breath, a waitress demon shook her tail decoration and leaned her seductively lithe body over him as if to climb on top of him. Hadnt Shiroyama Kyousuke said that someone else could do this if he could? And that those who killed were better at it than those who defended? Feeling like a frog being stared down by a snake, Miyama dropped his phone. He could not move a single finger and Biondettas voice seemed to sneak into his ear from close range. How about we discuss something that will benefit both of us? What are you? I would never work with the likes of you! Are you sure? The demon smiled. Lets say the two of us go all out trying to kill each other. I might be killed by Government as a wholebut you will undoubtedly die along the way. No matter where you run or hide and even if you are moved to a moon base or nuclear shelter, I will make sure of it. I believe I have already proven my skill. So this is not about choosing whether you live or die. At this rate, you will cough up blood and die either way. It does not matter whether or not the operation succeeds. Unless, that is, you cheat and bend the rules. She placed her smooth fingertip on Miyama Goutas left hand. Specifically, on the simple ring he wore on the ring finger. Returning to your normal home like normal and seeing the normal smiles on your familys faces. Is there any greater happiness in the world? Whatare you? muttered the military officer in a scratchy voice. He had not noticed the change to the scales in his mind. His survival here and the safety of his family were two different issues, but he began to conflate the two. And that view reduced the guilt toward breaking his professional ethics. A desire to board Noahs Ark was the only thing on his mind. What do you want me to do? Prepare a body double. It was a simple suggestion. I will sink Governments bodyguard team and you can use that time to escape with the Anthills classified information and VIPs. A good deal for both of us, dont you think? How does that benefit you as an assassin? We only need to show some results. Cutting through Governments defense system and humiliating the supposed world police is more than enough. All we want is something we can point to as a business card. Whether or not the VIP actually dies is not as important. As I said, this isnt about whether I do it or not. The demon giggled. No matter what you choose, that Stingray is going down. The only question is whether you are onboard it or not. You can refuse if you like. You can even follow protocol and report this. But dont forget that doing so is the same thing as throwing out your ticket onto the ark The military officer knew that the conflict between Government, Illegal, and Freedom was not the three-way stalemate it appeared to be. Even when it looked like a hopeless head-on clash, things would be arranged in secret and the results would be predetermined like a fixed game. Sometimes it was for territory and sometimes it was for a summoners Awards. He had heard of those things, so this just meant he had seen it for himself this time. Or so he thought. Or perhaps he just wanted to think that. And yet Ahah Miyama Gouta paled and groaned aboard the combat bridge of the real Stingray. The lights had already turned to the red warning color and the monitors showed yellow and red damage across the craft. Powerful shocks shook the craft and the lights occasionally flickered disconcertingly despite how many ways the power system was supposed to be backed up. Liar Cat. Who could accept that just two people could cause this much damage? Ahhahhhh The military official cursed his own actions. Why had he believed this was a secret deal between Government and Freedom? Why had he conveniently accepted that an oral promise with no records would be upheld? The enemy only did what benefited her. No matter how nice the suggestion sounded, there had to be some advantage for the enemy hidden there. Ahh, ahh. He heard a voice that sounded far too calm for the hopeless situation. It was Maria Heartocean, the researcher for the Anthill Project. The body of her Repliglass Water Bear split apart and she removed the head like it was a costume. What are we going to do about this? Its a complete mess. Is this the end of the road for me? He seriously considered giving up on everything, firing a single bullet, and stealing the Water Bear to ensure his own safety. But he stopped himself. That would only be destroying himself. There was a more effective way of boarding Noahs Ark. Miss Heartocean. Yes? This way! Hurry! Escaping the Stingray is the only way to protect you!! He grabbed the Water Bears hand and Maria sighed while covering herself with the Repliglass again. They left the central combat bridge, ran down the hall, and heard gunfire and several footsteps. A horribly heavy tremor and several screams and shouts followed. What are we going to do? Kh The Stingray is equipped with a small Repliglass VTOL craft. If we can board that A dull sound shot past a corridor corner and slammed into the wall. It was a badly destroyed combat Repliglass soldier. And then the waitress demon poked her head out from around the corner. She may have been injured when boarding the Stingray because she had blood all over her. A fierce smile appeared on her lips. Found you An Artificial Sacred Ground was in effect. It was in the ninety second Chain state. If they were caught in that, they would die. Miyama Gouta knew that even though he generally did not directly fight with the Summoning Ceremony. He turned 180 degrees and ran down the hallway on the pretext of protecting Maria. Sound Range: High. Cost: 1. The Original Yellow (s). Why do you think Ive continued using the weakest Original series when I could build it up further? Biondettas singsong voice loudly reached him from behind. Be - cause! We couldnt savor the taste of revenge if it ended too quickly. It would be boring to end it instantly with a bullet to the head or with a Divine- or Unexplored-class attack to the Stingray. Im keeping our destructive power down at the perfect level to thoroughly enjoy this Weakest or not, a Material was a Material. It was a monster from another world. Not even a squadron of tanks or fighters could damage it. Several combat Repliglass soldiers ran past Miyama and Maria to face the monster. Well buy you some time!! Hurry up and get Miss Heartocean to safet A great noise cut them off. Hee hee. The series of destructive noise just about drove all sense of reality from Miyamas mind. He could not bring himself to look back. He could only imagine a giant mouth was approaching while chewing through everything in its path. What happened to those summoners weve been wasting so much money on!? You mean the 700 level ones? Theyve already taken their money and jumped into the sea!! We have to do this ourselves! Seriously? Goddammit! Are you serious!? Gabgh!? Hee hee hee hee hee hee. He desperately continued running with sweat covering his face. He was willing to sacrifice his men, deceive his allies, and use his superiors as a shield as long as it meant his survival. That was the only thing on his mind. !! He finally reached the cargo space. The large space contained an avian Repliglass craft that reached fifteen meters across when its folded wings were spread out. The aerial Repliglass craft was known as a Seagull and it was meant for naval combat. He practically snapped at the men who approached from a different exit. Do you have the server!? Right here! Get it loaded on! Hurry up and load it!! After barking his order, Miyama Gouta operated the control panel next to him. The ceiling opened with a low rumble. At the same time, the entire floor slowly rose like a theatre contraption. The entire storage space was raised to the deck so the Seagull could be launched. But their opponent did not wait for that to finish. With a loud crash, one of the doors was broken through and a thoroughly destroyed Repliglass soldier rolled out. As the rising floor began to cover up the doorway, the summoner and her Material calmly stepped in through the closing gap. The Chain state had ended. But a new Artificial Sacred Ground enveloped everything. Despair threatened to crush Miyama Goutas mind. Now. The vengeful demon named Biondetta smiled with her Blood-Sign resting on her shoulder. My client has been waiting on an empty stomach, so please let her enjoy the flavor of this perfectly aged meat. Found it. Shiroyama Kyousuke spoke from the deck of a Stingray racing at 200 kph across the ocean and between the pillars and buildings. The smoke showed up more than the silhouette. Instead of catching up to the identical craft, their Stingray approached the other one by entering the same intersection on its left. What do you plan to do? asked one of the Repliglass soldiers. Just crash into it. Well handle the rest. They could hear things whizzing by overhead. There was a lot on the lowest level of the city. Wires and crane hooks were dangling down from the bottoms of the countless giant bridges, parks, and schools. Their frequency was growing. The Stingray accelerated further. And then the two came into contact as if crashing at the intersection. A frightening impact threw Shiroyama Kyousuke and Isabelle from the deck. Without the superhuman muscular strength and leg strength of the Repliglass, they were powerless. After being thrown like an artillery shell, Kyousuke held Isabelle in his arms to protect her and curled up his body. They flew from one Stingray to the other. They struck the deck and bounced a few times, but Kyousuke managed to stop his body while preventing the intense impact from causing too much damage. They were on the flat surface of a stingray measuring several dozen meters across. Inside the Artificial Sacred Ground, a waitress demon smiled while being served by a three meter mass of yellow slime. Trapped in that cage were collapsed Repliglass soldiers, a Water Bear that likely contained Maria Heartocean, the Repliglass Seagull with folded wings, a large square box that likely contained the server abandoned next to the escape craft, and Miyama Gouta who had likely pulled the trigger on all of this. E-eek! H-helphelp me!! For just a moment, Kyousuke mechanically narrowed his eyes at those words, but Ill pay you!! Ill give you a seat on the ark too!! So fight! Hurry up and fight! Isnt that what you live for, you worthless hired hand from Freedom!? Kyousuke started to open his mouth, but before he could, Isabelle stood up next to him. With no notable expression on her face, the girl in a red military uniform pressed her thumb against her throat. She noticed the thick and meaningless scent of blood hanging in the air. And then she pulled her thumb sideways. Just super-sized die already. And she made an announcement as if to judge the culprit who had created this situation. Once youve died, Ill save you. But!? Immediately after that contradictory suggestion, a tremor ran through the Stingray and Biondettas Artificial Sacred Ground entered its Chain state. That also signaled the end of Miyama Goutas consciousness. Normally, Kyousuke would have run into his opponents Artificial Sacred Ground to begin a new battle with no risk, but the waitress demon snapped her fingers and erased her own Artificial Sacred Ground. The Original Yellow also vanished, revealing Murasame Kuina instead. What are you doing? My goal is assisting my clients revenge, not pure destruction. And my client wishes to speak with your vessel. Think of this as a form of mental care to help her revenge run smoothly. Biondetta respectfully bowed and stepped to the side to give her client control of the scene. That client, Murasame Kuina, faced Isabelle. No, in this case Sayuri, why did you come here? My name is Isabelle and I came here to stop you. ! I dont know an Isabelle! You have no idea how ridiculous, cruel, hollow, painful, and heartbreaking it is to hear you use that name!! Its seeing you like this that makes me want to at least hunt down the people who did this to you and send them to hell!! Hearing that, Isabelle slowly shook her head. You dont understand. Understand what!? This is not who you are. You cant even remember your own name and you think you can talk about who I am!? You still dont get it? Isabelle looked troubled. It was a sorrowful look. It was the look of someone who could not bring themselves to say they were too busy to attend the birthday party their friend was so excited about. And this was not just an issue of emotions or ideals. It was the look of someone who was reluctant to make some decisive statement, but knew they had to say it. Think back. What device did this all start with? ? Girls Backdoor. What? Why would you bring up those things we used as a diversion? You still dont get it? Isabelle repeated her question. And before the bare midriff girl could feel a tremor down her spine, the answer was released into the world. You were made into the protagonist by that demons Girls Backdoor. Murasame Kuina, that girl of vengeance, came to a complete stop as her thoughts ground to a halt. Its true you may have had a small-sized desire for revenge in the beginning. So Isabelle did not stop speaking. For one thing, once I became a vessel, my very existence would have been erased from your mind. If Biondetta hadnt contacted you, you may not have ever remembered. No one else stopped her. However, a desire for revenge alone is not the same thing as acting on it. She spoke the cruel truth. But what if Biondetta read what you wanted and manipulated your actions? What if she used an invisible hand to send you on a path you would have never dared to take normally? She simply presented it to the girl. You were only taking revenge due to the Girls Backdoors manipulation. You merely misinterpreted it as your own actions. A single summoner has been putting on a play this entire time. At first, Murasame Kuina had been manipulated from without. Because she was acting based on the deepest thoughts in her heart, she had assumed those actions were based in her own will. But in truth, Kuinas desires had never left the realm of thought and the actions were created by a third party manipulating her body. During a long, long life, anyone might feel the desire to punch or kill someone at some point. But very few could and would actually go through with it. At the very least, Murasame Kuina had not been one of those people. But someone else had smiled and been very careful to make sure she never noticed that. Yourelying. Kuina forced out the words like they were caught in her throat. More than a rebuttal, she was trying to throw back something she refused to believe. I mean, you gain nothing from telling me that supposed truth here! But to protect Government, you probably would lie about it in order to disturb us and throw off our teamwork! So!! It would probably be faster if I demonstrated our stance here. With that casual comment, Kyousuke grabbed a nearby lever. It was used to secure any wheeled containers to the deck while the Stingray moved at 200 kph. He did not hesitate to pull the lever. With a loud thunk, something was removed. A container slid across the deck. No one could stop it as it plunged into the ocean. That was the Anthill server. It had contained the important data crucial for the continuation of the project. Wha? The request I received from Isabelle was to free Murasame Kuina from her unnecessary revenge. No more, no less. What Government wants doesnt matter. The Anthills? Those disgusting things are better off destroyed. We were only selling ourselves to Government because it helped us accomplish our goal. That means we have no reason to lie to you to protect Government. The military uniform girl stared straight at Murasame Kuina. From the very beginning, we were super-sized fighting to save you from that demon. Finally, Murasame Kuina turned toward Biondetta like a broken doll. The waitress demon simply smiled. Whatis the meaning of this? She asked the obvious question. Hey, you! Is Sayuri telling the truth about!? Maam. Even with the truth revealed, Biondetta did not bat an eye and maintained her perfect salesmans smile. And at some point, her thin waitresss glove had melted away as if from a great heat. Her white fingertips were briefly visible, but they soon turned black. But not because they had been burned and scorched. The skin of her left hand peeled away on its own, revealing the leather glove below. Was the sticky-sounding glove fused with the real, skinless palm further below? Nevertheless, Biondetta formed a handgun and aimed the index finger barrel at her client. And the demon spoke with a smile. This is the very best part, so kindly shut the hell up That was all it took for Murasame Kuinas entire body to go stiff and then go limp. The light vanished from her eyes and all human expression vanished from her face. She looked like a doll controlled by thin threads and with its limbs trapped in countless bear traps. The tree-style flowchart had arrived at an unexpected situation and switched to a different line. It was all an act and it was all restricted. Biondetta had only wanted to borrow someone elses revenge to satisfy her own sadistic desires. By approaching someone with a kind smile, gently fanning the flames of their vengeful desires, and providing them the means and opportunity to fulfill them, she gained an excuse for all sorts of violence. And this was the perfect and ultimate shortcut. Girls Backdoor. She manipulated people to their destruction in order to fulfill her own desires. She truly was a demon. She claimed she was simply obeying her client, but she was actually enjoying the greatest front row seat. From the very beginning At first, Kyousuke and Isabelle had known Kuina had sworn revenge for her friend and begun acting on it, but they had not known who had invited her to take revenge. But no matter who stood by her side, they had guessed there was a decent risk of this possibility. It came down to Girls Backdoor. What if there was no distinction between the controller and the controlled? It was not a straight line or a pyramid. This was controlling someone else while hoping they became the perfect master. There was a Mobius-like twist that blurred the distinction between master and servant. You had planned for this. This was not just one of many possibilities. Murasame Kuina learning the truth was built in as an unavoidable step no matter what happened. It was necessary if you were to pit Kuina and Isabelle against each other. Well, of course. Biondetta laughed just like the Queen she had once seen. Her desire for revenge has a safety built in. I want her to burn down the entire world, but she has so many conditions about what she refuses to do. But if I have her destroy the very source of those limitations, I figure nothing will be able to stop her revenge. In other words, Murasame Kuina would kill Isabelle - who she most wanted to protect - in the pursuit of her revenge. Biondetta would dirty Kuinas hands by forcing her to kill the girl. That had been the ultimate joy in her mind as she had built the Girls Backdoor devices. That had been the thought in her mind as she smiled next to her client from the earliest stages of their plan. She would gorge herself on the feast before her eyes, shove all the blame onto the girl, and then swallow up even the girl she had used as a scapegoat. Kyousuke pulled his Blood-Sign from his back. You are completely insane. Completely insane? This? Nothing more than this!? We have felt the Queens insanity in person, so you must know this is no more than a trivial little prank!! Im super-sized pissed right now. Bulge bulge (deadpan). I dont mind at all. I will bring my clients revenge further than she ever imagined. I dont mind if the sight of the horrific results leaves my client in tears and drives her to suicide. All that matters is that I enjoy myself. With that, Biondetta spread her feet to shoulder width. She shook her tail and an Incense Grenade clunked down from her miniskirt. And with Girls Backdoor, our summoner-vessel combination is, in a way, greater than any other. The combat routines I have given my client are second to none. Now, let me enjoy this, you damn rabbit. You are likely the most satisfying meal for this revenge!! With that yell, the grenade detonated and an Artificial Sacred Ground covered their surroundings. In that instant, Murasame Kuina felt an explosion of the intense pain that she had been programmed to forget. The red threads and hands that were only visible to the attacker and victim - the controller and the controlled - tore into her arms, legs, and torso like bear traps. Her body accurately followed a programmed flowchart and tree-style command list. As her body moved, she vaguely looked out at the world. What had she been doing all this time? She may have been commanded not to question it. Even so, why had she never questioned it even once? Over the course of a lifetime, one might hate someone enough to kill them. But why had that led her to actually kill them? Why had she been so willing to use the Girls Backdoor that any teenage girl should have loathed? Yes. It was almost like she had not been moving her own body. Hadnt it been more like someone else had grabbed her arms and legs and moved them to fulfill that desire? And it had led here. To Isabelleno, to Kawamo Sayuri. This revenge had been for her. It was a way of getting back at the people who had hurt her. So why did Kuina have to confront her like this? (Myrevenge?) She was only able to think for herself now because Biondetta had made sure she could. The equation had been thoroughly rearranged to show her this despair. (Taking my own desire beyond what I had imaginedleads to killing Sayuri?) She wanted to shake her head, but she could not. She had never said that, but Biondettas actions were being made into the girls intentions. All of the limits they had crossed so far were being blamed on Kuina as necessary sacrifices. Meanwhile, the summoner trapped in the Artificial Sacred Ground and the blonde girl next to him said something else. To hell with that. Yes, I know that this Murasame Kuina person doesnt want this! Not even a small-sized bit!! Those words shattered the waitress demons whispers. Her friend, someone she had supposedly been separated from on ideological grounds, had more to say. So help my friend! Save her from that demon!! My answer is of course, as you wish. Im sick of Biondettas little play. The battle was beginning. Murasame Kuina could do nothing because she was still being controlled. She could only draw out all of her awful strength as that smiling demon commanded. But even if she was forbidden to move a single eye, that girls soul was surely crying. The twenty meter Artificial Sacred Ground was set up. The three-dimensional Rose made up of 216 Petals appeared at the midpoint between the two summoner pairs. As the glowing White Thorns appeared in the empty air, Kyousuke and Biondetta jabbed their Blood-Signs into them. The Rose was smashed and 36 dark, fist-sized Spots appeared in the empty air. The scattering Petals ricocheted around and a few of them fell into the Spots. Isabelle!! Maam. The two girls changed form on the rapidly-moving Stingrays deck. Kyousuke had the Original Yellow (s). Sound Range: High. Cost: 1. Biondetta had the Original Red (b). Sound Range: Low. Cost: 1. (I have the upper hand in the sound range, but that does not matter.) When she had the upper hand, Biondetta only had to wait. Victory would come to her on its own. That meant Kyousuke had to take action. After he used a White Thorn to knock the desired Petal into a Spot to change his Materials sound range, the waitress demon made her next move. She followed suit and she mimicked him with stalker-like precision. If he chose the middle sound range, she too chose middle. If he chose low, she too chose low. Kyousuke made feints, double feints, and every trick he could find, but Biondetta only had to follow suit after seeing it for herself. By taking the same sound range with a constant +1 in cost and always summoning her Material after him, she always had the newer and stronger one. It was like repeatedly comparing benchmarks with a computer from the same company, the same brand, and the same line but one generation older. (This is enough. If this is a game of chicken, then I have a distance handicap. He cant wait until Im right up on the edge before slamming on the brakes. If he tries that, hell drive right off the cliff.) Of course, Kyousuke would have noticed this was the first cage. But that knowledge did not allow him to ignore it. Even if this was only bait or a diversion, he would still lose if the Silhouette at his Materials core was destroyed. So he could not reach past it. He could only wait for her to finish. ! Shiroyama Kyousuke must have lost his temper because he charged toward her like a bullet. Was he starting a close-quarters exchange like last time? There was no point in a fistfight between summoners when they had their protective circles. But they could hit, deflect, and push at the Blood-Sign that stuck out and that could throw off the accuracy of their opponents shots. However Hee hee. Biondetta could not help but laugh. They glared at each other from less than a meter away, sometimes attacking each others Blood-Signs with staff or spear techniques and sometimes finding a chance to launch a White Thorn. All the while, the waitress demon spoke. You are correct to take away my resources, but if you lose the same amount of resources in the process, my advantage remains. Thus, you cannot escape this cage !! A White Thorn that had seemed to fly way off the mark made a sharp curve in midair and collided with the target Petal. Instead of hitting the center, she had intentionally put a major spin on the ball. And you still do not know my true power. A high-pitched sound filled the air. I am only restricting myself to this speed so I can match your speed and follow your lead. If I release my spare resources, I can do this. Biondettas Blood-Sign briefly bent in two. And she touched the sniper trigger. With a loud bang, a 7.62mm rifle bullet was released from the center point. It could not reach the summoner inside his protective circle. However, she had not targeted his Blood-Sign either. Biondetta scored a direct hit on something beyond Kyousuke: the clashing monsters. The Materials. There are some exceptions, but the Materials summoned using the Blood-Sign system - especially the Regulation-class - are generally quite dumb. She reconnected her Blood-Sign and smiled. At this point, Kyousuke had the SSC for Puppet #2000 (yi - a - ns - ou - wh - ia - iu - seb - e - hig - o - sd - c - li - dr - oq). Sound range: Low. Cost: 30. It was a giant western suit of armor with countless red strings wrapped around it and it turned their way after the hit from the rifle bullet. Whether its a peashooter or whatever else, they will set their sights on whatever attacked them. So it isnt hard to manipulate the enemy. An explosive sound reached their ears. Biondetta only had to take one step to the side. The attack could easily have split open an aircraft carrier flight deck like it was a can. A row of violent steel spikes missed their target and fiercely struck Shiroyama Kyousuke who was supposed to be its master. He was not killed thanks to the protective circle, but the great strength sent him and the circle flying like a pinwheel. He was not injured and he felt no impact or pain. But his position had shifted. And that widened the gap. GhCheshire Cat!! Shut up, you damn rabbit. I can control my allies with Girls Backdoor and my enemies with my sniper shots, so I can dance across the board with everything under my control. Do you really think a lone summoner can stop me? Kyousuke had not even broken out of the first cage formed by her same sound range with cost +1 strategy. Now she formed the second cage by indirectly interfering with his Material using her rifle bullets. The wider the gap grew and the more freedom she gained, the more resources she could spare to end it all. She would complete the third cage. That greatest and worst arrangement of dominos would sweep everything away and swallow it all up when it all came tumbling down. (I need to reach the Divine-class using the high sound range and with a cost of 10. I need that dog-headed god that gained a new name and power after mixing the Ancient Egyptian god of judgment with Hermes of Greece.) Inside the twenty meter cube of the Artificial Sacred Ground, most of the White Thorns and Petals were moving near the deck of the high-speed Stingray. No, Biondetta had set it up that way. The only exceptions were near the corners, walls, and ceiling of the giant cube. Clusters of three or four Petals had gathered there. And there were more than one or two such clusters. They were spread out like a spider web or like a jellyfish or sea anemones antennae drifting in wait of prey. The countless clusters were complete and they surrounded the poor summoner. Farewell, my barrier. She sent out the signal to surpass Shiroyama Kyousuke who was still stuck in the Regulation-class. This was the sweet flavor of revenge. This was the moment when she turned the tables on a target who was confident he would never die. And not as a coincidence. This was the joy of tearing down their strength, their reputation, and their happiness thanks to her careful planning. This was the pleasure of strapping a giant rocket engine to a scooter one third its size just to show up a braggart driving around in their Italian luxury car. Biondetta felt a strange tremor run down her spine. You could not reach me. Like this, you are not even worth calling a damn rabbit. You knew about this cage, but you were not skilled enough to interfere. You deserve to be crushed by overwhelming quantity and speed!! She held her Blood-Sign vertically, aimed straight down, and launched a White Thorn. It collided with the deck at her feet, bounced off, and used its intense spin to fly in a sharp curve. End this. Sink into despair. Fall to your knees and sob. And at the same moment Oh, I wouldnt be so sure of that. Shiroyama Kyousuke left every last pattern Biondetta had imagined. He was still calm. His face had not gone pale, his eyes were not wandering aimlessly, sweat did not cover his face, and the parts of his face had not gathered in the center like a dried plum. It was meaningless like this. Revenge was more than just destruction. The true essence of revenge was how much that destruction tore into the targets heart. Let me tell you something very basic, Cheshire Cat. You might think that you have indirect control over both Materials and that you control every Petal on the field, but youre forgetting one basic fact. Were on top of a Government Stingray, so this is a giant away game for you. You are the avenger, so you should have assumed everything around you could turn against you. Whatare you? Two ricochets. Three ricochets. The White Thorn bounced off the walls of the Artificial Sacred Ground and accurately targeted the desired Petal. Kyousuke knew the fuse has been lit, but the problem before his eyes kept him too busy to interfere. Or so Biondetta had thought. But if that was the case, why did Alice (with) Rabbit look so confident!? You may have felt like a queen peering into the bug cage, but you were trapped in a larger bird cage all the while. What are you talking about, you godd*mn rabbit? This is already over! I have you in checkmate, so feel some despair!! Ive taken your king, so dont just keep playing!! Tormenting you once youre a dead-eyed zombie would just be boring!!!!! Five ricochets. Six ricochets. Biondettas White Thorn slipped between the unwanted Petals on its way to the one that acted as a trigger. No one could stop it now. Once her Material reached the Divine-class, it would obliterate Kyousukes which could not leave the Regulation-class. What Im saying is Unbelievably, Kyousuke brought his Blood-Sign to a stop. He snapped his fingers just as something shot by over his head. Thats my line. It happened a moment later. With a solid sound, Biondettas seemingly unstoppable White Thorn was struck from the side. Wha? Kyousuke had not launched a White Thorn of his own. Countless crane wires dangled down from the giant bridges or midair surfaces that supported parks, hospitals, schools, etc. As the Stingray moved at 200 kph, they were essentially a raging steel wind blowing by overhead. One of the J-shaped hooks had accurately struck Biondettas White Thorn. Did you forget our field is constantly in motion? And this isnt a natural phenomenon. Its being controlled by Government, who you made into an enemy. The single attack caused it all to fall apart. The Petals and White Thorns will bounce when they hit the Artificial Sacred Grounds walls or another obstacle. Anything directly controlled by a human will, be it a thrown stone or a fired bullet, will pass through them, but that doesnt apply here. While the fields movement is controlled by a human will, the crane wire is simply hanging there. The White Thorn was not the only thing knocked out of place. A great number of crane wires of various sizes tore apart the Petals that had been accurately positioned for a domino effect. They scattered everywhere and ruined Biondettas beautifully completed diagram. Or so it seemed. But that was not the case. And you did quite well. A solid sound followed. The shock had created a brief gap in which Biondetta stopped moving. The first cage, created by the same sound range +1, crumbled away. Kyousuke used that opening to launch a White Thorn to a distant location. He sent it toward the remains of Biondettas crumbled setup. But he was not just hitting a few Petals into the Spots at random. One of the clusters collapsed. Those scattered Petals collided with other clusters. Several clusters collapsed. They spread out like a spider web and surrounded Biondetta as a dance of red lines. All of the Petals shot toward the Spots. Almost as if Whatis this? I didnt plan this. I dont remember creating this domino effect! The dominos had not been swept aside by a brutish hand. They had shifted from Domino Structure A to Domino Structure B. Had they been accurately swapped out for a completely different formation!? Of course you dont. I was the one to guide it in this direction. Did you think you had created that situation yourself and for your own victory? You were only creating the basis I needed for my victory. Like the worker bee that busily gathers honey, oblivious to the bear waiting to raid the hive. He had been aiming for this from the beginning. He had pretended to fall for her trap. The data on the evacuation operation may have provided how many obstacles there were in Toy Dream 35, but the second Stingrays presence had been an outright rebellion against his plan. That data would never have told him what route it would be taking. But that had not mattered. He had perfectly put together the algorithm in this short time, he had perfectly predicted the route and speed they would use based on what he would do in their position, and he had even used Biondetta who was at the 900s level. He had been looking to this moment from the beginning. Everything else had been how to manipulate things into arriving at this situation. (Oh, no!! At this rate, hell take my Divine-class!!) Biondetta immediately read the arrangement of Petals inside the Artificial Sacred Ground and launched a new White Thorn. When it hit Kyousukes Thorn, threw it off course, and prevented him from building up his Material, she could cut into the domino layout and steal its benefits for herself. This isnt over yet, you damn rabbit!! I can use this to reach the Divine-class too!! And then She trailed off. Shiroyama Kyousukes expression remained unchanged. It was just like when she had setup her dominos and achieved checkmateno, thought she had achieved checkmate. It cant be She realized something. This wasexactly what you wanted me to do? The situation took a decisive turn before Shiroyama Kyousukes eyes. They continued fighting over the Petals and building up their Materials, but that would not last forever. The undeniable result was eventually revealed to them. Kyousuke had a Divine-class of the middle sound range with a cost of 9. It was the Celtic god of hunting and ruler of the underworld. The fierce male god had a pair of animal horns as a symbol of life. As for Biondetta I didntreach it? She had the King of Serpents with an Indestructible Body which Repeatedly Sheds Its Skin in Front of All Calamity (b f - h a t l - e i - v o - o u - d v - e I - b c - I u - j k v - a - j o k - l v - n i c - a - y x - v j z). Sound Range: Low. Cost: 38. But Im still in the Regulation-class I didnt reach the Divine-class!? Biondettas looked more powerful based on its physical appearance. One was muscular, but only a two meter man. The other was a giant red snake that one had to look up at even when it was coiled up. But that did not matter. It would all be over with the swing of an arm. There was an overwhelming power difference between the Regulation-class and the Divine-class. How did you end up like this? The Celtic god took a step forward. Shiroyama Kyousuke was already resting his Blood-Sign on his shoulder. He was implicitly saying he no longer needed it. Its true the Fifteen Siblings Project was the worst. Everyone who took part received great talent in exchange for leaving the proper path in some way. But youre the only one that turned out like this, Cheshire Cat. How did you turn into the revenge-obsessed Liar Cat? What did you see in that Queens Miniature Garden? ause The red snake that formed a great mountain squirmed as if overpowered by that overwhelming presence. Similarly, the demon named Biondetta took a step back from Kyousukes gaze. Because you were the only one She spoke in a daze. It was unclear if her eyes were viewing at the present or the past. We learned of the Queens hatred, the Queens ferocity, the Queens allure, and the Queens passion. Our original families betrayed us, sold us, and abandoned us. We had no friends in that cramped miniature garden, all of the adults were cruel, the social structure was shallow, and our sibling bonds were only artificial so we couldnt even trust in them Her fragmentary words would only make sense to someone who had shared that time with her. But you were the only one who received real love. Even if it did come from that hideous and loathsome Queen!! Shiroyama Kyousuke - Alice (with) Rabbit - narrowed his eyes slightly. Every last person who had taken partno, been forced to take part in the Fifteen Siblings Project had become a monster. A family is kind, a teacher is right, a friend is fun, and a lover is warm. They received none of those standard feelings. Their initial presets had been wrong, so they could not understand the concept of finding comfort in a family. How could they have found happiness after being thrown out into the world to do as they pleased? How could they fit in when their normal was so very twisted from everyone elses normal? And why had Kyousuke alone not broken like the rest of them? This must have been the answer Biondetta had found. Pandoras Box had contained all forms of calamity, but hope alone had remained inside it. Was she saying that Shiroyama Kyousuke alone had received that hope? That was why she had wanted to take revenge. She had wanted to take revenge, but the Queens Miniature Garden had been destroyed, the adults were gone, and the White Queen was too powerful. Had she been going around destroying all of the nearby targets to soothe her heart and that had eventually led her back to Kyousuke? This battle came down to one thing. Had they accepted that as the one last thread of hope given to them? Or had they rejected that as salt in the wound? This was the story of two artificial siblings who had made the opposite decision. And with all that in mind, Shiroyama Kyousuke spoke coldly as if to correct a mistake. Youre imagining all that. He was answered with a great cry that was too halfhearted to call a roar or a scream. The demons insane fighting spirit had been reignited. She knew she had no way of winning, but she raised her Blood-Sign regardless. Shiroyama Kyousuke did not respond in kind. said Isabelle. You can say that again. The fifteen of us all received the Queens fear and nothing more. The only difference was how we interpreted it, but how in the world did she mistake that for love? Kyousuke briefly had trouble figuring out what Isabelle meant. At any rate, this was checkmate. He only had to say one thing to his vessel and partner who had become a horned Celtic god. Do it, Isabelle. It took one attack. With a disconcerting sound, the male horned gods hand tore apart the red snake. Hit by the shock of seeing their god slaughtered before their eyes, the summoner and vessel collapsed to the Stingrays deck. Facts: *If you are prepared to pay an adequate penalty, it is possible to force your way into an Artificial Sacred Ground in which a battle is underway. *Murasame Kuinas initial desire for revenge was real, but all of her actions were manipulated by Girls Backdoor. That was the true reason for Isabelles request to save her friend from that needless revenge. *A Material will prioritize counterattacking whoever attacks it. It does not matter whether or not that attack did any damage. It is possible for the vessels will to correct the targeting cursor, but the Material still takes an unnecessary action. *The Petals and White Thorns are influenced by and bounce off of field objects. This is true even if those objects are in motion. But a thrown stone, a fired bullet, or anything else directly influenced by a human are an exception. Also, a human, an animal, or anything else with a soul does not count as a field object. *Normally, people cannot move freely in and out of the Artificial Sacred Ground, but field objects have no such restriction. They can pass through the wall just like the losers after they pass out. *Biondetta actually wanted to take revenge on Shiroyama Kyousuke and the White Queen, but not even she noticed until she was truly cornered. *Shiroyama Kyousuke insists that the love he alone supposedly received from the White Queen was in Biondettas imagination. Volume 3, Ending X-01 - The Girls’ Slight Hope Volume 3, Ending X-01: The Girls Slight Hope Sayuri! Im here. Right on time, arent I? Nuuun (deadpan). My name is Isabelle. (Ending X-01 Open 05/24 10:00) The Girls Slight Hope The night came to an end. Isabelle, the girl in a red military uniform, was in a park of Toy Dream 35s P Block. Shiroyama Kyousuke had agreed to meet her here, but he had not shown up. The pumpkin costume and Oni girl around her were walking and chatting, but time seemed to have stopped where she was. Despite the crowds, she was left to stand alone in front of a fountain, but then her cellphone range. Nuuun (deadpan)? Where are you? Nearby. This will all be over soon. Kyousuke sounded the same as always. You dont need to worry about Murasame Kuina. At the very least, she wont be manipulated by Biondetta and she wont be turned into a toy for revenge as a vessel. Did you use that Girls Backdoor? No, they were defeated in a battle with a summoner, so I could guide them using the shock of seeing their god killed. I gave Biondetta two instructions: end your contract with Murasame Kuina and surrender to Government. Binding such a complex contract would be impossible in that mindless state, but ending one is doable. At the very least, the incident concerning the Anthills should be over. I super-sized want to know whats going to happen to Murasame Kuina. Youll have to ask her about that one. She was being controlled by Biondetta throughout her entire quest for revenge, so she can force that through and get an acquittal. But if she wants to be punished, then I dont think doing that would qualify as saving her. That said, it wouldnt really be right to dig up a desire for punishment now that her contract was cancelled and shes forgotten everything. Isabelle fell silent for a moment. Her expression did not look at home in a morning park. I dont understand even a small-sized bit what happiness is. Neither do I. I feel like Ive been wondering that all my life. Kyousuke spat out the words and then changed the subject. I would also like to solve another problem. ? Murasame Kuinayour friend is no longer a vessel, so shes back to being a normal person. That might sound like a happy ending, but it isnt really. Your problem remains. You mean? Youre still Alice (with) Rabbits vessel. As a normal person, Murasame Kuina will forget about you the instant she looks away. We cant have that, can we? If we end this like that, I dont think weve really saved Murasame Kuina. But if you end our contract Yes, youll forget about me. Until you see me again or bind a contract with a new summoner. He readily admitted it. He sounded like he had said goodbye this way many times before. I spoke with Government about it. You dont need to be manipulated by the Anthill Project any longer. I cant turn you back into Kawamo Sayuri, but Isabelle wont have to have anything more taken from her. Wait. Im not waiting. I super-sized want you to wait!! Help my friend. Who said that? Sorry, but you alone arent my top priority. Im going to think about whats best for both you and Murasame Kuina. Isabelle heard a slight noise. Someone stood beyond the crowd. It was Shiroyama Kyousuke. It was the white rabbit who would guide a girl to the exit once she wandered into another world. He lightly bit his right index finger so a drop of blood appeared and he held that fingertip out toward Isabelle. He could see her with the naked eye. He pointed at her. Isabelle realized that was the sign of blood that released a summoner and vessel from their contract. What about you? What about me? What are you going to do once you save me? I dont know. Kyousuke answered with a faint, faint smile that she was unsure how to describe. What do I want to do? A transparent sound seemed to ring deep in her head. The next thing she knew, Isabelle could not remember why she was standing here. (Oh, right. I was meeting someone here.) She quickly looked through the crowd filling the morning park. She was looking for a familiar face in a desperate attempt to remember who it was. And And And Sayuri! Im here. Right on time, arent I? When a voice reached her from the side and someone grabbed her slender hand, Isabelle finally remembered. Yes. That was right. Hadnt she been waiting for her friend Murasame Kuina? Nuuun (deadpan). My name is Isabelle. Yes, yes. I dont know if youre trying to make a new impression in middle school or if its your screenname, but I guess Ill go along with it. What should we do today? Lets start by going around to the shopping districts accessory shops. At lunchtime, we can find a restaurant somewhere. And after thatwell, we can figure it out as we go! As the girl tugged on her arm, Isabelle vanished into the crowd. She became a part of the crowd and a part of normal society. In turn, she distanced herself from the world of the Summoning Ceremony. As she spoke with her friend, she looked around just once. But she did not see any other familiar faces among all the similar-looking faces of the crowd. Kyousuke watched as Isabelle disappeared into the crowd. He did not speak a word. He did not wave. He only wished for her safety, turned his back, and left the park through a different exit. Facts: *Shiroyama Kyousuke won the summoner battle and hit Biondetta with the shock of seeing her god killed in front of her. With Biondetta in a mindless daze, he ordered her to end her contract with Murasame Kuina and to surrender to Government. The complex process of binding a contract would not be possible, but it apparently is possible to have someone like that end a contract. *As a result, Shiroyama Kyousuke never once used the Girls Backdoor during this incident. Most likely, he is the only one who understands why he maintained that inefficient restriction. *By ending the contract, Murasame Kuina forgot all about the incident. And since Government placed all the blame on Biondetta for creating the tree-style flowchart, Kuina will apparently be treated like a victim from the normal population. *Kyousuke ended his contract with Isabelle, so she lost her memories as well. *The two girls turned their backs on the world of the Summoning Ceremony and disappeared into the light. *Being selfish is fine as long as it will save someone. Volume 3, Ending X-02 - A Demonstration of the White Queen’s True Character Volume 3, Ending X-02: A Demonstration of the White Queens True Character Feel despair, Shiroyama Kyousuke. Even if you do learn the truth, you have not even a one in a million chance of defeating the White Queen. (Ending X-02 Open 05/23 19:30 Attention! Reverse Count) A Demonstration of the White Queens True Character It was 7:30 PM of the previous day. Freedom Award 920, Liar Cat, aka Biondetta Shiroyama had just been defeated on the deck of the Repliglass Stingray. With the defeat of that sole threat, the Stingray and its evacuation operation had no reason to continue. It was now stopped and rocking in the waves below Toy Dream 35s high-rise buildings. Several Repliglass soldier were putting out fires and rescuing people on the badly damaged deck. A great variety of tools were scattered about: fire hoses, stretchers, first aid kits, and firefighting axes for breaking through bent doors. In the midst of all that, Maria Heartocean spoke cheerfully after removing her Water Bear. Looks like everythings finally settling down. Her life had been targeted, her many Government bodyguards had been defeated, and Kyousuke had thrown her crucial server into the ocean, but she did not seem bothered by any of it. Kyousuke winked. We saved your life and destroyed that classified information in exchange. Im not sure thats a fair trade, but Im from selfish Freedom and I accepted the job from Isabelle, not you. He was not telling her to accept it. He was only saying that any complaints would lead to round 2. Oh, I know that. Youre with Freedom and Im with Government. Of course we have different principles. And I was well aware it would come back to bite me in some way if I tried to ask for help from a group of eccentrics who could easily destroy the world in their pursuit of personal freedom. Also, this outcome wasnt all that bad for me. But you knew that, didnt you? You mean you didnt want to continue the Anthill Project? For the supposed world police, I did think Government had agreed to an awful lot of plans that would end up sacrificing you. Did you want to be taken out by Biondettas revenge? Well, it was never anything more than a way of drawing in funding for my soul research which has no end in sight. Maria gave a self-deprecating smile. I thought showing a theoretical possibility would be enoughbut wouldnt you know it? I underestimated the greed of the higher ups. The next thing I knew, the gigantic steel ball was rolling and I was too weak to stop it alone. I had started rolling the snowball down the hill, so it wouldve been silly to be crushed by it. I really was at my wits end. Maria Heartocean stopped speaking there. Her eyes narrowed as she looked at a small girl in a military uniform who was working with the Government soldiers to wrap bandages around the arms and legs of the wounded. How am I supposed to apologize to those children? You can spend the rest of your life on that question. At the very least, I say anyone who has a shot at a second chance in life should count themselves lucky. He seemed to be implying he had not been one of those people The two of them fell silent for a while. Finally, Maria spoke up again while toying with the bolo tie at her chest. Then instead of confessing my sins, can I tell you something? My sins are something only someone who can follow my research can understand. What is it? To start with, the higher ups were so fixated on the Anthills because they saw them as more than just a stable way of mass-producing vessels. They were interested in the ability to tune someones soul to increase their compatibility with a specific Unexplored-class. To the point that they can hold a one-on-one conversation just like a certain someone can. For a moment, pure white evil slipped into the back of Shiroyama Kyousukes mind, but Oh, no, no. It isnt that. It is true we used the remains of the Queens Miniature Garden to construct this project, but that wasnt our aim this time. The Unexplored-class we were after wasnt the White Queen. Then what was it? Governments Protector as one of the Three, said Maria. That was a Material with an exceptional legend different from that of the White Queen. The Red-Eyed Lady who Sees Through all Sin and Calamity (f a - a o - a b - e i - f j - c i b - b - d u - a - e i f). Maria tossed him something. It looked like a smartphone, but it was not. It was likely a device built from scratch in a Government research facility rather than a commercial product. If you use that, you can hold a pseudo-conversation with the Red Lady kept in a stable state within the BoxAnyway, the mechanical prompt just wasnt enough. The higher ups decided that a human mind and mouth are needed to process it. Kept in a stable state within the Box? It hit Kyousuke after he repeated her words. He realized the true identity of the supposed server he had thrown into the sea. You dont mean!? Well, after what you did, who can say how long it will last. The system might have already been destroyed, but Ill give you the chance. Youre at a dead-end when it comes to the White Queen, arent you? Then it might not be a bad idea to rely on a superhuman mind. And luck would have it, the Three are well known for taking extremely good care of mankind. With that said, Maria waved and walked off. Left alone, Kyousuke stared at the device in his hand for a while. With that, he could reach a fragment of knowledge beyond human reach? He could contact a being with an easy to grasp intelligence who had become one of the Three because she actually wanted to protect a human organization? Could he receive information on the White Queens identity, traits, and weaknesses from a nonhuman viewpoint? He realized his fingers were trembling. He had trouble controlling those fingers, but he managed to press the small button. Light filled the screen. The next thing he knew, something like a hologram appeared before his eyes. The world had changed. The Red Ladys actual body looked like a pale girl of about eighteen. She wore red lacquered geta on her feet, so she may not have been as tall as she looked. She had endlessly long red hair and a maple pattern kimono that had no obi and was left fully open in the front. Inside that, she wore something like a one-piece swimsuit colored the same shade of red. Two horns protruded sharply from her forehead. Her red eyes provided the frightening impression that one glance would send all calamity your wayno, define all calamity around you. But those eyes were currently hidden behind smooth eyelids. And in addition to her actual body, a set of frighteningly massive interlocking gears could be seen behind her. They glistened as if from lacquer and they were made of wood. They looked like giant tropical flowers and like a loom that weaved the threads of destiny and lifespan for all things. And red threads that looked like laser beams extended in every direction from the giant gears. A closer look showed that those red threads were actually her endlessly long hair. That seemed to show that she ruled over destiny itself. Simply put, she was the Red-Eyed Lady who Sees Through all Sin and Calamity. She was not on the White Queens level, but she was one of the Unexplored-class as well as one of the Three who did not hesitate to lend their power to humans. Shiroyama Kyousuke gulped in front of this image that was easily larger than twenty meters, making it larger than the standard Artificial Sacred Ground. He was unsure what to say. A wrong choice here could negatively affect the battle with the White Queen that was surely coming. He had nothing to base that on, but he clearly understood it as true. Can you hear me? The puny summoner finally made up his mind and spoke to the higher being. Can you hear what Im saying, Red Lady? The girl in the half-worn kimono slowly turned her head. The eyes that brought ruin remained closed. Kyousuke was not entirely sure what here meant. Were the Materials not alone in the other world where they drifted? Did they have some form of community that allowed them to exchange information? How? For what purpose? Using what language? At what level of intelligence? Were there walls between the Regulation, Divine, and Unexplored-classes? His human logic was not enough to picture it. I didnt become this way by choice. So I want you to tell me something that can help me break free! Before the White Queen uses me as she sees fit and destroys me!! <> The Red Lady fell silent. Maria had mentioned that the prompt was not enough. It was possible something was lacking in translating human language into the logic or equations of another world. But those fears proved unnecessary. The Red Lady resumed speaking soon enough. What? What are you talking about? Kyousuke shook his head like he had seen something unbelievable. I know the White Queen is the strongest. Theres no possible answer besides her there. Butbut thats no reason to give up, right!? Someone has to do something, right!? It can be a simultaneous attack from all of the Three or a saturation attack from all of the Unexplored-class! Please tell me, Red Lady! I dont care how difficult it would be to pull off!! Ill find a way to do it!! So!! But the Red Lady did not answer his pleas. She slowly shook her head. It was like a parent speaking kindly to a stubborn child. It was like a parent correcting her childs mistaken idea that pushing on the front of the car from the seat would move it forward. How? Kyousuke felt faint. He knew humans would give in to the White Queen. He understood that the Regulation- and Divine-classes would be too afraid to fight properly. But was even the Unexplored-class a lost cause? Was this the only answer he would get even from the Three at the top? How can you just give up? Are you giving into her strength, Red Lady!? You must have an intelligence and rationality similar to a humans. You must have a sense of ethics and responsibility. Thats why you approach the human world and give us the Awards!! So you must have noticed the White Queens evil! Dont you understand how disgusting an act it would be to let her have her way!? The Red Lady seemed to ooze sadness as she continued to shake her head. What? This incident had begun with a mysterious transfer student and the Girls Backdoors. It had centered on the Anthill Project and a girl seeking revenge. And it had all been controlled by Biondetta who had remade it all to her liking and enjoyed her rampage. But Shiroyama Kyousuke had supposedly ended it all. What about that could be depressingly silly? asked the Red Lady. The Lady spoke clearly with her eyes closed. Wait a second. Shiroyama Kyousuke felt an unpleasant itching rising from his left wrist to his elbow. But it was not on the skin. It was a strange sensation coming from much deeper in his body. The Lady was not mistaken. It was said she could see through and even define all calamity, and her words were cruelly accurate. The Red Lady spoke her conclusion with a look of true and utter sadness. His mind was burned away by bright white sparks before breaking into a million pieces. Uuh He was rotting. He was being infected. Kyousuke felt unbelievable despair at still having that thing - that left arm - still attached to his body. She was not mocking him. It was the true pity in her voice that caused each word to tear into Kyousukes puny soul. This was not a device that allowed the user to control someone. Biondetta may have thought that was what she had created, but she had been dead wrong. Was it a curse the White Queen could use to infect and manipulate those foolish summoners and vessels from within!? Had Murasame Kuina, Biondetta, the many other users, and even Shiroyama Kyousuke himself been manipulated by her and turned into her playthings!!!??? Owaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!! Kyousuke realized he was screaming. He did not hesitate for an instant. He grabbed one of the tools from the Stingrays deck. It was a firefighting axe. The dull blade was meant to break through bent doors to secure an exit, but he grabbed it in his right hand and immediately swung it down toward his own left armthe arm wearing the Girls Backdoor. A heavy thunk. Dizzyingly intense pain. And what did he get in return? In that crimson world of the Red Lady. Shiroyama Kyousuke finally grasped freedom. As he clenched his teeth and his vision flashed in and out, he saw an unimaginable scene. His severed left arm rolled along the deck and a thin silver hair crawled out of the dark red cut like a strange parasite. And it used Kyousukes own blood to write a red message on the Stingrays deck. Ahh, ahh. Just a little further and you would have been mine, brother. He stopped breathing. Even his flashing vision froze over as the tiny, crammed-together writing dove into the depths of his mind. Whether I could rewrite your soul or not, if these hairs had reached your brain, brother, they could have bound your brain, mixed our thoughts together, and given us the perfect happy ending. Honestly, the world belongs to me, but it never does what I tell it to. But it is true that acquiring you so easily would have been boring, so in that way the world may have planned everything out for the best. Hee hee hee. Oh, but, brother. I love the brave resolve that led you to chop off your own arm the instant you knew the truth. Its just so very like you and so very cute, but I do wish you would show more care for your own body. Thats your one and only body, brother. And while I can allow any torment if it comes from me, I honestly do not like it much when someone other than me hurts you. But Im not going to deny your agency or dignity as an individual. Oh, then how about this? If you are ever going to harm your own body again - lets say, gouging out an eye, pulling out a tooth, severing a limb, or digging out an organ - then consult me first and tell me about it in advance. Oh, dear. I think Im being a little too lenient. Is this what they call being the perfect wife? But brother, make no mistake here. Even if Im being kind, that doesnt mean you can grow dependent on me. If I see any sign of that, I will punish you right away, so dont say I didnt warn you. Yes, and this would be a punishment from me, the strongest who rules above the Regulation-class, the Divine-class, and even the rest of the Unexplored-class. Hee hee hee. Brother, you might be the only thing in the world capable of maintaining your original form after a punishment from me. That would make it quite a rare experience. Yes, very rare. Oh, dear. Oh, dear. This isnt good. You havent even done anything, but Im starting to feel like punishing you just for fun. If you like, why not pull some kind of prank; it doesnt matter what. Hee hee. Hee hee hee. Oh, thats right. You just cut off your own arm without even trying to tell me. Honestly, brother. You actually predicted I would feel this way and set everything up for me? This level of mutual feelings can only be called love. Yes, lets call it that, brother. !!!??? Kyousuke was shocked speechless as he watched the left arm continue to creepily twitch and wriggle. This was truly a glimpse of the Queen. With Biondetta, he had only felt displeasure and disgust. He had not felt the White Queens insanity and fear that seemed to widen every pore on his body just from seeing it. Now that he could sense it again, he understood. The Queen was decisive. She was a one-and-only evil that no one could analyze, reproduce, or use. Even a single hair had done this. She broke the rules so badly that the effects and abilities of the Girls Backdoor no longer even mattered. He became painfully aware that, even at her worst, Biondetta had been merely human. This surpassed all the limits. It shook free of the worlds upper capacity. Gah But that was all. Kyousuke was facing his true enemy, but there was nothing he could do. He had lost quite a lot of blood in exchange for his freedom and he collapsed into the red pool of his own making. His fading consciousness saw the Red Ladys sorrowful look. And she spoke. He clenched his teeth. He could only continue to listen. Everything grew dark. As his consciousness vaguely floated about, he thought he saw the Ladys tightly closed eyes silently open ever-so-slightly to form blade-like slits. It was feared that the scarlet light of those eyes could see through and define all calamity. He could never accept that. With that in mind, the boys mind was thrown into utter darkness. To take a short rest, he seemed to shelter himself in a world that was the polar opposite of that frightening pure white. Wahhh. It happened at an unknown time and in an unknown place. Wahhhhh. Brother, brother A girl cried in an inhumanly white space. The twintailed girl wore a splendid dress that looked like a modified wedding dress and she was accompanied by a boy. But if anyone had seen her, they might have been confused why she was crying to him like he was her older brother. She was clearly taller than him and her body was clearly more developed. In fact, she had developed enough to warrant the word alluring. But that apparent relationship may have been accurate. The small boy frowned and spoke to her. What is it, ****(star star star star)? Well, well you see The twintailed girl sniffed and gestured around to make some kind of plea. But as the small boy listened, he breathed an almost exasperated sigh. No, it was not just almost exasperated. It was a sigh of utter exasperation. Yknow, ****(star star star star), that isnt going to happen. Really? Really. Really, really? You arent going anywhere, brother? The small boy looked up at the girls red and swollen eyes and nodded just once. He did not need to think about it at all. It was the carefree answer of someone confirming the obvious. Were never going to change and Im not going anywhere. Ill stay by your side, ****(star star star star). If youre that worried, how about we make a promise? The boy held out his right hands little finger. ? We make promises like this. Its called a pinky swear. What kind of effect does this ritual have, brother? Well. On that day, Shiroyama Kyousuke gave the following explanation to the White Queen: If you break your promise, you have to cut off your own finger. Facts: *The member of the Three from the Unexplored-class that lends her power to Government and gives out their Awards is The Red-Eyed Lady who Sees Through all Sin and Calamity (f a - a o - a b - e i - f j - c i b - b - d u - a - e i f). *The Anthill research was meant to develop a high-accuracy and high-depth means of processing conversations with the Red Lady. (Meaning, Isabelle can do that with just her own body.) What was known as a classified server was actually the box-shaped occult circle that stably summons the Red Lady. *Maria actually wanted to end her own Anthill research. *According to the Red Lady, the White Queen cannot be defeated by anything in the real world or anything in the other world where the Materials reside. In fact, Kyousuke has apparently made a fundamental misunderstanding about the Materials and the Summoning Ceremony. *The Girls Backdoor was a device using one of the White Queens hairs. Just as a targets hair is placed inside a straw or wax doll, the Queens hair worked its way into the puny humans body so they could temporarily borrow the Queens authority. (In other words, it is a pseudo-fusing of the human and the Queen.) *If the alternative is being infected by the White Queen, Shiroyama Kyousuke will not hesitate to cut off his own arm. He appeared before Isabelle like normal the following day, so it can be assumed the arm was reattached and fixed in place by a powered cast made of Repliglass. *There is no hope of victory. But despite knowing that, he still wants to win. Volume 3, Afterword Volume 3, Afterword (Postscript Open ??/?? ??:??) Afterword Here we are at Volume 3. This is Kamachi Kazuma. I was worried that having the White Queen as a temporary ally in Volume 2 had weakened her position as the final boss a little, so this time I focused on making a story that shifted things back into neutral. No matter how cute, love struck, useful, or head-over-heels for her brother she is, I feel like the Queen has to have that depthless insanity that seems to widen every pore on ones body just from seeing it. Similarly, I went all out dragging Shiroyama Kyousuke down during the ending. However, destroying a part of your body to prove your resolve has long been a part of Japanese culture. The most obvious would be Seppuku/Harakiri, but there is also the Yubikiri-Genman performed in the red light districts and the priests who gouged out one of their eyes which led to the stories of the Hitotsume-Kozou. The special summon this time was a single hair. That might seem surprising, but deified hair is not all that rare. Cultures around the world think that womens hair holds special power, so you have the Norse goddess Sif whose blonde hair was wheat or the Greek Gorgons whose hair was said to be countless snakes. Nuns hide their hair because it is said to hold a devilish charm that leads men astray and witches will show off their hair for the same reason. Take that far enough and the hair itself can be raised up as its own unique existence. For example, Japan has a shrine that uses hair as the worshipped divine item. You can find more detailed information by searching for Asaoke no Ke. I want the Queen to be someone who can infect the world with the tip of a fingernail or a single hair. I want her to be able to toy with the most powerful protagonist and throw him into despair. The theme this time was the soul. At first glance, this might seem similar to last times theme of life. But as you can tell after reading both, this was quite different because it focused on the usage and processing of the soul. There are stories all over the world of placing the souls of the dead in something to speak with them, but that just shows how attractive that power is. The ultimate form of that is the ability to place a soul in a doll (or to make a remote connection with someone elses soul). A Japanese person probably thinks of the Ushi no Koku Mairi first of all, but the folklore of Western witchcraft includes methods of sealing blood, a fingernail, a hair, etc. in a wax doll and stabbing pins in it to cast a deadly curse on the oblivious target. It seems that humans around the world tend to have the same ideas, so I used that for the Girls Backdoor. I bet a lot of you thought the Girls Backdoor sounds extremely vulgar, but if you see what the legends say people asked of the higher beings they summoned, youll find an awful lot of surprisingly vulgar things. You should find some obvious examples if you look into what you can do if you summon each of Solomons 72 demons. The benefits of summoning them include things like becoming smarter, finding buried treasure, and becoming popular with the opposite sex. (But arent you already pretty smart if you can use these summoning techniques?) If I was going to take the theme of summoning seriously without avoiding any aspect, I felt I had to use a theme that included the more vulgar side of things, so I went all out with it here. That brings me to the Anthill Project which mass-produces vessels who are talent-based and in short supply. If it had succeeded, it would have destroyed the balance between the three major powers, but one important point is that the Meinokawa Sisters of Freedom casually achieved this very goal with almost no real risk. I enjoy creating a twisted and intertwined balance of power rather than a simple pyramid-like inflation of power. ? Also, I touched a bit on Shiroyama Kyousukes family. This is only a personal view, but when I see a love comedy where the parents are on overseas business trips for no real reason and a non-blood related sister moves in instead, I cant help but think, What, did you send the unneeded parent cards to the sacrifice corner to summon the ultimate cute girl card from your deck? So if the parents arent necessary, I have a habit of building that fact into the fundamental settingand this time that reason was quite heavy. The enemy character of Biondetta was at Freedoms 900 level just like Kyousuke and I had her go on a rampage as a revenge assistant who helps people in the opposite way from him. As you know if you read to the end, she was an unquestionably awful person, but did you notice that a portion of that actually applies to Kyousuke as well? Biondetta was only helping fulfill peoples revenge because it makes her feel better than anything else, but Kyousuke saves people for similar reasons. If he fully respected the heroines positions, his usual goodbye scene would not exist. (Of course, it would also be terrible if a heroine he had saved for nothing in return ended up crossing her arms and haughtily ordering him to fight for her to the bitter end.) It isnt that they are unaware of this contradiction. They are aware of it, but they continue on and turn it into a success. That may be the true tragedy of Kyousuke and Biondetta. (Simply put, they have no one to scold them or stop them. In other words, they have no one they can truly call family.) Granting her clients wish but taking something unexpected from them truly feels like a demons contract. Biondetta could have been a maid, but I made her a waitress instead because I thought it was a nice way of showing her stance as a revenge assistant: I will bring you whatever you might order, but it is up to you to look after your health and wallet. Also, the White Queen herself is not part of the Fifteen Siblings Project. The story behind her calling him brother is a little more complicated than that, so I hope you can try to just imagine it for now. I give my thanks to my illustrator Ikawa Waki-san and my editors Miki-san, Onodera-san, and Anan-san. This one started with a midair battle over the Pacific and ended with a naval battle on top of a giant stingray, so I doubt the locations were easy. Thank you very much for going along with all of that. I also give my thanks to the readers. Now I have finished my presentations on Government, Illegal, and Freedom. But there are still plenty of strange terms to go: the Round Table, the Fifteen Siblings Project, and (most importantly) the Toy Dream Company. I hope you will continue reading. And I will end this here. More Materials have shown up now, so maybe a valiant warrior will show up and attempt to analyze the language -Kamachi Kazuma Volume 4, Battle Tutorial Volume 4, Battle Tutorial Phase 1 Upper Cube: Collection of Petals Left Dark Figure: Summoner Right Dark Figure: Vessel Left White Figure: Summoner Right White Figure: Vessel Overall Box: Artificial Sacred Ground K: The Summoning Battle begins when one of the summoners uses an Incense Grenade. Q: When the Incense Grenade is used, an Artificial Sacred Ground forms around them. Summoning and other paranormal phenomena can only be reproduced inside there. Q: Inside the Artificial Sacred Ground, a cube of about 60 cm appears at the midpoint between the summoners. K: It is a collection of the 216 Petals which are red spheres about the size of an apple. Phase 2 Dark Ball: Petal White Ball: White Thorn White Stick: Blood-Sign Q: 3 white spheres known as White Thorns appear with each summoner. Those are hit with a long staff known as a Blood-Sign and they collide with the Petals. K: You hit the Petals with the White Thorns in order to knock them into the spherical Spots that appear in 36 locations inside the Artificial Sacred Ground. Q: What Petals are hit into the Spots changes what can be summoned. K: And the vessels body is used to create Phase 3 White Monster and Dark Sword: Vessel transformed into a Material Q: a Material. The summoners use them for a fight to the death. K: The Petals used to summon the Materials are each engraved with a letter of the alphabet and each of those belongs to a certain Sound Range. Q: aiueo are vowels and thus the Lowest Sound Range. As for the consonants, bcdfghj are Low, klmnpqr are Middle, and stvwxyz are High. K: There are of course rules governing the summoned Materials and they are based on the Petals rules. Q: Low wins against High, High wins against Middle, Middle wins against Low, and I win my brothers heart. K: Werent we supposed to avoid making jokes during the explanation section!? Phase 4 K: And after the vessels transform into Materials, they continued to be updated into new forms as they fight. Q: The Materials start at Regulation-class. After summoning 100 of those, you gain the right to summon the higher Divine-class. And after summoning 50 of those, you gain the right to summon the even higher Unexplored-class. K: The vessel has a core known as their Silhouette. If that is destroyed, the battle ends. The losing summoner and vessel will become dolls that wander around in a stupor. Q: And that concludes our simple explanation of the Summoning Battle. As a summoner fights more and more battles, they earn more titles known as Awards. And if their number of Awards reaches 1000hee hee hee. Now, I wonder what happens then. Volume 4, Prologue Volume 4, Prologue Is anything impossible? And if so, is that due to the individual, due to society, due to the world, or due to logic or physical laws? Hee hee hee. Sorry. It is a little cruel for the strongest of the strong to ask a question like that. Please dont let it get to you, brother. Nothing is impossible for me. I am a true queen. I am not bound by logic or the physical laws; they obey my very existence. You could say the world is just one of my many unimportant servants. Isnt it a little late to look so surprised, brother? Ah ha ha! And even if you understand it, that doesnt mean you can accept it. You think there has to be at least one thing that is impossible for me, dont you? Yes, I can see that empty hope in your eyes. You are so lovably brave, brother. The worlds possibilities or unseen hope? I cant believe you still hold such unconditional trust in those baseless things. Oh, Im starting to feel a little jealous of the world. I feel like giving it a quick slap to sweep everything clean. Hee hee. Pardon me. I got a little carried away. Anyway, brother, how about we test one of them out? Lets test out something you think has to be impossible. Lets test out something you have subconsciously kept in mind as something not even the White Queen could accomplish. I will relieve you of that delusion. Oh, dear. Theres no reason to tense up like that. Im not talking about splitting the earth in two, swallowing the solar system, or balling up the milky way. Besides, I doubt that kind of obvious violence would surprise you at this point. Im talking about something more unexpected, more absurd, and more fun. This is a simple possibility that your subconscious defenses have kept you desperately looking away from. It is a mental blind spot that we could call a personal nightmare. Now, now. What do you think it is? Think hard, worry plenty, tremble in fear, and fall into the deepest depths. Just make sure youre ready when the time comes, my - dear - brother. Facts: *The answer is always right in front of your eyes. If you cannot see it, the problem is with your resolve. Volume 4, Opening X-01 - Immediate Game Over Volume 4, Opening X-01: Immediate Game Over U Uooowaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!??? (Now Opening X-01 Open 06/03 08:45) Immediate Game Over Shiroyama Kyousuke was dragged from sleep by a loud noise. Afwahah? He rubbed his eyes in bed and his sleepy mind realized something was wrong. Yes, where was he? He lived in Toy Dream 35, a bankrupt regional city that had been bought up by an international entertainment company and remade into an amusement park, so he was used to noise. But an amusement park was all about maintaining an image, so he did not often have the sloppily obvious din of construction pounding at his head. (Ohthats right I left Toy Dream 35 to visit an international trade show for a job. Wasnt itin a large plain near the middle of Hokkaido?) Instead of the usual cruiser cabin, Kyousuke was lying in a boxy room. But instead of a solid resort hotel, a metal container had a window and door attached while being otherwise arranged to look like a guest room. Those rooms had been stacked on top of each other to form a crude hotel. That was why the soundproofing was poor and the early morning chill made its way inside. International trade shows took many forms, but this one was unprecedented. It was known as D.R.O.K. Government, Illegal, and Freedom, the three major powers that belonged to the hidden side of the world, used it to show off and make sales deals for technical research and new weapons of the Third Summoning Ceremony. Tens of thousands of people were participating, but since all of them were summoners and vessels, the bizarre international event was entirely forgotten by everyone outside those categories. There were of course many conflicting plans and schemes at work, so there was work to be done for a summoner like Kyousuke. His blood was circulating poorly, so he lay in the only bed and stared blankly up at the LED lightbulb on the ceiling. He was drawing a blank on a portion of his memories. He had little experience with alcohol, but he wondered if this was what a hangover felt like. He felt like he had forgotten a lot of other things, but he also felt like they would come back to him once his mind cleared. Hee hee. Thank you for letting me see how cute you are as you sleep, my - dear - brother. If, that is, it were not for the White Queens voice that was so pure it plunged the world into the depths of despair. U There was something under the blanket. It was close byno, it was pressing right up against him. He felt something as smooth and soft as marshmallow and a warmth that enveloped his body more gently than sleep. His nose detected a sweet rosy aroma that infected the deepest parts of his mind. All of it was of the finest quality, but it set off an explosion of alarm bells throughout Shiroyama Kyousukes entire body. It was right next to him. It was gently resting its head on his outstretched right arm. The powerful summoner slowly turned his head. He prayed that he was mistaken, but it was too frightening a possibility to ignore and he had to peek into the abyss. There, so close that their lips were about to touch, he found sparkling silver twintails and- Uooowaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!??? All of his organs, muscles, blood, and cells began to boil. While screaming, Kyousuke tried to get as far away from the White Queen as possible, but a tremendous pressure kept him from moving. It was applied to his right arm. Specifically, where the smiling Queens head was resting. It looked like she was intimately using his arm as a pillow, but his arm was pinned down as if a boulder had fallen on it. And his free left hand could not reach the Incense Grenades or Phosphorus, his Repliglass Blood-Sign, that were sitting nearby. Still, he gave a roar. Whether or not he could win no longer mattered. With his greatest enemy right there, he used everything at his disposal. He grabbed the letter opener from the bedside table and stabbed it toward the Queens eye, he swung down the lamp, he tried to electrocute her with the power cable, and he tried to strangle her. Oh, dear But it was all stopped. Without ever losing her smile, the unscathed Queen waved a hand in front of him. You have so much energy this morning, brother. Or are you feeling excited because its the morning? Oh, dear. Oh, my. How could I say something so indecent!? For some reason, she blushed and covered her eyes with one hand while holding the other hand out in front of Kyousukes face. It only caused a slight sound. The White Queen bent her middle finger, held the nail down with her thumb, gathered strength in the finger, and then released it. In other words, it was a fierce flick to the forehead. The sound after that was as intense as the beat of a drum that stood taller than a person. Kyousuke could not even scream or shout anymore. He was thrown from the bed and his back slammed into the door. After a few seconds, gravity finally tugged him down. He was already unconscious. That said, it could have been much worse. For one thing, it was out of the ordinary for a human to come into contact with a Material from another world without the benefit of a protective circle. And this was the White Queen who reigned supreme above the Regulation, Divine, and Unexplored-classes. Of course, this was thanks to the White Queens extreme restraint, much like grabbing a raw egg with a piece of heavy machinery. Oh, dear. The White Queen tilted her head a bit as she looked to her beloved lying unconscious on the floor. She continued staring at Shiroyama Kyousuke without ever growing tired of it. This is a real problem. This is already the 45th time since dawn. He really needs to wake up properly soon. Otherwise, he cant eat the oh-so-sweet breakfast I made for him He had not used an Incense Grenade, there was no Artificial Sacred Ground setup around them, and there were no red Petals or dark Spots floating around. He had not opened the path to the Unexplored-class after summoning one hundred Regulation-classes and fifty Divine-classes and he had not spelled out that dreadful name. And yet the White Queen was here. And without the ten minute time limit. How had this happened? The answer was likely found in Shiroyama Kyousukes missing memories Facts: *Government, Illegal, and Freedom are holding an International Summoning Ceremony Trade Show known as D.R.O.K. in Hokkaido. All of the tens of thousands of participants are summoners and vessels. *Shiroyama Kyousuke came to Hokkaido on some kind of job. *Kyousuke is missing a portion of his memories. *The White Queen has appeared in front of Kyousuke. It does not seem to have been with the normal Blood-Sign method and she does not seem to be restricted to an Artificial Sacred Ground or ten minute time limit. The details of the setup are unknown at the current time. *The White Queen seems to be very cheerful this time. Volume 4, Opening X-02 - Another Infiltration Mission Volume 4, Opening X-02: Another Infiltration Mission But your target seems to be Illegal bodyguards. All three major powers are the same. Theyre all connected to the Deltaston family if you dig deep enough. (Past Opening X-02 Open 06/01 02:00) Another Infiltration Mission Two days earlier. The flat green earth continued to the horizon. Countless manmade lights swept away the late night darkness. What should have been a pastoral grassy field was filled with enormous structures. Military contractors, pharmaceutical companies, and countless other corporations and groups had flashy outdoor booths set up as well as giant indoor displays that resembled circus tents. There were also lodging facilities and the rest of the infrastructure to support the lives of the thousands on the staff and the guests who numbered ten times that. There were legends of an entire city being built to film a single Hollywood movie back before CG had hit its prime, but this was on an equally large scale. This was D.R.O.K., a temporary city built just for a ten day event. It was currently two in the morning. Laser art and fireworks colored the night sky and the guiding voices of staff members never ceased. And of course, the many people watching it all were an indispensable part of the whole. Men, women, boys, and girls filled the entire area. The crowds were as dense as a subway platform during rush hour and, shockingly, every last one of them was a summoner or vessel involved in the Summoning Ceremony. One pair whispered just behind the great commotion. (Over here, Kyousuke-kun! Ill leave the exact method to you.) (Sure. Lets get this over with quickly. This is different from the normal setup. Everyone around us is a summoner or vessel, so we cant assume people will forget about us as soon as they look away.) One was Shiroyama Kyousuke, a black-haired boy wearing a red hoodie and sports brand track pants while holding a Repliglass Blood-Sign. He was being guided by a young woman in her early twenties. She had glossy black hair, but a blue shine was hidden in the black. A soft and fluffy scrunchie held that hair in a ponytail which had enough volume to reach her waist. The sexy woman wore a deep navy blue suit with a tight skirt. Her most unique feature was probably the intentional tears in the sides of her skirt and the purposeful rips in her stockings. She also wore a brand-name shoulder bag over her shoulder and, for some reason, wore a whistle on a thin chain around her neck. She wore stilettos, but she moved swiftly through the dark night without making even the slightest noise. She was Kyousukes vessel. Her name was Himekawa Mika and she originally belonged to Illegal. All vessels shared a certain trait. They wore some kind of restraints that bound their heart and prevented evil and vengeful spirits from taking over their body when not summoning something. In her case, it was the whistle hanging at her neck. The thin chain had a few small decorations attached in addition to the whistle. One medieval punishment was known as a sin necklace. As a way of disgracing the criminal, icons of their crimes would be attached to a necklace that they were forced to wear. A fist indicated violence, a glass indicated drunken violence, a palm indicated theft, a card indicated gambling-induced debt, and so on. This would naturally gather attention and make them a target of negative rumors, so it made their social life a challenge. A modern version might be attaching a GPS transmitter to a sex criminals ankle so that anyone could see their location at all times. In Himekawa Mikas case, the icons were a mug, a pair of lips, and a twelve-sided die. Wearing a torn skirt and stockings in public was another form of public shaming. All of it had likely been carefully fine-tuned to match the vessels psychology. They were running right behind a brightly lit outdoor stage. Countless eyes were focused on that symbol of the extraordinary, but the darkness just outside that light was a complete blind spot. The people out front only saw the sales pitch being made through lip service and a microphone performance. Today we will be introducing projection summon bombing. Unlike the existing Blood-Sign system, the summoner and vessel need not actually visit the scene. Plus, there is no need to fear losing control of an unruly Material and you are guaranteed to achieve the same stable results every single time. We promise you all it will be a perfectly safe and one-sided game that does not even require a hit & away strategy! Just watch our demonstration!! The microphone picked up the announcer snapping his fingers. A moment later, the night vanished. A blinding flash of light burst near the horizon. That should have been at least five kilometers away, but a powerful gust of wind swept across them and Kyousuke had to tackle the tight skirt woman to the ground. Scorching pain stabbed into his skin. Just like after sunbathing, his back was covered with a slight pain that made him think thousands of thin needles were pricking him. Ghh!! Wh-whatwhat was that!? Shh. We expected something like this, didnt we? Kyousuke silenced the words that left Himekawas voice almost on reflex. If they had seen it from the sky, they might have understood. A dome-shaped explosion had covered a diameter of precisely 2000 meters. And it was unnatural for an explosion on that scale to not trigger any secondary atmospheric changes such as a mushroom cloud. Most importantly, the light had not been a blinding pure white; it had been the purple of glow-in-the-dark paint. (That must have been the Unexplored-class Lady of Purple Lightning. They used a traditional magic circle, but they intentionally omitted the central vessel. The exposed power directly fills the outside world as a light so bright you cant even see the Unexplored-class in question. If they were trying to weaponize it by creating a territory of death, then I guess they succeeded. Or maybe I should say theyve made the gods obsolete.) How about that!? The laser range-finding fired from a stealth bomber instantly calculated out the contours of the terrain, projection mapping was used to optically project the largescale magic circle on the three-dimensional surface without the slightest flaw, and the Unexplored-class was positioned in the center of that region. There are countless legends that represent divine power as light that annihilates any who see it who are inexperienced or have broken a taboo. We have removed the cover known as a vessel and successfully drawn out that pure, piercing power. This is the strategy of a new age. We in Government will end everything before any summoner can even throw an Incense Grenade!! After all, the explosion of power is not just an instantaneous thing! It will continue indefinitely until an exorcism circle is added on! We set it at 2000 meters here in the interest of safety, but if we liked, we could increase the scale tenfold or project it from a satellite rather than a bomber!! The purple light enveloped everything a second and third time. A few times in the past, the White Queen had appeared without a vessel, but this phenomenon had not been seen. There was a simple reason for that. There had either been other safeties in place or the Queen herself had kept her power under control so that she could see Kyousuke. The sight blew away the darkness of the night, but it actually separated the scene into the two extremes of light and shadow. As long as someone stayed in the shadow, the crowds would not notice them. Kyousuke and Himekawa moved from shadow to shadow in the gaps between explosions. This frightening insanity completely ignored the existing Blood-Sign system. But the commotion was not confined to the one location. The hosts of the other booths were holding their own microphones and trying to outdo each other. Our Attach Saint Project does not send the Material itself into the vessel but instead injects it inside the Repliglass equipped by the summoner. Now, only Divine-class weapons can be summoned, but this allows you to borrow the power of the gods while thoroughly eliminating the will of the gods. Previous Incense Grenades have primarily been based on their compatibility with the summoner, but how about this? Why not change your viewpoint and adjust the incense ingredients for compatibility with the Material you wish to summon!? Doing so can make it easier to contact Divine-classes from a set mythology or Unexplored-classes associated with a specific color, but it also makes it more difficult to contact anything else. While your opponent is confused, we predict you can unilaterally shift the battle in your favor. Our Holy Key Women are extremely high precision vessels while also almost entirely eliminating the risk of natural possessions by vengeful and evil spirits. Pay careful attention to her back near the shoulder blades. If you insert the authorization key in the keyhole there None of them feared the gods. It was a trade show for products that arrogantly made tools of the paranormal. D.R.O.K The Divine Right of Kings, hm? Every last one of the products was awful. The Blood-Sign system was a complex system including an Artificial Sacred Ground, Petals, White Thorns, Spots, and more, but all of it had meaning. At this point, it would be meaningless to explain just how risky it was to take shortcuts. And not even Government, Illegal, and Freedom could develop enough alternative Summoning Ceremony systems to fill these hundreds of booths. There was a reason for all of it. Yet another purple flash highlighted a giant silhouette. Pandemonium, groaned the woman with a bluish-black ponytail. It sure is big. The giant trade show was built in the northern land, but its structure was incredibly clear. The booths, stages, lodging facilities, and everything else were arranged in a ring with a diameter of ten kilometers and the largest structure of all sat in the very center. At first glance, its silhouette may have been reminiscent of the giant rock in Australia known as Ayers Rock, but it was far too sinister-looking. Not counting a citys largescale management infrastructure, it was the worlds largest standalone piece of Repliglass. The pitch black center was shaped like a gigantic coffin and a total of ten thick propulsion tentacles extended from the bottom like oil pipelines. Altogether, it was shaped like a giant squid lying on its side. It was known as Pandemonium, but it was not just a building. It was said to be a mobile fortress that could move autonomously across both land and water. Incidentally, the Lady of Purple Lightning explosions had been occurring outside the ring. And at the same time No one can develop non-Blood-Sign methods that easily. I had heard before arriving that Pandemonium is a giant Box, but I didnt think it would distort things to this extent A Box. That was something Kyousuke had seen during the recent Anthill incident involving Girls Backdoor and Biondetta Shiroyama. It was a personal summoning device that Government had used for the Red Lady, one of the Three of the Unexplored-class. But this one was much larger. The scale was far greater and it was more generic. Yes, I hear more than 90% of the new systems being displayed here at D.R.O.K. are being supported with a link to Pandemonium. And Pandemonium itself is the biggest product of all, built as a joint project between Government, Illegal, and Freedom. It was very strange if one thought about it. Those three major powers were in constant conflict, so why would they gather their secrets together to create a single trump card? The risk of leaked information was far too great and then they could start fighting over who would use the completed trump card. But unnatural things always came with an unnatural benefit. (Basically, thats a supercomputer that can perform any calculations and the booths are all terminals. It can do everything from searching for recipes to calculating missile trajectories, so everyone has their own use for it and their possibilities expand endlessly.) Kyousuke and Himekawa steadily approached their destination while circling behind the booths and studios. On the way, he stopped behind cover and pulled out his smartphone. The VIP was likely making his microphone performance in front of the stage, but that was not the main dish. Kyousuke pictured the men in black waiting just below the brightly lit stage. Okay, Ive opened an illicit port on the bodyguards devices. Now we can spy on them all we want. Its all thanks to the key picker I bought from Lu-san. But your target seems to be Illegal bodyguards. All three major powers are the same. Theyre all connected to the Deltaston family if you dig deep enough. They made one last movement and peered into the darkness from behind the booth. Now, thats step one toward infiltrating Pandemonium. They were only allowed in the ten kilometer ring and they could not approach Pandemonium in the center. If they did set foot on the grassy field between, they would be caught by the invisible net of microwave anti-personnel radars and infrared searchlights. Summoners and vessels vanished from all cameras and sensors when they were using an Incense Grenade, but the five kilometer distance was hardly fair. It was not an impossible distance to cover, but it would take quite a bit of creativity. And at the moment, that did not matter. Kyousuke and Himekawa had different plans. (Booth #00D51. Good.) Hh!! With a short breath, the young male employee taking a break out back was knocked out by Kyousuke. Kyousuke was willing to use anything at his disposal. And at the moment, the thing flying through the air was gathering the most attention. He reached for the spare equipment the unconscious man was holding. The mans armband showed which booth he worked at. And keeping backup equipment on hand was standard practice in case something malfunctioned. This should work. Ill be borrowing this. It looked like a bazooka, but it did not fire a projectile. But in a way, the end result was even greater than an anti-tank weapon. Kyousuke was willing to grab equipment on the scene if he could use it. He rested it on his shoulder with practiced ease, peered through the finder, and accurately stared at the target five kilometers away. Laser lockready. Understood. If you have any further requests, we should be able to deceive them. Ready when you are. Begin targeting. Targeting confirmed. Guidance started. A moment later, the Lady of Purple Lightning explosion fired by the bomber completely enveloped Pandemonium in the center. The explosion of exposed power brought a prickling and scorching pain to his skin even several kilometers away. Kyousuke clenched his teeth, sent an exorcism request, and then tossed aside the bazooka-like device. Whoever was in charge of the booth was likely sweating bullets at the moment. But Kyousuke and Himekawa did not care. False guidance from a third party had enveloped Pandemonium in a dome of light. Of course, it was not built so poorly that it would melt from only this. Then again, that was the real problem here. Kyousuke glanced down at his smartphone. Good, good. The shocked VIPS are making an emergency evacuation. The bodyguards are all transmitting the evacuation manuals they normally never distribute. This should give us every last route within D.R.O.K. And of course, that includes the internal routes and evacuation routes for Pandemonium. What was most important when it came to infiltrating a secure facility? Was it a special drill that could break through any wall? Was it an almighty ID card that allowed one to pretend to be anyone else? Was it a ninja hood that turned ones body invisible? It was none of those. The real answer was intelligence. It was the diagrams on the location one needed to infiltrate. Now, then. This gives us a starting point. This trouble should put them on high alert, but we cant help that. You need a foothold if were going to climb a sheer cliff. After downloading all the necessary information, the boy stared at Pandemoniums giant silhouette that remained unchanged even after the purple light cleared away. The next step is prying open the thick doors. The core of the fortress came to mind. He was reminded of just what carried out the calculations. Its finally time to save the 353 vessels being used as cogs inside that giant machine. Those were the cursed words that had been spoken to Alice (with) Rabbit this time. That completes our current objective. And this confusion should assist our withdrawal. We need to bring back these diagrams and analyze them for a way inside, so we need to No, wait Kyousuke held his finger to his lips to silence the woman and then pointed in a different direction. The sudden friendly fire had triggered localized chaos here and there and the some of the crowds were falling over in their panic, but there was also a different sort of commotion. It was near a bright booth a few hundred meters away. They could not hear exactly what the angry voices were saying, but one of the bodyguard smartphones he had used to steal the evacuation manuals was there. He peeked into the flow of data, linked to the microphone and camera, and listened in on the conversation. Read the manual, you fool! That isnt how you use a Holy Key Woman!! Dammit, theyre supposed to be airdropped into the enemy formation and then activated!! Eh? Eh? Wahh!? You panicked from the friendly fire and then turned the key!? Now a Divine-class is going to appear in the middle of this crowd!! We have to do someohhhh!? A light much more sinister than the manmade ones filled one section of the trade show. Something whirled around near the booth in question. There was no Artificial Sacred Ground, no Petals, and no Spots. But the power of the gods of legend had been concentrated and given form. It had been summoned with a system other than the Blood-Sign system. And of course, it had skipped some steps using the power of the gigantic Box known as Pandemonium. Kyousuke clicked his tongue. If the friendly fire had triggered a panic that led to this, a portion of the responsibility fell on his shoulders. Mika. Thats Mika-san, you damn kid. Youre going to go save them, arent you? Were using the chaos to escape, right? Then we can show off a little without anyone noticing. The two of them ran through the darkness. All the while, a disconcerting vibration spread irregularly. They could see the change from where they were. It looked a lot like a surfer. A beautiful blonde woman with ribbons around her body had a black mass below her feet like a big wave. That mass was actually a collection of thousands if not tens of thousands of snakes. Kyousuke groaned as he combined that with the information on his smartphone. Divine-class. Sound Range: Middle. Cost: 6. Thats Adams first wife. This is a powerful enemy The Holy Key Women Project is run by Illegal. It performs a Summoning ceremony by unleashing special power with the locking and unlocking action of a complex lock. I believe the system is based on witchcraft. It is an application of a technique that stored the power of wind in the knots of a rope and performed magic by untying those knots. But at its core, its the same as the aerial bombardment from that bomber. Unstable summons that omit the Blood-Sign are indiscriminate by nature. Youre apparently meant to unlock it in the middle of enemy territory so the rampaging Divine-class can wreak indiscriminate havoc on them. That makes this a real problem. Who knows how far the damage will spread after summoning something like that in the middle of your own troops. Its like pulling the pin from a grenade and then carelessly releasing the lever. As he read through the data, his access was suddenly denied. But not because they had noticed him. The device he was hacking into had likely been destroyed. He could only pray its owner was okay. Luckily, only summoners and vessels were attending D.R.O.K. They would be forming pairs and fighting. The Blood-Sign system required starting at the Regulation-class, but it could reach up to the Unexplored-class. Horrifyingly enough, that included the White Queen. They would be able to defeat the Holy Key Woman who could not move past the Divine-class. But that was only if they could build up their Materials. If they tried to fight with the weakest Cost 1 Regulation-classes, they would be swallowed up and instantly killed by the Divine-class big wave. At the scene of the fight, there were probably quite a few summoners and vessels lying on the ground after receiving the shock of seeing their god killed before their eyes. A Level 1 hero could eventually defeat the demon king after earning enough experience points, but challenging the demon king at Level 1 gave them no chance to grow. What should we do? Himekawa Mika made a suggestion as she ran alongside him. Do you want to use my lock? The woman with the navy blue tight skirt turned her back toward Kyousuke. No, that was not quite accurate. She flicked open the skirts side hook and slid the skirt down. This revealed the area on the back of her hips just above the tailbone. But there was more than bright skin there. Something unusual could be seen there. It was golden metal the size of a video disk. And in the center was the kind of highly specialized keyhole seen on laboratory doors. This was another oddity powered by Pandemonium. She was one of the Holy Key Women. By inserting and turning the key, one could summon a predetermined Divine-class. Based on what Kyousuke had heard, the vessels mental state was instantly tuned by having them recall wings, a tail, or some other organ that humans should not have. That allowed the instant summoning of the Divine-class corresponding to the internal structure of the lock. No. But Kyousuke immediately rejected the offer. I have some stun and smoke grenades in addition to the normal Incense Grenades. I can buy some time by drawing its attention with those. The best I can hope for is fifty seconds, but I dont have to worry about another summoner in this case, so thats more than enough time to hit the Petals into the Spots. I can directly summon an Unexplored-class like that and that will allow me to fight without being killed instantly. Then? He gripped his Blood-Sign and stared at the Divine-class woman riding the wave of tens of thousands of snakes. Yes. Its about time I showed them the true Summoning Ceremony. Facts: *Shiroyama Kyousuke was participating in the D.R.O.K. Summoning Ceremony Trade Show since at least a few days prior. *Kyousuke has a contract with the Illegal vessel named Himekawa Mika. *D.R.O.K. is demonstrating several new systems other than the Blood-Sign system, but most of those are apparently borrowing the power of the giant Box known as Pandemonium. *D.R.O.K. and Pandemonium are supposedly a joint project between the three major powers of Government, Illegal, and Freedom, but Kyousuke also mentioned the term Deltaston family. *Himekawa is part of the Holy Key Women Project, so she has a keyhole just above her tailbone which can summon a specific Divine-class into her body just by inserting and turning a key. *353 vessels are trapped inside Pandemonium. This corresponds to the number of quatrains in a certain book of prophecy and the Third Summoning Ceremony was discovered in 1999, but it is unknown if there is a connection. *Kyousuke and Himekawa acquired diagrams of Pandemonium, giving them a starting point to infiltrate the facility. Volume 4, Stage 01 - The Cutest Escape Game in the World? Volume 4, Stage 01: The Cutest Escape Game in the World? Do you know why my color is white? Because that way I can be dyed in your colors, brother! Kyah (Now Stage 01 Open 06/03 09:00) (Past Stage 01 Open 05/31 09:30) The Cutest Escape Game in the World? (Timeline Now) After repeating the waking up and passing out process a few more times, Shiroyama Kyousuke finally seemed to realize something. He could not win. There was simply no way he could defeat the White Queen who was currently humming in the kitchen space while shaking her small butt back and forth. Hm, hmm, hm, hm, hm, hm, hmmm Oh, to think the day would come when I could serve breakfast for my brother! This reminds me of our time in that miniature garden. Hee hee hee. (C-calm down. Calm down, me!! If I look at this in the right way, its the greatest opportunity Ive ever had. I need to view this as the perfect chance to pull off some trial & error against the Queen who could kill me instantly anywhere and at any time!! Remember, you wont receive a miracle like this again. Use this as a chance to thoroughly work out her characteristics, traits, weaknesses, and flaws!!!!!!) There were times when people had to force their thoughts in a positive direction to stay sane. With his back pressed against the wall, his butt on the floor, and a throbbing weight in his head, Kyousuke changed his train of thought. D.R.O.K, the Summoning Ceremony international trade show, the Deltaston family, Pandemonium, 353 vessels, and an attempt to save them He could remember a few things, but pieces were missing. Were his lost memories due to the White Queen tormenting him over and over, or was there some other cause? Kyousuke could not tell given how beat up he was this early in the morning. He decided to ask the first question that came to mind. Where is my vessel, Himekawa Mika? Oh, come on now. He heard a dull sound. As the White Queen looked back in grinning newlywed mode, she had crushed the handle of the frying pan she held. Is that any way to greet me first thing in the morning, brother? Why the hell would you ruin the mood by mentioning another girls name in front of me on this nice sunny day? She had no choice but to directly hold the edge of the frying pan as she shook it above the gas burner, but her smile did not falter in the slightest. A sizzling sound came from her hand, but she did not seem to be in any pain. Sweat poured from Kyousukes body, but he still tried to think. (What in the world happened after that? It does seem to be connected to Himekawa Mikabut does that mean she might be inside the White Queen as a vessel?) The situation was far too irregular from the moment the White Queen had been indefinitely summoned without relying on a Blood-Sign or Incense Grenade. He did not have enough information to work with, but Himekawa Mika supporting the White Queen as a vessel would be the worst case. That would mean the Queen had stolen his vessel. Without a vessel, he could not summon Materials and he was not aware of a way to cancel a contract with a vessel who was currently possessed by a Material. It was a lot like locking the keys in the car. He needed a vessel to fight the White Queen, but he needed to do something about the White Queen to take his vessel back. He could not fight at the moment. In a way, this may have been an extraordinary chance to continue fighting against the powerful White Queen with no time limit, but he was not one to rejoice at that. Okay, brother! Breakfast is ready!! You were still living a life of cereal and milk in the mornings, werent you? But I used all my skill to make you a special wifes meal thats good for the body and soul!! Eat up As the White Queen lined up dish after dish on the table, there was no apparent malice in her. Although that was what made her so very frightening. Kyousuke cautiously observed her behavior, but the food itself had done nothing wrong. And if he upset her now, he could easily be turned into a red juice to go along with it. He sat at the table despite the heavy weight in his stomach. And as he observed the meal, one thought came to mind. Its all white. Thats my identity. But its too white! What is this lineup!? Potato salad, white stew, stir-fried cauliflower and white asparagus, and even hot milk to drink!? Any one of them would be fine, but it looks downright psychedelic all together like this!! If you dont know where to start, I recommend the chicken or the white-fleshed fish. Hee hee. And dont overlook that I made sure to cut off the bread crust. We dont need anything that isnt white!! Thats blasphemy! The crust is the best part when its all toasted and crunchy! Why would I make it golden brown? Now, brother, eat it untoasted. I recommend putting either margarine or white chocolate paste on it. The White Queen gave him a beaming smile from across the table. The look on her face said she would tear open his belly and shove it directly into his stomach if he refused. After a heavy sigh, he grabbed the chopsticks. He started with a cautious bite of the stir-fried vegetables. Oh, its good. Hee hee. The food itself is actually pretty good. Its well made. Hee hee hee hee hee!! Of course it is. I have to be able to cook if Im going to be a good wife for you, brother. Do you know why my color is white? Because that way I can be dyed in your colors, brother! Kyah He gave his honest opinion because being disagreeable would get him nowhere, but the White Queen placed her hands on her cheeks and started shaking back and forth. And since Kyousuke could tell it was good while under so much stress he felt like he had a bowling ball in his stomach, it would likely be recognized as good by anyone. After that, the White Queen joined him in eating the food on the table. It was a mystery whether that peak of the Unexplored-class needed to ingest nutrients or if she could even starve if she was deprived of food, but she seemed happy at least making a show of eating the food. Queen. What is it? I wont ask why youre here. That would be too direct and would only make me feel empty inside. So tell me this: does your presence here have something to do with Pandemonium? Oh, dear. Does that mean you reallllly dont remember a thing? Hee hee. Then I think I will keep my silence. After all, if you were to remember that dream-like time, this might all fall apart. Her teasing way of speaking made him nearly break the chopsticks he held, but that would have been meaningless. He could never hope to match the White Queen in violence, so any show of force would only make her smile like a mother praising her child. But a humans weapon was not their strength. He refocused his thoughts and worked to keep his cool. Lets review the situation, Queen. I am open to any topic that means I can converse with you, brother. The Summoning Ceremony trade show named D.R.O.K. is officially a joint project run by Government, Illegal, and Freedom. It lies one step away from reconciliation and is a necessary step toward a historical turning point that will end this age of fruitless conflict. Kyousuke spoke as if he were blankly keeping the gears in his mind turning. But its actually run by the Deltaston family. They are a member of the Round Table just like the Magentarain family and they have formed a gigantic border-crossing faction by sending skilled summoners to each of the three major powers. In other words, the joint project is the Deltaston familys way of expanding their power. Particularly Pandemonium. That would normally devolve into the three major powers bickering over who gets to use it and it would never function properly. But with influential members of the same family making adjustments in each of those major powers, it can function just fine. It has effectively become a toy for the exclusive use of that family. D.R.O.K. The divine right of kings. The name sure fits. Theyve built up an absolute power that none of the three major powers can interfere with while also letting those major powers argue themselves into a standstill over who gets to use Pandemonium. While theyre all too busy keeping each other from doing anything, the Deltaston family can stop hiding their giant faction and establish their unrestricted position in the Summoning Ceremony world. Pandemonium functions as both the gas and the brakes. That giant trade show was officially funded jointly by the three major powers, but it was effectively only put together by the members of the Deltaston family who had infiltrated those major powers. In a way, this was their kingdom. The king at the top would be occupying an entire luxury resort hotel while defended by elites from all three major powers. This might be off topic a bit, but why would the Deltaston family purposefully build their base outside of Pandemonium? asked the Queen. Its obvious why they would use a resort hotel. They arent the type of people who find comfort in a bunch of crude weapons. Is that something like how a supercomputer is convenient, but no one wants to be anywhere near the actual computer kept at a several dozen degrees below zero and surrounded by powerful electromagnetic waves? They probably prefer to keep their distance while still being able to send in a request for the power of a Divine- or Unexplored-class. I mean, that things a giant mobile fortress that uses Unexplored-classes at its leisure. I bet the inside is full of tricks to distort ones spiritual cognizance. An experienced summoner or vessel might be fine, but the Deltaston family stays below Award 100 to fit into normal society, so their autonomic nerves would be fried if they stayed there for too long. He spoke like he had seen the place before. And the White Queen giggled before saying more. If Pandemonium was developed from its current trial phase and used in earnest, it would bring us to a new age, wouldnt it? I have no interest whatsoever in what benefits humans, but did no one try to destroy this before that happens? Since its still up and running, I guess not. The words that lead mankind to ruin are always the same: surely they wouldnt go that far. Based on the conversation, Kyousuke saw no discrepancy between his understanding and the White Queens. As a baseline, this told him the information he had was not erroneous. That left only one problem: the gap in his memories. The truth had to be concentrated there. (Even if the giant Box that is Pandemonium is being used to indefinitely summon the Queen, that wont stop the conflict between the three major powers. That would drive an eternal wedge into the gears. But did the Deltaston family not realize that no human can control her after summoning her!?) Brother, can I turn on the TV? Ive always been interested in those blood type fortunetelling sections. I hear they always do them during the morning news! What blood type are you anyway? Type X with an Rh of ? The White Queen was breathing excitedly, so Kyousuke let her have the remote, stacked up the empty dishes, and carried them over the kitchen spaces sink. He generally relied on home appliances, but since he lived in a cruiser, he was used to washing dishes by hand to preserve water. He briefly glanced over at the knife sitting on the drain board, but that was too simplistic. He doubted anything would change even if he stabbed the White Queen in the back as she faced away from him while engrossed in the flat screen TV. She might even smile as she grabbed him, call him a good boy while patting him on the head, and make him curl up in her lap. Brother, brother! They said guys with Type A and girls with Type AB are a perfect match! Didnt I just say your blood type would probably come back as error? Yes. Its most unfortunate, but it would seem I need to go on a worldwide tour to exterminate every last woman with Type AB bloohgyuh! Queen, you have some white stew on your cheek. Funyuhhhh Leaving her alone would have led to disaster, so he found an arbitrary reason to toy with her soft cheek through a handkerchief. The twintail girl looked about ready to pass out. As she let him toy with her like a small child, the White Queen asked a question. Wh-what are your plans for the day, brother? Good question. Kyousuke sighed. Sitting around in my room isnt going to change anything, so I think Ill wander around outside. My, my!! So after eating my home cooking, were going to have a walking date together? Today really is my lucky day! I feel like making it a global holiday!! As he watched the White Queen celebrate, Kyousuke added more in his heart. (And I also need to recovery my lost memories and find a way to kill you.) The goal had been right before his eyes from the very beginning. The problem was finding a way to open the door known as the White Queen. He had to rack his brains and use everything available to him. A girl who had spoken the cursed words might be waiting behind that locked door. (Timeline Now) Trade shows had two primary goals: business and advertisement. The former meant signing contracts for new products and the latter meant showing off your technology to the press. The business side was sometimes based in a desire for the product and was sometimes based on a desire to build up connections. The advertisement side was sometimes used to increase your brand name and increase your ability to sell and compete and was sometimes used to show off your superiority to the competition and drive them into despair. The people there for the advertisements were focused on the announcements made at special booths at set times. So this early in the morning, most of the people filling the streets were summoners and vessels looking to buy Blood-Signs, Incense Grenades, restraints, Repliglass, or the components and chemicals used to make them. However Cmon, brother. Why do you look so gloomy that someone would think youre watching the end of the world? You need to look a little happier walking around with such a cute girl holding onto your arm. Happy Rather than watching the end of the world, Shiroyama Kyousuke felt like he was standing in the center of the world. That was hardly surprising when the White Queen stood by his side, wrapped her arms around his right arm, leaned her full weight against him, and even rested her head on his shoulder. The gazes of the passersby were too painful. In fact Her Majesty? Ehhh!? Her Majesty!!!??? Dont be stupid. Thats got to be cosplay. They have that musical based on the White Queen, rememugyaahhh!! I-i-its actually her!? Bubble, bubble, bubble, bubble It went far beyond double takes and wondering whether or not to snap a photo. A large man collapsed on the spot and wept like a small child, a holy woman must have been so shocked she entered nirvana because her eyes rolled back in her head and she foamed at the mouth, a group of what looked like indigenous South Americans prostrated themselves before her with their foreheads pressed against the ground, and a gaudy female fortuneteller began gathering up the dirt the Queen had stepped on and stuffing it into a bag like a high school baseball player at Koshien. Kyousuke was not sure what to make of it. Humans were said to be the lords of creation, but the second they saw a paranormal being, they were willing to throw out all of their dignity. Shiroyama Kyousukes lips grew pale as he spoke his honest thoughts. Why couldnt you have considered staying back in my room? If youre going to stand out this much, it would help if I was alone. At this rate, theyre going to make a statue of me as well. Oh, come now. Only a real man gets to show off his lovely girlfriend like this, brother. Now, hold your head high. You need to let the world know you managed to make me yours. The White Queen was in full lovey-dovey mode, but Kyousuke could not laugh off this topic since he had earned the award Loved by the White in the past and since he had been targeted by the group of (perverted) summoners known as Guard of Honor. But the White Queen did not seem at all bothered by the commotion surrounding them. Oh, dear. There are so many stands set up. Hmm. The love-filled wifes meal was absolutely crucial, but it would be a shame to pass this up. So, brother! Let us use the logic of having a separate stomach for snacks so you can treat me to some ice cream!! No, that sounds like a pain in the ass. If you want ice cream, ask one of your worshipers for some and theyll make so much for you theyll use up all the ice in the Antarctic. You just dont understand how the world works, brother. It only makes your heart flutter when your beloved buys it for you. Ice cream, ice cream! And it has to be vanilla of course! Why are you so obsessed with the color white? Ugh. Because Im the White Queen who loves all things white!! Hee hee. What were you imagining, brother? Since she asked, Kyousuke answered honestly. And he did so with a blank look on his face. Well, Id thought you were insane but that you still had a line you wouldnt cross. I thought you had an ignorant and pure heart, so this is a bit of a surprise. Yeah, you might be my nemesis, but its still a shock. Fweh!? Lu-san will say a lot of those things, but Id bet anything shes pure. And do I even have to say anything about a shut-in like Aika? Hmm, but I guess youre the exception Wh-wh-wh-wh-wh-what are you saying!? Dont tell me youre having a sudden onset of maiden delusion now! But make no mistake! It may be true that my worshipers around the world will sometimes hold hard-to-watch rituals in front of my statues and idols in underground temples or aerial cities! But!! I myself am pure!! I simply happen to overhear a lot of inappropriate things! So make no mistake about my purity!!!!! She was so panicked that she did not even notice Kyousuke mentioning a few other girls. Kyousuke used that opening to guide them away from the ice cream stand, but the White Queen noticed. Ah, what about my trophy of having a gentleman gallantly buy me a treat!? Stop it. If I take you there now, theyll dig the wrapper out of the trash and hang it up in a sanctuary somewhere. Theyll probably call it a holy relic or something. Fwehhh, brother! I said no. Besides, if I give in just once, the demands will never stop. I only have so much money in my walle He was cut off by a metallic clinking sound. The confused boy watched as a shower of coins was thrown toward them from all directions. In the blink of an eye, the ground at their feet looked like a pond at a tourist destination. Please use this! This old man is more than willing to offer some money if it is for Her Majesty!! In fact this feels like too little for the honor of gazing upon her face like this! Kh, curse you, Alice (with) Rabbit. Are you going to demand I make up the difference with my body!? Gozaru, gozaru!! Holder of Loved by the White, you must not make the Queen cry!! Kyousuke had triggered quite a commotion, so he quickly shouted back at the people. I am not accepting any indirect offerings! The entire world is far too kind to this insane twintails!! At that moment, he sensed a sharp gaze from the crowd. He looked over and spotted two familiar faces. They were twin shrine maidens. (R-Renge. What is that!? I cant figure out how this could have happened!) (Shh! Were leaving, Higan! Dont look that freak in the eye!) (Wow. Um, Shiroyama-san really has changed a lot.) (I cant believe hes smugly showing off that dangerous thing. Kh, he should have asked us for help before he was this badly broken!) Kyousuke felt the hair across his body bristle. Wait! Please waaaaaaaaaaaait!! How long have you been here!? Where did you come from!? And do you happen to know anything about my missing memories!? Cmon, dont be like that, brother. I mean it. Speak some other girls names and well have two new craters on the moon. Got that? The White Queen smiled cheerfully and made a point of clinging to Kyousukes arm, resting her head on his shoulder, and holding him in place like a ships anchor. Meanwhile, the twin sisters vanished into the crowd. It was a sorrowful parting. Ah, ahhh, ahhhhhhh. Okay, brother. What shall we do now? He was finally freed, but it was too late. At this rate, the crowd was going to grow even more excited than a national idol discovered in the middle of a scramble crossing, so Kyousuke grabbed the White Queens hand and quickly left. He glanced around on the way, but he saw no sign of any shrine maiden outfits. Meanwhile, he looked like he was stealing a bride away from the chapel (mostly due to her pure white dress), so Oh, my How bold, brother. I just won another trophy in life. You shut your mouth!! If we had stayed there, they probably would have built a giant monument and the spot would have been marked on world maps as the holy land where offerings were given to our queen in heaven!! The place could easily end up covered in blood and guts!! Of course, if that peak of the Unexplored-class had not wanted to move, she would not have budged even if a passenger jet rammed into her, so the Queen had to be entirely on board with being pulled away by him. Ah, what does he think hes doing!? Is he trying to keep our Queen to himself!? And when simply being able to borrow the power of her name is too great an honor! Gozaru, gozaru! Hm, it would seem I have no choice. I will help out as the Love and Hate Aggressor. Guide rabbit, only you can put such a lovely smile on Her Majestys face! Take her with you and get out of here!! As small commotions (or at least he prayed they were small) started up here and there, they ultimately found themselves at a viewing platform. But this northern land was a large plain, so it was quite flat. Instead of adding a railing and maintaining the top of a natural hill, it looked more like a large metal lookout tower with the floor space of a cooking classroom or home ec classroom. It was deserted, but that may have been because everyone here was a summoner or vessel for advertisement or business purposes. There were very few people who had arrived purely as sightseers. Kyousuke finally breathed a sigh of relief in the four story viewing platform. This is awful! Normal people who didnt know anything would actually be better because they might walk right past you without realizing your value!! Oh? But in that case, their ignorance would lead to a spiritual awakening. And since they do not know who I am, they might start up some misguided cult. There was more to her than simple violence or combat ability. Before any of that, one had to contend with her presence, her aura, and her charisma. In what looked like some kind of joke, even veteran summoners and vessels who used the gods of legend as a stepping stool would voluntarily bow down to this higher life form. Just by standing there, she could produce worship. Just by smiling, she could fully distort everything that civilization had built up. She was a singularity like a black hole that endlessly sucked in human hearts. Could you fight that? Could you even maintain the will to fight her? A battle with the White Queen began there. And only a very few had honed the blade of their humanity to that point. And if they let their guard down for even a moment, that blade would be instantly worn down and dulled by an invisible power. Just like his former enemies: Uniquely Selfless Azalea Magentarain, Telomeres End Benikomichi Fuuki, Liar Cat Biondetta Shiroyama, etc. Brother. But the White Queen with her silver twintails and pure white dress merely smiled sweetly and pressed her hands together in front of her chest. I do not care what form it takes as long as I can play with you. We could even do exactly as you wish and begin an endless death match where you try again and again to kill me with every method you can think of. But remember that I said I do not care what form it takes. Yes, anything is fine as long as I am satisfied. So wouldnt you be protecting the world by playing with me in a way that avoids needless conflict? For example, if there is no direct battle, there is no chance of the puny summoners and vessels here being killed, so wouldnt you be saving them by choosing to go on a date and flirt with me? Kyousuke audibly gulped. This was it. Those words were like a cool glass of water after walking endlessly through the scorching desert. By swapping out the essence of the matter, she could make compromising and giving in sound like the good option. This first attack tried to break peoples beliefs just by smiling and throwing sweet words their way. If the psychological could be seen, then Kyousuke would be on the verge of being swallowed by the great maw of a carnivorous dinosaur. Lets go to a tropical island. The White Queen leaned up against him and buried her face in his chest while whispering to him. If you wish to expel me from the world, there is no need to fight me, brother. All you need to do is seal me away inside a secret garden. As long as I am happy there, I will never leave. I will not even be curious what would happen if I were to leave. I will do anything for you, brother. Do you like one piece swimsuits? Or are two-piece ones or bikinis more your style? Compared to swinging your Blood-Sign around in a fruitless and endless battle, this is bound to be the more constructive choice for the world. I will be satisfied as long as I have you, brother. If that was all, then she would be telling the truth. She looked up at him while snuggled up against him from the front. Her damp eyes glittered and her enchanting lips formed her words. She looked just like a girl begging for a kiss from her lover. I will ask nothing of the world, I will take nothing from the world, and I will threaten nothing in the world. So wont you please place your arms around my waist? Shiroyama Kyousuke imagined that possibility for just a moment. He could not help himself. And then he shook his head. That would cause a war. It would not. I am talking about a complete and utter disappearance. It is the desire to monopolize me that triggers conflict, so this would actually remove the possibility of harm from the world. No. He mustered all of his strength to turn his back on that easy but fatally sweet poison. I am saying it would trigger the final war between the two of us. In that secret garden of yours. Oh, youre so mean, brother!! A complete change came over her. She puffed her cheeks out like a child. But that is exactly what makes you so worth winning over. As the White Queen embraced him from the front and rubbed her face against his chest, the boy leaned against the railing and shook his head to take his eyes off of her. From that four story height, he could see the donut-shaped trade show and Pandemonium in the center. That colossal Repliglass structure had a giant squid silhouette due to the giant coffin shape with a large number of tentacle-like pipelines attached to the bottom. But he saw a few oddities in that scenery. There was an empty field within the donut. And in that field were several craters ranging between several hundred meters and several kilometers across. The patch of green had been cruelly torn up and a water vein must have been hit because they were filled with water like lakes. And as he viewed that scene, he felt something like a jolt of electricity in the back of his mind. ? Instead of rejecting the pain, he abandoned himself to it. He slowly peeled the scab from his memories. And the first vision that appeared in his mind was of two people he had seen just a moment ago (Timeline Past) Do you know who Ellie Slide is? Somewhere and at some point, the black-haired shrine maiden named Meinokawa Renge had asked him that. Shes apparently a well-known incense expert, but we dont know where to find her in this crowd. Oh? You have some interesting connections. Kyousuke sounded impressed, but Renge sighed frankly. Its not that. We want to hire her to manufacture an Incense Grenade. I had been making them on instinct so far, but someone pointed out theres a lot of waste in the mixture. But I cant pinpoint my own idiosyncrasies, so I want to have an expert make a basic one for me that I can use for reference. Hmm. By the way, your sister seems to be napping on her feet. Was it an exhausting trip? Higan! Dont try to escape reality just because its a complicated subject!! Cmon, youre drooling!! The black and blonde haired shrine maidens continued arguing as they disappeared into the crowd. They would have stood out in a normal city, but they blended in quite well in a trade show overrun with summoners and vessels. Kyousuke shrugged as he watched them go, but then he realized the promised time had arrived. He was here to meet someone. She was a strange person. This was May 31, just a few days ago. That was Shiroyama Kyousukes first impression of the woman named Himekawa Mika. Her waist-length bluish-black ponytail was contained in a fluffy scrunchie, she had sharp and intelligent facial features, her bodylines had plenty of curves, and she wore a deep navy blue suit with the tight skirt and a portion of the stockings intentionally torn. That last point was the only odd thing about her. Altogether, she was quite beautiful, but there was something else that led the boy to his absurd impression. Oh. She looks almost exactly like that woman. It was 10:30 AM in the crowds of D.R.O.K. And he seriously wondered what to do about her when she blew the silver whistle hanging from her neck the second their eyes met. You are Shiroyama Kyousuke-san, right? Youre late. Very late! I believe we agreed to meet at ten on the dot!! Sorry, Im running a little slow. What kind of excuse is that!? Be more carefuland learn your lesson!! Kyousuke held out his hands to urge her to cool down, but Himekawa Mikas face only grew redder as she blew her whistle. As she did, he heard a jangling from the mug and 12-sided die decorations connected by a thin chain. In truth, Kyousuke had arrived half an hour before the arranged time and scouted out the surrounding area. He had then waited until half an hour after the arranged time to observe the actions and reactions of the woman. His conversation with the Meinokawa sisters had only been one part of that and he had moved to a position where Himekawa would spot him only after he decided it was safe to let her notice him in the crowd. The ponytail beauty must have finally felt satisfied because she removed the whistle from her mouth. Um, Shiroyama Kyousukekun? What do you know about my situation? Only what was in the job email. You are Himekawa Mika, an Illegal vessel who is currently free. Lu-san introduced us and I was told to ask for any more details once I arrived. Thats the expected format. Lets find somewhere to sit down and discuss this. They were at a trade show for new Summoning Ceremony technology (i.e. weapons), but there were also plenty of lodging facilities and restaurants. Himekawa Mika chose a nearby tent-style restaurant. The long tables arranged in a line had long legs and no chairs. With junk food like frankfurters, fries, and yakisoba on the menu, Kyousuke was cautious, but the tight skirt beauty actually ordered a mug of beer this early. Its ten in the morning. Its ten thirty. And psychological trances are a necessary part of being a vessel. Youre from Illegal all right. You really know how to excuse your own self-indulgence Then he remembered one of the decorations on the sin necklace she used to mentally bind herself: a mug. But Kyousuke also saw something nostalgic in her appearance. Hm? Why are you staring at me? Its nothing really. Kyousuke looked like he had trouble believing it himself. Its just that you look a lot like someone. Your general atmosphere, your taste in clothes, and even the whistle. You remind me a lot of one of the people who looked after me back in the Queens Miniature Garden. Youre the spitting image of Madam Professor. Please stop hitting on me before we get to work. Even that reaction is just like her, unfortunately. And is that anything to say while drinking a beer? Although that too is just like her, so Im not sure what to do about it. Kyousuke leaned his upper body against the tall table while giving in to the odd sense of dj vu, but Himekawa Mika placed her shapely butt on the table to sit down with mug in hand. And this beautiful woman had intentionally torn the sides of her tight skirt and her stockings, so when the vessel crossed her long legs, her oddly alluring skin was placed right in front of his eyes. This only annoyed Kyousuke, but This is a local sign. It warns people away because Ill only bring them trouble. Illegal really does like that kind of thing, dont they? And no one seems to know where they come from like a prison communication method using the sound of banging on the bars. D.R.O.K. had not been running for long, but these local rules had apparently been created, refined, and spread in that short time. It made little sense to someone looking in from the outside. But Himekawa did not seem to mind. What about you? Whats with that combination? What? Its just caramel popcorn and milk. Its ten in the morning. Its ten thirty. A summoner needs sugar to keep up his high level thoughts. I see youve refined your excuses to a high level too. I would have preferred to get some carbs with plain cereal, but this combination was the closest substitute I could find. They seemed to have differing tastes. While showing off her bright and soft skin through her torn stockings, Himekawa gulped down her alcohol and continued the conversation with a drunken energy. She talked about the rush of new Summoning Ceremonies, Pandemonium, the joint project between the three major powers, and the Deltaston family of the Round Table that was involved in it all. So to sum up, said Kyousuke as he stuck his spoon into the soup bowl of sweet milk. How Pandemonium works doesnt matter. The same goes for the Deltaston familys conspiracy. All that matters are the 353 vessels imprisoned in that impregnable mobile fortress and that Pandemonium uses them as its gears. So is my job to rescue them? Himekawa winced somewhat at the ominous atmosphere that seemed charged with static electricity. Youre willing to write that family off as not mattering? Well, they dont matter compared to human lives, do they? Once he said that, Kyousukes expression was back to normal. And he thought about what was to come. If it came to a battle, it would be against other summoners. Just glancing around the junk food restaurant, he spotted a few summoners and vessels he recognized. One was Government Award 892, Love and Hate Aggressor. She was generally a summoner whose motto was loyalty, but she focused less on actual battles and more on working hard to strictly train up newcomers. She had given Government a much greater fighting force and she was also known to appear on the front line and briefly produce hell on earth only when one of her beloved pupils was killed. But she was also well known to cross the boundaries between major powers to repay anyone who saved one of those beloved pupils. One was Illegal Award 500, Cursed Doll. She was a rare example of a summoner who had once been a vessel. Most of those with the traits of a spiritual medium could not act as a summoner because they were too strongly influenced by the Material during battle, but she was known for building that loss of control into her strategy and pulling off feats above her Award level with almost suicidal techniques. Once she lost control, no one could predict who she would bare her fangs against, so it was effectively impossible to work with her on a mission. One was Freedom Award Unknown, Gozaru Summoner. This bizarre summoner always wore a Gozaru Samurai costume. He was known for being quite skilled but extremely capricious. It was rumored that multiple people took turns wearing the costume. His Award level was unknown because adding up all of his past exploits within all three major powers provided a sum that exceeded 1000. The situation might allow them to split their opponents between two camps so they would fight each other. As Kyousuke thought, Himekawa waved a hand to call the waitress over. Her mug was already empty. Its ten thirty. Then I wont get another mug. Ill take a glass of this platinum bubble. And make it snappy Kyousuke could only hold his head in his hands. Meanwhile, Himekawa spoke to him from the table. The vessels are of course the center of Pandemonium, so it will cease to function if they are removed. The Deltaston family will never allow that. They have people in all three major powers, so well find more and more people involved in this. That doesnt matter, readily stated Shiroyama Kyousuke. He was not simply refusing to think about it. If necessary, he would calmly take on all three major powers. Himekawa gave into her intoxication, swayed back and forth on the table, and used the hand not holding her beer glass to reach behind her waist. She unhooked the side of her skirt, moved to the back of the tight skirt, grabbed the upper edge with her slender finger, and lowered it slightly. A bit above her tailbone, a large object was embedded in her lightly flushed skin. It was a blatantly mechanical keyhole with a metallic shine. Something was written in the alphabet along the round outer edge. The six letters starting with F provided the name of a goddess from Norse Mythology who was a goddess of beauty and fertility and who controlled half of heavens army. We are the Holy Key Women. Simply insert and turn the authorization key and we can summon a specific Divine-class. I rejoiced when I first heard that explanation, but I never thought we would be built into Pandemonium. She gave a self-deprecating smile. But not only is our opponent borrowing the power of Pandemonium, but technology like this is within their reach. In fact, the Deltaston family has spread their roots to all three major powers, so they will have plenty of strange methods beyond the Illegal ones. That is what it means to challenge Pandemonium and fight its owner. Are you truly prepared to take on a world one step outside the Blood-Sign method? I already told you: That doesnt matter. Kyousuke did not smile. You might be worried how well fight whatever our enemy might use against us, but you can leave all of that to me. So Himekawa Mika, theres only one thing I want from you. And Im not talking about the reward or what cards you might have on hand. First of all, I want to confirm something. I want to hear it from your own mouth. My mouth? I didnt hear it in the email. I was told to discuss the details once I arrived. So Ill ask again: What is it you want? Does the desire in your heart contain the words needed to drive me to action? When she heard that, the beautiful woman laughed quietly. She removed her finger from her lowered tight skirt and hid the strange gadget. She drank down the rest of her beer glasss contents, inhaled, and exhaled. She seemed to be savoring that normal action. And then she spoke. I came here by forging my license. I can move freely for the time being, but they will notice before long and Illegalno, the Deltaston family will send someone after me. ? Most of the Holy Key Women are being used as components for Pandemonium, but a few were let out for demonstrations at the booths and studios. I forged my selection for one of those. I might have been able to bring a few more with me. That might have been an option, but I abandoned the idea. Instead of only partially saving them, I temporarily abandoned them all so I could rescue every last one of them. That may have been why. She had chosen to stick with Illegals way of doing things. She did not bother with niceties, she did not compromise and then glorify the tragic result, and she was prepared to stay true to her initial intent until the very, very end. Had she taken a turn toward the unkind in order to reach a result that surpassed good and evil? I cant just escape on my own. I cant let this end as a mere traitor. I used the internet to contact an intermediary I used to use and I used the thin thread of Lu Niang Lan to draw in you, Freedom Award 903, Alice (with) Rabbit. I threw out all morals in order to say this one thing. She looked Kyousuke straight in the eye. And with the fragility of trying to support the weight of every last sinner with a single strand of spider web, Himekawa Mika spoke clearly. Just like the Holy Key Women, she seemed to directly insert her words into a certain boys soul and then twist it around. So I beg you. Please save us all from the impregnable Pandemonium. (Timeline Now) On the viewing platform, Kyousuke slapped his cheek with one hand while the White Queen leaned up against him. (Little by little, its coming back to me.) Himekawa Mika was one of the Holy Key Women. She had contacted Kyousuke to rescue the 353 vessels remaining in the multi-tentacle mobile fortress Pandemonium, a colossal Repliglass structure. She was the current Alice. She was the unique vessel who could skip three stages in the Blood-Sign method to immediately summon a specific Divine-class into her body. (In that case, was she a Holy Key Woman who can directly summon the White Queen? No, that doesnt make sense. Her keyhole had the six-letter name of a Norse goddess starting with F. Since this isnt fitting together, I must still be missing some memories) Oh? Is something the matter, brother? He observed the White Queen as she embraced him and looked up at him, but he saw no resemblance to Himekawa Mika. He could not sense that womans presence. Was Himekawa Mika imprisoned within the Queen, or was there some other possibility? Somethings bothering me. What might that be? What happened with Pandemonium? No, what happened with the Holy Key Women? And not just the ones imprisoned inside that fortress. What happened to them all, including Himekawa Mika!? He was missing some memories and someone who should have been by his side was missing. He felt a pressure in his chest that was not just from confronting the White Queen. This may have been what it felt like to get hopelessly drunk and wake up in a pile of trash in an unfamiliar alleyway while holding a bloody wallet in your hand. Meanwhile, the peak of the Unexplored-class with her silver twintails and pure white dress brought her slender index finger to her own lips. She did not explain anything. Only a thin smile appeared on her lips. Hee hee Kyousuke could not wait any longer. She would not budge if he shoved her away. He slipped out of her arms as she leaned against his chest and he immediately climbed over the viewing platform railing. The platform was four stories up. He jumped between the steel beams complexly crisscrossing as they supported the platform and slid down the diagonally positioned beams to control the speed of his descent. As soon as he landed, the White Queen descended from heaven. She weightlessly landed on the ground. Okay, brother. Where should we go next? Shut up! Im not relying on you anymore and Ive found something I need to see for myself!! I dont know what happened after that, but I need to see if I can still answer Himekawa Mikas request. No, no matter what might have happened, Ill find a way, even if it means altering the timeline or overcoming causality!! He needed information. But was facing inwards and filling in his missing memories really the only way to get that? In the few pieces he had recovered, he had seen references to the Deltaston family that had infiltrated all three major powers. And he could also directly attack Pandemonium to discover what had become of the vessels. One was a powerful enemy and the other an impregnable mobile fortress. So what? He was Freedom Award 903, Alice (with) Rabbit. He had no vessel and could not use the Summoning Ceremony. What did that matter? If he wanted to be known as the strongest, he had to accept some slight inconveniences. None of that was any reason to just sit idly by and watch. After all, he had already heard it. He had heard the cursed words that someone had risked everything to say. He wanted to know what had happened to the vessels imprisoned within Pandemonium. Not to mention Himekawa Mika. He definitely wanted to confirm the safety of that woman who looked so much like that Madam Professor who had looked after him back in the Queens Miniature Garden. Brother, your adorable emotions dont matter here. Do you have an actual plan? Kh. The Deltaston family has spread their power far enough that it would be difficult to acquire an accurate list of its members on short notice. That means Pandemonium is the obvious answer. I need to head there and check inside! What a pain. Thats not much of a plan, you know? That is an impregnable multi-tentacle mobile fortress. Not only can you not break open the thick Repliglass entrance, but you will likely have trouble simply crossing the vast field to reach it. I hear they have microwave anti-personnel radars and infrared searchlights. Theres a way! It was obvious enough from the viewing platform! Im pretty sure I already tricked a Government bomber into firing on Pandemonium!! What he needed was rather specialized, but that would not be a problem at D.R.O.K. where weapons were treated as a business. After making the necessary arrangements, Kyousuke and the White Queen set off toward Pandemonium. But not everything went quite so well. It happened when they had arrived quite close. He had stood out too much with the White Queen accompanying him. And it was possible the Deltaston family that controlled Pandemonium was already monitoring him due to something in his missing memories. So he should have assumed someone might try to stop him once he took action. Hi. He heard footsteps. They were right in front of black Pandemoniums main entrance in the empty field at the center of the donut-shaped trade show. Two people blocked the way as if this had been planned. One was a tall and muscular man of about 18. His black hair was set in an impressive pompadour and he wore a baggy T-shirt that reached below his hips, shorts, and oddly expensive basketball shoes. He loudly chewed bubblegum while resting a long stick made of ski material on his shoulder. That was his Blood-Sign. The bottom end was strangely swollen and metallic, but that seemed to be a stabilizer for the center of gravity. Needless to say, only a summoner would use that. The other was a short glasses girl of about 12. She had shoulder-length wavy blonde hair and brown skin, but those colors were likely artificial rather than natural. Tan lines from a one piece swimsuit were clearly visible on her skin. She wore a sleeved cape that split into feather-like shapes at the bottom, an orange camisole, black leather hot pants to cover her small butt, an ultra-miniskirt with a jagged bottom, and boots. Her extra-large witchs hat was a Halloween-like orange and black and had an eagle feather stuck in it. Something jangled at her neck, but it was not a necklace. A wooden ring about the size of a coffee cup saucer had several threads passing through the inside to create a pattern resembling a spider web or a rose. It was a dream catcher, an accessory made by Native Americans. She held a giant axe. Its apparent size was increased due to her short height, but it may have been another of their symbols. She was likely the vessel. The gaudy outfit on such a slender and undeveloped body may have been the bondage that controlled her mind. The specific vessel restraints seemed to be the piercings. Kyousuke could see the ones on her ears and navel, but it was possible she had more where he could not see. I suppose you wouldnt know why were here, would you? Kyousuke felt something odd in the back of his mind. The tingling feeling came from the scab over his memories. I know He had no vessel and could not use the Summoning Ceremony. Nevertheless, he pulled his Repliglass Blood-Sign from his back and half-groaned his response. I know who you are!! (Timeline Past) After acquiring an accurate diagram of Pandemonium, Shiroyama Kyousuke and Himekawa Mika waited until the night wore on before beginning their actual attack. The field was thoroughly scanned by microwave anti-personnel radars and invisible infrared searchlights. A vast space with no cover had been transformed into a thick barrier. After crossing it using a certain method, they saw something there. Two people stood in front of Pandemoniums massive and thick metal door. The summoner had a pompadour and wore a baggy T-shirt and shorts. The short vessel in glasses had bright swimsuit tan lines, an eagle father in her Halloween witchs hat, a unique sleeved cape, an orange camisole, black hot pants, an ultra-miniskirt, a decoration around her neck, a giant decorative armor-breaking axe, and piercings across her body to bind her. Kyousuke asked a question of that pair after pulling his Blood-Sign from his back. Are you pawns of Pandemoniumno, of the Deltaston family that has infiltrated all three major powers? Maybe. The summoner grinned and raised his Blood-Sign which was made of ski material. That signaled the beginning of the Summoning Ceremony, a battle between the gods using Materials. But first you can call us Government Award 501, Perfect Game!! Facts: *While a vessel has summoned a Material, the summoner cannot break the contract with that vessel. *The Summoning Ceremony trade show named D.R.O.K. and the joint project of Pandemonium were made into an event controlled by the Deltaston family after the three major powers were manipulated into a standstill. *Himekawa looks a lot like the woman who looked after Kyousuke when he was young. *As a Holy Key Woman, Himekawa can immediately summon a specific Divine-class, but that does not match the conditions needed for the White Queen. *Kyousuke had already heard the cursed words from Himekawa. *The exact affiliation and intentions of the enemy summoner, Perfect Game, are not known. But Kyousuke seems to understand some of it from his missing memories. *All that aside, the White Queen wants to go to a tropical island. She really, really wants to. Volume 4, Stage 02 - There Will Certainly Be Consequences Volume 4, Stage 02: There Will Certainly Be Consequences No, wait. This might actually be better. If it looks like were secret lovers S-s-s-secret lovers!!!??? (Now Stage 02 Open 06/03 10:10) (Past Stage 02 Open 06/02 22:10) There Will Certainly Be Consequences (Timeline Past) It was just past ten at night on June 2. As always, the darkness of D.R.O.K.s night was swept away by the bright lights of the stages, but the remaining shadows functioned as useful blind spots. Shiroyama Kyousuke and Himekawa Mika were moving through one of those blind spots. However, walking directly to Pandemonium would have been difficult. With microwave anti-personnel radars and invisible infrared searchlights, the 5km radius field at the center of the donut-shaped trade show became a thick barrier with no blind spots. Normally, anyway. Good thing this is a weapons trade show. There were plenty of oxygen tanks lying around. Kyousuke set a few heavy objects down on the grass. He had bought the night vision binoculars at a business booth. Good, good. The six craters from yesterdays aerial bombing are nice and connected. That gives us a direct line to Pandemonium five kilometers away. Im sure its better than the perfectly flat field, but is that really enough to hide us from the anti-personnel radar? Especially when theyll have increased security? Isnt that why we dug up the underground water veins and waited more than half a day for the craters to flood? Kyousuke answered her with a bitter smile. The microwaves the radar uses are weak against water. Most of them will be reflected off the waters surface and what does make it through will be severely weakened. It isnt a good method for searching through water. What about the infrared searchlights? Do I even have to say it? Whether visible or invisible, light acts the same. Once it contacts the waters surface, it will reflect or refract, so they wont be able to pull off a proper search. They would have been found immediately on the surface, so their general plan was to approach through the dark water. That was the reason for the oxygen tanks. But I do have one question. Wh-what is it? As Himekawa stuffed her clothes and brand-name shoulder bag inside a waterproof bag, a dry cracking sound came from her hand and she pulled it back. Oops, I need to be more careful. I scraped my index fingernail on the metal zipper. Wheres the repair solution? The manicure quick-drying repair solution? That doesnt matter. Kyousuke ignored the chemical she used to hide the scrape on her nail in just as few seconds like it was instant glue. He was not going to let her avoid explaining herself here. I told you to obtain a diving outfit, didnt I? I let you handle it on your own so you could keep your privacy about your measurements and suchbut why are you wearing a racing swimsuit? Were still more than a month away from the pools opening. Eh? B-but! I couldnt think of a more functional swimsuit I-its not like I chose a bikini or something! Im not just messing around!! She could not bear to have him stare at her with his blank expression, so she started covering different parts of her body with her hands, twisting around, running her fingers down the white accent line, and reaching down to fix the navy blue swimsuit where it was riding up in her butt. Incidentally, Kyousuke was wearing a diving wetsuit that covered him from neck to toe. It was meant for special operations rather than leisure, so when he compared her swimsuit to him, he wanted to mock and curse her. In fact, it would have been harder to find a skintight racing swimsuit at the weapons trade show, but her efforts had been entirely misguided. And the scrunchie. You dont want that getting soaked, do you? Uuh He felt nothing but worry as the vessel pouted her lips, reached behind her head, and redid her hair with a rubber hairband while needlessly pushing out her shapely breasts. That bad feeling grew when she put the oxygen tank on her back. Hyah! He heard a strange shout and then Himekawa nearly fell backwards. He quickly supported her from behind and she started flailing her slender limbs. She was acting like a new part-timer wearing a full-body mascot costume for the first time. It would have been a normal sight back in Toy Dream 35, but it was a problem here. Please dont tell me Wh-what is it, Kyousuke-kun? This doesnt mean you dont know how to keep your balance in the water, does it? U-um, well, I might be able to manage if I have a float or a kickboard. Kyousuke covered his face with his hands. This was a diving mission and he was only discovering this now. And since she was not even certain in her ability with a float, most likely Can you not swim? I-I can too! Or at least float. I can float! You shouldnt give adults that pitying look! I can even do the flutter kick and bring my head up to breathe! Well, if the instructor is holding my hands Or are you just entirely useless? Dont call an adult that!! When he saw Himekawa mindlessly reach down toward the whistle attached to her sin necklace, Kyousuke covered her mouth with all his might. Shes worse than useless!! he concluded in his heart. It looked like taking care of her was his only option. Specifically, he had to pass his arms below hers to essentially embrace her as they swam together. This is kind of embarrassing. This swimsuit leaves my back pretty bare Dont worry. I can only feel the metal oxygen tank. Perhaps I should thank you for not asking to do this from the front. Thats a good way to have the other person grab onto you so you both drown. With that, he began his dive through the crater lakes while carrying his heavy burden. It was a surprisingly long swim. The unchanging scenery of the dark manmade lakes made it seem all the longer. On the way, Himekawa Mika squirmed inside her skintight navy blue racing swimsuit, but Kyousuke restrained her and maintained a set pace. The craters differed in size, but they were ten meters at the deepest. They could not take the most direct route to Pandemonium, so their path zigzagged between the center points of the complexly overlapping circles. The distance they traveled was greater than five kilometers and they had to be very careful so they did not forget which direction to go at each turning point. (Im sure its partially due to using underground water veins, but the water is pretty cold. I cant force her through too much more of this.) He could pick up his speed to be considerate, but rushing this would only hurt them. If they ended up swimming in circles, she really could die. He maintained that form of callousness and they finally arrived at their destination. Puhah. Kyousuke stuck his head up from the edge of the crater and removed the oxygen tanks mouthpiece. They were near the tentacle-like propulsion device of the colossal Repliglass mobile fortress. He let Himekawa Mika climb up first, but since she seemed to be having trouble doing so under the power of her own arms, he pushed up on her butt and thighs to force her up. He then climbed up after her, but she wrapped her arms around him before he could remove the oxygen tank on his back. Ah, ahh, so coldchatter, chatter, chatter, chatter. Didnt I tell you? Your lips are blue. Cmon, there are towels in that waterproof bag, right? Using that would be more constructive. A guy and a girl warming each other with their skin in a snowy mountain was not all that effective in reality. Wiping off the moisture with one towel and then rubbing yourself with another towel for the frictional heat was more immediately effective. She was older than him, but he felt like he was dealing with a child. (Another way that shes a lot like that woman) Himekawa Mika simply let him do what he wished as she lay sprawled out on the ground in her racing swimsuit. Not that he wanted her to scream sexual harassment and blast her whistle when he was trying to help her. After confirming she had recovered to a certain extent, Kyousuke shoved a waterproof bag into her arms. Cmon, hurry up and change before the heat escapes. Youll be better off in your usual suit. Ah, ahhh Please dont tell me you need help with that too. Kyousuke immediately turned his back, pulled his hoodie and track pants from his own waterproof bag, and began to change. The wetsuit and oxygen tank would be a needless burden, so he did not want to carry them around. He hooked the bags string on a part of the craters edge and let the bag itself sink into the water. He turned back around to find Himekawa had only just finished putting on her underwear. She must not have been thinking straight because she next started swapping out the rubber hairband for her scrunchie. Hurry up! Am I going to have to help you out after all!? Heheh heh heh Apparently Im really a poikilotherm She must not have had the energy to scream, Kyah! Pervert!, so she clearly needed to be wound back up as a human being. Her weak smile was so pitiful that Kyousuke did end up helping her into her clothes. This time he really was treating her like a child. And then it was finally time to face their present goal. Pandemonium. That giant black mobile fortress measured more than 800 meters The entrance was blocked by a thick Repliglass door much like one found at a bank vault. Himekawa Mika seemed to have recovered somewhat because she intentionally tore her new stockings and then tapped on the back of her hips near her tailbone. Shall I break it open? No, even if it was weakened quite a bit by the ridiculous method they used, this armor still survived an explosion from the Unexplored-class Lady of Purple Lightning. Hm, more than the material being solid, theyve applied a special treatment to the surface. Just like magic circles guide the power according to a set of rules, I think the pattern here redirects the paranormal burden and dilutes it into the planet. And its also grounded against curses. Now, can we really take that on directly with a Divine-class? Then? According to the information we acquired, the entrance uses multiple biometrics such as fingerprint, pulse, and iris. I dont know the exact process, but it would probably be fastest to find someone involved in all this. And fortunately, anyone who loses in the Summoning Ceremony enters a mindless state and can be guided like a zombie. We might just be able to draw out the information we need. With that, Kyousuke glanced to the side. Himekawa did the same and finally noticed something. A man and a girl slowly walked out from behind one of the tentacles supporting the fortress. Are you pawns of Pandemoniumno, of the Deltaston family that has infiltrated all three major powers? Maybe, answered the pompadour man. He wore a baggy T-shirt and pants and he held a Blood-Sign made from ski material with a swollen metallic part on the bottom end. But first you can call us Government Award 501, Perfect Game!! Kyousuke pulled his Repliglass Blood-Sign from his back while also sticking a hand in his pocket and grabbing a weighty object the size of a coffee can. It was an Incense Grenade. No matter which major power his opponent belonged to or how many Awards they had, he would go all out to crush them. Mika, lets defeat them as quickly as we can. They were nice enough to bring us the fingerprint and iris we needed. Thats Mika-san, you damn kid! Kyousuke ignored his vessels unfair comment, pulled the pin, and dropped the metal can at his feet. In the five seconds before it detonated, he finished observing the surrounding space and came up with around 45 different ways of finishing within 30 seconds no matter where the 36 Spots appeared. But He heard the sound of shattering glass. Only 0.4 seconds after Kyousukes Artificial Sacred Ground appeared, that field was smashed to pieces. What? There were no White Thorns, Petals, Rose, or Spots. And Kyousuke himself froze in place for a moment with his Blood-Sign raised. A roaring wind slipped through that gap. The summoner known as Perfect Game approached from straight head. At some point, he had changed how he held his weapon. He held what had been the upper end and he used the metallic stabilizer as a weight. He spun his body like a tornado and the Blood-Sign made of glass fiber bent like a fishing rod. The blunt weapon had built up power like a spring and it approached like a morning star. This called for a change of plans. Kyousuke adjusted his grip to hold his Repliglass Blood-Sign like a staff and blocked the blow that would have landed on the side of his head. The two summoners who used even the gods as stepping stones glared at each other from a distance of only a few dozen centimeters. The mass of athletic muscle smiled fiercely. Did you think a Government 500-level would be an easy win? You probably wouldnt understand, Mr. All-Powerful Freedom 900-Level. Its not that I know why Im bound to win this. Im carrying the great weight of knowing why I cant afford to lose. A strange feeling ran down Kyousukes spine. He obeyed that danger signal and focused on something in the corner of his vision: Perfect Games vessel. The small glasses girl had blonde hair and brown skin and she wore a black and orange Halloween witchs hat, a sleeved cape, a bright orange camisole, and a combination of black hot pants and an ultra-miniskirt with a jagged bottom to cover her butt. She was not hiding behind anything or covering her face. She had been standing right in front of him from the beginning, so why had it taken until just now to recognize that girl with swimsuit tan lines? Incense Expert Ellie Slide!! Did you screw with my perception!? The girl grinned. It was a mocking grin. She stuck out her tongue and a piercing wetly glittered upon it. The Incense Grenades that set up an Artificial Sacred Ground differed between summoners and they were private information on the same level as fingerprints and irises. That made them impossible to mass-produce, so the summoner either had to mix their own or hire a specialist. Ellie Slide was one such specialist. At her level, she could probably use the composition of a personal Incense Grenade to mix up some incense that would negate it. Ellie Slide dragged around an armor-breaking axe that beat down its enemies with its weight. A closer look showed the axes handle was shaped like a smoking pipe and several small bottles were inserted into the back of the one-sided axe blade. It was likely made to efficiently spray out an incense vapor created with the same process as an electronic cigarette. And an axe that doubled as a pipe was an important ritual tool used when Native Americans tribes made decisions. She controlled it with the flute-like keys on the silver handle and the trigger released a spray. The chocolate witch with the alluring swimsuit tan lines spoke while releasing a sweet aroma. Surely you know who I am and what I do, Alices Guide. Personal views of good and evil and the benefit or detriment to any major power will not stop me. I simply find a summoner I believe can reach Award 1000 and bind a contract with them. If they do not live up to my expectations, I simply discard them. Also, incense itself was burned during Western magical rituals to separate the area from the world and help the user enter a trance. An expert like her would be able to alter someones mind enough to erase the name of the person standing right in front of them. Her fingers raced along the handle. The caps of the small bottles inserted into the back of the blade were pushed in like cylinders and the liquid inside shined wetly. And you remember my own nickname, dont you? Amplifier 500. I am known in this field as a vessel who can increase the upper limits of my summoner by about 500 Awards. Now, a question. When Max Layard here introduced himself, what Award level did he say he was? You heard her. Max grinned. Everyone has a reason they cant afford to lose. Dont just assume youve got a monopoly on that, Alice (with) Rabbit!! To avoid being pushed back by brute force, Kyousuke fell back himself. Pompadour Max did not bother pursuing. No But Ill do whatever it takes to win! Thats why Im known as Perfect Game!! Even a Freedom 900-level will be blown to bits if hes hit by an Unexplored-classs power without a protective circle. Heres a taste of what D.R.O.K. has to offer!!!!! There was no sound. There was only light. Kyousuke first glanced at the pattern racing across his body and then he looked across the entire dark field. He saw a magic circle several hundred meters across and a stealth bomber flew by while blending into the dark sky. Himekawa Mika looked up in her tight skirt and then grew pale. A Government summon bombing!? In the demonstration, they summoned the Lady of Purple Lightning without a vessel so its power would sweep across a fixed area!! It was unclear how Max and Ellie of Perfect Game intended to escape the dome-shaped blast formed from raw power not filtered through a vessels body, but if the bombing was triggered now, Kyousuke and Himekawa would be hit by the destructive power of an unexplored-class. Mika. Thats Mika-san! Andkyah!? There was no countdown. The attack arrived immediately. The purple flash of light created a new crater 300 meters across. !! Max Layard and Ellie Slide had created this situation, but it had been risky for them as well. Once before, Pandemonium had been accidentally hit by the bomber and survived. That massive structure resembled a giant coffin or a giant squid. It was possible to survive if they immediately sent the exorcism request to keep the bombing time to a minimum and sheltered behind one of the giant tentacles, but they were still bringing the fury of an Unexplored-class down on top of them without a protective circle. The more one knew about the Summoning Ceremony, the more mind-numbingly terrifying that was. But Max laughed. Even if he had to force it. Heh That was an Unexplored-class, the Lady of Purple Lightning. I wont even bother checking if youre alive. You might be a legend, but no human body could survive He was not even given time to finish his sentence. After a light sound of impact, the pompadour man looked down and saw the tip of a Repliglass Blood-Sign neatly buried in his solar plexus. Dahgabh!? Just as he started choking, the tip shot up. Guided by the hands of the boy holding it, it powerfully collided with Maxs chin and knocked his head upwards. Bhahah!? Ah, goh! Wha!? Max writhed on the ground, but his confusion was greater than the pain or suffering. How had Shiroyama Kyousuke avoided utter annihilation? Given his location, Max doubted the boy could have hidden behind one of Pandemoniums tentacles. He should have been standing in the very center of the blast. Pandemonium didnt survive the summon bombing because of how hard its armor is. Just like ultra-high temperature plasma, that blast is far beyond anything a wall that thick can handle. The surface was treated with a certain type of magic circle that redirected the Lady of Purple Lighting''s power into the earth like an electrical ground. Kyousuke spun his Blood-Sign around and rested it on his shoulder. I understood the theory and I had the perfect reference material right in front of my eyes. All I had to do was analyze it and make it my own. Scraping out the shape on the ground with my foot was enough. Of course, this only worked because the summon bombing technique is so wasteful that the blast is weakened a fair bit. If that had been properly summoned with the Blood-Sign method, not even a trace of us would remain. That was not as simple as he made it sound. In fact, was it even possible for a human mind and limbs to pull it off? It was a lot like taking the pattern printed on a silicon wafer and reproducing the circuit by hand in the hopes of building the same processor. It was impossible. It just could not be done. This was not an issue of skill as a summoner. He lacked the necessary tools. No scientist could research a pathogen without a microscope. No doctor could save a patient without surgical tools. Kyousuke was essentially saying he had seen the pathogen with the naked eye and opened the patients stomach with his fingers. Even at the 900-level, could someone really do something so inhuman? There was one way. There was a filter glass used to read magic circles more detailed than a high-density LSI. It was covered in an identical number of precise grooves that would interact with the grooves of the circle to draw out a unique pattern visible to the naked eye. There was an invention that stamped a random string of numbers or letters over the name or address of the letters recipient to hide that personal information, but this was more or less the opposite. Perhaps it was like taking a barcode that was not normally human readable and processing it so the information could be read with the naked eye. But fewer than 20 filter glasses were said to exist in all of Government and they cost far more than the average electron microscope. They were a complex combination of lenses, prisms, and mirrors made from a great quantity of glass, crystal, and jewels, so the materials alone took up more space than a school building. If the design was stretched out to the point that it could be read with the naked eye, it was said it would make a full circuit of the earth. So this had to be a bluff. Max Layard forced himself to assume that, but Ah. Something fluttered in the wind. It looked like a thin translucent film. And Kyousuke held a hand mirror he had likely taken from his female vessel. Ahh. For old gramophones, the waveforms of voices were recorded by touching a needle against a disk covered in a thin layer of wax. And the glass in a hand mirror would vibrate when someone spoke. If he covered the hand mirror with a quick-drying manicure repair solution that acted much like instant glue and then spoke right into it, the amplitude might be carved into that thin film. If Shiroyama Kyousuke had fully memorized a filter glasss designs, which would be more detailed than a silicon wafer And if he could use the amplitude of his voice to perfectly output those designs Then What if he peeled the repair solution from the mirror and held it in front of his eyes like sunglasses? Ahhhhhhh!! Youre kiddingyouve got to be kidding! Thats not possible! Are you saying you used your voicejust your voice against the mirror coated with repair solution to create an analysis filter glass!? But those are supposed to cost more than your average electron microscope!! It was sometimes said that a skilled craftsmans fingers could surpass the limits of factory machinery. But could he believe that now that he had seen it for himself? Could he believe that this boy had used his voice to easily draw out a geometric pattern so complex that even Government had only been able to create 20 of them? Kyousuke spat out his response. Compared to that Queens productivity, this is childs play. They simply lived in different worlds. The enemy they were prepared to fight was entirely different. And it went beyond that. Even if he had finished the analysis with that superhuman finesse, when had he put together his own theory? Where had he actually drawn it out? Altogether, hadnt he had less than 10 seconds to work with? In that miniscule amount of time, he had caught up to the theoretical defense system of Pandemoniums armor which had taken who knows how many hours to design and cost who knows how much money to build. How advanced was his mind, his hands, and every last part of him? Th-th-th!! Th-th-th-that-th-th-thats not a very nice joke, dammit!! Can you explain which part of this you think is worth laughing about? With that cold comment, Kyousuke pulled the pin from an Incense Grenade and tossed it away. Before Max could prepare his Blood-Sign again, he looked over at his partner Ellie Slide who was still sitting on the ground. Instead of telling her it was time to fight, it was clearly a negative act of confirming that she could use her interfering incense to avoid the fight. And the incense expert and vessel girl only sighed quietly. Kyousuke gave the answer for her. Do you really think Ellies incense is still floating around after that blast? Kh. It might be time to find a new summoner. Even his own vessel gave an exasperated comment as she calmly pulled a new small bottle from her belt. A moment later, the Artificial Sacred Ground expanded and Alice (with) Rabbits Blood-Sign gave a roar. (Timeline Past) Defeating an opponent was simple when they had lost both their will to fight and their nerve. In fact, it may not even qualify as a fight at that point. After receiving the shock of seeing the god he worshiped slaughtered before his eyes, Max slowly wandered around like a zombie. As Kyousuke guided him with the tip of his Blood-Sign, the man unsteadily approached the side of Pandemoniums thick entrance door and pulled out an authorization pad hidden there. After he released several locks, Kyousuke and Himekawa slipped inside. Were inside now, but they had to have noticed that. An order was sent to the bomber and we fought inside an Artificial Sacred Ground. This clearly doesnt qualify as covert anymore!! That just means we need to change our plans. Either way, I never thought we could settle all of this in secret. It was only a matter of time. After all, the Repliglass structure was more than 800 meters across and even more if the tentacles were included. Two nuclear aircraft carriers would fit inside end to end, but unlike a ship, no thought had been given to a low center of gravity, fuel efficiency, or wave-making resistance. Its width and height had been expanded so much that it had become an unimaginably vast space. Ships and airplanes tended to eliminate any unneeded volume, but Pandemonium seemed to be an exception. The corridors were needlessly wide and the rooms were all large. It was apparently a giant Box capable of supporting almost all of the bizarre summoning techniques demonstrated at D.R.O.K., so it had to be a largescale system. And thus it had plenty of hiding places, so Kyousuke and Himekawa were not easily found even with search teams from Government, Illegal, and Freedom running around. Now that were inside, the rest is easy. We just have to get to the other side of the door leading to the central processor core where the 353 vessels are. But how? You saw the diagram. Pandemoniums sections are restricted at different levels, so moving between them wont be easy. Plus, theyre on full alert and there are summoners everywhere. How are we supposed to travel safely through the facility now!? Thats what makes it so easy. Kyousuke pulled out the metal can of an Incense Grenade. With that many summoners around, we just have to keep a Chain going while we safely break into the depths of the facility inside the protective circle. The greater the density of summoners, the easier it is to keep that Chain going. There are doors in the way? There are traps? Dont you think we can break through all of that by summoning a high cost Material? Himekawa was overwhelmed by how simple he made it sound. He was assuming he could defeat every last enemy even if there was 100 or 1000 of them, and even if that included anything from a Government Award 100 to a Freedom Award 900. But he was not being irrational or giving into wishful thinking. He had simply chosen that card as the optimal plan. And then something like lightning dropped toward Himekawa Mikas head. The loud boom only sounded after a short delay. Himekawa flinched back a half tempo later, but she was unharmed. The Blood-Sign made of ski material with a metal stabilizer had been blocked by Kyousukes Repliglass Blood-Sign. It was a large man with a familiar black pompadour. It was the summoner who should have been in a mindless state after being defeated with the Blood-Sign method. But Max Layard showed no sign of that loss. He made full use of his logic and intelligence for the very human purposes of winning through trickery. Another form of cheating with Ellie Slides incense, huh? I guess I should have expected that from an expert at strengthening summoners. How convenient is she!? As Kyousuke cursed, Max pulled a pineapple-shaped Incense Grenade from his pocket and threw it. Kyousuke could not immediately react after losing his balance protecting Himekawa, so he could only watch. Wherever Ellie Slide was hiding, she was drawn in as the vessel when it detonated. This time, Perfect Game had begun the battle. And by the time Kyousuke had raised his Blood-Sign, some other summoners butted in from hiding. They sacrificed their White Thorns to enter someone elses Artificial Sacred Ground even if it put them at a disadvantage. Government Award 501, Perfect Game. Illegal Award 808, Lionheart. Freedom Award 897, Harem Collector 98. Kyousuke smiled thinly as he viewed them as three coordinated enemies instead of individual summoners. I see. I dont want you complaining this isnt fair. Theres no rule saying summoner battles have to be one-on-one, and none of us can afford to lose!! Perfect Game spat out that response, but Kyousuke actually liked that. This man was willing to work toward his victory, try out any method available to him, and use his own strength to clear a path through any hierarchy or barrier a third party placed in front of him. This was the very strength of being human. White Thorns were launched simultaneously from three directions and the boxy three-dimensional Rose shattered. The 216 fist-sized red balls of light known as Petals scattered in every direction. The Blood-Sign method generally had a rock-paper-scissors structure. So in a one-against-many situation, the multiple enemies could summon Materials from the high, middle, and low sound ranges to guarantee they had the individuals weakness. It was rock-paper-scissors with no ties, so a group or organization had the upper hand. However, multiple solid sounds followed. Kyousuke had launched his White Thorn toward his enemys White Thorn instead of any of the Petals. Wha!? Who was it that shouted that? That single shot ricocheted again and again as it knocked all three enemy summoners White Thorns off course. They knocked Petals into Spots, but not the intended ones. The Petals a summoner had acquired could generally be rearranged at will and used whenever they wanted, but the very first Material was a different matter. Or rather, it would be suicide to not immediately use it because their protective circle would not appear, their vessel would remain human, and they would be instantly killed by the very first attack. All three of them began with the Original Green (k). Sound Range: Middle. Cost: 1. They were shocked to see identical three meter gelatinous Materials. Meanwhile, Kyousuke had the Armored Beast (dr - zx). Sound Range: High. Cost: 4. As the name suggested, it was a Regulation-class shaped like a ferocious lion made of golden Western armor. Kyousuke had the higher cost and the superior sound range. At this rate, his enemies superior numbers would barely matter. He simply had to strike the weaker sound range to mow them all down like grass. But its kind of sad. Kyousuke spoke just before the clash. He honestly respected the pompadour man who would accept any cowardly or cheap method because he could not afford to lose. But he still spoke. And yet this is almost adorable compared to my stubborn but futile struggles against the Queen. Finally, the metal lion roared and mowed everything down with its violent fangs and claws. (Timeline Now) I suppose you wouldnt know why were here, would you? And back to the next day in the present. Max Layard and Ellie Slide of Perfect Game once more appeared in front of Pandemonium and threw a pineapple-shaped Incense Grenade in front of Shiroyama Kyousuke. I know It detonated and an Artificial Sacred Ground appeared. 36 Spots appeared and a three-dimensional Rose made from 216 Petals appeared in the center. The battle between summoners was finally beginning. I know who you are!! Hmmm. Except the White Queens blank expression ruined it all. A deafening roar followed. Eh? Ah? The pompadour man voiced his confusion just as he used all his strength to launch a White Thorn with his Blood-Sign. The Rose had vanished. Pure white claw marks had torn into space itself and nothing else remained. And the White Queen had clearly transformed a portion of her dress. Diiinosaurrrr. She sounded incredibly bored. Something like the upper body of a carnivorous dinosaur rose several dozen meters tall and attacked Max from above. Its jaws and fangs filled his vision. Without a protective circle, this would kill him instantly. No, even with one, this would have chewed him to pieces!! Ohhhhhhwah!? Max Layard shouted and rolled out of the way, but that was not enough to stop the peak of the Unexplored-class. He only survived because Kyousuke embraced the twintail girl from the side. Rather than stopping, the White Queen blushed and her aim veered off course. The green earth half a step to Maxs side was mercilessly devoured and the most basic structure of the world itself was torn away into pure whiteness. Goddammit! Boss!! To Pandemoniums tentacle!! Panicked, Max reached toward his ear. But rather than an earpiece, an athletes webcam was attached there. Or perhaps it was a unit for transmitting his location and asking for bombing support. The Queen might be protecting you, but youve got no protective circle. If we hit you with another Unexplored-classs power A bright light shined down and drew some optical art on the grassy field. This constructed a magic circle several hundred meters across and Pandemoniums power was used to summon the Lady of Purple Lightning without a vessel so that her exposed power would expand in an explosion. But the White Queen was unfazed. In fact, it was difficult to imagine ever seeing her fazed. Gah. Another portion of her dress transformed. The elegantly decorative cloth made a rod shape. She held it like a baseball bat and swung it like a clever girl who chose to visit a batting cage on a date and made a show of her poor skills to get the boy to give her a hands-on lesson. Claaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaang! goes the bat. Something unbelievable happened. The purple explosion twisted. When the bat hit the dome, it was squished in like a rubber ball and the spreading Unexplored-class power was contained. It was allowed to escape away from the Queen, so it was blasted up toward a point in the blue sky. This had nothing to do with placing the exorcism circle on top of it. The fluffy white clouds were entirely blown away, the bomber itself was nearly vaporized, and the power was knocked outside the atmosphere. The Lady of Purple Lightning would have been acting like a strobe light at the center, so she had likely been carried away with it. Once she finished swinging, the White Queen wiped her brow with the back of her hand as if she had worked up a sweat. At some point and for some reason, her changeable clothing had become a bikini that showed off her bright skin. She looked back with a wink and a smile. What did you think, brother? That was a sneak peek at my summer break watermelon splitting skills She was making a mockery of the whole affair. Meanwhile, Max Layard of Perfect Game was legitimately in tears. His pompadour had grown as limp as damp paper. Wha-wha-but!? What!? Th-that wasthat was supposed to be another Unexplored-class!! Kyousuke found himself staring off into the distance. It seemed Max had never seen the real deal before. He would have lived a happy life if his ignorance had continued, so Kyousuke felt kind of bad giving him this dark blot in his life. And he could not exactly rejoice at this situation. He could already sense the distortion that the White (Bikini) Queen had set in place. She held the bat in both hands and wiggled the tip around as if waiting for just the right timing. Hey, hey, heyyy!! Get in the way of this date with my brother and Ill knock you all the way to Pluto. Youll stab straight into that icy land, so when some obsessed astronomer spots you, therell be rumors about a frightening man-faced rock, you dimwit!! H-h-hee!! Also, it seems my brother wants to get inside this garbage castle, so Ill be destroying this rude gate that isnt welcoming us properly. Take this An explosive sound slammed into the world. The bat grew. The slender swimsuit girl did not even move her hips when she swung the blunt weapon. It was a completely comical motion, but Pandemoniums thick door split apart like styrofoam despite enduring a blast from the Lady of Purple Lightning. A fragment larger than a refrigerator nearly crushed Max and he seemed to have lost all will to fight. He grabbed Ellie Slide under his arm and made a run for it despite the personal items he was dropping along the way. Kyousuke remained silent for a while, but the White Queen swung the white bat around in one hand while giving off a powerful praise me aura with a beaming smile on her face. Okay, brother. I opened the way for you. Shouldnt you rub my head a little and hold your head high at how wonderful your girlfriend is? Yeah, that would be what you were after with this, spat out Kyousuke with a hand on his forehead. Its true Im more or less invincible right now. I can exterminate any summoner and destroy the thickest doors and cruelest traps with a single word. But none of it is my power. Queen, youre trying to make people hate me so much that I cant remain safe without your power, arent you? Ha ha The bat and bikini returned to her original dress and the silver twintail girl clapped her hands together in front of her chest. And she spoke with a carefree smile on her face. What a silly thing to say, brother. Im not trying to do anything. Every part of me - from every hair on my head to the very center of my soul - already belongs to you. Kyousuke shook his head. What if the White Queen was his and he became a special being who had that power? There were countless summoners who mistakenly thought they could do that and it never worked out well for them. They assumed acquiring the Queen would make them almighty, happy, and victorious. If that was all they saw in it, they were almost guaranteed to fail before even meeting her. It was a lot like being unable to live without air conditioning, online shopping, and GPS-linked map apps after starting to use them. Convenience was a black hole that could twist the human heart. Shiroyama Kyousuke told himself to never give in to temptation and to maintain himself. If he relied on that even once, it was all over. Brother, what are your plans now? The White Queens clothing wriggled around her. And it changed form in the blink of an eye. Go, go, brother. Lovely Why are you a cheerleader with pompoms in your hands? To inspire you with courage, brother. Take a look at this physical beauty and all its healthy athleticism Oh, you dont like it? Would you be more inspired by something a little less healthy? Then how about a bunny girl, a nurse, a maid, a waitress, a naked apron, or a kunoichi? Her outfit really did change as she made each suggestion, so there was nothing he could say. Kyousuke was truly fed up with the presentation of transforming seduction, so he focused on his thoughts. The answer was right in front of him. If he entered the door the White Queen had destroyed, searched the place, and defeated any summoners who came running, he would learn everything he wanted to know. But he felt a chill run down his spine. He could not take the first step which should have been the easiest part. If he crossed the border just a few meters ahead of him, he would be safely protected from this hellish battlefield. He could see no enemies in any direction and this would be his only chance. But if he crossed that border, he knew a laser bombardment would mercilessly blast him from outside the atmosphere. A normal person would not have noticed and been blown away. But Kyousuke could see beyond the blue sky. (If I keep going, Ill gather too much negative attention. It wont just be the Deltaston family; the entire world will bare its fangs against me. That wouldnt be a problem with the Queen on my side, but that would mean she had a situation where shes my only hope. Giving into temptation here is too dangerous. I wont be able to break my dependence on the Queen afterwards.) Kyousuke breathed a heavy sigh. I dont need your help. Hee hee He rejected her, but the silver twintail girl looked happy as she reverted to her original clothing. She may have been fine with anything so long as he was interacting with her. Being with the White Queen is far too dangerous, he concluded anew. She did not even need to do anything special. This was D.R.O.K., an international trade show where tens of thousands of summoners and vessels had gathered. That meant everyone here knew her value. Simply walking around with her and keeping her to himself could easily create an explosion of any number of emotions: jealousy, envy, hatred, fear, etc. And if enough of that built up, it could even begin a riot that could only be stopped with the Queens power. Once that began, it might spread outside of D.R.O.K. An all-out war with the Deltaston family was one thing, but Kyousuke did not want to make an enemy of the entire world. It pained him to turn away from the shortest path, but he changed how he looked at this. Ill have to go at this from a different angle. Hmm. The White Queen gave a meaningful wink and murmur (and just like a mysterious book of prophecy, trying to read deeper meaning into it was enough to fall into its trap) and Kyousuke crouched down. Max Layard of Perfect Game had dropped a few personal items. Kyousuke picked up the smartphone he found. He used a few special techniques to deactivate the fingerprint authorization and then glanced through the data. It was entirely for work use, so it was made to open doors just by holding it up to an IC reader and it hosted the webcam that supported the bomber. He operated the touchscreen, compared the data with the current situation, and commented on what he found. This is weird. This is really weird. What is it? Kyousuke ignored the bright white smile and thought to himself. Then he decided on a plan. I cant charge blindly into Pandemonium. Hee hee hee, hee hee hee hee hee! Oh, brother, youre so adorable. Why would you walk away from the conclusion when its right in front of you? Do you want to enjoy our date a little longer? That sounded like a cruel joke, but with the White Queen, she really might wipe out humanity over something so trivial. He did not let her influence him and he focused on what he had to do. A large entrance sat open before his eyes. It was Pandemoniums entrance and it was the shortest route to the truth. But he used all his strength to shake free of that spider web of temptation. The Queen had freely opened that path for him, so there had to be a catch. And not just some vague idea. It would be dangerous to take action until he knew what exactly that catch was. No matter how rushed, impatient, and hurried he felt, he could not settle for the easy way out and he needed the strength to step back from that powerful attraction. I need to start my attack with someone who probably knows more about this than anyone else. That Perfect Game pair would have worked, but theyve probably gone into hiding. And I cant exactly search for them while dragging around the Queen who is more noticeable than the sun. Ill have to check elsewhere. So where exactly are you going, brother? The boy did not hesitate to answer his worst possible partner. The big boss who infiltrated the three major powers and set up this farce they call the Divine Right of Kings. Im going straight for the head of the Deltaston family. (Timeline Now) Kyousukes top priority was to confirm the safety of Himekawa Mika and the rest of the 353 vessels in Pandemonium. There was a decent chance that Himekawa was inside the White Queen, but that was only a theory and he had no proof. He wanted more information to help fill in his missing memories and arrive at the truth. To do that, he needed to directly attack someone from the Deltaston family that was running the Pandemonium project. Instead of starting at the center, he would part the forgetful waters of Lethe from the outer edges. That was his plan. Oh, my. Brother, theyre selling fried bananas. You can fry bananas? But theyre fruit! Kyousuke tried to empty his mind as the White Queen clung to his arm and expressed interest in the food for sale. The summoners and vessels in the crowd grew needlessly noisy once more. Her Majesty!? Kh, but would it be best for her if I didnt bother her now!? Gozaru, gozaru. If the Queen stirred things up, maybe I could escape my current standstill I wont bother her, but what if I stood right at the edge of her view? Sh-shes looking at meeeeeeeee!! Kyousuke immediately tried to leave, but the Queen grinned and pinned him to the spot like an anchor. He struggled for a bit, but he finally concluded buying her some fried fruit in a paper package was more cost effective than cutting off his arm. Hm, hm. The texture is so different when its fried. Would you call this a snack or a kind of chips? Thats a banana with vegetable oil, so its loaded with calories. And it comes with vanilla ice cream, so you never get tired of it. Its hot but cold! Look, brother, you try this new texture too. Say ah And they give you so much of it Why are you in such a good mood, anyway? Oh, is it because the banana flesh, the fried coating, and the vanilla ice cream are all white? Hee hee. The White Queen loves bananas!! I wont stop you, but still U-um, brother? Isnt that being a little cruel? I know Im in an extra good mood because of this date, but dont you have too many fantasies about how girls are supposed to be? That had nothing to do with this. Kyousuke walked through the noisy crowd with the White Queen, but the silver twintail girl completely ignored them. Hee hee. Ee hee hee. I cant believe Im walking next to you like this, brother I think Im going to get greedy and stand on your right side. Hee hee. Your dominant hand is all mine! I am the center of your being!! No matter where he went, the White Queen was too conspicuous. And only an incense expert like Ellie Slide could prevent expert summoners and vessels from recognizing them to travel incognito. It was less than ideal for pursuing or being pursued by someone. It was like wrapping Christmas lights around your body and running around the mountains at night to hunt timid baby deer. But there were people whose position would prevent them from fleeing. For example, the head of the noble Deltaston family. The greater the VIP the more meaning each and every one of their actions held. Someone that important would not be allowed to remove his fan from his face even if a hurricane was approaching. The juvenile concept of being mocked was mostly seen during the so-called gang age, but at his level, it was a major concern that could make a small crack in the dam and lead to a revolt. So A top-class hotel with a casino, an opera house, and a pool salon? The cheapest rooms are the suites and the fanciest is the Excellently Royal Special Breezing What is with this name? It sounds like a coffee with lots of cream on top. Whatever it is, its still just a collection of containers. Kyousuke looked up at the giant structure. It was indeed a stack of boxy containers, but each one was larger than a school gym. And in some cases, the inner walls had been torn down to connect them together. They were not stacked evenly, so effort had been made to give it a modern art look. Officially, its a social gathering place where Government, Illegal, and Freedom can stay to make connections, but the Deltaston family is involved in all of it. I bet the one family has the entire place to themselves. And theyre even running a musical based on the legend of the White Queen. Im not sure if thats having awful taste or just plain insane Brother, why not upgrade your room? If were going to be flirting, I want at least a king-sized bed. Oh, but having to share a single futon in a tiny room would be great too Is that all you ever think about? Y-you have it all wrong!! Its important to start by bringing our feelings together with a kiss!! The best way to defend against attacks, abductions, and assassinations was to hide your location, but a VIP could not do that. It would be a problem if people assumed they were hiding because they were scared. That was why the location of the palace or residence of a nations leader would be public knowledge. Locating them was easy and they were almost never allowed to flee. That made paying them a visit simple. Assuming, that is, you had enough power to break through the thick walls. So how are you going to do this, brother? I will simply be following you around, so are you going with the standard plan of breaking through this flimsy paper box and dragging your target out of the rubble? How is that the standard plan? Oh, but if you go the front desk and tell them the peak of the Unexplored-class is kindly paying them a visit, they might roll out the red carpet and show us right in. Thats exactly what would happen, so Im not doing that. The White Queen worked just as well as a master key here. She could force anything through for him, but it would also explosively increase the negative attention he received. If the White Queen decided to leave for some reason, he would be destroyed by the hatred and jealousy of both the Deltaston family and the entire world, so he would be forced into a pathetic life of dependency on and servitude to the Queen. So Kyousuke steeled his resolve and reminded himself not to include the Queens power in his calculations. Wherever its located, the structure of a hotel makes it easy to sneak in. This way, Queen. Boo. Sneaking in the back way goes against my principles. Besides, I doubt even hiding on the dark side of the moon would mask my presence. We dont need to hide. She went along with his vaguely-described plan. Kyousuke circled behind the hotel and boldly turned the emergency doors knob. It was not locked, but opening it set off an alarm. However, he did not panic and the two of them slipped inside the closest linen room. They were inside a giant container, but the interior was made to hide that fact. Wallpaper and carpet covered the walls and floor and it looked just like a luxury hotel. Kyousuke saw a large washing machine, dryer, and pushcart along the wall. He borrowed a blank cream-colored cardkey he spotted along with the cleaning teams personal items. Hotels have far more master keys than normal apartment buildings. It isnt all that well known, but they go missing all the time. We can get in anywhere with this, so it seems pretty careless of them. Hmm. But isnt a stealth mission physically impossible with me tagging along? If we walk another 20m, the entire world will find out and well be rushed by passionate worshipers and the paparazzi. Since I am not in an Artificial Sacred Ground, I show up on cameras and sensors, so this is the perfect chance to make some holy icons. You dont need to worry about that. ? As Kyousuke spoke, he grabbed a bath towel, a toolbox, and a roll of duct tape he found in the linen room. The formally ringing alarm automatically stopped. The White Queen watched in interest to see what he was doing and he immediately took her back out into the hallway. The silver twintail girl spoke like a navigator. I sense something at the door on the left 15 meters ahead. Its going to open. That was exactly what happened. Instead of a guest room, the door likely led to a break room or kitchenette for employees. The door opened outwards and someone started to stick their head out. Okay, brother. What are you going towahyah!? The Queens voice was cut off by Kyousuke grabbing her silver twintail head and roughly tousling her hair all around. Not only did he mess up her hair, but he threw the bath towel at her. With the toolbox and duct tape in hand, Kyousuke put on a deeper and gravelly voice. Instead of running or hiding from the maid-like cleaner woman, he actually approached her. We only have 20 minutes until rehearsal, so what do you mean you got lost!? You wanted to take a smoke to calm your nerves? I cant believe what Im hearing! Youre in your stage costume! Youll ruin it with the yellow cigarette resin. You cant let your guard down just because we have a spare. Who knows what other trouble well run across before the performance!! Eh? Huh? The White Queen looked utterly bewildered and Kyousuke bowed toward the cleaning lady as they passed by. Sorry about all the noise. You know how things can be, so please forgive us! Cmon, you bow too. Weve set foot in a professionals territory!! Now lets get to the rehearsal! Honestly, the kid Im dressed as is called Alice (with) Rabbit, right? Im just the prop guy, so think how I must feel dressing up to help you practice. I had to skip lunch for this and Im not even getting paid for it!! H-hnyah. Brother As he grabbed her slender arms and tugged her forward, the Queens cheeks grew red. Kyousuke ignored it as he made his smartphone ring and pretended to answer it. What is it now!? Oh, producer? Yes, I found that stubborn woman!! You need to chew her out too. We cant have that legendary White Queen squatting behind the hotel smoking a cigarette!! Shes dressed like a world famous individual, so wed get a flood of complaints if someone got a photo!! How would we explain that to our sponsors!? Kyousuke continued feigning chitchat as he and the Queen passed by the cleaning lady. Their abnormal outfits backed up their story and the phone created an invisible barrier that prevented her from asking any questions. Kyousuke made his way to the employee elevator and the White Queen giggled with the bath towel over her head. I see. So being famous can come in handy sometimes. Isnt - that - right - brother? Im not like you. Youre the one thats standing out. A-and, brother, can you tousle my hair again!? Cling to me too much and itll mess with our supposed roles of actress and prop guy. No, wait. This might actually be better. If it looks like were secret lovers, she might accept why we were sneaking around out back. S-s-s-secret lovers!!!??? The White Queen started glowing, so Kyousuke frantically shoved her into the employee elevator. They would normally need a cardkey to visit a special floor, but that was only for the guest elevators. For conveniences sake, the employee one allowed anyone to visit any floor. And needing a cardkey would not matter when all the employees had a master key in the first place. P-pat me, pat me!! Please pat my head some more, brother! But some information will remain saying we were wandering around an off limits area. Once they realize the cardkey is missing, wont we be the first people they suspect? Pat me, pat me! Come on, pat me, pat me!! The door has closed, so we dont need to keep up the act. And how would they find us? They would go after the real musical group in the hotels opera house, wouldnt they? And how would that lead them to us? By the time the Deltaston familys bodyguard team begins searching some innocent strangers possessions, well be done here. Eh heh heh. So youre willing to frame people as long as their name will be cleared in the end? You really are crazy in your own way, brother You have no right whatsoever to call anyone crazy. This was not a high-rise structure made of reinforced concrete, so the elevator reached the floor they wanted in no time. Much like Aikas apartment, the space was the size of a school building and took up the entire floor. But by the time they reached the one and only entrance used by both the employee and guest elevators, Kyousuke could tell something was not right. I knew it. Knew what, brother? Why wasnt there a single bodyguard? This is the palace for the king who built this temporary city for tens of thousands of summoners and vessels! Kyousuke recalled Max Layards smartphone he had acquired before coming here. It had contained a fair amount of information, but something else had caught his interest. Perfect Game should have been closer than anyone to Government here and thus to the Deltaston family, but they had not received a single call or message that looked like it might have been about a job. Almost like the organization itself was not functioning. If Kyousukes memories were accurate, there had been a fair number of summoners and vessels inside Pandemonium, but there was not even an email about delivering food or living supplies. That may have only been a small oddity. It may not have been worth turning back when Pandemonium was right in front of his eyes and the truth was within reach. But that was wrong. Even that had required the strength to turn back. Ignoring a slight problem in order to reach for a great prize was like ignoring the risk of losing control and grabbing the White Queens hand while assuming he could manage it without any proof that was the case. If he let those thoughts tempt him, he would be swallowed up before he knew it. It was because he was faced with an amazing opportunity that he had to make extra certain he did not lose sight of himself. And he had made it this far, even if it had required a boring detour. He used the cleaning master key to open the door and stepped inside, but he only found a painful silence. He checked the living room that had a full home theater system, the kitchen that was far too large for only preparing drinks and snacks, a bath so large it looked more like a pool bar, and a bedroom with a king-sized canopy bed, an audio system to play sleep-inducing music, and an aroma oil set, but there was no sign of anyone. There were a lot of personal possessions for a hotel room and there were so many pieces of artwork and antiques decorating the space that it was easy to forget it filled an entire floor. There was an ancient Greek sculpture, a model ship, an antique gramophone, and a shield on the wall with a crest that was probably the Deltaston familys. The glittering red, white, and blue jewels somehow made it look cheap. As part of the Round Table, their personal possessions were all Western. They were probably all quite valuable, but none of them went well with each other. The room simply felt oppressive. That was why he overlooked it at first. Something was leaning against the wall, but he had mistaken it for one of the rooms ugly pieces of art, like a grandfather clock or an overly decorated music box. Brother. When the silver twintail girl in a white dress gently guided his attention, that something slid down the wall. It hit the floor, flipped over, and told Kyousuke this was the worst case scenario here. An elderly man in a luxurious gown lay there. There was no light of intelligence in his eyes. Even as he lay on his side, he continued moving like someone walking with a cane. This was the sign of a loser in the Summoning Ceremony. The shock of seeing his god killed before his eyes had left him repeating the same action like a zombie in the original sense of the word. He would obey any gestured or spoken instructions and would even walk right off a cliff if guided to do so. So the Deltaston familys emperor is wearing no clothes, hm? Naturally, he could not have ended up like this on his own. If he had lost, then someone had to have won. Based on the situation, Kyousuke doubted even 24 hours had passed since he had entered this state. But some of his wounds were more severe than others and some had healed more than others. He may have received them when collapsing upon his defeat, but that meant he had fought multiple times over multiple days. Was he beat back down every time the state wore off? If so It started with him, but someone else hijacked the plan, groaned Kyousuke. Looking at the poor old man sent pain racing through the back of his mind. This was stimulating the scab on his memories. This had started as a slight sense that something was off. But he had been right to obey it. If he had charged into Pandemonium without knowing anything, it almost certainly would have cost him his life. He would have held out his shield in the wrong direction and the downpour of arrows would have skewered him. Simply put, he had needed to deal with this problem first. Whos in control of Pandemonium!? (Timeline Past) The night was growing late. After successfully infiltrating Pandemonium, Shiroyama Kyousuke and Himekawa Mika hid among the complex array of passageways and rooms. They had intended to use the large density of summoners to defeat one after another while using the Chain state to maintain a powerful Material and break into the center where the processor core and its 353 vessels were. Their opponents always had to start at the Regulation-class with a cost of 1, so Kyousuke could defeat an entire group once he had built up a Divine or Unexplored-class. A true demon king would be sweeping away the scouts and foot soldiers. But. After managing to summon the Unexplored-class Ashen Shrine Maiden who Invites Merciful and Dignified Death (em - ao - lev - ck - rol - ei - vb - yu - a - ps), their Chain broke and the original vessel returned. Needless to say, this was not due to a lack of skill on Kyousukes part. They intentionally had all the enemy summoners keep their distance to break our Chain. The boy bluntly analyzed the situation. I had assumed their coordination would be poor since theyre a mixture of Government, Illegal, and Freedom, but the Deltaston family must have more control than I thought. Kyousukes protective circle vanished and his vessel returned to being a bluish-black-haired ponytail woman in a navy blue tight skirt suit with torn stockings that showed off her bright skin. Himekawa glanced around and asked a question. Th-then what will they do next? Dont ask me. (They should already know they cant beat me even if were all starting with Cost 1 Regulation-classes. And I doubt theyll use the indiscriminate destruction of a Holy Key Woman to release an uncontrollable Divine-class inside Pandemonium. If theyre being managed well, theyll probably go for a little cannibalism. Theyll fight each other to build up an ace Material before attacking us again.) Discussing that would only worry his partner, so he kept silent. (That just means we have to do the same thing they did. After they reduce their numbers with the cannibalism, their Chain only lasts 90 seconds. If we can escape, the Material they sacrificed their own people for will be entirely wasted.) Summoners used otherworldly beings that exceeded human understanding. Just because an opponent or situation seemed hopeless or too much to handle, they could not give into fear and stop thinking. They had to accept their weakness as a human and then use that to overcome it. That was the true essence of a summoner. Kyousuke maintained a unique mental state that kept him relaxed enough to perform as best as possible while remaining tense. Mika. Thats Mika-san. What is it? Dont force yourself. I doubt youve fully recovered from the cold water earlier. Find something around here to warm yourself with. Its been a while since then and I was fighting while transforming into Materials. Im saying it''s coming back. Kyousuke had not overlooked the unnatural trembling in the core of Himekawa Mikas body. Being a vessel mostly came down to an issue of inborn talent, but the ability to be a spiritual medium was not always a plus. If they did not bind their own mind with restraint-like accessories, they could easily erroneously and accidently summon evil or vengeful spirits. That did not seem to have happened this time, but a less serious problem was showing itself. Kyousuke was pretty sure it was a condition known as an Imaginary Flashback. Any frustrations or desires held just before transforming into a Material will return with twice the intensity when you transform back. Of course youre going to be having trouble after such a chill. Uuh It was like having your forgotten sleepiness come rushing back once the effects of the energy drink wore off. All physical effects were negated while in Material form, but that did not mean the vessels physical body recovered. Mika, theres nothing to be embarrassed about. Not only were you forced into a mental battle with an otherworldly monster, but youre a Holy Key Woman which has to make it worse. It makes sense you would run into problems more often than a normal vessel. Its Mika-san! Uuhso its an error? But its still embarrassing They were not in a military control room full of strange gauges and they were not in an armory where a single match would trigger an explosion large enough to blow them all the way to the moon. It was a space larger than a school classroom with drink and bread vending machines along the wall and several tables in the center. The chairs could recline for taking naps in them and the armrests had folded blankets on them. (10m x 20m x) It was obvious if you thought about it, but even a military facility was run by people and they would need normal living spaces to supply the basic necessities. (17.04m? What a shame. Its so close to being 1 x 2 x 3.) Kyousuke thought on the spatial observations that any summoner picked up as a habit. At any rate, they only needed 5 or 10 minutes. He had Himekawa sit in a chair with the back reclined and he somewhat forcibly placed a blanket over her. But then the woman in the navy blue tight skirt shivered. Uuh When you warm up a cold body so quickly, um, the difference in temperatureaffects the bladder. I can turn the other way if you want. No, Im fine. I have my pride! As he poured hot water in a cup of instant noodles on the table, Himekawa spoke while curled up in the blanket. Kyousuke-kun, you said I look a lot like a woman you used to know, didnt you? What about it? I most likely knew the same person. She revealed that information with a faint smile. Kyousuke looked surprised, so she continued. Or rather, I remade my entire life plan to be more like her. My physique, my clothing, my mannerisms, my educational history, my skills, and my definition of salvation You may have felt bad when you couldnt help but compare me to someone else, but being told Im just like her actually saved me. It told me I hadnt chosen the wrong path. But she was part of Government. I pursued Madam Professor after she disappeared. But the higher ups would not let me view her information while I was in Government, so I thought I might have more luck if I joined their enemies in Illegal. The truth of that was hidden in darkness. And that was a deep darkness that got to the root of Shiroyama Kyousuke and the White Queen. Those were not secrets an individuals effort could reach. But Himekawa Mika did not view Kyousuke with hostility or mistrust. She only narrowed her eyes gently. Oh, so that woman continued being herself even after she vanished. And this boy inherited something from her. Even if she is no longer here and we can only speak of her as someone from the past, she remained true to herself to the end and must not have felt any regret about her life. That was what those eyes said. She was a strange person. Kyousuke suddenly found himself speaking. For one thing, she was always terribly careless. She was almost always late, she would drink alcohol at work, she refused to eat any vegetables except for cabbage and radishes, and she lost interest so fast she couldnt finish a movie, a novel, or even a manga. In her work, she would say the system was too coldhearted and that it lacked humanity, so she would write her own script into the blank spaces. Watching her made me seriously think that simply aging wasnt enough to call someone an adult. I started wondering if we needed some kind of national exam like we do for drivers licenses. She would make anyone and everyone mad, but strangely, everyone ended up laughing by the end. Even the coldhearted developers and fighters. Himekawas expression softened as she accepted the cup of noodles. Yeahha ha. I more or less know what you mean with all that. And she often seemed entirely clueless. That Miniature Garden five hundred meters below the earth was a psychedelic egg where hidden knowledge and cutting-edge technology mixed, but even there, she taught us something incredibly strange. What was it? When you first see someone in the morning, give them a cheerful greeting. Kyousuke smiled faintly as he repeated the words of someone who was no longer with them. Isnt that strange? But she really did teach us that. She threw out the Sewn Realm Summoning meant to monopolize the White Queen and the Fifteen Siblings Project meant to bring peace to all mankind, and she started with that. But I think that led straight to the most important thing. Just like we associate the stars in the chilly night sky to form constellations, I was able to see the slight bit of humanity hidden deep inside people dyed so deeply in the colors of coldhearted cruelty. It had been a small thing. But it had been a necessary gear toward producing great meaning. It had to be due to the accumulation of those miniscule but undoubtedly right things that had allowed Shiroyama Kyousuke to avoid drowning in the White Queens power and to continue fighting against that absolute temptation. He had been given the power to view the world head-on instead of from a cynical angle. And that obvious thing had given him the strength to reject the Queens overwhelming power even if every other summoner and vessel succumbed to it. If you have a unique background or objective, some irregular behavior is allowed. Society is accepting of eccentrics as long as they have a useful sort of genius. The little things can be overlooked in the face of the big things. Im certain it was thanks to those people that I didnt use any of those outs. Im not about to say Im average for this world, but its because of the normal things they taught me that I can just barely avoid crossing the line. Without that, he would have succumbed. He would have been swallowed up by the symbol of uniqueness that was the White Queen and he would have been irreparably distorted. Or perhaps Shiroyama Kyousuke would have become a monster even greater than the Queen. Biondetta said our original families had betrayed us, sold us, and abandoned us. She said we had no friends in that cramped Miniature Garden, that all the adults were cruel, that the social structure was shallow, and that our sibling bonds were only artificial and thus untrustworthy. It was slight, but there was some bitterness in his voice. But there was more there if you pulled back the veils of suspicion and hatred and looked closely. Maybe it was like the Buddhist concept of Issui Shiken. The exact same lake seems to glitter with jewels to a Deva and seems filled with blood to a Preta; its all in your viewpoint. Its true that the path the 15 of us walked may have been truly terrible and unlike anything a normal person experiences. Even my view of normal may be terribly distorted. But that Miniature Garden contained more than just a perfect machine. Those were living and breathing humans. Everyones expression softened when Madam Professor was around. But she said that was something we all already had inside us. So no matter how coldhearted everyone acted, they had to have a warmth that would leak out as soon as they relaxed. Biondetta had been furious. She had said Kyousuke had been the only one of the 15 children not to break because he alone had received the Queens love. But Kyousuke saw things differently. He suspected Biondetta and the others had received too much exposure to the White Queen. Perhaps it was like a halo effect, but they had mistakenly decided each and every one of that powerful girls words held great meaning. When a national idol shook your hand in hers and smiled at you specifically, everything else seemed to vanish. The small kindness and favor of those closer to you were blown away. It had been just like that. But what if they had not been trapped by that bright sun? What if they had still recognized the shine of the stars twinkling in the night sky? They might have seen an entirely different world. Even if it had been an isolated space, that miniature garden had been large. It had taken 1000 people to keep it running. It was impossible to feel alone there as long as you looked to them. Himekawa Mika narrowed her eyes a little as she drank the noodle soup and slurped up the noodles. But it wasnt you that found that possibility. Right. It was definitely thanks to those people. That wasnt something some idiot who acts like a genius could do. Then Kyousuke quickly looked up. He strained his ears and sensed a slight smell in the air. Theyre here. Eh? Eh? Mika, our break is over once youre done eating. There was an odd change in the echoing footsteps of the summoners who have entered a Chain state, and I just detected the scent of an Incense Grenade. She pulled off her blanket and the two of them ran out of the break room and into the passageway. A young female summoner was just turning a corner further down the passageway. She was accompanied by a Divine-class with a cost of 6 from the low sound range. That giant bird from Indian mythology was Vishnus mount as well as the enemy of all snakes. This summoner could not have just summoned this Divine-class, so it was most likely the result of cannibalism in which she had fought her fellow summoners to use them as a stepping stone. If Kyousuke challenged her with the Cost 1 Regulation-class Original Series, he would be defeated instantly. Found you The summoner began running toward them. If they were caught in the 20m field around her, the Chain state would switch to a normal battle. But Kyousuke only grabbed his vessels shoulders and stepped back a single step. That was all. The Artificial Sacred Ground that should have swallowed them up vanished like a switch had been thrown. Wha? The Chain state only lasted 90 seconds. The White Thorns were replenished every 10 seconds and a total of 7 could be held in stock, but he could still calculate his enemys remaining time by glancing at her stock. Someone taking part in that cannibalism would not think about continuing the battle after reaching the Material she wanted. Ah? And as soon as her Artificial Sacred Ground vanished along with her protective circle and Material, Kyousuke pulled the pin from and threw an Incense Grenade. This time, he was the master of the Artificial Sacred Ground. He raised his Blood-Sign and grinned as he challenged her on equal terms. My condolences. The rest did not take long. Pandemonium had cannibalized their own people, so they had used up a lot of their own summoners. And even when they sent all of their precious Divine-classes after him, they could not defeat Kyousuke. There was simple reason for this: when up against someone he knew he could beat, he let the battle stretch on as long as he could. And during the few battles he fought, he hit plenty of Petals into the Spots and built up his Material as much as possible. That ultimately gave him the Unexplored-class Lady of Purple Lightning which he used to mow down all of the Divine-classes who ignorantly challenged him as a group. The girl sat in a run-down wheelchair with her sickly pale skin exposed by some highly revealing purple clothing. Each time she pointed her index finger, a beam-like attack would reap every enemy at once. Whoa!? Thats the Lady of Purple Lightning. Did we fall for his bait!? Its no good. All the losers wandering around are in the way! Move them to the side!! Ah, wait. Dont look this way! Why meeee!? After some fighting, they seemed to decide this was not worth it and the summoners from the three major powers began to retreat. Even if Kyousukes Material had reached the Unexplored-class, it would still vanish once his Chain state ran out of time. But Kyousuke did not bother pursuing. With the number of enemy summoners and vessels so greatly reduced, they could not cannibalize each other like before. As time passed, their situation would only grow worse. And he had somewhere he needed to go. He let the summoners flee and made his way to the Pandemoniums central processing core. The Chain state ran out on the way and Himekawa Mika returned to her human form, but that did not matter. Now that they knew their cannibalism would not work, it would be some time before the Pandemonium summoners thought up another plan. And if there were any sporadic attacks on the way, he could defeat them like normal. The passageway was filled with a strangely unnerving rumbling with the regularity of a pulse. (A Repliglass heart reactor? An artery must be running by nearby. That means there must be something here that consumes a ton of energy.) They met almost no resistance. Their footsteps sounded loudly on a steel catwalk. The scene below the wire mesh at their feet made it easy to forget this was a limited space inside a fortress. They were more than 10 meters up and the area below was covered in strange transparent spheres. Each one was about the size of a balance ball, some kind of glowing orange core flashed at the center, and several thick black cables attached to the outside. Altogether, it looked like a clump of giant roe or a type of parallel processor. Lets hurry, Kyousuke-kun. Right He focused ahead again and ran toward the final space. Shiroyama Kyousuke stood in front of an especially thick door as if to a bank vault. This is the processing core according to the diagram. The vessels are waiting beyond here! Kyousuke traced his hand along the final door. He could have broken through it with the firepower of an Unexplored-class, but his Chain had not lasted. He had to use something else. It uses a vacuum locking mechanism. Those use the surrounding air pressure to close the door. Fortunately, they had acquired detailed plans, so they had information on the doors mechanism and design. And no matter how sturdy the door, it could not be made into a solid piece of metal without a single screw or welding point. It had to be made of multiple pieces, so it could be dismantled. But if we send air into the vacuum layer, the difference in pressure will return to zero. Then the door will open. We can do this. Its simple. We need to remove a panel and apply heat at a spot that the sensors wont notice No matter how fancy the system, a rubber seal is the best way to make it airtight. If the heat reaches that and melts it, the air will flow through the gap and into the vacuum layer! His Repliglass Blood-Sign came in handy at times like this. It could move like a living creature, so if he supported it a little, it could spin like a drill and catch paper or cloth on fire from friction. If he used the beak-like part on the silicon pellet insertion slot, it could even remove screws. With a loud metallic noise, the door slowly opened outwards and Kyousuke stepped back so as not to be crushed. The sealed processing core ever so gradually came into view. This was the turning point. He had to take the 353 vessels with him to escape Pandemonium and he had to think about what to do after that. It would all be meaningless if the vessels were recaptured after he rescued them. It was possible this would require taking on the entire Deltaston family. But that line of thinking proved na?ve. As the door opened wide, he found no one at all inside the vast space within. (50 x 50 x) It was a giant die-like space with fifty meter sides. Each of the six surfaces was crammed full of geometric patterns with lines as fine as hair. Red, green, and yellow lights pulsed intermittently through them. (49.998?) But that was all. There were traces of something. Chairs sat in concentric circles like at an international conference. They had belts attached like at the dentist. If all of those were filled, it was possible that more than a hundred people could have fit inside. But they were empty. It was only a drearily empty space. Where had his assumptions gone wrong? Had the diagram been wrong or an intentional decoy? Had everyone been moved elsewhere because Kyousuke and Himekawas plan had been discovered? Or I have one question. Kyousuke slowly turned around. The ponytail woman in a dark, dark navy blue tight skirt suit had not said anything for a while. He spoke to Himekawa Mika as the decorations indicating her various sins jangled from her neck. What is your true goal? Were there really 353 vessels here!? Incense Expert Ellie Slide did not subscribe to a view of good and evil. In fact, she was a truly rootless person and she had no principles based on a specific region, culture, set of traditions, or religion. So she had no interest in the concepts of good and evil that were a part of that. That was clear enough from how she dressed. She was a Western European witch, but she included Native American aspects such as an eagle feather, piercings across her body, a dreamcatcher, and an axe that doubled as a pipe. She came from a line of witches that had escaped persecution in Europe by crossing over to the New World and secretly taking up root there, but she possessed none of the hopes or grudges of her family. The giant silver armor-breaking axe had an electronic cigarette device on the end. The round dreamcatcher hanging from her neck was not a spider web that caught dreams. It mostly contained the symbol of the Rose at the base of the Summoning Ceremony. Her stance could be seen in the name Amplifier 500 which meant she would thoroughly increase the skill of any summoner she contracted with. She did not follow any specific principles or beliefs and she did not worship any specific religions god as she traversed the world of the Summoning Ceremony. She was a rootless person through and through. She had a single goal. She did not care if they were from Government, Illegal, or Freedom, but she wanted to see the summoner she was paired with reach Award 1000. She would use whatever she could to accomplish that. That might mean justice, protection, and world peace. That might mean evil deeds, cruelty, and the extermination of mankind. Whatever the ignition was, she only needed a corresponding summoner who would be inspired by it. And true to her name as an amplifier, once she found that ignition, she would thoroughly fan the flames to amplify that mental state in the summoner. Pant, pant, pant, pant!! As Ellie pulled a small bottle from her belt and calmly exchanged it for one on the back of her axe, a large black-haired man with a pompadour was soaked with sweat. He doubled over and desperately worked to suppress the tremor rising from the core of his being. He had tearfully returned to the outer edge of the donut-shaped trade show. Tens of thousands of people filled the D.R.O.K. trade show, but not all of them could get a room at a luxury resort hotel. This area full of RVs and mobile homes may have been the seediest part of the makeshift city. Th-that scared the sheet out of me Thats the White Queen for you. I knew what to expect, but damn is she scary!! I ran into that kid in Toy Dream 35 a while back, but theres something wrong with him if he can hang around that thing!! The pompadour man jumped into a beach chair sitting next to a barbecue set. The chair and its parasol toppled over, but he ignored that and sat with his back against the silver mobile home. He then searched through his pocket and pulled out a small bottle of whisky in his shaking hand. He removed the waterproof paper that was rubber-banded to the side of the bottle and followed the folds to create a container almost too small to hold a single walnut. He poured the clear amber liquid inside and gulped it down. But this was not alcohol. It was kids stomachache syrup. He seemed to have enough respect left as a Government summoner to worry about what people around him thought. At the same time, the practiced motions showed just how often he relied on this. Not that it was surprising he was terrified. However, Ellie Slide could not have him losing his nerve. The bottom of her sleeved cape shook as she searched for the necessary entry under good and evil. Then she produced a perfect reflection of it like a mirror. Then are you going to give up? That is indeed an option. The Deltaston family, Himekawa Mika, and the rest of the 353 vessels have no direct relation to your life. Abandoning them and walking a more aimless Government path would be much more constructive. Kh. Perfect Game is not an almighty power that ensures you defeat any opponent. It refers to your ability to ultimately rework any result into a victory for yourself. So wouldnt not fighting be one option? I have heard that both martial artists and chess players are selective about which opponents they will face. Shut up. Why not begin by deciding at which point you will withdraw. You tend to run straight in without a hint of strategizing, so I doubt you would even think about talking about a strategic retreat as a laughable excuse. So where do you draw the line? Where do you cut your losses and give up? You need to do the calculations and find your own ans Okay, boss, lets cook some buffalo meat on that barbecue set! Yay! I want a hot sandwich. The exposed midriff girl raised both hands on reflex, so she cleared her throat. Ellie Slide pouted her lips and poked her index fingers together in front of her chest. I-I was the one that supplied that endangered animal meat. It was my skill and achievements that created lush greenery in the middle of the desert, allowing their numbers to recover. So all of that farm buffalo meat should belong to me. So why am I the one begging you for some? If you were in charge of it all, the buffalo would go extinct right after theyd finally recovered. Are you saying Im obsessed with meat!? Lets just say Ive never seen you eating vegetables. Dont be ridiculous. I eat potato chips and popcorn. That goes beyond ridiculous!! They strayed off topic a bit, but that was not a problem. No matter what happened here - even if he got angry and hit her - it was not a problem for Ellie Slide. As long as that inspired the summoner and gave them the drive they needed to earn further Awards, she would allow anything. If they wanted kindness, she would let them use her lap as a pillow. If they preferred the whip, she would swing a cowhide paddle down at them. This was not Ellies own will. Just like a fortuneteller, she would seek out the summoners distortion and reflect it back at them like a mirror. That was all she did. Her focus was on seeing the moment the summoner reached Award 1000. The only other thing she cared about was her personal buffalo meat that grew in the artificial farm built in the middle of a desert. But she did not need kindness or the whip this time. Just as she had predicted, Max Layard clenched his teeth. The pompadour man slowly exhaled while sitting on the ground with his back resting against the silver mobile home. I know Im not skilled enough and that Im out of my league here. I mean, were up against Freedom Award 903 and the White Queen herself. Theres no way a normal fight will get us anywhere. And? Like hell Ill give up. Im not fighting because I think Ill win. Im fighting because I cant afford to lose. Max wiped the unpleasant sweat from his forehead and faced forward. The fighting spirit had not vanished from his eyes. So were in my territory now. Winning and losing dont matter. No matter how cheap or silly it is, I just have to turn this into my victory in the end. The mirror had worked perfectly. Incense Expert Ellie Slide did not subscribe to a view of good and evil. She was nothing more than an amplifier. If Max Layard had been an evil person, the amplified evil would have taken several lives. If he had been a good person, the amplified good would have saved several lives. Facts: *Incense Expert Ellie Slides techniques allow her to create normal Incense Grenades, obstruct the production and expansion of a summoners Artificial Sacred Ground, and interfere with their recognition of her. *When a summoner steps into an already established Artificial Sacred Ground, they must use up three White Thorns. The initial number is three, so they must survive unprotected for ten seconds before one is replenished and they can finally take part in the battle. *In a one-against-many battle, a group of three or more has an overwhelming advantage. By summoning one of each sound range and surrounding their opponent, they are guaranteed to have that opponents weakness. *The head of the Deltaston family had lost a Summoning Ceremony battle, turning him into something akin to a walking corpse. If he was instructed or guided into revealing various privileges or passwords, complete control of Pandemonium might have shifted to a third party. *An Imaginary Flashback is a minor summoning error that affects vessels. Any frustration or desire they hold just before transforming into a Material will return with twice the intensity after transforming back. *Kyousuke and Himekawa had an acquaintance in common. *The 353 vessels imprisoned inside Pandemonium were nowhere to be found. Volume 4, Stage 03 - The Elegant Throne which Invites That Queen Volume 4, Stage 03: The Elegant Throne which Invites That Queen Now, Kyousuke-kun. No, Alice (with) Rabbit. Save us. (Now Stage 03 Open 06/03 12:45) (Past Stage 03 Open 06/02 23:20) The Elegant Throne which Invites That Queen (Timeline Now) It was past noon in a luxury hotel room as quiet as the Mary Celeste. Kyousuke covered his face with a hand. He did not understand the meaning of the vision in his mind. Wait a second. ? The White Queen really did tilt her head like a navigator who had been told to wait. What am I involved in here? What happened after that job request? The vessel closest to him had vanished. This new information could entirely change what that meant. He did not want it to be true, but he could feel himself beginning to measure Himekawa Mika as an enemy. He began to suspect she had maliciously dressed and acted like an old acquaintance to earn his trust. He needed to investigate this again. Who was his enemy? On whose side did Max Layard and Ellie Slide of Perfect Game stand? What was his true relationship with Himekawa Mika, his missing vessel? What about the Deltaston family with its leader lying here as a loser? Who was connected to whom, who was harming whom, and what purpose had there been in opening the door to Pandemoniums processing core? Brother, I doubt all the information you need can be found in this room. After all, the person who did this to that man will have been inside here. Wouldnt they have retrieved and disposed of anything they didnt want seen? I dont need documents. I just have to talk to him myself. Kyousuke crouched down and focused on the old man in a gown who lay on the floor while slowly and endlessly acting like he was walking with a cane. He was a lot like a zombie in the original sense of the word and he would obey anyones instructions, but he could barely think and could not understand any complicated signs. Kyousuke kept it short. Tell me. ? Tell me everything about Pandemonium and whats hidden there. That question is too indirect, commented the Queen. Thats fine. Kyousuke cut off her disruption as the old man on the floor began speaking quietly. Pandemoniums convenience is no more than a decoy to hide its true purpose Its true purpose? Pandemonium is notjust a Box meant to simplify the Summoning Ceremony It is meant to destroy the established hierarchy of Materialsand create a new possibility Possibility? So that we might receive the divine right of kings Go back one. Destroy? By repeating a single word or phrase from what he said, Kyousuke could guide the old mans slow and wandering conversation. It started as a series of random words, but he was cutting deeper and closer to the crux of the matter. Pandemonium can manifest new Materialsthat ignore the existing costs and sound ranges. For example, even if you summon the same Materialthe strength will be different between the Blood-Sign method and the Pandemonium method ? One phrase caught his interest. The strength will be different? The Divine and Unexplored-classes summoned with the Blood-Sign methoddo not come with their full strength. There is always a factor of decay. Is Seth of Egyptian Mythology or Yamata-no-Orochi of Japanese Mythology stronger? There is no definite answerbut with the Blood-Sign method, the answer is Yamata-no-Orochi because it has a higher cost. Even the sound ranges lose all meaning once the difference in cost reaches 10 It comes down to the summoning method and the compatibility between the gods Kyousuke was unsure what word to choose. He placed his hand on his chin while crouching. Factor of decay? The actual equation is unknown. But if the power of the gods can be increased or decreased based on the summoning method, it would also be possible to create a great enough increase to overturn the existing hierarchy A Divine-class would be able to defeat an Unexplored-classor the White Queen at the very top could be dragged down from the throne of the strongest That felt like having a stake driven through his heart. He tried to be extremely careful so the Queen would not notice, but the silver twintail girl simply smiled elegantly. Overturn the existing hierarchy? The Blood-Sign methodcategorizes Materials with letters and uses that to assist in the summoning. You could say the preexisting gods are managed via spelling and that overwrites them in a form that humans can perceive So couldnt the same gods cost and sound range change if they are represented with another word? Think of it as the difference between the Norse goddess Freyjaand Freya. This has never been practically proven with the Blood-Sign methodbut the theoretical possibility exists, so there must be a loophole somewhere. And that fits perfectly with our objective in the Deltaston family If writing was not an aspect of civilization gifted to mankind by the gods, then the gods names were being expressed with a human language. To put it another way, it may have been like switching a telescopes lens while viewing a star, but it was all just a theory. Kyousuke thought it was a very dangerous tightrope walk. Your objective? The Deltaston family desires absolute authority That perfect authority would be unshakable by anyonenot even the White Queen at the very, very top By escaping the fear and control of that Queenman can finally return to being man. In accordance with the concept of noblesse obligewe in the Deltaston family are obligated to take on that burden Kyousuke breathed a heavy sigh. In any other situation, he would have loved to listen to this until morning. Escape? By summoning the Wicked Green Woman who Fills the World with Empty Treasureone of the Three from the Unexplored-classand increasing her power with Pandemoniumwe will tear down the hierarchy and defeat the White Queen The old man was probably telling the truth. In fact, his zombie-like state did not leave him with enough of a will to lie. The boy slowly stood up and the White Queen gave an exasperated comment. What a foolish idea. Perhaps so. Kyousuke decided to avoid argument for the time being. But this is strange. If they were trying to summon the Wicked Green Woman, then why is it the White Queen standing here? Who knows. Why dont you ask him? He tried, but the old man said nothing. Kyousuke frowned. He cant refuse to answer, so he must not have the answer. Does that mean he wasnt the one that did it? It also bothered him that the head of the Deltaston family had been defeated and that a third party may have taken control of Pandemonium. That might also explain why the Wicked Green Woman had become the White Queen. And there was one more thing. How did the Pandemonium method work? Was Himekawa Mika inside the White Queen? She had supposedly been a Holy Key Woman, a special vessel that could instantly summon a specific Divine-class, but could he explain the discrepancy between that and the White Queens presence? He tried asking about every term he could think of and received a surprising answer. Pandemonium is a symbol of a parliament, not an absolute monarchy. Hm? A parliament? Even if each individual person can only reach the Divine-classbringing them all together to reach a single conclusion can overthrow heaven. Divvying up a single Material among all 353 of them allows us to stably summon an Unexplored-class Kyousuke felt something heavy weighing on his stomach. It took him some time to grasp what those simply spoken terms meant. Wait a minute. That wouldnt work. You divvy up a single Material to multiple vessels? That might be theoretically possible, but can you really divide it back up into the 353 individual vessels once the limit is up!? In the worst case, wouldnt you end up with a single hunk of flesh!? Brother, you are speaking too complexly. A losers mind cannot process that. The White Queen sighed. And he is saying hundreds of sacrifices are acceptable if it means constructing a thousand-year kingdom outside my control. Do you really think that man who seems himself as a hero has enough of a conscience left to care about what happens to them afterwards? Goddammit!! spat out Shiroyama Kyousuke. The information he lacked formed an ominous silhouette and tormented his mind. Himekawa Mika was missing. All of those vessels had not been in the processing core. The White Queen had already been irregularly summoned. How did it all fit together? Why was it the White Queen instead of the Wicked Green Woman, why had Himekawa Mika had him open the door to the processing core, and why had he lost his memories in the first place? He still did not have the whole picture, but a bad feeling still spiraled through his mind. His soul was warning him that digging further would only reveal despair. He was still missing something needed to know it all. He faced the head of the Deltaston family with far more aggression than before. Tell me!! What would cause you the most trouble!? What if the many vessels had not wanted to continue with the Deltaston familys plan? What if they had wanted to avoid being a single hunk of flesh? What if they had fought back? And the old man gave a simple answer. Summoning a strengthened White Queenusing Pandemonium which was meant to summon the Wicked Green Woman If the very, very top is boosted furtherthere will truly be no way to defeat her Kyousuke felt a pain like his head was splitting open. He had finally reached the crux of the issue. (Timeline Past) The information in his mind was still a collection of fragments which did not connect into a clear whole. Even so, the distinct puzzle pieces poured into his mind along with a cloyingly sweet smell. Yes. There was a mistake in the job request. I lied. But there were indeed 353 vessels here. Including me. In other words. It was already too late. Pandemoniums practical test was completed and she was summoned. The Wicked Green Woman was. All of us were combined into a single Unexplored-class. And we could not return to normal. In other words, the combined vessel is me. Even I am not entirely sure if I am really Himekawa Mika. But. This was not your fault. It was this way from the beginning. It was all over before you had even started. So. Shiroyama Kyousuke heard something like sparks bursting near his ears and then it all finally combined into a clear image in his mind. His senses of sight, hearing, taste, smell, and touch all combined into a single vision. He was in Pandemoniums central processing core. The giant cubic cage had 50 meter sides. Each wall was covered in detailed geometric patterns with ripples of red, green, and yellow light running through them. Countless chairs were carefully arranged in the otherwise empty conference room. It was a space with no master. This is wrong, groaned Kyousuke. He faced the bluish-black ponytail woman smiling sadly a short distance away and his voice rose to a nearly shouted plea. But this is definitely wrong!! He suddenly found people standing on either side of Himekawa Mika. It was Max Layard and Ellie Slide. Listen, Kyousuke-kun. The White Queens presence can easily distort peoples common sense. You have to have seen that yourself. It is true of those who obey her and those who oppose her. She showed no caution. She wordlessly told him they had been working together from the beginning and she pressed a hand to the center of her chest. The 353 vessels were combined into a single Unexplored-class and returned to human form once more, but I dont know how long this body will last with hundreds of souls inside it. I have no proof that the individual who has risen to the surface is really the person you know. But if Pandemonium is proven successful and deemed effective against the White Queen, the Deltaston familyno, anyone who is drawn to similar delusions will attempt the same thing. They will be so focused on their lofty goal that they will fail to question the sacrifices. Then It is not about whether or not this can actually defeat the White Queen. It just has to appear possible. That is enough to hopelessly distort mankind. If the power was insufficient, they only need to increase it. Either they mass-produce Pandemoniums or they increase the number of vessels being sacrificed. And once they start thinking like that, there will be no stopping them. Then are you saying youve given up on saving yourselves? Kyousuke-kun. It was a truly gentle voice. And then she opposed him for the sake of her own goal. This is only a hunk of flesh taking this form. Even if you can speak with me, feel my warmth, and watch me move, you were too late for the original 353 people. We were the introduction. So you dont need to think about saving us. To put it another wayyes. Kyousuke-kun, are you familiar with mystery novels? The wealthy master of a mysterious mansion dies and his family begins a ruthless conflict over his fortune. When the detective accepts the job from a client carrying a letter predicting another murder, can he save the man who already died? And would anyone call it a failing that he cannot? !!!!! So we want you to solve the original case, Kyousuke-kun. The woman in the tight skirt suit thinly smiled and laughed. Our success here will accelerate Pandemonium. We do not know if another 353 will be consumed here or if a second and third Pandemonium will be constructed on the opposite side of the globe, but there will be more sacrifices now that there has been a success. A success. Another 353. Hey, Kyousuke-kun, didnt you find it odd? We, the 353 Holy Key Women here, were all sacrificed, so who were the ones giving the presentation at the D.R.O.K. booths? Why are there Holy Key Women beyond the 353? That is what I am talking about. Thats a second set? No, spares to fill any possible gaps? They will be next. No, Iwe, will not allow them to be sacrificed. We will not allow a sacrifice caused by our actions. Either way, the rate of consumption was bound to increase if the project proved successful. It was irritating, but Pandemonium was incredibly convenient. Just like the book describing the end of the Angolmois, it could be used to mislead and deceive people, fill them with anxiety, and lead them to rely on you. If they were mass-produced and people were able to keep the various Unexplored-classes all to themselves, it would indeed bring an everlasting prosperity to the Deltaston family. They would have absolute authority in which any tyranny was allowed. They would hold the divine right of kings. Thats why you called me here? You knew the 353 vessels were not in the central processing core, you knew they had already been sacrificed, and you manipulated me with the job request? Yes. Because we want you to destroy this place. We want you to thoroughly destroy this Box. Himekawa spoke like a ghost pointing to its murderer. Pandemonium is sturdy enough to take a hit from the Lady of Purple Lightnings power, even if it had decayed a fair bit. Even with the help of Perfect Game here, we cannot be certain we can absolutely destroy the living data. And if even a slight sample remains, a self-proclaimed hero like the Deltaston family will certainly build another one. So we thought about how to use the resources on hand to bring about the greatest destruction. And the answer could not have been more obvious. Kyousuke felt something unpleasant running down his spine. We summon the White Queen. And in the way the Deltaston family would hate most. We take the despicable strengthening idea they proudly prepared to defeat the White Queen, we use that to thoroughly increase the Queens own power, and we let her loose. The hunter and the prey. We will give the label of hunter to the nemesis meant to wear the label of prey. And this would solve everything because If Pandemonium is destroyed by the White Queens power, it will announce to the world that this method cannot oppose the peak of the Unexplored-class. Even the Deltaston family will be forced to accept it. This is not an issue of the process or conditions. This will destroy the twisted idea that mankind can even attempt to defeat the Queen. That is the best way to save the next 353. Kyousuke looked to Himekawas neck. In addition to her whistle, she wore a sin necklace with a number of small decorations. The mug referred to heavy drinking. The lips referred to trickery or deception. The 12-sided die may have been a symbol of a gambling addiction. How can I accept that? And on top of that, we will stimulate the White Queen. We must ensure she puts on the greatest performance with her cruelty. That is where you come in, Kyousuke-kun. You are the only person in the world with the Loved by the White Award. Theres no way in hell Im accepting that!! The Queen can save people? We can rest easy and let her take care of it? Thats just succumbing to her evil!! Youre just running into a future barrier, coming up with an arbitrary justification, and sadly deciding it might be worth celebrating if it means being killed by her! Besides, what happens to all of you then? This isnt just about Himekawa Mika. What happens to the 353 souls here right now!? Oh? You cant make a guess? I didnt notice it, I overlooked it, and I thought it was just a biological component supporting Pandemoniumyes, something like a parallel DNA computer. Until I arrived here, anyway!! Kyousuke and Himekawa had seen something just before arriving at this Box. They had crossed a narrow metal catwalk with giant translucent spheres covering the ground below. A quick estimate had suggested there were more than 100 of them. Himekawa sighed once and gave the answer. Kyousuke-kun, do you remember my keyhole? That thing on your tailbone? Yes, but the original designs had it at the center of my chest. The key was made to enter my heart and turn. It was obvious what that meant. The location had changed. There was a difference between the original Himekawa Mika and the one here right now. After the Wicked Green Woman summoning experiment, the Unexplored-class left, but there were not 353 bodies left over. Only a single flesh cocoon. You could say that I am the Himekawa Mika who was born then. Thenthose transparent spheres You understand, dont you? I could not ignore the remains of the cocoon after it burst open, so I took emergency measures. Luckily, the fragments split into 353 pieces that formed spheres on their own. All I did was stick tubes in them to supply oxygen and nutrients. Are thoseembryos? Probably. When you think about losing your soul, you might imagine a rapid aging, but it seemed to work differently this time. Losing the soul means a rejection of the souls accumulation and experience points, so the bodys growth was reversed and it returned to an embryo that has yet to even become a fetus. However, the bodys volume could not disappear, so the embryos size is between 40 and 50 liters. In other words, about as big as a balance ball. She had said it had split into 353 masses. Then who was the Himekawa Mika here? No, it may have been the same regardless. None of the many embryos had a soul and all of the souls had gathered in Himekawa Mika. She just so happened to be the one on the surface, but she was essentially a new body in which all of the vessels had gathered. Those spheres out there were the same as unfertilized eggs. They had the white and the yolk, but no amount of warming them could make them grow. Then isnt that even worse? Kyousuke forced out the worst possibility. What happened to the souls of the missing 353 people? If theyve simply mixed together, theres nothing we can do, but what if theyre still in the process of doing it? We might still be able to do something and we need bodies for them to return to. If Pandemonium is supporting those embryos, then we cant just destroy it! Do that and all of the souls inside you will lose anywhere to return to!! And Your own body wont last You have to know how absurdly unnatural your current state is. If you dont let the excess souls escape, that flesh container will burst!! Himekawa Mika did not answer. She simply smiled calmly. Say it. She had counted on this. Kyousuke hated that look on her face, so he forced out the resentful heat burning deep in his stomach. Say it!! In front of me! Say what you really wanted to say!! Relying on the Queen? Youll be happy as long as she destroys everything? Yeah, right. That shallow textbook benevolence wont fulfill your heart!! Theres no next time when it comes to saving people. Theres no order to it! You dont need to decide it based on whats possible and impossible! You can be more selfish and greedy!! When youre saving people as a human being, its no time to be putting limits on anything!! We have two ways of stimulating the White Queen. The woman who looked so much like Madam Professor was not listening to Kyousuke. She simply watched with a smile like he was a child throwing a tantrum. The first, Kyousuke-kun, is placing you by her side. After all, you are Loved by the White. Even if she is an extraordinary monster, she will still want to look good in front of her beloved. If you ask her just once, she is sure to instantly smash the Box into oblivion. She continued coldly. And the second, Kyousuke-kun, is to persecute and kill you in front of her. Once again, you are Loved by the White. What better trigger is there to send that peak of the Unexplored-class on a rampage? For this one, no one even needs to ask her. As long as the Queen is enveloped in bottomless rage, Pandemonium will overheat and destroy itself as it supports the summoning. So Kyousuke-kun, which would you prefer? In other words Whether Kyousuke won or lost, the stage was set so he would cause the White Queen to destroy Pandemonium. That was Himekawa Mikas plan. The Perfect Game duo took a step toward Kyousuke. Why was Perfect Game obeying Himekawa? Did Government gain something from Pandemoniums destruction? Or was it a matter of personal feelings? Even if Kyousuke used an Incense Grenade to fight, there was nothing he could do when his vessel was working against him. In the worst case, she would summon a Divine-class through the alternative Holy Key Woman method and the Blood-Sign Summoning Ceremony would not respond. No. A practical test using the 353 of them had apparently already proven they could summon the Unexplored-class Wicked Green Woman with the turn of a key, so if things were set up just right, it was possible they could summon the White Queen right away. That was just about the worst case scenario for a flesh-and-blood human. Now, Kyousuke-kun. No, Alice (with) Rabbit. Himekawa Mika spoke the cursed words without understanding what they actually meant. Save us. He would be thrown into the greatest evil!! To hell with that." Shiroyama Kyousuke adjusted his grip on his Blood-Sign. He did not know how much he could actually do. The Summoning Ceremony had been almost entirely taken from him and he was faced with a Government 500 level as well as Incense Expert Ellie Slide, a legendary vessel said to be able to amplify her partners power by 500 Awards. On top of that, a single authorization key in the keyhole on Himekawa Mikas tailbone and she might be able to summon the very, very top. The situation could not have been worse. But. Even so. The fighting spirit did not vanish from Alice (with) Rabbits eyes. If you dont get it, then Ill show you. True salvation has no room for that pure white! It has to be brought about by human hands!! Dont let her blind you and lead you away from the essence of salvation. What was it you really thought while you struggled in this dark, dark Box? Were you hoping someone youve never seen or heard of would be saved!? Of course not. Your bodies melted away in some bizarre experiment, hundreds of souls were removed from their bodies, and Himekawa Mika is about to burst from within despite just barely surviving it all. And you expect me to believe youll be happy as long as you can protect someone? Not a chance!!!!!! Kssshhh Kssshhh Hm, I had a feeling it would come down to this. Himekawa Mikas attempt at the White Queen was the most over-the-top and she made it pretty far, so I started to think it might happen after all, but a failure is a failure. Well have to make up for this somewhere. He heard a voice. It was a young girls voice, but it was as cold as can be. Fingertips moved along the handle of an axe and operated the flute-like keys. What caused you to start viewing Pandemonium as a threat? Did you think the world revolves around you? There are 353 vessels here, so there are 353 new summoning methods. Just as someone thought about making an attack on Pandemonium with the Attach Saint Project, the Holy Key Women, or the individual limited Incense Grenades, the trigger for you was the summon bombing. That is what you used to come this far. Of course, most of the 353 projects are empty theories and those attempts either ended without even getting close to Pandemonium or theyre still pathetically spinning their wheels outside. You used that bombing for a quite a lot: to steal the VIP evacuation route map, to slip past the anti-personnel radar with the crater lakes you had created, and so on. A single book points to a single conclusion and you seem to be the closest to reaching the ending. Ellie Slide. Her voice droned on and on so much that Kyousuke lost his sense of time. Small colorful bottles were attached to the back of her axe and they gave off a damp light as she pushed at the caps like cylinders. Then again, those were definitely the words I would expect from Freedom Award 903, but they stray from our objective. Right, Max? She adjusted her black and orange witchs hat with an eagle feather in it and she dragged along the giant armor-breaking axe as its built-in electronic cigarette device scattered a sweet aroma. It released the scent when she pulled the trigger and she intentionally altered the intensity of the vapor. He is extremely logical, so he will come up with the answer right away. If a win or a loss will achieve our goal of triggering a rampage from the Queen, then he only has to delay an answer indefinitely. And that would be a problem. The incense expert spoke while showing off her chocolate-colored swimsuit tan lines. And have you forgotten? I am the vessel known as Amplifier 500. I am an expert in the small field of Incense Grenade creation and I can increase my partners strength by 500 Awards. I specialize in preparing the requisite incense in advance. Kssshhh Kssssssssssssshhhhhhhhhhhhhh Ksssssssshhhhhhhhh Simply put, this phase was a failure. You rejected Himekawa Mikas invitation, you refused to abandon the few for the sake of the many, and you did not selfishly summon and rely on the White Queen. Now, we must reset the stage to reuse this stubborn 900 level. So give us a little more time to work behind the scenes. You are so skilled that you are a bit difficult to control, so beginning this again now would only lead to another failure. My incense will rob you of your short-term memory and we will set things up while you take your time figuring out what happened. Okay, Alice (with) Rabbit? Kssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssshhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!! Dont worry. We are used to buying time. Pandemonium is a mobile fortress. There is no reason that this has to happen here. We have fought all around the world. We have repeated this again and again and again. One attempt tried to induce arrhythmia in the heart reactor. One attempt feigned a virus infection to check for any weaknesses. But almost every plan was crushed before it even began. There have been mountains of attempts no one is even aware of. At one point, I happened to meet Perfect Game. At some point, we happened across Alice (with) Rabbit. So. We will try this as many times as it takes. We are not afraid of failure. As long as it gradually brings us closer to success, anything is fine. So Kyousuke-kun. Until we meet again during the next phase. Click. (Timeline Now) It was not so much his head as his heart. An incredible shock raced through the center of his chest. Ah, gbah!!!??? And inside the luxury hotel room, Shiroyama Kyousuke finally understood everything. He knew why he had lost his memories, why the White Queen was smiling by his side, where his vessel Himekawa Mika had gone, why Max Layard and Ellie Slide of Perfect Game had attacked him, and who had attacked the head of the Deltaston family and took control of Pandemonium to help summon the Queen. The one piece of luck was that he could guess he had not been repeating this farce over and over. Ellie Slide had said this phase was a failure and not this phase was a failure too. (But it sounded like people other than me have tried a great number of methods. How long has it been since the beginning? Are the vessels souls still unharmed?) He bent over with sweat pouring from his body, but he did not have time to wait to recover both physically and mentally. How much time had he lost? What were Ellie Slide, Max Layard, and Himekawa Mika up to? Had they already reconstructed a new stage? Oh? calmly said the White Queen. Kyousuke also took just a half step to the left. The very next moment, a deafening sound reached his ears and several slicing lines burned orange through the wall bordering the hallway. No, it was not accurate to say it had cut through the wall. The opposite wall and window had also been sliced through. Needless to say, so had everything in between. If Kyousuke had not shifted his position, he would have been sliced to pieces along with the furniture. There were a total of 32 slicing lines. Just as the hallway-side wall fell apart and collapsed, several strange silhouettes rushed in. They were Repliglass soldiers. They had two extremely thick legs and slender feminine upper bodies that almost looked human. They held a two meter scabbard upright in their hands and the sword itself was attached to the end of a part shaped like a scorpion tail. These were based on the Emperor Scorpion, a Quad Motors local suppression weapon. But these were special models that borrowed Pandemoniums power to summon and install just the weapons of Divine-classes. These weapons fought summoners without a vessel or a Material. They could be seen as the great insolence of stealing gods punishing hammer while ignoring gods judgment. It went without saying that these soldiers were connected to the Deltaston family. The Attach Saint Project, huh? Theyre only one of Pandemoniums side shows used for camouflage, so its impressive that theyre willing to die for their master. Kyousuke was surrounded by more than 30 special weapons which raised long lightning-enveloped swords over their shoulders. Oh, dear. Oh, dear. But the White Queens smile maintained its elegance as she stood by his side. Her white clothing wriggled like a living creature as if to say it would soon become thousands if not millions of weapons that could carve away the fundamental materials of the world. I appreciate your effort if you are giving me a chance to shine, but I still cannot approve of you interfering in this tryst with my brother. That would normally be worthy of 10,000 deaths, but yes, as a compromise, I will cut that in half and have you die 5000 But she was cut off. However, that was not due to the Deltaston family once they noticed something was wrong. It was the opposite. After pulling his Blood-Sign from his back, Kyousuke raised his arm to the side to hold her back. He used his body to shield the Queen and spoke without looking her way. He used two simple words. Stay back. My. The White Queen brought her hands to her mouth, seemingly without thinking. She was enjoying this wonderful situation. My, my!! Brother, oh how lovable you are, my brother!! Hee hee hee. If that is how you want it, I suppose I can play the role of the cute princess. (If she takes action here, I cant even predict the scope of the damage. So Ill protect herto save those poor Repliglass soldiers!!) The Repliglass Emperor Scorpions had rushed into the hotel after receiving confused reports from within, but they were far from confident. Their opponents were the legendarily skilled Freedom Award 903 and what was almost certainly the White Queen, peak of the Unexplored-class. And ferocious beasts grew most violent not when they were hunting their prey, but when they were cornered and protecting themselves. Youre kidding. This was a surprise attack, but he still dodged Divine-class weapons!? Data link established. Takemikazuchi 01 through 32 charge complete!! The summoning system is unknown, but the summoner and vessel are in contact with no sign of a protective circle. Kill the summoner. Dont try to fight the Queen; its a waste of time!! Crush the summoner now and it will all fall apart for them!! The Repliglass soldiers thought they knew the situation but actually knew nothing, so they rushed in to attack. The scorpion tail parts had 2 meter Japanese swords attached and electricity scattered from those. Those divine weapons could slice right through a tank like a hot knife through butter and more than 30 of them rushed in at speeds and angles far surpassing the greatest swordsman. But with Blood-Sign in hand, Kyousuke took an extremely simple action. He took one flowing step to the side. That was all. And despite that being all, the countless slicing lines failed to reach his body as they rushed in like a storm. Of course, this would never occur by pure coincidence. Even if the action had been simple, the process had involved extremely complex calculations. Meaning Even if those are divine weapons, they are equipped on Repliglass and are being controlled by mere humans. A light sound followed. The tip of his Repliglass lightly tapped the slender feminine arm of one of the Emperor Scorpions. You are trapped by the concepts of distance and time, you follow your designs, you cannot escape your joints range of movement, and you cannot surpass the limits of inertial Gs. Gh, ah!? The elbow and the shoulder. The Blood-Sign immobilized the joints and swung them around to shake the Emperor Scorpion. The tail was also swung around wildlyand the sword of Takemikazuchi sliced through the air. The damage mostly spread to the other Repliglass soldiers. Some had the arm or leg armor cleanly cut away and some had the feminine upper body shallowly split open vertically. And as the armor or helmets fell away, the surprisingly slender and cute girls inside were revealed. So its simple. With the Blood-Sign method, I need excellent spatial awareness and I need to determine the enemy summoners range of movement by observing their joints, muscles, and center of gravity. Those techniques are just as valid here. A powerful wind followed. The Emperor Scorpions rushed toward Kyousuke in a state of panic instead of using a controlled fighting instinct. Kyousuke spun the captured one around and shoved it into the enemies after a single beat. He was trying to get them to destroy each other. He would guide a scorpion tail to stab into another one or he would use his Blood-Sign to knock one off balance such that it knocked another one down as well. This was no longer a battle. It was nothing more than a group of nails being pulled around by a magnet. You probably needed a human being as a summoner to summon the Divine-class weapons, but that worked against you. Kyousuke spun his Blood-Sign around. He rested his weapon on his shoulder and spoke. If you had thoroughly eliminated all human elements and sent in entirely unmanned machines that ignore the human limits of inertial Gs, muscle strength, and skeletal structure, you might have been able to kill me pretty easily. He was surrounded by a pile of rubble. And despite the storm of cuts, not a single soldier had been bisected or lost an arm or leg. They had all been defeated while just barely avoiding any injures. They shuddered at the thought of those perfect calculations and slumped to the floor. Brother. The White Queen decided it was time and spoke up. She was in a very good mood after being protected by the ideal knight. What should we do now? Good question. The White Queen had already been summoned. Himekawa Mika and the rest of the 353 vessels had already been combined, so it might have been impossible to return them to their original bodies. However, he had no real reason to continue obeying her request to destroy Pandemonium. However. There was something Shiroyama Kyousuke could not let stand: Government Award 501, Perfect Game. Max Layard and Ellie Slide had met Himekawa Mika and the others much earlier, but they had wasted any chance of truly saving them and had worked toward this conclusion instead. He had business with them. He also needed to pay them back for what they had done to him. And if Perfect Game was attempting to guide Shiroyama Kyousukeno, the White Queen, then it was obvious where they would be waiting. He would not rely on the strongest of the strongest. Kyousuke started toward his new destination with only his human willpower. Im on my way to Pandemoniums central processing core. I should be able to settle this there. Who would have thought that a beautiful peninsula known as the Green Spearhead had stuck out into ocean there just a month earlier? There had been a mangrove teeming with life and a coral reef out in the ocean. The surrounding islands had envied the ample aquatic resources. The mountains back on the land were mostly undeveloped, so it was effectively an isolated holy ground. It may have been slow to develop technologically, but that spearhead was so blessed it did not need that technology. Water filters and chemical processing were unnecessary. One could quench their thirst just by scooping up the water in the natural springs. That was the world that should have been there. But there was no sign of it any longer. The surface was covered by the color white. Pure white. It was truly monochrome. The sunlight was eerily reflected and it obscured the view like a blizzard, but it was not snow or ice. It was sugar. It welled up at ones feet. It filled the forest, clogged up the streams, and spread past the beach and into a portion of the ocean. The smooth white sugar covered the ground so thoroughly there was nowhere else to stand. In some places, it had absorbed the moisture and baked in the sunlight to form a caramel film just like the surface of a pudding cooked in the oven. The scene seriously looked like it would fatally raise ones blood sugar just by breathing in the air. A man in a military uniform covered his mouth with a handkerchief to make sure he did not breathe in the blizzard. This went beyond his mouth and nose. He even felt a strange pain in his eyes. As he quickly escaped indoors, he was greeted by an oddly cheerful voice. Hey, Max! They self-destructed for us! A large corporation that acted as one of Governments many branches had sent in this suit-wearing man as a local supervisor. He clapped his hands in delight. How many times had Max been deployed now? From the Antarctic to Toy Dream something-or-other, he had worked all over the globe for the convenience of the higher ups, but this one was somehow different. Max Layard was in charge of protecting the corporation and managing the transportation of supplies, but he could not stand the view inside the synthetic tent base, so he ran out. He saw horrifying things wherever he looked. There was no hint of the complex ecosystem that had existed before. Sugar was of course a necessary nutrient, but it was only harmful in too great a quantity. Large mammals were collapsed all over the pure white land, lots of fish floated to the surface in the sludgy streams, and even the tropical forest was already turning brown. The massive quantities of sugar were killing the animals, robbing the corpses of their moisture, and then rotting away itself. On the coast, something like a large castle was escaping out to sea to avoid the highly sticky and thus high-resistance sugar. It looked like an 800 meter black coffin or giant squid made of Repliglass. (A mobile fortress. Are they really going to stick to a wait-and-see policy with their secret weapon Pandemonium too!?) The sugary hell had swallowed up everything. Humans were no different. Max covered his mouth with a handkerchief so he would not breathe in the sugar blowing through the air like a blizzard and he finally spotted the person he was looking for. The cause of it all was collapsed in a pile of sugar. Why did you do this? He had been a wise person. That strange old man had spoken with the wind and the waves and seen the meaning in the shapes of the clouds. There was no meteorological grounding to any of it, but his predictions of sudden tornadoes and storms had saved them a lot. Max had been deployed to join the other troops in this land quite recently, but even in that short time, that sage man had showed many more possibilities to an assassin who had only thought of the Summoning Ceremony as a military tool and weapon. He had gently narrowed his eyes as the children played. He had celebrated when the young got wed and got drunker than anyone else at the wedding despite his old age. So You had to have known you couldnt win, old man!! It must have absorbed the moisture and baked solid in the sunlight. The sea of sugar had hardened like caramel, so Max had to work to drag out the old man who was half buried in it. His skin and his throat had clearly lost a lot of moisture and he apparently could not get up under his own power. I wanted to protect it all A cracked and fragile voice answered Max. The old mans eyes wandered and finally moved from Max to the distant scenery. I just wanted to protect it all. Gray structures cut across the mangrove and coral sea. That facility had been built for the large corporation from Government. The troops had been deployed to protect this area which had no technological means of fighting the rising sea level caused by global warming. They were to prevent the approaching sea from flooding the land with a giant seawall. It was a large project, but the work was simple. That meant the government and civilians colluded together and some foundation or other worked with some corporation or other to take as much government money as they could. However, the work had messed with the tides and a lot of damage had been done to the fishing grounds, the coral, and the mangrove. The Green Spearheads traditional lifestyle had come to an end and they would clearly be reliant on international online stores for all of their supplies. The old man and the rest of the village elders had not wanted to attack Government and drive them away. They had been fighting something much larger. They had been fighting the entire planet or the flow of time known as global warming. Just like most of the Pacific, this coastline spoke of a famous sea dragon with an 8-letter name that began with T. That Divine-class was related to the creation myth of the vast ocean and the legends claimed it had created the land and the islands. The old men were not insolent enough to ask for a new world. They simply prayed to their god and asked for the Green Spearhead to be lifted up just a few dozen centimeters so they would not need the seawall or a new world. That was all. And yet The Blood-Sign method is full of safety measures. Did you not know what you would find if you took even a step outside that? Of course you did. Max clenched his teeth while holding a body that looked like a dried twig. The gods power to bring blessings had been activated in error. It was the same as how too much happiness corrupted the human soul. That was the identity of this sugar-filled hell. You cant make that kind of mistake just because youre feeling trapped, you idiot!! Theyre divided into the Regulation, Divine, and Unexplored-classes, but the Divine-classes really are gods. Humans cant hope to do anything at that level!! You had to have known that! Your people had been worshiping those spirits and gods all this time, so you had to know better than anyone how helpful yet fearsome they are!! I was not fighting because I thought I would win The old mans expression did not change. No, he lacked the moisture to change it. He could not shed a tear or even move his face as he saw the unrecognizable state of his home. I was fighting because I could not afford to lose. Max had not known. He had not been born into wealth or poverty, but he had never once been left wanting. He had had food to eat, a place to sleep, a chance to learn, a chance to play, friends, and lovers. The rails had been laid out before him like normal and he had even found those normal things to be boring. Even when he had heard about the hidden side of the world from his uncle in the military and then actually taken a step into the world of the Summoning Ceremony, it had been more about breaking free of the boredom than about reverence. And he had found life there was not all that different. He had become Government Award 501, Perfect Game. Even there, he had gone by the name of an expert in the losing battles no one else wanted to deal with because he figured the competition would be relatively light when it came to preparing for withdrawals. He would take those unwinnable battles and turn them into a victory. The individuals would come to a compromise somewhere and he would find a way to lift up the entire unit. Even if they were deep in the red strategically, he would put them in the black locally to hide it in the paperwork. Alls well that ends well. Everyone wanted to get home as soon as possible. Their families and lovers were waiting for them. It was all done to help others. He had come this far with that outlook. He was not going to die on the battlefield. He would find a battle he could win or set one up that way. Quite a few vessels had gotten fed up with his self-indulgent pace and left, but he had not felt enough motivation to chase after them. After all, he had not known if he could get them to stay. That meant it was not a challenge he knew he could win. That was how he had viewed life. And so he had not known. Just like half of the world was like this, the other half was like that. Just like there were those who could win like it was normal, there were those who would lose like it was normal. Wait for me, old man. The next thing he knew, Max was shouting in the old mans ear. You cant afford to lose, right!? Then dont you close your eyes until I get back. It isnt over for you yet. You havent accomplished anything yet!! The situation was worse than he thought. At this rate, he could not even treat the old man. Max checked over the damage to the village, counted the number of people needing assistance, calculated a rough estimate of the type and quantity of supplies they would need, and then returned to the Government tent base. Everything he needed would be there. He could already picture the next stage beginning. The sugar could do more than take lives. It was a great source of nutrients. Would it begin to rot, draw in a sandstorm-like swarm of flies and roaches, and spread disease? Or would the fermentation of the microbes transform it into alcohol, creating a white world where not even the insects could multiply? Would that burn, would the fermentation process rob the area of its oxygen, or would it produce toxic gases? Or would the mountain of sugar become a great landslide once it began to rain? Several different simulations ran through his head, but all of them only made the situation worse. And that alone was correct. Once he returned to the tent base, he found the idiots were already partying with mugs of beer in hand. We did it, Max! If they recognize you for your role here, then youre going places too! This is the end of our life as Repliglass soldiers without vessels. Were sure to get new vessels now! From what I heard, a charter plane should be arriving soon for the pre-celebration. So straighten your collar and comb your hair! Were gonna be fighting over those vessels. You did a hell of a lot more than anyone else, so you need to argue your case! Whatwhat are you talking about!? Have you not seen the disaster outside!? Thats just a weird little natural disaster. Who can be blamed for that? And the truth isnt going to get out. They dont have smartphones or even optical landlines here, so they wont be sending out a single 140 character comment, said the suit-wearing supervisor while chugging his beer. More importantly, we were never looking to bring happiness to the Spearhead. The locals dont matter. This was philanthropy work. All that matters is that we fulfill the ad agencys quota and bring a tear to the eyes of the housewives in their living rooms back home. He thought his back teeth would break. They had selfishly stormed in, dammed up the sea without explaining the risks, and made a mess of the traditional life there. Did they not understand who it was that had put the people here in such dire straits? And this had all started with global warming, which could hardly be blamed on the Green Spearhead which did not even use electricity. The area had been contaminated, intruded upon, and remade without permission. Could this really be called a good deed or philanthropy? Was this what Government should be doing? On what basis could they take pride in their work? But Max was wrong. It went beyond even that. Max, humanitarian aid is a new form of war. He heard something unbelievable. There are areas our alliances dont allow us to interfere with, but we can still build bases there in the name of providing aid. And material transportation bases are especially nice. Harbors and airports allow us to expand our effective sphere of control to the west and east and into the northern and southern hemispheres. Theyre all one thrown switch away from becoming naval bases and air bases. When its about disaster relief, were at the mercy of the fickle god in heaven, but global warming is a great excuse! Rising oceans and growing deserts. If we choose the locations properly, we can easily move our chess pieces forward!! If we keep this up, well be building bases like crazy and the entire globe will be covered by our flag!! What? According to the military analysts in the White House, this area of sea is going to be real busy pretty soon. The higher ups decided to build several frontline bases in advance to surround a wide area of sea. So! Thats why Im saying youve earned enough points to get a standing ovation from Congress. Max! Let me say it again: its all thanks to you. Great work!! He had not known that. He had never heard anything about that. He had simply accepted the ridiculous claim that they were deploying troops for a righteous cause, but he had still believed it would help people. He had believed it would create, protect, and spread smiles. He had believed philanthropy and humanitarian aid would allow him to avoid aiming a gun or a Blood-Sign at anyone. He had believed that was what the flags were for, what Government was here for, and why all of those godd*mn soldiers had been deployed. But what was this guy saying? They had always intended to storm into the Green Spearhead, remake the foundation of life there, and build a military port or airport while registering it as a civilian facility? How was that philanthropy? What about that was aiding anyone? This was nothing more than an indirect invasion! But man were those old guys stupid. The red-faced supervisors lips may have been loosened by the beer because he spat out a finishing blow. Or maybe I should be praising the Companys forgery skills. They wanted to make sure it would fool a spectrum analysis, so they actually dug up some BCE era rock to fake that wall painting. A terribly thin thread was drawn tight deep inside his mind. Max!! The package you had them safely carry in made all the difference! It wouldve been an international incident if we had pulled the trigger, but no one can blame us if they wiped themselves out. This Spearhead is ours now. I really hated the jungle humidity, so I feel like levelling all those trees and springs to turn it all into a year-round indoor ski resort. The Green Spearhead? Hah! Am I supposed to believe its an emerald? A blade is useless if it isnt made of polished steel. It broke. It snapped and burned through. But well get paid a tip at the very end, so thats fine! With all these collapsed people, we get the added bonus of the medical aid. And the double-whammy of a mystical secret leading into disaster is sure to get us a ton of donations from bored housewives and from IT startups that want to stand out. Not that were actually going to save them. If they suffer and suffer and suffer some more, we can drag out how long those commercials bring in the money. And dont forget that sea dragon! Well need something even greater to calm that Divine-class. That means an Unexplored-class. And right now we can do whatever we want on this Spearhead as long as we claim its for humanitarian aid and disaster recovery!! The group breaking in Pandemonium is probably itching to get started. And since were already planning for a lot of losses, we can easily work in that kind of powerful project. Ah ha ha ha ha!! A loud sound burst out. A Blood-Sign made of ski material gave a roar as it was held upside-down. It took Max a moment to realize the close-range blunt weapon disguised as a stabilizer had smashed the foolish man in the face. He did not regret his action. The supervisor was knocked from the table and all of the bastards trying to enjoy the party turned around at once. The collapsed man in a suit held his broken cheek and gave an unintelligible shout. He likely meant Who do you think you are?, so Max Layard immediately answered. Go to hell where you belong, you demons. I am Government!!!!! That sounded cool enough, but it was no use. He was punched and kicked from every direction. Some idiot went too far and drew a handgun, so a scorching heat pierced Maxs side. That was when they all came back to their senses, said something about the alcohol getting to them, and dumped Max behind the tent base. The great disaster had left their unit with a fair number of rotting corpses as well, so they must have thought he would not stand out much. People were hesitant to freeze an honorable soldier and ship them like blocks of meat, so if they respectfully wrapped the body in the national flag and called it a burial at sea, he would be shark food. There would be no chance of an autopsy. He could see an unhealthily clear blue sky up above the sugar-covered ground. And then someones face appeared in Maxs fading vision. A brown girl of only about 12 was peering down at him. Her clothes looked like a combination of a Western European witch and a Native American, but who was she? What a pain. Even a warrior with a raging bull and chicken totem would show more caution. You should have known this would happen before it even began. The glasses girl sounded exasperated. A summoner is meant to summon. Why did you even think of fighting without a vessel? He doubted she was from the village. Her clothing had native symbolism, but it did not seem to be that of a coastal people. And it was because she belonged to neither side that his honest thoughts slipped out. Dont be stupid. I wasnt fighting because I thought I would win. I was fighting because I couldnt afford to lose, Miss Eagle. Hmph. The impertinent girl crossed her arms and breathed from her nose. What is your Award number? Government 501. The chocolate-colored witch with swimsuit-shaped tan lines laughed fiercely. I see. That barely passes. I dont know if that means you have a weird sort of luck or if Im just too nice. ? Max was confused, so the girl continued. Youve lost a shocking amount of blood, so dip your finger in it and stick it in my mouth. What? Im telling you to bind the contract. You have a Blood-Sign, but hows your stock of Incense Grenades? If you dont have any, I can make some for you. She spoke of a nearly superhuman feat as if it were childs play. Once the protective circle is set up, the summoner is distanced from any internal or external causes of death until the battle ends. As far as I can tell, the bullet isnt lodged in your body and your organs and major blood vessels are fine. And luckily, there are plenty of spectacular idiots here, so a Chain will be simple to keep going. If you buy some time and stop the bleeding between battles, you still have a chance of survival, dont you think? And more importantly, whispered the witch. Dont you have a battle you cant afford to lose, summoner? Then get started right this instant. With new powerno, with the power he should have already had, a summoner stood up while carrying something he could never compromise on. There were two things he had to do: get that piece of sheet corporation out of here and calm the Divine-class that continued its rampage here. He could ignore Pandemonium for the time being. Once things had recovered, they would decide the area was no use as an experimental ground and leave on their own. This time, he would protect that old man, everyone in the village, and the Green Spearhead as a whole. Now that the contract has been bound, I will temporarily seal away the name Amplifier 500. As the vessel, I will leave you in charge. What should we call ourselves, summoner? My name is Max Layard. As for the two of us together The world police. Government. He answered while looking to the role those drunk idiots had entirely forgotten. You can call us Government Award 501, Perfect Game. And they began their first battle. Facts: *The Blood-Sign method uses letters to measure the gods according to human comprehension which helps summon them. The strength of the gods is impossible to define, but the Blood-Sign method ranks them according to Cost and Sound Range. *Similarly, Pandemonium was used to assemble a theory saying that the same gods Cost and Sound Range would change if their name is spelled differently. *Illegals member of the Three is the Wicked Green Woman who Fills the World with Empty Treasure (l u - o - n p - e - q o - e i - r - k - a - r u m - p l). *Pandemoniums original purpose was to increase the Wicked Green Womans power so she could defeat the White Queen and to create a thousand-year kingdom for humans that no one else could interfere with. *Himekawa Mika and the rest of the 353 vessels had already been used in an experiment and they could not return to their original bodies afterwards. Himekawa had control, but all of their souls were contained inside. *Himekawa was working with Perfect Game in a plan to defeat Pandemonium. Kyousukes role was to stimulate the summoned White Queen into giving a great enough performance to destroy that fortress which not even the Lady of Purple Lightning could damage. *Kyousuke was the best candidate since he had the White Queen, but a total of 353 attacks had been made on Pandemonium. The details are unknown how Ellies incense put the other summoners to work. *Perfect Game defeated the head of the Deltaston family and took control of Pandemonium. They rewrote the routine meant to summon the Wicked Green Woman in order to summon the White Queen instead. *Because Kyousuke refused to participate in the plan, Ellie erased his memories with her incense to buy them some time. Volume 4, Stage 04 - Who Made the Original Request? Volume 4, Stage 04: Who Made the Original Request? Ebh!? Agoh! Obhgah!!!!!! Oh, dear. Oh, dear. This is checkmate, isnt it? My - dear - brother? (Now Stage 04 Open 06/03 13:30) (Past Stage 04 Open 06/03 00:00) Who Made the Original Request? (Timeline Now) Below the blue sky of early afternoon, Kyousuke had already built his route to invade the colossal Repliglass mobile fortress named Pandemonium. This would be his third time. Several flooded craters covered the large plain. If he swam through those, he could escape the anti-personnel sensors and infrared searchlights to safely move in close. The White Queen had destroyed the solid main entrance before. At the time, he had imagined the worst case scenario: forcing his way in with the Queens power would gather too much attention from all three major powers, he would win in the moment but be in trouble a year down the line, and he would be forced to rely on the Queen. But now that he knew he was only up against Perfect Games Max Layard and Incense Expert Ellie Slide, that hurdle was much lower. As for the main problem at hand Okay, brother, what kind of swimsuit should I wear? I dont have time to deal with your jokes. But if Im showing my sexy body off to you, shouldnt that be more important than the fate of the world? Blue sky, the bright sun, a never-ending beach, and the smooth skin of two lovebirds! I need your opinion to help stage a scene from that romantic adventure in advance. Should I go with the standard bikini? Or a one piece? I understand there are a lot of men who are obsessed with school swimsuits. Oh, but it might be fun to go all out and try out a shells, palm leaves, a micro-bikini, or even a slingshot! After all, after all! I will be unveiling myself for you, brother!! The White Queen dreamily placed her hands on her cheeks while her clothing wriggled around and became each swimsuit she mentioned, but Kyousuke was not interested in any of them and shoved his palm into the center of her chest. Hyah!? B-b-b-b-brother! Did you just touch my chest! How bold ofbwah!? She splashed back-first into the crater lake and Kyousuke calmly dove in after her while wearing a wetsuit and oxygen tank. The Queen was truly extraordinary, so she continued speaking even underwater. A little thing like a lack of oxygen was not about to bother her. Hrother! This is hupposed to he a date! I am hoing to run out of hatience soon He ignored her and embraced her from behind. Just like with Himekawa Mika, he supported her while swimming to his destination. O-oh, hy. How daring, hrother If this was your hlan, you hould have haid so. I am more han hilling to offer hyself to you. Kyousuke had learned from experience that it was best not to react to her nonsense. After crossing the linked crater lakes, they climbed onto the land where Pandemonium sat like a giant black squid. Kyousuke removed the wetsuit and changed into his original hoodie and track pants. The White Queen pretended to cover her face while actually watching him change and she did not even bother toweling off her silver hair. The water simply evaporated on its own and she was back to normal. There was nothing to stand in their way. They walked to Pandemoniums front gate that the White Queen had destroyed before. But they did not immediately walk in. Kyousuke operated the authorization panel to the side. He had used Max Layards biometrics before, but he used something else this time. He used the Deltaston coat of arms he had borrowed from the hotel room. The machine was meant to read the details of someones hand, but it began reading that emblem instead. Oh? I had a feeling they would do this, spat out Kyousuke. Ruby, sapphire, and I think the white jewel is pure corundum. Regardless, this reads the piezoelectricity pattern in the crystal structure and uses it as a master key. With their obsession with authority, I figured they would use their familys traditions or emblem even if it isnt logical. Plus, if they used a part of themselves as the crucial master key, it introduces a risk of being kidnapped or having that body part cut off. Just in case, they prepared a lizards tail they can safely hand over to a criminal. But, brother, you didnt need to unlock it. The door was already blown down. I did need to. This would leave a record showing he had broken in without any help from the White Queen. Even if it was ultimately useless, Shiroyama Kyousuke entered the demons palace on his own. The Queen happily followed him. Thanks to his past memories, he walked straight to the central processing core without getting lost. And he of course did not run into any summoners or vessels on the way. He had no memories of the intervening time, but Max and Ellie had likely done something after taking control of Pandemonium. They crossed the narrow metal bridge passing over the hundreds of transparent spheres and continued on to the central processing core. Just as expected, the Perfect Game pair was waiting for them. Now this is dangerous. The man with a black pompadour used his shoulder to support his ski material Blood-Sign with a swollen bottom end. He was more referring to the smiling strongest of the strongest than he was to Kyousuke. I can feel it. Shes brimming with reasons she should win. But weve got to do this. Were carrying the name of Government Award 501, Perfect Game, so weve got to do this. I doubt youd understand. Winning comes naturally to you and you dont accept anything else as Miss Strongest, so theres not a single reason you should lose. Shiroyama Kyousuke. The next to speak was Ellie Slide, the blonde-haired, brown-skinned glasses girl with an eagle feather in her black and orange witchs hat. She exposed the piercings in her ears, her navel, and even her tongue. How much have you remembered? Im sick of going along with Himekawa Mikas self-righteousness. Hearing that answer, the incense expert adjusted her large hat which shook the sleeved cape with the bottom split into feather-like shapes. She hid her eyes and giggled. Good, thisll be easier if you understand everything. So choose which path youd prefer, urged Max Layard with his vulgar personality revealed by his baggy T-shirt and shorts. Will you ask the White Queen to blow us away along with everything around us? Or will you refuse to use her power and be killed by us in a normal Summoning Ceremony? Well accomplish our goal either way. Will the Box be destroyed directly, or will the Queen snap and destroy it all? Anythings fine as long as Pandemoniums processing core is broken. Kyousukes answer was also simple. He reached for his back. He was pulling out his Blood-Sign. Instead of hiding behind the Queen and grabbing at the bottom of her skirt, he would fight as a summoner in the Artificial Sacred Ground. And he spoke. To hell with that. Several shoes could be heard scraping against the floor. The White Queen could settle this at any time in exchange for robbing all humans of their dignity, but Shiroyama Kyousuke and Max Layard ignored her to swiftly judge the distance between each other with weapons in hand. But the pompadour man was confident. Youre not very smart. Summoners are nothing without summoning. What can you do without relying on a Material!? They were Government Award 501 and Freedom Award 903, but that overwhelming gap was meaningless now. For one, Kyousukes vessel was occupied by the White Queen, so he could not use her. Even if he charged into an Artificial Sacred Ground, he could not summon a Material. Nor could he set up a protective circle. There was nothing he could do. An Award 1 summoner would only need to summon a Cost 1 member of the Original Series to easily crush him. So when Max threw his pineapple-shaped Incense Grenade, it should have all been over. Shiroyama Kyousuke did not put up any kind of futile resistance such as grabbing it and throwing it far away before it could detonate. As soon as the Artificial Sacred Ground appeared, Kyousukes Blood-Sign struck a White Thorn with ferocious speed. It may have looked like a meaningless action. He would gain nothing by shattering the three-dimensional Rose, scattering the many Petals, and knocking them into the Spots. As long as the White Queen was occupying his vessel with an unnatural method, he could not summon the Material he wanted. But that was not what Kyousuke was trying to do. What!? shouted Max in surprise. The pompadour man made his first shot. Just as he tried to start the match by hitting the three-dimensional Rose with a White Thorn, Kyousukes White Thorn flew in to interfere. The white path veered far off course and missed its giant target. In fact, Maxs White Thorn ricocheted and fell into a Spot before it could accomplish anything. This was no mere coincidence. After the 2nd and 3rd shot, Max finally realized what was going on. Damn you!! Since you cant summon your own Material, are you playing a thorough interference game by shooting down my Thorns with yours!? Of course. And are you sure you should continue? We summoners start with 3 White Thorns. And if you hit a White Thorn into a Spot with no more in stock, you trigger a severe penalty. But if youre just an insane believer who wants to be devoured by the Black Maw, I wont stop you. !? Max Layards large body stiffened slightly. And Kyousuke used that slight opening to spring forward with his Repliglass Blood-Sign in hand. He ran right up to Max. Yes. Even inside the Artificial Sacred Ground, you dont get a protective circle until after you summon your first Material. Waityou!! Sounds of primitive violence echoed through the room as the long poles collided together. The pompadour man roared as sweat poured from his body. Youre trying to win without a Material!? And when youre up against a summoner whos going all out!? A Summoning Ceremony battle begins before the Materials are summoned. Youre na?ve if you thought you would just end up with enough time to summon the Original Series as long as you challenged me to a fight. Tch!! They exchanged more blows. Max had used up all of his White Thorns, so he could only wait the 10 seconds for one to replenish. It was only 10 seconds, but that was 10 whole seconds. Sensing the dense tension in his skin, Max immediately cast aside his nearly suicidal pride. He adjusted his grip on his ski material Blood-Sign and swung it around like a morning star while shamelessly raising his voice. Boss!! A quiet sigh followed. The brown girl in a black and orange witchs hat moved her hand along a silver handle to operate something. She pressed the flute-like row of keys and pulled the trigger. That giant armor-breaking axe included an electronic cigarette device and could efficiently spray incense as a mist. Strangely sweet water vapor wafted out. That extreme incense could manipulate an individuals recognition or memories and it could even cancel the enemy summoners Artificial Sacred Ground in some cases. But Kyousuke was unfazed. By the time his feet were heard pounding on the floor, he had already circled behind Max. There was no fear or pain on his face. His eyes were zeroed in on his target. He had clearly escaped the incense experts spider web. Its true Ellie Slides incense is powerful. Compared to our Incense Grenades that can only produce a predetermined effect, the way she can manipulate the effects like magic might indeed be best described as an amplifier. !? But something caught my attention. If that incense was dangerous enough to make changes to my body and mind just by smelling it, then why werent its effects more indiscriminate? Specifically, why didnt it affect Ellie or you? If she has confidence in her position as an incense expert, its hard to imagine she uses some other chemicallike an antidote or immunization. There was a deafening sound, but the clashing Blood-Signs were only a distraction. Kyousukes leg swept Maxs entirely unguarded legs out from under him. Ellie Slides incense uses a cocktail system. In other words, she uses that armor-breaking axe to spread several different harmless chemicals in advance and she uses those to produce the optimally mixed incense at only the coordinate she wants. Just like a spider webs vertical and horizontal threads play different roles, Im guessing you kept a safe zone for yourself in the middle of the deadly web. Gah!! The surprise attack slammed Maxs back against the floor and knocked the breath out of him. But he did not take the time to cough. He realized something before he could. I fell victim to this once already. Did you really think it would work again? Shiroyama Kyousuke raised his Repliglass Blood-Sign while standing over the man. Something deep in Maxs survival instincts told him this was no time to be reacting to the pain. Oh, ohh, owwwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!! Max screamed at the top of his lungs, but he was ignored. He was beaten repeatedly. More than 10 seconds had passed and Maxs added White Thorn floated around him, but he could not even think about launching it. He could not even raise his Blood-Sign. Even as he curled up to protect his vitals, more and more blows rained down like meteors and seemed to slip through the gaps in his defenses. This was Freedom Award 903, Alice (with) Rabbit. With nothing more than his own body, he could defeat a summoner that could freely summon any Material. Y-you Even after being thrown into the crucible of pain and even with a rusty flavor filling his mouth, the pompadour man still managed to groan some words. You wouldntunderstand. You know youll winand you can only fight because you can winso you dont know how it feels for those whohave to keep fighting when they cant afford to loseand arent allowed to lose Screw that. This man sounded like he stood on the side of the weak, like he was on the side of the minority, and like he was doing the right thing. Kyousuke felt a dark flame burning in his core when he heard it. You cant afford to lose? You arent allowed to lose? And who was it that drove Himekawa Mika to this point? An expert summoner and vessel approached her with some self-satisfied look on their faces, thrust her down into despair, and then tried to blame your own weakness on the rest of the world!? Do you have any idea how those 353 vessels had to feel when the experts gave up on them!? Yeah, thats right. Were the worst. To be honest, I cant think of any way of saving Himekawa Mika or the 353 vessels. No, we only ever pretended to be working with them and never intended to save them in the slightest. The pompadour man smiled despite his broken teeth. Max still had something supporting him even after collapsing. He had not broken? But compared to that White Queen, even all 7 billion of us are the minority! Were the pathetic wandering travelers who cant afford to lose but have no way to fight!! So was that old man who could speak with the wind and wavesor should I call them fairies? Even a Divine-class clouded those wise mens judgement. Then what about an Unexplored-class? How mad will we be driven by the peak of that peak!? We cant allow that to manifest here! Humans cant do anything against her! All 7 billion of us will be swallowed up. It isnt about being strong or weak. Well be charmed by her overwhelming presence before the fight even begins!! So we have to fight by any means necessary. I dont care how it happens, but we have to destroy Pandemonium if it can permanently summon the White Queen at max specs. This goes beyond just Himekawa Mika or the 353. Ino, we!! We have to turn this into a victory to save the 7 billion weak humans!! A solid sound burst out. Max Layard had shifted from defense to offense even though his ribs were broken and he had struck a White Thorn with his Blood-Sign while lying face up on the floor. It isnt that I know Ill win, spat out Max. Im fighting because I cant afford to lose! It doesnt matter how dirty it gets or if I have to spit on the concept of glory! Theres something here I absolutely have to do!! If I lose hereif I let this become a loss, Ill be left with no choice but to succumb to that Queens temptation!! But whatever had happened to him, if the Rose shattered, the many Petals scattered, and one entered a Spot, he could summon a Material. He would have a monster immune to physical attacks and he would be surrounded by a protective circle. Kyousuke was no match for either. A triumphant look covered Maxs bloody face. Laugh if you want. Make fun of me all you like. But Ill win. Ill do it for the 7 billion minority and for the fight against the White Queen I cant afford to lose! Even if I have to sacrifice 353 people here, I swear Ill tear down Pandemonium!! Ellie Slides body rapidly transformed. She seemed to spiral around as she was remade into a yellow translucent slime. But something happened just a moment beforehand. Shiroyama Kyousuke threw his Blood-Sign with perfect accuracy and the tip tore through the dreamcatcher hanging from Ellie Slides neck and collided with the center of her flat chest. Wha? This time. This time Max Layard truly stopped moving. Its true that Materials can deflect all physical attacks, but things are different when theyre only half formed. And if the vessel herself is knocked unconscious, she is considered defeated and the Summoning Ceremony process is canceled. The White Queen crossed her arms and explained while watching on in boredom. And more importantly, did you really think you could make a fool of my brother just by robbing him of a Material? Gah. The shock of defeat was coming. No matter how it happened, the summoner and vessel had lost according to the rules of the Summoning Ceremony, so they would be hit by the shock of seeing their god slaughtered before their eyes. Still on his back, Max moved just his eyes to look up at Kyousuke. That summoner had not hesitated to let go of his greatest weapon, the Blood-Sign, but his expression had not changed. You were on the right track there. I kind of liked that you viewed the Queen as a threat and that you were desired so greedily to defeat her at all costs. But dont forget that nothing will change if you try to oppose her by accepting sacrifices and becoming a monster yourself. As he spoke, the Blood-Sign denting Ellie Slides chest was pulled down by gravity. It clattered to the floor. And if you want me to laugh, I recommend cracking a joke that makes people happy. Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!! A moment later, Maxs defeat was confirmed. An invisible shock raced out from his chest and covered his entire body. (Timeline Now) Government Award 501, Perfect Game. Max Layard and Ellie Slide had been defeated. But even if the people guiding it had vanished, the fundamental problem had not been resolved. Pandemonium was still up and running, the 353 vessels bodies were still contained inside the many spheres in the other room, and all of their souls were inside Himekawa Mika who was about to burst. And on top of all that, the White Queen was still around. Kyousuke had to resolve all of that. After some thought, he spoke. Ellie Slide. The small figure on its side twitched slightly. After a summoner and vessel were defeated, they lost the ability to think and became zombies in the original sense who could only slowly repeat a single action. They could only obey gestures or simple commands. But this reaction was clearly different. After an irritated sigh, Kyousuke spoke again. I know youre only pretending and I dont have time to deal with it. If you keep wasting my time, Ill throw you to the White Queen. Oh, honestly!! The blond-haired, brown-skinned glasses girl with an eagle feather in her black and orange witchs hat quickly got up. But she was not obeying him in a zombie state. She was clearly moving under her own will. And Kyousuke did not seem surprised. You already did this once in the past. After I defeated you in the Summoning Ceremony, you made a surprise attack not long afterwards. Do you have incense that softens the shock of defeat? Im honestly impressed by your skill, but youre only using it for cheap tricks. What do you want from me? I want some help from your incense. I want something to properly redistribute the 353 souls that were forcibly gathered into a single body. I am an amplifier. There is no good or evil in that. Save me your sob story, but I wont feel any motivation if it isnt about achieving Award 1000. Stop pretending to be evil. If all you cared about was reaching Award 1000, why would you bind a contract with Government Award 501? Even if you can amplify them up to around 500 Awards, it would still be faster to pair up with someone in the 800s or 900s. But since you chose Perfect Game regardless, I can only assume you sympathized with him in some other way. I wont ask what that was, but did you predict things would end up this way when you first shook hands with Max Layard? If you were envisioning something else, then work with me. None of us can afford to lose. So Ill show you a different path. A path that doesnt require abandoning Himekawa Mika and the rest of the 353. He was clearly stating his intention to harm the White Queen, but the silver twintail girl only smiled in amusement. And Ellie Slide breathed an exhausted sigh inside her sleeved cape. Did you think I arrived at this extreme answer without trying anything else? I tried everything I could. I even put together theoretical plans for the things I couldnt do. And there was no way of saving Himekawa Mika and the other vessels. There is only so much my incense can accomplish. There is no saving them. He had expected that answer. So he was not taken aback. True, the two of us alone cannot save those 353. Then who is supposed to help us? Surely you arent going to suggest the White Queen. You really thought I would reach for that worst possible option? His voice grew too cold to even call icy. After focusing on forcing down his emotions, Kyousuke continued. Ellie Slide. Theres something else youre still hiding from my mind, isnt there? He pointed right at the center of Ellie Slides flat chest. He pointed at the broken spider web or the fallen rose. In other words, the dreamcatcher. The Native Americans saw special meaning in dreams, so they used that protective charm as a filter that kept out bad dreams and gathered only the good ones. He pointed at that selector. And he said it. The name of Madam Professor. (Timeline Past) Himekawa Mika longed for it. Would Shiroyama Kyousuke ask the White Queen for help, or would his death send the White Queen on a rampage that would overheat the system? Either way, Pandemoniums central processing core would be destroyed just as she hoped. Shiroyama Kyousuke knew the Miniature Garden developer known as Madam Professor was a very devil-may-care kind of person. If there was anything she disliked about the job requested of her, she would rewrite the script and secretly build in a loophole more to her liking. Just because she found a system coldhearted and lacking in humanity, she would fill the empty space with descriptions that could easily trigger a critical bug or error. Incense Expert Ellie Slide had feared that. If Kyousuke were to learn of this information, wouldnt he stop working toward one or the other of the two options Himekawa Mika longed for? There was a chance he would stray onto a third path she had not accounted for. And so Shigara Masami. Inside the 50 meter Box of Pandemoniums central processing core, Shiroyama Kyousuke had muttered that name while placing his hand on a wall decorated by countless geometric patterns. He held an analysis filter glass made from quick-drying manicure repair solution and the vibration of his voice, just like the one he had used to read the surface armor that redirected the Lady of Purple Lightnings summon bombing. He read the structure. No matter how precise it was and even at a level invisible to the naked eye, a magic circle was still a magic circle. And those circles always listed the important factors: what it summoned, the date, the place, the symbols, the related heavenly bodies, the important directions, etc. So instead of a chaotic collection of lines and curves, it was a message meant to be read by a human mind. His voice quickly rose to a shout. Shigara Masami!! Madam Professors name was inputted into the empty space She was originally a Government developer. If she was involved in the initial design of Pandemonium while jumping from project to project before arriving at the Queens Miniature gardenif thats really the case!! Ellie Slide held her giant armor-breaking axe. She had operated the flute-like keys on the handle and pulled the trigger to activate the incense of forgetfulness. Kyousuke desperately held onto his fading thoughts and moved his weakening tongue to voice a plea. To who? To Max Layard, Ellie Slide, and Himekawa Mika. To everyone who was using Kyousuke to destroy Pandemonium. That woman would never allow such a coldhearted system to exist. No matter what the users manual says and no matter how perfect the design was, she must have prepared a loophole more to her liking!! The answer was inside Pandemonium from the very beginning!! So destroying Pandemonium would have the opposite effect. Theres a way to return Mika and the others to normal here, so it would be wrong to blow this away without using it. We need to investigate further! We need to check over every nook and cranny!! If this coldhearted system only looks coldhearted to you, then you must not have found the true meaning that Madam Professor left behind!! He had no proof. No actual data had turned up to support his conclusion. But Himekawa Mika, who stood at the center of all this, widened her eyes in surprise. Her lips trembled and her shoulders shook. Yes, she knew the person named Shigara Masami, she knew that womans kindness, and she knew her bad habit of implanting things. And when she heard Kyousukes words, Ellie Slide realized they were falling out of step. The atmosphere and the trends were beginning to move. More importantly, Himekawa Mika was beginning to waver in her intent to destroy Pandemonium even though that meant destroying herself. Would she continue on or fall back? This was the final watershed. Incense Expert Ellie Slide toyed with the dreamcatcher around her neck and left the decision to someone else. Not to Max Layard but to Himekawa Mika. What will you do? It was a simple and thus cruel question. The answer contained hesitation, doubt, fear, and uncertaintybut she still spoke clearly. And. The range of memories to be erased was reselected. (Timeline Now) In the present, Shiroyama Kyousuke clenched his teeth. He looked around his surroundings once more. This was an unbelievably large cubic Box. Before, it had only looked like a symbol of the malice and joy created by the Deltaston family who viewed themselves as a privileged class. The path to salvation was right before our eyes all along. Not necessarily. Tens of thousands of developers worked for years to create this detailed system. How is an individual supposed to fully investigate this monster now? Thats like searching for a ring that fell into the ocean. Who set that limit? At the very least, it wasnt Madam Professor who threw that ring in to leave behind a slight chance. The receiver has ignored her situation, given up on their own, and brought out some convenient numbers for a justification and validation that can fight the guilt. Im sick of that. Ill end it all right here. Each side was 50 meters. The area was far larger than a school gym and its size grew even larger when the great height was taken into account. Kyousuke directly faced the geometric patterns covering all six surfaces. Hand it over. Hand what over? I assume you have at least a moderate desire to look after yourself as a lady, so hand over your makeup tools. A hand mirror and some quick-drying manicure repair solution would be perfect. She clicked her tongue and tossed over a pouch. He caught it and prepared a frightening device with just those ordinary products. Those massive patterns were more than just lines. If someone understood the system behind them, they could read plenty of information just like passing a needle through the groove of a record. When he viewed one of the walls through his makeshift filter glass, he found a deluge of messages. It was like having every page of an encyclopedia pasted on the wall. All the information he needed was there, but if he did not accurately focus in on what he needed, he would be swallowed up by the flood of information. If he lost control, he would instantly lose sight of the answer. The answer he had pulled out would likely never rise to the top of his mind again. If he was simply searching randomly while focusing so intensely, it would likely take years. He doubted the souls of Himekawa Mika and the rest of the 353 vessels had that long. But he had a hint. Shiroyama Kyousuke knew Madam Professor. He understood that devil-may-care developer named Shigara Masami. What would she do? Through what process would she have arrived at what truth, how would it have angered her, and what would she have added in? And what simple but hard to notice hiding place would she choose so the coldhearted developers would never find it yet it would appear like magic to anyone truly in need? It was only a thin, thin thread at first. Not even Kyousuke knew if he should continue in that direction. He suspected it was the entrance to a labyrinthine forest that would send him running in circles forever. If Even so, he grabbed for it. He felt something solid in his hand and he relied on that slight sensation to continue further. He crossed the sea of countless words while desperately connecting one small and vanishing point to another. If he let go even for an instant, it would all be over. It was like desperately holding onto your lovers hand while being tossed in the waves during a storm at night. If you let go, you could never find that hand again no matter how much you regretted it. If you see Pandemonium activate before your eyes and your furious heart cannot forgive what has happened, then please make use of what I have left behind. I do not have the right to stop the damned project or to change its cursed use, but I still want to leave behind a chance to stop the tragedy that is sure to eventually occur. The fingers of his mind traced along the line formed by the connected points. Once he found that direction, he could see more and more points gathered around. Just like seeing the stars twinkling in the sky after sunset, he could not believe he had not noticed them sooner. He connected the countless points of light with further lines. The single unreliable thread joined the others to create a thick string and ultimately transformed into a sturdy rope. Pandemoniums permanent summoning of the Wicked Green Woman will, in a way, succeed, but the safety of the 353 vessels is not theoretically guaranteed. In the worst case, all of their souls will either rupture or their bodies will fuse together. He slowly shifted the weight of his heart. He checked on the strength of this lifeline. Inside the vortex of information that raged like the stormy sea, he confirmed it was safe enough to support something more important than his life. It was fine. There was no more need to hesitate. But there is a way to save them. In addition to summoning the Wicked Green Woman, Pandemonium supports 353 secondary summoning systems as camouflage. If the vessels bodies and souls are bound together and the correct souls are placed inside the twisted embryos, their regressed bodies will regain the proper experience points and may rapidly grow back into their original forms. How to do that is given here. Shiroyama Kyousuke crossed the sea of information using that sturdy lifeline. And on the far side, he found it. A deep sea treasure had been placed there such that no one else would find it. That final glimmer of humanity had been secretly thrown into the otherwise coldhearted system. I only hope that whoever is seeing this has the normal sensibilities to be enraged by what you have seen. Kyousukes mind focused in on a single point. He touched the core of it all. And if so, please save the vessels who will have been caught in a future tragedy. I found it, quietly said Shiroyama Kyousuke. Alice (with) Rabbit had heard it. The student had reached Madam Professors domain. Ellie Slide!! Use memory and cognizance incense to read my thoughts and use corrosion incense on the six surfaces! Sever all the unnecessary lines in the geometric patterns and rewrite it the way I want!! Think of it like an insectsno, a reptiles incomplete metamorphosis!! Wait, wait, wait, wait!! Thats one ultra hard mode request after another. Those grooves are even thinner than the surface of a video disk and this Box is sturdy enough to survive an attack from the Lady of Purple Lightning. Thats just not possible!! Ill put together the theory. You read that with your incense too. Pandemonium redirects the power instead of using pure armor strength, just like how a magic circle is made to allow otherworldly power to flow through it. So if you focus on how you apply the power and guide it to collide head-on along the same line, you can naturally burn it out. Its perfectly possible to do by human hands! But! You can do it! Arent you the amplifier that can strengthen any summoner!? Then do what I say and amplify Shiroyama Kyousukes power here!! The incense expert clicked her tongue and steeled her resolve. She pulled a small bottle from the belt around her waist and swapped it out with one on the back of her axe. She operated the flute-like keys and pulled the trigger. A sweet smell spread. The area filled with a sizzling sound like that of Chinese cooking. Parts of the dimly-lit Box flashed white as if from a blow torch. Each of those lights was accurately cutting a groove more than a fiftieth thinner than a hair. It was like a tadpole casting aside its gills and gaining lungs to breathe on land as a frog. Anyone watching may not have been able to tell what was happening. Had it succeeded or failed? But there was one parameter even an amateur could perceive. Kyousuke silently turned around. The White Queen was still standing immaculately by his side and smiling. But a moment later, the silver twintail girl burst from within and scattered in every direction as particles of light. It was a sublime sight. At first, the particles scattered wildly like a firework accidentally detonating before it was launched, but they belatedly gathered together and flowed in a certain direction. They passed through the wall and vanished toward the large room full of hundreds of transparent spheres. The many bound souls were being cut apart and returned to their original bodies. Those masses of flesh had yet to regain their proper form. Those souls had yet to find their proper place. If they were brought back together through Pandemonium, the vessels could return to themselves. The original 353 people would recover. They would regain their stolen experience points and the giant embryos would grow back to their proper ages. Their bodies would return and their souls would settle in there. That would save all of them. Kyousuke only had to watch the process automatically play out. He looked over to the person who had carried everything all this time. Only the beautiful woman with a bluish-black ponytail and a tight skirt suit remained. This is a present, added the incense expert. I left only Himekawa Mikas soul in that container. You wouldnt want to lose the experience points she gained here, would you? Both for technical reasons and so she can bear the burden of her deeds, both good and bad. Himekawa Mika was entirely limp, so Kyousuke gently supported her. Didnt I tell you? Uuhah She could not believe what had happened to her. She was Alice (with) Rabbits enemy. She had lied to and deceived Alice (with) Rabbit. She was a wicked woman who had given no one any reason to protect her. She had given up on walking toward the future. She had only held the mistaken hope of finding something she could leave behind. And she had gotten so many others involved for that. And yet And yet And yet As if to cut off all of those thoughts, Shiroyama Kyousuke spoke. He did so without any hesitation. The next step is prying open the thick doors and saving the 353 vessels trapped inside. Ahhhhh!!!!! Nothing more was necessary. Himekawa Mika wrapped her hands around Kyousukes shoulders and buried her face in his chest. The sobbing woman was not Madam Professor, but she was still a human being with a unique heart capable of shedding tears. She was not a disposable tool meant to reach something else, whether it be the Wicked Green Woman or the White Queen. (Pandemoniumno, the central processing cores Box shouldnt be working now that the geometric patterns have been destroyed. But it would be a problem if they built a 2nd or 3rd one, so I should probably do a more thorough job of destroying it.) Himekawa Mika was safe. They had a path toward saving the 353 vessels. They could destroy Pandemonium. The White Queen was gone. The situation could not have been more exceptional, but Shiroyama Kyousukes expression did not relax. At first, Himekawa Mika and Ellie Slide did not know why. So it took them a moment to sense it. Hee hee. They heard a feminine laugh that should never have been there. A pure white that rejected all darkness stood less than 20 meters from Shiroyama Kyousuke. She had waist-length silver twintails and skin so white it seemed to glow. Her exceedingly luxurious clothes looked like a wedding dress cut down to size with silver armor added on. That clothing could transform into any weapon and yet her two slender arms were feared as the greatest weapon of all. She was the strongest of the strongest. She was the White Queen. What? Himekawa Mika stared at her like she could not believe her eyes. But! But if we were freed, there is no more vessel supporting the Queen! The twintail girl did not respond. She simply waved her index finger back and forth. This was an enjoyable bit of fun. You have my praise for that. But if you speak up again, I will crush you as a hindrance to our date. Kyousuke understood the meaning hidden in her gentle smile and bewitchingly glowing eyes, so he opened his mouth again. This is a counter summoning, isnt it? Yes, brother. The Pandemonium Project was developed to strengthen the Wicked Green Woman with its primary system while also summoning the White Queen to be defeated. Everything got all switched around, but if you focus back on the original purpose, this shouldnt be confusing. Simply put, Pandemonium was built to summon two Unexplored-classes at the same time. Kyousuke and the others had destroyed one of those and the White Queen controlled the other. They could not summon a strengthened Wicked Green Woman as was originally intended. And even if they could, Kyousuke would never allow it. He would not sacrifice Himekawa Mika and the other vessels again. Now, brother, you have saved the 353 who were supposedly beyond saving, but the task is not yet complete. It will take about 10 minutes for all of the souls to settle into their regressed bodies, recover their experience points, and grow back into their original forms. If any critical damage is done to this mass of Repliglass known as Pandemonium, to its arteries or veins, or to its heart reactor before that is complete, what do you think will happen? The transformation was like rewinding the footage of ice cream melting on hot asphalt, so would it simply stop? Or would it all burst? Do you really think Ill let you? Yes! That is exactly it!! I do not care what is good or evil, pleasant or unpleasant. I simply want to enjoy my date with you for as long as I can possibly enjoy my time with you! So if this will keep your focus on me for even a second longer, I am willing to play even the most reviled role!! He doubted he could defeat the White Queen even if he gathered every last weapon in the world and called in every last person on the planet. The only people here were Shiroyama Kyousuke, Himekawa Mika, Ellie Slide, and Max Layard. Even if one of them started the Summoning Ceremony beginning from Cost 1, they would never stand a chance against the already completed Queen. They were woefully unprepared. Shiroyama Kyousuke knew that, but he still grabbed his Blood-Sign. Hee hee. The girl laughed in delight. She laughed innocently, as if she truly did not know anything else. Three attacks. Since you altered the structure of the Box, my summoning here is limited. You have already calculated it out too, havent you? If I use my full specs, three attacks is my limit. After that, I will disperse once more and our date will come to an end. Three attacks. Only three attacks. But that number would come to crush Kyousuke as a barrier more hopeless than the end of the world in any mythology. For one thing, the average Regulation-class or Divine-class would be too frightened to move when faced with this opponent. Something on that level would attack him thrice. Oh, dear. If even that is not enough of a handicap, just tell me what you need, brother. The White Queen sounded like she was joking and a portion of her dress transformed into a Japanese sword nearly 2 meters in length. She casually tossed it his way. The blade rotated through the air and fell vertically down. It split the floor in front of Kyousuke and remained standing. Do you remember the Attach Saint Project? That camouflage project summoned a Divine-classs weapon instead of the Divine-class itself and they incorporate that into something manmade to wield the power of the gods without losing control. Hee hee. Come to think of it, you looked upset when you saw that, didnt you? The White Queen clasped her hands in front of her chest and smiled. The White Queen who Wields the Sword of Unsullied Truth (iu - nu - fb - a - wuh - ei -kx - eu - pl - vjz). The sword mentioned there is actually my clothingbut that sword contains my own power instead of just a Divine-classs. Since that is a part of me, it can harm me. This is the very strategy you used during the Guard of Honor business. How about it? I would very much enjoy a sword fight with you, brother. That weapon could kill the peak of the Unexplored-class. Shiroyama Kyousuke could not have wanted anything more. But his answer was clear. Hell no. My. Fighting you with the power you gave me? Id just be dancing in your palm. From then on, Id only be able to resist you within the rules you had set up! I wont rely on something like that, Queen. Im done with relying on the strongest because its easy!! He had the courage to brush it aside with his own willpower. He had the character to reject the extreme temptation of the simple term strongest. He was rejecting the White Queens very existence, but she gently narrowed her eyes in a smile as if she found that unbearably adorable. And Kyousuke did not bother with her any longer. Mika, lend me your strength. Thats Mika-san. And I never imagined I would be on your side. I was prepared to forever part ways with you after deceiving you like that. That doesnt matter. Im not letting her cheat us out of what weve accomplished here! I need your strength to defeat her. Its just three attacks!! Only three!! Lend me the strength I need to overcome the end of the world three times!! Kyousuke was cut off by a shrill noise. It came from the whistle hanging from Himekawa Mikas neck. Tsk, tsk, tsk. Thats not how to say it. She finally - truly finally - wagged her index finger in her usual way. With the sides of her navy blue tight skirt ripped and her stockings intentionally torn, that bluish-black ponytail beauty smiled. And she spoke like a true member of Illegal. Her voice was as clear as a small bell but also somehow fearsome. Say it, Kyousuke-kun. At times like this, you need to honestly shout help me!! He was caught off guard. He understood what she meant, but it still took him more than a moment to accept it. After all, that boy was the sinner who had released the White Queen. During that Secret War, all of the truly powerful had been wiped out, Government, Illegal, and Freedom had thoroughly lost their way, a great many problems had scattered across the world, and thus half of the worlds problems were thanks to him. It was possible that had even indirectly led to the construction of Pandemonium. So how did he have any right to use those words? Could he really say them? Was he allowed to? He clenched his teeth, bit his lip, and just about swallowed them on reflex. The scope of salvation is not determined by qualifications or conditions. A soft sensation reached the summoners head as he stood in that extreme position. The woman by his side had gently placed her hand on it. It was just like an adult comforting a child lost in a strange city. I believed that sacrificing the 353 souls was the best answer. You forgave and saved a sinner like me, so why would I reject your salvation? He had continually walked a hellish path much like walking barefoot across scorching coals. He had spent so much time alongside the greatest evil. Even as the cross on his back nearly crushed him, he had needed to become the strongest to prevent it from doing so. As those days continued, he had eventually stopped hearing those words. Himekawa Mika was not the Madam Professor from his memories, but just like that woman, she may have given him a goal he needed to pursue. A metallic taste seeped from his bit lip. He slowly removed his teeth which had become a tool of self-harm. And The absolute summoner feared as Freedom Award 903, Alice (with) Rabbit, let out a pure voice just like when he had known nothing of another world. Yes. Those few words were the trigger that burned down the world. An Incense Grenade fell to his feet, his vessel partner nodded in satisfaction, and the two of them watched the White Queen smile as dark flames enveloped her. The final battle was beginning. The power known as the human heart would clash head-on with the strongest that lurked in another world. (Timeline Now) Three attacks. Just three attacks. Owwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!! As soon as the Artificial Sacred Ground was set up, Kyousuke launched a White Thorn with all his might. It struck the three-dimensional Rose, the many red Petals scattered, and they poured into the Spots. Hee hee. Ah ha ha!! Relying on a mere Regulation-class? How brave, brother. And yet those are no more than imitations that humans artificially created and placed in the other world to reach the Divine and Unexplored-classes. The Regulation and Divine-class could do nothing to the White Queen. Before even thinking about their strength, they would succumb to their fear and stop moving. They could move freely if he built them up to the Unexplored-class, but the Queens power would still be overwhelming. He had once seen the Lady of Purple Lightning slaughtered in a single attack. He doubted even the strongest ones known as the Three could stand up to the White Queen. After all, Pandemonium existed to turn that impossibility into a possibility. So he did not even need to think about fighting, defeating, killing, or destroying her. He had to survive these three attacks. To do that, he transformed his vessel into a Material and surrounded himself with a protective circle. That may have been logical for a human. Hee hee. But with refreshing laughter, the White Queen brought all of those assumptions crumbling down!! It was not a question of something actually happening. It was simply the fact that the White Queen had him in her sights. He had the protective circle defending him, and thus the entire ceremony, from all external and internal factors, but he lost sight of that basic fact and nearly forgot how to breathe. Unpleasant sweat poured down his body and his eyeballs were shaking too much for his vision to settle down. If he did not remain focused, his thoughts would have faded like he had severe anemia. That was the sense of the White. It was an omen of the greatest and most evil fate that would tear away the basic elements of either world and would not allow him even a normal death. Shiroyama Kyousuke obeyed his biological instincts more than his human rationality. He cast everything aside and used every last ounce of strength to leap to the right. The very next moment, a portion of the Queens clothing rippled and instantly formed a double-edged Western sword measuring several dozen meters. Destruction seemed to recite a single word. One. Light. Sound. Both were entirely erased by the horizontal slash. That was more than just a sword. As it swung around, it came apart and formed a storm of thousands or tens of thousands of thin wires. The ends formed sharp fish hooks, the sides formed vicious jigsaw blades, and the storm of violence would tear flesh and eat into bone. The interior of the 50m cubic Box was torn whitely apart and even the barriers of time and space were easily shredded as the very essence of destruction poured down all at once. (The MaterialMika will be killed!!) He did not even have time to cry out. He forcibly changed direction after fleeing to the side. To avoid the penalty of losing and - more importantly - to avoid having his beautiful partner smashed as easily as styrofoam, Kyousuke did his utmost to suppress his fear and stepped forward. He used the entirety of the protective circle to save Himekawa Mika who was no more than the Original Yellow (s). A deafening roar followed. The protective circle could supposedly defend against all deadly factors, but it bent like an unreliably fragile water balloon. Incredibly, it did not actually break and as the invisible wall dented inward, it struck Kyousukes entire body. He literally coughed up blood. He had no idea how many years this had shaved off his life, but a clean hit would not have left a single shred of flesh behind. Two. And he was not even given time to correct his posture. The next thing he knew, he heard a gentle voice from directly behind him. His heart leaped in his chest. An overwhelming presence or aura slowly approached from behind him. That alone held enough violence to beat down and bring an enemy to their knees. Kyousuke felt like his nerves had been fried by a stun gun, but he desperately turned around. That was precisely when the White Queen slowly raised her slender arm. Shiroyama Kyousuke honestly thought he was dead. And since he could not prevent his body from being destroyed, he rationally calculated out what percentage he could allow to be destroyed. Until an arm or a leg had been torn off? Until one of his eyes or ears had been plucked out or ripped away? Until a portion of his kidneys or liver had ruptured? (I should be thankful as long as my brain and heart survive!!) A tremendous sound immediately followed. The White Queen wielded no weapon, but that was exactly what made her the strongest. Her slender arm pierced Kyousukes protective circle with no hesitation. Her outstretched fingers continued right into Kyousukes chest. His ribs broke and she accurately grabbed the muscular organ protected inside. Her smooth fingers rubbed across it as if enjoying how it felt. Simply put, it was his heart. Ebh!? Agoh! Obhgah!!!!!! Oh, dear. Oh, dear. This is checkmate, isnt it? My - dear - brother? His pounding heart sounded like it was coming from somewhere else. The White Queen gave an entranced smile as she felt the sign of his life in her hand. Will you be giving up now? Or would you like to enjoy the third attack as well? Dont make melaugh I thought you would say that. You wouldnt be my brother otherwise Kyousuke was overwhelmed by extreme tension and sweat poured from his entire body, but he showed no fear on his face even as she physically held his life in her hands. For one thing, this was what it meant to fight the White Queen. It made no difference if her opponent was on the other end of the galaxy or if she was close enough to touch their heart. From the moment she had manifested in the same world, he had to assume the very next attack could kill him. Meanwhile, the twintailed girl was entirely unchanged. The strongest was not shaken no matter what. And unfortunately, the third attack is already complete. Kyousukes eyeballs saw something wriggling in the corner of his vision. It was something he had cast aside but could not afford to forget about. It was the large white sword the White Queen had tossed to him as some sort of provocation. It was stabbed into the floor like a stereotypical ultimate weapon and it began making its presence all too apparent. The Queens weapons could transform into anything. So there was no reason that it had to remain a sword. What form had the blade - that stabbing tip - taken? No. How far did it extend!? I told you to endure three attacks. The White Queen smiled. This attack to the heart was the third and final one. Because the very, very first attack had already been made before you began your efforts!! That attack had not targeted Kyousuke or the others here. It had been a cruel attack which made the entire structure of Pandemonium its target. In other words, the 353 vessels. Now, a question: What did that first attack stab? The 353 souls were in the process of settling into the 353 bodies. Brother, I know you of all people can imagine what would happen if Pandemonium was forcibly stopped in the middle of that. She had interfered with the return of the souls to take the lives he had worked so hard to save. Ah ha ha!! Ah ha ha ha ha ha!! In other wordsin other words, brother!! No matter what you did, your despair was ensured from the very beginning!! You did not save the 353!! My very first attack tore apart the frame and pierced the Repliglass heart reactor, so Pandemonium is guaranteed to explode from within. It should have been obvious, right? Did you really think you had defended yourself against even a single attack from the White Queen? That alone is a form of irreverence. The first attack had ended everything. Of course it had. Thats why I told you in the very beginning to use that sword! I gave you the choice, but - my, my - you went out of your way to reject it!! Hee hee hee. Ah ha ha ha ha!! If you had pulled it out yourself, things might have been different, but you went out of your way to overlook it! Heh heh heh. Ah ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!! Now, now! Make sure to savor the nightmare you yourself invited in by trying to act so cool, my - dear - brother. The strongest of the strongests back trembled as she spoke. The Queens ring of evil was complete. He was trapped and his fate was sealed. He was faced with the frightening truth that he had failed to save anyone after all that work. So what? But just before that happened, the boys extremely icy words sliced apart that path to despair. What? The White Queen sounded puzzled even with her hand plunged into Kyousukes chest and her fingers gently squeezing his heart. She looked around. There was nothing. Nothing had changed. What is the meaning of this? I understand you and your evil. It was the same with the Rainy Girl, Queen. If I made my decision on the assumption that you were telling the truth back then, I would have brought about the worst case scenario and you would have delighted in that fact. So it was obvious you had built some kind of malice into this series of events too. After all, you had no reason whatsoever to give me any kind of handicap. She literally held his life in her hands, but the boy still gave her a daring smile. How about it? I would very much enjoy a sword fight with you. Who said that? Dont screw with me, Queen. I know you dont still have that kind of innocent good will inside you. You made an unnatural suggestion right after announcing the three attack limit. You saw the perfect way to throw me down as I obediently followed the rules. Dont be silly. Then what did you do? My first attack with that sword perfectly and undeniably pierced straight through Pandemoniums heart reactor Shigara Masami was a devil-may-care developer. A puny pawn could challenge the queen just this once. The boy could reveal the answer to the Queen instead of the other way around!! And when she was displeased with the request she received, she was well-known for adding in her own script not found in any of the designs or manuals. She would always say the system was too coldhearted and lacked humanity. You cant mean You may indeed have made your greatest attack on exactly the correct spot. This was one of predicted possibilities? Butby who? If it was in the designs, it couldnt have been you, brother!! But Shigara Masami altered Pandemoniums design and shifted each part by just a few millimeters. The body alone is 800 meters long and its even more with the tentacles included and there are millions if not hundreds of millions of parts in all. Each individual alteration might be small, but they add up to a great error. I dont know where you saw the plans, but the difference between those and reality caused you to miss the crucial reactor by a hairs breadth. Just like youre touching my heart now. So I only had to focus on my position and adjust the coordinates at which you threw the sword! Things had seemed slightly off here and there. For example, in the break room where Himekawa Mika had recovered from her Imaginary Flashback. 10m x 20m x 17.04m? What a shame. Its so close to being 1 x 2 x 3. For example, when he had first set foot in this central processing core Box. 50 x 50 x 49.998? I-I The silver twintail girl seemed unsure what expression to make. But it was definitely something other than a smile. Someone other than yousomeone else predicted what I would do? I later met that developer in the Queens Miniature Garden, so she was pretty clearly a genius. It was now Kyousukes turn to smile. She wrote this in the Boxs blank space: If Pandemonium is activated, it will bring about 59 major categories and 187,600 specific methods to end the world. I included countermeasures for every last one of them, so please use your judgement to hold off those worst case scenarios! Ah And she also wrote this: Just because the White Queen is the strongest is no reason to allow her to kill!! I inherited Madam Professors will and, in so doing, I tore victory from your grasp, Queen. You may be the strongest or whatever else, but you cant interfere with the bonds between people. You cant intervene in the time people have spent together. Taking someones life isnt enough to break those bonds! That final trap was probably meant to spit not on me but on the effort she put into planning the destruction of Pandemonium, but these things cant be shaken by that!! Dontdont come betweenmy brother and meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!! The Queen screamed and some slight strength entered her hand. That should have crushed the boys heart as she gently stroked it in her hand. White Queen who Wields the Sword of Unsullied Truth. Right now But that did not happen. There was a simple reason. Im not afraid of you. He had endured three attacks. This time, the White Queen truly lost all power, dispersed, and returned to the world where the Materials lurked. Itsover, he muttered. With the cork gone, dark red liquid spilled from the five holes piercing his body. Kyousuke fell to his knees. Was it Himekawa Mika or Ellie Slide? Whoever it was called out to him, but he lacked the strength to reply. (She) But the boy still smiled in victory for the first time in a long while. (She really was a hell of a person.) Facts: *Perfect Games goal was to destroy Pandemonium in order to save the 7 billion people who they viewed as a minority in comparison to the White Queen. That matched Himekawa Mikas goal, but they had no intention of guaranteeing her survival. *The Regulation-class are Materials that human summoners artificially created and placed inside the alternate world. They are meant as a starting point to help summon the Divine-class and Unexplored-class. *The sword mentioned in The White Queen who Wields the Sword of Unsullied Truth (iu - nu - fb - a - wuh - ei -kx - eu - pl - vjz) refers to the Queens ever-changing clothing. *Madam Professor, aka Shigara Masami, predicted all of the 59 categories and 187,600 methods of catastrophe and wrote countermeasures for them all into the blank space. She seemed to have approached the White Queens nature and behavioral patterns from a different angle than Kyousuke. Volume 4, Ending X-01 - Waking From a Dream Volume 4, Ending X-01: Waking From a Dream But thats fine. We will eventually meet again somewhere. And then we will remember everything. (Now Ending X-01 Open 06/03 14:00) Waking From a Dream His consciousness was fading in and out. But Shiroyama Kyousuke could not afford to just collapse. Slight ripples ran through his mind. And only when those ripples reached their peak did his intermittent vision widen. He was not even sure if he was asleep or not, but he could tell he was lying down and being jostled about. Was he on a stretcher? At any rate, he was being carried to a medical facility with some type of device. Did you wake up? A girl spoke from the side, probably while walking with the EMTs. A piercing glistened on her tongue. It was Incense Expert Ellie Slide. I scattered the pain with some incense to elevate your level of consciousness, but that is the most I can do. Someone else will have to handle the surgical process. And with that in mind, there is something I would like to ask you. Yeah, I know This city was the setting for the D.R.O.K. international trade show run by the Deltaston family. Once they recovered from the shock of their leaders defeat, they would become an enemy. It would not be a good idea to use a medical facility under their control. These were people who did not hesitate to involve themselves in things like the Holy Key Women. Who could say what he would have implanted in him while he was anesthetized. After confirming the recovery of the 353, I used the method in your mind to fry all of the Boxs circuits. I did not leave any intact, so it cannot be repaired. More importantly, the White Queens sword tore through the entire foundational structure. If they investigate the wreckage, Government, Illegal, Freedom, and the Deltaston family itself will have to accept that they cannot stand up the Queen using Pandemonium. Kyousuke had difficulty accepting that anything that pure white evil had done was of any use. I will be leaving soon. Without the great bargaining chip of Pandemonium, the Deltaston family will only create friction between the three major powers and will rapidly decline. But that does not mean the remnants will not turn their hatred toward us. It would be best if I used some incense to bring Max back to his senses and then left this temporary city. Probably. You dont need to worry about me. This was my mistake, so Ill settle it myself. But what happened to Himekawa Mika? Thats Mika-san. And I am right here, Kyousuke-kun. He heard a gentle female voice on the opposite side. When the focus of the conversation changed, Ellie Slide must have seen that as her cue to leave because her sleeved cap fluttered behind her as she walked off somewhere. The 353 vessels will apparently be taken back into whichever of the major powers they came from. The Deltaston family will likely request they be returned, but as the family declines, they will lose almost all influence. I see. He questioned whether those vessels would want to remain in the world of the Summoning Ceremony after what happened to them, but that was not something he could decide for them. Most likely, some of them could not live out in the sunny world and only had a home here. And the three major powers would want to retrieve the vessels because vessels were reliant on a sort of innate talent and they were always in short supply. The major powers would rejoice like someone who found a forgotten cache of money in the back of a drawer. Kyousuke doubted they would send the vessels back when the Deltaston family demanded it. This was not a perfect happy ending. Another tragedy might await them and the major powers might start fighting over where the 353 belonged. But (If that happens, I just have to answer their call again. Nothing says I only get one chance at this.) For that reason too, he really needed to take action soon. He had no obligation to let himself be dragged down by the sinking ship that was the Deltaston family. Mika. Thats Mika-san. And what is it? Sorry. It was a simple word. And as he was carried somewhere, he reached his hand toward Himekawa Mikas face. He formed a gun gesture and there was a small drop of blood on the index finger. The woman in the tight skirt suit looked surprised at first, but then understanding entered her face. This was his way of saying goodbye. I will bear the hatred of the Deltaston family. You abandon your special status as the vessel working with Shiroyama Kyousuke and disappear into the crowd of 353 that were sealed inside Pandemonium. That will greatly reduce your risk. Himekawa Mika did not argue the point. She simply sighed. It doesnt look like making a giant fuss is going to change anything here. No. The relationship between summoner and vessel had a few unique traits. Both parties consent was needed to bind the contract, but the summoner could unilaterally break the contract. That put the summoner in charge and the vessel could not fight it if the summoner announced it was over. But despite that, Himekawa smiled. But thats fine. ? If there is something binding us, Kyousuke-kun, it is not something that can be explained by the rules of Summoning Ceremony ruled by that Queen. She too made a gun gesture. It held no meaning. Their arms crossed paths and Himekawa Mika held her index finger toward Kyousukes face. We will eventually meet again somewhere. And then we will remember everything. Facts: *With the bargaining chip of Pandemonium gone, the Deltaston familys extreme negotiations will likely lead the three major powers to apply pressure to them until they rapidly decline. *The 353 vessels were returned to the major powers they originally belonged to. *Kyousuke feared the Deltaston familys hatred would turn toward Himekawa, so he ended their contract and made her just one of the 353. *Kyousuke saved a few lives from the White Queens violence. Volume 4, Ending X-02 - It’s Game Over After All Volume 4, Ending X-02: Its Game Over After All Youare!? Ha hah hah!! Hey, Kyousuke-chan. I was bored, so I stopped by to have some fun. (Now Ending X-02 Open 06/03 14:15) Its Game Over After All Only a few minutes had passed since Himekawa Mika had left. There. Shiroyama Kyousuke dragged his aching body down from the stretcher. Two men who appeared to be EMTs lay unconscious on the ground. It had been necessary, but they may have been innocent. It pained him a little, but he could not wait around here. He pulled his Blood-Sign from his back and used it as a cane as he walked. He chose his route carefully and used his smartphone to contact Aika and Lu Niang Lan back in Toy Dream 35. Onii-chan, I understand the situation, but please get back as soon as possible. Urp Hm? Only a big brother can look after a shut-in little sister. Curse those old sacks of fat for making a constant attack of chili sauce and oyster sauce Tah dah! Todays snack is a chewy gyoza pizza. Gyahhh!! I cant stand any more of this Chinese food around the clock!! His goal was to leave the Deltaston familys D.R.O.K. international trade show as quickly as possible, but that was easier said than done. After all, it was a donut-shaped city quickly built in the middle of a Hokkaido field. He could not just take a train back home and the nearest city was probably several dozen kilometers away. Also, he had to assume the Deltaston family would send someone after him. The vessels had someone to protect them, but he could be finished off as soon as he was found. (I need to start with the truck base. Supporting tens of thousands of people requires a lot of living supplies and produces a lot of waste. They have to have a largescale distribution system set up.) The strategy there was the same for a veteran summoner as it was for an illegal immigrant. He would find a random truck, open the back, and sneak inside. It was a standard tactic. Oh? Some of the Chinese might decide to beat you up if they hear you calling a gyoza pizza Chinese food. Why are you adding Chinese seasonings to non-Chinese things!? Youre only making me sick of it all faster by dumping curry powder in hamburger steaks and fried rice! Dont you know a shut-in is affected by these thing more than normal people!? Oh, come on. Besides, Chinese food can be divided into several different types: Beijing, Shanghai, Sichuan, Cantonese, and Hong Kong. Not to mention Ive heard enough already!! There were a few different truck bases, but instead of an open-air parking lot, they were mostly surrounded by a large tent like a circus. They did not want anything getting into the living supplies like the food and they did not want any of the new equipment for the international trade show being photographed in transit. Plus, they did not want anyone to know which trucks in which truck bases were carrying anything important, so they created a giant black box with the important and unimportant cargo all together. However, this was standard as well. There were sensors and human guards near the limited entrances, but it was still only a thick tent. If he circled to the back and cut the fabric itself, he could get in through anywhere. A great number of trucks were parked inside, but he did not sense anyone there. For the long-range drivers, a chance to get some sleep was a life saver. A highway rest stop was one thing, but a proper distribution base would have a lodging facility for them. Kyousuke circled behind the large vehicles, looked at each one, and compared the locations on the license plates and any unique displays. Im about to leave, so can you have me picked up based on my smartphones signal? he asked. I can manage. And theres an important lesson in all this, Onii-chan. Any job you take from those old sacks of fat is bad news. Only an excellent little sister can look after her big brother!! I dont recall the jobs from Government going much better. (Anyway, if I can get out of the city, I can get through this. Metal trash would probably be best. Unlike works of art, they dont need to worry about how its situated, so they wont periodically check inside to see how its doing.) Just as he thought that, something happened. A green explosion arrived like a gust of wind. The tent was larger than a school building, but the uncanny light filled the entire thing as it danced madly about. Trucks weighing between 10 and 20 tons were tossed about like paper boxes and they rolled along, crashing into each other. Not even one of them survived. Kyousuke himself would have been crushed by the masses of metal if he had not been careful. But this was much more stable than with the Lady of Purple Lightning. People were of course panicking outside, but piles of trucks seemed to be blocking all of the entrances. The guards could only yell and no one could get inside. An explosion of static came from Kyousukes phone and he realized the call had been cut off at some point. And a certain being reigned at the center of the blast. Youare!? First, there was a giant. A 15 meter man made of cheap tin was subserviently down on all fours. He had abandoned the concept of pride and become a piece of furniture, but a close look showed he was not a single entity. Millions, if not tens of millions, of metal scepters had been crumpled up into a humanoid shape. In both the East and the West, scepters with gold, silver, and jewels on the top had long been viewed as symbols of authority and divinity, especially in patriarchal societies. But these were all cheap-looking scepters with their gilding peeling away. The jewels shined with a horrible cheapness that not even glass or plastic could reproduce. These were symbols of an authority soaked in worldly money and desire. But peel back that outer layer of gilding and they became the filthy canes that beat the people to provide needless punishment. And that giant made of rotten patriarchal authority was bound by the body of a great green serpent. No, it was more than just a snake. The top half of a girl no older than 12 was attached to the bottom half of a great serpent. That resident of a mythological world reigned atop the back of the giant who was down on all fours. It was as if she had stepped up onto him and sat down there. This was one of the Unexplored-classs Three. It was the guardian of Illegal. Sound Range: Middle. Cost: 18. The Wicked Green Woman who Fills the World with Empty Treasure (l u - o - n p - e - q o - e i - r - k - a - r u m - p l). She looked like a lovely young girl with her short hair dyed green, but the tongue sticking out of her mouth was endlessly long. She also had an evil, belligerent, and sadistic light in her serpentine vertical pupils. Her long snake body was pierced in places by scepters torn from the giants surface. And each time one stabbed into her, something like a meter-long bubble appeared out of the empty air around her. A great mountain of them was currently accumulating. And there were visions inside the bubbles like they were snow globes. One showed a bomb no one had ever seen. One showed the concept of a bewitching crime much like a phone scam. One showed an extremely simple chemical formula, a single drop of which would cause the purest of holy womens chastity to crumble away in a single night. When the extremely thin bubbles burst, those ideas were released. The world learned of a new form of malice and absorbed it. It was a dreadful fertility and an abundant crop of evil. Perhaps those were mistaken directions of growth for mankind, the wrong choice among the endless options, and a crystal that would draw out countless conflicts and great ruin. This was different again from the Red Lady who determined the one and only path. She was a genius at making people choose the wrong path and she stood above the Red in the Threes three-way stalemate. Her color was Green. She threw the world into chaos and she ruled outside the established order as the symbol of Illegal. Himekawa Mika had worn a sin necklace that displayed her sins as icons. Then what would the Wicked Green Womans show? The mountain range of destruction built up around the area likely displayed her sins. And of course, she proudly showed it off with no shame whatsoever. While sitting on her chair like a truly wicked woman, that Unexplored-class wore a snakeskin piece of clothing with two pieces dropping diagonally out from her neck like a bikini. Whatare you planning to do here? The Wicked Green Woman cutely placed her index finger on her lips. He did not understand her logic. Or perhaps it was a biological issue. At any rate, he knew one of the Three was viewing him hostilely. And that this would clearly work negatively toward his fight against the White Queen. Cant we talk this out rationally? Her logic was clearly different from the Red Ladys. This was also different from the White Queens insane love. He doubted she even had enough rational thought to hold a real conversation. This abnormal being only judged her distance from others using hatred, hostility, jealousy, superiority, contempt, and violence. Just like dealing with an extreme sadist or a necrophile, he felt the extreme tension of expecting to receive a blade in response to whatever he might say. The Wicked Green Woman gave a bewitching smile as her snake body wriggled with countless scepters stabbing into it. She raised her index finger. What? Kyousuke voiced his confusion without thinking and the girl raised her middle finger. Wait a minute. Let me put my thoughts in order. She raised her ring finger and her mouth split into a wicked smile. Thats getting pretty abstract. The Unexplored-classes arent humanoid gods? She seemed to be reciting something. You were supposed to? Some othermeaning? Kyousuke thought for a bit. Youre kidding, right!? You mean that really is the answer!? You were born to create the Whiteno, to oppose her!? Kyousukes heart pounded in his chest. This information was important. Incredibly important. Yes. That was right. How could he have forgotten? During that war several years earlier, it was a saturation attack from the Unexplored-class that had driven back the White Queen. What if that had been more than brute strength? What if there had been a logic behind it? All of the colors were brought together to combat the ultimate white. By removing the seemingly infinite veils of her invincibility, her power could be taken from her. The system had been set up from the very beginning. The world The world was filled with such unbelievable mercy and kindness!! However What? Kyousuke was confused and the Wicked Green Woman raised her little finger. Ah. Then her thumb. She smiled with her hand spread. Oh. The laws of the world had given in. They had surrendered to the White Queen. Meaning Meaning Meaning His dried eyeballs began to hurt as he forgot to blink. His throat grew dry as he forgot how to breathe. Shiroyama Kyousuke stood in a daze as a soft sensation covered him from behind. A gentle warmth reached his back. He felt smooth skin as slender arms wrapped around his neck. The gentle rosy scent of silver hair wafted over and a warm breath blew into his ear. And He was given the worst possible answer. Now that I have crushed the entire Unexplored-class that formed the rules of the other world, there is no way to truly kill me even if you use every last being in existence. After all, I made sure to destroy every last law and formula that might accidentally create a way to defeat me, my - dear - brother Ah, ahh, ahhh, ahhhh, ahhhhh. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!??? His mind. His consciousness. His ego. His soul. The boy truly heard all of them crumbling away into whiteness. Tears spilled from his eyes, snot shamefully dipped from his nose, foam sprayed from the corners of his mouth, he tore out his hair with both hands, and he arched his back as far as possible. He screamed and screamed and screamed, but it was no use. The lead-like weight in his stomach remained and Shiroyama Kyousuke was the one that broke. He could not even remain standing. His body shrank down like a worm frying on the sunny pavement and he curled up on the ground. He pressed his forehead against the ground in a pose that protected his body as much as possible, he bit at his thumbs until a dark red liquid dripped from them, and he continued screaming while his eyes refused to focus. He heard a giggling voice. It was the Wicked Green Woman rather than the White Queen. Her damp eyes and heated breath expressed the joy of seeing the result she had been dying to see, but she vanished into thin air before she could savor it any longer. She was wicked, but she still had her reverence for the divine. True to what she had said before, she was leaving everything to the White Queen. That proved it. The hierarchy was set in stone. The difference in power was too great and all misguided means of defeating the White Queen had vanished from the world. In Kyousukes mental world, he saw a pure white wall polished down to the micron like the extremely precise concave mirror of an observatorys giant reflecting telescope. Ive had enough Ive had enough of this woooooorld!! Why!? Why is there no hope at all!? The Unexplored-class were supposed to be the stoppers, but they were all driven out? So the structural elements needed to defeat the Queen with the Summoning Ceremony are destroyed and gone? That logic no longer exists? She cant be defeated and theres no method whatsoever of doing so? Then how am I supposed to attack her!? The Divine-class and Regulation-class are too afraid of her to do anything at all! And even if its a nuclear missile, physical attacks are worthless against a Material!! Then it really is checkmate. My one remaining chance was to borrow the power of the Unexplored-class to fight back against the Queen, but if were starting with the assumption that that wont kill her, I cant even put together a theoretical plan, can IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!? It was too much. He had thought this world and the other world had their separate sets of rules, but this was just too cruel. He had believed it was possible. Even if there was a great gap in power, skill, and specs, he had believed that the Unexplored-class had its own pride, that those colored girls were acting of their own free will, and that they were superior beings capable of challenging the White Queen. He had believed that they were objects of worship and that they had the willpower to face down the peak of the peak and to stand their ground. He had believed that they could reach the White Queens level if they worked together. And yet And yet!!!!!! The original safeties and stoppers had already been destroyed. The laws and formulas had existed to defeat the White Queen after taking all the necessary steps and preparing each thing in turn, but they were all destroyed and gone. What was this? How was he supposed to fight now? It was true that the Blood-Sign method was built for human convenience. They referred to the residents of the other world as Materials and only called them here as weapons. But what about the clash between the Unexplored-class that Kyousuke and the others had carried out? That Secret War had somehow managed to drive back the White Queen with a saturation attack, but had they known that would be insufficient and how it would turn out? If so, what did that mean for the lives lost in that Secret War, the many incidents caused by the confusion afterwards, and all the people caught in them? What value and meaning did they have!? What about the loss of Madam Professor? What about everything she had left behind? It was all stripped away so easily. Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuh!! Kyousuke curled up like a giant steamed bun and trembled on the ground. It disgusted him. Everything disgusted him. The name Alice (with) Rabbit given to him by the queen did. The collection of awards carved into his soul and providing the title of Freedom Award 903 did. He hated and despised everything forming his own body and he began clawing at his chest. How happy would he be if he could only pull out his sullied soul and wash his filthy life clean? How was he the strongest summoner, the prodigy who had established the Sewn Realm Summoning, the criminal who had triggered the Secret War, or the source of half the worlds disasters? He had acted all cool, convinced himself he could control even the Unexplored-class, and assumed he could even defeat the White Queen if he kept reaching in that direction. And this was the result? Everything he had done had been in the palm of the White Queens hand. And the Unexplored-class were nothing more than scars that were controlled whether they wanted it or not. There were no enemies or allies there. For the Queen, the Blood-Sign system itself was no more than a safe comfortable dance hall where every last needle or shard of glass had been removed. Completely oblivious to all of that, he had obediently memorized all the detailed rules of the Summoning Ceremony and acted like it made him some kind of genius. It had been childs play. It was all a game. He was faced with the absolute difference in strength seen in a parent smiling at their small child as he walks for the very first time. He was like a monstrous baby that had grown fat in a cradle removed from all danger by the adults and then mistakenly believed his own possibilities were endless despite never putting in any work of his own. He was conceited. He was shameless. This was why the Red Lady had been so exasperated and said he was misguided. He could not win. The stairway to victory was missing. It was like playing a game of baseball where the other team was at bat from beginning to end. There was no coming from behind for a win there. It was like playing a game of soccer where the other teams goal had been removed. No offensive play would ever score a point. This was breaking the rules to that extent. Even if he desperately practiced every single day to prepare for the game, this malice would turn all of his efforts into a jest. He was a fool. He was an unbelievable fool for continuing to rely on and entrust his life in something like this. If he was to truly defeat the White Queen, he had to escape that curse first. But was there any way in this world to oppose the Queen without using the Summoning Ceremony? And if it did not yet exist, was it possible for an individual like Kyousuke to construct one? How long would it take? Decades? Centuries? Millennia? How many levels would human civilization have to evolve to reach that point? Ah, ahh, ahhh, ahhhh He eventually lost the strength to continue screaming. His vision grew dark and he no longer knew where he was. It did not matter. It was the same no matter where he was. Could he find any peace at all in this hopeless world? Even if he walked across the world from one end to the other and even if he looked around the other world hidden behind it, could he find anywhere to escape the White Queen? The answer was simple: no. There was no escape. I cant take it anymore Shiroyama Kyousuke repeated that phrase under his breath as he lay curled up on the ground. He seemed to be begging for forgiveness. He seemed to be cursing the entire world. He repeated it again and again. I cant take it anymore. And then he heard a solid sound. His soul had broken long ago. His senses of sight, hearing, taste, smell, and touch had shattered, leaving him in a world of pure darkness, so that external stimulus was refreshing. But he did not react like he normally would. His entire body jumped like a frightened child. A familiar face had arrived next to the pathetic boy. It was the Red Lady. That two-horned woman wore a kimono with a one piece swimsuit and her red eyes were feared as that which not only saw through to all calamity, but defined it as well. Her long red hair was connected to countless gears towering behind her and she controlled the worlds destiny. Her eyes were closed and there was no contempt or scorn on her face. Her face only displayed sorrow and grief. But Even so Why are you here? Unable to get up, Kyousuke roared up at her with fear and hatred in his eyes. Why are you here now!? Are you here to laugh at me!? Are you here to mock me for getting all worked up over a fight I could never win because I was dancing in her palm from the beginning!? Are you here to look down on the loser who has nothing left after you allowed me to continue on until the despair found me!? The Red Lady did not immediately reply. She let the poor child of man finish speaking and only then shook her head. She spoke in a gentle but solid voice. His eyes contained the light of a wounded animal. He bared his teeth in his misguided backlash and belligerence. Why? Why do I have to keep going? Screw that. This was supposed to be your role, wasnt it!? This wouldnt have happened if you hadnt let the White Queen escape! When you saw me desperately asking for help, you must have laughed at me because the world, the future, and destiny had long since been handed over to the Queen!! Dammit. I trusted youI trusted the rules of the world!! I trusted that the lawsthat you were just!! I trusted that there was still an ounce of kindness left and that everything would work out if I diligently worked to defend it!! But you made a fool of me!! Why!? Why is this cruel system the only thing leeeeeft!? No matter how much he wailed at her, the Unexplored-class was unshaken. Because she understood. The Red Lady could see through to any truth, so she deeply understood the boys pain. So she would never reject it. She kindly accepted it all and spoke. In other words, this was a predetermined future. Even if thousands or millions of options spread out before his eyes, the all too obvious answer was that he could never reach that point. After saying that, the Red Lady placed the tiniest sliver of hope on top of her sorrow. Facts: *The Wicked Green Woman of the Unexplored-class Three is belligerent and sadistic, so she deepens her understanding of others by harming them. She gives humans Awards because she sees them as suitable toys and as bait to trigger conflicts between humans. *The Divine-class are the residents of the other world and the Unexplored-class manage the laws of the other world. Also, the Unexplored-class were meant to bring together those laws to take away the White Queens power and strength one at a time and ultimately seal her inside the other world. *But the White Queen was so extraordinary that she took control of them instead. *And in so doing, the laws and formulas needed to truly defeat the White Queen were destroyed and vanished from the Summoning Ceremony. In other words, the Queen cannot be truly defeated even if every being in existence challenged her at once. No matter what. *The Red Lady has succumbed to the White Queen and yet sympathizes with the humans like Kyousuke and she desires for all of the Unexplored-class, including herself, to be destroyed if it is necessary to defeat the White Queen. But perhaps that is because she knows that is a dream that can never come true. *Shiroyama Kyousuke will ultimately stand up once more. He will wipe the tears from his eyes and pile back up the rubble to challenge that heavenly girl with his own strength. *And that is why the White Queen finds that boy so unbearably adorable. Volume 4, Epilogue Volume 4, Epilogue It was a lot like the beating of a heart. A boy was curled up in the depths of true despair. His arms and legs were drawn in, his forehead was scraping against the ground, his body was curled up, and he was trembling ever so slightly. His eyes were squeezed shut, his teeth were clenched together, and he floated in psychological darkness as if to push away this hopeless reality as much as possible. But none if it mattered. It was deeply connected to the boys heart and body, but he had no control over it. His heart whispered for him to give up. He wanted to. But he had a thought. He was clearly a human here. It would be easy to stop breathing, stop his heart, and give up on it all. Looking at just himself, he could easily end it all at any time. But that would change nothing for the world. A single life would give up and the Queens violence would continue. Was that okay? Was that really okay? Even if the boy vanished, the world would not. Who would remain in that world? The concept of karma was already in tatters, the idea of just deserts no longer applied, and both unreasonable suffering and absurd fear ran rampant. What would happen to the people there if they lost the means of salvation that could desperately pull a few of them to safety? He could despair in himself. He could despair in the world. He could despair in the Queen. But how could he despair in any one of them? How could he abandon the girls he had saved, pretend it had not happened, and sit idly by as they sank back into that sea of blood? Someone had asked for help. Those twin sisters had initially looked nothing alike with their black and blonde hair. The one had wished to save the other from the giant worshipping group named Guard of Honor. The other had wished to save the first from the Queens game. Someone else had asked for help. A girl had been attacked and turned into a ghost on a rainy day. Her story had already ended. But a number of factors and countless places had overlapped in that city and she had wanted to live, to grow up, and to become someone that a certain someone else could respect, even if it meant distorting all of that. Someone had shouted for help. A vessel had been polished to the limit by artificial means. She had wanted to free her friend from the desire for revenge that should never have been acted on but was drawn out by a demon who saw herself as a tool of revenge. Someone had definitely shouted for help in this piece of sheet world. A woman had looked just like Madam Professor. 353 vessels had lost their bodies and souls and yet had worked to manipulate both Alice (with) Rabbit and the White Queen to ensure it never happened again. There were more and more and more and more. He had met many Alices. Their situations had been truly awful and no one would have blamed them if they resented everything they saw, but those girls had continued to look ahead. They had continued to believe there was a way ahead. And they had reached out and grabbed that tiny speck of hope left in this hopelessly filthy world. Could he take that away? Could he give up? Could he rob them of that? Could he steal away the light they had so desperately reached for and throw them back into the mud known as the Queen? And this time, there would be no going back. He knew that bog was truly bottomless. How can I? The boy Shiroyama Kyousuke spoke quietly while still curled up. How can I do that? His voice gradually grew louder as it escaped the gaps between his clenched teeth. There was a fire in his chest. His uncontrollable pulse circulated something to his entire body. Yes, yes. I will fight back And he finally raised his head. He once more faced a barren world void of any hope. He was truly Alice (with) Rabbit. Freedom Award 903 made a powerful announcement. I will fight back, I will dig in my heels, and I will continue to struggle!! How can I give up here? Even if this world is a labyrinth with all the exits removed and even if this is a one-sided chess board leaving no way to put white in checkmate! I will still do whatever it takes to put together a means of defeating the Queen!!!!! A tremendous sound filled the air. After curling up for so long, Shiroyama Kyousuke gathered strength in all his muscles to force apart his skin that had stuck together and he once more stood tall to face the world. He blew away the psychological darkness. And in that scene that existed in the real world, he ignored his reeling head and the wounds on his chest as he spread his arms, bent backwards, and roared toward heaven with all his might. You sit up there in the deepest, deepest depths of the other world and you laugh all you like! You gave me the name Alice (with) Rabbit!! And I, Shiroyama Kyousuke, will be the summoner who makes the impossible possibleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!! The boy would no longer hesitate. He had become aware of another weakness, stepped past it, and grown stronger. The summoners who used Blood-Signs to use the gods in heaven as stepping stones had a certain rule: Dont reject the fear. Accept the fear and smile at the fact that a method like that even exists. Somewhere at some time, a monster giggled with her hands behind her head. Her silver hair was worn in twintails and her white wedding dress had been made even more splendid and had silver decorations added in places. When she recalled that adorable, adorable boys words and reflected on them, she almost always gained that happy expression. He had said this: I later met that developer in the Queens Miniature Garden, so she was pretty clearly a genius. A certain person had written her own words into the excess space in a corner of Pandemoniums mainframe. Shigara Masami was one of those involved in that boy and that girls very foundation. She wrote this in the Boxs blank space: If Pandemonium is activated, it will bring about 59 major categories and 187,600 specific methods to end the world. I included countermeasures for every last one of them, so please use your judgement to hold off those worst case scenarios! Shiroyama Kyousuke and the White Queen. This woman of extraordinary intelligence had set foot in the inviolable space between them. Or a trace of her had. And she also wrote this: Just because the White Queen is the strongest is no reason to allow her to kill!! I inherited Madam Professors will and, in so doing, I tore victory from your grasp, Queen. You may be the strongest or whatever else, but you cant interfere with the bonds between people. You cant intervene in the time people have spent together. Taking someones life isnt enough to break those bonds! That final trap was probably meant to spit not on me but on the effort she put into planning the destruction of Pandemonium, but these things cant be shaken by that!! Of course he had relied on it. The boy must have felt incredible relief when he had found it. Just like a kitten desperately kneading a freshly washed towel because it could never forget the warmth of its mother. But there was one thing the boy did not know. Only the Queen knew. Just because the White Queen is the strongest is no reason to allow her to kill. The boy had clung to that decisive statement. It was true that sounded like a request to defeat the Queen as quickly as possible to keep the damage to a minimum. But at the same time, didnt a slight change of viewpoint provide a different interpretation? Do not let the White Queen be a bad person any longer. Return her to her senses. He had overlooked it. It had all been right in front of his eyes, but he had performed the search wrong. One side of the coin was painted white and the other black. Shiroyama Kyousuke had flipped the coin and placed it on the back of his hand. And he had been satisfied after simply looking at which side pointed up. Perhaps that sort of paper-thin difference perfectly described the close yet distant relationship between the summoner and the Queen who could never cross paths. Yes, but The White Queen alone giggled with her hands behind her head. She thoroughly reflected on that wonderfully stimulating result. It would be quite boring if that tear-jerking farce was enough for you to wither away, brother. The White Queen once more disappeared into the light. She was looking forward to her next encounter with someone. For the next battle, for another date, for a hopeless hell. A path of conflict was blooming. In a way, it was the stage on which the rabbit and ****(star star star star) could most shine. The seeds had been sown, watered, and given plenty of sunlight. The dreaming girl only had to wait for her psychedelic flower of love to bloom. Volume 4, Afterword Volume 4, Afterword (Postscript Open ??/?? ??:??) Afterword And that is Volume 4. This is Kamachi Kazuma. The theme this time was memories. I focused a bit on using a layered timeline by telling the story of Present A while referencing Past B and using Past B to focus on Madam Professor from the even older Timeline C. And Madam Professor from the older Timeline C came back and influenced Present A. I worked to create a complicated structure to corner Shiroyama Kyousuke while also making it look like a single line as a whole, but its up to you all to judge how well I did. Kyousukes past is still a mystery, but the references to Madam Professor show that it was not an entirely cruel past like Biondetta claimed it was in Volume 3. Of course, there is a difference between Biondetta who was only involved in the Queens Miniature Garden and Kyousuke who was also involved in the attempt to fully destroy the White Queen, but it all comes down to how they interpret it. Part of the reason Biondetta felt so alone was due to closing herself in a shell. But this also points to the possibility of Kyousuke himself holding a contradiction inside. Isabelle touched on this at the end of Volume 3, but have all of you noticed it? The stage this time was the mobile fortress of Pandemonium and I based it off of that city which is also translated into Japanese as the Palace of Many Demons. Dammit, I made a mobile fortress but I didnt have a single scene of it moving!! Anyway, I found it interesting that, despite being the palace of demons, the decisions are not based on the decree of the great demonic ruler but by a council of demons who debate amongst themselves. And to continue with the demon motif, I made it look like a squid. But theyre so tasty. Using many vessels to summon a single Unexplored-class might sound tricky, but any summoning ceremony above a certain level tends to involve a group instead of an individual. Summoning ceremonies in modern Western magic divide the people into different roles (e.g. priests, priestesses, angels, etc.) and invite in a special power or being by following the story of a myth like theyre performing a play. A more close-to-home example might be the Shinto rituals performed by groups during festivals or parades. The Mikoshi is a vehicle of the gods moved by human hands, so you can say it invites a god in at a specific location according to a human schedule. With Himekawa Mika, I focused on giving her the position of an older woman, something we hadnt seen much of in Kyousukes partners. Unlike Benikomichi Fuuki or Biondetta, she was more than just older than him. Perhaps because he was supposed to be the strongest, I realized I hadnt been able to give him a vessel who could rub his head and tell him to ask for help. Unlike with the vessels, Himekawa Mika did not argue the point and returned his gun gesture on equal footing with him. I think that showed something else the other vessels couldnt do. I wanted to show that adults and children say goodbye with a different density(?) or that a proper adult knows how to say goodbye. Thats still too much to ask of me, though. Moving on to the enemies: Max Layard and Incense Expert Ellie Slide of Perfect Game. I actually had these two appear as side characters in Volumes 1 and 2. I think using them like this creates a sort of thickness as the number of volumes grows, so it makes me kind of happy. Max is a specialist at the world police idea of turning anything into a victory and Ellie rejects all emotional arguments and purely seeks Award 1000. I focused on making them types of characters we hadnt seen in the main positions yet. His Award was Government 501. You might think Is that all!?, but if I cant get past that here, I would only be able to have high Award summoners appear from here on. But I think he shined brightest when he was at his weakest and punched out that corporate supervisor without using the Summoning Ceremony. He seems somewhat insignificant and normal compared to Azalea Magentarain and Benikomichi Fuuki, but I kind of like tricky tactics like that. I think he was the perfect opponent for pointing out that the Summoning Ceremony battle begins before the first Material is summoned. Weve seen this with Imagine Breaker in another series, but the people who fully rely on a supernatural power are especially shocked when its taken from them. Perhaps an elite summoner like Azalea would have easily fallen into Ellie Slides trap? If so, we can only pray for her old butlers luck in battle. On the other hand, I think Lu Niang Lan would have destroyed her with a single karate chop and a smile on her face. Another unique feature of this volume was putting in the White Queen from the very beginning and keeping her around throughout. That was the opposite if the usual long buildup to the Queen. Kyousuke and the Queen truly are nemeses, but instead of just having them fight, I wanted to create a strange situation where theyre sharing a dinner at the same table and discussing the end of the world. And from there I fleshed it out into an actual date like you would expect of a Dengeki Bunko novel. I think the casting was different from normal, but what did you think? Some of you readers may have been thinking Kyousuke could instantly defeat his opponents if he just asked the Queen instead of going through all those steps. You may have been irritated seeing him intentionally avoid that shortest path to his goal. And you arent wrong. But dont forget that that that very feeling is the Queens temptation that is always tormenting him. Plus, this series has already given you a few examples of what happens to any summoner who relies on and grows dependent on that obvious strength. Opposing the White Queen isnt an issue of pure specs. In a way, it starts by ridding yourself of that hesitation that appears before the battle even begins. Now, then. As you know if you read through to the end, this volume had another shocking ending. If you couldnt believe this was revealed in only the 4th volume, then I couldnt be happier. Both Shiroyama Kyousuke and the White Queen are known as the strongest, but I was wondering if I could create something new that treated that term as something negative instead of something positive. As I mentioned in Volume 1s afterword, Kyousukes idea of the strongest is another word for the fear of reaching his limit and being unable to grow any further. And then he reaches this ending. As the strongest, he cannot hope to improve after training and he cannot hope to find hidden talent that provides a miraculous power up. I think that is why he could express such raw despair. Now, what do you think of the situation the White Queen has presented him with? At first glance, it looks like a hopeless dead end. What options remain? The simplest one is to just give up. You could give in to the silver twintailed Queen, submit to her because you can never defeat her, and then lose yourself in her strength and cuteness. That might be one possibility. As long as you can forget the initial humiliation, you might enjoy being what they call peerless. But if you would hope for something other than that, here is a slight hint. Carefully read back over all of the Summoning Ceremony rules given in the Facts sections. The Queen claims to have sealed away every possibility, but she has missed something and an opening exists. It is like threading a needle, but hope still exists. And it is not hidden. It has been in the open from the beginning. If you do not let the White Queens overwhelming light lead you astray and you view the rules built up by human hands, you might just see a different path. In my other series A Certain Magical Index, I build up a detailed miniature garden and then provide the trilling feeling of tearing it down while taking the first step with an emotional argument. But this is the opposite. The White Queen has walked 10 or even 100 steps ahead, but can she be sealed inside the miniature garden and defeated with the human rules? Can the human strongest stand up to the monstrous strongest? I wrote this thinking that challenge would provide a sort of catharsis. This is not a flat path. Shiroyama Kyousuke will feel despair again and again and the Wicked Green Woman(s spoilers?) sent things into a downward spiral where he is not even allowed to prepare for his defeat. But I think true strength is found in the way he continues to walk down that hellish path. Instead of physical strength, willpower, skills, or specs, it is found in this protagonist who was only allowed to be the strongest. To put it another way, he always avoided anything that would work against him because he was afraid of losing, so now he has to learn how to lose properly and then crawl back up. I hope that as you read this you briefly shared the same despair that Shiroyama Kyousuke felt. And I very, very much hope that I demonstrated the human strength needed to not give up after feeling that despair. If so, this will surely lead to the beginning of the counterattack against the peak of the peak. I give my thanks to my illustrator Ikawa Waki-san and my editors Miki-san, Onodera-san, and Anan-san. Pandemonium had to be a lot of trouble both inside and out. And this one also had plenty of the White Queens two conflicting sides: cute and frightening. I think Im asking for an unseen factor (even though were talking about illustrations) with my requests for her, so thank you very much for going along with my ridiculous requests each time. I also give my thanks to the readers. I focused on giving the White Queen thoroughly and undeniably inhuman strength. But I think that is why she is worth challenging. This might be different from the thrill usually seen in the strongest, but this is the story of the strongest I most wanted to tell. I hope you will continue to stick with me. And I will end this here. By the way, how far along the spectrum of non-human girls do you still find them moe? -Kamachi Kazuma Volume 5, Battle Tutorial Volume 5, Battle Tutorial Phase 1 Upper Cube: Collection of Petals Left Dark Figure: Summoner Right Dark Figure: Vessel Left White Figure: Summoner Right White Figure: Vessel Overall Box: Artificial Sacred Ground K: The Summoning Battle begins when one of the summoners uses an Incense Grenade. Q: When the Incense Grenade is used, an Artificial Sacred Ground forms around them. Summoning and other paranormal phenomena can only be reproduced inside there. Q: Inside the Artificial Sacred Ground, a cube of about 60 cm appears at the midpoint between the summoners. K: It is a collection of the 216 Petals which are red spheres about the size of an apple. Phase 2 Dark Ball: Petal White Ball: White Thorn White Stick: Blood-Sign Q: 3 white spheres known as White Thorns appear with each summoner. Those are hit with a long staff known as a Blood-Sign and they collide with the Petals. K: You hit the Petals with the White Thorns in order to knock them into the spherical Spots that appear in 36 locations inside the Artificial Sacred Ground. Q: What Petals are hit into the Spots changes what can be summoned. K: And the vessels body is used to create Phase 3 White Monster and Dark Sword: Vessel transformed into a Material Q: a Material. The summoners use them for a fight to the death. K: The Petals used to summon the Materials are each engraved with a letter of the alphabet and each of those belongs to a certain Sound Range. Q: aiueo are vowels and thus the Lowest Sound Range. As for the consonants, bcdfghj are Low, klmnpqr are Middle, and stvwxyz are High. K: There are of course rules governing the summoned Materials and they are based on the Petals rules. Q: Low wins against High, High wins against Middle, Middle wins against Low, and I win my brothers heart. K: Werent we supposed to avoid making jokes during the explanation section!? Phase 4 K: And after the vessels transform into Materials, they continued to be updated into new forms as they fight. Q: The Materials start at Regulation-class. After summoning 100 of those, you gain the right to summon the higher Divine-class. And after summoning 50 of those, you gain the right to summon the even higher Unexplored-class. K: The vessel has a core known as their Silhouette. If that is destroyed, the battle ends. The losing summoner and vessel will become dolls that wander around in a stupor. Q: And that concludes our simple explanation of the Summoning Battle. As a summoner fights more and more battles, they earn more titles known as Awards. And if their number of Awards reaches 1000hee hee hee. Now, I wonder what happens then. Volume 5, Prologue Volume 5, Prologue Just as memories and records are different, what is remembered and actual history are not the same. In the constant struggle against decay, mud is added to the wall to fill in the details while maintaining the original structure. This creates changes that often gloss over the negatives. Those changes accumulate bit by bit. Even if two people who shared the exact same past compare their experiences, it is no use. In fact, the human mind is easily swayed toward group psychology, so their memories lose accuracy even faster then. Just as people can be so drawn in by their impression of a convenience store robbers knit hat that they say they do not remember what the robber looked like despite having a knife pointed right at them. And humans are quite dense when it comes to a convenient sense that something isnt quite right. Brother, you know that quite well after seeing the silly worshippers rolling around in my palm, dont you? For example, when you recall the past, you are not actually diving back into that era. The hands of the clock continue to move in the present even as you reminisce. They move ever forward. That is the truth of this story. Now, brother, let us lament that lost time. And let us move forward even as you check over each item on the list. Looking back is boring. I know my brother will not come to a stop while indulging in the past. What happened at that time and in that place? What change will occur in you in the present as you ponder that information? This is a thoroughly destroyed story that no longer exists as a book or as electronic data. And it is also a phenomenon related to the very foundation of the current world. Now. Let us discuss that bygone era of the Secret War. Facts: *Recall the past. But as you do, time in reality continues ever toward the future. Volume 5, Opening X-01 - A Stage Play Called a Miniature Garden Volume 5, Opening X-01: A Stage Play Called a Miniature Garden Im the big sister, so, um, what was your name? Shiroyama Kyousuke. (Opening X-01 Open 09/16 13:00 Before the War) A Stage Play Called a Miniature Garden You are given just one mission. Make the world a better place. That is all. The space was too large to believe it was located 500 meters underground. The floor space rivalled that of a school gym and the ceiling was very, very tall. The floor was covered in white and red panels laid out in the checkerboard pattern of a chess board. The highly ordered rows had a dizzying effect. Countless halogen lights left the circular space as bright as midday and 15 children were gathered there. The youngest was about 7 and the oldest about 18. They all wore thin green surgical gowns and the adults called them specimens. A beautiful woman wore a lab coat and tight skirt and had her long black hair held in a ponytail by a scrunchie. She was shuffling a deck of cards with a practiced hand, but they were not playing cards. Each of the 15 children drew whichever card they wanted and that determined their role and their destiny. Shiroyama Kyousuke was the Guide Rabbit. Alberto S. Divinesmith was the Hatter. Shiroyama Kyoumi was the Queen of Hearts. Biondetta Shiroyama was the Cheshire Cat. A boy of about 10 looked at the card in his hand. He had short black hair and eyes so unemotional they seemed mechanical. He swept his gaze across the image on the card and carefully analyzed everything from the color scheme to the curving lines. His name was Shiroyama Kyousuke. A girl innocently spoke to him from the side. Hey, hey. She had flowing blonde hair and white skin. She was probably slightly older than him. She wore the surgical gown like a miniskirt dress without any underwear, so the bright skin glimpsed near the knot at the side was a tempting sight indeed. What character did you get? Im the Cheshire Cat! But what kind of story is Alice in Wonderland? That really is something where you recognize the title but youve never actually read it, isnt it? That may have been true. For your average person, anyway. But Kyousuke, who wore a surgical gown that included pants, kept his eyes on his card. It was not that he was not looking at anything. In fact, the adjustments to the dilation of his eyes were strangely systematic. And Kyousuke simply stated his honest impression. I am the Guide Rabbit. What about it? Cheh. Youre no fun. She must not have liked that reaction because the girl waved the Cheshire Cat card around and pouted her lips. Ahh, ahh. Maybe I chose the wrong person to talk to. He made a correction. And he spoke. Alice is too long for a picture book, it would be easy to understand if it was as simple as Cinderella. Yeah, thats more like it. The girl, Biondetta, looked around, so Kyousuke did the same and observed the circular space larger than a gym. 15 children had been chosen from around the world. Only extreme problem children had been selected. But being placed in the same circumstances did not seem to build a sense of camaraderie between them. They were already separating out into a few small groups. One was wandering around all alone. Psychology used the terms Eros and Thanatos. Humans would gather together all on their own to a certain extent, but once their numbers grew too large, groups tended to split off and act separately. The power binding them together was Eros and the one pushing them apart was Thanatos. As long as this existed, mankind could never be one. People could only gather together in the world they knew and they did not try to go beyond that. If they were forced into a single space, they would naturally split back apart into a more manageable size. This Miniature Garden located 500 meters underground was meant to face that very hurdle. This was the Fifteen Siblings Project. Was it Government that it belonged to? Someone clapped their hands twice. It was the previous woman with a black ponytail who wore a lab coat and tight skirt. She wore a whistle around her neck and the ID card on her chest said Shigara Masami. She was also known as Madam Professor. She was a developer well versed in the Third Summoning Ceremony and the Blood-Sign method. Okay, okay! Do you understand your roles now? Starting today, you all are to live here as those roles. Our goal is to be one family and one planet! By creating a single framework out of these 15 who were gathered from around the world, we will have achieved a system which can be expanded to bring the entire human population into the same framework! Through your experiment, we can remove all conflict and disaster from the world. Lets work together for a better future!! Biondetta responded to the grand speech by sticking out her tongue. But she had no intention of standing out as she rebelled, so she only whispered in Kyousukes ear. Bleh. They bought and stole kids from around the world and they think theyre the saviors of mankind? If they want world peace, why dont they go off and die first of all? Despite what she said, she was already standing right next to Kyousuke and viewing the adults as the enemies. Even though she had said he was no fun and wondered if she had chosen the wrong person to talk to. If the first stage of the project was to bring the 15 children together as a single family, did that mean she was already doing exactly what the adults wanted? Meanwhile, Shigara Masami continued her speech. Barring the unforeseen, we will not interfere in your lives. Please live as you like and produce whatever results you like. Whether this succeeds or fails, it will help the human race in the long run! They seemed to take her at her word. The lone wolf of the 15 wandered out of the circular space and that broke the implicit understanding that they had to continue listening to this like it was the principal speaking at an assembly. Still broken into small groups, the rest of them left a bit at a time. Shigara Masamis voice continued to cling to the back of Kyousukes surgical gown. Okay, everyone!! Have a good life!! Shut up, said Biondetta under her breath. Kyousuke tilted his head and asked a question. Why are you going with me? Because Im your big sister! Im older! Call me Detta. The blonde girl puffed her chest out proudly, but she seemed to be showing the effects more strongly than anyone. Everything she said was belied by how quickly she was coaxed into the adults plan. Im the big sister, so, um, what was your name? Shiroyama Kyousuke. Kyousuke-chan! Anyway, I need to look after you. Because Im your big sister! When people were placed inside a set space with limited exits and a unified set of values, whether it was a prison or a military base, their psychology was easily adjusted and unified. That was why the headquarters of a cult were almost always wrapped in a veil of the mystical and refused contact with anyone from outside. The easiest form of brainwashing did not require any fancy drugs or pendulum hypnotism. Incidentally, closed systems like this could be found anywhere. For example, a family or a school. Kyousuke-chan, have you gone around to check out all the rooms in the Miniature Garden? He shook his head. I havent gone around and checked them out. Heh heh! Heh heh!! Then Ill show you around so you wont get lost! Biondetta raised a skinny finger. This Miniature Garden is a giant facility located 500 meters underground. There are three overall sections. Theres the Mock Battlefield in the center we just left and passageways spread out from there like a spider web. The Inner Circle is the living space and private rooms for the 15 of us, and the Outer Circle has all the labs and guard rooms for the grownups. She called it a passageway, but the two of them were walking down a space wide and tall enough for a large semi-trailer truck to drive down. Biondetta energetically ran around and gave him a tour, but that made for a dangerous sight with her short surgical gown. Especially around the knot on the side. The adults referred to the ceiling as the Great Ceiling. That single tall ceiling covered everything and separate buildings of various heights existed below that. Each room had its own ceiling and the single Great Ceiling existed above those. It was a lot like a city had been thrown into an underground space and a spider web of roads was created between them. Also, the passageway appeared endless. There was supposedly an underground evacuation command center in the United States that was so large electronic carts were needed to get around, but this was likely even larger. There was a dividing line down the center of the passageway which was clearly meant for vehicles. There were also lines on the sides to divide the vehicle lanes from the sidewalk. Have you seen the living space? Its incredible! Theres a pool, a tennis court, and a bowling alley in there! Oh, and theres, um, uh! Darts and billiards! Theres grownup sports like that too! The adults had set all that up so it was nothing for her to look so proud of, but Kyousuke held his tongue. As he watched Biondettas boundaries begin to melt away, he decided he might have to think about the miraculous scenario of her eventually getting in a bad mood if anyone simply spoke ill of the adults. Do you know what exactly we will doing? Uuh! Of course I do!! Im the big sister!! U-umwhat was it? Something about placing 15 strangers with nothing in common in the same environment, putting them through occasional trials and disasters, and having us work to overcome them As they cooperated with, negotiated with, or opposed each other, the boundaries between them would vanish. Each time some of them came together, their bonds would strengthen and the 15 strangers would eventually become a true family. The adults wished to work out the shortest and quickest route to that point. They wanted to find a method that could be broadly interpreted and disseminated to the entire human race in order to bring those 6-7 billion people together as a single group. The earth would live as a single household. And that would eliminate the sparks that brought war. But even without all that complicated stuff, I just hope we can all get along. Im not gonna let the grownups control me. We should overthrow them ourselves! Biondetta thought she was rebelling while unwittingly doing exactly what they wanted. The trials and disasters brought to the children would be presented as several different stages. There was no guarantee that the difficulty would increase each time. It might rise and then fall or it might suddenly skyrocket. The adults would likely use a number of patterns to keep the children on their toes. And then Biondetta grinned. The truth is, Im one step ahead of the grownups. ? I overhead them talking about the biggest and most impressive of the trials. Want to know what it is? You do, dont you!? If it was all prepared in advance, it would be coming whether they knew about it or not, but Kyousuke held his tongue. What is it? Well, you see. Biondetta brought her mouth to his ear like she was letting him in on a big secret. And her sweet breath carried her voice. The grownups are going to send the White Queen after us. Silence fell. Biondetta had revealed the secret, but she must not have known the gravity of what she had just said. If she had, she would have been trembling a lot more. Im not really sure what that means, though. Im the Cheshire Cat and youre the Guide Rabbit. Hmm, maybe I shouldve at least watched the movie. Was there a White Queen in that story? Meanwhile, they arrived at their living space in the Inner Circle. Oddly, they walked right toward Kyousukes room. Want to come in? No, no, no! No!! For some reason, Biondetta held down the short bottom of her surgical gown and rapidly shook her head. I mean, were a boy and a girl! But wait. Is it not a problem since were siblings? No, no! No? No, I cant! I cant today!! Bye!! After her thoughts jumped around here and there, she ultimately decided against it. After raising a hand for a quick goodbye, she awkwardly ran off while blushing a little. Kyousuke stood in front of his door, watched the innocent girl leave, and then slowly sighed. Instead of entering the room given to him, he leaned his back against the door. And he looked up at the Great Ceiling so far above. The White Queen. He felt like the world grew heavier as soon as he spoke that name aloud. It was like invisible hands were pressing down on his shoulders. The White Queen. He pictured those words in his mind once more. Oh? And then someone else passed by. It was the adult woman with the tight skirt, lab coat, black ponytail, and scrunchie who had spoken back in the central Mock Battlefield. She was Shigara Masami, aka Madam Professor. She was sitting in a two-seater convertible, but she was not even holding the wheel. It was likely a fully autonomous electric cart. Did you need some time alone? Well, we wont interfere for the time being, but do you think you can get along with the others? I am here because that was desired of me. That was the expected exchange. But then Shigara Masami cracked her neck and gave a cynical smile. This smile was clearly different from the one during her speech in the circular space. It was like an amusement park worker having a different smile at work and in private. But that would be boring. This system is correct, but it lacks humanity. ? Kyousuke-kun, allow me to input one little thing. Oh, I know. How about we go with, When you first see someone in the morning, give them a cheerful greeting? He could not figure out the purpose of that. The ponytail beauty laughed at his puzzled look. Does that seem pointless? But, Kyousuke-kun, nothing in the world now is pointless, she said. After all, countless countries and civilizations fell into ruin to reach this day and this moment was built up from only that which managed to survive. So everything that exists now must have special meaning in just this moment. Because it had enough value to survive. Kyousuke-kun, make sure you understand that. This game may not affect the outcome of the Fifteen Siblings Project, but it is a little something extra that is sure to help you in a larger framework. And then And then? You all will be able to stay sane even after encountering the White Queen. Silence fell once more. Shigara Masami waved her hand from the electric cart that resembled a two-seater convertible. Dont forget the strength needed to maintain a normal, everyday life and dont forget the meaning of peace. Even in this harsh environment. Bye, bye. With that, the electric cart smoothly drove away. Kyousuke did not open door to his room. He started down the wide passageway again. He walked and walked and walked and walked until he arrived in the Outer Circle where the developers lived and lost themselves in their work. He walked all the way to the outermost edge. There was nothing manmade there; only a thick wall of natural rock. He made sure no one was watching. And then Shiroyama Kyousuke smoothly opened a door in what was supposedly a blank wall. Facts: *Shiroyama Kyousuke and the rest of the 15 were problem children gathered from around the world. *The Miniature Garden exists 500 meters underground. *During the initial stage, the Miniature Garden was only the Miniature Garden and not the Queens Miniature Garden. *The Fifteen Siblings Project was meant to break down mankinds Eros and Thanatos to bring them together into a single group. The 15 children gathered in a sealed space would be occasionally put through trials and disasters so they would cooperate with, negotiate with, and oppose each other until they ultimately strengthened their bonds, lost their boundaries, and viewed themselves as a single family. The project was meant to discover the shortest and quickest route to that result. *Based on what Biondetta overheard the adults saying, the greatest trial will involve the White Queen. However, she did not understand what that meant. *Perhaps because the project is underway, changes can be seen in the 15 childrens behavior and manner of speech. *In addition to that, Kyousuke will correct his own behavior to match those around him. *At this point, Shigara Masami is aware of the White Queens presence. *Kyousuke is keeping a secret from the others. There is an exit only he is aware of. Volume 5, Opening X-02 - Peel Back the Outer Layer to Reveal Another Volume 5, Opening X-02: Peel Back the Outer Layer to Reveal Another Now this is just awful. Is this anything an ally of justice should be doing? Says the evil star who cannot keep himself going without someone to attack. (Opening X-02 Open 09/16 13:30 Before the War) Peel Back the Outer Layer to Reveal Another You are given just one mission. Make the world a better place. That is all. The wall was covered with monitors which were controlled by large consoles. In addition to the operators using that specialty equipment, a very small group relaxed in leather chairs. They were the truly powerful. They were the summoners that stood at the top of Government, Illegal, and Freedom. It was close to a miracle for the three of them to be sitting at a single table. The fear of destroying that delicate balance created too much tension for anyone to even carry over a cup of tea. The only person who rudely intruded was the visitor who opened the door and stepped inside. It was Shiroyama Kyousuke in his surgical gown and pants. Right on time. Everything is going well. In fact, its progressing so smoothly that Im getting bored. You really are not a cute kid in the slightest. The room was in motion. A voice filled the air. The voice had an aged weight to it, but the speaker was actually about Kyousukes own age. The girl had glossy black hair cut at shoulder length and she wore a kimono with gothic lolita frills added on. Even as she elegantly sat in her seat, her shoulder supported a primitive and standard Blood-Sign carved from a single sacred tree. It was not even collapsible and could not be taken apart. She was Government Award 2799, Humanism. Starting from the very basics, she had crossed between the three major powers and ultimately become one of the Thousand Eaters who achieved quadruple digits. She was an embodiment of human strength, but she had not joined the gods and had instead remained in the human world. She said she would depart on that journey once all sorrow had vanished from the world of man and felt no more reluctance, but even she knew that day would never come. This is the problem with you allies of justice. You force people to cooperate and you truly believe you can snatch up only the tear-jerking parts for yourself. Those words were spat out by a man with stubble and slicked back blond hair. He was a dangerous individual who wore a fancy suit yet would never be mistaken for a professional stock trader. He looked like he had stepped right out of an old mafia movie. He was Illegal Award 0, Open Bluff. He had never even bound a contract and never once summoned a Material. That meant he could not be called a summoner or a vessel, but he still had enough influence on the Summoning Ceremony industry to be the head of Illegal. Just like a normal person, his Award 0 status meant he would forget everyone related to the Summoning Ceremony as soon as they left his field of vision, but he was never betrayed or attacked. This was simply because gangs did not rule through power. They ruled through the illusion of having power. If he set up an environment where his enemies would tremble in fear and his allies would be charmed by that fear, the gears would turn on their own and bring about a favorable result even if he forgot all about it. He was truly an embodiment of the Illegal ideal of rejecting all proper effort. Hnyahyawnmutter mutter Lastly, a beautiful woman was nodding off despite the tense atmosphere around her. She wore a Taoist outfit with long slits in it and she had a charm on her forehead, so she looked a lot like a Chinese Jiangshi. She was Freedom Award 500, Perfect Equilibrium. She had no interest in any conflict and had simply slaughtered any who disturbed her slumber, but the next thing she knew, she had been lifted up to the top of a major power. Summoners were not the type to let sleeping dogs lie, so some had tried to make a name for themselves by using that trait of hers to attack their enemies, but she had destroyed all of them while acting only for her own amusement. Her Awards were precisely at the middle because she saw meaning in that mixture of good and bad, yin and yangor so it was rumored. No one had ever actually asked her directly. It went without saying what happened to any fool who even slightly disturbed her sleep with an unnecessary question. The three of them did not have their vessels with them. That was a sign that they were disarmed and gathered at a neutral table. Kyousuke declined to take a seat and remained standing as he asked a question. Is it really necessary to do this in the Miniature Garden? You have that backwards. This place was prepared specifically to do this. The underground facility and all the personnel are setting the stage. But most of them know nothing about the White Queen. Unfortunately, the White Queen will be summoned somewhere in the world even if we end this now. And she will cause endless damage outside our controljust as she always has. So we will summon her under our control, manage the damage, and thoroughly crush her so that she can never show her face again. That is the wise choice here. Completely destroying the White Queen? Be honest. What are the odds of success? Hnyah Were they taking him seriously or not? Kyousukes voice seemed to be sucked into a bottomless hole. A voice did respond, but did it mean anything or was it only an echo? The hole was too deep and dark to tell. The small boy glanced over to the monitors covering the wall. They displayed the many developers, the many guards, and the many specimens Biondetta and Shigara Masami were among them. Those people were of various ranks and various classes, but none of them realized that they were being monitored by another stage higher than their own. Now this is just awful. Is this anything an ally of justice should be doing? Says the evil star who cannot keep himself going without someone to attack. The leaders whispered amongst themselves after following Kyousukes gaze. If they had simply ridiculed the people from a position of superiority, it would have been vulgar but understandable. However, it took Kyousuke a while to understand because they expressed pity from the bottom of their hearts. The Miniature Garden was no more than a large studio set and the Fifteen Siblings Project was no more than a script. The White Queen. The White Queen who Wields the Sword of Unsullied Truth (iu - nu - fb - a - wuh - ei -kx - eu - pl - vjz). Out of the thousands or even tens of thousands of paths for the Summoning Ceremony, that theoretical strongest of the strongest was found by switching from Material to Material, climbing from the Regulation-class to the Divine-class and then the Unexplored-class, and ultimately reaching the peak of even that. She was a mysterious being much like the imaginary numbers that could not actually be seen or experienced but were necessary to explain the laws of the world. In a way, that Queen was like a tornado. Even if they could be seen and were feared for their destructive power, no one was able to explain precisely how they formed. And it certainly was not known how to artificially create one. Very few people could actually summon her. Even the leaders of the three major powers preferred to use the primary colors of the Unexplored-class who were known as the Three, so they did not try to reach for that pure white. Those calm leaders had supposedly mastered their craft, but people often questioned - without voicing those doubts - whether or not those leaders could actually reach the pure white. The White Queen had appeared here and there due to pure coincidence. Only her overwhelming strength had spread through the world. But the difficulty was much greater when it came to intentionally summoning her in an actual battle. Kyousuke was one of those who had done so by accident. It had been pure coincidence. Just before the end of the Artificial Sacred Grounds 10 minute time limit and just before the battle ended in a draw, she had manifested for a mere 0.02 seconds. On the other hand, there were a great many who claimed to rule in the name of the White Queen, but they always met tragic ends. They knew they could not reach her using the Blood-Sign method, so they forcibly twisted the formulas and only managed to glimpse her fingertip or a single hair for just a moment. However, the Queens stored energy and brainwashing charisma had still been enough to bring damage on an unbelievable scale to locations around the world. She was the ultimate joker that one could not afford to draw. She was too effective as both a poison and a medicine. That was Kyousukes honest opinion. And. This giant hole had been made to discover the people who had come into contact with that greatest evil, who had discovered a fragment of her power, or who had caught a glimpse of her charisma. And it was designed so those people would naturally step into the cage themselves. Those people would normally be destroyed where no one could see, so the damage would only spread and spread. So if the most dangerous people around the world were gathered in one spot and locked in, it was obvious where the White Queen would be summoned. And if she could be truly killed inside that giant cage built deep underground, then no one else would ever be exposed to that threat. The world would have peace. Lets make this mankinds final battle, said the embodiment of justice who led Government. They were words as white as bleach that were so clean that they could end anyones life. So I have high hopes for the solution you presented to us: the Sewn Realm Summoning. Kyousukes shoulders moved slightly. Next the flower of evil spoke to the boy who had created this situation. The small snowball you started rolling has grown quite a bit larger in our hands. It can easily crush the houses at the bottom of the slope now, so end this task yourself. It can be a coincidence, some twisted and misguided reasoning, or whatever else, but the Miniature Garden group will summon that disgusting Queen for their project. You sew her to this world so she cant escape back to the other side. If you do The atmosphere changed. The Taoist outfit woman with a charm on her forehead had been nodding off before, but she stopped moving now. She had briefly awoken. A thick scent of death hung over them all. And they finally heard the words of the leader of those who put their own enjoyment first. We will completely and utterly kill her so that there is not even the slightest chance of her making a comeback ever again. Facts: *The Miniature Garden and the Fifteen Siblings Project are no more than bluffs prepared by the truly powerful who lead the three major powers of the Summoning Ceremony. *At this point, excluding accidents, summoning the White Queen using the Summoning Ceremony is extremely rare and is treated like the specifics of a tornados formation. Meanwhile, worshipers around the world have tried to forcibly summon even a portion of the White Queen using a method other than the Blood-Sign method, but they always receive harsh retaliation and devastating damage. *The truly powerful made a list of everyone around the world who had come into contact with the White Queen herself or a small fragment of her (whether intentionally or not) and prepared a giant underground space and a grand project that would naturally lead those people into the cage. That way any trouble will occur under their control and they can manage the scope of that trouble. *The truly powerfuls final objective is to fully kill the White Queen who brings chaos to the world. *To do that, they called in Shiroyama Kyousuke and selected the Sewn Realm Summoning he suggested. *Biondetta, Shigara Masami, and the others connected to the Miniature Garden do not know this truth. *So they will never be able to become Shiroyama Kyousukes family. Ever. Volume 5, Stage 01 - Named Summoners, the 15 Children Volume 5, Stage 01: Named Summoners, the 15 Children Biondetta, you hit #5 and #8 into the pocket too. This is a complete mess. Call me Detta! And am I only here so everyone can bully me!? (Stage 01 Open 09/17 07:00 Before the War) Named Summoners, the 15 Children Kyousuke was faced by an unbelievable reality. I dyed my hair pink. Biondettas flowing hair had been blonde before, but she had suddenly taken a step into the realm of fantasy. And it was more than just her hair that had left reality. She had cow-like horns on her head and an arrow-shaped tail on her butt. It badly clashed with her chemical-colored surgical gown. The 15 childrens living space in the Miniature Gardens Inner Circle had a number of spaces used for socializing. Kyousuke frowned inside one of those which seemed larger than two school classrooms. What in the world is this? Its called preparation. Biondetta tried to act like the big sister, but the innocence of her smile overshadowed it. The Queen of Hearts - that is, Kyoumi - has some unexpected skills. Of all things, she says she can make clothes all on her own! Shes going around taking requests right now. It wont be long until I can say goodbye to this skimpy thing covered in knots. Hm? Arent there tons of clothes in the walk-in closet? You want me to choose from there? Despite being underground, the Miniature Garden was supplied well enough that they could play baseball or soccer if they wanted to. The stock of clothing was stacked up in giant piles. Yes, it was just like a giant warehouse at a port used for exporting goods. But With all that surrounding me, I get dizzy. I dont want to get anywhere near that closet anytime soon. I really do feel like Ill get losI mean, get stranded while surrounded by all those piles of clothes. So when you have too many choices, you end up unable to make a decision? Hm? Oh, nothing. Kyousuke and the rest of the 15 were not restricted in their life cycle. They could get up when they wanted, eat what they wanted, and do what they wanted. There was no schedule like a schools class schedule or a prisons work schedule. Nevertheless, most of them, including Kyousuke, were still wearing the surgical gowns they had been initially given. There were no windows and the concepts of morning and night meant little here, but they mostly functioned on a 24 hour schedule, got up at about the same time, and spoke with the others they got along with. There was nothing rewarding or punishing them, so the adults were only manipulating them by having them enter that framework of their own free will. This experiment was meant to turn the 15 of them into a single family. Whether she had noticed that or not, Biondetta continued with an innocent smile. Instead of trying on an endless number of combinations like Im brute-forcing a password, Kyoumi says she can create the image I have in my head! You should go speak with her too. Im fine with anything as long as its easy to move in It sounded like this would be the next trend, so Kyousuke made his decision a lot like checking the weather before deciding if he would hang the laundry out to dry. Biondetta giggled in her short surgical gown. Kyoumi would be upset if she heard you say that. But wont it be a lot of work for her if everyone asks her? Not at all. She likes doing it, so shell be upset if you take the chance away from her. Was that how it worked? Kyousukes eyes mechanically dilated as he discovered another correction to make in the future. And then a floral scent tickled his nose. The next thing he knew, he felt something soft on his back. Someone seemed to have hugged him from behind. They wrapped their arms around his head, so he saw feminine arms passing over his shoulders and draping down to his chest. He turned his head in her arms. And what did he find? The white clothing and silver twintails of a Queen with incredible pow- A pink-haired girl with a welcoming smile that seemed to cover her entire face. Oh, Kyoumi! Heh heh. I made this before anything else. When he called her name, the girl responded with a smile brimming with humanity. She had somewhat drooping black eyebrows and a lively face. She looked nothing like a being spoken of in legends. She must have made a pattern from scratch, cut the cloth herself, taken apart clothing from the humongous closet, and incorporated pieces of those. She wore a luxurious wedding dress with pieces cut away and it glittered with plenty of red, green, and yellow plastic decorations dangling from it. She was Shiroyama Kyoumi. She was one of the 15 and her card was the Queen of Hearts. She was about two sizes taller than Kyousuke and Biondetta and she would probably be in high school in the outside world. She had prepared an alternative outfit as part of her hobby, but it may have also been because she had not liked how the surgical gown had shown off her growing bodylines. There are a lot of paintings and sculptures in the materials room near the Mock Battlefield, remember? I based it on those. What do you think? If I can reproduce this so well, you can be deadly sure I can answer any of your requests, right? The White Queen who Wields the Sword of Unsullied Truth (iu - nu - fb - a - wuh - ei -kx - eu - pl - vjz). The being that Kyousuke had carelessly caught a glimpse of during battle even though she could not be summoned intentionally. Like a tornado, she could be seen by coincidence, but the details of how she appeared were not fully understood. Three of the truly powerful had joined together and arrived one thin layer away from the front line to deal with that ultimate threat. Only people at that level could see the threat lurking behind the radiant light. And Kyoumi was dressed up as that being. Hmm? Your pulse is racing, you dirty little boy. Kyoumi-san, you dont have to get so close. Just call me Kyoumi. And I deadly mean it. Add the -san and Ill punish you like this She started rubbing her cheek up against him. Kyousuke was helpless and sighed quietly, but Biondetta seemed to notice. What is it? Wellweve been here for a while now, but its always the same people that end up gathering together. The 15 were still divided into a few groups and they frequently spoke with the others in their group, but they barely interacted with anyone outside it. I was just wondering if this is what you would call a family. Who knows. I mean, we were sold off. We dont have an example of an average and normal family. There was no sarcasm or scorn in her voice. Biondetta truly sounded puzzled. Kyousuke turned his head and only saw a troubled smile from Cosplay Kyoumi. Its not like the other groups are all that different, though. Oh, you went around taking requests, didnt you!? Biondetta gave a beaming smile like that was a huge discovery. Unlike her or Kyousuke, Kyoumi made appearances in all of the groups. But Kyoumi ended up settling down in this group. They had decided where she belonged and she would only visit the other groups. Hey, Kyoumi. Do you think this structure is a success for the grownups? Something might be happening soon. Something deadly. The Queen of Hearts finally left Kyousukes back as she said that. Perhaps because he had dropped the -san as she asked. After all, they said they would put us through trials and disasters to break down the barriers between us and turn us into a single family. Maybe theyre checking where the gaps between us are while they adjust things to fill those in. They might be using a supercomputer or something. It was like gathering everyone in a movie theater to have them all face the same direction and shed the standardized tears. Or like taking each others hands to board the lifeboat while escaping a sinking ship. More importantly, I visit all of the groups, so I have a lot of information on all 15 of us. And if you ask me, Kyousuke, youre a flashing yellow light right now. You should be careful. ? When he tilted his head a little, Shiroyama Kyoumi presented an extremely realistic problem despite her otherworldly outfit. Youre breeding some jealousy. Especially from that berserker, the Hatter. You need to be deadly careful. The Miniature Garden was quite large. Each room tended to be the size of a school gym and they were arranged like a necklace of morning dew on a spider web. The main corridors connecting rooms were large enough for semi-trailer trucks to pass each other and even the secondary corridors were large enough for a normal car to drive around. Kyousuke and the others could use program-controlled electric carts if they wanted, but a lot of them chose to travel on foot. There was a simple reason for this. They could jog to build up their strength. Hey, Rabbit Boy. If youre headed south, then join me. Kyousuke did not bother matching his pace to the boy who arrived next to him. They both maintained their high-speed pace, but Kyousuke did not reject the boy either and continued running as planned. This was the Hatter, the leader of another group. That group had the most people in it. He was even older than the Queen of Hearts and, from Kyousukes perspective, he looked almost like he belonged with the adults. He had messy blond hair, dark skin, and a strong body. Instead of a surgical gown with pants like Kyousuke, he casually wore a white jacket without a necktie. And true to his assigned name, he had a small straw hat on his head. But that hat had a silverwork decoration wrapped around it, so it looked a lot like a crown. He gave off a similar scent to that man from Illegal. Or perhaps it was the scent of a Central or South American criminal organization. It was obvious from the way the fabric was used, but his outfit probably had not been made by Kyoumi. Everyone else had been daunted by the humongous closet, but he had looked through the tens of thousands of options and found the optimal combination on his own. In other words, he had spontaneously left the rails set by the adults. And Shiroyama Kyoumi had called him a berserker. Even in Lewis Carrolls already absurd and nonsensical story, the Hatter on his card was known for being insane and broken. If youre headed south, are you taking a class with someone? Like with Kuresawa? With Shigara-san. Madam Professor, huh? I doubt youll get much out of that anytime soon But she seems to be the most normal. Both in the theories she presents and in her personality. The Hatter laughed scornfully. They were conversing while running at an above average pace, but neither of them seemed at all out of breath. Thats a good one. He was the madman. He had been given the role deemed nonsensical even in a childrens story full of absurdities. But, Kyousuke, youre probably the only specimen who finds any solace in the fact that someones the most normal. Does Biondetta look normal to you? Or for someone else near you, what about Kyoumi? Dont make me laugh. Theyre warped in their own ways. Not that Im one to talk when Im the craziest of us all. For one thing, it isnt normal to be taken to this Miniature Garden. We were invited here to the far end of the world, so there had to be some reason we were selected. Thats how it works. So, continued the Hatter. Im curious about you. If we were going to rank the 15 of us, Humpty Dumpty and the Jabberwock might end up higher than you. But Im still curious. My nose for combat ignores my crazy brain and I cant stop myself from talking. Shiroyama Kyousuke, the strangest and least normal one here is you, the one who looks the most normal. After all He arrived at a certain conclusion. You were still the most normal when we had our first experience with the Summoning Ceremony and made our contract with the Three. They stopped moving. Their high-speed pace came to a sudden end because the Hatter held a long spear-like stick out horizontally to block Kyousukes path. It was a Blood-Sign. That crystallization of human knowledge could freely summon otherworldly beings and even used the gods in heaven as a stepping stone to reach even greater heights. Their shapes and materials varied, but the Hatters started as a single silver coin. At some point, more and more coins stacked on top of the one in his hand until it had transformed into a long and heavy metal rod. Youd normally be afraid when something like this is suddenly handed to you. And when you learn that gods exist so nearby and that our damned human hands can control the laws of heaven. This boy did not judge people based on their size or age. That madman judged all threats equally if he deemed them to be insane. Youd normally tremble in fear when you learn youll be cut off from normal society and will be forgotten by normal people once you leave their field of vision. It isnt that I really want to head outside or that I want go around working to help people in society. But even if its only a hypothetical, its hard to accept that someone else took away the option to live a normal life. Had there been any meaning in him drawing the Hatter card? Was he someone who measured the size of peoples heads and gave form to something to contain them? It would make sense to tear at your hair and writhe on the floor. It was only the very first step and we were already at that level. And yet youve somehow managed to maintain yourself. Thats because you werent normal in the first place. What Im saying isyoure weird. Its weird that you can stay normal while you accept this decidedly abnormal environment. In fact, did you even bind a contract there? The hatter quietly stared at him. His eyes may have contained madness, but they were steady. Strangely, his eyes seemed more focused on reality than anyone elses. Who exactly are you? Why are you here? Youre the most normal and the most deeply involved, so it doesnt feel like you were brought here. That was when a quiet metallic sound reached them. Instead of from ahead, behind, left, or right, it came from directly above. It came from the tall, tall Great Ceiling. Something was tangled around the steel beams from which the countless halogen lights hung. It was a dark shadow. It was an octopus-like dark blue night combat uniform with a gas mask. In addition to the two legs, mechanical tentacles extended from the waist and wrapped around the steel beams. The figure stood upside down and motionlessly readied a carbine with a grenade launcher equipped on the bottom. The adults had said they would not interfere with the 15s life. But that had been retracted thanks to the threat approaching Kyousukes throat. Faced with that inhuman accuracy, the Hatter sighed and put away the silver coin Blood-Sign. The coins fell away, but not a single one was heard hitting the floor. They all vanished into empty air. The guards, huh? They relied on guns, but since they could perceive Kyousuke and the others, they likely had Awards. Since they were not focused on summoning, they may have stopped below 100 to maintain a compromise with the real world. They have to know the superiority of guns isnt gonna cut it. But the Hatter had not fallen back because he feared the bullets. He had more to say as he left. I think there was meaning in the cards we chose at the beginning. You could call it fate. And what did you see in the Hatter? First, that Im unexplainably insane. And second, that Im obsessed with crowns. The madman laughed and poked at his temple. And Im not talking about this straw hat thing. Taking on bulletproof armor and bullets wont get you anywhere. The expenses will just keep piling up and you wont have anything to show for it. If you head into the mountains with a nice polished hunting rifle, you dont just want shoot some crows and rats, right? I want to fight someone with a larger crown on their name. Now that would be worth stuffing and mounting on the wall. Shiroyama Kyousuke, youre probably the master of this mountain. And the crown on your head isnt anything as cheap as strongest or invincible is it? The Hatter turned down another road. Sensing the threat had passed, the gas mask figure up above moved his or her tentacles to leave. Left all alone, Kyousuke stared in the direction the madman had gone. The way that boy spoke, no one would believe anything he said. And he seemed to enjoy that, so he showed no sign of changing. But how much of the truth had he seen in Kyousuke? Had he seen through to the foundation of the Fifteen Siblings Project? Or had he seen through the next thin layer and to what lay even deeper? You really like to make things exciting, dont you? Shigara Masami sighed on her stool with her long black hair held in a ponytail by a scrunchie and while wearing a dark blue tight skirt suit and a lab coat. In addition to the living space for the developers and guards, the Outer Circle contained several research facilities of various sizes. They all took different approaches toward making the 15 into a single family. Madam Professor of Government used a space much like a hospital examination room. It contained a stool, a steel desk, and a simple examination table. There was a light box for viewing X-rays on the wall and a computer and flat-screen monitor on the desk. The desk also had a small bottle of sunflower seeds, so she may have been keeping some sort of pet. Or did she eat them herself? It was hard to tell. This was likely a form of roleplaying. The Fifteen Siblings Project was structured like a family, but the adults had each constructed their own independent worlds: a school, a corporation, an army, a prison, a passenger plane, a cooking classroom, a workshop, a fitness gym, and a hospital. They all had their own unique color, but anything worked as long as it formed a hierarchy or a society with a host. However, this was not actually an examination room. There would be a bunch of frightening machines beyond the white cloth partition behind Shigara Masami. Any risks to your safety or peace are reported to us. So things are tense enough for someone to pull out their Blood-Sign? You do understand that continuing in that way would lead to an appearance from the gods of legend or something even greater, dont you? We manage all the Incense Grenades, but they arent entirely impossible to make on ones own. Especially for kids like you who arent exactly normal. I didnt do it. Well, they say rain hardens the ground and conflict is a form of communication. And you wouldnt be much of a family if you never fought. She whispered that last comment to herself. She also toyed with the stethoscope (which was probably a prop for her roleplaying) resting on her large chest and she glanced over at the flat-screen monitor on the desk. It displayed a colorful line graph that changed in real time, but it did not seem to be an EKG or stock prices. There were 15 lines in all. That matched the number of siblings. This is a Relective Graph. Of course, its just one of the indicators we use. It measured their heartrate and brainwaves to create a general approximation of them as a person. So the closer the lines came together, the less distance there was between them as people. And they would eventually converge enough to call them a family. There were about three main branches and Kyousuke was part of one of those. The Hatter was wandering all alone near the very top of the graph. It was looking difficult for them all to converge into a single main river. And even if they did, there was little data suggesting that would actually prove they were a family. The researchers had simply taken statistical data from thousands or tens of thousands of volunteer families and the majority of those sample families had converged to that extent. (Plus, summoners and vessels disappear from all cameras and sensors while inside an Artificial Sacred Ground, so this allows them to notice right away if we try to use the Summoning ceremony in secret.) That said, Kyousuke and the others had simply been told to become a family, so it was nice having some visible numbers to set as a goal. The lab coat beauty intentionally changed the mood while crossing her legs. Okay, we dont want to waste any time, so lets get to studying, Kyousuke-kun. Thank you for choosing my basic theory again. To reiterate, Kyousuke and the rest of the 15 were generally free to do as they wished and they were not forced to follow anything like a school schedule or a prison work schedule. They were free to choose if they would take lessons from the adults and which one they would choose as a teacher. Some stuck to a single individual, some stayed away from them and studied alone, and others wandered from one to another in search of one that suited them. They were free to do as they wished, but they naturally aimed for the top. Why? There was a simple reason. No one wanted to be branded incompetent and mocked as an idiot. There were two ways to avoid that: trip up everyone else or outdo everyone else. For the time being, the 15 were tending toward the latter. She placed the negative to some data in the light box meant for viewing X-rays. Okay, pay attention here. The framework of a family can mean many different things, but there are a few theories as to how we define a family. Simply using blood relationships is a tad unrealistic. After all, human beings are not skilled enough to perform a blood test just by looking at someone. But the closer someones genetics, the more similar their facial features will be. Isnt it defined as people who look a lot like you? In that case, you can never grow any closer to your wife or your step sister. So a family is defined by something that happens in life, not by your birth? Like the imprinting of a chick? This would be a lot easier if it was that simple. I think the life cycle - especially what you eat - is important. So youve gone back to the basics of building a nest? Peoples scent is influenced by what they eat. If you live in the same house and pick up the same cycle, you will naturally smell a lot alike. And one of the most well-known signs of future family troubles is when someone stops showing up for meals. That shift in the cycle alters their scent, so the two of them will stop viewing each other as part of the same group. If a large enough gap forms, they might as well be strangers. That would explain why a new member can join a family, but isnt it a little forceful? By that logic, someone who leaves to live on their own or to marry into another family would no longer be seen as part of the family. Oh? It isnt unusual for distance to grow between family members when one begins a new life. When that family member returns for the Bon festival or New Years, dont people find them to be nostalgic? Although I will admit that genetically similar people will emit similar hormones, so they gain a similar scent more easily when eating the same food. But wouldnt that mean you temporarily lose the ability to recognize your family when you have a cold or allergies? In all seriousness, I think the tendency of people to act rudely while sick may be key to this. Oh, if only we could investigate the corpses of the medieval nobility whose bloodline morality completely collapsed. Theres a chance that attempted poisonings and rampant venereal disease had dulled their senses I really think youre going a bit far to suggest stuffing some balled up tissues in your nose will break down the bonds of family. Ah! Youre using that example to make fun of me, arent you!? The adult woman started pouting, but stuffing tissues in her nose was unfortunately not going to fix it. This was the theory held by Shigara Masami, one of the developers who managed the Miniature Garden. It was but one of dozens, if not hundreds, of theories. Learning about these things would not help them in society, nor would it lead to any special qualifications or skills. But if the 15 absorbed these, they would be able to share in the values of this Miniature Garden. It was like a guidebook with a valuable coupon in the back. Learning it came with a variety of privileges and enriched their lives. They would no longer carelessly stumble. At a college-prep school, the students were taught the importance of educational history. At a technical school, they were taught the value of unique skills and qualifications. The upperclassman/underclassman hierarchy and the relationship between classes and years were all built on that basis. Just as a dumb upperclassman would not be viewed with respect at a college-prep school, an egghead upperclassman would be left behind at a sports school. There might be another path for them, but that possibility was rejected. Once they strayed from the path set up by the school, they might consider themselves a dropout and even consider suicide. But why bring the Blood-Signs and Summoning Ceremony into this? That would be more about a form of proof and testing than it is the thesis. Not only are Materials a threat to a pure family, they will crush the established theories even when they have been gathered into a system of religious morals. Can a small moral overcome a large one? No, even if it can, it would not bring us all together once it was spread through the world. Youve mentioned this before, cut in Kyousuke in his surgical gown and pants. He spoke slowly as if speaking to a small child. Do you have any evidence suggesting you can safely control that once you summon it? Shigara Masami maintained her smile. Ignoring someones seniority was a simple way of igniting their anger, but this ponytail beauty was not bothered. If that is all it takes to crush this, then it is meaningless. If that is all it takes to crush this, it is not worth continuing. Even if we are talking about a tornado we have only received sporadic glimpses ofeven if we are talking about the White. It was the perfect answer. But as Kyousuke faced her, that perfection seemed to grow brittle. Not that he was one to talk. Now, Kyousuke-kun, did you understand everything I told you? I suppose. Then can you repeat it back to me verbatim, starting from the very first word''? Those piercing words were the polar opposite of her smile. That request might normally have elicited shock or a gasp, but Kyousuke was different. Starting from, You really like to make things exciting, dont you? Or from, Okay, we dont want to waste any time, so lets get to studying, Kyousuke-kun? Shigara Masami laughed. Shiroyama Kyousuke rattled off her own words with machine-like accuracy The rankings have been updated, said Shiroyama Kyoumi the Queen of Hearts with her somewhat drooping black eyebrows. Kyousuke, Biondetta, and Kyoumi were in one of the party rooms of the Miniature Gardens Inner Circle. The room was equipped for indoor leisure activities such as darts and billiards. The billiards table was too large, so Kyousuke and Biondetta would stand on a stool when they held the cue. They had to focus on balancing, so they ended up developing a unique style of play. And Biondetta was leaning over with her cue while wearing her short surgical gown, so it was dangerous in another way for her. At any rate, Kyoumi must not have liked how Kyousuke and Biondetta were too focused on the billiards table to respond, so she moved the ranking board from the large karaoke-style screen to the LCD screen that formed the top surface of the billiards table. Biondetta had been skillfully lowering her hips and holding her cue while standing on the stool, so she immediately gave a tearful shout. Ah! My guide line disappeared!! The. Rankings. Have. Been. Updated. Kyoumi did not care. Their positions were already settling into place. The 15 were divided into a few groups and individuals were separated into castes within the groups. Shigara Masami and the others were probably frustrated as they monitored it all. Besides, its deadly boring if you just hit the ball along a monitor-controlled line. Youre only moving your hands the way youre told. Its not supposed to be fun!! This is training. Its defrag work meant to fine-tune my conditioning, so I have to hit the balls along a preset optimal path. Oh, honestly! Watch me avoid #5 and #8 while hitting #4. If I can bounce the cue off the sides twice After a loud sound, Kyousuke sighed. Biondetta, you hit #5 and #8 into the pocket too. This is a complete mess. Call me Detta! And am I only here so everyone can bully me!? What kind of training was that? Kyousuke rubbed chalk on the tip of his cue and faced the billiards table. 1st: Shiroyama Shizuku the Jabberwock. 2nd: Alberto S. Divinesmith the Hatter. 3rd: Claudia Shiroyama the Humpty Dumpty. 4th: Shiroyama Cain the Dodo. The top ranks really dont change much. The top three switch around to a deadly extent, but none of them falls into the lower ranks. I dont like it, said pink-haired Biondetta as she balanced on the stool and pouted her lips. We do just as good as them in pure wins, so why dont we ever get a top score!? The Summoning ceremony isnt a tool for fighting; its a technique to summon the gods. So there are a number of methods: taking the shortest course to the Material you want or making a swift recovery after some interference. Then why even compete in the first place? If they just want accuracy, we could hit the White Thorns into targets drawn on the wall! Thats because the Summoning Ceremony is based on the one-on-one ritual battles performed for a god. Biondetta let Kyoumi rub her head, so it did not look like she was going to move from that spot anytime soon. It was quickly becoming apparent that she made a stubborn show of her pride while actually being very easily swayed. There were two simple reasons for their focus on this direct ranking system. First, they wanted a simple method of measuring themselves, just like at a college-prep school or a sports school. If they had a basis with which to judge their status, they could more easily judge their distance from others. And second, there were enough Blood-Signs and Incense Grenades to go around, but Ahh, ahh. I guess that top 3 group really is going to hog the vessels, sighed Biondetta while looking to Kyoumino, to her costume. If they have the vessels all to themselves, will they be the first to summon that White Queen who only shows up by accident? If they did that, someone might praise them. She would never admit to it, but Biondettas tone made it clear what it was she yearned for. There were not enough vessels. The adults had only prepared 3 vessels for the group of 15. They remained in the Mock Battlefield and would renew their contract with whoever showed up for a mock battle. But once the top 3 spots were fixed in place, the adults would probably give up on the rest and focus on those 3. That was an ominous thought in this closed Miniature Garden. Those 3 would have exclusive use of the Materials which were immune to blades and bullets. It would create the ultimate privileged class. Or it would be just like the ancient religious leaders who coopted the glory of god to further their own corruption. With no way out of this environment, they could not even imagine how much would be taken from the lower ranked group. (Maybe that would count as success.) Instead of a cheerful family, it would be structured around a powerful central pillar, but that was still a form of family. The Miniature Gardens ultimate objective was to remove all seeds of conflict from the human race, so as long as they achieved that result, the process might not matter so much. And just as Kyousuke considered that, an extraordinary force shook the entire giant structure located 500 meters underground. The indoor lights had been stable enough to provide the illusion of uniform lighting, but now it blinked irregularly. Was it one of the impact buffering structures, or had things simply exceeded the limits of the design? Either way, the ground rocked like a boat in the waves and they heard disconcerting creaking sounds from overhead. Kyah!? Biondetta wobbled and nearly fell from the stool. From the other side of the billiards table, Kyousuke held out a cue longer than he was tall and stuck it below her armpit to support her. Thank you, but Id rather you didnt poke at a fragile maiden with a stick like shes something dirty. I couldnt reach. For some reason, Biondetta glared at him even after he had saved her. Relationships were hard. Following the formulae did not guarantee everyone would reach the same answer. That was close by, wasnt it? Shiroyama Kyoumi the Queen of Hearts hesitantly glanced over toward the party rooms entrance. There must have been a poor connection somewhere because the lamp on the wall was flashing intermittently. Some time had passed since the explosion, but the rooms roof continued to creak. It felt like the air had grown heavier and an invisible hand was pushing down on their heads. No matter how large the space looked, they were reminded of the thick rock they were trapped below. And they quickly received an answer. The shaking had sent the billiards balls rolling all across the table, but the ranking board displayed there had changed. Biondetta and Kyoumi exchanged a glance. The Jabberwock fell from #1? And Humpty Dumpty moved up from #3. Is that what that was? They gulped and started to leave the roomno, to visit the source of the vibration. Instead of a positive curiosity, they were driven by a negative anxiety that would only grow until they saw what had happened. Kyousuke made sure the billiards board had saved the positions of the balls just before the incident and then followed the girls. Their living spaces were located in the Inner Circle of the Miniature Gardens spider web like structure. That was close to the central Mock Battlefield. And as they approached, it was obvious something was wrong. The smooth white walls had small cracks in them and the internal wiring must have been damaged because a few of the lights were out on the Great Ceiling. The level of damage grew the closer they got to the center. Some of the internal wall panels had collapsed and some doors creaked after being knocked out of place. Watch out. Gyubh!? Kyousuke grabbed the neck of Biondettas surgical gown from behind just before a giant halogen light fell from the Great Ceiling. The basketball-sized mass just barely missed her, but when the pink haired demon turned around, her face was red, she tearfully trembled, and she bit her lip. ???! She tried to say something, but she was interrupted. A few boxy medical carts - something like indoor ambulances - passed them from behind. Help must have been needed for some reason. The insides of the vehicles must not have been enough because guards wearing black clung to the roof and sides as well. Gray dust wafted out from the Mock Battlefields explosion-resistant gate. While the medical carts rushed in, someone fell out from behind a curtain that looked like dirty cotton candy. It was just like someone who had been wandering through the scorching desert for days and then got caught in a sandstorm right before reaching an oasis. They collapsed while showing no sign of speed or intent. Ah, said Shiroyama Kyoumi without thinking. Who was Shiroyama Shizuku the Jabberwock? She was one of the superior ones who was never shaken from her spot in the top 3 on the ranking board. She specialized in the Divine-class of Materials like Yamata no Orochi, Nidhogg, or the Hydra. She did not stick to any one Sound Range or mythology. Instead, she was known for summoning violent dragons. That strong preference led her to play around from time to time, yet she had the skill needed to never drop in the rankings. She never allowed herself to use the lower Regulation-class or the higher Unexplored-class. She always stuck to the Divine-class and used that specialty to manipulate and torment her opponent. She had been a symbol of the wickedness found in the power of mythological beings. And yet that tyrant of the divine world Ah, ahh, ahhhhhhhhh She had lost the right to stand on two feet and could not even crawl on all fours. She pressed her cheek to the floor like she had a rag on her face. Her mouth hung limply open and sticky drool flowed out. Her bangs covered her eyes which had lost the light of rational thought. Her core as a human being and her dignity as an individual with a soul had been stolen away and she simply repeated the same action like a windup doll that had fallen on its side. The loser Biondetta groaned that term with the look of someone who had seen a king dragged down from the throne by the commoners. When someone lost a battle between summoners, they received a shock equivalent to seeing their god killed before their eyes. They became unable to resist what anyone said and would not hesitate to walk off a cliff if someone gestured toward it. And the guards response was simple. Leave the summoner. She doesnt matter! We need to do something about the vessel Hurry up and dig her out of from the collapsed wall!! She really will die!! There was nothing Kyousuke, Biondetta, or Kyoumi could do. The two girls continued forward, but Kyousuke came to a stop. The most he could do was move the former ruler to the side so she would not be in the middle of the wide passageway. One of the passing adults, a ponytail beauty, finally came to a stop. It was Madam Professor Shigara Masami. She removed her lab coat and placed it over Shiroyama Shizuku, but she also shook her head and spoke to Kyousuke. You shouldnt see any more of this. This is straying from the main point of the Miniature Garden. But Biondetta and Kyoumi went in there. The boy could only shake his head as well. He left the Jabberwock with Shigara Masami and continued on to find out what was going on. The guards were rushing all around near the entrance to the Mock Battlefield, but none of them stopped him. They either were too busy to cordon off the place or they were sticking to the basic rule of not interfering with the 15s life cycle whenever possible. It should have been a circular space larger than a school gym. The red and white chess board floor had been peeled up, the walls had crumbled and collapsed, and the guards were struggling with a pile of rubble using a piece of heavy machinery resembling a carnivorous dinosaur. Someone had done this. The threat took physical form and reigned supreme beyond the clearing cloud of dust. It was Claudia Shiroyama, aka Humpty Dumpty. She was likely the same age as Shiroyama Kyoumi, so she would have been a high school girl in the outside world. But her entire body was contained within a roundly swollen space suit colored white with pink lines, so her build, age, and even sex were not apparent from outside. But her Blood-Sign was the exact opposite of that symbol of cutting-edge science. It was made by chopping up old texts on parchment and rearranging them into a stick. And that summoner who mixed old with new had a Material by her side. Biondetta had arrived a bit before Kyousuke and she had fallen to a seated position by the wall. She was trembling with her thighs pressed together inside her surgical gown that was only tied on the side. Just barely avoiding wetting herself seemed to be the most she could manage. Droopy eyebrowed Kyoumi always acted like their guardian, but she could do nothing more than place a hand on Biondettas shoulder. She had managed to remain standing, but her eyes were opened wide and she did not seem able to move. There was a simple reason. The Unexplored-class, gulped Kyoumi. The beings that exist even beyond the gods of legend But was she even speaking of her own free will? It almost looked like it was being forced out of her by an external power. This isnt a fixed match following a routine or a prearranged ritual battle. A summoner can actually summon those deadly things in a real battle where you never know whats going to happen!? It was the Ashen Shrine Maiden who Invites Merciful and Dignified Death (e m - a o - l e v - c k - r o l - e i - v b - y u - a - p s). She was a contradictory being that possessed soft, feminine curves while being as hard as the sculptures found in Greek ruins. She looked like a long-haired beautiful women in a shrine maiden outfit, but she had been thoroughly petrified until she reached an ashen hue void of all color and warmth. It could be her claws, her fangs, the light of her eyes, her hair, her scream, or her scent. From every possible range, she could send out deadly poisons and curses that would provide no pain and would not harm the body, but that would simply steal the soul from its container of flesh. She was the ultimate ruler of life who surpassed any grim reaper. She was an embodiment of heartwarming blasphemies such as euthanasia and the eternal preservation of a corpse. Why is there an Unexplored-class here? But that was not the crux of the problem. Shiroyama Kyousuke got straight to the point. In a Summoning Ceremony battle, the Artificial Sacred Ground vanishes and the Materials go back to being the vessels 90 seconds after the battle ends. It took 5 minutes to arrive after that loud rumbling. So why? Hmm? The voice was muffled by the white spacesuit with pink lines, so its sex was hard to make out. But the negative emotion came through loud and clear. Thats obviously because itd be boring if it had ended there. I had just built up a great chain and was going for a major technique, but then she suddenly collapsed. I wasnt done and I had more to do, so I had to figure out what to do about the chain I was building up. So you intentionally repeated it, didnt you? Right. The loser cant disobey any order. So each time she collapsed, you told her to stand up and fight again! And you knew she couldnt think straight after losing!! Until 45 seconds ago anyway. Just having her stand there isnt great. Shes too weak. It took 34 times before I could finally get my Divine-class up to the Unexplored-class. And I rushed it too much and screwed up, so I wandered into this gray dead-end. The spacesuit spun her parchment Blood-Sign around as she cheerfully explained herself. And she used it to point at the Queen of Heartsno, at the costume that Kyoumi wore. I was really hoping to go for that White One who may or may not actually be summonable. She had done all that yet still failed. The time limit must have arrived because the petrified shrine maiden returned to being the original vessel. It was a woman in her early 20s with a silver bob cut. Her entire body was tightly bound by black leather belts and other restraints to ensure evil and vengeful spirits did not hijack her body. On top of it all, she had a metal ring around her head at the forehead. The inner edge was covered in metal plugs, so it may have been based on a crown of thorns. It seemed strange and extreme even if it was used to tune her. That may have been a sign of the burden placed on the vessels to repeatedly bind contracts with the 15 children. Humpty Dumpty did not seem to care. She had mentioned a gray dead-end, so she simply saw starting over from the beginning as the fastest route to what she wanted. Yes. Starting over. Now. Claudia tapped at her temple through the spacesuits protective shade. She was probably smiling. Id like to start Round 2 while Im still in the right mindset and before the engine cools. Yes, yes. I feel like I can reach that White One right now. I can see the chain leading me there. I can see the path to building that mountain. So how about you give me the chance to do that, siblings? Kyousuke glared at her and the spacesuit moved her parchment Blood-Sign to the side. She pointed to a pile of rubble. I dont care who, but someone bind a contract with the one buried under there. Her bones might have broken and her organs might have been crushed, but none of that should matter once she turns into a Material inside the Artificial Sacred Ground. As long as I have a summoner and a vessel to fight, Ill give you the privilege of being the foundation to my success. And if we refuse? Ill crush you and find someone else to use. Shigara Masami had said this strayed from the main point of the Miniature Garden, and she was right. The project was meant to bring the 15 together as a single family, but at some point, they had been swallowed up by their power in the Summoning Ceremony and by the ranking board. And it all revolved around the word white. Kyousuke glanced to the side. The threat of the Summoning Ceremony using Incense Grenades and Blood-Signs was truly astounding, but it only worked if a certain process was followed. If those conditions were removed, the Artificial Sacred Ground would fail to establish and they could escape. But could he do that while bringing along Biondetta, who had fallen to the ground, and Kyoumi, who was frozen in place? And even if they escaped for now, would they ever find peace in this gigantic but closed space? They would eventually be cornered. It was only a matter of sooner or later. And more importantly, wasnt striking back and defeating her the more surefire method? His right hand subconsciously started to move. He was aware he had begun to seek the power to fight in the form of a Blood-Sign. And then Oh? Thats perfect then. Come have some fun with this madman here. His thoughts were cut off by the sound of a small metal can being thrown. It was an Incense Grenade with the pin pulled. Someone had stepped forward when they all should have fallen back. Once it detonated, a 20 meter cube was cut off from the world and the summoner and vessel were sucked to the center. Who had stood before top-ranked Humpty Dumpy? It was the Hatter. Alberto S. Divinesmith. He lazily wore a suit and a small straw hat, and the spacesuit scoffed when she saw him. Do you understand your position here, sacrifice? Have you never read the Lewis Carroll story our names are from? Its a kids book, so you dont even need to be knowledgeable or educated to be familiar with it. It was a giant coffin and not a person who stood by the Hatters side. When he rapped the back of his brown hand on it, the double doors of the coffin opened to reveal the many plugs inside. It looked like a torture device skewering every part of the girl in thin pajamas inside. It was the worlds most well-known torture device, but no original actually existed. Its name alone had become something of a legend as it spread fear all on its own. It was the iron maiden. Humpty Dumpy had a great fall. And he couldnt be put together again. That was their cue. The black-haired girl slipped out of the torture device and the Hatter did not hesitate to charge full-speed toward the dead-end of death. To get straight to the point, the battle was over in an instant. The 60cm three-dimensional Rose made up of 216 red Petals appeared at the midpoint between Alberto the Hatter and Claudia the Humpty Dumpty. 36 fist-sized Spots appeared throughout the Artificial Sacred Ground. By hitting their own White Thorns with the tip of their Blood-Sign to knock the Petals into the Spots, they acquired the letters needed to spell out the names of the gods. While focusing on the three-way stalemate of the low, middle, and high Sound Ranges and on the Cost that referred to the number of letters, their summoned Materials constantly changed form in order to hold the advantage. Or that was how it should have worked. It fell apart from the very first assumptions. It happened right after their first White Thorns struck the cubic Rose and sent the red Petals scattering in every direction. Whaah!? It was Biondetta who cried out while watching from the floor. As soon as Claudia Shiroyama twisted her parchment Blood-Signs grip in a half rotation, a smokescreen spread from the bottom with fierce intensity. And it was not just normal smoke. It must have had a polarization to it because the color of the light changed as it passed through the smoke. It turned red. It was the exact same color as the Petals rapidly bouncing around. They vanished Kyoumi sounded dazed. The Petals vanished into the background!? The trick itself was simple. Sample problem sets for entrance exams would sometimes place red cellophane over the sheet to hide the answers written in red, but this was the same. If only red light was allowed through, red things became invisible. That was all it was, but it was tremendously effective. If you did not know where anything was, your White Thorns were entirely useless. (But I doubt thats all.) Claudia Shiroyama always wore a white spacesuit with pink lines. With its protective shade meant to block out harmful cosmic rays, she could select a specific wavelength of light to view. That meant she alone could see the position of the Petals in that red world. Summoners and Materials inside an Artificial Sacred Ground did not show up on mechanical cameras or sensors, but there was an exception: binoculars, telescopes, and other analog optical devices one peered through with the naked eye. Didnt I tell you? This was how she had so soundly crushed the ferocious Jabberwock. She had settled things before skill even came into the picture. Do you understand your position here, sacrifice? But Kyousuke had a comment of his own in his surgical gown and pants. He did not hesitate to voice it. How na?ve. With a series of impacts that sounded like a thunderclap, the Hatter swiftly knocked Petal after Petal into the Spots. Humpty Dumpty had set up the trick, so it was likely her who sensed just how superhuman this feat was. She alone could see the world properly though her spacesuits protective shade. But it did not seem to matter that the polarized smokescreen had created a world of red. One after another, White Thorns secured a Petal. With each collision, a primitive song of destruction played while the Hatters stock grew. Humpty Dumpy had to have felt most clearly how thoroughly he was trampling her garden. What? muttered Claudia in a daze. What is going on!? Only I should be able to see the Petals in this world!! Its not like you have to see them to know where they are. The world of the Summoning Ceremony only requires your eyes when throwing the Incense Grenade at the start, readily explained the Hatter. 6 x 6 x 6. Thats 216 in all. If you note where all of the letters are on the initial mass of Roses and compare the angle of the White Thorn hit with the layout of the terrain, you can tell exactly where all of them will bounce. You dont need to see them if you calculate it all out from the beginning. It made sense at first. But it was nearly an impossible contradiction when applied to the macro world of reality. It was like making an argument based on the fictional being known as Laplaces Demon. But he forced it through so that even rationality had to back off. He used his insane mind to control everything, so it was truly the logic of a madman. Even in Lewis Carrolls already absurd and unreasonable fantasy, this blond boys character had been deemed incomprehensible by the eternal girl. Alberto S. Divinesmith the Hatter smiled. The joy on his face surpassed good and evil. And shouldnt you get to work? My monsters already getting warmed up. Ah. The Serpent that Coils in a Spiral and Wholly Devours (g v - o u - j z - e u - a o - i u - e i - b f - l v z - y x). Regulation-class. Sound Range: High. Cost: 21. An already long snake had wrapped its own body like a spring or coil to transform into an even thicker and stronger serpent. At the same time, each of its shiny scales were created from collections of tiny snakes. On the macro level, it grew larger and larger. On the micro level, it grew smaller and smaller. It was like throwing the human mind into a world of infinite opposing mirrors, or like a supercomputer hanging up as it tried to simulate out every last one of the explosive number of possible moves in a game of go. It swallowed up the mind of any who saw it, so they froze in place and could not avoid the next attack. That threat guaranteed a critical hit. You arent worth a Divine-class and the Unexplored-class is entirely out of the question. The madman whispered to the poor spacesuit who had been hypnotized before she could even prepare. Disappear down the gullet of the Regulation-class at the very bottom, you trash. There was no avoiding the result. The poor loser collapsed to the broken chess board floor of the Mock Battlefield, the Artificial Sacred Ground vanished without a chain beginning, and the Regulation-class regained the body of the girl it had started out as. The Blood-Sign made from silver coins stacked up into a metal rod came apart, one coin at a time, but they could not be heard striking the floor. They all vanished into thin air. The ranking board was updated and the new #1 was determined. How boring. He summed it up in two simple words. But he was not referring to Humpty Dumpty where she lay on the floor. He looked around the area where Biondetta and Kyoumi were watching him in shock, where the adults had stopped their rescue operation to stare, and where the adults in lab coats were supposedly in control. He had been referring to all of them. And then he spoke. He spoke to Kyousuke alone. Looks like only you were able to keep up. As I thought, only you are different from the others. Youre the most normal and yet the strangest. Youre the polar opposite of me since I was insane from the beginning, but youre looking in the same direction as me. Come with me, Kyousuke. The Hatter winked and made an invitation. You can choose when since the two other vessels are out of commission. But make sure you come with me. Fighting the Mock Turtle or the Knitting Sheep wouldnt help me at this point. Itd only be any fun with you. And if I refuse? Thats fine. That was the opposite response from Humpty Dumpty. But If you do that, then live out the rest of your life feeling indebted. Bow your head low, smile like a fool, and keep your head down until youre in your grave. Shiroyama Kyoumi, Biondetta. Who do you think came to save you? Hm? Ah. That voice of realization came from Biondetta on the floor. She looked like she had just realized she had pushed someone into this. Kyousuke slowly sighed. He shook his head and made an honest confession. Im a sucker for that kind of thing. Hah hah!! Thats fine! Only you could decide so quickly to do something as twisted as trying to kill your savior in order to obey that saviors request! You really are the best. Its like the faces of our clocks are a mess of a marble pattern, but we still somehow manage to show up right at the arranged time. He had said Kyousuke could choose when, but Kyousuke could not be optimistic about this. It felt like surviving beyond the time his doctor said he had to live. See ya, Kyousuke. No one could guarantee how long his future would last. It had already been determined that his life would be cut off by a cliff at some point. I look forward to it. He was Rank #1. Historys greatest madman winked and everyones train switched over to the track leading to hell. Each of the adults in charge of the 15 children tried to interfere with their specimens using a unique social system as a basis. It could be a school, a hospital, an army, a prison, etc. The Hatter was inside what looked like a giant die. It was a perfect cube with each side at precisely 15 meters. The walls, floor, and ceiling were all perfectly white and the lights shined in through a glass material, so the light fixtures were not directly visible. The door was made like a yosegi box, so not even the slightest crack remained when closed. It also had no knob for opening on the inside, so it would be easy to lose sight of the exit if one was not paying attention. The highly unnatural scene worked to destroy the concepts of front and back, left and right, and even up and down. It was like a studio set meant for composite video or like a room from an old mental hospital. It was truly an exception among exceptions. The Miniature Garden was meant to allow minds to grow in a social system. This place focused on that intent and yet swept it all away. It was a bizarre space created from the entirely unethical idea of wondering what happened when all that was taken away. A brown-skinned boy stood in the center: Alberto S. Divinesmith. He held something under one arm like a helmet. It was a device befitting the Mad Hatter. The voice of the adults reached him from somewhereor rather, from the vibration of the entire space. Now, let us begin, Alberto. A simple headset would have been enough, but they went out of their way to carry the physical voice in from another distant room. It was known as a speaking tube. It used the same idea as a stethoscope and carried the vibrations of the voice through a metal tube. Once you put on the Silk Hat, we will begin the experiment at our discretion. As usual, we will not be telling you when that is. Sure. It had a pearly glow like a thick alloy diving suit. It had the silhouette of a bowler hat, but it was actually a fancy blindfold meant to fully cover his head and cut off most of his senses. The Silk Hat had a large glass lens on the front and an earhole on either side. Once he put it on, everything looked small and distant, like he was looking through a telescope backwards. But that was not the point of the hat. Springs and gears were used to periodically seal off his eyes and ears. The window might open just once every three seconds, so the subject would need to desperately memorize the scene and then move based on the memories burned into their mind like a photograph. Meanwhile, the hands of the clock continued moving in the real world. The subject would correct their movements each time the window opened every three seconds, so it was a lot like artificially having their senses slowed by three seconds. So what kind of experiment was this time shift being used for? As soon as Alberto donned the fancy hat and sealed away his senses, a portion of each wall slid open and men armed with body armor and police batons stepped in. There were more than 20 of them. The collapsible batons were long enough and heavy enough to be even more dangerous than metal bats. But Alberto did not even pull out his silver Blood-Sign. With his head still entirely covered by the thick hat and only a single lens to see through, he held out his right hand and gently beckoned them forward with his index finger. Youre insanely polite about all this, dogs, he spat out. Immediately afterwards, the batons roared toward him from every direction at once. But the Hatter twisted his body in a world three seconds delayed. He took a step. He rotated his hips to easily avoid the batons swinging toward him from every direction. No, he did more than that. He thrust out his hand and dropped his raised heel. In a series of dull sounds, the men supposedly protected by cutting-edge shock-absorbing materials were knocked unconscious one after another. The Hatter could not see it all. The lens allowing him to see and the metal tubes of the earholes were only opened by the springs and gears once every three seconds. He only experienced equidistant points in time. And yet he easily kept even a single blow from hitting him. You just have to fill in the gaps of the limited footage. It was like a sport to him. No, the Hatter did not refer to this room as a ring or a stadium. He called it the Tablecloth. So to him, anything placed on top of it was not even an animal: it was no more than food. I can see the movable range of their muscles and skeleton, where theyll move in the future based on their center of gravity, where theyre looking, where their fingertips are, and what theyre thinking based on the tension of their facial muscles. If you loosen a screw in your head and release those resources, you can steal time. Was he focusing on that passage from Lewis Carroll or not? In the original story, the Hatter had invited the eternal girl to a mad tea party that ignored the concept of time. The adults sounded both impressed and exasperated as they spoke through the speaking tube. Your brainwaves remain unchanged. You can break through so easily it almost seems silly to monitor them. This is nothing compared to the Summoning Ceremony, scoffed the madman. He scoffed while casually wielding violence. His hands flew, his legs roared, and he devoured the food that showed confusion and fear through their thick body armor. You have to calculate out everything: the locations of the Petals and Spots, the paths of your White Thorns, the traits of the Material you just summoned, simulations of what your enemy will summon 100 moves from now, the Cost and Sound Range youll need to beat that, and everything else. Its all about calculations. If youre not insane, youll never keep up. A normal person would have their hands full simply memorizing all of the Materials. So there was not even a faint hope of memorizing the thousands or tens of thousands of patterns required to know what led to what, what detours to make when one route was blocked, and what changes to make to match the enemys Cost and Sound Range or the location of the Petals and Spots. Not to mention when it all had to be recalled with perfect accuracy while actually moving your body to match. But he did it. The Hatter calmly walked through a realm that would drive a normal person insane. His presence swallowed up everything around him. Certain mental states could spread to others, as if resonating with them. It was a form of group psychology. That may have been why the adults did not meet the Hatter directly. Before long, he was the only one standing in the white space. How boring. Hey, I can give you more time if you want. 5 second intervals? 10? Thats probably a better delay for the world. Hm, said the voice as if considering it. Then the four walls opened up once more to send in the preset assassins. However, these were not protected by body armor. The speaker was known for his cyberphobia, so they likely were not made of electronics. These mens flesh-and-blood bodies had clearly manmade bug wings, pincers, grasshopper-like back legs, and compound eye goggles equipped. The bizarre group surrounded the Hatter. What if there was a single formula that could break through all of those complex calculations? That Queen? he spat out. How boring. But he was not denying the existence of such a convenient being. He had more to say. If something like that exists, shell naturally fall into my grasp. He would be first. He would arrive before anyone else. Everyone else had either failed before reaching that point or had failed after partially reaching it. All alone, he calmly challenged that insane path. In his surgical gown and pants, Kyousuke walked to the Miniature Gardens Outer Circle which was ruled by the developers and guards. However, he was not there to visit anyone. The trigger had been pulled by some extremely simple words. I-I will protect you. Biondetta Shiroyama. That girl had struggled more than anyone yet fell into his trap more than anyone. What does that Hatter matter? Im your big sister! (What am I doing?) He was aware how far he was straying from his original objective, but his arms and legs continued to move with perfect accuracy. Perhaps because summoners and Materials vanished from cameras and sensors while inside an Artificial Sacred Ground, the Miniature Garden was equipped with surprisingly few digital security cameras. To make up for it, the doors tended to be equipped with artisan-made locks that could not be reproduced by machines, but that was not much of an obstacle for Kyousuke. Even when a single door had several different locks, his two hands and ten fingers swiftly unlocked it. His destination was the lab run by the adults who were closely connected to Alberto S. Divinesmith the Hatter. That madmans skill was undeniable, but he needed helpers to back him up. It would be fastest to start with someone strongly influenced by his techniques and words. This was between Kyousuke and Alberto. If Biondetta carelessly butted in, it was obvious she would be harmed. So before that happened He sighed and released the final lock. The vertical line of locks sealing the thick door had been in the double digits, but the work had not taken even 5 minutes. A card hung on the knob like at a hotel: Do not disturb. To translate that into the Miniature Gardens words: Any unauthorized intruders will be shot without warning. Like I care. He cracked the door open and slipped inside. It was very different from Shigara Masamis examination room. It was a lot more like a metalworking lab. It was crammed full of impressive equipment that did not seem like it could be used on the human body: a lathe, a press, and a variety of other large tools. Masks to keep dust out hung on the wall and an air conditioner with a special thick purification filter was equipped on the rooms ceiling. They apparently really did metalwork in this sealed space. It was made under the assumption that it would be filled with metal particles that would gather in the lungs if inhaled. There were two locked cabinets, but Kyousuke knew what he was looking for without even checking the documents on the glass shelves. (A theory on distinguishing family from strangers based on how they walk, their mannerisms, and their behavior.) In addition to facial recognition, research was being done to identify people in videos based on how they walked. Just the way someone stood and shifted their body weight was apparently as uniquely identifiable as their fingerprint or iris. The differences came from the inborn shape of the skeleton and muscles plus the learned traits of their environment. And that meant both were closely connected to their family. Which meant (Theyre researching how to control all of your muscles according to certain values to trick people into thinking youre family. Or to intentionally throw off that balance so someone will be treated like an outsider. Are they focused on metalwork because their ideas are reliant on the hardware like muscles and bones instead of the vague and formless familial bonds of the heart and emotions?) He tried picturing the experiments. For days on end, he would have to watch the bewitching movements of artificial arms and legs fixed to a platform and say whether or not it had the familiarity of family. Or would he have to communicate through the medium of conflict with people who were equipped with those things? It was a psychedelic scene befitting that Hatters helper. But it was true this had given Alberto the ability to control his body with utmost accuracy. And his incredible spatial comprehension could be seen as a byproduct of the research to recognize family by sight. (But) That alone was not enough for the Hatter to be so fixated on the Summoning Ceremony. Something had to have led him to throw out the completion of the family in favor of the ranking board. Either to him directly or to someone around him. Kyousuke approached the locked cabinets again. He unlocked it so easily it looked like it was simply a knob shaped like a lock and he slid the glass cover aside. One of the cabinets had a handheld radio. It was presumably to communicate with Alberto, but the diaphragm was surprisingly connected to an old-fashioned gramophone. The communication records were kept on the kind of wax cylinders that had been in use more than 200 years before. At this point, it felt less like a dislike of digital formats and more like full-blown cyberphobia. And the other cabinet contained what initially looked like a file meant to hold a stamp collection. The rejection of digital formats continued. Each stamp-sized file appeared to be the negative of an old photo. A lot of data had been compressed onto them. Microfilm? Instead of encrypting it, the contents were safe from prying eyes because no one could procure a device to view them in this day and age. It felt like being handed a VHS tape of a music clip rumored to show a ghost on the edge of the screen. Kyousuke thought for a bit and then looked around the room full of machinery. He reached for one of the dust masks on the wall. I just have to make one. With that said, he got to work. He only used parts he found in abandoned-looking boxes, but he could ensure no one questioned their absence by starting a fire disguised as an electrical fire. There were already plenty of electrical problems after Humpty Dumpty and the Hatter had shaken the entire Miniature Garden. He ended up with a device much like a toy microscope. He placed the stamp-sized microfilm on the board, shined light on it from below, and peered through the lens. The standard compression rate was around 40x, so each stamp had the same information as a notebook page, each page of the file had an entire notebooks worth, each file had a bookcases worth, and the entire cabinet would equal a full library. That might sound impressive, but in a digital format, a micro memory chip a quarter the size of a stamp could hold an entire library and the entire thing could be searched for a keyword in less than 5 seconds. Only the person who had recorded these and memorized the contents could instantly pull out the data they wanted. Once again, they used inconvenience as a shield. Someone who did not know what they were looking for would have to read through as much data as 10,000 technical books. But Kyousuke did not care. Now, then. He started by consuming the contents of around 10 pieces of microfilm while speed-reading through each one in only a few seconds. He built up a profile of the interests and tendencies found there and constructed the thought patterns and decision criteria used by the person who had chosen to record what data where. And he did it to the point that he could tell what they would choose on reflex if suddenly asked to decide on a 4-digit code. Once he was done with that, he pulled one unmarked file in particular from those lined up on the shelves. He chose the file, page, and piece of microfilm that was the biggest secret and also the most frequently viewed. After deducing that, he placed it in the microreader he had made. He got it right on the first try. What is this? Youve gone too far. That was the first thing said by Shigara Masami, one of the adults, whose long black hair was held in a ponytail with a scrunchie. In a soundproofed reception room, she sat across a glass table from a man far too skinny for his thick work jumpsuit. That man was a legend on the same level as Madam Professor. He was known as Blasphemous Inspiration. Akura-san, I know you know the Miniature Gardens purpose. In fact, its strange that a hired-hand like me has to correct you. The White Queen might only appear by accident during the Summoning Ceremony and the conditions for her appearance might be as unexplained as the formation of a tornado, but she is only a stress test for the 15. She is a problem they must face to see if they will stay together as a family instead of breaking apart in the face of trials and disasters. So this is straying from that. I have plenty of counterarguments, but let me hear everything you have to say first. I want to avoid having to repeat myself. We dont have to achieve it. The woman in a tight suit and lab coat toyed with the silver whistle hanging at her chest. The White Queen is best left just out of reach. No matter how high people stack the stones, they can never reach out and grab the sun in heaven. But the attempt will lead them to build an incredibly tall tower. Isnt that where the Queens purpose lies? We still cant predict what will happen to the comatose Jabberwock after her consecutive defeats. The same is true of the vessel Iris after being buried alive in rubble. And thanks to the battle with the Hatter, Humpty Dumpty herself is near the breaking point mentally. What is the purpose of the Miniature Garden? If it is to destroy the stated intent of bringing about world peace and bringing mankind together, then shouldnt we cast aside that detour right this instant? Shigara Masami never thought the Fifteen Siblings Project would succeed. Whatever the plan was, it was the 15 children cut off from the world who were on the chopping block. She only had to show the other adults that their theory could never be accomplished and then retrieve the children who were no longer needed. That way they could be given a second proper life instead of rotting away as the world left them behind or being crushed as the failed project collapsed around them. That had been her intention when she joined the project. The system was coldhearted and lacked kindness, so she would give it some. She would become the component that did so. So what was this? Those ignorant children had been brought into the Summoning Ceremony and made into summoners who would be forgotten by normal people once outside their field of vision. Not to mention that they were being made to seek the uncontrollable White Queen and to attack each other in this closed space. What is the main plan and what is a detour? But she did not get through to the man named Akura Taisaku, aka Blasphemous Inspiration. They simply viewed the world and approached the problem in two fundamentally different ways. Everyone has their own outlook, but I think conflict is one form of communication. They do say rain hardens the ground, after all. And if they are too afraid of conflict to act on their desires, can we really call that a true family? A clash of opinions sounded all well and good, but was that still true when it came down to family members wielding deadly weapons against each other? Also. Akura Taisaku chuckled at Shigara Masami who no longer even tried to hide her displeasure. On a more fundamental level, I think our methodology concerning the White Queen is not wrong at all. I am not just saying this and I am not just pretending to understand the formation of a tornado. I truly intend to take control of the Unexplored-classs peak. Are you serious? The Unexplored-class exceeds the gods of legend and that Queen reigns supreme above even them. She is the perfect symbol. Such a perfect symbol that she can bring together 6 or 7 billion people. So it is not wrong to use those 15 to find a way to control her. After all, the Miniature Garden exists to monitor those 15 for the good of all humanity. It isnt possible No, you mustnt do it! Normally, no. But if you have a perfect foothold, you can climb a vertical wall. Have you peeked inside the Inner Circles gallery? That space was often visited by the Queen of Hearts of the 15. It was filled with paintings, sculptures, and other materials related to the White Queen her costume was based on. But it made no sense to have that much material on the White Queen when she could not be recorded with cameras or sensors and had never been directly witnessed by anyone. Someone would have had to see the Queen, experienced her enough to record her in the medium of paint or stone, and possessed the skill to accurately include the Queens symbolism. Just one of those documents possessed as much information as the scriptures or sacred texts that ruled entire nations or continents. Shigara Masami squeezed out a low voice. You mean someone donated them? You had a patron? It was a person known as the Colorful Museum. They are more interested in collecting out-of-place artifacts and holy relics than in battle, and that collection apparently extends to human beings as well. As long as the divine resides within them, even a human being is a relic. The jumpsuit man chuckled as he gave his carefree answer. They also wanted a large testing ground. After all, the pacifists keep too watchful an eye when it comes to the White Queen. Without a cover story like this, we would receive nothing but criticism once the research began. Thats crazy! Are you saying you didnt just hijack this project for your own purposes!? Well, you see Akura Taisaku tapped his fingers on the top of the glass table. He was drawing attention to Shigara Masamis phone that she had placed there. I am sick of letting these things rule humanity. I want to take action before they entirely cover the world. I just about jumped for joy when I first learned that summoners and vessels inside an Artificial Sacred Ground vanish from all cameras and sensors, but that is still not enough. Man must grow even stronger. Before these things cover the world and we become mere hunks of flesh that only pretend to think. 15 is not enough. Extracting useful data from their pretend family wont be enough. It will provide us with a large fortune, but these things will cover the world before we can bring the benefits back to humanity. I will do anything to prevent that. I will dirty my hands in any way. After all, this facility was made to consume those 15 in order to save humanity from the ruin we have long seen coming. As soon as he finished speaking, the entire Miniature Garden shook. It was like a duplicate of the last time. As an unpleasant feeling built in Shigara Masamis chest, the madman in a jumpsuit finished his rant. Alberto the Hatter is my greatest masterpiece. So he will reach the peak of the peak. This Miniature Garden only needs to be an egg waiting to hatch. Even though you know you will be swallowed by the cracks when the shell is broken? Akura tilted his head at that. And Blasphemous Inspiration answered. Is that supposed to be a problem? Kyousuke read through the document printed on microfilm. It was more than just a definite method of summoning the White Queen who was the secret among secrets and who only appeared by accident while towering above them all like a tornado. This was a method to sew her to this world and freely control her. He clenched his back teeth, but he could not stop the words from escaping. This is riddled with holes. It was impossible. It would never work. It did make sense from a purely theoretical standpoint, but could you actually create a black hole just because you could define what one was? Could you cause the big bang just because you could generally imagine what the big bang theory stated? That was the extent of what he found here. None of it was wrong, but it was far from being a practical blueprint. If they set to work following this, they would at best produce a puff of smoke and nothing more and at worst lose their lives in a random explosion. These were the greatest minds the world had to offer? These were the people closest to the White Queen? Kyousuke once more wondered if the Miniature Garden was really necessary. Was it really worth killing the Queen here? Was it really the right environment to wage a hidden final war while dragging Biondetta, Kyoumi, and the others into it? If the truly powerful had not gotten involved, mightnt they have been attracted to the Queen while being unable to leave the rails of the normal world? Mightnt they have been frustrated but still lived a proper life? But as soon as he wondered that, a tremor reached him. It was just like with Humpty Dumpy or the Hatter. It was probably coming from the central Mock Battlefield where someone was holding a mock Summoning Ceremony battle. No, since the safety features of the ground were not working, he should probably view this as an actual battle even if it was intended as a game. The room had two cabinets. The one not storing the microfilm stored lots of wax cylinders and an old gramophone. The gramophones wax cylinder began to turn on its own and the attached handheld radio began picking up a voice. The 15 have begun an unexpected battle in the Mock Battlefield! Please send a team in! Specifically, its Alberto the Hatter and Biondetta the Cheshire Cat. Were you aware of this or not!? Can we really just watch this!? Their ranks are clearly too far apart! Someone really will die this time!! He clicked his tongue without thinking. (Its too soon!!) What had happened was obvious: Biondetta had said she would protect him. Would he grab his practice Blood-Sign and rush to the Mock Battlefield now? No, he would be too late. The Hatter was not a summoner who used clever tricks like Humpty Dumptys smokescreen. Each of his specs was simply too high. It would not even take a few minutes for this to end, so calling in an electric cart and rushing there would not be fast enough. And there were currently three vessels in the Miniature Garden. One of those was still lying in a bed in the medical room after she was paired with the Jabberwock and received a fierce attack from Humpty Dumpty. The other two would be in use by the Hatter and Biondetta. That meant Kyousuke had no way of wielding his power as a summoner even if he did arrive in time. He could not save Biondetta. Meanwhile, the worst possible report arrived through the radio attached to the gramophone. This is an emergency request! Please give us permission to seal off the emergency gate to the Mock Battlefield!! The Hatter has reached the Unexplored-class, but he hasnt stopped gathering Petals. Hes aiming even higher. A portion of the wall was destroyed last time, so who can say how far itll spread this time!! The Hatter was aiming even higher than the Unexplored-class. Normally thinking, there was nothing higher than that. But if the framework of normality was removed, only one answer came to mind. Hes probably going for the White Queen!! He really is reaching for it! It really will appear before our eyes! We have to seal this off before he summons that!! Kyousuke tried to remain calm. But it was no use. If the report he heard was true, then Biondetta would die. This had nothing to do with the rules of the Summoning Ceremony. Think about it theoretically. If the peak of the peak had the power she was rumored to have, the safety of the protective circle was no longer a guarantee. Even if he threw out every preconception and let his imagination spread its wings beyond every limit, this would still surpass the limits of his imagination. Predicting what was coming and locking yourself in a small room was meaningless when the massive tornado blew away the entire house. There was nothing he could do. Even if he could calculate out the coming tragedy, he could see no way of breaking free. He would not arrive in time. Once the White Queen appeared, the Material and Biondetta herself would be destroyed. No. Then he raised his head. He looked to the microfilm still held in the microreader he had made. It was true it was all over if the White Queen was summoned by the Hatter. She was the strongest of the strongest and it was said she would settle any battle the instant she arrived, so there would be no chance at all of Biondetta making a comeback. Biondetta would be unilaterally defeated. But there was another hint there. Yes. If the White Queen was summoned by the Hatter. No. He once more looked around the room in his surgical gown and pants. He viewed the machinery and considered the incomplete methodology contained in the stamp-sized microfilm. He thought. There might still be something he could do. No. It might be a small thing in the face of a greater disaster. It might all be a farce and it might be better to focus on the plan to kill the White Queen. Either way, the Miniature Garden would become hell once the Queen was sewn to this world with the Sewn Realm Summoning and the war began. Biondettas death would only be a matter of sooner or later, so it might have been wrong to risk the overall plan for something so small. He knew that. But even so, Shiroyama Kyousuke could not bring himself to crush that small bud of possibility. (Ill make sure I make it in time.) That small monster rapidly turned the gears in his head. All so he could reach a certain answer. (If I can save Biondetta while also not interfering with the plan to kill the Queen, then this detour shouldnt matter!!) Hidden beyond a thin layer, the truly powerful sat in their dark room with flat-screen monitors covering one wall. Quiet laughter could be heard from the summoner in charge of Government, the gothic lolita kimono girl named Humanism who had reached the quadruple digits in her Awards. We too were hoping for this. She spoke while watching the disaster in the Mock battlefield. While watching the ugliness of the adults. And while watching the young boy who could not remain heartless. We were hoping this would all end in failure despite all this preparation. We were hoping nothing would come of this even after gathering together everyone in the world with a dangerous mentality similar to the White Queen. That would mean this world was even more immature than we thought and thus no one will reach the Queen. That would prove just how safe an age we live in. The man who lazily wore a luxury suit clicked his tongue. He was the head of Illegal and also Award 0, Open Bluff. Ridiculous So youre pretending you arent at fault because no one did what you wanted them to? If you had set things up right, you alone could have remained a good person even after tragedy struck. Yes. But sadly, that will not happen. The Queen will undoubtedly be summoned in the Miniature Garden. The girl sighed. And the ruler of justice continued coldheartedly. After all, we provided a powerful re-igniter in case it ended in failure. Shiroyama Kyousuke, that is why we sent you into the Miniature Garden. The Mock Battlefield in the center of the Miniature Garden had become a hellish scene. The number of people was irrelevant. If there were a million people, a million would die. If there were a billion, a billion would die. Only two people stood on the red and white chess board floor. Biondetta Shiroyama the Cheshire Cat and Alberto S. Divinesmith the Hatter. They had both bound a contract with one of the two vessels who were still usable. The Hatter used the one surrounded by bonds shaped like an iron maiden. The Cheshire Cat used the one that sat in a wheelchair that looked like a torture chair covered in thorns. The two vessels would have changed in body and mind as they continually bound new contracts, so they had countless plugs attached to their bodies to forcibly restrict that reaction. Those vessels were currently transformed into bizarre monsters. Those monsters were known as Materials. Biondetta had desperately held her practice Blood-Sign, accurately knocked her White Thorns into the Petals, and built her Material up to the Divine-class. That had taken a fair amount of skill. For one thing, the Divine-class literally were the gods of legend. These were the higher beings that were not even guaranteed to descend from heaven when an ancient emperor offered up his empire, held a grand festival, and sacrificed 1000 people. To summon and use one of those as an individual was the same as having the skill to single-handedly challenge an ancient emperor. In this case, the Divine-class was from the middle Sound Range with a Cost of 7. This virgin god was the protector of the ancient city of Rome who had appeared as a fully-armed maiden from the forehead of Jupiter. But it was not enough. Her opponent was simply too great. The Hatter used his metal Blood-Sign formed from a stack of silver coins, but he was so cheerful he might have started humming if he had let his guard down. He was accompanied by an Unexplored-class. That being existed beyond even the gods. She was the Lady of Purple Lightning that Separates Good from Evil (iu - ao - eu - ei - kub - miq - a - ci - pl). A skinny girl with sickly pale skin sat in a rusty wheelchair. Purple cloth was wrapped around the important parts of her body and she raised just a single arm and fingertip. That was enough for death to sweep out. A purple beam of light cut the world diagonally and sliced through the goddesss shield like it was butter. It was a legendary item that bore the head of a petrifying monster woman, but it was destroyed with ease. Kyaahhh!! Biondetta desperately tried to restrain her voice while wearing a surgical gown only tied on the side, but it was useless and a shrill scream was forced from her. She felt like her heart was being squeezed, but she still calmed her breathing and somehow managed to glare at her enemy. She was scared. She was definitely scared. If she did not face this, that scary thing would turn elsewhere. It would turn toward Shiroyama Kyousuke, her little brother. So. So!! How boring. She was cut off by a coldhearted voice. The Hatter looked to Biondetta with horribly, truly horribly, cold eyes. Anyone could tell he was a madman, but those eyes seemed to be peering directly into a great abyss no one else could see. He was not simply viewing the locations of the Petals and White Thorns. He viewed something much more fundamental and gave voice to his thoughts. Youre normal, but nothing more than that. You started and ended with the standard and you never took a step outside it. How cheap. It doesnt resonate at all. To be blunt, I feel like this was a waste of my time. Whatare you? Im saying you lack madness. Its overwhelmingly lacking. Were using the gods as stepping stones. Were reaching for what lurks beyond them so we can control them. What greater blasphemy is there? How are we supposed to remain normal? Believing that sanity still has a place here is the most insane thing of all. But its the most utterly boring kind of madness that doesnt lead to anything. His words both praised and disparaged madness. They held more than one meaning at once. The Hatter himself was probably the only one who understood what he truly meant. No Hes the only one. Alberto pointed to another possibility. And in so doing, he thoroughly rejected the dignity of the girl named Biondetta. Shiroyama Kyousuke. Hes the only one I can get along with. I can somehow tell hes standing in the same place as me. !! Biondetta moved on reflex. She was no longer following detailed calculations to victory. She was simply displaying her willpower. But it was no use. No matter where she sent her White Thorns or what Sound Range of Petals she hit into the Spots, she could not close the gap with her opponent. The Divine-class and the Unexplored-class were literally on a different level. Once the Hatter had arrived there before her, she should have lost immediately. And it was not her skill that had kept that from happening. Do you really think you can catch up now? Alberto was toying with her. All so he could acquire all of the Petals he wanted and complete the name of a certain power. I will reach for the White Queen, the peak of the peak. Instead of using an insane theory, I will bring the madness to this ordered reality. I will add a tornado, a disaster, to my party. Will you still bite at me then!? Will you, Kyousuke!? The Hatter launched a White Thorn with the intensity of a lightning strike. Biondetta did not have the time to spare to interfere. She could only watch it fly. With a primitive song of destruction, the Hatter secured 21 Petals. And they were not random. From beginning to end, he accurately knocked them all into the Spots exactly in order. It normally took 100 from the Regulation-class and 50 from the Divine-class. But this frightening method allowed one to directly summon a desired Unexplored-class Material while ignoring those conditions. And that included the deepest depths of the Unexplored-class. She might be summoned by accident, but an absolute method of intentionally summoning her during battle had yet to be found. Unexplored-class. Sound Range: None. Cost: 21. Due to the equal number of low, middle, and high sounds, this dangerous arrangement should have triggered the penalty known as the Black Maw. But it was actually the true answer. It was one of the true names written in blood. The White Queen who Wields the Sword of Unsullied Truth (iu - nu - fb - a - wuh - ei -kx - eu - pl - vjz). The Divine-class was the gods of legend and the Unexplored-class lurked beyond even that. And this being stood at the peak of that peak. Once she was summoned, it was all over. She was an embodiment of absolute victory. Biondetta had yet to leave the Divine-class so her vision grew dark. Was she squeezing her eyes shut or was she fainting? She was too confused to tell. And And And What? As time seemed to stretch out infinitely, she heard a confused voice. In her short surgical gown, Biondetta belatedly realized that this was not just one moment extending without end. Time really was moving. Nothing happened. That Queens wrath did not arrive. Her darkening vision cleared up. Alberto S. Divinesmith had completed the task perfectly, so he stared at the Lady of Purple Lightning with a look of utter bewilderment. I completed it The Mad Hatter shouted at this utterly unreasonable result. He seemed to be pleading with the strongest he had failed to reach. So why arent you answering me!? White Queen!! The answer was simple. Your Sewn Realm Summoning is much like a method of sewing a summoned Material to this world and attaching a chain to its neck. Once the connection is made, it can be immediately summoned from the other world while skipping the normal procedure. Just like tossing a fish back into the pond with the hook still in its mouth. These words had been spoken by the gothic lolita kimono girl known as Humanism before he had been sent to the Miniature Garden. And while you have summoned it, that Material cannot leave of its own free will or be summoned by another summoner on the other side of the world. You can truly sew it to this world and keep it all for yourself. So if that theory is used to summon the White Queen, she will at least lose the option of escaping like a lizard breaking off its tail. That would be the first step toward truly killing her. In other words So Kyousuke had blown life into the machinery while listening to the rapid succession of reports arriving through the handheld radio connected to the old gramophone. He mentally filled in the holes in the failed theory that the rooms owner had desperately written down and he got to work. He gave form to a devilish tool never before seen and released it like a stain on the innocent world. He had filled the holes and used that theory for a simple reason. His own unique theory had been too high level. He could not have reproduced it using the materials on hand, so he had lowered the level to the methods of the rooms owner. Overall, it was a device the size of a basketball. It had a square wooden frame as a base which supported a perfectly circular silver plate that represented a never-ending surface of water. The wooden frame contained a complex and detailed collection of gears structured much like a music box that would continue playing forever. It was not known that this was based on the fairys spring seen in the fantasies of picture books. It was not understood that this had all started with the desire to make the Materials their equals instead of just weapons to be summoned. He wondered how this had happened. He was answered by his memory of the truly powerfuls words. If we can truly kill the Queen who rules both worlds through fear and chaos, your dream will also come true. All of the Materials being oppressed by her will be freed. He inhaled and exhaled. He made up his mind. He reached for the crank on the side of the square wooden frame and turned it. He breathed hopeless life into that perpetual motion machine. And that skipped past the normal procedure. The boy would finally meet that radiant white light. The radio connected to the old gramophone gave a chaotic and confused report. !? What? He didnt miss, but the White Queen didnt appear. Does that mean shes really an inviolable being? The 10 minutes are up and the Artificial Sacred Ground is gone. The Hatter and the Cheshire Cat are both alive. Are we still refusing to intervene!? If were going to stop them, it has to be before they throw the next Incense Grenade!! Give us our orders!! He had taken her for himself first. So not even the Hatters superhuman skill could summon the White Queen and she would be no threat to Biondetta. It was the perfect result. But this was no time to breathe a sigh of relief. She was here. Right in front of him. The girls flowing silver hair was bound into twintails. She was a head taller than Kyousuke and she showed off bodylines that went beyond stale terms like alluring. Her clothing was pure white and splendidly arranged like a skimpier wedding dress with silver accessories added in places. It was not an issue of what or how much. From head to toe, every last part of this girl was formed from concentrated white light. She surpassed the Regulation, Divine, and Unexplored-classes to stand at the peak of the Unexplored-class. She was the strongest of the strongest and the one and only being allowed the throne. All of the Materials circumvented the laws of the world, but not even they could defeat this one. Unexplored-class. Sound Range: None. Cost: 21. The White Queen who Wields the Sword of Unsullied Truth (iu - nu - fb - a - wuh - ei -kx - eu - pl - vjz). This core of disaster disturbed the balance of both worlds and brought endless chaos and tragedy. She was the ultimate prize that stood before the studio set of the Miniature Garden, the farce of the Fifteen Siblings Project, the trigger of the Sewn Realm Summoning, and the gathering of the truly powerful who led the three major powers of Government, Illegal, and Freedom. Killing the Queen was why Shiroyama Kyousuke was here. He had no protective circle and no vessel by his side. He held no Blood-Sign or Incense Grenade. And even if he had all that, there was no guarantee he could break through. In fact, the difficulty level would not have been set so very high if an individual like Kyousuke could defeat her. He understood that. Sweat poured from his body. Maintaining logical thought was the most he could manage. other She opened her mouth. Bewitching and alluring was not enough to describe it. Her beauty held such an overwhelming attraction that even an innocent baby or a wrinkled old man might be unable to restrain the urge in their heart when they saw her. But she gave an innocent smile that belied that appearance. It was the kind of smile that matched a sound effect like nyah. She had the look of a small child observing her surroundings in shock after visiting an amusement park for the first time. Brother! With a strangely soft sound, Shiroyama Kyousukes vision went dark. The girl a head taller than him had embraced him, so his head was buried in her chest. It took even him several seconds to realize what had happened. A pool. Kyousuke stared at that overwhelming scene while wearing swim trunks. The Miniature Gardens scale was as unbelievable as ever. There was a 50 meter pool in the center, the oppressive-looking Great ceiling towered far above, and the poolside was quite large. The space felt so very open despite the lack of windows, so it was easy to forget it was all underground. The indoor pool was not divided into racing lanes or built in a wandering circuit like at an amusement facility. It was round. It was a mirror of water with a 50m diameter and the water was given an artificial current along the outer edge. (Its all about optimization.) Kyousuke analyzed it. Creating a never-ending current made it the same as a tuna breeding farm. Tuna had to continue swimming forever or they would die, so they were allowed to swim forever inside their limited pens. In the same way, this allowed the children to swim for several dozen kilometers in this limited space. It also created a more hygienic environment. By creating a gentle whirlpool, they only had to prepare filters on the edge of the pool to gather and filter out the impurities in the water. It was a similar idea to a cyclone vacuum cleaner. (Theres probably a trick to swimming along a gentle curve instead of in a straight line.) Why are you staring out into space? He heard a voice behind him. It was Biondetta who had split up with him because the boys and girls used different locker rooms. She wore a pink two-piece swimsuit that looked more like a one-piece split into two than it did a bikini. Do you not like the water? Then thats all the more reason to do some warmup stretches. Its too late by the time you regret not doing it. Heh heh. Your big sister can help if you want. Because Im your big sister! Oh? Is that so? E-explain to me what that lukewarm look isactually, never mind. I get the feeling hearing that would just break me Biondetta acted oddly while pressing her small butt to the wet poolside and spreading her slender legs to either side. She had a lithe body, so each time she reached her hands toward one of her feet, her upper body bent in a beautiful curve. Kyousuke. Cosplay Girl Kyoumi arrived a moment later. She was in an all-out leisure mood and wore a white one-piece swimsuit. Even now, she kept on her white twintail wig. And she heldsomething under her arm. It looked like a pink curving body pillow. A flamingo face was drawn on the surface, but it may have actually been a more compact version of a banana boat. Her other hand held a beach ball with a hedgehog drawn on it. (The Queen of Hearts game of croquet? The hedgehogs were the balls and the flamingoes were the rackets) But as Biondetta continued her stretches, she had her own impression. Thats obscene! The symbolism is!! Shut up and quit reading too much into this, you perverted girl. Now, do you want the curved rod or the swollen ball? For some reason, Biondetta started panicking when the beach ball was pushed into her face. Did you have any trouble in the locker room? Those lockers are deadly tricky to get locked. Oh, yeah. You have to push in when you turn the key, dont you? Tch. So you knew. I was hoping youd come crying to me so I could give you a hands on lesson. Oh, and in the girls locker room of course. Dont give me that look. Were family, arent we? And at your age, it doesnt count anyway. Its too late to lament losing that privilege once its gone! But anyway!! Kyoumi laughed and threw the miniature banana boat into the giant circular pool. Only then did she remember the current, so she ran after the fleeing flamingo boat and jumped in without any kind of warmup. Kyousuke had a thought as he watched the various parts of her skin bouncing around. It was a simple question. If the Fifteen Siblings Project continued and their familial bonds grew, would they stop being bothered by that sort of thing? Would they be able to take a bath together or sleep in the same bed? He was not so sure as he viewed Kyoumis bodylines which were noticeably growing on a daily basis. Then he turned toward Biondetta who was stretching her hands out along her legs. He looked to that girl who had none of those curves whatsoever. Well, it already doesnt bother me that much with Biondetta. Why do I get the feeling youre thinking something incredibly rude? Once she finished her stretches, Biondetta started toward the pool as if chasing after Kyoumi. He could not imagine she was that stupid, but he warned her just in case. Be careful. What are you talking about? Im the big sister, so Ill hold you by the hand and teach you todbh!! After jumping into the pool, she disappeared. Kyousuke just about slapped his hand against his forehead. It was a perfect chest-high depth for a high school girl like Kyoumi, but that meant it was a dangerous depth for Kyousuke or Biondetta. And thanks to the artificial endless swimming lane, it had a formidable current. There were no obvious waves like at the ocean, so it was more like falling into a rapid current where it was too deep to stand. And if she panicked, it would be difficult for her to recover on her own. Kyoumi seemed to have noticed, but her flamingo banana boat was a problem. She had no oar with which to fight the current, so she was having difficulty approaching Biondetta. Oh, honestly. With that mechanical comment, Kyousuke jumped in. The water that slipped in through the slight gap between his lips was not fresh water. It had a hint of saltiness. It did not sting his tongue and was more like a sports drink. (The Pool of Tears, huh?) This was another symbol from Lewis Carroll. Human cell fluid was different from both fresh and sea water. When combined with saline, they would probably be able to continue their water training without wearing themselves out. Unlike an actual river, there were no bumps or rocks on the bottom to complicate the waters current. It was an entirely even flow, making it easy to ride the current. Kyousuke swiftly approached Biondetta as she struggled and he reached below her arms from behind and tried to drag her up to the surface. But then something unexpected happened. Her superb agility decided to make an appearance at the worst possible time, so she suddenly turned around and clung to him in desperate fear. She was too panicked to care that she was pressing her undeveloped body against him and wrapping both her arms and her legs around him. It was a lot like she was clinging to a log, but this kept Kyousuke from moving. It was a stereotypical way for a rescuer to become a secondary casualty. (Shes only restricting my arms and my waist. At least I can still use my legs.) It was a silly situation, but it was still a deadly one. But Kyousuke mechanically grasped what was going on, used his legs to maintain his position, and managed to bring their heads above water. Pwah! Aw, aw, aw, aw!! Biondetta. Uuuughhhh!! Biondetta, dont worry. I wont let go, so can you at least remove your legs? She did not respond. In fact, she only clung to him even together. She was apparently too panicked to listen rationally. If he could have used his hands, he would have tried stroking her head or back, but they were unfortunately restricted by her tight grasp. Their hearts beat together in the water and they floated along treading water for a while until they finally came across Kyoumi on the banana boat. Instead of approaching them, she had stopped herself near the poolside to let them float to her. Sorry, sorry. I panicked and took too long to respond. Im deadly sorry. Yeah, I should have abandoned the boat and swam over like normal. At least nothing happened. Thats all that matters. Then again, Ive heard that Biondetta can hold her breath for 15 minutes, so I never thought it was that serious. She casually announced that the upper limits of humanity had been shattered. That meant Biondetta could keep up an intense infighting rush in boxing for 15 minutes or she could easily run at a sprint for 15 minutes straight. She was truly the master of anaerobic exercise. But Kyoumi was interested in something else. Anyway, Kyousuke, she said while still clinging to the banana boat. You know a very strange way of swimming. ? Isnt that a military style? It was developed to remain afloat with just your legs so you can hold your equipment overhead and cross a river without getting it wet. Kyousuke could not carelessly respond. He could easily say the grownups had taught it to him, but if Kyoumi went around and found out that none of them knew this way of swimming, that explanation would fall apart. There was a risk of her seeing through the thin layer to the Miniature Gardens true purpose: killing the Queen. More importantly, can you deal with Biondetta? I dont have infinite stamina. Oh, thats right. Ill let her onto my boat. Cmere, Biondetta. If the waters too deep to stand, then welcome to my boat. Kyoumi grabbed her shoulders, but Biondetta refused to move. Did she think her one safe spot was being taken from her? No, she may have simply been unable to move at all. She was pressed against Kyousuke with her chin on his shoulder, so he could hear the conflict escaping her lips as a whisper. (Uuuh I cant believe Im holding this filthy boy between my legs, but Im scared and my feet dont reach. Its embarrassing, but I cant let go. Ghhhhh!) It would seem they had not built up enough artificial familial bonds to take a bath together. Although that was actually a relief for Kyousuke. This is amazing. Its like a shellfish stuck to a rock. Kyoumi sounded half impressed and half exasperated up on the flamingo banana boat. She stroked Biondettas head, but it had little effect. The girl was still panicking. Fine, then. I guess Ill resort to the deadly magic words. ? Not even Kyousuke knew what she meant, so Kyoumi gave a mischievous smile. Cmon, Biondetta. I know youre glad you have an excuse, but if you keep pressing that blatantly flat chest against him, hell notice how hard your heart is pounding. Kyousuke felt Biondettas body temperature skyrocket. Another emotion must have overpowered her fear because she frantically pushed at the boys chest to shove him away. Y-you have it all wrong! And Im not flagabh!! Sigh Sigh It was the obvious result. Kyousuke and Kyoumi sighed in unison as they watched Biondetta sink when her support vanished so quickly. The two of them followed the current and resumed the rescue operation. Facts: *The Relective Graph measures familial bonds. When the 15 line graphs coincide, the project will be considered a success. *To protect Kyousuke, Biondetta stood up to the top ranked Hatter. *The Miniature Gardens research gained patrons and sponsors partway through and its nature began to greatly change. *Shigara Masami knew the Miniature Garden would fail, but if she did not go along with it to a certain extent, she thought the children would meet different tragedies while scattered around the world. She built herself into the system to provide some humanity. *Akura Taisaku, aka Blasphemous Inspiration, is an extreme cyberphobe, so he is trying to carry mankind to new heights based on faith and the occult before the world is filled with the internet and email. However, the summoning system he created is full of holes and unusable. *Kyousuke took the White Queen from Alberto and executed the Sewn Realm Summoning to rescue Biondetta. *And he achieved it. He summoned the White Queen to this world in her perfect form and sewed her there. *Upon being summoned, the White Queen immediately referred to Kyousuke as brother. Volume 5, Stage 02 - A Certain Boy’s Warm Days, Both Sides Volume 5, Stage 02: A Certain Boys Warm Days, Both Sides What about Alice (with) Rabbit? Now well never be separated again!! (Stage 02 Open 10/07 22:00 Before the War) A Certain Boys Warm Days, Both Sides A month passed. Wait, Kyousuke. In a room the size of a midsized movie theater in the Miniature Gardens Inner Circle, a muffled female voice spoke through a spacesuit colored white with pink stripes. The girl inside was supposedly a Scandinavian beauty, but was that really true? Stop ignoring that Queen and go look after her. Its not like she belongs to me. You know no one but you can communicate with her. When we talk to her, she only gives that nyah smile and repeats the word brother. I doubt that monster even understands her ABCs. Kyousuke mussed up his bangs. Instead of the thin surgical gown, he now wore a red and black T-shirt and shorts. It was apparently the uniform of some soccer club or another. When they had seen him refusing to change out of the surgical gown because he only cared about functionality, Humpty Dumpty and the Dodo had dragged him into the walk-in closet, argued that he could not reject something if it was even more functional, and forced him to try on several outfits. This was one of those. Yes, Kyousuke had started interacting with them. While isolated in his group with Biondetta and Kyoumi, they had seemed like inhuman symbols of siblings, but once he started speaking with them, he found they were normal (if oddly dressed) people. So where is the Queen? When he sighed and asked that, the answer came from a girl far younger than his 10 years. She was Shiroyama Junri. Perhaps because she had drawn the card for the Duchess, she forced herself to wear bewitching Western mourning clothes. She also wore crossed sash strings to carry a baby doll on her back. Shes struggling to reach something in the kitchen. Oh, I mean the one in the west block. Even with those specs, she apparently starts crying when she cant reach the chips on top shelf. But those wouldnt be very good for her health, so helping her would be neither here nor there. Thats not quite how you use that phrase. And I cant believe her. It wasnt that long ago that she got flipped over in an empty bathtub and couldnt get out. None of this sounded like the actions of the strongest of the strongest and the peak of the Unexplored-class. But Claudia Shiroyama explained the law of nature behind it like it was obvious. That monster just wants you to go help her. Youre her knight in shining armor, so go galloping over to her. He did not know how serious they were about that, but it would be a major problem if he caused her to lose her temper which he had never seen her do. It was possible the entire Miniature Garden would collapse and bury them all alive. After getting over his exasperation, Kyousuke finally opened his mouth. Then Ill be going. Sure thing. Thats how boys are supposed to act. The spacesuit laughed in response. He had never expected they would be laughing together like this. And it was more than just Humpty Dumpy in her white and pink spacesuit. It was everything. Somehow, the Miniature Garden seemed different from before. The Relective Graph showing their bonds was much more calm and stable and their lines were grouped much closer together. The tense atmosphere had vanished and the reasonno, the trigger could not have been more obvious. The White Queen had appeared and been fixed in place. Just before leaving the large room, Kyousuke glanced at the screen so large a home theater could not hope to compare. The lights were on and the screen had vaguely lost its outline, but it clearly showed a list of names. It was the usual ranking board. Except none of the 15 paid any attention to it anymore. The world was surprisingly hard to destroy. It had not audibly fallen apart as soon as the White Queen appeared. It had been novel, disconcerting, and a lot like being in the same room as a bomb that should have exploded but did not. He did not want it to explode, but he could not relax while it did not either. It was an uneasy feeling. And much like the suspension bridge effect, it brought waves of various emotions to Kyousuke. Kyousuke-kun. A graceful womans voice reached his ears. He turned around to find a developer in a lab coat and tight suit approaching. It was Shigara Masami, aka Madam Professor, a developer from Government. What brings you here? Nothing really. She had viewed the Mock Battlefield in the same way as Kyousuke, but she finally spoke. I think its a good thing. ? However it happened, all conflict has vanished. I think you should honestly accept that fact, no matter what everyone else says. Ah ha ha. I am a little sad fewer kids are coming to my classes now that that girl showed up, so youre my mental oasis for continuing to attend. Bye. She laughed, spoke, and left. Kyousuke could not move for a while. However it had happened, all conflict had vanished. It was the white. That being had done it. The rankings had ceased to be updated on that day. That meant they had all stopped holding mock battles at the Mock Battlefield. They had reached the Queen. Now that their goal had been achieved by a different method, the giant facility was simply drifting in the wind like a cicada shell or a dried flower. This was now a world devoid of conflict. It was a peaceful world where the family did not need to fight itself. Perhaps their initial assumption had been wrong. Perhaps the White Queen would not necessarily destroy the balance and spread endless destruction. Yes, just like the current situation. Perhaps the Queen could end all conflict and save people if she was used correctly. When Kyousuke entered the kitchen bordering the cafeteria in his T-shirt and shorts, he found the situation had changed somewhat from what the 7-year-old Duchess had told him. The White Queen who Wields the Sword of Unsullied Truth (iu - nu - fb - a - wuh - ei -kx - eu - pl - vjz). The twintail girl who truly was mankinds ultimate weapon had given up on the potato chips on the shelf and was instead crying down on the floor. Wahhh. It was like that was the only word she could say. It was like some kind of seal had been placed on her. Wahhhhh. Brother, brother But when Kyousuke walked in, she started using new words, like a switch had been thrown. She suddenly seemed to understand her ABCs. Ah! Brother!! The tears vanished in an instant. With the full-faced smile of a small child, she did not even bother getting up and dragged herself across the floor to reach Kyousuke. Where did you go!? And I want to eat the quatro cheese flavor. That white crunchy stuff! Kill the Queen. Eliminate the source of the conflict that will destroy the balance between the two worlds. What is it, ****(star star star star)? Well, well you see The White Queen shook her head while wrapping her arms tightly around Kyousukes waist. She shook her head fiercely. Everyones so mean to me. ? They say I shouldnt bother you. They say the strongest of the strongest shouldnt have so much trouble with these things. They say I should do everything myself. They say I should stop playing around with this creepy civility and instead show off the power of the strongest. She sniffled. She pouted her lips in a way not even Kyousuke would. They say I cant be part of your family since Im not one of the 15. They say I cant stay with you because my lifespan is different from a humans. They say a summoner and a Material cant be together. Deceive her for that. Win her trust, earn your freedom, and pave the way to a miracle that lasts but a moment. Yknow, ****(star star star star), that isnt going to happen. Really? Really. Really, really? You arent going anywhere, brother? The small boy looked up at the girls red and swollen eyes and nodded just once. He did not need to think about it at all. It was the carefree answer of someone confirming the obvious. Were never going to change and Im not going anywhere. Ill stay by your side, ****(star star star star). If youre that worried, how about we make a promise? The boy in a T-shirt and shorts held out his right hands little finger. ? We make promises like this. Its called a pinky swear. What kind of effect does this ritual have, brother? Well. So that promise was broken from the moment it was made. You had lied from the moment you swore not to lie. If you break your promise, you have to cut off your own finger. Little finger wrapped around little finger. He used a chair to reach the snack bag on the top shelf and that was enough for the strongest being to jump for joy. Brother! Then, then! Lets eat it together. I want to have a party! If you open the back of the bag vertically like this He perfectly smiled. He perfectly accompanied her. He perfectly found topics for conversation. Once it was over and the White Queen continued to follow him around everywhere, he asked her to wait in his room. And once her back disappeared, Kyousuke breathed a quiet sigh. The sound of his fist hitting his own cheek rang through the Miniature Gardens passageway. Humans were truly unreasonable creatures, so there were times when they cannot stand perfection. The truth was found hidden behind a single thin layer. In that dimly-lit room with a wall lined with flat-screen monitors, the gothic lolita kimono girl known as Humanism laughed. How young of you, boy. There was clear scorn in her voice, but also a hint of sadness. That monster had achieved Award 2799 and she had extended her roots of experience out to the limits of the world she could perceive, so she released prophetic-seeming words. That is something everyone considers, but that no one can achieve. Surely you knew that before you arrived at the Miniature Garden. Keh, spat out the king of Illegal who rested his crossed legs on the table. And you call yourself Humanism? You claim to praise humanity, but you dont seem to understand human beings in the slightest. Oh? Theres one thing that humans will seek even if they know its wrong: an ideal. We arent machines that can throw out all the rusted components just because we claim correctness is everything. Personally, Im relieved. That kid has the eyes of a precision guided missiles sensor head, but now I know hes more than just that. That kindness will hinder the plan. Oh, shut up. If you bring about the ideal but lose your heart in the process, thats just another way for ruin to set in. Government and Illegal silently glared at each other. The atmosphere was too tense for the surrounding operators to even gulp. They contradictorily wanted their hearts to stop beating so loudly so that they could survive. The only one with any freedom there was the beauty in a Taoist outfit who had been nodding off. She was the ruler of Freedom and a resident of the world of sleep. But I do see how this situation might not be so bad. She muttered under her breath while rubbing her eyes. Its because the White Queen is so much more powerful than us humans that we dont end up with a gloomy and sordid situation even with all our weapons. Thats why the humans of the three major powers can speak like this. We dont attack on our own and we arent destroyed on our own. Yeah, mankind is hopeless when we bind ourselves and divide ourselves with the national borders we made up. Ahh, ahh. If only a giant saucer would attack from space It was a hopeless opinion. But that ruler of the free had dug down to a truth rudely blocking their way. Humanism and Open Bluff looked away. Once this conflict was over, what came next? That was the deep, silent, and weighty question. Freedom had given up and decided they did not care what happened, but Government and Illegal each had something to protect. They doubted they could protect it during an all-out war between the three major powers and they doubted the flames of war would entirely vanish even if peace was announced between the three major powers. They hated the White Queen, but her presence did support something. That is a dangerous idea. The representative of Government slowly shook her head. Thinking like that meant her soul had already been captured by a powerful attraction. That was what her tone of voice said. Its true I dont know what the next age will look like. Illegals leader sighed and placed a thick cigar in his mouth. But I want our age to be the last one that places kids with that look in their eyes on the front line. A quiet laugh followed. It came from Perfect Equilibrium who had just about fallen into the world of sleep. What a romanticist. Dont be silly. Someone who cant fight for their own ideal cant turn their back on the cold system we call the worlds correctness. Mumble, mumble In his T-shirt and shorts, Kyousuke spotted the White Queen in the cafeteria. She was napping with her head down on a table. Perhaps because he had helped the queen get the chips down from the shelf and made that promise with her, she was often found wandering around the kitchen or cafeteria. She may have found comfort in that connection to a pleasant memory. The demon whispered in his ear. This should be a good thing. It hasnt left the plan. Earning the targets trust is undoubtedly the first step toward assassination. The White Queen had a beauty that surpassed divine and seemed to drag his soul away if he looked at her for too long, but seeing her twintails splayed out on the table and the drool dripping from the corner of her half-opened mouth, she looked just like a small child. He did not know if the strongest of the strongest could catch cold, but he approached and placed a hand on her shoulder. Cmon, wake up, ****(star star star star). These situations were tricky with a being who had the ultimate offense and defense. She could shrug off an attack from a being beyond the gods, so he doubted a human whispering in her ear or shaking her would be much of a stimulus. He could only be thankful that she did not blow the country off the map when she tossed and turned in her sleep. Nnn. So when the White Queen said that, he doubted it was due to his futile efforts. Was she half asleep or was it some kind of reflex? She did not open her eyes and she sleepily shook her head before placing her lips around Kyousukes index finger. Mhhhhh She gently bit it with her white teeth and licked at it with the tip of her tongue. Instead of a small child, she was now more like a baby with a bottle placed in front of her. He let her do it for a while, but then he tilted his head and spoke again. What are you doing? Zzzhm? Brother??? Even after opening her eyes, she did not remove his finger from her mouth. She acted just like a kitten being loved on by its mother. Im hungry If you need nutrients, I can get you a vitamin pill or a gelatin drink. Mhh, mhh! Brother, isnt there something else? Hm. Kyousuke was honestly not that interested in food. He took the White Queen into the kitchen with him and spotted Oh, they have canned foods. Rejected. Ive heard hardtack doesnt actually taste that bad these days. Double rejected. She opposed every one of his ideas like that. There was only one thing left that Kyousuke thought he could fix for her. Cereal? she asked. Yeah. You just have to pour it into a bowl and add in the milk from the fridge. There was no real meaning to it. He thought it was just one of the options she would reject. But the White Queen did not react as expected. Okay, that should work. ? Heh heh heh. This is the first meal made for me by my brother! He had not made anything. He had only poured cereal and milk in a bowl and stuck a spoon in it, but the White Queen was so delighted that she started eating it right then and there without carrying it back to the cafeteria. So Kyousuke decided to protest a little. Wait. No. Its too late to take it from me now! Not that. Im not too knowledgeable on the subject, but I hear you can put more than milk in. Like yogurt and dried fruit. He felt like he had to put in at least that much of an effort. After he rummaged through the cabinets and refrigerator and added some more ingredients, he realized it now had nearly three times as many calories. The White Queen smiled innocently, but Biondetta or Kyoumi probably would have punched him in her place. More, brother!! Yes, yes. You need to eat it with me, brother! However, he did not feel like getting another bowl dirty. And with all the extra sugar and calories from his additions, it was probably just right to be shared by two. Excuse me, then. Ah! When he stuck his own spoon in the large bowl, the White Queen blushed for some reason. What? The same bowleating the same foodthat makes this an indirect kiss! This is a day for celebration!! At any rate, the world was at peace. He no longer had to worry about Biondetta and Kyoumi falling victim to the Summoning Ceremony. They no longer had to fight with the Jabberwock or Humpty Dumpty. It was all thanks to the White Queen. It was all thanks to her standing at the peak. So Isnt that great? Now you can focus on killing the Queen with no distractions. Its all thanks to her. You need to thank her. The demon whispered in his ear. The young boy stared at his nemesis and hid all that in his heart. And he used his reeling mind to think. What was the right thing to do? The Mock Battlefield had stopped. They no longer had to repeat those dangerous Summoning Ceremony battles that were too much for the facilitys safety features. That was a good sign. Or it should have been. Tah dah. A pink-haired girl put her hands on her hips and revealed her outfit to Kyousuke. It was Biondetta Shiroyama. She wore something like a white and pink waitress uniform. What is that? Heh heh. The Queen of Hearts finally finished the outfit I asked for! Biondetta spun around on the spot as if to say, Look, look! She was a waitress with devil horns and tail. Im not sure I get the concept. Oh? Doesnt it sound romantic to make a contract and then lend a helping hand in someones fight? Yes. For example, something really emotional like a fight for revenge or retribution. I couldnt be your big sister unless I was at least that insane. !? Something bothered Kyousuke about that. It was like a smoothly moving record needle suddenly catching. What had Biondetta just said? What had she mentioned like it was no more than casual conversation? ? The demon actually looked puzzled. She did not seem to understand what he found so odd. And before he could figure anything out, the situation continued to develop. Oh, Kyoumi. Biondettas face brightened. But the other girl did not even look over. That high school aged girl had somewhat droopy black eyebrows, loved to make costumes, and had made a White Queen one based on the paintings and sculptures in the gallery. She was the big sister they all relied on. There was no sign of that anymore. Her head swayed as if her body weight was swinging it around and she muttered something under her breath. Its hopeless It may have been wrong to compare them. It was well made for something put together by human hands. But the white dress she dragged behind her had frays, wrinkles, and stains in places. I was deadly wrong to look up to her. I never should have reached for the sun. Everyone must be laughing at me. Theyre comparing me to the real one and laughing at me Had she not noticed them or was she just ignoring them? Shiroyama Kyoumi never did turn around and walked off somewhere. Something invisible seemed to be tangled around her. And Kyousuke was worried because he had pulled the trigger. The ranking board on the wall never changed. It was like the brown dried leaves that stubbornly stayed on the branch even when winter came and they lost their power of photosynthesis. At the very least, he had not done the wrong thing. Even now, the 15 were avoiding any direct threat. What are you looking at? But that lifeless voice pierced through his heart. He turned around to find someone had approached without him noticing. That boys messy blond hair and brown skin had lost their shine and he looked terribly emaciated, but his eyes alone gave off a bright light. It was Alberto S. Divinesmith the Hatter. He had once been - and technically still was - the summoner at the top of the ranking board. But no one in the Miniature Garden visited the Mock Battlefield any longer, so that meant nothing. And he likely understood that better than anyone. No. He may have understood it too well. Youregoddammityoure making fun of me. Dont look at your elders like that. I! I am an undefeated summoner! I am talented!! I havent changed!! Its everyone else whos changed!! Biondetta shrunk down, but she still stood in front of Kyousuke. Even after losing the ranking board, she continued to be his big sister. How did that strength - that light - look to the Hatter? His face twisted, his voice caught in his throat, and he exploded with anger. To hell with you! What iswhat is with this position!? How did I end up in this miserable position!? Ithats rightI havent changed at all!! Something could be heard cracking. The Hatter may have clenched his back teeth so hard one of them broke. Do you enjoy hogging the strongest to yourself!? Well, do you, Kyousuke!? The Summoning Ceremony was supposed to be open equally to everyone. If you hadnt done something weird, the Queens power would have been distributed to everyone. You twisted this world!! Thats whygoddammitthats why I!! Just before he raised a fist clenched harder than stone, something else happened. Brother? The world froze. Alberto had been boiling like magma, but he came to a stop. Cracks formed across his heart, as if it could not bear the rapid change in temperature. It was painful to look at, but anyone would have been the same. His entire body trembled and he bit his lip. He could no longer move. He had built up his brand around being the oldest and an excellent summoner, but that pride was stolen from him. It was the White Queen. When she was here, what meaning did physical strength and the Summoning Ceremony have? How could any remain? That monster would end any battle the instant she was summoned, so how could an individual who had her on his side be defeated? He was #1. He was the hero of the ranking board. He saw beauty in his madness and he found value in what no one could understand. He had even placed his own death on the scales and had not hesitated to wear away his own life for temporary pleasure. That was the monster he should have been. But he was not. ???!!!!!! That shell of his former self could no longer speak a single word. Kyousuke and Biondetta saw something as they stood in front of him. That absolute cliff, that summoner who had created such overwhelming pressure, wordlessly wept. But not at the Queens intensity. He wept at how worthless he felt when he was unable to do a thing while faced with a threat and standing before a powerful enemy. He feared for his life. And someone ranked below him had seen that fear. Those were tears he had needed to keep hidden. To him, letting young Kyousuke and Biondetta see those tears was a sin he needed to confess to god. There was nothing he could do. The Hatter turned his back and left. He ran off. There was nothing Kyousuke or Biondetta could do either. Those inexperienced children could not have known whether or not they should call out to the back of that fleeing hero. Are you okay? Their far too cruel savior asked that question. It was a voice brimming with humanity like that of an older girl rubbing their head. It was very unlike the White Queen and they finally caught on. Kyoumi. Sorry. The girl dressed like the Queen crouched down and hugged Kyousuke and Biondetta. Sorry for ignoring you before. I didnt know what to do or how to look you in the eye. But when I heard the Hatter shouting, I finally decided to return. I could deadly understand when I saw it from the outside. I probably looked the same to you. No, you Biondetta started to respond with her face buried in the Queen of Hearts chest. But the arms around her and Kyousuke squeezed harder and sealed off those words. No. You mustnt forgive me. It was a kind voice. But there was a tremor of instability in it. If you do, Ill lose the chance to forgive myself. Yes, Ill be honest. The darkness inside me still hasnt gone away. I doubt it ever will go away. It might grow or shrink, butyesmy hatred of you will never completely go away. Thats what I think. You can think of it as a ridiculous and immature grudge if you want. So Kyousukeand Biondetta too. Dont trust me. Dont turn your back on me. Dont think Ive opened up to you. Always keep your guard up, always doubt me, and always keep me away. Please, I deadly mean it. Dont show a heartwarming opening and turn me into the worst possible sister who lays a hand on her own family. What were they supposed to do? How would a grownup act at a time like this? Kyousuke and Biondetta had no way of knowing, so they simply hugged their kind sister back. They did not want to let her go. But they had to eventually. While wrapped in that warmth, Kyousuke felt the world, the hope, and the possibility he had imagined rapidly falling apart. The Hatter hasnt done anything wrong and the Queen of Hearts isnt wrong. The White Queen is simply there. She has not actually done anything wrong. (Then how did this happen?) Looking only at the result, it was purely negative. This vicious cycle would probably continue forever as long as the White Queen remained. Their brother had his pride torn away and their sister had been crushed by the difference between the ideal and the reality. And if those siblings were like this, then what about the adults who stood above the children? How far was their distortion accelerating? But Even so (An evil that does nothing wrong.) Kyousuke clenched his teeth. As a mere pawn and as a precision guided missile that had been fired, it may have been wrong of him to worry about this while making a show of thinking. He had been told who to aim at and to pull the trigger, so there was no reason to stare at and agonize over the list of suspects. It might solve everything if he skipped past all that and faithfully obeyed his instructions. And yet he could not help but think about it. He could not help but wonder why the world had been twisted in such a coldhearted way. (Is defeating her really the right thing to do?) That night, Shiroyama Kyousuke visited Shigara Masamis lab. She showed him the Relective Graph. That line graph measured the 15 childrens bonds and changed in real time. He saw exactly what he expected. They were completely scattered. Kyousuke and Biondetta were both worn out. No matter how well-supplied the Miniature Garden was, there was no escape from the dryness running rampant there. There was only one of the Queen. That was completely normal, but she was so very powerful that even that condition seemed unfair, unequal, unreasonable, and unacceptably absurd. Why did she not appear to everyone the same? And that was why Biondetta made a suggestion. Ill take you to a secret place. ? His luck may have run out when he went with her. Waitress Biondetta suddenly started toward the spider webs Outer Circle and he felt a jolt run through his body when she removed a panel on the outermost wall. (She knows whats hidden behind those walls!?) That revelation might turn Kyousuke and Biondetta against each other. The truly powerful might order him to silence her. But his fears proved groundless. The removed panel did not lead to a room with flat-screen monitors lining the wall. It only led to a long, narrow smokestack-like hole with a metal ladder leading up it. Hurry up. They might seal this hole if they discover it. What is this? They probably made a mistake when installing the ducts. These kinds of mistakes are pretty common and Ive even heard about a time an amusement parks drinking water accidentally had industrial water hooked up instead. In other words, it was a secret route that did not exist on the blueprints. Were the truly powerful unaware of this? Or did they know but had left it be? After Biondetta ducked in, Kyousuke followed her into the smokestack-like space. The wall panel could apparently be closed up from the inside. Biondetta stuck a pen light behind her ear with practiced hand and started climbing the ladder. Now, lets get going. Where to? Up. After that one-word answer, the little demon smiled and chose another word. No, outside. It was a long journey from there. The Miniature Garden was 500 meters straight down from the surface. That rivalled the height of a national broadcast tower. Climbing that height using a staircase would be an event in and of itself, but they were using a ladder. If their grip weakened or their hand slipped on their sweat, they would fall into the emptiness below. Biondetta, Im going to be honest. About what? Your surprise now that you know the secret to my health and beauty? With you climbing first, I can see right up your skirt. Even your panties are striped white and pink? He received a serious heel kick in response. However, they were already more than 100 meters up, so they could not swap positions now. After some difficulty, they made it to the top. Their ability to do so was more proof that the Miniature Gardens children far surpassed the average both physically and mentally. Even if Biondetta was not working for the secret project behind the main project like Kyousuke was, she was still a monster. She pushed up a square cover to reveal an orange light and a gust of wind. The Miniature Garden was managed even more carefully than the natural world, but being outside still felt liberating. Kyousuke followed Biondetta out and then stared at the twilit world for a while. He saw a bumpy hill and tropical-looking trees approaching up to a short distance away. The wind carried the salty scent of the ocean and a flock of birds flew away overhead. Kyousuke said nothing unnecessary. He simply stood there in front of that scenery. And he spoke a single word with all the pretty fat carved away. Wow. Heh heh heh. Thats the best praise I could hope for! But not so fast. The view looking down from here is the best!! Waitress Biondetta pulled on his hand and walked toward the small hill. The large forest of tropical nature was dyed in the colors of twilight. No one would suspect that scene of isolated nature actually had an underground world hidden below. The ground was more damp white sand than dirt. The land is moving. It was a series of islands when I arrived. Its apparently called a wandering land. Kyousuke stood next to Biondetta and viewed the scenery from the top of the small hill. The land below was changing form like an amoeba. The land was barely above sea level and there were probably undersea tunnels all over the place. Instead of sinking during high tide, it was impossible to tell where the land or sea would grow, so it seemed to move like a living creature. The fine sand carried here from the mouth of a mainland river apparently accumulated like this thanks to the ocean currents. The combination of the tides and the complex currents created by the countless undersea tunnels causes the lands shape and location to endlessly change. When Kyousuke had been taken here, he had seen a string of small islands, but now the orange-dyed sand continued beyond the horizon and the ocean consumed it from within in places. This scene would not continue forever and he could guess it would separate out into a few islands eventually. It was possible the scenery never looked the same two days in a row. As the sea level rose from the tides, islands would respond by periodically sinking and surfacing, but there was no regularity to be found here. The amoeba-like changes were seen in the shallow accumulation of sand only a dozen or so centimeters above sea level. The entrance to the Miniature Garden they had left through and the bridge spanning the dozen or so kilometers between the distant mainland and another large island were built on the more elevated areas, so they would not be swallowed up no matter how much the land changed. It looked like land, but it was not land. It looked like an island, but it was not an island. It looked like the ocean, but it was not the ocean. A single deep shaft opened deep underground in that fantastical place. That strange combination of the definite and the vague played a role of its own. It felt like the entrance to another world. It had the same mystical feeling as the rabbit hole that the eternal girl fell into. It was said she fell for so long she lost any sense of time and could grab a jar from a shelf on the wall. Well, its a lot like a knee-height shoal that continues as far as the eye can see, so it wouldnt be very good for swimming. And just like a shoal, itll catch you by surprise when it suddenly gets really deep. Thats not very nice of it. I know. The long, long bridge had quite a few vehicles driving on it, but the trucks could not see the children. And the bridge was so long that it was a lot like a highway. There was no exit until the end, so none of the vehicles would stop on the island and yelling would not reach them. Even a professional opera singer could only project their voice 200 meters at best. And as summoners, normal people would forget they existed when not in the peoples field of vision. Whether or not their voices reached did not matter all that much. But Waitress Biondetta did not seem to be hoping for that. She was not hoping to be rescued. For one thing, she had no guarantee there was a place for her in the outside world. There was a reason each of the 15 had been chosen, even if it was not as important as Kyousukes reason. She held her hair against the chilly wind and viewed the never-ending scenery. See? It was worth all that effort, wasnt it? It was. He answered honestly, so Biondetta giggled while her short skirt fluttered in the wind. Given how deep underground we were, this is like climbing a small mountain, so we need a breathtaking view when we look down from the top like this. Do you always do this, Biondetta? Call me Detta. And theyd notice if I did it all the time. But I end up coming here when I need to cheer myself up. That meant this was one such time. She too must have been affected by the stifling atmosphere. Hey, Kyousuke. What? I realized something when I saw how Kyoumi was acting. Or rather, I finally had confirmation. She spoke honestly as if she were facing her own sins. I hate you. You have all the power you could want and you could look down on everyone, but youve abandoned that card and you lower your gaze to our level. I hate you for that. You reject the image of big sister I had imagined and you kindly tore my ideal image of a big sister to pieces. I hate you so very much for that. But part of me doesnt want it to end with hate. Theres a part of my heart that definitely wants to continue being your big sister. He was not trying to do that. But he had no right to make that excuse. After all, he held a secret even greater than the truth stabbing into Biondettas heart. This was all a farce meant to kill the Queen. He knew the project manipulating the 15s lives had been utter nonsense from the beginning. He had known that, but he had kept silent. Because he knew they would have to be killed if they learned the truth. So What am I supposed to do? Well. He thought she would tell him to stay away from her or to stop speaking with her. But he was wrong. Biondetta Shiroyama placed a hand on the center of her chest and made her announcement. If I do anything remotely suspicious, kill me right away. I dont care how. You can hit me on the back of the head when Im not looking or you can face me head-on and crush me with the White Queen. If you do that, I can remain your big sister to the very end. The supposedly perfect precision guided missile had no idea how to respond. It was crumbling. Everything was audibly falling apart. What was power? What did it meant to be the strongest? He could not stop this horrifying trend that was neither good nor evil. He could only watch as everything was swept toward ruin. So could he really say he had all the power he could want? I Just as he tried to open his mouth, something happened. A nearby bush rustled. ! Waitress Biondetta quickly stepped in front of Kyousuke. As always, she was a big sister through and through. Even if that role had been placed on her, she found meaning in fulfilling it. Kyousuke bit his lip as she protected him. A large man with long blond hair worn in a ponytail appeared before them. He gave off the conflicting impression of both a nobility enjoying tea in his palace and a pirate wreaking havoc on the seas in his ship. There was no way they would run into someone with no connection to the Miniature Garden here. Was he part of the official project, or was he part of the secret project to kill the Queen? Biondetta glared up at him with a challenge in her eyes, but the blond man only scratched his head in annoyance. He looked more to Kyousuke than Biondetta when he spoke. Id really rather avoid any trouble, so Ill pretend I didnt see anything. That answered Kyousukes question. He was from the secret project. Kyousuke had to be careful about what information Biondetta was given. His response here could put her life at risk, even if he himself would be spared. This man acted like a regal predator. He was like a lion. Kyousuke guessed he was from the team meant to kill the Queen. After Kyousuke sewed their prey here, this mans team would directly kill her. Those incarnations of violence could overturn the assumption that the battle was over as soon as the White Queen was summoned. He had a different sort of strength from a scout and spy like Kyousuke. Get going already. And be more careful next time. There are some twisted people out there who actually get excited by trouble. Kyousuke did not speak his mind. Even a yes or a no would let Biondetta know he was on a similar level to this man. And that would be bad. Not for Kyousuke, though. It would be very, very bad for Biondetta. He would not let her be silenced. He would not accept any order to kill her. He would protect her. He would protect his family no matter what. Was it wrong to feel that way? Would it be easier if he simply made an adjustment to match the situation? He turned his back on that logic. No. He did not want to get rid of that anguish. He did not want to erase the part of him that worried for his family. The blond man must have seen the iron will in Kyousukes eyes because he did not say anything more. He calmly walked past the two children and disappeared into a different part of the woods. Kyousuke slowly exhaled. But then some words stabbed right into his heart. Im just not cut out to be a big sister, am I? And in the twilit forest, the large blond man lightly punched a nearby tree trunk. What is that brat doing? he spat out in irritation. Hes way too cool The fine tropical sand and the solidly healthy trees were beautiful, but they also absorbed his low voice. The wandering land phenomenon was incredibly rare, but the constantly changing shape of the land made sea charts useless and lots of ships would run aground. That weight hidden behind the beauty may have swallowed the mans groan. They had built the Miniature Garden here for a reason. The wandering land made it even less likely than on a desert island that someone would accidentally find their way inside, and it also did not stand out as a dangerous location. Some people went out of their way to challenge the worlds abandoned and dangerous locations. An obscure and fairly uninteresting sightseeing location had been ideal. Then a transmission reached his radio. It was from one of the predators hiding in the forest and waiting for that time to come. What is it, Claude? Youre late to check in. Did something happen? No. He looked back just once and then smoothly lied. Nothing happened. How much longer until everythings ready? Im sick of napping in the trees and holding barbecue parties. Dont say that. Its childish. I suppose so. Oh? Youre awfully reasonable for the heir to the prestigious Magentarain family. Screw that. Claude Magentarain. That ace of Freedom had once turned his back on an easy life to give a girl a life of her own. He did not hesitate to spit out his next words. Its because I was sick of that stuff that I left my Government home. Brother. The White Queen asked an innocent question while jumping on the bed in a private room of the Miniature Garden. This was a casual time that only Shiroyama Kyousuke could experience. Why are you a rabbit, brother? Because of this. In his T-shirt and shorts, Kyousuke grabbed a largish card from the study desk and waved it around. It was the role I drew at the beginning. Its probably a form of tarot. Tarot might make people think of magic cabals that adopted the symbols of the color gold, of roses, and of the secret techniques of the Roma, but there was not actually a single definitive version. There were quite a few original versions based on different legends such as Greek mythology or the Mabinogion. The version used in the Miniature Garden was based on Lewis Carrolls masterpiece. Not even Kyousuke knew where to ultimately set his sights now that those 78 cards had been shuffled. After all, not even the adults would have expected for the White Queen to take physical form and walk freely around. The eternal girl could not be controlled by human hands. In that way, the failure of the cards may have pointed to the truth. But even if he explained all that, the innocent White Queen would only tilt her head. And he also needed to explain Lewis Carrolls masterpiece to her. But even if the title was known around the world, it was a story that played fast and loose with a traditional story structure. Even as Kyousuke told the story to her, he often found himself frowning and wondering if he had it right or if he was remembering it wrong. He still could not see why society at large appreciated that aspect of the story, just like enjoying the bitter innards of a roast fish. The White Queen continued jumping on the bed from beginning to end. Although it was hard to tell whether she liked Lewis Carrolls story or if she simply enjoyed speaking with Kyousuke for so long. In other words, youre the rabbit and Im the eternal girl. Hm? No, thats not right. Alice came from the original world and fell into wonderland. That doesnt apply to you, ****(star star star star). Yes, it does. She pointed at her own puzzled face. I fell from my original world. Then she pointed at Kyousukes face. And into your world. That was another way of looking at it. The real world and the other world were only called that from the viewpoint of Kyousuke and the other humans living on earth. For the Queen, over there was her original world, so she had indeed met a rabbit in wonderland. Was that the meaning of the cards? By sending the various roles at the eternal girl, were the adults hoping to trap her in the story and control her? No, things were too confusing to think the adults had planned all of this. There had to be a gap between what the Miniature Garden knew and what the truly powerful knew. And the hidden group trying to kill the Queen did not think it was possible to control her. But the symbolism was still eerily accurate. Almost like some slight humanity had slipped inside the coldhearted system. The rabbit, repeated the White Queen. Then she started rejoicing all on her own. Ee hee hee! Then, then! Please guide me around to even more places tomorrow. For being called a Miniature Garden, this place is way too big. I want you to grab my hand and show me around to all the best places! Its been a month, but theres still a bunch I havent seen!! Thats right. And we cant have two different names. That makes it sound like we exist separately. She started sounding as ridiculous as Lewis Carrolls story. And as she childishly pouted her lips, the White Queen clapped her hands in front of her chest and made a suggestion. Then how about this!? We can come up with a new name that lets us be together!! Hm? Lets see She began to think. And the peak of the peak redefined Shiroyama Kyousuke thusly What about Alice (with) Rabbit? Now well never be separated again!! The central Mock Battlefield was not alone in becoming an empty shell, like a cicada shell clinging to a tree. The adults should have been busily moving about in the Outer Circle, but the many laboratories had completely ceased functioning. The Fifteen Siblings Project. That grand project was meant to bring all races and peoples together into a single family to end all conflict between those 7 billion people. But it had faded away in the face of the White Queen. And it was obvious why the project itself had not actually been canceled. They did not want to waste this. The penicillin extracted from blue mold had been discovered when it accidentally got into the Petri dish being used for a different experiment. The White Queen existed in a miraculous balance and there was no guarantee they would receive the same result if they tried again in an identical Miniature Garden, so they could not take this one apart. Shigara Masami breathed a deep sigh at their situation. As always, a scrunchie held her black hair in a waist-length ponytail and she wore a lab coat over her dark blue tight suit. The Miniature Garden project would fail sooner or later. That was fine. Her goal was nothing as grand as saving the human race. She only wanted to rescue the 15 children set to be crushed by that process and she wanted to prepare a place for them in the wide world out there. She only wanted to add some human kindness into the purely coldhearted system. But she had not expected it to keep running even after it failed. The patrons and sponsors that had interfered without her knowledge were especially painful. They wanted to alter the project as they saw fit and saving the human race was a laughable idea to them. A method of controlling the White Queen would look much more desirable. So much so that they would readily place 15 lives on the scales. The Mock Battlefield was no longer in use, but once those sponsors found a new way to play in the mud, they would send those 15 right back to hell. And it would escalate endlessly until the miracle before their eyes faded away. Akura-san. She called out to a skinny man in a jumpsuit who was carrying a cardboard box full of documents down an Outer Circle passageway. He hated the digital to the point of a phobia, and these documents were one problem that caused for him. Blasphemous Inspiration stared at her while holding the box. Perfect timing. I have something to discuss with you. Is it anything I might actually help you with? Unfortunately, I have no intention of carelessly messing with the White Queen. Even in the face of that miracle? That is the completion of my theory! That Queen has been contained in this world. We must be but a single step away from controlling her!! Madam Professor toyed with the whistle hanging at her chest and calmly thought about her doubts that anything in his documents contained a path leading to the Queen herself. (Then who filled in the holes in his theory?) She had no proof, but she knew. If it had not been him, the White Queen would have no reason for her acceptance of and fixation on him. Besides, communication with the White Queen is impossible. He is the only exception. You know why she only repeats the word brother when speaking with anyone else, dont you? She is calling for him. She is warning us to go through him if we want to speak with her. She is the absolute peak of the Unexplored-class that lies behind even what we call gods. We should count ourselves lucky we can even look upon her without receiving punishment from heaven. Shigara Masami bitterly laid out her rejection. Even if we do try to approach the White Queen, she will just ignore us entirely. And if we forcibly keep up a method she doesnt like, you can guess how shell thank us, cant you? Of course. The White Queen will always be the White Queen. She may look stable at the moment, but that does not mean her power has faded in the slightest. She is the strongest Unexplored-class and the peak of the peak who is reached by using even the gods of legend as stepping stones. Its obvious what will happen if you carelessly anger her. She gave an obvious warning, but the man named Akura Taisaku was unfazed. What had he been doing all this time after throwing out the Hatter? A bad feeling built up in Shigara Masamis chest. So she took the initiative. Dont tell me you intend to interfere with him as the key? Are you going to negotiate with and persuade him? And if that doesnt work, threaten and intimidate him? That will do nothing but anger the White Queen. The very top priority in an experiment should be the insurance of safety, not the pursuit of a result. What good is completing a killer virus if youre the first one it infects? A developer like you must understand that. Yes, I do. The jumpsuit man remained smiling. I gave it a lot of thought. Would I implant a bomb in Shiroyama Kyosukes brain or heart? Would I avoid the Queens direct wrath by messing with Biondetta or Kyoumi who are close to Shiroyama Kyousuke? But it was no use. The very process of challenging that peak was mistaken. That sort of decision would be easily crushed in the face of her absurd power and unreasonable correctness. Yes, just like all the preparations of all the villains of myth and history are only used to show off the gods power when they are destroyed. Then? Blasphemous Inspiration was even more frightening for not stopping despite understanding that. Just what taboo was he reaching for while thinking he was applying the lesson of Columbuss egg? We only need to look at it in reverse. Electricity seemed to surge down Shigara Masamis back. It was not that a lack of understanding filled her with fear. She hated her ugly mind for understanding. The White Queen is not reacting oddly around us. The odd behavior is her ability to speak normally with Shiroyama Kyousuke. She was always insane. What we must do is search out the conditions that turn that insane being into something normal. Am I wrong? Even if you do, only one person can fill that role. And there is no exchanging the roles now. Dont be so sure. There is more than one rabbit in Lewis Carrolls story. You cant mean And the Guide Rabbit appears in a few parts of the story, but isnt there one where he treats the eternal girl like his servant? This is not some classic masterpiece that makes your head hurt like Shakespeare or Dostoyevsky. It is a story written simply so that even children can understand, so I wont let you say you dont get it. You cant mean it!! If there had been a knife here, she might have stabbed him without a second thought. But that would have been meaningless. It was probably already in progress below the surface. Killing Akura Taisaku alone would not stop this wicked situation. The 15 were given their roles, but not all 78 cards were used. It was fortunate this one was leftover, said the gear of insanity. Operation March Hare. That incomprehensible and simply mad individual held a tea party with the Hatter. What better role is there for a task as mad as fully controlling the Queen? The situation was falling apart and going insane. For better or for worse, creating something new may have required a genius mind. But setting history in motion only required a fool as long as they had a throne and a crown. And of course no concern was given to the quality of the outcome. Theres a cake. Explorer #1, Biondetta, spoke up after sneaking into the kitchen by the cafeteria, opening the giant industrial refrigerator, and sticking her head inside. I found a cake!! Kyousuke looked bored after being dragged along as Explorer #2, but Biondetta was just about jumping for joy. Kyoumi sighed in the same kitchen, having just placed plastic wrap over the food she had made for those who ate late at night. There was a homemade-looking shortcake in the refrigerator. Instead of the single slice one could buy at a convenience store, it was a whole round cake. If it was cut up, there would be enough for 10. Oh, you noticed it? Did you make it, Kyoumi? asked Kyousuke. Kyoumi nodded happily, but that seemed to be about him not adding the -san to her name. No, but it seems like someone sometimes makes one and puts it in the fridge. The Miniature Garden only had a general supply of food. The adults always kept the kitchen stocked with the necessary ingredients, but they did not go beyond that. If one of the 15 felt like cooking as a change of pace, they would make enough for everyone. If more than one person felt like cooking, they would split the job. If no one wanted to, they would eat nutrient blocks and cereal. That was all. Biondetta liked to cook, but she could only cook fried eggs and toast. Kyousuke would only eat gelatin, vitamin and supplements if left to his own devices, so he never entered the kitchen in the first place. Kyoumi had an almighty repertoire that covered Japanese, Western, and Chinese cooking, so the others were gradually realizing that her days were the best. Kyousuke and Biondetta exchanged a glance. I wonder who made it. More importantly, are we allowed to eat it? Cmon, shut the fridge already, warned Kyoumi while casually pulling out the whole cake sitting on a large plate. I noticed it pretty early since I was cooking. I was like, oh, theres a cake. But it came with this note. ? Biondetta tilted her head and Kyoumi waved her hand. At some point, a small note had appeared between her index and middle fingers. It says first come, first serve. It may have been someones way of thanking the siblings who cooked without any real obligation to do so. And Kyoumi had felt bad keeping such a large cake to herself. She set the large plate down on the counter by the sink and they all viewed the cake together. It was a large shortcake. Bright strawberries were accurately lined up like the face of a clock and it had a homemade-looking white chocolate plate and sugar sculpture doll. The plate used strawberry chocolate to spell out the words Eat Me. It was another reference to Lewis Carroll. Biondettas eyes sparkled as she stared at the cake. That doll kind of looks like you, Kyoumi. It might be the White Queen instead of me. Kyousukes first impression was that it looked more like Kyoumi. The face of the cutely-proportioned doll was well made. Someone had to have carefully observed the girl. Even with the deformed proportions, it would not have been easy to make. Kyousuke briefly thought of it like the model for an art competition. And after some consideration Maybe Biondetta would have been too flat to be interesting. You were thinking something rude just now, werent you? Im sure of it! Biondetta shouted tearfully back at him, but the situation was still underway. Kyoumi picked up an all-purpose knife but then swapped it for a fruit knife. Okay, Ill cut it. But its too big for just the three of us. Kyousuke, Biondetta. Go see if any of the other siblings are around. You dont have to find all of them if they arent obvious. You say that, but I wont forgive you if you start eating it on your own!! Biondetta. Theres no way she could eat all that herself. You dont understand because youre a little brother, but the chocolate plate and sugar sculpture have whats called rarity! Kyousuke and Biondetta left on their errand even as they argued. They glanced around the cafeteria, but they did not spot any of the 15. Instead Oh, you brought one of the vessels? Kyoumi looked surprised when she saw her two younger siblings return. It was one of the 3 vessels prepared for the Miniature Garden. The girl was about Kyoumis age, she had brown skin, and she wore her blonde hair in a ponytail. The others were the thin pajama girl in the iron maiden and the silver bob cut girl with the crown of thorns, but this one sat in a wheelchair-like device. However, the chair portion was covered in metal plugs. The mental stability device was modelled after the thorny torture chair used during the middle ages. They were very heavily equipped for vessels. Most of the siblings had initially only viewed them from a distance due to their strange appearances, but after hesitantly approaching, they found them to be normal people. They only wore the hideous restraints due to the burden of constantly binding and canceling contracts with the 15, so it would have been misguided to fear them for it. But that girl was not all. A woman was pushing the wheelchair from behind. Shigara Masami was there. It looks like Shigara is drunk. Oh, how rare. You dont usually set foot in the self-cooking space, Masami. Did you run out of snacks in your room? Address adults with more respect, newcomer, slurred Madam Professor Shigara Masami, the developer in a tight skirt suit and lab coat who had a long black ponytail. However, her shoulders were slanted, her suit was slipping off in places, and her cheeks were somewhat flushed. She patted the head of the vessel in the wheelchair before staggering over to a locked cabinet installed separately from the industrial refrigerator. If they wanted to, the 15 could have pried it open, but none of them were interested. The shelves were lined with bottles. Uuh Im out of drinks in my room. Vodka, vodka Wow, are you chugging the most deadly stuff you can find? Does Shigara run on an ecological engine that uses bioethanol? Kyoumi and Biondetta sounded exasperated, but Shigara did not seem to mind. Im not drunk. Ive only had 12 glasses of straight vodka. Why are you bragging about that!? Who do you think youre competing against!? Kyoumi quickly spoke up. Was that woman really expecting 10-year-olds like Kyousuke and Biondetta to care if she was the strongest at something like that? Each question only led to another. And its wrong to treat vodka like a symbol of alcoholism. It has a fairly pure flavor that doesnt linger and its one of mankinds 3 greatest inventions. Just look at the convenience store shelves. All of the fruit liqueurs tend to use either shochu or vodka! Oh, my beloved Absolium. At their ages, Kyousuke and Biondetta should have been wearing randoseru, so it was futile to expect them to agree. And since Shigara Masami started pouring it straight into a glass, she most certainly did not enjoy it in the normal fashion, but arguing with her was pointless. She would be the one suffering from a hangover the following morning and shouting et tu, Absolium with Caesar-esque rage. And according to her Hic. This is generally what happens to a grownup that trying to forget about their job. Should you really be saying that when your job is to construct a perfect family here? Oh, but thats not what matters here. The cake. Now we can divide it into 5 pieces, but can you eat sweet things, Masami? You could say alcohol and sugar are both my lovers! Sergeant!! Dont talk about lovers in front of the children. Shigara Masami stood at a slanted angle and saluted for some reason, so Shiroyama Kyoumi raised her middle finger (even though that could not be a good lesson for the younger children either). But then Kyoumi grabbed the fruit knife again and got to work slicing the round cake. Biondetta whispered to Kyousuke. (From the looks of things, Shigara didnt make the cake.) (As long as it tastes good and doesnt harm anyone, it doesnt matter who made it.) Hey, quit your flirting over there, you little brats! Not so close together! Shigara Masami pushed down on them like a landslide, so Kyousuke and Biondetta ended their conversation. In fact, she had her right arm around Kyousukes shoulders and her left around Biondettas, so they had more important things to worry about. Meanwhile, the wheelchair vessel and Kyoumi continued measuring the cake by eye and discussing how to divide it. Unlike cutting it in a cross for 4 pieces, 5 pieces required a bit of guesswork. As a safety measure, Kyoumi told herself she would give Kyousuke and Biondetta any pieces that happened to be bigger. Its still a lot for 5, but I guess its not too much to eat. And Kyousuke and Biondetta will have an endless tolerance for sweets at their age. I-Im the big sister! Dont treat me like Kyousuke!! Biondetta blushed and argued back while the drunk rubbed her cheek against her, but she was betrayed by her eyes which were locked onto the cake. Kyoumi did not hide her smile as she used the fruit knife to cleanly divide the round cake. Each time she transferred a piece onto a small plate, Biondettas eyes moved back and forth like she was watching a tennis match. But Now for the real problem, said Kyoumi. Biondetta was the only one to vigorously nod in agreement. Kyousuke and the torture chair vessel only tilted their heads. Drunk Shigara Masami must have just wanted to get something in her empty stomach because she used a shaky finger to scoop up the cream from the fruit knife. They chose to only gently chide her. Kyoumi took the knife from the wheelchair vessel and placed in a water-filled tray in the sink. I cut the cake into 5 pieces, but 2 of them are special. The chocolate plate and the sugar sculpture. Now, who wants them!? The sugar sculpture is mine!! declared Biondetta. Its clearly modelled after me, so shouldnt you let me have it!? Youre the one that said it might be the White Queen! Besides, youre always eating some kind of chocolate or waffles! Dont you understand I have Cute Girls Disease!? It means I die of loneliness if I dont eat sweet things!! Quit acting like youre so frail! Lets take this outside!! As the two argued, the vessel proved herself to be almost painfully mature by taking a plate holding a normal shortcake with nothing on it. And the (supposed) adult in the room, Shigara Masami, started curling up on the floor. If they did not settle this soon, she would fall asleep right there and destroy the childrens image of grownups, making it a nightmarish form of terrorism. Kyousuke felt he had no choice but to intervene. Okay, how about this? You dont get to take it for yourself and call it a compromise! We dont need that kind of joke right now!! Thats not where I was going with this. Kyousuke grabbed the sugar sculpture doll. If you both want it, then you just have to spit it in two. Vahhhhh!! You tore off my head!! A tearful scream immediately followed. Facts: *With the White Queen living among them, the Mock Battlefield and ranking board have lost their purpose. *Kyousuke began thinking he could save everyone if he could use the White Queen properly. That foolish idea began to crumble away as the 15 began falling apart. *The White Queen did nothing wrong. But her mere presence definitely twisted her surroundings. The Relective Graph measuring the 15s bonds grew twisted around the Queen. *The White Queen does not communicate with anyone besides Kyousuke. She rejects anyone else while using only the word brother. *Claude Magentarain who once saved young Azalea is taking part in the plan to kill the Queen as a member of Freedom. In addition to the truly powerful in the monitoring room, it can be assumed that several summoners and vessels are blending into the surface of the wandering land and the surrounding sea. *To protect the family he was given, Kyousuke refused to correct himself. But that strength deeply hurt Biondetta who was trying to be his big sister. *As the Miniature Garden is distorted by various pressures, it is advancing to a new stage. The adults are shifting toward an operation named after the March Hare. *The White Queen was not driven insane by anything. She was evil from the very beginning. But that evil hides itself only while she is with Kyousuke. Volume 5, Stage 03 - The Door to Hell, Who Will Unlock It? Volume 5, Stage 03: The Door to Hell, Who Will Unlock It? Itll be okay. Ill save you now, Queen. (Stage 03 Open 11/12 17:00 Outbreak of the War (Critical Point)) The Door to Hell, Who Will Unlock It? Another month passed. The season had changed from fall to winter. But that may not have mattered much at the tropical wandering land or in the perfectly air conditioned underground world. At some point, that vast spaces name had changed. Now everyone called it the Queens Miniature Garden. It was an official change at this point. No one paid any attention to the initial Fifteen Siblings Project. Not Kyousuke and the other children and not the adults who managed the official facilities. Everyone had been blinded by the unbelievable discovery of the White Queen. Even if they failed to slowly complete those 15, they could achieve their goal with the Queen. Or perhaps saving the human race no longer mattered to them. The adults had stopped even looking at the Relective Graph. This was not just distracted driving; they were not even holding the steering wheel. And it went without saying what had happened to the lines representing the depths of their bonds. There were even strange rumors about the Cheshire Cat spending every night making strange surprise attacks or the Queen of Hearts reaching out to the injured workers to create worshipers. Is something the matter, brother? In the cafeteria, the Queen herself asked a puzzled question while holding a spoon in her fist and doing battle with a large bowl of cereal and milk. It was hard to tell if she really did not know how to use a knife and fork or if she simply wanted Kyousuke to look after her. Kyousuke realized his own tastes had changed while eating with her. Or rather, he was a precision guided missile that constantly made corrections as he approached his target. He had never been someone fixated on the act of ingesting nutrients. Its nothing. He hid everything and smiled vaguely. (Itll be okay.) He did not know what he was hoping for, but he still held those words in his heart. He felt like a prisoner waiting for his execution. Nothing happening did not bring him peace. The heads of the three major powers were observing everything and they could decide to take this lifestyle from him at any time. And he knew that time was coming eventually. Once the go sign was given for killing the Queen, the Miniature Garden and the wandering land on the surface would instantly become the worlds harshest battlefield. One side was the leaders of the three major powers and elite summoners and vessels gathered from around the world. On the other side was the strongest of the strongest who towered over everyone at the top of the Unexplored-class. After a direct clash between those sides, it would be difficult to keep things as they were. All of this was an egg that would hatch into great justice. But once it broke, it was obvious what would happen to the puny lives clinging to the shell. How could he say it would be okay when he was one of those pushing it in that direction? He had done nothing to protect the 15 or the White Queen. He still could not see where he really stood here, but he clenched his teeth and made a wish. He truly wished with all his might. (Itll be okay. No matter what happens below the surface, nothing can happen as long as I have exclusive access to the Queen. No matter how tense the atmosphere grows, it wont lead to tragedy as long as it doesnt explode.) It was almost impressively comical. It was like he was desperately working to deny the doomsday written of in a book of prophecy. No matter how much he tried to twist the meaning into what he wanted, he could not change the words as they were written. ****(star star star star). Yes? Promise me. I know you might be sick of this after so many times, but please. Yes, of course. I will say it as many times as you want, brother. The White Queen giggled and raised her right hand for the vow. I will not hurt anyone. If that is the condition I most follow to stay with you, then I will throw out my position as the strongest or as the peak by fully disarming myself. But he knew deep down that this would not last forever. By avoiding an explosion, the internal pressure would only continue to grow. And it would eventually reach the point that it would produce an unthinkable disaster. Kyousuke was worried. He was worried beyond belief and had trouble breathing. Itll be okay. Kyousuke could not bring himself to mention the details and only bit his lip, but Shigara Masami told him that in her examination room. When she wore the entirely unnecessary stethoscope, it was a sign that she was willing to let him consult with her. But her words were meant differently from Kyousukes good luck charm. The Government developer known as Madam Professor had more to say. Its true something hideous is underway in this Miniature Garden. And it is sure to eventually be discovered and develop into a great disaster. She did not forcibly reject anything. She was saying it would be okay despite it. I didnt have the power to stop it on my own. In fact, if I had tried to stop it by force, it would have destroyed the barely-maintained balance and brought disaster to the forefront right away. So I may have no right to act like I know what Im talking about here. What does that mean? Did she have some connection to the plan to kill the Queen? Was she really only a developer in the Miniature Garden? But itll be okay. Humans might have a weak side, but they also have a strong side. Things might be tending toward the evil side and we might be drowning ourselves in a vast ocean, but we will notice at the last second. We will notice and stop ourselves. Because humans have both the power to continue on and the power to stop. She did not get into the details, but she was not running away from it either. It felt like she understood things on an even deeper level than Kyousuke and yet decided it was best not to discuss it. But this did not come from a shallow pride in the advantage she held by knowing what he did not. Her words contained the human warmth that he had nearly forgotten and that he had thought had withered away within the Miniature Garden. He had to ask. Was it you? ? Were the tarot cards your decision? Did you see ****(star star star star) as someone who dove into this other world from her original world and did you think we could control her in that framework if we all approached her properly? No, did you think we would be able to end this without killing her? Shigara Masami smiled gently. But she did not nod or shake her head. Dont forget, Kyousuke-kun. I might look like a saint to you. You might find yourself relying on me because of my obvious kindness. But this isnt anything special. It isnt something that can only exist inside a chosen person. This is an emotion that everyone should have. For example, do you know the head of security, Elvesta Toydream? He could not answer. The guards all wore gas masks and hid their bodylines with explosion-resistant jackets, so their sexes and ages were unclear. And due to their heavy equipment, their gaits and mannerisms seemed inhuman and hard to read. It would be difficult to distinguish one from another. Shigara Masami laughed before continuing. He is the heir to the Toy Dream Company, a giant entertainment corporation, but the more he studies fairy tales, the more they frighten him. He is a summoner who will eventually oppose that kingdom of dreams and fantasy. But he enjoys making sweets and he is never satisfied with a cake until he decorates it with a chocolate plate or a sugar sculpture doll. Ah, said Kyousuke in his T-shirt and shorts. They had sometimes found mystery desserts in the kitchen refrigerator. He remembered Biondetta and Kyoumi fighting over them back when things had been more normal. No matter how evenly it was divided, the battle over the sugar sculpture doll would never end. Even though the white chocolate plate saying Eat Me actually tasted better. Do you see now? There are things you dont know because you cant see them, but that doesnt mean those people have no kindness. I believe anyone can convert their kindness into strength. Even if they seem to be making everything worse like Akura Taisaku. So itll be okay, Kyousuke-kun. You cant assume that this is your only safe space. That rejection will cloud your vision and actively make things worse. She had never said who had decided on the tarot cards and added in a trick to try to save the White Queen. But even if he did not know their name or what they looked like, they did exist. Someone had hoped for that and acted on it. Someone like that existed inside the greedy group of both adults and children who were influenced by the Queens power. Shiroyama Kyousuke was not alone. The environment could hardly be worse, the 15 and the White Queen were about to burst, and Kyousuke himself was part of the group that had set things in that direction, but there was someone praying for a future that matched his own hopes. A future where no one was hurt and everyone was smiling. Kyousuke decided to figure this out a bit at a time. He did not know what was driving this nearly hopeless situation. He wanted to oppose the 15 who were tumbling down and he wanted to oppose the truly powerful who were working to kill the White Queen. It did not matter how ridiculous, hopeless, or unrealistic it was. He still wanted to try for a path where no one had to fall and where everyone, including the Queen, could be together. He wanted everyone to understand each other. He wanted to lend them his strength. He would not be fighting the adults of the Miniature Garden. He would refuse to fight a war against the truly powerful. He just wanted to speak with everyone some more. Did they really have to acquire the White Queen? Did they really have to kill the White Queen? Was there really no other way? After throwing out all their preconceptions, couldnt they search again for a resolution that satisfied everyone? I want a boat. Kyousukes words sounded like a joke. Shigara Masami tilted her head and he continued. Even if the world ends today and every last continent sinks into the ocean, I want to be able to pull everyone back up. So I want a boat. Ah ha ha! If you really want one, you can order any boat you want over the internet. Kyousuke-kun, how long has it been since you arrived here? You might not be aware of it, but your electronic bank account must have quite a fortune inside. Since weve been doing so many awful things to you. So what will you do? If you really havent touched your account at all Wow! With a fishing boat, you could head out for some deep-sea fishing!! But that might not be the best idea. Oh, what about a cruiser? Theyre pretty fashionable. She made a variety of suggestions while checking various websites. She seemed to be enjoying the search more than she cared about the boat itself. Speaking with her made him feel like he was walking into a hypothetical future. His imagination spread its wings and he felt like he slipped into a parallel world. Oh, what a pretty white boat. So what are you going to call it? After filling in all the data needed to register it, Shigara Masami asked him that. Kyousuke thought for a bit in his T-shirt and shorts. And he made a choice that proved he was prepared to throw out all of his preconceptions. The White Queen. That would be perfect. He would not be her enemy any longer. Shiroyama Kyousuke would live alongside that name. (After all, shes the one that stopped it.) He quietly thought to himself. He thought about the days when they had pretended to fight to the death in the round Mock Battlefield. The Jabberwock, Humpty Dumpy, and the Hatter had sent their Materials after each other, torn away each others dignity, and looked down on each other. Those days had gone away when the White Queen had arrived. (I mean, she hasnt done anything wrong!) The Queen of Hearts and the Hatter were definitely feeling cornered. But that was an issue with how they interacted with her. If they did not think of the White Queen as someone to outdo in some way or another, then their pride would not be hurt. Kyousuke could tell because he could approach her like normal. It was not about telling them to break their fangs or pull out their claws. If they stopped thinking that strength was everything, the Queen would not wear at their hearts. That was all there was to it. (I mean, all of the damage around the world until now only happened because people failed to summon her in her perfect form!!) The plan to kill the Queen was meant to stop the disasters occurring around the world, but those were the result of the supposedly intelligent people who tried to summon her with insufficient knowledge or techniques. So didnt the fault lie with those people for not adding in safety measures, rather than with the Queen? They could not even control her fingertip or one of her hairs, but they arrogantly thought they could control her in her entirety. If not for that, they might have been able to smoothly stand in the same field as Kyousuke. In that case, what was there? What reason was there for the White Queen to be killed!? Kyousuke-kun. Kyousukes shoulders jumped when his name was called. Madam Professors eyes seemed to see right through him. But she only spoke with a thin smile. I dont know whats on your mind, but I like that look on your face. If you were 10 years older, I might have fallen for you. I cant see directly into peoples hearts, but that isnt a look people get with something bad in their heart. If you need something, just tell me. Ill do everything I can to support you. He wanted to tell her everything. But he was a liar, he had deceived everyone, and he had failed to tell anyone that the entire Miniature Garden was a grand farce. So he silently steeled his resolve. And he thought to himself again. What did it matter if he was trapped between a rock and a hard place? He would not let anyone hurt the White Queen. He would save everyone: the people in the Miniature Garden, the truly powerful who were watching from outside, the summoners and vessels gathered from around the world, and even the Queen who was closest and yet farthest away. He would end this chain of fruitless conflict. He swore it. (There has to be at least one person.) He knew it was foolish. But if he did not create a foothold here, the world would never open up for him. (There has to be one giant idiot whos arrogant enough to wish to be a king of not killing!!) He recalled the very first tarot card. Yes, the Fool led to the truth of the world. (This isnt about her strongest power or her charisma. There has to be at least one person who just wants to be with the Queen and just wants to make her one of his friends!!) In the darkness hidden a thin layer away, someone muttered two simple words. They had happened to hear a wish that could never be. They knew the boy could not shake this desire even though he knew it was ridiculous and that this hesitation would reduce his lifespan on the battlefield. So they spoke with both irritation and sorrow in their voice. Those words contained the pain of readily accepting something oneself while having it rejected by someone else. You fool. Not even Kyousuke knew what was to blame. With renewed resolve, he left Shigara Masamis lab and started back toward his living space in the Inner Circle, but he ran across doom along the way. It began as a quiet voice. It was only a small vibration through a door that a normal person might not have even noticed. Passing between worlds is truly inconvenient. The voice brought as much of a shock as a surprise blow to the heart. (The White Queen? Why!?) He looked to the door again. This was the Outer Circle where the adults lived and that was a room he had snuck into once before. It was the lab belonging to Akura Taisaku, the developer who had tried to create the strongest summoner by tuning the Hatter. But the Queen supposedly could not communicate with anyone but Kyousuke. He was utterly baffled as the voice reached his ears through the door again. As I stand at the very peak, calling for me is not easy. That would place a great burden on you, brother. I simply wish to remain by your side like this, brother. What was this? Both the voice itself and what it was saying made no sense. With the completion of the Sewn Realm Summoning, the White Queen did not need to worry about the difficulty or time limit of summoning her. Everyone was aware of those conditions, but they were stripped away for a conversation even more meaningless than a lone spinning gear. Yes, it was a conversation. Another voice answered the queens disconcerting one. Surprisingly, it was identical to Shiroyama Kyousukes own voice. I dont think you should just have to obey the summoners orders just because youre a Material. I want to hear so much more of what you have to say. I want to hear your thoughts in their purest form. After all, were comrades who place our lives in each others hands. Why? What was going on? Inside Kyousukes confusion was a horrible - truly horrible - icy core that would not melt even in the warmest light. And those thoughts of absolute zero mocked that surface confusion. Kyousuke, you really do understand, dont you? Your biggest weakness is that youre not stupid enough to claim you dont understand. Kahhah!? He had trouble breathing. He could not reach this answer. It was too sinful to even put together as a mental theory. And he certainly could not even think about the possibility that it had been acted on. He would truly - truly, truly - start to hate them. He was prepared to reach an understanding with everyone, work hand in hand, and escape this dead-end situation. But that resolve was shattering!! Wow! Wow! Its no longer restricted to ten minutes or to a battle. You can really summon me whenever and however you like. Ah ha ha. Now I can go play with you whenever I want! I can give you anything I want!! He wanted to deny it, but he could not. So he could not hold back any longer. He did not bother unlocking the door and cracking it open to peek inside. He kicked the door down. The thick door had a double digit number of locks installed along the side, but every last one of them broke and the door really did collapse into the room. The Queen was inside. And of course, there was not a second Shiroyama Kyousuke inside. A gloomy man in a jumpsuit sat in front of the Queen. Akura Taisaku glanced Kyousukes way and spoke in a voice nothing like his own. It was the soprano of a boy whose voice had yet to change. Queen, this is dangerous. Get behind me. Secret rooms had been created all over the Miniature Garden. The adults and even the 15 siblings had stopped communicating. Then what were they so obsessed with that they would stay closed in their rooms? Queen, come here. Today Ill teach you how to play billiards. Oh. Youll really do that for me, brother!? This was the answer. Akura Taisaku did not have the White Queen to himself. That would not explain this. After all, the White Queen had been with Shiroyama Kyousuke the entire time. Queen, you have something in your hair. Let me get it for you. Thank you so much, brother! So his initial assumption had been wrong. He had been wrong to assume that the concept of an alibi applied to the White Queen. She was simply too great a being, so even if she was a single being, nothing said that more than one temporary version could not appear on the stage. There was a precedent: Unexplored-class. Sound Range: None. Cost: 21. The Black Maw that Swallows All (nu - lp - eu - bf - zuh - ei - jkv - iu - a - xw). That Unexplored-class used the exact same letters in a different order. That frightening Material appeared as a penalty in the Summoning Ceremony and mercilessly devoured all rule breakers. It was the same being as the White Queen while also behaving as a distinct life form. What should we eat today, Queen? Eh heh heh. Anythings fine as long as Im eating it with you, brother! So if the conditions were right, the White Queen could be divided. She could be split apart. And they would each begin to function as a unique White Queen. Didnt Lewis Carrolls story have Alice temporarily take on a new role when the Guide Rabbit mistook her for his maidservant and gave her a new name? Queen, will you promise me youll never leave me alone? Of course! Even if it means making an enemy of the entire world, I will always walk by your side, brother!! And Lewis Carrolls world did not have just the one rabbit. The Guide Rabbit was the most famous, but there was more than the one rabbit named in the story. In other words So Then well always be together, Queen. Yes, yes! Lets walk together forever! No matter where it takes us!! They were whispering. In each of their rooms, they were whispering to their own White Queen. The Hatter, the Jabberwock, the Queen of Hearts, Humpty Dumpy, the Duchess, the Dodo, the Cheshire Cat, etc. All of them were. Multiple rabbit voices spokeall identical to Kyousukes voice. Im so happy, Queen. Yes, yes! You have no idea how happy it makes me to hear that!! If they could not take her for themselves, they would use her as she was. It did not matter if she was only loyal to Shiroyama Kyousuke. They would trample on her good will and deceive her. They would fool the White Queens gentle feelings and control her through her good will. That was the greatest evil. That was the truth of Operation March Hare. Uuh His visionno, his mind went dark. An intense urge to vomit filled his rattled brain. Kyousuke could barely stand on his own two feet as he faced that hopeless malice. He stepped into Akura Taisakus lab. He had known what he would find inside. He really had. But the shock was so great that he found himself screaming. Owwwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!??? Pain exploded in his throat like he was tearing it apart. Tears poured from his eyes and the nightmare before him blurred, but it never disappeared. This was horrible. It was too much. It was true the White Queen was not human. She was the peak of the peak and nothing more than the strongest who would destroy any balance. But how did that justify trampling on her gentle feelings? He had no right to say that when he had deceived her to get close and assassinate her. He was well aware of that. But he could not help but feel that this was absolutely wrong. They were tricking her good will. They were preventing her empty eyes from seeing the true image. She smiled without knowing who it was next to her and she simply had her power extracted from her. How was that acceptable? Could he really accept that!? They were deceiving her. They were all deceiving her. If he could see the Relective Graph of their bonds, his own line would surely be going nuts far removed from the others. He was the biggest offender of them all, so he might have no right to criticize them. They might send his criticism right back at him. But that was not the point. With the White Queen, he had thought they could all come together. If they interacted with her properly, he had believed the 15 and the adults could avoid being influenced by her. And yetwhat was this? They were not just being influenced by accident. Even Biondetta and Kyoumi were rejoicing as they used the White Queen through deceit. There was nothing as warm as trust here. She was simply the strongest. Nothing more than the strongest. They had focused on her simple and hopelessly great strength instead of the warmer and softer things!! The White Queens head slowly turned and her hopeless eyes pierced Kyousuke. No, what did this look like to her? Akura Taisaku had control over her, so if he ordered it, she would likely bare her fangs against Kyousuke while entirely oblivious to what she was doing. She was the peak of the Unexplored-class and the strongest of the strongest. Without a protective circle, he would be turned to dust by even one of her hairs. He could not win. He simply could not win and he would die here. No, you know the truth, dont you? Otherwise, why would you have bothered kicking down that locked door? Ah He heard the whispers of the icy core deep in his head. What was about to happen slowly dawned on him. You couldnt forgive him. You must have wished to tear it all down and drive it all to failure. So that is exactly what will happen. Everything will follow your desiresyour calculations. Ahhh!? It happened only a moment later. It was like a thin, thin circuit had fried. While accurately locked onto him, the White Queens eyes returned to normal. She tilted her head in the adults lab, looked to her hands, and then looked around the room. The mans smile was stiff, but he had yet to abandon hope. He spoke in an unnatural soprano voice. Strange. This shouldnt be. Hey, Queen, you can hear me, cant you!? Look at me and tell me who I am!! And the White Queen answered with those eyes. Those horribly cold eyes were the same ones that had been locked onto Kyousuke in his T-shirt and shorts. Who are you? Babvegdobchahhh!!!!! The world was dyed in red and black. Ah Something broke inside Kyousuke. That could no longer be called a person. Even calling it someones remains seemed suspect. It was only a dark red paste staining the walls, the floor, and the ceiling. Khah. The Queen had done that. She had crossed a line. There was no going back now. It had only been a feeble hope, but he had been planning a different path that threw out the impossible task of killing the Queen and talked it out with everyone instead. But that possibility was snuffed out before his eyes. Gwooaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!! He found himself screaming. As if to reject anything and everything, he tore at his hair and ran aimlessly. Again and again, he tripped or ran into walls, but he did not have it in him to complain about the pain. Another voice rang in his mind. The icy core was laughing. Isnt that great? It went just the way you wanted. Arent you glad she chose the real one over the fake? Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!! Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!! Now the White Queens power belongs only to you. You alone are special. No, there are still plenty more fools borrowing your voice to steal away your honeymoon. Stop, dammit, stop! Thats not what I wanted!! Its not!! What calculations are you talking about!? I didnt want this! I never asked for this!! I wanted everyone to smile together!! I wanted to end it without anyone getting hurt!! So what is this!? What the hell is thiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiis!? What is it? Why, this is Shiroyama Kyousuke as the Greatest Common Divisor just like everyone wanted. Or to use your favorite phrase, perhaps we should call it a precision guided missile. He could not stop screaming. He could not trust himself. Shigara Masami had said everyone had the strength that came from kindness. But didnt that lead to another conclusion as well? Everyone also had something other than that. Humans had always had as much wickedness as they did kindness. What was the identity of the kindness that had budded inside him? The precision guided missile. To approach the target inputted into his brain, he had repeatedly made minor course corrections. It had all been exactly as the truly powerful wanted. And all towards their goal of killing the Queen. Is that why this had happened? As time had passed without any results, had his core chosen the optimal answer? Had he simply been disguising it as justice when he whispered of saving everyone? Had he never changed from beginning to end? Had it only been a temporary show of good meant to take him along the shortest route? Owwwwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!! Yell and yell. Then everyone will notice something is wrong and gather here. I wonder what will happen when the multiple Queens meet. Kyousuke frantically shut his mouth, but it was too late. He heard pounding footsteps. Identical footsteps were approaching from multiple directions. Its over, he thought. He could not stop it. Once they met, it was obvious just how the White Queens would pay the others back for deceiving and manipulating them. Could he really say it? And even if he shouted for them to stay away, would any of them really stop? Unable to do anything, Kyousuke simply waited for the final moment to arrive. But he once again made a mistake. Or had he been too clever for his own good? When the multiple White Queens met, he was mysteriously able to tell one apart from the others. It was the one that had been with him all this time. And without even thinking - truly without thinking - he shouted to her. Stop, Mary!! Stay away!!!!! Mary Ann was the new name that Alice was given when the Guide Rabbit mistook her for his maidservant. And as long as she used that name, everyone around her treated her like she really was that maidservant. That name gave the eternal girl another role. And it had been given to her by the rabbit. What about Alice (with) Rabbit? Now well never be separated again!! When she had innocently made that suggestion, Kyousuke had actually expressed some slight disapproval. That would just be using the names the Miniature Garden gave us. So So So Ive been calling you something ever since you arrived, havent I? Mary. Mary Ann. That is both Alice and not Alice. It is another role given to her by the rabbit. Now you can be free of all bonds. That was back when Kyousuke had still been trapped by the plan to kill the Queen and had been approaching her to deceive her. But that silly lie had supported him in the very, very end. Or it should have. But why did he overlook it? The other Alices had not been given that name. They were the others who had not been made special. Why did he overlook just how much maddening damage those words would do to them? It told them they were nothing but fakes and that only another could receive his love. And that fact brought a chain reaction of pure white explosions into the world. Even one White Queen wielded unbelievable power and now that fury boiled over and whipped up a storm of destruction. A white explosion struck his body. Had he been unconscious for only a few seconds or for more than an hour? Kahhah His vision wavered. He could not even perceive the space around him. In his T-shirt and shorts, Kyousuke suppressed the feeling of something caught in his throat and desperately worked to breath. How many people had died in that explosion? What had happened to Biondetta, to Kyoumi, to Shigara Masamito everyone? And What had happened to the White Queen??? other. Only one person stood tall in that broken world. They had all killed each other. To take that one love for themselves, the Queens with identical specs had all killed each other. And only one had survived as if to say that was what a queen was. Brother He could not tell which White Queen this was. It was like a Kodoku jar. Who remained standing at the end of the fight to the death? But Kyousuke knew one thing. (That isnt Mary Ann.) He was sure of it. It could not possibly be her. (She swore to me that she wouldnt hurt anyone. So she must have kept her violence sealed away to the very end.) If not for that verbal promise, she could have wielded her claws and fangs and she might have managed to survive. It was sad. It was painful. He wanted to run away in anger. But he could not. Suppressing the White Queen came first. She carried no sin of her own. She had simply been trapped by a curse. And it was Kyousuke himself who had cut her chains and forced the horrifying backlash onto her. He could no longer hope for the best result. But he could not give up. He had to stop her at the second best position. He could not let her continue this sorrowful rampage. Are you still fighting it? Shut up This will begin the killing of the Queen. This proves the prediction that the Sewn Realm Summoning prevents the Queen from escaping to the other world even when she is killed. If the truly powerful sweep away the remaining fragments through pure numbers, even that White Queen will be truly killed this time. Shut up!!!!!! Something burned deep in his mind. The supposedly unmeltable icy core was burned entirely away. He felt a sticky liquid dripping from his ears. This was probably the final correction. He could no longer use the cruel thought processes of a precision guided missile. But that was fine. He did not care if it had broken. He would shake off the destiny decided for him and he would grab at his own future. So he wanted the power to save someone instead. He wanted the strength to not give up even after making a decisive mistake! He wanted the ultimate light that let him embrace that twisted person and tell her it would be okay!! Now that he had become a mere boy, he began dragging his body that was too weak to actually get up. But not toward the White Queen. There was no point in fighting. Challenging the peak of the Unexplored-class as a human would be reckless and choosing to harm her was the wrong way to deal with this. He had to find the source of the power driving the Queen insane. He had to destroy it and remove the bonds of false love and affection from her heart. (The grownups had 78 tarot cards based on Lewis Carrolls story.) He thought of the spider web structure of the Miniature Garden. That was likely modeled after the psychedelic picture book world existing down the rabbit hole. He calculated out what symbols they would have used where to most efficiently apply the March Hares influence. (They viewed the White Queen as the eternal girl and trapped her in this story world to control her through the actions of the children who were given different roles by the cards.) And that guided him to where he needed to go and what he needed to remove to return everything to normal. (And on top of that, they mixed the Guide Rabbit and the March Hare together to steal my role from me) Brother, where are you going? Anywheres fine as long as it isnt heaven He would even visit the depths of hell if he would find the method of saving her there. He clenched his teeth and gradually but desperately made progress. He grabbed it in the very, very end. Everyone had drawn a card from that set in the very beginning. It was most likely an original tarot set based on Lewis Carrolls masterpiece. No one had chosen the March Hare card. That was the second rabbit. It was the source of the confusion. Itll be okay, announced Kyousuke despite barely breathing. He spoke those words that had truly saved him when he heard them from Shigara Masami. Ill save you now, Queen. If I tear apart this March Hare card, the confusion and deception will vanish and youll be back to normal. That way, you wont be manipulated by this mistaken love any longer!! At that time, the White Queen did not know who she was. She was the last Queen standing after repeatedly killing her own. She had nothing to prove her previous memories were not based on deception, so she may have been empty with nothing to rely on. But. She still felt some attachment. (Back to normal?) She felt a slight prickling in her heart. That faint pain became the trigger that would end the world. (Mistaken love???) She bit her lip a little. Something unidentifiable seeped into her blank thoughts. (In that case) It was true this might not be pure. There might be a single drop of poison in the vast, vast lake. But did that ruin it? Did that require rejecting everything else? In other words If I return to normal What happens to my brothers promise to always stay by my side? There was a frightening flash of light. The word doom referred to just such a moment. As extraordinary as everything else had been, it had still only been the warmup. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!? Kyousuke screamed as his entire body was pummeled by the white. He was blown away, his back slammed into the wall, and even the wall crumbled fragilely. He struggled to breathe and trembled at a sticky feeling. It was not his own blood. Someone else had been hit by countless blocks of concrete and skewered by several pieces of rebar jutting out. The Queen of Hearts!? It was Shiroyama Kyoumi. It was that cosplay lover with slightly drooping black eyebrows who was everyones big sister. But she was undeniably void of life. It was so obviously a corpse that it kept him from even considering trying to revive her. She was light. Far too light. There was no dramatic revelation or great meaning. When the heart stopped, the blood grew stagnant, and the brain matter was destroyed, people would die. That simple fact of life robbed her of all human dignity. Could this injustice be allowed? Even if the Queen was the peak of the peak, could the world really allow this? Kyousuke was unable to get up and struggled in a pool of blood, but the White Queen was moving next to him. A card had fallen to the floor next to him. She picked up the March Hare card that had made a mockery of her and she held it lovingly to her chest. Why, Queen? He could not understand. Shiroyama Kyousuke truly could not understand the White Queens feelings. Why are you rejecting my help and causing more damage!? Queen!? Meanwhile, the White Queen smiled faintly, truly faintly. And she made an announcement to the person who would not call her Mary. You would not understand, brother. What? It does not matter if some of it is mistaken or if you cant tell it apart from the rest. You do not understand what it is like to have someone that makes you feel that way. To hell with To hell with thaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat!! That was the sign of their parting. Kyousuke sought what was right too much to understand her love and the Queen had sought her love to the point of abandoning what was right. A horrific war was beginning and it would throw everything into the abyss. It had originally been meant as a thought experiment. When looking at the Regulation-class, Divine-class, and Unexplored-class, the Summoning Ceremony could summon as many Materials as there were stars in the sky. What would summon what, how did one lead to another, what route was used to reach what, what Material was the enemy summoning or preparing to summon, how could that be avoided or beaten, and what were their Costs and Sound Ranges? The possible paths were as complex as a spider web. The location of the Petals and Spots, ones stock of White Thorns, the terrain, and the movement of the enemy summoner also had to be taken into consideration, but they set all that aside for the time being to focus on it as a thought experiment. Could they memorize the Materials so efficiently it became second nature? What was the optimal medium for that? Okay. Starting from the Transforming Box (r u m - t e), I use a three hit combo to draw alphabet cards from the deck and complete the Leather Bag that Swallows and Digests (j k v - j k v - k m o l - m). Thats Cost 11 and Middle Sound Range, so the greater Cost and superior Sound Range do major damage to the Cost 10 and Low Sound Range of your Pure Sphere with Hidden Fangs (t - e i - k o - f b - j i). And while Biondetta has to skip a turn, I continue powering it up to the Divine-class!! Vahhh!? It was a handmade card game. Biondetta screamed at the beating she took from the major damage Shiroyama Kyoumi announced and her voice echoed through the large party space. The adults had taken a trial and error approach to finding a way to teach the 15 the patterns of the Materials through rote memorization and repetitive practice, but as Shigara Masami had watched, she had shouted God, how boring. Youre never going to get them motivated like that. and developed this card game all on her own. The combos and having to skip a turn were not the same as the actual Blood-Sign method, but it was a convenient way to teach them how strong the different Materials were and which Materials made good stepping stones to reach which other ones. While watching Kyoumi and Biondettas duel from a short distance away, Kyousuke asked a question of the person next to him. It was the developer named Shigara Masami. Arent you going to play, Shigara? Dont forget the -san, newcomer. Besides, why should I play? This is a study tool for summoners. She sounded exasperated as she drank a clear liquid from a glass. That seemed to be a sign that she was not working at the moment. Shigara Masami seemed devil-may-care at first glance, but something caught Kyousukes attention. This card game had been arranged for children, but it still included all of the Materials that could be summoned with the 3rd Summoning Ceremony, aka the Blood-Sign Method. That included the Regulation-class, the Divine-class, the Unexplored-classand even the White Queen, the peak of the peak. The card illustrations were hand drawn and given cute deformed proportions, but how had Shigara Masami learned the traits of all of those Materials and what they looked like? Inside the Artificial Sacred Ground created when an Incense Grenade detonated, no cameras or sensors could see the summoners or Materials. That meant she had not used photographs or videos as reference material. That was simply not an option. Then had she seen them all with her own eyes? The other developers estimated the names of the individual Materials that were theorized to exist based on the spelling of the ones proven to exist, but had she actually seen them? Simply putting together all of the names and Sound Ranges would have taken a lot of effort. Even the round Mock Battlefield in the center of the Miniature Garden had not seen every last Material yet. Hmm? What is it, boy? Oh, are you feeling the seduction of this sinful young woman? The developer who gave him an intoxicated look was still nothing more than devil-may-care. And just as he opened his mouth, Biondetta called out to him after losing badly. Kyousuke! You come over here too! Go beat up the Queen of Hearts and Hatter who keep using cruel combos!! Why are you summoning a human instead of a Material? Well, whatever. Kyousuke! Ill defeat you next. His older sister beckoned him over with a fingertip, so Kyousuke sighed and left Shigara Masami. The adult simply waved goodbye. The battle began on the desk like a practice run on paper. Biondetta played the role of the referee. Ready, set, go! Kyousuke and Kyoumi both played their first cards. The Original Yellow (s). Geh. Im the Original Green (k). My Sound Range loses. The Queen of Hearts lamented, but she was not that worried. This card game did not focus as much on the very first move as chess and Reversi. By playing more cards, they could build up their Material to make it stronger and stronger. And then Kyousuke made an announcement. Check. ? Sorry. I have the White Queen who Wields the Sword of Unsullied Truth (iu - nu - fb - a - wuh - ei -kx - eu - pl - vjz). Thats an instant kill. Gyahhh!? screamed Shiroyama Kyoumi as she threw her cards into the air. The White Queen. She was the strongest of the strongest who assured victory once she was summoned. Just like the big bang, the theory behind her was understood, but it was thought they would never actually see her. In poker terms, it was like smoothly gathering your cards and grinning with a full house only to have your opponent hit you with a royal flush. Y-you just got lucky. That one didnt count. Kyousuke, I demand a rematch!! Sigh Complain like that in an actual battle and youll end up crawling around like a baby Deadly shut up! What do you mean you want your noble big sister to submit to you in absolute defeat mode!? The Queen of Hearts blushed and began the rematch. But once more Oh, I have the White Queen. Gwaaahhh! Sorry. The White Queen again. Gyahhh!! The Queen. !!!??? It looked like they were going to keep playing forever, so Biondetta stepped in as the referee while looking really bored. Wait. Isnt the White Queen going to Kyousuke way too often? Are you cheating somehow? Im really not sure what to tell you. They tried swapping out decks and Biondetta kept a watchful eye on Kyousukes cards from behind him. And then the Queen of Hearts, the Mad Hatter, and space suit Humpty Dumpty all tried to battle him. The White Queen. Ghahh!? Sigh Why do I keep getting her? Its the White Queen. Psshhh. Th-this isnt due to your own skill! He made short work of all his older siblings. But even as those older siblings lay collapsed on the floor before him, it was Biondetta watching his hand as the referee who was trembling most of all. She knew better than anyone that he had done nothing suspicious. And yet the White Queen seemed to always find her way into his hand. How was that anything but unfair? It was a miracleor a nightmare. Hmm. He may just be more compatible Shigara Masami casually spoke up while chugging her clear liquid a short distance away. Hic. He may have been born under a star of great love from the Queen. Facts: *Kyousuke wanted to save everyone. And that everyone included the White Queen. In order to throw out the original plan of killing the Queen, he named his ship of salvation the White Queen. *Operation March Hare split the White Queen into multiple individuals to destroy the concept of an alibi and then tricked her into thinking the others were Kyousuke so she would obey their commands. *Kyousuke freed the Queen from that horrifying deceit, but that sent her on a rampage that caused gruesome damage. At the very least, that rampage killed Akura Taisaku and Shiroyama Kyoumi. *The specific Queen who was with Kyousuke was named Mary Ann instead of Alice. If she kept her promise not to hurt anyone, there is no chance at all she survived. Paradoxically, whichever Queen it was that survived is a murderous Queen. *To save the rampaging Queen, Kyousuke abandoned his value as a precision guided missile. *The rampaging Queen rejected the salvation Kyousuke offered her. She was not willing to regain what is right if it means losing her love for Shiroyama Kyousuke. *Because Shiroyama Kyousuke chose to protect what is right and because the White Queen chose to protect her love, a rift opened between them. *And the hopeless battle known as the Secret War has begun. Volume 5, Stage 04 - The Calamity was Named, the Secret War Volume 5, Stage 04: The Calamity was Named, the Secret War Why dont I kill you, brother? Do you really not understand why? (Stage 04 Open 11/12 20:10 War of the White Apocalypse) The Calamity was Named, the Secret War He never stood a chance. An explosion struck Kyousuke before he could get in any kind of attack, so he should not have been able to even stand up. This went beyond issues of willpower and guts; the bones themselves were broken in multiple places. He had no guarantee his organs were unharmed and he was honestly lucky to have only taken this much damage after being caught in the pure white light brought by the Queen. So it was likely nothing he had done that had kept him from dying in that first hit. Kyousuke-kun!! A voice cut in from the side. A woman with a long black ponytail wore a lab coat over a dark blue tight suit. She was Madam Professor Shigara Masami. No, it was not just her. He heard several muffled breaths. It was the guards in charge of security at the Queens Miniature Garden. Those unidentifiable summoners wore gas masks that hid their faces, explosion-resistant jackets that covered their bodies, and several devices that resembled octopus tentacle that attached to their waists. But they lacked vessels. Their firearms were worthless against the White Queen. And even if they were perfectly supplied with vessels, Incense Grenades, and Blood-Signs, how could they stand up to the White Queen, that strongest of the strongest who signaled the end of the match as soon as she was summoned!? Stop In his T-shirt and shorts, Kyousuke clenched his teeth against the pain of his broken bones and forced out his voice. This is my responsibility. Its all my fault, so stop!! Not a chance. He was cut off by a masked man who did not turn around. That faceless man enjoyed baking cakes and had occasionally left homemade sweets in the refrigerator for the 15 children. We were wrong to force this onto a single child all this time. So give us a chance to make up for it. No, that was not his point. Kyousuke wanted to shout back, but the intense pain sealed his mouth. Shigara Masami picked up his small battered body. Madam, get him to the emergency elevator evacuation route. I cant say how long the backup power will last. Please If we survive this, lets go get a drink together and discuss these memories. Stop that. My tendency to fall for women has caused me way too much pain in the past. They all began to move. The gas mask troops would hold off the White Queen even one second longer if it would protect the small life in Shigara Masamis arms. Everything was destroyed. What Kyousuke had truly wanted to protect was smashed beyond recognition. Broootherrr An insane voice slammed into his body. But who was it that had driven her insane? Who was at fault for not stopping it before this happened? Broooooooootherrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!! That sturdy underground space shook like a candy box in a storm. Cracks ran through it and pursued Shigara Masami as she fled. The Great Ceiling crumbled and the walls collapsed. The entire space bared its fangs and swung its claws like a living creature. Ee hee hee. Ah ha ha ha ha. Shes fast! I knew the difference in power was too great, but not this much!! Shigara Masami clenched her teeth. The emergency elevator was still a long way away. She removed the ID card from her lab coat chest and had helpless Kyousuke hold it. Then she looked around and stopped her eyes on a certain spot. She caught a glimpse of white and pink. You there! Detta-chan! Take care of Kyousuke-kun. You can use the elevator with this card. You know where that is, right? Go!! A frightening tremor reached them from behind. After leaving unmoving Kyousuke with Biondetta, Shigara Masami turned around with her lab coat fluttering behind her. By leaving her ID card with the children, she was abandoning her own opportunity to open the elevator door. Khahhh!! In his T-shirt and shorts, Kyousuke desperately tried to move his broken arms to grab at the back of her lab coat. But he did not accomplish anything. Still in Biondettas arms, he alone was taken to safety once more. Meanwhile, he heard shaking all around him. Shigara Masami and the adults Kyousuke had never met would be caught in that and they would be fighting and falling. And it was all to protect this small life, as if to say it was irrelevant that he did not actually know them. Itll be okay, said the young demon while her short skirt fluttered. Your big sister will protect you. So itll be okay, Kyousuke!! He did not know how to respond. He knew he had to shout something, but the words caught in his throat and nothing came out. With nowhere to go, the torrent of emotions escaped his eyes instead of his mouth. Oh, he realized. Was he crying? Was he pathetically shedding tears? But why? Because he had not noticed the distortion to the Queens Miniature Garden? Because the White Queen had broken through her bonds? Because the people he had wanted to protect were vanishing into the white light and the rubble? He was losing everything. Because he had lost any path except for opposing her? The two of them finally arrived at the emergency elevator. There were several elevators in a row, but the single ID card could only open one of them. But that was as far as they got. However, not because of the White Queen. Hey, Kyousuke. A low, low voice stopped them. It was the top of the rotting ranking board. It was the summoner with messy blond hair and brown skin who undeniably had the most skill of the 15. It was Alberto S. Divinesmith the Hatter. That devil sneered with a vessel girl bound by an iron maiden device. Lets have some fun here. Once the protective circle is set up, your broken arms and legs wont matter. Yeah, for as long as the Summoning Ceremony battle lasts. Do you not know whats happening right now!? That doesnt matter. A single silver coin danced between Albertos fingers. More and more and more identical coins stacked on top of it to create a heavy Blood-Sign made of metal. As long as youll pour all your strength into this moment, anythings fine. Yes, yes. Its been like that ever since the Mock Battlefield was taken from me. But now Im finally living in a world of color again. The Hatter held a practice Blood-Sign in addition to the silver one. But he was not going to fight with two. He tossed the practice stick over to set the stage. But it was not Kyousuke who caught it. Biondetta stuck her hand out and caught it instead. Go on ahead, Kyousuke. The ID card from Shigara Masami was an unreliable thread, but Biondetta also let go of it. After the emergency elevator door opened, she shoved the barely moving boy inside and then lightly grabbed her waitress miniskirt. A metal sphere one size smaller than a baseball fell from between her legs. This is a farewell gift. Wait, Biondetta! You If he gets serious, the entire elevator shaft will be destroyed. Someone has to hold him off. He was not given a chance to reply. Biondetta Shiroyama took a step back from the elevator that would allow her to escape. She returned to hell, but she gave him an oddly gentle smile while still holding the bottom of her short waitress skirt. Itll be okay. Im your big sister, so Ill protect you. The iron door closed from both sides. The thin lifeline made of metal rapidly ascended with only the greatest sinner of all onboard. Im surprised, said the Mad Hatter in the depths of hell. You were just as focused on holing up in your room and tricking the Queen as any of us. So why are you still so fixated on that family crap? Maybe the Fifteen Siblings Project did succeed in some way. No. Biondetta shook her head at the brown-skinned boys words while holding the practice Blood-Sign so tightly it creaked. Im just about at my limit. Ive been assisting other people with their revenge while that boy wasnt looking. If I had to look at Kyousukes face any longer, I would probably throttle him out of pure hatred. You dont hate Kyousuke. I can tell. After all, it was I, Biondetta Shiroyama, who received the Queens hatred. Through Shiroyama Kyousukes Sewn Realm Summoning and the March Hare derived from it, everyone had pretended to be Kyousuke to control the White Queen. But in the end, it had not fulfilled them. Even when they could perfectly rule her and completely control her, the White Queen was not looking at them. They had only been watching her whisper words of love for a fictional Shiroyama Kyousuke and unconditionally trust him. And that love and trust was much, much deeper than for any family or sibling. After watching her, they were convinced that they could search all across the world and never find someone they could rely on so comfortably. Biondetta did not know what the grownups had thought. But the 14 children besides Kyousuke had received something other than love. In Biondettas case, that was the Queens hatred. And in Albertos case The Queens ferocity. The hatter directly answered in a clear voice. It was as if the fog of madness had cleared from his mind for a brief moment. I just wanted to save the vessels. I wanted to do something about those 3 who were passed around for contract after contract until their bodies were worn down both inside and out. So I thought I could tear down the Mock Battlefield by going along with Akuras plan and taking the strongest spot for myself. I didnt expect for Kyousuke to take the White Queen for himself, but anything was fine as long as those vessels wouldnt be worn down any longer. That doesnt make sense. You hated us for taking the Mock Battlefield from you, didnt you? It was no use. Do you know what happened to the vessels after those battles were taken from them and they werent needed to hold Materials inside themselves? You wouldnt. Of course you wouldnt. You were all so fixated on the Queen that you wouldnt know where the vessels were after that. No vessel was needed to permanently summon the White Queen. There had been no need to summon any of the inferior Materials. So those girls had been abandoned with almost innocent cruelty. And as he watched the vessels rotting away with no place left for themsomething had broken inside the Hatter. We can only live alongside monsters. The blond madman smiled. No, it was not actually the Hatter who was mad. It was the tea party being held around him. So lets enjoy this to the very end. Because this is how we live. I received the Queens ferocity! This charisma takes joy in battle and is moved to emotion by battle!! Now, it might be only a brief dream, but I will give you vessels the power you need to take the next step forward!! Someone stood next to Waitress Biondetta. It was a woman with a silver bob cut. Her entire body was tightly bound by belt-like restraints. A ring of metal surrounded her head along the forehead line and it had plugs along the inside, making it a modern version of the crown of thorns. This was another of the vessels, but since the 3 vessels existed as a category, they had to have had as close a relationship as the 15 did. And yet they chose to oppose each other. Even if it was for a second or a mere moment, they wanted to immerse themselves in an all-out battle that tore at their souls. I received the Queens hatred. There was a quiet tearing sound. To bind a contract with the vessel, Biondetta had bit into the side of her lip with her canine tooth and allowed a bead of blood to appear. She felt like that rusty flavor definitively remade who she was. Whether she lived or died, she was a big sister no longer. Shiroyama Kyousuke. When they next met, she would have become someone else entirely. Nevertheless, Biondetta Shiroyama shook off that thought and wiped the blood from her lip. She pressed her red-dyed fingertip toward the vessels mouth to bind them together. She gave up on herself as a person. A personality had been awkwardly growing in the depths of her mind, but now she heard it burning away. And the two of them spoke in unison as summoners, the devices meant to surpass the gods. Now, time for the final battle!! Now, time for the final battle!! A woman with a long ponytail wore a lab coat over her dark blue tight suit. Shigara Masami faced a monster in the pile of rubble that had no more walls or Great Ceiling. Unexplored-class. Sound Range: None. Cost: 21. The White Queen who Wields the Sword of Unsullied Truth (iu - nu - fb - a - wuh - ei -kx - eu - pl - vjz). An incarnation of benevolence, a symbol of sanctity, and a personification of radiance. She knew the identity and true nature of what she faced, but the charisma was so overwhelming that she might have thrown out every last assumption and bowed down on the spot if she let her guard down even slightly. Oh? You arent going to run for your pathetic little life? And have you finally decided to speak with people other than Kyousuke-kun? The White Queen purely tilted her head at that question. Had killing so many of her own caused some kind of change? You were always a being that would harm mankind. No matter how you might feel, that will never change. You might not mean any harm. There is nothing at fault in a perfect being like you and the creatures we call humans might just be too weak in comparison. But no matter how misguided it might be, you will bring us harm and not benefit. Shigara Masami did not care and spoke as if singing to herself. She did not give in and took a step forward. When I hoped to save you or that someone would save you, I had given up somewhere in my heart. I was free to dream because I never thought any of it was realistic. That was all I thought it was. She stepped toward the White Queen. Toward that peak of the peak. And thats why I was dazzled when I saw Kyousuke-kun. I started thinking what if or could it be. That dream was so heavy I gave up on it, but I tried to force it onto those small shoulders. She spoke to her. She blocked her way. Queen, lets end this. The dream I held in Kyousuke-kun and the hope you held in him will bring him far too much suffering. It may have been of a different type, but both of us forced our mistakes onto him, so at least allow me to clean up after myself. Shigara Masami reached a slender hand back and stuck it into her large ponytail. And then she pulled something out. It was a small glass bottle that sealed a bright blue sticky fluid inside. She threw it to her feet where it shattered and the slime surrounded Shigara Masami. Its rotation picked up speed until it sharpened into something like an upside-down tornado. In the blink of an eye, it transformed into a single long stick. It was a Blood-Sign. The White Queen did not laugh when she saw it. Are you trying to come between my brother and me with that? I am Freedom Award 3000, World Complete. Shigara Masamis eyes silently narrowed. She released into the world a name entirely different from the kind and harmless one of Governments Madam Professor. Government, Illegal, and Freedom. While passing between all three major powers, I ended up completing every last one of the 1000 tasks they each gave me. At the very least, I should hold your interest more than bullying some fleeing children. Shiroyama Kyousuke had been mistaken. The truly powerful was not Humanism, Open Bluff, and Perfect Equilibrium who reigned on the underside of the world. The underside of the underside was the topside. A single woman had reached greater heights than anyone, but she remained alongside her fellow man more than anyone while adding a hint of humanity into the purely coldhearted systems she so hated. She had once said that the Miniature Garden was headed in a wicked direction, but that resolving it by force would break the container and allow the wickedness to spill out. That also meant that she alone could have destroyed that container and brought ruin to the entire Miniature Garden, including the 15 geniuses. She heard a quiet animal cry. Was it a squirrel or a ferret? The small animal poked its head out from the neck of her lab coat. That was the animal vessel she was contracted with. This was an extension of the idea that deer or bears could be made divine and used as messengers of a god. And its front paws held an Incense Grenade like it was a walnut. She was the strongest of the human side. So even if she had her pride, she also understood. (I know I cant win) Now, its time for a battle between two who have mastered their fields, Your Majesty. Tsk, tsk, tsk. But the White Queen wagged her index finger. She went out of her way to interact with this puny human. She showed her respect for this summoner who had desperately gathered so many Awards, but she also immediately corrected the woman. You still dont have Loved by the White or White Slayer. A hopeless tremor further destroyed the Queens Miniature Garden. In his T-shirt and shorts, Kyousuke rode the emergency escape elevator all on his own. That last thread of hope made of modern machinery swiftly pulled the survivor up from that hell 500 meters underground. (If I can get to the top) He kept his woozy mind active and desperately thought about what he could do, whether it was the best, second best, or whatever other option. (If I can get to the surface, Ill find the team meant to kill the Queen. With their help, I might be able to pull the others up from underground!) But that did not last forever. With a loud clunk like a gear jamming, the elevator came to a grinding halt. His bones were already broken, but he bounced up from the floor, fell back down, and was thrown into a world of pain. Khahah!? He did not have time to writhe around. Something like white claws tore into the rectangular box like the thick blade of a can opener digging into a metal lid. What were those? They were white. So were they a part of the Queen? Had her clothing or something else transformed into them??? Kh!! It was all for naught if he was caught here. The elevator was dangling in midair and it had probably risen 200 meters. Biondetta, Alberto, and other survivors had to still be down there. It was unclear how much accurate information had gotten out or how far it had spread, but it had to mean a lot that all of this had been caused by Shiroyama Kyousuke himself. Unable to even stand up, he crawled over to the elevator panel. He grabbed at the metal fragment torn by the White Queens claws and he turned the screws to pry it open. All the while, an ominous creaking surrounded him. It should not have taken her even a second to crush the entire elevator. Brother A voice called for him from the depths of hell. It was probably a lot harder to extract him from the box without crushing him. But that hesitation opened the next path forward. Brooootherrrrrrrrrrrr If dying would have brought it all to an end, he would have torn his own heart out right that instant. But this was not so kind. Committing suicide now would only be a way of running from his responsibility. (There are 4 emergency escape elevators. The control panels are connected through the internal network, so this will work!) Kyousuke grabbed the round metal sphere that Biondetta had given him. He pulled out the pin with his mouth and tossed it into a gap in the jagged torn wall. He doubted it was an Incense Grenade. Incense Grenades were fine-tuned for each individual summoner, so Biondetta giving Kyousuke hers would have accomplished nothing. That meant it was disguised as an Incense Grenade while containing normal explosives. It was likely meant to blow up another summoner while pretending to start a Summoning Ceremony battle. It was a cruel trick for use against her siblings. At any rate, he let it detonate. While fully contained in the gap, the grenade did not scatter an explosive blast and shrapnel. Instead, it blew open the wall. And with an ear-splitting roar, the elevator itself tilted diagonally. Kyousuke rolled along the floor. And he did not hesitate to jump right toward the large hole in the wall. Brooooooooootherrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!! The countless claws holding the elevator danced out toward him, but they just barely missed. He flung himself into the empty air and landed on the roof of another elevator ascending alongside the first. He had used the panel to send a request to the connected elevator. When he looked back, he saw the previous elevator was wrapped in what looked like white cloth. It was like a strange cocoon. And that cloth rising from the dark depths of the earth mercilessly crushed the metal box it no longer needed. Pant, pant!! Kyousuke gasped for breath and lay on the elevator roof while desperately trying to keep his thoughts positive. If he did not, he would have broken right then and there. (Upto the surface) That was his one hope. It was the final chance to save everyone still trapped 500 meters underground. (I need to get the details to the team up there With their help) And the elevator arrived at the surface. He removed a roof panel, rolled inside the elevator, and dragged his broken bones along to desperately arrive outside. Even in the tropical location, the air was chilly. Something was not right. He saw no hope. He found the stench of something burning and voices from all around. When he focused on it, the unclear mass of noise sounded a lot like shouts of anger and fear. Was something happening here too? Someone He dragged his aching body and used his dried throat to force out a voice. Someone please come here!! The Miniature Gardeneveryone is down in the Miniature Garden!! No one responded. Kyousuke crawled along the dirty ground like a caterpillar and tried to find out what was happening. He moved to the hill Biondetta had once shown him. He had no idea how many times he nearly passed out before arriving at that point giving him a view of the wandering land. His T-shirt and shorts were filthy by the time he saw it. The trees of the tropical forest had been felled or burned away. And the entire land was covered in a horrifying swarm of Materials. Due to the tides and the accumulation of sand, the area around the Miniature Garden was cut off by seawater, making it something of a large island. And that entire island had become hell on earth. He seriously doubted these were vessels being controlled by summoners. For one thing, there was no Artificial Sacred Ground in effect. And yet hundreds, if not thousandsno, even more monsters were enveloping the lower world. They might be a giant collection of gears, countless wolves connected by the single shadow they shared, an endlessly swollen eyeball, or a suit of armor with nothing inside. And those Regulation-classes were joined by a group of what were clearly the gods of legend as they spread destruction endlessly. Beams of light surged out and explosions erupted. The forest was carved away, the distant bridge was broken at its relay points, and large pillars of water rose from the ocean. Were those caused by submarines exploding underwater? The occasional Incense Grenade was thrown and Artificial Sacred Grounds opened here and there, but they were tiny. They were miniscule. In the face of the fury covering the entire land rising from the ocean, they looked like no more than small bubbles doomed to pop. That was the source of the angry and fearful shouting. The Cost and Sound Range were irrelevant. They could not even set up a one-on-one battle. When surrounded by Materials of multiple Sound Ranges and Costs, the proper summoners and vessels could not even hope to fight. They had already forgotten to function as a group, so they were running around like a swarm of bees was after them. They tried to escape the hellish battlefield, but they could not. The bridge had fallen and the submarines had exploded and sunk. (Wait. The ocean?) Kyousuke moved his muddy face to check on that again. Yes, the ocean. The Materials were pushing in from the beach like white waves. Their numbers knew no bounds, so it looked like they were crawling endlessly from the seawater. Ah. He realized it. He realized the truth. The Sewn Realm Summoning he had used to summon the White Queen was based on the fairys spring seen in fairy tales and childrens books. That meant water defined the line dividing this world from the other. Was that why? As the Queen lost control and her power surged out, the entire surrounding ocean had become a spring that summoned fairies. The surface team had suddenly been surrounded by Materials from the ocean all around them, so they had been unable to continue on or fall back. Destruction had been their only option. It had happened again. Yet again, Shiroyama Kyousuke had pulled the trigger on all these lost lives. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!! He could not save everyone still underground. He had even needlessly gotten the people on the surface involved. The White Queen was still on a rampage and no one could hope to stop her. Shiroyama Kyousuke could protect no one. He could protect nothing. Dammit! Is this where you were!? He heard a rustling in the underbrush and a man appeared with wounds all over his body. It was the large blond man who had once overlooked Kyousuke and Biondettas outing. I saw the elevator had run, but was it just you? Were you the only one that got out!? The only one. Even after all this, it was only him. He thought the man was going to kill him. With all his broken bones, Kyousuke started thinking that was unavoidable. After all, there was no hope left. Kyousuke was worthless. He had pulled a fatal trigger on the world, sacrificed so much, and lost the possibility of saving anyone at all. After all this, there was nothing he could do. If he was of no use to them, they should at least use him as a target for their hatred and execute him. He had done enough to deserve that. But then the man spoke. Thank goodness!! Damn, finally some good news!! The man picked him up. He had lost track of how many times it was now. Everyone who had carried him like this had disappeared. The transport helicopters are gathered on the eastern plain. Thats our last escape route. Not only are you from the 15, but you were the one from the special Queen killing team. Youll get the VIP treatment, so theyre sure to give you a spot. Ststop Sorry, but you can complain later. An unbelievable tremor reached them. The entire battlefield sticking up from the surrounding ocean like an island had split like a cookie. Pure white light welled up from directly below. And that antlion pit swallowed up everything. The ground crumbled and collapsed in a mortar shape, but the man desperately ran to the eastern plain with Kyousuke in his arms. The ground could crumble away below his feet and drag them into that underground world at any second. Nevertheless, a few people in military uniforms passed them going the other way. Those people were turning their backs on the escape route and running to the core of the fighting in the center of the mortar. They were recklessly fighting the White Queen. The blond man spoke to them as they passed by. Sorry, I promise Ill catch up with you!! Dont worry about it. Just one of the children? You did well to make it this far. Leave the rest to us and get on that rescue chopper!! They did not stand a chance. Their odds were suspect even at the best of times, but now that they were no longer functioning as a group, they would end up facing the White Queen as individuals, ensuring an immediate defeat. Several white beams scorched the air as if passing by Kyousuke and the man as they kept their backs to the center of the blast. Each of those beams must have been taking an unbelievable number of lives. The earth and even the clouds in the sky were split as the divinely bright light poured down. Something like white feathers began covering the entire area like snow that dyed everything white. The world was changing. It was being recolored. It was becoming pure white. Listen, boy. All the while, the large bond man did not stop running. But not to save himself. He had told the other soldiers he would catch up to them. So once he left Kyousuke with the helicopter, he would turn right back toward that deadly battlefield. You worked hard. That White Queen is enough to make a group of grown men shake in their boots, but you kept challenging her until your tiny body was this beaten up. So, boy, that effort gives you that much more of a right to seek happiness. If it didnt, this world wouldnt be worth fighting for! Kyousuke wanted to snap back on reflex and tell the man he was wrong. But the words would not come out. There was an open clearing within the felled and burnt tropical forest. A group of helicopters were already preparing to take off. Please wait!! The blond man shouted over the rotor wind while holding Kyousuke. One of the helicopters had already taken off and it was mercilessly shot down by one of the Queens beams of light as it gained altitude. From how youre dressed, Im guessing youre a Government research group. Please, take this kid with you! If I said I know Humanism, would that be enough to warrant a favor!! Were already over our 20 person capacity. Cant you wait for the next flight!? You know damn well there wont be a next flight. The large man was soaked with sweat. Im not talking about me. I left my Government family, so Im not selfish enough to think youll take me in now. But that has nothing to do with this kid! So please!! Cant you do something!? Someone in the helicopter clicked their tongue. And everyone inside had the same opinion. If youre getting on, then hurry it up! Hurry!! Thanks!! The blond man very carefully handed over Kyousuke whose bones were broken. He did not try to board the helicopter himself. And the developers onboard looked shocked. What about you!? Didnt I tell you? Does the name Claude Magentarain mean anything to you? Im an outsider that left Government and joined Freedom. With all this chaos, theres got to be a vessel that lost their summoner wandering around somewhere. Ill find one, bind a contract, and then go for the White Queen. So dont worry about it. You all get out of here!! It was true they did not have time to wait around. Even if they escaped into the air, carelessly gaining too much altitude would get them pierced by the Queens beams of light. And the helicopter took off, leaving Kyousukes savior on the ground. The man named Claude narrowed his eyes and watched it leave. And then a few of the developers next to Kyousuke jumped down from the ascending helicopter. Claude was as surprised as anyone. He was not the only fool who would waste his own chance to board the ark. What are you doing!? We said we were over the 20 person capacity, didnt we? It would probably just crash like that, so that kid has more of a chance of surviving if we lighten the load. One of the men in lab coats was far too skinny to fight, but he still forced a smile. In fact, all of them were afraid. But they had still come. After all Also, youre not an outsider any longer. The lab coat man stuck a hand in his pocket, pulled out a handgun, and pressed the grip into Claudes hand. Claude was taken aback, but then he smiled and accepted the gun. So where should we start, summoner!? We only do logistical support, so tell us what we can do!! First, gather any isolated vessels who have lost their partner. If we can join together everyone without a partner, we can reassemble a fighting force. Lets show her humanitys strength! If we reform a proper group, we can still fight!! That was when they heard static. A transmission reached their radios. Attention, everyone! We have contacted Humanism, Open Bluff, and Perfect Equilibrium!! On their instructions, we will begin a simultaneous saturation attack using the Unexplored-class!! This is our first and last chance to push back the White Queen. Everyone who can participate is to gather at the following location!!!!! Sounds like every last one of us is a damn fool They were watching the end of the world, but oddly enough, they smiled. The leaders of the three major powers are the ultimate VIPs, so they could have used their authority to get on those helicopters. If they were the type to do that, they wouldnt have ended up at the top. True enough, thought Claude. It all looked like hell on earth, but that was not all it was. The faintest heat seemed to have great meaning specifically because they were in hell. They ran through the burning forest to reach the source of the pure white light. There was only one thing on their minds: They would show the Queen what human strength was. What? You didnt run off? asked Humanism. The gothic lolita kimono girl stood in the burning world. She was answered by Open Bluff, the head of Illegal. I could ask you the same thing. You can only throw out the ideal and choose what is right, so I thought you wouldve been the first one out of here. At this point, the tense atmosphere between the three major powers had vanished. Did they understand that those matters were of no importance here? I do not know what the ideal is. Their lives would end in just a few minutes. Whether the war was won or lost, there was no saving the summoners on the front line. The White Queen was not an opponent they could hope to defeat unscathed. But I gave a lot of thought to what was the most right and what would be the most beneficial. All we did was push back at each other, so perhaps the world would be better off with the lifestyle of that boy who tried to have everyone get along despite knowing how reckless that was. Fighting to leave that seed behind might not be a bad idea. You moron. Thats what we call a dream. And thats a privilege only afforded to people. Humanism gave him a blank look, but Open Bluff did not care and continued. Hey, while Im at it, could you teach me one thing at the very end here? Teach you what? The pure justice that Illegal hates so much? No. He took a long stick from a subordinate - it was the basic kind of sacred tree Blood-Sign that Humanism seemed to like - and he announced his conviction. For the first time in my life, I feel like using my own hands to fight for this thing we call the world. So teach this Award 0 how to fight using the Summoning Ceremony. Heh heh. Ah hah hah hah! So we have a complete beginner on our hands here, do we!? For a brief moment, the two of them laughed like old friends. But they were rudely interrupted by Perfect Equilibrium, the head of Freedom and the resident of the world of sleep. Or she should have been. But now she was shockingly wide awake. So how many people do you think we can gather? We seem to have lost all contact with that Award 3000 Madam. Well, we dont stand a chance either way. Humanism honestly admitted that, but she still coldly calculated out the numbers. Lets ignore what group anyone belongs to. The summoners and vessels are scattered, so it would be more efficient to shuffle them all up between the major powers and rebind the contracts. Anythings fine if it will end this racket and let me get back to sleep. They heard footsteps behind them. The vessels who followed those summoners also seemed to be ready. Humanism smiled fiercely as she adjusted her grip on the most basic practice Blood-Sign. Then lets show that White Queen just what a leader is and just how stubborn we can be!! The transport helicopter carried injured Kyousuke through the sky. The battlefield below them was not just burning; it was glowing like lava. The earth itself had crumbled like a cookie and pure white light surged out from the cracks. The sporadic fighting had ended and the remaining fighting force seemed to be regrouping. The clash would begin before long. Hundreds if not thousands of Unexplored-classes would be forced out and used as a simultaneous saturation attack to push back the White Queen. This showdown would cost many lives and it would make the White Queen the one and only bad guy. What was right and what was wrong? Kyousukes woozy mind could not find the answer. But there was one thing he knew. This was not the end of the White Queen. This half-measure would never settle things. The world shook violently. And as Kyousuke looked down at the battlefield from the open cargo door, he recalled Lewis Carrolls fairy tale. He remembered the story he had told the White Queen. Lewis Carroll had boldly included nonsense, absurdities, contradictions, and paradoxes, but there was apparently one rule or pattern that only he could understand. In that story with no standard structure at all, there were a few similar incidents throughout. One of those was the eternal girl changing size. In one case, she had grown to giant size. Brooooooooooooootherrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr? A sound like straining muscles and scraping bones continued on and on without end. More than one of this girl could exist at once, so it may have been simple for her to grow or shrink her body. Just the hand grabbing at the earth was several dozen meters long. As she stood up, she rivalled a small mountain in size. And even then, she was only looking to Kyousuke. It was obvious what would happen when she spotted him escaping on the transport helicopter. Owwwwwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!! With a roar and while crushing everything on the ground, that giant form ran. The transport helicopter had been keeping its altitude low to avoid being pierced by the Queens beams of light, so they could not ascend quickly enough now. The Queen would reach out her hand and crush them in her fist. Kyousukes pulse pounded in his chest as a developer in a lab coat held him. He could not allow those others to be caught in this too. It was too late for everything, but what if he had the chance to save at least one person? He could fight. He could face this without breaking. Kh Ah, wait!! In his T-shirt and shorts, Kyousuke forcibly stretched out his broken arm and grabbed one of the retrieved objects. It was a Blood-Sign that likely belonged to a dead summoner. And he shook everything off as he stood on his own two feet once more. He had no vessel and he had no Incense Grenade. He could not use the Summoning Ceremony and he could not have defeated the White Queen even if he could. He understood all that. And yet Queeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeen!!!!!! He ran and he jumped. He leaped from the transport helicopters cargo door and toward the giant White Queen. He held the Blood-Sign like it was a spear. There was no way he could even scratch her. But that was not his aim. The helicopter was being targeted because he was on board. So if he jumped toward the White Queen, he could save the helicopter. Shigara Masami, Biondetta, Claude, and all the others. So many people had kept him alive this long, but he could not stand it any longer even if it meant wasting all their efforts. He wanted to take part in this showdown as much as possible. The Blood-Sign was deflected by the Queens nose and the boy flew through the air again. The White Queen caught Shiroyama Kyousuke in her palms like something truly precious and she held him to the center of her chest. She held him truly deeply against her chest. For a brief moment, she shut her eyes and savored that warmth. Her insane mind understood that would never again be directed her way. But even so Brother. Why dont you kill me? The boy was also enveloped by so much warmth he thought he would drown, but he asked a clear question. He looked up at the giant face with a mixture of love and hatred in his eyes. After everything you did!! After opposing everyone like that!! And after taking so many other lives, why would you spare only me!? Do you want me to suffer that badly!? You dont understand, brother? The White Queen gently smiled. Why dont I kill you, brother? Do you really not understand why? He thought. He thought. He thought. How could I understand? No matter how great a tragedy it was and no matter how dreadful the truth was, I had to have been able to save you there. But you let go of that possibility yourself! You turned your back on what was right and reached for that empty and false love!! I myself, Shiroyama Kyousuke, you should have thrown it all away. And as a result, so many lives have been needlessly lost! How could anyone ever forgive something like this!!!??? There are some things, the White Queen did not take a step back even as she was torn to shreds, that you can never let go of no matter how great a contradiction they bring. That is what we call love. Although you might not yet understand that, brother. I dont need that. Kyousuke clenched his teeth and rejected it in the Queens hands. He chose what was right over love. More and more people would die. He knew that. The deaths of so many influential and powerful people would influence both the hidden world of the Summoning Ceremony and the ignorant outside world and that would cause even more people to suffer. He could not stop any of it. He could not prevent the changing of the age. But. Even so. He would save as many as he could. He was one of the people who had caused that age, so he could not ignore the voices of the people struggling, suffering, being tossed about, and asking for help from the bottom of their heart. He wanted to be someone like that. No. He would become that here. He would become the strongest. He would become the strongest human who would not let any Regulation-class, Divine-class, Unexplored-class, the Three beyond them, or even the White Queen at the peak of the peak do as they pleased. I dont need that! Ill eliminate it here before that happens!! Ill throw out all of my weakness to settle things with you!! And Shiroyama Kyousuke completed himself. He became a true precision guided missile that had completely cast out one half of his love and hatred for a certain girl. I wontforgive you. He wobbled. The last strand of consciousness was snapping in the Queens hands. I will neverforgive youQueen He had never spoken in this tone before and his logic was unreadable. This boy should have been the closest to her, but he felt the farthest away. The peak of the peak looked down at the unconscious boy with an unbelievable expression. Her face was crumpled up. I am the peak of the Unexplored-class beyond the gods, so there is nothing I cannot do. Eventually, the day will surely come. I swear to you we will hold each others hands again. And she could not continue like this forever. The White Queen returned to her normal size. She was only human-sized, but the power inside her was not affected. And she laid Kyousukes battered and broken body on the ground. She looked around. She was surrounded on all sides by a group of Unexplored-classes. There were hundreds if not thousands of them. Government, Illegal, and Freedom were working together to force the White Queen back with the violence of numbers and send her back to the other world. It was the first and last counterattack. It was all about timing. If she was taken out now, Kyousukes unconscious form would be caught in it. Unlike the peak of the Unexplored-class, that small boy would be crushed and killed even if none of the attacks directly hit him. He was not using the Blood-Sign method of the Summoning Ceremony, so she could not share her power with him in the form of a protective circle. The boy would die. He would simply die. Fine, then. The White Queen reignited once more. She chose love over what was right and chose to accept all this hatred for the boy she loved. And in doing so, she would protect him. She would protect him to the end. She would protect the one precious person she had found in this world. She would protect the person who briefly allowed her to forget the extreme madness inside her. My name is Mary Ann. I am my brothers sword and shield and I have been promised the love of the one who named me. So I will utterly destroy all who would harm him!! And. A war came to an entirely meaningless end. Eh heh heh. Well be together forever, brother! Hm? Why even bother mentioning something so obvious??? Facts: *Shigara Masami was actually the truly powerful who earned every Award from all three major powers. But she still did not earn Loved by the White or White Slayer. That means the White Queen has her own unique Awards that are not part of the three major powers. *The Hatter decided to become the strongest when he could not bear seeing the vessels worn down after being used over and over. But when the Mock Battlefield stopped being used, the vessels lost their place and slowly broke. *To protect Kyousuke, Biondetta accepted the Queens hatred and underwent a transformation. *Claude risked his life to save young Kyousuke. He had no reason. Most likely, it was the same as when he had once saved Azaleas life. *Kyousuke held both love and hatred for the White Queen, but in order to eventually settle things with her, he threw out that weakness. *Summoner Shiroyama Kyousukes speech and behavior patterns were determined at that time. *At the very, very end, Kyousuke wanted to save at least one person. But that very action gave the final push to the White Queens back. *At the end of the Secret War, the White Queen continued to take every last attack to protect a single person and she named herself as Mary Ann. Then which White Queen was it that survived and continues to oppose Kyousuke? Volume 5, Ending X-01 - A Single Soul that Survived Volume 5, Ending X-01: A Single Soul that Survived How could I possibly forgive her? How could I possibly understand her!? (Ending X-01 Open 06/13 11:00 After the War) A Single Soul that Survived There was nothing there. The bridge connecting the mainland to the large island had fully recovered from the accidental collapse, so the scars of the White Queens destruction had been cleanly erased. More than 5 years had passed since then. The wandering land had always been changing shape as if the earth itself was moving and the highly fertile tropical plants and trees had grown back. The passage of time had covered the exposed land once more. So no one would guess that such a tragedy occurred there. Everyone who knew had died or dived down to the hidden side of the world. Shiroyama Kyousuke was one such person. That boy had been the most at fault, had been the most sinful, had gotten the most other people involved, and had lost the most. Even so, it could have been much worse. He still had his life, so he had a chance to challenge her again. He crouched down and set down a flower as an offering. The wandering land was fully covered in greenery, but he could see the remains of the former Miniature Gardens structures that looked like ancient ruins. He was near the elevator he had used to escape. Someone who did not know what it had been would never realize what it was just by looking at it. The world had grown twisted starting from here. The three major powers had rapidly changed form after losing the truly powerful. Once summoners and vessels learned it was possible to reach the peak of the Unexplored-class, they lost themselves in strange research. And as a side effect, the worlds gears had shifted out of place on the open side and the hidden side. The White Queen. It had all begun at that one point. How could I possibly forgive her? muttered Kyousuke. How could I possibly understand her!? His voice reached no one. After saying goodbye to his brief sentimentality, he quietly stood up and turned his back on his memories. Killing the Queen. That lost desire was hidden in his heart. Freedom Award 903, Alice (with) Rabbit, took the plunge into the cruel hidden side of the world. Facts: *He has received those memories. But some things cannot be forgiven. Volume 5, Ending X-02 - The Demon’s Contract Leads to a Starting Point Volume 5, Ending X-02: The Demons Contract Leads to a Starting Point We might just run into that irreverent group sooner than you might think. Honestly, Im looking forward to this, Shiroyama Kyousuke. (Ending X-02 Open 06/13 11:15 To the Next War) The Demons Contract Leads to a Starting Point With the thrum of a twisted cathode-ray tube, the world disappeared all around him. Shiroyama Kyousuke looked around at the gray walls surrounding him. The rotten green land and the ruins of the Queens Miniature Garden were no longer there. He could only see a manmade structure. This had been a little different from virtual reality. The concept was more primitive and much more difficult to fully control. Since prehistoric times, those with souls had entrusted themselves to this fictionally-constructed alternate world. asked a sleepy feminine voice. This paranormal being was supported by a giant Box. Unexplored-class. Sound Range: Middle. Cost: 16. The Spirit of Fluttering Yellow Gills that Rules the Heavens (s - a - so - voz - tix - ei - yw - za). She herself looked like a human girl in an oriental Taoist outfit. If not for the fact that her hair was pure yellow instead of blonde. And the thing she rested on like a crescent moon bed was strange indeed. A bed shaped like half a sake cup supported giant bird wings, beast legs, a fish body that extended endlessly like a scorpions tail, and massive gills. After evolving in all directions to respond to any situation on land, sea, or air, that overgrown mass of flesh looked almost comical. All of the vicarious experiences he had just had were a product of the Yellow Gills power. She was an Unexplored-class that slipped into her enemys dreams and unilaterally tormented them to death. In a different way from the Red Lady or the Wicked Green Woman, she was a force to be reckoned with in a different dimension that entirely ignored any specs or battle preparations made in reality. Yes. I understand a few things now. Kyousukes voice was low. That White Queen called herself Mary. That means she was the Queen who broke her promise not to hurt anyone!! The Yellow Gills drowsily leaned back in her bizarre bed that wriggled with countless blood vessels and eyeballs. Dont pretend you werent involved, spat out Kyousuke. Freedoms former leader was known as Perfect Equilibrium. She cast aside reality to live in dreams. Doesnt that sound familiar? You were there too, Yellow Gills!! A smile split across the Yellow Gills face. She made it sound simple, but that would have required numerous impossible tasks to pull off. First, she would have to allow a Material to exist in this world indefinitely. Then she would have to pretend to be human, bind a contract with a vessel, swing a Blood-Sign around, participate in the Summoning Ceremony, and otherwise act like a summoner. How could she explain the paradoxical situation of a Material summoning a Material? It was true that the Yellow Gills could not reach the White Queens level, but couldnt an argument be made that she was even more twisted in a certain way? Her answer to those questions was simple. Was that why she had once defied the White Queen? Had she wanted to break down the assumption that the Three could not defeat the peak? But she had failed and fallen to earth. She had met the same end as Icarus or Lucifer. Perhaps that was one stereotypical form for a legend. She giggled as she lay in her bed that was swollen with excessive possibility. Kyousuke did not respond. He placed his palm on one part of the gray wall and pushed. A rectangular frame became a door that opened outwards. The sun of early summer pierced his eyes. It was the dry sunlight of a tropical region. He had been in a large truck container this entire time. And that cubic space was the Box that supported the Yellow Gills. The entire thing had seemed half in a dream because the Box had contained something far too large to fit in the container. But that monster loved freedom more than anything, so she would probably leave despite the Box once she grew bored. Kyousuke pulled his smartphone from his pocket. Aika, Im done. I checked, but my information wasnt wrong. Understood, Onii-chan. The courier headed to the Colorful Museum will pass by you soon on Route 82. But are you really planning to hijack that? The Colorful Museum. That name had been mentioned in his past as well. Without his gallery and funding, the Miniature Garden may have never been more than just the Miniature Garden. No, that was wrong. In that case, the three major powers would have begun their war to kill the Queen without delay. And they would have failed somewhere. The number of people lost would have been the same. In other words, they would all have been wiped out. Either way, Kyousuke would have pulled the trigger on it all. Even in the world of hypotheticals, he could not escape his sins. Thats the shortest route. I super dont recommend it. He did not have time for cowardice. During the Pandemonium incident, he had been thoroughly beaten to a pulp by the White Queen. Because there was no way to kill her and the laws needed to do so had been destroyed. The situation was just about hopeless, but that meant he could not worry about appearances at this point. Government Award 699, Delivery Heaven 2 Hell. That summoner works as a courier in the Summoning Ceremony industry, so they specialize in transporting collectors items like ancient documents and cursed diamonds. Their Awards are below yours, Onii-chan, but thats because theyve intentionally avoided conflict. You cant underestimate them, okay? Ill be fine. U-um, how can you say that when you dont have a vessel partner and you just finished undergoing surgery for the 5 holes in your chest??? Compared to that hell, anything else looks like heaven. He was exactly right. Only 120 seconds later, a delivery truck for an online store was lying on its side on the road. Kyousuke ignored the surrounding commotion and circled to the back of the toppled truck. He pried open the cargo door which had an odd abundance of analog locks for a delivery truck and he peered inside. The inside was blocked off by thick bars, so it almost looked like a cage. And he saw a familiar face inside. So we meet again, Biondetta. Oh, dear. My, oh, my. It was a named summoner, just like Kyousuke. It was one of the people who symbolized resurrection after returning from that white hell. The waitress demon placed a hand over her mouth and voiced her blatantly feigned surprise. She was not wearing a prisoners uniform and she had not been stripped of all clothing, but not because of her captors kindness. It had been at his request. What do you need with me, my nemesis? Could you not contain your desire after our battle, so you came running back to torture me? Yes, yes, that sort of revenge isnt bad either!! He truly could not understand why she placed her hands on her cheeks with a spellbound look in her eyes, but that was just how twisted she had grown. As long as she could lose herself in revenge, she would smile even as her own body was destroyed, so he would have to continue this on those terms. Work with me, Biondetta. To what end? To defeat the White Queen. Kyousuke bluntly stated the impossible. Hell awaits you either way, but stick with me and you have at least a miniscule chance of surviving. You dont want to be shipped off to the Colorful Museum. He wants to collect any and all rare items connected to the Summoning Ceremony, even if its a human being. As an important member of Government, he must have used his influence to acquire you while they waited to deal with you. Biondetta, you dont intend to become a part of some perverts collection, do you? Biondetta looked puzzled. And she spoke. Oh, I dont mind that at all. Newfound suffering and humiliation will only lead to more revenge and retribution. Yes, yes. If this leads to striking back at him, then its entirely fine with me. The more hopeless the situation, the more exciting it is when you strike back. Yes, a brand new world awaits me!! Kyousuke sighed. Normal negotiations and threats were useless with her. And he could not stay here forever. He was not afraid of normal police or the mass media. Instead, it was possible the Colorful Museum would send out another team to take back this rare item. Biondetta, Ive thrown out my pride, so could you laugh your ass off at what Im about to say? You understand who I am, dont you? As a contract demon, why would I ever even crack a smile at anything other than revenge??? Thats fine, declared Kyousuke. The younger brother continued as the older sister looked confused. Im asking you to assist me with my revenge, Biondetta. Silly laughter burst from Biondetta. She had not expected this at all. She rolled on the floor in laughter for more than 5 seconds. Ha ha! Ah ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!! Is that so? Is that so? So you are my next client. I never thought my nemesis would become my client! Heh heh. Who could have predicted this!? Ah hah hah hah hah hah!!!!!! Biondetta, I know I asked for it, but thats going too far. I can see your panties. Look as much as you want!! After all, you are now my one and only beloved client! And our target is the White Queen? If it means enjoying historys greatest revenge for a single millimeter longer or a single drop more, I am more than willing to throw this body your way a few times!! What would Isabelle or Murasame Kuina have thought if they could see this? Would they have slapped him out of concern? Or would they have kept their distance out of disgust? He had made a contract with a demon. He had sold his soul. He knew that. He knew it all too well. But he had come across a goal that required that. He broke the door of the cage as he spoke. With that settled, lets get away from here. Pursuit should arrive before long. True enough. But where will we be going first? First, I want to make sure I have full use of Biondetta Shiroyama as a fighting force. Be more specific, my beloved client. Lets go crush that Colorful Museum. I hate powerful people who do nothing but spread tragedy for their own greed. Bff. Ah hah hah hah hah hah!!!!!! They were attacking rather than escaping. They would run through the hidden side of the world to reach the next horrific battlefield. Now that he had the impurity to go along with his purity, the summoner was climbing to the next stage. A similar action was also underway. Oh, my. There was a summer resort deep in the mountains. It was a human museum that imprisoned its exhibits in what looked like a villa. A girl spoke elegantly in one of its underground rooms. She was Azalea Magentarain. She had once been Government Award 930, Golden Luxury. And she was currently part of the collection belonging to the vulgar old man known as Colorful Museum. That man did not defile or polish his collection. He simply enjoyed the act of collecting. And to fulfill that desire, he had imprisoned the girl with blonde ringlet curls and promptly lost interest in her. I dont receive many visitors here. And you dont seem to be another collectors item either. I am Government Award 666, The Saint. She was answered by a nun with a small boy by her side. That summoner was famous for settling everything with the archangels of a certain monotheistic religion while ignoring Cost and Sound Range issues. That meant she was a high-speed summoner who would crush her opponent before they could rise to the Unexplored-class. The Summoning Ceremony allowed the free usage of beings from all legends and beyond, so restricting oneself to a single religion was difficult. But she had done so and had lived on to this day within the harsh world of battle. Her upper mid-level number of Awards was another restriction she placed on herself. Her actual skill had to be much higher. Azalea did not even stand from the rocking chair in front of the heater. And she asked a question. So are you here to execute me for abandoning the three major powers and kneeling before Her Majesty? Small sounds much like small insects clicking their mandibles together came from all over the room. The sound surrounded the nun, but what did it mean, where was it coming from, and how many noises was it in all? Nothing was certain. Azalea was a summoner at the 900 level by Governments former reckoning, but she was also a skilled weapons designer that supported Quad Motors, the worlds largest defense company that primarily worked with Repliglass. And she had learned something from her battles. A Summoning Ceremony battle began before the Materials were summoned. She knew you could sink into a pool of blood before even pulling out an Incense Grenade. No. But the devout nun shook her head. In fact, she pulled off and threw away her veil of deep faith. Those who intend to harm Her Majesty have resumed activity below the surface. Thus, I was hoping you would help punish them for their irreverence. Pff. Azalea burst out laughing. The nun did not seem to understand why the girl was laughing. What is so funny? Oh, excuse me. That was rude of me, wasnt it? Sorry about that. So it all comes back to Her Majesty. I have underestimated her yet again. Even at that level, the Queen could melt them. The Saint would not have been a traitor to begin with. She would have been a summoner with the pure and unadulterated heart that her name suggested. And yet she had been melted. Her iron will and steel resolve had meant nothing and her mind had succumbed and kneeled before the ultimate white. It was the same as with Golden Luxury. What am I to do about a vessel? Fractal Leskins was stored elsewhere in order to prevent you from ending your contract and thus prevent you from binding a new contract so easily, but another group led by Doctor S has gone to rescue him. From what I hear, he is your butler. They should have him as early as nightfall. Colorful Museum will probably make a fuss if I just leave. It might be a minor issue, but we cant have anything holding us back when it involves Her Majesty. Its about time we crushed that old man. And that is why we are securing your vessel, calmly replied the nun with emotionless eyes. And one other thing. ? It seems another group entirely also intends to attack the Colorful Museum. We might just run into that irreverent group sooner than you might think. Azalea could think of only one possibility. Only one person could face that Queen head-on without breaking. Or perhaps it was that he had the tenacity to get back up again even when he did break. That summoner had the conflicting Awards of Loved by the White and White Slayer. She hated him more than anyone and envied him more than anyone. And that boys name was Honestly, Im looking forward to this, Shiroyama Kyousuke. The person who met the greatest tragedy here may have been the Colorful Museum. That night, that palace of greed was fiercely attacked from both sides and it collapsed into rubble almost too easily. Facts: *The past experiences seen thus far were all vicarious experiences seen using the dream-manipulating power of the Yellow Gills of the Three. *Kyousuke learned that the surviving White Queen was the one named Mary Ann. *The Yellow Gills once pretended to be human and slipped into human society. *Kyousuke rescued Biondetta while she was being transported and agreed to cooperate with her. *A new faith group has grown around The Saint and Doctor S. Azalea Magentarain has joined them. And based on the S initial, a connection to the family name of the Miniature Gardens children is likely. *Kyousuke and Azalea both destroyed the Colorful Museum as an initial battle to solidify their foundation. *The counterattack is finally beginning. The counterattack against the absolutely undefeatable White Queen. Volume 5, Epilogue Volume 5, Epilogue Defeat the Queen. Protect the Queen. As those two sides battled, that pure white being smiled. Humans never changed and everything was the same as back in the Miniature Garden, but that was exactly what made him so adorable. She was delighted to find enough remained for her to feel so nostalgic. Somewhere and at some time, the White Queen brought her hands behind her back and slowly reminisced. And then her eyes focused on reality. She had only been looking at a single person from the very beginning. My name is Mary Ann. I am my brothers sword and shield and I have been promised the love of the one who named me. So I will utterly destroy all who would harm him!! She had once made that oath. No ones name had been written in blood on a contract made of parchment, but the Queen still thought that was where it had all begun. But Even so She had learned something right at the brink of annihilation. She had found a powerful, powerful cause worth protecting even if it meant violating a taboo. She had found a far too noble light that made her want to protect it even if that meant the destruction of the world. That was why she was here. She had singlehandedly won that hellish war, slaughtered everything and everyone, and protected that small life. She had not cared if it meant her own annihilation. And when he found her stained with so much blood, that boy had shaken his head. Of course he had. She had taken far too many lives for him to simply accept her love. She understood that much. Even as insane as she was, she had still walked by his side for a time. She would not act like he was indebted to her. She knew that boy would not hesitate to say she should have let him die. But No matter what All I want is you. That voice reached no one. Mary Ann. The boy had once given her that silly nickname and it was now hidden in her heart as she too made for the battlefield. Volume 5, Afterword Volume 5, Afterword (Postscript Open ??/?? ??:??) Afterword And thats Volume 5! This is Kamachi Kazuma. I must like to do something different when I get to the 4th or 5th book because here we have a flashback story! (Look at Volume 5 of A Certain Magical Index or Heavy Object to see this tendency and how I deal with it. The Zashiki Warashi of Intellectual Village is an exception since I went a little crazy with every single volume, but I did still do a flashback story in Volume 4.) Here, I focused on the Queens Miniature Garden which is heavily related to Kyousuke and the White Queens past. Figuring out how to put together a story when the reader knows it ends in destruction was a learning experience for me, so Im excited and worried to see how you all liked it. The main characters were of course those two extraordinary ones, but there were also the other 14 siblings, the adults of the Miniature Garden, the hidden leaders of the three major powers, and Shigara Masami. I was trying to gather a solid enough group to show where Kyousukes personality came from. I especially tried to show their humanity in Stage 04, but I hope you felt some regret there as you thought, I know theyre going to lose, but I still dont want them to lose!! or If they had survived, the world wouldnt have grown so twisted!! Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass are both known all over the world and the characters in this story said that everyone has probably read it since its a simple childrens story, but have you all ever actually read it? To be honest, I hadnt when I was thinking of starting this series. So I read it for my job. And when I did, I liked it, but it really seemed to mess with my head! Do children see a world that lets them accept it like normal? If so, Im shocked at how set in our ways we get without even noticing it. You could call it a masterpiece that everyone has heard of but surprisingly few have actually read. When I think about it, there are an awful lot like that. For example, Frankenstein or Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. I know generally what kind of story they are and how they end, but Ive never tried reading them beginning to end. Wh-what about all of you? Maybe I just had a poor education? As for the White Queen in this story, I wrote her while hoping that I could give her the kind of charisma that would lead people to have a general idea of how dangerous she was even if they didnt know the story. That might be presumptuous of me, but I like to dream big. Your main character cant shine without a powerful enemy. That was the idea at the root of this, but which one will you support? Kyousuke who accepted what is right and rejected love, or the Queen who accepted love and rejected what is right? Either way, it is those positions that allow them to glare at each other from the same stage. I would be happy if that was the kind of relationship you imagined. I give my thanks to my illustrator Ikawa Waki-san and my editors Miki-san, Onodera-san, and Anan-san. Lots of characters, special locations, extreme situations, and everyone is insane! This had to be about the most difficult story from an illustration perspective, so thank you for sticking with me. And I give my thanks to the readers. I feel like reversing the timeline for a flashback story is something of a selfish move on the authors part (Because I intentionally omitted a bunch of the basic information that should have already been explained and used it as a separate novel). I am truly thankful you went along with that selfishness. Nothing would please me more than to hear that you enjoyed it. And I will end this here. But it is strange how much easier it is to make an insane character look courageous. -Kamachi Kazuma Volume 6, Battle Tutorial Volume 6, Battle Tutorial Phase 1 Upper Cube: Collection of Petals Left Dark Figure: Summoner Right Dark Figure: Vessel Left White Figure: Summoner Right White Figure: Vessel Overall Box: Artificial Sacred Ground K: The Summoning Battle begins when one of the summoners uses an Incense Grenade. Q: When the Incense Grenade is used, an Artificial Sacred Ground forms around them. Summoning and other paranormal phenomena can only be reproduced inside there. Q: Inside the Artificial Sacred Ground, a cube of about 60 cm appears at the midpoint between the summoners. K: It is a collection of the 216 Petals which are red spheres about the size of an apple. Phase 2 Dark Ball: Petal White Ball: White Thorn White Stick: Blood-Sign Q: 3 white spheres known as White Thorns appear with each summoner. Those are hit with a long staff known as a Blood-Sign and they collide with the Petals. K: You hit the Petals with the White Thorns in order to knock them into the spherical Spots that appear in 36 locations inside the Artificial Sacred Ground. Q: What Petals are hit into the Spots changes what can be summoned. K: And the vessels body is used to create Phase 3 White Monster and Dark Sword: Vessel transformed into a Material Q: a Material. The summoners use them for a fight to the death. K: The Petals used to summon the Materials are each engraved with a letter of the alphabet and each of those belongs to a certain Sound Range. Q: aiueo are vowels and thus the Lowest Sound Range. As for the consonants, bcdfghj are Low, klmnpqr are Middle, and stvwxyz are High. K: There are of course rules governing the summoned Materials and they are based on the Petals rules. Q: Low wins against High, High wins against Middle, Middle wins against Low, and I win my brothers heart. K: Werent we supposed to avoid making jokes during the explanation section!? Phase 4 K: And after the vessels transform into Materials, they continued to be updated into new forms as they fight. Q: The Materials start at Regulation-class. After summoning 100 of those, you gain the right to summon the higher Divine-class. And after summoning 50 of those, you gain the right to summon the even higher Unexplored-class. K: The vessel has a core known as their Silhouette. If that is destroyed, the battle ends. The losing summoner and vessel will become dolls that wander around in a stupor. Q: And that concludes our simple explanation of the Summoning Battle. As a summoner fights more and more battles, they earn more titles known as Awards. And if their number of Awards reaches 1000hee hee hee. Now, I wonder what happens then. Volume 6, Prologue Volume 6, Prologue What determines the value of something one is searching for? To the person searching for it, even an insignificant-looking item left on the roadside might be a magnificent treasure worth seeking to the point of insanity. A limited number, historical weight, a connection to some important person, the amount of work needed to acquire it, the amount of time spent, the opinions of those around you, the attached price tagand the other things lost in exchange. Some people take so many factors into consideration that they lose sight of the true essence of what they are looking at despite focusing on it more than anyone. Isnt that strange? Hee hee hee. You seem to be searching for something yourself, brother. But is it really as valuable as you think it is? Are you perhaps losing sight of that because you are the one and only human being with your eyes on it? Or are you deriving pleasure from the very act of traveling around the world searching for it? Investigators often lose sight of everything else around them. Make sure you do not trap yourself in a labyrinth of your own creation and have your vision fade before you. Oh, dear? Me? Yes, this is of course a karmic boomerang that flies right back at me Did you really think I wasnt capable of that level of self-analysis? But I would never mistake your value, brother. And this puny little world is not large enough for me to journey across. I only need to peek inside the tiny box and find my beloved inside. So it isnt possible for me to mistake the joy and exhaustion for actual value like someone who has scaled countless mountains and crossed myriad seas. You have an absolute value that simply drives me crazy. So have more confidence in yourself Facts: *There is an absolute treasure. But its value is determined by a relative heart. Volume 6, Opening X-01 - Double Attack Onee-chans (Extra Serving) Volume 6, Opening X-01: Double Attack Onee-chans (Extra Serving) AndCut!! Youre scaring me!!!!!! (Opening X-01 Open 07/05 03:00) Double Attack Onee-chans (Extra Serving) Biondetta Shiroyama. Freedom Award 920, aka Liar Cat. That extremely dangerous summoner enjoyed nothing more than assisting others with their revenge and especially delighted in spreading that disaster further than the avenger intended and in throwing them into the furnace as kindling for the flames of revenge. Half of her bones were replaced with an outdated type of artificial bone, she was constantly consuming large quantities of antibiotics, she used a silver Blood-Sign that folded in two and doubled as a bolt-action sniper rifle, and she was a fierce warrior who was known for using several strategies at once to trap her enemy in multiple cages. To delve deeper, her family name of Shiroyama indicated she was a survivor of the Queens Miniature Garden that had been a crossroads in transforming the world. She was the Cheshire Cat of the named summoners. Any experienced summoner or vessel would begin to tremble if they heard she was one of the 15 Children, especially if the fact that she had inherited the Queens hatred was also mentioned. It was unclear who had given her the first name of Biondetta. But since looking into that names origin led to the demonic Lord of the Flies, it would seem she had carried some kind of karma before even arriving at the Fifteen Siblings Project. She had long, straight hair dyed pink and eyes the same color. She had soft, white skin and a bewitching body. Her miniskirt waitress outfit had thick horns and a serpentine tail, making her a demon lord who smiled as she granted peoples wicked desires. Hellllllo, sir Youre exhausted after a long days work, arent you? Do you need some Blood-Sign maintenance done, do you need to resupply on Incense Grenades, or do you need someone to look after you yourself? Leave it all to your kiiiind big sister and sexyyyyy servant Biondetta Why? How had she turned into this? It was late at night. Three in the morning to be exact. It was well past midnight. Due to the lux restrictions for the Tanabata Festival, thick light-blocking curtains covered the windows, but a step out onto the balcony would have revealed the Milky Way in the sky. This was the top floor of Aikas luxury apartment in Toy Dream 35. Shiroyama Kyousuke sat on the sofa and repeatedly asked himself where he had gone wrong. All the while, his big sister leaned over from the side, pressed her entire body against him, and rubbed her cheek against his face. It was true he had sold his principles (which could be called his soul) and made a contract with a demon. He had no way of defeating the White Queen as things were. And it was by admitting his utter defeat that he gained the power needed to enter this contract. So why was he stuck here letting her mess with his Blood-Sign like an old man being given a hands-on lesson by a beautiful instructor at a computer class meant to overcome a self-defeating attitude by fulfilling a more simple desire? My, my, sir! Youve reached Award 900, but you still prefer to use a standard practice Blood-Sign!? You have a good eye. With a mass-produced model, replacements are easier to come by in a pinch and they are more adjustable, so they can adapt to your own idiosyncrasies more easily. Gasp! Th-this glimpse of your intellect is making me feel all tingly inside. Brr What is with the excessive praise? Especially when you use about the most custom-ordered Blood-Sign imaginable!! I have no idea what you mean. Now, sir. The tip looks worn down, so how about we replace it together? First, cut off the portion made of sacred tree wood thats held on by glue. Then well attach the new one and carve off the corners to give it a nice curve. The rounded portion is generally as thick as a coin. After blowing a heated breath into his ear, an entranced-looking Biondetta placed her hand on his and had him grab the work knife. It almost felt like she was having him place the blade tip on the soft belly of a sacrifice tied down in front of them, so it was very demonic. His big sister softly guided him to grab the knife with one hand and the tip of his Blood-Sign with the other. Focus on the seamyes, do it with your big sister. Lay the Blood-Sign down on the table, hold it down with one hand, softly press the blade down from above, adjust its position so you can place your weight on it Well, anythings fine as long as we can keep things moving. AndCut!! Youre scaring me!!!!!! With an awfully solid thunk, a few centimeters of cork-like material was chopped from the Blood-Signs tip and rolled to the floor. For some reason, Biondettas eyes were sparkling even more than before. Now, now! With the tip exposed, you need to squirt out the white sticky glue. Here, Ill help you rub it on nice and good and attach the new sacred tree wood. Now your tip will be even stronger and manlier than be Ohoh, no. What have I done to Kyousuke-chan? Im supposed to be his big sister!! Ive completely lost sight of what your deal is supposed to be! What is wrong with you!? He did not particularly care if she trembled over there on her own, but as she leaned up against him and wrapped her arms around his waist, she had a knife in her hand. He felt the same tension as sharing an elevator with a lunatic. And he was not the only one having trouble understanding the situation. Lu Niang Lan, the red modified China dress beauty sitting on the opposite sofa, was shaking like a volcano about to erupt. Long hair, giant breasts, and an older girl who calls him Kyousuke-chan? Curse you!! Youve taken the same demonic measures as building an identical convenience store right across the intersection! Have you no mercy at all!? You say that, but it was my client who came to me and freed me from my cage because he could not forget our love and hatred from so long ago. I am the big sister of his soul and he insisted on entering into a contract so he could reclaim those bonds he could never quite shake free of. Kh. Mwa ha ha. And Ive been his big sister for far longer than you, weird China dress tits girl!! Dont underestimate the mysterious den of demons we called the Queens Miniature Garden. Have you ever carelessly opened the door to the bath only to find Kyousuke-chan right there? Not the dressing room, but the bath beyond it!!!! Wh-wh-wh-what!? Lu Niang Lan looked like a thunderbolt had struck the top of her head. Thatthat cant be. I refuse to believe that kind of love comedy space-time could exist in the real world That closed space wasnt part of reality. It must have been some kind of wonderland. Kyousuke actually blushed for once and shouted something about that being a tragedy brought on by Kyoumi setting them up, but no one was listening. Biondetta continued clinging to Kyousukes arm and gave a snort with an extremely triumphant look. Hmph. Show off your cleavage and legs as much as you want, but youll still be nothing more than the pretty girl next dooran outsider. Do you really think you stand a chance against the kind big sister he lives with, eats with, bathes with, and sleeps next to? Okay, thats it Im the ultimate weapon that killed Government Award 1000 with nothing more than assassination techniques, so its time I used that skill to stimulate every last one of exhausted Kyousuke-chans pressure points for an energizing massage!! Hey, wait!! Are you saying that because you know Im the type to save the chocolate plate on top of the cake for last!? Soothing my customers aching young muscles after a day of hard work is my job!! The details will be omitted here, but he was surrounded on both sides and crushed between them. It may have looked like heaven having two young women rubbing up against him and giving off their sweet aroma and warm body heat, but one of them was a demon with a work knife and the other was a human weapon with blades hidden all throughout her modified China dress. He was being imprisoned by two blade-wielding women who rubbed at his chest and stomach while shouting things that would probably be summed up as nonsensical babbling in an affidavit, so it was exactly the opposite of that initial impression. Life could be a confusing thing. And lest we forget, there was someone else here. It was the owner of this luxury apartment, a small girl named Aika. That striped bikini shut-in had her long hair braided on the sides of her head and then looped into a twintail variant. She was leaning against her 5 meter white liger she used as a sofa as she calmly watched the tragic scene. Kyousuke found this odd. That slender girl held that same darkness inside her, so she would endlessly repeat the same nonsensical babbling (affidavit) just as much as Lu Niang Lan. She should have been the first one to take part in this unmanageable squabbling. So what was going on? Aika was young. She was younger than Kyousuke. So unlike the China dress whose brakes were broken even as an adult, she still had room for growth. Perhaps she had matured in the time he was gone from Toy Dream 35. If so, she might soon remove her striped bikini, change into a school uniform, get up in the morning, go to sleep at night, and actually walk to school to laugh with her friends. His self-proclaimed little sister must have noticed the hope in his eyes because she began to speak. Heh. Enjoy yourselves while you can, you sacks of fat. But giant boobs are all about the initial impact, so that means a guy will grow bored of them before long. And after Onii-chan starts rejecting those overgrown boobs like hes had curry three days straight, youll be as hated as strong perfume during parents day at school. And then this flatahem, this entirely sufficient, beautiful, and perfect fairy body will reign supreme! Bow before me, my Onii-chan! Mwa ha ha ha ha ha!! I guess god really was defeated, bemoaned Kyousuke with dead eyes (and while squashed). Then he heard a small metallic sound. Aika had moved her crossed legs a little while clenching and unclenching the toes. The soft-looking big toe was sticking through a metal ring. And that ring held an old key. Now. The striped bikini girl moved her lips with a skeptical look in her eyes. Onii-chan. This doesnt really bother me since Ive been the uncontested winner of the mini-fairy competition ever since your former vessel and my rival Olivia Highland was released back into the world at large, but it would seem you only managed to get one of the items you were after. Yes, replied the helpless summoner even as soft sensations squashed him from either side. We only got the master key. The treasure chest was taken by them. What a pain. It sounds like youre going to have a lot of trouble with this one. Shiroyama Kyousuke wanted to defeat the White Queen no matter what. His own skills were nowhere near enough, so he wanted to scour the entire world for anything and everything that could help him. However, a single lifetime was not long enough to circle the globe countless times and part every last blade of grass. But there was no need to do that. All of the worlds mysteries had already been gathered in a single location. And that was The Founders Gallery. To master the fields of fantasy and fairy tales, the Toy Dream Companys president spent a fortune gathering antique artwork and grimoires from all over the world. Facts: *To defeat the White Queen, Kyousuke made a contract with Biondetta. They seem to get along, but that is only Biondetta supplying him with the best possible environment for carrying out his revenge, so he must evaluate and handle her with care. *The president of the Toy Dream Company, which is known for its amusement parks across the globe, gathered antique artwork and grimoires from around the world to master the fields of fantasy and fairy tales used in his stories. That collection is known as the Founders Gallery, but its location, scope, and any other details are unknown and it has become something of a legend on the level of the treasure island where pirates supposedly hid their booty. *To strengthen his theories, Kyousuke is seeking the Founders Gallery. The items he needs to get there are a master key and a treasure chest. *In the past, a fierce battle(?) was apparently held between Aika and Olivia. *Also in the past, Kyousuke and Biondetta ran into each other in the bath. It was apparently all set up by Kyoumi (according to Shiroyama Kyousuke). All records concerning the Queens Miniature Garden were lost, so it is unknown whether Biondetta panicked and ran away or stayed and bathed with him. Volume 6, Opening X-02 - Hopper the Wizard and the Small Key Volume 6, Opening X-02: Hopper the Wizard and the Small Key Biondetta. Yes, sir. (Opening X-02 Open 07/05 00:00) Hopper the Wizard and the Small Key Toy Dream 35 was an amusement park city created by a foreign companys capital injection into the financially bankrupt city of Natsumi. Countless high-rise buildings towered up from the old citys coast and out into the ocean and giant bridges connected those buildings to create a single giant city over the water. Rollercoasters and Ferris wheels stuck up between the high-rise buildings and the city was divided into 26 blocks labeled from A to Z, each with their own unique theme. Lets look to the stars for Tanabata! Toy Dream 35 is holding an astronomical observation festival leading into July 7. So we ask that all visitors understand that strict lux restrictions will be in place. We strongly recommend the use of glass accessories that will prevent any light from escaping when you use your cell or smartphones. A pamphlet blowing in the wind provided that lengthy explanation. The Milky Way was as clearly visible as in the starry sky seen from a tall mountain. Even this late at night, it was unusual to find darkness this deep. Toy Dream 35 would normally be full of lights from not just building windows and trains, but from the countless lights decorating the attractions, the projection mapping covering entire walls, and the tens of thousands of fireworks dying the night sky. But all that artificial light had been thoroughly eliminated. The building windows were covered with the thick light-blocking curtains as designated by the administration and the yukata-wearing people crossing the giant bridges had bento box like covers over the edges of their cellphone or smartphone screens to keep the light from escaping. How they had forced their way past the laws was anyones guess, but even the legally mandated aircraft warning lights on the building rooftops had been deactivated. The sight brought some legitimacy to the half-joking claims that the regional cities taken over by Toy Dream had grown into a Toy Dream Federation. It was fortunate the city did not use cars. Or maybe that did not matter with self-driving cars that detected people and obstacles using radar. And at the moment, two people swam through that inky darkness with no need for light or reflected electromagnetic waves. Shiroyama Kyousuke and Biondetta Shiroyama. Those man-eating sharks lived in the muddy depths of the world and they avoided peoples eyes with such speed and grace that they almost seemed more comfortable in this deep darkness. Their goal was in M Block. That area was filled with various museums, but this was still an amusement park city. It was less about tranquil scholarship and more about gathering the materials that had become the basis for foreign cartoons and 3D movies, so it felt more like an exhibition than anything. The center of the main plaza contained a pure gold statue of the cartoon sheep that was said to be the king of the box office and the walls were covered in posters for the Gozaru Samurai who was said to have been created as the concentrated form of the Toy Dream founders oriental ideals after he was deeply impressed by Japanese culture. The most extreme example of these museums was the Founders Gallery. The Toy Dream president was a normal person with no connection to the world of the Summoning Ceremony, but that old man had enough of a fortune to support a superpower on his own and he had supposedly gathered an impressive collection of priceless items that not even the top level summoners and vessels had ever seen. He did not know how they were truly used, but he hoped they would help him create movies that would bring him more money than anything else. In fact, he had spread smiles without causing anyones death while also creating a fortune that would never run out. On the simultaneously worldwide release dates of his new movies, it was said all conflicts across the world would temporarily stop, so it was hard to say which was truly the right way to use those items. But Shiroyama Kyousuke had no interest in that discussion of cultural anthropology. He needed to take a peek at that gallery to defeat the White Queen. This was a legend that could be anywhere in the wide world, so he needed a treasure map to find it. The Natural Historys missing entries? Yes. Kyousuke replied simply to horned Biondettas question. The Natural History was a 37 book encyclopedia written in Latin by Pliny during the Roman era. The 8th through 11th books that covered animals and the 12th through 19th that covered plants were the most important because they had entries on the unicorn, phoenix, manticore, cockatrice, and other beings very familiar to summoners. But It has been pointed out that there are a few missing entries in the Natural History. The question is whether Pliny himself was hesitant to preserve them or if those around him got rid of them. But either way, they must have had information powerful enoughor to put it another way, dangerous enough to require that. However, its said those missing entries are sleeping in the Founders Gallery. It was only a few scraps of parchment. But if he got his hands on those and filled in the gaps to complete the true Natural History, he would have a complete encyclopedia that covered even the unseen parts of the world. Ive checked everywhere I can, but Im still missing some of the puzzle pieces. The only way to fill in that variable is to rely on the missing entries sleeping in the Founders Gallery. He would doubt everything and use everything. To do that, he would even use the widely known Divine-class Materials as a stepping stone. I need the Diamond Master Key and the Golden Treasure Chest. Open the chest with the key and Ill have the path to the Founders Gallery. Which one are you going to go for first, sir? The easier one. With that whispered answer, they walked to one of the museums. Even during the Tanabata campaign which allowed people to enjoy the starlight, the museum was closed by midnight. And when light sources were strictly forbidden, there was no risk of a guard patrolling around with a flashlight. Plus, any invisible rays like infrared or ultraviolet would interfere with the highly sensitive cameras connected to telescopes, so they were also off limits. The guards inside were probably equipped with sensors and goggles that used ultrasonic waves or the like. Despite the inky darkness, the difficulty of breaking in was far greater than on a normal day. But that was actually preferable for summoners like Kyousuke and Biondetta. Normal people could not perceive them when they were not viewed with the naked eye and mechanical sensors or cameras were entirely negated when using an Incense Grenade. It was all about using the right thing at the right time. At times, setting up an Artificial Sacred Ground was worthwhile even without a vessel and with no enemy to be found. However, they could not carry enough Incense Grenades to keep that up the entire time. The standard tactic was to sneak in as far as possible under their own power. This museum had a central hall and it extended to the left and right from there in stereotypical Western symmetry. Kyousuke thought for a moment and then headed to the left end within the faint light of the emergency exit and firehose signs. Oh? Youre starting with the key? We could always split up, but only after I feel like I can trust you. Instead of a camera near the ceiling, there was an active sonar device that turned its head back and forth, but this was not the empty sky. Active sonar detected objects by picking up the waves that bounced back from them. So if they crawled behind the labyrinth of glass cases, they could slip past it. Of course, they had to dash from one piece of cover to another when its fan-like turning head was pointed away, so this was not something amateurs could pull off. Kyousuke was using this as a test case for Biondetta. Since she was the one auditioning, she took the lead while Kyousuke kept watch from behind to make sure she did not betray him. And so they crouched down in the darkness and kept their bearings by feeling the tile divisions on the floor. They circled behind the rows of glass cases to avoid the ultrasonic waves of the sonar and continued further in. But Um, Biondetta? Yes, sir. The way were positioned here is reminding me of a time back in the Queens Miniature Garden. And I see you still like white and pink stripes. Biondetta wiggled the tail on her butt, smiled back at him on all fours, and sent a kick straight toward his face. That was precisely when they heard an unrestrained footstep. It was almost certainly a guard. This museum displayed priceless antique art and historical documents, but the guards were not even patrolling in pairs. They were probably ignoring the manual to make the patrols easier. It was doubtful they were even checking over the entire facility. It made security look lax, but Kyousuke actually bit his lip a little. People were harder to read when they ignored the timetable and acted unpredictably. Most of the security information they had gathered in advance had to be crossed out and it was all thrown into a black box. The demon crouched down like a feline beast but whispered excitedly. (Should I kill him?) (That wont be necessary.) Biondetta had been about to crawl out, but when Kyousuke pestered her, she backed up as if sticking her butt out toward him. The only thing they could use here wasone of the glass cases. For some reason one of them was on display despite being empty, but it was probably a performance based on the Phantom Girl fairy tale that no one seemed to actually know. The two of them crawled underneath it together. The alluring demon embraced him and he felt the smooth sensation of skin with more subcutaneous fat than any boy could hope to match. Biondettas heartrate was entirely normal. Similarly, Kyousuke was focused on the world outside the narrow gap as he ignored the warmth and sweet smell. They heard the rhythmic footsteps of the guard who wore ultrasonic visualization goggles to negate the darkness. Summoners could not be perceived by normal people if they were not seen with the naked eye, but if those goggles were wirelessly connected to the security system, things would be more complicated. The mechanical cameras and sensors still worked when they were not using an Incense Grenade. (Wouldnt it be better to kill him?) (No, he hasnt noticed us.) (Are you aware of the urban legend about the axe murderer under the bed? He might only be pretending.) That urban legend was an apt comparisonfor the guard. He might have a wife and kids back home and he might be working the night shift to help pay off the loan on the car he bought for a family trip, but if he happened to look below here, it would be a bloodbath. Biondetta would do it. With a smile on her face and without hesitation. Leave, urged Kyousuke. Dont notice us. Just keep going. There was no strategy or logic behind those thoughts. The rhythmic footsteps continued. But then they heard the rubber soles leave that set rhythm. The ferocious beast immediately shot out from below the glass case. As Biondetta crossed the starting line from behind the entirely defenseless guard, she gave off a dense aura of death. Kyousuke rushed out a moment later and tackled the seductive girls thin waist with all his might. The demons smooth claws just barely missed the guards neck bone. Then the two of them slid underneath the glass case across the way. ? The oblivious and carefree guard looked back, tilted his head, realized his shoelace was untied, and retied it. After tapping the heel against the floor to check on the knot, he resumed walking. He finally followed the patrol route to a different part of the museum. Still shoved inside a tight space while doubled over on her side and with Kyousukes arms around her waist, Biondetta softly narrowed her eyes. Yahn Sir, youre so passionate. Biondetta, next time Im going to give you your orders like this: Sit. Stay. So think about whether you really want to be stuck waiting back at the safe and comfortable cruiser with a drink in one hand. That would be a problem. I wouldnt be able to take part in your wonderful revenge story. Her tone was light, but her face paled somewhat. The insane operated under their own insane rules. To a demon of vengeance, nothing was more frightening than having that vengeance end without her involvement. Whether it succeeded or failed was of lesser importance. Having just barely regained his grip on the demons reins, Kyousuke crossed a few more sections while slipping past the active sonar. The Diamond Master Key was not hidden in anything like a bank vault. It was inside one of the many glass cases. The explanatory text in front of it said it was the basis for the titular item in Hopper the Wizard and the Small Key. That was probably true, but it was not how the key was originally used. It was a dulled silverwork key with a 30-carat diamond contained in the swollen back end. In the movie, the protagonist traveled around the world to regain the clear stones shine so he could open the large door in some ruins, but the stone was not the main attraction for the real one. What Kyousuke needed was the actual silver key which could not be replaced even after growing worn down and oxidized from long use. I cant believe they would just leave this out here. Maybe its like how easily stolen jewels are transported with normal bike couriers that can blend in instead of highly conspicuous escort teams. They probably didnt give it that much thought. I dont think the Toy Dream workers know anything about summoners and vessels. The glass case itself had vibration sensors, but no security was entirely unbreakable. In this case, transistors were attached to the four corners to read the vibrations in the entire panel of glass. The devices themselves vibrated a miniscule amount, so these models were made to interfere with any external waveform to make it easier to pick up. In other words, it was the same as a microphone and speaker. It was a simple but difficult to deactivate system. If the multiple devices were not deactivated simultaneously, the other sensors would pick up that vibration. But there was one pitfall here. Ill have this done in 5 seconds. Biondetta swished her tail behind her as she pulled a smartphone from her pocket. A highly sensitive pin mic that looked like an ear picks puffball was attached to the bottom. She brought the smartphone as close to a panel of glass as she could without touching it and then used her other hand to smash the glass case with a hammer meant to break open a submerged cars window. That normally would have set off the alarm, but there was no reaction whatsoever. What was going on? It was a phenomenon everyone had heard at school when the principal was speaking at an assembly. In other words, a feedback loop. Each panel has 4 of them, the entire box has 6 panels, and who even knows how many glass cases there are in this section. With that many devices in here, theyll be sending little high-pitched waveforms all over the place. Its utter chaos. And a microphone and a speaker actually worked in the exact same way. Even normal microphones and speakers would not pick up or put out the proper sound (i.e. vibration) during a feedback loop. The museum had used multiple devices for safety, but too many of them presented its own problems. At any rate, they had gotten through the most difficult part. Since that lazy guard had left the proper patrol route, they had no idea how long until this was discovered, but they would probably have time to go for the Golden Treasure Chest as well. Biondetta casually reached in and grabbed the old key. And at that exact moment, all assumptions were overturned when the museum suddenly filled with red light. It was like the emergency alarm in a submarine. And that was probably exactly what this was. They could hear frantic footsteps scrambling around. Kyousuke put his hands on his hips and gave Biondetta a look of utter disappointment. Bion Wait, no!? Y-you have it all wrong, sir! This shouldnt be happening!! For once, Biondetta actually waved her hands around and argued her case, but something was odd. Time passed and yet no guards showed up to surround them. The guards seemed to be going elsewhere. And after a delay, the floor hopped up from a low tremor that shook the entire building, like a giant kaiju was walking around. It was very similar to an explosion, but it was not. It really was an unusual sort of footstep. Kyousuke thought for a moment. The chest? Someone besides us must have snuck in. So Im innocent! That means Im innocent, doesnt it!? That silent pressure is surprisingly painful, so you should really say something at times like this! Biondetta tearfully puffed out her cheeks and Kyousuke somehow found himself rubbing her horned head. At any rate, the blaring alarm meant a change of plans. There was no point in sneaking around anymore. It was also the time to take action. If a 3rd party knew that items value and was here to take it by force, they were probably using the Summoning Ceremony. The guards had no way of stopping them, so they would get away with the treasure chest. And that led to only one conclusion. Biondetta. Yes, sir. The two of them moved out from behind the glass cases, broke a nearby window, and climbed outside. Black smoke was rising from the opposite end of the museum. The firefighting system that used carbon dioxide so as not to harm the cultural assets was not going to act fast enough to prevent the damage. The tranquil-looking Milky Way was now scorched red by the reflected light of the fire back on earth. But that was not the crux of the issue. Someone was trying to leave the museum grounds just like Kyousuke and Biondetta. Oh, dear. It looked like a graceful nun and a small boy who only came up to her waist, but they were more than that. They were Government Award 666, The Saint. Just the other day, Kyousuke and Biondetta had run across this summoning pair while attacking the fortress of an elderly collector known as the Colorful Museum. They belonged to a group of White Queen devotees known as Bridesmaid. They were the polar opposite of Shiroyama Kyousuke who wished to destroy the Queen. The nun held a small box made of gold. It was known as a treasure chest, but it was no bigger than the case that held a new smartphone. There was a single keyhole in the center of the upper lid which would open upwards. Overall, it looked like an antique music box. Im surprised your motley group hasnt fallen apart yet. Even if each of us is headed in a different direction, we all worship Her Majesty. This is more than just Azalea Magentarain and her Guard of Honor. An amusingly large number of us have gathered from all across the world. The master key and the treasure chest. The summoners slowly narrowed their eyes as they viewed the others prize. There was no need to mention the Natural Historys missing entries. Unless it was to confuse them or trigger some infighting, nothing was gained by giving the enemy information. Do you two seek the Founders Gallery as well? I dont have to tell you anything. But that treasure would go to waste with you. Harming Her Majesty is simply impossible. Then you shouldnt care if I keep trying every way I can. More importantly, youre not acting on the Queens orders here. I seriously doubt she has any interest in the manmade Summoning Ceremony at this point. No, of course not. The nun put on a lovely smile. But if we are to serve our master, isnt it only natural to want to know as much about her as possible? What does she see, what does she hear, what does she eat, what does she smell, what does she touch, what does she take, what does she wear, what does she bathe in, what does she feel, what does she like, and what does she love? If we know all that up front, we will not have to bother Her Majesty by asking. Biondetta put her hands on her hips and sighed. I have a feeling writing Shiroyama Kyousuke in every single blank will get you a perfect 100 on that test. Please dont give her any ideas, said Kyousuke as he took a step back. Then he spoke. Biondetta, this is your final test. Defeat The Saint and retrieve the chest. Yes. Biondetta unfolded her silver Blood-Sign and approached the battlefront with a demonic smile on her face. Something thick and white slithered out from her cleavage. It was a large and unnaturally colorless snake. It had been part of Colorful Museums collection of any rare items related to the Summoning Ceremony, including humans. It was an animal vessel. The horned demon had a serpent wrapped around her body. From head to toe, every last pore on her body exuded stifling allure and wickedness. She looked just like a paintings depiction of the Antichrist, so the devout nun lightly crossed herself in front of her ample chest. Except Now this is interesting. She went on to raise her right hand toward the heavens. That hand held a spherical container made of transparent glass. It looked like a bottle of holy water, but since it used a chemical ignition device instead of a cap, it had to be an Incense Grenade built using the same system as glass anti personnel mines developed to slip past metal detectors. Yes, yes. This is all the result of Her Majestys love. She went out of her way to call in the irreverent one to test our loyalty, didnt she!? As soon she detonated it by squeezing it in her hand, the countless tiny shards of glass were accompanied by a transparent spray that spread impossibly far. With that, a cubic field with 20 meter sides was isolated from the world. For only 10 minutes, this became a forbidden region known as an Artificial Sacred Ground where the gods could be called down as physical flesh. At the same time, the nuns habit spread out like it was caught in a gust of wind. And a moment later, it changed form like a stage magicians handkerchief. It was now an asymmetrical cloak colored a detestably dark black. A nuns hood hid her hair to keep demonic power out, but this one must have contained wires of shape memory alloy because it transformed into a wide-brimmed hat that emphasized her beautiful wavy blonde hair. She wore no real clothing below the cloak, so her beautiful body was covered by nothing more than some bustier-style lingerie colored a sinister blood red. This was not a pure heart challenging the demon. The way was blocked by the spells of a witch dyed in the same evil. A holy woman and a wicked woman. This summoner woman was both at once. She had cut her index finger on a glass shard when her Incense Grenade had detonated, so she placed it between her lips. When she then removed her hand as if blowing a kiss, a long, thick Blood-Sign made of a single piece of material stickily appeared from either her finger or mouth like she was a sword swallower. Below the red-scorched Milky Way, the long-tongued summoner grabbed the weapon that was sticky with sweetly dangerous saliva, used her other hand to rub the small boys head, and made an announcement. Now, make your offering!! A Blood-Sign battle is nothing more than a dance performance for Her Majesty. And the living sacrifice is an important role in this performance. As one of those who wish to soothe Her Majestys boredom, I, The Saint, will gladly take on even the irreverent Anti-Queen!! Shiroyama Kyousuke looked troubled. And he spoke. Youre rotten to the core. Facts: *At the present time, Shiroyama Kyousuke has not made a contract with a vessel. *Biondetta has made a contract with a white snake from the Colorful Museums collection and made it her vessel. *The Saint is a summoner that uses the two faces of a holy woman and a witch. It is unknown if this was always the case or if she was broken after coming into contact with the White Queen. *Both Kyousuke and the devotee group named Bridesmaid are after the Founders Gallery and the Natural Historys missing entries found therein. Kyousuke believes the knowledge in those missing entries will be the key to defeating the Queen while Bridesmaid thinks it will show them how to be blessed with the Queens love. *If the treasure chest is opened with the master key, it supposedly contains information concerning the Founders Gallery. *Biondetta is used to being yelled at, but she is surprisingly weak to silent pressure. And she is honest to her desire for revenge above all else, so being told to sit and stay by the master of her contract is her greatest weakness. *The demon of vengeance apparently still wears white and pink stripes like she did back in the Queens Miniature Garden. It is unknown if that is a personal preference or if she is giving her client what she believes he wants. Volume 6, Stage 01 - A Bloody Hand Makes a Wish Upon the Tanabata Stars Volume 6, Stage 01: A Bloody Hand Makes a Wish Upon the Tanabata Stars You two, quit flirting in front of the Tomb Priestess. Were not flirting! That divine power of yours is completely useless! (Stage 01 Open 07/05 06:30) A Bloody Hand Makes a Wish Upon the Tanabata Stars With the exception of the shower-only bath, life on a cruiser was more luxurious than a cheap one-room apartment, but it was hard to sleep very deeply. Needless to say, this was because the waves were constantly rocking the boat even when moored at land. Some might find the rhythmic vibration of a train relaxing, but this was a little more random and required a bit of a trick to entrust oneself to. Dozing off was one thing, but it was not so easy to get a good nights sleep. With the Milky Way thoroughly erased by the bright morning sun, the nighttime lux restrictions were removed. Hm, hmm. Hm, hm, hm, hm, hmm. Kyousuke heard humming. When he sleepily rubbed his eyes and sat up in the double bed, he found the sound and smell of sizzling olive oil coming from the kitchen space. Why not study up at the planetarium today to prepare for a romantic date below the stars on July 7? The celestial memorial museum in M Block is supporting all you lovebirds, so if you tell the receptionist youre here for a rehearsal and pay a small extra free He listened to the announcer on the TV and trudged in that direction in his pajamas. There he found horned Biondetta with her back to him. For some reason, she had changed out of her trademark waitress outfit and into a modified yukata that was so short that it showed off everything right up to the very base of her legs which were covered by black knee socks. Even more mysteriously, she wore an apron over that. She was shaking her butt and tail decoration in time with her humming, so he could just about see some dangerous things. Then she turned his way with a frying pan, a spatula, and an impeccable smile. Good morning, sir. Im just finishing up breakfast, so please go watch TV to wait. Is that so? Y-yes? Your former nemesis, Biondetta, is happily and energetically making you breakfast. So, um, shouldnt you have more of a reaction than that? Kyousuke blinked and focused his bleary eyes on the Oiran-style demon. Yawn. Maybe, but the White Queen already did the wake up to find her making breakfast thing to me. You can yawn at this!? That is an insult to a girls home cooking!! Th-then even if it is clich, do I need to put my body on the line by being in your bed when you wake up? The Queen and Isabelle both already did that one. More than one!? So when you say Im half the reason the world ended up like this (heh), do you secretly have a smug grin on your face!? Mumble, mumble. They were living together with no locked doors between them. If he wanted to, he could push that alluring and sexy young woman down onto that bed or this sofa, but he did not seem to care much. He sat at the table as she had instructed, worked the TV remote with his head still drooping, and lay down on the table to fall back asleep instead of listening to the announcers voice. Biondettas mind went blank when she saw it. She was endlessly obedient to her contracted master, but Liar Cat also had her own policy. She was not satisfied unless she was in control!! I guess Ill have to go as far as running into him naked while pretending to get in a morning shampoo. Orno, but if I went that farhmm, he might be weirded out by that. Oh, I give u Danger. Kyousukes summoner senses warned him of an unknown threat, so he suddenly straightened up. Biondettas breakfast was Eggs Benedict, a dish based on the English muffin. The bread dough had a soft-boiled egg, crispy thick-cut bacon, and a yellowish-white sauce made with butter and cream placed between it, and she sprinkled olive oil on the top as a finishing touch. She had probably already used some when frying the bacon, so that was double. It was a lot like eating a fluffy English muffin thoroughly decorated with carbonara sauce, but as you can probably guess, only the XL-sized self-styled New Yorkers could handle something like this first thing in the morning. A normal Japanese person would feel their stomach recoiling in fear just from smelling it. Do you have something against me? Eh? Do I really have to spell those things out for you? Biondetta grinned while also serving him a full bowl of Caesar salad that looked more like the chicken was the star than the vegetables. He was afraid she would also bring out a pizza or a turkey at this rate. Really? The Eggs Benedict and the Caesar salad both have soft-boiled eggs in them Cmon, Kyousuke-chan, dont you have something to say to the person who fixed this meal for you? Thanks. He had enough sense left to actually thank her. This was a difficult day from the get-go for a boy who generally just ate cereal and milk, but if you ignored that this was breakfast, it tasted fine. The way she had used pepper, basil, and mustard was downright inspired. Eggs Benedict and Caesar salad both had a powerfully unique flavor from their sauce and dressing, but that kept them from having an evenly-distributed flavor and each bite brought a new surprise. The amount used was no different, but the oil flavor did not stick with him and he felt refreshed. The way she used the herbs and spices was a lot like how a summoner mixed their own Incense Grenades. Hm. This goes down surprisingly easily. Its not like were Tokyo stock brokers who spend all day at a desk. Were summoners who use our brains and bodies quite a lot. If anything, its a mystery how youve lasted so long on nothing but cereal. Butew. Does this milk have honey in it!? Not quite. The actual secret ingredient is condensed milk Id forgotten you had such a sweet tooth, Biondetta. Urp. Kyousuke set the glass down and pushed it away with a fingertip. His tongue simply could not accept that one. Perhaps because it had no pepper in it. Biondetta removed her apron and toyed with the cat nametag on her obi before casually grabbing the rejected glass and setting a suspicious-looking brown bottle on the table. It was stuffed full of white antibiotic pills. A big sister who had run into him in the bath was powerful indeed. She did not even blush at the prospect of an indirect kiss and drained the glass with a smile. Once youre used to condensed milk, it goes down quite easily too. Are you familiar with South Indian tea? They fill it with plenty of condensed milk and use air to make it dance around. Stop bringing up other cultures and traditions to criticize me. And more importantly With a quiet clunk, Kyousuke casually placed a silver key with a 30-carat diamond in it on the table. It was the Diamond Master Key. In a something-or-other suspense theatre on TV, people would die left and right for 10 million yen, so something like this could easily lead to an entire museum blowing up, but unfortunately, these two were dealing with a war, not crime. Lets decide what to do next. On Kyousukes suggestion, Biondetta stopped moving her fork and shrank her shoulders down. My apologies, sir. Please punish me for that. I wasnt trying to criticize you. I have all the tools you might need. It wont be any trouble for you. If you like, I can lecture you on the use of some more minor tools like the flute, the violin, the Judas cradle, or the pear of anguish. Arent those all medieval torture devices with perverted aspects to them? Are you really apologetic or are you teasing me!? Oh, how knowledgeable. Then I have nothing to worry about Ahem. I said that night was your final test, but I knew we would share the same fate as soon as I let you out of your cage. And criticizing you would be meaningless. It wont bring the Golden Treasure Chest back. Yes. The Saint had escaped Biondetta. If the Summoning Ceremony battle came to an end, the loser would be left a zombie for more than 24 hours, but they had reached the 10 minute time limit and it had ended in a draw. They had had no idea how much backup that indulgent saint/witch had with her, so retreating had been the best option. And so Kyousuke and Biondetta had the master key while Bridesmaid had the treasure chest. Biondetta, can they pry open the chest without the key? If that was possible, wouldnt you have focused on the chest from the beginning? If the legends surrounding it are true, forcing it open will cause it to self-destruct and the secrets inside will be lost. Its like quantum cryptography. Of course, theres always a possibility those believers will do something stupid. All of the White Queens worshipers were insane, but insanity was not enough to execute such a largescale plan. This group was known for waiting with surprising clarity and taking action with surprising audacity. He doubted they would do anything rash during this preparatory phase. Lets just assume you have to use both the key and the chest. In that case, Bridesmaid is sure to attack us. A defensive battle goes against my stance as a hired avenger, so we need to take the initiative back somewhere. Your stance doesnt matter, but there is a wider range of options for us. Kyousuke sighed. The chest only contains the decoder for the location of the Founders Gallery. It isnt the actual answer. That means theres also an ancient map that information is used with. And the legends say that treasure map is drawn on human skin. Three sacred treasures? Come to think of it, the president of Toy Dream created the Gozaru Samurai when he was inspired by Japanese culture, didnt he? The fly in the ointment is how he was just a bit mistaken about a lot of it. But seeing a Rekshy Warrior sword-fighting in space using a glowing katana is really exciting. To foreigners. Anyway We dont know where they are and they dont know where we are, so neither of us can make an attack right away even if we want to. So dont we have the perfect bait to lay a trap? We just have to use the owner of the ancient map. And they needed that map either way. If Bridesmaid was after both the master key and the ancient map, their actions would be harder to predict, but a counterattack would be much easier if both their targets were in one place. Biondetta clapped her hands in front of her pink mini-yukatas chest. Now, a question: where is this ancient map? Thats well-known. It originally belonged to a family that protected an Egyptian pyramid. They grew close to the president of Toy Dream due to his passionate efforts to preserve the pictures and writing on the walls there. And when the Toy Dream Company bought up all the land around those ruins and then moved the pharaohs body and the grave goods into a museum, that family moved with them. They claim wherever the pharaoh sleeps is the homeland they must protect. Meaning? Toy Dream 35. They live in a normal apartment in this city. Theyre apparently working with a Japanese software development company to do some VR mapping. That will later become a new attraction where you put on goggles and explore a pyramid full of traps. It was a stereotypical Toy Dream 35 high-rise building sticking directly up from the ocean. Inside a luxury apartments living room, Kyousuke ignored the invitation to sit on the sofa and stood by the wall. Biondetta waited by his side like a well-behaved hound. This was their current base. They had only lived alongside the stone ruins because it was the most efficient way to protect the pharaohs body. The tomb keeper family had protected the pyramid for millennia, but they were now sitting in an air-conditioned room, holding an online meeting, and throwing a tantrum: No, you cant just throw a texture on there. You have to register the peaks to properly map out the surface. It might seem wrong, but that was the passage of time. A brown-skinned woman was washing the dishes in the kitchen while a group of several men and woman were gathered around an OA desk computer in a corner of the living room while pointing at the screen and debating something. Kyousuke spoke under his breath while aware their eyes were on him. (Oh? So they can perceive us even when we arent in their field of vision?) (Sir, maybe they are intentionally keeping their Awards in the double digits so they can communicate between both sides of the world. Government often does that.) (I wish, but this smells different. They seem more amateurish.) But that did not particularly matter. There was another problem: They had used Aika as a Government middleman and arrived to offer their services as bodyguards, but they had been politely refused because the tomb keepers had already hired someone else. Shiroyama Kyousuke faced a pair of shrine maiden twins who were crossing their arms and staring at him. It was Meinokawa Renge and Meinokawa Higan. Despite being twins, one of them had flowing black hair and the other had magnificent blonde hair. His words were cruel. Those two are useless, so they wont be any help at all. Hey!! shouted the strong-willed twin, but no one was listening. A brown-skinned and muscular old man in a casual suit seemed to be the representative here, so Kyousukes tone grew serious when he spoke to that man. Have you ever heard the name Bridesmaid? Theyre going to show up soon with plenty of summoners at the Award 900 level, so you could use all the help you can get. Uuh! H-he just gave them information that, um, not even we knew about! The shy twin tearfully hid behind her sisters back. Mini-Yukata Biondetta clapped her hands in front of her chest and tilted her head. By the way, the two of us are both at Freedoms Award 900 level. Look into the names Liar Cat and Alice (with) Rabbit and you should find everything you need to know. Biondetta, I dont think your legends are going to be much of a selling point. Dont be so sure. They might realize that displeasing me here will lead me to bare these legendary fangs. Kyousuke wanted to hold his head in his hands. Biondetta did not seem to care whether they acted as the tomb keepers bodyguards or just stole the ancient map, as long as they got their hands on the map they needed as bait. Biondetta, over here a moment. Yes, sir. Kyousuke and his faithful servant stepped out into the family apartments hallway for a private chat. Just to be clear, that method wont necessarily work. If Bridesmaid doesnt notice we stole the ancient map, theyll still attack the tomb keepers. And no matter how much the tomb keepers insist they dont have the map, theyll probably be tortured to find out if theyre telling the truth. Plus, once its clear they arent any use, theyll be silenced while weak from torture and unable to resist. In other words, just taking the map now wouldnt protect them. True enough. Such a flawless analysis, sir. Horned Biondetta nodded and smiled like a tutor. But what does that matter? Our goal is the Natural Historys missing entries and this tomb keeper family is only a detour. As long as you stay focused, some small detours are fine, but I see no real reason to stick with them if they stubbornly refuse to recognize the approaching danger. Her smile reminded Kyousuke of someone from somewhere else. It was a white, lovely, and infinitely pure evil. Curse the Queens hatred. Yes. My role here is to suggest the things you cannot The demon smiled as she toyed with the cat nametag on her obi. Kyousuke figured this was still better than licking each others wounds and not even working to stop her, so he breathed a heavy sigh and made up his mind. Were not abandoning anyone to die. Yes, sir. If were getting their help to reach our objective, then we need to share their fate. I want to protect them no matter what. If that is your stance for enjoying the ultimate revenge, then so be it. That hired avenger was obedient as long as she could translate it into her own words. And as complicated as it was, he simply had to persuade anew her each and every time. He did not want to agree with Biondetta, but the tomb keeper family was indeed being too careless concerning the approaching danger. Just as they started back into the previous room, an unexpected voice reached them. It came from a different door. Hello, you two visitors. There is no need to speak with my retainers any longer. Come directly here. I grant you an audience. It was a quiet feminine voice. It was polite and enticing, but it lacked the provocative tone that Biondetta used. These were words that flowed down from above. The tone carried a pressure that forced anyone listening to accept her superior position. Kyousuke saw it as the voice of a ruler. It was the voice of someone who had been born into a position of power and used that position like it was normal instead of drowning in it. But he could not let this deceive him. That voice was a technique, not a natural talent. It was a technique for a single individual to bring together a large group. It was a method used by dictators to gather the people together. It may have been mankinds oldest discipline, dating back to when humans first started living together in groups. For example, people would stand on a platform for a position physically above everyone or they would use a megaphone or microphone so their voice would carry into the distance. Even a school principal would use these methods, but did the people listening or the person using them even realize these were methods of influencing peoples impressions? And the Queen took all of that to another, completely unrecognizable level. If they had not known her, Kyousuke and Biondetta might have had their souls bound as much as anyone else. And comfortably so. Without even realizing they had been intentionally restrained. Imprisonment became protection. Confiscation became an offering. Violence became education. Poverty became prosperity. Misfortune became happiness. This rulers invitation could change ones understanding of all those things. And Kyousuke smoothly responded. What was one to do when the lost civilization of Ancient Egypt called out to them from beyond a door? He gave no thought to such questions and followed the modern methods by walking to the thin door. It was Biondetta by his side and not Kyousuke himself who lightly knocked at the door. I already gave you permission. Please come in. The polite words had a note of forcefulness to them, so they were a command. Biondetta grabbed and silently turned the knob so her master would not have to and she pushed the door open. Another world opened before their eyes. That room with thick curtains blocking out all light seemed entirely cut off from the rest of the family apartment. It was like a temple or stone hut. The flickering flames on wicks soaked in oil lit the gold and jewels filling the space. But this was not just a worldly desire for liquid assets. That was obvious enough from the accurate arrangement that ignored the cardinal directions and even the spacing of the room. This was the grave keepers macro universe, their view of life and death, and the micro structure of their bodies. This was only natural given the accurate structure and knowledge of astronomy seen in the pyramid they had protected. A girl sat at the center of that knowledge that spiraled outward with countless meanings. She had brown skin and short silver hair. She looked around 17 or 18, but her appearance could not be trusted. She looked a little too thin to call slender and the space between her breaths and heartbeats were clearly much longer than the average persons. Her cycle of ingestion and consumption, her bodys metabolism, and the division of her microscopic cells were all artificially altered, so it was entirely possible there was a discrepancy between her apparent age and the amount of time that had passed in the world around her. The word yoga was used in gyms in modern times, but this went far beyond that. If she claimed she could live in this room for 5 years by drinking dew and controlling her breathing, Kyousuke would not have doubted her. She may have been using just her own mind to produce a state of cold sleep while at room temperature. Or maybe it was more like a tree extending its roots into the earth. If a Buddhist priest that claimed to have rid himself of worldly thoughts and become one with nature saw her perfection, he might just be dragged down into the abyss by his own envy and anger. She was more like a divine object than a queen. That explained why that rulers voice had sounded almost divine. This brown girl had taken a step to the other side using a process other than a summoner aiming for Award 1000. Her body was wrapped in many bandages and adorned in places with pure gold and red jewels. She also wore a vanishingly thin decorative cloth much like a lace veil or shawl. However, it was extremely long. It was draped over her neck and shoulders like a towel, wrapped once around her waist, and then allowed to hang down, so it formed a Y-shape overall. She effectively had nothing to hide her bodylines. But despite being half naked, her divinity overpowered the sexuality. Just like the Venus de Milo or Michelangelos David, her body was so perfectly formed that there was no room for any common animal lust. In fact, it seemed to purify that desire away. The girls lips opened slightly. Just watching that may have cleansed ones heart. Please forgive my rudeness, but I must omit the formalities in this pressing situation. My name is Sekurtiti. I am this generations Tomb Priestess who guards the pharaohs body during his brief absence and returns his soul to that dried and preserved vessel of flesh. Pff. But the mood was ruined by a laugh. Kyousuke glared at Biondetta next to him, but she could not stop the shaking of her shoulders. She had directly faced the White Queen just like him, so she could not be trapped by the bonds of these normal techniques. Sekurtiti froze in place on the floor and doubt entered her light blue eyes. Is something the matter? No, excuse me. I just thought it was surprisingly worldly for a human to pretend to be some higher being. Especially when you showed off your background and authority to take the initiative. Now, now. Dont get all tense. We can tell at a glance that you really have started to reach a higher stage. Were at the 900 level ourselves. Just like you, we have one foot on the stairway up. Yes, just like you. She spoke slowly and gently, but also sharp and piercingly. It was like hearing a classmate proudly showing off some piece of trivia they knew and then commenting that you had also seen that on TV the day before. Kyousuke brought his index finger to his temple and spoke. Biondetta. The yukata demon stuck out her tongue. She may have been trying to make her contracted master look impressive, but it was extremely childish. She looked like a big sister butting in when her little brother started to lose an argument. Very well, I shall forgive you of your rudeness, visitors. Malicious though it might be, it comes from an adorable place deep down. You cannot help but love on your little brother, can you? Not your client, but your little brother. The helld you say? Stop! Thats enough of pitting your divine powers against each other in some unknown dimension!! And the tomb keepers out front would weep if they knew you were using that for something so trivial!! Both girls cleared their throat at the same time. She gets oddly fixated on retaliating against people and might really hate losing, mentally noted Kyousuke concerning the brown priestess. I heard your discussion from in here. Eavesdropping? What a vulgar hobby. Hee hee. Did you order some night vision goggles to use in the park at night on the weekends? Im going to leave your face a bruised mess and take you on a walk like a dog, you extreme sweet tooth. I meanexcuse me. Sekurtiti once more displayed some information she should not have known. Or perhaps she had gathered some data on her guests once they had arrived like stage magicians would do. From what I have heard, you need the ancient map that we manage. Yes, and when I say you, I am not just referring to the two of you. Can your divine power tell us the scale of the enemy were up against? I sense a very deep darkness. So deep it is difficult to see through to the bottom. That could apply to just about anything, whispered Biondetta. Kyousuke tried stomping on her foot, but she nimbly dodged, leaving him with no choice but to pinch her soft cheek. Thah hurhsh, shir! Bad Biondetta. Still seated, Sekurtiti looked up at them with the golden decorations in her hair and she gave a warning. You two, quit flirting in front of the Tomb Priestess. Were not flirting! That divine power of yours is completely useless! Were not flirting! That divine power of yours is completely useless! Anyway. With a calm look on her face, the brown priestess continued while gently shaking the decorative lace cloth draped over her shoulders in a Y-shape. I understand that we will be attacked by a dangerous lot whether we have the ancient map or not. We cannot ignore any tomb raiders who would bring unneeded chaos to the pharaohs place of slumber or who would lay a hand on his treasures. So as you said, we could use all the help we can get. No, that was not it. She was not shaking the cloth. After remaining seated like she had been carrying out a ritual all this time, the Tomb Priestess stood up as smoothly as a clay doll that showed no limitations in its joints or center of gravity. Oh, how cooperative of you. And I thought you would be more hardheaded. I am merely saying we must protect wherever it is the pharaoh sleeps. President Toydream built up a relationship of trust in his efforts to preserve our culture and traditions and we are also indebted to him after the Seth incident. She did not stop there. The cloth as thin as fairy wings fell away. She exposed a body too thin to call slender with only bandages roughly wrapped around her brown nudity. No, Sekurtiti still was not done. She removed the gold decorations and turned her back to Kyousuke and Biondetta. Then she reached both hands for the bandages on the sides of her hips. Almost like she was untying a swimsuits strings. It happened as easily as a present being unwrapped. The final cloths protecting the girls body fell to the floor. Something was faintly visible on her bared back. Nn My apologies. The Lifelong Emblem only appears clearly on my skin when my blood flow increases. Keh heh heh. So thats why you wanted a guy watching. Exposing yourself to starved eyes turns you on. Biondetta. U-um, sir. Isnt it rude to not react at all? Im actually feeling a little sorry for her. Not to worry. I will forgive your rudeness, visitor. Those crude and vulgar words are necessary here. Your response is most logical. Nnn!! Like a piece of trick art, their view of the world changed at some point. As the girl blushed and squeezed her eyes shut, something appeared on her naked back. It initially looked like a magic circle. It was known as an ancient map, but this was not enough to know what area it referenced. It was not necessarily anywhere near the Nile where so many pyramids remained. I see. So you cant find the Founders Gallery without all three sacred treasures. Kyousuke smiled a little. They already had two of them: the Diamond Master Key and the Girls Ancient Map. That left just one. Once they had the Golden Treasure Chest, they could reach the Founders Gallery and the scraps of parchment known as the Natural Historys missing entries. What was now only a vague image in his mind would take physical form in his hand. This time, his broken heart could reboot. I would like for you to protect this with your Award 900 power. With that done, Sekurtiti kept her back to them, crouched down, and picked up the long bandages that had fallen to the floor. We are talking about a treasure that enthralled even the ruler of Toy Dream. It must be worth enough for any number of people to target it. I pray that you too will not succumb to its demonic power, Shiroyama Kyousuke. Neh heh heh. I seem to recall Toy Dreams 3D cartoons including a few magic circles appearing on peoples backs. I hope it wasnt just that the president was a pervert with a thing for the curves of young brown girls Hopefully this isnt like that author who is suspected to have made a world famous childrens book just to win the hearts of some little girls he knew. Biondetta. Kyousuke finally spoke the forbidden words. Sit. Stay. Thats enough. Meanwhile, the Meinokawa Sisters were trembling in fear after being left behind in the (supposedly) main living room. (R-Renge, um, what do we do!? Now that Shiroyama-san is here, theres no way we can win! Theyll fire us and we wont get paid!!) (Shut up, Higan. Leave this to my negotiations skills. Uuhbut why is it more Freedom summoners? And with two 900 level ones butting in, Im starting to wonder if they told us the wrong rate for this one) For one thing, this was Toy Dream 35. With a swimsuit and white liger Government pair who had somehow reached the upper 800s without ever leaving her apartment and a mysterious China dress from Illegal who defeated summoners with her own body and hidden weapons instead of a Material, the city had some harsh competition. And the eyes of the tomb keepers working in the living room were not giving them a clear answer. They did not actively support the twins and simply hoped the twins could be of some use. It was the usual stance toward outsiders brought in as mercenaries. (U-um, are we carrying some bad karma or something?) (I dont think this is on that level. If anything, I think were lacking something) To be clear, the Meinokawa Sisters were not low-level summoners, but this was not a place where one could distinguish herself with average skill. This was Toy Dream 35 where the once-in-2000-years typhoon known as the White Queen and the eye of the storm known as Shiroyama Kyousuke were frequently seen. Yes. For example Woof woof!! Woof woof woof woof!! How long are you just going to tease me, sir! I cant stand it any longer!! I just want to dig in right away!! Your orders have built up so much pressure inside me and its allll about to burst out!! Kyahhhn! Hah hah hah hah!!!!! Why are you doubling down and trying to enjoy this!? Stop! People are going to think Im a pervert too! Really, Sekurtiti, this isnt what I wanted! Look carefully with your divine power. Eh? What? You see something even worse in me? What the hell do you think you saw, you occult pervert girl!? The twin shrine maidens and the brown-skinned tomb keepers felt their minds go blank and silence surrounded them for a while. And once she got tired of surrendering herself to that, blonde Higan finally opened her eyes. Thats what we lack!! We cant, Higan! We cant let ourselves turn into freaks like that!! Renge desperately clung to her sisters waist to keep her from heading toward the sounds of a commotion still coming from the other room. But those sounds finally came to a stop. And Freedom Award 903 stepped out with a look of blazing duty in his eyes. Sorry about the wait, everyone. Tomb Priestess Sekurtiti and I have reached an agreement. (Wh-what happened in there, um, Renge?) (Shh! Ask that and I have a feeling your life is forfeit, Higan.) His hair and clothing were in disarray like he had been playing with a large and undisciplined dog that liked to jump up on people and his entire face was sticky with what looked like dog drool. Horned Biondetta stood next to him feigning ignorance, but Sekurtiti (who should have stood in the center as the ruler of this place) was cowering over by the wall and trembling. It entirely ruined the majesty of the gold decorations and Y-shaped lace cloth as thin as fairy wings that barely covered her bandaged but otherwise nude body. Those two summoners must have held a sublime battle and that girls pale blue eyes had peered into a forbidden abyss. The old man in a casual suit looked highly affronted that they had gone over his head for that audience, but he did not actually say anything as he supported the Tomb Priestesss body. That may have been a sign of how well trained he was. L-l-listen carefully, everyone. Ahem. These two are no longer visitors. We shall open all chambers to them as brethren who will take up arms and fight alongside us against any who would disturb the ancient pharaohs slumber. Understood? But once her tongue got moving, she was a ruler once more. Just like the bullet would fly when the trigger was pulled, her established technique would not betray her. The tomb keepers were used to obeying her, but even outsiders like Renge and Higan (who were even disadvantaged by Kyousuke and Biondettas intrusion) felt their shoulders jump as their hearts switched over to respectful listening mode. No, from their view, they were being lured in by those glistening lips. This was different from normal hypnotism. With the method widely known to the world at large and that was legally accepted as a medical treatment in Canada, the subject would generally reject any request that would harm them. That was the origin of the well-known ideas that skeptics could not take part in a sance and that a hypnotized person could not be ordered to die. But to put it another way, a true ruler could do so. With a single statement, she could turn white into black or have the target take their own life. Gold-adorned Sekurtiti had subconsciously learned these techniques from the situations she found herself in. But that was not the true essence of her being. The overly smooth movement, the words that drew peoples minds to her lips, and the beauty that drove away animal lust were all part of what attracted people to her, but that was not what she was. If what she said was true, then she too was a servant. She guided the boat that carried the ancient pharaohs soul between this world and the underworld. She was only ruling over people to optimize her ability to fulfill that role. She would return the ancient kings soul to his preserved flesh body. That was a form of summoning. So, Shiroyama Kyousuke. When will the calamity you speak of arrive? And what can we do before then? Well, I apologize in advance for how pessimistic this is going to sound. Kyousuke placed his index finger on his chin and looked up at the ceiling. And he made an announcement. But Im honestly surprised it hasnt arrived yet. Immediately, an explosive noise shook the entire apartment. Wh-whatbgyuh!? Renge carelessly tried to look out the window, so Kyousuke grabbed the back of her shrine maiden outfits collar and pulled her back. Appearing at the window right now would be suicide. Who could say how many sniper bullets would have hit her? And he could tell what had happened without looking out the window. Toy Dream 35 was a three-dimensional city built over the ocean using countless buildings with giant bridges between them. So if the bridges connecting to the exits were blown up, the way out as well as the electricity, communications, water, gas, and other infrastructure could be cut off. The enemy was undoubtedly trying to isolate them. And once that was done, they would attack. Even if Im being optimistic, we cant have more than 30 seconds. How many forces do you have in the building? Sekurtiti glanced over, so the old man in a casual suit answered. The entire apartment building is fortified with tomb keepers, so fear not. Our prized warrior priests will use their defenses of stone and faith of steel to become a wall before the Tomb Priestess. And even a single one possesses the strength to overcome a war elepha Dont let any of them fight. A summoner cant start a battle without seeing you with the naked eye. Instead of forcing your way out, your odds of survival are much higher if you curl up in a corner of the room buried in cushions. A tiny closet or bathroom would be much worse. Its easiest to be overlooked in the corner of a large room. But the real trick is to remain patient. That isnt something just anyone can do. Listen, you cant move a millimeter once they begin the search. Pass this on to everyone. You He may have wanted to shout you brat, but they had no time. As soon as Kyousuke kicked the muscular old man out of the way and Biondetta grabbed her masters waist and pushed him to the floor, an incredible storm of destruction assaulted the room. It was like horizontal lines punched through all of the living rooms windows at even intervals. A spray of autocannon fire smashed everything at waist height, starting at one end of the room and moving to the other. ! Still on the floor, Kyousuke reached for his back and pulled out Phosphorus, the Repliglass Blood-Sign coiled up and stored there. Using just his arm strength, he swung it around and tripped Renge and Higan to the floor since they were just standing there. He then set his sights on Sekurtiti, but something odd happened. For some reason, the brown Tomb Priestess rejected Kyousukes helping hand. As the Blood-Sign skimmed across the floor, she stepped on it and pinned it down. Hmph. And once the horizontal sweep of gunfire was over, only she reigned in that room. She alone was unharmed because she had been standing right in the gap between two bullets. No matter how heavily armed they are, no tomb keeper will be done in by uncivilized tomb raiders. What matters is punishing these outlaws who disturb the pharaohs slumber by making a mess of this city built by President Toydream. (Thats really something) Kyousuke was honestly impressed. If he was being honest, a lot of luck had come into play when it came to saving the old man in the casual suit, Renge, and Higan. They could proudly proclaim that luck had smiled on them this day. But Sekurtiti had taken it a step further. She could go as far as to say she was loved by a god. But they could not afford to forget that this was a Summoning Ceremony battlefield. When up against summoners who could freely wield beings that surpassed the gods of legend, being loved by a god was not enough to ensure her safety. Kyousuke detected an unpleasant odor like a cars cigarette lighter being pressed against wallpaper. The bullets embedded in the walls were exhibiting a strange reaction. There were special bullets designed to pierce armor and then ignite inside to fry the engine or electronics. Those were armor-piercing incendiary rounds, but that was not what these were. If these were meant to effectively increase the power of summoners and vessels Are they Incense Grenades!? Biondetta!! Yes, sir. With a sound much like a thunderbolt, the Tomb Priestess with the ancient map on her back and everyone else there were contained inside the 20 meter cube of an Artificial Sacred Ground. What was done was done. Kyousuke and Biondetta got up with Blood-Signs at the ready. They both ignored the peanut gallery lying on the floor in a daze and the divinely-inspired girl still standing tall. An Artificial Sacred Ground would only open when the Incense Grenade was thrown and detonated while the target human was seen with the naked eye. And if the summoner and vessel were not there already, they would be automatically taken to the detonation point. Gravity did not matter. The bridges had been cut off. The summoners and vessels had likely flown horizontally over from the neighboring building with the force of a missile. It was a lot like special forces breaking through a window after climbing down a wall with a rope. But they were not much of a challenge when their numbers and locations were known in advance. There would be a pair of them for each Incense Grenade embedded in the wall like an armor-piercing incendiary round and they would be moving toward precisely the locations of those bullet holes. Kyousuke and Biondetta stood back-to-back, swung their Blood-Signs horizontally like baseball bats, and knocked them all out with lariat-like blows to the neck. The summoners had come flying in at abnormal speed, so it was a hellish situation for them. Before they could even land on their feet, they spun around on their necks and collapsed onto the floor. Once the summoners had all been knocked out without even summoning a single Material, Kyousuke and Biondetta were given control of their Artificial Sacred Ground as the victors, but they did not bother holding onto it. They canceled the Chain state without waiting the full 90 seconds, so the Artificial Sacred Ground and the glowing red cube of Roses vanished. Of course, Bridesmaid would not only be entering through that one route. Either to clear the way for more summoners to enter through the windows or to hold Kyousuke and Biondetta in place before another team could arrive, the autocannon was sure to fire again. Shall we tie these guys up and decorate the windows with them? I dont think worshipers of that Queen are going to be bothered by human shields. Then how about I enjoy some clay target shooting? Dont worry, though. This is a 7.62mm bolt-action. I wont miss from this range, sir. Understood. But only neutralize them. Dont kill. Ill draw their attention to the window in here, so you move to another room and It happened just as they were discussing that. It came with no warning or advance notice at all. The brown Tomb Priestess named Sekurtiti approached the window through which the autocannon had fired. It happened just before Kyousuke and Biondetta used their Blood-Signs to knock her to the floor by catching at her legs and neck respectively. I must punish any who disturb the pharaohs slumber and threaten our new holy land. It happened just after she whispered that. Haahhhhhh!!!!!! She gave a shout and thrust her open palms straight forward. That was all. She seemed to be pantomiming the glass that had filled that window before it shattered. It did not look like the motion of someone familiar with martial arts. Nevertheless, Kyousuke and Biondettas weapons stopped at the last moment. No, their Blood-Signs were trembling slightly. Kyousuke could not move his weapon forward or pull it back and Oiran Mini-Yukata Biondetta could not move with her weapon partially thrust forward from the hip. (Wha?) A distant sound of destruction followed. It came from the autocannon. However, it was not the sound of it firing properly. It had clearly malfunctioned in some way. That girl was a ruler wearing a golden tiara, but that did not mean she could bend a spoon with psychokinesis. (Did she lead the gunner astray and cause them to operate the weapon incorrectly?) An autocannon was too heavy for one person to carry around and it was generally fired by a group of 2 to 4, with at least someone to aim and pull the trigger and someone to feed in the ammunition belt. Throwing off their synchronization would probably increase the odds of a mistake, but The tremor filling Kyousuke and Biondetta was no more than a glancing blow. Was this the strength of a wall of the taboo set by a ruler? Simply by refusing an audience and hitting them with her established techniques, could she really bring people to a stop like this? What had this wall looked like to the people on the other side? It was possible they literally had seen it silently approaching to crush them. During the first sweep, it may not have been that the bullets had physically bent around her; it was possible the enemy gunners soul had been enough influenced by this ruler to hesitate But a ruler was a ruler. She did not brag and instead seemed to use this power like it was normal. I cannot keep this up forever. Humans can adapt to any stimulus. Just as all great heroes are dragged down by the masses in due time and just as a thousand-year empire is cruelly devoured, even glory and reverence are no more than emotions to be consumed. The Tomb Priestesss pale blue eyes desired another method. Since the ancient map was on the brown girls back, Kyousuke and Biondetta had no real reason to stay in the apartment. And the tomb keepers were willing to follow their pharaoh from the desert and refer to his location as their homeland. As long as it would not directly defile the pharaoh or the grave goods sleeping in the museum, they would not hesitate to move elsewhere. The only question was when to do it. With all the bridges destroyed, it would be difficult to escape the isolated building. And Bridesmaid would of course have the area surrounded. They could not move on until they broke through. But that also meant they were home free as long as they did break through. That old man had said the entire building was fortified with tomb keepers. That meant Kyousuke did not have to worry about unrelated civilians getting caught in the middle. He had to create an opening through which they could escape, even if it meant sacrificing the entire apartment building. Lets move almost everyone in the building down to the bottom. The buildings ground level is at the bottom of the ocean. Once Bridesmaid sees everyone moving there, theyre sure to think we have a submarine hidden there. But no such submarine exists! snapped back the elderly aide. Thats fine. Kyousuke did not care. We just have to make them think theres one. Once they start fearing an underwater route, their circle will naturally tighten in. The autocannons power would be weakened by the thick wall of seawater and you cant see as far through the water as you might think. And then Kyousuke snapped his fingers and pointed up at the ceiling. Biondetta looked like she understood. Oh, I get it. We blow up the top level of the building. The downpour of rubble will crush the Bridesmaid group that carelessly approached with submersible weaponry. Yes, yes! So its the same as the classic trap where you roll a giant boulder down the corridor to crush all of the tomb raiders at once. I do not like destroying a portion of Toy Dream 35 which acts as the pharaohs tomb, but if it is for a trap to clear away the uncivilized tomb raiders, then we have no other choice!! Why are you suddenly leaning forward with sparkling eyes, Sekurtiti!? I should have expected this from the great technological nation of Japan. From the ancient ninja houses to the modern roach sheets and flypaper, countless traps have permeated your souls, so of course the protectors here would think differently. Oh, but I hate to throw out the functional beauty of a carnivorous plant such as the pitcher plant or the Venus flytrap. As the protectors of the pharaohs tomb, there is so much to learn from Asia. Ahh Y-youre getting pretty close!! Where did this pressure come from!? The plan was simple enough, but it was impossible with normal explosives or a gas explosion. As any video of a building demolition would show, buildings generally collapsed downwards or fell over; they never scattered rubble from above like a volcanic eruption. And causing it to collapse downwards would crush the people on the ground level as bait, so they had to prevent the blast from propagating through the intervening floors. If no realistic methods could pull it off, what could they rely on? There was of course only one answer: They were experts at using the Summoning Ceremony. Hmm. But, sir, that would mean Yes, Id like to split the summoners up, with a pair up top and one down below. Biondetta, you go down. Make sure you can protect the tomb keepers with the Summoning Ceremony if anything goes wrong. Can I count on you? Yes, sir. And while Kyousuke was a skilled summoner, he had no vessel partner at the moment. Black-haired Renge let out a snort and demonstrated her willingness to do this. Fine then! We just have to head up to the top and start a Material rampage when the timing is right, dont we!? Im pretty sure I know the answer, but have you ever helped destroy a largescale building? Once these high-rise buildings start to collapse, its hard to stop the chain reaction and difficult to control the destruction. Plus, not even the most skilled vessel can perfectly control the Material. This is going to be a lot like having your hand trembling wildly from the electrodes attached to it and still trying to pull out the pieces of a block puzzle tower one at a time. Can you really do that? If you fail, then about 200 lives will be lost. Awawawawawawa Good, I like your honesty. But I do have something for the two of you to do. That meant she could not cancel her contract with Higan and give her to Kyousuke. If he was to act as a summoner, he would need a new vessel. There was no need to look around since there was only one person there with the perfect traits for that. Kyousuke and Sekurtiti silently faced each other. She likely understood her own talent. She understood it and yet chose a different path. That showed a strength of its own. It may have been a greater strength than even Kyousuke who could only submerge himself in the Summoning Ceremony. You mustnt!! The old man in a casual suit bowed deeply as he offered his own advice. You have thoroughly followed your own rules and polished your soul without relying on anything else. If you open your body to the many gods, no one can predict how it will affect that polishing. In the worst case, you could even lose it all!! He was not just referring to her technique to rule over people. He meant her true job that no one had ever seen and might not even exist. She was to accurately call the ancient pharaohs soul back into his dried body. It was a different system of summoning. If she did have that ability, it could conflict with the Blood-Sign method. That old man who had lived by her side for so long knew just how valuable that was and the girl herself had to know that even better than him. People could not escape the grasp of a power once they had relied on it. That was as true of a bullet as it was a god. If she had someone who would prevent her from letting go, she might be able to entrust herself to this. But the ruler spoke. Stand back. !? Shiroyama Kyousuke. This is an emergency. Couldnt you simply order me to do it? Sorry, but forcing people to become my vessel just isnt my style. But what would you do if I refused? Then this entire plan is shot and Id have to think up something else. Even this was a turning point. Whether she agreed or not, Shiroyama Kyousuke had said he would escape this situation. That meant she could no longer let the situation force her into the contract. If the brown girl did not take that final step of her own volition, she could not arrive there. In fact, this left her with no real reason to stray from her original path. Who in this world had enough a reason, enough courage, or strong enough a soul to step into an unknown world when no one was pressuring her into it and when it would mean abandoning everything she had spent many long years building up? And the ruler smiled. It was a thin smile and she had the look of someone who was overcoming some kind of trial. But I am not a presence in any of those other solutions. I am no more than a temporary ruler during the pharaohs absence, but I still have pride in the many lives I have supported to this day. What would I gain by turning my back on my duty and trying to flatter the tomb raiders with a smile on my face? How could my soul shine then? I, at least, cannot answer that question. That was the rulers choice. Because she had ruled over everything like it was normal, she could also let go of that power like it was normal. She had that strength inside her. Only someone who knew what was truly important could make that choice. Sekurtiti did not hesitate. Just as she took pride in her superior position like it was normal, she could let go of it like it was normal. That was the kind of person she was. So please. I need your help to save my family. All he needed was a small blade and his own fingertip. By making a small cut on his index finger and allowing a single drop of blood to appear, he could easily open that door. I bind this covenant of blood in the name of The Spirit of Fluttering Yellow Gills that Rules the Heavens (s - a - so - voz - tix - ei - yw - za), one of the Three which manage and guide the summoning ceremony. You are of human flesh with a proper heart and soul, yet from this moment onward, you shall be a limited vessel that can hold all things. The brown girl wrapped in bandages and a Y-shaped lace cloth kneeled on the spot. This was a new contract. By stripping off her old self, she would reveal a new self to the world. Her position and status a moment earlier meant nothing. Even if she had been a ruler who looked down upon a great multitude. You shall be a lord of emptiness that uses the power filling you to at times bend the laws of this world. It was like a noble fairy queen sipping dew from the tip of a leaf. It was like a filthy dog devouring leftover food splattered in a back alley. In a way that caused everyones values to crumble away, she reached her tongue for his finger. She reached for the single drop there which was both the most venomous and most divine thing in the world. So I shall prepare this vessel. I am a summoner, unable to leave the world of man, yet a symbol of haughty intellect that uses power from beyond the world of man to guide the world of man to the next age!! And she made contact. She licked it up, rolled it around in her mouth, and swallowed it. Something exploded inside that girl adorned with bandages and with gold. What had been there before and what had not been there before clashed and the ends of every last nerve in her body opened like connection ports. The brown girl arched her back like she had been struck by lightning. With violent convulsions, her mouth opened as wide as possible and pointed toward the ceiling. The roar of a fearsome beast burst forth, but it now lacked the dignity and style of a ruler. She had been rewritten. She had been updated. She was now the mystical itself as a vessel that could freely contain even those that lurked beyond the gods. Everything was ready. Kyousuke checked on his Blood-Sign, counted how many Incense Grenades he had on hand, and waited for his new vessel to stand by his side. He looked around the room and stuck the tip of his Blood-Sign toward the remains of a destroyed table scattered across the floor. He caught something on it and tossed it to Sekurtiti. It looked like the rectangular case for mint tablets, but it was not. It was a pedometer with a digital counter. ? Attach this at your waist. It can work as a restraint. Beauty and health can easily provide mental bonds, especially for women. If you dont want to have your body hijacked by unwanted evil and vengeful spirits, I recommend physically creating a mental switch. I see. She nodded and obediently attached the pedometers clip to a knot she had tied when putting the bandages back on after showing them the ancient map earlier. The bandages may have come undone easily, so she wanted something to reinforce the knot. Meanwhile, Blonde Shrine Maiden Higan was blushing a bright red and covering her face with her hands. O-oh, no Was I, um, like that too when I did it? Hmm. Its different for everyone, butyeah, I think youre on the lewder end of the spectrum, Higan. !!!??? Ha ha ha. I hate to interrupt you when youre blushing, squeezing your eyes shut, and lightly hitting me, but this really isnt the time. Okay, you have your vessel and can move freely. So what are we supposed to do? You said you had something for us to do, right? Who do we have to fight!? Bridesmaid was not just going to wait around. And if they let the enemy keep the initiative, they would have less of a chance to enact their plan. Kyousuke was honestly glad that Renge and Higan had made the offer themselves. And so he did not hesitate to ask for their assistance. Right. Renge and Higan, you two come here. Youll be my sparring partner. What? Sparring? Eh? The twin shrine maidens looked baffled, so Kyousuke pointed overhead. I said I would be using a Material to send rubble down into the ocean, right? U-um, uh, Shiroyama-san, you mean, um Didnt something seem odd about this plan? I cant summon a Material without an opponent. But I cant exactly use a being greater than the gods on a normal tomb keeper or an unconscious enemy soldier. They could literally be smashed to pieces. I needed a summoner who can actually summon a Material. You dont mean Renge had a very bad feeling about this, but as Kyousuke continued speaking, he grabbed Higans arm. Sekurtiti realized what he meant and grabbed Renges arm. For some reason, the Tomb Priestesss eyes were sparkling like a childs. This is the true romance of pyramids. To finish off the loathsome tomb raiders with a false ceiling or boulder trap, you must first lure them in with the glitter of gold and silver. You must use treasure as bait. Wha? Eh? Waitnot so close! Renge lost to the pressure of the smile in front of her and sought help from elsewhere. And Kyousuke did not discriminate. As long as the conditions were right, he would get anyone involved regardless of age or sex. And so that bastard spoke with a smile. Dont worry. Even if youre defeated, it only means 24 hours in a mindless trance. Its not like youll die. Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!? Facts: *The ancient map was on Sekurtitis back. When her body temperature rises and her blood flow increases, it appears as a Lifelong Emblem, but the map itself is not enough to know where it points. Presumably, the completed map can only be read when the map is combined with whatever is found in the Golden Treasure Chest once it is opened with the Diamond Master Key. *The tomb keeper family is not made up of summoners, but they have inherited ancient techniques which prospered before the creation of the Third Summoning Ceremony. This allows them to perceive and remember summoners and vessels even without earning any Awards. *Sekurtiti has the power of a ruler who inspires reverence in people. But this is only a technique to distance her from minor issues and her true essence is that of one who reaches into another world to call back a soul. Whether or not this is effective is unknown. *To protect the tomb keepers under her command and to fight Bridesmaid who she has deemed tomb raiders, Sekurtiti bound a contract as Kyousukes vessel despite the risk of losing her power as a ruler. *When Biondetta loses her cool, she is apparently willing to go full dog mode. She must be handled with utmost care. Volume 6, Stage 02 - Insane Believers Never Ask for Anything in Exchange Volume 6, Stage 02: Insane Believers Never Ask for Anything in Exchange Wahh!! Crash, bang, boom!!!!!! Hee! Are you trying to kill me, you idiot!? (Stage 02 Open 07/05 10:30) Insane Believers Never Ask for Anything in Exchange Azalea Magentarain At only 14, she was the former Government Award 930, Golden Luxury, and also one of the Uniquely Selfless summoners of the White Queen worshiping cult named Guard of Honor. She was a noble girl who inherited the blood of the Magentarain family and also the primary supporter of weapon design and development at Quad Motors, Americas largest defense contractor which was run by the same family. They developed Repliglass, silicon stem cells that were given the structure of various plants and animals. That Repliglass had swept across all 4 branches of the military and even been adopted into largescale civilian infrastructure like city water purification and power generation. The Magentarain family itself was not completely American and was actually part of the Round Table, a group of those who had once sat on the throne and thus could not accept that the major position of the world police had been taken by a country in the New World created a mere 300 years before. The Magentarain family had been sent to control that country from within, but all of that can be omitted now. That girl with long curly blonde hair no longer belonged to the Magentarain family. The small, slender girl had found another symbol to gather around. Oh, dear. This is looking as wretched as always. Azalea spoke calmly while sitting inside the squat belly of a mid-sized transport Repliglass known as a Hornet. So were back in Toy Dream 35. Are we going to repeat everything from that time, Shiroyama Kyousuke? They had successfully isolated their enemy, but the simultaneous attacks from the various summoner and vessel pairs had ended in failure. Azalea and the others did not know what form the ancient map took, so they could not destroy the building from outside. That was one major factor, but there was more to it. An elderly butler stood perfectly still in the rocking Repliglass craft and interjected some smooth words. His name was Fractal Leskins and every breath he took demonstrated that he stood at the peak of those who served. It would appear everything is going as planned, milady. Yes. Azalea honestly thought that she needed to learn from him. After all, she had chosen to become a servant herself. Whether consciously or subconsciously, the same vision must be playing in Shiroyama Kyousukes head. And there is no need to worry. Even if he fails to notice it, he will reflect on his former victory, assume he is in the same situation here, and relax. But unbeknownst to him, I will be guiding him all the while. Azalea could not write off her defeat as meaningless. Because she had developed Repliglass weapons modeled after various plants and animals, she had come into contact with the information of several archives. For example, lions were known as the king of beasts, but it was the females that led the hunting, not the males with their impressive manes. And that representative example of carnivores could be driven off if the fleeing herbivorous zebras or giraffes kicked back at them or if a hippopotamus bit them. Nevertheless, mocking a lion would be far too foolish. To do so would show a severe lack of observation. A feline would not repeat an action it considered dangerous. Even a pet cat would no longer approach the stove after it burned itself or the bathtub after it fell in and nearly drowned. And a lion had repeated that learning process day in and day out in an environment of life or death. The king of beasts was not a creature that settled in at a fixed peak. They were always updating themselves. And after a pack had sharply honed itself through that efficient decision-making, they would learn to surround the zebras or giraffes and attack from the sides so they could not be kicked by the back legs. Azalea was the same. After being disciplined by the White Queen, she had cast off her impure soul and her defeat to Shiroyama Kyousuke had rid her of her pride as a summoner. Just as Kyousuke had learned who Azalea was in their battle, she had learned from him. She could easily come up with a phrase he was certain to detest. So I am something like the child who has inherited the genes of both Her Majesty and Shiroyama Kyousuke. The curly blonde-haired girl giggled and traced her fingers across the ribbon reels placed next to her. But there is no rule preventing a child from surpassing her parent. In fact, the theory of evolution says that each generation must leave behind even stronger seed. Now, Shiroyama Kyousuke. Its about time to truly begin. You have scattered your genes throughout the world and it is time you learned what that has wrought. Azalea wondered what her past self - back when she was taken away by strange adults while only wrapped in an old cloth - would have thought if she could have seen herself now. That past self never would have imagined being able to look down on and order around others. That had been hell. But someone had rescued her from there. And that was why she had to live a life that would reward that person and make them proud. No matter how twisted a path she took to get there. She used her skinny fingers to flick at a few of the reels and then grabbed one of the pink ribbons. She went for #6. If she was following that incident in Toy Dream 35, she needed to go with the #6 reel that she had lost with then. The blonde girl slowly stood up in the cargo room and spoke to her butler. Ill be heading out too. Prepare the Meganeura. Kyousuke, Sekurtiti, Renge, and Higan ran up the isolated apartments emergency staircase. Bridesmaid would soon notice that Biondetta and the tomb keepers had gone to the ground floor. Before they figured out what Kyousukes group was up to, he had to summon a Material, scatter rubble in every direction, and take out the Bridesmaid members approaching to surround the group underwater. They had to go that far to clear a way out. Or so Kyousuke thought. But then something unexpected happened. !? He had taken the lead, but he stopped and quickly held a hand out sideways while a step away from their target floor. Before Renge could say something about being stopped by an arm moving like a railway crossing gate, the floor above them was filled with a downpour of rubble and explosive noise. Kyaaaah!! Back, back! Kyousuke more or less shoved the girls back to the next landing down. Curse those tomb raiders!! Gold-adorned Sekurtiti and Higan were crushed below Renge who groaned and asked a question while lying face down. Wh-what? Did they start using that machinegun again? This was something else Kyousuke alone remained on the stairs and he poked his head out into the floor which had been given much better ventilation. Something was maintaining a circular course around the apartment and he initially mistook it for a fairy. But it was not. He saw long, curly, and reddish-blonde hair. He saw a pale and small body. And that slender girl was covered in a mountain of sinister weapons. A swimsuit-like console suit covered her body, a giant dragonfly wing unit was attached to her back, and an additional coffin-like device larger than her leg was attached to each leg. The two coffins seemed to contain some large payload and countless heavy weapons stuck out like the frame of a folding fan: a machinegun, a rocket container, a needle gun, a flame thrower, a railgun, a close-range welding blade, a wire shooter, an acoustic weapon cone, etc. The silhouette was reminiscent of a Western multi-tool that stored screwdrivers and knives in the grip of a pair of pliers. Azalea His eyes met the triumphant eyes of a giggling girl. She pointed at him with a handgun gesture. Azalea Magentarain!! The fan-like spread of weapons all bent to focus their aim on him. Kyousuke felt a chill down his spine, but then something strange happened. He heard a footstep from right next to him. Then allow me to punish this rude tomb raider just like before. It was Sekurtiti, the silver-haired and brown-skinned Tomb Priestess. She stood tall and directed her pale blue eyes and her hands forward. Hahhhhhh!! This was the rulers wall that had guided the autocannon gunner to a malfunction before. This was a crystallization of the skills mankind had spent all of history developing to stand above others. But Azaleas smile remained unchanged. Her handgun gesture moved. The index finger moved slightly upwards as if recreating the recoil of firing. You idiot!! Kyousuke grabbed at Sekurtitis skinny waist and tackled her to the floor. Their momentum sent them rolling along the dangerous floor, but there was nothing he could do about that. Excess electricity wrapped around the barrel as the railgun gave a roar. With an air-splitting blast, the reinforced concrete was blown away almost amusingly easily. That also destroyed the emergency staircase up to the next floor. Kyousuke was worried about Renge and Higan on the next landing down, but he did not have time to go down and collect them. With that power, Azalea could blast through the floor and blow away the landing, so he would have no cover. And it would be best not to inform Azalea that the shrine maiden twins were there. Oh? Just keep your head down!! Sekurtiti calmly tilted her head like a young wife in front of the ATM after forgetting her PIN, so Kyousuke grabbed her arm and kept low while running across the floor. The thin inner walls would not work as shields, but remaining where Azalea could see them would be suicide. Even if it was only a thin wall, it would be best to vanish into a blind spot. He heard what sounded more like an amplified version of a buzzing killer bee than a dragonfly. He peered around the edge of the crumbling wall and looked into the sky which was no longer covered by glass. Azalea could have flown into the apartment if she wanted, but she remained outside. She followed a circular course around the building and kept a set distance while making slight shifts to the left and right. That was likely the best course of action when attacking a high-rise building with an attack helicopter. She was avoiding the Summoning Ceremony and attempting to turn Kyousuke and the others to mincemeat before they could take advantage of a Material or the protective circle. This routine was different from when her pride had caused her noble blood to boil. A bitter look came over Kyousuke as he realized that defeat may have taught her how to change the way she used her power. Thats based on the Meganeura, a Quad Motors personal flight unit, but I thought that was only a mobility support device for infantry and was derived from a hang glider. Shes added way too much crap on there, dammit. Whatever the case, the entire apartment will collapse if she keeps this up. The tomb keepers waiting down below will be crushed, so we need to do something and soon. I know that. With their opponent in the air, it would indeed be hard to start a Summoning Ceremony battle, but hard was not impossible. The Artificial Sacred Ground was a 20 meter cube that appeared from the point of the Incense Grenade detonation. So even if Azalea was in the air, he could trap her in a summoners cage if he threw the Incense Grenade when she had another buildings wall behind her. It was all about timing. Step one was making sure Azalea did not notice what he was up to. If she found out he was trying to start a Summoning Ceremony battle, she would grow cautious of the buildings behind her. Also, there was a waiting period of several seconds between pulling the Incense Grenades pin and its detonation. The ones Kyousuke carried now took 5 seconds. That might not seem very long, but it was plenty of time for any one of the weapons spread out from Azaleas demonic legs. For example, the machinegun could fire 2000 shots every minute and each shot was twice the size of an anti-materiel rifle bullet. Without a protective circle around him, half his body would be blown away if one so much as grazed his shoulder. 5-10 such weapons were pursuing him, so he could not be optimistic about those 5 seconds. He had to assume that single Meganeura had more firepower than an entire unit of attack helicopters. Thoughtlessly challenging it would not lead to a miracle occurring. Kyousuke used his Repliglass Blood-Sign to swiftly pull in a fire extinguisher sitting a short distance away. But that was not enough on its own. He focused on the nerves in his ears and heard a dangerous sound coming from multiple locations. It was not Azalea. I came from within the floor which had almost entirely lost its walls and pillars like some ruins bombed down to the foundation. (Thats from the remnants of the kitchen and bathroom. Theres gas leaking from both areas.) He grabbed two bent cellphone batteries and metal clips from the rubble on the floor. And fire was readily available. He slowly exhaled and made a suggestion. You need to set things up so we wont die in the 5 seconds after I throw the Incense Grenade. Create a smokescreen with the fire extinguisher and then throw some fire into the kitchen and bathroom to trigger an explosion. If Azalea is distracted by the light and noise long enough, then we win. If shes unfazed, then this will be considerably more difficult. Prepare yourself. Y-yes. Anything is fine if we can strike back at the tomb raiders. She never had a choice in the first place. Even so, Kyousuke waited until after Sekurtiti nodded to reach into his pants pocket and pull out the Incense Grenade their lives depended on. It looked like a hair spray can with a round pin and lever on the top. Anyone unfamiliar with his industry would probably think it was a flash grenade. He waited for the right moment. After learning of defeat, Azalea would not let her guard down. She was not a ferocious beast that knew no enemies; she was an injured beast. She refused to get too close and focused on killing him with every bit of firepower available to her. Kyousuke pressed up against one of the few remaining inner walls and grabbed the Incense Grenade and its lever in one hand. He passed his other hands index finger through the round pin and toyed with it by alternately bending his finger like a hook and straightening it. Sweat dripped down his nose. Next to him, Sekurtiti wiped the sweat away like he was a doctor performing surgery. He focused every nerve in his body to pick up the amplified killer bee noise coming from the outside. (Come on) The way he focused on his opponent may have been like a cameraman trying to get a shot of a total solar eclipse. He gulped as he watched the sunlight reflected off the opposite building and waited for another shadow to cover it up. (Come on!!) The light bent. The surface of white light on the flat glass wall gained the dark silhouette of a curly-haired girls slender and alluring body combined with heavy weaponry. Kyousuke and Sekurtiti seemed to burst from the wall as they began moving. The diversion was gold-adorned Sekurtitis job. She threw the fire extinguisher from behind cover and threw a battery wrapped in cloth and set on fire into the remains of the kitchen and bathroom. Azalea fired a spray of machinegun fire each time, but not all of the traps had to work properly. All that mattered was that the heavily-armed Meganeura was focused elsewhere. At the same time, Kyousuke pulled the pin of the Incense Grenade he held, leaned out from behind the thin wall, and threw the metal can out into the sky with all his might. Once it was shot, the fire extinguishers white smokescreen filled the floor. The ignited batteries failed to trigger any explosions, but the machinegun bullets that followed them did ignite the leaking city gas. The Incense Grenade passed right by Azalea without being shot down and collided with the other building wall behind her. It bounced, rotated, and then detonated. Here we go, Sekurtiti! Get ready!! The summoner and vessel would be automatically taken the point of the detonation, but they could not let their guard down. If there was a piece of rebar sticking out in their path, they would be skewered. There was also a risk of Azaleas gunfire hitting them. Physical attacks would only be negated once they landed on the wall, hit a White Thorn, and summoned a Material. Their risk was the same as those summoners who he and Biondetta had taken out with their Blood-Signs earlier. He could not help but sense his own genes in Azalea now. But that proved to be the least of his worries. The child had exceeded her parents expectations. Nothing happened. Even though the Incense Grenade did detonate. Even Kyousuke was caught off guard by this. He had thrown the Incense Grenade and it had detonated while he was viewing her with the naked eye and while she was within range of the Artificial Sacred Ground, but the Artificial Sacred Ground he needed did not appear. Nor did he feel the tugging that ignored gravity. (It failed!? But why would it?) Before he could verbalize his question, that skilled summoner worked out the answer. There was only one explanation for this unreasonable result. Repliglass was a bestselling weapon all around the world that used silicon stem cells to take on the structure of plants and animals. And a summoner could only fight a Summoning Ceremony battle with another human. He could destroy a tank or fighter that happened to be inside the same Artificial Sacred Ground and a dragons breath or a stone thrown by a giant could leave the Artificial Sacred Ground and destroy the city, but he could not open an Artificial Sacred Ground by targeting a completely unmanned weapon. Which meant I thought that thing exposed too much skin for a logical and efficient weapon. I mean, it uses a swimsuit-like console suit without a helmet to cover the face or head. But I was wrong. The weapon calmly moving horizontally through the sky with its dragonfly wings once more targeting him. No, the heavily-armed Meganeura was not the dragonfly shape itself. Is that tomb raider what I think it is? There was another reason why Sekurtitis techniques as a leader had showed no effect. Simply put Is the whole thing Repliglass, including Azalea inside it!? Did she realize an Incense Grenade wouldnt work against an entirely unmanned girl-shaped weapon!? Dammit!! Immediately afterwards, the inhuman Repliglass modelled after a human opened fire. An irregular tremor shook the building. The tomb keepers cried out while waiting on the ground floor. The only one looking calmly toward the ceiling was Biondetta in her modified yukata with her silver Blood-Sign resting on her shoulder and the white serpent slithering across her body after emerging from the ample cleavage left exposed like an Oiran. Several cracks ran through the walls and a piece of concrete fell right next to her. And on this ground floor, a great mass of seawater awaited beyond a single pane of glass like in an aquarium. If that broke, the entire floor would be flooded. But the horned demon was not at all tense as she moved her bewitching lips. That bastard ran into trouble, didnt he? Azalea Magentarain giggled inside the logistical support Hornet. She was not wearing a revealing swimsuit-like console suit. Her curly blonde hair was worn up, revealing the nape of her neck, and she wore a blue yukata as if she had come to Toy Dream 35 to enjoy the current campaign. The kimono was somewhat baggy, but it was short, it had gothic lolita lace and frills in places, and it used a rose and thorn pattern. She used a hand in a white glove to brush back her reddish blonde hair and she smiled. Now, how do you like my life-size figurine, my - dear - father? I did my best to recreate everything from the budding breasts and slender waist to the alluring color and texture of the skin. I hope you were suitably bewitched. That is a perfect creation, milady. Yes, but it will only fool him the one time. That does not make up for the R&D costs. Regardless, this will have opened the way to the Founders Gallery. When she slapped her small hand on the Hornets wall, several Repliglass weapons slid down from metal rails and out the rear cargo door. They were all identical Serial Azaleas. They were fully unmanned anti-summoner weapons that combined a girls slender form with a heavily-armed Meganeura. There was no more need to keep up the act, so a large number of them could be sent in to directly attack inside the apartment. Explosive flames and black smoke burst from the apartment building in every direction. The entire building would probably collapse soon, but Azalea still did not let her guard down. Tell The Saint that our trick was effective, but that it is not enough to finish off Shiroyama Kyousuke. Tell her to prepare the Offering Team as planned. Yes, milady. And we will head directly to the scene. Azalea gave her instructions and then stored the #6 ribbons pink reel in the chest of her yukata. The already opened chest of the baggy yukata was pushed dangerously loose. Milady. Hm? Oh, excuse me. Im just not used to Japanese clothing. There are no buttons or zippers, so you only have a thick cloth belt to hold it shut. But its also quite interesting. With that quiet comment, the slender fingers of her fine white gloves fixed the yukata chest and then she took the giant metal cylinder that the elderly butler handed her. It was based on an 80mm grenade launcher and she rested it on her shoulder. She was finally ready to launch an Incense Grenade for the Summoning Ceremony. Just like in their previous battle, she leaned out the opened cargo door on the side of the Hornet and targeted with an optical sight that simply used a series of lenses. But Shiroyama Kyousuke might not be our only opponent here. The shrine maiden twins Meinokawa Renge and Higan grew pale on the stairway landing. They did not fully understand what was happening, but they could tell it was something unexpected. Specifically, something that Shiroyama Kyousuke found unexpected. That was far beyond anything they could handle. Wh-what are we supposed to do, um, Renge? Im not sure They had two options: go up or go down. Trying to join the fight would only get in Kyousukes way, so hurrying down to join Biondetta and the tomb keepers would not be a bad decision. Setting aside any emotional or psychological arguments, that would help Kyousuke and Sekurtiti from a logic and efficiency perspective. But the twin sisters were held in place by what Kyousuke had said. They did not know that Alice (with) Rabbit had made a change of plans and decided to battle Azalea. They still thought the plan was to use an Incense Grenade, summon a Material, destroy the upper floors, drop rubble into the ocean, and break through Bridesmaid, so they assumed he would need their help. So they could not betray him. They could not leave him there. Lets go on up, Higan. We need to end this as soon as possible. R-right Was that step a courageous thing, or was it reckless and foolish? But their fate may have been the same no matter what choice they made. They had been targeted from the beginning. Targeted by the beautiful golden bird of prey known as Azalea Magentarain. The air was split by a sound much like the expulsion of insecticide smoke for roach-extermination fumigation. Kyousuke and Sekurtiti had changed position to throw an Incense Grenade outside, so they could only watch as the projectile flew straight in through the window. The many shots into the floor had destroyed almost all of the inner walls, so the family apartment had been half-transformed into a single giant space. The projectile trailed smoke as it cut across that entire space and fell toward the emergency stairway. And right toward Renge and Higan who had just poked their heads up. An Incense Grenadedammit!! It detonated just as Kyousuke frantically adjusted his grip on his Blood-Sign. The 20 meter cube opened around the surprised shrine maiden twins. It was an Artificial Sacred Ground. And a pair entirely ignored gravity as they followed the trail of smoke into the mansion. Azalea Magentarain. Fractal Leskins. The girl glanced over at Kyousuke in midair and her eyes were bent in a smile far too seductive for her age. Her curly blonde hair and mini yukata that blended Japanese and Western styles fluttered in the wind, showing off the bright skin of her bared shoulders and up to the base of her thighs. Hers was a slender and lovely wickedness and that sadistic light reminded Kyousuke of a certain white evil. Those former Government Award 930 monsters landed next to Renge and Higan before the twins could fight back in any way. After the soles of Azaleas long boots scraped on the floor, she reached toward the open chest of her yukata and pulled out a ribbon reel in a risqu fashion. The pink ribbon spiraled around on its own and formed a sturdy Blood-Sign. The initial stock of 3 White Thorns floated nearby and the wounded ruler smiled fiercely. Now, shall we begin? It is all to make Shiroyama Kyousuke suffer and nothing more. I dont think so!! Higan!! This wont lead anywhere good, honestly thought Kyousuke. Letting Azalea and Renge fight was a bad idea. Because the entire floor was opened up, he was far removed from the emergency stairs. He was outside the Artificial Sacred Ground. If he was going to join the fight after it began, he would be forced to use up his initial 3 White Thorns, but he could not be picky now. If he did not join the fight, 300-level Renge and Higan did not stand a chance. But as if to mock that thought of his, Azalea knocked a White Thorn into the collection of Roses and sent the countless red balls scattering around. And she made an announcement in her modified mini-yukata with a large flower decoration on the back. Could the crude gentleman please leave? Shiroyama Kyousuke, we have some other opponents for you. Was it more of those Azalea-shaped Repliglass weapons? He looked to his surroundings, but The Saint, this is your job. Send in the Offering Team. The sound of buzzing wings was far louder than before. The mid-sized transport Repliglass known as a Hornet had flown up right alongside the destroyed apartment. The side cargo door opened to reveal a nun with her seductive body contained in a graceful habit. When she snapped her fingers, similar nuns appeared. Unlike The Saint, they were not complete individuals. They were all young girls who were just beginning to build up their individuality inside the convent. The height did not seem to bother them at all as they jumped calmly over the pure stream of air and into the building. Kyousuke assumed they were new summoners or something like that, but it did not matter. Getting inside Azalea and Renges Artificial Sacred Ground came first. He was used to fighting against a group on his own, so he could still fight just fine even if the nuns intervened as well. Offering Team, begin special action. The Lord may not forgive you, but Her Majesty will surely accept your entire being. Or so he thought. But The Saints voice smoothly continued. Pierce your own chests. And make sure that Alice (with) Rabbit has a good view. His breath caught in his throat. Even then, the situation was underway. Those incomplete nuns looked downright adorable, but then they all tore the fabric covering their chests. They did not seem to care that this revealed their sensual breasts covered by the unfashionable underwear that had likely been issued to them. They held what looked like Blood-Signs, but they were not actually Blood-Signs. The tip had been replaced by something like a sharply pointed wooden stake. They did not hesitate. Each of the 20 or so young girls pressed the bottom of their modified Blood-Sign against the floor and placed the sharp tip against the center of their own chest. They then leaned forward as if to place their full body weight on it. If they really were nuns, this would be an unforgivable act. The monotheistic religion symbolized by the cross might allow martyrs who risked their life for their faith, but it did not allow suicide. But based on what The Saint had said, they seemed to expect the Queen to accept their soul even if their god abandoned it. And yet that evil would never pay any attention to the puny 7 billion people on this planet!! On one side were Meinokawa Renge and Higan who had once risked their lives alongside him. On the other side were suicidal nuns he had never met who belonged to a Queen worshiping cult. It was obvious which one he needed to prioritize. There was no need to hesitate. But at the same time, he was Alice (with) Rabbit. No matter the situation, he could not allow any death. From enemy or ally. And since this had clearly been caused by one of the White Queens distortions, he had to stop it at all costs. His soul was raging inside him. This was a countermeasure put together with a perfect understanding of the life form known as Shiroyama Kyousuke. This Queen worshiping cult was the Queen and Kyousukes child. At the same time, it was an endlessly sinister thing. Kh Time passed even as thoughts raced through his mind. He could see Renge and Higan having trouble against Azalea. They were right in front of him and he could save them with a single action, but more than 20 nuns were trying to take their own lives around him. They were victims who had been so blinded by the Queens false light that they forgot all about their original god and came to believe this was true salvation. Goddammiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit!! When Shiroyama Kyousuke yelled, identical alluring smiles appeared on Azalea and The Saints lips. They had inherited that smile from the White Queen. At the very last second, Kyousuke redirected his salvation. His Blood-Sign gave a roar as it flew horizontally to strike, break, and knock away the modified Blood-Signs the girls were using to pierce their own chests. He chose one side and abandoned the other. And that choice squeezed at his chest and the soul contained therein Renge and Higan did not have any hard feelings over his choice to distance them from salvation. They felt this was how it should be. They were summoners but also shrine maidens. Even if the god they worshiped and the scriptures they followed were different, they could see through to the essence of any who entrusted themselves to their god. These girls who had chosen suicide were different. They were not worshipers of the Queen and they were not even nuns whose souls had been polished in a convent. They were probably no more than girls gathered at random within Toy Dream 35 who then had their sense of self temporarily taken away by incense, suggestion, and group psychology. One point the religious wished to reach was to remain unfazed by anything, but that was not the same thing as containing nothing whatsoever inside. These girls clearly had no god at the core of their being. And Renge and Higan were also professional summoners. Their skill might not have been at the 900 level and they might not have reached the point where they could become their own legend, but they knew which way the scales would tip when the life of an amateur was weighed against that of an expert. So they had to remain resolute to the very end. Oh, its so adorable that you would think that. The Artificial Sacred Ground had already vanished. Azalea and Fractal reigned supreme on that rubble-strewn floor. The pink ribbon unraveled and trailed along the floor where the shrine maiden sisters lay collapsed on their sides like broken dolls as they slowly repeated the same action with empty eyes. Renge was probably still trying to fight even now. The way she clenched her hands and thrust them forward looked a lot like using a Blood-Sign. When Azalea snapped her white-gloved fingers, her elderly butler did not utter a single complaint as he picked up the twin shrine maidens and held them under his arms like they were the girls overstuffed vacation bags. Kyousuke had only just finished knocking out the last of the suicide squad known as the Offering Team. Azalea Oh? How rare of you to be giving that look to anyone other than Her Majesty. Have you finally decided to give me the time of day? She viewed attention from Shiroyama Kyousuke as a positive thing. Those were the Queens eyes. They were filled with wickedness. Do you finally understand what were after here? We dont know what form the ancient map takes, so we could not just bring down the entire apartment building. But that is also what you are after. I thought you might run out clutching the ancient map if we poked at the building from outside, butoh, I see. So it takes that form, does it? As the Queen began to reside within them, Azaleas eyes turned toward the brown girl accompanying Kyousuke. And at the same time, the logic and efficiency in those eyes was the same as Kyousukes. A smile spread across the face of that monster who had become a child born from the White Queen and Shiroyama Kyousuke. And I now have two bargaining chips that work exclusively on you: Meinokawa Renge and Meinokawa Higan. You dont mind trading the Diamond Master Key for one and the ancient map for the other, do you? This is checkmate. She had it all. Azalea Magentarain was on an entirely different level from the summoner he had once fought who had been manipulated by her inexperienced pride. She now carefully observed her enemy, lined up every method available to her, and threw out all pride and honor to unhesitatingly grab for the optimal answer. Kyousuke and the Queen had done this. They had transformed her into an irredeemable monster. What are you all trying to do with the Founders Gallery? Im not talking about your ultimate objective. I already know its to be loved by the Queen. But what specifically are you going to do with it!? The Natural Historys missing entries. Kh. That strays from Bridesmaids primary path, but I am sure everyone will accept it. And you will soon understand exactly why they will accept it. The amplified sound of buzzing killer bees shook the air. You might not be carrying the Diamond Master Key with you, so we will be leaving for now. I will send you an invitation to the next party. Make sure you do not forget the Diamond Master Key and the ancient map when you show up. I will be opening the chest on the spot, so dont think you can trick me with detailed fakes. And for each part of that dress code you fail to obey, one of the shrine maiden twins will lose their life, so think very carefully about what you plan to do. A Summoning Ceremony battle only worked with both a summoner and a vessel. Kyousuke prepared to throw his Blood-Sign like a javelin to hit Fractal between the eyes, but then someone else interfered. One of the Azalea-shaped Repliglass weapons flew in from the side and opened fire with a machinegun. A giant sewing machine seemed to pierce holes in the floor to separate Kyousuke and Sekurtiti from Azalea, Fractal, and the twins. The entire emergency staircase near the outer wall was torn away and his nemesis was thrown outside. The wind caught Azaleas modified yukata and it blew wildly around her. The afterimage of the bright skin visible from the bared shoulders, open chest, and short hem were burned into the eyes of everyone watching. Kyousuke ran across the floor as fast as his legs would take him, but several Azalea-shaped weapons swarmed in like a flock of seagulls. The falling summoner and vessel and the defeated shrine maidens they held were collected by the unmanned weapons and then taken away into the sky along with the Hornet. There was nothing he could do. Unlike the past, it was Kyousuke who had to slam his Blood-Sign against the floor and watch her leave. The Serial Azaleas had superb specs. Even when carrying a burden in both hands, they could match the speed of the flying Hornet, land inside the cargo door, and stow themselves away. Excellent work, milady. Yes, you too. The Hornet had a lot of cargo space given its overall size, but it was still cramped once the several Serial Azaleas returned. Especially when two hostages who mindlessly repeated the same action were included. Hee hee hee. Milady? The elderly butlers tone rose as a question at the end of the word, but the laughing modified yukata girl did not reply for a while. She held her small shoulders in her arms, doubled over, and still could not suppress the powerful tremor that rose from the core of her body. The large flower decoration shook while supported atop her hips like a ball. Her determined face may have been small enough to inspire a protective desire inside those who saw it, but it was now filled with sinister delight. No, it might be better to simply say her face melted with a kind of pleasure wholly inappropriate for her age. Even as her lips started to grow slack, she desperately tensed them, but she had no way of hiding the sweet scent coming from her curled hair or the flushed nape of her neck. Fwah haah ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!! Her shoulders had already been bared and a dangerous amount of her modest chests bright white skin spilled from the yukata, but she did not care. In fact, she had a sadistic look of irresistible enjoyment. Did you see the look on Shiroyama Kyousukes face? The hostages as well as the key and chest he needs to reach the Natural Historys missing entries were right there, but he could only helplessly clench his teeth. He was like a lowly dog forbidden from devouring the feast before his eyes by the chain around his neck!! Yes, yes. This is Shiroyama Kyousuke. This is how to truly enjoy him. Outdo him, take everything away from him, and trample on him! Oh, such a liberating feeling! Oh, such an almighty feeling!! This amusement must by why Her Majesty cant stop loving him!!!!! Still doubled over, Azalea backed up and pressed her small butt against the bulkhead. She may have been laughing so hard her legs were growing weak. She then slid her hips down to the floor and kicked her slender legs around in their garter belt, white stockings, and long boots. Her modified yukatas short hem provided a view nearly up to the base of her thighs. Her Majesty resides within me right now. I can feel her joy like Im holding it in my hand. Nnnn! Pant, pant. I am truly grateful to have a gentleman like you here. If I was alone, I would be unable to contain myself and might even begin a shameful act The small girl was supposedly holding her own shoulders, but the slender fingertips in her white gloves were wriggling like independent creatures. She felt like she was resisting the pull of a powerful magnet, so if she let her guard down even for a moment, they would crawl over toward her flat chest. Of course, Azalea had not always been like this. The elderly butler named Fractal had originally served a man named Claude Magentarain. That man had sacrificed the many things he owned to save Azalea. The girl had never seen the man since. So to repay Claude for everything he had given up for her, she had wanted to use her life toward some great achievement. That great achievement was the White Queen. But that light had been too powerful, so it had blasted the footing out from under her and distorted how she defined her world. She probably no longer saw any distinction between her hearts original attraction to Claude and its later attraction to the Queen. She simply wanted them. Enough to devourno, enough to drown in. She had shown signs of recalling something more pure after her defeat against Shiroyama Kyousuke, but even her pursuit of that had led to the Queen. Even in the unrealistic amusement park city of Toy Dream 35, military Repliglass weapons flying around the sky in broad daylight would stand out. It was also possible she had been detected by the Government and Illegal forces that had taken root in the city. But that did not actually matter. A much louder sound of buzzing wings passed by directly overhead. More than 200 identical Hornets were circling randomly above Toy Dream 35. And they were releasing tons of deception weapons, so the control towers would see more than 10 times as many dots on the radar. This was of course a diversion and they would slip past the eyes of everyone watching, land in the many Blue Whale Repliglass submarines waiting on the ocean surface, and disappear to the ocean bottom. Azalea and the others still had work to do in Toy Dream 35, so they could not do the same. They would disembark at a rooftop along the way and leave the pandemonium in the sky. One of their allies had prepared bags on the corner of the rooftop, hidden behind an industrial air conditioner unit. The elderly butler stuffed the two hostages into a suitcase and a duffel bag and then calmly followed after the ringlet curl girl. The giant bridges between buildings were packed full of boys and girls wearing yukatas and jinbei for the Tanabata fair. Azalea was a foreigner and her yukata was a striking fusion of Japanese and Western designs, but she still did not stand out much. Toy Dream 35 was a foreign-owned tourist city, so people from other countries were catered to with things like signs written in the alphabet. You should have tried wearing Japanese clothing too. This is my formal dress as your servant and it also binds me as a vessel. There were an awful lot of students for midday on a weekday, but that was likely due to the Hornets flying around overhead. The high-rise apartment had been attacked by summoners, but that did not erase the gunfire and explosions. Oh, Fuuki-san! You came!! Shut up, you brat. Why do I have to babysit you to and from school too? A girl with long black hair and a red blazer was pulling on a small boys hand. That meant the schools had called off classes for the day given the major incident. There was clearly something wrong with the countrys crisis management skills. Why were they releasing the children into the streets when there was a firefight occurring in the streets? Azalea continued on to their base as she gave an exasperated sigh, passed by some tourists busy aiming their smartphones overhead, and took a round fan with a diagram of the summer constellations on it when a Gozaru Samurai costume handed it to her. Everyone around her was raising their head and defenselessly exposing their throat as if offering that vital point up to her. For a frontline base in Toy Dream 35, they had chosen a haunted house modelled after a Western mansion built on a plaza-like suspended platform. They of course did not use the passageways meant for guests. The haunted house was known to have countless backstage passageways for staff, but not even the staff visited a lot of the space inside. There was a machine room that stored the giant gears and winches that controlled the largescale electronic attraction. Needless to say, the staff avoided that area because there was plenty of risk of getting caught in the exposed machinery. But if one knew where the dangerous spots were, they would have a decently large space all to themselves. It was a little scattered about, but the space was about the same size as half a school building. Were back. That was quick. The reply came from The Saint in her graceful nuns habit. Her only job had been sending in the Offering Team, so she had returned a little sooner. As planned, we have the packages. Azaleas frilly sleeve swayed as she pointed a thumb over her shoulder. The elderly butler held a duffel bag and suitcase under his arms. And they were both just big enough to contain a small girl if her arms and legs were curled up. We will soon send an invitation to Shiroyama Kyousuke, so come up with a site to make the trade. Understood. Make no mistake: their frontline base was not where they would make the trade. The enemy would know the location of the trade once the invitation was sent, so it had to be a disposable location. They would have to send someone in to investigate it ahead of time and clean up afterwards, but they wanted somewhere they would not otherwise need to visit before or after the trade. The conditions were somewhat different than for a secret base. They wanted a place where they would leave no trace, where they could monitor the entire area, where it was difficult for anyone but the enemy to intervene, and where they had multiple exits just in case. That sounded simple, but was actually quite difficult. Tell Doctor S that I am thankful. We may have been the ones to give the Serial Azaleas and the Offering Team an actual form, but the idea itself was incredibly valuable. To think the Shiroyama Kyousuke would falter like that. Did you enjoy your taste of that rabbit dish? Azalea reflected on the tremor that rose from the core of her body with too much intensity to hide. It was like recalling the juicy flavor filling ones mouth after tearing off a large mouthful of thick meat. She held her body in her hands, she doubled over, and yet she still seemed unable to contain herself. The open chest of her modified yukata was already growing even looser. Fractal quickly spoke to her. Milady. A-ahem!! I apologize for that. Well, I can hardly complain if I think of it as taking even a small step closer to Her Majesty. My tongue is still nowhere near as refined as that of a gourmet like Her Majesty, though. My, it was that great? Then I might just have to try some of it myself. To feel something closer to Her Majestys happiness. Lets share it amongst us all. But we must make sure to restrict ourselves to no more than the occasional taste. Never so much that we earn Her Majestys wrath. The girl and nun both laughed while surrounded by a strange charm and allure. Unlike the previous groups, a certain scent seemed to reside within them as they continued with their planning meeting. Fractal, remove the packages from their cases. We cant have them dying. Of course, milady. Oh, dear. But isnt abducting them enough? asked The Saint. Wont Shiroyama Kyousuke appear before you whether they are alive or dead? He cant see what happens here, so he wouldnt know. Yes, but that would be too boring. Azalea pulled the chest of her yukata back together and brushed her golden curls back with a hand. If they are not alive, I cannot take them from Shiroyama Kyousuke in front of his eyes. Wouldnt that be Her Majestys way of doing things? Oh, you are making me jealous now. Perhaps I too should have had a taste, even if just a mouthful. The Saint brought her index finger to her lips and narrowed her eyes in a spellbound look. Meanwhile, the two shrine maidens were removed from the sealed bags. They were still in their 24 hours of mindlessness after suffering a defeat in the Summoning Ceremony, so they lay on their sides and slowly repeated the same action with empty eyes. There was no sign of their former personalities. If someone had pulled on their hands, they would not have hesitated to throw themselves into the gears which were taller than they were and would tear their bodies to pieces. To make sure that did not happen by accident, Azalea sat down next to Renge, who was moving more than Higan, and clung to her upper body like she was hugging a stuffed animal. The slowly moving girls mind would be entirely empty now, but it still felt nice stopping that entirely pointless counterattack. The mechanically repeated motions of Renges arms and legs caught on Azaleas yukata and threatened to pull it from her body, but she did not care. This was the joy of one who used their power to trample on others. She pressed her ear to the living sacrifices chest and slowly shut her eyes as she abandoned herself to the beating heart there. I will look after them for now. Contact me if anything happens. Understood. I will begin searching for a suitable location for the invitation. After The Saint left, the elderly butler spoke to the girl. Milady, you will catch cold if you sleep there. Heading to the bed now would be tasteless. More importantly, Fractal, bring me you-know-what. Milady. Just do it. You know my tastes. With an exasperated sigh, Fractal Leskins briefly moved to the back of the machine room. By the time Azalea began to doze off while clinging to her large stuffed animal, he returned. He held a cheap convenience store bag in his hands. He gave a complicated look when his masters eyes lit up and she hopped to her feet. I can fix you any kind of food you might like. This is a different issue entirely, so Im not insulting your skill. Make no mistake about that. She said that, but Azalea was so busy snatching away the bag and peeking in at its contents that she did not even look his way. The bag had a limited edition Tanabata design with super-deformed versions of Orihime and Hikoboshi drawn on it and it produced more and more mass-produced hot snacks: fried chicken, French fries, thick-cut bacon, fried fish, spring rolls, corndogs, and a strange type of popcorn that was popped only after ordering it. That last one was a new product with cheese or caramel powder that was poured in the bag and shaken into the popcorn. To drink, she had a zero calorie soda with tons of artificial sweetener in it. Unlike before, her smile was now that of a child. Even as part of a noble family, she secretly bought junk food as if rebelling against something. This was another side of the complicated girl named Azalea Magentarain. She showed no annoying table manners and did not even use a fork or knife. She removed her white gloves and carefully wiped down each finger and then her palm with disposable napkins that used the antibacterial properties of bamboo leaves as part of the Tanabata fair. After that, she grabbed a fry that had an excessive amount of salt and grease and she tossed it into her mouth. She immediately squeezed her eyes shut and kicked her slender legs while still hugging her doll. The visible white of her thighs went beyond risqu and provided glimpses of a truly dangerous territory. Mmm, mmm, mmmmm!! As a butler, Fractal could say nothing when his master was enjoying herself so much. Azalea moved on to eating some of the fried chicken and spring rolls, but then she changed her target. Just for fun, she held a piece of fried fish out toward the sacrifice she held in her arms. Whoops. Oh, this is surprisingly difficult I cant let it fall apart, which isnt easy. Maybe I should have started with the fried chicken. She struggled for a while. Whether she noticed or not, the flower decoration on the back of her hips was swaying left and right to match the movements of her small butt. The empty-eyed black-haired shrine maidens lovely lips were glistening with grease and the chest of her shrine maiden outfit was covered in crumbled flakes of fish, but she did not so much as move an eyebrow. She only slowly moved her arms and legs to repeat the same motion. Ah, shes chewing! Azalea sounded like someone watching their new puppy eating for the first time. She finally succeeded in shoving the fried fish into the gap between the girls lips. It may have been some kind of reflex, but the shrine maiden touched the foreign object with her tongue, realized it was food, and started weakly and slowly moving her jaw. But instead of trying to swallow it, she let it start to spill from a corner of her mouth, so Azalea grabbed her skinny jaw and forced it to face upwards. This was a fairly dangerous thing to do, but it led the shrine maiden to swallow the fluid in the back of her throat. Azalea narrowed her eyes and brought her small tongue to the index finger that had been touching Renges lips. She licked off the grease from the fried food. And she spoke with a satisfied look of superiority. Hee hee. I think Ill feed the blonde one later. Do you like one of them better, milady? Not really. But, well, the one with something I lack does seem more appealing. I wonder how she cares for that black hair. Does she use a different method from us? I am endlessly curious. Azalea pulled a corndog from the convenience store bag as she answered. She started to bring it to her dolls mouth as well, but she must have decided the stick would make it dangerous because she gave up and stuck it in her own mouth instead. This may have been another unfulfilled side of Azalea. Magentarain was a noble family. She had many siblings who shared her blood, but she herself was an illegitimate child born of a commoner and she was the youngest of the siblings. She had been given few chances to interact with a family and she had not been blessed with a brother or sister younger than her. Feeding this girlno, taking care of this girl may have been a subconscious replacement for that. If Claude had not been away, she might have leaped right into his chest and had him adore her. Her eyes narrowed a little as she imagined that. But Azalea Magentarain was a worshiper first and foremost. Enough so that the Queens ecstasy filled her eyes and Kyousukes logic filled her thoughts. If it was necessary for her goal, she would dispose of this soft replacement. In fact, she would do the same with her real family. Okay, Fractal. Yes? She appeared to be dozing off as she felt the sacrifices pulse through her ear. Lets begin our preparations here. We have two faithful servants who will do anything we want them to. Lets do something that will truly make Shiroyama Kyousuke scream. Onii-chan Inside a room that took up the entire top floor of a luxury apartment building, the slender bikini girl named Aika waved around two boxes of chocolates: one shaped like mushrooms and the other like bamboo shoots. This was a part of a hundred years war or an endless Armageddon, but the Tanabata fair had changed that somewhat. A limited edition advertised as An overgrown bamboo shoot that forms a light stick of bamboo! had been released, so the bamboo shoot version was going to be the winner for the time being. As Aika cheerfully opened the boxes, Kyousuke flatly spoke to her. Do you need something? The liger is super scared and cowering over in a corner, so could you lower the level of irritation in here? If you rode an elevator with a normal person right now, theyd probably suffocate to death. Hm? Kyousuke looked over in surprise and found the 5 meter combination of a lion and white tiger was indeed in the corner. More than the king of beasts, this was an emperor who did not exist in the natural world, and yet she was trembling like a kitten out in the cold. Her tail was tucked between her back legs and her body language clearly said please dont look at me in the cat language. Sorry, sorry, liger. This has nothing to do with you. Onii-chan, if you really want to make up with her, you need to offer her an extra-large hunk of meat on the bone. Yes, I suppose a frightened animal is supposed to be dangerous. Adventurer Shiroyama Kyousuke entered the tigers den with a giant club of meat that looked like a giant hunk of ham before it was made into ham. It was just like what one might see shown off at a Spanish restaurant. And Biondetta did not betray anyones expectations. That demon was more cruel than mischievous and she raised her hands behind Kyousuke. Wahh!! Crash, bang, boom!!!!!! Hee! Are you trying to kill me, you idiot!? Right in front of historys greatest carnivore, Kyousuke and Biondetta started having something like a pillow fight using giant hunks of meat. Everyones beloved big sister rolled around, causing some highly indecent things to occur at the chest and thighs of her mini-yukata. On a sofa at the other side of the room, Modified China Dress Lu Niang Lan was curled up with her arms around her knees. She had gone entirely pale and no one would have believed this was the legendary assassin who had killed Governments Award 1000 after he became a global tyrant. It doesnt matter Ill just find a way to shine in this position. Eh heh heh heh. But this was no time to be goofing off. Meinokawa Renge and Meinokawa Higan had been taken away by Bridesmaid who worshipped the Queen. He had to save them somehow. Excuse me. They were all interrupted by the silver-haired brown girl who was too skinny to call slender, who wore gold decorations and red jewels, and who was wrapped in bandages and a Y-shaped cloth as thin as fairy wings. The way she took charge may have been from her position as a ruler. I would like to get down to business. I cannot abandon the summoner and vessel who helped save the tomb keepers under my command. As that irreverent lot holds the crucial cards and we do not know when the time limit will arrive, we cannot afford to waste even a second. She argued from a position of responsibility just like a class representative. When the light of her pale blue eyes reached them, they all gathered in front of Sekurtiti. Even the frightened white liger obeyed her and sat in front of her. After obediently sitting down, Kyousuke raised his hand for permission to speak. It is true that it looks like Bridesmaid is in complete control here. We dont know where Renge and Higan are, so we cant attack their hideout. But just waiting for their invitation earns 0 points as a plan. That leaves us no chance of taking them back. Meaning? They need the Founders Gallery. They even mentioned the Natural Historys missing entries. They want the Diamond Master Key and the ancient map no matter what. That means theyre sure to designate a location for a hostage exchange. Of course, the odds of them returning the hostages safely are more or less 0. But what does that give us? They will choose the location, so they are still in control. If we complain about the location, it might lead Bridesmaid to harm the hostages. So arent we stuck waiting regardless? Youre surprisingly hardheaded. You like to stick with the first step, dont you? Everyone will walk all over you in the world of the Summoning Ceremony where all sorts of monsters run rampant, interrupted Biondetta (who made sure to raise her hand first). Its true that Bridesmaid is in control with the hostages in their grasp, but this city is the home ground of my client and his Government and Illegal hangers-on. They know the area far better than outsiders like Golden Luxury or The Saint. And there are only so many locations in a city that will satisfy a professional for this kind of hostage exchange. My client and his hangers-on know Toy Dream 35 well enough to have likely thought up a few candidate locations right away. Next was Swimsuit Aika who was giving a giant hunk of meat on the bone to the white liger who had calmed down by now. Theyre probably quickly searching out a delicious restaurant for their party and preparing to decorate it, but we only have to get ahead of them and buy up all those restaurants. Do that and we can stab them in the back before theyre ready. Ah, said Sekurtiti with a surprisingly cute voice. This may have been a glimpse of the girl before she had become half divine. To be blunt, this would never work out if we tried to turn things around after arriving at the stage Bridesmaid had already set for us. It would be like starting a chess game while already in checkmate and trying to turn it around from there. But things are different if we sneak around and make a surprise attack when the pieces are still scattered and the checkmate is not yet complete. We can reclaim control of the situation. Coming up with the actual methods was a job for Aika in Government and Lu Niang Lan in Illegal. A projector displayed the data they had gathered onto the ceiling. This was one of the self-indulgent items installed for the swimsuit shut-in to surf the web while lying down. This is a crime prevention map that Government updates in real time. And this is a map of the patrolling police officers that Illegal keeps tabs on. This is a map of the areas controlled by the different factions within Government. This shows the territories of the different organizations and families that make up Illegal. Think of this map as the underground version of that last one. Honestly, Illegals search system looks so dangerous. I dont want to hear any talk of righteousness from a group that used to be led by a scumbag who kept his vessels in animal cages. Youre getting off topic, pointed out Kyousuke for a gentle course correction. There were plenty of areas people rarely went, but comparing the 2 data sources eliminated most of those. People apparently already controlled the harbor or warehouses at night, as well as the party spaces at fancy restaurants or hotels. They looked private but were actually casually monitored, so no outsider professional would go there. But there were a few areas not filled in by either color. It would be hard to find somewhere not covered at any time around the clock, but they only needed somewhere that cleared out in the early morning or late at night. After all, this was for an exchange and not a hideout. Here. This is the primary candidate. Kyousuke used a lecturers laser pointer to indicate a point on the ceiling map. Z Blocks metropolitan zoo. Its empty from around midnight until the employees arrive at 6 in the morning, and no faction uses it for anything. The temperature is automatically controlled by heaters, so they barely have any nightshift staff. This meets the conditions were looking for. And isnt this the amusement park rumored to be haunted by the ghost of a girl who fell into a cage and was eaten by a lion, Onii-chan? Im pretty sure those rumors started when people saw you going out with your pet for late night trips to the convenience store. Really, though. A faceless phantom girl in an amusement park? Were not talking about The Worlds Happiest Girl who was supposedly involved in the creation of the Toy Dream parks. What was that again? Didnt President Toydream create the amusement parks to match a new fairy tale he had written, but that fairy tale was never released and no one knows what the story is? But Ive heard the completed story is hidden somewhere in the Toy Dream cities scattered across the world. A lot of books end up in my Chinatown trying to pass themselves off as the real one. They even go out of their way to use authentic paper and ink like with those fake Da Vinci diagrams or Einstein journals Were really getting off topic now Aika actually steered them back on topic for once. And it was Sekurtiti who resumed the discussion with a puzzled look on her face. Anyway, there is no guarantee Bridesmaid will choose this location, is there? There are plenty of other possibilities. Yes. A quick glance here shows about 23 different suspicious spots. Kyousuke did not sound worried. But nothing says we cant eliminate their possibilities. Maybe theres a small fire, an electric short, a gas leak, or a burst water pipe. We just have to cause some harmless but noticeable accidents to gather attention. The trick is to use enough variety that it wont seem unnatural even when it happens at 23 places in a row. Well change the flow of people to ruin their ideal hostage exchange locations. Their time was of course limited, but there was no excessive rush in knocking out those candidate locations. Even if Bridesmaid had already decided on a spot other than the zoo, they would have to switch to another candidate if that one was eliminated. Meanwhile, Kyousuke and the others could not put off dealing with the zoo itself. If they did not infiltrate the location ahead of Azaleas group, they could not fool them. Kyousuke immediately made up his mind. Lets split into 2 groups. Biondetta, you take out the other candidates. Sekurtiti and I will infiltrate the zoo as a pair. Yes, sir. Ill give this my all Lu-san, I need your help as a supply shop. Sekurtiti is ultra conspicuous in nothing but bandages, so get her some clothes. Yes! Finally a job only for me that that pheromone waitress cant do!! He ignored the sexy modified China dress as she trembled in mysterious joy. Azaleas group might begin their party in as soon as an hour. Time is our enemy, so lets get ready as quickly as possible. The twin shrine maidens had been captured by a powerful enemy and they had no time. But they did not need to rush into any kind of eccentric action during the preparation phase. Instead moving between buildings by clinging to a helicopters landing struts or swinging across on a wire, they bought a ticket at the station and rode a train to the zoo in Z Block. Celebrate Tanabata by giving bamboo grass to the pandas! The Capybara Knights are also praying for a beautiful night sky!! The train was covered in hanging banners and electronic advertisements for the Tanabata Fair. At this stage, they could not afford to stand out or be delayed. They bought tickets for the zoo and entered through the main gate like normal. Two high school tickets came out to 3200 yen. The basics were important. What is that electric noise? Oh, thats a bug zapper. Zoos end up with a lot of bugs, so they lure them all in to fry them. Hm? But I thought those traps only worked at night. The bug zappers I am familiar with are a technology that takes advantage of insects attraction to lights. Pant, pant. Why are you breathing heavily? My guess is this one uses smell as well. Fly and roach traps often use some kind of jelly. Gasp! You mean this is a brand new kind of cutting-edge trap!? And a pure one that protects peoples smiles from disease. Kh. I never thought I would find these things even here. Japan truly is a great nation of traps! You really are a pain in the ass, you know that!? He had a feeling he did not want to let her see one of those clockwork toys that rolled small metal balls around inside it. Also, they had received something with their tickets. What is this? I have never seen this plant before. What as strange aroma. I guess they dont have these in northern Africa. Is it a trap? No, and shut up about traps. Its called bamboo grass. Its a type of bamboo, so Bamboo spear traps! Ive heard of that. They are the distinct Japanese flavor added to falling ceilings or pitfalls. They are the umami of traps, arent they!? Try to control your heartrate, Sekurtiti. Anyway, this is the favorite food of the zoos prized pandas! It was noon on a weekday, but there were an awful lot of small children running around wildly with no concern for the flow of foot traffic. Did you write your wish on the tanzaku? I heard the paper and ink are both made from bamboo grass. I hope I found the Phantom Girl picture book. Now eat up, panda! Make my dream come true!! The number of children was too great to just be families that had taken time off of work and school, so it may have been a school field trip. The air contained a unique mixture of straw and animal smells. Will such a bright place really be used for an ugly hostage exchange? Sekurtiti looked around doubtfully while wearing a primarily yellow yukata. She still wore the tiara and thus most likely still wore the other decorations and the bandages below, but she looked normal enough. She had brown skin and short silver hair, but she did not stand out much since there were a lot of Japan-loving foreign visitors to Toy Dream 35. Sekurtiti, the zoo is for looking at the animals, so try to keep your eyes on the cages. Eh? Ah? R-right. And summoners and vessels vanish from normal peoples minds once were out of view. The normal methods to lose someone tailing you might actually clue them in if they focus on the abnormal movements in the crowd. He grabbed the brown yukata girls hand. Since she was not used to this, it would be faster to escort her. And no one would find it odd to see a young boy and girl holding hands at the zoo. ???? Yes, even if the brown rulers cheeks were flushed red. Kyousuke walked around the zoo along the normal routes with Sekurtiti in tow. Um, are my clothes okay? There are a lot of foreigners in Japanese clothing here, so you dont stand out. That isnt what I meant Perhaps I should try to act more like that proper Yamato Nadeshiko over there. Even from behind, she is practically oozing sex appeal. No, wait. Thats a bad example. Thats no Nadeshiko. Its Rendou Akiya. Kyousuke dejectedly viewed the yukata-wearing person walking gracefully through the crowd. He had guessed classes would be canceled at school due to the gunfight with Azaleas group, but since that classmate () was at the zoo in a yukata, he must have been meeting someone here. On the way, they gave their bamboo grass tanzaku to the panda cage without writing anything on them. Space was limited in Toy Dream 35, so most of their movement was vertical. The overall pathway spiraled downwards. The area was divided into 5 different layers with Layer 1 at the top and it looked something like one of those parking garage toys that let minicars run along rails. Sekurtiti tilted her head when she saw the guide map. Lions, elephants, giraffes They come from the same ecosystem, but their cages are scattered around. Why wouldnt they gather the animals into an African section or a South American section? Its like the shelves at a supermarket. They want you to naturally visit the entire zoo to see what you want to see, so the most popular animals are spread out across the zoo. If they put the penguins, pandas, and capybaras all in one place, no one would ever go anywhere else. A supermarket? So even Freedom Award 903 uses those? Oh? Was that too much for the great Tomb Priestess? They stopped at the shop section that doubled as a souvenir shop and food court and they bought a sandwich set they could eat as they walked. For the Tanabata Fair, it was wrapped in antibacterial bamboo leaves instead of a clear plastic package. They would have stood out too much if they were not holding a pamphlet or some food. It would look odd to pay money to visit the zoo and then not enjoy themselves. But there was a problem. Sekurtiti. I dont know how you normally live. If you dont like the food, you dont have to force yourself to eat it. No, this is one thing I want to challenge myself with. So do not worry. That phrasing left him even more confused as to how she normally lived. Surely she did not really live on nothing but mist and dew. She must have always wanted to eat while standing because she leaned up against a wall near the shop section and had trouble choosing what to take from the set Kyousuke held. She finally pulled out the tomato and lettuce vegetable sandwich. After sniffing it a few times, she grabbed it in both hands and took a small bite from the corner. Before she even swallowed, her pale blue eyes widened. Even Kyousuke could tell her body was moving below the yukata. It seemed like her organs were wriggling near her chest and navel. Nbh, nheh! Cough, cough!! Sekurtiti. N-no, Im fine. Im fine She smiled, but there was a cold sweat on her forehead. He wanted to pass her a drink, but since she existed outside the Summoning Ceremony, he could not say if that would help or only make it worse. Phew I can tell the flavor is not bad at all. In fact, it is extremely fascinating. That might change once I swallow it, but it is worth the challenge. A mint or some gum might have been the better choice, but he could hardly stop her touching efforts when he saw her continually tearing off small pieces and tossing them in her mouth like she was feeding a small bird. Kyousuke had to wonder if he would behave the same way if he was told he would be given 100 million yen if he ate the entire morning paper. She did swallow it, but he was worried about what would happen later. He decided to ask the tomb keeper elder. Although that old man might punch him the instant he heard about it. After spending a long time breaking the sandwich down like a jigsaw puzzle and swallowing it all, Sekurtiti forced a smile. Sorry about the trouble. Now, lets go look at the rest. R-right. It looked like she could not finish it, so Kyousuke ate his sandwich while she shared the rest of hers with a stray cat that had snuck into the zoo. Even so, Sekurtiti narrowed her eyes and smiled. Do you like cats? In Egyptian mythology, they are a sacred beast just as important as the crocodile and the leopard. How could I not like them? And while cats are loved the world over now, they are companions who originated in Egypt. That girl had taken one step away from the human world using a method other than reaching Award 1000. Hers was the achievement of a much older age than the Third Summoning Ceremony discovered in 1999. Kyousuke knew this was outside his field of expertise. Was that because he was only the strongest when standing on his stage with a Blood-Sign? Or because he was still partway through the 900s and had not yet seen Award 1000 for himself? It is nothing that special. Her voice seemed to see right through him. Sekurtiti herself pressed her palms against the railing and watched the lion in the concrete walls a few meters below. She watched that king of beasts yawn on the napping bed covered in straw. I am known as the Tomb Priestess and as a ruler, but I am the same as that beast in a cage. I only eat what food those with special knowledge have prepared and I can only wield my power within the field provided to me. It probably makes me look like quite the ferocious beast. After all, no one knows if I can actually run around the grassy field and catch prey with my own claws and fangs. Thats painful to hear. Kyousuke felt like she was talking about him. He was half the reason the world was what it was. That was not a lie, but if he was asked if he had walked all around the world to see if it had really changed, he would have to answer no. He only had the environmental changes he had predicted based on his theoretical calculations. He was undoubtedly in the strongest position for this world. But how large was that world really? He was too deeply dyed in the colors of the Blood-Sign systems world to judge anything outside of it. Everyone had their own world and this was the path he had chosen. But there was no definite standard with which to measure the superiority of his world to that of the person walking alongside him. Meanwhile, Oiran-style Modified Mini-Yukata Biondetta was stomping around Toy Dream 35s R Block with her boots. Of the pizza slice blocks of the city, this one had a relatively large number of schools. If your heart is brimming with justice, then lets get shooting!! Come study the stars with the Shooting Rangers and then we can combine our powers to defeat the Doshaburin Raincloud Monsters! Have you started up your cheering app? Orihime is Vega of Lyra and Hikoboshi is Altair of Aquila. Believe it or not, Orihime is 70 times brighter than the sun. Shes said to be the brightest in the summer constellations. On the other hand, Hikoboshi is A group of five in full-body tights was holding some kind of study session on one of the giant bridges. Instead of using a screen or monitor like the weather lady, a barcode of light appeared on their tights decorations. The children could apparently hold up their smartphones to scan those codes to view the changing education text that went along with the hero show. The show itself was free, but the app needed to fully enjoy it came with a small fee. Even if the gadgets were new, the basic idea was the same as the old kamishibai. The cheap candy had just been replaced by the app. It was mostly elementary school kids gathered around and no high schoolers were stopping for it. Oh, how nostalgic. Ryouko-chan, its the Shooting Rangers. Which generation are they on now? O-Onee-chan, dont stop here. Its too embarrassing. Oh, right. You always preferred Cuticle Star. Didnt you come begging me to braid your hair because of that pink magical girl in glasses named Milly-chan? This is not helping with the embarrassment!! The demon walked right past a pair of high school girls in red blazers (one confident and short-haired and the other librarian-like with glasses and braids). (This is all mixed up) Biondetta sighed as she walked through the crowd. There were a lot of children for midday on a weekday, but that was because classes had been cancelled after the firefight with Azalea and the rest of Bridesmaid. So why were those children being kept out on the streets? It felt like leaving a bird cage out in the middle of the savanna, opening the door, and waiting for a wild beast to arrive. However, Biondettas objective was not to monitor the people or to instruct them on disaster management. She was here to take out the candidates for Bridesmaids throwaway hostage exchange location, leaving them with only the metropolitan zoo in Z Block. It was not well-known, but schools were quite useful for such things. After all, there was generally no one there at night. And these days, they relied on their home security system and no teachers stayed behind. One only had to know how to kill the electronic cameras and sensors. In fact, there were some places where overgrown trees or ill-placed signs had covered up those mechanical eyes. Find a careless and peace-dulled school like that and the underworld would attach a price tag to it. (Those mothers in upside-down triangle glasses would probably faint if they knew guns, drugs, and women were being sold and bought at the schools they thought symbolized peace and safety, but thats the sad truth.) Those who refused to hit a woman would be killed by a woman. Those who went easy on kids increased the value of child assassins. Those were the ironclad laws of the harsh world. People were free to support bushido or chivalry if they wanted, but pacifists needed to use their heads a little more and realize they could easily be indirectly supporting the underworld by leaving openings that the less principled could take advantage of. And if Kyousuke and Biondetta had done so, they might not have become such perfect summoners. (It doesnt really matter now, though. I cant have anyone taking this power from me.) Hm, hm, hm, hmmm The pink demon hummed as she took photos of her surroundings with her smartphone. Loitering around a school and pointing a camera around should have been alarming, but this was the tourist city of Toy Dream 35. It might be unusual for a woman to go on a foreign trip all on her own, but this was the age of SNS. If an attractive woman was wandering around taking a bunch of selfies, people would assume the horns on her head and tail on her butt were just a way for a showoff foreigner to get more hits on her page. No one would ever think to notice that the cameras focus was more on the buildings behind her and the security camera locations than on her own smiling face. (This is an industrial technical college and, based on the schoolyard equipment, that must be a sports-focused school. Those would be tough. Ohh, theres a handy elementary school over there. Heh heh. Theyve kept the number of cameras low to protect the kids privacy and elementary schools generally dont have club activities, so itll be empty at night. Theyll want to go after this one, so I need to seal it off.) Now, then. Biondetta came to a stop. She turned her head and swiped her slender index finger along her smartphones screen. Mobiles were so very convenient. Tourists no longer needed a physical map and she would look just like a tourist checking her destination on a digital map. Even if the screen displayed something else entirely. (Government and Illegalhmm. This is an educational facility, so the world police probably have a greater presence. Although it looks like Illegal is using some bad people to start breaking into the area.) She generally used the two maps they had seen in Aikas apartment, but the problem was how to use them. She moved to the back of the school and found a small faculty entrance. Fortunately, there was a small bush right next to it. Good, good. Hanging from her shoulder was one of the light hiking rucksacks that foreigners often used when sightseeing and she stepped over the fence despite the short yukata and black knee socks showing off her thighs right up to the base. Her investigation had already found that a soundproof panel for construction created a blind spot in the cameras here. She approached the faculty entrance, lowered the rucksack, and unzipped it. It contained a heavy metal cylinder, but it was not a water bottle refilled with tea. You shouldnt be so careless, Azalea-chan. You can fire like crazy if you want, but leaving unexploded ordnance on the scene comes with its own risks. For example, they can be reused as IEDs What she had to do was simple: shove the unexploded missile into the bushes near the entrance and hit the remote switch when the Government dog dressed as a faculty member got close. It would be a pain to sit around waiting for them to arrive on schedule, so she just had to call the faculty room without actually saying anything. If she hacked a students smartphone, spoofed the location data, and made it look like they were playing behind the school even after classes were canceled, the teacher would put their shoes on at the faculty entrance and step out to scold them. And that would mean passing right by the bushes hiding the unexploded ordnance. Biondetta did not really have to kill them. She could intentionally hit the switch while the target was still a good way away from the explosive. After just barely surviving, that ally of justice would first start a skirmish with Illegal and only start investigating Bridesmaid after identifying the explosive. Using unexploded ordnance left by someone else was just like using a hacked account: it brought such wicked enjoyment. Her client Shiroyama Kyousuke had asked her to eliminate the candidates in a way that looked natural. Biondetta had faithfully obeyed him. To that pink demon, detonating bombs in the city still qualified as a natural accident. But. Just to be clear, Biondettas goal was destruction and not murder. She wanted to disturb the scene enough that Bridesmaid could not use any of the candidate locations except for the metropolitan zoo in Z Block. And it had to be done quickly enough that obvious results would be seen in only a few hours. She had found the best answer for that. (After this, I guess Ill attack an Illegal base. While pretending to be Government, of course. Theyll begin fruitlessly attacking each other and theyll also reveal the existence of their common enemy: Bridesmaid. Hmm, it looks like those two enemies are going to heroically join forces. Such a silly but lovely and freeze-dried story!) In the zoo, Yukata Sekurtiti spoke with doubt in her pale blue eyes. By the way, Shiroyama Kyousuke. Weve gone around making preparations, but what exactly are we going to do? We need to finish checking around first. The zoo is a large facility with a hidden area they dont show the guests, so we need to check there too. Just as Kyousuke said that, a female zookeeper made an announcement from the speakers installed along with lights on the branches of the trees lining the path. The 2 PM petting show with the popular Capybara Knights is beginning soon. This is the last time they will be fed today, so keep that in mind if you have purchased food pellets for them. All of the Capybara Knights will be making an appearance at Children only as tall as Kyousukes waist rushed over. The show seemed to be happening nearby. Yukata Sekurtiti let go of his hand as the stream of children separated them, but she gently narrowed her pale blue eyes like she was seeing something heartwarming. And then the summoner raised his leg without hesitation. He coldheartedly kicked right toward one of the children. ? The brown girls face was colored by an indescribable mixture of surprise and disgust, but the Tomb Priestess caught on a moment later. The right sleeve of her bright yellow yukata had been ripped apart. Not even bumping into someone and catching on their fingernails would do that. A flash of silver light was mixed in with the sea of innocent children. It was a knife. An unmistakably deadly weapon. Wha? Eh? Sekurtiti held her torn sleeve and quickly took a step back, but the surrounding people had not even noticed anything was wrong. Most eyes were on the rodents released inside a short fence and Kyousuke alone stared coldly at the attacker. His kick to the back of the elbow had caused the attacker to miss, but that attacker looked like a girl of only 8 or 9. Her long hair seemed more like ice than silver, she wore a long, sleeveless dress with a blue ribbon on the chest, and she wore a backpack that resembled a stuffed tanuki which seemed to be a character from something. At first glance, it looked like a summery dress with fabric so thin that her small silhouette showed through, but that was a false image. In truth, an optical effect was used to make it look like her silhouette showed through while she actually had a variety of weapons hidden inside. Unlike Sekurtiti, there was no shock on Kyousukes face. He only spoke with some annoyance in his voice. Those eyes. They remind me of my past. They both jumped back to put distance between them. The Capybara Knights love plants that grow near the water and plenty of those have been put in the pellets all of you have. When you pick them up, go like this and The children cheered at the zookeepers explanation, but just a few meters behind them, an unrecorded fight to the death was beginning. Even though it was July, the assassin looked like a snow fairy and she reached for the backpack on her back. She pulled out what looked like a fishing reel, but it was much larger and more sinister. (A windlass pike?) The mass of steel was as solid as a vise and when the mine cart lever of a stopper was removed, something rapidly slid out. It was a weapon made by attaching a 250 cm special steel shaft on the back of a combat knife with a 20 cm blade. It had only fit in the backpack because the reel had been used to forcibly wrap the shaft around. It was far too large a weapon for a girl with a height of only 120 cm. But that impression was quickly overturned. Right or left. The girl stabbed the sharp point into the ground, held onto the special steel shaft, and swung around like a ballet dancer or figure skater, or like she was twisting a large mans arm around. Each time her large skirt fluttered up around her and the entire dress created a false image in the backlight, the shaft bent, spun, and built up strength. Finally, the girl used her toes to kick the tip she had stabbed into the ground. The cocoon exploded. The special steel shaft demonstrated the beauty of a rhythmic gymnastics ribbon as it rotated around and released its incredible power like a spring. It became a deadly blade storm that blew toward Kyousuke. It flipped vertically, horizontally, up, and down. It probably looked like a mere afterimage to a normal person. Not even a martial arts expert could produce this much speed and numbers. But Kyousuke did not back down. He pulled a metal cylinder the size of a hair spray can from his hoodies pocket. Needless to say, it was an Incense Grenade, but he did not plan to pull the pin and throw it. Unlike his 180 cm Blood-Sign, he could use this blunt weapon while hiding it in his hand. If his aim was even a few millimeters off or his timing was even 0.3 seconds off, this dangerous storm would take off all the fingers on his right hand. A few orange sparks scattered within it. The ice fairys deadly blade did not stop. Before the storm could settle down, the tip stabbed back into the ground and she twisted her body complexly around to build up power in the spring and seamlessly begin the next attack as her skirt fluttered around her. Any normal reaction would have been worn down and killed with no chance for a counterattack. Yes, any normal reaction. This was why Kyousuke had chosen the Incense Grenade over his Blood-Sign. Are you sure you want to make me go all out? ? Kyousuke spread his arms in front of the attacker and showed off the scratched metal can he held. If this goes off, an Artificial Sacred Ground will open. I have a vessel with me, but youre alone. You might be an expert in that field, but you cant wield the Summoning Ceremony right now. Letting this detonate would be devastating for you. Wouldnt it be awful to be crushed to death by the Cost 1 Original Red (b)? !? The attackers movements tensed for just a moment, but Kyousuke used that moment to step forward. He did not actually have to make that choice. Making her think he had was enough. It was devastating enough to simply drive a wedge into her seamless movement between attacks. After stepping right up to her, Kyousuke raised the metal can like a hammer to gather her attention and prepared to attack with his feet from below. This was checkmate. This snow crystal of an attacker could not avoid his next attack. Or so he thought. A moment later, his entire vision rotated vertically. He had no idea what had happened. The dull pain in the side of his head told him he had been hit by something powerful enough to flip him around, but it had not come from the attackers windlass pike. It had come from someone else. A third party. (I couldnt even sense their killer intent!?) Too much about this had been odd, but he did not have time to lament the unfairness of the world. While flipped upside-down, he rapidly regained control of his body and thoughts, pressed one palm against the ground, and regained his balance. He moved away from the attacker he had failed to hit and returned to defenseless Sekurtiti to shield her. A large mans deep voice reached the boys ears. Youre known as the All-Around Armament or 3A, but I guess a Freedom 900 level was too much for you, little girl. Now, come crying to your dandy guardian. Kids have got to have that cute side to them. Youre not that White Queen, so no one expects you to be perfect at everything. When she heard that voice, the tiny assassin puffed out her cheeks while remaining expressionless. No. I have yet to be hit by even a single attack. I disagree that I am having any trouble here. Itd all be over once that single attack hit you. How about you get that boy over there to explain it to you? The intellectual type loves explaining their plans. Who was it directing her toward Kyousuke? When he tried to search through his memories, he started to feel faint. He briefly lost his balance. He very nearly fell to his knees like he had been hit by a hypnotic mental attack. Wh? The man gave off an entirely different impression from when Kyousuke had met him before. His long blond hair was tied back and his right eye was covered by a black leather eyepatch. His fancy gold-embroidered coat looked unnaturally unsupported in the right sleeve. He was missing an arm. But the man had an inner core that prevented that flashy appearance from gathering too much focus. Kyousuke remembered him. When all his bones had been broken and he had just barely escaped the Queens Miniature Garden alive, it was this man who had carried him to the transport helicopter. This summoner had given up on his own slim chance at survival and returned to that hellish battlefield to suppress the rampaging White Queen. Why are you here? How are you alive!? The names Claude Magentarain. Come to think of it, did I even introduce myself back then? The wild man grinned and toyed with something in his one hand. It was a dull silver key with a 30-carat diamond in it. Kyousuke clicked his tongue in annoyance, but it was too late. His hoodie pocket had been sharply split open. This man had approached and performed a roundhouse kick to the side of the head before Kyousuke had noticed anything at all, so it would have been easy for him to add in another trick or two. That was why the tiny assassin had targeted Sekurtitis yukata sleeve. They were after the pockets before the vitals. That way they could take the key no matter who had it. (ClaudeClaude Magentarain?) That family name reminded him of that curly, reddish-blond hair. And Azalea had attacked Kyousuke with mass-produced Repliglass weapons made to look just like her. He initially suspected this was a copy made based on Claudes biological data, but he quickly realized that did not add up. The lost eye and arm would be meaningless. It would confuse Kyousuke further to make him look identical to Kyousukes memories from the Queens Miniature Garden. And data on the Queens Miniature Garden was not easily acquired. The puzzle pieces simply did not fit for Azalea to have calculated it all out. (Or has Bridesmaid absorbed someone connected to the Miniature Garden? No, that couldnt be. Calm down. Youre reading too much into this.) In that case, had that man really survived? No, that was not what he needed to focus on now. (This isnt good. Does Azalea know about this!?) Is that girl your current vessel? No, no. Shes to replace my missing right arm. Think of us like a three-legged race summoner. My vessel is here. Claude casually tossed the Diamond Master Key straight up. Kyousuke suspected that was meant to draw his eyes up so the man could make a surprise attack, but he was wrong. A giant bird of prey cut across overhead and snatched the silver key from the air. Its wingspan was more than 200 cm. Kyousuke recalled that Azalea had referred to herself as a bird of prey. His name is Ricky and hes probably smarter than me. He mightve invited too many Materials inside and triggered a revolution in his mind. All hail the Queen, I guess. The man spoke of a definite benefit or blessing from the White Queen. If their main unit learned Kyousuke had set things up at the zoo and that the Diamond Master Key had been stolen from him, he would be at a serious disadvantage. He had to assume his chances of getting Renge and Higan back safely were fast approaching zero. That left one thing to do. And it did not matter if this man was real or not for this. Claude smiled as he watched the bird of prey fly in a gentle circle above. Im guessing youre not after the 30-carat diamond. Since youre so obsessed with that old junk, are you perhaps after the Natural Historys missing entries? !! (I have to defeat him before he returns to their main unit with the key or that information!!) Just using the Incense Grenade clenched in his fist would not be enough. He reached for the Blood-Sign on his back. He did not want to cause too much of a scene, but he had to use the Summoning Ceremony to keep the battle out of the public eye even if only to take out the flying bird of prey and retrieve the key. Kyousukes entire body seemed to exude an invisible miasma, but Claude did not seem to care. Freedom Award 903 could not even maintain control of the conversation. Ill praise the speed of your conviction, but you should really observe your surroundings better. He snapped his fingers. Okay, that ends the 2 PM Capybara Knights petting show. Are they all sleepy now that their stomachs are full? The Capybara Knights will be taking a nap now, so please go visit the other animals. It all drew back. The many children seemed to be pulled by a powerful force and then they turned around and scattered in every direction. The Natural Historys missing entries and the Queens territory beyond that are too much for you to handle. Leave this to a ghost from the past. If I feel like it, Ill give you some of the leftover scraps. You see, I too have business with her. As he was swallowed up by the ocean of short children, Claude turned his back with 3A who had hidden her weapon in her backpack. Wah! What? Theres a pirate here. Is he a bad one? A bad pirate would be scary. Unsurprisingly, his gaudy getup drew the childrens attention, but Thats right. Havent you seen Mystery Pirates? I may not look like it, but this dandy gentleman is the legendary pirate who was swallowed up by the mysteries of the Bermuda Triangle. He followed the current and let the waves of people carry him away. As they left, the girl known as 3A tried to pull out a small blade within the crowd of children, but Claude lightly kicked her to stop her. He understood that would have the opposite of the desired effect with Kyousuke. There was nothing Kyousuke could do. A Summoning Ceremony battle that threatened to destroy the entire zoo was one thing, but he could not think up a way to defeat enemies on that level without causing a scene. No matter what he did now, the surrounding children would be caught in the middle of it. Controlling a Material was like holding the reins of a rampaging horse and releasing it in the desired direction, so they were poorly suited for precision attacks. Dammit!! You did the right thing. There is nothing to be discouraged about. Sekurtiti spoke kindly to him. Even if Bridesmaid has the Diamond Master Key, the ancient map remains on my back. We can go through with the exchange. (Thats not the problem here) Kyousuke clenched his teeth and kept his thoughts to himself so as not to worry his partner any further. There were two major problems: 1. Bridesmaid would now learn that Kyousuke had set things up at the zoo. They lost any advantage that would give them. 2. The Offering Team made it clear that Bridesmaid knew that Shiroyama Kyousuke would not allow death no matter how much it hurt his position. And now the master key had been stolen, leaving him with only the ancient map. He could have threatened to destroy the key to negotiate, but he could not destroy the ancient map. His only option now was to do what his opponent said. The situation was about as bad as it could be. And at that very moment, his smartphone rang. Aika, did something happen? Bridesmaid has contacted a secret line to the president of one of Governments official corporations. Namely, Quad Motors. Curse those underhanded tomb raiders Sekurtiti gnashed her teeth, but Kyousuke needed to focus on Aika. They were at a disadvantage, but refusing to speak would not improve their situation. The worlds largest defense contractor is doing everything it can, but the connection is somehow entirely untraceable. Theyve relayed it on to us. I can only guess, but this has to be Azalea Magentarain. Onii-chan, are you ready? The world seemed to grow dark, but he could not give in to that. He immediately refocused his thoughts and put together the best performance he could muster. He focused on the noises around him and checked for any noticeable animal cries or zoo announcements. Im ready at any time. The situation was a mess, but he began a negotiation with lives on the line. As part of the Tanabata Fair, the hold music was a nursery rhyme about the stars. Just when the song started to loop, it ended and he was connected to the other end. Hi, Azalea. Are you planning to visit home? If the Quad Motors HQ in the States isnt enough, youll have to get every other agency you can find to work at tracing this call. Still, I meant this as a show of good faith so you wouldnt waste your time with a lot of pointless effort. He did not need to take any of that at face value. Azalea had not directly called Aika or Kyousuke simply because she had not known their numbers, but that would not be the only reason she had used her old home of Quad Motors as a relay point. That choice may have been made for very personal reasons, but it was still important information for Kyousuke. For one thing, he still did not know why her soul had been swallowed up by the White Queen during the previous incident. And what had happened after she was captured and sent to the Colorful Museum? The foundation of it all might be found at Quad Motors or the Magentarain family that ran it. It was also possible that the dubious man named Claude Magentarain was deeply involved. What happened, Azalea? I could ask you the very same question, but do you think you could easily sum up the full history of what made you who you are? The worshiper girl giggled. Lets not even attempt the impossible here. For now, Id like to tell you the time of our party. Kyousuke was not even allowed to breathe in the air that smelled of straw and animals. The zoo was off the table now and the Diamond Master Key had been stolen. That only left the ancient map that could not be destroyed since it was on Sekurtitis back. And he would have to begin the negotiations at an irregular location with no time to prepare. Or so he thought. Except Please visit the designated location at the designated time and make sure to bring the Diamond Master Key and the ancient map with you. The time will be 1 AM tomorrow morning and the place will be Toy Dream 35s Z Block. I will contact you later with further instructions. ? Confusion filled his mind. She was falling for his trap. It was all going as planned. But it should have been diverging from the plan after something so out of the ordinary had occurred. Why did she not mention the loss of the master key? Why would she designate a location where he had been seen? She should have given up on the entire block and moved to another location. He briefly wondered if he was being tested or if he was speaking with a recording. Had Azalea still not received a report from Claude? Or was Azalea entirely unaware of Claudes actions - or presence - here? Are Renge and Higan still alive? Do you have a way of proving that? Various pieces of information and possibilities exploded in his mind, but he could not let Azalea notice. He kept his mouth moving and attempted to keep the conversation underway. And here I thought I was showing a sign of friendship by not asking you to prove you had not destroyed the master key or killed the ancient map girl. I know it would be hard to get them to speak after losing in the Summoning Ceremony, so show me a video of them. Ill be able to tell if its just a recording. And if you cant earn my trust, the deal is off. Hee hee. You would never do that. You want the Founders Gallery as much as we do. At the very least, I have the ancient map. I can find another way to decode it. It might take a lengthy detour, though. None of us would be going to all this trouble if we could do that. The key and chest would be meaningless. To a normal person maybe. But do you really think I fall into that category? Alice (with) Rabbit will not allow anyone to die. Is that so? Then what kind of retribution would you like? If I wanted, I could give Sekurtiti general anesthesia and flay the ancient map from her. I wont hesitate when it isnt about an actual life. Dont forget that. Sekurtitis pale blue eyes were giving him a look. She clearly wanted to know why he was provoking Azalea when things were going unexpectedly well. But that was not how to look at this. When things were going too smoothly, he had to be skeptical. He still did not have a full grasp of what it was, but something was not right here. And that could become a slight starting point that he could not afford to let Azalea know about. The ominous animal smell grew stronger than the straw smell. Fine then, said Azalea. I hope you see this as a sign of my desire to complete this exchange peacefully. Please switch the call to visual mode. Kyousuke was not an idiot, so he only did so after crushing the smartphones lens with his finger. He could not let her know he was at the zoo. There was a chance she could analyze the background noise to determine his location, but this was better than nothing. And then the view from Azaleas device filled the smartphone screen. Sekurtiti peered at it from the side. He could not tell where it was. He saw some kind of black curtain and could hear machines running. And that background was mostly obscured by a close up of Azaleas face. She was probably holding the smartphone in her hand. The distance was a little odd. She was holding it from a somewhat elevated angle, so he could see the bright skin at her yukatas open chest. How cautious of you. But fine. Ill view that as proof that youre taking this seriously. The smartphone pointed away from Azalea. !? Sekurtiti covered her mouth with her hands. She seemed to be suppressing a scream. The screen showed a large doll seated against the wall. No, it was a black-haired girl in a shrine maiden outfit. The chest of her clothes was removed and the soft skin hidden below was opened wide. The skin, muscles, ribs, and everything inside were clearly manmade. The artificial organs looked like leather bags stitched into shape and they pulsed with the same accuracy as a humans. Even I was shocked by this. I managed to retrieve the Joruri Texts of the former Meinokawa Shrine I had heard they were originally trying to create a fully artificial vessel, but I never thought they would have created a summoner too. And this is more than just a theory; theyve actually made one Peh heh heh. They could create a truly unmanned and mass-produced unit like this! Azalea Oh, dont you worry. Everything that was removed for examination will be back inside her by the time of the exchange. Yes, with nothing missing. Azalea!! The curly-haired girl giggled. I told you before that Repliglass is the remnants of a failed attempt to create a likeness of Her Majesty, didnt I? This will allow me to make up for its deficiencies and then some. Of course, even this is incomplete, but if I incorporate the Joruri Texts into Repliglass, I might just be able to resurrect that lost dream. Yes, I might just create a vessel with greater accuracy and strength than a human. Then Her Majesty can remain in this world indefinitely. The conversation turned in her direction. No matter where he went, all calamity and mayhem seemed to fall toward that white evil as if there was a powerful pull in that direction. That said, the Founders Gallery is still necessary. Even if I fully absorb the Joruri Texts, that plan will be a long way from completion. Including the Natural Historys missing entries in the doll and fusing the new techniques with the old would be the best way of indefinitely fixing Her Majestys soul in this desolate world. I mean, I lack the necessary parts as things are. Although that might change if you gave me permission to dig out the spine of a vessel as excellent as Meinokawa Higan. This was no longer just a cruel game. If she was only toying with the twins lives to make Kyousuke suffer, there was still something he could do. Simply put, he only had to give her something else with which to torment him. But not even that would work anymore. Bridesmaid had found definite value in Renge and Higan. They would never let go of those shrine maiden twins. This was about more than just defeating Kyousuke. If the twins were now an offering to the Queen, he doubted Bridesmaid would let them slip away so easily. They would want to hold onto Renges artificial organs and Higans spine, just in case the Natural Historys missing entries were not found in the Founders Gallery or were a disappointment. You wanted proof they were alive, didnt you? Satisfied? Yes. Kyousuke briefly forgot to keep up his act and responded in a deep and icy voice. Now I have no reason to hold back. None whatsoever. It was late at night and the Milky Way shined with a cold light overhead. After sending Shiroyama Kyousuke the location at the very last second, the Bridesmaid group led by Azalea and The Saint hid in the darkness as they entered the metropolitan zoo. It was half past midnight, which was half an hour before the exchange began. That might seem like cutting it close, but this was the right answer. The location of an exchange like this was not the same as a hideout. They wanted to depart while leaving as little a trace of themselves as possible, so they wanted to avoid staying too long and thus leaving too much evidence in the form of hairs, saliva, sweat, footprints, etc. The zoo was already closed and the staff had left the darkness, but there were a few night nightshift workers who stayed throughout the night. Animals lived at the zoo, so they could not eliminate the possibility of a sudden health emergency. That said, the number of nightshift workers was woefully few for such a large zoo. Plus, Bridesmaid had been prepared to swiftly eliminate any such uncertain factors the moment they entered the zoo. But the members searching the large zoo gave the following report: The nightshift vet and zookeeper are nowhere to be found. We found some warm coffee and an open packet of crackers in the administrative office, so it looks like they were here not long ago. That is fine. No matter what might happen, he is still Alice (with) Rabbit. And catching them off guard would have been the easiest way to not leave a trace. Azalea giggled as she answered. Did he realize he couldnt change anything once we arrived? Even if we tried to cancel the deal and leave now, he is sure to pursue us and insist we follow through. We will settle this here. Our top priority is the Diamond Master Key and the ancient map. If we obtain the Natural Historys missing entries, we will be able to invite Her Majestys soul into this world. It is a bit early, but it seems Shiroyama Kyousuke has already arrived. Lets begin once everyone is in place. After a quick look from his small master, the elderly butler gently indicated the duffel bag and suitcase he held under his arms. They were ready to go. Azalea calmly smiled and pulled a smartphone from the collar of her lacy and frilly yukata. Kyousukes smartphone vibrated from an incoming call. He would have to activate the backlight in this dark space that smelled of straw and animals, but there was no use worrying about that now. The game had begun. How do you do? Its 10 minutes until the time you set, so are you starting already? Youre sick of waiting too, arent you? Come to the lion cage on Layer 3. And keep this call active. Sorry, but the batterys about to die. I had a feeling you would say that. Kyousuke hung up and spoke to Sekurtiti. Just to be clear, there is no going back once this begins. Why say that now after everything youve gotten me involved in? Besides, you cannot clear the very first barrier without the ancient map on my back. That was an important bargaining chip for Kyousuke and Bridesmaid. It was a crucial piece of the puzzle. Or it should have been. Even after the normal guests had left, the animals had returned to their beds in the stables, and everyone but the nightshift workers had gone home, Kyousuke and Sekurtiti had remained hidden in the zoo, giving them plenty of time to think. But they had found no way of eliminating the uncertain factors of this deal: Claude Magentarain and 3A. That man had taken the Diamond Master Key, but would that prove to be a good thing or a bad thing? (I was worried they would change the deal at the last second, but were still at the zoo. What do they gain from this? But we have to do this regardless.) Needless to say, Kyousukes goal was to get everyone back safely. He had to rescue Renge and Higan, but he could not let Bridesmaid capture Sekurtiti in exchange. Lets get started. Yes. The Milky Way filling the sky overhead seemed coldly indifferent. The closed zoo had no lights on in order to help with the Tanabata astronomical observation fair. Plus, this place prioritized the lifestyles of the animals over the humans. Even if the animals were back in their stables, it would be strange to have bright lights on at night. As they walked through the zoo and its powerful scent of animals and the night, Sekurtiti turned her head every which way. She heard a rustling sound, but when she looked over at the bush there, she only found a stray cat that had boldly snuck into the zoo. Dont worry. There are no snipers around here. No, it isnt that. This is something of a habit of mine. ? The desert might make you think of a sweltering midsummer sun, but the true terror is found in the frigid desert nights that drop below freezing. And most carnivores are nocturnal. My senses seem to grow sharper when I smell an animal at night. Kyousuke and Sekurtiti followed the spiraling path below the carpet of stars that was unnaturally vast for a big city. Sorry, muttered Kyousuke. The brown girl did not seem to understand. What do you mean? Sorry I got you involved in all this. This is almost entirely my own personal fight. It isnt even meant to fulfill a clients order. Part of me is only viewing you as a weapon. Sekurtitis primary request had ended when they had protected the tomb keepers at the apartment. Rescuing Renge and Higan only came from the obligation she felt toward the summoner who had worked to fight the tomb raiders. Even assisting from a position of safety would be out of the ordinary now, so it would be hard to find any reason for her to act as a bargaining chip in a hostage exchange where he was at such a disadvantage. But that ruler did not hesitate to answer. I do not mind. You may indeed have saved a great many people, but that does not mean that no one can want to save you in the same way. And I am actually grateful that I have found someone who will worry about me on that level. The tomb keepers are all aware they are servants and they do not hesitate to offer up their very lives for me. So their service is partially fixed in place and they risk their lives like theyre running digital equivalent exchange calculations: This threat is worth this life, or the numbers check out if the danger rises above this point. Their lives are always handled like that, so I rarely have a chance to contact human emotion that cannot be replaced with numbers and equations. The intense emotion in your heart is a luxury to me. Is that how it works? A part of me does sometimes think about graduating or retiring. I start to think everything Im doing is just for my own selfish reasons and that all my struggling is only widening the worlds wounds. Selfishness is nothing to look down on. For example, my parents risked their lives to protect the pharaohs slumber. They fought Seth, a traitor who leaked information on the burial treasures to an outside band of tomb raiders. My parents lost their lives, so I was given the title of Tomb Priestess at a very young age as a way to strike back. In her golden tiara, Sekurtiti looked up at the Milky Way. Seth was actually a faithful servant and his treachery was only an act meant to place me on the throne so young. We are a group that can and does do such things. My parents had passed their prime and were beginning to decline. If they had refused to hand over control and had clung to the throne, if honest Seth had refused to sully his name, or if anyone had been even slightly selfish or greedy, this never would have happened. We would have been too pure and we never could have rid ourselves of the digital pre-established harmony. If the president of Toy Dream had not suggested I look at everything from a different angle when he assisted in restoring the wall art, I never would have noticed this truth and I would have become nothing more than a producer of good deeds. So I must be thankful for everything that has happened as I protect the pharaohs slumber and fight the tomb raiders. I am so very thankful to my parents who gave up the throne, to Seth who took on the villains role, and to President Toydream who built this city. I do not want to repay them with an answer found through digital calculations. I want to learn of more intense emotions. I want the power you have to bend the world around you with a single feeling. I want the kindness you have to distort what is right using your selfishness. Kindness, hm? Am I wrong? Kyousuke did not respond. He intentionally changed the subject. I see. You said wherever the pharaoh slept was sacred ground, but I didnt realize you had such an attachment to this city. If I didnt, I never would have allowed the pharaohs remains to be transported from the pyramid. The president has a very observant eye and excellent analytic ability and he can tell which truths should be divulged and which should not. If he kept this gallery a secret, he must have had a good reason for it. It might be an important document for the Summoning Ceremony and it might be the Phantom Girl book he worked on for years but never had a chance to release. Shiroyama Kyousuke, I said I appreciated your intense emotion and I have decided it might just be enough to break through the presidents reason for keeping this hidden. I want to locate the gallery and protect the treasure within before those lowly tomb raiders can break through the stone door. Just as that presidents discerning eye broke through millennia of tradition, and just as we carried the pharaoh from the pyramid to protect his slumber. They arrived at the lions cage. It was a large circular field. It was surrounded by a concrete wall several meters tall and it was situated lower than the surrounding area. Straw was laid out for a napping area and tires were lying around as toys. Most of the visitors would probably lean over the railing to peer below, but that open space looked like a giant gaping maw at the moment. Kyousukes smartphone vibrated. He pulled it from his pocket, but this meant their enemy knew where they were. He saw the faint light of a phones backlight on the opposite side of the circular cage. It was Azalea Magentarain. Kyousuke glared at her as he answered the call and her statement was short. Pull out your Blood-Sign and Incense Grenades and get rid of them. I will measure your sincerity based on how far you throw them. He obediently did as she asked. He pulled the Repliglass Blood-Sign from the back of his hoodie and threw it to the side. Then he pulled an Incense Grenade from the pocket, dropped it to his feet, and kicked it down toward the tire toys. There is an unnatural weight in your hood. Should I interpret that as insincerity? Youre watching carefully. He removed the Incense Grenade hidden in his hood and threw it aside. He was now unarmed. As he had said before, the game had already begun. Nothing his opponent told him to do was going to help him. He would be surprised if they were not being targeted by multiple snipers with night vision goggles. He was truly unarmed as a summoner. He had already predicted this, but he would be lying if he said he was not nervous. After all, his life was not the only one at risk here. Climb down. Inside. Climbing into the lion cage sounded quite dangerous, but he might as well not have shown up if he was going to quibble over something like that. Hyah. Sekurtiti shrieked when he picked her up and hopped over the railing. It was a drop of several meters, but he bent his knees to soften the impact. A girl and a man jumped down on the opposite side: Azalea Magentarain and Fractal Leskins. The rose thorn patterned yukata caught the air and fluttered around her, so the faint light of their smartphones revealed the brilliant white of her chest and thighs. Now, then. The summoners ended the call, put away their phones, and began speaking directly. The elderly butler lowered a suitcase and duffel bag to the concrete ground while the young girl with long curly hair arrogantly tapped her long boots on the ground, smiled thinly, and licked her lips with her small tongue. What you want is right here. Id like to open the bags to make sure. If you want, but keep in mind this is a lion cage. Kyousuke heard a heavy metal door opening behind him. Sekurtiti looked back in shock. The sound of sharp claws clicking on the concrete ground arrived at irregular intervals. The lingering scent of straw and animals was washed away by something much stronger. What was this cage for? Its residents had gone back into the stable, but they almost sounded irritated that their normal schedule had been disturbed. Or perhaps stepping on the napping straw counted as violating the king of beasts territory. We hold the reins of otherworldly Materials on a daily basis, so those mere beasts will never get the better of us. They shouldnt even be able to approach. Azalea should have been in the lethal zone as well, but she did not seem to mind at all. She maintained her confident smile. But in their current state, those girls lack that pressure. In fact, could 300-level amateurs like them do it at all? Regardless, you should assume they will be helplessly devoured while they ceaselessly repeat the same action. If what Azalea had said was accurate, then they saw Renge and Higan as a prize. But that was why she did not just hold a gun to their heads. It was difficult to imagine the pain of a gun. She could easily foolishly trap herself in a situation where Kyousuke made a reckless attack and she was forced to pull the trigger even though she did not want to. So she had gone for something more inefficient. Being eaten by a ferocious beast was the primal fear of being unilaterally tormented by a lower but more powerful creature. That would prevent Kyousuke from doing anything rash. The elderly butler moved his hands and the twin shrine maidens rolled out almost too easily. They were still being affected by their loss, so they slowly repeated the same action while lying on their sides and had no issue with rubbing their cheeks against the floor of a cage that reeked of animals. Now, hand over the Diamond Master Key and ancient map. You can resist if you like, but while we clash, those two will be torn to pieces and killed. Plus, I doubt you can oppose us without a Blood-Sign and Incense Grenade. It all came down to this. All of these lives relied on Kyousukes choice here. The first thing he had to consider was whether Azalea was making a serious deal or if it was all a farce. In other words, did she or did she not know that he no longer had the Diamond Master Key? He could always bluff that he did have it, but she would see right through it if she was connected to Claude. If she saw that as a sign of his insincerity, she could start in a lethal direction. But he was also reluctant to bring up Claudes name here. In the off chance that Azalea was unaware, that could mean revealing his trump card prematurely. So he took a step forward on the straw and spoke. If I hand over both at once, you might just leave without giving me anything. So Ill trade for Renge and Higan one at a time. Oh? Youre giving me the choice? Then I can I have the ancient map first? And here I thought you would put human life first. Kyousuke glanced over. Sekurtiti gave him a small nod back and took a step forward. Needless to say, this was all over if she was taken too. But he could not keep her with him forever. None of Azaleas instructions were going to help him, so Sekurtiti would be taken away eventually even if he tried to keep her around. Start with Renge. Hee hee. So you have a favorite twin. Azalea probably thought she could kill him with the Summoning Ceremony at any time, so she had no preference there. She crouched down, waved her finger in front of the sacrifices face, and slowly pointed over at Kyousuke. Renge began slowly crawling over on all fours. Sekurtiti walked forward in her gold tiara. Kyousuke crouched down to hold the black-haired shrine maiden who had been stripped of all pride, dignity, and even human behavior. She had once self-deprecatingly said she was manmade, but she had the same warmth, pulse, and flowing blood as a human. He had failed to protect her when Bridesmaid had gotten ahead of him, but she was still hanging on by a thread and he could not allow that to be cut. After receiving the brown girl in a yukata, Azalea left the ancient map with her elderly butler and made an announcement. Now, the Diamond Master Key. I know that leaving with just one of the two isnt what you really want. This was the true black box. Did she know the truth about the key? The answer to that question was a devastating bomb hidden in this deal. He had given it a lot of thought. And he still did not know the truth as he held slowly-moving Renge and gave his answer. What I really want? You want to know what I really want??? Then Ill tell you. My plan is to rescue both Renge and Higan. And I cant lose Sekurtiti while doing so either. Ill rescue everyone while also stealing away the Golden Treasure Chest you have. Then Ill walk unharmed into the Founders Gallery and acquire the Natural Historys missing entries without anyone interfering. And there is no room for Bridesmaid in my plans. I need all of you to disappear. It sounds like I need you to suffer some more. Azalea reached into the collar of her modified yukata that revealed both her cleavage and shoulders. She was probably reaching for the ribbon Blood-Sign wrapped around a reel and for her own Incense Grenade. Kyousuke could not do anything to the White Thorns without a Blood-Sign of his own, so the Artificial Sacred Ground would mean his death. We will never attempt to judge what Her Majesty is thinking. Shiroyama Kyousuke, no matter what shape you might take and whether you are alive or dead, Bridesmaid will prioritize offering you to Her Majesty once she has been invited to this world. I can search your corpse for the key. And if it is not there, I can go ask someone else who would know. The thing is Kyousuke ignored her and continued speaking. Was it an expression of her unease over the calamity befalling her or was it an expression of kindness? Sekurtiti held the blonde shrine maiden in her arms. Securing Meinokawa Renge in advance was the first and last barrier for me. After all, you had opened her up. Retrieving her is fine and all, but this would have been troublesome if she was missing some organs or you had stuck a bomb inside her. So it was important that I actually had her in my hands to confirm she was just fine. I especially needed to check her breathing and pulse. ? And Sekurtitis location honestly doesnt matter. After all Kyousuke kicked away the napping straw at his feet. And he revealed what was hidden below. If I detonate an Incense Grenade like this, the summoner and vessel are carried to the same spot. It was too late by the time Azalea and Fractal tried to act. The brown girl they held was pulled back to Kyousuke by a dreadful force. Along with Meinokawa Higan in her arms. Renge, Higan, and Sekurtiti. They were all back with him. Shiroyama Kyousuke no longer had to hold back. He kicked up the Blood-Sign that had been hidden below the straw along with the Incense Grenade and he caught it in one hand. Azalea and Fractal were already trapped in a cubic cage. A ribbon spiraled through empty air to form a Blood-Sign and the large flower decoration on the back of Azaleas hips shook as she spoke in a low voice. You knew I would confiscate your equipment, so you hid a set here in advance? But you couldnt have known I would instruct you to climb into the lion cage. No. Thats why I hid them all over the zoo. Just like a stage magician does with playing cards. No matter what card you drew, I had a full set of 52 cards hidden here and there on the stage. So I could claim I had predicted what card you would choose. But how? You didnt have enough time for such a detailed setup after I told you the location Yes, I wonder how I managed that. This had been a gamble on Kyousukes part. But now that he had the hostages back safe, he could guess that Claude had not reported back to Azalea. Then I shall use your weakness against you. Offering Team, prepare yourselves. If those girls given suicidal desires were here, Kyousuke would have to go rescue them. But that was not a problem for him. It sounded like gas was escaping all around them. And that was probably accurate. A look up at the railing above the lion cage showed the growing girls who should have been committing suicide were doing nothing at all. I didnt just hide Blood-Signs and Incense Grenades. The original incenses were a mixture of plants and minerals that would put people in a trance. Lu-san really ripped me off, but mixing up a downer incense that knocks people out is quite easy. Azalea tapped her long boots on the ground and gave her butler a look, so he showed her a wristwatch that was likely worth a fortune on its own. It was 1 AM, the original starting time. Not bad. I could say the same about you. Without the Summoning Ceremony, they all would have fainted. And Kyousuke did not care if Renge and Higan were taken out too. As long as he could bring them back alive. And in the end, it was a simple thing. Whoever won the Summoning Ceremony would obtain everything. Sekurtiti. Fractal. The summoners simultaneously called out to their vessel and raised their Blood-Sign. The three-dimensional Rose made from 6 x 6 x 6 = 216 Petals appeared between them. To take everything from the other, they both chose one of their initial 3 White Thorns and struck it with the tip of their Blood-Sign. The powerful impact from both sides shattered the Rose and the countless Petals scattered around the area. But Azalea seemed more focused on the light in Shiroyama Kyousukes eyes than on the Petals or White Thorns. Almost like an invisible flame was burning her neck and forcing her to move. And the hunter spoke. Its time you paid for treating those two like tools. It had finally begun. The summoners fought using those that lurked beyond the gods of legend. Un. Azaleas adorable and yet alluring lips smiled. They looked like a flower bud. Deux. At the same time, the White Thorn that should have hit a Petal instead hit the wall of the Artificial Sacred Ground. This was not random. After ricocheting a few times, it accurately returned to her. Trois. She spun and once more hit the White Thorn before it disappeared. This high-speed loop was Azalea Magentarains pattern for assured victory. When a White Thorn was used, it was supposed to take 10 seconds to be replenished, but she overturned that and continued hitting Petals in with the force of a Gatling gun to build up a Material of overwhelming Cost without giving her opponent a chance to fight back. This attack was a nightmare to her opponents and it had brought her up to Government Award 930. But Kyousuke had broken through this overwhelming barrage once before. The Artificial Sacred Ground was a 20 meter cube at first, but it expanded and contracted to match the size of the summoned Materials. He could use that to change the size of the Artificial Sacred Grounds walls she was trying to use and thus break her accurate loop. Kyousuke had the Original Red (b). Cost: 1. Sound Range: Low. Azalea had the Original Green (k). Cost: 1. Sound Range: Middle. (Use my body as much as you want. I have no reason to let these lowly tomb raiders get away. Especially when they are so blinded by the glitter of treasure that they take hostages!!) The voice from his contracted vessel scorched the back of Kyousukes mind. It all began there and he knew the weakness of Azaleas wild rush, but he could not fully break down her strategy. No matter how much he obstructed her, Azaleas loop would close once more. She had updated her weakness after her previous loss. She had honed her skill to the point that she could accurately respond when the moving walls of the Artificial Sacred Ground grew or shrank. Kyousuke had the Floating Blood-Craving Hammer (zn - bih - ei - xa - qux - hdi) Cost: 15. Sound Range: Low. Just the head of the giant hammer was taller than Kyousuke. The head was a black and shiny stone, but the lovely girls form visible inside it made it look like a tranquil coffin. Azalea had the Witch Trapped in a Bewitching Flower who Spreads a Sweetly Putrid Stench (su - j - ou - ve - bo - xm - wg - ei - ig - ta - ux). Cost: 21. Sound Range: High. Just the upper body of an alluring and evil woman stuck out from the center of a giant flower with countless thick vines wriggling around it. Each time she twisted her body, a sweet smell lured in the enemy with a powerful attraction. Once the enemy was within the lethal range, the cruel monsters vine spears would pierce their body and drain them of their nutrients. Kyousuke had the superior Sound Range, but once the Cost difference reached 10, she would be able to force her way past that and wear down the Silhouette at the core of his Material. He of course had to solve this before that happened. And (Kh. This is hard enough on its own, but I have to protect the two hostages at the same time!?) Sekurtitis thoughts flowed into Kyousukes mind as his contracted vessel. Renge and Higan were also inside the Artificial Sacred Ground. They could not let Azaleas Material hit those two and they could not let their own Materials rampage hit them either. The lion cage was just not a good place to be. So Kyousuke did not hesitate to shout an order. Destroy our footing, Sekurtiti!! (You want to open a pitfall below the lowly tomb raiders to send them into the abyss, dont you!? I understand completely!) The ground was concrete, but a swing of the hammer smashed the world around them. Kyousuke and Azalea both fell down along with the stage itself. Renge and Higan could not brace themselves for impact, so he reached out his Blood-Sign, caught them, and lowered them to the floor. They were now inside a large space with a temperature of -10 degrees. (Its cold? What is this? It reminds me of the desert night.) Azaleas long boots sounded on the ground as she landed in the nearly freezing space. Due to her struggling, her rose thorn pattern yukata was coming off in places, but her expression remained unchanged since she was safe inside her protective circle. No, even if she had not been, a summoner would leave behind such trivial worldly matters when focused. Kyousuke and Sekurtiti had entered this off limits area back when they made their preparations. This was a meat storage room for the carnivores food. Aikas white liger ate several dozen kilograms of meat a day, so a very large cold storage facility was needed to serve a zoo of this size. Zoos were on the front line of animal welfare, but they also had to allow some lives to be consumed to preserve the lives of their own ferocious beasts. Frozen meat was savagely exposed while stored along steel racks and in containers. The overall location felt like a library or document archive built for giants. The steel racks were stacked as high as a 3-story building, so they could be knocked over, pulled out, or used in any number of ways. But even with so much of her bright white shoulders, chest, and thighs exposed to the subzero temperatures, Azalea calmly adjusted her grip on her Blood-Sign. Such a boring location. Did you think you could stop my Gatling gun with this? Theres only one way to find out. Their fierce attacks resumed. He could not suppress Azalea by growing and shrinking the Artificial Sacred Ground like before. She could make more attacks than him, so the Cost difference between Materials would only continue to grow. Certain defeat awaited him at this rate. He knew that, but there was nothing Kyousuke could do. There was no way he could manipulate the White Thorns to catch up to Azaleas speed. He knew that of course. And he also knew failure here meant losing everything. ? But as Azalea repeated loops as accurate as clockwork, her eyebrows shot up in doubt. Kyousukes Blood-Sign had clearly done something other than control the White Thorns. He sharply jabbed it toward something baffling: a faucet. That faucet was made to produce water in the subzero cold storage room. Wha? Perfectly normal tap water erupted from the faucet. The jab from the Blood-Sign sent it flying through the air like a water gun and it collided with a nearby steel rack. Before gravity could pull it down, it froze right where it landed. Cold storage rooms often have heated water pipes prepared in case the products freeze to the floor or wall. But its only an emergency measure, so it can actually freeze things or even harden if you let it. Irregular obstacles were built up all around the area. And those obstructed Azalea Magentarains White Thorns. No, in that case, she would only have to recollect her randomly scattered Thorns. But Kyousukes attack went beyond that. He changed the direction of the water torrent according to his calculations in order to capture, swallow up, and stop Azaleas Thorns. There was nothing she could do then. The stopped White Thorns quickly vanished into oblivion. She had set up her rapid loop Gatling gun to fire infinitely without using up her stock of White Thorns, but this water cannon made short work of that. Summoning Ceremony battles usually rely on the paranormal elements of the White Thorns, the Petals, the Artificial Sacred Grounds walls, and the Spots, but that isnt all there is. Now that the barrage had ended, Kyousuke started to catch up. The Cost difference vanished. At times, life and death is determined by an entirely ordinary science experiment that even an elementary schooler could understand. All were doing is placing divine models on a stage created from the normal, everyday world. Azalea was dumbfounded as she stared at the ever-changing stage. Just 5 minutes earlier, she had been an absolute queen. She had taken hostages, she had bound her opponents actions, and she had even held his life in her hands. She had taken away his Blood-Sign and Incense Grenades, she had surrounded him with a group, and even if he had fought back, she could have immediately and unilaterally crushed him with the Summoning Ceremony while remaining entirely safe herself. But it was all gone now. Her plans had fallen apart and she had nothing with which to get back on her feet. I Azalea did not let up even now, but her Gatling gun revealed its fragility now that it was trapped by the concept of ammo. It was just like how actual machineguns were sometimes hated on the battlefield for using up ammunition too quickly and thus were modified on the scene to lower their rate of rotation. Azaleas impressive rotation rate worked against her now and she only used up her White Thorns too quickly. She was strangling herself like this. But I must approach Her Majesty all the same. I am not worthy of this life that I received from Claude. So I must repay him! I must accomplish something glorious enough to make him glad he gave that life to me!! I met him. Kyousuke kept his comment brief. And he thought for a moment when he saw her eyes widen in surprise. Which meeting should he tell her about? He ultimately chose the Claude Magentarain he had met long ago. I had pulled the trigger and no one would have blamed him for killing me right there, but he still picked me up and ran across that nightmarish battlefield. He placed only me on a helicopter that could have been shot down at any time and he casually returned to that hell. And do you know what Claude Magentarain said to me then? What? You worked hard. That White Queen is enough to make a group of grown men shake in their boots, but you kept challenging her until your tiny body was this beaten up. So, boy, that effort gives you that much more of a right to seek happiness. If it didnt, this world wouldnt be worth fighting for. Ah. He was completely misguided and a great sinner like me had no right to hear those words, but I still remember them. I dont know about now, but the Claude Magentarain from back then definitely said that with a tremor in his voice. He did not view the White Queen as divine! Youre free to walk the path of a worshiper if you want, Azalea, but that path will never lead to an accomplishment that would satisfy the Claude at your starting point!! Kyousukes White Thorn bounced around the cold storage room in a flash and knocked several Petals into Spots. The Material based around Sekurtiti twisted around and changed form. Divine-class. Cost: 11. Sound Range: High. It was a beautiful half-naked woman who was adorned with countless feathers that left most of her brown skin exposed. The Aztecs knew her as an impure sexual demon of beauty and love, but also as a goddess who absorbed the malice and hatred from human souls and carried it in their stead. She changed from a young girl to an old woman with the waxing and waning of the moon, she devoured human sin, and she stood on the front line as a god of war. This many-faced goddess was said to be the death brought by lust and the mother of all things. Now, she made an appearance to take on the impurities of the lost child named Azalea Magentarain. But it was no use. Azalea Magentarain could not escape the White Queen now. After all, she had lost much while walking that path. She was an illegitimate child of the Magentarain family. She was the seed of disaster created by sharing the legitimate bloodline with a common woman. She had been taken away - kidnapped really - wearing nothing but old rags and she had thought she would be literally torn to pieces by her fathers jealous wife, but then that man with such large hands had saved her. He had also been a likely candidate to inherit the Magentarain Family, but he had saved that rag-wearing girl and been driven from the family. Azalea had never forgotten that summoner. The Magentarain bloodline meant nothing to her. She had been told to live a life she could be proud of in the name of Azalea, so she had done so. As if pursuing his vanished back, she had desperately searched for a way to make up for his disappearance. She had searched all over the world and found nothing. She had walked around until her feet were blistered and raw, she had checked every nook and cranny, and she had finally found it. The White Queen. The strongest, greatest, and ultimate accomplishment. If she had that, wouldnt her saviors disappearance have been meaningful after all? That had been the thought in her mind all this time. So And yet Please do nottake this from me. No matter how much she struggled, her Material was still in the Regulation-class. She could no longer defeat Kyousuke who had reached the Divine-class. Please do not take this desire from me!! Dont be stupid. You need to face your past. Who did you start all of this for? Look back to your starting point and redo it all from there! Assuming, that is, you can even come back from what youve done!! How could she? How could she come back? After living this long and after being saved on a whim by that smiling man, Azalea Magentarains life had left the rails and her world had veered off course. So how could she come back? She could not win. Even so, she clenched her teeth and tightened her grip on the Blood-Sign. Come with me, she willed. Fractal Leskins, her vessel, had transformed into an otherworldly Material. He was her partner who had pursued that man with her and also arrived at the White Queen. (That is fine by me.) A voice replied in the back of her mind. (If that is what you want, then it is sure to get through to Master Claude who let you live. So follow your own will as far as it will take you. The duty I have been given is to help you down that path.) Those were words that would change meaning like a kaleidoscope depending on who heard them. Someone with a brutal heart might let loose and rampage around. Someone with very little responsibility might place their sins on the shoulders of someone who was not even present and then flee. Nofair But Azalea was different. With the sound of rustling cloth, her wrapped ribbon Blood-Sign began to unravel from the tip. That would mean my evil deeds are dirtying his hands As soon as she accepted that, her innermost core broke. It happened once she viewed her life in pursuit of the White Queen as evil deeds. The world was kind. Even after coming this far, she was given a chance to go back. And it all ended with a single attack. A beam of what looked like concentrated moonlight swept across everything and Alice (with) Rabbit blew away his enemy. The battle was over. Once the Artificial Sacred Ground and protective circle vanished, the icy chill assaulted Kyousukes entire body. He was worried about Renge and Higan and he could not ignore Azalea and Fractal now that they had lost. When the temperature was this low, there was a risk of their skin sticking to the floor or wall, so he could not leave them lying around for too long. Sekurtiti. Sorry, but can you help out? Understood. I will carry the shrine maidens. I would prefer not to touch the tomb raiders. The butler named Fractal was a large man, but since Azalea was so tiny, either pair seemed about the same weight overall. Kyousuke and Sekurtiti left the carnivore food storage room. They were in the off-limits underground space. The Bridesmaid group up top would have been knocked out by the incense, but they could not let their guard down. The incense could have missed some spots depending on the wind and it was an occult incense. An incense expert like Ellie Slide might be able to overcome such things with a unique breathing method or a built-up resistance. Kyousuke did not want to continue fighting while carrying 4 defenseless people. He wanted to get out of here as soon as possible. But there was one thing he had to check first. After entering the room temperature underground corridor, he lowered Azalea to the floor. He had her sit with her back against the chilly concrete wall and faced her. The rose thorn yukata gave some indecent glimpses of bright skin at the chest, but the girl did not seem to care as her head slumped to the side. Sekurtiti also lowered the shrine maiden sisters to the safe floor and then she shivered. What? I get being cold, butwhy is my whole body sticky? The cold storage room is an artificial environment and this one is storing a lot of raw meat, so it also functions as a storage tank for the moisture that seeps out into the air. Hm? Hmm? I thought water froze at subzero temperatures. It might sound strange, but youve seen something like frost on the inside of a fridge, right? Diamond dust might be visible, but not all of the moisture in the air freezes. Some of the moisture remains to move freely through the air, so the humidity never reaches 0%. However, showing off his knowledge was not going to dry off her body now that it felt like she had walked through some fog at night. Kyousuke crouched down and fixed the chest of Azaleas yukata which had grown wet in the room temperature, but then he asked a coldhearted question. He still had to find the Founders Gallery and acquire the Natural Historys missing entries. A question. ? He kept it short and blank-eyed Azalea tilted her head. Where is the Golden Treasure Chest? After losing, Azalea could not resist any external stimuli. No matter who they came from. Thus, her small lips replied readily and smoothly. In the left sleeve of my yukata He reached inside and indeed found it there. It was an apple-sized box that looked more like an antique music box than a grand treasure chest. It was one of the original items that had been separated. He now had the Golden Treasure Chest and the ancient map. That just left the Diamond Master Key which had been taken from him. Where is the Diamond Master Key? ? His question was met with silence. But that was odd. To reiterate, Azalea could not resist any external stimuli now. She could not remain silent or lie. Claude should have it. The Diamond Master Key, that is. I dont know. He went further and mentioned that mans name, but the result was the same. Did that mean she had not received the Diamond Master Key from Claude? Or was there a more fundamental meaning? I dont know what happened to Claude after that. It was Kyousukes turn to fall silent. Azalea Magentarain could not lie. So what did this answer mean? He used his confused mind to think and arrived at a certain theory. Was Claude Magentarain not a member of Bridesmaid? The confused girl only tilted her head. Unable to support the weight of her head, she fell on her side like a broken doll. Then where is the Diamond Master Key!? That was a rhetorical question. Azalea did not know the answer, so he was not expecting her to speak. This only told him the Diamond Master Key was not in Bridesmaids hands and that he was less likely to be pursued by someone on Claudes level. What he needed to do now was leave the zoo immediately and lose any pursuit Bridesmaid did send after him. He had to avoid letting anyone else interfere and possibly harm Renge, Higan, or Sekurtiti. Nevertheless, all of those plans were driven from his mind a moment later. No, it may have been more accurate to say his mind was filled with pure white. Yes. White. Someone gently embraced him from behind. Two slender arms reached over his shoulders. A soft and warm sensation surrounded the boy. A rosy aroma wafted in from the white hair behind him. A heated breath blew on his earlobe from close enough to bite it and she made an announcement as if speaking to a lover. It was a sentence of death. It was a proclamation of the worlds end. Hee hee Who do you think has it, my - dear - brother? Facts: *Azalea attacked Kyousuke and the others using Repliglass indistinguishable from herself. Incense Grenades do not react to them. Since Incense Grenades do work on Renge who is also entirely artificial, the older Joruri Method likely creates a more complete human body. *Sekurtiti has partially become divine even in life and her lifestyle seems to be very different from a normal persons, so eating a single sandwich is a struggle for her. But she does seem interested in the flavor of food. *Bridesmaids goal is to improve Repliglass technology and complete a fully artificial vessel that allows the White Queen to reside in this world indefinitely. It is unknown if they could complete it even with the rare materials they view Renge and Higan as, so they would still have to rely on the Natural Historys missing entries. *Azalea opened Renges insides in the name of acquiring the technology, but everything seemed back in its rightful place by the time of the deal. This suggests Azalea somewhat succeeded in gaining an understanding of the Joruri Method. *He had lost an eye and an arm, but Claude Magentarain was seen here. He attacked Kyousuke and Sekurtiti at the zoo and stole the Diamond Master Key. *Azalea did not know that the Diamond Master Key had been stolen. *The White Queen appeared! Her time begins now. Volume 6, Stage 03 - Another Who Escaped Hell and Overcame Death Volume 6, Stage 03: Another Who Escaped Hell and Overcame Death Ahn? So is 3A your bra siow!! (Stage 03 Open 07/06 01:10) Another Who Escaped Hell and Overcame Death I am the summoner known as Freedom Award 903, Alice (with) Rabbit. I made a lot of mistakes and got into a lot of trouble, but that helped me get much better at what I do. I am nothing like I used to be, so it would take a lot to get to me. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!! Gwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!! Shiroyama Kyousuke felt something spark deep in his mind and all of his assumptions were blown away. He opened his mouth toward the ceiling, and released the overflowing disgust and hatred as a scream that felt like it would rend his throat asunder. He tried to fling his arms and legs wildly around like a child. No, all of his muscles and even his internal organs wriggled and convulsed like separate life forms and seemed to explode with motion as he tried to throw off and distance himself from the great evil clinging to his back. But there was nothing he could do. There were only two slender arms around him, but they easily robbed the puny human of all his freedom. In fact, the White Queen released occasional sweet voices as she accepted all the vibrations of his body and embraced him. Nn, hh, ha ha Further. Go further, brother. Release more of your animal side! Reach deep, deep, deep into your soul, find the urges your rational mind normally keeps sealed away, and reveal them before me. Dont worry. No matter how ugly they might be, I will consume it down to the marrow and swallow every last drop. After all, this is Tanabata, the most romantic time of the year for two lovers to meet!! Why? I didnt sense even a hint of your presence until now Azalea hasnt reached the Founders Gallery, no one has acquired the Natural Historys missing entries, and they havent made use of Renge or Higan. So it makes no sense for you to be heeeeeeeeeeeeere! . Mentioning 3 other girls in front of me? Thats quite the triple seven you hit there, brother. But I really want to make this work Ill overlook allllll of that, so you can indulge yourself as much as you want. Here, Ill give you cheek rub, rub, ruuub Gwooooooaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!! Kyousuke thrashed about like he had a killer jellyfishs tentacles wrapped around him, but that only delighted the Queen who was enjoying his resistance. In a way, the boy had genius talent when it came to bringing her joy. Youre so hardheaded, brother. The White Queen swayed her body in time to her beloved boys movements, gently bit his earlobe, and slipped a horrifically sweet poison into his ear. Yes, her words were a deadly poison. Dont those facts only point to the possibility that I was summoned here by someone other than Bridesmaid? His movements stopped entirely. If Sekurtiti had not been here, he might have shamefully wept right then and there, but he just barely kept his thoughts lashed to reality. Hadnt there been a mysterious summoner who had shown up outside of Bridesmaids plan? (ClaudeMagentarain. It cant beit cant be!) The person from his memories mixed together with the man who had used a child assassin and stolen the Diamond Master Key. He had definitely referred to the White Queen as someone to fear, so he had not deified her. But had that changed? Was the White Queen such a massive presence that she could break even that mans powerful soul!? Now. Then. The Queens skinny fingers moved. She used her palms to rub along his chest and then her hands reached down toward his lower stomach. With no prior knowledge of the situation, he might have passed out from the superb sensation, but at the moment, this was such a great torture that he felt like he was going to vomit up magma. He truly could not stop the bizarre writhing of his stomach. She enjoyed the sensation of his entire body rejecting her and then her fingers grabbed something. It was an apple-sized chest that resembled an antique music box. It was the Golden Treasure Chest. I think its about time I joined the game too. Yes, I have no use for this item whatsoever, but if I have it, I know youll come chasing after me, brother. Isnt that right? The White Queen naturally knew that Shiroyama Kyousuke was after the Founders Gallery. And that he was doing so to find a way to destroy her. But she did not crush the chest in her grasp. She took it from him for the sole purpose of having fun with him. She preserved it. She was not at all concerned about the one-in-a-million or one-in-a-billion chance it might contain. Was love really this brutal? Did it really blind one to logic and efficiency? Why, Queen? ? No matter how much you struggle, theres no going back to how things were between us. You have to understand that. Is that really so? She embraced him from behind, rubbed her cheek against his, blew a sweet breath on him, and asked the fundamental question. Its true that you can never get along with me now. We have already passed that crossroads, so it would be incredibly difficult for our paths to merge once more. However A spellbound, melting, and yet incredibly evil flower bloomed. If I send you plummeting down to the most transcendent depths imaginable so you mentally regress to a childlike state, wont that revert time to before we passed that crossroads? True, you might forget how to speak and only babble like a baby, but, well, Im confident I can love you just as much no matter what form you take. Kyah Shiroyama Kyousuke shuddered in fear. This was not an obvious explosion of disgust like before. The fear chilling him to his core was silently washing in from another world. It was this level of love that made her the White Queen. And this was not some constant goal seen in all her previous actions. It had only just now occurred to her. She was just trying it out for now. If it worked, she would celebrate, but if it failed, she could just move on to the next thing. That was the extent of the thought she put into grabbing and toying with Shiroyama Kyousukes life or the entire world. What did it matter if there was love behind it all? What could it be called except for evil? Okay, brother. Thats all for tonight. The gentle warmth of a mother slipped away from his back and he could finally breathe again. He half crumpled to the ground and looked back just in time to see the White Queen lightly kiss the Golden Treasure Chest she held. The ecstasy and self-absorption he saw there reminded him of the dancer girl who had won over a king with her sensual dance and acquired the head of a saint. Also. Since I will be taking part in this game, I will be giving you a little something in return. It isnt much, but please take it. All she did was casually snap her fingers. Immediately, the entire zoo shook with a tremor so sinister it seemed to squeeze at his heart. Unable to support themselves, Kyousuke and Sekurtiti fell to the floor and failed to see how the White Queen had left. The next thing they knew, she was simply gone. In fact, they had to wonder if it had all been a dream or illusion. Shiroyama Kyousuke Kyousuke could not answer Sekurtiti and simply crawled slowly over to grab Azalea and Fractal. He picked them up and then started toward the exit from this underground floor. He knew something was not right. The din he heard and the tremor reaching his skin did not match up. With the explosive sounds he was hearing, cracks should have been running through the ceiling and the entire zoo should have been crushed so flat it was only 3 mm thick. And yet he seemed separated from all that like he was sitting in the living room watching a news report about a war halfway around the world. He was being protected by the Queen. That fact burned at his heart. It was all over. He saw countless unmoving figures below the cold Milky Way. Even if Azalea had been defeated, just how many assassins had remained in the zoo? Just how much damage could they have caused if they began to rampage with the Summoning Ceremony and Repliglass? Kyousuke and Sekurtiti had used incense to stop the Offering Team from killing themselves, but he doubted that would have destroyed all of them. Breaking his way out should have taken quite some doing. And yet Nevertheless He found absolute destruction. There was not even a scratch to the zoos ground. Infuriatingly enough, he found a definite pulse when he checked a few summoners collapsed nearby. The White Queen had instantly taken out all of the assassins in the zoo and she had intentionally let them all live. Needless to say, she had only done so because she knew that was what Kyousuke would want. The difference in power was too great. Her standards were so thoroughly broken that she did not hesitate to use that while truly only playing a game. Its begun. Kyousuke spoke as he blankly and somewhat furiously viewed the aftermath. Her time has begun Dawn arrived and the gentle morning sun conquered the Milky Way. With her long and wavy blonde hair spread out and wearing only a thin red negligee with a spritz of rose perfume, The Saint slowly sat up on an extra-large bed in a suite. She then worked her groggy mind to remember why she was in a luxury hotel. She had heard what had happened at the zoo. With their position of absolute safety overturned and with Azalea Magentarain and many other members lost, she and their remaining forces had quickly left their hideout using the haunted houses back door. Losers of the summoning ceremony could not keep a secret even if they were not tortured. Once their location was known, Government and Illegal would pour in with great numbers. Needless to say, if it came to an all-out conflict, they could take on all three major powers stationed in Toy Dream 35. But they were only a bridesmaid for the pure white bride, so their great power was meant to add to her beauty. It was out of the question for The Saint to protect herself with the treasures gathered for the Queen. So she had chosen a swift retreat despite the difference in strength. That was their unique way of thinking. (Well, Im sure there are some of our recruits who are afraid of revealing a personal weakness if they come into conflict with summoners from their old organizations.) The Saint slowly got her mind working. (And if the multiple organizations bring together their sources, they might reveal that we drove some of their groups to failure in order to recruit them.) Even their personnel were gifts for the White Queen. They could not allow those celebratory gifts to be marred even slightly by any petty discord now. Toy Dream 35 was a bankrupt regional city that was trying to recover as an amusement park. They needed to serve a great number of tourists, so there were plenty of lodging facilities. Staying at a suite under a fake name did not stand out here. The reports from the scene had been fragmentary and inadequate, but she had heard that a pure white flash had been seen at the end. Did that mean someone had used the Summoning ceremony to carve out the name of the peak of the peak? Or? Phew. Whatever the case, Bridesmaid had lost everything: the Diamond Master Key, the Golden Treasure Chest, and the ancient map. They did not have a single one of the hints needed to reach the Founders Gallery. And Azalea could have best made use of the Gallerys information, but she had been defeated and could not be contacted. But the Founders Gallery was not the only way of approaching the White Queen. Perhaps she needed to focus on regrouping their remaining forces, give up on the Gallery, and work at another method. (No, I cant.) But The Saint rejected that idea. With anything else, it would not have mattered, but things were different when they had to do with the White Queen. (Bridesmaid must not pull our hand back from Her Majesty and turn the other way.) That dark and cold flame had yet to be extinguished. Her ability to make this decision may have been a sign of her faith. Nn Meanwhile, a small boy of about 10 stirred in the same bed. The Saints movement had woken him. The boy was simply known as the boy. He was The Saints vessel, but he was not received coldly. For one thing, there was no clear master and servant between the two of them. But not because they both respected each other and gave them that privilege. There truly was nothing there. Oh, its morning Should we do that then? Wearing only a thin red slip that gave off a rosy scent, The Saint reached for a coin on the bedside table. But this was not a tip for the rooms cleaner. Reaching toward the bedside table caused one of the slips shoulder straps to fall down her arm, but the woman who could be called a sensual holy woman or a pure witch did not mind. The Saint flipped the coin with her thumb and placed it on the back of her hand. They both peered down at it. Tails. The change was dramatic. The Saint rolled out of the large bed, got down on one knee, and bowed her head. Conversely, the boy slowly placed his feet on the floor and calmly stood up. This was their daily ritual. A flip of the coin determined everything. Heads and The Saint was master for the day; tails and the boy was. They would not resent whichever result they received. Good morning, master. Breakfastwould be difficult to prepare in a hotel. We can call room service for that, so I will prepare a bath for now. The boy waved a hand while toying with the egg-shaped GPS security buzzer he wore as a restraint for mental stability. With permission granted, The Saint crossed the wide room and entered the next room while wearing a slip that left her legs exposed all the way up to the base of her thighs. The boy worked his sleepy mind to think on the situation. In truth, the boy did not particularly care if The Saint was a holy woman, a witch, his master, or his servant. He only wanted to be with her, no matter what form it took. Or to put it another way, he had no interest in the past or future and he simply wanted the present to continue forever. Ultimately, this perfectly ordinary boy did not even care about the White Queen. He just knew that failing to pursue her would lead that woman to leave him and would destroy the present, so he went along with it. He had a special kind of stagnant mentality that refused to think even a second into the future, but in a way, he may have had the strongest mind of all. Even in the face of that pure white, he was able to stay true to himself without being dyed by longing or hatred. The Saint returned with her bright thighs still bared. I never realized that a large bathtub would have its own problems. It will probably take about 20 minutes to fill. Nn. What would you like to do until then? You could always take just a shower first. He shook his head at that. If they had time to wait, there was something he wanted to get done in that time. He pointed the summoner toward the window and they sat at the same table there. Spread out on the table were the fragmentary reports from the tragedy at the zoo early that morning. The boy glanced through the reports as casually as someone reading through an English language newspaper with breakfast. The Saint seemed focused on where Shiroyama Kyousuke and Sekurtiti had gone, but the boy thought pursuing them would be a waste of time. Both enemy and ally had shown up at the zoo for the exchange. They would have covered their tracks when leaving, so there would be nothing to pursue. Here. The boy tapped at one of the reports on the table. The others couldnt pick up everything they said, but a certain name shows up at a few points in what we have: Claude Magentarain. It seems odd that both Azalea and Shiroyama brought him up. Are you suggesting one or both sides are sheltering that person? The Magentarain name is concerning, but Azalea is something of a heretic in her family. That isnt the important part. The boy pointed at a spot on another page. No one ever did see the Diamond Master Key that night. The report suggests that Shiroyama didnt want to give it up, but then this doesnt make any sense. That he temporarily handed over Sekurtiti? Shiroyamas response to the Offering Team is proof enough that he prioritizes human life, so it doesnt make sense that he offered the ancient map before the key. But wasnt that his method of retrieving Meinokawa Higan? Has anyone proven that? Shiroyama Kyousuke had never once brought out the Diamond Master Key. What if that was not due to reluctance or as part of a plan? What if he had some pressing reason preventing him from doing so? And if both Shiroyama and Azalea did not have the key, where was it now? Claude Magentarain. We need to look into him. Understood. This clearly ran counter to The Saints intent to directly pursue Shiroyama Kyousuke or Azalea, but she did not protest. That intent had been yesterdays way of thinking and it no longer applied thanks to the coin toss. Hopefully, hell have the key. But even if he doesnt, capturing him should force both Shiroyama and Azalea to act. He will make a good starting point. Your discerning eye never ceases to amaze me. Losing Azalea and the Natural Historys missing entries is unfortunate, but that is not what Bridesmaid truly seeks. In order to more perfectly learn what Her Majesty likes and to become even better servants, let us continue our pursuit of the Founders Gallery. Oh, it would seem the bath is ready. After hearing a light beeping, the woman in the red slip lifted her butt from the chair. The boy watched her and also thought to himself. The possible presence of the master key was only secondary to him. He was not actually interested in the White Queen, so he was equally disinterested in the Founders Gallery and the Natural Historys missing entries. His focus was on something else: Claude Magentarain. That boy who loved the present could intuitively tell that man would bring about some kind of major change. Ignoring him could easily lead to losing that woman. Zukooon. After preparing enough breakfast for everyone on the top floor of the luxury apartment where Aika lived, Biondetta sounded as exasperated as if she had been presented with a bed of nails. She bent her hips, set plates down on the glass table, shook her tail, and showed off her thighs between the black knee socks and the risqu bottom of her Oiran-style mini-yukata. So after I went to so much trouble removing the other 23 possible locations for you, the Diamond Master Key has gone missing and the Golden Treasure Chest was stolen by the Queen? And retrieving the hostages was only a detour. Our goal wasnt the tomb keepers or the twin shrine maidens; it was the Founders Gallery and the Natural Historys missing entries, wasnt it? What are you even doing, you useless little brother? Biondetta even added a lineup of brown bottles full of antibiotics no one else wanted. She may have been right. If they were only after the Founders Gallery, then what he had done was indeed mostly a detour. He would not acquire the missing entries by rescuing someone. Government would have retrieved the passed-out members of Bridesmaid along with the traps Kyousuke had set up around the zoo, but he doubted they would provide any further hints. But as long as he went by the name Alice (with) Rabbit, he could not abandon a life about to be lost before his eyes. Especially when those lives would be lost due to a distortion caused by the White Queen. And more importantly C-can someone please explain to me what is going on with Claude Magentarain and the White Queen? What happened, why did it happen, and where did the Diamond Master Key and Golden Treasure Chest end up? Oh? It isnt often you dont have a complete grasp of the situation, Onii-chan. Is this an especially tricky one? Even before the food had arrived, Aika had been sitting at the glass table and fidgeting in her swimsuit. She sat with her legs below her and her ankles angled out to either side, her hands were planted on the floor between her thighs, and her bikini butt was wiggling restlessly. The breakfast Biondetta had made had as much oil and cream as carbonara and her huge sweet tooth led her to make truly devastating drinks and desserts, but Aikas messed-up sleep schedule meant she was fully awake early in the morning and she put little concern for her health into her meals. The two of them seemed to be a good match here. The only part of this Kyousuke could call a win was rescuing all of the hostages. The Diamond Master Key and the Golden Treasure Chest had been stolen, but he still had the ancient map. Renge, Higan, and Sekurtiti were safe and they had captured Azalea and Fractal. It felt like the derailed last train had finally been brought back on track. They were already at the point where they could observe the White Queen without an Artificial Sacred Ground, but they could still get a new start on this. No one else could force them to action and they could continue at their own pace. Speaking of Renge and Higan H-hey, Onii-chan? Those shrine maiden sisters are wandering over toward the liger again, so do something about it. Really? Again!? Why are peoples souls so inexorably drawn toward warm fluffiness? Even in their mindless state, they may be affected by a desire to return to their starting pointthat is, the womb. I really doubt this is anything so profound. And Higan! Not that way!! The blonde shrine maiden was slowly crawling toward the strongest creature, so Kyousuke grabbed her by the hips and pointed her in a different direction like a toy train. The white liger herself looked a little frightened, like a wild animal coming across the light and noise of a smartphone for the first time, but that was not a good thing. A wild beast was at its strongest not when it was hunting but when it came across something irregular and felt the need to protect itself. The twins would most likely be back to normal that afternoon. Repeating the same action endlessly was the same as continually using up energy without any rest, so he wanted to feed them if possible. But Tah dah! Todays breakfast is cream pasta, which counts as noodles and stew at the same time. But I made sure to make it Hokkaido-style by adding in plenty of potatoes, carrots, and broccoli, so it should go down easy despite its full volume. None of that sounds like something I want to eat in the morning. The secret to increasing the illusion of luxury is to add a square of butter on top I really dont think this is Hokkaido-style! Are you sure it isnt just the potatoes and butter making you think that!? Kyousuke doubted this breakfast would go down easy anywhere except for at a judo training camp, but he could not refuse what he was served. What about you, Sekurtiti? If you give me a small plate of it, I will make an attempt. It has a very fascinating aroma. Modified China Dress Lu Niang Lan had not said a word this entire time, but she only held her raised knees between her arms, collapsed onto her side, and wallowed in her melancholy. She did an impressive job of reminding him of a cicada shell. Heh. Eh heh heh. Showing off your cooking skills and winning everyone over through their stomachs used to be my job. Shes taken everything from me Lu-san. That doesnt matter and you should probably get up. Your underwear is pretty much entirely exposed right now. Ah!? W-what am I doing? Was I hoping to win Kyousuke-chan over that way just because I was losing sight of myself? I am the Perfect Dragon who killed Government Award 1000 barehanded. I need to have more confidence in myself. What does a look at your panties matter? My client has gotten a nice look at my white and pink stripes, so its nothing to worry about. Ohh!? She beat me to the punch there too!? The modified China dress truly started to sink into an invisible bog, so it looked like ignoring her for the time being would be the best option. Also, the temperature of Sekurtitis gaze had been dropping ever since the topic of panties came up, so he really wanted to change the subject. Then again Its not like youre any match for the girl only wearing bandages and some decorative lace. She was wearing a yukata yesterday, but shes reverted to this at some point. Ahem. That was only a disguise meant to blend into the crowd so we could rescue the hostages. There was no real reason to continue wearing it. More importantly, Shiroyama Kyousuke, do you really think a girls underwear is more than just a piece of cloth? Do you see more value in it than is evident at face value? If you think thats going to make you sound normal, Ill have to seriously ask you if you really dont see how wearing only bandages is perverted. And dont think you can get out of this by calling it your uniform. Kyousukes expression was entirely serious, but Biondettas was entirely the opposite as she whispered to him from the side. By the way, I actually havent been wearing any underwear since I changed into the yukata. Bff!? Not even Kyousuke could ignore that comment. W-wait You mean even back thenor the other time when you were going a little crazy? Neh heh Then do you want to see for yourself? With a devilish look on her face, Biondetta gently grabbed the sides of her mini yukatas hem and emphasized how close to the very base of her thighs it was. The chaos continued as they ate breakfast. Biondettas incredibly misguided selection turned out to be as terrible a choice as Kyousuke had expected, but the skill of her cooking was not bad. It would have been perfect if he was coming back to it after an exhausting day instead of waking up to it. Nhh! Cough, cough!! The brown bandage girl (with Y-shaped lace decoration) choked after eating just a little bit, but when Kyousuke tried to rub her back, she held out a hand to stop him. She seemed to be enjoying it, so this may have been her way to experience it. It was more like playing with fire than supplying nutrients. The smell seemed to draw out the white ligers hunger, but she ate a gigantic hunk of raw meat like normal. It looked wild, but this was because a pure carnivores digestive system was surprisingly delicate. Unlike omnivores like humans, carnivores were restricted to only meat. Scallops, said Aika. I dont see any at all, but I can taste scallops in this! So good!! Well done noticing the secret ingredient paste I added, little lady. After all, this is Hokkaido-style. But it oddly doesnt compete with the meaty flavor of the thick-cut bacon!? Thats just how wonderful Hokkaido is. And if you eat it in such a hurry, youll get your cute cheeks and modest chest covered in the sticky white sauce. Or are you doing that on purpose? Stop that. When Sekurtiti lightly scolded them with the golden tiara on her head, Biondetta worked with Sekurtiti to wipe off Aikas mouth and chest. Kyousuke started to think he should leave Biondetta here instead of in his cruiser. The seasonal Oiran mini-yukata demon was pulling off historys greatest performance as a shut-in sitter. So, Kyousuke-chan, what are you going to do now? In the name of observing the enemy, Lu Niang Lan took a spoonful of the cream pasta soup (it was mostly a white stew) and tasted it with the tip of her tongue. She also cut to the heart of the matter. Her bad mood may have made her feel like being a little mean. Kyousuke spun his fork around for no reason as he answered. Whatever we do, well have to settle each thing in turn. Our main focus will of course be on Claude Magentarain. Since he isnt connected to Azalea and Bridesmaid, we can probably throw out the theory that hes made from some detailed humanoid Repliglass. In that case, we need to start making some guesses as to how the real Claude would have started working with the White Queen and pursuing the Founders Gallery. Nothing is as frightening as fighting someone whose actions you cant explain. He could only come up with 2 possibilities. Either Claude himself was seeking the Founders Gallery or he was trying to prevent Kyousuke from reaching it. If he is interfering because hes afraid Ill find a way to oppose the Queen, then I think the Diamond Master Key and the Golden Treasure Chest will have already been destroyed. Munch, munch. You dont look too concerned about that possibility, sir. In that case, the Queen would have crushed the chest as soon as she took it from me at the zoo. Since she went out of her way to take it back with her, I doubt it has been destroyed for the time being. Of course. Knowing the White Queen, she very well might have been waiting to slowly crush it underfoot in front of him at a later date. And with both the chest and key, they could unlock the former. He had to be on the lookout for despair on the level of finally taking it back and finding it empty or finding the real data swapped out with something completely unrelated. But this also changes depending on the relationship between Claude and the Queen. If hes purely a worshiper, hell do anything she asks. If hes trying to use her for his own purposes, then he would have control of what they do. And in that case Then it would be more than just the Queens selfishness. Claude would have to have a reason to go after the key and chest. Sekurtiti soaked the tip of her fork in the white soup as she spoke. She did not seem to observe Aika using a spoon to scoop up as much as she wanted across the table. Kyousuke fell silent for a moment. He recalled what that man had said: The Natural Historys missing entries and the Queens territory beyond that are too much for you to handle. Leave this to a ghost from the past. If I feel like it, Ill give you some of the leftover scraps. You see, I too have business with her. The eyepatched man had definitely said that as he smiled and adroitly stole the Diamond Master Key. Is Claude after the Founders Gallery? He did mention the Natural Historys missing entries. But if so, what for? To create a doll or artificial vessel like Azalea wanted? If Kyousuke was going to start somewhere, it had to be there. Also, it did not sit right with him that Claude was seeking the Founders Gallery and yet already had the completed White Queen with him. If he was trying to place the Queens soul inside an artificial vessel just like Azalea, then it was possible his was incomplete and could only be activated temporarily. And if he would be able to fill in the missing piece once he reached the Founders gallery, the White Queen would gain eternal stability in this world. If that theory was correct, it would truly mean the end of the world. Meanwhile, it did not particularly matter to Kyousuke if Claude was the first to discover the Founders Gallery. He could always tail them to the location. Of course, that would require him to defeat Claude before the man achieved his goal. It would be difficult to find a way to safely hand over the ancient map on Sekurtitis back, but if he could disguise it as a coincidenceyes, if he had a detailed analysis of the Lifelong Emblem on her back done at a hospital, and then intentionally let that data leak out, he could get it to Claude. Whether to defeat him or manipulate him, his location is what matters. I just hope we can find a way to locate him. Kyousuke stopped spinning his fork around. And he spoke. Lu-san. Id like to purchase something fairly dangerous from your Illegal supply shop. Can you calculate out how much itll cost me? The one-armed man with a leather eyepatch over his right eye had his long blond hair slicked back and tied behind his head. Claude Magentarain relaxed. He was in the nicest of all the sleeper trains that ran to and from Toy Dream 35. The trains luxurious interior was designed in the European style and it remained stopped longer than it ran. Of its 15 cars, the back 5 were normal sleeper cars, the middle 5 were entertainment facilities such as a restaurant, a casino, and a theater, and the front 5 were each individual suites. Claude naturally had the prime spot of the first car. Of course, he would be the first one crushed like an empty can in an accident, so the luxury was reminiscent of the Sword of Damocles. He looked in the mirror, poked at the eyepatch over his right eye, and shook his head which still ached dully. Ive changed too, he thought as he looked at his face in the mirror. He had lost an eye at the Queens Miniature Garden and he had lost his dominant arm in his life after that. What had he gained in exchange? The flow of time had placed years on his soul whether he liked it or not. (What a pain. Are my thoughts growing so poetic because of the alcohol I had yesterday?) However, a real man did not rely on herbal medicines or energy drinks at a time like this. A hardcore mans morning began with a cup of whisky. Someone who ordered a single malt on the rocks with a subdued look on his face was not much different from someone who forced himself to drink his coffee black. Intentionally mixing in some kind of impurity was the best way to draw out the quality of the primary ingredient. For example, a sprig of mint or some cigar smoke. That was enough to transform the drink in any number of ways. Only a child would take everything at face value. By the time you were old enough to enjoy alcohol, you had to be a big enough person to think about how to draw out the inner side of your partner. However Huh? Whered my Queen on the Ice 12 go? Isnt it usually right here? I dont care how drunk I was; I seriously doubt I would misplace my drink bottles. I threw them out. Every last one. You what!? The expressionless girl named 3A suddenly popped in from the side and Claude yelled at her at the top of his lungs. Her hair color was more ice than silver and her eyes were colder than perpetual snow. Her body was too tiny to call delicate, but she was actually 15, demonstrating how bizarre modern technology had become. Her dress had a long skirt and a blue ribbon on the chest. It was so thin that her slender silhouette showed through in the backlight, but that was a trick. It was only an optical effect meant to hide all the weapons hidden inside. She was an assassin who had used special breathing methods and organ movements to intentionally disturb her hormonal balance and reject her secondary sex characteristics as a way to walk right up to her targets. Claude shouted hysterically at the demonic sword that had been honed down so sharply that it looked like it would break in two. Threw them out? Wh-what do you think youre doing!? Why would you do that!? Are you stupid!? Dont you know the amount of Queen on the Ice produced was drastically limited due to a workers strike, the underground reserves were wiped out by a major cold wave, South Americas cheap Sol Diablo killed the companys stock value, and its only sold at exorbitant prices by professional resellers on online auctions!? The window was open, so I thoughtwhy not? You didnt even use the trash can!? Thats just plain dangerous!! Also, that absurdly high price says nothing about the quality of the drink. Nothing at all. No one would have questioned the large and muscular man if he had claimed to be a professional pirate, but right now his shoulders drooped like a scolded child''s would. Everyones favorite dandy cant work up any energy without his fuel. I had a feeling you would say that. Drunk Man, here is a new bottle. ? Just by looking at her, 3As lovely silhouette seemed to show through her dress, but she now held a bottle of colorfully green liquid in her small hand and passed it to Claude, who frowned. Whats this? A liqueur? This scentis it mint flavored? What do you mix it with? You swish it in your mouth. Bfhhh!! Cough, cough! This is mouthwash! I just chugged like half of it!! There were baseless rumors that said swallowing mouthwash or toothpaste would give you a trippy experience or that putting eye drops in an alcoholic beverage would put it on the level of a sleeping pill, but nothing like that happened here. 3A remained expressionless but formed a small triangle with her mouth as she put a Gozaru Samurai puppet on her right hand and made it talk. (You reek. Whatevers coming back up from your stomach makes you smell like an alcoholic gutter. Cant you take proper care of yourself? And why do I have to pay for it in the form of this stench? Do you want me to cut open your gut, pull out your stomach, and wash it out with a neutral detergent?) I can hear that! I can hear everything youre saying, young girl. And Gozaru wouldnt speak in that chilling of a voice!! A-and being told I reek by a girl really hurts this dandys heart, you know? Heh. But if you want to show off your femininity, could you do it in the form of boobs? Ahn? So is 3A your bra siow!! A heavy thud rang out. It was the windlass pike. The storage device was more like a solid vise than a fishing reel and it had fallen right onto Claudes little toe. Are you stupid!? Dont you know the difference between a joke and Did that wake you up, you piece of sheet? Enough that you dont need to rely on a hair of the dog? 3A looked coldly down on Claude as he held his toe and writhed around on the floor, but she was actually sadly dedicated to him. It might look like she was rebelling against her masters orders, but deep down she was showing her concern for his health. And that was the opposite of what Claude wanted. After crushing a certain criminal organization, he had happened to pick up 3A who the organization had been keeping like a pet. She had essentially been a machine that did nothing more than swiftly kill whoever she was told to. Feeling responsible for her after picking her up, he had decided to look after the girl until she was independent enough to seek freedom even if it mean killing her temporary master. But at this rate, her dependence was only going to grow and she was even working against his initial goal. (I really need to do something about this soon) Claude gave that topic some serious thought, but then 3A held down her dresss skirt as she looked down at him. What do you think youre doing with that serious expression on your face? Going for the low angle like that is the absolute worst Hold on just a second. Youre the one that set things up like this. And even if I did look up your skirt, all Id see are a ton of blades and some cute little cotton- dobwah!? She kicked him in the back and the pirate began mimicking a shrimp. 3A ignored that and pulled out the key hanging at her dresss chest on a thin chain. Are you sure you want me to hold onto this? Gh, cough Yes, yes. After all, its safest with you. I cant exactly put it in the rooms safe. Even if someone doesnt know its value in our industry, it still has a 30-carat diamond in it. Anyone could try to steal it. Claude pouted his lips as he answered, but then he got up and approached the nearby amber-colored closet. In fact, he opened the double doors. The back of the closet and the back of the opened doors were entirely covered in paper documents. The paper came in a variety of types: from old papyrus and parchment to modern waterproof paper and high-resolution photosensitive paper. The small writing and diagrams filling the papers were not limited to any specific religion or mythology. They included Pygmalion, crystal skulls, sokushinbutsu, Joan of Arcs heart, and organs pickled in salt. They were all legends from all over the world concerning the preservation of the human body or the creation of dolls. The various rectangles of paper were gathered together into a single shape. It almost looked like a human silhouette made from pixels. Youve gathered most of it, havent you? That just goes to show how surprisingly irresponsible the world is. And I honestly thought Id be stopped somewhere before I had all of this together. It was still only the silhouette. But some letters of the alphabet were placed over its head like an angels halo: iu - nu - fb - a - wuh - ei - kx - eu - pl - vjz. That name had transformed history. It was the pure white descended upon a world of vibrant color. If you still could not tell what he was trying to do at this point, you had unfortunately failed to study up on the worlds laws. One piece was blatantly missing. There was a large hole where the heart should be. Everything is here. They were right when they called the human body a miniature universe. Who are you calling miniature? If you know that would refer to you, why would youno, never mind. Claude sadly retracted his opinion and poked at the missing heart of the silhouette on the wall. His fingertip tapped on the chic wood. The Natural Historys missing entries, huh? What do you plan to do with it once you complete it? Claude did not answer 3As question. He instead closed the closet with both hands. Anyway, you take care of the key needed to reach the gallery. Thats the safest plan. If you say so. Well, Ill admit Im a little worried that your flat chest is somewhat lacking in the cushioning department. Gwa ha ha haow!! Wait, stop! Dont climb on top of me and pin me down! Theres no ref here, so this only leads to an infinite hell!! The train was stopped and yet the sleeper cars suspension began to creak, but then they were interrupted. However, it was not a righteous conductor growing suspicious of the man staying with a much younger girl who did not seem to be his daughter. For one thing, normal people could not perceive Claude while he was outside their field of vision. 3A was a different matter because she had been intentionally kept at a lower Award level (so she could kill summoners and vessels too). The window and the entire wall around it were blown away and another summoner and vessel walked inside. It was a nun in a graceful habit and a small boy. Unlike with Claude, the boy seemed to be leading the nun. Relationships between a summoner and a vessel came in all kinds. But in most of them, the two partners had some kind of distortion that only applied to them. And there was no need to immediately jump to the occult just because this destruction could not be done by human hands. This was a sleeper train, but it was currently stopped and attaching an explosive to the outside wall would suffice. They could also have set up enough to blow the entire car to smithereens, but they had gone out of their way to arrive as a summoner and vessel. Assuming they were not just dumb, that meant there was something inside the car they did not want blown up. For example, the silver key with a 30-carat diamond that hung from 3As neck and hid in her modest chest. Off you go. Claude gently pushed the girl off of him. That was faster than I expected. He sounded impressed. Only Shiroyama Kyousuke and those close to him would know that the Diamond Master Key had been stolen, but he doubted they would have let anyone else know that. It had to have been difficult to find Claudes name in the fragmentary data and it could not have been easy tracking down his accurate location and putting together this attack plan given how many fake names and fake IDs he had used. And yet these two had done it in such a short time. Their speed was worth praising. It was a shame they would not be recognized for this anywhere. The small boy waved his hand. Dorothea, explain. Of course. The Founders Gallery is a stepping stone to allow us to better understand and better reach Her Majesty. So we have no reason whatsoever to stop. We will start by making a recovery here. We will have you tell us everything you know and give us everything you have. The nun spoke smoothly, bit her index finger with her canine tooth, and then brought her lips to it. When she pulled the finger away as if pulling something out, a single long and thick stick was pulled stickily out along with sweet saliva. It was a Blood-Sign. In a certain world, this was the same as throwing a glove at your opponents face. Hmm, groaned Claude at length. At some point, something like a shiny and varnished amber-colored baton had appeared in his hand. When he lightly swung it, it extended to nearly 2 meters in length. It was structured just like the special batons used by police, but due to the mans pirate captain look, it may have reminded more people of the telescopes of an older age. Well, I suppose this is right in a way. Since someone like you showed up, the Natural Historys missing entries must be the real deal. If I obediently follow this thread, I bet Ill find the answer. I can feel it waiting for me. And Claude was missing an arm. He could not hold a Blood-Sign accurately with just the one. He held the grip near the bottom while 3A held it between her index and middle fingers near the tip to help him aim. It was just like a three-legged race. But while demonstrating frighteningly smooth teamwork, Claude Magentarain sounded truly troubled. But, well, you look even dumber than Id expected. They had moved to the used tool store run by the modified China dress beauty in C Blocks Chinatown. Was it hard getting here with the containers everywhere? Sorry the entire area reeks of fireworks. If it wasnt you saying that, I wouldnt be so worried. Oh, theres nothing to worry about this time. This job is above board. Its just that everywhere needs some fireworks right now. Fireworks these days are pretty amazing. They come in containers as a single module that turns back and forth like a fan while launching fireworks according to a program. They can easily launch 10,000 of them a minute. Why does Chinatown love fireworks so much? Especially during the largescale lux restrictions in place for looking at the stars during Tanabata. Thats because we all want to go a little nuts the instant Tanabata is over and the restrictions are removed. Lu Niang Lan of Illegal had brought them some information. She leaned over the counter and waved a report held together with a metal clip. I didnt find anything on Claude Magentarain, but a search for 3A did turn up something. That stands for All-Around Armament, right? Is this her? Claude Magentarain. Kyousuke and the others had visited C Blocks Chinatown to pick up the product they needed to lure out that unseen opponent. And while they were there, the modified China dress beauty rested her elbows on the counter of her shop, squished her large chest against the counter, and explained what she had found. Of all the things you couldve run across, it turns out shes like a later model of me. The Perfect Dragon was only unintentionally created, but this project analyzed me from a variety of angles and attempted to stably mass-produce more of me. Thats the Illegal-sponsored 3A project. And this girl seems to be a successful product of that. With her glossy black hair and clear blue eyes, Lu Niang Lan was not pure Chinese, European, Indian, Latina or anything else. She was one candidate for the creation of a truly superior race by mixing bloodlines from every race around the globe. She was an excellent vessel and she also had the skill to slay a top rate summoner without using the Summoning Ceremony. And she had in fact killed Government Award 1000 barehanded. Between the three major powers, Government and Illegal were the most directly opposed to each other and they faced 2 major problems. The first was whether or not they could freely use Repliglass and other cutting-edge equipment. The second was the number of vessels they had. Government was increasing their number of summoners using systematic military-style training, but they were chronically short on vessels who were reliant on a certain type of inborn talent. That was what kept Government from relying on pure numbers. That said, Illegal did not have an abundant source of vessels either. In that case, what would they search for? For one, they would try to secure as many vessels as they could. But at the same time, what if they found a way to reduce their opponents numbers without using their own summoners and vessels? If they had a great number of the 3As, a standardized and mass-produced unit of Lu Niang Lans, that would become possible. They would begin a new age in which masters of ordinary martial arts could exterminate the occult. Of course, that was only if the technique at the foundation of the plan was complete. They have their overall theory, but it seems like they havent had much success. Theyve just had this one girl who developed more than the rest. If thats the best they can do, then Im sorry to say the project might not have a future. Oh, is that so? You could tell that much? If that girl had really reproduced what you can do, I wouldve died at that zoo. She couldnt even land a surprise attack, so she clearly hasnt reached your level. He was not being figurative or modest. If he was unable to use the Summoning Ceremony, then he would be helpless against that modified China dress beauty. That was one situation he never wanted to plan for. Still, Im sure Illegal will continue with this. Even if they know its all a farce. Lu Niang Lan flipped through the report she placed on the counter. Being a worthless child in the underworld is always a tragic thing. A lot of people mistakenly think its a kind adults duty to give them value. Theyll probably continue working and failing. Maybe theyll make a breakthrough and maybe theyll finally realize they can never break through that wall. Lu-san Im fine. My body was made entirely in the search of what was most logical. If Illegal is purely seeking power, there wont be any room for more sleazy desires. They wont keep people in animal cages like when I was in Government. Government Award 1000. That tyrannical king had been nothing like Award 2799, Humanism, that Kyousuke had seen in the Queens Miniature Garden. He had been an incarnation of selfishness that had swallowed up the word justice. Just thinking about him made Kyousuke grimace. There was nothing positive there. Lets get back to 3A. Right. Their stable mass-production project didnt go as planned and the research group needed some extra funds, so they seem to have started renting out the relatively successful 3A in the name of field testing her. She was basically a mercenary. She did a fair bit of work, but she suddenly disappeared one day. Some other summoner crushed the organization she had been rented out to. So was that Claude Magentarain? The research group seemed to think she was buried below the rubble. They said she couldnt be given any further commands without the Quartz Pendulum made from artificial crystal. And if 3A did start to regain a sense of self for some reason, I think we can all guess why that miracle occurred. None of that conflicted with the Claude Magentarain Kyousuke knew. And that made it all the more confusing why he would be fixated on the Diamond Master Key and Golden Treasure Chest, be seeking the Founders Gallery, and be working with the White Queen in any form or fashion. With that proper past and twisted present, Kyousuke could not get a firm grasp of who Claude was. Had that oppressive charisma swallowed and remade Claude just as it had Azalea? If 3A is in Toy Dream 35, we should be able to search for her with a photo of her face. Unlike Claude himself, she isnt a high Award summoner, so normal people can perceive and remember her. I recommend begging that shut-in girl to let you use her public agency. However, that was limited to the areas visible by cameras. Modern analysis technology did not need a head-on shot. They could create a color palette for the area around the face and use the targets gait to identify them, but if the target was aware of that in advance, there were countermeasures they could take. Even if they occasionally made a mistake, there would not be surveillance records for every moment of the day. It would be best to use that to narrow down the range of a search and then use something else as a finishing blow. Lu-san, do you have what I asked for? This, right? Just to be clear, this was not easy to get ahold of. Ohh, Im so glad I had a chance to reclaim my honor. The battle was over and the Artificial Sacred Ground had vanished. Claude rested his retractable Blood-Sign on his shoulder and muttered to himself. Dammit. This is the problem with these religious cults. Win or lose, nothing good ever comes of it. The luxurious suite room had been entirely trashed. And not just the furniture and interior; the walls and ceiling had been blown away, turning it into an open-air car. Since there was no explaining this to the conductor, they would have to leave immediately. Being a high Award summoner who was quickly forgotten came in handy at times like this. What about the documents in the closet? Its hard to even tell which scraps were the closet. Not a problem. Claude casually shook his blond hair and tapped his pirate-like eyepatch with a fingertip. Almost like he was indicating his lost eye. Ive got it all here. When Claude jumped out through a large hole in the wall that had split open like a burst can, there was no real disappointment on his face. He then spoke to 3A who followed him in her dress that let her silhouette show through (or that appeared to in order to hide all her weapons). Whats all that stuff youre holding there? Gozaru Samurai, Bubble-kun the Raccoon, and Onbu-chan the Monster Tanuki. Its too bad theres no sign of the Phantom Girl even here in Toy Dream 35. Why are you taking that crap withow! Idiot, not the shin! Dont kick me in the shin! Claude hopped back a bit, but W-well, I do have one thing to thank you for. ? Since you threw out all the drink bottles on the shelf, I was able to give up this hideout without any real regret. Thank you very much. If you could stop being so full of yourself, you might actually be a model citizen. Good medicine is hard to swallow, so should I break your nose? Or would going for the balls work better? Heh. Dont be silly. My big magnum is too much for a little girl like you to handle. Grabbing it with your tiny little hands wouldnt accomplish anything. In fact, itd probably toss you around. Hah hah! If you dont shut up right this instant, were going to find out how you like being kicked there. The two of them continued their discussion as they walked below the monorail track. Claudes vessel, the bird of prey, was circling elegantly overhead. Where should we hide next? Anywheres fine. Every Toy Dream city has plenty of hotels to serve all of the tourists. How about a luxury cruise ship with a pool? Unlike China, Japans Tanabata apparently has a lot of events linked to bathing. Oh, Im sorry. I suppose a 15-year-old with a body of such modest proportions she has to use a name like 3A wouldnt want to wear a swimsuit at a resort pool, wouldoof!? True to her warning, 3A kicked her master hard enough that he rose from the ground a few centimeters and then rolled along the ground. She then looked down at him like he was a dung beetle. Claude crouched down in the worlds most pathetic way and hopped up and down for a while. Youhold onIm trying to focus. I wonder what would happen if I kicked you again. Nnnnnnn! Nnnnnnnnn!! So what were you saying had modest proportions? Y-your diet has a modest proportion of sodium!! So your chest is quite healthy!! She must have not felt like dealing with his nonsense because she finally released Claude. He immediately started hopping again. You really hit my balls cleanly into the bunker. Its artistic in a way! Im having a hard time figuring out how to get them back on the green, dammit More importantly. 3A ignored Claudes shout of What could be more important than this!? and she looked overhead. No, she looked at Your partner is acting oddly. 3A, youve always been quite the sadistic pervno, I didnt say anything. So whats that about Ricky? Claude also looked in that direction. And the eyepatch man saw The situation changed just before noon. Ah!? The black-haired shrine maiden suddenly sat up on the top floor of a luxury apartment. Meinokawa Renge had no idea why she was here and she shuddered at the unfamiliar flavor she found in her mouth. Huh? What was I doing? What happened!? The date on the TV is different and what happened with Azalewith all that??? And before even checking on her disheveled clothing, she checked for her sister. She looked around the area in a panoramic view. ~ ~ ~ She did indeed see a blonde shrine maiden (with a flushed face) who had apparently woken up just like her, but her eyes immediately locked onto the gloomy hoodie bastard who was embracing her cute twin sister from behind. What the hell do you think youre doing to my Higan!? This calls for the death penalty!! No, Renge, you need to watch out! Um, behind you!! Hm? Confused, she turned around and saw a 5 meter beast there: the white liger Ah, abyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!? She got up and tried to scramble away, but she tripped quite spectacularly and made a perfect hole-in-one on Shiroyama Kyousuke and Meinokawa Higan. I see, she thought. So Higan woke up shortly before I did and followed the exact same path along this tricky 7th hole. Kyousuke lay sprawled out with a twin sister in each arm, but he focused on his business and asked Aika a question. A-any progress? As your spiritual little sister, Im starting to think I should reach for my bikinis knots to emerge victorious in the battle over you, but fine. We had hits in A Block, Z Block, and P Block. I honestly think you should start with P Block since it was the most recent one, but After receiving a photo of 3A from Lu Niang Lan of Illegal (in exchange for a large debt of gratitude), he had passed that on to Aika of Government (in exchange for looking after the shut-in) and she had searched for the girl using Toy Dream 35s public crime prevention system. That had given them some general location information. She could not go around in a full-face helmet all the time and she would grow careless on occasion no matter how cautious she was. But this was no more accurate than telling them which of the 26 blocks she had last been seen in. In that case, they needed something more. That was where the item bought from Lu Niang Lan came into play. Claude Magentarain used an animal vessel. It was a giant bird of prey and its name was Ricky. They had no way of knowing how much he cared for the bird, but he would certainly be in trouble if he lost it in enemy territory. He was a summoner, so he could not use his power without a vessel. That led to a simple answer: Edelchohilaris Disease. Those parasites were fatal to birds of prey but had no effect on humans and their eggs had been scattered across P Block. That would ensure that Claude went running to the nearest animal hospital. Kyousuke and Sekurtiti left Aikas luxury apartment. They made their way to one of the giant bridges crisscrossing between the buildings. The Tomb Priestess was still dressed in her bandages, L-shaped transparent lace, and gold decorations, but she was also wearing her yukata since they had to take a train to P Block. I have heard of those. Theyre called capsule toys. I dont think any kid would use that official name. I-I heard they are a nightmarish trap that keeps you from ever quitting once youve started. Tremble tremble. Maybe I should have a chat with that old man in a casual suit. This time, they were working with Biondetta and her white snake. Kyousuke was going to use everything available to him. He was willing to fight Claude two-against-one. Drawing him out was one thing, but they still had no idea how powerful he was. And with the glimpses of the White Queen they were getting, it was unclear how much he could use her in an actual battle. If possible, Kyousuke wanted to hit him with a quick attack before she showed up. If he was alone, they could crush him two-against-one. If he had help, Biondetta could clear out the others while Kyousuke focused on Claude. Hee hee hee. But I see you didnt go for three-against-one. Oh, you mean those twins. They havent made any kind of contract with me and they wont be at their best so soon after recovering from their defeat. Plus, Renge apparently had all of her organs taken out and put back in. Im not foolish enough to use something with so many uncertain factors. Yes, lets go with that. Oh, Kyousuke-chan is growing up so fast. Kyousuke looked like he really wanted to say something, but the horned demon in an Oiran-style mini yukata only smiled and poked at his cheek with her skinny index finger. The city was as peaceful as ever. For the Tanabata Fair, smiling families wearing yukatas and jinbei were crossing the giant bridges and using their light filtered smartphones to visit tourist locations. Within all that, Sekurtiti sighed in exasperation. Her eyes followed a stray cat out for a walk around its territory. It was very cruel of you to spread a plague through the pharaohs new resting place prepared by President Toydream. I had to go this far to draw Claude out of hiding. And if hes connected to the White Queen, then this does not even approach cruel in comparison. If Claude had the White Queen, he might not need any other Material. But anyone could tell how dangerous it was to use that capricious queen as your primary fighting force. Any proper summoner would also want to keep a vessel handy. Edelchohilaris Disease is such a powerful avian illness that they planned to intentionally disseminate it to eliminate the risk of a dangerous infection carrier when there was an explosion in the population of scavenging vultures. But they couldnt properly calculate out the influence on the environment, so the plan was shelved. And its a rare parasite in Japan, so not many animal hospitals keep the serum on hand. Theres only the one place in P Block. So the streets are filled with eggs of a bug that causes a dangerous disease? How many tens of thousands of varieties of germs with Latin names do you think are lurking in the parks everyone relaxes in? Not to mention all the intestinal bacteria in your gut. Looking into those details is a good way to inspire an obsession with cleanliness. I just hope the tomb raiders are the only ones who will suffer from this plague. Like a curse brought by the pharaoh. It was a relatively large animal hospital known by the locals as the Menagerie Hospital. That name and its prosperity were likely due to the fact that it primarily served dangerous pets imported from overseas: ferocious beasts, venomous bugs, carnivorous fish, etc. It was a niche business that was highly skilled but served a limited demographic. The panda statue in front of the entrance seemed to be the mascot of an animal-related pharmaceutical company. Aika might have known more since she lived with that white liger. Perhaps because it was an animal hospital, it did not have an emergency outpatient entrance like a normal hospital would. Kyousukes group set up their position in the bushes next to the parking lot, where they could see both the front gate and the emergency exit. Since she no longer had to worry about peoples eyes on her, Sekurtiti reached for her yukatas obi as she crouched down next to Kyousuke. So you really are going to take it off. ? The serious girl did not hesitate to reveal her bandages, Y-shaped lace cloth, and golden decorations and she tilted her head with the golden tiara on top, so reasonable Kyousuke breathed a depressed sigh. On his other side, Biondetta was feeding pellets of food to the white snake that crawled out of her yukatas chest. There they are. Hmm, and no sign of putting a sniper in place. Does he not want to let any weakness show in front of his men? No, he might just be a lone wolf. Yeah. They did not have to wait long. It was Claude Magentarain and 3A. The large man with a missing arm and an eyepatch looked like a pirate captain. The girl in a dress had a unique coloring reminiscent of a snow spirit despite it being July. They were jogging across the parking lot. And while holding a large but limp bird of prey. Kyousuke smiled while hiding behind the bushes. This man was involved with the White Queen and he was seeking the Founders Gallery and the Natural Historys missing entries, but he seemed to still have enough of a heart to care for the family pet. For a brief moment, a past experience threatened to ensnare Kyousukes soul. But he shook it off. And he spoke with the cold heart of someone waiting in ambush. Lets get started. The two summoners moved simultaneously. Kyousuke pulled an Incense Grenade from his pants pocket and Biondetta pulled one from between her legs in the mini-yukata. They both pulled the pin and threw it. The delay was between 3 and 5 seconds. Even if Claude noticed and tried to knock them away, one or the other would detonate before he could reach it. But Claude reacted swiftly here. Before the two Incense Grenades could go off, he reached into his coat. He pulled out a gun that looked like an enlarged version of the flintlock guns used in the Age of Discovery. It was a single-shot grenade launcher and he did not hesitate to fire it at his own feet. At first glance, the result might have seemed the same. An Artificial Sacred Ground quickly formed and it contained Kyousuke, Biondetta, and Claude. But control of a mixed Artificial Sacred Ground belonged to the summoner whose Incense Grenade detonated first. So when their footing was destroyed and they fell, if Kyousuke landed on the ground and Claude on a pillar, the next Artificial Sacred Ground would appear in relation to Claudes footing. That advantage could not be taken lightly. Claude had likely understood the situation from the moment he had pulled the launchers trigger. And no matter how much his bird of prey partner was suffering, it would be distanced from death while fighting as a Material. But only for that long. Kyousuke had Sekurtiti stay by his side, Biondetta placed the white snake on the pavement after it slithered out from the chest of her Oiran-style yukata, and Claude released the weakened bird of prey into the air once more. The man used his surviving left hand to swing and open up his retractable Blood-Sign and he linked with 3A whose dress fluttered around her and displayed her slender silhouette. They held the Blood-Sign straight ahead in their three-legged race style. Not bad. You interfered with us and didnt hesitate to steal the key we needed for the hostage exchange, so did you really think wed let you escape unharmed? Dont screw with me, ghost. Just because things worked out in the end is no excuse. That was only how it turned out. Oh? So you want the Natural Historys missing entries that badly? Well, I guess it is hard to fight the Queens pull. You have no right to say that to me. Both sides had pulled out their Blood-Signs. They aimed the tips at the floating White Thorns and stared at the Rose made of 216 Petals that appeared at the midpoint between them. I dont know what you hope to accomplish by taking advantage of the situation and gaining the Natural Historys missing entries. But if it has anything to do with the White Queen, I will do whatever it takes to crush you. Im sure I dont have to explain why to you of all people. Youre the one that saved me from that hell!! White lights passed through the air from 3 different directions. With a solid sound, the three-dimensional Rose burst into countless Petals. Those scattering lights were hit into the randomly-placed Spots. Sekurtitis voice ran directly in the back of Kyousukes mind. (It begins.) Kyousuke had the Original Green (k). Sound Range: Middle. Cost: 1. Biondetta had the Original Yellow (s). Sound Range: High. Cost: 1. Their enemy Claude had the Original Green (k). Sound Range: Middle. Cost: 1. They were all slime Materials. The very first selection was nearly random, but this was actually the ideal situation. In a 2-against-1 battle, the standard tactic was to have one person with the same rock-paper-scissors style Sound Range as the enemy and one person with the superior Sound Range. (Hm? Why did you choose different ones? It would be best for both of you to attack with his weakness.) Theres a reason for this. If they both chose the superior Sound Range, there was a chance of the enemy overturning everything by summoning a Material with a Sound Range superior to both of them. And if one of them had the superior Sound Range and one had the inferior Sound Range, the enemy could focus on the inferior one, defeat them quickly, and make a comeback in the 1-on-1 battle that remained. Thus, the standard was superior and equal. That was the best combination. It gave them an advantage as things were and allowed them to maintain that advantage even if the enemy shifted to another Material. It was like Kyousuke acted as a shield with his identical Sound Range while Biondetta was the attacker with her superior Sound Range. Then their White Thorns crossed paths as they built up their Materials. Once they built up their momentum, there would be no stopping them. Claude would never find an advantage, so the pressure would bear down on him from above and crush him. Or it should have worked that way. However (?) Claude quickly launched several White Thorns. The white lights were fired using the three-legged-race assistance of 3A outside the protective circle, and they collided with Kyousuke and Biondettas White Thorns, knocking them astray. This was meant to destroy their teamwork. However, that should have been suicide for Claude. In a 2-against-1 battle, his opponents had a total number of White Thorns twice as high as his. So if he used a single White Thorn to intercept each of theirs, he would run out first. Interfering was fine, but he would be helpless if he lost the tools he needed to build up his own Material. And yet the situation did not tilt in either direction. When Claudes White Thorns collided with Kyousuke and Biondettas, they expelled all of their kinetic energy and came to a stop in midair. They should have disappeared then, but they remained in place. No, wait. What is that!? Biondetta, Claudes Thorns are still moving. Theyre just spinning rapidly in place! Kyousuke roared a warning, but 10 seconds had already passed. A new White Thorn appeared to replenish Claudes emptied stock. He did not hesitate to fire it. The White Thorn hit the others and only Claudes white lights bounced around the Artificial Sacred Ground and used their great numbers to steal away the Petals in no time. They were hit into the Spots. Sekurtitis surprised voice rang in Kyousukes head. (This is not looking good!) When Kyousuke and Biondetta each launched a White Thorn, Claude caused a chain reaction with several to compete with their combined numbers. Kyousuke had The Dead that Burns with a Curse (ov - ou - q - ye). Sound Range: High. Cost: 7. Unable to maintain a human form any longer, this mass of flames burned with the curse it created itself and it constantly changed between 7 different colors. Whosoever was taken inside that mass producer of negative emotions would swell out from within until they burst. Biondetta had the Jewel Flies that Draw out Dark Desire (iu - fc - ei - upm - np - sq). Sound Range: Middle. Cost: 13. It was a storm of thousands and tens of thousands of flies, each of which was a beautiful and colorful jewel. That colorful monsters light grasped and drew in its preys soul, brushing it aside would cover you with countless pathogens, and the victim was decorated with psychedelic mold. Claude had the Long Red-Haired Journal that Drips with Hatred (ov - an - le - rx - n - a - b - er - ju). Sound Range: Middle. Cost: 15. Taking the form of a giant floating book, the bizarre journal continually spat out long and sticky hair from between its pages. It was a predator that increased its page number by crushing its victims inside itself. Sorry, Sekurtiti. Ill be putting a bit of a burden on you! (Do not worry. That is what it means to work together!) Kyousukes focus on supporting Biondetta had worked against him, so he was in real trouble now. Even with the superior Sound Range, the enemy could overcome that by force when the Cost difference was at 10 or more. They were fighting on a flat parking lot, so it was difficult to pull off any tricky tactics. This isnt good. Sir! Biondetta made an immediate decision. She had her Material smash the ground at their feet and they all fell straight down. When their footing was destroyed, a new Artificial Sacred Ground would open where they fell. Claude had been the one to use the Incense Grenade, so the new Artificial Sacred Ground would be in reference to where he landed, but it would still help to have a new set of Roses appear. Toy Dream 35 was a city of tall buildings rising from the ocean. Their next footing was a transformer substation more than 20 meters below. They did not have to worry about physical injury thanks to the protective circles, but they still had to refocus their minds for the fall. However (Wah!?) Sekurtitis voice exploded in Kyousukes mind. Their vision had spun around. Gravity had reversed. He glanced over and saw 3A holding the Blood-Sign in one hand and using her other hand to hold the windlass pike she used as a spear. The special steel made the spear into a nice spring and she had started her fall with it stabbed into the ground. And what did that accomplish? There were giant swings that functioned as a variant on bungie jumping. Instead of falling straight down, you passed below the bridge like a swing and moved to the other side. This was the same. Claude was supported by 3A and the Blood-Sign, so he swung below the broken platform instead of falling. And that allowed him to land upside-down on the bottom of the parking lot. This isnt over yet. You picked this fight, so dont be showing your backs just yet. This was not at all the reset that Kyousuke and Biondetta had hoped for. Tossed about by the rapid gravitational change, Kyousuke was unable to land on his feet and fell onto his back. Biondetta did the same, with her black knee socks and thighs fully visible below her mini-yukata. Before he could even get up, Kyousuke thrust out his Blood-Sign, hit a White Thorn, and just barely managed to break the new mass of Roses. He avoided the fatal Cost difference of 10. (Is this a monorail?) Sekurtiti was right. Kyousuke had been busy subconsciously performing complex calculations to control his White Thorns, so it took him a moment to grasp the situation. They were not just on the bottom of the destroyed parking lot platform. It was a railroad. They had fallen onto the bottom of a cargo monorail loaded with containers and tanks. It had cartoony images of Orihime and Hikoboshi drawn on it for the Tanabata Fair. In this upside-down world, it felt like they were standing on the roof of a train as the fight resumed. As the Materials grew stronger, larger, and more powerful, each of their attacks had more weight behind them. The metal containers were easily torn apart and stray shots caused the cylindrical tanks behind them to explode. Gravity was only reversed for the summoners and Materials, so the steel shrapnel became a storm of razor-sharp guitar picks that poured into the ocean below. (What about the driver!?) Dont worry. This is a Toy Dream 35 freight train, so its probably self-driving. It was Claude who responded to Kyousukes comment. Tch. I was hoping the explosions would cause the train to stop. No, maybe the initial destruction of the parking lot severed the control signal cables. This is the problem with self-driving trains. Or maybe this has to do with summoners and Materials not showing up on cameras and sensors when an Incense Grenade is in effect. ? The limit is 10 minutes, but youre making this awfully attractive. Claude clicked his tongue just as the scenery changed. The sea and sky vanished. By the time Kyousuke realized they had entered a tunnel - no, a building - it was too late to do anything about it. The cargo terminal station? Sir! Everything exploded before Biondetta could say anything. (!!!???) Sekurtitis thoughts no longer formed words. First, the freight train lost control thanks to the exploding tanks, slammed into the terminal station, and was smashed to smithereens. Then chemicals and fire scattered in every direction, spreading the flames to the other freight trains waiting in the station. The conflagration spread in no time at all. (Setting a fire in the pharaohs tomb!?) The silver lining was that the trains were self-driving and thus unmanned. And the scorching hell could not harm the summoners thanks to the protective circles or the vessels thanks to the Materials. The Artificial Sacred Ground was established in relation to Claude, so Kyousuke and Biondetta had to pay careful attention to what their floor would be. !! The container and tank cars weighing several tons each were blown away like paper boxes in the wind. They rolled across the station. To the summoners, even that was only a terrain effect that caused the White Thorns and Petals to bounce around wildly. The whirling flames created a mirage and blowing black smoke blinded them, but their task remained the same: move faster, more often, and stronger than their opponent. The White Thorns that should have disappeared after being hit would instead remain in place thanks to their rapid spin, the next shot would be launched, and Claude would send a great number of Petals into the Spots all at once. The first thing Kyousuke and Biondetta had to do to combat this was to avoid any interference from Claude. No matter what anyone said, their superior numbers gave them an advantage. As long as the initial interference did not affect them, none of Claudes unique tactics could fill that gap. They would eventually win. Salvation and vengeance. Their paths had split, but Kyousuke and Biondetta still worked in perfect unison. They did not act separately to surround Claude from multiple directions. Kyousuke bounced his White Thorns off of Biondettas and Biondetta bounced hers off of Kyousukes so their paths would slither around like a living creature. They continued to escape Claudes lock as they grazed the Petals and knocked them into the Spots. A question from Sekurtiti entered Kyousukes head. (Hm? What is that?) A change soon occurred. Of course, Kyousuke, Biondetta, and Claudes Materials were complexly changing every few seconds and the first two were slowly filling the gap by avoiding Claudes interference, but this was a different change. (Oh, thats right.) Sekurtitis words continued. (She is part of the Summoning Ceremony battle, but she is outside the protective circle. Claudes vessel is the bird of prey, not her. So) 3A. That small girl aimed his Blood-Sign in place of his missing right arm, but she did not receive the benefit of the protective circle. Containers and tanks were exploding within the freight terminal and the building was full of scorching flames and black smoke. True to her name, 3A was strengthened in some severe ways, but this was still too much for her to bear. She had seemed like a cold snow spirit, but now her face was covered in sweat, making her look like a hunk of ice melting on a grill. Nee hee In that case No, Biondetta! Wait!! Her silver Blood-Sign doubled as a bold-action sniper rifle. Kyousuke quickly yelled at her when he saw her shifting her grip and center of gravity while launching a White Thorn. Claude, that girl isnt going to last long. If you put down your Blood-Sign and let yourself be defeated, we can reach an agreement. Were after the Founders Gallery and the White Queen. We dont have anything against you!! The blond mans one eye wandered a little. But not enough to make that decision. He once more squeezed the grip near the bottom of his Blood-Sign. 3A. Yes? You only have to do as much as you can, but give it your all. If you cant go on, abandon me and get out of here. Even if Im trapped in the Artificial Sacred Ground, I can destroy the ground to reset everything. Use some acrobatics to escape without setting foot on the ground below and then wait for a chance to counterattack. Understood. (Kh Even after all this, we cant stop them!?) Shiroyama Kyousukes internal temperature did not rise from simple anger. Instead, it dropped to icy levels. Claude had announced he would stay true to his methods and wear down the girls life for his own purposes. Or perhaps it was for the White Queen who held his soul and would not let go. In that case, Kyousuke would stay true to his methods too. He would save human lives. He would stop thinking about anything else. (What are you going to do, Shiroyama Kyousuke!?) He answered with a single word. Sekurtiti. With an explosive noise, the floor between Kyousuke and Claude collapsed. But this time it was not to change their footing for a reset like when Biondetta had done it. The summoners and vessels were using the paranormal to fight, but the stage itself was part of the normal world and thus obeyed the proper laws of physics. He wanted one thing: a lot of oxygen. As that basic element arrived from outside, the indoor terminals flames were activated. They gained explosive force. Much like a backdraft, flames and shockwaves swept across the indoor space. But it was the oxygen that mattered most. Even if it had been invited in from outside, if it was all used as fuel, the problem would be an overall dearth of oxygen. Kyousuke was fine, Biondetta was fine, and Claude was fine. But what about 3A who did not have a protective circle? Not bad for someone who acts like hes so well behaved!! I prioritize human lives above all else. Nothing else matters. It doesnt even matter if someone collapses here as long as they can be revived later. The snow spirit girls head wobbled. She slowly shook her head. Imfine. No, she tried to shake it. I am3A. I willloyally fulfillmy chosen masters But she was outdone by her own momentum and her tiny body crumpled to the side. Her index and middle fingers left the tip of the Blood-Sign. Claude Magentarains Blood-Sign lost control. Only now did the eyepatch man remember something: the people who truly need help no longer have the strength to even voice the words help me. Hadnt it been the same when he had first met 3A? An old acquaintance had changed their name to Doctor S and was working behind the scenes, so he had stopped by to greet them, found they were not in the high-rise building they used as a base, and ran into this girl who had robotically attacked him. He could have killed her if he had thrown an Incense Grenade and summoned a Material. But he had not. His hesitation had allowed the girls blade to stab deep into the right arm he used to protect his vitals and he had ultimately lost his dominant arm. But in that moment, he had seen something: 3A herself had been more shocked than anyone that he had not killed her and had instead let her injure him. When she had asked a trembling question, hadnt he given this answer? Of course I did. The people who truly need help no longer have the strength to even voice the words help me. The pain did not matter. The fear of losing his dominant hand had disappeared. Why was it he had felt the need to tell her this first of all? I guess Ill just have to save you. Even if you cant put down that blade, Ill make sure you can at least use it for something other than killing. Oh, it isnt that hard. Thinking thats all you can do ends up restricting your possibilities and binding you. You need to reach for things that dont seem at all like your thing and you need to expand your horizons. For exampleoh, I know. Why not start collecting stuffed animals or mascot characters? Try holding something other than a blade and youll find it feels pretty nice in your hand. (I see) Claude gave a self-deprecating smile as he lost the support for his Blood-Sign. Even here, she still could not say help me. Had she been that intent on clenching her teeth and helping Claude win after giving up her killing blade? Even after he had told her to only do as much as she could and even after he had given her the option of abandoning him, vanishing into the shadows, and polishing her assassins blade as she waited for a chance to strike back and save him? (That kids still gonna take a lot of work.) And Shiroyama Kyousuke would not hesitate against someone who was careless with human lives, no matter their reasons. Time began to move once more. A White Thorn ricocheted complexly around. A Divine-class was summoned. Sound Range: Low. Cost: 6. It was a 3-headed goddess from Greek mythology and the ancestor of all witches. That goddess ruled over the moon, the night, and the underworld. Most importantly, she gave power to women and granted them the strength to protect themselves. And she bared her fangs against the enemy summoner. Yes, this is the scene of the crash. I am here in front of P Blocks indoor freight monorail terminal. The monorail itself was unmanned and no one was hurt, but some of the smoke reached the adjacent passenger terminal, causing something of a commotion. It is still unknown how this largescale fire will affect the Tanabata Astronomical Observation Fair being held across Toy Dream 35, but they believe they can extinguish the fire by sunset. It sounded like a TV station reporter, but she did not hold a professional camera. She was probably a net reporter that used her smartphone to report on a video site. She would not be part of a reporters club or broadcast company, so she could only be described as a self-styled reporter. Kyousukes group listened to her while opening the staff door and sneaking around to the back of the building. Once the protective circle reliant on the Material was gone, the summoners were normal humans who could be taken out by the fire and smoke, so nothing good would come of remaining at the scene of a fire. They could not walk out the front entrance because they had caused the fire themselves and because they would stand out too much right now. After all, they were carrying a dazed one-armed eyepatch man (with a bird) and a snow spirit who had passed out from oxygen deprivation. Plus, they were accompanied by a girl who only wore bandages and a Y-shaped piece of lace now that she had stripped off her yukata. But the finishing blow was Biondetta who looked pure evil with the white snake wrapped around her. Not one of them was normal. They stood out far too much. Even if summoners and vessels would vanish from peoples minds once they were out of sight, they did not want to head outside when someone was waving a camera around and broadcasting it to the entire world. The Oiran-style mini-yukata demon did not hesitate to reach for the unconscious girls flat chest. Oh, I found the Golden Master Key. She tossed Kyousuke the silver key with a 30-carat diamond in it. The boy caught it in one hand. The key and the ancient map. Were finally back to where we started, but that means we can actually reach for the Natural Historys missing entries now. They felt like they had circumnavigated the globe. They stood in the exact same place, but it had taken an incredible amount of time to reach it. Azalea and Claude. Thanks to their interference, Kyousuke felt like he had gone to far too much effort. But now the path to the Founders Gallery and the Natural Historys missing entries was finally open. But then Sekurtiti wrinkled her brow below her golden tiara. Only the key? What happened to the treasure chest? Biondetta. Dont ask me. This girls dress is full of blades, even if it doesnt look like it. Im betting the steel weighs more than her entire body. But theres nothing like what you want. What about that man? Have you tried feeling around on him? This is all I found. Kyousuke flicked something over to Biondetta: a micro memory card a quarter the size of a stamp. Where was it? Below his eyepatch. The format doesnt fit my smartphone. Decrypt it for me. Biondetta did as she was told. Kyousuke thought about all this as he watched her stick the micro memory card into a slot on her smartphone. What if its tougher to crack than you expect? We can just ask him everything we want to know, including how to get in. That was a trivial issue. Once someone lost the Summoning Ceremony, they could not lie, so they could be directly asked for any hidden location, safe combination, or computer password you wanted. The one exception was something with a random element such as I stuck it in a bottle and sent it out to sea, so I dont know where it is now, but Kyousuke doubted the man would do anything that would prevent himself from retrieving the hints when it related to the Founders Gallery or the Natural Historys missing entries. And as he went over those logical thoughts, he suddenly came to a stop in the staff hallway. What is it, sir? Nothing. He wanted to deny it. But he could not stop a certain possibility from flashing through his mind. Where had the Golden Treasure Chest gone? Hadnt he felt this same way when dealing with Azalea? He had assumed Azalea and Claude were connected, but that had proved untrue. Could that be the case this time too? What would it mean if Claude and the White Queen were not connected here? Hadnt she even said it was about time she too joined the game too? And she had taken the Golden Treasure Chest so she could take part. If those two had been connected from the beginning, she would not have needed to do that. Kyousuke needed the Diamond Master Key either way, so the White Queen had not needed a new participation ticket. It was also a mystery why Claude was seeking the Founders Gallery. It had been hard to believe he was blinded by the White Queen when he shared that same past. Kyousuke had forced himself to accept that people could change so drastically. But what if that was not the case? He heard a light electronic beep. Sir. Biondetta shook her smartphone. She had apparently decrypted the micro memory card found behind Claudes eyepatch. As I expected, he was gathering information on techniques to preserve the human body and create dolls. Looks like he didnt care if it was ancient or modern or what part of the world it came from. Butwait. What is this? Pygmalion, crystal skulls, sokushinbutsu, Joan of Arcs heart He had indeed been gathering information on the techniques, but the added text suggested something else entirely. Risk of Spreading: D. Destroying the original will suffice. Risk of Spreading: C. Copies have already spread. The magic cabal calling itself a publisher will need to be destroyed. Risk of Spreading: A. Impossible to erase. Ill have to spread mistaken traditions online to dilute it. Um, was he going around erasing the information on the techniques he went to so much trouble to hunt down? But why? Did he want to have the Queen all to himself??? If not, then this is like the definitions file for security software. He made a copy of the source information so he could identify the dangerous information still out there. Once he had determined something had all been erased, he would destroy his eyepatch to truly erase that information from the world. Again: why? Needless to say, the doll this information could create would be an artificial vessel. And if the Natural Historys missing entries were incorporated into the foundational structure, it would allow the White Queens soul to remain in this world indefinitely. He would take that from humankind. He would erase it from the world. Could it be? ? Did I have it backwards? Claude wasnt fighting to summon the White Queen. Was he erasing any method of summoning her to indirectly prevent her from appearing hereno, to shut her out of this world? It was unknown if that Queen would give up on this worldno, on Shiroyama Kyousuke if her existing link to it were broken. She could twist the laws of the world as she saw fit, so it was entirely possible she could create completely new rules and definitions on the same level as the 3rd Summoning Ceremony discovered in 1999. In fact, crushing the possibilities of the Summoning Ceremony could easily lead to throwing out any method or possibility of opposing the White Queen. It was dangerous, but it was still a double edged sword. Breaking it in order to not cut yourself would also rob you of the means to protect yourself. But. What had this incident looked like to Claude Magentarain? Azalea Magentarain and Shiroyama Kyousuke. Two children with past connections to him had been fighting (and one side had even been willing to kill) over the Founders Gallery and the Natural Historys missing entries. What if he had only been trying to confiscate that? What if he had not been an enemy? Kyousuke heard a footstep. It came from directly behind him. His heart seemed to shrink inside his chest. He recalled the fear of the White Queens arrival after Azaleas defeat. And she had taken everything from him. But fear was the seed of action for a summoner. He needed to absorb it and rejoice in finding a new method. So he did not panic. Even if he found pure white evil when he turned around, he would find a way out of here. He would get through this. He turned around with that in mind. But what he found there was far too unexpected. Wha? Biondetta and Sekurtiti may not have understood his surprise. After all, most people had only ever heard the legends and few had actually seen this individual. Who was working with the White Queen? This was the answer. How areyou alive? Kyousukes dazed comment had an entirely different nuance than when he had encountered Claude. The other person approached. The silhouette of a long Blood-Sign rested on his shoulder and a sensually beautiful woman stood by his side as a vessel. A woman Kyousuke knew very well used to be the one standing there. She had been kept in a large animal cage and treated like a mere object. After the Queens Miniature Garden, this man had taken over Government and brought the entire organization together as a tyrannical king. As the strongest and cruelest summoner, he had transformed the meaning of the word justice to his own liking. He had traversed the three major powers, devoured countless Awards, and finally reached the 1000 Award barrier. But just before moving to the other side, that dream had supposedly been extinguished when a woman had stabbed him in the back. And Shiroyama Kyousuke shouted his name. Elvast Toydream The Thousand Eater!? That great evil responded by opening his mouth just once. He did not say much. I will end this in 1 second. And. A woman sat at the counter of a used tool shop in C Blocks Chinatown. Her alluring body was contained in a modified China dress and she had supposedly cast aside her life as a vessel. Lu Niang Lan felt a mysterious shiver run down her spine. Facts: *The White Queen stole the Golden Treasure Chest and left. *The Saint is a holy woman and a witch who readily changes between master and servant. Meanwhile, her vessel boy does not want anything extreme and only wants to be with that woman. *The Saint and the remnants of Bridesmaid were destroyed when they attacked Claude. That has at least eliminated any worshipers capable of activity inside Toy Dream 35. *Claude was gathering items related to doll creation and human preservation, such as the Founders Gallery and the Natural Historys missing entries, because he wanted to fully sever the link between worlds and protect this world from anyone summoning an irregularity like the White Queen. That is why he worked to stop the deadly battle between Azalea and Kyousuke. *The person who was actually working with the White Queen was Elvast Toydream. He was once the ruler of Government and he was supposed killed by Lu Niang Lans betrayal just after reaching Award 1000. Volume 6, Stage 04 - The Strongest Summoner is Infatuated with the World of Man Volume 6, Stage 04: The Strongest Summoner is Infatuated with the World of Man Ahh, ahh. This is why I hate myself No matter what, I always end up relying on the White Queen in the end. (Stage 04 Open 07/07 16:30) The Strongest Summoner is Infatuated with the World of Man Shiroyama Kyousukes mind was wrapped in something soft and fluffy. It was incredibly smooth, elastic, warm, and nice smelling. It was so comfortable he was tempted to stay there forever. But at the same time, that comfort seemed to dangerously guide him away from thinking about the future. Yes, it was like eating a large piece of butter without giving any thought to your health. And he heard a voice from somewhere. Hug My, my. Brother, youre so single-mindedly focused on clinging to me like a baby. Hee hee hee. Here, you can suck at my fingertip. Ah ha ha! All I did was put some baby food on my finger, but look at you go, brother!! Loooook, look, look. There is plenty more where that came from, so theres no hurry. Hee hee hee. Oh, its such a shame that this paradise only lasts 24 hours Where should I put the baby food this time? My toes? Or my navel? Hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee. Ugwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!? Pant, pant!? Ah, ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!? What was that!? What the hell was that!? A dreeeeeeeeeeeeeeeam!!!??? He violently sat up and found he was in a room of Aikas luxury apartment. He was lying on a bed and it was evening. He felt like he had briefly had a truly horrific nightmare, but something was not right. Biondetta was next to him in her yukata and she was shaking her aching head. And she spoke. 4:30 PM on July 7 That means its been more than a full day, sir. It was obvious what that meant. They had lost to Elvast Toydream after his sudden appearance. A 24 hour gap had followed. What had happened to Shiroyama Kyousuke while he could not resist any external stimuli? As he silently wept, his kind big sister hugged him to the chest of her Oiran-style mini-yukata. Oh, ohhhhhhh, ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh There, there. That must have been a frightening ordeal. 24 hours in front of the White Queen while entirely helpless? Hard to imagine anything more horrifying. Lets hold off on any work for today and let your big sister comfort you. His free will had died. Kyousuke had become pure white ash as he lay on the bed letting Biondetta do whatever she wanted, but then he heard a strange voice from the side. Hee, hee hee hee. Hee hee hee hee hee. Claudethat flawless brother is right here! And I can play with him while he opens his mouth like a defenseless baby bird. Here you go. Say ah. Say ahhhhh You mustnt, milady. I understand that you are happy, but you have already given him far too much to eat. Ho ho. But it is surprising to see that naughty boy so obedient. Old man, Azalea might stop feeding him if you stopped passing her more Italian ham and melon. Sigh. The zombie-like state after losing lasted more than 24 hours. In other words, it was not a set length and there were individual differences. That man was apparently still dreaming. Kyousuke once more began trembling like a phone on vibrate. He was probably imagining himself in a similar position. Honestly, no matter where you look in here, its only going to make things worse. Come on, Kyousuke-chan, come with your big sister. Lets go somewhere less scary. Ill treat you well. Kyousukes kind big sister led him to the roof of the apartment. The green garden there was wrapped in orange light. Biondetta spotted a beach chair and parasol that Aika had likely placed there for herself and she walked over while guiding Kyousuke, who had lost his way in life. As he sat in the beach chair with her rubbing his head and gently holding him in her arms, Kyousuke tried to recall what had happened, but he had trouble. You dont need to force open your wounds now. You should drink something sweet to calm yourself, Kyousuke-chan. He accepted the drink sitting on the side table and was surprisingly willing to put the straw in his mouth. And he began choking on the first sip. Bwah!! God, thats sweet!! Hee hee. How did you like your big sisters special honey maple condensed milk? Im glad to see you have a bit more energy now. Biondetta took the glass from Kyousuke, kept a hand around his arm, and leaned to the side. They lay down next to one another on the beach chair. He realized that they had shared the sunset from an elevated location in the past too. He was reminded of that memory from the Queens Miniature Garden when everyone had been happy. Since her drink had been on the side table, Biondetta must have woken up before him, noticed the situation, and prepared for exactly this. After pouring a great number of antibiotics into her mouth and washing them down with a sip from the straw, Biondetta held her traumatized little brothers head with one arm and whispered into his ear. You dont need to rip off the scab all at once, Kyousuke-chan. Take it as slow as you need, okay? You can do that, right? Yes His mind was still a chaotic mess. He could not think straight at all, so he would have to gradually unknot his mind by untangling the many threads one at a time. (Government Award 1000Elvast Toydream.) He tried to remember, but his mind rejected it. Nevertheless, he forced his memories open and continued onward. What he found was devastating. Was that man skilled in his control of the White Thorns? Had he broken out of the rock-paper-scissors arrangement between Materials? Had he done a brilliant job of understanding the terrain and incorporating it into his tactics? No, this was on an entirely different level. It was just one attack. The very first shot. It was that first move that shattered the three-dimensional rose and sent the countless Petals into the Spots. There was enough of a random element there that every summoner could only secure one of the Cost 1 slimes of the Original Series. No one could break that rule. And that was why it had caught Kyousuke entirely off guard. With that very first shot, the White Queen had appeared. Now, it was true that hole-in-one of a miracle was technically possible. To reach an Unexplored-class, a summoner normally had to summon 100 Regulation-classes and 50 Divine-classes. The White Queen was the peak of the peak, so the summoner would have to climb to even greater heights even after reaching the Unexplored-class. But there was a way to directly summon her. If the summoner hit the Petals into the Spots in the precise order that spelled out her name, they could skip past that cumbersome process and summon an Unexplored-class. But pulling off that theoretical possibility in combat was very nearly impossible. And it would be even more impossible on the first hit which was mostly random. How could someone even do that on purpose? Did that man simply wield the strongest luck? Or (Whatever might happen, the battle is over once the White Queen shows up. If he can do that with his very first move, theres no way to fight him. No matter what summoner challenges himno, even if all 7 billion people on this planet faced him with Blood-Signs in hand, can that predator ignore them all and devour them?) Bu. Bu? Buonbetta, were the rest of you okay? Kyousukes voice was a bit muffled because his face was still buried in her large chest. The yukata demon looked surprised as she lay on the rooftop beach chair and placed her slender chin on his head. It seems we were completely fine. Of course, my memories are a bit of a mess since I also lost, but it seems the Meinokawa Sisters collected us shortly afterwards. That person who attacked us was a man, wasnt he? He could have ordered me to do anything, so that could have easily gone in a much sleazier direction. ? A question finally stopped his mind from falling into the abyss of despair. He grabbed Biondettas shoulders and pushed himself away from her. Renge and Higan did? If what you said is accurate, then that man was the Award 1000 who has a history in all three major powers. I seriously doubt some girls in the 300s could have done anything against him. Oh, right. What happened to Sekurtiti? She was also entirely unharmed. She wasnt taken away either. Of course, if he was after the ancient map, he might have only needed to snap a photo of her back. Also, there was no sign of the Diamond Master Key. It isnt too surprising it was taken away since you were holding it in your hand, butum, does that mean this Elvast person is after the Founders Gallery as well? The Queen has apparently been wandering around too, so could they be after the Natural Historys missing entries? If so, this made no sense. Kyousuke knew the White Queen was fixated only on him, but what about Elvast Toydream? It was true a photo of Sekurtitis back would suffice, but why did that man have to worry about her safety? And what was he trying to do by summoning the White Queen? He could summon the Queen in a single move even without creating a bizarre doll using the Natural Historys missing entries. (Does he want to solidify the foundation of his tactics by holding onto the White Queen through multiple methods? No, I cant imagine how he would be afraid of failure.) And even if that was not his main goal, that man was true to his desires, so why had he not made any kind of detour? Biondetta, Sekurtiti, and even 3A had been there. That man had readily restricted his former vessel woman by force and kept her in a cage like an animal, so why would he put on the brakes like a gentleman now? Wait. Sir? Kyousuke felt a cold weight in the pit of his stomach. This answer was something only someone who had seen that legend for themselves would reach. Only someone who had experienced firsthand what kind of man Elvast Toydream was. That man felt it was only natural he would rule over all 7 billion on the planet, but he trusted no one and got close to no one. Only a few people knew the truth of that man. And Kyousuke knew one other person who would have reached that answer. Biondetta, where is she? Where is Lu-san!? Hm? Come to think of it, I havent seen her. But this isnt her home, so its not like shes here 24/7. Dammit!! Kyousuke reached into his pocket and pulled out his smartphone. He did not have time to wait for an email response, so he made a call. There was no sign of the woman answering. He stepped down from the beach chair and Biondetta supported him while asking a question. What do you think youre doing? Elvast Toydream was only after one thing from the beginning. Just like the Queen with me, only one person in this world can satisfy his selfishness. He tried to find a replacement, but no one else could quench that monsters thirst. Thats why he overlooked the rest of you even though you were entirely defenseless. Thats all there is to it. It was that simple. Because he is a king who holds everything in his hand, he cant invite in someone else so easily. Thats how exceptional a person a vessel is to him. His Repliglass Blood-Sign and hairspray-sized Incense Grenade should have been the ultimate weapons for a summoner, but they felt hopelessly insufficient now. But he had to continue on regardless. Lu Niang Lan was the one and only person accepted by that king of the world who had stolen the sword of justice and the shield of order. He was cast down into the depths of hell and somehow managed to crawl back out, but hes still focused on that!? As evening turned to night, C Blocks Chinatown was filled with metal containers of various sizes. All of them were modules full of dozens or hundreds of fireworks. The hydraulic cylinders attached to a rotating base would adjust the angle and electric fuses would synch multiple containers to fire tens of thousands of fireworks per minute into the night sky. The modules were reminiscent of military rocket and missile systems. The people living there were focused more on the exciting fireworks festival after the ban on light was lifted than they were on the calm Tanabata Astronomical Observation Fair. They preferred bright lights and loud noises, so while the rest of Toy Dream 35 was enjoying the event, this area was full of a strangely heated excitement much like the preparations for a cultural festival. A man walked through that atmosphere with an icy aura of absolute zero. Elvast Toydream. That legend had a tall beauty walking by his side and he was best described as rusty. While Claude Magentarain had been full of life even with an arm and eye missing, this mans whole body was dull and lifeless. The long hair he had forgotten to comb was graying in places and the rest of it had lost its shine. His stubbly face and muscular body were decaying from alcohol and cigarettes and old scars were visible all over him. He wore a chic jacket that would have cost as much as a luxury car, but would anyone buy it for its original price now? It had countless blade cuts and bullet holes and dark red stains stood out in places. But most noticeable of all were his eyes. They contained the unique light of a killer, but there was more than that there. No matter how many cruel and dehumanizing acts someone carried out, even if they took part in a war and committed mass slaughters, they could not reach this level. Those icy eyes made one think he had to have killed a god or a demon to develop them. There were multiple sides to the human species, but he seemed to be made exclusively from the predator side. He destroyed and did nothing else. Just as a fool who tried to harness the power of a black hole or the Big Bang would destroy themselves along with many others, no one could control this man. He had not risen to the top of Government because everyone had wanted him there. No one had been able to stop him. It was because no one had been able to drag him down from his throne that he had been able to use the name of justice. He had enough power to singlehandedly clash with the rest of humankind. So he did not call ahead for an appointment or even knock before entering. Elvast silently stopped in front of a used tool shop and kicked down the door. !? The modified China dress beauty inside was initially shocked by the barbaric action, but when she saw the offenders face, she felt something squeezing her heart. She half got up from the counter and then froze in a pose that actually put a greater burden on all of her bodys muscles. Even the diaphragm in charge of her breathing stopped. Ahkah The predator did not care in the slightest. Her eyes widened past their limit, a clear liquid pooled at the corners of her eyes, and her alluring lips trembled unnaturally without uttering a peep. But the stubbly man ignored it all as he spoke to her. It has been too long. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!! She screamed as if breaking free of her bonds. Lu Niang Lan placed a hand on the counter, leaped over it, and then sent her foot toward the side of the mans head. No, she did more than that. While almost entirely upside down, she reached for the chest of her modified China dress and pulled out every hidden weapon she could. She threw several fork-shaped Fei Cha up toward his jaw, threw a Wan Ren Di (a dried mud container full of explosives) to the floor to create a smokescreen, and performed a side flip to right her body while using the centrifugal force to swing a Fei Zhao (claws attached to the end of a rope) toward the side of the mans head. It was all a single flowing motion. This was truly the full ability of the Perfect Dragon who could slay summoners without relying on a Material. That was sudden. But. Even so. But surely there was more you could have done. You should know you dont get a chance to prepare before every battle. !!!??? He spoke calmly. Blocking her opponents view with the smokescreen seemed to have actually made the monsters silhouette appear larger. Lu Niang Lan took a few steps back while throwing several Liu Ye Fei Dao throwing knives and also swinging around a Liu Xing Chui, fist-sized stones attached to either end of a long rope. It did not matter if her opponent was in a smokescreen, if he was an Award 1000 monster, or if he was a ghost returned from the depths of hell. She did not let him guard with his arms, she wrapped the thick rope around his neck, and she tugged him toward her. The modified China dress beauty used enough force to snap a tree trunk as thick around as her own waist. But Wha!? The one who was tugged forward was Lu Niang Lan herself. The man had not moved a step the entire time. With more surprise than despair on her face, the Perfect Dragon watched her own smokescreen gradually clear. It was not just that his neck had not snapped. He had not shed a single drop of blood. Even if most of them had been to deter him from action, just how many hidden weapons had she sent his way? Each and every one of them had contained enough force to slay the average summoner or vessel before they could move a finger. Even if they had desperately guarded themselves with a bulletproof shield, the attacks had delivered enough weight to snap their arms. And yet the monster named Elvast had no apparent weapons and had not taken any sort of defensive stance. His hands were casually stuck in his pockets, several ropes were wrapped around his neck, and his face only contained a look of pity. Whats the matter? Are you still not done? She had no words. The depths of her mind grew red hot and no words were forthcoming. Or so she wanted to believe. But she was actually overcome by a hopeless chill. And it was her heart that froze, not her mind. You could have acquired the title of strongest by doing nothing. By staying with me. But you instead chose to return to the wild by stabbing me in the back in the moment I achieved Award 1000. I thought you had acquired a wonderful power that not even I could duplicatebut it seems I was wrong. Ah. Ahh. Just to be clear, this visit is not fueled by vengeance. I was honestly impressed with you. Back then at that moment, it did not actually matter much that I had my back to you. The mere fact that you could maintain a desire to attack me, Elvast Toydream, after I had reached Award 1000, long enough to carry out said attack was truly admirable. After all, a normal person ends up like this the moment they are exposed to a hint of my power. Elvast reached out to the side. But not toward Lu Niang Lan. If he had, she would already have gone insane. He instead grabbed the head of his beautiful vessel. She was a tall and sensual woman in her early twenties. She had long wavy blonde hair and white skin. What she wore had likely been a full-body riding suit at some point, but it was barely recognizable now. After being exposed to countless thorough and intense burdens, more of it was torn than not. She might as well have been wearing leather belts over an otherwise naked body. Lu Niang Lan recalled the life she had once lived. She had lived in an animal cage and viewed the outside world through dark, lifeless eyes. In all likelihood, the only difference between Lu Niang Lan and this unknown vessel was whether they had rebelled against or accepted those circumstances. It was hard to believe, but that womans eyes did not contain fear or ecstasy. They contained an almost na?ve longing that would have looked more at home in a much younger girl. It was like she was proud of this opportunity to be a part, however small, of a heroic legend. And that legend let go of her. Reluctant to let the mans fingertips go, the vesselno, the sacrifices eyes pursued them, but she did not speak a single word of complaint. She had been completely corrupted. Elvast gave her a horribly disinterested look. So I simply wished to see how far you had honed your strength ever since breaking your bonds to a legend and gaining your freedom. Lu Niang Lans slender fingertips trembled. Her entire body quavered. Her skilled hands, lithe body, and sharp thoughts were all part of her deadly skill, but she gave up on all of them. The core of her being begged her not to: dont break your fangs and dont hand over your claws. If she lost those, she would fall. The hunter would become the hunted and she would be unilaterally feasted upon, squeezed dry, and have every last drop of marrow extracted from her bones. She would fall so completely that she could never escape again. If you insist, I will give you one last chance. That legend was entirely unilateral. He was not the type to have any concern for others. He made a proclamation as the tyrant who had created history while assuming the world would change for him. I will give you a chance to redo it all from the beginning. I am not ordering you to become my vessel. Feel despair once more and stab me. That is the compassion I am showing you. It was over. This was checkmate. She felt dizzy. A pressure from the past began to crush her mind. She had to repeat that one-in-a-million if not one-in-a-billion miracle? She could not. It was simply not possible. Did he have any idea how many people, things, money, information, and luck had been on her side at the time? If all of that had failed to break down the wall known as Elvast Toydream, there was no hope. She could only imagine living the life of a self-righting doll where she attacked but was knocked away and got up but was kicked back down. As her vision grew dark due to lack of oxygen, her utter despair may have made her hallucinate. She suddenly saw someone else walk in through the broken door. Oh, dear. Im not about to take issue with someone elses methods, but arent you putting too much pressure on her all at once? Go too far and people will lock the door to their heart and shut out the reality in front of their eyes. If you want them to maintain their ability to feel pain while you provide the greatest agony, you have to be more careful than that. She saw flowing silver twintails, a wedding dress elegantly cut down to size, and some silver armor added in places. It was the strongest of the strongest. The White Queen. H-how? The modified China dress beauty moved her pale lips to force out he words. Kyousuke-chan and the others said they hadnt located the Founders Gallery yet, so the Natural Historys missing entries shouldnt have been found yet The two did not respond. The strongest human casually spoke to the strongest oddity. You? You arent obligated to assist me this far. No, Im not. But I feel like thanking you for giving me 24 hours with my beloved brother. This body and power supported by the Natural Historys missing entries are fragile, but the feeling in the fingertips is not bad at all. Please accept this reward. I am willing to show some flexibility concerning what it is you want. Lu Niang Lans head wobbled. This time. This time it was truly over. The monster named Elvast Toydream was bad enough, but he had the White Queen on his side as well. She had her full power, she was not trapped in the Artificial Sacred Ground, and she was not restricted to 10 minutes. It was like playing a game of shogi with only a king and having every other piece targeting you. What good was any attempt she might make? Hm. Elvast slowly breathed out as he looked at Lu Niang Lans face. Immediately afterwards, his arm pierced the White Queens chest. Time stopped. Lu Niang Lan was supposed to be his enemy, but even she could not understand what had just happened. The White Queen was dead. And in a single blow from a flesh-and-blood arm that had not even summoned a Material. Oh, dear. The Queen did not seem to be in any pain, but she did look somewhat surprised. She tilted her head before being caught in a belated wave of destruction. Her smooth and seductive form lost all of its lifelike texture. Like a possessing spirit had left her, she became a mere doll with ball joints. When Elvast lightly swung the arm still piercing its hard chest, all of the joints fell apart and the pieces scattered across the floor. Stamp-sized pieces of paper spilled from the wound. They seemed to be old parchment or something similar. An oddly pleasant sound much like that of someone bowling a strike rang in Lu Niang Lans ears. Do not let this bind you, Niang Lan. No matter how much this might copy the appearance, it holds less than 1% of her total power. It is inferior even to the Blood-Sign method. What value is there in a miracle that can be pierced by a human hand? That was nonsense. Even if it was only the tip of her fingernail or a single hair, the Queen was still the Queen. The Unexplored-class lurked beyond even the gods of legend and she was the peak of the peak there. And a human had infiltrated that divine territory and killed her? He did not brag about it. This was not the end result of a great struggle toward his lifes greatest accomplishment. He had done it casually, like it was nothing. That was the peak of Government, Elvast Toydream. You Hm? But the Queen Are you asking how I did it? Or why I did it? Elvast sounded exasperated. How is simple. You seem to think that the knowledge sleeping in the Founders Gallery can be of some use, but that is no more than the result of my bloodlines obsession with collecting. How can you be sure I did not use Toy Dreams money and power for a similar hobby of my own? Stop trembling over some missing pages. That was the product of a mere hobby. But that is not where my skills lie, so it was not all that well made. Use the original gallery and you could probably create something a little better. This was not Guard of Honor whose worship of the Queen would have filled the world with Materials. This was not Telomeres End whose deathless world would have destroyed the order of society. This was not Liar Cat who would burn down everything for a single revenge. Why? ? Why now? Who knows. I certainly dont. I looked to the stars and was reminded of your face. If I had to give an answer, this is the best I can do. There had been no master plan here. Perhaps it was because this is Tanabata, when dreams come true. Isnt that enough for this? Isnt that enough of an impetus for the world to move? There was no connection to Azalea and The Saint of Bridesmaid or to Claude Magentarains interference. He had not been taking advantage of the chaos. His mere presence in this world was a crisis for all of humanity. If the world could continue behaving logically as if nothing had happened, it would only be a fluke. Just as the Queen had bent history to her will, a single step by that powerful man could alter the world of man. Then You want to know the reason why? You really have to ask? You, who have observed the man named Elvast Toydream more closely than anyone? I wish to break these bonds. These bonds of my legend, of being the strongest. But a doll of that level isnt enough. That was far too convenient for me, so it failed to function as my natural enemy. The most it could be was a sparring opponent or a tsumeshogi program. It is true I wanted to take a peek at the original gallery to check the Natural Historys missing entries. I wanted to improve the accuracy of my doll. I wanted a more worthy practice opponent. Lu Niang Lan searched through her past. And she came up emptyhanded. She found no information that helped her understand what was in his heart or how to escape this situation. But enough about me. Kh. She was out of ammo for buying time. All hope was lost. She tried to move back on trembling legs. This was clearly not the act of Illegals hidden blade who could make the Summoning Ceremony industry tremble in fear. She lost control and a tremor spread across her entire body, her thighs naturally turned inward despite how illogical and inefficient that was, and her eyes widened with the fear of prey about to be eaten. Unsurprisingly, she did not make it even a single step. Her heel caught on something and she fell pathetically onto her butt. She had tripped over what had once been the regal White Queen. It was one of the pieces scattered across the floor. As soon as she realized she was the same, Lu Niang Lan lost even the power to push herself up from the floor. The dolls fate would be her own. This man had control of her every action and even held her life in his hands. But this was not a strict guillotine execution. He was acting on a whim, but his absoluteness would not be swayed. This had to be the feeling of a hostage with a gun held to their forehead. And the trigger that was his tongue moved to fire the bullets that were his words. Come with me, Niang Lan. Once they were fired, silence was not an option. Yes or no? If she made the wrong choice, she too would be scattered across the floor. Let us take that fattened body and rusted soul and hone them anew. There was no escape. As Lu Niang Lan trembled and looked up at the man, she chose The action Shiroyama Kyousuke took in that instant was a simple one. He fired a bazooka toward the used tool shop. Lu Niang Lan herself was his usual source for that sort of heavy weaponry, but she was not his only option. For example, he could rely on Biondetta who had a bolt-action sniper rifle built into her Blood-Sign. Explosive flames and a shockwave blew away the shops wall. Even from a distance, the blast was powerful enough to toss Kyousukes hair and flip up the hem of Biondettas yukata. He had not had time to worry about who was inside or if Lu Niang Lan herself would be caught in the blast. If this was really Elvast Toydream he was up against, not even a portable nuclear rocket would be enough. Kyousuke tossed aside the empty launch tube and ran toward the shop that was starting to partially collapse. He did not need to bring Sekurtiti with him as his vessel. Once the Incense Grenade detonated, the summoner and vessel would be drawn to the same place. So he simply gave a yell. Come here!! Lu-san!! Something flashed beyond the smokescreen. He thought it was some kind of projectile and pulled the Repliglass Blood-Sign from his back, but the blow that struck it was powerful enough to nearly shatter his wrist. He just barely managed to deflect the first hit and somehow managed to avoid the second because Biondetta stuck her silver Blood-Sign in from the side. But that was enough for her weapon to break like it was made of plastic. She could no longer participate in a battle using the Summoning Ceremony. She grabbed the two halves in her hands and wielded them like twin blunt weapons to support Kyousuke. Only after the two of them deflected a few more of the deadly projectiles could he identity one of them that shot skyward and lost its speed. It looked like a sharply pointed ceramic shard. (Are they pieces of a broken doll!?) This was not a legendary weapon that only an expert could wield. He could not say what this doll had originally been. He recalled that this tyrant, the uncontrollable Government Award 1000, had been the type of person who rejoiced in destroying his own accomplishments. But there was no time for fear. Kyousuke gave Biondetta a look and the Oiran-style mini-yukata demon moved away while her boots sounded on the ground. At the same time, Kyousuke gave up on defense. He maintained his momentum from running full speed ahead and slid across the ground. Several shard bullets passed by overhead as he dove through the large hole in the wall and into the dust-filled shop. By happenstance, he ended up sliding between the legs of a woman in the tatters of what had once been a riding suit. Seeing the Thousand Eater swing up his arm with enough force to sever that womans thighs, Kyousuke thrust his Blood-Sign forward as he slid. He slightly diverted the mans fingers, but his own Blood-Sign was knocked away, sending him rolling along the floor. After narrowly avoiding death again and again, he finally reached Lu Niang Lan. Kyousukechan? Still sitting on the floor, the modified China dress beauty spoke his name in a daze, but they did not have time for that. With his momentum intact, he grabbed Lu Niang Lans hips with both arms and pushed her down. He then raised his voice. Biondetta!! Another explosion came from outside. Rubble and dust filled the shop and flowed over Kyousuke and Lu Niang Lans heads as they lay down on the floor. Elvasts unknown (and possibly truly nameless) vessel in the tattered riding suit was still standing, but Kyousuke seriously doubted this was enough to defeat them. He doubted they had even braced against the impact of the first bazooka blast. She was overshadowed by Elvast, but the blonde vessel was a monster herself. He got a fresh start while holding Lu Niang Lan and crouched low. As the dolls nails, eyeballs, and other parts tore through the smokescreen as countless sharp bullets, Kyousuke ran just a few meters through that hell to roll out the back door. It was all a mess. So many factors were outside his calculations that he was amazed he was still in one piece. Biondetta softly caught both their body weights on her large breasts and then dragged them out through a large hole in the wall. Sekurtiti was waiting there with her. Sir, do you have your Blood-Sign and Incense Grenade? Do you still have all your limbs? Are you strong enough for a Summoning Ceremony battle!? Ive got everything I need. More importantly, take Lu-san and get out of here. Sekurtiti and I will finish off Elvast. He heard strange explosive sounds from all around. He had fired that initial bazooka blast and then Biondetta had blown up this wall. Sparks were raining down everywhere and igniting the container modules full of fireworks. This could easily develop into a great conflagration that enveloped the whole Chinatown. Shiroyama Kyousuke. I have a suggestion. What is it? But even in that extreme environment, Sekurtiti crouched down in her bandages, tiara, and Y-shaped lace to speak calmly. Cancel your contract with me and bind a new one with that woman. If you do not, there will truly be no helping her. He had not expected that suggestion. It was true Sekurtiti had no reason to get directly involved in this. Lu Niang Lan was much more deeply connected. But could this modified China dress beauty do that? Could she make that choice? Her extreme skill with martial arts and hidden weapons was the result of her firm rejection of entrusting herself to the Summoning Ceremony for life as a vessel. Could he really make her break that conviction? You are looking at this wrong, Shiroyama Kyousuke. But Sekurtiti spoke up to correct a fundamental mistake. The very fact that she is firmly rejecting that life is a sign that she is refusing to face her past and continues to be bound by it. If she had truly been freed from those bonds, then she would not care one way or the other. The firmness of her rejection is equivalent to the strength of those bonds, so she has yet to conquer them. And this is probably her last chance to free herself. No matter how it happens, she will never break free if she misses this opportunity. Even if Elvast dies today, his ghost will continue to haunt her heart. I do not want to create that kind of fruitless grudge in the pharaohs tomb. This city should be where the pharaohs remains sleep peacefully as they await the return of his soul, not a haunted place where people fear a curse. Government Award 1000. This required the defeat of Elvast Toydream, a man who became a living legend. But not by Shiroyama Kyousuke. Lu Niang Lan had to defeat him herself to cleanse her of her past. Can you do it, Lu-san? Can you break your own rules to overcome your past!? Can you!? For a while, she did not answer. No, perhaps it was simply that difficult for her trembling and charming lips to form the words. That was how close to breaking she was. I But she managed. She sat on the ground, crumpled up her face, and showed no sign of her usually confident and alluring appearance. She was worn down, beaten, and battered. Even so, that woman who had again had everything taken from her spoke the words. I want to move on. It was almost like her feelings were a damaged record that kept repeating as the needle skipped. I dont want to be bound by the past. I want to walk forward on my own feet. I dont want to be imprisoned by anything. I dont want to be overwhelmed by a life where I thought I had escaped but only get attacked from behind. But there was something she had never lost. No matter how much she was hurt or how much she suffered, this would not be lost as long as the record itself did not shatter. It would never be lost. It didnt have to be Illegal! I just wanted to escape Government!! The underworld wasnt particularly comfortable. I didnt want to turn my back on justice! But as long as it let me shake off that awful shadow! I just wanted to leave that cage. I wanted to be freed from that oppression. I wanted to spread my arms and bathe in the sun without having to ask anyones permission!! So!! He had thought he understood her. But he had not. Because now Shiroyama Kyousuke came in contact with her truly exposed soul. Help me, Kyousuke-chan. I never want to go back there!! I want to seal up that hell here and now. I want to say goodbye to my past and continue on to the future! So help meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!! He never would have hesitated here. When faced with that much heat, it would have been hard to find even the slightest reason to do so. As you wish. He only needed a small blade. As long as he cut his index finger and let a single drop of blood well up, the door to the divine would open. As Lu Niang Lan licked up the drop of blood and swallowed it, the thoroughly destroyed shop remained entirely silent. Almost like their enemy was watching over them. He had to have had countless opportunities to kill them, but the legend named Elvast Toydream still did nothing to intervene. I see. So that is your choice. They heard a voice. Most unfortunate. You honed yourself so far and had the willpower to stab an Award 1000 in the backand yet you still cannot escape the bonds of the Summoning Ceremony. She no longer needed to let his nonsense drag her spirit down. Kyousuke pulled out a hairspray-sized Incense Grenade and pulled the pin out with his mouth. Once he threw it, an Artificial Sacred Ground would be swiftly set up and he would be able to invite a Material into Lu Niang Lans body as his vessel. This could easily be the trigger that would bring back a powerful nightmare for her. Do it, Kyousuke-chan. But the modified China dress beauty still spoke while placing her hand on Kyousukes holding the lever. I will end this here and now. So this will be the final nightmare!! There really was no reason to hesitate. The two of them threw the Incense Grenade together and their one shot at this began. Just as Biondetta swiftly left the scene with Sekurtiti, a 20 meter Artificial Sacred Ground surrounded the back alley and the half-destroyed shop. Enemy and ally faced each other with the three-dimensional red Rose floating between them. Government Award 1000, Thousand Eater. Elvast Toydream and the nameless beauty. The supreme man lightly stepped on his own shadow and something shot up vertically. It was a reddish-brown mass of rust. But when he casually caught it and tossed it against the wall, the rust peeled away from the surface. This revealed a glittering gold Blood-Sign that gave off a bright light. As far as pure skill as a summoner went, he was probably historys strongest. A single hit to the mostly random Rose and he could accurately knock the exact sequence of letters into the Spots needed to summon the White Queen and declare checkmate with his very first move. If he could do that with 100% accuracy, no summoner could hope to challenge him. It was like working to gather a decent hand while your opponent was always dealt a royal flush. No amount of effort or even cheating could defeat someone who possessed such incredible luck. But. Just as two White Thorns shattered the Rose, something happened. Or perhaps it would be more accurate to say something did not happen. The legend had made his first shot, but the White Queen was not summoned. Petals fell into the Spots like normal and the two vessels transformed into the Original Series slimes like normal. Because she had seen that hopeless legend from closer than anyone, Lu Niang Lan voiced her surprise directly in Kyousukes brain. (What?) Oh? Elvast himself sounded amused. He sounded like someone who had cast their fishing rod without expecting anything but then felt a small fish biting. There are two ways of getting past your first-move win. The first is to hit and break the Rose before you can, but Im sure you have some simple countermeasures for that one. Kyousuke was not speaking up just because he liked to explain. By revealing and crushing his opponents methods, he could reduce the mans charisma at least a little. Shiroyama Kyousuke was familiar with this mans legend. And he had lost to the man once already. If he did not do this, his legs would give out. The boy would utterly fail to reach the battered image of the strongest he wanted to be. And your first-move win looks like it leaves a lot to chance, but that isnt accurate. The Rose is formed by a three-dimensional arrangement of the 6 x 6 x 6 = 216 Petals. The arrangement of those letters and the location of the Spots seem random, so calculating out where to send your White Thorn might seem pointless, but that isnt true. The letter arrangement and Spot locations are based on the terrain. So if you accurately search out all the terrain conditions in advance, you can calculate out those seemingly random factors. And that leads to a nightmarish attack that summons the Queen in a single move! Of course, knowing how it worked was not enough to actually pull it off. Even Kyousuke had merely been able to guess that it might be possible to calculate that out, but he had not actually reached the level of making those calculations. No, they were no longer calculations. This man had reached Award 1000, so it was a miracle only possible for him. It was a complex combination of natural intuition and vast experience, like a fortuneteller outdoing a weather satellites forecasts just by reading the wind and looking at the shapes of the clouds. But interfering with that method was much easier. Everything he had needed had already existed across C Blocks Chinatown. That meant we only had to distort and destroy the entire terrain to throw off the timing of your attack. For example, setting off hundreds of thousands of fireworks and starting a fire that entirely changes the terrain! (Y-you mean you broke that monsters unbeatable method?) You thought you had perfectly calculated the Roses internal arrangement and the Spots locations, but we altered them at the last second so your surefire attack wont work!! I appreciate the vigorous effort, said the legend as he shook his jacket covered in blade cuts and bullet holes, and raised his Blood Sign which shined with the golden color of a king. But all you did was seal away my trick homerun. I still have plenty of options left: hitting a double to center left field, stealing bases, a sacrifice fly, or a drag bunt to name a few. Yes, it was not that the Thousand Eater could only do that. He had simply chosen the simplest and easiest option from his great arsenal of strategies. And that had been so unbeatable that it had shaped his legend. It should have been obvious, but Elvast could do more than just that. And whatever he did, it would be with the greatest, fastest, best, toughest, and strongest accuracy. (!!) Dont be ashamed of your fear, Lu-san. Use it to reach for victory!! Several White Thorns ricocheted around the half-collapsed shop. A detonated container spun through the air, crashed through one of the shops few remaining walls, and tumbled across the center of the Artificial Sacred Ground, but it changed nothing. Amid all the fierce explosions, flashes of light, and shockwaves, even Kyousuke had difficulty keeping up with the battle. No, he was clearly overheating. He normally could not draw out this much speed and accuracy. He was so desperate to keep up with and snap at the heels of this living legend that his internal skill was dragged out like a car surpassing its limits using the slipstream created by the car in front of it. Their Materials rose from Regulation-class to Divine-class in no time at all. And their monsters did not stay there as they were seamlessly built up further. Asp. Divine-class. Sound Range: Low. Cost: 3. That extremely venomous snake put its prey to sleep with its gaze and then finished them off with its unavoidable venomous fangs. That precision-guided assassin could be controlled by a curse and sent after the desired target. Remora. Divine-class. Sound Range: Middle. Cost: 6. That monstrous fish would latch onto the bottom of a ship and stop it from moving, no matter how large the ship was. Then that marine grim reaper would bewitch the crew into leaping into the ocean. Achlis. Divine-class. Sound Range: Low. Cost: 6. That quadrupedal holy beast gained divine speed in exchange for never being able to get back up if it fell down even once in the arctic land in which it lived. Phenix. Divine-class. Sound Range: Middle. Cost: 6. That spirit bird was reborn in fire about every 500 years and gained eternal life through its continual rebirth. Legends of that transcender of life were said to be passed down from Egypt but there were no such legends there and its origins were wrapped in mystery. Pyrallis. Divine-class. Sound Range: Low. Cost: 8. That ruler of a volcano crater welling with red-hot boiling copper was a minute insect yet had a dragons head, four legs, and beautiful wings. Bonnacon. Divine-class. Sound Range: Middle. Cost: 8. That quadrupedal beast caused chemical burns with a wide spray of its own filth. A single attack could cause damage to an entire theatre. Caladrius. Divine-class. Sound Range: High. Cost: 9. That white holy bird could absorb the illness from someones body. That master of purification had the power to swallow evil and would not allow anything else to follow it. Amphisbaena. Divine-class. Sound Range: Middle. Cost: 11. That venomous snake had a head at each end to more efficiently spread the powerful venom brewed in its body. That user of evil intoxication was powerful enough to hold a position opposite that of the god of alcohol. (H-hes fast!?) Kyousukes vessels thoughts exploded in his mind. They had easily moved beyond a level that would normally require defeating several summoners and using a Chain to reach. Their Materials were built up again and again at dizzying speed and a lot of them were monsters described in Plinys Natural History. It was hard to simply define the strength of the gods, but in the Blood-Sign method where the letters determined everything, these monsters power could be efficiently drawn out and they could fight on equal or greater footing than the gods of other mythologies. Elvast Toydream spoke with an almost carefree air as he acted like the leading car inviting the challenger to a realm of abnormal speed down the hellish twists of turns of a mountain road at night. What do you think of this world? () Kyousuke felt Lu Niang Lans heart leaping like it was his own. But he did not have time to respond to the question. His thoughts were already past their limit and his hands were moving with no time for his surface thoughts to keep up. He could just barely come up with a list of candidates for his next Material, but he was mostly running on instinct and had no real track. He felt like he was driving a racecar at 300 kph through a thick forest. As everything flew toward him at great speed, the slightest mistake would mean a head-on collision that split the car down the center. (The spear-wielding head of the Norse gods who tore out an eye and hanged himself Sound Range: Low. Cost: 4. The wild head of the Greek gods who cut open his fathers stomach to rescue his many brothers Sound Range: High. Cost: 4. No good. They have too few letters, so theyre not well suited to the Blood Sign method! I need to build up more letters to draw out more power. Oh, I know. Aztec mythology. That great feathered serpent that wraps around a great evil to endlessly create and destroy new worlds! Sound Range: Low. Cost: 12!!) Kyousukes thoughts raced so quickly his mind nearly burnt out as he came up with his next move, but even through all that, Elvast had the resources to spare for a conversation. Worship the White Queen. Oppose the White Queen. And to do that, you must master the Summoning ceremony where the White Queen stands at the peak. In the end, everyone is the same. We say so many impressive-sounding things, but we never actually intend to escape the White Queens bonds. In fact, we seem to be actively trapping ourselves in that spider web. (Is that something for a legend to say? How can you say that when you can summon her with your first move and achieve the easiest and greatest victory!?) Kyousuke accepted his vessels rage. He was too focused to speak, but Elvast must have read the emotion in his eyes because the man smiled thinly. Thats right. The legend exposed the contents of black box that could not be seen on the surface. I am trapped by the White Queen more than anyone. And I could not forgive my soul for being so fragile. (Eh?) The vessels confusion nearly filled Kyousukes thoughts as well. But even now, time was moving even faster. Almost like a form of superhuman acrobatics. (That monsterthat tyrantrecognized his own imperfection?) Several White Thorns whizzed around every which way far too quickly for Kyousukes surface thoughts to follow as Elvast and Kyousukes Materials left even the Divine-class behind. They were now in the Unexplored-class. These were those who lurked beyond the gods. Kyousuke summoned an Unexplored-class with a Sound Range of High and a Cost of 14. The Gold Harlot who Serves the Killer Boxes (hs - a - te - ei - yw - az - a - hq). A gold woman wore a skimpy, jewel-covered dress so gaudy it actually looked cheap. A pile of countless treasure chests and coin bags moved all on its own at her feet. They were all largescale traps that trembled with wicked hunger and contained digestive organs lined with teeth. The Unexplored-class with flowing hair of pure gold leaped toward her prey while those traps followed her. But Elvast was not concerned. He had an Unexplored-class with a Sound Range of Middle and a Cost of 19: The Lady of Purple Lightning that Separates Good from Evil (iu - ao - eu - ei - kub - miq - a - ci - pl). A short-haired girl wearing only the bare minimum of purple cloth sat in a wheelchair. She slowly moved her finger and fought back with beams of light. Yes, yes. That is why I had such high hopes for Niang Lan. No, why I envied her. (???) Just as I achieved Award 1000 and was shifting to the other side, she stabbed me. It was perfect! She is a true and undeniable human!! After all, that means she threw out her worship of the Materials and chose to remain in the human world! No matter how powerful I grew or how much of a legend I saw myself as, I was never able to throw out the Summoning Ceremony, but she turned her back on it and announced she was starting down her own path!! Lu Niang Lans thoughts could no longer be converted into words. It was not just that she could not believe the reality before her eyes. She had spent a lifetime building up so much hatred and the foundation below it all was threatening to crumble away. Or perhaps she was ashamed that she had called him a tyrant without ever realizing his true intentions. That was how transparent Elvast had been. It was almost as if the surface of that lake had been colored by the crass humans surrounding him. Is that why youre still fixated on Lu-san? Words finally left Kyousukes mouth. Kyousuke understood why that long-haired stubbly man would seek Lu Niang Lan as the only person he had ever accepted, but would he really adore her to this extent? He worked his thoughts while moving even more than before. This may have been the moment when the boys skill, drawn out by contact with the legend, began to leave Elvasts expectations. Yes. And now youre ordering her to redo everything because she didnt develop in the way you wanted? Yes!! He smiled. The demonic beast named Elvast still had it in him to smile. Where else can you find such talent? Even if you searched through all 7 billion people on Earth one by one, where else could you find someone who can pull herself away from the draw of the White Queen!? I continued down the one path but never reached that level. I hated the White Queen more than anyone, but I was never able to throw out the easy and simple power of the White Queen!! So she must hone herself once more. I knew this sword was too great for someone like me, so I cast it into the outside world, hoping it would be honed even further, but now I find it covered in rust in a cheap pawn shop! How can I overlook that treatment? How can I abandon humankinds last hope!!!??? () There were no words from the vessel. The kings proclamation was probably accurate. Lu Niang Lan had loathed, hated, and (most of all) feared that man, but Elvast respected her from the bottom of his heart and had - for that very reason - not shown her any special consideration. He had given her a daily life that would have shattered every last pillar supporting a normal persons personality in order to raise her up to what he considered the ideal form for a woman. It was true that Kyousuke had not shaken free the bonds of the Summoning Ceremony. No matter how much he hated the White Queen, he still held his Blood-Sign in the end. Even though he knew a great evil reigned at the peak and it was all done in the palm of her hand. The one truly worthy of fighting back against the White Queen may have been this beautiful woman who had shaken off the Summoning Ceremonys temptation and lived by her own two hands. It was not Shiroyama Kyousuke or Elvast Toydream; it was Lu Niang Lan. And by inviting her back into this world as a vessel, Kyousuke had rusted her soul. Lu Niang Lan had fled. She had fled from Elvast Toydreams hopes and expectation and everything they entailed. And to gain her freedom and avoid fighting the White Queen, she had stabbed her own king in the back. Kyousuke understood all that. And yet he still said it. To hell with that. He did not have time to say much. He was still only barely hanging on, so even an unwanted twitch of a finger could lead to death. But he simply had to say this. All youre talking about is your idea of the ideal Lu Niang Lan. That doesnt mean Lu-san has to go along with any of it. He shifted his thoughts up to their limit. He was amazed that he still had a higher gear to shift up to. So what if shes worthy. How does that help her conquer the fear? No, Kyousuke may not have been opposing the tyrant before his eyes. He may have been opposing the other person he was linked to. He may have been opposing the woman who felt absolutely cornered and was hanging her head. He may have been opposing her to get her to raise her head once more. So what if only she can do it? Thats no excuse for forcing her through more suffering than other people!! Everyone would be afraid of facing the White Queen head on!! You couldnt do it yourself and you fled to this gentle peace, so you have no right to corner Lu-san. If you dont have the courage to stand by her side to fight with herno, to tell her its dangerous and have her stand behind you to protect her, you have no right to say anything about her!!!!!! She did not have to become a hero. She did not need to bear the hope of humankind. No one would honor her if she recklessly challenged the White Queen as some kind of human representative. No matter what anyone said, Lu Niang Lan should have been the kind of normal girl you could find anywhere!! (Kyousukehyan) An especially large container of fireworks exploded nearby. The store no longer had any walls standing and the area had become nothing but an empty lot. All the while, Kyousuke accurately threaded his White Thorns through the gaps in the container pieces that blew around like scraps of paper in a storm. (I want to stop him. I want to overcome this peak and reclaim my life!! So Kyousuke-chan, please!!) Yes, lets end his selfishness here!! They had already reached the Unexplored-class. Their Materials all possessed extraordinary power that surpassed the gods of legend. No matter what they chose, it would have enough violent power to end any normal battle. And Shiroyama Kyousukes selection was perfect. Unexplored-class. Sound Range: Low. Cost: 20. The Red-Eyed Lady who Sees Through all Sin and Calamity (fa - ao - ab - ei - fj - cib - b - du - a - eif). She was one of the Three who stood near the peak of the Unexplored-class. Her power was devastating even among the monsters of the Unexplored-class. She was the guardian of Government and she wore a partially removed kimono and a one piece swimsuit. She had long hair and she had two horns on her forehead. Her hair was caught in countless giant gears behind her that connected the hair to all destiny like a loom. The words that left her mouth were already definite truth and, if she were to open her coolly closed eyes, it was said she would fix the future in place. Ive won, thought Kyousuke. He had prevented the White Queens immediate appearance, worked his way up to the Unexplored-class the old-fashioned way, and successfully reached the Red Lady who was one of the strongest once that greatest evil was removed from the equation. Elvast may have been a living legend, but he could not turn things around now. No matter what Unexplored-class he summoned, Kyousuke could crush him with brute force. There was nothing higher than this. Or so he thought. But he was forgetting something. He had indeed prevented her immediate appearance. He had made sure Elvast had to fight the old-fashioned way. But that did not make it impossible for the White Queen to appear. () The first to catch the scent was Lu Niang Lan who had stood by that mans side for so long. (What is this? This is the usual scent.) After all Ahh, ahh. This is why I hate myself Kyousuke heard a lamenting voice. Standing next to Elvast Toydream was one of the Unexplored-class who all had feminine forms. No matter what, I always end up relying on the White Queen in the end. He had to do it the old-fashioned way. His greatest cheat had been sealed away and he had needed to start from scratch. And yet Elvast Toydream had arrived there. This was not just one of the Three. He had summoned 100 Regulation-classes, 50 Divine-classes, and then arrived at the peak of even the Unexplored-class. Ah. (Thank you.) Unexplored-class. Sound Range: None. Cost: 21. The White Queen who Wields the Sword of Unsullied Truth (iu - nu - fb - a - wuh - ei -kx - eu - pl - vjz). (Kyousuke-chan, you did nothing wrong. Yes, you were just up against too fearsome an opponent.) Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!? That was the end of it. The slender index finger held to her lips swept sideways and the world was bisected. The battle was over. The explosion was so white that it brought silence to the Chinatown. The massive blast blew out the surrounding blaze. The White Queens attack had been truly childish, like using a 500kg bomb to blow out the few candles on a birthday cake. But the unbreakable legend remained standing all alone. He dropped his golden glowing Blood-Sign at his feet and muttered to himself. I want to die. No one in the world, not even Freedom Award 903, had been able to keep up with him. That stubbly man with long, messy hair was alone no matter where he went. Only the White Queen acted the same as always. She clasped her soft hands in front of her ample chest and smiled. Oh, dear. It isnt often that brother loses to the same person twice. If I wasnt involved, Id be jealous. Seeing his expectations betrayed so many times is reminding me of the Queens Miniature Garden Elvast gave her a look of wholehearted resentment, but the Queen did not care. A shrewd eye could tell it was really the White Queen who Shiroyama Kyousuke had lost to twice. As if to prove that they were bound by a powerful destiny. If Elvast did not use the Queen, this might have ended differently. Once the 90 second Chain is over, I will disappear into the ether. The White Queen spoke in a singsong voice. And I have no interest in anyone other than my brother. You spoke of bonds, puny human. But in truth, I have not done anything. Do not forget that this is no more than your own soul pursuing me. She laughed. And one last thing. To reward you for distracting me from my boredom, I have a prophecy for you. ? Your wish will soon be granted. Bye Like a light switch being flipped or like waking from a dream, it all vanished. Containing the White Queen in her body must have been quite a burden because the woman in the shredded riding suit gasped for breath and slumped to the floor. No, she collapsed to her side and passed out. Elvast did not care. He had won. And by borrowing that loathsome white power. He was hopelessly strong and, at the same time, hopelessly weak. He wandered through the collapsed shop and approached that woman who had been his one light, who had possessed the possibility of shaking free of the Summoning Ceremony and severing the temptation of the White Queens power. I The words escaped his lips. He did not expect anyone to answer him. I was so very glad when you stabbed me in the back. I thought I had been saved. At first glance, his words may have seemed baffling. But they were the undeniable truth. If it could have ended here, I wouldnt have had to reach Award 1000 or move to the other side. I would have been able to die a human without becoming a strange Material. So nothing mattered to me more than you, someone who stopped me at the very last second even if it meant stabbing me in the back. In the end, he had pathetically survived. A single blade had failed to stop the legend. But the bright light he had received then had continued to shine in his chest the entire time. I had no one else. Government is just the worlds largest law and order organization. Everyone applauded with fake smiles plastered to their faces as they shoved my fearful back ever onward and upward. The only one with the strength to stop me, even if it meant staining their hands with blood, was you, Niang Lan. As he had wandered the world, he had sought countless replacements. He had crossed paths with many women, made them his vessel, given them great power, and made them a part of his legend. To the majority of the world, those women would have seemed like successes. Everyone would have envied their lives and the women themselves never doubted their own happiness. But every time he saw their smiles, Elvast had sensed something indescribably wrong and cast it all aside. No matter how much power they had, they were the same as the Government aides. They had been pathetic puppets who were too afraid of something to directly face the threat and simply tricked themselves into believing they were happy. From that point, he had already detected that white scent. There was no one else He would find her. He would find that person who had changed so completely since he had last seen her that it was hard to look at her. Like a rusted sword, she had been dragged back into the world of the Summoning Ceremony and now she repeated the same action again and again with empty eyes. Elvast bit his lip, knowing he never should have let her go. He should not have thought it was over when she stabbed him in the back. He should have crawled across the floor and grabbed her with his bloody hand to stop her. He had been unable to show her his weakness. That inability may have been the root of Elvast Toydreams weakness. I do not care how much you loathe me. Killing me can be your greatest desire. He slowly crouched down. He held his weakened target of longing in his arms. She was an obedient doll, a zombie in the original sense of the word, and someone who had received the same shock as seeing her god slaughtered before her eyes. The cowardly man was only able to reveal his feelings to her after tearing her down to this level, but that was why he spoke the undiluted truth now. I will hone you again or as many times as it takes, Niang Lan. I will ensure you can reach the choice that someone as weak as me never could. He pressed two objects into her back: the Diamond Master Key and the Golden Treasure Chest. Combined with the ancient map on the brown girls back, they would take one to the Founders Gallery. Someone who had broken their bonds to the Summoning Ceremony and the White Queen might think up another use for them. But if I asked you to do this all again, it would probably break you. So this is a hint and some bait. Use it as you wish and then come to kill me. If I showed you my own personal collection, I doubt you would be able to break your bonds to me. This distance is just right. Elvast respected this woman more than anyone but he spoke softly to her like he was trying to get an unruly child to listen. But then something else happened. The sound was actually very quiet. But oddly enough, the strange sound rang endlessly in the long-haired and stubbly mans ears. No, in the center of his chest. Ah? The sound came from Lu Niang Lan in his arms. More accurately, from her small fist. Elvast looked down in surprise and saw her fist embedded in the center of his chest. It was only a few centimeters, but the pressure was devastating. As he watched, her fist smoothly rotated and released all of its built up power. She did not have her feet planted on the ground and she had not spun her hips to build up power. She had used only the strength of her arm and she had only swung it blindly. It was a truly tiny attack that only used the short distance between her fist and his chest. But it exploded. The pressure on his heart sent immense pressure to all of his blood vessels. His sternum and ribs shattered in the blink of an eye and the spine behind his heart snapped with a solid sound. Already covered in blade cuts and bullet holes, his jacket tore and violently burst. What happened to his heart goes without saying. Ohbh? He forgot to breathe in his surprise, and that may have been the only reason he did not spew blood everywhere. Lu Niang Lan had lost the Summoning Ceremony. She had received a mental shock equivalent to seeing what she unquestioningly believed to be a god slaughtered before her eyes. For more than 24-hours, she would repeat the same action endlessly and she would be unable to resist outward stimuli, no matter who they came from. So it should have been impossible for her to make an attack after intentionally tricking him into lowering his guard. So what was this? What was the meaning of this refreshing barehanded attack that had instantly killed Government Award 1000 without using the Summoning Ceremony in any way? Ha ha. A laugh spilled from his lips. That breath brought an explosion of fresh blood flowing up from his torn lungs and out his mouth. Even so, Elvast did not stop laughing. In fact, tears of joy welled up in the corners of his eyes. After losing the Summoning Ceremony, peoples normal masks were torn from them to reveal their exposed souls. Was that what this was? If Elvast Toydream approached her, she would not hesitate to slay him, even at a subconscious level. The Summoning Ceremony was irrelevant. It was Lu Niang Lans soul that she had continued to hone all this time. It did not matter that he had reached Award 1000, that he was the worlds strongest, or that he used the Queen. She did not rely on anyone. And she used only her own fist to face the enemy blocking her way. Incredible. Trulyincredible. Death assaulted his body as if he had suddenly remembered to die. He could tell on an instinctual level that there was no saving him. But he felt no fear. He had been shown hope. Even if the rest of the 7 billion people on the planet were hopelessly dyed white and even if all those summoners and vessels spoke of plans to defeat the White Queen and yet relied on her, this woman still existed. She had snapped the thread of temptation. Now that she had demonstrated that, he felt no more attachment to the world. He felt no pain or fear, only the gentle embrace of death that would sever all his bonds. Yes. His entire body was destroyed and he endlessly coughed up blood, but Elvast Toydream embraced humanitys hope even tighter. He shut his eyes and spoke his last words. You really werean amazing woman. Facts: *The one who reached 1000 was named Elvast Toydream and he was a direct descendent of the Toy Dream Companys president. He had his own collection separate from the Founders Collection, had acquired knowledge equivalent to the Natural Historys missing entries from a different source, and had successfully created the doll he used for the White Queens permanent summoning. *But the Queens quality was inferior to the Blood-Sign method, so she was weak enough to be killed instantly by Elvasts fist. Unsatisfied with that, he grew somewhat interested in the Natural Historys missing entries, hoping to create a more worthy sparring partner. *The location of the Spots in the Artificial Sacred Ground and the arrangement of the Petals inside the Rose are dependent on the territorial effects such as the floor of the Artificial Sacred Ground. But the only one capable of performing those detailed calculations was Elvast Toydream who had both a genius intellect and a wild beasts instincts. *Elvast reached Award 1000, but he was afraid to pass over to the other side. *Elvast sought the Founders Gallery to promote Lu Niang Lans growth without directly giving her any power. He hoped she would eventually complete a technique to kill him and the White Queen. *Lu Niang Lan is skillful enough to subconsciously kill her target even after losing the Summoning Ceremony. Elvast had always been bound by the Summoning Ceremony, so he left the world trusting in the human strength he felt there. Volume 6, Ending X-01 - A Bouquet for Your Enemy at the Hilltop Grave Volume 6, Ending X-01: A Bouquet for Your Enemy at the Hilltop Grave Are you sure you want that? I am not as strong a person as Elvast thinks. (Ending X-01 Open 07/09 10:00) A Bouquet for Your Enemy at the Hilltop Grave The hellish battle was over. July 7s Tanabata was over, so the astronomical observation fair had ended and Toy Dream 35 had been freed from the strict lux restriction. Bright lights would color the night once more, but due to the massive fireworks disaster in C Block, the fireworks festival everyone had been looking forward to had been canceled. Honestly, I apparently sent him from this world with my own hand, but it doesnt feel real when someone has to tell me about it afterwards. Its like the nightmare hasnt left my heart. Modified China Dress Beauty Lu Niang Lan sounded troubled. She and Kyousuke were outside the city. They had selected an arbitrary hill, buried Elvast Toydreams body there, and erected a perfunctory gravestone on top. There was no name carved into it and anyone who happened across it probably would not know what it was. He had been the king of Government, the world police. He had reached Award 1000 and been praised as inhuman, but this was always how a summoner met their end. The authorities had not been notified of his death and they did not have permission to bury him, making this abandonment of a corpse, but no one would accuse them of wrongdoing. Memories of summoners and vessels vanished from peoples minds once they were out of sight. Kyousuke spoke as a long, skinny contrail cut by in the blue sky overhead. Ill be ending the contract soon, but what will you do? That meant she would at least temporarily return to Award 0. The unorthodox Awards she had built up without a summoner would be erased in the process of binding and canceling a contract with Alice (with) Rabbit. But as expected, Lu Niang Lan sounded troubled. I doubt I can cut my ties to Illegal now, so even if Im a little suspicious of you, please grab my hand. If you give me a chance to reach Award 1 or 2 on my own, my memories and awareness will return to normal. Are you sure you want that? I am not as strong a person as Elvast thinks. The modified China dress beauty sighed and scratched her cheek. Im afraid of having the three major powers attack me while Ive lost my memories. Im afraid of losing my usual cycle of earning money. I''m afraid of breaking the bond with you and that swimsuit shut-in. I just cant free myself from the draw of the Summoning Ceremony and the White Queen. Im even afraid of severing the bonds Ive made with other people. At that point, a rustling sound came from Kyousukes hands. Lu Niang Lan sounded exasperated. Did you really bring a bouquet for him? Lu-san. I might be wrong about this, and you can get as mad as you want if I am. What is it? With the modified China dress beautys permission, Kyousuke opened his mouth again. That troubled look on your face. Is that the look you get when youre holding back tears? Nothing more was necessary. The usually transcendently sexy young woman wept like a child in the summoners chest. This was a secret just between the two of them. And as Shiroyama Kyousuke held her in his arms, he silently ended the contract. Facts: *When someone who already has Awards binds a contract with a summoner and becomes a vessel, their previous Awards vanish and are overwritten by the summoners Awards. If the contract is ended, their Awards will reset to zero, so this process can be thought of as purifying the vessel of their Awards. However, the reverse (the vessels Awards overwriting the summoners) is not possible, so there is no way for a summoners awards to be purified, returning them to a normal person. *Lu Niang Lan returned to 0 when the contract ended, but she hoped to quickly acquire a simple Award to return to Illegal. This suggests she is going against Elvasts wishes by creating her own bonds. *Kyousuke did not need to end his contract with Lu Niang Lan since she was already a professional, but he did so anyway. Not wanting to keep her for himself may be the difference between him and Elvast. *Elvast Toydream died. That is an obvious fact, but let us record it here. Volume 6, Ending X-02 - A Bouquet for Your Enemy at the Hilltop Grave Volume 6, Ending X-02: A Bouquet for Your Enemy at the Hilltop Grave Onii-chan. Do you know the story of the Worlds Happiest Girl? (Ending X-02 Open 07/09 21:00) When You Place the Rope Around that Alluring Neck A lot happened and it was time-consuming, so the next thing Shiroyama Kyousuke knew, night had fallen. He had been left with the Diamond Master Key and the Golden Treasure Chest, so he left Biondetta in his cruiser while he visited Aikas apartment in Toy Dream 35. He had already opened the chest and checked inside, but this would be his first time to compare that with the ancient map on Sekurtitis back. He had chosen the apartment as their gathering place. Onii-chan, you reek of a widow. That old hag was trying to seduce you, wasnt she!? That kind of niche fetish is too dangerous. Ill fix you! Look, theres a little sister in a sexily cute swimsuit right here. I dont really care. Youre not even going to give me a yes-or-no answer any more!? Aika froze in place while lying on her white liger sofa and toying with the string to her swimsuit bottom, but Kyousuke was focused on something else. I have no responsibility to tell you anything, but he is a summoner. Every last one of us is insane. A girl spoke to them from a tablets flat screen, using the shut-in girls lifeline: the internet. It was of course Azalea Magentarain. Claude and Elvast might have shown up, but she had been one of the masterminds(?) behind the entire incident. Youve already arrived? asked Kyousuke. Repliglass is good for more than just military purposes. The quality might be reduced for civilian use, but a lot of effort is being put into developing supersonic passenger planes. With 10 hours, reaching South Americas Devils Island was a piece of cake. We could have arrived and returned to Japan by now. She made it sound like a vacation, but as its name suggested, Devils Island was historically a penal colony. That penal system had been abolished and it was being transformed into a sightseeing spot, but Government loved its tradition and thus maintained deep roots there. She could not be set free after everything she did, but it would all be for naught if she was collected by someone like the Colorful Museum or Bridesmaid. So Hows Claude doing? He is trying to hide his embarrassment by running away while we chase him around in swimsuits. Hold up, 3A! Dont you dare take advantage of this situation. Didnt we agree to surround Claude Onii-sama on both sides to capture him!? She had someone to keep an eye on her this time. Now no one had to worry about a scummy group reusing her so easily. Claude was stuck being tossed about by girls, girls, swimsuits, girls, and sometimes an old man, but he had played a role in all this too. He did not get an easy road out. Kyousuke sighed. Looks like thats all worked out. Then we need to get started here, began Sekurtiti with power in her light blue eyes. He had ended his contract with her in C Blocks Chinatown, but she still seemed to remember Kyousuke and Aika. She was a tomb keeper and a Tomb Priestess. She contained a mysticism that predated the Third Summoning Ceremony discovered in 1999, so that may have maintained her memories and awareness. Are you ready? Are you? The brown girl smiled gently and placed a too-skinny index finger on her lips. I spoke with Aika before you arrived. She told me what she knows about the path you walked to reach this point. Kyousuke looked grim. That must not have been fun to hear. Dont be so sure, replied Sekurtiti in her gold tiara. Shiroyama Kyousuke. It seems you have happened across a variety of vessels in a variety of incidents and repeatedly said goodbye. That may have been a way to distance them from the conflict surrounding you, and it may have been because maintaining all those bonds makes it difficult for you to take action. But I do not lose my memories or awareness after the contract has ended. It seems like a small thing, but do not forget it. We are already in this together. I will bear that in mind. That answer must have satisfied Sekurtiti because she smiled and reached for her Y-shaped lace decoration. She turned her back and then reached for the knot at her hip for the bandages covering her body. The apple-sized chest had contained something like a glass panel. But the iridescent glow of the surface when looked at from an angle showed that it had slight bumps carved into the surface. By viewing the ancient map on the girls back through that special lens, the complex lines were bent according to a certain set of rules and the true image was revealed. Nn Can yousee it? Even if it was her back, she may have still felt some embarrassment at having someone staring at her skin. Or perhaps she was worried about the value of the information they had worked so hard to acquireno, that she had held for so long. She had held the ancient map, but she did not know what bringing all 3 treasures together would reveal. It was a lot like spending a long time protecting an un-appraised work of art. Of course she was a little worried. Kyousuke smiled a little at what he saw. Oh, I see. Hm? Is something the matter? No, basing it on an ancient map completely fooled me. Sekurtiti, about how old is this map? Even a low estimate puts it at about 2000 BCE. It took many forms back then, such as wall paintings and papyrus, but when the Romans arrived, it started being passed down on the Tomb Priestesses backs to maintain its secrecy. Thanks. Thats why I assumed some ancient ruins had been remade into the Founders Gallery. But the ancient map itself was honestly irrelevant. Eh? Im not saying the map on your back is a fake. Im sure it has its own meaning. It probably leads to a hidden village that still grows the fruit loved in an ancient dynasty or the location of the treasures stockpiled for the return of the dynasty. In fact, it was probably more convenient for President Toydream if it was real. Even if someone did see the ancient map, they would discover that truth and overlook his gallery. By placing a new image over the old map, the ultimate destination came into view. That meant the gallery could be located in a cutting-edge shelter or a high-rise building. By recording the ancient maps design in a computer and comparing it to the image one wanted in the end, the overlapping areas could be removed to create the lens. That would mean combining the lens and the ancient map would reveal the new map. Thus, the original image data could be anything. It could be a map to some ancient secret and it could be the supermarket sales flyer from the morning paper. President Toydream had chosen Sekurtiti because he had known an ancient map like that would be protected more carefully. Or perhaps he had been kindly placing them in the limelight to increase their mystical status. Either way, there had been no ill will involved. And when the new image came into view, Kyousuke nodded once more. Thats enough. Thank you, Sekurtiti. Youre welcome. Sekurtiti kept her back turned as she gently crouched down and picked up the fallen bandages. But, um, where did the Founders Gallery end up being? she asked. You made it sound like it has nothing to do with us and Egypt. Thats right, readily confirmed Kyousuke. Aika. What is it, Onii-chan? Sekurtiti looked confused by the sudden change of subject. But it was not a change at all. When did you realize the truth and what werent you telling us? The Founders Gallery is in this apartment building, isnt it? The brown girl was dumbfounded. With the golden tiara on her head and the bandages only half wrapped around her body, she froze in place and stared in confusion. But as the leader of the tomb keepers, perhaps the possibility should have occurred to her first of all. After all, her apartment building had only contained fellow tomb keepers and had been mostly turned into a fortress. And Aikas attitude did not change. She continued lying on the 5 meter beast she used as a sofa. Onii-chan, do you know the story of the Worlds Happiest Girl? The Toy Dream Company builds amusement parks around the world, but it is said the old man who founded it created the ultimate girl in the greatest fairy tale that surpasses Cinderella and Snow White. But due to certain circumstances, that picture book was never seen by the public. Yes. Ive also heard rumors that that phantom picture book is hidden somewhere in one of the Toy Dream cities. But I thought there was no basis to any of it. There was also all sorts of speculation about Person X who the Worlds Happiest Girl from the phantom picture book was supposed to be. Some said she was based on his wife when she was a girl. Some said she was meant to be every girl who visited a Toy Dream amusement park. Some said she was a ritual meant to breathe life into an entirely fictional story. But Aika had another theory. There are two reasons given for why there are no records of that book. The first is that its nothing but rumors and never existed. And the other is that all the records were erased. You dont mean muttered Sekurtiti. She too had experienced the phenomenon of vanishing from peoples minds and memories after going through a certain process. Aika Toydream. I wonder what that grandkid-obsessed old man would think if he knew the Worlds Happiest Girl was living here as a shut-in. That was her identity. When President Toydream had first held a major press conference and announced he was writing a new story, she was the girl who would have carried the weight of even more adoration and envy than Cinderella and Snow White. She was the lonely girl whose name would have been known around the world and who would have remained in peoples memories for ages to come, but could no longer be accepted by anyone. She was the princess who should have been known the world over, but who no one would recognize. She was a sun that gave off the brightest light imaginable but was blotted out by an eternal eclipse. Kyousuke had known that becoming a summoner had led her to feel rejected by everyone and that that had led her to give up on going outside. But he had not known it ran so deep. This granddaughter of President Toydream looked different from when she had been little and she had always been covered by a veil so she would not be kidnapped for ransom money. I didnt know what it meant. she said. I just wanted to see my grandpa smile. So I wanted to be more and more like the girl in the picture book. I wanted to be able to do anything just by waving around a wand, drawing out a magic circle, and sprinkling a magic potion. No, my vision wasnt even that concrete. I just wanted to wish my grandpa good luck when I saw him holding that book so adoringly. That was all it was. There was nothing he could do. There was nothing he could say to this. By the time I noticed the change, it was too late. I didnt disappear from peoples minds before reaching Award 100, so I was so excited. If I had turned back right away or stayed in place, I might not have lost everything, but I innocently peered into the depths And that abyss had taken everything from her. Her face had been blotted out from the world. Holding onto my grandpas gallery is my form of revenge. Aikas eyes contained a muddiness that Kyousuke had never seen there before. Guards are disguised as residents in the rooms around the gallery, but my grandpa and the Toy Dream employees have almost no connection to the Summoning Ceremony, so no one noticed when I joined them here. Yes, I was depressingly unnoticed. Hoarding this gallery was your revenge? Yes, by making sure no one could use it. Aika slowly narrowed her eyes. But it looks like thats over now. Im so tired of it all, so this might be the time to end it. Onii-chan, I trust you to not make any girls like me. And then she closed them. He had located the Founders Gallery. The Natural Historys missing entries were within reach. But Kyousuke remained motionless for a while. He was trapped by the delusional idea that shaking free of this distraction would cause the girl to crumble away like sand art in the wind. The hands of the clock marched on. Shiroyama Kyousuke and Sekurtiti descended to the floor below the top one. Will she be okay? I dont know But its my responsibility for cornering her like this. I need to look after her until she can get back on her feet. They walked down a hallway that was too clean to be lived-in. It felt like a stone chamber and they soon reached the door they were after. They inserted the master key Aika had given them. They turned it, grabbed the knob, and opened the door. A colorful scene appeared before them. The entire room was full of color. Its value may not have been obvious at first glance. There was a bizarre painting that warped the viewers mind, a quickly-scrawled out journal that may or may not have followed any kind of pattern, and what might have been a natural hunk of rock or a sculpture. It was so diverse and yet none of it was the same. Some paintings and sculptures of the White Queen sparkled amongst them. It brought immense relief to any who saw it but also it dragged away the soul of any who saw it. The most dangerous of all were the few scraps of parchment inside a frame. They were the lost pages. The Latin written there could be found nowhere else. They were the Natural Historys missing entries. They contained truly lost knowledge. A normal person and even the average summoner would not have known what they meant. The missing pages alone did not give the entire answer. They were only the final piece needed to decode the giant archive known as the Natural History. These greatly changed ones view of the 37-book masterpiece and revealed the truth of an entirely different world. And once that knowledge was used to view the gallery again, the treasures gathered from around the world had so many points in common. He had to wonder if this was how it felt for the scholar who had first discovered that the world had once been a single continent. Kyousuke himself may not have found the answer before his eyes if he had not arrived here with a goal in mind and viewed the scene through that new concept. The Founders Gallery contained the entire planets mysteries gathered and concentrated in one place. By viewing this, he could find an answer taken from all of human civilization. What had the president of Toy Dream imagined as he discovered all this around the world? Transforming these oddities and grotesqueries into picture books and theme parks may have been a form of genius in and of itself. Is it here? As the manager of a pyramid, Sekurtiti may have had more of an eye for treasure than the average person, but even she seemed overwhelmed. Is the answer you seek hidden here? Yes. Only after speaking did Kyousuke realize that was his answer. His mind was already elsewhere. The core of his personality was already shifting there. He could barely respond to anything else, but he couldn''t correct himself. He could tell his soul was being sucked into a whirlpool. It was a strange feeling, like seeing a theory or a blueprint taking physical form and actually functioning. Everything here supported him. This spring of infinite and unlimited knowledge told him there was no wish that could not be granted. Sparks went off in his mind. It was an explosion. He abandoned himself to it for a while and then he spoke. Except he may not have been speaking to Sekurtiti. Currently, there really and truly is no way of defeating the White Queen. After all, everything that could be used to defeat her - in other words, any of the anthropomorphized versions of the worlds laws we know of as the Unexplored-class that could be used effectively against her - have been eliminated. Sekurtiti frowned as she listened. It was like a divine oracle. This was the secret technique of a shrine maiden who entrusted herself to the mystical in a similar yet very different way from a tomb keeper. But at the same time, we cant forget about the presence of the Regulation-class. Theyre often overshadowed by the Divine-class and Unexplored-class, but they have a very interesting trait all their own. Yes, the Regulation-class is made up of Materials that humans artificially placed in the other world to reach the gods. In other words, Materials can be freely designed and created by human hands. Knowing that means a lot. What was borrowing his mouth here? This gallery was full of ancient art and documents, but who had edited them, who had gathered them, and for what purpose were they given this form? Yes, yes. The Three that rule over the Low, Middle, and High Sound Ranges were defeated and they submitted to the White Queen, but theres still another possibility: putting together a Material from only the Lowest Sound Range, aka the vowels aiueo!! That unknown possibility has yet to raise the white flag!! If we could build a Material hereif we could design a new Unexplored-class and embed a brand new law into the world!! Something flowed out with tremendous force. But Sekurtiti could not stop it at this point. Once it had started, there was no stopping the oracle. We could give the world a new law with which to kill the White Queen!! A law designed to kill her!! Even if we must face the white that rules over all colors, we could still fight back using a colorless Unexplored-class! Thats it! Thats it!! Thats the one and only way of consigning that greatest evil to oblivion!!!!! Kyousukes body went limp, as if a possessing spirit had left him. He wobbled on his feet and just about collapsed, but Sekurtiti supported him from the side. The world had shed its skin, along with a new concept. That was obvious even from an outside perspective. Kyousuke asked the brown girl a question as their skin touched. Renge and Higan Where did the Meinokawa Twins go? They have already left the city. They said there was no room for them in Toy Dream 35 with so many 900 level summoners here, so they wanted to find work elsewhere. I see. I see. Thats something of a problem. ? Sekurtiti frowned. Kyousuke no longer hid anything as he leaned on the girl and continued talking. Even if I created an Unexplored-class like Im thinking, it would be too unique for a normal vessel to handle. That means I need a vessel with special traits. You mean? Yes, announced Shiroyama Kyousuke. The original Meinokawa Series. The worlds oldest Joruri Method, which is a White Queen lookalike that has apparently become an object of worship behind the Meinokawa Shrine. I need the help of Meinokawa Aoi. With that, the preparations were complete. Every last hole in the rules of the Summoning Ceremony had been thoroughly examined and the laws of the world had been strengthened until there was no gap wide enough for even a razor to fit through, but Shiroyama Kyousuke had finally found a method to overturn that. The real fight was about to begin. It was time for the humans to rebel against that otherworldly ruler. Oh, dear. But that being giggled somewhere at some time. She seemed amused as she rolled her arms behind herself, gently bent her back, and slightly accentuated her ample chest. That pure white yet utterly dark someone spoke with a sneer. But will that really work out the way you want, brother? Facts: *Aikas full name is Aika Toydream. As President Toydreams granddaughter, she was utterly adored and should have become a fairy tale heroine to surpass Snow White and Cinderella, but when she awoke as a summoner, she vanished from normal peoples minds and no one could remember who the Worlds Happiest Girl was. *The Founders Gallery was composed of several empty rooms in the apartment building where Aika lives. Since Toy Dream 35 was only completed a few years ago, it may have been moved there from elsewhere. In that case, the data using Sekurtitis ancient map would have to have been created by Aikas network (while posing as the president) after the move. *In the current world, there is no law (i.e. Unexplored-class) that can kill the White Queen, but that changes if a new one is created and embedded in the world. By expanding on the method of creating a Regulation-class to create an Unexplored-class that can be summoned using only the vowels which exist outside the rock-paper-scissors system, the path will open. *But this will be an extremely unique Unexplored-class, so a normal vessel cannot handle it. A Joruri Method fully-artificial vessel will have to be fine-tuned for this purpose, so he needs to borrow the knowledge of Meinokawa Aoi, the worlds oldest Joruri Method that is worshiped as a second god at the Meinokawa Shrine. Volume 6, Epilogue Volume 6, Epilogue In the ocean near Toy Dream 35, a large Blue Whale Repliglass submarine waited on the surface. As the unaffiliated craft calmly stuck its head above the water, someone held a fishing pole in one hand and a satellite cellphone in the other. Yes, yes. They were defeated. Azalea andugh, The Saint too? I cant believe this. Even if they were only the hopeful new faces in Bridesmaid, they were definitely the mental support of the group. It might be best to tighten down on the internal investigations to prevent anyone from leaving. The last time I was gone, our base was attacked and 3A was taken. We are critically shorthanded. Despite how serious the report was, the person did not sound at all motivated. But that may have been the correct answer for that person in a white coat. It was easy to let idealism, willpower, and emotions get the better of you, but would anger over a companions death really lead to a good answer? Would letting the blood rush to your head really awaken something inside you? If not, you needed to remain as coolheaded as possible when the unexpected occurred. If that led to a loss of popularity, it was the environment around you that was wrong. In that case, the people around you needed to be actively purged, the fat needed to be cut away, and the group needed to be reorganized. Yes, yes. Damn, so its too late then. Maybe I should have gone there myself, if this is how it was going to turn out. But, well, I had something else to take care of. Still, though. A nearby hatch opened and a small girl poked her head out like a mole. She had braided blonde hair and a slender, slender body of around 10 that was so tiny it looked like it would snap if you touched it. She wore a straw hat and a white school swimsuit and she began doing pre-exercise stretches. Was she planning to dive into the ocean while someone was trying to calmly fish? The white coat person looked back and forth between the girl and the end of the fishing line. Well, at any rate, even if we have to give up on those twowe cant just sit idly by. Lets begin. We have to, dont we? Luckily, I still have an excellent vessel in stock, so Ill head out myself. Ill make my debut. Bye bye. ? The lab coat person hung up. They grabbed the top of the straw hat to stop the white swimsuit girls stretches. Fish or swim? They each grabbed at the others face as they fought over that, but then they smiled and reached a conclusion. Lets go meet Shiroyama Kyousuke, just like I promised. Okay, Olivia Highland? Yeah!! I want to meet Onii-chan right away, Doctor S. Eh heh heh. She returned my lost memories and gave me this chance to meet Onii-chan again. The White Queen really is the most wonderful Unexplored-class, isnt she!? Volume 6, Afterword Volume 6, Afterword (Postscript Open ??/?? ??:??) Afterword And that was Volume 6. This is Kamachi Kazuma. Now, the theme this time was a series of unexpected events for Shiroyama Kyousuke. He usually seems to see through everything, so I decided to change things a bit to show him being tossed around by everything that happened. Both options have their pros and cons, but which one tugged at your heartstrings more? Some things were revealed in Volume 5s flashback story and we learned a bit about the worlds mysteries, so I decided to bring out a stronger grade of enemies this time around: the Robo Azaleas that are immune to Incense Grenades, the illogical Offering Team created only to destroy the meaning behind Alice (with) Rabbit, the pirate(?) who crawled back up from hell, and the return of the Award 1000 who was something of a legendary mahjong cheater who could end the match immediately by summoning the White Queen on his first move. They all put Kyousuke in some kind of a bind, but that represented something of an opportunity for him since he was trapped in the dilemma of having no room for growth after reaching the top as the strongest. A summoner does not avoid fear; they absorb it for inspiration. Kyousuke himself said so as far back as Volume 1. The trickiest one to handle was Azalea because I had to be careful how I brought back a boss character who had already been defeated. I think I did a pretty good job of messing with Kyousukes usual calmness and levelheadedness. Ill leave it to all of you to judge how I did with the boss characters. The White Queens trick this time was rather plain since it was only used to show how impressive the Award 1000 was, but I think the most frightening thing about her is how she always smiles even when her chest is pierced or when her beloved has plotted a sure-fire method of killing her. Plus, she made the ominous prophecy of your wish will soon be granted just before leaving. She did not appear much, but I worked to ensure she left an impression when she did. This volume also included some irregular events for this series: Kyousuke changing vessels partway through, the guest vessel not losing her memories at the end, etc. Not everything that is unexpected needs to be a bad thing for Kyousuke. What do you think? I give my thanks to my illustrator Ikawa Waki-san and my editors Miki-san, Onodera-san, and Anan-san. This one ended up with a sizable cast, didnt it? And they were switching from yukata to bandages, sometimes had a key hanging from their neck and sometimes didnt, and had other small differences that had to make it more confusing. Thank you very much for sticking with me yet again. And I give my thanks to the readers. What did you think of the first volume after returning the timeline to the present? Kyousuke is making progress after facing his past. The Queen wants to reach for happiness even if it means psychological regression. I hope you are looking forward to the rest of their battle. And I will end this here. I put a Meganeura in this one, so maybe its about time I went with a dinosaur. -Kamachi Kazuma Volume 7, Prologue Volume 7, Prologue Ive started things on a friendlier note this time. Heh hehn. You actually have some hope, dont you? Yes, hope for love and comedy!! As long as you ask for it, I will become your servant and supply you with an unending reign as the unparalleled strongest who enjoys lovey-dovey night-long battles with the ultimate, perfect, and flawless wife who will play the boke or the tsukkomi and who will look down on you or up at you!! You may have forgotten after getting so focused on the battling, but please keep in mind that that option is always right there in front of you, brother. Now, you seem to be sneaking around working on something right now. Hee hee hee. I am wholeheartedly cheering for you in the hopes that this will carry you up to me at the peak. Yes, in this alone you can know I am telling the truth. But, brother, what exactly is victory? I am unmistakably the strongest and indisputably invincible. But when you think about it, I do not always achieve victory or success. That is simply because the strongest can be proven by ranking everyone based on their quantifiable power, but the conditions for victory and success are constantly in flux depending on the current situation. Brother, can you picture yourself achieving victory or success? Can you envision a blade piercing my chest or chopping off my head? But as I said, the conditions for victory and success are constantly in flux. That is true for you, for me, and for all of the other worthless humans and Materials. By the way, I mentioned that victory and success are in flux, but what kind of pressure is it that causes that axis to shift? Might that be even more ugly and horrific than me since I am simply the strongest and I have a clear and defined position as an unmatched being? Facts: *Someone will always achieve victory. But there is no guarantee that the victor will achieve the success they wanted. Volume 7, Battle Tutorial Volume 7, Battle Tutorial Phase 1 Upper Cube: Collection of Petals Left Dark Figure: Summoner Right Dark Figure: Vessel Left White Figure: Summoner Right White Figure: Vessel Overall Box: Artificial Sacred Ground K: The Summoning Battle begins when one of the summoners uses an Incense Grenade. Q: When the Incense Grenade is used, an Artificial Sacred Ground forms around them. Summoning and other paranormal phenomena can only be reproduced inside there. Q: Inside the Artificial Sacred Ground, a cube of about 60 cm appears at the midpoint between the summoners. K: It is a collection of the 216 Petals which are red spheres about the size of an apple. Phase 2 Dark Ball: Petal White Ball: White Thorn White Stick: Blood-Sign Q: 3 white spheres known as White Thorns appear with each summoner. Those are hit with a long staff known as a Blood-Sign and they collide with the Petals. K: You hit the Petals with the White Thorns in order to knock them into the spherical Spots that appear in 36 locations inside the Artificial Sacred Ground. Q: What Petals are hit into the Spots changes what can be summoned. K: And the vessels body is used to create Phase 3 White Monster and Dark Sword: Vessel transformed into a Material Q: a Material. The summoners use them for a fight to the death. K: The Petals used to summon the Materials are each engraved with a letter of the alphabet and each of those belongs to a certain Sound Range. Q: aiueo are vowels and thus the Lowest Sound Range. As for the consonants, bcdfghj are Low, klmnpqr are Middle, and stvwxyz are High. K: There are of course rules governing the summoned Materials and they are based on the Petals rules. Q: Low wins against High, High wins against Middle, Middle wins against Low, and I win my brothers heart. K: Werent we supposed to avoid making jokes during the explanation section!? Phase 4 K: And after the vessels transform into Materials, they continued to be updated into new forms as they fight. Q: The Materials start at Regulation-class. After summoning 100 of those, you gain the right to summon the higher Divine-class. And after summoning 50 of those, you gain the right to summon the even higher Unexplored-class. K: The vessel has a core known as their Silhouette. If that is destroyed, the battle ends. The losing summoner and vessel will become dolls that wander around in a stupor. Q: And that concludes our simple explanation of the Summoning Battle. As a summoner fights more and more battles, they earn more titles known as Awards. And if their number of Awards reaches 1000hee hee hee. Now, I wonder what happens then. Volume 7, Opening X-01 - Aimless Trip to an Unmanned Station (With Nowhere to Stay) Volume 7, Opening X-01: Aimless Trip to an Unmanned Station (With Nowhere to Stay) Biondetta, where are we spending the night? What? (Opening X-01 Open 07/19 01:32) Aimless Trip to an Unmanned Station (With Nowhere to Stay) Their objective was to gather all the necessary cards. They would truly kill the White Queen. And if the means did not exist in this world, they would create it themselves. Pale yellow and green lights hung over a soft and tranquil darkness that seemed left behind by the times. The night breeze silently flowed from the blades of grass to the trees buried in the darkness. The light came from the fireflies which had become an endangered species in modern times. After passing over a small stream so clear it looked like you could scoop the water up and drink it, a gentle breeze coolly swept away the midsummer heat and provided the same refreshing feelings felt when peering into the depths of a crystal. It was July 19, Marine Day. It was 1:32 AM. Oh, give me a break Shiroyama Kyousuke, a black-haired boy wearing a red hoodie and sports brand track suit pants, was complaining for once. The rural unmanned train station was entirely deserted. The sign above his head said Houbi Village Station and was covered with cobwebs. The fluorescent lights above switched on and off with a timer and the cracked platform did not have any benches, vending machines, or even fences. The boy sat directly on the platform and wiped the sweat from his brow. He did not even bother hiding his Repliglass Blood-Sign known as Phosphorous, so he rested it on his shoulder. We screwed up That was an entirely meaningless battle! I cant believe this. I knew we shouldve used my cruiser instead of the trains. We couldve just traveled along the coast Eh? What are you talking about, sir? Someone else put her hands on her miniskirted hips next to Kyousuke. She had pink hair and a sexy body that she readily showed off with a combination of a waitress uniform, demon horns, and a demon tail. She too was a summoner: Freedom Award 920, Liar Cat. She was a survivor of the Fifteen Siblings Project which had developed into a true hell thanks to its close connection to the Queen. Perhaps because the Summoning Ceremony rules said any who reached Award 1000 would become a resident of the other world, she had already taken a step toward becoming a legend herself. Her named was Biondetta Shiroyama. A lot could be said about her (a lot of it bad), but she was the insane woman who called herself Kyousukes big sister. She tilted her head with her travel bags set down on either side of her feet. Were about to start some delicate work, so isnt it actually to our benefit to have taken out these inevitable enemies sooner rather than later? Kyousuke grimaced as he watched her white snake vessel poke its head out from between her large breasts and crawl around the beautiful demons body. I had completely forgotten how much of a battle-crazed revenge-fetishist you are, Biondetta. I should have known this would happen if I let you plan out our trip. You intentionally planned it so we would run into the enemy, didnt you!? Well, my goal is to allow my client to enjoy their revenge even more than they had hoped Kyousuke slapped his hand against his face. He wanted to forget all about that battle inside the enclosed and moving space of the train. Whether or not he had won in the end was not the issue here. Information on our movements will have gotten back to the enemys main unit. Yes, of course. Bridesmaid will know I dont have a contract with a vessel right now and thus cant use the Summoning Ceremony! Oh? But isnt a revenge story so much more exciting if you start off at a disadvantage? Her way of thinking was simply too different. To Biondetta, a battle with your life on the line was a form of entertainment. What was the most logical and efficient means of reducing damage to your allies and neutralizing your enemy? From the bottom of her heart, she simply did not care. How could she draw out the most emotion from the deadly battles? How could she enjoy each and every dramatic battle to its fullest? She did not care if her allies died to accomplish those things. Dont - you - worry. While Kyousuke sat in front of her, Biondetta bent over, pressed her raised index finger against her lips, and emphasized the twin mounds on her chest which already looked like they were going to spill from her top. We have two Award 900-level Freedom summoners. In the end, well defeat those summoner units that need support from Repliglass soldiers to function. Well, yes. We can. But Kyousuke shook his hand in front of his annoyed face when presented with that sickly sweet pose that looked as artificial as a sweetener created in a lab. Why would she go out of her way to get injured when they could settle things without being touched? Even if she could dodge the bullet, she would want to passionately protect you by catching it in the center of her chest. Kyousuke could only see Biondettas actions as a waste of talent. Sigh. I guess theres no use crying over spilt milk. Yes, yes. Just so you know, Im not letting this go. I will always remember this. Oh? Are you going to confiscate my right to adulthood by spanking me? Yes, an unmanned station without security cameras is such an exciting location! Will someone show up without warning? Will someone see? Its safer than a park at night, but it provides the same tension of being outside! Its such a wonderful situation, sir!! I really wish you could leave your perversions behind when youre traveling for a job, Biondetta! However, she was insane, so trying to convince her with a logical argument would be wasted effort. After being caught in that sudden and entirely unnecessary battle (Courtesy of Bridesmaid, Produced by Biondetta), Kyousuke felt as exhausted as someone dragged along to a 3-hour romance movie he had zero interest in. The worst part was that he could only blame himself for deciding he was too busy and thus not double-checking the contents of the travel itinerary Biondetta had put together. He had gathered all of his travel supplies in a single, compact knapsack which he placed over his right shoulder once more. Well, whatever. We managed to arrive at our destination on the last train, so lets get some rest at our base here. Biondetta, where are we spending the night? Revenge Demon Biondetta stood tall, clasped her hands in front of her large chest, and smiled. And she tilted her head as she smoothly responded. What? Unsure what to make of her response, Kyousukes mind went blank. His mind boasted calculation speeds surpassing the average supercomputer, but the electric signals traveling through his brains synapses got lost on the way to their destinations. It couldnt be. Surely not. I must be reading too much into this. Theres no way the world could be filled with this kind of despair when she hasnt shown up yet!! Shiroyama Kyousuke worked to calm his pulse as it pounded in his chest due to his tension and he repeated his question to Biondetta the Frightening Tour Guide. Umm, you were in charge of everything concerning this trip. Isnt that right, Biondetta? Yes. Then it would be your job to secure the lodging we need for a base of operations here, right!? It was your insistence that I chose to travel by train and leave my cruiser back in Toy Dream 35! It can be an inn or a hotelor hell, even a rented room or a tent. Just tell me where we can spend the night! What? Its 1:30 in the morning, we just finished fighting, and were both exhausted. So why are you only responding with ominous confusiooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooon!? Are you kidding meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!??? Biondetta had a frightening skill for making Freedom Award 903, Alice (with) Rabbit, Shiroyama Kyousuke lose his cool to this extent. She was the only human with that talent and she only shared it with that hellish twintails who reigned as the strongest of the strongest at the peak of the Unexplored-class. Meanwhile, the sexy demon waitress sister showed no sign whatsoever of cutely wilting at having angered him with her mistake. In fact, she placed her hands on her flushed cheeks as her back trembled. She rubbed her inner thighs together within her miniskirt and restlessly wiggled her butt back and forth. Yes, yes, its so dramatic!! Let out all your pent-up frustrations! Now, Kyousuke-chan! Your sexy big sister is right here! Spank me and Ill shriek nice and loud, pinch me and Ill tremble! My plump body is right here waiting for you in this deserted darkness! Cmon, cmon, cmon!! With a loud click, the timer ran out and the station platforms lights all shut off since the last train for the night had already left. Solitary Shiroyama Kyousuke was left alone with that utter pervert while it was too dark to see anything at all, so he gave up on thinking and shouted at the top of his lungs. Oh, give me a breeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaak!!!!!! Dawn was still a long way off. Nothing could be as irritating as a waitress who intentionally broke a plate because she wanted to be punished. Facts: *Kyousuke and Biondetta have left Toy Dream 35 to accomplish some kind of objective. On the way, they seem to have already been caught in a battle with the Queen-worshiping group known as Bridesmaid. *It is currently 1:32 AM at an unlit and unmanned train station. They have nowhere to spend the night. *She cannot avoid battles or reserve a place to spend the night, but Biondetta is not incompetent. She is simply supplying the perfect accidents to make the trip more dramatic. But since she seems to think Kyousuke will enjoy this, she may have the more fundamental problem of being an incompetent big sister. Volume 7, Opening X-02 - One-Way Ticket from Strongest to Hell, Unreserved Seat Volume 7, Opening X-02: One-Way Ticket from Strongest to Hell, Unreserved Seat But in that case Yes. When things are going too smoothly, something always intervenes. (Opening X-02 Open 07/19 00:33) One-Way Ticket from Strongest to Hell, Unreserved Seat They left Toy Dream 35 using the Ultraloop which used the power of permanent magnets to travel through a vacuum tunnel that looked a lot like an oil pipeline. Linear motor trains? What are those? When travelling 1150kph in a world where air resistance and rail friction resistance did not exist, travelling down the archipelagos backbone to a regional city had been easy enough, but the problem had started with the connections after that. How many connections is this now, Biondetta? I know youre not that stupid, sir. Its the 5th one We saved a ton of time with the Ultraloop, so we should be able to arrive in just half a day. Midnight had already passed, so it was 12:33 AM of July 19. After the schools closing ceremony ended in the morning, they had supposedly left the cruiser he used as a home in the early afternoon with plenty of time to spare, but the next thing he knew, they were surrounded by the late night darkness. They had been making connection after connection between slow trains the entire time. For the first time in Kyousukes life, he had eaten station bentos thrice in one day: lunch, dinner, and late night snack. Once you were sick of the scenery, there was nothing else to do, but once you knew the pattern, there was nothing left to surprise you. Kyousuke had once only eaten supplements and gelatin drinks, so he understood that your ticket to life was nearly torn apart once you stopped receiving any stimulation from your food. So this was his conclusion: Ahh, I miss my cereal and milk And Kyousuke was not going to go easy on someone from the same miniature garden. You suck at navigation. Oh, dear. But if we used your cruiser, it would have been a 14-hour trip of staring at the GPS sea chart and fighting the ships controls while it rocks in the waves. And a land route is a lot safer than using a passenger ship or airplane, isnt it? This should be the easiest route for a variety of reasons. Biondetta explained all that while smiling and holding a travel bag in each hand. Kyousuke had stuffed everything he needed into the knapsack he wore over his right shoulder and he did not like how much luggage she had with her, but she had refused to say anything but A beautiful big sister needs a wide variety of supplies The final down-train of the Seiryu Line will be leaving soon. This will be the final train. If you need that train, make sure you do not miss it. I repeat And this was truly their final connection. That announcement could only be heard once a day and it was made in a long, drawn-out fashion. This route passed through a tunnel in a precipitous mountain region and approached a fishing village on the coast. The 10-car slow train was nearly empty despite being the last train, so it was a mystery how it made any money. The only person inside was a very compact old lady returning home from who-knows-where. Sigh. Kyousuke breathed a small sigh as he sat in the kind of 4-person box seat never seen in a city train designed for the rush hour crowds. The relaxation effect of the trains regular shaking could be good and bad. If that was all he had, the poisonous boredom would only accumulate inside him. Biondetta watched the boy as she sat in the seat across from him, crossed her legs despite her miniskirt, and giggled. What? Nothing. I was just noticing that you let your air of perfection slip when youre alone with your big sister. Does that mean were still close enough for that? If so A wicked color seeped into her smile. In the past, the Queens Hatred had taken root in her soul and it made an appearance here. Then just how deep is your bond with the one and only being who can get you to expose your true self without worrying about who might be watching? It makes me jealous, Kyousuke-chan. He could almost hear the cracks running through the solidified atmosphere. If his gaze had produced pressure, he might have broken through the reflection of his face in the train window. Biondetta. Yes, sir? Lets use this chance to review. He intentionally changed the subject. If he did not distract himself somehow, static threatened to fill his vision from the outer edges. The White Queen cant be defeated by normal means. Not even if we check through every last one of the Regulation-class, Divine-class, and Unexplored-class including the Three. And of course, challenging her without using the Summoning Ceremony or a Material is even more out of the question. That would simply be suicide. Yes. But at the same time, the Regulation-class was artificially embedded in that world as a foothold for humans to reach the more obvious Divine-class and Unexplored-class. That means Materials can be created. Everything in the three-way stalemate between the low, middle, and high sound ranges may have succumbed to the White Queen, but there still arent any Materials that use the vowels of the lowest sound range. If we can create an Unexplored-class from that nonexistent sound range, we might be able to embed a new law in that world. And that will act as a rule letting us kill the White Queen. The last train finally began to move. Everything continued as before. He had supposedly had enough of the slow trains and he was supposedly sick of their regular shaking, but it gradually soothed his irritable mood. Biondetta pushed up on the window to open it, letting in a chilly wind that had not been poisoned by a heat island. It was a small thing, but it was a luxury not found in the air-conditioned city trains with unopenable windows or the Ultraloop that ran through a vacuum tunnel. But that is easier said than done, isnt it? I mean, the Unexplored-class is made up of the very rules that govern the world of the gods. Humans creating and embedding a new one is the greatest form of arrogance. Probably so, he agreed. Im talking about something similar to messing with the entire system that divides the worlds gods into categories such as mother goddesses or destruction gods. And all so we can rearrange it for our own purposes. Lets not forget the vessel that must contain this Material and let it appear in this world. Thats the biggest problem. Kyousuke sighed. As the train shook, the somewhat faded hanging banner for a regional bank swayed back and forth. It seemed to use a small childs drawing of a cat and rabbit as its mascots. It had a different sort of warmth than something from a highly-calculated product of a professional designer working for a global corporation like Toy Dream. Most everything related to the Summoning Ceremony can be set up by us summoners. Ultimately, we can even create artificial Materials: Deus ex Machina, Frankensteins monster, Homunculus But with vessels alone, it is highly reliant on innate talent. To be blunt, vessels require a talent we lack, so our Awards dont matter. Gathering some summoners and thinking long and hard on it isnt going to give us an answer. And thats why we took the Ultraloop and these slow trains all the way out here: To recruit someone the old-fashioned way. If a normal vessel wont cut it, we just have to ask an abnormal vessel, stated Kyousuke. And who was the oddest vessel he knew of? The Meinokawa Series. They have the Joruri Method which led to the creation of mankinds only fully-artificial vessels. To get their help, we first have to speak with the worlds oldest and first successful product: Meinokawa Aoi. To sum it all up, that Aoi was apparently worshiped as the Meinokawa Shrines secret object of worship. She had the same warmth and suppleness as a human, but she could survive as long as an ancient text or a Buddha statue. She was a strange being of a different sort from the Materials. If only you had been able to contact those twins. Thats kind of our fault for going too far in Toy Dream 35 and stealing their summoner job from them. Especially when Freedom provides no real support as an organization. It was pitch black outside the window. There was no bright nightscape like there was in the city. It was said true darkness inspired fear, but everything had its good and bad sides. From the train, that darkness felt almost soft. So thisMeinokawa Aoi? Is she the ultimate vessel? Maybe so. Maybe not. Shes manmade either way, so as long as she can reveal the Joruri Method to us, maybe we can embed the traits we need inside her and maybe we can create an entirely new one from the ground up. He recalled those twin shrine maidens. Their level of freedom had been pretty ridiculous. Creating an artificial vessel was a historic feat in and of itself, but the Meinokawa Shrine had tried to remove the unwanted vessel talent from human Higan while also preparing Renge as an artificial summoner in case Higan did not work out. The pair had ended up the opposite of the intended arrangement. The Joruri Method could create a vessel or a summoner. If it was that adjustable, then it might be possible to design a vessel which could contain a never-before-seen Unexplored-class like Kyousuke and Biondetta wanted. Still sitting in the 4-person box seat, Biondetta looked up at the ceiling and Kyousuke sighed quietly once more. But in that case Yes. When things are going too smoothly, something always intervenes. The windows shattered on either side of the nearly-deserted last train. Even if it was a slow train, it was still moving quite rapidly, so how had someone managed to land on the side and jump in? The assailants who entered in unison were a never-before-seen form of Repliglass, which used silicon stem cells. And yes, not even Kyousuke and Biondetta had seen this variety before. Their overall silhouettes resembled heavily-armored humans, but the five wings on their backs stood out prominently. Kyousuke narrowed his eyes when he saw that back equipment that rotated like a helicopter. Those bizarre wings did not exist in the natural world. Also, their extremely enlarged arms came apart like unfurling ribbons to form seven tentacles each. Released Creation, huh? Whether a robot, an android, or a replicant, the primary purpose of manmade machines was to reproduce the structure of other living things. The greatest examples were the robots with humanoid bodies or computers with human thought processes which were seen in SF. But just as tanks and cranes did not resemble any living creature and just like the giant robots in fictional stories were not even remotely practical, peoples imagination could sometimes surpass the limits of the natural world. The same was true of Repliglass. They had a variety of advantages, but the biggest was how difficult their movements were to predict. Using the traits of existing plants and animals gave you a treasure trove of data to work with, but it was also easy to imagine just how a mantis model, grasshopper model, or hornet model would move. A Released Creation did not have that. And in battle, calmly observing and putting together a new plan would require placing the chips of human lives on the table. When faced with bizarre, never-before-seen, and supersonic movements, waiting was the same as standing still while you were killed instantly. Yes. Unless your brain had greater calculation power than a supercomputer like Kyousukes did. I see. Without any actual data to work with, he could only make general calculations, but with that much Repliglass muscle fiber bundled together into those tentacles, they could likely make jabs that surpassed Mach 2.5. He estimated them to be heavily-equipped models that weaponized their power and speed which could grab and crush their enemy with instantaneous speed rivalling a fighter jets top speed and could knock down every last bullet when a Gatling gun was fired at them head-on. Once they stood on the same stage as you, the Repliglass had essentially already won, whether they wanted to restrain you or simply behead you. The end effect would be little different from having them move freely while time was frozen for you. (Theyre dangerous, but I guess they arent going to give us a chance to stop the train.) But Kyousuke responded with a disinterested sigh. Biondetta. Up above. Yes, sir. Despite her miniskirt, the waitress spread her feet wider than her shoulders while pulling out her silver Blood-Sign (which was also a bolt-action sniper rifle) and aiming it toward the ceiling as instructed. She then fired a powerful shot. The recoil caused her long hair to flutter and her large breasts to jiggle while she pulled the cocking lever to load the next round and fired again. Her miniskirt fluttered. She repeated the action a third, fourth, and fifth time Something flowed by outside the speeding trains windows. Report. I didnt detect a hit. The sudden gunfire probably scared them, so they slipped off. The plan had been the same as a cheap stage magician. The Repliglass had been sent in as an obvious threat while the actual summoner and vessel would make their attack from the roof. The Artificial Sacred Ground established by an Incense Grenade was initially a 20m cube. As long as it was close enough, it would capture the target even through walls. That said, it could not be established when the user could not see the target with the naked eye, so the summoner had probably been lying down on the roof and dangling upside-down to peer in through the window. Didnt you say the boring slow train would be safe? My apologies, sir. I forgot to preface that with relatively A tempo late, a wrinkled old voice cried out. It came from the very compact old lady who had unfortunately been riding the same car. Theres nothing to worry about, young lady. Kyousuke said something to calm her down while he reached toward the back of his hoodie. He pulled out the Repliglass Blood-Sign named Phosphorus. You will forget all about this bad dream soon enough. As soon as he finished speaking, everything set in motion. But the Repliglass weapons should have noticed that control of this place had already secretly shifted to the Freedom 900 levels. Modern warfare compressors sliced through the air from multiple directions with enough intensity to break the sound barrier, but the greatest weapons of those Alphas - as Kyousuke dubbed them - were the seven pairs of tentacles and those failed to reach the summoners heads. They had misread Shiroyama Kyousuke. He took a step to the side so as not to get the old lady involved, but they should have noticed just how far he was planning ahead with that action. A great crashing sound soon followed. The deadly stretching weapons grabbed at the heads and torsos of their supposed allies and the Repliglass weapons tore each other apart. You mechanically lock on using microwaves or infrared. At speeds surpassing Mach 2.5, the human pilots themselves cant hope to visually follow the action from beginning to end. If a more cheerful color had seeped into Kyousukes soul, he might have hummed a tune. As seen with a tightrope walker crossing between buildings, it was while relaxed that humans could draw out their greatest performance. You only hurt your chances if you let your muscles tense up from the nerves of brought on by great danger or a major challenge. The summoner continued his one-way conversation while surrounded by a unique aura similar to the zone for a golf or shogi player and while constructing a world into which no one could enter. So I can intervene all I want during that blank period. I dont have to face you head-on and stop you. If I give a slight push on your joints with the end of this stick to shift your movements just a little bit, those tentacles will end up going somewhere else entirely. However, this strategy should only work if he could accurately predict where those tentacles would go while moving with speed rivalling an afterburner and if he could reproduce precise movements akin to touching the side of a flying bullet with his finger. Nothing could be more unreasonable than a subsonic object repeatedly controlling supersonic objects and guiding them to destroy each other. But this was the proper form of a summoner. A summoner was a puny human who controlled the higher Materials. You could not discuss their essence without mentioning the absurdity of a lower being exceeding a higher being. The high-spec Alphas surrounded the slender and puny human and swung down their many tentacles and powerful arms in unison, but they suddenly found themselves turned to the side and destroying their fellow units. The area sounded much like a scrap factory, the masses of special armor were tossed into the box seats and windows, and the entire car soon fell silent. The only remaining noise came from the little old lady. Ah wah, ah wah wah, ah wah wah wah wah wah. As I said before, youll forget about all of this. With that carefree comment, Kyousuke slammed the tip of his Blood-Sign into some reinforced glass embedded in the wall and pushed the large button there. It was labeled Emergency Brake, but no actual change occurred. Different trains had different systems, but this one likely sent an emergency signal to the drivers compartment where the driver could manually activate the brake in stages. With so many hills and curves in the mountains, linking a publicly-accessible button with the actual emergency brakes would only increase the risk of derailing. (But if theres no response, then whats happened up in the drivers compartment?) His smooth thoughts were cut off there. The compact old ladys words were not at all what he had expected. No, not that. I have no idea what is happening here, but my grandson went on up to the first car. He insisted on seeing the drivers compartment! Kyousuke lightly snapped his fingers to call over his contracted demon. Biondetta, change of objective. I dont believe anyone said help me. Its only a matter of time. The cutting-edge weapons were lying on the ground as if sulking, so Kyousuke lightly pushed one over with his foot and quickly checked over it. Repliglass initially brought Government, the world police, to mind, but he could not find a serial number anywhere on these ones. Instead of being filed off, they simply had never been given one. Also, he had never heard of Government using the freakish designs of the Released Creations. So instead of used models sold on the black market, these were new models made in secret. Not many groups had access to the unique technology to create silicon stem cells. That would be impossible for the entirety of Illegal which was in conflict with Government 24/7. And Freedom took neither side and had no interest in developing technology outside of the Summoning Ceremony. The list of suspects was narrowed down even further by limiting it to those who would actively interfere with Kyousuke and Biondettas attempt to create a concrete method of defeating the White Queen. Bridesmaid, hm? Does this mean their level of tech has improved a fair bit, or does it mean theyve completely lost control without Azalea to guide their Repliglass development? Either way, theyll do anything for the Queen. But there might be more internal conflict without someone so charismatic at the top. Anyway, the emergency brake and the control centers ATS havent activated. Are they performing a cyber-attack at the same time? If this was that largescale an operation, they could just derail the train. To me, it seems more natural to assume the driver had been replaced with someone else before it arrived at our stop. That made it self-evident what they had to do. Lets secure the drivers compartment and stop this train. The speed seems to be steady, but there are a lot of slopes and curves on this route. Without speeding up and down appropriately, it could easily derail. Yes, sir. I leave the route and method up to you. Biondetta smiled obediently as the white snake slithered out from her cleavage. That was the animal vessel she was contracted with. Kyousuke, on the other hand, had no vessel. That meant he could not wield his true power as a summoner. But he made a suggestion regardless. Biondetta, you make a conspicuous diversion by heading straight down through the cars. And if there are any other passengers, make sure to rescue them. Oh, dear. And here I thought Alice (with) Rabbit would want to do the saving himself. Im not so dumb I cant analyze who has the battle power here. You can use the Summoning Ceremony and your sniper rifle, so you have more freedom. Ill go the back way. Yes. And dont forget our additional objective. Save that old ladys grandson who went to the drivers compartment and save all of the other passengers along the way. Yes, sir. Oh, and you can turn it into an emotional show if you want, but if you fail to save someone you could have saved, I will end our contract right then and there. The dramatic death of an innocent person isnt going to make me swear vengeance anew against Bridesmaid or the White Queen. Tch. How did you know? Biondetta stuck out her tongue a bit, rested her silver Blood-Sign - which was also a bolt-action sniper rifle - on her shoulder, and shook her decorative tail back and forth as she walked to the next car. Kyousuke watched the waitress leave and then returned his Blood-Sign to his back. He then leaned out a broken window and climbed up onto the speeding trains roof with something like a pull-up or back hip circle. Even with the one summoner eliminated by Biondettas gunfire, there were a few pairs still remaining on the roof. It was not easy fitting up there with the high-voltage line, pantograph, air conditioner motor, and other equipment in the way. If they could see him, then they could throw an Incense Grenade, but even without a vessel, Kyousuke had nothing to fear. He pulled the Blood-Sign from his back and whacked down the fist-sized objects thrown at himsending them into the scenery rushing by. A summoner and their vessel would be automatically carried to the point of their Incense Grenades detonation. Kyousuke used that to take care of them. Ah, ahhhh, ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!? Kyousuke casually waved goodbye while watching the fierce warriors pulled down as if by an invisible rubber band. He did not know how powerful they really were, but if they assumed their opponent would wait around for them to bring out that power, they were not cut out for actual combat. They may have originally been Government priests or shrine maidens who specialized in battle performances. The deep and somewhat spaced-out gunfire of a bolt-action sniper rifle burst from directly below. Biondetta was firing out from the windows. She was probably targeting additional Alphas which were approaching using the high-speed rotation of those screw-like wings on their backs. Even if the rifle bullets could not pierce the silicon armor, the impact was enough for the five-winged machines to lose their balance and crash into the conifer trees. (Even if theyll forget all about it, Biondetta isnt trying to hide anything. Shes got to be firing right in front of the passengers.) Even that was not enough to shoot them all down, but Whoops. !? They had five wings on their backs and seven pairs of tentacles, but they still stood on two legs. Just as an Alpha landed on the roof, Kyousuke stuck his Blood-Sign straight up to hold it against the stomach armor and delay its schedule by about 0.5 seconds. It sounded like a temple bell ringing. The train entered a dark tunnel and the edge of the semicircular tunnel entrance knocked the Repliglass weapon out of Kyousukes sight. It was built to sturdy military standards, so the pilot would not die. (Now, then.) Kyousuke listened to the sounds of destruction caused by Biondettas rampage inside the train while he dealt with the Repliglass weapons that had made it into the tunnel by knocking them into the high-voltage lines. Meanwhile, he continued along the speeding trains roof. (Well, cutting the power line wont cause the train to stop right away. These days, they probably have an emergency control battery in case that happens. And having the power going out immediately activate the brakes would only increase the risk of derailing.) Kyousuke and Biondetta did not stick to the same spot or route forward the entire time. Kyousuke would occasionally jump into the train through a window to kick a Repliglass weapon out the door on the opposite side and Biondetta would occasionally climb out a broken window, get down among the wheels below the floor, and fire her rifle at the summoners and vessels. It was like an acrobatic act at a circus. And the machos who boasted they were undefeated when it came to street fights felt their knees go to jelly on this unstable level filled with trapezes and tightropes. Just a slight nudge on their back was enough to knock them down. I miss the Tanabata when these things actually felt like a threat. Humans know how to learn. Were used to this kind of scheme thanks to Azalea. Inside and outside the train. Kyousuke and Biondetta alternated between those two stages while casually exchanging words. By the way, theres someone at the connection to the first car. Age: about 10. Sex: male. He is showing hostile intent. He may be on his way back from an amusement park because hes holding a character wand in both hands and glaring at me. What should I do? Is he trying to protect the drivers compartment from the suspicious group? As a sign of respect for the railroad boys courage, dont harm him. Gently neutralize him. Yes, sir. By the time the train left the tunnel, they had already arrived at the drivers compartment in the very front of the first car. Biondettas waitress-style miniskirt whirled around her as she kicked down the door and Kyousuke broke through the front windshield to get inside. Because Kyousuke blocked his vision, Bridesmaids disguised driver reflexively tried to move back, so Biondetta swept his feet out from under him to knock him down despite her miniskirt. All done! With him out of the way, the train is clean, sir!! No, wait, Biondetta!! The demon of revenge looked puzzled, but the elderly man she had supposedly knocked down and caught in an arm lock was writhing unnaturally. And this movement showed no concern for the layout of his muscles or skeleton. It was almost like a pupa as the bug prepared to emerge. They had concluded that Bridesmaid had sent in their own driver because he had acted to Bridesmaids benefit. But what if that was wrong? What if the driver was legitimate, but Bridesmaid had a way to make him act to their benefit? The elderly man arched his back while lying face-down in the windswept drivers compartment. It should not have been possible, but he looked Biondetta in the eye as she sat on top of him. And something thick wriggled deep in his gaping mouth. Is that Repligla Just as Biondetta groaned that comment, something like a white spear shot out toward the depths of the vengeance demons beautiful throat. Even if she saw it coming, she could not defend against it with her arms and legs all being used to hold the elderly mans joints in place. So. Her mouth only remained unmolested because Kyousuke had reached his hand in from the side and caught the flexible white object. Now this is a known Government product A Hairworm built to intelligence standards. Its a prototype model developed to force captured criminals to perform sting operations without a plea bargain. That way they can crush drug cartels. Those justice-addicted freaks in full-body tights are using parasites now!? Those things are famous for controlling snails to get birds to eat them, but did you know they had been redesigned for use on humans? However, this felt a lot like a trap set with knowledge of Alice (with) Rabbits refusal to take even his enemys life. Without Biondetta there, Kyousuke would have restrained the driver and fallen victim to the Hairworms surprise attack. It was the same as placing an immobile injured soldier on top of a landmine to blow away the medic that came to rescue them. Bridesmaid was a Queen-worshiping cult. Just as Kyousuke and Biondetta had strayed from the proper path after contacting the White Queen, this group would not necessarily use normal tactics throughout the fight. Now, then. Oh, sir? I didnt realize you were enough of a train geek to know how to stop one. Stopping them is easy, Kyousuke casually replied. But derailing them is even easier. Theres a chance that a crow placing a pebble on the rail could cause an accident and it wouldve been perfect if they could have piled up dirt in a dark tunnel to create a ramp on the track. Just use the trains speed and weight to calculate out how far itll travel before it stops. By the time the headlights illuminate the obstacle, theres no way the brakes will work in time. That means killing us was not Bridesmaids objective. Kyousuke breathed a weary sigh. Would it sound nice if I called it reconnaissance? Anyway, they likely sent in disposable pawns to judge our strength. And of course, a task was never complete at the reconnaissance and preliminary judgment stage. If they were gathering data, they had to be planning a battle in which to use it. Facts: *Kyousuke and Biondetta are visiting the rural Meinokawa Shrine to acquire the special vessel needed to contain the Unexplored-class theoretically capable of defeating the White Queen. If they can acquire the Joruri Method, it is possible they can create the type of vessel they want instead of recruiting one they happen across. *Bridesmaid remains active after the defeat of Azalea and The Saint and they are still running a few Repliglass production plants. They have also somehow acquired information on Kyousuke and Biondettas actions and are attempting to prevent those two from contacting Meinokawa Aoi. *If Bridesmaid truly intended to kill Kyousuke and Biondetta, they could have sabotaged the track, but there is no sign of that. Kyousuke theorized that they sent in enemies meant to be defeated in order to judge their strength. *The information gathering is complete. The battle between summoners will finally begin. Volume 7, Stage 01 - Original Joruri Method Artificial Vessel, Meinokawa Aoi Volume 7, Stage 01: Original Joruri Method Artificial Vessel, Meinokawa Aoi I may have asked for excitement, but I didnt expect you to ask me to strip not five minutes after we met. You misunderstand. (Stage 01 Open 07/19 06:30) Original Joruri Method Artificial Vessel, Meinokawa Aoi It was July 19, Marine Day, at 6:30 AM. The first day of summer break started in the worst possible way. With fireflies as the only light source and no artificial lights or convenience stores in evidence, searching for lodging at 1:30 in the morning had been a lost cause. And there had not been any blankets or other supplies for people stuck there overnight. The trains windows had been broken and it had skipped several stations, but since summoners would be forgotten by normal people after leaving their field of vision, none of it would be considered a crime as long as they left after the battle. The people would fill in the missing memories for themselves and the train had continued on to get back to its proper schedule, so no one had remained here. The need to continue service even if this was the last train would have been felt more strongly than the presence of the summoners or Repliglass weapons. As a result, Kyousuke had been forced to spend the night at the unmanned station which did not even have any benches. He had gotten down on the platform and used his knapsack as a pillow. However Mgh. Something large and soft covered his face, obstructing his vision and breathing. This station was not busy even during rush hour and he groped blindly to figure out what this was. And he soon found his answer. At some point, Biondetta had fallen asleep while holding his head in her arms. Her slender arms and giant breasts enveloped his head. Zzz. Hey, Biondetta, breathing while asleep uses a different part of the nervous system, so you cant fake it while conscious. Tch. And I was hoping to laugh my ass off when you went for your defenseless big sisters lips. The waitress demon finally released him from the soft headlock and smiled at him while still lying down. Good morning, sir. A proper breakfast will be difficult to prepare, but I can manage a continental. How? Eh heh heh. Take a look at the seven tools of a contracted demon The waitress got up and pulled all sorts of kitchen tools from her travel bags. They seemed to be collapsible models meant for outdoor use, but a closer look showed none of them were commercial models. Steel panels and pipes had been cut up and arranged into a compact version of the precise tools of the trade she was used to handling. But Kyousuke made a sleepy comment. This feels more like what a maid would do than a waitress Higiiii!? Y-you are a truly frightening client, pointing out exactly what I was worried you would notice!! Have some mercy!! Incidentally, a continental breakfast might sound like something impressive, but the term basically meant it had bread and milk. It might also come with a salad and scrambled eggs and the best you could hope for was some bacon or sausage. You could think of it as the breakfast served by a hotels room service or that some rich creep would enjoy along with an English newspaper. In other words I thought your bags seemed needlessly heavy, but do you have raw ingredients and a cooler in there? Chemical cooling can preserve ice cream for three or four days without electricity. Use some military cushioning andtah dah! These raw eggs are just fine. She proudly showed off a lot of camping equipment, but the fridge and raw ingredients had to be a lot heavier. She must have been picky about water because one of her bags had a water cooler bottle inside it. How many kilograms was that bottle alone? You really are needlessly picky And you have all this but no cereal? Are you planning to eat that every morning until the end of the world? Biondetta lined up the cooking equipment in front of her like a bands drum set. While she got to work, Kyousuke pulled out his smartphone and began some light mental exercise. Just to be sure, he checked the TV tuner app and the online news sites, but there was no sign of an article about a train being attacked. Kyousuke and Biondetta could not always tell exactly how normal people filled in the gaps from their missing memories, but there did not seem to be anything to worry about this time. How many times did you wake up during the night? Um, none that I remember. It sounded like a casual conversation held over the pleasant sound of eggs sizzling in the oiled frying pan, but these two were at Freedoms 900 level. He looked up from the small screen as he continued. Then did Bridesmaid not attack again? Since we didnt sense any hostility, I can only assume so. Of course, he had previously been attacked in his sleep by Isabelle, the White Queen, and this demon just now, so that was no guarantee. If anything, Biondettas senses were sharper since she lived a life of conspiracies where so many people held a grudge against her. Okay, okay. All done. Colorful as usual, I see. The visual effect helps wake you up. The primary dish was two butter rolls. There was milk to drink and a plate held scrambled eggs with ketchup and two thick slices of bacon cooked until lightly scorched. For vegetables, they had corn and spinach cooked in butter. Bread, eggs, and vegetables. By deciding what to eat with the limited amount of bacon, the breakfast allowed for a fairly high level of customization. Red, yellow, and green Oh? I happened to give it the colors of the Summoning Ceremony. You didnt do it on purpose? I assumed sneaking in some white with the milk was meant as a bit of harassment. There arent many purely blue foods, so I had to use green instead. I dont like forcing it by using artificial colors. What about blueberries? Ahh!? Right off the bat!? At any rate, they started eating. If he let his guard down, Biondetta would have served him an ultra-high calorie breakfast along with a ridiculous drink that catered to her own extreme sweet tooth, but he seemed to have been lucky today. There was nothing surprising and it was honestly quite good. Now that weve eaten, what shall we do first? Find a hotel. Umm, the Meinokawa Shrine, the one and only key to defeating the White Queen, is right in front of us and things feel like theyre headed toward the climax thanks to the glimpses of the Bridesmaid soldiers that want to stop us And you want me to attempt the crucial negotiation with Meinokawa Aoi while carrying all this luggage and without changing into fresh clothes? I also want a shower. Since we cant lay the groundwork in advance, 80% of the negotiation will come down to the first impression we leave. It doesnt matter if the end of the world is only a day away; we need to be at least courteous enough to wash off all this sweat before visiting someones home, Biondetta. Sweep, sweep. Meinokawa Renge, a shrine maiden with long black hair, moved a bamboo broom in front of a vermilion torii. Houbi Village was #53 on the Top 100 Sights on the Archipelago - New Edition. It was also known for its water, both hot and cold. That might make it sound like a busy place, but it was actually a village in decline. It made a decent amount of money from the leisure-seeking tourists visiting the ocean during the summer and the mountains during the winter, but that did not actually increase the population. The village was not protected by the government like an Italian world heritage site, but they could not build a large shopping mall when they were required to maintain the beautiful scenery. That meant the only lifeline for shopping was to use the internet to order things from outside the village. This had actually freed the declining shopping district from having to provide the infrastructure for peoples daily lives, so the shop managers had gone with their own personal interests instead of worrying about profit, creating an odd bit of activity there. Ever since it was announced the village would die in another three years, they had done their best to hang on and that had lasted for more than twenty years by this point. That was how Renge saw the village. The Meinokawa Shrine was more on the mountain side than the ocean side. Simply put, it was at the base of the mountains that approached the village. The area was filled with straight cedar trees that had been brought in as some kind of fad long ago, so every spring it became a dangerous area that earned the ire of all the nearby residents caught in the fierce storm of pollen. Whoops. When she heard the distant melody of the radio exercise music, she could tell it really was summer break. The stamp. Dont forget the stamp, miss. After we eat breakfast, lets all meet up at Yuutas house!! How can you focus on having fun when you havent finished your homework yet? The Meinokawa Shrine where Renge lived was only a small shrine that had been completely forgotten by the region (even by the damned offering thieves). A much larger shrine located right on the road had grown much more popular, so the people of the village would probably think of that one first. That was the one they gave offerings to at New Years and it was where the small children gathered for the radio exercise. Renge felt a little sad at being overshadowed by it, but it did not damage her pride. (Well, it would be selfish to feel too sad when we intentionally used it to hide our presence.) The concept of goushi existed in Shinto. That referred to a shrine that constructed more than one building to enshrine multiple gods. This would sometimes happen when the enshrined gods were quite similar or another shrine had declined to the point that it had to join with a larger shrine in the area. The Meinokawa Shrine was one of those. In other words, it was all one large shrine. Theirs was the true shrine and the giant shrine placed conspicuously out front was no more than a decoy. The Meinokawa Shrine, which followed the Summoning Ceremony and enshrined their secret god, called itself a shrine out of custom, but it was technically not a religious facility that enshrined any of this nations myriad gods that were said to live in Takama-ga-Hara. They were registered as a religious organization, but the odds were high the normal people at the government office had completely forgotten about the registration document. Even before the discovery of the Third Summoning Ceremony in 1999, this secret organization had used ancient traditions and folklore to predict the existence of beings beyond the gods and had trusted their instincts as they enshrined those beings despite there being no religious system or culture behind it. Even when Shimabara was oppressed and the roadside Jizou were decapitated in the wave of anti-Buddhism, history was built up by those who maintained their purity in the face of that religious persecution on the surface. Since they had taken this form in the end, there was unlikely to be any greater form for them to take. Or so Meinokawa Renge believed. (Not that I can celebrate the result when the secret god our ancestors worked so hard to protect is that white thing. Well, Im not about to mock the belief in their hearts.) No matter how it had begun, the Meinokawa Shrine remained to this day and Renge now held a bamboo broom there. That was a declining but solemn territory cut off from all worldly thoughts. It might look like a silly miniature garden from the outside, but Renge was thankful she could fill her lungs with that air. It was not simply passing all this down for generations that qualified as a miracle. The number of coincidences she had to thank for her very unique birth into this world was astronomical. And as that black-haired shrine maiden enjoyed the refreshing morning, a sudden change appeared before her. The scent of the exact same soap wafted from the flushed faces and wet hair of the extremely inappropriate and worldly pair of a pessimistic boy and a waitress demon. It was Shiroyama Kyousuke and Biondetta. They approached while looking like they had gotten into some kind of trouble while no one was lookingor rather, they were covered in the side effects of having shared a room and bathroom. The sacred ground was destroyed! Finally, a familiar face. If Renge is here, this must be the Meinokawa Shrine. Pant, pant. Sir, even if its early morning, its still midsummer. Heading out immediately after taking a hot shower was a mistake. The heat is trapped inside my clothes. Biondetta casually grabbed the chest of her waitress outfit and fanned herself with it. Renge had not taken a bath, but her cheeks were the reddest ones there. Her eyes spun in their sockets. Wh-wh-wh-wh-wh-wh-wh-wh-wh-wh-wh-what!!!??? ? Why!? This is a shrine! Youll be cursed if you show up here after clearly taking a shower together and looking like youve cleared some major milestone!!!!! Biondetta, what is she trying to say? Pant, pant. Im so overheated that my mind is refusing to work, so dont expect much from me When she saw Biondetta collapse down with her legs limply turned inwards (and while producing lots of heated breaths and sweet sweat), Renges confusion reached a critical point. Dont think I cant understand this! Girls can pick up on these subtle changes! My conclusion is the only way to explain why a young boy and girl smell like the same soap!! Awawawawawawah!! Soap? Oh, the hotels. Hotelllll!!!??? The supplied soap and shampoo would be the same whether they rented a single double room or double single rooms, so Kyousuke simply tilted his head to ask, Whats your point? Meanwhile, the pure black-haired shrine maiden could not stop her imagination from running wild with her completely mistaken conclusion, but she lacked the experience needed to imagine the crucial details. I-I cant let Higan see this! I cant let Higan see what has become of this defiled strongest idiot!! Rengeeee, did you just call for me? Higiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!! S-stay away, Higaaaaan!!!!! There were many varieties of cicada, so the sounds of their cries changed depending on the time of day. They had not made much noise during the night and they seemed to make more of a jiii jiii than a miiin miiin during the morning. There was no need to switch on the air conditioner. The wind blowing across the mossy garden and through the window screen was enough to stop their sweating. The refreshing Japanese building was protected by that water and air. (Although the wood smells fairly new.) Kyousuke and Biondetta sat on cushions in front of a tea table and glasses of barley tea were placed in front of them. Due to the ice in the tea, cold condensation covered the outside of the glasses. Now. Higan, do you know why Renge is collapsed on the tea table and refusing to move? No. What are you doing, Renge? Nothing, was all she weakly said from the gap between her face and the table. Meinokawa Higan was the shrine maiden said to be Renges twin sister. Their facial features were almost identical, but her long hair was blonde and her eyes were a transparent blue. And this was not due to dying her hair or wearing color contacts. She was a Summoning Ceremony vessel. As proof, she wore restraints that bound her own mind and prevented evil spirits from possessing her against her will. In her case, she wore a leather blindfold pushed up onto her forehead and a racehorses bit lowered around her neck. Well, as long as someone can get us in contact with her, it doesnt really matter who. Come to think of it, what brings you here, Shiroyama-san? Are your parents here right now? They left a note on the message board saying they were going to a neighborhood association meeting. Um, I think its a reminder that burglars will come to the village disguised as tourists. That was a very working class reason to miss someone, but then Biondetta narrowed her eyes. Huh? But were summoners and vessels, so if your entire family works on the front lines, wouldnt they be completely forgotten by a gathering of normal people? Renge weakly waved a hand with her black hair spread out on the table like a dead jellyfish. She seemed to be saying to keep quiet about that especially in front of Higan who remained ignorant of it all. The greatest achievement of the Meinokawa Shrine was the construction of entirely artificial vessels using the Joruri Method and pairing them with the familys skilled summoners for a stable supply of fighters. It was a bit of a confusing concept, but if they specialized in construction, then it was possible some of them did not become summoners or vessels despite being so deeply involved with the Summoning Ceremony. Although that meant the pairs like Renge and Higan would still be forgotten by normal people. Renge finally raised her head. Well, pretty much everyone who lives around here is a Meinokawa. Even if the family name in front of the house changes, theyre still some kind of relative, so plenty of people remember you even after you fall into the world of the Summoning Ceremony. That would explain how lively the village seemed for its supposedly declining population. There must be a large gap between the population remembered by the official records and the population forgotten by them. The Meinokawa Shrine had once been taken by a Queen-worshiping group called Guard of Honor due to the debt racked up the gambling addiction of the twins parents. So even if they were surrounded by relatives, there must have still been a line drawn between them. Kyousuke thought for a bit. There are some aspects of the Meinokawa Shrines system I dont understand, so could you explain something for me? Sure. When trying to contact someone, would it be rude to go over your parents heads since they must be the current priests? Or can I get permission from shrine maidens like you? Is there a single, direct hotline, or are the lines drawn out in a network? Who are you trying to contact? Kyousuke leaned in toward the black-haired summoners ear since she did not want Higan to know about the artificial beings. And he whispered to the girl who blushed at his unexpected approach. (The very first Joruri Method. Meinokawa Aoi-san who is enshrined as your secret god.) And finally This way. The twins parted ways and Meinokawa Renge alone guided Shiroyama Kyousuke and Biondetta. Blonde Higan puffed her cheeks out like rice cakes, but due to the great secret she carried, Renge could not let her sister know about the details of the Joruri Method. So Renge gave Higan a long series of chores to keep her busy in the kitchen: Cook some somen, chop up the pickled vegetables in the underground ice room, thaw some corn, rub some soy sauce on it, cook it, and then cheer on the high school baseball team on TV. Meinokawa Aoi. Since she was known as the shrines secret god, she would not be in an obvious location. The black-haired shrine maiden guided them to the back of the normal shrine building. She touched the altar wall and the entire wall spun around like something from a ninja mansion. As soon as she did, the already cool air grew downright icy. Is this? a limestone cave? Kyousuke and Biondetta carefully observed the large space that opened up before them. It was surrounded by walls of a whitish mineral. Thanks to the many smooth bumps on the walls and the drops of water dripping down them, it felt like walking into the stomach of a giant creature. The upkeep of this place is a real pain thanks to all the moisture. The hidden door is airtight, but mold sneaks in through the smallest gaps, explained Renge as she grabbed some traditional sandals. Take these shoes. Its slippery, so it can be pretty dangerous. Since they could visually observe the cave, it obviously had a light source. Just like at a construction site, there was scaffolding of steel panels and metal pipes as well as angled ladders instead of stairs. Halogen lights were strung up by thick cables. The low, droning rumble heard in the distance may have been due to a tunnel ventilator. We entered through a fancy hidden door, but there are actually entrances to the cave all over. Her answer was simple. One route leads to our enshrined god, but there are plenty of other routes too. I see. Secrecy can be both good and bad, cant it? Tell me about it. Our ancestors apparently located the sacred ground here without giving it much thought, but they must not have understood the full scope of this vast network of caves. They only later realized how many other entrances there are. Now there are all sorts of sections built up in here: for sightseeing, for crystal mining, and for storing food, buried treasure, or other supplies. And all the discoverers believed they had found a different cave. Renge smiled bitterly. We might want to forbid them from using the caves, but normal people wont remember what summoners tell them, so theres no way to stop them. We apparently filled in the holes in the past, but since they couldnt remember any of it, they just kept digging back up the same spot. Weve ended up deciding its for the best if the inside ends up a giant labyrinth. And meanwhile, were trying to divert the underwater rivers to divide up the caves using the powerful moisture and rapid currents. Although we cant get too aggressive since the crystals mined here are used for our shrines protective charms. Her explanation continued as they walked across the metal bridges running across a giant underground lake. It was probably set up so choosing the safer route would take you away from the enshrined god. The Meinokawa family may have brought in the materials for this as well. It seemed even religious occupations could be difficult. But with all this water in here, its kind of creepy to not see any bats, geckos, or other animals. I just hope that isnt a sign of volcanic gases. Oh, thats one of the signs. ? There are animals in the other tunnels. We havent put out anything to keep them away, but for some reason, none of them ever approach the route leading to our secret god. As if theyre showing respect for the sacred ground. They walked along the poor footing of the cave for about half an hour. At the very back of a narrow tunnel, they found a thick steel door covered in gold leaf. The double doors gold was not a gaudy decoration; it was meant to prevent rusting within all the moisture. The lock actually looked more valuable. It was a giant, bag-sized padlock that had likely been in use for centuries. But that kind of lock did not look like it could be opened from the inside. Looking at it that way, the door almost felt like it led to a cell. Instead of preventing thieves from getting in, it seemed to prevent some great evil from escaping. Wheres the key? It was apparently lost a few generations back. After nonchalantly admitting that, Renge grabbed the antique padlock with both hands. So you have to grab it like this, twist it this way, and push up on the latch inside. Diagonallylike this! With a heavy clunk, the lock really did open. It looked a lot like an old lady hitting the corner of an old TV to get it working again. One had to question why they even bothered with the lock anymore, but the padlock was so rusted at this point that it seemed doubtful the key would have fit inside even if they did find it. In a way, they may have created a family security lock that was immune to analog picking and digital cyber attacks. Beyond this door lies Meinokawa Aoiour shrines god and, in a way, my ancestor, said Renge concerning the very first Joruri Method. Are you ready? There is an even greater reason why we cant place her out front to gather visitors. She is a verypeculiar person, so prepare yourselves. With that warning, she opened the thick and golden door. And beyond those double doors, they found It was either a stone temple designed to inspire awe or a stone crypt built to prevent its occupant from ever escaping. Either way, the space was shaped like a 20m die. And that geometry was instantly recognizable to any summoner or vessel. (An Artificial Sacred Ground?) Central American crystal skulls would apparently take centuries to complete if a spherical crystal were simply polished and worn down by human hands, but in that case, how much work had gone into creating this? The six faces had no seams and the surfaces were polished as smooth as human skin. It felt like a complex intertwining of the biological and the artificial, so it felt like being swallowed into the stomach of some giant creature. Kyousuke had experienced something similar before. (Sekurtitis Egyptian-style temple combined a micro universe and a macro universe in the same room.) Did that prove that the Meinokawa Shrine had used their experience and intuition to subconsciously distort the world before the Third Summoning Ceremony was discovered in 1999 and thus before the actual logic and system behind it all was completed? The sacred ground that had appeared in Toy Dream 35 had ruled all space around the silver-haired and brown-skinned Tomb Priestess. Then what was at the center here? There was a stone torii. There were three small steps. At the very center was a miniature shrine about the size of two vending machines. None of it used a single screw or nail. In fact, there were no seams to suggest stone had been piled up. It was all perfectly smooth as if the water dripping from the ceiling had carved away at the great stones micron by micron. And in the slight depths of the opened miniature shrine, a thin and slender form sat calmly with eyes closed. She resembled that greatest white evil in every possible way. This was historys very first Joruri Project. It was the Meinokawa Shrines secret god, made to resemble the White Queen. Her outlines were entirely motionless as if time had stopped. Her chest did not rise and fall with breath and there was no sign of the minute but uncontrollable movement of her muscles. Was this what it meant to be artificial? Kyousuke had known what to expect, but he still felt a strange sensation crawling up from the tips of his fingers. He was being sucked in. This was what happened when he knew the answer in advance, so if he had been caught off guard by it, he might have immediately run over to snap her neck. From her hair to her clothing, she was a perfect reproduction. He could see here why the Joruri Method was able to produce such skilled vessels. In the end, they too had ended up bowing before the white and creating a container into which they could invite that being. And at the same time, he understood why Azalea Magentarain and Guard of Honor had been so fixated on the Joruri Method. The Meinokawa family could freely assemble entirely artificial summoners and vessels, but they had not had much of an effect on the world of the Summoning Ceremony. But what if that was not a tragic case of unrecognized genius? What if they had already burned out? What if they had already completed their perfect masterpiece with this, their very first one? It was a lot like a mountain climber scaling Everest before any other mountain. That might make for an incredible record, but it would be a tragedy for the mountain climber themselves. They would be forced to wander forever in search of some new stimulation. Silver twintails fell to waist level. A wedding dress had been cut down to size and silver armor had been added here and there. Her face and body allowed the cute and the seductive to coexist in a way impossible for humans. Altogether, she was a sweet poison far too potent for humankind. The only evidence that this was merely a lookalike was the thin layer of dust on her hair and eyelashes. Since the dust on the tip of her nose was not moving, she must have felt no need to breathe. Is this? Kyousuke gulped. Is this Meinokawa Aoi? As if to answer his question, something clearly filled the twintail girl seated in the miniature shrine. Rather than an external power, an internal power filled her and she began to move. Her eyelids were as dusty as an antique left forgotten in an old house, but now they trembled slightly as if she were stirring. Her eyes silently opened. Those rosy lips had forgotten to breathe for so long, so what would they say first? Everyone focused on that living legend as she finally moved. With a heavy thud, her head, one arm, and one leg fell off. Wha!? Even Kyousuke widened his eyes at that, but there was no changing what had happened. After falling off on its own, the head bumped into the removed right forearm, but that was not enough to stop its momentum as it rolled down the short series of steps. It rolled right up to Kyousukes group and stopped with the face pointed straight up. Ho ho? You, the kafay worker. Those white and pink stripes do not seem to match the rest of your getup, so is there some deeper meaning there? Oops. Biondetta looked fairly shocked as she held her miniskirt down with a hand. And you, my successor. Just because you are a shrine maiden is no reason to go around without wearing any of those newfangled Western panteez. Ooooops!? You piece of crap!! You junk heap!! Renge blushed and used her sandal-wearing foot to kick the worlds oldest whatever-it-was like it was a soccer ball. The living(?) severed head bounced off the walls several times, but it did not seem to affect her mood. Mwa ha ha ha ha ha!! If you dont like it, then curse your own poor judgment for setting foot in my sacred ground when I have so much free time on my hands. I havent had visitors in forever, so Im not about to let you go so easily. I hope youre ready to have so much fun tonight that youll feel the weariness down to the marrow of your bones. Not to mention that youve been getting lax about cleaning this place recently!! W-weve had other issues to deal with!! Like our finances and our summoning jobs. And youre the one that drives your caretakers away by messing with anyone who bothers to come here! Those worldly troubles only sound like bragging to someone kept in a bird cage to intentionally distance her from such things. Harumph. Anyway!! Renge roughly grabbed the severed head at her feet, stomped up to the miniature shrine, attached the arm and leg to the body, and then docked the head at the top. Your visitors seem to have something important to discuss with you, so switch over to serious mode!! You have some guts talking down to your ancestor like that. If you want to challenge me, come back once your chest and sense of respect have grown some. !? Before Kyousuke and Biondetta could sort through their thoughts, blushing Renge had ripped Aois head from her shoulders once more. And who the hell do you think designed me like this!? Well, you were probably given a more modest chest to match Higan. Isnt that better than being built by someone with certain special proclivities, Renge? Shut up! Dont you dare place Higan on the chopping block, too! Poo hoo hoo. I believe we were talking about washboards, not chopping blocks. Sh-sh-sh-shut up! Bwah!! She rapidly inserted and pulled out the head over and over. Kyousuke watched to see if treating the head more roughly than changing a lightbulb would have any effect, but that did not seem to be the case. The silver twintail beauty cracked her neck, stretched her arms upwards, and stretched her back like she had just gotten out of bed. Because she was modeled after the White Queen, this pushed forward her surprisingly large breasts. How can she move around just fine after that??? Back in the CRT TV era, there were apparently martial arts experts who could fix them with a karate chop, so maybe thats the perfect shock therapy for some centuries-old junk. As Kyousuke and Biondetta whispered to each other, the black-haired shrine maiden shouted at the living legend while still blushing. Cmon, granny, those two seem to be caught in a whole lot of trouble, so listen to what they have to say! Isnt that what a shrine god is for? Letting people ask things of you while giving you offerings!? You dont have to repeat yourself. I havent forgotten. And Im the secret god, so its not like anyone shows up for New Years. Ahhh, I want more to do!! I get that the allure of the secret boss is lost if she doesnt stay hidden, but Im just soooooo bored!! Meinokawa Aoi cutely puffed out her cheeks and then clapped her hands in front of her large chest with the smile of a mischievous child. But anyway, this trouble you speak of has caught my interest. That sounds interesting indeed. I will hear you out to stave off boredom. If it is enough to provide a break in this tedium, I might just help you out. The lookalike licked her lips as if she were viewing an extravagant feast. In the end, this may have been what prayers really were. The humans desperately made their way to the temple and begged the god to grant their wish, but the god was under no obligation to help them. In that case, the very first condition was to draw their interest. How justified or pitiable the human was may have only been one piece of the puzzle. At the same time, Kyousuke felt like he had finally found a way to escape the confusion in his mind. No matter how much she looked like her, the person in front of him here was not the White Queen. The White Queen would never need to appraise the situation. As long as she could be with Shiroyama Kyousuke, she had found the greatest happiness and would ask for nothing else in the world. The boy exhaled and faced the living legend once more. If youre looking for historys greatest way of killing some time, then youre in luck. You can rest easy knowing this isnt going to end up being disappointingly easy. What is it? Are you planning on proving Fer-mahs Last Theorem? Wipe that smug look off your face, old lady, said Biondetta. Your information is a little out-of-date. Fermats Last Theorem was resolved at the end of the last century. Eh? Seriously!? So how did it turn out!? If you must know, you damn religious shut-in, X + Y = Z has no positive integer solutions when n is a natural number greater than 2. I already knew the answer. The question was how to prove it Oh, that would be a pain to explain, so Ill pass. Yes, and that pain is how Fer-mah caused the world so much trouble! No matter what anyone said, it certainly was a pain. Aoi made her demand while placing her hands on the waitress girls shoulders and moving in close enough that their noses nearly touched (although their large breasts were already squished up against each other), but Biondetta looked the other way and refused to listen. And this was no time to be explaining a problem that had been solved before Nostradamuss prophesied end of the world. Hmm, so what is this problem that you claim is even more difficult than Fer-mahs Last Theorem? Kyousukes answer was brief. At the very least, this mystery is more exciting. Now, as I explained when I paid up front, you clean up the scene, Lu-san. The collection of violence known as Illegal is better at that than the world police of Government, right? That rabbit makes it sound so simple. The black-haired beauty in a modified China dress put her hands on her curvy hips, viewed the scene, and began to seriously wish she had not taken this job. Paying her the full sum up front had been a way of preventing her from backing out. But since she had already received the full sum from Kyousuke, she had to do it. (Maybe I should make Kyousuke-chan give me a full-body massage later) She was in a humongous container yard in the harbor block of Toy Dream 35, a giant amusement park city that already jutted out from the coast and into the ocean. Since a foreign company had taken a regional city and entirely remade it into a Toy Dream city, it was almost entirely void of agricultural and industrial facilities. The entire city was focused on the amusement park service industry, so in order to return some of the wealth to the region and thus reduce friction there, the production was handled entirely by the satellite cities. That meant it contained far more containers than average. And that also allowed one to inconspicuously sneak something suspicious in. The sun was beating down on them during summer break, but no boys and girls in swimsuits were going to gather at the harbor block. And the brighter the sun, the deeper the shadows cast by the piles of containers. M-Manager? A girls voice that was as sweet as candy reached Lu from behind. The girl wore the kind of cleaning clothes a real maid would wear, which was not all that unusual for a Toy Dream city. Even with several bodyguards in black, if Lu Niang Lan the Perfect Dragon had her back turned to the girl, then she had to be an Illegal protge. What is it, Framboise? They did not use their real names on the scene. That was an inviolable rule in their world. So they were known as Manager and Framboise. Umso what is this? I had heard it was a cleaning job, so I had assumed it was a normal job of cleaning up blood stains and erasing bullet holes. Hmm In addition to the short maid with a blonde bob cut, a few other girls in the same uniform peered fearfully inside the container, but the modified China dress beauty was unsure how to respond. Harbor container labs tended to be used for synthetic drugs and that was not about to surprise Illegal at this point, but this seemed to be something more. Something like a translucent jelly was splattered thickly across the inside of the small metal room and it was slowly dripping down from the ceiling. However, it did not seem like the container had been carrying something sticky. It was more like (The containers surface itself grew corruptedno, transformed? I can see the remnants of glass experiment equipment, but did they guide something by allowing it to consume them? Kind of like the sticks used for growing morning glory vines or the ablation that protects the shuttle from the atmosphere by allowing itself to melt away from the friction) Well, if we trust the client, its best not to read too much into this. We have a request, so we only need to fulfill it. This is a biologically based. Clean it at Level 3. Level 3? But thats enough to clean up a decomposing corpse thats been left alone for two weeks after death. Are rubber gloves really enough for this? If this was truly dangerous, do you really think a VIP like me would have opened the container door without a gasmask or airtight suit? If you say so, said Framboise with a pout of her lips. She then snapped her fingers. Meringue, Chocolat, Marmelade. Once you complete the final check on the cleaning level, prepare for battle like always. Let us once more show our appreciation for the wonderful inventions of long boots, rubber gloves, and aprons. Sure thing. Forcing young girls to dress up as maids and handle filthy objects? What a sinful service. Ill pay you once youre finished. What do you want to eat? Once the gears got moving, it did not take long. The true maid girls stepped into the container using their long boots and they began sprinkling a strange powder around, waiting for the mysterious jelly-like substance to cool and harden into something like wax, scraping it up with metal spatulas, and stuffing it in thick bags. Professional cleaning was about changing the way you thought. It looked like a magic trick to the modified China dress beauty. It reminded her of how she had blades hidden all across her body. But still Yes, what is it, Manager? I cant help but wonder what this is weve been asked to clean up. Ah ha ha. I know, right? I dont know what our shy client is so nervous about, but if its a corpse, it would be a lot easier if they just said so. There we go. Meinokawa Aois voice echoed within the stone temple or stone crypt. The lovely bell-like tone of her voice sounded out of place with her archaic accent, but that aside A rustling of clothing followed. The Queens lookalike had circled behind the mysteriously-constructed miniature shrine and then just her slender arm appeared from behind the structure and dropped the Queens clothing to the floor. I may have asked for excitement, but I didnt expect you to ask me to strip not five minutes after we met. You misunderstand. Well, a god is meant to grant the meaningless wishes of you humans. Here, will this do? When Meinokawa Aoi appeared from behind the miniature shrine, she had removed the skimpy wedding dress with silver armor attached. Instead, she wore the bright white kosode and red hakama of a shrine maiden. She wore thick boots on her feet. Kyousuke sighed and poked his index finger at the side of his head. You really are shockingly sensitive. I of course mean it in a negative way, but that Queen might have become a part of you at this point. Aoi followed his instructions and undid her silver twintails. Once her flowing long hair spread out behind her back, she really did seem to have more in common with black-haired Meinokawa Renge than with the pure white strongest of the strongest at the peak of the Unexplored-class. Renge and Higan were seen as twin sisters, but when standing alongside the shrine maiden, Aoi also looked like Renges sister. Meinokawa Aoi seemed a little bothered with how the shrine maiden clothing fit because she bent her arms and pressed her elbows against her sides. Which of course squeezed her surprisingly large breasts from either side. Mhhh Traditional clothing is such a poor match for large breasts. It seems to catch or grab at them and its like something is missing. It doesnt quite fit right! Oh, is that so? Will this really survive a Summoning Ceremony battle? Im afraid theyll pop right out if I move too much. For one thing, youre wearing it wrong, sighed black-haired Renge. Why are your shoulders exposed? You arent wearing the red undershirt like youre supposed to, are you? Mh? Mhhh??? Dont strip right here! Youre just making it worse!! I always wear the same thing, so its easy to forget how these things are supposed to work. But you shouldnt have anything popping out even without the undershirt. Ive done a lot of traveling and Ive never had an accident like that, so dont worry. You have nothing that jiggles around, so Im not sure your assurance means much, Renge. I hope youre aware that mocking my body is the same as mocking Higans, you scrap heap!! Kyousuke did not want to interrupt while she was blushing so brightly, but he had business to take care of. Um, can we get back on topic? Of course! announced Meinokawa Aoi while grabbing and lifting her two large masses with a somewhat dissatisfied look on her face. I more or less understand. The star-ter pak already out there in the world is insufficient to defeat the White Queen, so you want to create a boos-ter pak that will provide the new rules you need. Has someone been tossing trading cards in the offering box at the shrine out front? But the existing vessels are only made to handle the star-ter cards, so something might go wrong if you shove your own boos-ter card inside one. So you want me to create a vessel designed to handle that boos-ter card. Hm, its a natural enough thought. I suppose the most important part would be the heartno, the blood. Hold on! Wait! Um, as my ancestor, should you really agree to this? I mean, this means making an enemy of the White Queen!! Well, I am honestly jealous of the fear she inspires in everyone. As Renge had pointed out, Meinokawa Aoi had no reason to directly fight the White Queen like Kyousuke and Biondetta did. Taking on an opponent so ridiculous that she could blow away the entire world with a single forehead flick provided an unbelievably high risk and nothing in return. I hate boredom. But the Joruri Method vessel who had given up on being a lookalike only grinned. She also continued the jiggling to test the durability of her shrine maiden outfit. And the primary reason for my boredom is the fact that I was created as her lookalike. As long as she is the strongest, people will appreciate me as a mere decoration. But what if the White Queen were to die? Who would need a lookalike anymore? Wouldnt I be able to walk the world as a true individual, bound by no one? She may have been similar to the Yellow Gills, one of the Unexplored-class Three, who utterly loathed the White Queen for restricting her freedom. But unlike the Yellow Gills, Meinokawa Aoi did not greedily seek victory. It was her desire to escape boredom with a life-risking thrill that made opposing the White Queen look so appealing. (Her foundation is a lot like the Yellow Gills and her self-destructive desire is a lot like Biondetta She tries to act like a funny eccentric, but its already obvious that this hedonist has a screw loose.) Are you thinking something rude by any chance, sir? Its getting harder and harder to know what you would find a compliment. Kyousuke sounded exasperated, but Biondetta narrowed her eyes a little. He frowned. What? Oh, nothing. I was just thinking that youve changed, Kyousuke-chan. Thats too abstract. It used to be that you would never just come out and say there was something you didnt know. Is this the result of transforming your weakness into strength? How cute. I dont think its a bad thing. Its a lot like a Roman encountering the concept of zero after always counting from one on his fingers. Or maybe even coming across variables like X or Y. Youre willing to keep going when you come across something you dont understand because you know it will help you solve even more complex calculations, right? Ive always thought it was your tendency to solve all the equations placed before you that makes it so easy for that cruel white to predict exactly what youll do. Its like you open every single email in your inbox from top to bottom, whether they have a virus in them or not. Thats being rather harsh. My apologies, sir. I will restrain myself in the future. As long as I am feeling nice, anyway. As the Freedom 900 levels held their conversation, so did the two shrine maidens. Meinokawa Aoi spoke in a tone that suggested she had an overabundance of heat inside her artificial body. Yes, if you would break the chains of this stagnant peace, I would be willing to offer you my assistance, human. So in exchange, you help me. Free me from this restrictive position where everyone sees me as that Queen. Kyousuke sighed. He had been planning to help her in the first place. He had also been planning to finish off the White Queen. So he had no reason to refuse. In addition to her knowledge, he could use a vessel in order to fight since they had already seen signs of Bridesmaid. But something still bothered him. For the time being, he stamped an X on that odd feeling inside him and he gave his answer. As you wish. It could be a small blade, a pin, or their own canine tooth. A summoner always had a certain protective charm on hand just in case. All it had to do was thinly slice the skin of their fingertip so a red drop of blood would well up. Needless to say, this was a necessary process for binding a contract with a vessel. I bind this covenant of blood in the name of The Spirit of Fluttering Yellow Gills that Rules the Heavens (s - a - so - v o z - t i x - e i - y w - z a), one of the Three which manage and guide the summoning ceremony. You are of human flesh with a proper heart and soul, yet from this moment onward, you shall be a limited vessel that can hold all things. Kyousuke used a thin razor blade. The red drop on his index finger glittered like a jewel as he held it out toward Meinokawa Aoi. You shall be a lord of emptiness that uses the power filling you to at times bend the laws of this world. He touched her lips more than her tongue. The red drop burst, soaked in, and spread through the girls mouth. As the rusty flavor permeated her tongue, more and more spiritual contact points opened within her body and created a powerful link between their souls. The pure shrine god arched her back. Her exposed skin grew flushed, beads of sweat poured from her artificial skin, and an unmistakably feminine scent filled the air. So I shall prepare this vessel. I am a summoner, unable to leave the world of man, yet a symbol of haughty intellect that uses power from beyond the world of man to guide the world of man to the next age!! It was all completed without delay. But at the last moment, Kyousuke felt an indescribable sensation race along his spine. (?) Is somethingpantthe matter? Phew No. He had just bound a contract with an entirely artificial vessel. That may have made it feel different from normal. Welcome, Meinokawa Aoi. You are now my vessel. Of course. Hee hee hee. Its been so long since Ive actually fought. Im itching to get started! By binding a contract in the name of the Yellow Gills, the member of the Three that symbolized Freedom, Kyousuke had acquired Meinokawa Aoi as a vessel. On the guidance of the black-haired shrine maiden, they left the long cave and returned to the shrine building. The sky had already grown orange as evening fell. They had not meant to stand around talking for so long, but that solemn sacred ground must have messed with their sense of time. Nnnn. Experiencing things in real time feels so nice after so long. Meinokawa Aois joints must still have felt off because she stretched her arms and her back, causing her long silver hair to flutter behind her. And that pushed out her surprisingly large breasts. She must have felt more distance between her body and mind because she was defenseless in a variety of ways. Kyousuke sighed. I would like to know everything I can about the Joruri Method. How far can I go with the official texts, and which barriers can I tear down with your advice on top of that? That will change the number and type of barriers standing between us and the vessel we need. Wait. There is no need to hurry. Aoi waved a hand dismissively. She may have also been bothered with the straight hair made by undoing her twintails because she swept it back off of her shoulder and placed her index finger on her temple. I swear on my name that I will provide the artificial vessel you desire. So allow me to enjoy the fresh air some more. You seem to think I am wasting time. Well, you are exactly right!! I dont care about humanitys future or the fate of the world. Have you forgotten that I am only helping you in order to distract me from my boredom? Many temples and shrines were placed atop high mountains so they could look down upon the world below them, but some theorized that it was also a way of providing a sense of accomplishment for the visitors who made the difficult ascent to reach them. Basically, the high of mountain climbing or of a marathon was used to make the torii and Buddha statues look more divine. In the same way, Meinokawa Aoi may have been giving them a long lead up to the big boss to increase the ultimate sense of accomplishment. I dont have time for this. Say what you wish, but threatening me wont accomplish anything. Dont forget that you cannot twist my head like a faucet to produce knowledge on demand. But you can leave the fine-tuning of the blood to me. Hm, hm, hmm Kyousuke gave her a bitter look. Biondetta leaned her alluring body up against him and gave him a secret smile. As we thought, this isnt going to be easy, sir. And why do you look so pleased about this? You know were in the same boat here, right? Regardless, Meinokawa Aoi held the key to it all, but she childishly said she was off to the candy shop and started to run outside, so they had to run after her. That said, losing her head was not a real problem for her, so she would at least be easier to protect than a normal person. Incidentally, Blonde Higan was napping with her upper body collapsed on the tea table in front of the fan. Her shoulders were steadily and defenselessly rising and falling. Her sister had ordered a lot of somen and cooked sorghum, but it had been too much to eat alone, so she had likely eaten it with her parents. That allowed Renge to shout at the first Joruri Method who had left out the front door. Watch out for cars, dont follow any strangers, and be very careful if you see any non-Meinokawa summoners and vessels! What do you take me for!? Im either treating you as a child running an errand on her own or as a senile old woman wandering away from home, so which is it going to be? Hearing the girls harsh voice, the silver-haired shrine maiden trembled and hid behind Kyousukes back. Aoi saw no prestige in being the original of anything, so she could not stand being seen as an old lady. She must have really been afraid because she did not seem to notice how much she was pressing two warm objects against the boys back. O-ohhh Since you do not seem to have inherited my knowledge of how to treat a lady, I am somewhat worried about the evolutionary pattern of my successors. Really? They transformed this utter failure into someone with a proper head on her shoulders, so Id call that a succe Do you want to see a grown woman cry, you brat!? That carried an implied threat, so Kyousuke fell silent. She looked just like the White Queen, but he was unsure how to behave around her. Kyousuke and Biondetta had followed her out here simply because they were worried about the passage of time while in that closed crypt. Just as Aoi had not been up-to-date on Fermats Last Theorem, it was possible they had failed to grasp the changing situation outside. Acquiring an artificial vessel using the Joruri Method was a major accomplishment. They could not have the White Queen or Bridesmaid interfering, so they had to confirm their safety before getting to work. Huh? I dont remember that shrine maiden at the shrine. Mwa ha ha! I am what they call sooper rayr, so you wont see me all the time. You should count yourself lucky for running into me like this. By the way, what is all this racket about? Are you preparing for a festival? Why doesnt a shrine maiden know about the shrines festival? Theres something fishy about her! Mwa ha ha ha ha ha!! The neighborhood kids did not hesitate to speak to her and the old people looked up in shock, stopped working, and quietly prayed to the silver-haired shrine maiden. They must have known about the Meinokawa Shrine enough to recognize Aoi. Kyousuke watched Meinokawa Aois back as she walked on ahead. Something bothers me about this. What is it, sir? They were traveling along the road from the Meinokawa Shrine to the idiosyncratic shopping district. The narrow farm road cut between the paddies that shined orange in the setting sun and Kyousuke viewed Aoi who remained a step ahead like a child. Before long, they arrived at a small bridge crossing a clear stream that glittered in the orange light. Orahhh!! I was just thinking it was too damn hot, so what is this theyre doing? If youre playing the water, how about I join you? Ill jump right in!! Wah! You cant! Its too shallow!! Agah!? What did I tell you!? It should have been obvious when the water was only at knee level on the small children, but Meinokawa Aoi jumped off the bridge while still wearing her shrine maiden outfit. After the painful-looking impact, she floated up to the of the waters surface. Since she started laughing uproariously as soon as her face surfaced, they could only conclude that the Joruri Method was quite sturdy. Oh, that is quite the impressive water gun you have there. It uses static electricity to bend the water, so it can hit you no matter where you run! I-is that what they call hoh-ming!? That water gun has some nerve! My smartphone lens uses facial recognition to pursue the target!! Smart-fohn? Technology advances so quickly. That mass of mysticism sat on the river bottom with her clothing soaking wet and see-through. When she noticed the blasts of clear water gathering toward her inner thighs, not even Aoi could ignore it. Thats it, you impudent brats A true warrior needs no tools. I can form a water gun by holding my hands together like this! Wha!? A long-forgotten firing method!? Bwah! Mwa ha ha ha ha ha!! As Kyousuke peered down from the bridge railing, he noted that ones method for a hand water gun could reveal where the user had learned it, just like with the subtle variations in rock-paper-scissors or tag. For Kyousuke, playing in the water reminded him of the indoor Pool of Tears that he, Biondetta, Shiroyama Kyoumi, and the others had used. At the childrens insistence, Aoi gave them a quick lecture and they divided into two teams. Whether she was satisfied after playing so much or she was searching for a more worthwhile rival, Meinokawa Aoi waved both hands up at the bridge, smiled, and shouted up at them. You come down here too! Hyah, river water is just so different!! He waved back to decline the offer. Their skulls were not solid enough to survive a collision with the rocks from this height. This just doesnt seem right, he said while looking down at her with a smile of peace itself. No, its all progressing smoothly. So what is this? Its like something is missing or like I cant find the hurdle that should be there. Arent you overthinking this? asked Biondetta. Besides, you certainly did your fair share of complaining when we were riding the trains to reach here. Oh, right. Kyousuke gestured down from the bridge, so Aoi reluctantly left the river with her bright skin color showing through her clothing. Miss, will you be going to the festival? Of course. I always feel the need to get involved in anything that sounds like fun! They had of course not considered bringing a change of clothes for her. After leaving the kids playing in the river, Aoi seemed perfectly carefree while walking down the farm road. She grabbed the skirt-like bottom of her red hakama and wrung it out like a rag to squeeze the clear water onto the road. Once done with that, she grabbed the entire hakama with both hands and flapped it in the air. She did not seem to mind the bright skin showing through the white kosode or the soft thighs boldly bared below the raised hakama. Her leather boots sounded like rubber rain boots as she walked. Im absolutely soaked. Well, its still quite hot even if its evening, so I should be dry by the time we reach the shopping district. I just hope you arent underestimating the drying time. More importantly, is your wallet all right after jumping into the water like that? inquired Biondetta. Mwa ha ha. Not to worry. My coin purse only has change inside! Ive never had much use for paper bills!! Thats not really something to brag about. Wahp. As the silver-haired girls bright skin showed through the fabric of her shrine maiden outfit, Kyousuke bluntly tossed a large towel at her face. Direct your thanks to an old man who passed by. Although he mightve forgotten all about it as soon as he looked the other way. What are you so worried about? My body is fake. Im worried regardless. When he said that, Aoi matched her pace to his and laughed a little. Hee hee. ? Oh, its nothing. Hee hee hee. Meinokawa Aoi moved right up next to him, so the waitress demon lightly cleared her throat. Ahem. Now, sir, as we were discussing Right. The farm road arrived alongside the beach, so they detected a powerful salty smell. The sea breeze blowing in from the distant ocean horizon did not seem good for growing rice, but the locals might have thought that applying some stress to the crops caused them to grow more strongly. Everything up to arriving in Houbi Village was correct. No matter how carefully we plan, there will always be an accident or two standing in our way. Thats why everything since that has been so strange. What caused the change? Needless to say Bridesmaid did send in their summoners and Repliglass soldiers, but its all gone shockingly smoothly since then. But that smoothness doesnt sit right with me. The only real hurdle is that Meinokawa Aoi wants to be satisfied before getting on with the plan. It may not look like it, but were trying to acquire a trump card for killing the White Queen. The entire religious world should be fighting back against us. Hmm. Has the White Queen trampled on you so much that you get uneasy when things go too well? Or should I say shes trained you so well that youre about ready for her to give you your reward??? Biondettas pointed tail decoration swished back and forth as she made a cruel joke to dig at his trauma, but Kyousuke ignored her. He directed his thoughts even further inward. And he continued watching Aois back as she walked a few steps ahead of him. (Was I placed on some kind of rails at that point?) He tried to drag something concrete out of the sludge deep in his mind that hid countless possibilities, much like the primordial soup. But it was not enough. He had too little information to determine the answer. (But what is this about? What does Bridesmaid gain by calling us to this village?) At that moment, he just about ran into Meinokawa Aois back. She had seen something and stopped. All sound receded. The cheerful voices vanished and silence fell over the area as if it had been cut off from the rest of the world. ? Kyousuke placed his hands on Aois slender shoulders to stop himself from bumping into her and then he looked to the cause of this. It was a perfectly normal intersection between narrow coastal farm roads. It was twilight and a crossroads. Both the time and the place were said to invite oddities and someone stood there as if part of a ritual. What? It was a girl holding the brim of her straw hat with both hands. She wore a light pink rose decoration on her chest. She was maybe 135cm tall. The short girls long blonde hair was worn in two braids down her back and she wore a deep blue school swimsuit, a decorative collar that only covered her neck and shoulders, a ridiculously short pleated skirt, and a white floral print pareo. The brim of the large straw hat covered her eyes, but a strange prickling pain spread from Kyousukes forehead to the rest of his skin. She wore a thick chain over one shoulder and diagonally down her torso. What she wore at her side like a brand-name bag was actually a giant lock. Needless to say, that was a symbol of restraint and bondage. It was the defense mechanism used by vessels to bind their mind and protect themselves from evil and vengeful spirits. Counting just the paved ones, there are currently 7,010,891,750 roads on this planet. There are 120,970,672,894 crossroads between them. Now, what are the odds of two people walking down the road to happen across each other by chance? This was not good. He could not afford to see this. But the two of us were still reunited, Onii-chan. Were you simply too na?ve as you made your choices like a form of book fortunetelling? If your willpower had been just a little stronger, this might have been avoided. His instincts whispered those warnings. His experience raised the alarm. The problem was the location. If he had been anywhere in the wide world other than Houbi Village, he might have celebrated this reunion. Yes, hadnt Meinokawa Renge said any non-Meinokawa summoners and vessels would be highly suspicious? Given what Kyousukes group was attempting, the odds were quite good that they would be a member of the Queen-worshiping cult known as Bridesmaid. So if he could think of no reason why he would see someone here, it did not matter who they were. Ha ha Arent you glad I prayed to the White Queen, the strongest of the strongest, every single day, Onii-chan!? The girl lifted the brim of her straw hat to reveal the face below. All the hair on Shiroyama Kyousukes body bristled. He knew her. She was one of the Alices he had once saved. And she was someone he had supposedly cut all ties with. And even among those Alices, this one in particular reminded him of a small baby bird. Her snowy white skin reminded him of a fairy. Disbelief filled Shiroyama Kyousukes eyes as his trembling throat forced out her name. OliviaHighland??? Olivia Highland That was the vessel girl who had been contracted with Shiroyama Kyousuke before he announced his retirement. She was the first in line to the throne in an Eastern European kingdom generally known simply as F, but the kingdom itself had been overthrown, the monarchy had collapsed, and her life had been targeted. She had bound a contract with Shiroyama Kyousuke to confirm the disappearance of her mother, the kingdoms final monarch. She had behaved like a wounded beast at first, but through contact with Kyousuke, she had gradually regained her original innocent disposition. She had also had utter faith in the Unexplored-class, especially the White Queen and the Three, so even as she braved the battles of her collapsing kingdom alongside Kyousuke, she had frequently prayed to the White Queen. On the outside, it had looked like inviting in too many foreign corporations had created an influx of foreign values which triggered a great backlash against the insular monarchyor so the reports had said, but behind the scenes, the rebels had been plotting a secret scheme concerning the Summoning Ceremony. It was assumed they were plotting to steal the White Light Circle which was viewed as a royal treasure. The details were unclear, but legend claimed that treasure could immediately summon the White Queen, so Kyousuke, Olivia, and several other summoners and vessels had fought an unseen war over it. Later, it had been revealed that the royal treasure had actually referred to the people of Kingdom F. It was said the White Queen would swing down the hammer of punishment when rebels appeared to tear apart that beautiful land of ice and snow. The records of that battles result were lost and it is difficult to accurately follow what happened, but Kingdom F has regained its monarchy and there are unconfirmed reports of a mother and child seen embracing and weeping among the war-torn ruins. There is one voice recording of the mercenary summoner who helped Olivia Highland reclaim the monarchy, so I will attach that to the end: Do you really think you can pass that off as justice, Queen? Facts: *Good or evil, right or wrong, Meinokawa Aoi will listen to anyones request as long as it will stave off her boredom. She bound a contract as Kyousukes vessel because she thinks she will be freed from her position as a lookalike if the White Queen is destroyed. *Meinokawa Aoi seems to have an idea how to acquire the artificial vessel needed to contain Kyousukes proposed Unexplored-class which can kill the Queen. But he must curry her favor to get any further. *Kyousuke believes someone is intentionally allowing things to progress so smoothly. *The Bridesmaid assassin who appeared before Kyousuke was Oliva Highland, one of the girls he once saved. Volume 7, Stage 02 - An Enemy Named Olivia Highland Volume 7, Stage 02: An Enemy Named Olivia Highland Onii-chan, what youre saying makes no sense Probably not. But its the truth. (Stage 02 Open 07/19 18:30) An Enemy Named Olivia Highland Why? Shiroyama Kyousuke already knew the answer to his question. But he could not stop the meaningless words. Why are you here? How were you able to come here!? Ha ha. What, you arent going to call me Via like you used to? It was a truly innocent smile. Just like back then, it was as bright as the sun and contained no hint of wickedness. Olivia did not hesitate to answer while showing off her skin with her risqu swimsuit. Obviously, Im here because I regained my memories of you by binding a contract with a new summoner. !!!??? Who? That was all the information Kyousuke needed to know that she had strayed dangerously far. Her mother, the other monarch of Kingdom F, had been a veteran vessel. So even after her contract with Kyousuke ended, she would remember this world every time she saw her mothers face. To prevent that, that monarch had left her daughter with her wet nurse until she had grown enough to accept the truth of the world. But it had all been for naught. The worlds malice had easily destroyed everything they had built up. You really are cruel, Onii-chan. We spent so much time supporting each other, but as soon as my problem is resolved, you erase my memories and just throw me out like yesterdays trash? My life didnt just end there, you know? What if a bad guy got to me while you werent looking??? She was completely oblivious to the fact that precisely that had happened to her. But the strongest of the strongest at the peak of the Unexplored-class is different! She called me to her as her servant, brought back my memories, and gave me this opportunity to meet you again!! The White Queen is incredible!! Shes so cool!! And it was all the same as back then. She left her body and mind defenseless by not doubting the White Queen in the slightest. She truly believed the legends that the White Queen was an incarnation of radiance, justice, and benevolence. She was different from Azalea Magentarain and the others who saw how twisted the Queen was but followed her anyway. She was a Queen worshiper, but there was no sign of the usual stickiness in her. Im having trouble following this Indeed. Biondetta and Meinokawa Aoi recovered before Kyousuke himself. And because they did not know the background here This is getting tedious. Shouldnt we hurry up and get rid of her? Wait, Biond Ha ha. Do you really think Ill let you??? Her voice was sickeningly sweet. With an innocent smile on her lips, a straw hat on her head, and a rose decoration on her flat chest, Olivias announcement indicated that the end had already begun. At first, it looked like a meteor shower had colored the twilight sky. But by the time he realized it was a series of regulated lines travelling from the ocean horizon, over the farm road, and toward the mountain side of the village, Kyousuke felt a definite pain in his heart. He had identified those countless lights filling the celestial canopy. Its a cheap multiple launch rocket system. They say itll level everything from the ocean. Olivia smiled. She smiled and smiled and smiled while providing that nightmarish answer in her school swimsuit, decorative collar, ridiculously short miniskirt, and floral print pareo. Her expression looked right at home in the midsummer. Counting the parent bombs, child bombs, and grandchild bombs, a set of 20 will ultimately split into 18,000. Theyre designed for a 30km space, so with two sets, you can destroy two or three tank companies, but you need to be careful because a lot of them end up not going off. Got that, O - ni - i - chan How many people were there in the village? There had been a lot of children playing in the river not far from here. The old people preparing for the festival had stopped working and silently prayed when Aoi had walked by. Plus, that festival would be held at the shrine before long, so everyone would be excitedly looking forward to the event. Olivia!! But he did not have time to protest. The deadly canopy dropped down like a spiked trap. Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom!!!!!! Instead of dropping explosives on top of a designated target, the destruction dug up the land across a set range. !! When the bombardment struck, Kyousuke and Biondetta had tackled the silver-haired shrine maiden into a waterless paddy. But Aoi chose to continue rolling until she was on top of them. Despite being entirely artificial, she had the warmth and softness of a living being. If the explosive blast hit her, she would be as easily torn apart and blown away as any of them. And yet she did not hesitate to make her choice. Perhaps that was her nature as a shrine god created to protect. Well, now. I never thought the day would come that a lady would need to be so tough!! If they lost Meinokawa Aoi here, they would lose their path to defeating the White Queen. But Aoi seemed entirely focused on saving the lives in front of her. Meanwhile The destructive storm swept across the land like a tractors rotating blades slicing up the worms in the dirt, but Olivia did not even get down on the ground while wearing her school swimsuit, decorative collar, pareo, miniskirt, and straw hat. The most she did was grab the brim of the hat with both hands. A gust of wind too weak to call a gale blew her pareo and miniskirt up, exposing her bright thighs and the armpits inside her short sleeves. That bright coloration was like a sacred ground. It did not allow even a single red scratch. Good, good, good. Once everythings been leveled, the landing unit can come in. Its time for the Hover Edges to do their job. Nya ha ha. She spoke calmly while still standing in the center of the crossroads. Yet when exposed to an explosive blast, standing rather than getting down increased the odds of death by more than 50%. A great quantity of explosives continued to rain down from above and something approached from the distant ocean horizon. Whatever-they-were raced toward the coast while spread out at even intervals, so they were probably giant Repliglass craft loaded with summoners and vessels. Released Creations ignored the structures of existing plants and animals, so there was nothing in particular to reference, but in Kyousukes view, they looked like sports kite monsters skimming just off the surface. Assuming of course, that kites had creepy compound eyes that accurately scanned the terrain and large propellers to provide thrust. Describing such a device was simple, but creating one would be difficult. Aircushions were viewed as convenient amphibious vehicles, but when piloting one through rubble, there was always a risk of the inflated float being damaged. These probably combined the best features of an aircushion and a glider, allowing them to move smoothly and rapidly while occasionally adjusting their altitude. Dont worry. I doubt any of them will hit you, Onii-chan. As 18,000 explosives rained down, the words of a 10-year-old girl were what caused the waitress demons face to tense up. Youre kiddingright? Those are non-guided, area-suppression rockets! They wont avoid you if youre clutching a cheap GPS in your hands and theyre supposed to evenly blow up everything within range!! This is the world we live in. Onii-chan, youve caught on by now, havent you? Kyousuke clenched his teeth in the waterless paddy as her heated and hopeful gaze fell on him. He spoke the idea that welled up in his chest. So thats whats going on. This is the world you wanted, isnt it? Who had given him this present? The worshipers in Bridesmaid, or the White Queen herself who stood above them? But why did you bring the villagers into this summoner battle? If you knew this attack couldnt kill us, there was no point in making it!! Ehh? But this is something you taught me, Onii-chan. She sounded somewhat dependent and somewhat sulky. Either way, it was the calculated way that a child gathered peoples attention. But an unpleasant sensation ran down Kyousukes spine when he realized what she meant. Olivia remained pure and innocent as she continued. And she showed no concern for the bright thighs visible below the short skirt and floral pattern pareo as they fluttered in the explosive blasts. When fighting using the Summoning Ceremony, you need to make sure you dont get normal people involved. If necessary, you try to drive them away and cut them off from the dangerous battlefield. These are allll rules you followed, Onii-chan. So she had done it. She had erased the normal people from the battlefield. Youre insane, Olivia!! Not necessarily. Surprisingly, it was Meinokawa Aoi who interrupted while using her own body to protect Kyousuke and Biondetta from the rocket blasts. Her pulse did not feel at all artificial as she pressed it up against the other two. This Houbi land is the combat village ruled by the Meinokawa summoner bloodline. This area is known for its underground ice rooms, but they are all connected to form a giant network of tunnels. They will not be buried alive there unless the enemy uses one of thosebun-ker bus-ters? Or whatever they are called. But only a fraction of them can use those, right!? Arent most of them normal people with no connection to the world of the Summoning Ceremony!? They can be guided. Normal people lose their memories of summoners and vessels once we are no longer in their field of vision, but it is up to their individual nature how their mind maintains consistency. So if we arrange things in a suggestive fashion, they will subconsciously choose to evacuate whenever anything odd happens. Hee hee hee. Isnt that great, Onii-chan? If this wasnt Houbi Village, youd have to give up your title as the king of not killing. This had all been so she could say that one thing. But that does not mean we can just laugh it off and forgive her, said Aoi. She also ruined the festival. Oh, cmon. All Im thinking about is how to bring the Queen and Onii-chan together in my own way. Why would I need anyones permission to do that? No, that was also why Bridesmaid and the White Queen had joined forces with Olivia Highland, a girl he had once saved. It was all to utterly destroy the safe zone that Shiroyama Kyousuke had believed in. They had made a mess of the smiles he had seen here and the preparations for the small festival that the village had been looking forward to. The problem was just how well they knew each other. It would be difficult to find an attack so grand and wasteful that simultaneously tore into Kyousukes heart with such pinpoint precision. But, Onii-chan, now you cant run away, can you? I got rid of all the buildings you might have hidden behind and there isnt a forest of people you can disappear into either. Olivia Summoning Ceremony battles are somewhat reliant on the terrain, so now we can fight on even footing. Now, Onii-chan, lets enjoy this fight now that theres no one left to interfere. Olivia Highlaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand!!!!! Kyousuke tore himself away from Aois overly kind warmth, shouted at the top of his lungs, and got up, but the world had already changed. Most of the natural terrain remained, but the comfortable rural scenery, which had been filled with a refreshing breeze even in early summer, was nowhere to be found. All of the black soil had been dug up, scorching flames whirled in blazing vortices, and black smoke stained the twilight sky. This is your fault, Onii-chan. It was just like the civil war battlefield covered in blood and gun smoke he had traversed with that Alice. Or was it that Olivia wanted to return to that time? Once the downpour of explosives let up, Olivia gently let go of her straw hat, freeing her slender hands from anything and everything. She spread them out like fairy wings. And she spoke as she held the liberating sky in her hands. Defeat the White Queen? How could you not recognize how wonderfully pretty, amazing, strong, kind, and cool she is? Theres only one possibility: you still dont know her well enough. Cmon, Onii-chan. You need to view the world with more of an open mind. That was the exact opposite of his problem. As the girl lectured him on that pure whiteness, she showed no sign of noticing the error of her ways. So I just have to teach you. Once you know how powerful the White Queen is, surely even you will change your mind!! Just as she said that, the Repliglass craft that resembled giant sport kites began to arrive at the beach and spew lots of summoners and vessels out onto the battlefield. Tch!! At that moment, the information that came to Demon Biondettas mind was quite simple: Olivia Highland was once Shiroyama Kyousukes partner. Thus, the odds are incredibly high she is a vessel. Olivia Highland is acting alone, but the threat she poses will rise considerably if she manages to meet up with her summoner partner. The first wave of rocket blasts is over and a Bridesmaid landing unit has arrived on the leveled battlefield. There are decent odds that Olivia Highlands summoner is among them. She chose the obvious course of action based on those facts: shoot the girl immediately before her summoner can arrive. Biondettas waitress-style miniskirt fluttered up as she prepared her folded Blood-Sign which doubled as a bolt-action sniper rifle. And she could pull the trigger far faster than someone could throw an Incense Grenade. It was a sniper rifle, but she raised it like a pistol in a Western quick-draw scene and her trigger finger was already moving. Even if the girl was a vessel, a human was a human. If she had yet to join with her summoner and invite a Material inside herself, the little subcutaneous fat of her undeveloped bodylines could not deflect a rifle bullet. The lead weapon used its own rapid rotation to stabilize itself and it would swiftly crush and wreak havoc on the Olivias internals as it mercilessly pierced through her. However Stop that. Shes just a child. How immature of you. !? Oh, honestly!! A slender hand casually reached in from the side, grabbed Biondettas gun and pointed it straight up. The culprit was Meinokawa Aoi. The movement of her sleeve pulled on the chest of her shrine maiden outfit, causing it to jiggle, and then the bullet flew through the evening sky like a warning shot. Excellent accuracy was the selling point for bolt-action weapons, but they were hopelessly unsuited for rapid-fire because the cocking lever had to be pulled for each and every shot. The look in Kyousukes eyes grew even sharper. Biondetta! You!! Eek! Does this mean youre going to insist on a late-night talking-to!? First I fail to finish off my target and now I have to sit through a lecture!? This really is the worst!! Just as the contracted demon shouted in desperation, the many white Repliglass craft skimmed by a lot like giant sports kites. Shiroyama Kyousuke was an obvious target, but they moved to suppress the entire village instead, so they may have also wanted to collect the documents and equipment related to the Meinokawa Shrine. Meinokawa Aoi held ancient knowledge on how to create artificial vessels, but she would need a manufacturing facility to give that information physical form. Whoops. Olivia belatedly held down her straw hat and miniskirt as the artificial wind blew through. Once the Repliglass group had passed by as a white wind, something unfamiliar had joined the scorched and hellish landscape. A man of nearly 2m stood next to the 135cm girl. It was late July and the first day of summer break, but he ignored all of that to wear a black riding suit and a lab coat. But the most conspicuous part was the full-face helmet like a fighter pilot might wear. It included an oxygen inhaler which was connected to the wheeled oxygen tank lying at his feet like a suitcase. Kyousuke had no idea who he was. But he could make a pretty good guess based on the spear-like object longer than he was tall. It was an excessively-long Japanese sword and sheath held closed by rusted wire like a faucet during a water conservation period. It looked something like a single long rod. It was a Blood-Sign. Now, shall we get started, Onii-chan? The girl freed her skinny arms. Olivia Highland giggled and stepped closer to the man who was nearly twice her height. Summoners were the backstage performers who ensured the vessel could make their greatest performance while calling a god down onto the stage. This was the practical form linked to her origin. Ill show you alllll sorts of great things about the White Queen!! Kyousuke had announced his intention to kill the White Queen. He had expected to run into Bridesmaid since they worshiped the Queen over anything else in the world. But as he pulled his Repliglass Blood-Sign from his back, a certain phrase came to mind. (I need to fix this little by little. If I do what they want, things will only get worse!!) To be blunt, his group gained nothing from fighting Olivia. Their goal was to learn from Meinokawa Aoi and acquire an artificial vessel that suited their purposes. And yet the situation was rapidly headed toward battle. Win or lose, they took damage just from taking part. It would tear their schedule to shreds. They did not have time for a strategy meeting with the enemy right in front of them. Biondetta made complex movements using the artificial bones inside her dominant hand in order to communicate with Kyousuke. (Lets throw our Incense Grenades simultaneously. They must not want to let us build up our Cost using Chains because they havent surrounded us with summoners. Its two-against-one, so we have the advantage and we need to use it!!) Kyousuke had no objection to that plan. Alice (with) Rabbit pulled a metal can the size of a hairspray can from his hoodie pocket, pulled the pin, and threw it. Liar Cat spread her legs and a sphere a bit smaller than a baseball fell from her waitress-style miniskirt. Even if one was deflected, the other would detonate. The standard for a group battle was to trap your target in your own Artificial Sacred Ground. And that was what should have happened. However. It was a pristine sound, as if from a metal wind chime. By the time the vibrations had propagated through the air, the change had already arrived. A cut!? A slight vertical cut ran through the very bottom of the miniskirt and the tool she had supposedly dropped between her legs was cleanly destroyed. Even Biondetta felt her throat grew so dry she could barely force her voice out through it. The Incense Grenade was sliced apart as easily as a piece of fruit. And with enough accuracy to remove the fuse, preventing it from detonating. Aoi brought a hand to her mouth in surprise, pushing up on her soft breasts in the process. Even with Incense Grenades thrown in two different directions, that helmeted man not only sliced through them but defused them as well!? That 2m Japanese sword had supposedly been held in place with wire, but the strength of his thumb had been enough to forcibly break that wire and release the seal. It had been an iai strike. Without losing any momentum, he had smoothly made a second and third sword strike. Just like a roller coaster endlessly switching between kinetic energy and potential energy, the faceless mans sword edge never came to a stop. After the storm of flowing silver lines was released from the sheath, it could not have been even two seconds before it was returned to the sheath. And that frightening sword edge would be able to target more than just Incense Grenades. In general, an Incense Grenades timed fuse took 3-5 seconds to detonate. Against this lab coat and riding suit man, those few seconds seemed to stretch out into an eternity. It was hardly surprising that Biondetta and Meinokawa Aoi decided their best course of action was to immediately move back to put some distance between them and wielder of that long weapon. But the boy chose the exact opposite path. Shiroyama Kyousuke adjusted his grip on his similarly long Blood-Sign and charged forcefully in toward the man. The previously pristine sound grew distorted. It was not the mans blade that Kyousukes Blood-Sign had caught. He refused to even let the man remove the sword from its sheath, so he had caught the wrist of the hand holding the hilt. The weakness of longer weapons is the range you need. He approached to just a dozen or so centimeters away and they both poured all their strength into their respective weapons. And its even worse with a sword since you cant move your hand up the shaft like you can with a spear or naginata. So its actually safer to move in close. That was as far as he got. The supposedly-restrained helmeted man turned his body even further. That freed his arm from the Blood-Sign and pulled Kyousukes wrist forward as he tried to pursue it. When using iai techniques to kill instead of as a performance, this was a recovery technique for when your sheath or hilt was captured. He did not rotate his hips to shift his entire body weight. He only used the strength of his arms. And there was not much actual power contained in the movement. But Kyousukes body flipped quite dramatically. He had been forced to do it himself to escape the pain in his wrist joint. This was an aikido style throw that used the bare minimum of strength to control your opponent. However Shiroyama Kyousuke did not bat an eye even as he was flipped upside down. Had the man failed to notice his expression because they were too close for his eyes to focus properly? Kyousukes flipping body obscured the lab coat and riding suit mans vision and he moved to the side as guided by the mans recovery technique. And once he was out of the way, the helmeted man saw something else instead: Biondettas bolt-action sniper rifle. A dry blast rang out. The recoil ran violently through the alluring body contained in the waitress uniform. The fact that the man managed to draw the blade and block the rifle proved his skill really was the best of the best. But this was not a battle between a blade and a bullet. It was a battle between summoners who fought by calling in otherworldly beings. They had only needed to stop the mans movement for just a moment. Even as he was thrown into a side flip and out of the way, Kyousuke stuck his left hand in his pocket and tossed out the metal can found inside. He had already been outside the swordsman summoners focus. And he had also tensed up due to the knockback from the rifle bullet. The silver flashes would return a moment later, but that brief pause had killed the speed of proper iai. It was only by some miniscule fraction of a second, but he was too slow all the same. The blade did dig into the surface of the metal can. But that was when it detonated. The mixture of herbs and minerals was arranged differently for every summoner, but that incense now spread out and surrounded a 20m cube to cut it off from the rest of the world. A stock of three white balls of light known as White Thorns appeared near Kyousuke, Biondetta, and the helmeted man, a Rose created from 6x6x6 red balls of light known as Petals appeared in the center of the Artificial Sacred Ground, and 36 Spots opened all across that space. We finally cleared step one The first one to hit a White Thorn with their Blood-Sign was Biondetta who had moved away and was thus free to act. But well have the upper hand once I summon a Material!! The sword user cut at Kyousuke to force him to block with his Blood-Sign and launched a White Thorn while Kyousuke was knocked back. But in the meantime, Biondettas White Thorn caused the Rose to burst and the red Petals scattered every which way. She really was the fastest one. Several Petals fell into the Spots and the white snake vessel transformed into a Material. Sound Range: High. Cost: 6. Predatory Fire (l v z - w z b). Seeing as Olivias side only had the Original Yellow (s), a slime of Cost 1 from the high Sound Range, their plan had paid off. This was an overwhelming advantage. They were the same Sound Range with a Cost difference of 5. There was no way Biondetta could lose. But Kyousuke felt a chill down his spine. That line. Biondettas words. He felt like the pupa of hopeless slaughter was waiting to spread its wings Wait, Biondetta Then it hit him and he called out to her. Dont let your guard down!! This isnt over yet!! ? He did not get through to her. Biondetta gave him a puzzled look just before it happened. There was a cost difference of 5. They were both at the same Sound Range, so that would not have played a role. Eh? Biondettas eyes opened wide, like she was viewing something truly unbelievable. The translucent yellow slimes body had burst straight through the pulsing central weak point of Biondettas supposedly stronger Material. It had broken through the Silhouette. That was the Materials weak point where the vessels mind resided. That blatantly-displayed weak point was never taken advantage of because not even the chosen vessel could fully control the Material. The best they could hope for was to just barely keep the rampaging targeting cursor on the target, so precise targeting was no more than a hopeless dream. (The Third Summoning Ceremony refers to a contract bound between humans and Materials.) And yet. The enemy had done it. (So the exact classification and definition of human becomes an issue. The more accurately a vessel can indicate what a human is, the clearer the Material can perceive them and the greater they synchronize. And that binds them more closely together. That is why shrine maidens and holy women cut themselves off from worldly impurities to preserve their purity, and that is why there are traditions of finding special meaning in the structure of the human body itself, such as a sages skeletal structure or the Adam Kadmon. While you can be taught to be a summoner, being a vessel is mostly reliant on inborn talent. There are natural ones like Meinokawa Higan and Sekurtiti and there are created ones like Isabelle who had her soul artificially worn away and Lu-san whose family is searching for the perfect form of mankind. And the greatest one Ive ever seen is) The small vessel before his eyes right now. As a vessel with royal blood, royal flesh, and a royal soul, Olivia Highland could fully control her Material. Kah. And no matter how it had happened, there was only one result once the Material had been defeated. The defeated summoner and vessel would be hit by a shock equivalent to seeing their god slaughtered before their eyes. Kahahhh!!!??? As soon as everything burst and the white snake was released into the world once more, Biondetta arched her back. As if she had been hit by a stun gun in the back, she could not close her gaping mouth and she collapsed to her knees. Even so, this would never have happened to Biondetta normally. At Freedoms 900 level and as an actively scheming demon, she would have immediately picked up on the scent of her opponent trying some kind of trick and she would have put up her guard. It was obvious what had dulled her senses. (That summoner was trying to prevent us from using the Summoning Ceremony, so she assumed victory was ours as soon as the Incense Grenade detonated. Even though there was nothing at all to suggest that. They placed a nonexistent borderline in her mind and launched a surefire attack in the instant she crossed it and relaxed. Olivia, when did you get so clever!?) The yellow slime turned to face him. A Material was normally a mass of fighting instincts, but this one came to a stop even though Kyousuke had yet to summon a Material and thus gain a protective circle. It was like a rider holding their trusty steeds reins and ordering it to wait. That alone proved just how extraordinary Olivias talent was. She had overcome a Cost difference of 5 for an instant kill, so even if Kyousuke summoned a Cost 1 member of the Original Series and tried to build his Material up from there, Olivia would kill it before he got anywhere. And even after all this, Olivia may not have been satisfied. She had said she wanted to show off all sorts of great things about the White Queen, so she did not seem to want a quick end to the battle. But then I see. The silver-haired shrine maiden sighed in a mixture of exasperation and awe. She held her own head between her soft hands, but it did not look like her mind was ruled by agony. She also gave her partner a glimpse of her defenseless armpit through the opened shoulder of her clothing. So this is the cutting-edge form of the Blood-Sign method. And it would seem you have developed some secret techniques not even I am familiar with. But if you are going to cheat, then you cant complain when I do the same, can you? I have had far more than enough time to sit around and think while being used as a shrine god. As soon as she said that, something happened. She used her hands to pull off her own head. It came off far too easily. The action was as casual as removing a full-face helmet. And with her head missing, Meinokawa Aoi held the removed head to her surprisingly large chest and spoke. Now, a question. Girl, where do you think the human soul resides? In the brain? Or maybe in the heart? But the answer doesnt actually matter. I am a fully artificial vessel, so I am not actually a living creature. In other words, I have no center point. That is an extremely important fact. Olivia had become the Material, so she could not actually speak. But even if she had a mouth with which to speak, would she have tried to communicate with Aoi? Since I have no center, where will the Material reside if I split my body in two within the Artificial Sacred Ground? In the brain, or the heart? As I said, I do not have the center point you call a soul. Now, will the Material choose correctly? Or will it choose wrong? Or will it be unable to choose just one and be torn in two to reside in both halves? What matters here is that the Summoning Ceremony is the modern version of the extremely dangerous ceremony used to call down the gods. If you keep that in mind, I think it should be obvious what is about to happen. She was plotting something. Knowing that must have been enough because the Original Yellow moved swiftly. It moved to eliminate Meinokawa Aoi who was producing dissonance. But it was just a moment too late. If the margin of error grows beyond the tolerable limit, the contradiction cannot be contained and the ceremony will fail. It does not matter what Material you have or how long until the proper end. It will be immediately canceled, the Artificial Sacred Ground will collapse, and we will regain our freedom. It was like a giant balloon popping. The pull of gravity vanished from Kyousukes feet. By the time he realized he had been blown away by an invisible explosion, he had been knocked quite a ways backwards. And he was not the only one. The same had happened to all of those arrogant enough to take part in the Summoning Ceremony and insolently wield a higher power. The summoning had failed. This never should have happened in the modern age of the Third Summoning Ceremony. I may only be an artificial lookalike, but do not forget that I am a shrine god who has long listened to peoples prayers and warded off evil, you fools. If I was going to give up on someones life just because that life is not my own, I would never have been worshiped by the people in the first place. Kyousuke took the full brunt of the magical reaction and rolled across the scorched paddy field. The core of his spine ached from the pain he never should have experienced as the successful one. Kahhah??? He groaned on the ground and nearly forgot how to breathe, but it could have been worse. He would have been hit by far more had he already summoned a Material. Then he heard a rustling sound. He looked over while holding his throat and saw Meinokawa Aoi looking down at him with her head reattached and unconscious Biondetta held under one arm. The silver-haired girl needlessly pushed her chest out, causing that portion of her shrine maiden outfit to swell out. Honestly. Back before the convenient Blood-Sign method, magicians said you only counted as a proper beginner once you could eliminate the reaction assaulting your body. I feel like Im looking at a chef who specializes in using a peeler and doesnt actually know how to use a knife. From Kyousukes perspective, that sounded like trying surgery using the techniques from a time when no one knew to sterilize their tools. Attempting a few reckless stunts was not at all useful when standing on the modern front line where common knowledge had been entirely rewritten. Regardless, Aoi herself was entirely unaffected. As I dont have a soul, I cant think of anything within me that could be shaken by that shock. That means this kind of reaction cant damage me. You should be thankful the Joruri Method can cheat like this. Lets get out of here while theyre knocked out. Kh Once she grabbed Kyousukes arm and forced him to his feet, he kept his unsteady body standing and looked around the area. Olivia Highland and the helmeted man were indeed collapsed on the burnt paddy field. Hey, we dont have time to carry an extra burden, said Aoi. Im sure more of them will be after us soon. If we dont get out of here, theyll capture and interrogateno, torture you. Cmon already. Besides, that would be suicide if she swallowed a homing beacon. I dont know if youre planning to stick your hand down her throat or up her ass, but can you really search the inside of her body right away? Oh, come on! Come oooon!! Kyousuke ignored her as he moved his unsteady body and scooped up Olivias small frame in his arms. The straw hat girl was not even 135cm tall, but she felt as heavy as a weightlifting barbell to Kyousuke at the moment. Even so, he picked her up. He had a reason to do so. He had once bound a contract with her, saying he would save her. (Olivia seems to be in the same state as anyone who loses. That means shell be like this for 24 hours. Im really glad that happened before I summoned a Material.) Okay. Lets get out of here, Meinokawa Aoi. Fine then, you kidnapper. Quit acting like some kind of hero, you pervert. But looking at her again, that is quite the getup that brat is wearing. She was born in the landlocked Kingdom F, so she had never visited the beach. She had this weird obsession with Japans swimsuits and the idea of swimming in the ocean. 18,000 rockets had leveled the village and then a great number of summoners and Repliglass soldiers had landed. It was best to assume Houbi Village had fallen into Bridesmaids hands, but while the outsiders would be using satellite photographs and map data, Meinokawa Aoi knew the land inside and out. There was no hesitation in her step, so she likely already had a destination in mind. Her scent and warmth were just like that of a human. Kyousuke made a comment while following her. The Joruri Method can cheat, huh? All cam-er-uhs and sen-sers cease to function inside an Artificial Sacred Ground, so its already cheating that an artificial summoner or vessel can do anything inside there. Thats true enough, butno soul? Yes. Is that a problem? But Meinokawa Renge was affected by the penalty when she lost. She was hit by the shock equivalent to seeing her god slaughtered before her eyes. That would mean she has something inside her that can be shaken. I see. While placing limp Biondetta over her back, the very first Joruri Method gave a dry smile. Then it would seem future generations have gained some functions I lack. Now Im jealous. Freedom 903 was in a sorry state. Kyousuke breathed the scorched air while carrying the small girl he had once fought alongside. It felt like a warzone. Nothing remained of Houbi Village and its refreshing breeze. Dammit. Do not let it bother you. That childs evil actions are not your fault. No, I should have predicted this. Given how obsessed with me Bridesmaid and the White Queen are, I should have considered the possibility that they would also become a threat to people I know. This went beyond Olivia Highland. He pictured the Alices he had saved either in the past or by altering causality. Librarian-chan and her sister, Isabelle and Murasame Kuina, Himekawa Mika and Ellie Slide, Sekurtiti and Azalea, Meinokawa Renge and Higan, and all of those before then. All of those people had paved his way to 903 Awards. Just because they had not been targeted yet was no guarantee they never would be. If you ask me, they might have been intentionally left alone, said Aoi while carrying Biondetta whose body was defenselessly sprawled out. What? Do not feel bad. Because I am a lookalike for the Queen, I feel like I can understand how she thinks to a certain extent. Yes, I simply feel like I can. The silver-haired shrine maiden sighed. She was still carrying Biondetta over her back, so the two girls cheeks were rubbing together. What a girl in love fears more than anything else is being ignored. And on that front, you are very easy to manipulate. I mean, you have announced you refuse to let anyone die, so its obvious from the start what someone has to do to get your attention. From the very beginning, youve displayed the one weakness you can never ignore. If someone dreaming of you is ever feeling uncertain, it goes without saying what she needs to do to put her mind at ease, right? Did that mean those girls would not have been targeted if Kyousuke was not like this? Did that mean the best possible path Kyousuke had thought up had actually directly led to this hell on earth? Thats ridiculous Indeed. But we can view this in a positive light. If the White Queen is playing one of the cards she had held in reserve, it means she is feeling the pressure. In other words, she feels the need to shake you using one of her trump cards. While they held their conversation, Meinokawa Aoi guided him to an irrigation ditch dividing the paddies. This should have been in clear view of the satellites overhead, but there were a few exceptions. For example, below an intersection with the ocean embankment. When Kyousuke peered inside the round opening using his smartphones LED light, he saw a rusted and broken grating with water falling even further down through it. It was not a problem for Kyousuke and Aoi, but if a small child like Olivia followed her curiosity and crawled inside, she might end up trapped. There were numerous cracks, but the tunnel had not collapsed even after the downpour of rockets. Even with the disaster-prevention embankment so close by, it was unnaturally sturdy for a civilian structure. You can get underground from almost anywhere here. Burning a few scorch marks on the ground isnt enough for this Houbi land to collapse. With Biondetta still on her back, the silver-haired shrine maiden freed one of her hands and waved her slender finger. Since youre in contact with Renge of this generation, I assume you understand the Meinokawa Shrines situation. Including the fact that Guard of Honor came to steal the Joruri Text. You mean? They eventually managed to get it due to the gambling debt, but there were a few largescale attacks before that. With the Toy Dream policy underway in various remote rural regions, no one cares much about a poor, declining village. This is not the first time that this Houbi land was destroyed. Rebuilding afterwards is our way. Its like a filming set for the silver screen. Was that why the Meinokawa Shrines wood had smelled surprisingly new for such an old building? They had perfectly recreated it, including intentionally damaging the wood and adding moss. We are a tough people both inside and out. And that includes Renge and Higan. So dont worry about it too much. But if you can get in from anywhere, wont Bridesmaid notice the underground tunnels too? They will of course find an entrance or two. But the inside is a complex three-dimensional labyrinth and their sat-a-lite fotos and map daytuh will not be of any use. It will take them ages to map it all out themselves. Could they smoke everyone out with poison gas or flamethrowers? It is possible, but we can switch between several patterns for the wind direction inside the tunnels. By determining the routes through which air can travel, we can keep the damage to a minimum even if they send poison in through an entrance. It did not matter that they were wearing sneakers and leather boots. They stepped into the source of the unpleasant mixture of a muddy and salty smell and let their feet sink into the sludge as they trudged on. They saw a few branching tunnels that were protected by metal grating, but one of those had a door locked with a chain and combination lock. Um, what was the combination again? N-no! It isnt that Ive forgotten!! Dont treat me like an old lady!! I didnt say anything. Now move out of the way. Aoi hopped up and down, causing a variety of jiggling, and made a preemptive denial while blushing, but Kyousuke pushed her aside and grabbed the longish combination lock. He set all of the 8 digits and then unlocked it. Huh? How did you do that??? Thats the kind of world this is. Kyousuke began to think this might also prevent any harm even if Bridesmaid used poison gas. Anything inorganic was not a real threat. As everyone fled through the complex arrangement of tunnels, they would just so happen to make the correct choice. (On the other hand, things could get very bad very quickly if they have actual people perform a direct search. They might miraculously find the villagers right away.) What do we do now? ThoseBridez-made? Anyway, those people with a Western name are Queen worshipers, right? To be honest, this isnt looking good. I dont know how skilled you are, but I doubt we can push them back in a direct confrontation. It would be a lot of work with little excitement, so it would be boring and a pain to go along with. Well, I suppose so. To reiterate, Kyousukes group gained nothing from fighting that Queen-worshiping cult. It would not help them complete the trump card the boy had in mind. Win or lose, they would lose something if they were caught in a battle with that pain-in-the-ass group. Unfortunately, Bridesmaid was not taking their circumstances into consideration. Now, its about time we got serious. Even if the role was forced onto me, I am a shrine god and I must protect the people of Houbi Village. And how will you do that? Meinokawa Aoi shifted defenseless Biondettas position on her back as she answered Kyousukes question. They worship the White Queen, so lets break that mental pillar and bring them to a state of apathy. The best course of action is to construct your method of killing the Queen and shove that blade toward the Queens throat. Even with the appropriate knowledge and technique, you cannot acquire an artificial vessel with special artificial blood in its veins if we do not have a workshop to give it physical form. But how many such workshops do you think are hidden in this village? Well, lets just say that Bridez-made cannot find them all if they cannot even grasp the full scope of these underground tunnels. (Artificial blood, hm?) That term had not come up before, so Kyousuke made sure to make a mental note of it. They could not see the stars in the narrow underground tunnel, but Kyousukes sense of direction told him they were generally moving from the ocean to the mountain. A cruise ship has been abandoned at the top of the mountain. It is called the St. Elmo. At the top of the mountain? Why??? It was originally used for leisurely cruises in the crater lake, but an earthquake created a deep crack in the lake bottom. It dried up and now only the ship remains. So is that the workshop? One of them, yes. Even if Bridez-made breaks into a government office daytuh-bays, they shouldnt find anything if they only check for buildings. Whether or not something showed up in a search could sometimes lead you astray far more than whether or not that thing was visible. Of course, they would likely discover it if they spent months performing a thorough search, but Kyousuke and Bridesmaid were in the middle of a blitzkrieg where speed was everything. Kyousuke would not give them the time. After they continued on for a while, their surroundings began to change. The sewer-ish smell vanished and the plain concrete walls and floor were replaced by the smooth curves of a limestone cave. Rather than developing the area according to a blueprint, they had apparently forcibly connected the tunnel to a nearby cave. It felt a lot like a sightseeing cave. (Since the awful smell hasnt gotten in here, she might have been right about their ability to control the flow of air to fight against smoke and poison gas.) While thinking about that, they climbed the gradual slope of the limestone cave. Perhaps because it was so damp, none of the evacuees were gathered here. Closed environments helped mold spores harm peoples lungs and mouths, so that dampness could not be taken lightly. Phew. Im soaked just from all this walking. Hey, quit thinking and try blushing a little. A young maidens clothing is all wet and see-through. And I cant cover up while carrying this summoner. Im glad to see the Joruri Method has more horsepower than a normal person. Nn, mhhh!! For some reason, Aoi puffed out her cheeks as the two of them continued on. That reaction was less like an old lady and more like a little sister who was ignored after putting on a show of as much sexiness as she could manage. Once they arrived at the edge of a large underground lake with a metal bridge across it, the unpleasant moisture soaking their hair and skin had vanished. This area seemed to be well ventilated. This would be a good place to rest. Oh, I see! So wet clothing just wasnt good enough for you. You were waiting until you could see a girl bathing. I have to admire your dedication, you utter pervert!! That nonsense aside, we need some place to set down Olivia and Biondetta. Just as a warning, it is quite rude to not bat an eye when faced with a defenseless girl. He already knew from his experience with the true white evil that this kind of idiot would only look at you like an idiot if you idiotically did what they claimed to want. The underground lakes water was probably used to create a division between the cave systems currents and moisture. And the area around the lake was not entirely cut off from human civilization because, after taking a short walk, they discovered a small shrine-like wooden building. It did not seem religious and they found several blankets and camping goods in plastic packaging inside. There was also some portable food on the level of canned goods. This is surprisingly gourmet. Theres rice and freeze-dried vegetables that only need hot water. And all sorts of seasonings too. Well, it takes a lot for salt or soy sauce to go bad. Aoi must not have liked how her damp leather boots felt because she stripped them off. All of the supplies were carefully packaged, but that was likely to prevent snakes or bats from getting into them. However, Kyousuke was less interested in the oddly unique options than he was in the world-famous cup noodles. This is an incredibly outdoorsy selection. Well, in this rural area, there isnt much else to look forward to. And look at this lineup: if they werent going all out, there wouldnt be so many options. From the looks of this, the entire three-dimensional labyrinth might have similar supply areas just like the pay phones and vending machines that never seemed to entirely go away. Instead of preparing with a specific threat in mind, it felt more like they had been having fun turning it into something like a secret base. (I wouldnt be surprised to find traps that send boulders rolling down slopes or levers that change waterways.) Kyousuke prepared himself for the worst when it came to that slight playful spirit he sensed here. At any rate, they finally managed to let Olivia and Biondetta rest while defenseless both inside and out. As Aoi had said, their hair and clothing were quite wet just from the dampness of the cave. Olivias school swimsuit had grown a deeper shade of blue. After lowering the two girls onto the wooden floor, Kyousuke and Aoi broke open the clear packaging and pulled out a few blankets. The losers cant resist anything, so if we leave them be, they could catch cold or even come down with pneumonia. Im aware of that, said Kyousuke. But if we lit a fire inside here, it would cause carbon monoxide poisoning. That means we need to remove their wet clothing to dry them off. Now, then. Ill leave the decision to you, but who will dry off who? Choose, boy. Face the abyss within yourself: A flat chest or giant boobs. I am willing to let you enjoy your fetish. Hah hah!! Okay, okay. Ill do both of them. Ill be a good girl. Dry off Biondettas white snake too. Be extra careful with it since its cold blooded. When Kyousuke put his hands on his hips and glared at her, Meinokawa Aoi shrank down. After tossing his vessel a towel, the boy left the shrine(?). As far as he could see, there was no sign of Bridesmaid summoners or Repliglass soldiers hiding in the area. Even by the large underwater lake, there were only so many passageways leading here, so he considered setting up a simple trap. Given the large space and the excellent ventilation, he figured he could start a fire next to the lake. (That said, thats only if we decide to wait around here.) It was an entirely unnecessary action, but Kyousuke picked up a nearby stone and threw it toward the vast lake. (20 times.) After making a prediction, he counted the number of times the stone skipped off the waters surface. (19 times.) He made sure it was not just a coincidence. (23 times.) He finally breathed an exasperated sigh. Kyousuke had not thrown the stone after making every last physics calculation like Laplaces Demon. He had intentionally omitted all calculations in order to prove something. Honestly, this is one hell of a world. Its like I can manipulate coincidence. And this was no time to be doing that. At the moment, he had two major choices available to him. The first was to wait for Olivia and Biondetta to recover so they could replenish their fighting force before continuing on to the cruise ship at the mountains peak. Olivia was technically not an ally, but having to carry her around and having her walk on her own two feet would make a major difference. The second was to not wait for them to recover and start for the cruise ship right away. Simply put, it was a choice between speed and caution. The pros and cons of both went without saying. Heyyy! Aoi walked over from the double doors of the shrine(?). She had apparently finished drying off the two defenseless girls, getting them dressed again, and placing the blankets over them. The sun has likely set outside, so it wouldnt hurt to fill our bellies. ? He realized Aoi was holding some cup noodles and freeze-dried foods against her surprisingly ample chest. Um, just out of curiosityRenge could eat like normal, but what about you? Have you not seen inside Renge? Just because we use artificial parts doesnt mean our body is structured any differently. If we are injured, we bleed red. If we move around a lot, we get hungry. I like to have more than 30 minutes of exercise a day to stay healthy and I ideally get 8 hours of sleep a day. Although since I am artificial, I can switch all that activity on and off. Oh? So youre like a dried-up human water bear. You just pictured something incredibly pathetic just now, didnt you!? Toryahh!! Out of nowhere, Meinokawa Aoi made a strange cry, threw her hands into the air, and collapsed backwards into the clear water. What are you doing!? This is kind of an emergency situation! Oh, shut up! An impertinent brat called me a dried-up old hag, so Im just hydrating myself is all! Besides, I was already wet from all this moisture. What does a little more matter? The lake was not all that deep right at the shore, so Aoi sat up and laughed. Some of the clear water pooled up on the surprisingly large chest of her shrine maiden outfit. How about you? Build up too much stress and it will affect your performance, so it might be a good idea to blow off some steam. Then could you please try harder to avoid giving me any stress in the first place? Kyousuke brought an exasperated hand to his forehead. And this is the same as when you played in the river. Its the wet clothing thats bothering me. Mwa ha ha. And what if I said I was doing it on purpose? Keh heh heh. Im joking, said Meinokawa Aoi as she trudged back over to him. Quit taking everything so seriously. Its stifling. It was not that he maintained an unshakable heart; he simply knew how to quickly recover when it was shaken. And that was not just splitting hairs because every little thing seemed to transform into a major event around her. Meanwhile, Aoi stood on one leg, tilted her head to the right, and tapped her palm against the side of her head. She seemed to have water in her ear, but she did not seem to notice that her careless action also caused her surprisingly large breasts to move up and down. YohoAh, that got it out. Hey, can we start a fire here? I warned you. So are you getting chilled? No. After letting dust gather on me for so long, I want to fill my belly for the first time in forever. And I cant hold back any longer with those cup noodles right in front of me. Oh, I want some junk food so badly right now! Well, it is unlikely Bridesmaid will show up now. Aois face lit up and she lined up her prizes along the edge of the lake. What, do you only have an oil lamp? A campfire would seem a lot more outdoorsy! You are freezing, arent you? No, not really. Although I am soaked, so I could stand to let my clothes dry. Uryahh!! She let out another strange cry. And of all things, she reached for the string of her bright hakama and undid the knot. From there, gravity did its job. To describe it with a sound effect, it fell right down with a fwoosh. Unlike a normal kimono, it lacked a separate obi, but the kosode being so wet paid off and the front remained in place and the collar stayed together. It may have been something like throwing a wet towel against the wall. An incredibly grim look came to Shiroyama Kyousukes face. What are you doing? Mwa ha ha. Theres no need to force that serious look. Youre secretly panicking because I already mentioned that girls in traditional clothing dont wear Western underwear, arent you? But too bad! The kosode is made long, so you still cant see anything!! Just like a girl in nothing but a baggy dress shirt!! I cant believe this. And come to think of it, I never asked Renge if you were waterproof. This is going to be a lot more difficult if all this water is making you malfunction. Hold it! Why arent you blushing!? In her Japanese-style naked dress shirt(???), Meinokawa Aoi raised both arms in anger, but not even Kyousuke knew how he was supposed to react here. Regardless, Aoi herself set her butt down on the ground, pouted her lips, and twisted the knob on the oil lamp that would boil water for them. Nn. Whats that weird groan for? Did you get all sandy when you sat down? I really dont think you should take such a realistic view of a girl in nothing but a single piece of clothing!! And a proper woman knows how to protect herself without letting it show on her face!! Except its most definitely showing. And the way youre lifting your hips is about to let something else show, so fix that!! The collar was only plastered in place with the moisture, so it could open up at any moment. And despite the conversation, they were not about to forget they stood on the front line of the Summoning Ceremony. Let me make something clear, said Aoi. Yeah? Even if thatOlivia, was it? Even if she comes to, it will not be easy to open her eyes to the truth when her faith in the Queen is so strong. Ive taken that into account. Meinokawa Aoi had created the shock of a failed summoning and it apparently put people in the same state as losing a Summoning Ceremony battle. That meant it would take about 24 hours before they recovered. Aoi had likely planned it this way, but Kyousukes side was fortunate that they had taken less damage due to not summoning a Material. That gave them time to think. Oh, they had water bottles in there, didnt they? asked Kyousuke. This land is known for its water, so why not just drink from the lake? Do you have any idea how much bacteria there must be in there? Even commercial mineral water is boiled and there might be germs that can resist the heat. We dont have time to examine the water quality, so if there are bottles its best to just use it. And judging what is going on inside that Olivia girls head would be even more difficult. Then again, she contains the royal blood that allows her to control the Materials with such incredible precision. To be honest, I am not fond of the idea that your bloodline determines everything before you are even born, but she would make for a powerful ally if she was fighting on our side. Of course, thats only if we could convince her. I know that. A grim look came to Kyousukes face. But we might be able to manage since this is Houbi Village. For that, Im thankful. ? Aoi shook her long silver hair, walked back to the shrine(?), and returned with a family-sized water bottle held against her surprisingly ample chest. Since both her hands were full, she could not hold down the bottom of the kosode that showed off her thighs right up to the very top. Once the shrine maiden sat down with only the kosode covering her butt, she poured the imported deep sea water into a metal pot from the camping goods. Now, I want to decide on a general plan, said Kyousuke. At the moment, we have two primary options. Yes. I would like to head for the summit as soon as we finish eating this. This Houbi land has fallen to those Bridez-made people and the people cannot elude them forever. Our time limit is two or three days at the most, so there is no time to waste. Really? I was hoping to suggest we wait for those two to recover. And why is that? There was a wide variety of cup noodles, but Kyousuke chose the standard soy sauce flavor while Meinokawa Aoi chose the limited edition seafood tomato soup flavor. First of all, to increase our strength. Simply having Biondetta able to fight will mean a lot. And if those two can walk on their own, we wont have to carry them. Hmm. Sorry, but based on that battle, Im not sure what help she would really be. That was just a bad matchup for her. They pulled the lids of the cups halfway up and then Kyousuke froze in shocked silence. In nothing but a soaking wet kosode, Aoi sprinkled grated cheese into her container before even pouring the hot water inside. Why was there cheese in the disaster goods? Why not? Fermented foods are generally preserved foods, right? Just like seasonings, it takes a lot for things like natto and kimchi to go bad. Hm, hm, hmm. There is nothing wrong with adding a hint of extra flavor, so its time you had a taste of a maidens aesthetics. Maybe so, but you wouldnt just leave yogurt sitting out, would you!? What, have you never heard of greke yo-gert? Get with the times!! You dont store Greek yogurt at room temperature! The two of them continued bickering and fighting over each others toppings. Kyousuke was not too picky except when it came to cereal, but he needed to acquire the proper nutrients when he knew he had to fight. Simply put, he had to eat when he had the chance. Oh? Are you the kind of boy who knows his way around the kitchen? Im not an expert or anything, but I can handle it at the moment. Even without any special knowledge, everything will miraculously come together if I just choose at random. ? Its the same as that combination lock. This is a world where I can mix random drinks at the soda fountain and end up with the kind of success worth getting patented. As long as theres at least one possible success among the random options, Ill end up choosing that one. Of course, thats only when I dont come into conflict with someone elses choices. As he explained, Kyousukes hand wandered about and grabbed something at random: a freeze-dried vegetable set. He poured hot water in there, set it back down, lightly cooked it in a frying pan, and mixed in some starch and water. All of it was simple enough for a child to do, but it ended up making his cup noodles ankake-style. It lacked meat, but he did not reach for the canned goods, perhaps because it would have clashed with the thick tare sauce. Meanwhile, Aoi sat with her bare thighs placed in front of her. Hm, hm, hmm. What are you doing with that rice? Surely you arent making ramen rice. You fool. Have you forgotten my cup is already something of a mess with the grated cheze inside? So you admit its a mess!? But if I rehydrate the rice and dump it intah dah!! It transforms into something like a rizo-to!! What the hell kind of food is that!? The noodles are extraneous at this point!! The cheese, soup, and rice would be enough!! But because of the world they now lived in, that too was a success. The world was a complicated place. Hmm, it could use some more color. Oh, I know. There were some canned goods. Yes, theres some salted chicken. That would be the perfect finishing touch! The lid had a pull tab, so Aoi did not need a can opener. Only after seeing that did Kyousuke realize there were cans with a non-tare sauce. He had failed to properly look over everything because he was relying on the random choices like a book fortunetelling. The meat in cup noodles always made one wonder if it was really meat, so he was honestly jealous. (Does that mean I cant choose any coincidental successes that werent in the options I thought were possible?) And Ow! ? Uuuhh, I was caught by a fearsome trap. Dont try to make this sound more exciting than it really is. Just say you cut your finger on the edge of the cans lid. Aoi grew tearful as a red drop of blood appeared on the tip of her index finger. Oh, I know. Boy, I think you should lick this off to disinfect it. Well, I dont think so. Why would I? Dont act like its some awful thing! You made me do it when we bound our contract, but now you refuse to put mine in your mouth!? Honestly! Oh, honestly!! Aoi was quite upset and began licking off her own finger. Their ridiculous conversations did help pass the time. When adding original toppings, it took time for them to work their way into the entire cup. If you miscalculated, your noodles could end up overcooked. Well, even if she only diverts the enemys attention, I can see how letting Biondetta recover would be useful, said Aoi. But what about Olivia? Letting that child wake up seems to me like it would only complicate matters. She would likely try to escape from us at every opportunity and I doubt Biondetta would appreciate it after losing to her. We could end up with an internal threat in addition to the external ones. That ties into my second reason. If we can get information out of Olivia, we might be able to get some details on the Bridesmaid troops deployed in Houbi Village. The silver-haired shrine maiden gave a bitter look. Aoi crossed her arms, which lifted her surprisingly large breasts. That seems overly optimistic. Wouldnt that require fully eliminating the Queen worship rooted so deeply in that childs soul? Although I would appreciate it if we could accomplish that. I know. I am not just talking about whether she will obey us or rebel. If she pretended to turn over a new leaf and fed us false information, it would only invite chaos. Of course, Kyousuke knew all too well the troublesome transformations people underwent when influenced by the White Queen. However. The promised time arrived, so Kyousuke removed the small stone from the top of his lid. If we cant get Olivia on our side, well have to search out the extent of Bridesmaids deployment on our own. Mh. We have a set destination in mind, but the route we take to reach that cruise ship at the mountains peak depends on Bridesmaids location. It would mean a lot to know their timetable in advance. Summoner battles are quite different from those of traditional armies. Isnt a dense mass of enemies the perfect opportunity to build up a Chain and wipe them all out? Arent you at Freedoms 900 level? Meinokawa Aoi fully peeled up the lid, bent over at the hip without bothering to grab any chopsticks, and leaned forward to bring her nose to the steaming container. Ahhh. The combination of tomato and cheese seems to have come out well. Didnt it, my cute chicken cheze rizo-to-chan You cant even call that ramen anymore, so its actually scary that it looks like it might actually be decent. D-dont leer at me like some kind of wild animal But if you are jealous of my amazing creation, I am willing to give you a bite. But just one! O-okay, say ah. What am I supposed to do here? I understand the rules of this world, but Im just having trouble believing it What, so you want to fight? Then lets let our fists do the talking. Meinokawa Aoi puffed out her soft-looking cheeks, but there was a clear look of enjoyment in her eyes. She soon began eating the risotto(-ish thing) she had created. Eating with someone else really is nice. Renge has been better than most, but I really have been neglected as the generations go by. There really is no substitute for eating a proper meal like this. But anyway. Kyousuke got back on topic while slurping up the cup noodles he had successfully modified into ankake ramen. Using their superior numbers against them by breaking through a dense formation with a Chain is certainly a viable tactic, but what if Bridesmaid sees it coming? They might have intentionally spread out their people to prevent a Chain. They might even skip the whole Summoning Ceremony business and just snipe us from a distance. Were not talking about that pure white here and summoners arent all-powerful. I also want to ask Olivia how well they understand me. Even if that means angering her into letting something slip. Olivia was a member, Azalea had been a member, and they had their connection to the White Queen herself. Bridesmaid knew far too many people who understood Kyousuke as a person rather than a legend. If they understood the details of his thought processes and built up a flowchart people could use, it would be dangerous to continue blindly on with no hope of supplies or reinforcements. They might lure him into wasting Incense Grenades. He did not have access to anyone like Lu Niang Lan or Ellie Slide here, so he could not resupply and needed to be careful. Meinokawa Aois surprisingly large chest rose and fell as she worked her artificial lungs to blow on and cool down the contents of her container. Then the shrine maiden looked up in just her white kosode. Ill just have to trust your judgement then. Thanks. But then she grabbed some of her thick rice porridge creation, held the chopsticks out toward Kyousuke, and winked. Listen. Do not forget that this smooth decision is a result of a pure and beautiful maiden taking a step back so the gentleman can show what he can do. Besides, you seem biased toward those girls with Western names like Olivia and Biondetta, so I need to remind you that I am the one with the contract to share your destiny as your vessel. Sure, whatever. Thats the kind of behavior Im complaining about! Stop acting like I dont matter at all to you!! Kyousuke had feared using the oil lamp would burn it, but that was not the world they lived in now. Still, they took their time drying out the shrine maiden outfit. And surprisingly, Meinokawa Aoi seemed to be the sort of person who would go all in on the task before her eyes, no matter how dull it was. Perhaps it was like finding an abandoned puzzle magazine in a mountain cabin during a blizzard. That should do. Fwa ha ha. Look, its perfectly dry now, isnt it!? Yes, yes. If you have time to strike a pose with your hands on your hips, then get that hakama on already They had washed Kyousukes shoes and Aois boots in the lake and then dried them. Kyousuke and Aoi (once she was dressed again) made periodic patrols around the lake, but they never found any Bridesmaid summoners or Repliglass soldiers. Not only was the network of tunnels below Houbi Village quite complex, but it was likely designed with large decoy rooms and treasure storerooms that looked quite suspicious but did not actually have anything in them. Since the enemy did not immediately attack this kind of truly important location, it was unlikely that Renge, Higan, or the other villagers had been captured and forced to talk. No, wait. Choosing at random will always work out right now, so that cant be it. Maybe the fact that we have a clear objective in mind has started having an effect. Hm? Meinokawa Aoi cutely tilted her head like a child despite giving off such alluring charm, but as the two of them killed the abundance of time on their hands, the moment they were waiting for finally arrived. 24 hours had passed. The losers were freed from their penalty. Kh Uuh Onii-chan? In the shrine(?), Biondetta and Olivia groaned and started moving below their blankets. Instead of their previous, mechanically-repeated movements, these motions had a clear human will behind them. However Tch, the enemy!? Stop, Biondetta! The battle is over!! And why are we naked? What in the world happened on the way here, sir? Surely you are not going to claim ignorance to the difference between seeing and being seen. Oh, no. Now shes aiming her gun at me with a smile. Ive completely lost track of what that might mean. And you really did a half-assed job, Meinokawa Aoi. This is the first I heard of you putting them to bed in the nude!! He had to distance himself from the two girls covered in nothing but a blanket, but if he left Biondetta alone with Olivia, it could easily lead to a fight to the death. That left only one option. Aoi, you take care of this. Its best for you girls to stick together, right!? Ehhh? Do I have to remind you not to treat me like this!? Kyousuke escaped the shrine(?) and simultaneously tossed the silver-haired shrine maiden inside while ignoring how he messed up her clothing in the process, but then he heard some odd sounds of destruction from within, something like a broken branch flew out of the door, and a round object about the size of a volleyball came bouncing out. It was the alluringly slender arm and beautiful head of the Joruri Method girl. And as soon as their eyes met Boo. Wow, is that an old-fashioned joke! This is not good. My joints might have gotten looser. They seem to be coming apart easier than normal. He picked up the arm and head just as Biondetta left the shrine(?) with her clothes back on and her decorative tail swishing back and forth. Sir, explain this. Umm, Olivias still alive I hope? Should I assume she is no longer our enemy? He hesitantly peeked below Biondettas arm and inside the shrine(?) where the (headless and somewhat dismembered) shrine maiden stood to protect Olivia who was frozen with fear in the corner. Sigh, so I was captured, was I? The double blonde braid girl did not seem all that bitter about it. She rubbed the flat chest of her school swimsuit to make sure it was fitting right and she stuck her hand below the white floral pattern pareo to fix the swimsuit that was riding up in her butt. She then breathed a short sigh. But, well, if this is the will of the White Queen, then theres no helping it. There is meaning in all things, so I must have lost for a reason! Right, Onii-chan Those words and her smile put a bitter look on Kyousukes face. This was rooted deep. To Olivia in her straw hat, the White Queen was the same as good morning and good night. She was the same as the portrait on a paper bill or a coin. Olivia was not being forced to perform a special and holy ceremony; it had completely become a part of her normal life. (But thats why this can work.) Kyousuke thought quietly to himself. It did not matter who had the advantage. A summoner fought by using everything to their advantage (This isnt Kingdom F in Eastern Europe. Its the distant Houbi Village.) Now, it all began here. Kyousuke forced the detached head onto the shrine maiden, passed her the arm, and then ducked below her other arm to put himself on Olivias eye level. Olivia, I have something to discuss with you. I have to admit, Onii-chan, I didnt expect for you to avoid a straightforward approach and attack while I was unconscious. But I see. So you prefer to play with people in their sleep. But thats a problem. That makes you a pervert, but for some reason I dont mind when its you. Via. He spoke more strongly and used his old nickname for her. Her small shoulders jumped, so it seemed to have worked. She was still refusing to look at him, but her imaginary tail was wagging. (What did I do in these moments back then?) After thinking back, he gently rubbed her head. Only then did she deign to turn toward him. The girl sat with her knees up despite her floral pattern pareo. She also pouted her lips and rubbed her big toes together. I wont listen if this is about you and the White Queen fighting. I mean, its all your fault for being mean to her! Shes trying to welcome you, so if you would just face her and accept the invitation, no one would have to say goodbye!! Still crouching, Kyousuke tapped his index finger against his temple. Biondetta quickly gave a suggestion while standing by the shrine(?) door. Is it too late? No, not yet. It was easy to say she would never understand, but you could not start a dialogue with that kind of attitude. He analyzed Olivia Highlands unique mental state in his own way. Mutter, mutterOnii-chan wont listen to memutter, mutter This isnt like before. Sigh. So is the problem that this school swimsuit isnt white? I didnt realize a pervert from an island nation would be so picky. But I need to study up on this ocean-loving nations swimsuits for the sake of your future, Onii-chan! Biondetta must have decided this was never going to end because she butted in. Just tell her the truth already. No! protested Olivia. And who is she anyway, Onii-chan!? Are you not going to listen to your teacher!? Eh? Teacher? Hmm, then I guess I have to She had erased an entire village from the map using around 20,000 rockets, and now this. Were they lucky the rules of a childs world were making an appearance, or was this only a sign of how deep the distortion went? Kyousuke looked to the light pink rose decoration on her tiny chest. It took the Queens white and added a bit of the red that Kyousuke tended to choose for his clothing. You know what? She worshiped the White Queen, but she was not Kyousukes enemy. You could say she was an ally to both. Or to put it another way (Shes like a child trying to protect her own little world by keeping her parents from fighting.) Kyousuke wrinkled his brow at the headache brought on by that idea. Even as a joke, it was simply too cruel, but that was the truth as Olivia saw it. Simply put, Olivia wanted to bring Kyousuke and the White Queen together. So depending on the situation, she would fight for either side. She was currently taking the Queens side and attacking Kyousuke, but she focused on maintaining a balance and she would take the other side if the scales tipped in that direction. She did not really want to kill him. It was more like she wanted to correct his mistake. But that was all. She wanted to bring Kyousuke and the White Queen together, so anything else would look like noise to her. The girls like Meinokawa Aoi and Biondetta in particular would look like distractions from the family she envisioned, so she would view them like a job or mistresses. That was why she had not hesitated to attack Houbi Village. Bridesmaid. That word referred to the pure white brides attendant. This girl truly embodied that concept. Olivia. What is it, Onii-chan? Kyousuke spoke to the double braid and straw hat girl who sulkily puffed her cheeks out in the corner. He spoke slowly so she could process it one thing at a time. Sorry, but I cant do that. Why not? She seemed to have understood what he meant. Olivias eyes widened like a child who was asked whether she would go with her mother or father. From her point of view, he had skipped past the important point. Why cant you!? No one would reject anyone, there wouldnt be any conflict between anyone, and it wouldnt cause anyone any trouble, so why do you alone push her away!? If you would just bury the hatchet and take just one step toward the Queen, it would fix all the problems in the world!! It might look that way if you did not know anything. It might look like the conflict would end if Kyousuke stopped rejecting the White Queens intense appeals. However. I cant do that. No matter what. Thats not a reason!! The White Queen loves you so much, so how could she be doing anything wrong!? Its your fault for not looking her way! Thats why shes sulking!! So why do you actively seek that chaos, Onii-chan!? The White Queen is so admirable, so what dont you like about her!? Because that evil is in love with Shiroyama Kyousuke the Strongest. ? Olivia fell silent because she did not know what he meant. Her small hands did not touch anything: not her double braids, not her decorative collar, not her thick chain, and not the keyhole of the bag-sized lock. She could not even comfort herself by fidgeting with something in her hands. Her eyes remained wide as she tilted her head in actual confusion for once, so Kyousuke looked her in the eye and explained. That is not who I am. It is a fictional being. She is obsessed with an image of Shiroyama Kyousuke that she created in her own mind, so it wouldnt solve anything for me to approach her now. The discrepancies between the ideal and the reality would be laid bare and it would all fall apart. She would decide her love had been a crude fake. Thats not The person in front of you here cant compare to the Shiroyama Kyousuke the Queen thinks I am, Olivia. In fact, no one can. Since I dont meet the specs of that framework, I cant even control the White Queen through her love. That leaves only one option: killing and stopping her, once and for all. Thats not true!! I dont understand what youre saying, Onii-chan! There isnt more than one Shiroyama Kyousuke! Why cant you understand the simple fact that theres only one of you in the world, Onii-chan!? Yes, there is only one of me. And I only have this one life. Kyousuke readily admitted it. But the White Queen doesnt understand that. She might look completely obsessed with me, but if I actually die, shell give up on me in the blink of an eye. Shell decide it had all been an illusion and shell search out something else that wont be destroyed at the slightest touch. And if that happens, no one will be able to predict what shell do because they wont know what shes obsessed with. Thats why I have to kill her myself while shes focused on me. Anything else would do irreparable damage to the world. Onii-chan, what youre saying makes no sense Probably not. But its the truth. That settles it. Im going with you, Onii-chan. I mean, youre clearly insane and that will never change if Im not with you. Its clear now that you wont join the White Queen unless you realize the error of your ways! Kyousuke slowly sighed. That was good enough for now. He had been afraid they would reach a stalemate, but now he knew Olivia would stay with him instead of wandering off. They did not need a complete mutual understanding right away. It was more important that he set up a situation where they could contact each other at any time. Olivia, Im fairly certain were safe since we havent been attacked for more than 24 hours now, but just to be sure: you dont have a bug or homing beacon on you, do you? Youre the one that stripped off all my clothes, arent you? You didnt check then? That is one hell of a false accusation there, but whatever. How about inside your body? Do you want to check every nook and cranny yourself? Here: ahhhh. She was acting just like a sulking child. She did not care if he saw her small tongue or the uvula in the back of her throat. Olivia opened her mouth wide and looked up at him, so Kyousuke ran his smartphone along her undeveloped bodylines like a metal detector. He also looked deep in the defenseless girls throat before answering. Well, I can tell you arent giving off any obvious EM or IR signals. Still Isnt that good enough? Hmph. If they were using Repliglass, it was possible an aromatic or chemical signal was conveying information like ant or bee pheromones, so this was still not perfect. However But this could be a problem. If Im caught off guard and die, Ill never have a chance to make up with the Queen. Never ever. ! I dont have anything! If I did, Id tell you!! This was Olivia Highlands controller. Kyousuke decided to trust her here. Whatever was motivating her, he doubted Olivia would lie. That small girl in a school swimsuit, a decorative collar, a ridiculously short skirt, and a floral pattern pareo would not allow anyone to get in the way of bringing Shiroyama Kyousuke and the White Queen together. Not even if it was a fellow Bridesmaid member. Her belief in the Queen was different from Azaleas or The Saints. It was purer, more transparent, and void of ulterior motives, but that made it much more deeply rooted. Then lets move on to our next destination. That was all he said before leaving the shrine(?) which housed emergency supplies. As he left through the double doors, Waitress Biondetta whispered into his ear. Only someone who had shared his past in the Queens Miniature Garden could speak these words. (You really dont need to let that March Hare incident bother you after all these years, you know?) Kyousuke responded without looking back. His voice was deep and cold. Its a simple fact. Meinokawa Aoi guided them from the large cave and into more complex passageways. These had outdoor lights attached at irregular intervals, but the bedrock was supported by wooden pillars. Perhaps due to the moisture in the air, they seemed somehow swollen. It may have been a way of keeping people away from this holy ground, but (This is bad. A lot of this looked hand dug, but this area looks especially dangerous.) This area sure has changed, commented Aoi. Really? Given my origins, I used to use the caves as a playground, but I dont remember it looking so rundown. This is what happens when you look away for a moment. The flow of time is so cruel. The silver-haired shrine maiden narrowed her eyes and sounded somewhat sorrowful. The wooden framework must have reminded her of traditional scaffolding and the modern lights of traditional lamps because Meinokawa Aoi pouted her lips. I wonder what will happen with the festival. I never know when I will be able to come to the surface next and it isnt often that coincides with such a festive opportunity. I had hoped I could go enjoy it with everyone. Well, I know Im hardly normal. They were all just little kids, but it wont take long before they outgrow me both physically and mentally. And who knows how the festival will have changed form by the time I make another appearance. Honestly. Just honestly. At that point, Aoi slowly shook her head. Instead of not creating stress, she immediately rid herself of the stress she did create. That seemed to be her way of life, so she intentionally changed the subject. The Joruri Method is a technological system with a history stretching back five or six hundred years, but as its name suggests, it is something of a hodgepodge of different things. Both moisture and dust filled the air, but that had to be a harsh environment for a fully artificial being. She wiped moisture from her brow, which showed off the armpit hidden below her wide sleeve. Just as Joruri is a collection of various plays, songs, and dolls, the Joruri Method forming my body has gathered many technologies from both the East and the West. A lot of it came from the South Seas and the Western Continent, so you could maybe even say it is primarily a Western thing. Whats your point? Prepare to be amazed when you see the St. Elmo at the summit. Golems, Homunculi, the Shakoki-Dogu, the Terracotta Army, images of the Virgin Mary, images of the Thousand-Armed Avalokiteshvara, and even execution devices like the iron maiden and the wicker man. Oh, you will be all too aware of just how greedy and indiscriminate a people the Japanese are. If you say so. You! Will! Be! Amaaaaazed!! Aoi began childishly thrashing about (which made those surprisingly large things jiggle), but when she saw that exchange, Olivia pouted her lips while clinging to Kyousukes hips, which she had apparently decided was her designated spot. Boo. If you were always like this, you wouldnt have to fight with the White Queen. Since Aoi was designed to look just like the Queen, this situation might indeed look something like that, but in reality it could not have been more different. And then ! Kyousuke and Biondetta simultaneously grabbed Meinokawa Aois shoulders as she took the lead once more. This was a hand-dug tunnel, so it was not as straight as a school hallway. It meandered here and there and they had heard a quiet noise from further ahead. The silver-haired shrine maiden gave them a puzzled look, so Kyousuke used a gesture that would be understood in most any country in the world: he pressed his index finger against her soft lips. And on top of that (The footsteps are too regular. Theyre probably with Bridesmaid. Should we take them out here?) (The bedrock is unstable. The pillars are rotted and half broken, so summoning a Material could easily get us buried alive.) (Yes, and Bridesmaid would probably happily do it on purpose if it was for the Queen.) They could not reproduce any detailed nuance while communicating using their eyes and fingers instead of words, but that was the gist of the conversation. They had to think up some way around this. The tunnel curved a lot, but it was still just the one path and there was no other path to take. And a moment later Wait!! Is someone there!? A booming voice struck Kyousuke in the back. It came from Olivia Highland who had been clinging to him until now. She let go of his hips and walked on ahead. Thinking she was betraying them, the waitress demon prepared to snap at her, but Kyousuke stopped her with a hand. The situation was already underway. He could only reach for the Incense Grenade in his pocket while carefully watching the girl in a school swimsuit, decorative collar, ridiculously short skirt, and floral print pareo. That voice? You were safe, Miss Highland!? (Oh, I get it) Kyousuke thought to himself while listening to the voices from the blind spot down the tunnel. (She had gone missing, but it was possible they still didnt know Olivia was working with us.) There was some trouble with the bombing and everything else, so I got separated. You hadnt heard? We had. He was worried. We can head there right away. Well get you some hot food and a blanket. No, I can still walk around, so dont worry. Dont take away my faith in the White Queen. Olivia spoke cheerfully. More importantly, I saw footprints matching Shiroyama Kyousukes on the way here. And the food wrappers hidden around here were a lot like what I saw in the shopping district. Investigate outside. Hes probably been frequently heading up to the surface. After hearing the footsteps disappear into the distance, Olivia stuck out her tongue. The others remained hidden until there was no chance they would be heard. Well, that should about do it. If Im going to get Onii-chan and the Queen together, I guess I cant let Bridesmaid capture you here. She lightly struck her small chest with her fist and she winked. See? Im not your enemy right now, Onii-chan Hm, muttered Kyousuke as he focused on their surroundings. The group blocking the way forward really did seem to be gone, so she was not bluffing. Confident in that, he crouched down to her eye level. Which will it be, Olivia: a rap on the head or a spanking? Eh!? What else could you expect after running off without asking our opinion first!? demanded Biondetta. Sir, this isnt worth your time. Allow me to turn this insolent little butt bright red. Nyah, nyahhh!? Olivia made a surprisingly swift escape, but she ultimately took up her position hiding behind Kyousukes back. Her already small body shrank down further and tears filled her eyes. In fact Biondetta, arent you chasing her around a little too much? Youve scared her enough to count as a punishment, so leave it at that. I see. So it was you spoiling her like this that created her current personality. Meanwhile Oh, deary me. As an antique, Aoi gave quite an elderly-sounding exclamation as she climbed up an especially tall step in the tunnel. Once past that, the scenery changed entirely. Before, it had been a tunnel with mining lightbulbs installed at irregular intervals, but now the walls were covered in white crystals. Due to the crystalline structure, they seemed to form giant diagonal pillars and the light reflected off the walls and ceiling made it hard to judge distances or depth. Was it black-haired Renge who had mentioned these crystals were used for the shrines protective charms? Once through here, we will be near the summit. I mentioned a crater lake that had dried up after the bottom grew cracked, right? A ladder was embedded in the side of large crack, so we can use that as a shortcut. I see. Kyousuke nodded once in the even greater moisture of this cave. But it looks like were going to run into some trouble first. The sound was too high-pitched to call footsteps. Perhaps that was because this was a crystal deposit. A single figure blocked their way forward. The large man wore a lab coat and a black riding suit, so he looked out of place among the white crystals. His inhaler-equipped helmet resembled a fighter pilots and a wheeled oxygen tank rolled at his feet. This was the swordsman summoner who had worked with Olivia and caught Biondetta off guard the day before. Before he could draw the sword which was longer than he was tall, the vengeance demon aimed the muzzle at the end of her silver Blood-Sign. But not at the large man. She aimed it at the back of Olivias head as she clung to Kyousukes hips. Biondetta. No, sir. Olivia Highland is skilled enough to accurately destroy the Silhouette at the core of a Material, so beginning a battle against her at Cost 1 would be suicide. If you cant start with a Cost advantage of at least 5 and preferably more than 10, it would be best to avoid using the Summoning Ceremony. It doesnt matter, replied Kyousuke. And he was not just letting emotion cloud his judgment. If that was all it took to be the strongest, I would have killed the Queen a lot sooner. Olivia trembled even more than Biondetta when she heard that. What was it that had shocked the small girl? That he was denying her talent, or that he had mentioned killing the Queen? Olivia, are you going to rejoin him? Onii-chan Do as you wish. Either way, Ill crush him and continue on. Kyousuke did not even look back at the girl whose swimsuit had grown a darker shade of blue after reabsorbing so much moisture. For one thing, she was still contracted with that summoner. If that helmeted man threw an Incense Grenade, she could not reject it. And Olivia could accurately guide an attack toward the Silhouette and ignore the Cost difference. (But that perfect one-hit-kill technique is reliant on Olivia Highland actually controlling the Material.) Kyousuke kept his eyes on the enemy before him and pulled his Repliglass Blood-Sign from his back. (So its just like trick art or an optical illusion. If I can fool Olivias sensory organs, shell still miss and wont be able to pull off that one-hit-kill. Of course, the Material will be changing every few seconds and each time Ill have to rearrange the trick to work with ultrasonic waves, infrared, or whatever other senses it has, but thats fine. I have it all memorized.) Whats the matter, Bridesmaid? He put on a daring smile as he made his announcement. He had no idea who this man was, but if he was reliant on Olivia Highlands talent, it was all over for him. Just try it. Assuming youre really so confident that you can defeat me with the same trick twice. The helmeted swordsman summoner did not move out of the way and he remained silent. No, it was hard to tell with the mask covering his expression, but he was laughing. I knew it Finally, he spoke. But Shiroyama Kyousuke was the only one who tensed in realization of what that voice meant. I knew it, I knew it, I knew it. So a mere princess was not enough to stop you. You It cant be Biondetta frowned at how he said the word you. There were only a select few people with which he put such emphasis on the word. This had to be someone quite close to him but also a target of his hatred. Then who was he? This had to be someone just as - or more - twisted than Biondetta, but what candidates remained? Olivia gave the answer. While still clinging to Kyousukes hips, the double blonde braid girl called her partners name. Doctor S. Thats right. And the S stands for Shiroyama, you failed guinea pigs. Once, 15 children had been gathered from around the world and placed in a secret facility deep underground. The children living in the Miniature Garden had all been given new names, but there had been one point in common between those names. They had all been given the surname of Shiroyama. But why? The situation was set in motion before their thoughts could catch up. Doctor S pulled a pineapple-shaped Incense Grenade from his lab coat and Shiroyama Kyousukes Blood-Sign sliced through the air before he could pull the pin. The weapon roared like a metal bat and was clearly being used to prevent Doctor S from starting the Summoning Ceremony. That was hardly surprising. His attack hit the back of Olivias neck as she clung defenselessly to his hips. He did not hesitate to strike the bright nape visible below her decorative collar. Gah!? Even if the summoner and vessel were spiritually linked, there was nothing they could do if one of them was physically knocked unconscious. Olivia crumpled to the cave floor like a broken doll. Doctor S laughed within his helmet and toyed with the useless Incense Grenade in his hand. I thought you said she could do as she wished, you failure. I take it back, you piece of sheet. Even during that carefree exchange of words, they were already clashing. Kyousuke and Doctor S left everyone else behind and swung their Blood-Signs as purely physical weapons. Kyousuke knew the swordsman summoner would knock his Blood-Sign from the air with his sword, but he incorporated that into his plan and transformed the ricochet into an unexpected lucky hit. His Blood-Sign shot up irregularly and veered sharply toward the mans face. Whoops. With the sound of something solid breaking, the lab coat mans head jerked backwards. The single blow had shattered his military grade helmet like an eggshell, but the man known as Doctor S did not seem to mind. He moved back and used almost elegant movements to pull a clear medical device from his lab coat, press the inhaler mask to his mouth, and tighten the tubes running through his riding suit like a fighter pilots suit. That artificially reproduced a hyperbaric oxygen environment to manipulate his own thought speed. He was a man leaving middle age and approaching elderly. But even with his gray hair revealed, he did not look at all physically inferior. His body was covered in the muscles of an athlete who constantly trained with machines. And it was a mistake to breathe a sigh of relief just because he stepped back. Despite that action, Doctor S was still close enough for his long sword to behead or bisect Kyousuke. Just like with Biondetta, he had created an imaginary hurdle to cover himself with the apparent shadow of defeat. Tch!! After a short delay, Kyousuke raised his Blood-Sign vertically to defend. A moment later, orange sparks and an impact burst out before the sound of slicing air was heard. Unable to fully stop that weight, Kyousuke was knocked off balance. Sir!! Biondetta joined the fight with her waitress-style miniskirt fluttering around her. She had no idea which way Doctor S himself would move, so she instead fired a sniper rifle bullet at the wheeled oxygen tank at his feet. The metal can was defenseless because it took a moment for his movements to propagate down and move it, so her bullet opened a hole in its center. But Biondetta, not yet!! !? Really!? Its still not over!? Had anyone said it was over once the oxygen tank was taken out? Just as the tank exploded, Doctor S moved forward. Kyousuke was forced to defend and his movements were further sealed by the need to cover for Biondetta. Lets see. Meinokawa Aoi sounded far too carefree as she cut between the two of them. Doctor S now had his inhaler connected to an oxygen tank the size of a hairspray can and he naturally drew his sword and made a horizontal slash toward the defenseless shrine maidens slender neck, but Removing my head will not kill me. She did it herself. It was like removing a hat with her dominant hand. Meinokawa Aoi winked and removed her head just in time for the tip of the silver line to pass through the empty air between. And it was not over yet. With her needlessly large breasts pushing out on her shrine maiden outfit, (headless) Aoi had removed the expected resistance from the swords path, so it continued on and forcefully struck the wall of the crystal cave. It seemed not even Doctor S could fight the pain that sent shooting up from his wrist. Oh? Thats a neat trick! he said. Surely you know why samurai and ninja mansions were built with such narrow hallways. Besides, the katana is a part of our culture, so I would rather a mere fan not act like an expert. Before the brief pain and tingling passed, Kyousuke and Biondetta were on the move again. The two summoners rushed past headless Meinokawa Aoi on either side and Doctor S finally managed to move back to put more distance between them. The flow of time changed from fast to slow. But it was a tense slow, like a taut bowstring that could be released at any moment. The inhaler-equipped full-face helmet of a fighter pilot had been broken and Kyousuke roared at the exposed face of the gray-haired man. What the hell are you doing here, dad!? Yes, yes! I am still searching for the answer that kept you from calling me scum!! Some questions about Shiroyama Kyousukes past had remained. He had seemed familiar with the Summoning Ceremony even before arriving in the Miniature Garden. He had set an objective for himself and fulfilled it like a precision guided missile, but who had made him that way? In fact Just like young Biondetta had arrived at the Miniature Garden after experiencing something that not even horrific suitably described, where had Kyousuke come from to arrive in the Miniature Garden? All of the answers were found here. Doctor S switched to a clear medical inhaler before speaking. My greatest desire was fulfilled in July of 1999. I saw the future then. I discovered the Third Summoning Ceremony, contacted the beings that surpass even the gods, and saw that purest of white lights. And there I saw nothing but despair. If he drew the blade, he would make a slash. If he sheathed it, he would deliver a blunt blow. Even with the Summoning Ceremony taken from himno, because it was taken from him, Doctor S shined all the more. As if to say he had always been strongest on his own. But the stagnation afterwards was truly awful. You understand, dont you? I created you, remade you, and released you into the world as a guiderail for the Queen! But you failed!! Humanity! Has! Made! No! Progress!! Ever since, Ive had my hands full simply making course corrections! Yes, even now!! From the beginning? Based on how long they had lived, Meinokawa Aoi was much older than Doctor S. Since she had been created as an exact lookalike, she would have made at least partial contact earlier than him. But the silver-haired shrine maiden still used that wording. She reattached her head and brushed her long hair off her shoulders. He was involved in it all from the very beginning? From the moment the Blood-Sign Summoning Ceremony was created!? Hurry it up. The man who carried a different legend from Kyousukes spoke in a voice shaking from either irritation or joy. Regardless, he urged Kyousuke to hurry. Hurry up and bring the Queen under control. Then this world will be completed. Humanity will be able to stand at the true peak. You guide while I experience. You dont mind if I give you a push forward and move the hands of the worlds clock ahead a bit if it helps us fulfill our respective roles, do you? You thrill-obsessed freak Precisely! It is because I feel more fear than anyone that I desire more than anyone, ensure my safety more than anyone, and want to experience it all from closer than anyone!! Yes, yes!! This tingling in my spine is everything!! But why bother mentioning how I live my life at this point? Either way, it did not matter what Kyousuke thought. This man had not wanted to be destroyed by the pure white, so he had given that role to someone else. He had merely used his own child as the bumper of his car so he could remain in the drivers seat and feel none of the pain himself. That was why he had created Kyousuke. Yes, he did not even feel the attachment one might for a stuffed animal. It was all purely mechanical. If they saw the number of things forced onto Kyousuke until he had given up on living a life in the light of the sun, anyone would have known it was far too much for a single person to bear. This was not for someone else or for an Alice. Just how rare was it for that boy to shout in anger for himself? That unspeakable cruelty had already gone much too far. You said you would give me a push forward, didnt you? Yes. Did you never consider the possibility that I would kill you before that? Of course not. Doctor Ss shoulders would not stop shaking with laughter. Surely you didnt think my experiment could be stopped simply by taking Olivia Highland from me. Surely you didnt think the nightmare of Doctor S would stop at that. He snapped his fingers. Immediately, an invisible but definite change occurred. Only those involved in the Summoning Ceremony would understand what had happened. (He ended his contract with Olivia!?) You can throw an Incense Grenade if you feel the need, said Doctor S. Yes, you, the failure over there! You are Biondetta from the Miniature Garden, arent you!? You were such a failure your file wasnt even worth tagging, so you two feel free to work together and attack me with two Materials at once. Either way, there is no chance of me being defeated here. Its impossible? Biondetta gulped. That demon of vengeance scorched even the air around her with all forms of madness and barbarity, but she was just about overwhelmed by the great pressure of Doctor S. No matter how skilled you might be, that advantage only gives you the upper hand until we summon the Materials, she warned. Once we summon those otherworldly beings, a flesh-and-blood human will be crushed with no way to fight back. And that is true even of the Cost 1 Original Series. True enough. If we are following those stagnant rules, anyway. He admitted it, yet his confidence remained. He was hiding something. And this trump card was so great that it would overturn everything the instant he revealed it. (Dont tell me) Only one thing came to mind. That was the great evil that Kyousuke least wanted to remember, but it was still the very first thing that occurred to him. Dont tell me! You!! As if to reject the answer he had accepted, Kyousuke pulled the pin from a metal can and threw it. But it did not detonate. It did not even fall to the crystal ground. It may only be five seconds, but that is still five seconds. The next thing he knew, another hand was reaching out from the space next to Doctor S. There had been nowhere for a third party to hide in this open tunnel, but it readily appeared from behind him like a piece of trick art. It was a slender hand wearing a long white glove. This was not Meinokawa Aoi. This was not the lookalike!? The flow of time is not a set thing. For example, if you approach impossibly close to the speed of light, a mere instant will stretch out almost infinitely long. In other words, five seconds in this hand is the same as an eternity, brother. A sensation much like goose bumps raced across Kyousukes entire body. He recognized this. No one wanted to, but Kyousuke recognized this sensation. Something was appearing. Something stepped out from behind Doctor Ss back as if flipping over a card. At this point, there was no denying it. Hello, brother. Its finally me More than terror or rage, it was overpowering nausea that initially exploded in the center of his body. Urp!!!??? He doubled over, just barely forced down the burning sensation in his throat, and began to step back. But the sense of danger did not vanish. The White Queen had appeared. And yet he could not see the end of it. This was the worst possible situation he could think of, but was it going to get even worse!? Step. Step, step. Those leisurely footsteps did not come from the Queen before his eyes. They echoed off the crystal caves walls and ceiling as they surrounded the boy and the pure white. But who were they? The greatest evil had already made an appearance, so what was this rotten world waiting around to reveal to him? Brother, you already understand, dont you? The White Queen giggled and casually crushed the Incense Grenade trapped in her eternal prison. What could possibly overpower the pressure I produce as an individual? Surely you already know the answer. He did not. He could not find the answer. After all, he couldnt think of any being that could surpass the White Queen. If anything could overpower that one-of-a-kind and frustratingly absolute white evil, she never would have been such a problem. It was the lack of such a being that had led him to create one, so how could one be walking around now? After thinking that far, Kyousuke froze in place. One-of-a-kind. That meant there could not be two White Queens. But was that really true? Now, then. Its time to announce todays horror theme. The White Queen gave a carefree smile. Kyousuke used his trembling throat to speak in something like a groan. Itcant be It cant be what, brother? Youvemultiplied? Non, non. Kyousuke could feel the relief inside his chest when she readily denied that possibility. It was as humiliating as receiving pet food from a kidnapper, but he could not deny the truth. He had to accept it. But then she said more. Step, step, step, step, step, step, step, step, step, step, step, step, step, step, step, step, step, step, step, step, step, step, step, step, step, step, step, step, step, step, step, step, step, step, step, step, step, step, step, step, step, step, step, step, step, step, step, step, step, step, step, step, step, step, step, step, step, step, step, step, step, step, step, step, step, step, step, step, step, step, step, step, step, step, step, step, step, step, step, step, step, step, step, step, step, step, step, step, step, step, step, step, step. Those disconcerting footsteps filled the entire area and she smiled to show off her unnaturally long canine teeth. The correct answer is infection. And I mean of humans, of course Immediately afterwards, the White Queen placed her hands on her flushed cheeks. Her eyes were damp, her breaths were heated, and a tremor ran down her spine because it was just that perfect. Shiroyama Kyousukes mind exploded into sparks and he screamed at the top of his lungs. This saying remains in a small, historical kingdom hidden in the depths of the mountains of Eastern Europe: The large roof of Kingdom F is supported by two pillars. In addition to the royal family that handles the official duties and stands before the people, there is apparently another bloodline that thoroughly supports the kingdom from the shadows. Neither side is superior or more prosperous than the other. They burn through their lives and fulfill their duties equally to preserve the peace and order of Kingdom F. It is said the White Queen will swing down the hammer of punishment when rebels appear to tear apart that beautiful land of ice and snow. That role is fulfilled by the Royal Shadows, but that also means they only have a chance to serve their kingdom when it is in urgent need. That may be the reason why. They refused to make their name public despite belonging to a legitimate bloodline, but that may have been due to their self-imposed rule to never desire any action that would destabilize the kingdom. They remain in the shadows while fighting to protect the people. Those iron watchmen desire only the smiles of the people and refuse even formless glory. As they fight in secret and die in secret, tracing their footsteps is incredibly difficult, but if you check in the deepest depths of Kingdom Fs giant royal library, legend has it you might just run across a text filled with specially compiled records. The only thing known for sure is that Kingdom F has survived to this day. That is proof enough that there have been people protecting its continued existence. Incidentally, there is a small fragment of a record that has survived: Sinceria Highland. Government Award 913, Noble Bride. However, her Awards have been reset a few times in the past, so that number does not accurately represent her skill. Even as the monarch herself, she is an extremely skilled vessel who follows an absolute merit system in which she selects the most skilled man among the royal knights as her summoner. Facts: *The Third Summoning Ceremony is a contract between a human and a Material, so the better someone demonstrates the definition of human, the better they are perceived by the Material and the better the two synchronize. *The vessels mind is contained in the Silhouette at the core of the Material and destroying that allows an instant kill even with a Cost difference of 5-10. But only a vessel at Olivias extraordinary level can pull it off outside of a lucky hit. *The Blood-Sign Summoning Ceremony is still a ceremony, so a failure hits the magic user with damage that can be called a reaction or side effect. Meinokawa Aoi used this to hold back Olivia. *Meinokawa Aoi is attempting to procure an artificial vessel using the facility in a cruise ship near the top of the mountain. *Olivia sees the conflict between Kyousuke and the White Queen as a couples argument, so she intends to become the enemy or ally of either in order to bring them back together. *When a vessel becomes a Material, they receive information on the outside world through the specific Materials sensory organs. *Doctor S is Shiroyama Kyousukes biological father and he used his own child as a guiderail for the White Queen. After the Queens Miniature Garden, he decided that plan had ended in failure. *Doctor S was one of the researchers who constructed the Blood-Sign method in 1999 and he was planning to usurp the White Queens position from the beginning. *The Queen is infecting people this time. *Currently, there are 14,902 White Queens inside Houbi Village. And that number continues to grow. Volume 7, Stage 03 - Doctor S Awaits the Hunter in the Shadows of a Legend Volume 7, Stage 03: Doctor S Awaits the Hunter in the Shadows of a Legend Why am I still alive? Oh? You make it sound like you overcame death all on your own. (Stage 03 Open 07/20 19:30 Open) Doctor S Awaits the Hunter in the Shadows of a Legend Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!! Kyousuke no longer remembered how far he had run through the white crystal cave or what route he had taken. In fact, no amount of struggling could have let him escape the White Queen before his eyes. She was already the strongest at just one, but there were now enough of her to fill the city like an army of the dead. There was no hope. In that case, it was obvious what had happened. Thirty-oooone, thirty-twoooo, thirty-threeeee That counting continued from somewhere. That lovely voice echoed endlessly like she was starting a game of hide-and-seek. And that was not the only voice. After all, there was more than one Queen this time. The voices arrived from all directions as if to surround poor Kyousuke. She seemed to be toying with him using the madness of a group, something she had never had before due to being unique. She was letting him escape. She was clearly just having fun. Nowww, then. Brooootherrrr, what will you do? Will you continue with your plan to destroy me, the White Queen you hate so much? Ee hee hee! But, but. I can infect people this time. Nowww, who am I using as a host for this one? A member of Bridesmaid? Or a villager from Houbi Village? Oh? But can you just kill them? Well, can you, bunny??? Ugwah!! Aghaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!? They were not here. The Queens voice echoed in from a distant location, using the complexly curving cave like a speaking tube. The mass of sound seemed to envelop him. Ready or nooooot, here I cooooome! Ready or nooooot, here I cooooome! Ready or nooooot, here I cooooome! !!!??? Broootherrr, lets flirt and smooch. Ah ha ha ha ha ha!! Broootherrr, lets flirt and smooch. Ah ha ha ha ha ha!! Broootherrr, lets flirt and smooch. Ah ha ha ha ha ha!! A strong but dull sound burst out. It was not Kyousuke slipping and falling. The silver-haired shrine maiden named Meinokawa Aoi had grabbed him by the collar and slammed him into the crystal wall. Calm down, you fool!! Eek!? Im honestly amazed you managed to pick up Olivias unconscious body and flee in that situation, but if you just keep running aimlessly, youll only end up right in front of one of the Queens. And if shes using her numbers to surround us, escape by normal means will be impossible. With that said, Aoi pulled Kyousuke forward instead. She wrapped her arms around his head as if holding him to her large chest. Do not worry. Listen to my pulse. I might be artificial, but the structure is no different. You can tell how calm I am, cant you? That means I havent let it affect me and I can buy enough time for you to calm down, too. As a shrine god, that is my purpose. That role was admittedly forced onto me, but I will not abandon a human child seeking my protection. Kyousukes heart rampaged in his chest and he was clearly hyperventilating, but this allowed him to finally regain control of his mind that was madly running full speed ahead. Pant, pantphew Good, good. Do not worry. If you try to take care of it all at once, you will simply be overwhelmed. Lets take our time and solve it bit by bit. Understand? Biondetta had pursued Kyousuke along with Aoi and she shook her head over and over with a hand on the side of her head as if to shake away a nightmare. Urp. An atmosphere of death filled with multiple Queens and heavy bedrock overhead. Really reminds you of the Queens Miniature Garden, doesnt it, sir? Oh, right I just had to remember that This isnt the first time the Queen has multiplied This was a known phenomenonnot something entirely incomprehensible Im fineIm still fine However. Biondetta added more while lightly kissing the white snake that slithered out of her cleavage. Multiple Queens working together is definitely unprecedented. We should assume this is even more dangerous than the Queens Miniature Garden. That meant this was the worst situation in history. That was enough to make him feel faint and he had to focus his mind to avoid blacking out in Meinokawa Aois chest. This absurd situation was not some grand final objective; it was something done just for fun. She was truly the greatest cheater. But that was no reason to abandon all thought. They had a veritable mountain of problems to deal with, but that was exactly why their only option was solving them each one at a time. Kyousuke finally stopped leaning on Aoi and managed to support his own weight. Whatever we do, we have no time, he groaned. The White Queen will start searching for us - just for fun - before long. First of all, I want to make sure you know that - unlike me - she is not simply borrowing those forms, said Aoi. If true White Queens are being mass-produced, then fighting her head-on would be reckless indeed. In fact, we could not defeat even one of them. Since theyre working together, I suppose we cant lure them into destroying each other this time. An unnatural gagging motion entered Kyousukes throat once more. He knew this was different, but he could not help but think of Mary Ann destroying the other Queens. He also thought of the White Queen versus the Black Maw. But they could not use that method here. If we cant fight her head-on or use any tricks, only one option remains. Aoi sighed somewhat sadly, perhaps because she no longer had anything to hold to her chest. I assume you mean the Material you are hoping can defeat the Queen. That does seem to be our only hope. But were up against multiple Queens! protested Biondetta. You could easily call it an army!! Yes, but each of the Queens has the same specs. So the rest depends on the situation. It would be difficult to singlehandedly defeat 100 people in a simultaneous game of rock-paper-scissors, but things change if you play them all sequentially in 100 different games. Both options are far from easy, but the first step is preparing the proper conditions and environment. Kyousuke breathed in and out. The despair was too great for that to stop his cold sweat, but he forced his mind into motion. In that case, Im curious about the fact that shes infecting people instead of simply multiplying or copying herself. That Queen doesnt care about anyone but me, so it seems odd that she would make herself need the bodies of other people. To act as hostages? That means its possible shes afraid that we could have a chance if she didnt have that means of stopping us. Kyousuke spoke coldly. He did not hesitate to use the word afraid when it came to that Queen. Also, we still dont know how shes infecting people. Depending on the answer, it might be possible to heal them. Biondetta was not the only one shocked by that suggestion. Even Meinokawa Aois eyes widened. W-wait. Are you saying you still havent given up? Thats right. You can look at this situation and still set your objective to saving them!? Is that anything for a shrine god to say? Cant you see them wandering in search of help? If I did anything else, the name Alice (with) Rabbit would lose all meaning. Thats the only reason the Queen would bother making more of herself when shes already the strongest on her own. Yes, the White queen already reigned at the highest peak, so it was hard to think she would be trying to strengthen herself. Whether as an individual or a group, the strongest was the strongest. It was an inexact way of thinking, but when she was an infinite being from the beginning, there was no reason to gather a group of her. Then why the infection? The Queen always placed Kyousuke at the center of her world, so the answer was self-evident. The Queen wanted to make Kyousuke hers by breaking his spirit and removing his attachment to all other things. She longed for the moment when he took the easy route and relied on the strongest. She was trying to create a dependency in which he could not survive without that strongest and he could find nothing else to hold pride in. Just as a soccer player would most hate having soccer taken from them and just like a student admitted to a prestigious university would fight desperately to not have their academic records taken from them. In other words Shes trying to get me to kill them myself. That is the Queens goal. Needless to say, accepting a game suggested by the White Queen was the height of folly, but he was free to save them in a way that surpassed the Queens expectations. He had to outdo her and present the answer without ever giving up. That was the proper course of action for Shiroyama Kyousuke. He had to end his confusion. He had to regain his will of steel. And after that, he had one important task to perform. Lets observe the White Queen. Are you serious, dammit!? I was hoping to suggest we hurry to the center, reach the cruise ship at the summit as soon as possible, create the vessel which can contain your trump card Unexplored-class, construct the Material itself, and immediately begin the battle to destroy the White Queen!! There are too many questions concerning this infection. Accepting it as just something the Queen can do is the same as refusing to think. If we can figure out how it works, we can make a further judgment about whether or not they can be returned to normalno, about whether or not they can be saved. Now, a question: do you want this to leave a bad taste in your mouth or not? Okay!! Fine!! Let us discuss Toy Dream 35. That city had nothing as shady as a combination of a used tools shop and garbage collectors. Even if you possessed something worth absolutely nothing, anyone with any at all love for antiques would never think of making a little bit of money by giving it to someone who would melt it down and reuse it. If you did see a combination like that, it was best to consider another possibility: Could this shop be buying up anything, stolen or not, and melting down the valuable metals in anything that seemed sketchy to make it untraceable before selling it again? Boss, heres the report on todays job. Oh? Did we have a job too questionable to discuss over the internet? The sun had set, but the heat island made sure the night was still blazing hot. That awful night contained so much heat and humidity that it made one wonder if a corpse sitting outside would begin decomposing faster now than at midday. A middle-aged man had shown up at a needlessly gaudy shop in C Blocks Chinatown and the modified China dress beauty named Lu Niang Lan tilted her head at him from behind the counter. She accepted a wide variety of jobs, so she did not remember the details of all of them. (That also proved just how stable her foundation was.) Before answering, the stubbly man in cheap work clothes enjoyed a sip of the chilled oolong tea the beauty served him. I mean that container. That had top priority, right? Oh, Kyousuke-chans job. We dealt with the organic portion by mixing in oil filled with aerobic bacteria to create humus for growing forced vegetables. It will soon be used in the home garden of some wealthy young housewife with too much time on her hands. The container itself was broken down into pellets and thrown into a blast furnace so it can be used for the metal beams in a luxury apartment. Hmm. Everyones always talking about a recession, but money and free time still gather in the places doing well. Tell me about it. Well, our job is a lot easier when there are plenty of people with no sense of danger whatsoever. Why is it that gathering money doesnt seem to lead to happiness? Boss, it takes someone who moves around as much cash as you to say something like that. Yes, someone who moves it around instead of just gathering it. Happiness isnt something you work your ass off in search of; you need to set up camp in front of the prime spots where itll roll right into your lap. Even this shop was blown to smithereens, but how many days did it take to rebuild it again? Oh, come now. I have a sweaty man telling me how jealous he is of me, so I still have a ways to go. Didnt you know? The truly happy dont have to do anything to be loved by everyone. And with those people, they dont even notice that anything they dont like is automatically eliminated from their everyday surroundings. So like the really cute girl in your class? People tend to say everyones born with a set amount of luck, but they dont often talk about whether or not you can shove your luck deficit onto someone else. Oh, right. I did take a sample of the regenerated product and Ill run an analysis on it, but I doubt well find out what it was originally. So the same as always, I guess. So youll take care of it? Exactly. The work tools for our housework service are always discarded after use, so those will be disposed of too. Its kind of incredible. I miss the days when a disposer would create meat dumplings and send them to a mountain pig farm or ocean fish farm as animal food. You see that a lot in movies, but it isnt actually all that reliable since undigested human hair will end up in their droppings. Well, if you do as sloppy a job as they show in the movies. They wont shut up about making the recent Toy Dream movies as realistic as possible, but they cant exactly give people lessons on how to actually get away with murder. So what was that container anyway? A corpse? This is Alice (with) Rabbit were talking about, so I seriously doubt that. Oh, well thats no fun. I thought we were quietly disposing of a little accident so he could maintain his legend. My. Are you the type who feels more excited than disappointed when an idols infidelity comes to light? Dont act like youre any different, boss. I know you find other peoples misfortune to have the sweetest flavor of all. You wouldnt fit in with Illegal otherwise. The two of them laughed together without taking any of it too seriously. Finding out they had unwittingly disposed of a corpse or two was not about to surprise them and the same went for something even more dangerous and delicate than a corpse. No matter what was placed on the line ahead of them, they would break right through the law of conservation of mass because the more they erased from the world, the greater the reward in their pockets. They did not need to beat around the bush on this issue, which just went to show they were both entirely immersed in Illegal. Okay, boss, Ill be going. Our business doesnt really get going until midnight, so Ive still got 3 jobs to deal with before dawn. The tea was good. You should probably just remake this place into a teahouse. Maybe a book cafe with shelves full of used books. You forgot the for an amateur disclaimer. I cant hope to match a pro. And it seems youre doing good business. Are you avoiding the sun even in prime summer break season? Dont be ridiculous. Thats the reason why. I know you know more incidents happen this time of year than any other. Everyone decides to cut loose for summer break, but they get irritated in the hot sun and get completely carried away. Summer is the season of love and corpses. Bye Discovery meant instant death. And it was not just her physical strength that made the White Queen the strongest. She was a cut above in every single field. And that of course included her sensory organs and thought ability. Setting up a situation in which they could see her but she failed to notice them was nigh impossible. In fact, it was much, much more likely that the opposite would happen. In that case, Kyousukes groups options were extremely limited. The only effective method they could think of was using the White Queens traits against her: 1. The White Queen is only interested in Shiroyama Kyousuke. 2. The White Queen can only infect humans. In that case Hiss A sound like a broken flute echoed quietly across the surface of the underground lake. It came from the white snake vessel contracted with Biondetta. He(?) was not human and he was not Shiroyama Kyousuke. Thus, the Queens would not lock onto him any more than one of the caves bats or rats when he was acting alone. He was no different from a weed on the side of the road. Aoi put her hands on her hips and took a deep breath that caused her shoulders and breasts to rise and fall. Hmm. In that case, would I have worked too since Im artificial? Theres no guarantee with you since your structure is too close to human. Kyousukes group discussed it while traveling through the underground area and approaching the cruise ship near the summit. They had used the aforementioned ladder in the giant crack as a shortcut to escape the enemy surrounding them. The level of danger was little different no matter where they were, but they wanted to stay as close to their trump card as possible. It was currently around 10:30 PM. After more than three hours, the white snake returned after gathering as much information as he(?) could. Only Biondetta could communicate with him due to her contract, so she was in charge of that. Biondetta and Olivia had spent 24 hours in the loser state, so ingesting nutrients was an important job for them. They had borrowed some biscuits from the emergency food in the shrine(?) by the underground lake, so they split them and ate a quick meal. Still Kyousuke looked around once more. They were inside an unlit ship. The cruise ship had only been made to slowly cruise along the crater lake which had had no exit, so it was not made to sail at sea. It was modeled after a sailing ship, but it probably only used an electric motor to turn a propeller. It did not have any cabins for spending the night. Only the deck giving a view of the scenery and the dining hall for a light meal had been open to the public. It would have been full with only 30 passengers. They were inside what had been the kitchen next to the dining hall. Glass test tubes and flasks were packed in tight along with the cooking tools. A lot of mysterious emblems were carved on the walls and floor. As was readily apparent with a vacuum coffee maker or a pressure cooker, kitchen equipment and lab equipment fit together quite well. This should be enough to at least reach the Jewel Blood, concluded Aoi. It could be done dry or wet and hot or cold, but the narrow glass tubes resembled a roller coaster. To be blunt, preparing a full Joruri Method in such a short time would not be possible. The White Queen has almost certainly begun her search already, said humanitys oldest artificial vessel. She began negatively, but then she puffed out her large chest. So use my body. We cant prepare it all from scratch, but we can modify what we already have. Just add what you need to my body to remake me into a vessel that can contain the irregular Material youre thinking of. Adding to that artificial being may have been a lot like intentionally implanting a pacemaker in someone to control their heartrate even though they were not seriously ill. Youre willing to do that? I do not mind. I am a shrine god, so protecting people is my job. Why wouldnt I use every method available to me at the time? Im asking you as Meinokawa Aoi not as the Queens lookalike. The silver-haired girl fell silent for a moment. A smile appeared on her lips. Dont underestimate me. I had always wanted to escape my role as the White Queens lookalike. Im not about to complain about gaining some originality, especially when it gives me the power to finish off the Queen. Meinokawa Aoi slowly placed a hand on the center of her chest. And she gave a faint smile. Humans are always afraid that the changes to their bodies will mean they are aging rather than growing. But never changing at all is also frightening. Kyousuke was not a Joruri Method, so he probably could not understand that mindset. But if that girl with eternal life wanted to change, he had no reason to press the matter further. Mhh. And then another voice shattered that solemn mood. It was Olivia Highland who had come to earlier. The small girl used both hands to rub the back of her head. That caused her slender bodylines to show through her school swimsuit, which had grown a darker shade of blue after absorbing so much moisture, and even revealed the curves of her ribs which looked as delicate as glass, but she showed no sign at all of caring. She pushed out her tiny chest and the light pink rose decoration adorning it, she shook the thick chain worn diagonally across her body and the bag-sized lock hanging from it, and she asked a sulking question. My head is still throbbing. This is more than just sleeping on it wrong. Onii-chan, you hit me, didnt you? I guess theres no hiding it then. Oh, right. Your memories come back while youre looking at me even though your contract was ended. I cant believe you!! If you want to indulge in me, then just say so! I wont stop you! If you feel the need to knock people out just because you cant work up the nerve unless theyre asleep, then Im really worried about your future, Onii-chan!! And I cant believe you. That leap of logic was downright acrobatic I-Ill help you recover, Onii-chan. Work me with me to become normal, okay? I wasnt asking you to stare up at me and expand on the topic. Meanwhile, Biondetta seemed to have finished communicating with the white snake. Outta the way! This sounds like a job for his big sis. Theyve always said big boobs are the best way of curing abnormal proclivities. Oh, no. Now shes added a bizarre conclusion on top of the bizarre premise!! Hold it, said Aoi. Are you saying my size is not enough, you symbol of gluttony? And now its spread to all of them? Where do I even start with this!? False accusations are like a long chain in a falling block puzzle game. But anyway, I have something to report. Biondetta translated what the white snake had seen into human language. And her conclusion was as follows: Vessels? Kyousuke repeated the most important word. The infection has only spread to human vessels? So it seems. The action that triggers it seems to be a bite, but at its core, its still a summoning. The Queen descends into the vessels body. It only looks like a massive, spreading infection because shes summoned into so many of them at once. That seems to be the truth of whats happening here. So there were simply that many vessels in Houbi Village? It makes sense for Bridesmaid, but I thought the Meinokawas had developed the Joruri Method to make up for their lack of vessels. Not necessarily. Aoi shrugged, causing the chest of her shrine maiden outfit to jiggle rather dangerously. Why do you think the Meinokawa family understood the bodily structure of a vessel better than anyone else? Why were they blessed with the opportunity to investigate them until they could artificially reproduce one? Because they had enough samples who were willing to help with their research. You mean? The Meinokawa family was originally a bloodline which tended to produce vessels. But if they had turned themselves into a vessel family, they would have been at the mercy of outsider summoners. That became what you call a kom-pleks for them. That is the reason why they wanted to be summoners instead of vessels. Kyousuke recalled that Meinokawa Higan was an excellent vessel even after having her ability artificially worn down. It was rare for someone of that talent to be born to a normal family, so it was safe to accept that the Meinokawa family held that kind of secret. Just because someone relied on a computer did not necessarily mean they were bad at mental arithmetic. Just because someone relied on a microwave did not necessarily mean they could not cook. So between the Meinokawas and Bridesmaid, Houbi Village contains far more vessels than would normally be possible. But normally just one Queen can appear in just one vessel, so they must have a way of breaking that limitation and summoning her into multiple vessels at once, said Biondetta. That would be the key to this. So simply put, there is a core Queen who is being used to bend the normal rules? I suppose she would be something like the queen bee. No, maybe more like the one real kids meal toy placed in a house of mirrors. Meinokawa Aois eyes widened at that. So if we got rid of that one doll? All of the Queens would disappear and the vessels would return to normal? They all exchanged a glance. The only one looking displeased was Olivia Highland who wanted Kyousuke and the Queen to get along. She puffed out her cheeks while her slender fingers toyed with the brim of her large straw hat. Why do you just assume you have to fight her? Mhhh Because its necessary. You just have to hurry up and apologize, Onii-chan. If you try to act like youre in charge and challenge her, its obvious shell just beat you up and make you behave. Via. Not even using her nickname was enough to control her now. She only stuck out her tongue. With her undeveloped bodylines showing through her school swimsuit, which had grown an oddly dark shade from all the moisture, that double blonde braid girl truly seemed to believe Kyousuke could make up with the Queen if he made the first move. And that may have been why she did not sense the danger they were in. She did not view the White Queen as someone who brought death, even though that was the most basic thing about her. She Simply believed in that just like those who believed that an army was there to protect their nation or that police officers carried guns to protect the peace. That could always be written off as childish, but that purity was far too dangerous here. We have to figure out which Queen is the core. And whether or not we can just kill that one. Yes, even if the other infected Queens are like reflections in a house of mirrors, there has to be some trick in place for the original ones permanent summoning. Simply put, that one uses a different system. We might be able to find a way to tell them apart if we look into that. Hey, if weve identified the enemy we need to defeat, isnt it about time you got to modifying my body? All at once, the situation had started to move. They were still at a serious disadvantage, but it meant a lot to have an actual goal in mind. The enemy was quickly leaving the category of incomprehensible. White Queen, its true youre still the strongest for now. Kyousuke spoke quietly inside the cold kitchen lined with strange lab equipment. The blue flame in his eyes was cold, but there was great heat hidden in his voice. But thats only at the peak of the known route up the mountain. Its time I showed you what humans are capable of. Meanwhile, Doctor S was facing his own crisis. He had ended the search in the caves and moved outside for the time being. Houbi Village had been reduced to ruins by the extraordinary rocket fire, so even the most intact buildings only had their foundations or walls remaining and created twisted silhouettes visible in the dark night. The objects jutting up and tangled together in places were likely the remnants of the wooden festival towers and electric lanterns. No artificial lights illuminated the night and only some red and green particles flowed irregularly around. Those were embers from the attack and fireflies. Doctor S and the rest of the Bridesmaid summoners and Repliglass soldiers had constructed a base on land to join the missile ships and landing ships out at sea. Tents made of synthetic cloth were spread out across the remains of the original village. Doctor S sat atop a broken drum and looked around. Tents came in a wide variety of types, but modifying those used for circuses allowed one to set up a facility the size of a harbor warehouse in a short period of time. When viewed by satellite, the village would have been transformed like painting a new image on a canvas. But not everything was about logic and efficiency. In fact, their timetable was in complete shambles. Ohh, ohh. Her MajestyHer Majesty is here!! Please forgive me for so insolently sharing the same space as Your Holiness!! She really exists! Yes, it wasnt just a legend! Her Majesty really does exist!! Some kneeled on the spot, some were carried to a far-distant land on a wave of ecstasy, and some fainted and convulsed on the ground. Bridesmaid celebrated their greatest moment as a Queen-worshiping cult. There was a simple reason for that. Pure white appeared in the dark shadows like a field of lilies in the moonlight. And there were uncountably many of them. In all 360 degrees, no matter where you turned, you would only see more and more White Queens. As her very first researcher, Doctor S understood her nature. The White Queen would show no interest in anything other than Shiroyama Kyousuke. In a way, he had set it up that way, so of course he did. Because Kyousuke had failed, this roller coaster no longer had a safe guiderail. Facing just one wild Queen was a disaster in and of itself, so being surrounded by her in every direction was best viewed as being trapped by a crueler fate than being in the path of a giant meteor being pulled down by the tendrils of gravity. In that case Umm, I would like to ask a question. Yes, what is it? One of the Queens answered him while politely bringing her hands together in front of her and cutely tilting her head. But she was not about to give him such a sweet look just because he was Shiroyama Kyousukes father. And being part of Bridesmaid, which served her, was not a guarantee of anything. The Queens interest was only in him himself; no other factor would get her to focus on him. So Doctor S stated his question bluntly from the broken drum he sat on. Why am I still alive? I honestly assumed I would be killed instantly once the infection and spread began. Oh? You make it sound like you overcame death all on your own. This isnt anything that cool. While answering, the man used his medical inhaler to adjust the oxygen level while using the air pressure tubes in his riding suit to squeeze his body. Together, these simulated a hyperbaric oxygen environment to externally control his brain activity. It was a lot like fiddling with a dial to dig through his memories. Its just that I saw something more frightening than death during July of 1999. The rest is an issue of priorities. Ive already selected the problem I wish to conquer first, so I might seem unconcerned about lower priority issues such as my own death. Well, in that case, your driving force is rooted in phobia rather than philia. Although you have some serious issues since you get as close as possible to the thing you fear instead of distancing yourself from it. Thats just how humans work. Did you not know why those Toy Dream cities are doing such good business all over the world? We humans are a contradictory lot. We want to get as close as possible to danger while maintaining a front-row seat of absolute safety. No luxury could be greater. Dont try to pretend youre not a coward. Oh, my cowardice is the entire point. I will admit its pathetic, though. Even now, it could easily explode within me at any time if I didnt tune my thoughts externally like this. Is that an application of hyperbaric oxygen therapy? That said, I believe I was taught that excess oxygen intake not only leads to hyperventilation but that the reactive oxygen that changes form within your metabolism is one cause of aging. I stopped caring about aging after the fear turned my hair white. You would never know it, but Im actually a fair bit younger than I look. My hair has been like this ever since I saw you that first time. Although Im not about to claim Im exactly young anymore. Whatever Doctor S may have thought, the White Queen did not seem to have any real feelings about that. So the twintail girl readily changed the subject. To the man, this was like hesitantly walking through a minefield where one misstep would blow him away, but she readily announced a change of destination on a whim. What is with that S name? Oh, this? It was originally a pseudonym I used for the long-term project with Kyousuke, but it was convenient enough and I ended up borrowing it ever since. Well, with the later Miniature Garden, it was entirely about inertia or maybe a good luck charm. That was an utter failure that didnt match the requested specs, but it was definitely a step in the right direction. So from there, I was probably hoping for someone who showed some promise. How that turned out goes without saying. Your project, hm? He is my child. I will not lie about that. I simply used every research tool available to me. But that is not enough to fully explain this. You mean why it had to be a Shiroyama? Not even I know. I can only assume it was a divine revelation. Doctor S smiled bitterly at his own trauma. Oh, and it might look like Kyousuke is driven by phobia, but its actually philia. You can rest easy about that. It sounded like he too was changing the subject on a whim, but he was not actually. My, my. The White Queen smiled while happily clasping her hands in front of her chest. She looked like a girl who had received information on the boy she liked from a classmate. This was the only way for Doctor S to access the White Queen. He could not get a single word out of her otherwise. When he was lost, when he could not see the ground below his feet, and when his soul was trapped by the fear of landmines, the only way to course correct was to speak Kyousukes name. That would allow him to set down his raised foot. Im scared. Was his voice actually reaching the twintailed Queen? And even if it was, this might not change the fate of this man in a lab coat and riding suit. Im so very, very, very scared. But that is why this shiver down my spine is the one thing I cant erase by manipulating the oxygen. How much safety can we maintain and how close can we approach danger? Some say it is the ability to control fire that makes humanity special, but I see things otherwise. Our one and only treasure is the ability to not just control fire but approach that danger and enjoy the thrill of it. There are insects that commit suicide and beasts that torment others, but no other living creature holds entirely meaningless values. As Doctor S spoke from the broken drum, his words were not directed at anyone in particular. He was letting himself hear his own thoughts to apply some self-suggestion and encourage himself. We conquered ghosts and UFOs. We removed the fear of poetic prophets and the Aztec calendar. We can use our own words to explain the Tunguska Event and the supposed nuclear destruction of an ancient city by an Astra. We have fully researched most every mystery of the universe and the human body. We have turned it all into safe and boring attractions, leaving nothing to fear. With the one major exception of you. Iiiii seeee. So for you, what happens after death is something you either already understand or a trivial matter you can calculate out if need be. You know the equations, so you just have to leave the massive amount of calculations to a supercomputer which can work out the answer at more than a billion calculations a second. Ha ha. Thats right, thats right. The White Queen is the one thing where I cant even find an equation to use as a starting point. No matter how I look at or frame the problem, all I get are unknowns upon unknowns. It could be zero, infinity, an imaginary number, or anything else; if I could see just one value, I could confirm the safety, mark out the danger with a dividing line, and find a way to get as close as possible to that line. Humans feel both hope and fear about the things they do not understand. Once you had made your way all around the earth, the occupation of adventurer died out and the seeds of hope for the entire species were lost. Even with outer space, you could predict the majority of the star map using radio telescopes. So what is your answer? Do you desire your own death that badly? Dying here would be simple. That is no more than an easily predicable result. Queen, surely you can bring people a much crueler fate. Hmm. That is true. The silver twintailed Queen placed her index finger on her slender chin. The things you have brought into this world should indeed be called hideous, but without them, brother and I never would have met. Isnt that enough of a reason to give you a stay of execution? Akura Taisaku from the Queens Miniature Garden similarly pulled the selfish trigger when he could no longer bear that freefall with no guarantee of safety, but you didnt hesitate to smash him into paste. And I am well aware you allowed his cells to remain active so he lived on for more than 300 hours while splattered across the walls and ceiling. And he was aware the entire time that there was no hope at all of saving him. Oh, you do know your trivia, dont you? Did the two of you get along because you both have severe phobias? If I recall correctly, you developed the Miniature Garden and he ran it. But I cant have you acting like that Queen and the Queen before you now are the same. The White Queen giggled. There is a simple reason for treating you differently from Akura. The presence of an ordinary sort of man will not change much of anything. So even if the middle point was altered somewhat, that war would have ultimately happened and brother and I would have parted ways. But you were different. That is all this is. Hmm. The inhaler man slightly adjusted the oxygen level like a tuner. If you killed me here, disguised it as some kind of error, and returned right away, you might just gain Kyousukes favor. The White Queens shoulders jumped. But not because some gears had jammed. It was the opposite. The phrase Doctor S had spoken were the magic words to rob the silver twintailed Queen of all of her plans. Without even looking at her face, it was obvious that linking her to Kyousuke had sent pleasure signals coursing through her body. But the strongest of the strongest suppressed it. Doctor S calmly viewed that result. I see. That is a magicians trick. He nodded once. You are arrogant in all things and everything you do can be judged humble when compared to what you are actually capable of. But you are afraid. You are shockingly cowardly when it comes to Kyousuke. Basically, with the obvious target of Doctor S around, Kyousuke will look elsewhere. So even if you are manipulating things from behind the scenes, you are harder to spot. Thats what this is about, isnt it? Some might call it clever and some might call it cowardly, but they could not forget that this was the White Queen. It was highly irregular for her to even take failure and loss into account when she put together a plan. But even before that, the core factor in you and Kyousuke parting ways at the Queens Miniature Garden was murder. A mere murder caused that. But I am his father. Whatever he might say, you cannot imagine how much more your relationship will be twisted if you take it a step further and kill his parent. I can see why you would be afra The White Queen silently tilted her head. The pull of gravity caused her silver hair to flow creepily over. And a moment later, the Queens slender arm stabbed into the center of Doctor Ss chest before he could finish his sentence. It truly only took an instant. It was as smooth as sticking ones hand into a mass of custard and yet not a drop of blood was spilt. The White Queens right hand had pierced the researchers chest far too deftly. No, that was not simple destruction. It was a type of spiritual healing. While completely ignoring the pectoralis major, diaphragm, ribs, sternum, and various arteries and veins in the way, the White Queen easily pulled something out. He did not even have time to stand up from the broken drum in surprise. He was forbidden to take any unpermitted action while in the presence of Her Majesty. That was simply how the world worked. Father. The mass of muscles in her hand was pulsing. It was someones heart. The Queens strongest was not limited to pure physical strength. She could bring out the greatest skill in every single field. I respect you for bringing brother into this world, but I have no intention of getting to know my in-laws well enough to live in a two-generation household. The frightening part was not how she removed his heart with no pain or resistance. It was the fact that she could bring hand-to-hand combat to this level. If she wanted, she could remove all of Doctor Ss organs and rearrange them as she saw fit. It was just like moving a human brain into a pig or sheep developed for organ transplants. No, it need not be organic. If she felt like having some fun, she could create a human-faced dog or even a human-faced train. She could easily create a chimera that would cause anyone who saw it to lose their mind. Please do your very, very, very best not to get between my brother and me. I may not look it, but I can become a tad indiscriminate when it comes to him. Even if you are his father, I might do something inappropriate without thinking. Oh, how scary. It would seem this thrill ride still has room for improvement. If not for the experimental guiderail named Kyousuke, I would have been tossed from the roller coaster. Yes, I suppose so. Your unsightly racing heartrate is probably caused by noradrenaline, so it would come from the fear and shock based on your phobia. It really is scary. But that was the entire point. Doctor Ss confidence was renewed after seeing this madness that would have made anyone look away. Not even the god in heaven could restrain this ultimate strongest. And there was but one person in the world who contained the possibility of holding her reins. Only Shiroyama Kyousuke. Completing that failure was the only option. I am a priest, not a shrine maiden. Directly touching you is meaningless; my goal is to approach as close as possible. I wish to safely enjoy the worlds greatest and most dangerous freefall, but I do not actually wish to jump to my death. That is fine then. The White Queen grinned and returned the heart in her right hand to Doctor Ss chest. It was a casual action, like someone placing their fathers pocket watch back on the shelf. There was no red stain on her white glove and that eternally unsullied white spoke. Now, then. I think its time I got serious about teasing brother. Hee hee hee! Any chance to directly touch him is valuable. I cant have him growing accustomed to my appearances. Each and every one of our trysts needs to feel fresh and new! If I am going to show him just how impatiently I have been waiting to make contact with him, I have to make sure I leave an impression: kaboom!! Im hardly one to talk, but Yes? You really are cruel. The White Queen was entirely unfazed by his great insult. She placed her hands on her cheeks as her eyes grew damp, her breaths grew heated, and a tremor ran down her spine. That is because I love him!! Hey!! Nyahh!? Kyousuke heard a bizarre cry and then saw Biondetta grabbing onto Olivias skinny hips. The little girl was facing forward with her butt sticking out and Biondetta was preparing to spank her. Even if she was wearing a swimsuit below, Olivia seemed worried about her miniskirt and pareo in this pose, so she kicked her skinny legs around, blushed, and tried to bite at the older girl. Wait, what do you think youre doing to me!? What am I doing!? Youre the one that tried to sneak over and remove the fuse to my Incense Grenades so they wouldnt activate! That really is a life or death issue!! Tch. That click of the tongue settles it: Im definitely spanking this ass!! Nyahh!? Those are the laws in my country!! What country is that!? The two of them argued back and forth, but Olivia skillfully escaped Biondetta and fled toward Kyousuke. She circled behind him and used him as a shield. Her swimsuit must have gotten oddly twisted while in the waitress demons grasp because she messed with the shoulder straps inside her decorative collar and the butt within her pareo. Look at that incarnation of violence, Onii-chan! You need to keep away from someone like that!! Olivia was not contracted with anyone, so she could not maintain her memories without a summoner or vessel in her field of vision. That meant she could not sneak around when no one else was around and would have to use bold pickpocketing techniques and prestidigitation if she was going to do anything. Vigor seemed to escape Biondettas mouth like steam. Sir, please move out of the way. It is my duty to deliver a finishing blow to that insolent ass. Nn! The White Queen is definitely the only person for you, Onii-chan. The Queen is kind, so she wouldnt get mad about something as trivial as this. Kyousuke did not have it in him to correct her ridiculous assessment, but that was not his focus at the moment anyway. Aika, have you managed to check with the satellite yet? A military satellite might sound like something quite special, but the satellite network was not actually all that sturdy. The bikini girl responded via his smartphone. Well, no matter how advanced things get, they cant escape the nature of wireless connections. They can strengthen the directionality all they want; the signal still scatters in other directions and the opposite is just as true. I can read from and write to the signal all I want. Although no matter how useful this is, Im still stuck in the position of logistical support Meaning? You need to give more credit to your proud shut-in here. And with my eternal rival Olivia Highland showing up while I was out of the loop, I am seriously worried about your future, Onii-chan!! That put a smug look on Olivias face as she clung to his arm. Ee hee hee. Even if were on other sides of the world, there is no separating two souls who were truly meant to be together. Grin, grin. You thief!! Do you want me to fire the seven space station tools on top of your head!? Tee hee. And a school swimsuit is the standardno, its justice. I mean, a bikini little sister is just mixing up the symbols to the point of incomprehensibility. Via. Agrbrbrbh!! O-Onii-chan, youre not blameless here either! When did you two get so close again!? I-Is there really magic in a school swimsuit!? Please, Aika, dont you go crazy, too. Pant, pant, gasp, gasp Okay, okay. Heres the satellite feed. Remember that Im the truly useful little sister of your soul. Bridesmaid has hacked into and altered the records in the government and private satellites, but they shouldnt underestimate the true administrative privileges of Government When they saw the image sent from Aika, Kyousukes group had very nearly accomplished their goal. Houbi Village had been overwritten. Bridesmaid had used their landing Repliglass, which resembled sports kites, to carry supplies from the beach and they had set up their own camp using synthetic tents. Each tent was the size of a harbor warehouse and they had also built some diesel power generation bases and a labyrinth of trenches and seawater-filled ditches. The silver-haired shrine maiden, Meinokawa Aoi, sounded exasperated. She pressed her soft cheek against the boy as she peered at the small screen from the side. This is incredible. There is no sign of the original village. But its a simple matter. Kyousuke sighed. This is a temple. And on an urban planning level. You mean like Edo or Kyoto? asked Waitress Biondetta as she tilted her head and gave a food pellet to her white snake. Thats right, confirmed Kyousuke. It can be feng shui or whatever else, but theyre using the terrain itself to guide the flow of a great power and gain a special advantage from it. A temple uses four walls to cut itself off from the world and opens an entrance in a specific direction to allow the wind through in order to invite in a higher being with a divine name belonging to a specific element, and there are countless examples of pulling it off at the level of a city like this. By creating their fortress according to plan, Bridesmaid seems to have successfully invited in the White Queen. Their landing operation had involved 18,000 rockets and plenty of landing craft. But Bridesmaid had not wasted anything. Hm? But, sir, but they only built up their temple of tents after firing all those rockets on the city. Then what about the rockets that should have fallen on Olivias head? They came from the ocean. Kyousukes expression remained unchanged. He did not even bother questioning Olivia about it. We just have to assume they prepared in advance. Im guessing they built a temple on the ocean floor so it couldnt be seen by satellite. Then they extended that to include Houbi Village on land. I mean, that labyrinth of trenches is filled with seawater, right? Of course, if the ocean-bottom temple was enough to fulfill their needs, they would not have needed to remake Houbi Village. It may have been like a bridgehead giving them a foothold from the sea to land versus the actual fortified line taking them deeper inland. That would be how we were controlling fate and manipulating probability. They were building a royal capital that invites good fortune. (But good fortune for whom?) It all seemed to be on such a grand and exaggerated scale at first, but it only made sense if it connected to the White Queen who they worshiped. And only about a day had passed between leveling the village and constructing their fortress. Bridesmaid had done an incredibly speedy job of laying out the groundwork and remaking all of Houbi Village into a temple for the Queen. It normally took centuries to build a grand temple, so this alone was an extraordinary accomplishment. The permanently summoned Queen in the center is different from the infected Queens who are spreading out like a house of mirrors, said Kyousuke. And if we tear down the temple structure, the permanent summon system will malfunction. So unlike the infected Queens, the permanently summoned one will blur with static. There should be a slight lag before it reaches the infected ones. Lets use that to locate their core. The infected Queens are a false reflection, so we dont have to fight them. Destroying the one at the core should cause them all to disappear. So its sabotage, is it? Oh, this is sounding right up my alley. Biondetta. Kyousuke made sure to calm down the vengeance demon who could not stop grinning. We need to use multiple observation methods. Id like to use Aikas satellite image and also send out a few drones. As long as you know how theyre made, you just need to take apart a smartphone and an electric shaver to make one. Even if Bridesmaid interferes, I want to at least get a blow in. What if they use Incense Grenades? No cam-er-uhs or sen-sers work inside an Artificial Sacred Ground, right? Wherever they concentrate the Incense Grenades will be where theyre protecting the core Queen. But that left another problem. Boo. Olivia puffed out her cheeks, fidgeted with her double braids, and spoke up while showing no concern for the undeveloped bodylines showing through her school swimsuit. She wanted the two people she loved to make up(?). Even if you know which one, the Queen is still the Queen. Can you beat her, Onii-chan? Yes, that was the biggest problem. Just because she had multiplied did not mean each individual White Queens value had dropped. The Queen was still the Queen. Challenging her head-on without a plan was a fools errand. Identifying the core Queen was the same as finding a deadly precipice. Approaching that Queen was no different from reducing his own lifespan. This place was more frightening than a jungle roamed by a man-eating tiger. Misjudging his distance from death would get him eaten in the very first attack. He could not think of himself as special. No matter what, he had not left the category of human. Well just have to cheat, said Kyousuke. He turned back toward the silver-haired shrine maiden named Meinokawa Aoi. He recalled each piece of lab equipment and the explanations Aoi had given in that cruise ship. How long will it take to complete? Hm. I adjusted it for the expanded components seen in your plans, but you can see how much is in glass container there. With a cry of oryah, Aoi leaned against Kyousuke to turn him around using her soft warmth. Blood worship can be found all across the globe. Some see shed blood as unclean, but others see the blood of important and holy people to be holy. There are simply too many examples to list off. So by adjusting the balance between good and evil from the outside, you can create an affinity for a specific Material, right? Blood is a biometric and an individual identifier, but it can also be readily altered by your eating habits or by drinking perfume. Just how many products are advertised as giving you clean blood? You can even go further and directly alter the quality of your blood by transplanting a heart or marrow. We just have to take that even further. Her eyes were directed toward a thick, wet sound. That kitchen contained a variety of lab equipment and a roller coaster of glass tubes. A red liquid floated in a clear cylindrical container that held nearly 20 liters. We have no time, said Meinokawa Aoi. I would normally like to create an artificial organ or marrow to produce the blood and then directly implant that in my body, but that would take too long. Our only option is to directly create the necessary artificial blood, inject it into my veins, and temporarily change the quality of my blood to tune me to the Material. It should be finished soon. The contents need to be compressed until they glow like a red jewel. Jewel Blood, hm? That Western name doesnt fit the traditional atmosphere, but theres no helping that. We were always greedy. It looked like it would take about an hour longer. The Blood-Sign method was a contract between a human and a Material, so the better the human would fit in the pages of a biology textbook, the easier the Material could recognize them and synchronize with them. Olivia with her royal blood, royal flesh, and royal soul was the extreme form of that. Aoi was using that to consider the traits of an individual Material and create a vessel that would best be recognized by it. It was not the best comparison, but a carnivores sense of smell was quite different from an herbivores. The silver-haired shrine maiden was apparently greatly altering the amplitude of that. The smaller the discrepancy between them, the less the resistance and friction. This was necessary to summon a non-existent Material into her body. This will complete the artificial vessel you need, but what about the all-important Material? You plan to create a new Unexplored-class and embed it in the other world for the sole purpose of defeating the White Queen, dont you? And its divine name will be constructed only from the vowels which are not dyed by the Sound Ranges of the Three. You showed me the theoretical anatomical drawing, but that isnt enough to create it. Are you going to use a secret life-creating technique such as the alchemical homunculi or Kabbalic golems used for the Regulation-class? I have an idea in mind. Hm. Whatever it is, the trick will be how to shave off time and prioritize efficiency. Aoi glanced over at the collection of equipment filling the kitchen. She was saying those tools could create most anything, but you could not use them for more than one thing at a time. While creating the Jewel Blood needed to alter her own body, they could not construct the anti-Queen Unexplored-class. That said, they could not win without both, so they could not just ignore one or the other. This is going to be tricky. I agree with you there, but physical work is not all a summoner needs to do. While Im resting my body, I can start on some mental work. The most important piece of mental work was running strategy simulations against the opposing summoner. Biondetta. Yes? Do you think Doctor S is still alive? Or did he die when all those White Queens showed up? Hmm. Thats not an easy question to answer, but Id like to suggest 7-to-3 that hes still alive. Why? Based on the satellite images, the fortress temple created on top of Houbi Village has maintained order. If a group of White Queens was on a rampage, it should be filled with the corpses and blood of Bridesmaid now that she doesnt need them. Well, I suppose that is what would happen. Of course, I cant deny the possibility that Doctor S personally incurred the Queens wrath and got himself killed, so thats why its 7-to-3. It is extremely difficult to predict the White Queens actions using logic and efficiency, but she does seem to provide unrestricted use of her power to anyone who will allow her to have fun with you, sir. Overall, her thoughts were the same as Kyousukes. That meant he probably was not letting his hatred cloud his judgment, so he would go with that. Who is he? Biondetta had shared a portion of his past, but she had to ask about this part. She had only shared the Queens Miniature Garden portion of his past, so she knew nothing of what came before that. My father. But not as part of the Fifteen Siblings Project. I mean my real father. Shiroyama Kyousuke slowly sighed as he answered. His thoughts turned to the surname of Shiroyama. We lived in an unremarkable house in an ordinary Japanese city. It was me, my dad, my mom, and then my little sister. It was exactly the kind of normal life anyone could imagine. ? Biondetta and Meinokawa Aoi were both already frowning. What he described was perfectly normal, but it was strange to think of the Shiroyama Kyousuke placed on rails like that. The silver-haired shrine maiden summed it up in a question. She pressed the back of her head against his temple as she did so. But that wouldnt teach you your excellent combat technique, would it? And where did you and Doctor S come in contact with the Summoning Ceremony? Thats right. Kyousuke cringed but readily admitted it. That life was clearly strange. Everything I had thought was normal had been linked to my elite training. Everything from the food I ate to the positions of the mechanical pencil and eraser on my study desk. And that was frightening enough. I mean, special facilities like the Miniature Garden try to hide, but they cant really. Anyone who can see the underside of the world will notice them. What Doctor S did was like building a missile using parts from a hardware store. He called himself a missile. A precision-guided missile that had once cornered so very many people. Kyousuke recalled the inner voice that had guided the Miniature Garden to destruction. Sowhat was Doctor S? asked Aoi. Who knows. The name Shiroyama may not have had any real meaning to it. His behavior has a Government scent to it, so he may have been using household goods to stably produce an unofficial unit for use alongside the government ones. I mean, if he had succeeded, it would have created an age where any house or apartment could be used to mass-produce people on my level. Anyone who knew Shiroyama Kyousuke would feel their minds going blank at that suggestion. That could seriously have thrown the world into disorder. I dont know if Doctor S succeeded or failed and whether he gave up or was stopped by someone else, but he abandoned the project after bringing me fairly close to completion. In the confusion of the divorce, the entire family fell apart. Since I had no relatives left, I was collected by the appropriate organization. After proving my worth by completing a few jobs with the knowledge and skills already placed inside my mind, I was sent to the Miniature Garden. And it all went so smoothly that it may have all been predetermined. Whatdo you think? Its on such a large scale that its impossible to grasp the whole of it. I know my memories of that single house are not going to guide me to the answer. Kyousuke breathed a heavy sigh. And I dont know if this was planned as well, but a few of the faces are blotted out and I cant draw out that information. Like my mom and little sister. Who were they? I hope they were simply part of the cast and they were able to safely withdraw. That meant he did not know much about Doctor S. But if that researcher had created Shiroyama Kyousukes foundation, some things could be deduced from that foundation. You cant implant in someone else what doesnt exist in yourself, said Kyousuke. No matter how insane he is, he is still my parent. And as his child, he created my skill as a summoner. So hell use similar tactics? We cant say much since Im sure we have our individual idiosyncrasies and preferences, but we can think of our skills as about the same. And he should be able to predict all of the choices I will make. Because he created me this way. The previous battle had been settled by Meinokawa Aoi, not Kyousuke. She had used her position as a fully artificial Joruri Method to remove her head, which Doctor S had failed to predict. Even if Kyousuke planned everything out in advance, it was impossible to know what would happen. Its also easy for me to predict what Doctor S will do, said Freedom Award 903. I just have to imagine what I would do using my skills if I used such a long sword. Since the skills at the foundation are the same, the differences will come from the surrounding environment. Houbi Village had been conquered by Bridesmaid and the many infected White Queens. Nevertheless, there was still no word of Kyousukes group being captured. The declining village had limited transportation access, so holding all of the exits was not difficult. Not to mention that it was not just reckless but insolent to think you could break out when surrounded by the White Queen whose sensory organs had expanded infinitely beyond enlightenment or divine visions. In that case They havent escaped outside, said Doctor S as he stood up from the broken drum. Are they actually rushing to the center? A White Queen joined him, but it was no longer possible to tell which Queen this was. And for him, it did not matter which one it was. She was the one and only thing in the world he did not understand in the slightest, so this merely completed that definition. One of the Queens spoke softly. My. Then is this the beginning of the expected game of hide-and-seek? We went out of our way to make this remote village our stage, so we need to do this right. If were going to be hunting them through the mountains late at night, Id like for us bring a bunch of torches with us. Not so much for the light as providing the obvious visual of a great mob to force as much despair onto Kyousukes group as possible. This just isnt the environment for IR goggles. Hmm. The fact that we arent the actual residents of some frightening village of freaks works against us there. Just think of us as witch-hunting rioters visiting from elsewhere. Either way, once you turn the entire place into a crazed human hunt, the fear kind of happens on its own. My, my Whether inborn or learned, people are susceptible to predefined categoriesin other words, genres. That includes primal fears such as heights and enclosed spaces and it also includes cultural fears like the guillotine or a chainsaw. No, this isnt even limited to that one emotion. For example, the best way to get an enemy spy to betray their side is not money or the barrel of a gun; its the single bowl of soup given by a normal local when the spy is starving and freezing. The trick is to disguise it all as a coincidence. That too is an obvious emotional reaction. Humans feel unreasonably compelled to cry when things follow a predefined course of events. Like an abandoned puppy in the rain? Or a movie where a sick kid dies. He spread out a map on a table below the large tent. We could always use our numbers to perform a thorough search of Houbi Village, but if were going to supply some fresh fear, it has to look like we can see everything. Lets try to make some predictions. If we concentrate on a single location, Kyousukes group should try to take advantage of it. And giving them a hint of hope will only increase the pain. The sense of pain recedes from a frozen hand, so we need to warm it up a little. Hee hee hee. The Queen seemed unable to hold in the laughter. You sadist. That makes two of us. With that, Doctor S casually dropped the tip of his knife onto the map. And it stabbed into The remains of the crater lake at the mountain peak. Lets corner them there. With all the caves riddling the mountain like a spider web, Kyousukes group will think they have a chance to slip past us. Not that well actually give them the opportunity. What makes you so confident? You must already know the answer, but fine. First of all, Kyousukes group has no intention of falling back. Now that hes seen you, hes sure to challenge you no matter how outmatched he is. That tells us how to look at this: Kyousuke is hopelessly surrounded by countless White Queens, so what hope will he try to cling to? I see. Since he still has Meinokawa Aoi as a vessel, he will not give up on creating that new Unexplored-class. Based on the modern translations of the Joruri Method diagrams in Azaleas research documents, it would be difficult to create an entirely new one in a short period of time, but he should be able to expand Aois body to meet his needs. That means he will try to visit a modification facility. And this was Houbi Village, headquarters of the Joruri Method. Most of the village had been wiped out by the rockets and Repliglass unit, but it was highly unlikely that all of the facilities had been destroyed. We destroyed all of the surface structures, but if they had lab equipment hidden around as backups, those spares were likely kept in underground tunnels, ships, and RVs, said Doctor S. And since they havent been caught yet, Kyousukes group must have headed inward instead of outward. That further limits the possibilities. Isnt there a giant network of underground tunnels below this village? Sorry, but I doubt he would use one of those. ? Why? Because hes Alice (with) Rabbit. The inhaler man breathed a muffled sigh behind the transparent mask. And then he chuckled. I had completely forgotten, but this village has a fair number of residents. Whether they are aware of the Summoning Ceremony or not, that network of tunnels will be the lifeline for all of the survivors. The limit is already set at two or three days, but if we begin a more thorough search for Shiroyama Kyousuke, it will expose all those hidden people to danger. So Kyousuke will not share their living space. No matter how illogical any other option might be. That left only one possibility. And the answer had already been given by the knife on the map. If hes eliminated the tunnels as options, this is the most likely place: the cruise ship left behind in the dried-up crater lake. It should be big enough to hold all the necessary lab equipment. And if not, they can use the cooking equipment left in the industrial kitchen to improvise. After all, kitchen equipment and lab equipment are a lot alike. As twisted as their relationship was, they were still father and son. At times like this, Doctor S and Shiroyama Kyousuke could predict each others actions even from a distance. Let the hunt begin. The father stared at the sons game board and moved a piece. Once they had a goal, the greater than 10,000 White Queens would begin to move as one. And any member of that group was powerful enough to destroy the entire galaxy. Doctor S continued speaking as if to see what she would do. Its time to overwhelm him with fear and despair. With this, your experiment can advance to the next stage, Queen. Oh? Youre still making battle preparations? Isnt having me with you enough? The White Queen said that because Doctor S reached for the long sheath placed on the table. No, that was not all. He also touched his vessel. But that no longer referred to Olivia Highland. He had readily ended that contract. She had served her purpose once she had brought him to Shiroyama Kyousuke. He was now using his usual animal vessel. More accurately, it was an extraordinarily large Joro spider with a distinct black and yellow striped pattern. Except a great many of them were lined up, each in their own bug cage. In this case, the phrase palm-sized did not bring to mind a small size or sense of comfort. This was far too bizarre for that. But at the same time, spiders were a beneficial bug and some folklore had them as the targets of jinxes. And if the inborn talent of a vessel was hard to come by, then you only had to increase the denominator. If you wanted a surefire method to obtain a one-in-a-billion talent, you only had to search through a billion people. A spiders egg sac would contain tens of thousands of lives. From there, you could use Mendelian cross-breeding by taking the specimens with slightly greater traits as a vessel, placing them in the same bug cage, and adjusting the temperature and humidity to fake the seasonal cycle. That let you repeat the generational cycle in a short period of time. Doing this with humans would be frowned upon, but the hurdle was much lower for other life forms. Just like researchers could do live experiments with rats even if human experimentation would not be immediately possible. That wise and sensible man had learned his lesson. Not all experiments needed to use humans. Using Shiroyama Kyousuke too much had worn the boy out and caused all sorts of problems. The self-proclaimed professional summoners who claimed to be entirely immersed in the underside of the world would apparently let their human side show fairly easily. As long as it did not interfere with their own interests anyway. Oh, dear. I see there is no lovely trust between us whatsoever. This is the digitally-calculated answer. I do not want a single vessel with exceptional talent or specs backed by willpower. Its simply inefficient to use the human species. The short lifespan is a bottleneck when it comes to bugs, but if I maintain an environment in which I can always scoop up the next specimen from the large denominator, I can always have a stable supply. No matter what, they were always a target of observation and an experiment animal. In a way, the relationship between researcher and specimen was an absolute one. As Doctor S casually spoke with the White Queen, he opened the lid to one of the many bug cages. The large spider deftly used its long legs to crawl out, onto the back of his hand, and up his arm to his shoulder. Perhaps for ease of observation, each of the bug cages was given two numbers. One number for the row and one for the column. And the form those numbers took could not have been simpler: Block 7 House 12. The clear inhaler man recited it in a singsong voice. He also increased the oxygen level and tightened the air pressure tubes in his riding suit to increase his brain activity. Block 7 House 12, hm? It would probably be best to use the ones around here for the next round of cross-breeding. Yes. They sounded just like the addresses of perfectly normal homes. Even if the world did not revolve around them, the others still had to fight for their lives. Crap, crap, crap, crap In this case, it was the black-haired shrine maiden named Meinokawa Renge. She had already experienced Bridesmaids insanity back in Toy Dream 35. Rockets had poured down like rain, but she had avoided a lethal injury by escaping into her homes ice room and into the vast network of underground tunnels. However, things had not ended there. The soldiers in control of the village would notice the absence of corpses and they had to be finding the entrances to the tunnels. Houbi Villages tunnels had become a deadly dungeon. Turning the corner and finding a summoner or Repliglass soldier could bring a quick end to your life. Renge was a professional summoner in Freedom, but this had progressed too far for that to matter. It was the Queen. The White Queen was wandering around. And not just one or two of her. A great swarm of them inundated the village like zombies. To make matters even more frightening, they were all residents of Houbi Village. These same people had greeted her and shared leftover food with her until now. But as soon as they were grabbed, dragged down, surrounded, and bitten by the Queens canine teeth, they became the same. Renge had yet to fully process this. The one blessing was how little interest they showed in her. No matter what might happen, that monster was only interested in Shiroyama Kyousuke. She did not care if anyone mocked her as a coward. But in these extreme circumstances, simply taking her twin sister with her and keeping her lungs and heart moving was a major accomplishment. R-Renge, will we be safe here? Shh. And Im hungry Doing a bit of research in books or on the internet would tell you that humans could live for several days on nothing but water and that stranded people would not starve on the very first day, but that all assumed they were in an ordinary condition. A situation on the verge of death would greatly shake your autonomic nerves and biological functions. When in a state of extreme exhaustion, it was not uncommon for people to quickly lose the ability to keep walking and for no amount of water to soothe their dry throat. Black-haired Renge and blonde Higan wore zori sandals. and white tabi socks which were not at all suited for outdoor use and they soon arrived at the large underground lake that altered the currents and dampness that kept people away from the sacred ground. The complex tunnels with plenty of blind spots were certainly frightening, but wide open areas were also a problem. They of course had to check behind large rocks and in the deep shadows, but they also had to look up at the limestone caves ceiling to thoroughly ensure their safety. After all, they were up against the White Queen and she could be hiding anywhere. (Its safeisnt it?) Renge gulped. Higan, theres a shelter hut on the edge of this lake. Lets use this opportunity to get some blankets and food, okay? Uuuh Finally, some food Finally? You just ate at lunchtime, you old granny. Renge wanted to make that complaint, but Higans condition did not seem normal. That concerned Renge whose artificial body moved as accurately as a clocks hands. They looked just like twins, but she began to wonder if she could never be human in any meaningful sense. But regardless. They had no idea if it would be any help in their bright red and white shrine maiden outfits, but they crouched low and moved quickly along the edge of the lake. They soon arrived at a small wooden shelter hut that resembled a small shrine. It was meant to help in case the cave collapsed or someone was buried alive on the sightseeing course. Renge opened the double doors and looked inside. Some of its gone, but this should be enough. Did someone visit here ahead of us? What do you think, Higan? Higan??? There was no response. Renge quickly turned around and found the familiar blonde girl was not there, so she ran out of the hut. Uuuh Higan was curled up by the edge of the lake and she scooped up some of the water in her hands like she could not wait any longer. Wait, stop! There are water bottles you can drink!! Renge frantically grabbed Higans hands and made her dump out the water. The water might look clean, but the amount of germs in it could not be judged by eye. Even famous regional water was processed before it was sold. Taking a bath might be fine, but you had to be careful when drinking it. Higan was already under a lot of psychological stress with those monstrous Queens wandering around and if she was taken out by food poisoning, their odds of survival dropped even further. Plus, Higans situation was bad enough already if she was so hungry she felt the need to fill her stomach with water. Here, Higan. Id rather not light a fire here, but they have bread and biscuits that dont need to be cooked. This is enough for me Dont say that. Higan, you really liked the canned food when the typhoon came through, remember? You said that was your only chance to eat things like that. Now lets go check inside the shelter hut. Renge tried to forcibly cheer her sister up and then pulled her to her feet. At that very moment, she noticed something on the path to the shelter hut. She had not noticed it before, but there was no way she would have overlooked something like this when she was so on edge that the stains on the walls looked like faces to her. Which meant (Huh? Did it wash up???) The lake did not have waves as large as the ocean, but it was different from the water in a wash basin. Since water flowed in and flowed out, there were some waves which washed in and out at the edge. So had this been floating on the surface or sunk at the bottom of the lake until it was finally washed up here? It looked like a thick and bent piece of driftwood. But it was oddly white for a tree branch. And it drew an alluring curve. R-Renge Higan? Is that? The blonde sister trembled and rubbed her hands against her shrine maiden outfit. Almost like she was trying to rub off some kind of strange impurity. Almost like she had touched something she should not have. But Higan had only touched the clear lake water. They had no idea how many germs it contained, but it at least looked clean. Is that? Renge, is that!? Guided by her sisters pale face, Renge turned her head again. And she once more viewed the driftwood washed up a short distance away. No. That object with five points sticking out from the end was Urp!? Things were set in motion at around 11 PM. I can see multiple light sources on the satellite feed. Theyre probably torches, said Aika via Kyousukes smartphone. The hunt has begun, Onii-chan. Are they avoiding IR goggles because machines are weak against Incense Grenades? Its also possible they have a group in goggles mixed into the darkness between those obvious lights. Biondetta made that observation, but Kyousuke did not reply. He considered a different possibility. Meinokawa Aoi. I injected the Jewel Blood into my body, but what about the Anti-Queen Material!? I doubt theyll just wait around for you to finish if you start your cooking class now!! The silver-haired shrine maiden fixed the collar on the swollen chest of her clothing while she observed the lab equipment in the kitchen. They had completed the Jewel Blood, so none of it was in use. Did she think they could use those mysteries of life for another project now? Lets review what we need to do. Kyousuke sighed. First and foremost, we cant let the group of infected White Queens catch us. Theyll just force their way through any kind of fortifications, so holing up in this ship wouldnt be a good idea. To know which Queen to defeat, we need to identify the permanently-summoned one acting as the core, said Biondetta. To do that, we need to cause a certain amount of damage to the fortress temple Bridesmaid has constructed across Houbi Village. Then we find the Queen that blurs. Bridesmaid had likely also constructed a temple at the bottom of the ocean in preparation for their attack, but they could ignore that for now. If that had been enough for the full-power, permanently-summoned Queen and the infected ones, they would not have had to mess with Houbi Village in the first place. It was possible that everything on the surface was an elaborate decoy, but that was going too far out of their way. For one thing, the term temple never would have come to mind without seeing it through the Government satellite. A decoy was useless if the mistaken answer was not easy to find. That would be like placing a frigate directly above a submarine you wanted to hide in the ocean. And I guess it goes without saying, but we need to construct your trump card! added Aoi. No matter which one were talking about, the Queen is the Queen. Facing her head-on without a proper plan will only get us killed!! They did not have time to go through it all one step at a time. They would be surrounded by White Queens before they finished. So they needed to create a powerful current. They had to construct a bold shortcut that allowed them to clear several hurdles with a single action. And there was one way of doing that. Biondetta. Yes. Select some ingredients from the kitchen supplies. Because of the environment were in here, you are guaranteed to choose the right answer assuming there is a right answer there. So you just have to reach into the lottery box and we can complete our toy without delay. Lets make this interesting. Yes, sir!! The hunt continued as a great many infected Queens with identical specs clogged up all of the mountain paths. What was the first step needed to escape from here and begin their counterattack? This was their answer: Biondetta used her specialty to blow up the ground below the cruise ship. She had only needed to destroy a small piece sticking out. The ship had been caught on the mountain slope, so it quickly picked up speed in a deadly slide. Once Kyousukes group felt the power of inertia in a different way than a pure fall, they began the descent on the worlds largest surfboard. The hunt had them completely surrounded, but the hunters had generally been following the routes up the mountain to prevent anyone from descending. By ignoring those existing routes and heading straight down a steep slope, they could slip right past those hunters. And the cruise ship descending the slope was far heavier and faster than a cranes wrecking ball. Even if they were built to military standards, the structures larger than harbor warehouses were only synthetic tents. They would be easily destroyed when something like this slammed into them. After that, they only had to let Aika from Government watch the satellite feed to see which White Queen first blurred from the noise of the destruction. That would be the permanently-summoned one that acted as a core for all the others. Ahhh hah hahhhh!! Bravoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!! Biondetta was out on the deck with her white snake and she released a cry from the bottom of her gut while the wind whipped at her long hair and miniskirt. Kyousuke and Meinokawa Aoi soon stepped out into the open air as well. They felt the ships movement shift a bit. At the moment, they would end up choosing the successful possibility if there was one, but that was only true when the choices of others were not involved. That shift meant the enemy was approaching. The cruise ship had escaped the enemy which surrounded them in multiple layers like tree rings, but it was not over yet. The lines of burning torches quickly changed to a battle formation and sharply pursued the ship. If this had been daytime and the mountain paths had been visible, everyone who saw it would have been left speechless. That trajectory entirely ignored the mountains terrain, so it was only possible for the White Queen who could run along a vertical wall. Broootherrr Ee hee hee, ah ha ha. Shall I join you, broootherrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!? The ship descended the steep slope with even more speed than the average car, but the gathering of flames was already running alongside the giant surfboard. At this rate, they would be on the deck at any moment. Of course, the White Queen already reigned at the peak of the peak, so there was no chance of defeating her by building up a Material with the Summoning Ceremony. However. Oh, here we are. Brace for impact!! Just as Biondetta shouted that with her tail decoration swishing back and forth, the ship arrived at the foot of the mountain. It continued on, crashed through more and more of the harbor warehouse tents, and tore them apart. That fortress had seemed to repaint the terrain and that was the foundation of Bridesmaids method for summoning the White Queen, but that temple structure was smashed to pieces. Aika!! Scan all of Houbi Village!! You know how to locate the Queen and I will act as the artificial vessel, said Meinokawa Aoi. But what about the crucial Anti-Queen Material!? You cannot fire a gun without a bullet!! I have a plan. Im asking about the specifics of that!! Aoi trailed off as Kyousuke calmly moved his lips. The preparations have already been made. The boy pulled a metal can the size of a hairspray can from his pants pocket. An Incense Grenade. It was hard to imagine that Shiroyama Kyousuke of all people would make a meaningless action at this point. He could not hope to match the White Queen by building a normal Material up from scratch. There was only one way he could expect to win while alongside modified Meinokawa Aoi. He pulled the pin and threw it. The eternal five-second wait began. Youmean The silver-haired shrine maiden was dumbfounded. You meanyou had completed the Unexplored-class trump card before even arriving in Houbi Village!? He did not need to answer. Instead, he raised his voice. Clench your teeth, Meinokawa Aoi!! If that already existed, he only had to use his Blood-Sign to knock the Petals into the Spots in order. No matter how powerful the White Queen was, she was still a Material. Her attacks could tear white holes in the world itself and that could eliminate the Spots, but as long as he kept that in mind, he could manipulate the Petals as he saw fit. This was his field now. Even if the infected Queens gathered on the ship, he had developed this Unexplored-class for precisely this purpose. Once he successfully summoned that, he would have the foundation for a Chain. He could begin a wondrous scenario in which he defeated Queen after Queen until he reached the permanently-summoned Queen in the center. And. And. And. The Incense Grenade detonated. The incense mixed specifically for him swiftly scattered out and established the 20m cube of the Artificial Sacred Ground. This was the end. He had embedded his Unexplored-class in the other world. He had the artificial vessel needed for it. Even if all of the Three had raised the white flag Even if every other human adored her, feared her, and had ultimately given up He would not stop here. This was not enough to hinder Shiroyama Kyousuke. The only remaining task was searching out the permanently-summoned Queen. This was not a pessimistic search in which he located the source of the threat to keep his distance. It was an offensive search in which he marched across the wide world to reach that location and accurately crush it. Aim. Lock on. She was no longer the absolute peak of the peak. Nothing remained the strongest forever. She was only his prey and she could be pursued and hunted down if he went through the necessary steps. This time. This time humanity would complete its counterattack. The colorless Unexplored-class constructed only from the vowels and built up specifically for use against the White Queen would sweep aside the infected ones and smash the central White Queen. Or so it should have been. But in that very moment, Shiroyama Kyousuke felt a hopeless chill run down his spine. It took an instant. Truly only an instant. A pure white attack forcibly ripped off Shiroyama Kyousukes right arm. And it had come from the vessel standing behind him. A dark red liquid gushed out of his hoodies torn sleeve and he looked back before the pain signals could reach his brain. Time seemed to freeze and a splitting smile filled his vision. The right arm spun through the air while still holding his Repliglass Blood-Sign. And she spoke as if whispering to him by his pillow. Did you think I couldnt possibly be a living thing if my head came off? That lookalike was identical to the White Queen. When he had first encountered her, the resemblance had been so perfect it had made his skin crawl. Did you think that surely - surely! - I wouldnt open up my own chest and replace my organs with artificial ones just to play with you for a bit? Time was not infinite. With far too light a sound, the severed arm landed fist-first on the ships deck. There was only one possible answer. Meinokawa Aoi, the vessel contracted with Kyousuke, put on a horrifyingly twisted smile and announced it for him. Fwa ha ha!! But you had to have known dismantling my body isnt enough to kill me! Right, brother? It was a simple matter. An extremely simple matter. The double blonde braid girls face lit up and she leaned forward. She showed no concern for the slender bodylines visible through her school swimsuit or the small butt visible below her miniskirt and pareo. Oh, Queen! You finally decided to reveal it? Thats right! I was actually the White Queen Tah dah! Sigh, so I can finally talk like normal again. That was partially to get in character as that piece of junk, but I was also concerned some small idiosyncrasy would clue you in. The demon dressed as a shrine maiden giggled at the girls idolizing voice, smiled at her like she was her beloved daughter, and raised her index finger. What was it Olivia had said with that light pink rose decoration on her chest? Boo. If you were always like this, you wouldnt have to fight with the White Queen. What had she been looking at when she said that? What had she felt while watching those two approaching and relying on each other? It is true Bridesmaids fortress was laid out exactly like a temple to summon me. But that doesnt mean it was used to summon me. The shrine maiden devils tone was light as she worked at her long hair. She gathered it on either side and formed those lovely twintails. It made sense that the reproduction had been so spot-on. It had actually been her. I was summoned earlier than that. And I traded places with that ornament named Meinokawa Aoi. !! Oh, dear. Your face is so very pale. But please dont faint. One of my objectives here was to set up an environment in which you must rely on me, brother. That was the entire purpose of Bridesmaids attack and the infected Queens. The only way out of this is to rely on the new Unexplored-class you constructed and I have placed myself by your side as the one-and-only special vessel capable of summoning it. Heh heh. You need my help to kill me; isnt that such a wonderfully twisted setup? Sweat poured down Kyousukes body and he staggered to the side. But more than fear or pain, it was doubt in his gaze. The shrine maiden Queen picked up on that and answered with a know-it-all look on her face. You want to know if a Material like me can really function as a vessel? Hee hee hee. Have you forgotten, brother!? The Yellow Gills is merely one of the Three and thus ranked below me, but she once reigned as the strongest Freedom summoner under the name Perfect Equilibrium. Besides, a human changes sides after reaching Award 1000, so the distinction between us has always been rather vague. And more importantly, I can throw out all of those rules if I want. There is nothing I cant do. Right, brother? Every time they grew further cornered and the density of despair grew, Kyousuke was forced to rely on a grand technique for an immediate reversal. And unbeknownst to him, the White Queen had set it up that way so he would have to rely on her more and more. Even the presence of Doctor S, Kyousukes biological father who awaited him in the underside of the world, had been no more than part of the illusionists technique. There was no force greater than the White Queen. So normally thinking, she would not need a summoner, no matter how skilled they might be. She had nevertheless worked with Bridesmaid because she had wanted to place an obvious enemy in the cast to keep him from focusing too much on Meinokawa Aoi. Nowww, I have taken away your special vessel and the dominant arm you need to use the Blood-Sign Summoning Ceremony in the first place. She giggled as a lovely smile wickedly spread across her face like it was tearing her cheeks apart. No checkmate could be more complete. She softly placed her hands on either side of her flushed and thoroughly melted face as a tremor ran down her spine. What options are left for you? Surely, surely this isnt enough for you to raise the white flag. Yes, if you say you have no option but to surrender, it will be time for the worlds most enjoyable beatdown as I make a delicious meal out of you!! There was nothing he could do. All of his trump cards had been taken from him and the cruise ship was surrounded by a swarm of infected Queens. Any one of those strongest of the strongest possessed hopeless power and he was entirely surrounded. There was simply no way he could win. However, he said something else: I had a feeling thats what this was. The ship continued to slide across the ground, but time definitely stopped. Something odd had happened. Everything about this had to be connected. Ever since the initial attack on the train, I was stuck with the same odd feeling that I was following some kind of preset rails. And when I ran across Olivia Highland and the rocket attack, it became clear that human willpower could ignore coincidental phenomenathat is, as long as you had the willpower, you were guaranteed to win a lottery. So why did Bridesmaid set that up and what were they hoping to have me complete using my willpower? The answer was obvious: they were supporting the construction of Meinokawa Aoi. And at the same time, Bridesmaid only ever thinks about one thing: the White Queen. That meant they had constructed this coincidence-altering world in accordance with the Queens will. So turning Meinokawa Aoi into a special vessel and manipulating coincidence to gather the necessary pieces were the Queens objectives that those worshipers were carrying out for her. What other conclusion could I reach? His supposedly severed right arm grew out of his sleeve. No Brother, you mean? I knew this would happen, so I had a different arm in my sleeve. You already know what it was you tore off, dont you? I have to admit, the Joruri Method really is well made. I mean, it fooled you. Kyousukes expression remained unchanged. It did not change even in front of the White Queen. Also, an Incense Grenade was only useful if it detonated while viewing the target with the naked eye. Then what target had Kyousuke been viewing? Ill admit I kept the information on my trump cards relatively hidden. And that left you feeling nervous and uneasy, didnt it? Brother, I know this wont accomplish anything, but I suppose I will still ask: when did you figure it out? This is nothing worth praising me over. I was of two minds on this the entire time. I kept thinking surely not and it couldnt be. First of all, you maintained your memories of me even before the contract. Like when you moved out of sight to change. But I still had my doubts: could that be because shes a Joruri Method? So just to be sure, I kept the crucial information hidden while hoping beyond hope that it wasnt true. My heart is still weak. But the first time I clearly questioned it was probably when you were playing with those kids in the river. Playingin the river? You made a water gun with your hands, remember? There are a lot of regional variations, so you can tell where someone learned their technique. Hey, Queen, wasnt that the method I taught you back in the Miniature Garden? At the Pool of Tears. Tch!! And even if you have taken the position of Meinokawa Aoi, it isnt over yet. That doesnt actually eliminate the Unexplored-class designed for use against you. This isnt a problem as long as I can acquire a replacement vessel. Meaning He held something in his regrown right handno, in the real one hidden inside his clothing. It was a glass container about the size of a relay baton. It was filled with a beautiful red liquid that could be mistaken for a melted ruby. That was the Jewel Blood. This all changes if I can make another one. What we needed here was to locate the permanently-summoned Queen that acts as a core for the infected Queens. We needed to find that one out of a group of ten or twenty thousand. While, of course, maintaining an environment in which we could supply a finishing blow using our new Material. There was an odd sound much like the breaking of a thin metal blade. There was no visible phenomenon. But that sound indicated that Kyousuke had broken his contract with Meinokawa Aoino, with the White Queen. And even after casting her aside, he still had a vessel girl by his side: Olivia Highland. All destiny in this world was under the White Queens control. But Shiroyama Kyousukes willpower had still managed to gather that crystallization of an old, old bond. His odds of victory were not zero. So he spoke. Thanks, Queen. It really helped that you were even dumber than I had imagined. Where does the F in Kingdom F come from? Where is Kingdom F located in Eastern Europe? In what year was Kingdom F founded? Surprisingly, the residents of Kingdom F are mostly unaware that the answers to those questions are not common knowledge. Now, can you answer them? Entire kingdoms are often viewed that way when there is an ocean between you and them. If it is not a superpower like America or Russia, then even if it is helping move the complexly intertwined gears of the world, not many people can keep track of exactly what gears are connected to their everyday lives. In fact, if you can do that, you should start calling yourself an economic analyst and try your hand at stock and futures trading. There is nothing to feel ashamed about. It is only natural you know nothing about Kingdom F. That is the normal reaction. But of course, there is a reason why information on Kingdom F does not get out. Unlike the past, the world has grown smaller. At this point, there is little you cannot investigate if you feel like it. So if there was no reason for it, it would be strange for no focus to fall on Kingdom F. A major search engine has launched countless communication satellites and a major online shopping site is attempting to reach every corner of the planet with drones. If there is an unnaturally empty field in the records of this highly digitized society, there must be a reason for it. Then what is that reason? Surprisingly, the answer is something else the residents of Kingdom F do not know. Facts: *Doctor S is Kyousukes biological father, but there are questions concerning his past. It is possible he was researching a way of stably producing Kyousuke-level summoners in a normal household environment. It also seems Kyousuke had a mother and little sister, but he cannot recall any information on them as if their faces are blotted out. *Doctors S is motivated not by curiosity but by his desire to conquer his fear by thoroughly investigating the structure and mysteries of the White Queen. It is much like the desire to safely enjoy the greatest thrill ride. *To maintain a stable supply of rare vessels, Doctor S has increased the denominator. He is currently experimenting in raising a large number of Joro spiders and cross-breeding the most talented ones. If he can consistently eliminate the below average or average ones, he will consider it a success. *Kyousuke and Biondetta had completed the anti-White Queen Unexplored-class before arriving in Houbi Village. Kyousukes request to Lu Niang Lan was to dispose of the biolab he had used for that. *Meinokawa Aoi was the actual White Queen, not just a lookalike. The Queen was trying to place herself as the one-and-only countermeasure so that she could eliminate that method. *High-level Materials can mimic both summoners and vessels. *Kyousuke was aware of this risk and secretly created a false hand and some artificial blood to fool her. *It is not over yet. Olivia holds the key to the conflict between Kyousuke and the Queen. Volume 7, Stage 04 - The Blossoming White Flower Shines Even in the Moonlight Volume 7, Stage 04: The Blossoming White Flower Shines Even in the Moonlight Ah. The Colorless Little Girl Dedicated to a Single Goal (aie - a - oio - ei - ueo - ioa - e - uai - ee). (Stage 04 Open 07/20 22:10) The Blossoming White Flower Shines Even in the Moonlight Something happened as soon as he made his declaration of war. An incredible impact tossed around Kyousuke, Biondetta, and Olivia on the deck. Needless to say, this was the result of the ship crashing into a large boulder and coming to a stop after breaking through so many tents. The great power of inertia took them and flung them forward like artillery shells. But that was for the best. At the exact same moment, the White Queens rushed in from all directions and their hands tore at the empty air of the spot Kyousuke had just vacated. The Queens great power worked against her here. They had continued like normal despite the impact from the collision, so they failed to reach their prey. Tch!! How much of this did you calculate out!? Would you laugh if I said all of it? Kyousuke used his real right hand to grab the Repliglass Blood-Sign held by the flying fake hand and he caught Olivias small body as she flipped around like a thrown cat. He then jumped off of the ship with Biondetta. The deck was a few meters above the ground, so they curled up to negate the shock and bounced like balls a few times to gain more distance. The many White Queens looked down at them from the deck. If that group of glowing eyes attacked right away, the mere humans of Kyousukes group would have been erased from the world like bread crumbs tossed into a flock of birds. So he did not hesitate. Biondetta!! Yes, sir. With those words, she mercilessly detonated the ship. A great quantity of wood flew skyward like a volcanic eruption and the waitress demons long hair and miniskirt fluttered. But the White Queen was not about to be killed by normal explosives. Kyousuke and Biondetta had other plans. Will that confuse things a little? Its pretty unusual for anyone to stand before her without using an Artificial Sacred Ground or Blood-Sign. Unstable situations tend to drift toward stable ones. Just like metals rust when oxidized. Shes trapped in a cage, at least temporarily. The various dried herbs, powdered minerals, and other ingredients of traditional incenses were mixed based on an individual summoners personal data when creating their Incense Grenades. An appropriately powerful explosion scattered those ingredients across the area to mark out that space and instantly construct an Artificial Sacred Ground. Unlike Kyousuke, Biondetta made her own and she had stuffed all of her ingredients inside the ship before detonating it. It did not produce an Artificial Sacred Ground because the ingredients had not been mixed at Biondettas personal ratio, but it had still scattered an incense. And since the White Queens were being forcibly summoned without using incense, they would fall into any incense-filled area against their own wishes. It was like taking a linear motor train that was forcibly lifted up by the repulsion of electromagnets and cutting off the power so it fell to the ground. Of course, this would not last forever. They only had a few minutes at most. But at times, that short a period of time could change history. Here, he did not use a simple nickname and allow the emotion contained therein to muddy his words. Olivia. No. Small hands pushed back against his chest. The double blonde braid girl puffed out her soft-looking cheeks and kicked around the slender, sandal-wearing legs extending from her ridiculously short skirt and floral pattern pareo. If you want to fight, do it on your own. I wont take your side, Onii-chan. I would help you if I thought this would bring you two together, but youre seriously trying to kill her. I have a question for you, Olivia: Why do you trust the White Queen so much? Because! Thats what everyone says!! Everyone? Everyone in my kingdom!! Shes been our kingdoms goddess forever and they say shes appeared over and over in our time of need and ended the conflicts! Thats how everyone has ruled the kingdom: my mom, my moms mom, and my moms moms mom!! Olivia shouted at him while pouting her lips below her straw hat. Theres something wrong with you, Onii-chan! If you worked with the White Queen, youd be the strongest duo ever. Isnt that how it was when you saved my kingdom from civil war!? She reigned supreme from atop a mountain of rubble and subjugated everyone who stood before her!! Whats wrong with that? When theres such an obvious solution right there, its wrong to increase the damage done by going out of your way to avoid it!! That may have been how it looked from Olivias point of view. There may have been no way to overturn the weight of legends built up over centuries - and perhaps more than a millennium. The words of a boy who had only lived about a decade and a half may not have been enough to match those long-told myths. But. It was time to double check the base assumptions. Olivia, that doesnt make sense. ? What doesnt!? Anyone can tell the White Queen is the strongest, shes obedient when shes with you, and she can leave everyone with a smile if she uses her power! If you werent so touchy, we could solve everything!! I wasnt talking about that. Kyousuke sighed. And he said, It doesnt make sense for the White Queen to have been helping your kingdom in the same way throughout its history. Preposterous theories had been whispered for quite some time. What was the White Queen? Was she the highest being who had existed since ancient times and helped to create the world? Or had she been created in the distant future but the past had been remade the instant she was created? Do you remember what Doctor S, my father, said? Whatdid he say? When his greatest desire was fulfilled in July of 1999, he saw the future. Whatare? Also, the Wicked Green Woman of the Unexplored-class Three said that the Unexplored-class are each in charge of one portion of the other worlds laws and that, by gathering all of those together, they can suppress all of the White Queens power. Although the White Queen turned out to be too powerful so all of the Unexplored-class were dragged around by her while still chained to her. However the White Queen came to be, the current conditions were only completed partway through. Since the parameters are different than they were in the distant past, the current method would fail to summon her several centuries ago. That means the White Queen couldnt have appeared a long, long time ago using the same methods as today. So Lets say there was a way of summoning the White Queen in the distant past that didnt use the Third Summoning Ceremony or Blood-Sign and lets say Kingdom F accurately passed down that method throughout the ages. That method should have stopped working from the moment the rest of the Unexplored-class was defeated. But since that hasnt happened, it means your legends were wrong. It went the other way. Instead of using the past to build up to the future, the future was referenced to rewrite the past. What are you talking about, Onii-chan!? Youre the one that isnt making any sense! Olivia shook her head with the decorative collar and pareo worn over her school swimsuit. I meanI meanI mean there are statues of the White Queen in my kingdom. There are tons of paintings and old stories, so she couldnt have just appeared recently!! And what about Meinokawa Aoi here!? Sure, she was replaced, but the original one was a lookalike of the Queen and shed been here for hundreds of years, right!? They would need someone to model her after, so it only makes sense if the White Queen has been loved by the world and answering peoples prayers for long, long, long, long time, right!? The answer to that was obvious. So Kyousuke gave it. And how did that work without Blood-Signs or Incense Grenades? !? They had seen the Meinokawa Shrine and Sekurtiti. There were organizations that had existed long before that discovery. They had probably contacted the Divine-class. But what about the Unexplored-class? You could not find any mention of them in any ancient text. The evidence did not make it correct. The evidence was a problem. It was like finding a barcode on the back of a hundred-year-old book. But the explanation was simple. They might have had a method of accessing the Divine-class which contained the gods of existing religions. But what about the Unexplored-class above that? Were there past legends of them? The answer was no. They had only been discovered along with the Third Summoning Ceremony in July of 1999. Before then, how could it have been possible to access them with enough accuracy to get a clear picture of the White Queen? And would such a method still work unchanged after July of 1999? Even if they had existed in ancient times, they would have remained in the other world without being summoned. They might have broken the rules, broken through the barrier between worlds, and appeared in this world when they felt like it, but there had been no way for humans to intentionally summon them. Wasnt that the most natural assumption? B-but, um, th-there are still a lot of people trying to summon the White Queen with twisted methods!! Those simply dismantle the completed Blood-Sign method and reconstruct it to fit their own ceremony. Its a lot like repackaging gasoline to create a Molotov cocktail. They havent created anything of their own. If it had been that simple, the Blood-Sign method would not have become so ubiquitous. If everyone could skip three steps to reach the White Queen with some random method they thought up, no one would bother with the rules. The Blood-Sign method was the starting point for it all. That was why humanity could not rid itself of those 150cm sticks. Thats not true! That cant be true!! I mean, my kingdom has always had the White Queen and we prospered because she lent us her power!! Olivia. Kyousuke shook his head. Do you know what the F in Kingdom F stands for? Hm? What are you talking about? Thats obviously With the decorative collar and pareo worn over her school swimsuit, Olivias tongue came to a stop. The double blonde braid girls eyes widened and she froze as if paralyzed. A-ahh. Huh? But thats such an obvious thing We say it on a daily basis This is the normal way of things in foreign Houbi Village so far from Kingdom F. You could say theres a kind of atmosphere that doesnt exist here. And that means theres a chance of breaking your curse here. I dont want that!! Give backgive back my answer, Onii-chan! The answer is the Flanguild Permanently Neutral Kingdom. Its an absolute monarchy with a long history reaching as far back as 600 CE and, instead of an officially registered military, it responds to emergencies by openly using a conscripted militia and secretly sending in summoners and vessels taken from the Royal Shadows and the knights. Th-thats right, thats right! Then whats the prob But, Olivia, if anyone but the two of us heard this answer, theyd probably just tilt their heads. Is that really right? theyd ask. Does that kingdom really exist? Spin the globe and you wont find it. Search on a map app and youll get zero results. Can a kingdom like that really exist in this day and age? Aawaawawawawa Since the White Queen has worked her way into the very foundation of the kingdom, Kingdom Fs existence is far too unstable. So its appearance seems to waver when viewed from outside. The civil war I fought in was the same. A lot of theories were whispered here and there, but the truth is simple. Some of the people questioned it and some held no doubt whatsoever. Those conflicting values came to a head and led to a clash. The Queen was the source of it all. After those sparks set things ablaze, it was all erased in a great conflagration. Thats all there is to it. Whats your point? asked straw hat Olivia with a tremor in her voice. It sounded like she was begging him to tell her it was not true. No matter what you say, Onii-chan, the White Queen has left her mark all over the world. Whats your point!? Thats obvious, he immediately answered. That plain and simple history does not exist. We need to assume both the past and future were overwritten when the White Queen defeated all of the Unexplored-class and rewrote the rules. Centuries of tradition and legends older than a millennium meant nothing to that great evil. That ultimate distortion was far greater than a black hole and she would alter everything just by being there. Who could say that her influence did not reach time and space as well? Who could claim that those remained absolute sanctuaries? Plus, the Unexplored-class were anthropomorphized versions of the other worlds rules and the White Queen had destroyed them all and was dragging them around with her. How could anyone calmly assume that had no effect on history? It made no sense to assume that was a safe zone. In fact, the only sensible conclusion was that everything visible had been thrown out of order in that moment. Take the Rainy Girl incident for example. That proved the White Queen was not affected by changes to history and causality. It was a simple matter. The distortion spread outward from the Queen like ripples, so no matter what happened, it would never change the center point where she stood. The central axis of the spinning top was the most stable point. One theory said the universe was infinitely expanding due to the Big Bang, but how true was that now? Even if it had been correct at one point, a second explosion, this one spiritual in nature, had occurred at some point. So the center point of the expansion had to be where she stood. You A nearly empty look came over Olivias eyes. No, the unnatural part was the nonexistent thing that had filled those eyes before. You have no way of proving that Its the opposite, Olivia. Kyousuke calmly corrected her. But he was far from gentle. Ive already pointed out a contradiction. If you want to prove something, Olivia, its your turn to prove that the White Queen has been appearing in the same way ever since the distant past. If you cant answer my question, then our discussion is over. That will mean your kingdoms story of salvation was wrong. A-awawa. So what will you do, Olivia? Are you all out of arguments? Awawawawa!! Butthatdoesnt make sense. I mean, what about my mom? Or my moms mom? Or my moms moms mom!? Youre denying everything they did and II just cant!! No, Olivia. Kyousuke shook his head. Since you exist here, that long, long history must have existed. Your kingdom overcame its crises without any help from the White Queen. She came in and stole the credit for all the work your people did. You had worked up an impressive score even if you didnt take the shortest route, but the White Queen used her cheats to take it all away. She erased all the proper records!! Just like dumping some doping drugs in an Olympic gold medalists test sample to get them disqualified after the fact!! We cant let her get away with that. Everyone settled things with good, old-fashioned hard work, so we cant let her distort the results as she sees fit using those modified test results! Or am I wrong!? Butmy mom Its true you might have gained an advantage if you had been able to access the White Queen. Thats the world we live in now, after all. He would not let her question it. He had already given the answer. But if they resolved all those problems on their own without using the White Queen, thats an even more impressive accomplishment. Your mom wasnt amazing because she could access the White Queen! It was your mom herself that should have received that praise! It wasnt statues of the White Queen that should have been erected in the city squares! It was statues of your mother herself!! Who needs miracles!? Hard work is whats truly necessary!! Why havent you noticed how much has been taken from you? Why cant you tell that your desire to be on the winning side has let her continue to take everything away from you!? Its time you realized you were a victim!! You havent won anything and you havent achieved true victory even once!! So escape this life of failure. Stop smiling happily while oblivious to everything youve lost! If all of you stop offering your familys glory to the Queen, take it all back with the power shes been extracting from you, and plant your own two feet on the ground, youll naturally rise up together, wont you!? Straw hat Olivia gasped. And that small girl had to have realized that there was something strange about the White Queen. Say it, Olivia. Kyousuke was acting like a beast at this point. No matter how coolheaded he was, he could not contain himself here. The boys original driving force was an exposed and primal humanity. If you want to save your family!! And if you want to free your beloved kingdom from a millennium of bondage, then say it!! Everything you need to do that is gathered here. Lets show the White Queen what human hard work can do! So say it!! You know what kind of person I am, dont you!? It was like a repeat of the past. It was just like the cry that girl had heard in that hellish world covered in rubble and ash as a vortex of malice pressed in from every direction and dragged her down into the depths of despair. I And. Finally. I wouldnt like it either if that was true!! Then what did I believe in all this time? No, what did my mom and grandma and so on rely on for so long!? Thats what this would mean!! She knew what had been lost. She thought of what had been stolen. Olivia Highland had finally regained her humanity. My kingdom was split in two back then. But everyone was risking their lives for what they believed in. Thats what it was supposed to be! But if both the enemies and the allies were being manipulated by the White Queen and she wouldnt have batted an eye whether we won or lost, then how can I forgive her!? And not just that. That wasnt the only war! If things just like thatno, even worse than that are happening somewhere in the world every single time and I just havent been able to see it, then we would have to stop that!! I understand that much!! But. However. I cant I dont have the right It was like looking up at the moonlight from the bottom of a dark, dark well. The girl crumpled up her lovely face as she spoke. I cant say that after everything!! You can. This was another side of people. But Kyousuke discarded it. Did someone seeking help need to be pure and unsullied? Did they have to fit all the obvious qualities of a weak person? The answer was no. In fact, the people who found themselves completely cornered tended to be in extremely complex situations that could not be judged on a simple good or evil basis. He had decided to help them regardless. He had decided he was in no position to judge whether a specific person needed help. So. In that case. This isnt something you need a right to or any kind of qualification for. I dont care how shamelessly youve changed your ways. Listen, Olivia. If anything about you catches my attention and your path seems at all odd to me, thats enough for me to take your side. If youre being swallowed up by a great current and youre flailing your hand around in search of something to grab onto, I will grab that hand. So what happened before this doesnt matter!! Dont let the self-made ghosts of your past hold you back!! Stay true to what you want to be from now on, Olivia!!!!!! Remove all the stops. Forget about the hurdles. Those things arent good or benevolent. If anything in your heart is holding you back from salvation, dont call it self-sacrifice. Those things are no more than obstacles to your true desire. The inability to resolve your own problems might hurt your pride. Seeking out someone elses help might be embarrassing. But overcome it. True salvation lies beyond that false sense of righteousness. If salvation without a struggle seems wrong, then think of the shattering of those chains as your first and last penance. me. So. So. So!! Help me, Onii-chan!! He had received her resolve. And the boy once more rebooted Freedom Award 903, Alice (with) Rabbit. A collection of combat instincts responded. As you wish. I bind this covenant of blood in the name of The Spirit of Fluttering Yellow Gills that Rules the Heavens (s - a - so - voz - tix - ei - yw - za), one of the Three which manage and guide the summoning ceremony. You are of human flesh with a proper heart and soul, yet from this moment onward, you shall be a limited vessel that can hold all things. This was a ceremony. He cut his index finger and placed the drop of blood in the girls mouth. The process was necessary to bind the summoner and vessel together. You shall be a lord of emptiness that uses the power filling you to at times bend the laws of this world. Something had felt off when he had done this with Meinokawa Aoino, with the pure white who was disguised as the Joruri Method, but this may have been the reason why. It had not been a technical problem because his partner had been artificial or the most evil Unexplored-class. The White Queen had not been seeking salvation. So. So I shall prepare this vessel. I am a summoner, unable to leave the world of man, yet a symbol of haughty intellect that uses power from beyond the world of man to guide the world of man to the next age!! That was different now. Kyousuke finally grabbed the hand of a girl who was thrashing about in the sticky waters as she sought salvation. The rusty flavor bound them together. This time, the boy had acquired the strongest bond. Nnhh! Olivia, bear with it a little. He placed his arms around the small girls back and his hand held a cylindrical glass container with a jewel-like red liquid inside. Kyousuke used his thumb to reveal a thick needle. It was obvious what he was going to do. From the back. And deep enough to directly reach her heart. The piercing needle injected the Jewel Blood. The girl tensed up in his arms and he slowly removed the needle. Lets do this, Olivia. Right. Lets settle things with the Queen once and for all!! The shrine maiden White Queen thought back on what had happened. This had all begun when she grew somewhat jealous of the powerful bond between summoner and vessel and decided to try out that path herself. But Shiroyama Kyousuke had only ever referred to her by the full name of Meinokawa Aoi. As if he were drawing out a clear boundary and maintaining an impersonal distance. And even though they had the relationship of summoner and vessel, it felt like the boy had always been more concerned about his reunion with Olivia Highland. Was the Queen simply the Queen? Could she not be anyone else? For better or for worse? (The problem may have been me wearing something other than white. Well, Ill score this at about 50 points. Even if it deserves great praise for producing brother, I have a bad habit of expecting too much of this world.) Even if they were the countless infected, each of them had fully identical specs which they used to break through the temporary barrier. (That said, earning a passing grade is not all that bad. I wouldnt mind tearing this to shreds!!) Crack, crack, crack, crack, crack, crack, crack, crack, crack, crack, crack, crack, crack, crack, crack, crack, crack, crack, crack, crack, crack, crack, crack, crack, crack, crack, crack, crack, crack, crack, crack, crack, crack, crack, crack, crack, crack, crack, crack, crack, crack, crack, crack, crack, crack, crack, crack, crack, crack, crack, crack, crack, crack, crack, crack, crack, crack, crack, crack, crack, crack!! Space itself seemed to break apart as they regained their freedom. Each individual Queen could blow away a world or two without even trying, and this was an entire swarm of them. The few minutes of leeway had ended. No one could stop their advance. The White Queen possessed the power to directly grant all of the desires she held inside her heart. aie She heard that beloved gentlemans voice. Even now, he was muttering under his breath to confirm each Petal he knocked into a Spot with his Blood-Sign. But it was too late now. No matter what he summoned - yes, even if he relied on the Black Maw that was identical to the Queen - this group of Queens could not possibly lose. Or so it should have been. However. Ah. That odd syllable escaped the shrine maiden White Queen. The Queen was also the strongest and unmatched when it came to brainpower and she possessed an all-knowing and all-powerful form, but not even she recognized the scene unfolding before her eyes. But that was only natural since a previously nonexistent being was being forcibly embedded in the world. She had a transparent body that seemed to reject an affiliation with any and all colors and light pulsated in the center of her chest. Her long, wavy hair fell to her hips and her long bangs covered her eyes. She was such a small girl that her skeleton did not look fully developed. Her heavily-equipped lower body swelled out with what looked like a skirt made of machines, which clashed harshly with the slender upper body of a lovely young maiden. She was an incarnation of destruction with all forms of death - disaster, wild beasts, disease, execution, war, etc. - contained in the twelve giant books floating behind her like a halo. More importantly, she was the counter-enemy embedded in the other world for the sole purpose of killing the White Queen. The Colorless Little Girl Dedicated to a Single Goal (aie - a - oio - ei - ueo - ioa - e - uai - ee). The boys lips uttered death. Sound Range: None. Cost: 21. The difference in numbers was meaningless. The time had come to reveal the abilities that made her the Queens nemesis. Heehee hee. The silver twintail girl breathed fierce laughter in her mouth. Her shrine maiden outfit immediately burst from within. This revealed her own clothing: a wedding dress elegantly cut down to size with silver armor attached in places. She no longer had to play the part. So it was time to show what she could do. Her combat clothing wriggled. The white ribbons transformed into countless swords, spears, axes, and staffs which all rushed in toward the Colorless Little Girl. The Sword of Truth simply revealed the truth that the Queen was the strongest. Interesting! Yes, very interesting indeed!! Brother, lets test this out, shall we? You built this for use against me, but just how well do you really understand the fear I bring!? Its time for the super-hard lovey-dovey quiz show where overlooking a single fact means instant death!! <> The Little Girl, whose hair rose like cat ears on the back of her head, said nothing. The small girl moved her right hand while maintaining a position from which she could protect Kyousuke. Bookmarks as sharp as blades and as thin as bug wings spread out in her hand like a fan. Without even looking back, she tossed them like throwing knives. They flew accurately toward the twelve giant books floating behind her like a halo and the leather-bound books opened like great maws. They devoured the bookmarks. And something was expelled from between the thick pages as if the result of some kind of equivalent exchange. The Queens swords were melted with bubbling acid. The Queens spears were crushed between giant gears. The Queens axes were swarmed by flying insects. The Queens staffs were knocked down by aerial bombs. They all fit perfectly like plugs fitting into the corresponding sockets, so the White Queens violent rush of attacks was consumed and eliminated in midair. In that instant, the Queen understood. Those books were apocalypse encyclopedias. Each page contained enough power to bring ruin to the world, so the Little Girl could freely choose among and release any demise - yes, including purely fictional ones that the world had yet to experience. This was different again from the Wicked Green Women of the Unexplored-class Three. The Wicked Green Womans children would twist and rot the existing world through the eruption of new forms of malice, such as never-before-seen drugs or special scams, but each and every one of this small girls attacks could cleanly blow away the entire world. She could wipe clean the very world in which the Queen was strongest. So The White Queen continued smiling and gently brought her hands together in front of her chest. Her entire body glowed. So what!? She once more focused on the divinity infinitely overflowing from her beautiful body, which increased its output. It was like a massive beam weapon that fired in every direction like a planetarium surrounding that pure white. The incredible heat could punch through gods and devils by the dozens. The weapons were merely for decoration. The Queen herself was the greatest and strongest trump card. This attack would teach the unbelievers that simple fact. But the Colorless Little Girl simply took a single step to the side. The pure white explosion of light shot through and tore away space itself where her target had been a moment earlier. Had the Little Girl been afraid to block it? Had she only just barely managed dodge it in time? No. ? Something had seemed slightly off even though the White Queen had never seen her before, but that may have come from the Queens sixth sense or inspiration that far surpassed enlightenment or divine visions. She swung her head to the side before she could verbalize it in her mind. Yes. Even the White Queen had taken evasive action on instinct. A moment later, an even more brutal white light shot out from the Colorless Little Girl as if to return the favor. The cat-like hair on the back of her head shook and the girl had drawn a transparent sword from among the many weapons surrounding her hips like a long skirt. Even as she just barely dodged, she had intentionally exposed that blade to the Queens attack and stored up the great power like charging it with static electricity. Then the Colorless Little Girl added her own power on top of that, swung the infinitely-growing blade of light as if making a grand slam, and returned the even more brutal attack. The White Queens cheek tingled. Something remained where her head had been a moment before: a white afterimage. Only she should have been able to destroy the structure of both worlds at once like that, but the Colorless Little Girl had reached that point. Tch. Are you going to call this the beauty of a scratch, brother!? A few silver hairs floated through the air. That was all, but it held great meaning. The Queen was no longer absolute. She had been placed on the chopping block where life and death were both options. !? And she did not have time to be surprised. With far too light a sound, a dark red hole opened in the White Queens palm. It was red. The twintail girls temple twitched eerily, but more due to the introduction of a color other than white than due to the pain. The gunshots were only heard after the fact. A few of the heavy firearms from the weapon skirt had pointed forward and produced a storm of blinding light and deafening noise. There was no mysticism or allure here. It was simply raw firepower. The violent act seemed to transform the very concept of disillusionment and disappointment and fire it as a weapon. Of course, they could not possibly be using mere hunks of lead. Each time one of them broke through the White Queens soft skin and entered her flesh, it would change its form and volume inside her to create giant swords, spears, axes, and staffs. Again and again, she was skewered from within and ripped apart. At this point, there was nothing but red. She had been shredded until not a hint of her pure white remained. But the White Queens expression was still confident. Immediately afterwards, the twintail girls badly injured body burst from within. But not from one of the Colorless Little Girls attacks. The burst flesh and blood hung in midair and seemed to follow the path of invisible fingertips as it formed the letters of a complex magic circle. Finally, a white light filled the red blood. The three-dimensional magic circle was torn apart as the White Queen herself appeared with her previous bright skin restored. The ceremony of regeneration following self-sacrifice. The consumption and production of souls may not seem to fit together at first glance, but even a worthless world will be reborn after its demise. Why would I be unable to do the same? She extended her slender arms and stared at her bare shoulders and upper arms like she was checking the results of a beauty salon. I almost never use that ability since its hard to imagine anything that could harm me, so I was somewhat concerned I had grown a little rusty, but it seems there was nothing to worry about. That snake-like infinity allowed her to continually shed her skin as if removing a veil. No matter how much her flesh was harmed, she could reveal the brand new skin below it. Now, even if you analyze the string of letters and try to prevent me from constructing the circle, keep in mind that that is but one of my forms. Will the ten-minute Artificial Sacred Ground really be long enough to eliminate all 512 forms? Tch!! The White Queen clicked her tongue, but not because the basic conditions had been so easily overturned before her eyes. The White Queen herself could extend time as easily as saying hi. Besides, extending the effective time would not change anything. The Queen simply had to use her power to slaughter this insolent challenger. The silver twintail girl was slightly irritated because- The White Queen who Wields the Sword of Unsullied Truth. Notation: iu - nu - fb - a - wuh - ei -kx - eu - pl - vjz. Unexplored-class. Sound Range: None. Cost: 21. Identical to the Black Maw. Method of Killing: None. (Estimated to be a serious error in the Unexplored-class which are the rules of the 3rd.) Securing center point of all phenomena due to the spiritual Big Bang of the 3rds establishment. Negating interference due to time reversal and causal change. Fully erasing frozen standby time after executing each command. Rare x1056 (Rank: Only Rare). HP: 2,690,227,504. MANA: 3,199,078,539. STR: 891,103,755. VIT: 709,925,590. INT: 90,386,619. MIN: 728,014,029. AGI: 998,799,899. LUK: 877,759,011. Best Range: Long, Mid, Short, Throw, Counter. Worst Range: None. Full resistance to: Fire, Water, Wind, Earth, Lightning, Light, Dark, and Physical. Resistance to all 48 status effects, including instant death. All attacks can target every enemy at once (with a range upgrade of up to 128 times) and become any element (including non-elemental). Warning: But all of this is calculated using her normal form. It is estimated that later form transformations will greatly change these base values using an adjustment (scale factor). She can freely transform between 512 different forms. In her resting form, HP, MANA, and status effects automatically recover with the passage of time. (Recovery priority order is: status effects [including instant death], HP, MANA.) List of self-support command skills which do not consume MANA: Ignore Target Defense, Perfect Homing, Absolute Status Effect Application, Absolute Attack Evasion, Adaption to All Environments and Weather Conditions, Right to Command the Sword of Truth (normally in equipped mode), Search for Shiroyama Kyousuke, Wide Range Enemy Search, Inspiration Power Up, Negate Attack, Scale Up Own Parameters (up to 256 times), Obstruct Malicious Observation, Inviolability Power Up, Break Parameter Growth Cap, Perfect Stability Control of Self-Produced Power, Prevent Self-Destruction from Attack Recoil, (Read More) Note: Her charisma is estimated to purely come from her power and beauty, not from her skills. Special Condition: She will unconditionally lose her cool when Shiroyama Kyousuke is mentioned. This cannot be mitigated or negated using resistances, defenses, or skills. ?? (39 unanalyzed black boxes confirmed. Rerun task?) Illegal program detected. Use of a malicious plugin confirmed (Read More) Conclusion: A collection of worthless trash. Defeat possible. When did you start feeling around in my guts, brother!? The size of the values did not matter now. Once a fear had been analyzed and quantified, you had revealed the starting point toward conquering it. If you had numbers, you could compare them. You could send out someone with even greater numbers to knock them down a notch. Normally, learning just a fragment of the White Queens true power would have looked like such a great precipice it would break your mind and shatter your soul, but the Colorless Little Girl was different. She confirmed each handhold, scaled the cliff wall, and greedily pursued the data needed to conquer the Queen. And more importantly (Did she directly view the Facts, the settings of the Third Age that I swallowed whole when I defeated all of the Unexplored-class laws?) Something ran down the White Queens spine. If she were human, she would have immediately recognized it. It was fear. (No, wait. The things in our world cant be described with digital words like parameters or scale factors!!) A solid sound rang out. But not from the Colorless Little Girl. From Shiroyama Kyousukes Blood-Sign while he was supposedly contained within the protective circle. Yes, he was still hitting his White Thorns and knocking the scattered Petals into the Spots. He continued to build up the stock which acted as his weapon. And yet shifting to another Material now would be entirely unnecessary. But that was not what happened. Even as he swapped out letters and rearranged their order, the Colorless Little Girl remained the Colorless Little Girl. Only the attack she specialized in changed as she launched them toward the White Queen. Yes, instead of firing long-range projectiles, she held a Western double-edged sword in each hand and slashed them toward the enemy in front of her. As soon as a portion of the White Queens clothing became a sword and was broken, she used her fingers to scatter sparks from the Colorless Little Girls two-sword style. Brother, have you advanced the age? You arent freely summoning Materials from the worlds mythologies. You have completed every possible pattern and arrangement using only variations of the Colorless Little Girl, gathering all miracles and mysteries into a single point. Have you brought us to the age of the Fourth Summoning Ceremony!? He had not peeked inside her chest. He had not decoded her. He had embedded and overwritten. Write, not read. In that case (This is bad) For the first time. Probably for the first time ever, the White Queen participated in a pure exchange of blows, unlike the defensive battle she fought at the Queens Miniature Garden. (The Fourth Summoning Ceremony cant be defeated using the Third Summoning Ceremony. I may be the peak of the Third, but if he has embedded me in that framework, then I will be captured by those rules!) She felt a scorching sensation. The Queen had smashed the two blades with her bare hands, but in exchange, red blood dripped from her palms. This was something other than white. And despite the swords being broken, the Colorless Little Girl pummeled her with the hilts and guards. The Queen threw everything out. With each blow, she changed from one form to another. Entirely different forms of despair budded and blossomed into the world before being mercilessly trampled. At one point, an immortal Queen rejected all harm as alluring butterfly wings grew from her back and her arms became mantis-like. At one point, a clockwork Queen was adorned with giant gears and countless artillery weapons. At one point, the Queen gained gills by her ears, flippers between her fingers and toes, and tail fins from her ankles as she crushed everything with a body far larger than the king of marine creatures. At one point, a gorgeous Queen extended roots from her feet in every direction, grew giant flowers from all across her body, and burned them like torches. But you must not forget. If she was changing from form to form, that meant each form was being destroyed in turn. The Colorless Little Girls hair rose up like cat ears in the back and she launched a fierce attack much like a Gatling gun. She went beyond a mere Swiss army knife. Under the guidance of Shiroyama Kyousukes Blood-Sign, she accurately countered each of the threats. But the White Queen noticed a certain frightening phenomenon more than she did the simple firepower. Its categorized? Youve taken my white light, used a prism to split it into tens of thousands of colors, and tagged each and every form of fear I bring? And now you are passing that light through colored cellophane to erase that color!? People could only ever look up at that mystical light. It was Shiroyama Kyousuke who answered. That boys strength was different from the White Queens. His transformed defeat into power. So weve observed it over and over, for as long as weve longed for it. You were the strongest from the beginning and could gain even more than you wanted whenever you wanted it, so you might not understand the flavor of a single grain of rice. But we have long dreamed of that grain we could never reach. Drops that resembled red jewels splattered on the ground. Clear sweat appeared on her brow. Heated breaths escaped her lips with an irregular rhythm. Each of those unthinkable things would be unremarkable from a human, but they came from the White Queen here. She easily stirred up the world. She bent and tore space and she caused impossible phenomena. She entirely ignored the structure of the air and boulders around her to tear them away and ball them up like scraps of paper. In the blink of an eye, they took form, filled with color, and gained individuality. One looked like a clockwork dragon covered in red rust. One looked like a cruel flying drone designed from human bones and skin. But that was not their true essence. Their balled-up gaps provided glimpses of non-matching eyeballs, fingernails, and long hair. These were not even from the Regulation-class, Divine-class, or Unexplored-class of the other world. The Queens power was overflowing with such great force that these soulless things crawled out with no concern for the ecosystem or mythological structure. But it was too late. If the full-power Queen was no match for this opponent while systematically managing her energy, could these splashes of excess energy leave any claw marks in her? The Colorless Little Girl only needed to take a single step back to measure the distance between them. A kitchen knife and frying pan had appeared in her hands at some point and they produced a storm of flashing light as they instantly transformed the threat into colorful food. The Colorless Little Girl bit off piece after piece and swallowed them like some kind of joke, but the effects were instantaneous. Okay, infected Queens, all of you attack her at once!! Identical White Queens rushed in from all directions. They had a different origin, but their specs were no different. And Shiroyama Kyousuke had forbidden himself from killing. He could not erase the infected Queens from both worlds because that would mean killing the vessels along with them. However A giant explosion seemed to erupt outwards from the Colorless Little Girl in the center. In actuality, the countless weapons forming her skirt had all fired, the twelve giant books behind her had produced various forms of demise, and the Colorless Little Girl herself had used her small hands to grab them, tear them apart, and throw them. Altogether, a storm swept out horizontally, tore the flesh and blood of the infected Queens to pieces, and accurately reduced them to only the Silhouette that contained the vessels mind. Those hunks of flesh had lost the majesty of the Queen and they simply pulsated on the ground before reverting to their original human forms. And yet all of the infected Queens were supposed to have specs identical to the main Queen. This would not have been possible just by mastering physical destruction. It was a more fundamental matter. (Is she entirely blocking off the power of my invisible role as it leaves me through invisible wires?) This was truly the Queens twilight. This absolute blade of rejection not only affected the White Queen herself but all of the influence she had on the world. Dont use such boring words to describe me!! It must have been acting on its own now because one of the broken swords caught the reflected heat of the flames and stabbed down into the White Queens shadow that stretched across the ground. After the Colorless Little Girl grabbed it once more and pulled it out with a sticky sound, it had grown a blade by absorbing the very color of the shadow. That too was a portion of the Queens power. Once she realized that, the Colorless Little Girl used her small hand to casually grab, crush, and toss aside the mysterious blade portion. Weapon destruction. After robbing the White Queen of her many mysterious powers, she would destroy it so it could not be recovered. The Queen lost her other forms. Her special skills were forcibly stripped from her. Then!!!!!! The Queen spread the fingers of her right hand and directly struck space itself. It did not matter that she was out of range. The Queens attack contained the power to destroy, crush, and overwrite both worlds with nothing but white. (All I have to do is smash this coordinate of this fragile world!!) As cracks of light spread through space itself, the White Queen brought her hands together in front of her chest. Immediately, the entire scene was smashed inward and a great mass of pure white pressed in toward Shiroyama Kyousuke and the Colorless Little Girl. Those massive claw marks were like two giant walls. And they showed no concern for the fate of all that lay between them. That strongest compression dyed everything in its own colors, destroyed it, and brought absolute white to the world. But. (?) The Queen found she could not bring her hands all the way together. A strange repulsion pushed back like there was a clump of invisible rubber between them. And the Colorless Little Girl had her arms spread horizontally to stop the white compression. Nothing on the ground beyond that point was crushed. An incomprehensible barrier much like the protective circle had saved them. There was no point in asking where it had come from. The only person not protected here was the White Queen. So she could predict what the hunter would do next. The Colorless Little Girl forcefully extended her arms to the left and right as if prying open an elevator door. The compression stopped, then it actually spread outwards, and finally the scenery that had supposedly been crushed into whiteness regained its original colors. The White Queens arms followed suit, so an odd sound of something shattering came from her shoulders. Damnyou The twelve books behind her nemesiss back began to glow. If everything but her target was protected by a barrier, there was no need to hold back any longer. On top of that, the Queens arms were broken, so she could not defend. There would never be a greater opportunity. Shiroyama Kyousuke set up the final situation by using his Blood-Sign to enter the appropriate nameno, command. And then he leaned in toward the Colorless Little Girls ear and whispered to her. RQ Cat, the rest is up to you. Ahh!? Do you want me to obliterate you, you latecomer!!!!! Even her thoughts vanished from her mind. What did her shattered shoulders matter? So what if this was a perfect game where no one else could be affected? She could always tear apart her old flesh and blood and recreate that container of flesh into a new body. Who cares if her other forms had been taken from her and her many mysteries had been destroyed? She could not give up that position. That spot was hers. !! An ominous sound came from the White Queens shattered shoulders. The willpower in the glint of her eyes gave a clear message: Yes, thats right. Why bother going through a full regeneration? I can just grow another five or ten arms with weapons attached. But. As the White Queen seethed and boiled, she never managed to launch her next attack. Just before she could, a quiet sound struck her sense of hearing just once. She heard it via bone conduction, so it had not come through her ears. The Colorless Little Girls soft index finger had gently pressed against the center of the White Queens forehead. When had she done this? And how? The Queen had no time to wonder that. The change had already begun. Itcant be Brother, is this? Yes. From the outset, the Colorless Little Girl was created for a single purpose. So all her other functions are superfluous. They were only meant to pave the way for her to directly touch you. Spiritual gravitational collapse My appearance caused a spiritual Big Bang, so you prepared this ridiculous method just to gather that infinitely-expanding influence back into a single point!? Killing you in this universe is impossible. So first, I have to absorb and eliminate all of the influence you have caused. All of the abnormalities you have spread around must be regathered in you, the center point. And once we are back in a proper and unchanged world, you can be eliminated with a normal sword strike. This was a lot like creating a super-massive black hole that would swallow up the entire infinitely-expanding universe and gather every last particle in a single place. But that was how far you had to go if you were to defeat the White Queen. He would create the Fourth Age. And that meant rejecting everything of the Third Age. (I see) After being cornered to this extent, the final expression on the silver twintail girls face was, unsurprisingly, a faint smile. Yes, yes. If you were able to corner me so accurately and if you were able to seal off and strike down every last one of my cards without missing a single one It just shows how deeply you understand me. Right, brother? You dont need to say anything at this point. If that is what this means, then I suppose its not that ba Ah. Once it was all over, Shiroyama Kyousuke released a silly-sounding voice. It seemed too easy. Laws that surpassed all laws were the same as an ordered string of code. He had simply displayed the proper answer to the world. He may not have believed it himself. His belief in that illusion of the strongest being may have been even stronger than he had thought. He was unsure how to accept this sudden ending. Was it over now? Could he really relax? He could not remove the tension in his body. He seemed to be waiting for something to happen. No. It was more like there was an empty hole in his heart? But while that happened, the Chain period began, the full 90 seconds passed, and the Artificial Sacred Ground itself vanished. The vessel that had become a highly irregular Unexplored-class returned to being a slender girl with two blonde braids. The paranormal had left. Onii-chan, is itover now? Olivia Highland had to question it too. Kyousuke did not know how to respond to the girl looking worriedly up at him or to Biondetta who stood by his side. And Hello, hello. So its finally over, is it? They heard a muffled voice. They looked over and saw a man in a lab coat and riding suit. He wielded a Blood-Sign sword and a giant spider vessel crawled across his body. You seem surprisingly calm for someone whose target of worship was just annihilated. Thats because I continued my research out of phobia, not philia. His tone was casual. I want to approach as close as possible to the greatest fear possible and experience it as much as possible with as much safety as possible. But, well, you can have too much of a good thing. Since I couldnt guarantee my safety no matter what, I couldnt transform that danger into an attraction. It was probably best to get rid of it. She could be resurrected at any time since the conditions for killing her are still an unknown, but this should end it for the time being anyway. Dont give me that look. I was supporting you in a number of ways. Hey, Kyousuke, if the White Queen had immediately obeyed her desire and driven a hand through your back while disguised as Meinokawa Aoi, it wouldve all been over before you could even put together this plan. Who was it that presented her the conditions for the most delicious way to consume Shiroyama Kyousuke and thus held back the Queens desire as long as possible? He had wondered about that. Especially when it came to the initial meeting at the Meinokawa Shrine before encountering Olivia. If the Queen had been unable to hold back and immediately devoured Kyousuke, his fate would have been sealed there. Also, why had Olivia of Bridesmaid made an appearance now? And why had Doctor S ended his contract with her on a whim and traded her for a different vessel? Consider them each in turn and the answer was obvious. Doctor S had followed a plan to entertain the White Queen while actually working to support Kyousukes plan. I see, I see, I see, said Kyousuke. So you made sure to maintain a position where you could smugly say just as planned no matter who won. You really are a thrill-obsessed freak, Mr. Wait-and-See. Now, it is true I might not have been able to get this far without your assistance. Right? Defeating the Queen without borrowing the Queens power. That incredible achievement might not have been possible for anyone. Anyone with half a brain would reach the same conclusion. However. Shiroyama Kyousuke marked a dividing line with that word. Was that chilling voice something one should never direct toward their parent? Or was it something he could use specifically because this man was his father? That doesnt mean Im just going to wipe the slate clean. You dont get to just forget everything you did here in Houbi Village, Doctor S. That man definitely smiled behind his medical inhaler. He had to know he was on the losing side. He had to know what fate awaited him from the moment he chose fight over flight. Both of them pulled the pin from an Incense Grenade and threw it. The two explosives collided at the midpoint like they were making a toast and the Artificial Sacred Grounds expanded simultaneously. It did not take even ten minutes to settle everything. Facts: *A Material summoned some way other than the Blood-Sign method will be temporarily restrained by the scattering incense of an Incense Grenade. However, this does not apply in all cases. *The White Queen changed the rules when she defeated all of the Unexplored-class and began dragging them around. Thus, the ancient methods and the current methods of summoning differ. *The official name of Kingdom F is the Flanguild Permanently Neutral Kingdom, but the White Queen was not originally needed for its founding. When all of the Unexplored-class were defeated, the past and future histories were both instantly rewritten. This essentially allowed the Queen to encroach on the kingdoms history and destabilized the very existence of the kingdom. *The civil war was actually caused by the great discrepancy in values between those who had - for some reason or another - noticed the White Queens distortion and those who had not. *The Colorless Little Girl Dedicated to a Single Goal (aie - a - oio - ei - ueo - ioa - e - uai - ee) really did function as an exclusive nemesis created to instantly kill the White Queen. And it was proven that she can be freely accessed when Olivia Highland uses the Jewel Blood. *As soon as the Colorless Little Girls appearance was confirmed, humanity advanced to the Fourth Summoning Ceremony. The old strongest will not necessarily apply in the new age. *Shiroyama Kyousuke settled things with Doctor S. Volume 7, Ending X-01 - Mission Accomplished, But For Whom? Volume 7, Ending X-01: Mission Accomplished, But For Whom? What are you going to do now, Onii-chan? Good question (Ending X-01 Open 07/21 11:00) Mission Accomplished, But For Whom? The following day arrived. So what happened in the end? That question from the black-haired shrine maiden named Meinokawa Renge showed just how tough they were. The Bridesmaid summoners and Repliglass soldiers who had done such great damage to Houbi Village were now gone. Losers in the Blood-Sign method would enter a mindless state for at least 24 hours after receiving the same shock as seeing their god slaughtered before their eyes, but they truly had seen that when the White Queen was defeated. Bridesmaid had been entirely unable to resist, so Government had arrested them and taken them somewhere. Unless they had worshipers inside Governments ranks, they would never escape those cells. The real Meinokawa Aoi had been swapped out for the White Queen and she had apparently been found in the underground lake. She had been torn limb from limb and sunk to the bottom of the lake, which normally would have been more than enough to declare her dead. However, Meinokawa Aoi was humanitys oldest Joruri Method. Hey, Im missing some of my insides. Send in more of those scoo-ba divers and gather every last one of them! Once she had been mostly reassembled, she was back up and running. Incidentally, it pained Renge that she could not explain what a Joruri Method was to Higan and thus could not correct her twin sisters mistaken assumption that they had seen the right arm of a mutilated corpse that had washed up on the shore of the underground lake. The tents and large Repliglass landing craft left by Bridesmaid had been moved aside and recovery work was already underway. All of it was fake and that cheap look may have been directly connected to their strength. With this, the Queen-worshiping cult had collapsed. The White Queen had stood at the center of it all, but she was gone as well. Phew It still did not feel real to Kyousuke. Even so, he breathed a sigh of relief for the first time in a day. Onii-chan. Then he was approached by Olivia Highland who still wore the straw hat over her double blonde braids. That girl had broken free of her bonds at the last moment, so she had not received a psychological shock from the White Queens defeat. What are you going to do now, Onii-chan? Good question What would he do now that the White Queen was defeated? He had known he would have to do it eventually, but he had never thought he would actually pull it off. Not even Kyousuke could answer that question immediately. However. Even if the White Queen herself is gone, some of the scars she left on the world must remain. In that case, I might be busy cleaning all of that up. But not even that would last forever. Kyousuke and the Queen had made the world like this. Those bonds would eventually disappear. And once that happened, Shiroyama Kyousuke might finally be able to retire from the world of the Summoning Ceremony. Something about this world still felt wrong to him. It was like he had a gaping hole in his chest. Even so, he wanted to accept this result. Accept that he had defeated the White Queen. And a moment later Oh? It might be best hold off on ending your contract with that little vessel. Dont you think, brother? Facts: *The White Queen was defeated. Nevertheless, the story is not over yet. Volume 7, Ending X-02 - The Mental Leeway to Enjoy the Worlds Destruction Volume 7, Ending X-02: The Mental Leeway to Enjoy the World''s Destruction Now, a question: What does it mean for me to win or lose? (Ending X-02 Open 07/21 11:25) The Mental Leeway to Enjoy the World''s Destruction That sudden voice caused everything to freeze. Kyousuke turned his head like a rusted doll and found that pure white evil standing there. Hello, brother You!!!??? Isnt there something you should be concerned about far more than how I survived? Its a much, much, muuuuuch more pressing issue. What was she talking about? His attempt to completely kill the White Queen had failed. How could there be a darker despair than that? But just as he prepared to scream without thinking, the White Queen softly placed her slender fingertip on his lips. That was enough to silence the near-crazed boy, so the gently smiling evil spoke. Broootherrr? Surely you arent going to say you dont know what I was planning this time, right??? Whatare? Oh, dear. Oh, dear, dear, dear! It isnt often I get to see you when your brain isnt functioning! But an ignorant and incompetent brother is so very cute, so this isnt a problem at all. Well, Ill overlook this since its like watching your beloveds face just after he wakes up. Her smile grew to mocking laughter and she was close enough to feel the heat of her sweet breath. Now, brother. The outcome is not always determined by fighting, dont you think? In fact, I am the White Queen who stands at the peak of everything! Did you really think I would be so afraid of some newcomer nemesis that I would work to eliminate her in advance? Does that really sound like something the strongest would do? That was true. There was one question he could not understand. He understood why Bridesmaid would attempt to prevent the construction of a method to kill the White Queen. But what was the White Queens reason to get involved in this one? He doubted this evil would beg for her life even at the moment of her death, so would she really bother getting up for something like this? Of course, it could always just be one of the Queens games. But that was the same as a self-proclaimed expert declaring a bizarre criminals mind was simply impossible to understand. That meant abandoning all thought. He could never track down the truth like that. Why? Yes, yes? Why are you here, Queen? I see your mind has finally started functioning again, brother. The White Queen whispered to him from so close she was practically nestled against his chest. Everyone else was supposedly here as well, but only her voice reached him. Now, a question: What does it mean for me to win or lose? It of course does not mean for me to let my physical strength do the talking and simply beat you up, brother. If I set my goals that low, I could have simply attacked you head-on without disguising myself as Meinokawa Aoi. Right, brother? She was saying that taking Meinokawa Aois place and approaching Kyousuke had been a way of accomplishing her own goal, not Bridesmaids. That brought only one thing to mind. To earnmy trust? Correct!! My brother really is a genius once he wakes up!! He hated how she praised him for an answer so obvious a moron could have given it. But she continued regardless. Thats it, thats right, and thats correct. I, the White Queen, simply wanted a quick way to grab a hold of your trust so I could stay by your side. That was my one and only goal. Now, then. You understand where this is headed, dont you? If you say you dont, Ill just have to open up your skull to see if its actually empty inside. Okay, my - dear - brother. What was my ultimate objective in all this!? It cant be. Approaching you disguised as Meinokawa Aoi was no more than what you could call a practice run. The White Queen smiled. Since you ultimately had your doubts, I guess I cant say I earned a perfect score, but since I did successfully bind a contract with you and face the same enemy alongside you, it wasnt a failing score either. Now, brother, its time for a review. Where did I go wrong in all this? Was it wearing the red hakama? Or was it too hard to distract you when Doctor S was such a lackluster decoy enemy? It cant be!? Then we just need an even more hopeless nemesis. He realized she had that look in her eyes. A crazed light filled her eyes, proving she believed beyond a shadow of a doubt that she was doing the right thing. It would solve everything if we have such an overwhelming nemesis that I am dragged down from my position at the peak of the peak and fall to the #2 spot or lower. After all, brother, you are opposing me because you ranked the threats to the world, concluded I was at the very top of the list, and decided you could let everything else slide until you had dealt with me, right? So if an even more hopeless nemesis showed up and attempted to destroy this world, my world, humanity, and all the Materials, you would be forced to temporarily join forces with me, wouldnt you? Thats not possible. Shiroyama Kyousukes thoughts turned toward the Unexplored-class he himself had embedded in the world. And he shook his head. He had already failed once with the White Queen. If that chaos repeated itself again, it would no longer be an accident. It would prove that Shiroyama Kyousuke was a grim reaper for the world. That was the fear that inspired him to speak. That wont happen! She isThe Colorless Little Girl Dedicated to a Single Goal (aie - a - oio - ei - ueo - ioa - e - uai - ee) is an Unexplored-class thoroughly tuned to kill only you. Shes too specialized to withstand normal combat. She would lose like normal if she fought any other Unexplored-class!! Of course she worked that way. Creating a Material and embedding it in the world meant that anyone could summon it if they met the conditions. Even if the conditions for the vessel were quite delicate, this would all be meaningless if she could be used for something other than killing the White Queen. And yet Oh? What an odd thing to say, brother. Had there been an oversight in his reasoning? Had he embedded a wrong answer in the world? As sweat poured down not just the boys face but his entire body, the White Queen continued nestling up against him with a wicked crescent moon smile on her face. In the Third Summoning Ceremony, I defeated the rest of the Unexplored-class and made all the laws of the world my allies. And the true arrival of the Fourth Summoning Ceremony was signaled by my defeat. That means it has all been literally swapped out. But was she really ready for that? Not you, but that girl. And she said it. Even if she was perfectly safe to begin with, did you not think that her logical design would be altered for the worse when I let her defeat me? Yes, it must have been an incredible shock to that insolent Colorless Little Girl when I let her test out her full power on me and even let her kill me. Facts: *In the Blood-Sign Summoning Ceremony, the loser receives a shock equivalent to seeing their god slaughtered before their eyes. *Based on the Three and the White Queen, the high-level Unexplored-class Materials seem to have a heart capable of communication. *The defeat of the White Queen threatens to tear into the souls of not just humans but Materials as well. *Even as The Colorless Little Girl Dedicated to a Single Goal (aie - a - oio - ei - ueo - ioa - e - uai - ee) achieved success, her internal structure was damaged. *And the world faces a new stage and a new threat: the Fourth Summoning Ceremony. Volume 7, Epilogue Volume 7, Epilogue Hee hee. Ee hee hee hee hee. Ah ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!! Everythingyes, everything is going exactly how I wanted. After laughing and laughing, the White Queen stuck out her tongue a little. She then winked with the innocent expression of a mischievous child. She acted like someone whose family member had run away from home and caused all sorts of trouble but just now returned home on their own. This was an immature expression filled with relief and superiority. It was the look of someone who knew this was the only home that family member had. She seemed to be sulking about Shiroyama Kyousukes obsession with killing her. And yet that pure white softly whispered as if spoiling him. Her words were accompanied by an extremely heated and sickly sweet breath. And her tone was filled with love. Bro - ther - you - iiiiiidiot Volume 7, Afterword Volume 7, Afterword (Postscript Open ??/?? ??:??) Afterword This is Kamachi Kazuma!! Blood-Sign has reached a total of 7 volumes. This time, I focused on the Meinokawa Shrine which was mentioned in Volume 1 and Kyousuke carried out the special Summoning Ceremony to kill the White Queen. The vessel, the Unexplored-class, and the ceremonial ground. By gathering a premium version of each, you can make a special super summon! That was my original idea, but even if making each step difficult would make it all seem more impressive, I didnt want to forcibly drag this out. I mean, going the standard route wouldnt be like the Queen at all! So I rearranged the story. I sped up the pace of the story and tried to make sure there was never a time to catch your breath. You saw the result. I think there are a variety of choices you can make when coming up with a strongest being. At the very least, they have to have more cards in their deck than a normal person. But I think the biggest card is the ability to reject the enemys attacks. And in a strongest story, I think youve reached a real turning point when that rejection is used not just for show but as a serious trump card. When you saw the White Queens unwavering character while she remained unfazed despite having everything of hers so perfectly cast aside, I hope you felt how powerful she is and how that is an abnormal decision that Shiroyama Kyousuke could not make since he still has to rely on others. Doctor S may have made some of you think of Shigara Masami, but his true identity was simply Kyousukes biological father. He is motivated by phobia, not philia. A connection between Doctor S and Akura Taisaku was pointed out, but does anyone actually remember that Akura had serious cyberphobia? I hope you could imagine how they might have actually gotten along quite well. This story contains a worldview where the rules do the talking, so I demonstrated that even the strongest being will die when they die. And on top of that, I think the most important point is how Kyousuke felt a hole in his chest after seeing the White Queen defeated. He knows she is an enemy he must eventually defeat, but he still felt a shock when she was defeated. In a way, the White Queen is still an absolute being to him, so he may never have been able to imagine the instant of her fall. If you read even deeper into that, you could conclude that Shiroyama Kyousuke is the one who holds the most beautiful mental image of the White Queen. He is motivated by philia, not phobia. A girl in love might want to work extra hard to remain the strongest for Kyousuke, but this time, I had it go the other way. I think the White Queens greatest strength is that she does not hesitate to throw everything else out if it will allow her love to be realistically fulfilled. I give my thanks to my illustrator Ikawa Waki-san and my editors Miki-san, Miyazaki-san, and Anan-san. Unlike the usual near-future Toy Dream setting, this was set at nature-filled Houbi Village, which must have given things an entirely different atmosphere. Sorry for making things so difficult for you. And I give my thanks to the readers. The White Queens love will not end, even if she loses and falls from her position as the strongest. Kyousuke adheres to the strongest while the Queen is willing to throw it out for her love. Now, which one do you sympathize with more? And I will end this here. Make sure not to overlook that the Queen was willing to remove her own head to continue her impressive performance. -Kamachi Kazuma Volume 8, Battle Tutorial Volume 8, Battle Tutorial Phase 1 Upper Cube: Collection of Petals Left Dark Figure: Summoner Right Dark Figure: Vessel Left White Figure: Summoner Right White Figure: Vessel Overall Box: Artificial Sacred Ground K: The Summoning Battle begins when one of the summoners uses an Incense Grenade. Q: When the Incense Grenade is used, an Artificial Sacred Ground forms around them. Summoning and other paranormal phenomena can only be reproduced inside there. Q: Inside the Artificial Sacred Ground, a cube of about 60 cm appears at the midpoint between the summoners. K: It is a collection of the 216 Petals which are red spheres about the size of an apple. Phase 2 Dark Ball: Petal White Ball: White Thorn White Stick: Blood-Sign Q: 3 white spheres known as White Thorns appear with each summoner. Those are hit with a long staff known as a Blood-Sign and they collide with the Petals. K: You hit the Petals with the White Thorns in order to knock them into the spherical Spots that appear in 36 locations inside the Artificial Sacred Ground. Q: What Petals are hit into the Spots changes what can be summoned. K: And the vessels body is used to create Phase 3 White Monster and Dark Sword: Vessel transformed into a Material Q: a Material. The summoners use them for a fight to the death. K: The Petals used to summon the Materials are each engraved with a letter of the alphabet and each of those belongs to a certain Sound Range. Q: aiueo are vowels and thus the Lowest Sound Range. As for the consonants, bcdfghj are Low, klmnpqr are Middle, and stvwxyz are High. K: There are of course rules governing the summoned Materials and they are based on the Petals rules. Q: Low wins against High, High wins against Middle, Middle wins against Low, and I win my brothers heart. K: Werent we supposed to avoid making jokes during the explanation section!? Phase 4 K: And after the vessels transform into Materials, they continued to be updated into new forms as they fight. Q: The Materials start at Regulation-class. After summoning 100 of those, you gain the right to summon the higher Divine-class. And after summoning 50 of those, you gain the right to summon the even higher Unexplored-class. K: The vessel has a core known as their Silhouette. If that is destroyed, the battle ends. The losing summoner and vessel will become dolls that wander around in a stupor. Q: And that concludes our simple explanation of the Summoning Battle. As a summoner fights more and more battles, they earn more titles known as Awards. And if their number of Awards reaches 1000hee hee hee. Now, I wonder what happens then. Volume 8, Prologue Volume 8, Prologue Hello, its me, the defeated Queen!! Ahh, defeat is such a liberating feeling. I feel free of all responsibility! This is a lovely gift you gave me, brother, so its only polite to suck it dry down to the marrow. Okay, time to enjoy my time off! Brother, has anything changed with you? Word that a human - and a single individual at that - killed me should have reached the ignorant masses clinging to that puny planet by now. I imagine that is changing some things. Hee hee hee. How do you like the changed world? A world where I, the White Queen, have been defeated should be paradise for you, brother. Oh? Oh, oh, oh??? Is there a thought lurking somewhere in your heart, brother? Is there some hope hidden deep down, even if you deny it on the surface? Some hope that the White Queen will once again make an appearance somewhere? That the strongest of the strongest will show up to correct the changed world? Hee hee hee. I have some good news, brother. I will not get involved this time. I will say that up front, but you can take that to mean whatever you want. Am I serious, or am I bluffing? Hee hee. I know I can be so indiscriminate when it comes to you, brother, butyes, I may have been doing too much for you. If you think I will always pop up where you need me, you are sorely mistaken. I think its time you relearned just how rare the White Queen is. Cry, shout, wail, and plead if you like. But steel yourself for a reality where I will not appear as a matter of course. Got that, my - dear - brother? Facts: *The position of the strongest is always filled. But it will not necessarily be the same individual who holds it. Volume 8, Opening X-01 - The Beginning of a Rebellious Phase Volume 8, Opening X-01: The Beginning of a Rebellious Phase Whats the point if you dont watch it on July 7? Right, liger? I said Im not interested (Opening X-01 Open 08/03 20:05) The Beginning of a Rebellious Phase It was shortly after 8 on August 3. The front door to a top-floor apartment in Toy Dream 35 had just opened. Hey, Im back. An adorable girls voice spoke fluent Japanese. It belonged to Olivia Highland. She was a small girl of around 12, her long blonde hair was tied in double braids, and she wore a strange outfit that used a school swimsuit, a decorative collar, and a pareo to look almost like outdoor clothing. Summoners and vessels would change their appearance the further their worldview shifted away from the normal world, but she was also the heir to the throne of Eastern Europes Kingdom F. Was it a good thing or a bad thing that people tended to interpret eccentricities as a sign of genius? Meanwhile Ah, Onii-chan! The girl was clinging to a high school boy named Shiroyama Kyousuke who said nothing at all as he succumbed to exhaustion and threw himself onto the large sofa as soon as he entered the large living room. He stopped moving altogether in a perfect example of sleeping like a log. The summery 12-year-old in a straw hat refused to accept this, so she hopped on top of Kyousukes collapsed body. She straddled him and bounced her small butt up and down while talking to him. Cmon, lets play! We havent played nearly enough and weve been doing everything you wanted to do! You promised on the plane we would play a whole bunch once the work was done! U-uohhhohhh Who do you think you are having your way with me and going to sleep once youre satisfied!? Youre being too selfish today, Onii-chan!! But no matter what his contracted Alice said, the Freedom Award 903 summoner only groaned like a zombie. How could he just drop dead like this? He was being just as rotten as a father who wore himself out working during the week and neglected to spend time with his family on the weekends. Uuh. Olivia puffed out her small cheeks, but the zombie remained a zombie. He was not going to move. And for better or for worse, she was a very curious girl. You could also say she had a short attention span. She looked around in search of something else to grab her attention and spotted her next toy. Unyah! Hello again, liger! After getting down from the hunk of rotten flesh that was Shiroyama Kyousuke, the blonde double braid girls face lit up, she spread her arms, and she charged toward a 5m monster. That monster had devoured 40kg of raw meat - which was more than Olivia weighed - today, but there was no fear in the girls eyes. The white liger was curled up just like a cat, so she leaped toward her neck and rubbed her cheek against her giant face. Rub, rub, rub. Did you miss me, liger? And Aika, the summoner and owner of the 5m beast she was using as a sofa, breathed an exasperated sigh. Thus spoke the white and green striped bikini: Cant you see the ligers tail is between her legs, dummy? And her ears are flattened down. Shes trying to look small cause shes afraid of you. Eh? Thats not true. Were best friends, arent we? Olivia lightly bit the white ligers ear with no apparent fear for her life, but Hm? Liger, why do you smell so bad? Have you not been taking enough baths while I was gone? That 5m body blatantly gave a start. She jumped up enough to push Aika into the air from below. Yes. Due to the way their fur worked, felines generally did not like getting wet. You could not just give them a quick shower like with a canine. Ora! Youre a girl, liger, so didnt I tell you you have to take care of yourself!? This calls for a thorough scrubbing!! Youre just applying human reasoning here. How is this any different from those old ladies that like dressing up their cats? Then again, it is true the liger was starting to smell The liger looked up at her owner with the damp eyes of a kitten, but since Aika also supported the idea, she was in real trouble. The monster pitifully shrank down, but the girls grabbed her neck and guided her toward a fairly large bath. Come to think of it, wheres Lu Onee-chan? We came here so she could cook for us. That old lady had this dead look on her face while muttering some old lady-ish nonsense about stock prices, so shes probably in some room or another curled up in an old lady-ish ball. Eh? Then what are we going to eat!? I thought we were going to get Lu Onee-chans Chinese cooking! Plastic wrap and the fridge are two wonderful inventions for shut-ins. Also microwaves. Olivia and Aika were already wearing swimsuits, so there was no need to strip off their clothing in the changing room. They immediately opened the door to the bath proper and discovered a drowned corpse. The bathtub was the size of a small pool and a dead-eyed Lu Niang Lan was sprawled out in it like a jellyfish with her head resting on the edge. Th-the stock prices. My precious front company The girls ignored the white-eyed old lady and grabbed the shower nozzle. Every last bit of the white ligers fur was bristling at this point, but Olivia and Aika worked together to mercilessly soak her with the fierce spray. Rub! Dont showers feel great, liger!? Rub, rub!! Cold. This hasnt heated up yet The bottle labeled for cat fur lined up along with the shampoo, rinse, and conditioner was a sign of Aikas true celebrity quality. Aika pushed down the head of the pump bottle to fill her palm with a thick liquid with no artificial scents, she pressed her palms together to work up a lather, and she began an attack on the wet ligers large body. It was a testament to the white ligers samurai-like patience that no blood was drawn. If you ignored such a large animals nature and forced it to do something like this, even a professional zookeeper could get eaten. Do not try this at home, even if you do find a 5m beast in the bath. Oh, the liger just relaxed and her eyes are melting. See, theres nothing wrong with taking a bath. Im pretty sure these just get it over with eyes are a sign she simply doesnt have it in her to resist, but thats fine with me if it will get her nice and clean. After that extremely apathetic comment, Aika glanced over to the side. To a shut-in girl who lived alone, the bath was her second paradise. She had plenty of money to burn, so she had thoroughly remodeled the place. The bath was fully air-conditioned, the large bathtub had jet sprays, you could place an order and have a waterproof robot on wheels bring you a drink or a popsicle, and there was a giant flat-screen TV filling one whole wall. Instead of using a remote, she had it set up to turn on and change channels in response to her eye movements. Huh? Why are they running a special on the July Betrayers movie? Is that not out in Japan yet? You can be a smug westerner if you like, but youre not going to impress me by bragging about this. I have no interest at all in Hollywoods heroes in full-body tights. Whats the point if you dont watch it on July 7? Right, liger? I said Im not interested The controls were set to Aika, so she rapidly flipped from channel to channel. She had it set up for terrestrial, satellite, cable, and internet broadcast. She ended up on a variety show that simply provided the weeks top played online videos. It was basically the same as an aggregation site, so it seemed wrong that producers and performers were being paid to do what amateurs did. The top ranked videos were as follows: A powerful explosion rocks South Americas San Carlos Cathedral! Watch the shocking footage of a black-market tank crashed into the top of the religious institution used as a front to sell a dangerous powder!! Crush the Eastern European smart gang!! This fearsome criminal group worships a mysterious white goddess and bought a satellite and stealth bombers off the black market, but watch as their convoy is blown up piece by piece!! A borderless mobile cult for a new age? What is truth behind the mysterious proselytizing fleet that uses the worlds largest aircushion ship and leaves contamination in its wake wherever it stops? Now that the ship has broken in two and sunk, divers are working to explore it!! The world was as dangerous as ever. Lu Niang Lans old lady comments about stock prices showed no sign of ending. Bikini Girl Aika sighed lightly and then spoke to the inexhaustible Olivia. How much of this were you and Onii-chan involved in? Hmm, all of it that had something to do with the White Queen. Olivias voice was carefree and she was oblivious to the white foam on her cheek as she innocently rubbed the 5m mass of muscles. You remember Houbi Village in July? A lot happened there. And since the Queen was killed, organizations, groups, cabals, companies, conglomerates, religions, schools, armies, and everyone else have started to go nuts. Im so worn out after going around putting out all those fires with Onii-chan. You have some nerve saying that as one of the people who evangelized the Queen. So is this the turning point between the White Queens third style and the Colorless Little Girls fourth style? Its not that simple. In Alaska, all marine products are said to have come from the flesh and blood of a sacrificed maiden, so theyve apparently started drowning lots of girls in the ocean below the ice to breathe life back into the Queen who supposedly provided the blessings of the water. But Onii-chan is going around stopping all of those things. Ugh. That does sound like him Ngah! How many countries do you think Ive been to today? I dont even know because weve gone back and forth across the international date line so many times!! Weve been hopping all across the world map for battles, battles, and more battles just like in an old fighting game. And he promised to play with me a whole bunch once it was over, but he collapsed instead! I cant believe him!! And while that chaos affected the world economy, the villains around the world who - for better or for worse - supported the financial markets were being crushed one after another by a sudden intruder. The rapid fluctuation this brought was unpredictable by any automatic investment program or expert financial analyst. That explained why Lu Niang Lan was floating in someone elses bath like a jellyfish. That was the state of things in the outside world. But surprisingly, none of those were the top ranked video being introduced on TV. That spot belonged to another: Leaked complaints from the cast of July Betrayers? What is the truth of this mysterious behind-the-scenes footage seemingly shot on a smartphone!? Silence followed. This was obviously a guerilla campaign set to match the month-delayed Japanese release, but it was played with a loud fanfare. If it was really shot on a hidden camera, it was unlikely the sick looking bearded star would be looking right at the camera. And the source listed in the corner of the screen simply gave the movies distribution company. If this was actually accepted as an amusing leaked video, the producer would probably be fired. Finally, the girls spoke to each other. This world really has gone crazy. Either that or the world is at peace. Facts: *Shiroyama Kyousuke has maintained his contract with Olivia Highland. Now that the Queen has been successfully killed, he is traveling around the world crushing Queen worshiping groups and organizations to keep the chaos to a minimum. *The world is in conflict over whether to side with the White Queen or the Colorless Little Girl. More than just a turning point, a fair number of groups are starting irregular ceremonies other than the Blood-Sign method in an attempt to bring back the White Queen. *After so many battles in quick succession, even Shiroyama Kyousuke is exhausted. *After losing a large amount of money she uses to function in the underworld, Lu Niang Lan has completely rotted away. *The white liger has mastered the path of the samurai. She is a true warrior who can remain calm even when two innocent swimsuit girls mercilessly scrub her entire body. Volume 8, Opening X-02 - Window-Shattering Youth Volume 8, Opening X-02: Window-Shattering Youth Olivia? Why are you backing away so quickly? Hey! Onii-chan, you wouldnt understand since youre a freak who only has standards when it comes to cereal! (Opening X-02 Open 08/03 17:05) Window-Shattering Youth Now let us move back in time a bit to see why Shiroyama Kyousuke was tired. It was past 5 in the Northern Australian city of Iron Range. Pant, pant!! A middle-aged man named Leonardo Pounds was soaked in sweat despite the offices nice air-conditioning. He gasped for breath as he knocked over a thick bookcase. The safe on the wall behind it used a dial. Everything tended to be digital in modern times, but that man knew from experience that you could only trust the products of craftsmen when it really mattered. He turned the old-fashioned dial, opened the thick door, and pulled out a duralumin case. It was essentially the same as a disaster bag for earthquakes. However, he had prepared it for manmade disasters on the level of wars, so it contained a fake passport, a list of foreign bank accounts, cash in multiple currencies for bribing policemen in a pinch, a notebook full of secret contact points that would connect him to people who dealt in less-than-legal goods and services, a ring of keys for hideouts around the world, a cellphone and laptop modified to be untraceable, an assortment of white powders he could not admit to owning, a plastic handgun and cartridges that would slip past a metal detector, etc., etc. The fact that Leonardo had all this prepared should tell you what kind of disaster he was prepping for and what kind of world he lived in. Anyone who assumed he was with one of Illegals criminal organizations was someone with a kind and honest heart. He was actually part of a new organization that belonged to Government, the world police. That might be understandable if you had done some thorough research into the state of monasteries in the middle ages. But that leads only to regret, so it is not recommended. Instead of a phone, the middle-aged man shouted into a radio that was reinforced with encryption. Kevin!! Gather a few sets of disposable summoners and get them out there to slow the enemy down. Im going to release the final lock, activate the gas, and escape. I need time, not money, so buy me that time even if it means spending some lives!! The framed symbol of their cult tilted and fell to the floor with the sound of shattering glass, but the middle-aged man paid it no heed. That was no more than some scribblings made by an advertising agencys designer to include a few colors, shapes, and symbols that would capture the human heart. Leonardo had no religious faith whatsoever. He had come to understand the simple fact that a flea market could be used to create a religion. What people wanted or no longer wanted revealed their individual desires and anxieties. It was like a guidebook to what someone would have to whisper to them to make them think it was a miracle. He had led them to believe in god. He had led them to hand over all of their possessions. He had led them to continue following his teachings even if he died. (I would have had heaven on earth if Id managed to cross the final line and taught them I could save the world if I had sex with all the young women, so why the hell did it have to fall apart now!?) In truth, Leonardo himself was not as charismatic as he claimed. It might have been amusing if this had been a planned collapse. But frequent appearances of the White Queen (even if normal people could not retain any proper memories or awareness of her) had gathered anxiety and popularity as two sides of the same coin. And when word arrived that the Queen had been killed, something had exploded. It had crossed a line. The entire officeno, the entire headquarters shook violently. The middle-aged mans shoulder slammed into the wall and he endured the pain as he threw open the door with the duralumin case still in his arms. Outside the door was a complex labyrinth made of sturdy steel. He heard pounding footsteps as the obedient summoners and vessels made their way outside. As evidenced by how he naturally held his breath, Leonardo did not want to be found by his own elites any more than by the enemy. He had no intention of staying here. He would let those hard workers form the suicide squad while he made a quick escape. There were some young women in the cult with breasts and butts he so badly wanted to claim as his own, but he unfortunately had to abandon them here. Since he had used the form of a religion instead of a corporation or a bloodline, he could never show any weakness. No matter how attractive those breasts and butts were, if he took them with him during this desperate situation, they could awaken from their dream at any time. And he would really prefer to not have them stab him. Luckily, he had proven that his methodology worked. He had memorized the process. If he swallowed his tears here, said goodbye to those breasts and butts, and escaped to a new life, he could rebuild a community from scratch and gain peace of mind. (I cant have any damage from my past when I do that. I need to blow it all up and leave no trace behind. Im getting a fresh start, so it has to truly be from nothing. I dont want any debt. If I dont start a new self from scratch, Ill just be tripping myself up.) The turbine that provided thrust was exposed on the surface, but the engine room that contained the key to blowing it up was deep inside. And it was not set up for remote control. His own demands were getting in his way. And since he was a terrible person, he clicked his tongue like it was someone elses fault. He slid past the thick metal door and into the engine room that was full of thick pipes and machines that looked like metal guts. He removed a panel that used four different types of screws, none of which were a normal Phillips head or flat head, inserted the analog key, and typed in a 16-digit code. After seeing the green light turn red, he removed the key with a satisfied look. Unlike in a movie or drama, there was no obvious digital countdown. For one thing, no one but Leonardo needed to know about the countdown. The believers who had stayed behind because of their faith in him could continue doing their duty without a doubt in their mind until it all blew up around them. When the time came, a flammable gas made by vaporizing fuel would spray from all of the sprinklers and all trace of every person and thing here would be erased in one giant fireworks show. Instead of setting up small explosives all around the structure, the plan was to turn the entire space into a giant bomb. Thus, it was impossible for anything to survive. Kevin, Ive finished! Im on my way to the heliport, so get the engine warmed up so we can leave right away!! Another rumbling and tremor shook the world. He staggered but managed to regain his balance, left the engine room, avoided the pounding footsteps of his allies, and ran up a narrow metal stairway. He tackled open the metal door leading outside. He found the clear blue sky and sunshine of Australia. A vortex of heat pushed in at him. Even if the Southern Hemispheres seasons were opposite of the Northern Hemisphere, this harbor city was closer to the equator than Hawaii or Guam. But the middle-aged man did not see the rooftop of a high-rise building in front of him. This was an extraordinarily large aircushion ship that measured more than 200m long. A large balloon was opened below and the power of air was used to keep the giant ship moving across land or sea. The heliport on the deck was Leonardo Poundss goal. Pant, pant He gasped for breath, but also looked away from his obvious goal. He could not help but look. Hell on earth lay before him. He saw the magic king of Norse mythology whose name begins with an O and who offered up one eye at a spring. He saw the trident king of Greek mythology whose name begins with a P and who rules the sea. He saw the light king of Celtic mythology whose name begins with an L and who excels at using projectiles. He saw the black king of Slavic mythology whose name begins with a C and who rules over death and the underworld. Outside the aircushion ship, several beings had appeared on the concrete of the 2nd dock in Iron Ranges commerce area. They were all Divine-class and they were Materials who held dreadful power at the center of their respective mythologies. Viewed from a different perspective, they could be seen as a treasure trove of material on what Leonardo should make people think of when he used his tricks. But that was not the center of the hell he saw. They were cut down, crushed, broken, or suppressed. The Blood-Sign Summoning Ceremony had changed everything. He knew that, but how many people would believe that a single individual could do all this? Unexplored-class. Cost: 20. Sound Range: Low. The Red-Eyed Lady who Sees Through All Sin and Calamity (f a - a o - a b - e i - f j - c i b - b - d u - a - e i f). She looked a lot like a female Oni of Eastern folklore. Her long, beautiful hair and the two horns protruding from her forehead gave her an oriental charm. She wore a red kimono and innerwear resembling a one-piece swimsuit. Countless gears of varying sizes fit together behind her and they guided her hair to different parts of the world like a loom. The middle-aged man placed his sexual desire at top priority when making any decision, but the divinity inside her left even him hesitant to make her a target of lust. Not only could she prophesy all things to always make an accurate attack, but if she merely opened her closed eyes, it was said she would forcibly determine the targets fate. Even the gods of legend would fail to see their fate and be swallowed up before they could dodge. Faced with one of the Unexplored-class Materials known as the Three, even gods of death and war could not make use of their powers. There he is But it was not even the Red Lady that made the middle-aged man gulp when he saw them. He was looking at the boy who stood by her side. That veteran summoner was calm and composed as he controlled one of the Three. I had a feeling you would show up, Queen Executioner!! Even at such a great distance, he could tell something the instant their eyes met: the owner of those rusty eyes was a true berserker. He would show no mercy whatsoever. He was not just a wild beast or a faceless unmanned weapon. He felt like an incarnation of ruthlessness itself. Leonardo Pounds lost what calm he had previously felt. He ran across the aircushion ships deck and threw aside the duralumin case that was weighing him down. That was his valuable social lifeline for after he escaped, but his instincts were screaming that this was not the time to worry about what happened after he escaped. It was all for naught if he was killed before he escaped. Pant, pant, pant!! (Dammit. What was all that nonsense about the White Queen being the strongest of the strongest? Its all meaningless if she gets herself killed. I have to redo everything and build up the symbols from the ground up. Dammit, dammit, dammit. What am I supposed to do? Its all fading away. My life of debauchery is fading away. What do I do now? And I had finally completed the ultimate method of safely abducting women. Oh, its no use. I cant think. I just want to have sex so bad!!) Luckily, that frighteningly effective summoner had yet to board the aircushion ship. The vanguard was obediently fighting on the harbor where it was docked. Artificial Sacred Grounds were powerful, but they also anchored the summoner and vessel in place. It was all over if that boy made it here, but Leonardo could still escape. He was almost to the helicopter that was waiting with the main rotor turning. He made it in time. Perhaps because he was freed from so much tension, the dam in his head broke even though he had not sniffed anything yet today. After taking a step into divine territory while sober, psychedelic colors danced wildly in his brain. (Yes, this is my chance. The White Queen has lost, but I can use this. I can say the new strongest of the strongest will reside in any woman who has sex with me. Yes, thats it!! This will work. Im still winning. Hardship only makes you stronger. Once I get the details worked out, I can start spreading these new teachings. And I can make up for being forced to wait by having sex, sex, sex, and more sex!! Ah, it just hit me. I can hire a famous songwriter and make a sex festival dance. Yahoo, yahoo, sex, sex! Ah ha ha! God, Im so hard just thinking about it! Im still the best and Im still unbeatable!!!!!) Bwah!! The middle-aged man rushed toward the helicopter and naturally made for the rear door for passengers. He was having trouble breathing but managed to raise his voice. Sorry about the wait, Kevin! The great Leonardo is here! Ill praise you for holding back and not going off early. Ill never call you a quick shot again. Okay, now get flying!! Its time for that sweet release after holding back for so, so, so long! We can redo this together. To start with, lets set our sights on a pool crammed full of naked women. Like the worlds most wonderful rush-hour train car! Screw this up and its back to Chicagos back alleys for the both of us! You dont want to go back to dressing up like a woman to lure people in for me to threaten with a gun, do you!? Then get working!! But there was no response. Does he want some kind of reward? wondered the middle-aged man with a frown, but that was not the case. With a horribly sticky sound, the lump of flesh sitting in the pilots seat crumpled to the side. What in the world had happened? The convulsing figures face was so badly covered in red and black that it was unclear where the eyes, nose, or mouth were. Eh? Ah? Leonardo did not even feel the proper sense of danger. He was simply confused. (Who did this to Kevin? Him? The Queen Executioner? No, he still wasnt on the ship last I saw him. He couldnt have gotten here so soon. An ambush? No, this is bad. These depressions look a lot like a Blood-Sign tip. Was he jabbed with that flat tip? This is bad, bad, bad!! This isnt even about the Summoning Ceremony anymore!!!) More than the clear threat approaching him, he wanted to avoid breathing the same air as that disturbing mass of flesh and blood. Leonardo Pounds had used flea markets to design a cult, but it was an extremely primitive sense of disgust that bound his soul right now. And that was why he misjudged the threat. Just as he reached for the door to leave the helicopter, something broke through the helicopters even-thicker glass like it was thin paper. An object with flat tip mercilessly approached his face: a Blood-Sign. The fact that it would not kill him instantly like a spear actually made it an even more ruthless attack, but did the middle-aged man even manage to see it before it hit? The first attack crushed the bridge of his nose. He rolled the other way as if torn from the door he had grabbed at, he hit his back, and then the second attack arrived. He shook his head in protest, so his right cheekbone was broken from a blow powerful enough to knock him out the other door where his girth fell onto the heliport. Bwah, bghee!? While collapsed and curled up, he reached for his own face and trembled in his heart when he found it had been horribly misshapen. His chin had been shifted to the side so that his top teeth and bottom teeth no longer fit together. Was he lucky or unlucky that there was no mirror here? His mind returned to the image of Kevins red and black face as he convulsed in the pilots chair. The attacker - the Queen Executioner - showed no mercy. He would process Leonardo as if preparing to cook him. The middle-aged mans entire body shook when he heard some footsteps that should not have been here. Something was circling around toward him. (A-are you kidding me?) There was something there. There was definitely something there. Leonardo had poured his all into studying the Blood-Sign method for the inappropriate purposes of using that paranormal system to satisfy his own desires, but he could not explain how this threat had arrived at the heliport. (Did he release the Artificial Sacred Ground that pins the summoner and vessel to the ground like a powerful anchor? But that would mean giving up his Unexplored-class and finding himself surrounded by Divine-classes without his protective circle. Did he ignore all of that and make it here!?) The threat was well past anything he could calculate by this point. He felt the pure terror of facing a formless ghost, like a young child fearfully peering into the darkness. Ah, abh. Abfhh He knew nothing about them, but they knew everything about him. They really were a ghost. The bloody middle-aged man was certain they knew he had planned to take advantage of the White Queens defeat to start a new cult and that he would try to prey on all the young women he wanted when he did so. He heard something slowly swishing through the air. It was the sound of someone casually spinning a long, long Repliglass stick. Just for now, that boys Blood-Sign was not a divine-yet-blasphemous ceremonial tool. It was no more than a ruthless tool for processing a human body by primitively crushing the flesh and smashing the bones. There was no room for otherworldly beings to intervene. The middle-aged man lay on the heliport in a daze. Simply in a daze. He moved his trembling head to look up at the ghost whose back was to the sun. And that berserker with rusted eyes spoke. I went to the trouble of defeating the strongest, so dont go around twisting everything yourselves now He was Freedom Award 903, Alice (with) Rabbit. And his icy voice seemed to reject the entire path he had built up to this point. Keep it up and Ill kill you, you godd*mn cultist. The Queen Executioner produced a new form of art. The heliport looked like an entire can of toxic paint had been dumped on it to form a red crescent moon. At one end, a middle-aged man convulsed with his face against the deck and his butt sticking up, but the rusty-eyed boy in a red and black hoodie and track suit pants did not even glance in his direction. Half of the worlds conflict was related to the White Queen and Shiroyama Kyousuke had helped cause that. He wanted to resolve what problems he could, but they just kept growing more and more twisted. He knew the feeling was unreasonable, but it was starting to piss him off. Some small footsteps approached that annoyed grim reaper who rested a Blood-Sign on his shoulder. Onii-chaaaan. It was Olivia Highland. That girl had entered into a contract as Kyousukes vessel. She wore something like a metal bag carried by a thick chain draped diagonally across her body. It was actually a giant padlock that psychologically bound her as a vessel. It jangled as she clung to the blood-splattered boy without hesitation. Im kind of tired, she said. It seems a self-destruct device was activated, so we should get away from the ship. I have no problem with the cults mobile base blowing up, so theres no real reason to deactivate it. Arent there still people onboard? Dont worry. If we tie up their battered leader and drag him behind a car, theyll follow. Hmm, said Olivia like she did not really care. She may have had no interest in the fate of some strange old man. More importantly, were in Australia, so lets get something to eat, Onii-chan! Since this bloody scene did nothing to dampen her hunger, you could say Olivia was a true vessel. Thats fine, but are there any famous Australian dishes? Like something you can only eat here? Hm? Beef maybe??? Thats an ingredient, not a dish. Even now, bursting sounds were ringing out in the distance. With Olivia still clinging to his waist, Kyousuke swung his Blood-Sign like a baseball bat to hit the bolts and nuts he scooped up from the floor. Before the summoners and vessels in the harbor could plot a comeback, he sniped them one after another to knock them unconscious. While continuing to unilaterally hit them with his 1000 fungoes from hell, Kyousuke held his smartphone in his other hand and viewed a blog by a housewife who used a form of English distinct from that of England or America. Lets see. With more than 80% of its territory taken up by a vast desert, Australia is known for its insect dishes that combine aboriginal knowledge with cutting-edge nutritional science. Eh? Worms, caterpillars, and ants are favored because they are nonvenomous, have no strong flavor, and reproduce easily. Eating bugs has gathered the attention of the wealthy the world over as a next generation source of protein needed to survive an age of famine brought on by global warming and overpopulation, but roach cakes made from the giant burrowing cockroach (known to be the largest in the world) can be easily made by anyone with a blender and an oven. It is a unique AustralianOlivia? Why are you backing away so quickly? Hey! Onii-chan, you wouldnt understand since youre a freak who only has standards when it comes to cereal! While enjoying himself like that, Kyousuke continued sniping the cults elites from a distance before they could throw a new Incense Grenade. Then he saw the top trending online news listed outside of the blog article: The Toy Dream Company is supposed to spread hopes and dreams around the world, but have they posted a pro-war video? Has a Silver Resource War between America and the East Europe Axis finally begun? The suspicious Missing Princess, that mobile VFX studio made from a remodeled cruise ship, is scheduled to stop at Toy Dream 35 soon. Shiroyama Kyousuke sighed. There were a few different methods for choosing online advertisements, but this seemed to be based on search rankings. Vertical and horizontal banners were set up to guide you to a dedicated page on a video sharing site. No. At this point, one had to question whether the search rankings were even accurate. Without even mentioning DDoS attacks, there were plenty of techniques for sending in a ton of access data to increase a visitor counter or number of viewers. Still. This was far greater than a small cult. It was the United States, the worlds greatest superpower. Even something on that level was distorted, bent, and twisted. It might not be as direct, but not even defeating the Queen had freed the people of the world. In fact, they were unable to accept that she had lost, so chaos and panic were spreading. For better or for worse, a powerful force had been drawing the 7 billion people on the planet toward a single point, but now they were beginning to separate once more. An age of chaos had begun. This was likely another part of that. The Toy Dream Company itself was a normal international corporation that did not belong to Government, Illegal, or Freedom, but it had gathered items and documents related to mysteries around the world in search of subjects for their childrens books. It was entirely possible that they had unknowingly come into contact with information related to the White Queen. So it was also possible that her death or defeat had knocked something out of order. Olivia. Never mind, never mind. Im not hungry at all! Im just fine with a burger you could find anywhere in the world!! A-a consistent flavor is just the best, isnt it!? Isnt it!? Thats perfect then. Were going to Japan next. What? Our target is the worlds largest VFX studio thats docking at Toy Dream 35 as a ship. I wont let them guide us toward war by shifting public opinion like a seesaw. Lets find out just what Toy Dream is up to. Olivias mouth flapped wordlessly. And when she saw the seriousness in Kyousukes eyes, she just about grew tearful and her throat trembled. I dont want to!! How many countries do you think weve visited today alone? I dont care if its in a tent or a car! I just want to get some sleep!! A civilian Repliglass supersonic plane takes two hours, so you can rest on the way there. Facts: *The White Queen and the Colorless Little Girl tend to gather the most attention, but the rest of the Unexplored-class also boast extraordinary power. The Divine-class can be explained using existing mythologies and religions, so they do not stand a chance. *The Artificial Sacred Ground remains in place until the battle is over or the 10-minute limit has been reached, so Kyousuke must have swiftly defeated the enemies before his eyes and canceled the Artificial Sacred Ground without using his Chain. *Shiroyama Kyousuke used an unthinkable path to take a shortcut from the dock to the aircushion boats dock. He likely used his Blood-Sign like he was pole vaulting, but the details are unknown. *The White Queens defeat is known around the world. The end of her undefeated legacy has caused all sorts of chaos in both the surface and hidden worlds. *One side effect of the Queens execution is the rise of talk about a Silver Resource War between America and the East Europe Axis. *The Toy Dream Company specializes in making movies out of childrens books and fairy tales using their own unique interpretations and they spread hopes and dreams around the world, but they have begun showing approval toward the aforementioned war. That should be enough to see how deep the worlds chaos runs. Volume 8, Stage 01 - Welcome to the Media Celebrity Life Volume 8, Stage 01: Welcome to the Media Celebrity Life What should we do, Onii-chan? We break our way through and run away. (Stage 01 Open 08/04 09:00) Welcome to the Media Celebrity Life This Chinese rice porridge is so good. This abalone rice porridge is so good. The restaurants in C Blocks Chinatown were not yet open, but Shiroyama Kyousuke and Olivia Highland had still met someone there. While serving them a breakfast that looked simple but was actually a lot of trouble to make, Lu Niang Lan sighed in her red modified China dress. She ran a secondhand store, so she had used an acquaintances supplies instead of her own. She began speaking while finding the cicada cries to be far too loud already. Kyousuke-chan, youve been acting very wild lately. Is this a rebellious phase? Lu-san, I had hoped to get this information out of you yesterday, but my entire schedule has been thrown off because you were collapsed in Aikas bath. Eh heh heh. Dont you dare talk about that when you caused the wild global financial fluctuation people have started calling Black August. Do I need to give you a firsthand lesson in how my hidden weapons work? Eh heh heh heh heh Lu Niang Lan hung her head and let out some endless dark laughter, but stocks and the like were none of Kyousukes concern. But as a capable young woman, she continued smoothly working at preparing the tea. Kyousuke added some chopped pickled vegetables to accent the flavor of his fish stock rice porridge. Ive already transferred the money to your account, so give me my moneys worth of information, he said. Yknow, thats a drop in the bucket compared to the losses the entire organization hassigh, never mind. I guess I just have to work through my jobs one at a time. Yes, chaos is an opportunity for my line of work. You cant let this beat you, Lu Niang Lan. I can still ride this wave. With that, she pulled a small notepad from her cleavage. Her shoulders were not quite at the same height, so she must have been crossing her long legs below the table. That was all it was, but it increased her relaxed allure. When taking a selfie, the slightest difference in angle could have a great effect on the impression people got from your face. Her behavior as an assassin had so permeated her body that she would make herself look nice without even meaning to. First of all, lets talk about the Silver Resource War. Its an impressive-sounding name, but it doesnt actually exist, does it? Theres a reason it was given that kind of name. Its a war that is about to happen because a Euro lobbyist group has been pestering the US Congress about making it happen. So they couldnt afford to give it a negative image. The resource war part doesnt give it a negative image? It didnt have that name originally. The modified China dress beauty breathed a sigh of exasperation and brushed her long black hair off of her cheek. It began with the Global Sharing movement. Materials would be taken from resource countries and combined with the energy-efficient tech of developed countries to extract energy as efficiently as possible. It was the ultimate version of a win-win situation where everyone was happy. Olivia looked troubled by this. Am I behind the times? Because Ive never heard of that. You shouldnt have. The instant it was announced at a press conference, it was criticized as a global colonization plan, so the name was erased from the White Houses website less than half a day later. They wanted to make sure no one ever heard of it again. So did the government go crying to Toy Dream next? Its only been two weeks since the Queen was killed, so the world works fast, doesnt it? A soft clunk rang out. Lu Niang Lan had taken advantage of the table blocking their view to remove her shoes. The modified China dress beauty breathed a relaxed and sweet breath. The Silver Resource War is a negative campaign name it was given during the online criticism. Silver refers to the perpetual snow in the beautiful mountains of Eastern Europe. But Toy Dream did not bother to get rid of that name. They knew that wouldnt be possible, so they instead prominently worked it into their promotional video and twisted the already established name to mean something else. You mean like how incredible can be used to mean incredibly bad or incredibly good? More or less. Its kind of frightening. The Silver Resource War name was spread as a way to protest war, but when ignorant people look online now, it instead looks like all the search results for the term are people approving of war. And people had a weakness to the majority. If everyone was saying something, it had to be true, right? Everyone had been drawn in by some obvious numbers before, like the long line at a ramen shop or the top ranked item on a review site. Back up a moment, said Kyousuke. Yes? This was simply announced by America and named onlineso the war hasnt actually happened, right? He frowned even as he said it. This was where the biggest distortion was found. The East Europe Axis has been named as an obvious enemy of America in all this, but no one actually knows what counties that label applies to. Basically, any country or region that America attacks will have that label slapped onto them, making them an incarnation of evil. Thats completely backwards. Even the witch hunts followed a more sensible procedure than this. Well, normal people only have the polices word to go on that the terrorist the police shot was really a terrorist. The beautiful woman serving them breakfast was a high-ranking member of Illegal who sought freedom outside the protection of a large country or religion and were constantly the target of unwarranted criticism. She was likely familiar with that sort of treatment as a normal part of her reality. And while he thought about this, Kyousukes shoulders rose slightly. Below the table, a soft sensation had wrapped around his right shin. He looked up to see a smile on Lu Niang Lans lips. Where no one could see, she had started teasing him with the bottom of her feet with only black stockings on them. How could she even do that with the two feet meant for bipedal walking? It felt like having a giant tongue licking up his leg. Hee hee. Kyousuke-chan, theres no need to give me that look. Lu-san If you hadnt made us breakfast, I might have hit you for being this rude. Eh heh heh heh heh. I like being in control, so it pisses me off when you start feeling sorry for me. Get too gloomy and I have to reclaim my spot on top Hm? What are you two talking about? Olivia tilted her head while focused on scooping up Chinese rice porridge with her spoon. The modified China dress beauty maintained her smile while resting her elbows on the table, refused to explain, and simply returned to the original topic. The excuse seems to be that they want to prevent the East Europe Axis from destroying the valuable crystalline underground resources with soil improvements being made by dumping in all sorts of chemical fertilizers made from the shells of an older war. Although the photos released online are clearly fake, so I dont believe it for a second. Lu Niang Lan said nothing about the secret battle below the table and toyed with her long black hair with a calm expression on her face. The focus this time is on a silicon mine newly discovered in a giant Eastern European mountain range. Silicon is the base material of Repliglass, but the rare silicon found there contains impurities as rare as colored diamonds, so they can be used for things very different from the normal variety. This is not something that can be reproduced in the artificial minerals made in modern labs. Meaning? There are new types of Repliglass that can only be made with that rare silicon. Think of it as a modern version of the old conflicts over rare earths. Olivia had stopped moving ever since a giant Eastern European mountain range was mentioned. Yes, her Kingdom F was located deep in the mountains of Eastern Europe. The modified China dress beautys teasing below the table also briefly stopped. Kyousuke slowly sighed. So theyre fighting over the right to develop special new kinds of Repliglass? Just to be clear, Kyousuke-chan, you opened the door to this. The modified China dress beauty waved a hand. During the execution of the Queen, it was revealed that Houbi Villages Meinokawa Shrine has a lookalike of the White Queen, right? That is a fully artificial method of constantly summoning the Queen with no risk. In a way, that is the greatest hope of humanity according to groups like Azalea Magentarains Guard of Honor. For better or for worse. And this is an unstable period when the White Queens defeat has become widely known. For those who wish to regain stability from the Queens presence, the internal pressure has grown to the breaking point. They would consider backing a war or two if it meant obtaining a perfect doll like that. And before thatoh, honestly. Repliglass itself was originally developed in a failed attempt to create a Queen lookalike. Oh, is that true? So to Quad Motors and the rest of the Americans, this might look like taking an incomplete product and completing it. It was not actually known if they would be able to create another Meinokawa Aoi, the worlds oldest Joruri Method, even if they did conquer those Eastern European mountains and combined those special crystals with Repliglass technology. Azalea was a skilled weapons designer and she was approaching that level by fusing old and new technology, but it was unknown if those in control of this incident could do the same. Lu Niang Lan then seemed to remember something. Come to think of it, what happened to the real Meinokawa Aoi? And I dont mean the replacement you met in Houbi Village. Hm? You mean Granny Aoi? Isnt she hanging around Onii-chans cruiser? Shes looking after the place while were out. She was jumping around on the Western bed since she isnt used to them and she was getting a tan on the deck while fishing in the ocean. Olivia was exactly right. Meinokawa Aoi was an artificial vessel and a perfect lookalike of the Queen. Kyousuke had predicted worshipers around the world would target her once her existence came to light, so he had made sure that did not happen. The best way to protect yourself was not to surround yourself in thick walls; it was to disappear without a trace. Thus, the people thrown into chaos by the Queens execution could not touch Meinokawa Aoi. That meant they would have to create a new one for themselves, but to reiterate, there was no guarantee they would succeed just because they tried. However, some had taken action in the belief that they could do it. That was the problem. You could do it better were the words the devil whispered in the ears of kings throughout history. But when they lacked the skill to achieve that ideal, their actions would transform into oppression and slaughter. And that brings us back to why youve returned to Toy Dream 35, Kyousuke-chan. This is whats going on with the Toy Dream Company. Watching the two eat must have made her hungry because the modified China dress beautys slender fingertips grabbed some pickled vegetables and placed them on her alluring tongue. There has always been a powerful link between Europe and America, so they are eager to protect their close friends from the Silver Resource War in Eastern Europe. No, they hold a lot of sway over Toy Dreams international revived cities, so perhaps its better to say they want to protect their enclaves in Eastern Europe. In Toy Dream 35, the regional finances had been left with a foreign company, so there was an extent to which Japanese law did not apply there. Critical groups called the cities financial and economic colonies or CIA relay bases. So no matter where in the world war breaks out, America can claim they were directly involved and retaliate, said Kyousuke. They dont even need the indirect excuse of protecting an ally. The military does not start the slow process of deploying troops only once the US Congress gives approval. They are already in every part of the world. The Toy Dream cities are scattered around the world like an oversaturated convenience store chain, so they can leave made-in-America products anywhere they want. The instant they have approval, they can begin the attack. Scary, isntnwoh!? ? Olivia frowned at Lu Niang Lans strange cry. The modified China dress beauty bent over a bit and trembled. K-Kyousuke-chan. When intercepting someones foot with your own, the polite thing to do is to remove your shoes. Kicking someone when theyre trying to eat seems like the bigger problem to me. Kyousuke nonchalantly replied after presumably lightly stepping on her stockinged foot when she tried to once more wrap her long legs around his below the table. She really did look half in tears, but she managed to slip her foot out from under his sneaker. B-but unlike Europe, Asia does not approve of this war deep in the mountains. No one knows what the East Europe Axis is and nothing seems real when its happening halfway around the globe, so a lot of influential people are skeptical of the war. That is bad news for those who want to start the war after bringing the entire world onto their side. Lu-san. People used to brag about being able to tie a cherry stem in a knot with their tongue, but I think this is more exciting. Huh? I think I missed something Onii-chan, did you two just change the subject all of a sudden??? The situation under the table was difficult to explain. Since Lu Niang Lan was in fact the Perfect Dragon, her toes inside her black stockings had begun moving the instant he had been slightly distracted and they had untied Kyousukes shoelaces. And then she removed his sneaker in a smooth motion. Kyousuke-chan, I assume you have a feel for that balance of power since you returned here to Japan. Yes. If this was all about Eastern Europe, Kyousuke and Olivia would not be here. They had a different reason for being here. Olivia must have burnt her tongue on the rice porridge because she reached for her drink, but that was warm oolong tea which only made things worse. He patted her head to comfort her and then cut to the heart of the issue. I hear Toy Dream has sent a ship to this city. And theres the left foot too. Yes, the Missing Princess. That name would probably make you-know-who hide under a blanket if she heard it. Anyway, the design is based on the worlds 4th largest cruise ship that can circumnavigate the globe. I believe it could hold 5000 people. That makes it even larger than Azaleas ship. But Toy Dream placed an entire VFX production studio and broadcast station inside it. Theres an old story of an entire village being built in the middle of the desert to film a movie, right? This is kind of like taking that movie village, packing it into the shape of a ship, and letting it travel freely across the seven seas. If it also contained enough entertainment facilities for 5000 people, it would be even larger than a high-rise resort hotel floating in the ocean on its side. Even nuclear aircraft carriers were quite cramped on the inside. If they were designed to be roomy, their size would balloon out endlessly. They had a few reasons for turning their big moneymaker into a mobile base. For example, the simple fear of being attacked and the ability to visit the location that inspired each new film to produce the VFX while viewing live material. There are also rumors that they use it to send powerful broadcast signals into dictatorships where normal broadcast signals cant reach. Then I guess it must be strictly guarded. Theyve brought it to Toy Dream 35 to show off just how open it is, so simply getting on the ship wouldnt be difficult. Were they calling it a Cruise Fest? Anyway, theyre giving tours of the inside for a summer break campaign. With the way thats going, I imagine this countrys TV stations will follow suit and turn themselves into makeshift theme parks. Of course, the festival is only on the surface and you wont be able to get deep inside. Lu Niang Lan fell silent for a moment there. And then her alluring lips resumed moving. The Toy Dream Company is an important part of the world economy as a whole, so an escort fleet joins the Missing Princess as it travels to different UN countries. But it seems our industry has recently started to focus on that. You mean there might be summoners and vessels there? Using our Illegal logic, sending troops to a rich residence would suggest connections to an underworld family or gangbut Im not so sure when it comes to Toy Dream. I would normally doubt that ultra-powerful corporation has any links to the underworld, but this is an unstable time. This was an age of chaos where the people who were supported by a powerful attraction (even if that attraction had been a negative thing) had scattered once more. To put it another way, this may not have happened if not for what Shiroyama Kyousuke had done. If the White Queen still reigned as the strongest, this may have been resolved without issue. Kyousuke and Lu Niang Lan fell silent for a while. Only Olivia continued innocently eating. So someone wants to start a war badly enough to create a fictional category known as the East Europe Axis and they are pushing Toy Dream to action, said Kyousuke. All so they can spread support of the war around the world and prevent anyone from speaking out against it. If the vote in the US Congress passes, the most powerful player in the surface world will take action. Once the gears of war begin to turn, no one can stop them. What I dont know is how many professionals being manipulated by the White Queen or the Colorless Little Girl are involved or where they are involved. What do you know about Toy Dreams war promotion video? It uses the same format of ultra-high-quality CG as their movie versions of childrens books and cartoons. You know those foreign 3D childrens movies thatmove in a squishy way like clay? They combined those with a few actors and some live-action footage. The internal development codename was Blue Film. Blue Oh, Kyousuke-chan? You know what that term originally meant? Lu Niang Lan gave a bewitching laugh and placed her stockinged foot on top of his foot below the table. She then moved her toes as if tickling him. Meanwhile, Olivia Highland was confused by it all. Blue Film might sound cool, but the term actually referred to a cheap movie that used obscene content as a selling point. Hey, Onii-chan, what does that mean? Yes, thats a good question. But Kyousuke-chan knows everything, so Im sure hell give you a nice, thorough explanation. Lu-san. Dont blame me for what happens if you dont stop this. Oh? Are you still holding back because of my stockings? Or was that a declaration of war saying youll be tearing my stockings so you can see my bare legs? Kyousuke gave a troubled look and Lu Niang Lan smiled as a further secret battle was fought below the table. Giving that name to a video meant to influence public opinion about a war hinted at just how Toy Dream viewed this agitation video. It clearly did not come from a desire for justice or patriotism. The official announcement for Blue Film says they plan to release a total of 4 episodes and the first episode was spread around the world using online video sites and satellite broadcasts yesterday, explained Lu Niang Lan. It depicted a silicon vein blackened by the chemical fertilizer made from old and unusable shells. That has to be fake. And with all the VFX theyre using, theres more than a 98% chance they just fabricated that along with everything else. To understand that, you need a fair amount of film literacy and an unwavering heart even when faced with the majority numbers. At 10 minutes an episode, the whole thing will be less than an hour. That is all it takes to complete the installation and tear down human history. The modified China dress beauty traced her slender fingertip across her own lips. The current public opinion is only 40% in favor of the war. But a major think tanks predictions say the 2nd episode will bring it to 50%, and the 3rd to 60%. And once they have artificially brought the level of data to the point of supersaturation, the final 4th episode will decisively tilt the world toward approval of the war. Oh, but the episodes are broadcast in Asia early, so the actual limit might be sooner than that. I dont care what the self-styled intellectuals have to say. What do your Illegal instincts tell you? Ive traveled all over the west and the east as an arms dealer and it feels plausible to me. Of course, Im sure America will win in the end no matter what happens, but you can still make money supplying weapons to the losing side. In this case, that would mean a small country that will be declared a part of the East Europe Axis after the fact. Lu Niang Lan calmly ignored all the rules of the world. You can make business deals as long as you make sure to avoid a currency that is about to crash. You need to negotiate for gold, diamonds, or anything else that will retain its value even after the country collapses. And if you keep the scales between the two sides as evenly weighted as possible, the war will drag on and your market remains. Of course, just like with a bubble economy, how much you get involved is something like a game of chicken. If you stick with them to the bitter end, youll end up full of 5.5mm bullets stamped with that made in America label. It was easy for a pacifist to shout from the safety of their living room, but if a criminal group had begun making the financial calculations, the threat posed by the Blue Film was likely very real. It was not that war would break out if someone screwed up. War would break out if things were left as is. The war promotion videos are treated as top secret, so they are produced on the Missing Princess and then transmitted from the large antenna tower on the ship itself. That would be the worlds largest online TV station: TD-ch, or the Toy Dream Channel. There are no third parties involved anywhere along the line, so it was apparently quite a shock for those in the old broadcast industry. The mass media is apparently trying to retaliate by finding some way to nab an internal leak, but you should assume there is essentially zero chance of any advance spoilers. Nweh? But, Lu Onee-chan, doesnt Toy Dream have a bunch of VFX studios besides the one on the ship? I said the 1st episode has already been released, didnt I? 7th generation Toy Dream films put more effort into the background than the characters. Instead of just making them good enough, they do such a thorough job that you could walk around them and enjoy some skateboarding or tennis if you put on some VR goggles. That is only possible with System Atlantis, the Missing Princesss mainframe. Atlantis? Oh, the one that sank into the ocean? Its meant to say they could construct an entire lost continent for a single film if they wanted to. Well, supercomputer names are always way too self-conscience. Hyahhh!? Lu Onee-chan!? Olivia sat up from her seat when she heard that fairly serious scream, but the modified China dress beauty held out a hand to stop her while bent over and doing her best to resist something. Kyousuke gave a triumphant snort. During their secret battle below the table, Lu Niang Lan had gotten carried away and tried used her stockinged toes to remove Kyousukes socks, but she had banged her little toe against the table leg for a self-inflicted KO. Of course, the boy had lured her into doing it. Even if she was the Perfect Dragon, she was still human, so the stun effect of a dresser corner worked on her. She pressed her large breasts against the top of the table, pointed the top of her head his way in something like a bow, and irregularly twitched as she did her best to get her voice out. K-Kyoushukechwan I said not to blame me. Now pull yourself together. At any rate, none of this would end unless they did something about the Missing Princess. Videos would be regularly released like the ringing of a cuckoo clock and the 10-minute episodes of the Blue Film would gradually guide public opinion to work up the entire world population. Once things had been heated up to the point that no one could stop the war, the US Congress would be free to hold their vote and begin the war. Shells and missiles would take flight just because people wanted a lookalike of the White Queen, wanted her by their side, and wanted to protect this unstable age. Kyousuke had thought he would bring peace to the world if he defeated the White Queen, but the flames of war were only spreading. His stomach was not full, but he breathed a heavy sigh. He asked Lu Niang Lan a question now that she had recovered from the pain in her little toe and finally got up from the table. What is the estimated death count if the war does start? Oh? I thought you were the expert at working out those things, Kyousuke-chan. This time, he blatantly clicked his tongue. That summoner worked it out in his head without relying on a supercomputer. About 2.5 million within 48 hours of the war beginning. After 98 hours, it would reach 10 million when indirect damage is included. Kingdom F and the four counties around it would be swept up in the flames of war one after another. Digital wars are scary things, arent they? That is far more people than human beings could kill on their own. Some helpless fools were about to begin an orgy of violence activated by the flip of a switch. Lu Niang Lan winked and made a suggestion. What do you need? Everything I might need to infiltrate and sabotage a ship with the assumption that there is a summoner organization onboard. The blazing sun shined on the Missing Princess, a nearly 450m cruise ship with floats attached to long arms on either side. When viewed from above, the arms would look like three long and narrow sticks lined up in parallel. The extra buoyancy would increase the water resistance and reduce fuel efficiency and it required a unique design for the gangway to disembark, but they stabilized the ships balance. Even if a submerged torpedo or an anti-ship missile skimming just above the surface blew a giant hole in the hull, the floats would prevent the ship from sinking. The ship had five levels for a total height of more than 30 meters. The higher the center of gravity, the worse the ships balance and the greater the risk of capsizing or sinking. That would be why they had floats on either side to increase stability, but that would normally not be an option since a ships diesel engine cost more than 7 million yen a day to run. At this size, it probably could not use the Panama Canal, so it would have to take a large detour when circumnavigating the globe. But there was a trick to that. First of all, this was not a normal ship. That thing has a nuclear engine. And while Im sure they need all the power they can get to support a cutting-edge VFX studio that will spend 30 billion yen on a single film, theyre pretty brazenly breaking the Three Non-Nuclear Principles here. It was frightening, but history had proven that - West or East - nuclear weapon states did not view nuclear power as a threat. Even though that was not something that should be left up to an individual countrys sensibilities. The foreign Toy Dream Company had bought the entire regional administration for the international revived city, so the normal laws did not apply. At times like this, they almost seemed to be gloating. The Missing Princess itself was famous, so simple diagrams could be found in plenty of pamphlets and guidebooks. Lu Niang Lan had dug a bit deeper and found the CAD data used to design it, but that only got them so far. The authorized personnel only zones were blanked out, so they would have to investigate those for themselves. Everyone knew of it, but no one knew anything about the deeper areas. The Missing Princesss mystique was similar to that of important facilities like the White House. Kyousuke performed a final check of their equipment and spoke to his little partner. Cmon, Olivia. Lets get started. Okay. After crouching down on the wharf and giving a glass pellet to a small sea anemone while pushing on the bottom of Kyousukes Repliglass Blood-Sign, the double blonde braid girl turned around. The Blood-Sign had apparently won the fight over the bait. Olivia immediately jumped toward Kyousuke and he retrieved the long stick from her. Phosphorous quickly coiled around and took the shape of a waitresss tray. Olivia was not dressed in her usual school swimsuit dress. She was wearing a skintight diving suit that showed off every curve of her juvenile bodylines. Im a ninja, Im a ninja. Youve gotta be dressed like this for a stealth operation. Yes, yes. Okay, lets destroy that weird video base and protect everyone in Kingdom F. Kyousuke was similarly dressed in all black and he sat on a vehicle that resembled a bike floating in the ocean. However, the entire thing was covered by a protective cover with a streamlined design that resembled a fighter jets canopy. Once Olivia had climbed in to sit in front of him, which meant in his arms, he pulled down the clear cover. This is a smuggling model that was designed for stealth, so it doesnt have an air conditioner. Take frequent drinks from the water bottle I gave you to keep yourself hydrated. I have cooling sheets on my armpits and inner thighs, so Ill be fine. Uuh, in fact, I might be too cold This might seem silly, but they would be exposed to the August sun in what amounted to a plastic greenhouse with no ventilation or cooling. And if they passed out in there, no one would come to rescue them. Kyousuke felt bad keeping Olivia involved since the Queen execution incident, but he appreciated her skill at controlling Materials. In a different way than with Biondetta, he could work well with a partner who was familiar with how it all worked. But the more someone carried with them, the greater the odds of losing them during the intense fighting. He knew he had to cut his ties with her eventually. Hm? What is it, Onii-chan? Nothing. Kyousuke and Olivia made their way out into the ocean in the kind of small submersible that was primarily used by Illegal to hand off valuable but illicit goods in the dark depths of the ocean. Even at the depth of a meter, being under the water meant a lot. The sun sparkling on the surface completely negated any security that relied on eyesight. It felt like the temperature had rapidly dropped, just like entering the shade of a tree. And after traveling about 2 kilometers Huh? Onii-chan, youre turning off the engine? Shh. When we pass by the escort ships, the flow of the tides is our friend. This kind of small submersible was used by the best of Illegal. Talk of stealth tended to focus on the EM used by radar, but diverting and absorbing the soundwaves of active sonar could also prevent detection. But the same could not be said for passive sonar that simply gathered noises from the ocean. Avoiding any and all noise when sneaking in was the most basic of ideas that even a kindergartner would understand. Luckily, the Missing Princess itself was a giant mass of noise thanks to its large form and the floats on the sides. Plus, the Cruise Fest was underway. The party event had loud music playing on the deck, a host was speaking into a microphone, and fireworks were going off. Once Kyousuke and Olivia made their way far enough inside the Missing Princesss defenses, they had already won. The escort ships would have sampled the acoustic signature made by the Missing Princesss propellers, but the other noises were too loud for that to be any use. They could restart the submersibles engine and have it drowned out by the other noises. They were also aided by the Missing Princesss structure. If they surfaced in the gap between the hull and one of the floats on the side, they could leave the submersible there without worrying about the escort ships spotting it. The clear protective cover popped up and the August air actually felt cool. The hastily-prepared smuggling submersible was like a sauna inside. Kyousuke tied the submersible to the side of the float using a synthetic rope. Olivia asked a question while having trouble as the submersible rocked unsteadily. How do we get up on top? Ive heard Japanese ninjas like toads. Do we attach suckers to our hands and feet and climb up the side??? I think you have the wrong idea about ninjas, westerner. Lets do something simpler: humans can do just about anything with a rope. Oh, I know about that! Japanese bondage is an art, isnt it!? Were busy now, but we need to have a talk later, Olivia. After tossing the rope straight up and tangling it around the ships railing, he climbed up while carrying the small girl on his back. It looked simple enough, but climbing a vertical rope was a dangerous technique that could kill even a professional soldier. There were plenty of simple but deadly mistakes that were not featured in movies. And you should not even think about climbing a curved slope that was steeper than vertical with no powered assistance unless you had participated in a special training program for mountain soldiers or an assault team. On his back, Olivia placed her slender chin on his right shoulder, rubbed her cheek against his, and made an innocent comment. Youre like a spider Is there not a Repliglass that can do this? Im sure there is, but we cant carry around a bunch of tools that can only do one thing. While carrying all their equipment and an entire person (albeit a child), Kyousuke took only 15 seconds to climb more than 10 meters. He had combat-level climbing skills rather than sports-level. His speed was impressive, but it was also necessary. With the burden it placed on your arms and legs, you only wanted to climb for a short period of time. Even on a wall, you would search out small footholds and indentations where you could rest in between climbs. Even if the wall was large and vast, it could be heard to search out a route that moved from one rest point to another. Meanwhile, the smooth ships hull had no footholds and sloped outward toward them. There was no hope of taking a rest there. If he could not finish the climb and cross the railing in less than a minute, he would have had to abandon the idea. They climbed up onto the side deck on the far starboard side. A straight passageway continued on and on like a school hallway. Kyousuke untangled the rope from the railing and retrieved it and then he lowered the waterproof zipper on his black diving suit. He removed that to reveal his usual hoodie and track pants. He was not all that sweaty for spending time in the plastic greenhouse of the submersible. That would be thanks to the cooling sheets placed on his major blood vessels at his armpit, neck, and elsewhere, but not sweating when you should was actually a sign of danger. He could not trust this too much. He peeled off the cooling sheets from below his clothes. Olivia, put the diving suit in this bag. The cooling sheets too. Okay. Olivia also began unzipping her skintight diving suit to reveal the short dress made from a school swimsuit and a floral pareo, but Watatahm? Its caught on something? Its your swimsuits shoulder strap. The double blonde braid girl just about opened her swimsuit up from the neck in a tunnel shape that revealed everything below, so Kyousuke quickly stopped her. Olivia did not seem to understand the danger, so she peeled the cooling sheets off of her soft inner thighs while he supported her. Onii-chan, where are we headed first? Just remember the plan. That was all Kyousuke said as he reached for the round knob of one of the waterproof doors lining the wall like in a school hallway. He opened the steel door which had the gaps filled with a rubber seal and the two of them slipped inside. It was a striking change of scenery. They were reminded that the ship doubled as a VFX studio and a broadcast station. It looked like a shiny Wall Street office seen in a foreign drama. There was a short gray carpet and white plastic walls. The rectangular panels lining the ceiling may have been LED lights. Wearing little more than a swimsuit, Olivia pressed her legs together and held herself in her arms. Ohh, this cant be good for my health O-Onii-chan, its like a fridge in here! We need to eat a stamina-building meal today. Eat somen here and the summer heat would get to you. The overly-air-conditioned corridor was lined with numbered doors that had IC card readers for electronic locks. They looked like they led to corporate conference rooms, but this was where a normal cruise ship would have passenger cabins. However, this was also a mass media facility. This door says Sean Bourdon and this one says Marilyn Javer! Th-those are movie stars These must be dressing rooms. They were originally just meant as a place to rest, but theyve been expanded into something like a luxury hotel room. Kyousuke gave that blunt answer while they climbed the stairs. The ship was floating in the ocean, but the dressing rooms alone filled three floors up from the deck. There was enough space for more than 1300 actors. There was also an exit to a heliport on the roof for the popular actors that could not stay for long. Wow, wow Dont forget that stopping the ridiculous war comes first. Besides, Olivia, youre a princess, so you dont need to feel nervous. Hm? Hmm? I dont follow, Onii-chan. Ah, someones coming! They passed by a large man in a navy blue guard uniform, but there was nothing suspicious about them now that they were onboard. That was why they had changed out of their diving suits which looked like full-body tights. Olivia cautiously hid behind Kyousukes back, but kids must have found the man intimidating all the time because he actually smiled gently and waved at her. (Is he a normal Toy Dream employee? One problem here is that we cant tell the normal people apart from the Illegal soldiers. Ill have to make some guesses from how they carry themselves and any eye signals they make.) They climbed another stairway to reach the third floor. The area had been full of blanks in the map they bought from Lu Niang Lan, but the number of columns, layout of lights, vents for the air conditioning and ducts, location of drains and faucets, communication cables, etc. all provided hints. They only had to work out the structure of the ship like restoring a corpses living appearance by adding clay to the skull. I guess this works, said Kyousuke Works for what? They stopped in front of one dark gray door among many. Of course, they would not have needed the submersible if they had made a reservation, but Kyousuke pulled a multi-tool from his hoodies pocket and easily opened the doors electronic lock. Hm? How did you do that with normal tools, Onii-chan? Just hurry inside. Kyousuke opened the door, urged Olivia in, and then slipped inside the cabin himself. As soon as the small double blonde braid girl saw the large queen-sized bed, she dived onto it. Ohh. Its bouncy. Im bouncing. This bed is even better than the one in your room! Too bad Granny Aoi missed out on this. You cant really compare my cruiser with a luxury cruise ship. But anyway. Huh? Why are the bathrooms walls made of glass? Similarly, the entire cabin made no attempt to hide its purpose: the large bed had two pillows, the bathroom was fully visible from outside, the wallpaper and carpet were pink, the lighting was indirect, and there were an awful lot of tissue boxes available. This was commonly known as a leisure room. Kyousuke did not want to think too much about how it was used. Lu-san said some large equipment had been brought in for the video production, so I was guessing they would have reduced the number of people onboard to avoid being overburdened. But it seems this is why there are so many empty rooms Yes, the diagram they had was incomplete! Ehh? But this room looks kind of fun. Ah ha ha! Look, look, all the walls around the bath are mirrors! And there are so many shampoo bottles!! Olivia, I seriously doubt those are shampoo or conditioner, so dont pump any of it into your hand. Nweh? What are these rubber egg things? Theyre softbut I dont think you could scrub your body with them. Waittheres a hole on the bottom? Olivia, put that down. Exasperated, Kyousuke used the previous multi-tool to stick a knife blade into the wallpaper seam. He slid the knife straight down that line and removed a portion of the wall like it was a large panel. He selected the necessary cable from the bundle running vertically through the wall and connected it to the mobile device in his bag. Good, good. Ive got the signal. As I expected, its coming from below. After turning all the knobs and pressing all the panel buttons in the unnecessarily glass-covered bathroom, Olivia grabbed several of the mystery eggs and juggled them as she stuck her head out. Hey, Onii-chan, isnt that the main cable connecting the online broadcast equipment to the broadcast tower on the roof? If you cut that, wont it stop them from releasing the videos needed to start the war? I could, but they would just find another way to release them. I want to get into the studio where theyre producing the 2nd and 3rd episodes and destroy the System Atlantis computer being used to make the Blue Film videos. So Olivia. Yes, yes. I have to change again, right? Olivia left the bathroom, dived onto the large bed, bounced, and rolled over toward him. There were a few large waterproof bags inside the main bag and Kyousuke pulled out one that contained clothing. Once a summoner or vessel earned enough Awards, normal people would forget about them the instant they were out of sight. But when moving through a limited space like this, there was always a risk of running across the same person and having their memories return. There would also be Illegal summoners and vessels here. When a purse-snatcher or mugger was fleeing through the streets, they would often turn a reversible jacket inside-out just after turning a corner to give themselves a different look and lose the police. Wait a second, Olivia. Why are you starting to change right here? But, Onii-chan, it doesnt matter where I do it in this room. The bathroom is surrounded by glass. A-and if its you, I dont mind if you watchwahp!? Wait, what was that for, Onii-chan!? Olivia had a thin bedsheet thrown over her head like a Halloween ghost and Kyousuke quickly changed while she was struggling with it. (The jumpsuit? No, not yet. The tuxedo would probably be best.) He never wore anything like this in everyday life, but a tuxedo was a more informal version of dress clothing. It was only a replacement for a proper tailcoat. A bowtie tuxedo was actually even simpler than a school uniforms blazer. By the time Olivia finally managed to get her head out from below Bedsheet Mountain, Kyousuke was already calmly putting on the black jacket. Ah! I missed the best part. Onii-chan, are you a magical girl? If you have time for that nonsense, get to work. Here, keep that sheet around you like a teru teru bouzu and you can change without anyone seeing. Just like before swimming class. Uuh. Why do I have to look so dumb while I change? Olivia puffed out her cheeks while looking like she was about to get her hair cut and she began rustling around below the sheet. The decorative collar and floral pareo fell to her feet one after another. The sheet was thin enough that her silhouette showed through in a rather risqu fashion. Then the slender girl lifted up one foot to remove the swimsuit. (Oh? I just had the best idea. If I pretend to trip and roll on out, I bet it would surprise Onii-chan. And I cling to him) Olivia. Sensing an ominous atmosphere, Kyousuke gave a warning, so Olivia pouted her small lips and let the dark blue swimsuit fall to her feet. The double blonde braid girl pulled a light champagne-colored dress inside the sheet and rustled around inside some more. There, andoh, really? I cant get the zipper on the back Olivia, your body isnt quite soft enough to be having trouble there. This is none of your business. Honestly, what do you normally do with a bra? I said its none of your business!! Onii-chan, can you zip this up? The one on the back. She pulled the sheet up. She had already put on the light champagne-colored dress, but the back was not zipped up and it had nothing to support it. She used both hands to hold it to her flat chest and turned her white back toward him. The shape of her backbone and her shoulder blades were visible and her milky-white skin was tinged with pink. Uuh, hurry. Is that any way to ask for a favor? I guess you really are a princess deep down. The zipper was as delicate as the silver chain of a necklace and Olivias back shuddered as she endured the ticklish sensation of it zipping up. She even squeezed her eyes shut and let out an odd voice. Nnkh. Olivia? Its nothing. (Your fingertip stroked up my spine, Onii-chan.) Cough, cough. Anyway, just get it over with. He finished zipping it up. After making sure it was fastened, blushing Olivia fully removed the sheet. The skirt spread out below her knees using a pannier that worked much like an umbrella frame and she hopped up and down, perhaps to check on the fit of the chest which was decorated with fancy buttons. Good, good. I can jump around without it slipping or falling off. Im ready to go! Olivia, you changed from a swimsuit into a dress, but I didnt see you grab any underwear. Make sure to put some panties on along with the gloves and stockings. Tch. There goes my trip over nothing plan She reluctantly pulled some underwear out of the bag and put it on. Its a shame we have to leave this room so soon. Oh, whats this? It says take one. I should bring a souvenir back for Granny Aoi. She was like an old lady taking back the complimentary toothbrush or soap. Kyousuke repacked the bare minimum of equipment in a small briefcase and left the large bag in the room. Having changed into dress clothes, Kyousuke and Olivia boldly reentered the ship corridor. Because she was used to seeing them as a royal, Olivia did not even glance over at the maid pushing a cart full of cleaning supplies. Onii-chan, where are we going and how are we going to get there? The signal itself was coming from below. The System Atlantis mainframe is probably in a windowless space at the very bottom of the ship below the waterline, but I just know we would run into a security gate if we took a direct route there. I dont want to cause any trouble just yet, so lets take a detour. What kind of detour? Lets head up for now. The commercial area is full of restaurants and a mall, but they also make late night food for the staff. If we use the small elevator shaft for the food carts, we can reach the bottommost level without passing through the security gates. The commercial area was above the three stories of actor dressing rooms. After climbing more stairs, they found something like a fashionable shopping mall. Both sides of the long corridor were lined with jewelry stores, boutiques, and luxury restaurants, the area overhead was opened up into an atrium, and more small stores could be seen on the higher level. The signs suggested there was also a casino and gym. A clown in heavy makeup and a bunny girl were performing card tricks in the middle of the corridor to gather passersbys attention. Oh, its Gozaru! Olivia gave an excited cry when she saw people dressed up as the Gozaru Samurai and a sheep surfer who was apparently popular in the southern hemisphere. This was a Toy Dream ship after all. Including the dressing rooms, the entire structure was 5 stories above the deck. A normal designer would want to scream at the poor balance of the ship, but that was why it needed the floats attached to arms on either side. Glittering light shined down from above the atrium. It did not come from fluorescent or LED lights. It was sunlight after passing through a thick layer of water. Basically, there was a 200m pool on the roof and the bottom was made of reinforced glass. Olivia gaped up at the strange visual of seeing young men and women swimming overhead in swimsuits. Wow So this is the life of a Toy Dream star on the forefront of the global film industry. When you have that much money, you end up looking kind of silly. Make sure you grow up to be a wonderful administrator with thrifty hobbies, Olivia. Kingdom F will thank you. Hold on. Is that who I think it is? What is it, Onii-chan? No, its fine. Even if it is them, it shouldnt cause any harmI dont think. But are they here for a job or for fun? Regardless, why have those useless twins changed into swimsuits? Hm? Because its summer? They probably had no idea what they looked like here. Shiroyama Kyousuke stared grimly up at the black- and blonde-haired girls doing the breaststroke. They wore what was known as a halter-neck bikini which had the cloth wrap around the neck instead of using straps and they wore a pareo around the waist. The swimsuits were white and the pareos red, but was that to give them shrine maiden colors? Because the swimsuits were not very revealing, waitresses at a seaside restaurant might wear the same thing. That made it easy to forget these were swimsuits, so he felt like he was peeking up miniskirts of normal outfits. Then Olivia lightly kicked his right shin. Cmon, Onii-chan. We have a job to do. Thatsright. We were having a serious discussion here. So what came over me? However, this was not the time to get into an argument over the nature of the world. Lets get down to business. Were using the food cart elevator shaft to reach the bottom level, right? If every restaurant kitchen had a direct path, the ship would be full of holes, so it looks like they gather all the carts in one place and share the same elevator. Thats for late night food, right? So it shouldnt be in use while the sun is in the sky. Normal room service runs all day long, so we need to make sure we arent crushed while moving through the shaft. Oh, but this is such a wasted opportunity. Im finally alone with you, so if only we could take our time window shopping. Olivia, stay by my side. And just as they were saying that, Kyousuke sensed movement and breathing. A large group holding cellphones and mirrorless single lens cameras pushed in from an escalator to their side. They were led by a tour guide who wore a tight skirt and waved a little flag. She used a megaphone that looked like a cross between a trumpet and a handgun to herd them around. Okay, we will now be taking a break while having a buffet-style get-together. You can join the party at any time, but you only have 10 minutes if you want to catch the greeting from Toy Dream President Michelange Toydream, so They were quickly swallowed up by the crowd. Fighting against the current to reach the industrial elevator would only make them stand out. They just barely failed to make it. If Kyousuke had not needed to grab Olivia who was wandering around daydreaming, he could have escaped to the wall without being caught. Ahah ha ha. I guess well just have to go with them. Are you mad, Onii-chan? Kyousuke shut his eyes and breathed a heavy sigh before silently raising his index fingers on either side of his head. He was apparently upset enough to have horns growing from his head. The tour group took the two of them to the very back of the ship. There was a large space there. It had to be around 30m square. It was also made into an atrium to give it two floors worth of height. The walls and ceiling were unnaturally white. It looked extremely sterile, but not because it was a party hall. This was the cutting-edge of Toy Dreams film VFX. Since the entire space was filled with a single color, it had to be the studio used to film the actors before everything else was added in. The party hall was crammed full of people and Kyousuke frowned at the sensation below his feet. It creaked. (I see) Ah, its an all-you-can-eat!! Olivia cried out excitedly and it was cute how she seemed to think it was called all you can eat instead of a buffet. A variety of foods was lined up along the wall and everyone was free to take what they wanted. Since Olivia wore the dress perfectly even at her age, Kyousuke had thought she would be used to fancy parties like this, but it may have been a rare experience when you were a kingdoms princess. She would not be allowed to casually choose whatever food she wanted and pile it onto a plate herself without having a poison tester or anything like that. Food was piled up in front of her like something from the Manchu Han Imperial Feast. That may have attracted a childish part of her because she forgot all about why they were here. She started panting with an imaginary puppy tail wagging full speed behind her. I want to do that! I want to do the all-you-can-eat! Weve gotta do it to blend into the background, Onii-chan! We can just follow the flow of people around the party hall and then leave. Ehh? You dont understand the maiden heart, Onii-chan. Im not a teenage girl, but I know this has nothing to do with being a maiden To Kyousuke, this ship was a target of infiltration and a crime scene. Even if he seemed unbeatable, he wanted to avoid leaving any kind of trace behind, even teeth marks or some saliva. However. Oh, my. Is that Kyousuke and Via over there? They heard a female voice as sweet as honey cooked down until it was burned to the bottom of the pot. It was not that loud, but it pierced through the chatter oddly well. It was a gentle but forceful voice. And double braided Olivias face lit up when she heard it. In a normal home or town, this would not be very remarkable, but given her position, she could not just ignore this. Huh? Its my mom. It was Kingdom Fs Queen Sinceria Highland. Government Award 913, Noble Bride. The unexpected appearance of this high-level vessel caused Kyousuke to press his fists against the sides of his head. With the index fingers sticking out a bit, of course. A seemingly insignificant pebble was causing everything to derail. He could not deny the sense that they were drifting further and further away from his plans. The woman oozed attraction. How attractive was she? There was a legendary story of the secret international meeting held by Government, Illegal, and Freedom in New Yorks UN headquarters having to pause so a VIP from another country could have their secretary tell her to restrain her attraction before it hindered the proceedings. To the ignorant people, she was the mysterious queen who smiled beyond a mystical veil. To those in the know, she was an unbelievably beautiful head of state. She had to have countless servants, but her waist-length wavy blonde hair had not been carefully woven or blow-dried, but that was probably a part of restraining her attraction while on official business. Although having nothing to adorn her may have actually caused her natural glow to shine through even more. Was it supposed to look like snow or ice? Or maybe glass or crystal? Assisted by the shine of her hair and skin which seemed to emit their own light, she wore a long dress colored a refreshing blue reminiscent of mint ice cream. It left her shoulders bare, but it was not very revealing overall. Nevertheless, the proportions pushing the dress out from within seemed like the ultimate form of human beauty. She wore the crown of Kingdom Fs monarch, but it did not look remotely out of place. It was made of glass and an alloy that mixed iron with a few impurities. That design was apparently meant to represent the principle on which the kingdom was built: the glory of the royals must not place any pressure on the livelihoods of their subjects. The glass jewels that represented the kingdoms six regions were supported by the alloy that represented the kingdoms strength. In the end, it was not wearing platinum or giant diamonds that made someone shine. In fact, it was the people who were afraid what people would think who felt the need to artificially increase their value with gold and jewels. A truly beautiful woman would feel no such concern. That was why they could choose whatever they wanted without feeling any restrictions. And when someone who possessed that confidence and attraction wore it, even plastic could shine like the sun. The people who went the sour grapes route and tried to forcibly find a flaw would end up disgraced, so it was said her beauty was enough to silence even the critics. If aliens were writing an encyclopedia entry on earthlings, they might use a photo of her. But that would technically be in error. Kingdom Fs Queen Sinceria Highlands beauty had already partially left the realm of humanity. Going through her facial features, skin, curvy proportions, etc. would leave you with too much to list, but her most unique feature was her ears. They were thin and long like bamboo leaves and they extended outwards. Oh, my, my, my. I didnt see you here earlier, so where did you come from? If you had told me you were here, we could have spent more time together. She was a character from a fairy tale. Her dress was like something from a picture book, yet it looked right at home on her. Boo. You say that, but youre always so busy, mom. I had a good reason to leave you with a wet nurse, but that is an issue for another time. Getting together as a family really is best. That ruler of a kingdom pressed her hands together in front of her large breasts, a shining locket was hanging from her neck and half buried in her cleavage, her ears twitched, and she smiled gently at them. Looking at her now showed a strange aura that seemed to combine an adult allure with a childish innocence. That may have been why everyone let their guard down around her and were dragged down into that bottomless pit. Kyousuke was accustomed to inhuman beauty, so he used that to stay in control of himself. The party still has another 30 minutes and everyone is waiting for the final greeting from President Toydream, but lets enjoy this while we can. Eh? Its already ending? But I havent eaten anything yet! Hee hee hee. To make sure you dont gain any excess fat, avoid the fatty beef and pork or anything with too many carbs. Other than that, your mother wont stop you. You finally got started on that figure skating program, so we have to let the Aurora Fairy do its job. When Shiroyama Kyousuke heard that, he silently stared at tiny Olivia. That girl, who was lithe by any international standard, silently averted her gaze. Oliiiviaaa. D-do you need something, Onii-chan? You had trouble zipping up your dress and said it tickled, didnt you? Olivia Highlaaaaaand??? As the suspect dodged the persistent old police detectives questioning, Sinceria placed a hand over her mouth and laughed. When a vessel ended their contract, they would lose their memories like a normal person. They would return to a normal life until they came in contact with a summoner or vessel once more. Sinceria had once left her daughter with a wet nurse and avoided seeing her in order to keep Olivia out of any trouble related to the Summoning Ceremony until absolutely necessary, but the White Queen worshipers of Bridesmaid had messed that up. Now she had no need to hide her love for her daughter. At least there was one positive side to killing the Queen in Houbi Village. That was how he had to view this. Anyway, Via, this is the Cruise Fest tour, so the events are divided up into short time blocks so no one stays in one place for too long. In exchange, they have a breakfast, lunch, dinner, and even teatime scheduled. This is a bit of a late breakfast, so lets hope lunchtime works out better for us. The Highland family had produced female vessels for generations. Whenever a powerful summoner was found within their knights, they would bind a contract with them to ensure the maximum performance in defending the kingdom, even if that meant wasting a chance at reaching Award 1000. A lot was unknown about what changes and side effects occurred when a vessel bound new contracts over and over, but Queen Sinceria was the greatest example of that. (Perhaps even more so than Isabelle who had been forced to repeatedly bind contracts according to certain rules to artificially break her soul.) She had bound so many contracts that the structure of her body was gradually changing and she was obtaining an inhuman beauty. Kyousuke breathed a heavy sigh and shaped his hand like a bowl to grab Olivias small head as she tried to rush toward the mountain of food. What brings you to this event, Your Majesty? There is no need to be so formal. If you marry Via, you will be a royal just like us, so feel free to treat me like your own mother. Hee hee hee. Yes, think of me as a beautiful, kind, and somewhat defenseless mother-in-law? Kyousuke sighed again. He had been pivotal in ending Kingdom Fs civil war, so she may have wanted to bring him into their bloodline so they could call it a victory for the royal family, but like a true ruler, she was acting like it was already a done deal. She gave no thought to his circumstancesor rather, she saw it as the greatest possible promotion in life, so she saw no reason for him to decline. It was the same unbeatable joker played by Cinderella or Snow White to live happily ever after. No. Kyousukes self-analysis told him he may have simply not known how to handle the strange tolerance of a somewhat careless adult woman. Because it reminded him of someone who had vanished at the Queens Miniature Garden. Sinceria placed a slender hand on Kyousukes chest and leaned toward him while making sure not to get in the way of her daughter who was clinging to his side. (Yes, and if waiting until Via has grown is too much for you, her mother can play that role in the meantime. Yes, as a mother-in-law who is generally perfect but just cant leave some things alone?) Your Majesty. Hee hee hee. You can always use me as a sign of what Vias future holds and be honest with your desires. The world of royalty is still rife with complex family trees and concubine systems in this day and age, so you can leave the standards of commoners behind. Oh, no. This looks like trouble. As Olivia stared blankly, Sinceria stepped away from him like a pendulum swinging back. A moment later, the crowd parted and a new person stepped up. She looked a little older than Kyousuke, so about college aged. The beautiful woman had red hair that fell to her shoulder blades, thin-framed glasses, an athletically-fit build, and an intellectual atmosphere. However, she wore a white blouse and longish wine red tight skirt with old-fashioned silver armor in places, so it all looked like a strange suite of armor. The knight with a J-shaped metal staff at her hip had to be trained in etiquette since she was attending this diplomatic function, but she pointed straight at Kyousukes nose with an index finger covered in jointed metal. You again, foolish mercenary!? You may be the hero who ended our civil war, but stop milking that one good deed for all it is worth! Know some shame and your place, you fool!! Now, now, Rachel. Keep this up, and this will turn into a new type of badger game. Even if normal people forget all about us, we are the representative of Kingdom F and we must keep up appearances. My queen, did you just confess that you were flirting with this nobody so blatantly that people would suspect it was a type of financial scam? Sinceria cleared her throat and faced the other way. Mother and daughter were much alike here. Rachel Wormwood was the current summoner contracted with Sinceria. That meant she was Government Award 913 and held the position of the strongest of Kingdom Fs knights. Wormwood was an old poisonous plant thats name could be found in the book of Revelation. As that name suggested, it was possible her family had not begun as knights. She may have come from a line of witches who had assisted the ancient knights who founded Kingdom F. That would explain how they had entered the world of the Summoning Ceremony. Meanwhile, Sinceria was not going to remain quiet after what happened. While still facing the other way, she placed her index finger on her slender chin and her long ears twitched more than necessary. Hmm. But it seems Kyousuke has a contract with Via now, so I wish the two of you could be more friendly. You know, as the two summoners who protect members of the same royal family. And I am saying that very contract is a sign of his insolence!! There is a second and third ranked member of our knights and they all swallowed their tears when giving up the opportunity for a contract. So how can this outsider waltz in and gain a royal contract with no effort whatsoever!? Hmph!! But merit is everything for the knights, isnt it? Rachel, you make it sound like you alone are safe, but if you dont put in more of an effort than Kyousuke, I will choose him for my contract instead. Kh. Rachels slender shoulders jumped like a scolded childs. Every single Kingdom F knight knew the severity and cruelty of that decision. Even the knight who had married the queen and had a child with her had been kicked out when he lost the position of the strongest. That was not to say there had been no love there. The locket at Sincerias chest contained a photo of that three-person family and she adored her daughter Olivia. But to protect their kingdom, she had to demand top performance from the person standing by her side. The final defense for their people had to be the very best, not just the second or third best. The queen was not so weak that she would allow her personal feelings to influence that system. Many knights had torn apart that royal family and created a deep rift between them. And Rachel was the latest part of that. Whatever she thought in her heart of hearts, Sinceria had smiled and accepted this female knight. So she would surely accept the next knight just as readily. No matter what emotions roiled in her chest. However. Kyousuke hung his head even more than Rachel and a dark shadow fell over his face. (Please stop doing that. I dont like being used as a threat to motivate someone.) (Hee hee hee. Rachel is cute and skilled, but I know from experience that they will grow rusty if they lack an obvious rival. Please help me keep Kingdom Fs strongest sword sharp.) In other words, she did not dislike Rachel. After straightforwardly training to build up her strength, Rachel had no need to feel bad about what had happened to her queens husband. The wife had followed the system and the husband had failed to maintain his position as the strongest. It would be insensitive for anyone else to interfere in an attempt to change that outcome. In fact, Sinceria liked Rachel enough to drag her around on official and personal trips across the globe. That was why Sinceria wanted to protect this contract in any way she could. But without bending the strict rules. Rachel had taken the top spot among the knights, but Sinceria did not want her to stop there. Kyousuke sighed. Now, Your Majesty, we have gotten off topic, but would you be willing to tell me why you are? Not so fast, mercenary. How dare you speak like that to my queen? Have you forgotten how very, very, very, very, very, very bitter we knights are that you keep going over our heads? Rachel spoke in a low voice and finally drew the staff from her hip. The end extended like a special police baton. The nearly 2m silver rod was a Blood-Sign for the Summoning Ceremony. The J-shaped end suggested it was based on a battle hook that was used to grab at an armored enemy knights neck or shoulders to knock them down or drag them off their horse. Choosing definite results over valueless decoration told Kyousuke this was the weapon of someone who had to protect their queen and did not see failure as an option. That was a perfect match for Rachel herself, so he quite liked the weapon choice. But Sinceria sighed and gave a comment of her own. Oh, how disappointing. Gh!? M-my queen, what was that sigh for? What a disappointing knight. It could have been a sword or a spear, but you go for a battle hook? Werent those popular as a light weapon for revolting peasants who could not master the complex form of a halberd? Doesnt that mean a rebellious ideology has influenced Kingdom Fs final shield into wielding a friend of the spade and the hoe? It just seems so unrefined. N-no. This has grown into a truly practical weapon!! Uheh. You sound like one of those historians who have forgotten all about the romance and excitedly argue that a spiked metal ball on the end of a stick is more effective than a sword or spear against someone in full armor. Its just sosigh. Well, if thats your preference, I wont stop you. Tch. Ive also heard that the White Queen was killed, so maybe the world really is ending D-dammit, this is all your fault, foolish mercenary!! Rachel panicked and completely ignored cause-and-effect in her accusation. Her long J-shaped metal rod must not have been as obvious a weapon as a blade or gun because the normal people in the party hall only gave them curious looks. They may have thought it was a specialized tool used to open a manhole cover or to remove the simple awning over a caf entrance. And another trial awaited her. Hmm. If you dont like Onii-chan going over your head, Rachel, then surely youll explain everything. So give a simple and thorough explanation! For Onii-chan!! Nghhh!? Olivia smiled and used her two extra sentences to drive further knives into Rachels side, so the woman doubled over. Something must have broken when she did so because the battle hook visibly shrunk. The disappointing knight was trembling as she tried to bear with it, but then Sinceria gave a wicked smile and intentionally continued the attack. No, it may have been the merciful finishing blow to a servant writhing in pain on the battlefield. It was psychological euthanasia. My, my. That would save me a lot of effort? Rachel, you really are an excellent and faithful servant. So will you please do that? You will be speaking in our place, so make sure you avoid any filthy language that would damage the reputation of Kingdom Fs queen. Sinceriamy queen A mistake here would be an insult to the kingdom as a whole. That would require a greater punishment than when I tease you in bed, so keep that in mind. The mother seemed to have casually mentioned something shocking, but Kyousuke decided to take that secret with him to the grave. Quite a few of Japans Warring States commanders had participated in homosexual acts, but there was a theory that had less to do with preference and more to do with avoiding the risk of inheritance issues if mistakes were made in a casual relationship with the opposite sex. So could this queen be doing something similar? Rachel suppressed tears behind her intellectual glasses, bent her mouth into a lopsided frown, and glared at Kyousuke with all her might while her athletically-fit body trembled. This is a request from my queen. It breaks my heart to do so, foolish Raaaachel? Allow me to provide a sincere and whole-hearted explanation!! Ask me whatever you like!! She straightened up and saluted. Kyousuke felt somber, but Then let me ask again. I would like to know what Kingdom F royalty is doing on this ship. Since you are also a summoner and a vesselcould it have to do with that side of things? The Toy Dream Company was doing some unnatural things and trying to spread videos that created an argument for war. The development codename was Blue Film. Lu Niang Lan of Illegal had suggested this was a result of the chaos following the White Queens death and that professional summoners might appear along with the ships normal security. Is that extremely contradictory statement meant to test me? I see you are as insolent as ever. If it would not place a shadow on my queens countenance, I would purge you on the spot. In fact, it is a failure on my part that I cannot. She simply could not hide her true character. Rachel was already irritated and tapping her armored fingers against the battle hook she had returned to her hip. Hmph. Count yourself lucky as you listen, mongrel. If you are that ignorant, I will remind you. In addition to creating original childrens stories, Toy Dream has accumulated their massive fortune by making films out of their new interpretations of existing picture books and old stories. The royal palaces and silver mountains they have depicted were based on our picturesque Kingdom F. I am willing to praise their eye for aesthetics, but that is a problem in this case. Oh, I get it The Blue Film they are creating to push for war is a laughable bluff about a mineral vein being blackened by chemical fertilizer created from old shells, but they have used elements of Kingdom F in its creation. It depicts a kingdom torn apart by civil war. Thinking of the heroes who lost their lives in that conflict is enough reason to feel resentful of that, but the Silver Resource War they are supporting will take place in Eastern Europe and they have set the stage for the flames to first fall on our Kingdom F. We will be placed in the nonsensical category of the East Europe Axis. Rachel spat out the words. Once war breaks out, we will take direct damage and also have an influx of refugees from the surrounding countries. Not only are they taking advantage of our old wounds, but they are also seeking further bloodshed. That is a clear insult to our kingdom. It is unclear how much Toy Dream is being manipulated here, but it is only natural for the queen who protects all our people to be concerned. Of course, the monarch could not immediately take action just because she was worried. They carried the weight of an entire kingdom on their backs. Kyousuke looked like he had figured it out. So has your kingdoms intelligence agency already taken action? They have already gathered what intelligence they can and you are using your diplomatic privileges to fill in the leftover blanks? You can slip right past normal guards since theyll forget all about you and you can question anyone you want with the full authority of a head of state. Wait. I must make a correction, mercenary. Our righteous and orderly Kingdom F has a proper order of knights, not a pack of filthy rats. What you refer to is not a public agency with a history and traditions born of a monarchy; it is more like a civilian think tank created by modern capitalism. Hmph. Learn something, you ignorant and pathetic nobody. It irritates me to no end that you would make such a careless misunderstanding in my queens presence. Whatever the system, what they had to do was the same, but every country had their unique issues, like how Japan could not refer to their patrol boats and escort ships as warships. It would be crass to press the issue. The modern knight placed a hand on her hip. We plan to meet directly with President Toydream and determine his true intentions, but since you are here, I can only assume you have your own foolish plan. Hmph. If you intend to sneak around like the mercenary you are, then I will share one piece of information with you. The knight breathed from her shapely nose and diligently did her duty despite how irritated she was. She pulled a notepad from behind her breastplate and showed him a photograph contained within. As a knight, I cannot publicly recognize my connection with you, so I cannot actually give this to you. Memorize the face here and now. That wont be necessary. Hmph. I should have known a mercenary would know some unsavory people. Rachel gave a snort of laughter and flicked her armored finger at the center of the photo. Illegal Award 999, War Criminal. This summoner stands at the top of one of the three major powers. And rumor has it that he is far in the lead when only looking at the number of people he has personally killed. He is the ultimate criminal. He has reached a level where an individuals actions can be seen as a war. I see. Looking at it that way, this summoner is the exact opposite of you, the king of not killing. He silently denied that. No matter what nice excuses he might make, Shiroyama Kyousuke was probably historys greatest killer when looking at the number of people he had indirectly killed. He had not forgotten everything that began with the Queens Miniature Garden. Whether she realized that or not, Rachel stole a glance at his face. His profile says he adores the White Queens destructive power rather than her beauty or charisma, but who knows if that is true. Hmph. You have a bizarre history for a nobody, so I am guessing that look on your face means you have met him before. You could say that. That short answer held great meaning. Kyousuke had supposedly taken out that summoner in a surprise attack five different times. But each time, the summoner had fallen from a dam, been swallowed up in a blazing abandoned factory, or otherwise caused even more damage than Kyousuke had expected and gone missing. Kyousuke had always lost track of him, so he had failed to force him to retire by taking an eye or an arm that were even more precious to a summoner than their life. And he had since been confirmed to have resumed his criminal activities all over the world. Kyousuke knew Lu Niang Lan had to be aware of it, but his view of the underworld was very different from that modified China dress beauty, so he could predict that she may have been silently accepting the other summoners actions. Would he perform another vanishing act? Or had the Queens death shaken him enough to fight to the very end? Death always failed to fix War Criminal and Kyousuke would not change either. When he gets going, hell kill enemy and ally alike, so he cannot work as a group with Illegal as a whole. Mercenary, hmph, that is good news for you. That was what it meant for him to fight a war as an individual. The top of Illegal did not wage war with a large army at his command. He himself was the phenomenon of war and he would bare his fangs against all forms of life within his reach. Once he got started, he would not discriminate between his own army and the enemy army. In a way, he was even more troublesome than Elvast Toydream, the former king of Government. There was still a possibility of War Criminal himself making an appearance, but since nothing he said could get Illegal as a whole to put in an effort, he could not really be taken at his word. This new generation of leaders left a bitter taste in Kyousukes mouth. The leaders of the three major powers he had seen at the Queens Miniature Garden had been very different from the current ones. Illegal Award 999, War Criminal. That ruler of evil was always protected by as many bodyguards as a national president, but everyone knew they were essentially a suicide squad. He went through allies faster than anyone else. When that berserker awoke, it was every man for himself. Illegal as a whole saw him as a thorn in their side and may have even hoped Kyousukes attempts against their leader would succeed. That would explain why there had been no major attempts to retaliate. Rachel sounded exasperated, either toward Kyousuke or that moral failure. Well, because he is so well known, this could be a false report, but there have been scattered sightings of him. We do not know just how deeply this War Criminal is involved in all this. Hmph. But be careful if you face him here. It does not matter one whit to me if you two opposites clash, but do not forget that Princess Olivia, the future ruler of our kingdom, stands by your side. If you allow her to shed a single drop of blood, I will remove your head. Listen, I, Rachel Wormwood, will follow through on that threat, so keep that in mind. Prioritize the princesss safety over your own silly principles. I am telling you to ensure her safety by killing when you have the chance to kill. Surely even a fool like you can understand that, right? Kyousuke did not nod or shake his head. He instead lost himself in thought. He muttered under his breath to work through the information he had. I see. If he is a gore lover who was attracted to the Queens violence above all, then he would find it difficult to accept her death or defeat. Its like having an unbeatable monster that chases people around with an axe, but then its killed by a hail of gunfire. His options are to find a way to prove the White Queens superiority or to side with the Colorless Little Girl who killed her. It would make sense for War Criminal to have been shaken by this turning point. Thats enough of that. With a gentle smile on her face, Sinceria clapped her hands together in front of her large chest. The silver locket buried in her cleavage shined brightly. We have shared most of our information now, havent we? Kyousuke, I assume you know since you infiltrated the ship instead of blowing it up from outside, but there are a lot of unrelated tourists and crewmembers onboard. Keep that in mind when arriving at a solution to the problem. What kind of person do you think I am, Your Majesty? Oh? I actually find it unusual for the Kyousuke I know to hold back against the enemy. During our civil war, you used the Summoning Ceremony to take out a guard units laser railway gun and then used that to shoot down the Repliglass aerial aircraft carriers flying above the capital. And while ensuring they could all make an emergency landing, of course. They may have fallen into enemy hands, but all of that was Kingdom F equipment! You were overlooked due to my queens kindness, but when counting the aircraft inside, each of those aerial aircraft carriers should have earned you a bill of 300 billion. And I am not talking about your yen here. I am talking about the euros trusted the world over! Oh, this foolish boy. Hmph. Whatever your principles might be, you take things too far!! Kyousuke could not stop coughing even though he did not have allergies. That was a different issue from the one here, so Kyousuke had to do his best to change the subject. Anyway, Your Majesty. Kingdom Fs official name is the Flanguild Permanently Neutral Kingdom, is it not? You seem to, um, have an awfully large stockpile of weapons for a name like that. Do not be silly. My queen has no need to defend herself here. Permanent neutrality does not mean that we will suicidally put up no resistance. It means we will not instigate an attack ourselves. If another country makes a military strike on our noble Kingdom F, we have not just the knights but also a universal conscription system for the rest of our citizens. Career soldiers who are always whining about money and people who refuse to fight to defend their country are not patriots. Um, uh, it is nothing as strict as that, said Sinceria. As their queen, we have attempted to refuse, but they insist on protecting the kingdom and the royal family, so the universal conscription system is not actually written into law And the Repliglass weaponry is not a product of our kingdom. Even after the eastern powers were broken apart by the Warsaw Pact as a NATO vanguard, America still wanted a deterrent against those eastern powers that wished to gain influence over the Western economies, so they pressured us to buy those weapons. No, it would be more accurate to say we are renting them. Possessing too many weapons causes the surrounding countries to view us as a threat, so it can be a pain to deal with. Honestly And when Quad Motors sensed the approaching war, they stopped all maintenance and returned to their home country early, so none of them are functioning properly. They are entirely useless to us. This always happens This is why you cant trust outsiders!! They are all such cowardly nobodies. Hmph. And that of course includes you, foolish mercenary!! If we really are nobodies, should you really be getting so worked up over us? Waityouwhy must you always catch me off guard and make a fool of me in front of my queen? Kiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!! Doing everything perfectly was not always a good thing. Kyousuke had apparently changed the subject too far. The sexy blonde woman separated her hands in front of her large chest and held out her palms to soothe the overly-serious glasses knight. Calm down, Rachel. You did well, so stand back for now. Even if you are both summoners who protect the royal family, if you keep showing off how well you get along, you might trigger an explosion of royal jealousy. Whamy queen! Please avoid making such careless statements in public. No one can read your mind, so such jokes will lead to misunderstandings!! I was not talking about myself. Via is pouting her lips and looking more and more displeased. Ugh, and her purity just makes this more of a pain to deal with!! You are mistaken, princess!! I was merely fulfilling the task given to me by the head of state!! Not for a second have I felt any kind of affinity with this filthy mercenary!!!!! Rachel probably could not afford to make any more casual insults. Olivias cheeks were puffing out like rice cakes. If you say so, Miss Friendly. But I dont care. Im taking Onii-chan to some dark place where you and mom cant see us. And then Ill make sure to gain an insurmountable lead. I can get as close to Onii-chan as I want there. Oh, going with them sounds like a lot more fun. Ill let Via handle all the pure parts of the relationship, but as her mother, I will make up for the parts she cant do yet. The knight directed killer intent Kyousukes way before he could get a word in edgewise. She was snapping her teeth together so hard he thought sparks would fly from her canines. Foolish mercenary. I hope you are not going to take that seriously. Can someone please rescue me from whatever is going on here? Hmph. Fine, then. You might stand by her side, but do not forget that we live in a very different world from you. Honestly. This ship is enemy territory, so I cannot just ask you to end your contract with the princess, but why does it have to be this nobody of a mercenary of all people? Sit. Stay. Onii-chan, Rachel is just showing off how friendly she is, so can we get going? Your words hurt me, princess!! The knight clenched her fists and worked to endure the humiliation, but Olivia seemed entirely oblivious as she linked arms with Kyousuke as if to show off. And then something fell from the decorative buttons on her flat chest. It was light and the floor was carpeted, so it did not make a noise. It could be easy to forget given the circumstances, but they had snuck aboard and Kyousuke did not want to leave anything behind. Without thinking, he reached down to pick up the dropped item, but then he froze. It was one of those rubber products that used their thinness as a selling point. The entire atmosphere froze. He seriously considered trying to hide it under his foot, but when he looked up, he found that both Sinceria and Rachel had seen it. There was no time to recover from this. Oh, my. What in the!? Foolish mercenary, is thatcough, cough!!!! Rachel started choking so badly Kyousuke began rubbing her back, but she simply glared at him. Foolish mercenary, allow me to ask again. Did you do this while aware what that item is for!? Oh, my, my. Hee hee hee. Rachel, you take things too seriously But I would like to hear this too. Yes, yes. I would like to hear Kyousuke himself explain it to us: what is that? (No, wait. This is your time to shine, Kyousuke brain. Does the correct answer mean survival? Think carefully. What will a quick yes or no answer bring other than a pool of blood? I should base the odds of survival on that. So should I play dumb instead? Or I should I just remain silent?) Oh, my, my, my. So thats what youre going with? Hee hee. It seems Kyousuke the Expert is playing dumb so he can hear Rachel explain since she has already implied she knows the answer. He seems to want to see her blush and fidget while she explains the proper use of that item. Foolish mercenary!!!!!! You damn queen! Youre using your knight as a shield to throw oil on the fire from a position of safety, arent you!? Meanwhile, Olivia did not seem to understand the gravity of the situation. She innocently picked up the dropped item. Oh, this is the toy from the leisure room Onii-chan took me to. That sounded like an excuse, but it was no excuse at all. Every last word of it was the worst possible. She likely did not understand how the terms leisure room and toy sounded when used together like that. Oh, my. Then it seems her mother wont need to help out after all. Thats too bad, though. Even if this is probably better in the long run. Sinceria placed a hand over her mouth and smiled. She had to understand it had been a part of their infiltration mission, but she still poured plenty more oil on the fire. And she did it all while feigning compassion. An ex post facto punishment might be unfair And amid the multi-layer misunderstanding, the knight who protected Kingdom F gave one deep nod and made her announcement. But I believe I said I would remove your head if you allowed her to shed a single drop of blood. The relationship between summoner and vessel came in all forms, but for Government Award 913, Noble Bride, the summoner held the Blood-Sign and the vessel held the Incense Grenade. That avoided any situation where a Material was summoned without warning, causing a panic. When the knight grabbed her long weapon and began swinging it around, Sinceria nonchalantly tripped her and nodded to Kyousuke who took Olivia and left the somewhat panicked party hall. Since the head of state stuck her tongue out and waved, Kyousuke felt some sympathy for the knight who had tripped quite spectacularly in public. He decided it might be best to send her a gift. Yes. She could be a real pain in the ass, but that knight had done nothing wrong. There was something wrong when the world made a fool of someone so diligent. He had to make up for that. In his dress clothes, Kyousuke grabbed a small briefcase from the cloakroom and returned to his search of the ship with Olivia in her dress. This one could be tricky. Rye and corn cereal can have too strong a flavor for beginners. But rice is too plain, so it might not feel like shes really eating anything. Granola, acai, chia seed, quinoa Those wouldnt work either. You need to be familiar with the fundamental spirit of cereal before you can appreciate those. Yes, it would be best to go back to the basics for a gift. Onii-chan, what are you muttering about? If I take six small packages and arrange them in a paulownia box to look like a luxury item Eh heh heh. I hope Rachel likes it. Once they got started, it went quickly. Kyousuke and Olivia returned to the commercial area full of restaurants and shops and they made their way to the small industrial elevator for the food carts. Were finally back on track Onii-chan, you sound like you just aged a whole bunch. And whose fault might that be? Much like a turntable parking garage for a multi-tenant building, they opened a vertically sliding door and climbed down the long shaft with a ladder. This allowed them to sneak into Toy Dreams giant VFX studio on the bottom level without passing through the security gates. Honestly, if only we could have done this from the beginning. Yeah, who would have thought we would run into my mom here? Maybe she gives off some kind of force that draws people to her. Kyousuke could not argue with the idea that powerful people and rulers had a unique attraction. It was not an issue of logic. It would always remain a mystery to the sociology professors who envied that inborn talent and desperately worked to analyze how it worked. It did exist. Because the White Queen had the power to distort both worlds and she waited far, far beyond those other people. After creeping out from the elevator, they found yet another new atmosphere. It was dim because the lights were intentionally kept low. But why? This was a VFX studio where workers were constantly staring at screens, so would outside light reflect off the LCD monitors and would differences in brightness cause their eyes to adjust unnecessarily when they moved between the room and the hallway? Was it meant to avoid any discrepancies in how different staff members saw the colors? Swordsmiths used heating and cooling in a battle against heat to refine the quality of the steel, so the slight disturbance in room temperature from opening and closing a door could ruin an entire sword. In cutting-edge VFX production, color and light may have reached that same level. That said, not every artist and illustrator that specialized in coloring would necessarily be that picky. But Toy Dream would invest 30 billion in a single movie, so they would apparently go that far when it came to choosing a single shade of color. Ordering room service instead of heading up themselves would be a way to limit the number of times they reset their senses outside this specialized environment. The strict security gates may have mostly been a way to keep out any unnecessary light. Kyousuke carefully observed the dim corridor before returning to the food cart room and opening his briefcases latch. Olivia, its time to change. It looks like our personal clothing would blend in better than a work jumpsuit. Lets return to normal. Yes, yes. But wont someone my age stand out no matter what Im wearing? I saw a girl of about 8 walking around with a cooling sheet on her forehead, so education and age arent what matter here. Still, its scary to think that was one of the top runners supporting films that cost 30 billion each There was no partition here, so Kyousuke decided to change back to back, but once he removed his jacket, he realized Olivia was staring right at him. Amaterasu Kyousuke opted to retreat into the elevator shaft. With the sun gone, Olivia spoke from beyond the metal door. Onii-chaaaan, Ive learned my lesson, so come on out. I havent heard any clothing rustling. I know youre waiting for me in the nude, so just get changed already. Tch. After a while, she called out to him again. Onii-chaaaan, Im all done. Kyousuke opened the cave entrance to find Olivia in her school swimsuit, decorative collar, floral pareo, and straw hat. She was adjusting the swimsuit where it was riding up on her small butt. She would betray him in obvious ways, but she was an obedient child who would quickly change when called out. Hand your other clothes here. Ill put them in the briefcase. Okay. A small piece of cloth was suddenly dropped into his hand. At about the size of a small steamed bun, it was a balled-up pair of panties. Olivia Youre the one that insisted I wear them back in the leisure room. This was your request, so you take care of it. Hee hee hee. Theyre still warm, arent they? She had the look of a mischievous little devil. He wanted to punch himself 30 seconds ago for thinking she was obedient. This may have been a sign that she had Sincerias blood in her veins. All expression vanished from his face as he shoved the dress, panties, and shoes in the briefcase. The silence must have been overwhelming because Olivia pressed her legs together and fidgeted. Huh? It didnt work? Its time you learned that not everyone will be swayed by someones charm. Even if you follow Sincerias example. He got back to work with that womans daughter. They were inside the authorized personnel only area located past security, so they could not rely on the map they had bought ahead of time. This entire area was blank on the map, so they had to do the investigation work themselves. Unlike the higher levels, the corridors took labyrinthine paths here, so the layout must have prioritized the location of equipment over convenience of movement. The walls were generally made of glass, so they could see into the offices. A single staff member would be staring at several monitors spread out in a fan shape, using a pen-shaped device while also using keyboard shortcuts, or putting on VR goggles and turning their head every which way. Kyousuke recalled that the backgrounds made using System Atlantis were high enough quality for someone to walk around inside them. If Kyousuke and Olivia could see them, then they could see the two of them. Since no one sounded the alarm, either their casual clothes were working or the workers had lost all interest in the real world after working so many days in a row. Olivia pointlessly clung to Kyousukes back to sneak around for no real reason. Theyre eating something weird. It looks like birdseed Is that some kind of celebrity food? Tch. They went for something more fancy without learning anything about standard cereal first? I thought everyone who worked with videos would eat blueberries. To keep their eyes healthy. Is it even true that they heal your eyesight? At the very least, they had never been popular among summoners who placed a lot of focus on their physical eyesight. Then the double blonde braid girl seemed to shift her focus from the glass-encased booths to the corridor they were walking down. What are those? They dont look like statues. Industrial clay. I think these are clay models made using 3D machine tools. They make a physical test model to make sure the product of their data doesnt have any mistakes. Ive also heard that they make these when developing cars or Repliglass. Kyousuke answered while they passed by a clay aerial aircraft carrier sitting on a rectangular pedestal in the center of the corridor. This kind of equipment had gotten a lot cheaper with the spread of 3D printers that used plastic, but when the quality had to be on the level of a car development model, a single mass of clay would cost several million yen. This was apparently another part of the production where they spared no expense. The crank-shaped passageway took several right angle turns. Kyousuke and Olivia were after the original data for the war promotion videos, so those areas that stuck out unnaturally were exactly what they wanted to find. They passed by the occasional genius who staggered down the hallway like a zombie, but Kyousuke eventually used his multi-tools knife to swiftly pry open a lock. They found a room lined with what looked like refrigerator-sized tombstones. The room was as mercilessly chilly as a supermarkets vegetable section and Olivia more or less only wore a swimsuit, so she held her shoulders and shivered. White breaths left her mouth as she spoke to Kyousukes back while he connected a cable to his mobile device and one of the machines. O-O-Onii-chan Did you find what you wanted? No, it looks like it isnt here. But waitcould this mean? He pulled the cable out and checked a few more rooms while Olivia trembled. One room had a large metal sphere with thick cords attached from every direction, one had a latticework shaped like a fancy cookie that had tons of small processors inside, and another had a box submerged in a chilled pool surrounded by reinforced glass. No two devices were the same, but Kyousukes expression remained clouded. O-ohhh. The fluctuating temperature is affecting my crotch A-are you done yet, Onii-chan? This is odd. Kyousukes comment made it clear this was going to take longer than expected. And he gave no thought to Olivias personal crisis as she fidgeted beside him. Looking at the machine specs, theres no way this has the processing power to support a 30 billion yen film. These have to be no more than terminals and relay points. Its more like an online cloud service. Is System Atlantis not actually on the ship? How much longer is this going to take? If I was in a large pool, I would probably secretly let my spine tremble and enjoy the feeling of release But what other location are they communicating with? If they have a direct hotline to eliminate the risk of the signal being interceptedoh, so thats it. Kyousuke reconsidered the situation, came up with a new theory, and got to work. Meanwhile, Olivia waved a hand in the corner of his vision, gave up on him, and snuck out of the machine storeroom. And after a while Yes, that is whats happening Oh? Olivia, where did you get off to? Sigh. So theres one of those in the disaster relief bag. I might need to take drastic measures soon. They both had extremely serious expressions. This means the ship only carries the production staff and the screens needed to remotely control everything. System Atlantis itself is somewhere else. There are more computers here than a domestic company could ever hope to afford, but theyre all used to relay the signal from somewhere else. Huh? But then why make the studio into a ship? Wasnt that to keep the studio moving so the supercomputer isnt fixed to one place? I dont know if its in the jungle or the desert, but whats the point of the ship when someone can just attack the main supercomputer? Yes, thats why they have a hotline set up, but the mainframe is still with the ship. ? Olivia looked puzzled and Kyousuke pointed straight down. And he spoke. Its in a submarine. They exchange data with it using a geomagnetic field coil that can maintain high interference even in the water. Olivia blinked silently for a while. Geomagneticfield? The concept itself isnt so rare. Anti-sub buoys can apparently detect one hiding down to about 1000 meters below the surface. They drop a giant coil into the ocean and use the disturbance in the earths own magnetic field to locate the submarine. As long as neither side emits any dangerous EM or sound waves, that can be modified to detect tiny magnetic disturbances just by typing on a keyboard wired up within the ship. Its kind of like a modern form of telepathy. She did not react much to his explanation. She may have been unable to keep up with something on so large a scale. I imagine they would have just put everything on the sub if it would have fit. Compared to a ship floating on the surface, a submarine below the surface has to be made more compact. Well, technically they could build an extraordinarily large submarine, but once the sound of it parting the seawater passes a certain point, it might as well be announcing its location. That was why they had hidden the valuable System Atlantis in the ocean and then built a separate ship for the staff workplace and living space. If they ran into trouble, they could sacrifice the staff on the surface and sneak the mainframe away to safety. Kyousuke took a slow breath. Its lucky we used a small submersible to get onboard Olivia, we have no more business on the ship. Lets find a way to get to the nuclear sub below here. Thats where well find the original data we want. Just then, a deep noise rang out and all the lights turned red. This alarm overruled the dimmed lighting meant to protect he staff members eyes. Their infiltration may have been discoveredbut Kyousuke could not think of any reason why. Which meant Olivia, what did you do while I wasnt looking? I-I-I-I-I didnt do anything yet!! There was a portable toilet in the disaster relief bag, but I didnt know how to open the package. I got distracted trying to open it and then I found I didnt need it as badly anymore. See, I can jump and hop around just fine. So I didnt do anything!!!!! Kyousuke did not know why she was arguing so insistently it made her red in the face, but someone must have noticed something out of place in the break room. Sensitive people would notice a single chair out of place at a long table or a slight movement of the salt shaker or sugar jar. There were rules unique to infiltrating an indoor location, much like worrying about footprints or broken branches in the jungle. Simply put, leave no sign of your presence in enemy territory. That mostly meant not to touch anything unless you had to, but he must have failed to drive that point home with her. He clicked his tongue, unhooked the cable, and lightly cracked his neck. It was time. If System Atlantis was not here, they had no further business on the ship. Olivia had grown quite tearful and she asked a question in a barely audible voice. What should we do, Onii-chan? At this point, there are no safe and clever plans to rely on. Kyousuke let out a short breath and reached for his back. He pulled out his Repliglass Blood-Sign called Phosphorous and lightly patted Olivias small head over her straw hat to comfort her. We break our way through and run away. As soon as they opened the door, they ran into a security guard in a navy blue uniform who ran around a corner in the corridor. He may have thought no one would see as long as there was no window nearby because he held a handgun customized for full-auto. (Tch! So are we finally seeing the Illegal soldiers who are using the ships uniforms!?) But Kyousuke did not face him head on. He adjusted the angle of the waterproof steel door just before the merciless rapid-fire attack began. A clay model worth millions of yen shattered atop its rectangular pedestal, but Kyousuke was not focused on the horizontal downpour of bullets. A door built to withstand powerful water pressure was enough to block those. What mattered was the ridiculously loud gunshots. That was the natural result of firing in a closed space. The guard was knocked out by the wall of noise he himself had created. Lets go, Olivia. How did you do that? Ricocheting? He had not done anything so dangerous. Summoners needed decent spatial senses to handle the White Thorns and Petals with their Blood-Sign. If he adjusted the locations and angles of objects with a focus on how and where the soundwaves would be reflected, he could focus the noise on a single point like gathering sunlight with a concave mirror. That transformed it into a powerful nonlethal weapon. Whenever they ran across an enemy, he would open a nearby door, knock down the ceiling panels with his Blood-Sign, and otherwise interfere with the reflecting soundwaves. Each time, the brawny guards would collapse to the floor with amusing ease. He would approach the enemy while their limbs trembled like a dying insect and he would kick their handgun far away before hurrying on. When the pursuing enemy was using projectile weapons, they could not use the elevator shaft again. They would have nowhere to escape if the enemy fired down at them while they were climbing up the ladder in that narrow shaft. That meant they had to leave straight through a security gate. They really did have break through. And the enemy seemed to have figured out his trick. When he saw a guard wearing something like headphones over his ears and attaching a silencer thicker than the gun barrel itself, Kyousuke grabbed Olivia under his arm. Hyah! Quiet. He ducked around a random corner to avoid the muffled gunfire, opened a nearby switchboard, and messed with a fuse. A high-voltage current leaked out, he heard a loud sparking sound around the corner, and the storm of gunfire ceased. This was a production studio using the massive power produced by a nuclear engine. The excess power alone was plenty destructive. Even after seeing the fate of the guard who had taken the lead, the enemy would only hesitate for a few seconds. This was not a permanent solution. Still holding Olivia, Kyousuke kicked open a nearby door. The sign had called it a multi-purpose conference room, but it was really an entertainment room. A movie theater screen surrounded you with over-the-top audio and video while you pedaled an exercise bike to produce plenty of adrenaline and dopamine. Kyousuke combated the gunfire by turning off the lights to give them the cover of darkness. Olivia did not sound all that nervous in his arm as she made a suggestion. Why not summon a Material and wipe them all out? It is true those are Illegal, but theyre still just normal soldiers. They arent even Repliglass soldiers protected by thick armor. Doing that would kill them. Kyousuke answered her while using a different exit to run back out into the corridor. In addition to that, this was a windowless space located below the water level. The biggest threat would be if the enemy lowered some thick emergency shutters to cut off all escape and then flooded the area with seawater. The assistance of a Material and the protective circle only lasted 10 minutes, so they had no real defense against that tactic. He wanted to escape above the water level before the enemy came up with that idea like they had figured out how to use headphones and silencers to deal with his soundwave counterattack, so he wanted to avoid anything that would keep them in one place. When restricting himself to nonlethal methods, the enemy always held the initiative. While making sporadic counterattacks to reduce the number of guards, Kyousuke and Olivia were driven from place to place. (I see. So this is where were headed.) Kyousuke noticed something and actually let the enemy lure him in a certain direction. He tackled open a thick soundproof door and found a large space with 30m sides. It was hard to tell with the red lighting, but the floor and wallpaper were pure white. The filming studio They had reached the very back of the ship, so they were directly below that party hall. The enemy was already waiting for them. One was a sexy woman with short hair, a black leather jacket that left her navel exposed, and a tight skirt. Her outfit screamed prison guard so much it seemed somehow fake. The other was a little girl with wavy hair dyed purple. She wore a comical white and black striped prisoner outfit and had a ball and chain attached to her ankle. A criminal scent hung over them both, but that may have been because they were an Illegal duo. The female prison guard puffed on a ridiculously-thick cigar and spun a tonfa in her hand. It extended into a Blood-Sign more than 150cm long. Kyousuke knew of a high Award-earner that matched this description. Illegal Award 887, Eisen Rosen. Despite their flashy appearance, they must have been faithful to their job. After all, they had agreed to work as guards under Illegal Award 999s direct command even though he would attack enemy and ally alike. Only two simple words left the mouth holding the cigar. Game on. She held a unique Incense Grenade made by sticking a rolled-up yellow journalism newspaper in the top of a small liquor bottle. She then used the tip of the thick cigar to light a blue flame in the wet paper. And she threw it. Before it could hit the floor and break, Kyousuke flicked a glass pellet from his finger and fired it like a bullet with a horizontal swing of his Blood-Sign. That was a piece of food for Phosphorous. The Artificial Sacred Ground would be established as soon as the bottle broke, so that seemed like a wasted action. The sound of shattering glass followed. But it was not wasted. Kyousukes pellet shot right past the airborne Molotov cocktail, ignored both the summoner and vessel, and broke through the wall there. No, it broke through the reinforced glass of the window embedded in the wall. Once it hit the lever on the control panel there, a change occurred. There were several loud crashing sounds overhead. The ceiling above separated this lower level area from the party hall above, but that split in two and transformed the two rooms into one giant space running vertically through the ship. Then a rumbling rose from below. The floor was really a fine wire mesh and there was a 30m propeller below that. This was why Kyousuke had felt a creaking below his feet when he first stepped into the party hall. An instantaneous blast of wind blew up from the floor. Kyousuke and the others were freed from the bonds of gravity and flew straight up. They flew more than 10 meters in no time. The facility was built like a wind tunnel for testing the air resistance of cars or airplanes, except it was built vertically. It was actually a giant indoor skydiving facility that allowed them to film actors in midair scenes before adding in the high-quality VFX. To make the best use of the limited space on the ship, the single space could be divided up into multiple small studios or one large studio. Of course, all of this also applied to the Molotov cocktail as it tried to fall to the floor. As long as the small liquor bottle did not hit the ground and break, the Artificial Sacred Ground would not be established. Kh!! You seem like the silent type, but shouldnt you be more surprised than that? Luckily, the party above had already ended and the tables and dishes had been removed. With indoor skydiving that used a powerful blast of wind from below, controlling air resistance was everything. You could ascend by spreading out your body to catch the wind and you could descend by folding up your body to reduce the resistance. By changing how you positioned your right and left arms and legs, you could intentionally put yourself in a tornado-like spin. The lack of footholds was irrelevant. While rapidly rotating, Kyousuke swung his Blood-Sign toward the side of the female prison guards head. The summoner was still not used to this situation and had that weak point defenselessly exposed, but then a metal ball larger than a human head got in the way. Only after it deflected his attack did he realize what had happened. The girl in a striped prisoners uniform was flipped upside down and spinning like she was using capoeira. That had sent her ball and chain into Kyousukes Blood-Sign. Even after her defensive maneuver was complete, the girl with purple-dyed hair did not stop spinning. She was trying to break the palm-sized liquor bottle as it flew through the air. Oh, no you dont!! Olivia then dropped down like a shooting star. Sinceria had said the girl was taking a program for figure skaters, so she may have had excellent balance and known how to spin quickly. And her small hands held a blunt weapon as effective as the metal ball. She was using the thick chain to swing down the bag-sized padlock she normally wore over her shoulder. Kh. The prisoner uniform girl avoided a direct hit by deflecting it with the metal ball, but she could not fully negate the shock to her body. While Kyousuke caught Olivia in midair, the other vessel had no such safety. The momentum of the deflection remained with her and she slammed back-first into a nearby wall. It was a stereotypical failure with indoor skydiving and it could even mean a broken bone. Fan!? The female prison guard shouted what seemed to be a name, but the striped prisoner girl did not respond. She must have passed out because she stared straight up with dead eyes with her limbs sprawled out around her. And there was only one fate for a summoner who had lost their vessel. Kyousuke grabbed the small liquor bottle with a yellow journalism paper stuck inside. You can have this back. Kh!? The enemy did not have time to prepare herself. A corner of the palm-sized bottle was swung down toward the female prison guards head and she was knocked out with the sound of shattering glass. With a bluish-white flame that lacked any heat at all, the Artificial Sacred Ground belatedly appeared, so Kyousuke and Olivia ignored the intense wind and were sucked to the closest wall. Each level of the studio apparently had a monitoring room. Kyousuke carried the summoner in one arm and let Olivia carry the vessel as he fired a Repliglass pellet toward the reinforced glass that was now below their feet. That hit the lever and stopped the wind. This will only last 90 seconds. Lets retrieve those two and then escape from the studio. He broke through the reinforced glass with his Blood-Sign and jumped into the monitoring room. Then the Chain state ended and the Artificial Sacred Ground vanished. If they had remained in the studio, they would have fallen several dozen meters. They were in the top level monitoring room, so they had luckily escaped the lowest level. Now we need to get to the submarine hidden below this ship, right? Right. Once we collect the things we left in the leisure room, lets head back to the submersible. Kyousuke confirmed Olivias understanding of the situation. Thats when the fun really begins. The intercom rang. Each day, Aika the shut-in girl had visitors besides Shiroyama Kyousuke or Lu Niang Lan. During the afternoon, she would receive a delivery from an online store. During the morning, a caretaker would arrive to look after the 5m white liger. Aikas luxury apartment kept enough frozen meat in stock to last the wild animal three days, but she still needed to resupply constantly. Thanks to that, she could keep track of the passage of time quite well for a shut-in. Despite being an apartment, there was a delivery entrance separate from the main entrance and a young woman in a work jumpsuit used that to push in a large hand truck like she was delivering the lactic acid product famous enough to support professional baseball teams. Good morning, Award 870. Nn This is todays lot. I will carry away the waste boxes as usual. Yes, the white liger ate several dozen kilograms of meat each day and all that food meant she also needed to use the bathroom. The jumpsuit woman casually looked over the ferocious beast like it was an afterthought. No eye discharge or bloodshot eyes, teeth and gums look fine, base of the ears are fine, claws are fine, fur and oils are fine. Okay, everything checks out. She is still the picture of good health. Im keeping an eye on her too, so you dont have to worry Hee hee. Youve gotten a lot better at brushing her teeth, Award 870. She is scheduled for some professional oral care to remove the tartar three days from now. The usual on-site checkup is scheduled for 2 months from now, but please contact us if anything is worrying you. We can provide stress care with aroma and temperature therapy or provide a full-body massage using shiatsu and low frequency vibration. The white liger may have been receiving better care than your average businessman. It apparently took a lot for a wild animal to live in the city. Fighting over rare services like reservations at fancy restaurants or the best seats at concerts was what the common folk did. True celebrities like Aika-chan would carve out a new life cycle wherever they saw the need. After watching the jumpsuit woman leave, Aika pulled a club-like hunk of raw meat out of the 2m cubic container that had the same structure as a refrigerator. It was important to note that one side of the container had been replaced with a thick scratching board. In other words, this would only last one day at best. Here you go, liger. Your lovely meat-on-the-bone has arrived The wild animal had been curled up on the floor like a small sofa, but now she slowly got up. Unlike a poorly-trained dog, she did not immediately jump at the food. The meat was still cold from the refrigerated container, so eating it now would make her sick. Aika piled several raw meat clubs on a party-sized platter and warmed them a bit in an extra-large oven separate from the one used for human food. In the meantime, the striped bikini girl poured some animal-safe milk into a baby bottle and pressed it against the white ligers mouth to distract her. Of course, that baby bottle was larger than a 2 liter bottle. In the world of classy wild animals(?), there were apparently a lot that would demand meat from animals of their natural habitat, like gazelles or gnus, but the white liger that lived with Aika was a crossbreed of a white tiger and a lion, so she was an extraordinary carnivore that could not be found in nature. Aika did not worry about that too much and had chosen lean Australian beef after monitoring her partners responses to different meats. The white liger seemed to like that better than the fatty marbled kind. The oven timers bell sounded and the white ligers shoulders jumped. Her curious eyes darted back and forth between Aikas face and the oven door. She may have been imprinted with a Pavlovian link between the timer sound and food. Aika removed the heated meat-on-the-bone from the oven and walked with the liger to the giant dining room. The animal did not eat the food yet. The white liger used all her strength to restrain herself until she was given permission. Aika slowly lowered the large plate to the floor and then took three steps back. Okay, eat up, liger The liger took a leap and then produced a veritable explosion of chewing sounds. Those hunks of meat were thick enough to stop a small handgun bullet, but she crunched through the bone along with the meat. Even if the liger meant no harm, Aika would have been knocked away if she had carelessly approached. Aika meanwhile took a jelly drink from the fridge. She used the small butt inside her bikini bottom to push the fridge door shut and then used both hands to turn the plastic cap. The striped bikini girl could not cook her own food, so her diet was best summed up as luxurious but tragic. Even when Lu Niang Lan made something for her, the recipe was generally designed for someone who exercised regularly, so it did not always give the shut-in girl a balanced diet. For that reason, she had gained a habit of using one meal a day to make up for the part of her diet she had missed out on. It was the same idea as giving the liger her vitamins and minerals through extra-large toy bones. Ahm. (Theyre saying now is the time to eat more protein, but that doesnt really apply to me since I dont get any exercise other than rolling around on the yoga mat while watching the guide video.) Aika sat directly on the table instead of in a chair, placed the top of the jelly drink in her mouth, and picked up a notebook-sized tablet from a stand on the table. She lived in a large apartment, so it would be a pain to have to walk to a specific location whenever she wanted to use the computer. Instead, she had computers and mobile devices all over the place and synced together so she could see the same data no matter which one she was using. She really was a wealthy shut-in. The tablets screen displayed some plain text. Kyousuke had told her she was free to be a shut-in if she wanted, but that was not an excuse for failing to keep up with her studies. She somewhat agreed with that, so one box in her schedule was labeled study even though every day was summer break for her. No matter what gap your life had fallen into, no one liked being called dumb. A general world map was drawn on the tablet screen and red dots appeared on that. They covered the entire world, regardless of country or region. And the question was as follows: As part of a philanthropic policy, a large civilian corporation provides economic assistance in order to revive cities around the world that have declined due to financial bankruptcy, declining population, environmental troubles, or rising crime rates. What is the name of the corporation that is leading this policy? Hint: The international revived cities are given the corporations name! After a moment of silence, Aika removed her finger from the tablets screen. She also removed the jelly drink from her mouth and breathed a quiet sigh. She only had to look at the name of Toy Dream 35 to know the answer. That giant corporation that provided dreams to children the world over was a source of great trauma for this girl, but the name returned to her no matter how much she tried to avoid it. That was now ubiquitous it was. Toy Dream Her trembling fingertips typed in the necessary answer and then she closed the text app. She returned the tablet to the table stand and finally reached for a different electronic device. It was a character smartphone that Toy Dream had created by buying up a service provider and social media company. And this one was based on a heroine that should not exist, so it was probably the only one that still existed. The phone used an app that was like a cross between an email and a chat service. It was known as Assort Message and it allowed you to attach one illustration or icon of a Toy Dream character to each message. The address book linked to that app had only a single group and a few different addresses registered within. For a reason other than high-level security, the majority of the 7 billion people in the world would not even know this one address existed. It was an email link for the members of a certain family that was envied by all. It was a direct hotline that let one contact the personal mobile phone of the extremely busy president of Toy Dream without even going through a secretary. Kyousuke and Olivia were making an external attack on the mobile base created from a cruise ship in an attempt to track down the truth of the Silver Resource War. But there was another way. Someone deep on the inside could make a direct attack on the president. Aika toyed with the address book for a while and then heard a low growl. Her partner, the white liger, poked her head above the table. The animal did not even need to climb up. With a 5m body, her head stuck above while sitting on the floor. The white liger placed her chin on the tabletop and looked up at Aika where she sat on the table. The striped swimsuit girl giggled and placed her hand on the wild animals head. Do you want seconds, liger? Theres no helping you, is there? Aika lifted up her small butt and hopped down from the table, but she still held the character smartphone in her hand. (It might be time I faced this war too.) While walking to the refrigerated container that contained additional meat, the striped bikini girl placed her index finger on one part of the screen. She gently touched one address. She was a girl who had vanished from the human races memories. She was the granddaughter of a certain family. And Aika Toydream quietly took action once more. Facts: *Sinceria Highland has redone her contract more than anyone else in history. As a result, parts of her physical body have changed just like with Isabelle. But there is no sign of Sincerias soul breaking or personality changing. The exact conditions for these things are unknown. *It was revealed that footage of Kingdom Fs civil war was used to produce the Blue Film that is meant to get the go ahead for the Silver Resource War. That is why Kingdom Fs queen and knight chose to interfere in the incident. *Award 999, War Criminal, the top of Illegal, was mentioned in connection to the defense of the Missing Princess. *The System Atlantis VFX production mainframe was not located on the Missing Princess. *Kyousuke grabbed and broke his enemys Incense Grenade, but that counted as a belated detonation after being thrown by Eisen Rosen. An Incense Grenades mixture pattern is designed to match a specific summoner, so using someone elses will not create an Artificial Sacred Ground. Volume 8, Stage 02 - The Treasure Chest is in the Frozen Undersea World Volume 8, Stage 02: The Treasure Chest is in the Frozen Undersea World If youre insane, you creep me out. If youre not, youre scum. Ha ha!! Just how highly do you view the ultimate grotesque creatures we call humans, Kyousuke-chan!? (Stage 02 Open 08/04 11:10) The Treasure Chest is in the Frozen Undersea World Kyousuke kicked open the door to the leisure room. The situation had changed. Olivia, were leaving!! Eh? Ah? But I havent changed yet, Onii-chan! Kyousuke grabbed just one of the bags shoulder straps and grabbed Olivias slender hand before practically swinging them both around as he burst back out into the corridor. Changing clothes could help lose pursuit, but when the opponent had already spotted you, it was useless unless a few different requirements were met. First, there had to be a crowd, like on the city streets or in a subway station. Second, you had to change quickly so the enemy did not catch you while you were changing. Neither requirement was met here. A few dry gunshots echoed through the straight corridor as they ran to the nearest staircase. There were now a few fingertip-sized holes in the bag, but it had apparently stopped the lead bullets. Kyousuke kicked down a nearby fire extinguisher to smash the jaw of a guard down the stairs and then ran past the large man as he writhed in pain. (The ones immediately using guns are Illegal and the ones hesitating in confusion are normal guards. Theyre wearing the same uniforms, but thats how I can tell them apart!!) He did the math in his head and set different levels of acceptable violence for the two categories. Although as Alice (with) Rabbit, killing was not an option for Shiroyama Kyousuke either way. They needed to reach the starboard side where they had left their small submersible between the ship and the extra float attached by an arm. They could use that to escape into the ocean and lose their pursuers. They first had to reach the deck level. Kyousuke stopped at the connection between stairs and the corridor, pressed against the wall, and swung his Blood-Sign horizontally out when he heard footsteps approaching. He hit a guard with a lariat, knocking him over from the neck, and then kicked the groaning middle-aged man in the head to knock him out. Once out in the corridor, a tremor ran through Kyousukes body. Onii-chan? He slowly turned around without answering Olivias worried question. A summoner and vessel pair was already at the end of the long, long corridor. It was Illegal Award 749, Railroad Executioner. Needless to say, they were a protg of War Criminal who led one of the three major powers. Cheh. How many did he bring with him!? shouted Olivia while puffing out her cheeks. The humongous steel railroad rail may have played the role of a Blood-Sign. That rusted mass of metal rested on the shoulder of a large shirtless man who wore a black hood and had a single lens reflex camera with a bazooka-like lens around his neck. The vessel standing next to him was a young girl who looked like a Western doll. She wore a suit with a tight skirt for what may have been a train conductor motif. She flipped through what looked like a time schedule on a clipboard. The pair usually dispassionately followed their schedule to hunt down and kill anyone within Illegal who broke their ironclad rules or blood bonds. They rarely left Illegal and thus were not blessed with many opportunities to earn Awards, so it would be best to assume their actual skill was 200 Awards above what they had. The threat here was not the rusty metal rail Blood-Sign or Garuda, Sleipnir and other divine beasts they could summon from the Divine-class. An executioner always produced results. They were not allowed to and could not afford to make the mistakes that a judge might. More and more loud slamming sounds filled the corridor. All the doors lining both walls were kicked open and men in black uniforms different from the guards stepped out. (So theyre not even hiding who they are anymore.) And they were not about to take turns fighting one at a time. Their aim was clear. The men in black would surround Kyousuke and Olivia within the straight corridor. If that defeated them, all was well, but if it did not, those men would risk their lives to hold them in place. And afterwards Thank you very much for taking our express train to hell. The doors will soon close, so please refrain from boarding now. The small girl in a suit spoke with a strangely flat voice. She climbed up the large muscular masked mans back like a squirrel and placed a jump rope around his thick neck. It was like a horses reinsno, she was using him like a train. After taking a seat on his shoulders, the small girl continued her announcements which acted like a cursed song that placed the man into a trance. As the large shirtless man listened, his muscles swelled out to two or three times their size as if from a strange new form of doping. Shiroyama Kyousuke clicked his tongue. And then the final line arrived. Now, let us depart. An explosive din shook the air. The difference between enemy and ally no longer mattered. The long straight corridor was the track of a runaway train. The enemy had ordered those men in black to charge into the corridor, but they were still knocked down by the rusted metal rail as the mass of muscle mercilessly approached Kyousuke and Olivia. The enemy summoner and vessel only cared that their men stopped the target long enough that they could defeat them. Personnel loss was baked into the plan. There was no dodging it in the straight corridor. And even if they threw an Incense Grenade now, they would be run over before the 3 seconds to detonation had passed. Olivia, this way!! Kyousuke knocked out the nearest man in black by jabbing his Blood-Sign between his eyes. He did not stick to the corridor. He pulled on Olivias hand and rushed into a room on the right. A moment later, the giant mass passed by in the corridor and a powerful gust of wind blew through. There was no way it would end there, so Kyousuke used the slight lag to run to the window. They were already on the deck level, so if they opened the window and climbed out, they would arrive on the starboard side deck. Naturally, the protection of the air conditioning vanished once they were on the deck. Perhaps because they were out at sea, the August sun felt terribly humid. Illegal would not stay in one place. The more than 100 men in black and the summoner pair would soon use other rooms windows to reach the side deck. And that side deck was a long straightaway itself, so that would change nothing. Onii-chan. Where did we stop the submarine again!? Were almost there. Just another 40 meters!! Just then, someone smoothly stepped out from behind one of the columns that looked more decorative than functional. It was Sinceria Highland and Rachel Wormwood. Government Award 913, Noble Bride passed them by. They did not really say anything. They crossed paths like it was to be expected and the women took the delaying role. My, my, my, my. Was it meant to look like snow or ice, glass or crystal? Sinceria whispered happily in a cool blue dress and with her long blonde hair blowing in the sea breeze. She pressed her hands together in front of her large chest and smiled. Her restraint as a vessel was not the glass and alloy crown that symbolized her right to the throne. It was the locket which reminded her of the family she had lost. I was right to leave her with you, Kyousuke. Hee hee hee. Having a gentleman take your hand and escort you across the battlefield is not something most people get to experience? All hes doing is wander around without a clue what hes doing. Rachel loosely crossed her arms near her hips and snorted from her shapely nose. The armed glasses knight tapped a finger against the battle hook at her hip. Hmph. But it does seem he has kept his promise of not allowing the princess to shed a single drop of blood. I am willing to give him the lowest possible passing grade. Hee hee hee. What is it, my queen? Oh, nothing. Hee hee hee? Rachel, your cute snorts always mean the same thing. Hm, hm. Mutter, mutter, mutter. Hee hee hee hee hee hee??? If you have something to say, just come out and say it!! With a great quantity of footsteps, purposefully-generic men in black exited through multiple windows. They initially ignored Sinceria and Rachel so they could pursue Kyousuke and Olivia, but Wait, you insults to our kingdom. Silver flashed. It was the athletic body rather than the intellectual glasses that came to the forefront here. All of a sudden, she had drawn the battle hook from her hip, extended it to nearly 2 meters, and used the J-shaped end to catch one of the men in black by the neck. A light pull forward knocked him to the floor like a poor criminal being dragged around by a rope attached to a horse. Before caution could fill the air, the battle hook swung around like a baton some more. Sometimes it caught a man in black by the ankle, held him upside down, and dropped him to the deck. Other times, it grabbed a man in black by the belt and tossed him over the railing into the ocean. The tension of the scene finally caught up to reality. By the time the men in black recognized the new enemy, more than 10 of them had already been knocked out. The woman wore old-fashioned silver armor and a long wine-red tight skirt that seemed like it would restrict the movement of her legs. But even after achieving such incredible results, Rachel did not seem very excited. She simply tapped her shoulder with the battle hook and winked behind her glasses. Hmph. I dont care what happens to that silly mercenary, but lets not forget that a kingdoms princess is traveling with him. It is time for a social studies lesson. I will give you a thorough first-hand lesson in exactly what happens to anyone who attempts barbaric acts in front of our princess for no good reason. Hee hee hee. Tsundere, tsundere? Yes, yes. First Olivia and now Rachel. Kingdom F just keeps getting richer! I knew he was exactly what we needed. He may have refused once, but I absolutely must give Kyousuke a medal of national service. Be quiet, my queen!!!!!! What sounded like a shockwave rang out as the muscular masked man ignored the windows and broke right through the wall to reach the side deck. The Railroad Executioner summoner let out a steamy breath with his rusty metal rail Blood-Sign in hand. The small vessel girl slowly walked out after him while using a red pen to mark a document on her clipboard. Was the timetable her psychological restraint? An oddly flat voice ruled that place. Time and accuracy took precedence over all else. I must apologize to all passengers who are in a hurry, but our express train to hell is experiencing a delay. We will ascertain the cause and recover ASAP, so please wait inside the train for now. Her announcements acted as a cursed song. A trance that only applied to them must have given her complete control over his brain chemicals because energy was clearly raging within the large mans body like a steam engine after more coal was shoveled in. His own bones began to creak under the strain of his trembling muscles. Ascertain the cause and recover. The men in black under their command did not hesitate to draw handguns. And a dry sound rang out. However Too bad? Sinceria held a hand in front of the knights face. That hand held a timer Incense Grenade that resembled a platinum pocket watch and it had a bullet embedded in it. It was clearly made from a cheap alloy, glass, and other inexpensive materials, but its value had been increased past the limit by royally appointed craftsmen. There was no need to turn the watch crown to set the dangerous hands because a 20m cubic Artificial Sacred Ground was already opening around it. Everything up until now had just been the lead in to battle. It was finally reaching the realm of summoners and vessels. Sinceria Highland even licked her lips as the thrill of combat flushed her skin and released the seductively sweet poison she had been restraining all this time. Her overly-long ears twitched and the locket at her chest twinkled. You need not hold back or show mercy. I will be your beautiful opponent. So bring it on? When my queen stands before you, it means you are facing our kingdoms final line of defense. Foreign threats, if you have not brought the firepower and resolve needed to ruin an entire kingdom, then you will find yourself trampled!! A few of the men in black continued pursuing Kyousuke and Olivia along the side deck. Sinceria and Rachel must not have been able to keep them all away, but they had done enough. Now that the human wave attack had thinned out, Kyousuke could use his Blood-Sign as a staff to knock down the enemy. More importantly, the frontline summoner, Railroad Executioner, was no longer after them. Olivia, jump in here!! U-uwehhh! Looking down, this is really highhyahn!? They could not wait around, so Kyousuke picked up Olivias small body and immediately jumped over the railing. There was almost 10 meters to the ocean surface, which was about 3 floors. They fell into the area of sea partitioned off by the ship itself and the additional float. Still holding Olivia, Kyousuke used just his feet to get his head above the surface. The heat island effect had thoroughly warmed the urban ocean, so it felt like sweaty skin and the clothing plastered to his skin felt as unpleasant as a crowded train. Pwah. Olivia, climb on there. Once we untie the rope, lets take the submersible to the ocean floor. Onii-chan is princess carrying me Wow Olivia. Had she hit her face when they landed in the water? Kyousukes brief shout dragged the double braid girl back to reality, so he pushed on her small butt to get her on top of the spindle-shaped submersible. Still soaking wet, he untied the rope, raised the streamlined protective cover, and climbed inside with the girl. After closing the cover again, he aimed the nose down and parted the seawater. The men in black must have noticed. Several gunshots rang from the side deck above and the bullets piercing the ocean surface stabbed through the thick water like spears of white air bubbles. Onii-chan, what about the cooling sheets? We dont need them this time. In fact, theyd only leave us shivering in the cold. Regardless, they had won now that they were in the ocean. The enemy could not hit while forced to file blindly thanks to the bright sun reflecting off the surface. As they dove deeper, the light faded like someone was twisting a dimmer switch. Yes, ocean water was not 100% transparent, so it would block the sun if a thick enough layer was in the way. ? Just as the planets slight axial tilt altered the length of daylight time and thus created the seasons, things changed quickly once they lost the blessings of the sun. Onii-chaIts kind ofeh? Its really cold? We were dealing with a greenhouse effect before, but this is what happens when sunlight is removed from the equation. We arent directly in contact with the surface layer of seawater that has soaked up all the heat, so the change will be even faster for us than a diver. Kyousuke hit a few buttons to turn on the lights. I dont see a nuclear sub anywhere It looks like we might need to dive further than 100 meters. Uuh, Im soaked. Are you sure we shouldnt have changed, Onii-chan? We didnt have timeas I already explained. And its August, so we arent going to catch cold. They voiced no concern for Sinceria and Rachel. They had already seen just how skilled those two were during Kingdom Fs civil war. A natural disaster or a crime would not be enough to kill them. That would take a war. It would be one thing if Illegal Award 999, War Criminal, made an attack himself, but Kyousuke doubted his bodyguard forces could do anything. And since the core of the Blue Film was in the nuclear submarine and not the cruise ship, the odds were extremely good that War Criminal himself was waiting at the bottom of the ocean. Wont they notice us if were shining the lights like this? Submarines put more focus on sound and magnetism than light, so often times normal lights will actually create a blind spot. Sound travels a lot faster than in the air. Just as Kyousuke said that, a large torpedo shot right by the submersible, leaving a trail of white bubbles in its wake. The war had begun. The crude steel tube had nothing like a propeller. It combined chemicals to propel itself with the power of air. No proximity fuse had activated and it passed right by them, but it pulled in the nearby seawater, shaking the small submersible. Oniiiii-chaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan? That wasnt because of the light. They probably detected the sound of us moving through the water. I cant completely eliminate the noise even if I cut the engine. But Olivia should have thought more carefully about this. If the enemy had a complete lock on them, they never could have avoided the torpedo. There had to be a reason why it had passed by the small submersible and exploded somewhere else entirely. A thermocline. Ocean temperature is not fixed. The currents give it a marbled pattern. And sound travels differently through warm water and cold water. Soundwaves reflect weirdly on the border between layers, so sonar becomes useless. Whether it used soundwaves or a timer, they cant hit us if the original location data was wrong. Th-then can we safely descend? Im not so sure. If they know theres a thermocline, they can take countermeasures. More importantly, that shot stirred up the water, so it might have been temporarily mixed together like Italian dressing. This isnt a repeatable method. As they continued down, Kyousuke guided the submersible toward a cliff-like shelf. Three more torpedoes were fired, but none of them managed to hit. By intentionally reflecting their noise off of the rock wall, he could shift the apparent source of the noise. Found it. They were in extreme danger where a single hit would tear their submersible to pieces, but Kyousuke did not bat an eye. There was a large cigar shape lodged in the V-shaped gap between two rock shelfs. The small submersibles lights illuminated a pitch black ship nearly 100m long. The ID number had been scraped off, but it was definitely a military product. It was a US Navy San Francisco-class nuclear submarine. Those had supposedly been decommissioned in accordance with the Strategic Arms Platform Reduction Treaty signed with Russia 3 years prior, but this one at least had apparently been secretly sold to a civilian buyer. Its combat ability may have been completely removed before being sold, but parts acquired via a different route could be used to repair that. Besides, simply selling a nuclear-powered sub was an unprecedented problem and in violation of the standards. Come to think of it, Onii-chan, didnt the Ghost Ship Sebastian movie released this spring have a talking submarine for a main character? It was about a baby sub going an adventure through the seven seas in search of his mom. Can that old man turn anything into a hit? Meanwhile, the small submersible approached the nuclear sub waiting on the ocean floor. Using soundwaves to detect enemies was super effective in the water, but there was one surprising weakness: you could not detect something right up alongside you. That was of course because the noise made by your own great size would drown out the enemy reading. Now, lets make our home visit. Nweh? Onii-chan, how are we supposed to get onboard? If we open this protective cover, the water will come rushing in, wont it? This submersible Lu-san gave us is usually used by Illegal to make illicit deals in the dead of night. It has arms for grabbing packages in the dark ocean and it can dock with other ships. The other ships hatch format doesnt matter here. The San Francisco-class was covered by a thick hull built to resist the immense water pressure and explosive blasts, but that hull was not made from a single smooth panel. In addition to the boarding hatch on the bridge where the normal periscope was, there was the ballast tanks water intake, torpedo launch tubes on the front, and 12 vertical-launch mass drivers on the top. It had plenty of seams that acted as openings. The sturdiest of them would of course be the boarding hatch. Kyousuke checked the pressure sensor on the control columns grip and tried moving the two arms. Good, good. Thats an Illegal smuggling submersible for you. Its pretty sensitive to make sure they dont damage the waterproof package. Hmm, so this is how you grab things. Onii-chan, what are you going to do about all that rock in the way? If theres no accessible entrance, well just have to make a new one. Kyousuke looked entirely unconcerned. If we make some noise, theyll open up the hull themselves to begin the torpedo launch process. Well provide them something more than water to flood the tube. And once the tube is clogged, the torpedo will blow open a hole for us. A violent explosive blast disconcertingly shook the giant steel submarine. It detonated in the tube! The 3rd launch tube has ruptured!! Have we set up a seal? Prepare the pumps and filler material! This is a race against time, so just dont let the water in!! And keep the sub balanced!! Seawater was of course the most frightening thing to a submarine crew. Damage from a torpedo or mine, scraping the hull on the rocks, getting a net or wire caught in the propeller, and so many other things could lead to drowning in seawater. While it did happen sometimes, it was rare for flames, smoke, or an explosive blast to directly kill them. They were working in an environment inhospitable to human life, so destroying the artificial environment they created for themselves would remind them they were on the ocean floor and their lives would be readily snuffed out. Returning their environment to normal would kill them. This was different from unnaturally taking a life by firing a bullet or shell at them on the surface. However. The crew frowned when they brought filler material like metal beams and thick rubber sheets to fill the large hole in the torpedo launch tube. There was indeed seawater flowing in, but not very much. What? Did the wreckage of the torpedo clog it up? The water was only trickling out like from a sewer pipe on a muddy river wall, so a young crewmember tried to peer inside the launch tube. Immediately, Shiroyama Kyousuke shot out like it was a water slide and the heel of his shoe caught the defenseless crewmember on the bridge of the nose. He then spun around his long and narrow Blood-Sign. And were in. W-wah. Waaaaah!? Before the crew could actually do anything, Kyousuke used the Blood-Sign to strike the young crewmembers on the back of the neck, on the side of the head, or in the middle of the gut to quickly knock them out. Olivia crawled out of the torpedo tube a little later. Im soaking wet Huh? Did it not attach properly? Well, this wasnt a proper hatch, so there was only so much it could do. Kyousuke and Olivia had attached the bottom of the small submersible to the hole in the torpedo tube using a large, remora-like suction cup and then they had moved the seat to open the bottom. By connecting the submersible to the submarine, they had been able to enter the latter through the damaged torpedo tube. The torpedoes would have been fired by the defense unit sent by Illegal, but who had originally supplied the equipment? Had Toy Dream acquired the parts and gotten them back in working order, or had Illegal revived that functionality for this mission? (Either way, the submarines very existence is a secret, so they dont have to worry about anyone seeing what happens in here. We should assume well run into some even nastier people onboard.) The fabric is clinging to me all over. Uuh, and I dont like how it feels in the crotch. Olivia looked troubled and moved her fingers to the butt below her pareo to fix the swimsuit. When she did, a clear liquid left the base of her legs and flowed down her inner thighs. The blonde double braid girl seemed to notice Kyousukes eyes on her because she blushed and began stammering. Just so you know, Onii-chan, this is only seawater. It isnt anything weird. I know. Huh? This is odd. I had heard Japanese swimsuits had this weird hole here so the water that gets in through the chest could get back out more easily. Is it really working? You dont have to stick your hand into that tunnel. More importantly, Olivia, help me tie all of them up. It was unclear how she decided what qualified as embarrassing, but Kyousuke tossed her some zip ties. Once their arms and legs are bound, well remove them from this room. Oh? Onii-chan, you know how to use these in addition to the Japanese-style rope? She was clearly mistaken about something there, but now was not the time to argue. The hole had not been filled with filler material, so even at a trickle, the flooding was continuing. Kyousuke and Olivia bound the unconscious crewmembers hands behind their backs and tossed them into the corridor. After making sure there was no one left, they shut the steel door from outside and turned the round handle. Huh, so even submarines have air conditioning. I thought it would be sweltering and full of exhaust. The San Francisco-class is nuclear-powered, so the turbine is always turning. Unlike the battery-powered subs, they cant completely cut the power to go silent, so theres no real reason to not use air conditioning. The room temperature was only lightly cooled, so it was actually more comfortable than the cruise ship above which had been like a supermarkets vegetable section. All of the submarines doors were watertight, so if they were all shut, any flooding could be contained to a single room. And that limited volume would not be enough to throw off the submarines balance and make it roll over. There was only one thing to worry about: Once the torpedo loading room filled with water, they would lose their route back to the submersible waiting outside. They would either have to find another way to the surface or acquire some legitimate diving suits to travel through the flooded area. Still After sealing the watertight door, Kyousuke glanced around the corridor again. The San Francisco-class had been mass produced. Since multiple identical submarines had been built at the same shipyard, there were more opportunities to acquire an accurate layout diagram. But Toy Dream and then Illegal could have made any number of additions and modifications. They could not fully trust that diagram. For one thing, the standard model would not have had this kind of interior. The dark gray and unrefined corridor took many twists and turns. The walls and ceiling were absolutely covered in large pieces of paper. They depicted long silver hair worn in twintails and an outfit that looked like a white wedding dress cut down to size with silver armor added in places. Needless to say, these were portraits of the White Queen. All mechanical cameras and sensors ceased to work when an Incense Grenade detonated, so they were all hand-drawn. They stirred up odd emotions, like when seeing the police use professionally-made sketches of a wanted criminal even in the modern day. The people who wanted to start the Silver Resource War were apparently after the deposit of special silicon in the giant mountains around Kingdom F because that silicons crystal structure miraculously contained just the right impurities in just the right amounts. And they had set up an unbelievable system where the countries and regions hit by the flames of war would be thrown into the large box labeled East Europe Axis. They wanted to combine cutting-edge Repliglass tech with the ancient Joruri Method to create an artificial vessel capable of perpetually summoning the White Queen. They wanted to create a powerful anchor to re-solidify the White Queen now that word of her being killed was shaking her absolute position. So it was true they might need portraits of the White Queen from multiple angles as reference material for the doll. But when Kyousuke felt a strange shiver down his spine, it was not because of all the images of the White Queens beautiful form filling this space. Whatis this? Olivia was also dumbfounded as her wet body shook. The eyes had been torn out. Countless blade slashes ran across the mouth. A red pen had drawn Xs all over it Each and every one of the portraits had been destroyed. Kyousuke held his Blood-Sign tight and Olivia clung to his waist from the side as they slowly walked further in. Then his shoes reached something like gravel. A volleyball-sized piece of marble lay at the corner between the corridor floor and wall. It took a moment to realize it was a statues decapitated head after the surface had been thoroughly carved down with a chisel. This was more than just persistent. It was obsessive. It was more than just hate. It was a backlash. The messy spiral of emotions ruling this space was like someone had gone around destroying the very things they had gathered out of love. The oxygen level would not have changed, but an eerie oppressiveness hit Kyousuke like an invisible wall. This was the chaos brought on by the Queens death. People were resorting to strange and destructive acts now that the foundation of their belief had been shattered. There was an old urban legend that someones mentality could be deduced from the lineup in their bookcase or the layout of their room. That was more an issue of folklore than science, but Kyousuke could not help but rely on it here. (Did those belong to Toy Dream? No, then they would have arranged the light sources, temperature, and humidity when doing the subs interior. These must have been brought in by Illegal. They were not destroying something adorning the walls. They brought their collection here for the express purpose of destroying them and creating this scene.) Hmm, they sure were thorough. It looks like they dont completely hate her. Uwehh? It looks like they want to kill her to me Theyre lashing out in hatred because the White Queen got herself killed, but they still have some hope deep in their hearts. Hope that its all a lie. Thats why they only have portraits of the White Queen. I dont see any materials based on the Colorless Little Girl that killed her. They had brought along their precious items in order to destroy them here. If they simply hated her, they would not go to the effort of carrying the collection this far. They would not have taken it anywhere at all. Hmm? So which is it? Do they love the White Queen or hate her? I think theyre trying to have it both ways. Just like someone trying to guess the murderer in a mystery novel, they cant decide on a single person. By setting up a defensive line for every possibility, they can say they saw it coming no matter who it ends up being. Did they love or hate the White Queen? Would they side with the White Queen or the Colorless Little Girl? The person who had made this scene could picture every possibility in their mind, but they could not decide on just one. So they were simply putting off making a decision while making it look like they were thinking about it. They told themselves there was no helping it because the answer had already been determined. They would tell themselves they were fine because they had seen it coming from the beginning. They might try to act all-knowing, but to someone a step removed, they had the dark eyes of someone who had lost all hope and they were simply floating aimlessly like a balloon in the wind. And that made them hard to predict. In the end, this was the kind of person who would smugly say things were going according to their calculations even if they tripped, hit their head on a pebble, and died. Shiroyama Kyousuke had to predict the actions of someone who did not know what they themselves would do. This could be far more trouble than dealing with the most meticulously planned crime. O-Onii-chan. The original data of that weird video is here, right? Lets destroy System Atlantis and get out of here. I dont want to stay here long and I dont want to see the person who made this. This is an atmosphere we cant - just cant - bring to Kingdom F. No. Kyousuke shook his head. While not to the extent of a cruise ship or aircraft carrier, a submarine required a fair number of people to operate. And yet they had seen no sign of a crew since those in the original torpedo loading room. Why was no one confronting them? Who was keeping them away? Those questions led Shiroyama Kyousuke to the following conclusion: Looks like its too late already. They heard solid footsteps. Illegal Award 999, War Criminal. He was the leader of one of three major powers that dealt in the Summoning Ceremony. He was the worlds greatest criminal who had taken an individuals crimes so far that he had taken a step into the realm of war. He matched the photo from before. He looked the same as when Kyousuke had made those five soul-rending surprise attacks in the past. He had lazily-combed, close-cropped hair and a completely average height. He was a very generic boy in a rough baseball practice uniform that did not even have a team name on it. In this case, it was wrong to find it anticlimactic. War Criminal had already achieved many records, reigned at the top of Illegal, and was known both inside and outside Illegal for possessing the skill to take on Government Award 1000, the tyrannical Elvast Toydream. So. This meant the person who stood at the top of every last criminal organization was the Boy A who stood by anyones side. A shudder of terror was the correct response to that fact. Boy A had the close-cropped hair of a baseball boy and wore black sunglasses as if they symbolized something. There was no bridge at the nose, so they had a ruler-like shape and resembled a wicked blindfold. Hi, Kyousuke-chan. Howve you been? Ha ha ha! Its your old friend, Irigaru Tarou. Now then, Kyousuke-chan. Are you wondering if I have a bunch of body doubles or if Im a stunt expert? As the top of Illegal roared such an obviously fake name that it could have been on a sample form at a bank or post office, Kyousuke kicked something with the heel of his shoe. He kicked up a dropped handgun like he was juggling a soccer ball. Shiroyama Kyousuke of all people did not hesitate to pull the trigger. Multiple gunshots rang out and Olivia reacted more than War Criminal. She covered her ears and curled up. Some of the bullets flew straight and others ricocheted off the thick steel walls. The lead projectiles used multiple angles and time delays to essentially surround Boy A as they flew toward him. Several dry sounds followed. Uuh An obedient girl groaned in embarrassment. The leader going by the name Irigaru Tarou had a girl of about the same age standing next to him. Her wavy, reddish-chestnut hair was simply tied back in two bunches that were not quite twintails and she wore no makeup. She had a decent body, but she was a book girl with a vanishing presence. But despite that impression, she wore a pure white bunny suit with a tailcoat-like vest. No, there was one motif even stronger than the bunny ears and suggestive tights. As she tearfully blushed and shrank down, a large flapping noise came from her back. The objects there looked as solid as hard plastic yet moved smoothly. If this model was based on an existing animal, then they may have been swan wings. However, they were dyed a dark red, so they were more reminiscent of a fallen angel. It was a depressing and profane coloring, like seeing a wedding dress colored blood red. And those wings had spread out like a large umbrella to block and knock back all of the bullets Kyousuke had fired. Her wavy, reddish-chestnut hair may have been tied back in two bunches in order to give those dark red swan wings space to move on her back. They must have been a collection of microlattices because they could spread out to a far greater size than their initial appearance suggested. She held a fairly cheap-looking tote bag to her stomach with both hands. It may have been the prize for gathering the stickers from convenience store bread. Thanks to that, her arms pushed together her surprisingly large breasts. No! Stayaway!! Her shoulders shrank down and she squeezed her eyes shut, but that graceful behavior was belied by how the blood red swan wings swung out with such ferocious force. Kyousuke wordlessly fired some more and watched as the oxidized-blood-colored wings spun around like a tornado. Once the handgun was out of ammo, Kyousuke did not hesitate to throw it aside. You implanted Repliglass directly into your vessels skeleton? But once the Summoning Ceremony battle begins, no cameras or sensors can see us. And that includes your vessel as she operates that. Did you put her through the risk of rejection, infection, and mechanical malfunction just to protect yourself against surprise attack? Dont criticize me like that. Ill cry? Repliglass is the symbol of Government, so its a sign of wealth for us and our inferior tech. Reputation is crucial for a criminal organization. Im not interested in nuclear weapons or stealth fighters. I want something with such great value that it shows off that theres nothing I cant get my hands on. It seems weird to me too, but trust is of the utmost importance in the underworld. Ha ha!! The generic Boy A laughed with his eyes hidden by the horizontal line of his ruler-like sunglasses. And thats not what matters here. You were testing to see if my aide would stop the bullets when you attacked with deadly force, werent you? No matter how excellent the lackey, they wouldnt risk their life for a replaceable body double. Whiiiich meeeeans thats convinced you, hasnt it? It was not Kyousuke whose shoulders jumped up in shock. It was the fallen angel, who was trembling in embarrassment from the mismatched outfit she had been made to wear. Kyousuke narrowed his eyes when he saw it. I see. I may have been looking at this wrong. Ohh. Now youre focused on her? Yeah, making these alterations to my childhood friend mightve been a mistake. She was originally the kind of person who would come running to my room cause she couldnt watch a rented horror movie on her own. Thats all changed after I messed with her a bit, though. That girl is ultimately motivated by fear, not love, War Criminal. You yourself are a war that causes tremendous damage all around you, but the one surefire way to avoid that damage is to be the vessel by your side. You could think of it like the eye of the storm. She might look obedient on the surface, but thats sort of like Stockholm syndrome where a hostage is so desperate to read the criminals slightest emotions in order to protect themselves that they end up empathizing with them and developing a temporary affection for them. That reaction couldnt be duplicated with a body double because your skill is needed for it to develop. So Ill have to go with the stunt theory instead of the body doubles. The cowering girls trembling increased explosively. Uuuuh Uuuuuuh!! She groaned like a shabby dog chained to a post. Her spiteful eyes told him not to reveal too much and not to take away the eye of the storm, but Boy A himself did not seem bothered by the accusation of false trust. No. He may have never really understood what trust was. The close-cropped hair boy was not even looking in the vessels direction. Arent you gonna ask? Ask what? There are standard questions for times like this: Why did you do this? How much work did you put into making a Toy Dream non-executive director your pawn? Why do you want to use the Blue Film to start the Silver Resource War? Yknow, checking your answers. Kyousuke gave a short snort. And he laughed. Like you would have a good reason. Im offended you would say that. The generic boy laughed in a tone that would rub anyone the wrong way and smiled behind the horizontal line of his sunglasses. Then he spoke words that sounded like some kind of curse. An artificial vessel made of Repliglass. Well, I guess it would be more like overclocking than creating an anchor. Materials are temporarily summoned from another world and used here. So if theyre summoned wrong, they lose power, but the opposite is also possible. Thats what an artificial vessel made of special silicon will do. The White Queen was apparently killed while in her base state, so now well use human tech to strengthen her. I guess its similar to the experiment run with Pandemonium. That Deltaston Family that led that project had been a special group that encompassed Government, Illegal, and Freedom. That would explain how information on the technique had reached Illegal. The White Queen was not enough. So they would use their clever human brains to elevate her to even greater heights. Had humanity made no progress since the Queens Miniature Garden? Or had the sense of danger faded and been reset, like with the memories of war? Did this Boy A realize it or not? Regardless, he continued speaking with a voice as heavy as coal tar. Youd normally figure this out, right? Youd normally be able to do this much, right? And if you can do it, youd normally go ahead and actually do it, right? So I did it. Thats the only reason I had. Theres nothing majorly twisted about this. Just think about it normally and anyone could figure it out, right? Did you think this was the ramblings of a lunatic? Hey, Kyousuke-chan, you think too highly of the word normal. Who was it that sold out their neighbors with dark smiles on their faces during the witch hunts? Who was it that spread mistaken training methods without feeling a shred of responsibility? Who is it thats still passionately supporting the income of the drug cartels? The darkness of history doesnt come from the serial killers and dictators with special minds. Drug lords can only do so much on their own. The people you really need to fear are the faceless Person As who can be found all over the world. Kyousuke-chan, youre always being watched by the As you would never suspect. Those are the pieces of sheet who will kill millions and then casually claim theyre the real victims. The White Queen was powerful, but she did not intentionally drive people insane. It was the world and human race around her that grew twisted on their own. However. The White Queen doesnt matter. Boy A smiled coldly as the one who had destroyed all of the pictures of the Queen plastered across the walls and ceiling. Humanity is garbage whether shes with us or not. Well just find another symbol, worship that, go nuts, and cause more damage. I worship the White Queen in the same way. Its like finding a new waifu each season. Ha ha. If a Red Queen or Blue Queen took the title of the strongest, I bet Id worship her without even questioning it. So thats why youre trying to have it both ways? So you can laugh and say it all went according to your calculations whether your overclocking works and you strengthen the White Queen or it doesnt work and Colorless Little Girl worship covers the planet? It doesnt matter. Even though were talking about how you live your life? I simply wanted something that wouldnt break. I wanted a support that wouldnt be shaken even if it was hit with a war. I needed some solid rock to drive in the piton for my lifeline. Thats why I worshiped her. Not cause she was the White Queen. There was something stronger than me in the world, so I used that great being to support myself. She couldve been red or blue for all I cared. It just so happened that the she was white, so I placed my faith in that. Thats all. It was strange, but even members of criminal organizations had religious faith. For example, a gang hitman would wear a cross around their neck or have a tattoo of the Virgin Mary on their back. They lived lives of a formless anxiety telling them they would be punished in an unexpected way if they strayed from the path they had set for themselves. The basic plan is to incite Toy Dream into spreading the Blue Film that will bring about the Silver Resource War. And in the confusion, I can nab all the crystal resource needed to create the Queen lookalike for the perpetual summoning. Then my artificial vessel can overclock the failing Queen. But the success of that overclocking doesnt really matter. We just want to know what color stands at the top of the world. If strengthening the White Queen allows her to keep her spot at the top, thats great. If that isnt enough, then well switch over to the Colorless Little Girl. Were not fixated on a single thing here. We just want to know which is the winning side this season. Well worship them, use them up, and throw them out. Thats how normal humans work. Ive always been a fan. I knew you would win. I was rooting for you on my blog, telling everyone you were my team. Its not so bad when it comes to mechanical businesses. The real horror comes from the normal, everyday humans who have no idea what theyre doing. They feel no responsibility at all when they choose or abandon someone. Theyre grotesque creatures who will distort their own memories as long as it makes them feel good. Olivias small hand grabbed Kyousukes wet hoodie. And she was not the only one feeling an indescribable tingle of fear. The vessel girl, who was forced to wear suggestive clothing and even had her body modified, was trembling in a different way now. Sometimes it had been out of love and sometimes it had been out of hate. Kyousuke had seen several people who were fixated on the White Queen. Azalea Magentarain, Benikomichi Fuuki, Biondetta Shiroyama, Himekawa Mika, Akura Taisaku, Elvast Toydreamand more recently, Olivia Highland and Doctor S. It had been obsessive, insane, and hopeless, but they had risked their lives and futures for the path they had started down. But this was different. Kyousuke spat out some words without rejecting the strange feeling. If youre insane, you creep me out. If youre not, youre scum. Ha ha!! Just how highly do you view the ultimate grotesque creatures we call humans, Kyousuke-chan!? War Criminal reached a hand out to the side. His book girl of a vessel reached into the tote bag she held in front of her with both hands and she pulled out a hand grenade with a handle. The explosive looked like a maraca or a club with a fat end. She pulled the string on the bottom of the handle and threw it toward Kyousuke and Olivia. There was not much space inside the submarine. Swinging his Blood-Sign for a homerun would be difficult. Besides, if he eliminated the supernatural element and challenged them to a normal battle, he would be up against a vessel whose body had been modified. Those solid and dark-red swan wings had instantly knocked down every last bullet he had fired their way. It was hard to keep ones distance in the complex layout of the submarine, so if that monster rushed toward him, he would be unable to avoid the rush of blows. Thus, it would be best to wait for the Incense Grenade to detonate and battle using the Summoning Ceremony. Or so the enemy wanted him to think. Olivia!! Nweh!? The small girl had started to wait, so Kyousuke grabbed and tugged on her hand while reaching for a nearby watertight door. The submarines doors were even thicker steel than the cruise ships. As soon as he opened it wide as a shield, the grenade exploded. Yes. It sent out a perfectly normal explosive blast along with anti-personnel fragments. If they had waited for the Artificial Summoning Ceremony instead of using a shield, the wall of destruction would have hit their entire bodies within the narrow space. Olivia only wore some synthetic fabric fully soaked with seawater, so a single graze from a fragment would have taken out a large chunk of her flesh. Meanwhile, the enemy must have done it in the off chance that he got a lucky shot. A careless voice reached them through the smoke. Tch. So you used your dirty mind to figure it out. I guess it takes one to know one. Nothing scarier than a normal human, huh? Illegal!! Ha ha. Thats right. Theres nothing special about us. This is the honest malice that any human carries inside!! The name of his group told you exactly what he believed. After all, he was the evil leader who brought together all of the worlds criminal organizations. It had been wrong to expect him to play fair and square in the first place. Kyousuke dropped a hairspray-can-sized Incense Grenade at his feet behind the metal door shield to make the challenge himself. Oh, oh. The suggestive fallen angel staggered as soon as the Artificial Sacred Ground opened up. Now that the cameras and sensors no longer worked, the connection between her body and the machine had been severed. War Criminal had thoroughly modified his vessel partners body and he liked to play dirtybut that did not mean his skill was lacking. The 20m cube had appeared. But they barely had any room to move inside the submarine. The Summoning Ceremony was beginning at unprecedented close range. Goodbye, War. This timethis time I will bring an end to your slaughtering!! Ha ha!! A death match at close quarters? And stop putting on airs, cheater. You act like you alone are observing humanity from the outside!! Multiple swishing sounds sliced through the air. A 150cm Blood-Sign rapidly rotated in War Criminals right and left handsbut that was not all. Those two sticks kept a third one airborne despite no one touching it. The two sticks were in constant contact with the third ones sides to catch at it and lift it up. A devil stick? Olivia expressed skepticism about that juggling action, but they did not have time to worry over every bit of their opponents trickery. While he used a jugglers illusion to swap around the sticks until it was unclear which was the third, the clock was already ticking. The 6 x 6 x 6 - for a total of 216 - red Petals had formed the three-dimensional cube of the Rose. 36 Spots had appeared in midair. And as soon as they appeared, white lightning raced through the submarine. Both Kyousuke and Boy A launched their White Thorns with frightening speed. A single attack shattered the red cube, causing countless Petals to scatter across the narrow corridor and ricochet wildly. Both vessels were transferred according to the acquired Petals. Olivia was the Original Yellow (s). Cost: 1. Sound Range: High. The fallen angel was the Original Yellow (s). Cost: 1. Sound Range: High. They both became translucent yellow slime Materials. Then I just have to change that. The enemy would be thinking the same thing. Blood-Signs rotated in War Criminals hands and in the air before him. The third one slipped through the first two and shot straight out when the time came to hit one of the fist-sized white balls of light. If the enemy acquired a large number of Petals quickly, Kyousuke would have no chance of winning. And that could be countered with a number of interference tactics like hitting their White Thorn with one of your own to knock it directly into a Spot or using a Petal to hit and take control of a Petal they had hit. !! But Kyousuke held back at the last second. It was not a White Thorn that War Criminals Blood-Sign had launched. It was only a glove balled up to look like one. Kyousuke had only had a split second to make his decision and being lured into firing a White Thorn would have wasted a precious shot. Ha ha!! So you wont screw up that easily, huh!? War Criminal was the head of Illegal, one of the three major powers. At Award 999, he had been able to take on Elvast Toydream, a different leader who had reached Government 1000. At the same time, he was an embodiment of the concept that a faceless neighbor could be war itself. What did that mean? Boy A hid his eyes behind the horizontal line of his ruler-like sunglasses and he gave no thought at all to playing by the rules in single combat. He relied on trickery through and through. He was dedicated to illusions. He invited his opponent to recklessness, lured them to self-destruction, and dragged them into a bog without giving them a chance to utilize their skill. It did not matter to him if the opponent before his eyes was higher ranked or a great army. By the time they noticed their misunderstanding, the tragic damage would have spread too far and no one could lower their raised fists. It would become a hopeless war where the original cause no longer mattered. You could call him a feint specialist, but as seen in professional soccer, luring someone with your gaze or footwork required excellent fundamental abilities. Feints were not the fangs of the weak. They were but one of the claws and horns of the strong. What was the greatest form of cheating? It was to hold the position of strongest through old-fashioned hard work and yet use all of that for cheap tricks. Just like excellent metal engraving skills could create the plates for counterfeit money, just like the forensics techniques used to track down criminals could make mafia revenge easier, and just like the acting skill to gain the trust of countless people could be used to scam people. Putting in hard work to make easy money sounded like an oxymoron and it felt like not obeying the rules even for those who did not obey the rules. Kyousuke thought about it and clicked his tongue. You really do live up to the name Illegal through and through, dont you? So you noticed, Kyousuke-chan? You might be scornfully drawing a line between the two of us, but youre plenty evil if you ask us!! And since he had the fundamental abilities, he was plenty strong even when his feints did not succeed. His attempt had failed, but he still had a solid chance. He embodied the stability that anyone involved in crime desired, whether they acted alone or in a group. More and more sounds of ricochets burst out as Kyousuke and Boy A knocked plenty of Petals into the Spots. The Materials also changed form, but neither side could gain much of a lead in the Regulation-class. The battlefield quickly ascended to the Divine-class. Set. Divine-class. Cost: 3. Sound Range: High. An evil usurper god in Egyptian Mythology. The killer of the good god Osiris. A black god who ruled over thirst which symbolized death in the desert. Loki. Divine-class. Cost: 4. Sound Range: Middle. A traitor from within the Aesir in Norse Mythology. A liar god who created many of the gods enemies, used his words to befuddle enemy and ally alike, and attacked Asgard with an evil army during the final battle of Ragnarok. Prometheus. Divine-class. Cost: 10. Sound Range: Middle. The hero of civilization in Greek Mythology. A superficial being who stole fire, the secret of the gods, and gave it to man, which ultimately led to the misfortunes of Pandoras Box reaching the entire human race. (Tch. Did he stock up on Petals as much as he could and then suddenly drive up his Cost!?) Was this sudden Cost difference another one of War Criminals feints? All of the Divine-class Materials used by Boy A, whose eyes were covered by his ruler-like sunglasses, were people who had been on the gods side yet betrayed heaven or the gods. But those evil gods were also necessary evils whose betrayals had given shape to their respective mythologies and religions. They were beings who would have remained hidden had it not been for the Blood-Sign method. Was using them another form of Illegals blasphemy? Hh!! Kyousuke did not stick with a single god either. Again and again, he used his White Thorns to knock Petals into Spots to remake his Material. Waltraute. Divine-class. Cost: 9. Sound Range: High. The fourth of the nine Valkyrie sisters in Norse Mythology. Her name meant courage on the battlefield. Only the eldest sister Brunhild did anything of note, but that was not an issue when using the Blood-Sign method. There was often a margin of error between the actual mythological hierarchy and their strength when summoned in the Summoning Ceremony which was ruled by letters and Sound Ranges. Perhaps it would be simpler to describe it as how easy it was to draw out their power. Using this method, Odin had a Cost of 4 and his beloved steed Sleipnir had a Cost of 8, so looking just at Cost, Sleipnir had double Odins score. A Cost 9 warrior maiden and a Cost 10 hero of civilization. The previous difference had been so great that Kyousuke and Olivia were still behind in the pure numbers, but they forced their way past that with the Sound Range compatibility. The large man had a large chain attached and, when he roared, the flames that symbolized his great sin burst from all of his joints. But the flames missed their target because the Valkyrie, who wielded a long cross spear and a diamond-shaped shield, vanished into thin air. The legends stated that Fourth Sister Waltraute had escaped detection by the gods to visit Eldest Sister Brunhild and tell her of a threat to the world. The flames scattered in every direction, burning and discoloring the White Queen portraits covering the walls and floor, but Waltraute ran straight forward under Olivias control and slipped through the hellfire tsunami. The warrior maiden suddenly appeared in front of the large shirtless man and gathered strength in the cross spear held in her right hand. Stop, Olivia!! Dont break through the outer wall!! Kyousuke heard the girls gasp directly in his mind. She quickly sent out the diamond shield in her left hand like a hook in boxing and tried to break through Prometheuss cheekbone as if with the point of a shovel. This was more than just grabbing the reins of the rampaging Material to guide it in the direction of the target. Only Olivia could control a Material so precisely that she could manipulate each finger independently. With the frightful noise of a clash between heavy metal and divine bone, the fire thiefs great form spun through the air. The inner walls were built to withstand the tremendous water pressure in the event of a flood, but he broke right through one like he was a wrecking ball on a crane. If Waltraute had made a right swing instead of a left swing, he would have broken through the outer wall and the seawater would have come rushing in. Since the protective circle would only last 10 minutes, that would have cost Kyousuke and the others their lives. There was no need to wait until he got back up. Waltraute swung her cross spear horizontally to whip up destruction like a ferocious beasts claws through wet paper. But flames exploded from Prometheuss body once more and the pressure forcibly altered the cross spears path. The steel walls and doors swelled out unnaturally and orange sparks flew everywhere. The welds burst and the screws and bolts popped off and tore through the air like bullets. A Material was not limited to a single form. All the while, Kyousuke and Boy A were launching White Thorns with the ends of the Blood-Signs, but each time a wall broke down or a door burst off its hinges, the battlefield was widened from the cramped corridor. Those wounds looked like bites taken out of the metal, but even they changed the course of the ricocheting White Thorns and Petals. No real preparation was possible in this battle. They observed the real-time transformations of the battlefield while summoning more and more gods. Kyousuke had a great white winged serpent from Aztec Mythology. Cost: 12. Sound Range: Low. War Criminal had a demon of an unknown source that was later given the name Mephistopheles. Cost: 14. Sound Range: Middle. (Im behind in simple Cost and the rock-paper-scissors Sound Range) You stepped on the landmine of recklessness, didnt you? Boy A sneered while spinning his devil stick. Destruction blew through. The thick pipes and walls were torn apart. If Olivia had not used her extremely precise control to lower the great serpents head to the floor, the horizontal swing of spread fingers would have sliced right through the Material. The great serpent aimed for the defenseless moment of motionlessness after the attack to sink its fangs into the demons flank. Kyousuke watched that, but something seemed off to him. The head of Illegal had made an appearance here. War Criminal would generally only work to fulfill his own plans. And yet there was no hesitation in Boy As destruction. Destroying the System Atlantis VFX production equipment along with the submarines interior would be two birds with one stone for Kyousuke and Olivia, but War Criminal should have been protecting that system. (Dont tell me) But something unexpected happened a moment later. Even War Criminal had to have been surprised by this. Kyousukes soul was shaken by an impatience that felt like bluish-white electric sparks gradually frying the brain cells in the depths of his mind. He was currently engaging Award 999, leader of Illegal, in battle. He had no mental resources to spare for anything else, but his attention was forcibly dragged away like an invisible fishing hook had lodged itself in his soul. Something scratchy rang like static in his brain itself rather than his eardrums. It was a being similar to but very different from the White Queen. Not many people could make Shiroyama Kyousuke feel so much danger. In that case There was only one possibility. (But she already killed) He did not have time to brace himself. They were more than 200m below the ocean surface, but that coordinate was meaningless. A young childs hand suddenly broke through the submarines thick outer wall. Oh. There was a creaking sound. With his ruler-like sunglasses hiding his eyes, Boy A, aka War Criminal, sensed the abnormality with his killers instincts. Owwwwwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!??? Then it shattered. With the high-pitched sound of a glass container dropped on the floor, the Artificial Sacred Ground was destroyed with no regard for the 10-minute limit. Kyousukes soul was hit by an impact that felt like a hammer to the center of his chest. Uhbh? He doubled over. The protective circle, the Material, and every other mystical element had been erased. Even War Criminal had lost his grip on all three of his devil sticks. It was not just Kyousuke. Everyone fighting in the Artificial Sacred Ground shared this pain. He heard the screams of the girls who had regained their human form. (Notgood!!) He clenched his teeth and steadied his breathing while desperately holding onto his consciousness and working his mind. A childish and soft-looking hand reached in from the outer wall before him. The hand dropped straight down. The nuclear submarines hull was built to withstand incredible water pressure, but the hand tore a straight line through it like it was pudding or yogurt. !!!??? Then a white torrent burst from the wound in the wall like a high-pressure water cutter. The protective circles could deflect anything, but they were gone now. Kyousuke immediately rolled to the side to avoid the blade that was full of sharp metal fragments like shark teeth. But it was not over yet. If the submarine filled with seawater, no one would survive. Another hand reached in through the vertically-opened wound. The two arms widened the wound like someone forcing open a closing train or elevator door. Even a pinhole brought the threat of sinking, but with a disconcerting creaking and cracking, the hole was widened to the point that a child could walk right through. Unexplored-class. Cost: 21. Sound Range: None. The Colorless Little Girl Dedicated to a Single Goal (aie - a - oio - ei - ueo - ioa - e - uai - ee). The symbol of the Fourth Summoning Ceremony which had ended the Third Summoning Ceremony. Dammit, youre falling apart Onii-cha Wet Olivia tried to tell him not to worry about it, but Kyousuke cut her off. I created you. I embedded you in the world. And all so I could kill the White Queen myself!! You were supposed to be the savior of this hopeless world, so why did you have to break like that!? <> There was no response. She had succeeded in executing the Queen. And the fact that she succeeded without expecting to had been such a powerful psychological shock that the little girl had broken and there was no communicating with her any longer. Perhaps it was like she had tried punching her father, who used his authority to force all sorts of unfair family rules onto her, and ended up bringing him to tears. Except for her it was with a god no, an absolute being greater than a god. She looked like a girl of about 10. Her long wavy hair formed cat-like points on the sides of her head and she had a tail on the back of her hips that moved like an independent creature. She wore something like a one-piece swimsuit, the countless blades and firearms surrounding her waist formed a dress-like silhouette, and the 12 thick books behind her were arranged in a circle that resembled a halo. She had no color to speak of, so the scene behind her showed through her smooth silhouette and a clione-like light flashed intermittently in the center of her chest. Every one of her weapons was an ultimate divine item capable of killing the White Queen. They were not meant to be used on humans, but that assumption was meaningless now that she had gone berserk. They were more than 200 meters below the oceans surface. The Colorless Little Girl had entered from outside. And yet there was not a drop of seawater on her clothes or her hair. She had deflected and reflected it all. No ordinary physical phenomena were allowed to touch her. She herself seemed to have become a sort of sacred ground. Why did you appear here? Kyousuke voiced his anguish, but was he only confirming his own thoughts? Or was he letting out a problem he could not process himself? What are you using to travel between the two worlds, Colorless Little Girl!? Was there any logic to it? Had someone made some largescale preparations to give freedom to the Colorless Little Girl just like the perpetual summoning of the White Queen? Or was there nothing like that? Did logic simply no longer apply to this being who had broken after killing the greatest of evils? (No. I cant give up.) He clenched his teeth and resisted the temptation. He used all his strength to resist giving up on understanding her and holing up in a convenient shell. (There has to be something I created her and embedded her. No one knows the Colorless Little Girl better than I do. So if I give up on figuring her out, she really will become a disaster beyond reach!!) Most likely, no one could understand what the Colorless Little Girl was thinking as she muttered the same things as a doll abandoned in a ruined building. Her swishing tail slowly rose, but was that a sign of interest in something? He could not read the emotions behind her actions. Was this a positive or negative interest? Tch!! The loud click of the tongue came from War Criminal instead of Kyousuke. He had seen motion from one of the weapons forming a long skirt silhouette: a simple speargun. The three-pronged harpoon on the end aimed directly at her target. Boy A was the leader of Illegal, placing him above every criminal organization in the world, but he was only a flesh-and-blood human when not inside an Artificial Sacred Ground. The Colorless Little Girl did not even glance his way. It was unclear whether she acted out of love or hate, but the trigger moved on its own all the same. !!!??? An explosive noise burst out. It was the sound of the book girl, who was facing Olivia and who was soaked with sweat as she bore with the pain, striking the air with her dark-red swan wings. One of them weaved through the gaps in the broken inner walls and collided with short-haired Boy A. She left her own body exposed, but the cutting-edge Repliglass was simply not enough. With the sound of something being crushed, the three-pronged speargun broke through and tore off the one wing. It fell apart in midair and countless shards resembling glass or plastic scattered across the corridor. (No. Did she intentionally place that in the attacks way to slightly divert its path?) Olivia!! The rising seawater caught at Kyousukes feet as he ran toward his vessel. That Kingdom F royal vessel could control Materials with great precision, but she was only a girl as soft as a kitten or chick without the blessing of an Incense Grenade. He half dove over to grab at her torso and bring her to the floor. They both ended up in the seawater, but they did not have time to grimace at the unpleasant sensation. The broken ultimate weapon turned her head and the eyes peering out through the gaps in her bangs landed on that pair. Kyousuke thought this was a good sign. He could just barely see War Criminal out of the corner of his eye, but the Colorless Little Girl did not give him a chance to speak with him. Olivia threatened to slip from his grasp since her swimsuit had soaked up so much water, so he wrapped his arms around her slender body, picked her up, and passed through a nearby watertight door without looking aside. Once he had shut the thick door and turned the round handle to seal it, pale-faced Olivia shouted from under his arm. What was that!? Wh-wh-what do we do, Onii-chan!? We can relax as long as shes fixated on me. If I run away, War Criminal and the rest wont be killed instantly. Assuming Illegal doesnt poke the hornets nest. You need to think up a way for you to survive first! Y-youre saying youre going to keep her on your tail while you leave the submarine, arent you!? More or less. B-but what about System Atlantis? If we dont destroy the computer on this submarine, we cant stop the video supporting the Silver Resource War. My Kingdom F could be labeled part of the East Europe Axis so they can make their overclocking doll. Are you just going to let that Unexplored-class destroy it? I dont want to sacrifice any of the crew, so tearing the entire sub in two is not an option. You arent saying we have to search through this maze of a submarine, are you? About that Loud footsteps sounded. They were in front of a sealed watertight door, so they were at a dead end. Crewmembers wielding shotguns appeared from around corners and stairways along the steel corridor. They gave no warning before aiming the weapons at Kyousuke and Olivia. Were they Illegal soldiers who had not been given vessels? Kyousuke pulled on Olivias hand and ran inside a nearby cabin. Then he clicked his tongue. They were both soaked with seawater, so their wet footprints made it obvious where they were hidden. A few gunshots rang out, the shot bounced around the corridor like pinballs, and then a young male voice gave a belated warning. Stop! Dont leave that room! Stop, dammit! He had clearly forgotten his training and the commands were a mess. Sensing the impatience and fear in that, Kyousuke somewhat narrowed his eyes. It may have been na?ve after being shot at so much, but he shouted back while holding Olivia under his arm. Stay away from the door if you dont want to die! Youre up against an Unexplored-class, so she can slice through it like butter if she wants to!! He heard some gasps, but they did not shout back in anger or confusion. A great cacophony of destruction followed. But not from the sealed door Kyousuke and Olivia had escaped through. It was a familiar noise. It was a scream from the submarine itself as the thick hull was torn like wet paper and high-pressure water poured in like a water cutter. And that directly hit the crew. They had no hope of fighting back. Instead, flat voices could be heard muttering. Ohextraordinarypleasethis Sob. Oh, White Queen who guides us to victory in extraordinary battles, please reach out to this fragile human souluwehh They had to be aware of the Queens death. And they had to know who had caused it. So was clinging to that transcendent being the only way they could maintain any calm in their hearts? An inescapable pressure bore down on them, just like a ritual preceding mass suicide. O-Onii-chan Kyousuke carefully stuck his head out into the corridor to observe. The outer wall had been torn open in a few places and blade-like white torrents were bursting in. The crew lay collapsed on the ground after the masses of water struck them. A small hand waved at him from the wall. And then the hand pulled back. Instead of breaking through the watertight door, she had used the hole in the hull to reenter the ocean and then created a new hole. The Colorless Little Girl had killed the White Queen, so the water pressure and lack of oxygen may have been meaningless to her. While splashing through the thin film of water already covering the floor, Kyousuke carried Olivia through the corridor. The crewmembers lying face-up on the floor wore cellulose nanofiber bulletproof vests. That special material used plant fiber to provide strength five times greater than steel, but the center of each one was dented inwards by the ultra-high-pressure water. Uuh They uttered scratchy groans. They were still breathing, but not because they had been lucky. Good luck would never be enough when faced with the Colorless Little Girl who had executed the strongest of the strongest. A flesh-and-blood human could never escape an extraordinary Unexplored-class, so there had to be a reason behind this result. The Colorless Little Girl was intentionally holding back. Or rather, she was following Shiroyama Kyousukes methods. Is she trying to save me? Is that what this is? He recalled how that small hand had waved as if saying hi before pulling back into the territory of death. This was an oddly broken sort of obedience very different from the White Queens high pressure love. O-Onii-chan, I dont think we have time to stop and think. Olivia sounded worried as she twisted her own drenched body and wrapped her arms around herself to squeeze the water from her swimsuit like she was wringing out a rag. Seawater continued to pour inside and the submarine would be unable to surface if this continued. Forcibly moving it while its balance was off would only cause it to roll over. Their only choice would be to wait inside the giant metal coffin until their oxygen ran out. He had to view the Colorless Little Girl as an out-of-control weapon that intended to provide covering fire but instead shot her ally in the back. Hey. Get up. Hey! Ghh. Prepare the filler and pumps. If the Colorless Little Girl destroys the hull any further, there will be no saving the sub. You need to seal the holes and pump out the water before that happens. Hurry!! Why do I have to listen to you? Ill draw her away. Ill remove her from the submarine entirely. Hows that for a bargaining chip? The crewmember fell silent. Was he surprised or could he not rid himself of his doubt? Theres a lot I dont know about the Colorless Little Girls behavior, but she should be fixated on me. I want to leave the submarine before the damage spreads any further. This sub is a San Francisco-class sold off by the US Navy, right? I saw on our approach that its combat functionality has been restored, but what about the direct undersea launch mass drivers? The San Francisco-class was mass-produced and I know the basic layout and specs, so dont try to lie to me. I want the giant railgun that can launch shells into orbit from depths up to 2000 meters. Using supercavitation, the shell can break the sound barrier even within the oceans high resistance. A San Francisco-class should have 16 vertical launch platforms on the submarines upper surface. It will be too late to drive us out once the Colorless Little Girl breaks the sub in two. And a sub that doesnt exist on paper cant send out a distress signal. Even if some country notices the signal, theyll ignore it out of fear of being dragged into an international incident. Once this thing becomes a metal coffin, your odds of survival are nil. Everyone is watching, so try to make a mature decision. Th There was nothing he could do. The young crewmember knew that, but he just about snapped back on reflex. That was when the Colorless Little Girls soft and squishy hand broke through the thick hull once more. Olivia screamed and Kyousuke pulled her close. A blast of ultra-high-pressure water shot out like a giants sword and just barely missed the double blonde braid girls face before slicing right through a thick pipe on the wall. Had it been the hostility and resistance to Shiroyama Kyousuke? If that was all it took for the Colorless Little Girl to act, then this really was the worst. The trigger was far too loose. The pale-faced crewmember trembled on the floor and raised both hands. Okay, okay! Ill do what you say. Just get that monster out of here!! The mass driver. The diagram supplied to us by Toy Dream is not reliable! We only know what information weve seen for ourselves. Of the 16 platforms, only 8 have been revived. They take up space, so if all of them were revived, they wouldnt have had enough space for new equipment!! Ah, said Olivia wildly. Thats right, Onii-chan. System Atlantis is on this submarine, isnt it? What do we do about that? Ill talk!! shrilly replied the crewmember. System Atlantis is not on this submarine. This is just another relay station. Eh? Its only connected to a distant antenna buoy by fiber optic cable. Thats what makes contact with System Atlantis. Its on a space station in orbit!! Olivia looked shocked, but Kyousuke looked like he had found the answer he had been looking for. He had been wondering why War Criminal had not seemed to care if the submarine was destroyed from within despite supposedly being here to protect it. He would never have done that if it contained equipment he could not afford to have destroyed. He would also have been more worried about damage to the equipment than the oxygen supply when the flooding began. A cruise ship, the deep seaand now outer space??? asked Olivia. But why wouldnt they use the Missing Princesss antenna tower to directly communicate with the satellite? Oh, I get it. Space looks like its out of anyones reach, but it doesnt actually provide that much of an advantage, explained the crewmember. A single ballistic missile fired from a silo could shoot it down and civilian companies are beginning to reach space these days. So they hid that System Atlantis was on the space stationon Toy Dream OP-01 and then placed the communication equipment on a submarine to erase it from the globe. Space and the deep sea. You cant find those locations on a search engines satellite map. It was a form of double camouflage. Thats perfect then. Lets use the direct undersea launch mass driver to leave the submarine and make our way to Toy Dream OP-01. Wait. You still want to follow the rules? Well, I wont stop you if youd rather share this metal coffin with us. They had a plan. Kyousuke grabbed a dropped shotgun from the wet floor and the young crewmembers shoulders jumped. But Kyousuke only removed the shells and pressed the empty gun against the crewmembers chest. Seeing Kyousuke wink and raise his hands, Olivia raised her hands too. You can take the credit. Youre free to draw your loaded sidearm if you want, but not even I can predict what the broken Colorless Little Girl will do. You saw how frightening seawater is just now, didnt you? If you provoke her and her attack moves past the point of no return, you are responsible for the death of the 100 or more crewmembers. With that, Kyousuke and Olivia walked boldly through the submarine while being held up. The other crewmembers gave them curious looks but then raced past while carrying filler materials like thick rubber mats and steel beams. Needless to say, the young crewmember was holding a shotgun behind them, so it looked like they were being led away after been captured. Uuh. Olivia, dont lower your hands. Youve been fidgeting your butt around a lot, but what are you doing? It feels gross, Onii-chan. You wouldnt understand since youve never worn a wet Japanese school swimsuit after it cools down. I-its clinging to me If he needed to do that to understand, then he never would understand. The direct undersea launch mass drivers had originally been a crucial component of the nuclear submarine as a strategic weapon, but their importance had dropped now that it had been modified into a communication ship. The equipment remained, but there was no reason to ever use it. Thus, the loading room for one of the vertical electromagnetic tubes was not even guarded. Once inside the empty steel room, Kyousuke lowered his hands. The San Francisco-classes had multipurpose platforms. That means they can launch more than just normal explosives or ABC weapons. They can also launch containers loaded with supplies or actual troops. So we can have it carry us just fine. Sigh. Is there a towel or something anywhere? I justI just want to dry off! There were some rags, but they were all covered in machine oil. Meanwhile, the crewmember who had guided them here spoke up nervously. You can do that if you want, but how are you going to fire it? Surely you arent going to have me take control of the strictly-guarded combat command all on my own. I dont need that much from you. I said its a multipurpose platform, didnt I? Since they allegedly have peaceful uses, the San Francisco-classs trigger is much lighter than most. It wont be like a war movie where you have to read off a one-time-use launch code and then turn two keys at once. Are you serious? Now do you understand what kind of place youve been working in? Thats the real reason a military reduction treaty was used to force these into early decommission. Bring over the explosion-resistant briefcase in the glass case on the wall. Thats the repair kit for reconnecting the severed wiring. Wait, wait. What kind of magic are you going to use now? After reattaching the wiring, theres a special sequence you can do to reset the entire ships system. Then a single command from the briefcases test laptop can bypass combat command and fire the mass driver. The young crewmember blinked several times. It seemed to take him a moment to grasp what Kyousuke had just said. I-isnt this a multipurpose platform that can carry strategic weapons into orbit? Now do you see why Russia was so mad? Okay, lets get started. A giant javelin shot from one of the vertical electromagnetic tubes lining the submarines upper surface. Unbelievable pressure pushed down on the two of them. It had been launched from within the ocean, but the 10m mass of metal easily moved well past the speed of sound on its way to the surface. Water generally had far greater resistance than air, but when using a special condition such as supercavitation, the water resistance could be drastically reduced, making supersonic movement quite possible. After breaching the surface, the supercavitation cup separated from the tip of the shell. The shell below was designed to handle air resistance, so it maintained its momentum as it blasted through the white clouds. Yes, unlike a normal rocket, there were no used-up boosters that separated from the bottom one at a time. With a mass driver, the initial velocity was everything and there was no additional acceleration. Instead, it reduced the frictional loss as much as possible by detaching different cups designed to match the ocean, the air at low altitude, and the air at high altitude. When used as a weapon, the shell would be loaded with a cartridge carrying any number of explosives or an ABC weapon. Or it could fill itself with seawater to increase its weight and drop onto its target from ballistic flight to cheaply produce a mass weapon that rivalled a meteor or asteroid strike. Nheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!! Olivia, bear with it. It wont even take five minutes to arrive. However. A creaking sound rang in his eardrums. Something was growing from the seam of the thick airlock. It was a swan wing dyed the red of oxygenated blood. Kyousuke held Olivias small body and clicked his tongue as the dark color dropped straight down. With solid flashes, more and more deadbolts were sliced through and then the thick door itself was thrown out into the empty air. The person on the other side came as no surprise. War Criminal!! Come out and playyyyyyyy!! Kyousuke-chaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan!!!!!! How had he caught up? One of the book girls dark-red swan wings had been torn away, but the remaining wing was wrapped around the roaring Boy A. If they had simply been clinging to the shell while it flew at escape velocity, they would have been burned away by the airs friction. The Repliglass wing must have used subtle movements to fully control the fluid motion so it was diverted away. Even so, the stench of scorched hair reached Kyousukes nose. Meanwhile, Kyousuke and Olivia were doomed because they had lost the thick airlock meant to protect them. At this rate, they would be fried by the friction, especially when they entered thermosphere located higher even than the ionosphere. And even if they did survive that, only the vacuum of space awaited them. They had no future like this. What was the key to escaping this situation? A dull sound rang out. It was the sound of Kyousuke dropping an Incense Grenade (sans pin) from his hand. If he set up an Artificial Sacred Ground, the summoner could escape any form of death with the protective circle and the vessel could do the same with the tough body of the Material. And thanks to the Colorless Little Girls interference, they had never finished their battle. As the tremendous pressure bore down on him, Kyousuke drew the Blood-Sign from his back and spoke quietly. Lets settle this already, you piece of sheet. A moment later, the intense friction caused everything around them to glow orange. Oh. Aikas back dropped straight down in her Toy Dream 35 luxury apartment. The 5m white liger she used as a sofa had sensed a visitor before the doorbell even rang, so she flattened her ears and shrank down in fear. That gave Aika a pretty good guess as to who it was. It was daytime, but it was still too early for a package from an online store. Feels good to be back at my second home. Its the stock prices hag monster I brought some almond jelly from a favorite restaurant of mine, but would you prefer I ate it all myself. Aikas mood took a 180 as she raised her hands and cheered. Lu Niang Lan, the modified China dress beauty, crossed the living room like she owned the place and made her way to the kitchen space. She was not Aikas girlfriend and yet she knew where things were stored in the kitchen better than Aika since the girl could not cook. Hurry, hurry. Hold on, hold on. This dessert isnt going to taste very good on an empty stomach, is it? These things are best after a meal. I made sure to keep some rice stocked in your freezer, so just reheat that on the stove andwould some quick fried rice be best for midday? I dont feel like washing all the dishes it would take for a soup or ankake. Yay! I want crab fried rice. You dont have anything that nice in your fridge. Youd get mad if I used the fish paste imitation stuff, right? But lets seeif you want seafood, and shellfish in particularoh, I just found some convenience store sakura shrimp snacks. Were these for a late night snack? Anyway, Ill use those as the main ingredient. If I add some onion, green onion, garlic, shiitake, and a beaten egg, it should be good enough. Isnt that a lot of veggies? There were two different kinds of onion Heating the shrimp causes a variety of things to seep out of the shell. Its flavor would be overpowering, so you need this much to get the overall flavor and texture right. After putting an apron on over her modified China dress, Lu Niang Lan began cooking. She was a quick and precise cook. She avoided any unnecessary adlibbing and shook the heated wok while providing the exact right temperature and amounts with the precision of a clockwork doll. Aproned Lu Niang Lan had both her hands full and her back to a wild animal while giving off a mouthwatering aroma, but the 5m white liger only shrank down even further. The modified China dress beauty was only humming and fixing some lunch, but the ligers animal instincts told her something. It was not that Lu Niang Lan did not have her guard down. She was dangerous even when she had her guard down. Trying to play with her from behind right now would probably only get the ligers jaw broken by her heel. The strike would be even harder than a racehorses hind leg. Lu Niang Lan herself was completely relaxed as she carried a tray back into the living room. The fried rice was piled up into a dome shape and one of the main sakura shrimps was placed on top. The tray also carried some jasmine tea and the almond jelly dessert. The modified China dress beauty supported the bottom of the tray with her five fingers and she lined the dishes up on the dining room table by bending her slender back. Each and every movement was graceful. The assassins habit of using her allure to create openings in a target had permeated her to the bone. Here you go. Hm? Doesnt this smell a lot like garlic? That would be because I used the flavored sakura shrimps you bought at the convenience store. These were left over from the ones you bought to fill your stomach while browsing the internet late at night. But, look, I made the jasmine tea on the stronger side to counteract it. If you say so. Anyway, what happened with your money? So youre actually interested in that? The modified China dress beauty breathed an exasperated sigh while reaching behind her to undo the apron. Ive decided on a new strategy. If I try to protect my old financial foundation, I cant stop the money from slipping from my fingers. Right now, the real money is in war! Im going to start doing business with a focus on the Silver Resource War. Im setting my sights on a dizzying world where I make deals involving chunks of pure gold as large as pieces of dry hardtack!! Isnt Onii-chan involved in that? And you think you have any chance of predicting whats going to happen? Unlike a cooking show, Aika did not provide a lengthy description of the fried rice as she ate it. But no matter how thankless Aika was, Lu Niang Lan knew she had won when the striped bikini girls spoon would not stop moving. Neh heh hehhhh Whats that for? And please stop poking my thighs with your toes below the table. My, my. Your defenses are so much weaker than Kyousuke-chans. Lu Niang Lan moved her feet with enough finesse to test if she could untie the bows on either side of the girls striped bikini bottom. But if Kyousuke-chan is involved, then I can be pretty sure the war will be a dud in some way or another. And there are ways to use a bubble you know is going to burst. You work up peoples fear more and more and more and then you sell and sell and sell just before it bursts. The false idea that Halleys Comets tail would rob the earth of its oxygen had once been widespread, so common air had massively increased in value and even the rubber tubes for bicycles had flown off the shelves. How many contracts could she get signed before the earths population recovered from this panic? That was what Lu Niang Lan was talking about. If she took a worthless wasteland at the ends of the earth and called it a final shelter, it would sell for the asking price. Once the dust had settled and peace had returned, they would be puzzled why their room was filled with boxes of hardtack or they would feel silly for beginning to construct a useless cold sleep facility, but that was none of her concern. Striped Bikini Aika must have built up a resistance to that kind of fear-driven business from the infomercials that played after late-night anime because she only sighed in exasperation. Ive received word that Illegal has been seen hanging around the ship creating the videos to support the Silver Resource War. Are you sure you want it to be a dud? Were from different sections. The modified China dress beauty sounded cheerful as she showed off the unfair ability to maintain her elegance while chowing down on her food. Illegal is a collection of groups with conflicting interests: gangs, yakuza, cartels, churches, mafias, secret cabals, and even satanists and witch covens. We sometimes work together when our interests align, but no one wants a vertical hierarchy with a pyramid structure. We focus more on old-fashioned ironclad rules and bonds of blood than on modern law, but those only apply to the sisters and brothers within a single group. Meaning? Its none of my concern who from Illegal is there, unless its someone I know and like. Even if the leader is toppled, the overall framework of Illegal wont go away. If that was all it took to take us out, we wouldnt have been Governments nemesis for so long when youre working so hard to wipe us out. It doesnt matter what individuals or groups are crushed. Its like a beehive. We can seal up the cells that arent usable anymore. We just have to keep hatching the eggs faster than that. Oh, and Illegal doesnt have a queen bee. In every age, the petty bourgeois who are unfairly rejected by justice will blossom as a great evil. Lu Niang Lan gave a bewitching laugh. Yes, that modified China dress beauty was one of Illegals elites, but she had once been the vessel closer than anyone else to the top of Government. But she felt no particular debt of gratitude to the major power that had accepted her afterwards. The wicked woman was simply a wicked woman. She would play the role that Illegal wished of her. In fact, our current leaderWar Criminal, was it? I dont like him much. I could sleep muuuuuch more soundly if Kyousuke-chan would just take him out, but he never seems to go quite far enough. No, perhaps he refuses to allow that action even if it is only meant as a smokescreen. Im glad I dont have to mess with all that Ive experienced both and Id say Government is just as bad. That was when a light electronic beep sounded. It came from a character smartphone sitting on the living room table. Oh? Checking the internet now? Doing that at the table is rude, you know? I dont want to hear that from the woman whose toes are trying to mess with my bikini strings The press and social media just wont shut up about the coming war. Whether theyre at school or the office, everyone is focused on the Blue Film supporting the war. The traffic is so concentrated that I would avoid making an online payment or downloading a video right now. You wouldnt want an intermittent signal for that. Take the internet from a shut-in and what will she have left? Dont worry. Ive altered the packets so my signal wouldnt be dropped even if a kaiju stomped out of the ocean I see. Are you using the scramble system for emergency services? How Government of you. With the fried rice spoon held in her mouth, the striped bikini girl grabbed the character smartphone and operated it with her fingertips. She accessed the special Assort Message that let you insert a Toy Dream fairy tale character into your messages. But the simple and unadorned message she had received ignored 99% of that functionality: I do not know who this is, but you do not seem to be a member of the family. The only other people who would know this address are the high-level maintenance and inspection staff. That does not leave many suspects. I am currently running through the list, including those who have retired. The amount of time it takes for you to name yourself will be taken into consideration when determining how lenient to be with you. And of course, if I discover you first, there will be no lenience. I once visited the Guantanamo detention camp in the hopes of finding some material, but there was no making a fairy tale out of that. -Michelange Toydream The swimsuit girl breathed a soft sigh. This message was in response to the Assort Message she had sent before. It had not been an anonymous message and she had used the name Aika Toydream, but as expected, that had not been enough. Even when she included an illustration of the Worlds Happiest Girl. Even when he had to have seen that character he had poured so much love into designing. She had known this would happen. When she posted her thoughts about a late-night anime or video game on a message board or social media, she would receive no response whatsoever. Summoners and vessels who had earned a certain number of Awards would vanish from normal peoples minds unless they were directly in their line of sight. Thus, anything done over the internet would be ignored like they were someone worthless. That was not a huge deal on a message board anyone could post on, but if that someone appeared on a home network where outsiders had been eliminated like germs in a sterilized room, it would be found suspicious. That could not just be ignored. But that did not matter here. Aika somewhat narrowed her eyes, wiggled the handle of the spoon sticking out of her mouth, and finally wrote a reply: I have already provided my name, but I doubt you will understand that. Nor does it matter at the moment. You have gone too far. Pull out of the Silver Resource War right this instant. This is beyond the point to even be thinking about leniency. She could send these Assort Messages all day and he would never take her words seriously. There would be no sudden miracle for the girl who had vanished from 7 billion peoples memories thanks to the heartless rules. And Aika was not hoping for that. She was merely scattering bait. She had intended to continue sending messages until he bit, but the reaction was swift. Several soft electronic beeps sounded. (High-level maintenance and inspection staff. In that case) Hieroglyph, hm? Nweh? Are you talking about security? She was receiving popups warning her of an attack attempting to trace the signal of her message. It was being stopped just before reaching her and Aika had used the computer to analyze the attack method to learn what she could about this opponent. This was only the Toydream familys home network, but the familys discussions were a greater crucible for important ideas and business decisions than the mainframe in the US headquarters. It used more than a normal ISP contract or personal proxy server. A data management company had to be defending it as their top priority. That same company was well-known for its unique encryption technology. The encryptions strength may have been even greater than the official mobile device of a countrys president, but Aika had a few tricks up her sleeve. First, she was a member of the Toydream family. And second, she had the authority of Government, the world police who crossed national borders. (Hieroglyph is a high-level data security company that specializes in government and corporate contracts. Oh, there it is. Theyre already registered as one of Governments subordinate organizations. Now, then. Ive extracted the text report, so lets get this done real quick.) She could strip the Toydream familys home network bare by attacking Hieroglyph, but Aika was not the kind of skilled hacker seen in movies. And she did not need to be to break through that high level data security companys firewall. She now reached for a notebook-sized tablet filled with thousands, if not tens of thousands, of addresses. She only had to send a businesslike email somewhere else: A request from Award 870, Hikikomori. Top Priority. The local network containing my list of secret operations as an intermediary is under cyber-attack. I am just barely stopping it, but I cannot guarantee how long that will last since the attack is by a group with specialized skills. In the worst case, there could be a leak of names, addresses, and other dangerous information on summoners, vessels, and clients who support Government. If word gets out who ordered and who carried out which operations, they could be exposed to retaliatory attacks. Respond to this threat immediately. I believe the target is the high-level data security company Hieroglyph. This is an organized attack from within Government, but keep in mind the possibility of internal conflict within Government or a connection to another group like Illegal. Please use the attached report to determine the specific target. Okay. The one-sided attack from Hieroglyph was real. An expert would be able to see that when they read the alphanumeric report she had extracted as text data. From there, Governments elites would use a thorough cyber-attack to strip Hieroglyph bare. Hieroglyph was a first-class company that protected the US government and major corporations, but they were only a subordinate organization for Government as a whole. If the true elites got off their butts, the end result could not be more obvious. She received word only four minutes later: Operation complete. We will provide the master key to the target companys entire intranet. Please use the designated method to perform a search for stolen data. Any names and other text data you input will not be saved in any form, so do not worry. That completed the first phase. Americas plans and Illegals plotting did not matter. She only wanted to know how President Toydream had become twisted into supporting the Silver Resource War. And that piece of information awaited the girl inside that home network. Time to start the second phase Facts: *War Criminal was the neighbor found standing next to everyone, the common everyday Boy A. He is the polar opposite of Elvast who reigned as king of Government. *Enemy and ally can both summon the same Regulation-class, but that is not necessarily true for the Divine-class and above. *In the world of the Summoning Ceremony, the actual strength of the gods is less important than how much of that strength can be drawn out based on the Cost and Sound Range. Thus, you are not guaranteed to win if you summon the head god of a mythology or religion. *War Criminal plans to strengthen the White Queen by more efficiently drawing out her power through an artificial vessel. This is based on the technical information leaked from Pandemonium. *The Colorless Little Girl directly destroyed the Artificial Sacred Ground and forcibly interrupted a summoner battle. That suggests that a summoner who uses the Third Summoning Ceremony would be unable to complete a battle with and defeat her. *System Atlantis was not on the submarine either. Based on War Criminals behavior and the testimony of a crewmember, it was revealed to be on the Toy Dream OP-01 space station. *The Colorless Little Girl has grown attached to Shiroyama Kyousuke. It is impossible for him to control her, but she shows signs of trying to protect him in her own way. She is obedient, which differs from how the White Queen forces her love onto him. However, she has gone berserk and his safety is not guaranteed. The risk is so great that not even Kyousuke can predict her actions. Volume 8, Stage 03 - Extraterrestrial Battle Against Intelligent Life Volume 8, Stage 03: Extraterrestrial Battle Against Intelligent Life W-wow Is she obeying your commands? No. (Stage 03 Open 08/04 12:05 UTC+09 Tokyo time) Extraterrestrial Battle Against Intelligent Life After being fired from the submarines vertical electromagnetic tube, the mass driver shell had finally left the scorching atmosphere. It arrived in a pitch-black world with an unobstructed starry sky. Down below was a blue scene one would never see in life on the surface. It was strange for the sky to be located below you, but both Kyousuke and Boy A did not seem to care. Blood-Signs flashed and the sharply-launched White Thorns knocked away several red Petals. Yes, inside that vacuum, they had planted their feet on the side of a cylinder measuring more than 10 meters tall and they were holding a deadly Summoning Ceremony battle. The Illegal leader with eyes hidden by ruler-like sunglasses was laughing so hard he could barely breathe. Ee hee hah!! God, were scary! Humans are just scary as hell!! I made the surprise attack this time, but you can still keep up with me, Kyousuke-chan!? Kyousuke had dropped an Incense Grenade on the shells floor when the door had burst open. That meant the Artificial Sacred Ground had used the floor as its base surface, not the outer side. So what had happened? Needless to say, a new surface would not be established unless the old one had been destroyed. The repeated clashes were causing the shell itself to fall apart as it flew along its ballistic course. Their Materials had already passed the Divine-class and reached the Unexplored-class. For Olivia: Unexplored-class. Cost: 17. Sound Range: High. The Liquefying Predator who Covers All With Rainbow Colors (hb - e - wuz - vc - a - weq - ei - lvz). A translucent liquid that glittered like the surface of a CD formed a beautiful woman with the perfectly balanced proportions of a Greek sculpture. She swung her long ponytail side to side and she was actually a predator composed entirely out of digestive fluids. For the red fallen angel: Unexplored-class. Cost: 18. Sound Range: Low. The Bizarre Gray Mollusk Who Swims the Starry Ocean (en - a - hf - ei - ja - o - cd - to - jok). She looked like an immodestly nude girl, but from the waist down, she was made up of giant octopus legs that had a dull leaden shine. Those tentacles would extend, constrict, crush, and pull the target into her body. Those countless sucker-covered legs robbed her prey of all freedom and carried them to the deadly chewing at her center. At first glance, it looked like War Criminal had the advantage in both Cost and Sound Range, but a closer look at the situation changed that view. Short-haired Boy A liked to use Materials closely connected to sin and betrayal, but Shiroyama Kyousuke had driven the top of Illegal to the point that he could no longer play around like that. The two Unexplored-classes repeatedly clashed on the side of the thick cylinder. The beautiful woman made of translucent slime extended her arms and sacrificed her own volume to fire an ultra-high-pressure beam. The mollusk girl wriggled her countless legs to move along a seemingly impossible path that dodged the beam and went in for a cross-counter, but the slime woman was no longer there. She had launched all of her volume as a beam and that beam coiled around to form the feminine silhouette on the other side. That allowed her to move around with something similar to a wire shot. Kyousuke was aware of something while he viewed the battlefield and prepared a White Thorn at the tip of his Blood-Sign. Their footing was poor. This was taking too long. When the octopus legs missed their mark, they would tear into the mass driver shell, sending countless cracks running through it. Fire-and-forget mass driver shells were sturdier than rockets for which fuel composed the majority of their mass, but that only went so far. The cylinder fell apart in no time and their base surface was lost. It was hard to tell with the Artificial Sacred Ground in effect, but they were in the weightlessness of outer space. With no ground or air, there was no friction. And thus there were no brakes. The countless fragments maintained their momentum and scattered out like a shotgun blast. Kyousuke hopped onto one fragment like it was a surfboard to establish a new Artificial Sacred Ground, but Not a problem. It was just as Kyousuke replied without batting an eye that he saw it. He saw a special structure with several supporting pillars sticking perpendicularly out from a giant central pillar. And those supporting pillars had several thin panels sticking perpendicularly into them. Those were solar panels. The overall silhouette resembled the letter H, but the many branches and leaves connected together at right angles to form square frames of varying sizes made it also look like a fish pond. Needless to say, this was their destination: Toy Dream OP-01 space station. Thats exactly what we want to do. At what Mach speed were Kyousuke and Boy A travelling in that moment? Then the scatter shot slammed into the space station. The many solar panels shattered as Kyousuke and the others broke into the stations central pillar. The protective circle was still providing its wonderful effects. After breaking through the stations outer wall, climbing inside, and resetting the base surface as the floor inside, Kyousuke did not have a scratch on him. And that was the limit. The 10 minute timer had expired. Particles of light burst as the Artificial Sacred Ground and protective circle scattered. The summoner could stand on the walls or the ceiling while they fought, but that effect vanished and Kyousukes bangs floated up. He was surrounded by the strange sensation of weightlessness. Olivia returned to being a small girl and spun around in the air. Awa, awa, awa, awa!! A-air! Oxygen!! Olivia, the cup attached that tube is a zero-g toilet for the astronauts. Eh? This is a toilet? Uuhits coming back now that I can relax ? After protecting the princesss first kiss at the last second, Kyousuke looked to the large hole they had broken through. The space station contained pressurized artificial air, which included the necessary oxygen, so breaking through the outer wall should have caused everything to be sucked out as if by a giant vacuum cleaner like in the movies, but that did not happen. Something like thick plastic had covered the hole. The inner walls wallpaper was made to tear away, so if that cinematic vacuum cleaner effect did occur, it would automatically cover the hole like a bunch of fallen leaves clogging up a drain. (I guess everyone does it the same way. I have heard that every countrys spaceships and space stations end up the same because theres no room for unnecessary decorations in space development In that case, I shouldnt have trouble searching the place without knowing the layout.) They had started with only 10 minutes to work with. And they had made a hole-in-one on the Toy Dream OP-01 space station. He had done it by keeping the battle going and intentionally not letting the battle end before they arrived. That had been the only way Kyousuke could think of to keep not just him and Olivia alive, but War Criminal and his vessel as well. Now, then. !? Whether it was meant to increase her suggestiveness or her embarrassment, the enemy vessel wore a pure white bunny suit with a tailcoat-like vest. She also had just the one dark-red swan wing. Despite her apparel, she was a book girl with almost no sense of presence. Currently, she was sitting on the station floor, holding the summoners head to her surprisingly large chest, and glaring at Kyousuke and Olivia. Yes. The Boy A in the ruler-like sunglasses had passed out in his vessels arms. Not too surprising. You two were exposed to all that water pressure and air friction before you gained the protective circle from the Summoning Ceremony. You seem to have diverted as much of the fluid as you could with that wing, but you couldnt reduce it to zero. To be honest, its a mystery how you survived at all. He needs treatment ASAP. Donttouch him!! The obedient-looking girl with her wavy reddish-chestnut hair tied back in two bunches desperately shook her head while holding the summoner even tighter. The bunny ears did not come off even when she was moving so violently in zero-g, so they must have been attached in some special fashion. Or were the ears part of the modifications to her body? Did she speak so intermittently due to spending so long only speaking with a single person? I wont letanyone touch him. I know how to do it. I dont need your help. I wont let youdo anything!! After having her say, the vessel girl pulled a vial from the chest of her white outfit. It was smaller than one for eye drops. Was it meant to wake him up in emergencies? A clear liquid danced within. Dont worry. Ill take away the pain She removed the cap, struggled to get the drug out in zero-g since it balled up like a pearl inside, and finally got it into her mouth. With a glance toward Kyousuke and Olivia, she seemed to shake something from her mind, touched Boy As cheeks to adjust the position of his jaw, shut her eyes, and placed her lips on his. Ohh. Olivia. Kyousuke spoke her name, but then a question occurred to him. Dont worry. Ill take away the pain. If that drug was meant to wake him up, it would do quite the opposite. That would only bring the pain back. Then what had those words meant? Or rather, what was that drug in the vial? A moment later, a strangely dark red drop of liquid escaped from between their lips. Dammit!! shouted Kyousuke as he grabbed his Blood-Sign again and pressed his back against the wall. Needless to say, this was to negate the recoil in the zero-g environment. He was trying throw the tip of Blood-Sign sharply toward the vessel girl like a spear, but Onii-chan!? A dull sound rang out. While the book girl closed her eyes and sent every last drop of the drug down the summoners throat, the dark-red wing on her back knocked Kyousukes Blood-Sign from the air. With her bodily modifications, she had the advantage in a normal battle that did not use the Summoning Ceremony. And the zero-g environment did not allow for standard martial arts that produced force from the movement of body weight. Here, the girl could produce deadly force with a single swing of that solid wing. With her eyes closed, the girl extended her slender arms and held out the dark-red wing toward Kyousuke and Olivia as a warning. Was this really according to Boy As wishes? She restrained his wrists as they wriggled like independent serpents. The pulse of life was gradually fading. After savoring the final convulsion, the fallen angel finally removed her soft lips from someone as motionless as a cicada shell. She held her shoulders, a tremor ran down her spine, and she basked in some kind of guilty feeling. Illegals leader twirled through empty air and crashed back-first into the wall, but there was no weight to him. That short-haired Boy A had said she was his childhood friend. The girl looked like someone else entirely as she twisted her lips into a smile that glistened red with his blood. Youre kiddingright? Why? Olivia was pale and dumbfounded and the alluring girl carrying the scent of death replied in an oddly flat voice while her surprisingly large breasts rose and fell. Do I need a reason? Is seeing what he did to menot enough? Your summoner called it the eye of the storm, didnt he? He was right. I have been waiting for so long to be saved from that safest location. If I didnt do it now, I might not have had another chance. I can finally leave the cabin and descend from the stormy mountain. She had once been his childhood friend. But perhaps that was exactly why. Kyousuke had seen love transformed into hatred before. That would create a hatred much deeper and heavier than from someone who had hated you from the beginning. What are you going to do now? Follow the precedent. The vessel responded with a distant, emotionless voice while her large breasts floated in the weightlessness. Had she already thought about what to do? Was that all she had been thinking about for a long, long time? Criminal organizations are a retaliatory society, but I will leave that society. Lu Niang Lan was warmly welcomed by Illegal because she killed the king of Government, so I just have to take his head to some other group. Ive thought this through. Ill be fine. Yes, Ill be fine It sounded like she had thought about it, but she had not. Kyousuke breathed a heavy sigh as he pictured the outlines of her thoughts. She was just like the War Criminal Boy A who she had hated more than anyone. She may have thought she had outwitted him, but this left tragedy for both of them. It felt like looking into the past of the worlds worst serial killers and finding that they too had been abused when they were young. Shiroyama Kyousuke thought about what had happened here. Olivia must not have liked the weightlessness because she clung to his hoodie like it was a lifeline. O-Onii-chan. What do we do with her? Even if she had that red-dyed swan wing, they could settle things with her in an instant by throwing an Incense Grenade. She was only a vessel, so she could not summon a Material. But Kyousuke shook his head. He had already used two on the way here. His supply was running low. And more importantly The damage has to have spread to several parts of the space station. The automated repairs are only treating the symptoms, so they only buy some time. Leaving her here would only doom her to float through space when the station falls apart. Well take her with us. The girl in a pure white bunny suit slowly tilted her head. She had been left behind by the proper flow of time, so she may not have cared one way or the other. She wanted to live and she wanted to survive, but she did not seem to have considered what it was she wanted to do with her life. That poison girl showed no sign of resisting or attacking as she let her body go oddly limp and simply let her hair and breasts float in the zero-g environment. She, Kyousuke, and Olivia viewed the space station once more. She must have no longer cared about the simple tote bag or its contents. The Incense Grenades that looked like fat-ended clubs were simply floating free in the weightlessness. Olivia pushed her head in between Kyousuke and the poison girl to push them apart and use her own body as some kind of shield. No one showed up even after all this noise, Onii-chan. And I havent heard a single alarm even though the airtight wall was breached and the artificial air leaked out. The station is probably unmanned at the moment. Ehh? But arent space stations expensive? Wouldnt they have some kind of manager here? They can have work robots handle the maintenance and inspections these days. Although since it was filled with artificial air and contained an astronaut toilet, they must have maintained a habitable environment at all times. They had come here to destroy Toy Dreams System Atlantis VFX production machine in order to prevent the Blue Film from pushing public opinion toward accepting the war. Each episode was 10 minutes for less than an hour in all. They had to stop the distribution of those videos or else that short runtime would change history. They made their way down a corridor not so much by walking on the floor as by pushing on the wall to propel themselves backwards through the air. A space station might sound like a highly unusual setting, but it actually looked a lot like a long school hallway. There were doors at even intervals which connected to the support pillars that stabbed perpendicularly into the main pillar. Olivia must have felt relieved to find herself in a properly sealed area because she was finally calm enough to look around in zero-g fascination. She gave a curious look to her double braids as they floated around like separate creatures. Huh? Theres something moving inside my swimsuit. Nhee, w-wait, Onii-chan, you arent touching me, are you!? Why would I do that? Th-then what is this!? Did a bug get inside!? Is a mysterious alien creature trying to take over my body!? I seriously doubt it. Theres artificial air here, so that might be the air bubbles moving between your skin and the swimsuit. I-id tiggles Olivia twisted around while trying to endure the sensation, but then she saw something like a clear jewel pass right by Kyousukes exasperated face. A liquid was floating through the zero-g space. !? P-poison!! She tensed up after recalling how the summoner had coughed up blood and convulsed. At the same time, several similar jewels spread out. Kyousuke used up some precious oxygen to sigh. Its just seawater. Olivia, have you forgotten how wet you are? Kyousuke had pulled the book girl along by her hand, but she was simply floating upside-down like a helium balloon. She did not respond in any form to Olivias unwarranted suspicion or to the drops of water hitting her cheek. It was Olivia whose eyes widened. Eh? Thats a problem too! Mutter, mutter That means its what was between my body and the swimsuit, soj-just dont drink any, Onii-chan!! Its not like its toxic and its the same for me anyway. Oh? Then some of this Onii-chans Now that I want to drino!! Thats going too far!! I wish I could, but I have to do my very best to not cross that line!! ? They peered into the different rooms even though the lighting was flashing unreliably, perhaps because of the destroyed solar panels. Those were the structures attached perpendicularly to the supporting pillars. You can think of them as cylindrical containers the size of minivans. This is so weird. So whats going on with my blood? Something contained in enclosed pipes can circulate like normal. Thats why they use liquids for the batteries, cooling, and rocket boosters. Your stomach acid is only contained in a sack though, so its more questionable. When someone was not used to living in zero-g, the stomach acid could enter their throat and cause reflux esophagitis or it could even get down the windpipe and cause pneumonitis or bronchitis, but Kyousuke decided there would be no ill effects if they were only there for a short time. They saw a nap room lined with sleeping bags strapped to beds so they would not float away and they saw an experiment room lined with planters that may have contained some kind of genetically modified plants. One room seemed to be a dining room. Olivia was fascinated by the hamburger steak, spinach and corn cooked in butter, and other space foods in clear packages. Theyre all premade They have beds and a bathroom, but they dont have a kitchen, do they? Fire would be risky inside an enclosed space like this and they couldnt fill a pot with water anyway. They apparently use a special gel shampoo instead of taking a shower. There really was no sign of anyone here. They looked out a double window and finally saw a scorpion-like work robot on the outside of an opposing shaft. It was smaller than a tatami mat. Its many legs clung to the wall and its long tail appeared to be a precise manipulator. There were probably a lot more machines inside and outside the station. So even space development is cutting personnel costs these days Hm? Are you talking about some harsh fact of life? It was not just that they sensed no ones presence and heard no noises; they also did not find any empty space food packages in the trash cans. The sleeping bags looked untouched and there was a full stock of the special gel shampoo. There was no sign at all of anyone living here. Kyousuke looked beyond the thick glass that was built to protect against powerful ultraviolet. That shaft over there is the one place we havent checked. Theres no east, west, north, or south and no up or down in space, so how do people tell each other where they are in this maze of a place? That was when they heard what sounded like a building creaking. It was not that loud a noise, but it was more than enough to provide a shock that was very bad for their hearts. Olivia paled and clung to Kyousukes waist. D-d-did you just hear something? The station itself wasnt bent when we hit it, was it? I dont want it to fall apart!! No, this is And before Kyousuke could finish Something like static crackled deep in their minds. Kyousuke and Olivia had already experienced this in the submarine, so that was all it took to fill their nerves with scorching tension. Only the one-winged fallen angel in a white bunny suit and tailcoat-like vest had drifted from reality enough to only slowly tilt her head. It was a small motion, but it was enough for her surprisingly large breasts to jiggle in zero-g. Get ready, Olivia, said Kyousuke with a bitter look. Y-you cant be serious This is outer space, Onii-chan. Youre saying shes pursuing us beyond even the ends of the earth!? Jewel-like drops of water scattered from the twin blonde braids as Olivia widened her eyes and trembled. Kyousuke, on the other hand, used the approaching fear to focus his observation skills. She killed the White Queen, so a puny little planet is nothing to her. And what they had to do was the same no matter who was pursuing them. They had to destroy the System Atlantis VFX production machine and stop the broadcast of the war promotion video. The book girl probably would have continued floating there until the end of time if she could, so Kyousuke grabbed her hand, brought her and Olivia down Toy Dream OP-01s straight corridor, and dove into the one supporting pillar they had yet to check. The vessel in a white bunny suit was as passive as a childs balloon. And her bunny ears showed no sign of coming off despite floating upside down in zero-g. Found it. They had yet to enter the room, but thick communication cables left the door and entered the corridor. They were kept out of the way by the wall and they connected to the neighboring room and the room after that. It was like connecting batteries together to increase the power supply. Each room was about the size of a minivan. That was nowhere enough space for System Atlantis, a giant computer capable of supporting a 30-billion-yen-a-film movie industry. It had been divided into multiple rooms and then connected together into a single parallel system. Checking inside one of the rooms revealed chilly air like a supermarkets vegetable section. It was filled with steel racks like in a cramped used bookstore. They seemed to be bolted directly to the floor and the racks were crammed full of boxy equipment which produced a veritable starry sky of pilot lights. Its all of these? Olivia looked to all the doors lining the corridor. There have to be at least 20 or 30 rooms. How do we destroy them? We cant punch or kick very hard while floating around like this We dont have to rely on anything like that, casually replied Kyousuke. Large equipment like this always has a cooling system. And its nothing special; just something like an air conditioner or fridge. Stop that and the hardware will destroy itself with its own heat. How exactly do we do that? asked Olivia. Kyousuke grabbed a flathead screwdriver floating in the air and stabbed it into a wiring panel on the wall. The volts and amperes given on the label looked too small for such largescale equipment. That meant it was for the cooling system instead of System Atlantis itself. He must have caused a short in the wiring because a low rumbling sound soon stopped. Now System Atlantis will die on its own. But just to be sure, I want to check for a backup cooling He was cut off. An extremely unnatural voice seemed to directly intrude in the natural flow of time. A moment later, the scene around them was transformed. With a frightening boom, the Toy Dream OP-01 space stations supporting pillar was torn away like a wild dog chomping on an empty can. The rooms containing System Atlantis were thrown out into empty space before they could overheat and endless stars appeared before Kyousukes eyes. Yes, he saw outer space itself. That view spelled death for any flesh-and-blood human and it was approaching fast. It was just like in the submarine. The Colorless Little Girl Dedicated to a Single Goal (aie - a - oio - ei - ueo - ioa - e - uai - ee). She had returned. She was exposed to the vacuum of space while wearing what amounted to a swimsuit or leotard. Her long hair, the hair sticking up like ears, and the long, slender feline tail were all unharmed. Owahhh!? Even Kyousuke had to scream. A large hole had been a symbol of death in the submarine, but it had an even greater impact out in space. The artificial air inside the station began to move like it had finally remembered what to do. It gathered toward the large hole like it was being sucked into a giant vacuum cleaner. Needless to say, this was the end if it was sucked out. Without the blessing of a protective circle and Material, the summoner and vessel were merely human. It sounded like countless bats flapping madly around a cave to avoid a flashlight beam. More and more pieces of the intentionally-loose wallpaper came off and flew toward the large hole, but unlike before, an extraordinary Unexplored-class was waiting there. The girl of around 10 did not move a finger. With a flash from the countless swords and spears surrounding her waist like a long skirt, the filler material was shredded and sucked right on out into space instead of covering the hole. Onii-cha!! Tch!! The girls would not last as long as Kyousuke, so he made up his mind, swung his Blood-Sign around, and struck a bolt as it flew rapidly down the corridor. The bolt flew like a fungo hit in baseball, hit the sparking wiring panel, and triggered an electrical explosion in the critically shorted machinery. The power of the blast was greater than that of the air being sucked out. Ghhh!! Kyousuke, Olivia, and the dazed book girl were all pushed away from the hole. Kyousuke then twisted his body in zero-g to adjust his grip on the Blood-Sign and strike a point on the wall with the tip. He broke through a reinforced glass cover and pressed a red button. Immediately, a shutter dropped like a guillotine between them and the Colorless Little Girl. It proved meaningless. A childish hand broke right through the center of the thick shutter. With the sound of a flame consuming oxygen, the entire shutter glowed orange around that hand. The melted metal split into multiple pieces in zero-g and they all became jewel-like spheres. Then they were sucked outside of Toy Dream OP-01 along with the artificial air. The powerful wind had resumed. With the little time that bought him, Kyousuke had grabbed some thick communication cables and tied them to Olivia and the Illegal vessels waists as lifelines. He himself was swept away. He was drawn toward the Colorless Little Girl like she was the center of a black hole. He tried to stab his Blood-Sign sharply into the ceiling to stop himself, but it was not enough. He continued toward the Colorless Little Girl at the hole. It was all over once he actually came in contact with her. If a single fingertip or hair touched him, he would literally be reduced to tiny chunks of flesh. (Kh!!) Should he throw an Incense Grenade despite knowing it was hopeless? His fruitlessly racing thoughts began lining up meaningless possibilities like that. But then the Colorless Little Girl moved right past him. Huh? Questions filled his mind, but he continued moving almost automatically after being passed by. He pulled his Blood-Sign from the ceiling and this time pressed the tip against the wall. He peeled up the wallpaper on his way to the hole. With the sound of a great many flapping birds, the filler material tore from the wall. The Colorless Little Girl was no longer between him and the hole, so the spread-out wallpaper rushed toward the hole and finally stopped the hellish vacuum cleaner. (But what just happened?) Kyousuke looked back and then shuddered. The Colorless Little Girl was approaching the girls who were using thick communication cables as lifelines. He had no idea what was driving this broken Unexplored-classs actions. She had seemed to assist him in the submarine, but no soldier could relax while a strategic stealth bomber with a broken targeting system was flying around overhead. The Colorless Little Girl said nothing. She only casually pulled back her right hand while facing the two girls. Would it be an iron fist or an open-handed chop? He recalled what had happened to the shutter that soft hand had broken through. She was about to attack in error. And when faced with the ultimate unfairness of seeing the bombs fall on an allys head, Kyousuke instinctually said something truly ridiculous. Wait!! A moment later, something unbelievable happened. That monster came to a complete stop with all five fingers gathered together for a jab at Olivia and the Illegal vessel. He did not understand. In fact, the Colorless Little Girl herself tilted her head without otherwise changing her pose. Wh-what doesthis mean? Olivia asked the obvious question, but no one could answer her. Kyousuke gulped. With Blood-Sign in hand, he slowly floated through the suddenly-calm station to approach the Colorless Little Girl. He arrived beside her. He moved past her and viewed her childish face from the front along with Olivia and the Illegal vessel. <> There was no emotion visible there. He waved his hand in front of her face, but she kept her head tilted and did not react. No. (Is she faithfully obeying my command to wait?) That was not possible. Or so he thought, but he decided to try another test. Sit. She plopped right down. The Colorless Little Girl, who had not hesitated to kill the White Queen, pressed her small butt against Toy Dream OP-01s floor. And with her lower legs spread to either side in a childish fashion. The Unexplored-class did not say anything while looking up at him, but the tail on the back of her hips rose and then curved gently to the side. The tail looked an awful lot like a question mark. And the look in the immature girls upturned eyes was even clearer. She wanted to know the reason behind his command. But Kyousuke ignored that and held out his right hand. Shake. There was no doubting it now. The same small hand that had torn apart the White Queens body was placed safely atop Kyousukes palm. The sinister strength of a construction arm was nowhere to be found. He only felt the warm and soft skin of a girl. (Wait. Does that mean what I think it does?) Kyousuke was not the only one confused. Olivia removed the lifeline from her waist and hesitantly clung to Kyousukes back. W-wow Is she obeying your commands? No. He heard what sounded like a thick bundle of fibers straining. The disconcerting sound continued and the Colorless Little Girls small body shook irregularly while she sat with her hand out. It was a clear sign that she was trying to break free of her bonds. She really was the ultimate weapon gone berserk. He could not hope for stability from her. Olivia must have remembered how close she came to death because she frantically attempted some ventriloquism while pressing her face into his back. W-wah!! I am Kyousuke! Wait! Stay there and I will pat you and call you a good girl, so calm down!!!!!! That was the finishing blow. With the sound of a violent electric spark, the Colorless Little Girls small head swung to the side like she had been sniped in the side of the head. Kyousuke immediately pulled his hand back. Just by clenching her small fist, it looked like she had compressed space, bent light, and stretched out the scenery like melted cheese as it was instantaneously gathered into her fist. (Is that like a miniature black hole!?) His nervous sweat formed beads that floated through the empty air. If he had been a moment slower, his body would have been utterly destroyed. The fact that she spoke at all only made it more confusing. He could not figure out what kind of emotion was contained in even those few words. He could not help but feel like he would get burned whether he took them at face value or read deeper meaning into them. He could not fight this monster by throwing an Incense Grenade and challenging her to a battle. Still, he held his Blood-Sign like a spear and thrust it sharply out. But not at the Colorless Little Girl in front of him. He sent it below his arm and behind him - toward the white bunny suit and red wing fallen angel who was floating there like a lifeless balloon. Eh? That frantic voice came from Olivia. A deep sound burst out. The Colorless Little Girls small hand moved right past Kyousuke and Olivia to instead reach the vessel who was showing no sign of resistance. If he had not used his Blood-Sign at the last second, the defenseless vessel would have been torn to pieces. He had accurately hit her at the center of her body - just below the navel - so he would not just make her spin. Thanks to her complete lack of resistance, her solid wing swung around and caused her to fly further than expected. That took the book girl just barely beyond the Colorless Little Girls fingertips. The emotion of anger was not evident in the juvenile body of that Unexplored-class. She remained calm. She took a few steps toward the Illegal vessel to make her next attack. Wh-why!? What is going on, Onii-chan!? Tch. It initially looked like the Colorless Little Girl was trying to protect me but with her targeting malfunctioning. If that theory is correct, then she had to have had a reason to arrive here in space. Even if her insane covering fire spreads damage all around me, she wouldnt begin to act unless she sensed a threat to me in the first place. What did that mean? And why had her first target been the defenseless Illegal vessel who was no longer contracted with anyone? I thought it was sudden, said Kyousuke in an apparent change of subject. Some aspects of it had seemed off to him. Would you use mouth-to-mouth to give someone a poison deadly enough to kill almost immediately after swallowing it? Would she really just ignore her targets coughed-up blood on her lips? And more importantly, would Shiroyama Kyousuke of all people really give up so readily when watching someone - even an enemy - losing their life before his eyes? What if he had sensed something he could not quite put to words and that had caused him to subconsciously tap the brakes? What had he sensed? War Criminal was killed by poison. He wasnt stabbed or shot; he was poisoned, which is much harder to examine. What if that was only a bluff using paint that changes color in the mouth? Then Boy A would be hiding and watching us for a chance to strike now that we stopped paying any attention to him. It would mean were still in danger!! They heard a dull thud. A handled grenade that looked like a fat-ended club was thrown in from a different corridor perpendicularly connected to this one. Had the dazed vessel had a reason for letting go of her tote bag? Kyousuke actually hoped this was a simple explosive like back in the submarine. But it was not. This time, it was an Incense Grenade for the Summoning Ceremony. It directly opened an Artificial Sacred Ground. The pursued poison girl was drawn toward the point of the blast. And someone else was pulled in from elsewhere. War Criminal! You idiot! You godd*mned idiot!! The extraordinary Colorless Little Girl had killed the White Queen like ripping the legs off a bug, so challenging her to a battle using the Summoning Ceremony was the height of folly. Kyousuke and Olivia were also contained within the Artificial Sacred Ground that War Criminal had set up. Having their Materials fight here would be like asking the Colorless Little Girl to attack. It was like holding a sword duel while locked in a cage with a ferocious beast. In a way, the vessel was more complex than Boy A. In the end, what was inside that book girl who tearfully remained by the crazed summoners side? Was it love or fear? Was she willing to descend into the depths of hell with him, or was she relying on the safety at the eye of the storm? Whether she was pursuing pure love or pathetically struggling to escape her fear, the end result may have been the same. Just like the strange connection between robber and hostage. It was not just a loop. It was twisted like a Mobius strip. Dont screw with me, Kyousuke-chan. For that summoner and vessel, it was like their hopelessly ugly marital vows. He smiled savagely at the poison girl who was willing to modify her own body if her partner wished it. And then Boy A spoke once more. I dont care about the Colorless Little Girl or whatever. When two countries are fighting a war, are they gonna stop just cause theres an earthquake or volcanic eruption? Of course not. Once war breaks out, theres no such thing as a draw!! It doesnt matter what anyone else is doing; weve gotta fight to the death here!! Kyousuke could only click his tongue. The Colorless Little Girl was like a displeased cat right now. If he held back on his Material so as not to stimulate her, he could not avoid War Criminals intense attacks. But if he fought with all his strength, the extraordinary power that had instantly killed the White Queen would attack. He was trapped. This was a truly unpredictable death match. He could not even rely on the protective circle to keep him safe in this battle. The Colorless Little Girl broke the rules of the Third just by existing there. Wh-what are you going to do, Onii-chan!? Shiroyama Kyousuke silently raised his Blood-Sign. He grabbed one of the 3 initial White Thorns and placed it at the tip of his Blood-Sign. Yes. Thats what I want to see. He heard something slicing sharply through the air. War Criminal had pulled his three devil sticks out of the air. The leader of the underworld even licked one of them as he made his statement. Lets aim every last gun and cannon we have at each other and have a direct shootout, Kyousuke-chan. Flashes of light, explosive blasts, and vibrations that permeate your body!! Ha ha! Its not a war unless you give into the trigger happiness until your mind goes blank!! The rules had changed. First of all, he had to win this battle no matter what. He had to hit the White Thorns, knock the Petals into Spots, and arrange the acquired letters to summon Materials from the other world. He had to use the Cost and rock-paper-scissors Sound Range to overwhelm his opponents Material and knock them out of the fight. That was an absolute must. Because not even riding on a giant meteor plunging toward the earth would reduce the power of a handgun pressed against your head. But at the same time, moving around too much would draw the Colorless Little Girls attention. She may have come here to save Kyousuke, but you could not rely on a bomber with a broken targeting system. It was obvious she would attack enemy and ally alike. Once the bomb was falling overhead, it was too late. He could not defeat the Colorless Little Girl with the cards he had on hand. He could not harm her even if he summoned one of the Three from the Unexplored-class. Thus, he had to ignore her. One option was to avoid her while getting a clean hit on the War Criminals Material. The other option was to direct her toward War Criminal so he was being attacked on two fronts and could not escape. Those were the rules of this battle. Hh!! War Criminal fought like normal by launching the initial hit on the cubic Rose, but Kyousuke launched a White Thorn toward a completely unrelated part of the floor. The Thorn ricocheted sharply, approached the Colorless Little Girl from behind, passed below her legs, and flew in front of her face. Her child eyes movedno, were guided. It was like a cat reacting to a toy. Her slender hand reached out into the empty air to grab at something. And Ha ha! Thats a dirty trick for a first move!! Space itself split apart. Whether it was a Regulation-class or an Unexplored-class, a solid hit from the Colorless Little Girl would one-shot any Material. The fallen angel girl had transformed into a red slime Material, but she escaped the ultimate jokers small hand by jumping backwardsor rather, by directing the Materials aim towards an unrelated oxygen tank behind her. Toy Dream OP-01s straight corridorno, the supporting pillar itself broke down the middle. Kyousuke and Olivia were safe thanks to the protective circle and green slime respectively, but they would have been thrown out into the certain doom of space otherwise. Yes, they really had been dumped into the vacuum of space this time. Stay calm, Olivia. Were fine as long as the Artificial Sacred Ground remains! He did not want to worry her, so he omitted that they were done for once the battle was over. The winner was granted 90s of a Chain state, but the loser was immediately stripped of their protective circle and Material and they would be exposed to the vacuum. The blue expanse of the earth lay below their feet. A mere 10 minutes of immortality felt so unreliable. If the pull of gravity grabbed them by some kind of mistake, there would be no escaping it. They would be roasted in the deadly atmosphere until not even dust remained. One small piece of good luck was that War Criminal had been the one to throw the Incense Grenade and open the Artificial Sacred Ground. That meant it used his footing as its base surface. When the station was torn in two, the 20m cube had appeared in reference to where Boy A stood. Kyousuke and Olivia had been thrown out into the vacuum, but they did not have to worry about an endless journey through space as long as that wall contained them. They could continue fighting. Kyousuke only had to focus on the position of the Petals and Spots for now. War Criminal had to remain inside the broken tunnel of a corridor inside Toy Dream OP-01, so Kyousuke had the wider field of vision and could aim for more Petals. There was one problem. (The Colorless Little Girl shattered the Artificial Sacred Ground with her first attack on the sub. She can do that at any time. If we lose that divine protection in the vacuum of space, theres nothing we can do!) He needed to settle this quickly, but rushing too much would draw her attention. In order to avoid directly stimulating the Colorless Little Girl, he aimed his White Thorn along a detour near the distant wall of the Artificial Sacred Ground, but then he noticed something off about the scenery as a whole. There was an odd light coming from the blue planet below them. Olivia. Olivia, focus on the battle!! When satellites took photos of the Amazon rainforest, it was apparently possible to see the spreading flames from slash-and-burn agriculture and from forest fires. But the fire had to be at the level of hectares before that was possible. Something was happening. And it involved East Europe and Kingdom F, home of Olivia Highland. (We destroyed System Atlantis and stopped the Blue Film that was meant to guide public opinion over the course of its four episodes. But did they force it through regardless? Damn, did the US Congress give the go ahead for the Silver Resource War!?) The Blue Film had lost its absolute importance. Destroying System Atlantis was no longer the key to solving this. In war, the troops were not necessarily deployed only once the government had made the final decision. If they were already waiting at the scene, they could begin the attack immediately after the sign was given. (They changed their method) Kyousuke and Olivia did not have a second to spare. They could no longer stop this in advance. (Even if I summoned a demon!!) Kyousuke kicked off wall pieces larger than tatami mats to cut across the cubic Artificial Sacred Ground. But not to take up a better position to acquire plenty of Petals with his White Thorns. He moved in between War Criminal and the Colorless Little Girl. Of course, he was still engaged in a deadly battle with the enemy summoner. Even with the ideals of Alice (with) Rabbit, Kyousuke would not abandon the battle to protect the enemy. This was quite the opposite. Illegals leader had set up this game of chicken, but that was proof that he really did understand how frightening the Colorless Little Girl was. He was making small adjustments to the distance between them to make sure he was never close enough for her to decide to attack. Shiroyama Kyousuke artlessly charged into the risky minefield in between them. If he stepped on and detonated a mine, the blast would catch War Criminal in his supposed safe zone. You!! He did not have time to roar. The bomber with a malfunctioning targeting system was finally moving. She casually extended her small hands. They missed Kyousuke who altered his path by striking a floating piece of the station with his Blood-Sign, but those ten fingers filled with mysterious power gently touched War Criminals protective circle. The resultant boom and shower of sparks was like someone touching a trains high-voltage line. Gwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!? None of the rules applied. The Third Summoning Ceremony ruled by the White Queen had long since been abandoned. War Criminal entered a tailspin after being baptized into the Fourth. But it did not end there. The summoner who freely controlled his three devil sticks managed to stay focused on the main issue despite the extreme pain, his muddled mind, and his rapid spinning. No matter what happened, this was a Summoning Ceremony battle where Material fought Material. And Shiroyama Kyousuke had focused on messing with the Colorless Little Girl. He had failed to focus on building up his Material. Youdumbass Too bad, Kyousuke-chan. Ive reached the Divine-class while you took your detour!!!!!! Rumpelstiltskin. Divine-class. Cost: 15. Sound Range: Middle. Despite the grand name, it was a thumb-sized dwarf that was summoned. Rather than a divine figure from a world religion or mythology, he had only left his name as a fairy in a fairy tale. But a god was a god. And the ridiculously-long name made him more useful than Odin, Zeus, or another head god when used in the Summoning Ceremony where the number of letters determined how much power could be drawn out. Kyousuke was still in the Regulation-class, so he could not overcome the power difference no matter how he launched his White Thorns. It was true War Criminal had no way of resisting the Colorless Little Girl, but Kyousuke and Olivia were done for if Boy A and the fallen angel got just one clean hit in. Ha ha One hit versus one hit. Just like a duel in a Western, the exchange of a single attack would decide everything. I never thought I could enjoy such an old-fashioned war in the modern age of drones and cyber-attacks!! With his eyes hidden by his ruler-like sunglasses, Boy A prepared to give his vessel a command, but then he noticed something. Where was the crucial target? Where was the Material being controlled by Olivia Highland? And just before great meaning poured into that slight gap, a heavy blow ran through War Criminal from directly above. Wha!? The enemy could not hear her, but Olivias voice rang inside Kyousukes head. A Regulation-class shaped like a giant spear broke through Toy Dream OP-01s roof. Of course, there was no way of harming Boy A when he was surrounded by the protective circle, but War Criminal had thrown the Incense Grenade and destroying the floor beneath his feet took away the Artificial Sacred Grounds base surface. Plus, simply shaking his vision would confuse him. But would she really go that far? It was the end for her if either the Divine-class or the Colorless Little Girl even grazed her with an attack, so would she really charge into the line of fire on the front line? It was pure insanity, but that was why it had successfully caught War Criminal off guard. And that created a brief opening. Colorless Little Girl Dedicated to a Single Goal (aie - a - oio - ei - ueo - ioa - e - uai - ee). Did that mean anything, or was it only a reflexive action? In the face of such great danger, Kyousuke held the top of his Blood-Sign out toward the juvenile girls nose. And he moved it like a cat toy. Sic him. Even the vacuum of space was compressed. Just as Kyousuke swung his head with all his might to dodge, the girls hand caught War Criminal and his protective circle, sending him flying like a meteor. He crashed into and crushed Rumpelstiltskin and both summoner and vessel were buried deep inside the Toy Dream OP-01 space station. It was essentially the same as when they had first arrived on the space station. The defeated Boy A and his vessel would be safe as long as they were floating inside the station where they had artificial air to breath. The problem was Kyousuke and Olivia. The Chain state only lasted 90 seconds. But reestablishing the Artificial Sacred Ground against the Colorless Little Girl would be like stripping off your clothing and entering the lion cage. Each passing second was a painful loss. While the protective circle was in effect, Kyousuke and the giant spear that was Olivia hurried inside Toy Dream OP-01s airlock. Bwah!! Kyousuke finally took a deep breath once he was inside the badly-damaged space station. The entire station was unnaturally twisted and it was noticeably tilting in one direction. Whether it was thrown out into space or burned up in the atmosphere, it would not last long like this. Onii-chan Lets tie up War Criminal while hes defeated. Then we need to get to the control room. None of this is over. The Colorless Little Girl is still floating out there in the vacuum of space. What are we even doing anymore? She sounded on the verge of tears. The Silver Resource War has already started. With the supposed mastermind passed out in here!! Look over there!! You can already see the fires burning!! This is past the point of the videos or Illegal mattering. So what is our goal!? Isnt it obvious? But Kyousuke spat out a response. For the time being, he could not hear the threatening calls of Nii-sama. She was still floating out there with nothing to protect her, but did this mean all direct threats to Kyousuke had been eliminated? It was only her targeting ability that was broken. She would not go off unless she had her finger on the trigger. Or was that as na?ve an assessment as the White Queen worshippers had made? Then we just have to stop that war. Olivia, we can freely control beings that surpass the mythological gods. He said it so readily that it did not sound real to Olivia at first. Her face crumpled up in a way that left him unsure if she was smiling or crying. Thats easier said than done. It was like a groan. Her unsteady voice sounded like a sob. I would love to do that Thats why we dived to the ocean floor, launched ourselves into space, and worked so hard. But it wasnt enough!! Wasnt that weird video supposed to be what mattered!? I thought we could keep the war from starting if we put a stop to that!! The other side was writing the rules of the game, so Kyousuke and Olivias goal had been to stop that. But this was not a sports tournament with a referee ensuring the rules were followed. The other side had ignored them. They had ignored their own rules and forced their pieces across the game board. Reality could be surprisingly careless, it was made to benefit the strong, and it allowed for all sorts of unfair things. Prove a thug wrong with an airtight argument and they would only click their tongue and burn you with the end of their cigarette. This was another example of the hopelessness of reality. Kyousuke knew this all too well after being manipulated by the White Queen so often. But he had not broken. Why was that? There is just one power that can resist this kind of unfairness. He was not looking down on her as he gave her advice. Right now, Olivia was the same as Kyousuke. She had followed the rules and supposedly snagged a come-from-behind win, but that victory had been unfairly snatched from her. This was her heart nearly breaking under the weight of the overwhelming sense of futility. He had overcome this same thing himself, so he understood. This was only an illusion. It was a transient delusion. In the truest depths of her heart, there was a part of her soul that had not broken. He was sure of it. Listen, Olivia. Remember your purest feelings. Why was it you came out here beyond the ends of the earth? Was it because I told you to? Was it to live up to your mothers expectations? No. You had your own reason. And if you remember that, you can still fight. It doesnt matter who youre up against. You cant overcome this kind of thing with willpower!! Look, cut in Shiroyama Kyousuke. He had tasted the dirt time and time again and that was why he did not hesitate. Look, Olivia. Remember what drives human beings. This isnt about those that lurk beyond the gods. Remember what it is that drives those of us born with our feet planted on the earth! That is enough to change the world. This isnt silly idealism. I have experience telling me it is a hard fact and its what allowed me to make it this far while up against that hopeless White!! Is that not enough proof for you!? Kyousuke pointed at one of the monitors that were everywhere in the space station. System Atlantis had been the top priority, but since it was a giant station and not just a satellite, it also had observation equipment and experiments set up. So it also functioned as an observation satellite looking down on the earth from the heavens. Eh? Olivias initially angry eyes pursued the image and then filled with thought after a flash of surprise. Nothing she was seeing made any sense. It was even more unreasonable than the US Army forcibly sending its game pieces into war. The vantage point on the screen was unfamiliar, but the location was quite familiar to her. With an overhead view like on a paper map, she saw Kingdom F in East Europe. She saw a stone city surrounded by mountains. The veil of black clouds was actually dark smoke blowing in from somewhere. It was a tiny area from the perspective of those who ruled the world economy, but it was the most important scene to Olivia Highland. And beyond that black stain, something had filled a small plaza and the large road. Itcant be. Why? A middle-aged man held a clearly outdated rifle. A housewife carried a handgun that was lacking in power even for self-defense. Children no older than Olivia were gathered around a forcibly-modified tank. These were not trained soldiers. More and more doors opened while a flower shop owner, a churchs nun, and other ordinary civilians flooded the streets. Countless flags were waving. They were the flag of Kingdom F - of the Flanguild Permanently Neutral Kingdom. No, no, no!! If you show intent to fight, they wont be able to stop!! If you point at us royals and call us tyrants, they might at least spare your lives!! Kingdom F uses a universal conscription system. If another country attacks, the ordinary people will take up arms along with the specially-trained knights. Rachel explained that, remember? I know about that system!! But thats not the point! Kingdom F is done for anyway, so they dont have to follow its rules. They can forget all about the musty old royal family. If they just surrender and accept the new era, they might not have to risk their lives here!!!!!! Olivia had gone pale as she shouted her protests, but her voice could not reach the people on the monitor. In addition to the people in the streets, there were also some figures racing along the roofs of the stone buildings. Those would be the knights who used the Summoning Ceremony in Kingdom F. Everyone would know the end result of a fight with a superpower. But they still did not raise their hands in surrender. There was only one response here. Olivia. Theyre doing this because they want you and your mother to have a home to return to. This time. This time Olivia seemed unable to reflexively snap back at him. For one thing, Queen Sinceria and Princess Olivia were out of the kingdom at the moment. Preserving the bloodline did not require defending the kingdoms land with the peoples lives. So it was not about the individuals. Protecting the system of monarchy was not enough for them. They could not stand to have nothing but rubble remain when Olivia Highland returned home. They wanted to protect the scenery of Kingdom F and all the memories it contained. That was all. All those people were putting their lives on the line for a formless feeling like that. I dont understand. Olivias voice was trembling. The knights and chamberlains might be steeped in the Summoning Ceremony, but the normal people dont even know what we look like. They might casually greet us if they see us in the city, but they forget all about us the second they look away. It isnt an issue of how warm or cold hearted they are; thats just how it works. So why would they go this far? Thats right, Olivia. Kyousuke did not reject that with some nice-sounding words. This was not some silly story where they miraculously remembered for no reason. There was no need to trick her with empty words. That means theyre throwing away their lives for someone theyve never even seen. Theyre relying on the legends of the musty old royal family you mentioned. Theyre desperately clinging to the outlines of what they must protect and struggling despite knowing their efforts will never succeed. Olivia stared silently at the flat-screen monitor as Kyousuke continued. When a large country wants to complete an invasion all at once, they make a blitzkrieg strike meant to be quick but decisive. He was not predicting their destruction. They needed an accurate picture of the situation if they were to overcome the actual threat. They will of course secure air superiority, but their first act will be destroying the communication network. Next, they will destroy the main defense facilities with cruise missiles and rockets. Last, the actual soldiers and tanks will sever the supply line to isolate the targets cities and fortresses. For large countries, a war isnt a head-on clash. They do not use the number of enemies killed to judge success. They use the number of allies that survived. So they will always arrange things such that the enemy simply cant choose to use their full strength. For the politicians in Washington DC, the enemy isnt the foreign generals and heroes; its the voters watching TV in their living rooms. Whatwhat does that matter? muttered Olivia without even turning around. She could not take her eyes off the scene playing out on the monitor. Youre basically saying theyre going to attack my home all they want, arent you? Even though we havent done anything wrong and weve never even heard of the East Europe Axis? This is still the first phase. Theyre targeting the mountains that surround Kingdom F as a natural fortress. Kingdom F is a landlocked country surrounded by mountains. They arent going to start a mass slaughter immediately after destroying the communication network. First, they should focus on destroying the radar sites along the mountain ridges and the pylons for the high-voltage lines running along the slopes. So You dont get it? Kyousuke reached over her shoulder and touched the screen to draw her attention to another part of the satellite image. Then lets check the carbon dioxide distribution. Theres a lot of dark smoke, but I dont see any urban areas on fire. This is all being blown in from the natural fortress of the mountains. So theyre only attacking unmanned facilities for the first phase. Its caused a widespread wildfire and that looks pretty shocking, but the actual population density is zero. There still havent been any human victims. Its only the empty mountains that are burning. If we stop it here, the targets of this baseless war can keep their lives!! He distinctly heard a gasp. Olivias small shoulders jumped while she viewed the wildfire footage with her back to him. Really? Yes. We can really save everyone in Kingdom F? Yes!! We can do it. The two of us can save them. You can do more than shout help me! This time, Olivia, you can race to the scene with me as Alice (with) Rabbit!! She was so close, but he did not place his hands on her shoulders. Right now, she did not need comfort for a weak soul. If he made that mistake, she would rot away. Just like the White Queens sweet words and charisma had provided an indiscriminate sense of security to so many people. So Turn around, Olivia!! With your own strength!! If youre going to live up to the lifestyle of Freedom Award 903 with me, then face reality and change it with your own hands!! Olivia rubbed her eyes with her small hands. After jewel-like tears scattered through the zero-g space station, she turned around. She turned from the monitor displaying the coming destruction and looked instead to Shiroyama Kyousukes face. They looked each other in the eye. He saw the willpower there. What should I do? The kingdoms princess faced the harsh reality once more. No. The look on her face was not that of a fairy tale princess simply hoping to be rescued. What are we going to do? How can we save everyone? Hurry up and tell me! Hurry!!!!!! Thats obvious. Theyre the ones that changed the rules. So instead of remaining prisoners of that video, lets change the phase itself. Revenge-obsessed Biondetta had once called herself a whispering demon. Then what was Shiroyama Kyousuke as he answered the no-longer-tearful girl? Whatever he was, he proposed an answer far more repulsive than a demon addicted to bathing in blood. He did not even hesitate. Lets take a shortcut along the most direct route. Lets drop Toy Dream OP-01 from the sky and hitch a ride straight to the Silver Resource War. The summoner and vessel were in motion once more. The LCD screen behind them displayed countless fluttering flags that represented the majesty and pride of the Flanguild Permanently Neutral Kingdom. And those flags had some text written on the edges with spray paint or thick permanent markers. It is to answer the cries for help that I fight. The boy and girl spoke in unison. As do we: as you wish. As do we: as you wish. She would no longer rely on the words help me. Olivia Highland would fight to protect a kingdom and become a true trump card. A gray-haired old man breathed a heavy sigh aboard the Missing Princess cruise ship. He was inside his office which contained an odd combination of thick Western tomes and fairy tale picture books. He wore a formal tailcoat since he had been on the party stage earlier, but he had removed the bowtie and the restrictive coat. But that was not enough to improve his mood. He wanted to stand up from his leather chair, but he could not lift himself from it, as if he were glued down. That prevented him from looking away from the flat-screen monitor directly in front of him. We are in front of the White House here in DC! The official go ahead for the Silver Resource War was just announced, but they did not allow any questions from the press and it seems the press secretary has already left. This is unusual behavior, but according to an insider The old man asked himself how this could have happened. The Blue Film war promotion videos had been scheduled for 4 episodes in all, but a number of problems had caused the distribution plan to fail after only the first episode. They had likely caught scent of the plan stalling out and forced the war through in advance, but the normal people would be unable to keep up with these world events. Even if the Silver Resource War ended in complete victory, they would only be met with a storm of boos. What would happen if an airports runways were only half built and you decided to send the airplanes out anyway because construction was behind schedule? The answer was obvious. Something had gone wrong in this supposedly fixed game of old maid. If the nonexistent East Europe Axis could not be made into the villain, then the dirty joker would end up with those who had started the war. Real war was complex, but the common people always viewed it as a battle between good and evil. And a country that was said to have never once suffered defeat would not accept a stain on that record. So who would end up holding the old maid in the end? It no longer mattered who had come up with the idea and started gathering members. They would make it so Toy Dream had been manipulating the US all along. Thus they could say they did nothing wrong. He felt like he was watching his own castle crumbling while in some removed location. It was like building a grand estate in Beverly Hills as the prize for many long years of effort and then watching it collapse due to a freak sinkhole. He repeated the word why in his heart just once more. But the nuance was different this time. The gray-haired old man suddenly wondered why he had wanted the Silver Resource War to succeed. He had been obsessed with getting that done, but now that he thought back, he had no idea why he had wanted it to succeed. If racking his brains was not enough to find a reason, had it been planted in him by someone else? While he thought, he heard a soft electronic beep. It did not come from the LCD monitor. It came from the personal smartphone he had for his family. It was a character mobile device that let you include illustrations and icons of Toy Dream characters. He had bought up a major ISP and social media company to make it. He had received an Assort Message, which was like a combination of an email and chat service. Have you caught on yet? It was a short message. But for some reason, the attached icon of a heroine he had never seen before brought a prickling pain to a corner of the old mans mind. He could not seem to process what it was and that inspired an impatience he simply could not suppress. He would never find the answer no matter how much he thought about it. Not when he could not remember why he gave the Missing Princess its name. You used Kingdom F as a motif for the childrens books and movies you made, but a government official convinced you they were actually a den of villains and you felt like your works had been defiled. That is why you helped this blatant resource war. Psychologists use the term dyadic group to describe how people take criminal actions more readily in groups than as individuals. A more familiar example may be how anonymous message boards are more prone to violent statements than social networks with visible screennames. You cannot properly perceive the White Queen. That means you are in no position to directly know of her death or to be hit by the resultant confusion. But the general unease and confusion that has widely permeated society after the White Queens death may have influenced this bold action of yours. However. You should already know the truth about the East Europe Axis. I have no sympathy for you. You are literate enough to make an informed decision, so you must take responsibility for your decisions. If you were aware of your influence and still intentionally spread malicious disinformation, then there is no room for lenience. Normally, he would have shrugged off unilateral accusations from some faceless and nameless person. He was a world-renowned fairy tale author. Any online store would be flooded with millions of reviews. He felt far more pressure on a daily basis than the average person. And yet. He felt an unpleasant sweat coating his back. He could not shrug this off. He felt an explosion of overwhelming shame that he could only compare to having his own child or grandchild see him doing something truly foolish. You lost the right to author fairy tales from the moment you decided to harm others by manipulating the emotions of the readers. Especially when it involved a war that would take countless lives. The old mans vision wavered at this criticism that came with no room for negotiation or compromise. This went beyond the inexplicable icon. Tears wet the corners of his eyes and he saw an illusion of a small girl pointing at him. Even though no such girl should exist. Its too bad. I had hoped there was a miniscule chance everything could return to normal and I would one day be completed by you and turned into a book that spreads smiles around the world. But this proves it. I will never be completed. This fairy tale will always remain incomplete. Wait He had not opened a voice input app, but the old man spoke to the character mobile device without thinking. His trembling lips shouted at the smartphone to stop these mysterious Assort Messages that kept pouring in. Could you beno, that never existed Who are you? I never had anything to do with the Phantom Girl. Thats only a rumor that my passionate fans have spread around. Orit couldnt be, but are you saying it really did exist!? The strange feeling in a corner of his mind grew bigger than ever. He was on the verge of grasping something. He was sure of it. But that terribly fleeting outline sent more merciless words his way. Break your pen today and retire immediately. A fairy tale author who has forgotten how to make people smile has no place in Toy Dream. Not even a silver bullet straight through the heart would have been as great a shock. The old man was certain of it. He could form no more words with his index finger or his trembling lips. He was finally feeling the loneliness of having left his ideals behind in some distant land. He needed a long time. His fingers were trembling more than an alcoholic going cold turkey. He could not sketch a single image or even place his fingers on that 5-inch screen. He took his time to take deep breaths and barely managed to pick up the smartphone without dropping it. This time, he did open a voice input program and managed to force out his voice despite having trouble breathing. Even the high-quality program failed more than three times to interpret his voice properly. But the war has begun. I doubt my head alone would be able to stop it. Yes, of course it has. Because I used my authority with Government to push it in that direction. I mostly left hints that an environmental group was preparing to buy the land and investigate the effects of mining there. I was telling them they had better claim that land and the mining rights in a hurry or this would be a heap of trouble for them. The old man did not understand what most of that meant. He did not even know what Government was, but the messages continued. The US will not lose. Or rather, no matter how badly things are going for them and no matter what happens, they will find a way to claim they did not lose. Stopping the first and second attacks is meaningless if the US will only propose further operations to reclaim their reputation. So we need to drain all the pus the first time around. It is only by doing that and then stopping the worlds most powerful army that we can stop the giant gears of the Silver Resource War. There is no other effective resolution when looking at the big-picture strategy instead of the small-picture tactics. Thats crazy. Are you saying youve started a war to stop a war? Yes, but worry not. There was no hesitance in her response. And that told the old man something. This mysterious person was using the icon of a heroine he did not recall designing. This Phantom Girl had slipped from the palm of his hand. But this told him there was someone who stood much closer to her than he did. Was it possible he would have been the one closest to her if he had not done this? And the girl relying on that trump card had more to say. I have the ultimate ace up the sleeve, so it doesnt matter who Im up against. When he is supporting the life of someone seeking help, there is no chance whatsoever he will lose in combat. A thunk ran through a distant luxury apartment as a character mobile device was flipped over on the table so the screen could not be seen. It was a lot like flipping over a card. The striped bikini girl buried her small face in the thick fur of the 5m wild animal she used as a sofa. Whats this sudden outburst of emotion? asked the modified China dress beauty. Did you come across some moving masterpiece? Ids nuffing, you idyit She did not want anyone at all to see the look on her face. Facts: *The summoners location when the Artificial Sacred Ground opens is used as the base surface, so an artificial gravity is preserved even in zero-g. *System Atlantis was successfully destroyed on the space station, so the original data of the Blue Films four episodes and the hardware used to produce it were lost. *Wait. Sit. Shake. They all worked on the Colorless Little Girl. *Kyousuke used the Colorless Little Girl to defeat War Criminal. Do not overlook that he was always behind in both Cost and Sound Range during the actual Summoning Ceremony battle. *The US Congress forced a decision without waiting for public opinion to be manipulated. *The Silver Resource War has begun. *Shiroyama Kyousuke decided to drop the space station from the sky to enter the battlefield that Kingdom F has become. *They can still be saved. Both the kingdom forced into a war and the people who live there. Volume 8, Stage 04 - Crushing the Silver War from the Heavens Volume 8, Stage 04: Crushing the Silver War from the Heavens Then Ill do it myself. I dont care if it violates my rules or causes my soul to rot away. I will ****(star star star star) you!!!!!! (Stage 04 Open 08/04 06:00 UTC+03 Flanguild time) Crushing the Silver War from the Heavens Even in August, the early morning was cold enough to see ones breath. Since the countrys primary agricultural products were rare alpine plants rather than wheat or beef, you can probably imagine just how biting a cold it was. The small Eastern European country was surrounded by steep mountains. It was known as Kingdom F. The orange of dawn collided with and reflected off the thick layer of fog washing over the surface, creating some uniquely picturesque scenery. The breathtaking view looked like fine gold dust had been laid out across every inch of the earth as far as the eye could see. There was no real reason it had to be this country. The vein had just so happened to be nearby. And it would have been a pain if the country had later decided to resist, so they had to be crushed in advance. Either way, the countries and regions the war reached were treated as a part of the villainous East Europe Axis. As long as they followed the rules of war based on international treaties, the US Army would not be criticized for their attack. The actual foreign policy that used the help of Toy Dream was not actually going that well, but the boots on the ground had not been informed of that and simply played their role. An electronic information control plane with antenna rods all over its fuselage was taking a pleasure flight just outside the national border. It was a mobile base for a war of the internet age. The fact that the flying command room was right there on the front line felt somewhat brazen. The aircraft was the size of a large passenger plane and it contained countless computers and the technicians to operate them, but it also had a fancy visitors room where the high-ranking officers were gathered. They had a map spread out on a table and were moving small pieces across it while holding a secret conversation. Phase 1 is progressing well. The East Europe Axiss communication and information network have been accurately severed along with the power lines. Both wired and wireless communications are down. This really is a small country. They do seem to have some tanks given modern modifications, but they have shown no real resistance to our aerial forces. To the west is Varsfork Fortress. To the north is Ilijinika Tunnel Shelter. Once we have completed our groundwork in Phase 2, we will send a division of troops to each and pry open the front gate of the East Europe Axiss mountain fortress. At the same time, we plan to send some special commandos in through the relatively gentle mountain ridge to the east. Tch. Curse those marines. Are they trying to steal the credit even when were fighting deep in the mountains? This should be over in a day or two. Please be cautious so none of the small neighboring countries try to attack us. If those nearby countries confuse our humanitarianism for weakness and refuse to allow us through their airspace, the disruption of our air supply line could delay the timetable. Of course, this is more of a political issue than a military one. Make sure even the lowest grunt is told to behave like a gentleman. This is not just an issue of morals. I am discussing textbook sociology here. The intensity of the postwar terrorism hinges on our actions here. Do not force our noble American way onto them. Make allowances for the local national character and do it by the book. I dont want to make an enemy of the viewers in their living rooms and have Congress glaring at me. They were fighting under the assumption they would win. Rather than thinking about how many of the enemy they could kill, they thought about how many allies they could keep alive. The real-time battle status reports were only confirming what they already knew. To them, the mere act of receiving an irregular report was humiliating. This was not a clash between their plans and the enemys plans. They had determined the entire schedule themselves. This was a superpowers war. Varsfork shouldnt be a problem, but Ilijinika Tunnel Shelter is a relic of the Cold War which was thought to be the final war between the US and Russia, right? If everything is functioning properly, the civilians will be evacuated there. Although it wont be properly airtight since the internal filters and rubber seals will have deteriorated. No one is talking about using B or C here. We dont want to pay war reparations after they use humanitarian treaties as a shield. Are we prepared to break through with standard firepower? How about we use an old relic too? I will prepare the 500mm heavy artillery. The Grad Killer, huh? It might be a fossil, but use it properly. It doesnt matter if the enemy fights back. We cant afford a delay if it jams. Even here, they were simply obtaining vocal commitments from each other. The people viewing the strategic actions from above would never be ignorant of the firepower they had procured the budget for after negotiating with the pacifists while rubbing their hands and grinning. In the end, they were really only tossing around the ball of responsibility like a hot potato. They were only negotiating over who would have to take the blame if their one and only fear came true: human error on the part of one of their own soldiers. It is extremely low scale, but Kingdom F does seem to have an unidentified fighting force Hmph. What can some musty old knights do? Can they bring down a stealth bomber while drawing their bowstrings on horseback? Those normal soldiers were unfamiliar with the Summoning Ceremony and could not perceive anyone involved in it, so they were lucky to even know of a vague organization name. They saw no reason for concern there. And that was why they remained ignorant until the threat took visible form before their eyes. A moment later, a massive form shot past right next to the electronic information control plane. It was a giant space station transformed into a blazing fireball by massive friction. After flying so elegantly through the sky, the operation command room was shaken like a leaf in the wind. The ones who flipped over and hit their head on the corner of the desk could count themselves lucky. Some of the officers were slammed into the ceiling like they were caught in some turbulence. Finally, the aircraft regained control. They had all been thrown to the floor and soaked in the black coffee and single malt whisky they had been drinking. One of the high-ranking officers, who had never before tasted the floor, forced out a trembling voice while clinging to the table which was bolted to the floor. Wh-whatwhat happened? And his well-trained subordinate gave an appropriate response even in this chaotic situation. He saluted and spoke. It would appear that the war has begun, sir. The Missing Princess was still back in Japan. Due to the time difference, lunchtime was close to finishing there. Phew. Sinceria Highland, Queen of Kingdom F, used a handkerchief to wipe the sweat from her brow while her oddly long ears twitched. There was only one reason why a vessel like her would have returned from her Material form. Well, that should about do it. The Chain had ended. After defeating more and more and more enemy summoners, she found several hours had passed. That was an extraordinarily long battle since the Artificial Sacred Ground could only last 10 minutes at the most, but all Sinceria did was use that handkerchief. Her cool-colored dress still looked like snow or ice, glass or crystal. Her stamina as a vessel was abnormal. The battle had begun on the side deck, but it had gradually drifted, leaving her on the casino floor now. The Illegal summoners and vessels were strewn about in the defeated state, some passed out on a broken roulette table and some convulsing with their head crashed into a slot machine. Stuffing a vessel head-first into the air conditioning vent designed to look like a fireplace may have been a mistake. The casino area was not being properly cooled. The glasses knight named Rachel Wormwood tapped her shoulder with her Blood-Sign which had the silver rod and J-shaped end of a battle hook. These were no more than foreign threats and insults to our kingdom who were so obsessed with gathering the Awards before their eyes that they lost sight of their true purpose as a summoner and even failed to collect the very Awards they sought. They never stood a chance against us. Rachel. Yes? Sinceria clasped her hands in front of her large chest and gently smiled. The unbelievably beautiful head of state in a cool blue dress cut to the heart of the issue. Was this unofficial investigation merely an excuse to distance me from the war? Rachel fell silent for a moment and then shook her head. She seemed to resign herself to something as she opened her mouth once more. The foundation of Kingdom F will be established where our queen is located. As long as you are safe, we can rebuild the kingdom as many times as it takes. It was also fortunate that the nobody took the princess away. That is a shocking thing to hear as Kingdom Fs last line of defense Real war is not fought solely through the Summoning Ceremony. In fact, a large army firing common bullets is more frightening. When you get down to it, war is supported by the three pillars of population, technology, and resources. Was that never explained to you during your close relationship with that nobody? Once she got that far, Rachel faced the head of state once more. She kneeled before Sinceria and bowed her head. She got down on one knee and kept her tall and athletically-fit body as low as she could. But she did not hesitate to speak. I will offer up my treacherous head once Kingdom F has been rebuilt. There is no need for the likes of me in the coming age. Please expunge my name from the court records and place my head in the guillotine, my queen. There is only a common criminal before you. The knight named Rachel Wormwood never existed. Dont be ridiculous Sincerias tone slowly changed. This was likely a voice she could never use in front of her daughter. Im sure this was a group decision by all of the knights. No, there was probably a petition from the people before that. So why must you pass it off as your independent decision and take the full blame yourself? Rachels shoulders jumped. She fidgeted with her head still lowered. No, that isnot what happened. This was a foolish act planned only by the traitor before you!! You are a terrible liar and that is one of your virtues. Finding no words to speak is nothing to be ashamed of. Sinceria than added a however. What is good and what is evil? Who should be punished and who should be forgiven? As the sovereign ruler of the kingdom, we hold the right to pardon criminals. Lady Rachel Wormwood. It is true we have given you some authority as a knight, but I have a question for you here. When did you gain the right to disrespect the entire divine right of kings? Rachel clenched her teeth. But she did not raise her head. She clenched her teeth, clenched her teeth, clenched her teeth, and spoke in a vanishingly quiet voice. But if you were to graciously pardon me, it would mean I survived by sharing the special seat reserved for you. If I do not offer up my head, I will be setting a poor example for the others who allowed you to escape at great risk to their own li Enough. She was rejected. A regional knights pride could not bend the orders of a kingdoms queen. Youno, the knights as a whole only prioritized my life because you heard the peoples pleas. If you still wish to be punished for your crime, then live on in disgrace, Lady Rachel Wormwood. Make up for not protecting the people, for abandoning the people, and for giving up on the people by ensuring this ends very differently from the result you imagine is coming. That is the punishment I will give to my trusted partner. Learn from your mistake and aim to be an even stronger strongest. We will use all of our authority as Kingdom F Queen Sinceria Highland to prevent you from shirking responsibility and accepting an easy death like a coward. Take this to heart, ignorant and proud knight. We will never listen to the likes of you and let you order us around. Silence followed. What was burning in the trembling knights soul: the intense humiliation of losing her place to die, or appreciation for being saved from execution? Rachel would snap at Shiroyama Kyousuke more than necessary whenever they met and she showed an intense revulsion to Sincerias idea that they were both summoners who protected the same royal family, but that may have been a sign of her jealousy. Kyousuke had looked far too bright as he fought head-on with nothing hidden and had that work in favor of Kingdom Fs royal family. But that was none of Sincerias concern. She would look right past the #2 or #3 as she always sought the #1 summoner. If Rachel lived up to her queens expectations through ceaseless effort, Sinceria would have to do her very best to protect her subordinate. There was no right answer in war, but you still had to make a decision. If Sinceria had chosen to remain in Kingdom F and fight the foreign threat to the end, Rachel would have gone down in history as a fool who had stood by Sincerias side yet failed to get the head of state out of the country before they were surrounded. That knight had been stuck between a rock and a hard place from the beginning. And in the very, very end, she had chosen to listen to the will of the people, preserve the honor of the knights, save Sincerias life, and offer up her head and her head alone. Sinceria smiled at that knight who had been raised to be honest to a fault and had thus become perfect. If she were to rid herself of someone like this out of fear of damaging her own reputation, then Kingdom F would truly be done for. The monarchy would have to be dismantled. Worry not, Rachel. This will not end the way you fear it will. There was never any need to feel that regret burning within you. So relax and raise your head. ? Have you forgotten? We are not the only ones working to resolve this. Sinceria had declared this issue over when she told Rachel to live on in disgrace. So now it was time to encourage her #1 subordinate who was still trembling like a fawn. After all, my adorable daughter and the hero who saved our kingdom have teamed up. With Olivia and Kyousuke working together, how can this have anything but a happy ending? She raised her index finger. And she made a definite statement with a gentle smile on her lips. Just you watch, Rachel. Kyousuke will undoubtedly save the entirety of Kingdom F, including you. Let us step back to shortly before the crash landing. Kyousuke had no further need for War Criminal who was also aboard the Toy Dream OP-01 space station. After stuffing him and his vessel in an emergency pod, he produced a sound much like a dry branch snapping. ??? Olivia tilted her head outside the pod. Onii-chan, what did you just do? Nothing. Its fine. Kyousuke answered the small girl while making sure she could not see inside as he closed the escape pod door to contain a liquid floating like red rubies in the zero-g space. Now that he had settled an old conflict, they finally had to face the war. Yes, the Silver Resource War was marching onward even without the mastermind behind it. The snowball had already started rolling down the hill. Their objective had changed. They had to stop the war itself. Kyousuke pulled an Incense Grenade the size of a hair spray can from the rolled-up hood on the back of his hoodie. Double blonde braided Olivia tilted her head. Huh? The one you keep there instead of your pocket is your final spare, isnt it? So are you out after this? To be honest, far too much has happened today. Even though he had calculated out the proper reentry angle, the giant space station was dyed orange as it was scorched by the atmosphere. Parts were peeled up and blown away from the extremities as the surface temperature reached around 3000 degrees at the highest. That was an incredible temperature since the melting point of iron was around 1600 degrees. Locating the enemy was not that difficult. An army division included around 10,000 people. With more than one division-class forces on the scene, their locations were immediately obvious when viewed from above. Approaching them on the flat surface would have been difficult, but they would never expect the vanguard to fall right on top of their heads. A dull metallic sound came from Kyousukes hand. It was a makeshift Incense Grenade launcher made by attaching a grip and other parts to a sliced-off piece of copper pipe with liquid fuel injected inside. It was blatantly handmade, but it provided enough force and it was using rocket fuel. The real hurdle had been preventing the explosive force from rupturing the pipe from within. Kyousuke sat with his back pressed to the wall, stuffed the one remaining metal can inside the front of the barrel like he was placing a lid on it, and filled the chamber with the amount of liquid fuel he had measured out with a tube. Olivia, come here. Right. Olivia approached, so he casually held her close just as there was a change to their apparent weight. They were tugged forward, their speed only continued to accelerate, and it never seemed to stop. Unlike when an apple fell to the ground, objects falling from orbit did not fall along a straight vertical line. It was better to think of them as spiraling as they were swallowed up by the earths gravity, so the angle of their fall would gradually shift from horizontal to vertical. So as Kyousuke and Olivia rode that intense roller coaster, the direction and magnitude of their apparent gravity was changing from one moment to the next. They had already reached approximately 4 Gs, which was at the level of an actual roller coaster. By the end, it surpassed 9.5 Gs, so the floor and the concept of up and down became meaningless. That was why Kyousuke had pressed his back against the wall and held small Olivia in place. He would have liked to have seatbelts or lap bars, but they were not enjoying a safe attraction here. They were approaching the battlefield on a space station that would fall apart on its own. Strapping themselves in for the duration would only mean committing suicide with the station. Nbh, ngweh. You dont have to hold back, Olivia. The contents of your stomach are being tugged on too, so nothing will come out no matter how much you gag. OniiurpI need to lecture youlater!! Some static crackled in the back of their minds. The scorching atmosphere meant nothing. She could hitch a ride even at reentry speed. Olivia went entirely pale. Th-th-that isnt normal Hm, looks like I was right that she goes berserk in response to me being in danger. The enemy we seek is at Toy Dream OP-01s destination. After they passed the obvious thermosphere, the sound of a giant file scraping at the outer walls only seemed to grow louder. The atmospheric pressure was growing and the density of impurities like air and dust was increasing. The slight sense of deceleration as something pushed up at them may have been the air friction applying the brakes. The space stations angle was changing as it drew a gentle curve in its fall. The obstacle that Kyousuke and Olivia believed to be a wall had to be facing upwards like a ceiling when viewed from the surface. On your mark. Kyousuke spoke below his breath while holding Olivias small body. He was as accurate as the hands of the clock attached to an accurate time bomb. 10, 9, 8, 7, 6 The launcher made from a thick sliced copper pipe was aimed straight ahead. In terms of earths gravity, it was aimed straight down toward the surface. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Something large passed right by the space station. No, it was Kyousuke and Olivia who passed right by the transport plane or bomber. That caused them to shake side to side more than before, but Kyousuke did not bat an eye. He spoke with his finger on the trigger. Zero. Let the battle begin. A cross-shaped crack ran through the wall in front of them. Just as the orange-burnt anti-radiation aerospace material was stripped away by the wind pressure, Kyousuke aimed at the center of it all and fired his projectile. It all happened in an instant. It was like quickly passing your palm horizontally through a candles flame. He acted too quickly for the heat to reach them. It looked like a reckless action at first, but it was actually the safest option. The space station resembled a giant fireball and it did not actually crash into the surface. The giant structure broke apart in midair and scattered, as if the entire thing was peeled apart from a single point. Thanks to that, the earth was spared an ice age. After stripping away their grand raiment, Kyousuke and Olivia were pulled down by a different force. The Incense Grenade had detonated after being fired toward the ground ahead of the station. (Theres a division of 10,000 to the north and one to the west. The supply line, intel management, logistical support, and reserve forces probably amount to another 5000.) Kyousuke and Olivia swiftly flew to the center of the Artificial Sacred Ground. This direct descent should have been impossible for a human being with no space suit or parachute. The golden land created by the dawns light and the mist crawling across the surface was blown away in an instant. The bared battlefield had finally shown itself. (This is the frontline base for attacking the Ilijinika Tunnel Shelter to the north. Good, its all going according to plan. This is a 3.2 margin of error in landing coordinates, but thats within acceptable bounds.) Overall, it was about 5km in each direction. The vast plains stability could not even be broken by the irregular flow of the rivers produced by the snow thawing on the tall mountains, but two field runways for giant transport planes intersected at a right angle and a 2km vehicle maintenance base was set up at the inner angle. A control tower and hangars for working on the transport planes themselves and unloading cargo were constructed on the outer edge of the runways. Kyousuke and Olivia had descended to the vehicle maintenance base on the inner angle. Kyousuke first placed his feet on a thin fragment travelling at a similar speed to establish the Artificial Sacred Ground around him. Then he fired a White Thorn to surround himself with a protective circle before landing on the ground. The stations fragment shattered and a new Artificial Sacred Ground appeared on the surface. Olivias small feminine body had transformed into a thick slime. There were four observation towers, a barracks, a communication command center, and a roofed maintenance bay larger than a school gym. Alice (with) Rabbit ignored all of them and instead focused on the vehicle management space filled with countless tanks, armored trucks, mobile rocket launchers, and more. They were all deadly industrial products waiting impatiently for the cruise missiles and bombers to finish the preparations. It was not flesh-and-blood humans who were operating those steel weapons. The soldiers wore Quad Motors Repliglass Snapping Turtles and the short and round armor completely eliminated any hint of a human silhouette. Those military facility suppression devices could shrug off a point-blank barrage from a 30mm machinegun and, in addition to using firearms, used the two special machine arms on the shoulders to tear off a tanks hatch or a shelters door - and the occasional leaked video of those being used against flesh-and-blood enemy soldiers or terrorists raised humanitarian concerns. Those demonic weapons perfectly fused the nimbleness of infantry with the toughness of tanks. After the space station broke apart in midair, a single glass shard from the solar panels or a single screw had become a deadly weapon. Those would not be lethal to the American soldiers covered in thick Repliglass, but it would have normally required heading below a roof to protect themselves. However, no one did that. And not because they trusted too much in the Snapping Turtles the military had issued them. They could not take their eyes off of the grim reaper descending upon them without warning. They did not know what it was, but they knew something bad would happen if they took their eyes off of it. The modern battlefield was like a video game in how it was ruled by the internet and mass-produced machines, but that baseless jinx eerily permeated and spread among them all. And. Kyousuke continued to calmly observe the industrial products lined up around him. He could see why they were known as the worlds most powerful army. And that meant he need not worry about killing them even if he used a Material against them. (Okay.) He was surrounded by the afterimages of the White Thorns that continued to ricochet wildly around him. The red light of the Petals was mixed in among them. Meanwhile, his eyes had already picked out the most important parts of the scene around him. (If they want to pry open the gate to Ilijinika and Kingdom F as a whole, generally scorching the mountainside with rockets and missiles would be meaningless. Bunker busters dropped from bombers would be equally useless. Then that roofed maintenance bay must contain a landmark weapon specially made for breaking into something like that. That would be the top priority.) His enemy was the worlds most powerful army and more than 25 thousand had been sent in for the first wave of the Silver Resource War. And Shiroyama Kyousuke reigned at the center of the great fortress containing half that force. Now, then. With the protective circle and Material, it did not matter how many guns and missiles were aimed at them. Kyousuke gave a fierce smile while holding the best position for acquiring as many Petals as he wanted when he wanted. Youve done nothing wrong, but its time you took a nap. Now. What does it mean to win a war? Different people would think of different situations and phases: destroying the radar facilities and securing air superiority, cutting off the supply line and isolating the enemy troops, destroying the computers to prevent the enemy from approving their operations, etc. But Kyousuke decided none of those would work here. He wanted something more immediate. Given the difference in strength between the two sides, America would have put together a timetable where they completed their invasion of Kingdom F in just a day or two. Simply tripping them up a bit would only end with them forcing their way through the defensive line. Just like a freight train, a large nation could not be stopped by the average brakes once it had gotten moving. Sparks would fly from the wheels, but it would still plow through anything on the rails. So Lets go, Olivia. Olivia Highland had already given her body over to an abnormal being. She was a red translucent slime, one of the Original Series that was a necessary starting point no matter how the Material was built up. It had a Cost of 1 and belonged to the low Sound Range. It was the bottommost foundation and the weakest of the weak, but it still held great meaning. First of all, Materials existed beyond human understanding and normal military might was useless against them. This army may have been the strongest in the world, but that meant nothing to a resident of another world. That thing is hostile! I repeat, that thing is hostile!! We can fire!! Dont be stupid! If we fire into the center, well just hit each other!! Arnold, ignore as much of what that inexperienced Captain says as we can without actually disobeying orders. We need to form our ranks first!! Yes, sir. This is on you now. Ill draw back the tanks since theyre too powerful and use the infantry to buy some time. After theyve been fanned out, we can eliminate this thing with the combat vehicles. Get started. Tanks and armored trucks were lined up as neatly as the parking lot of a mall on the weekend, but those armored vehicles were trying to move gradually away from Kyousuke and Olivia. Infantry wearing thick Repliglass appeared as they weaved their way through the gaps in that moving wall which would cause a disastrous scene if someones clothing got caught on one. They had likely sent in the Snapping Turtles because they could survive a direct hit from an autocannon or a grenade launcher. Instead of securing cover, they started by aiming their assault rifles at Kyousuke and the Original Red (b). They provided no warning. In fact, the red slime started it by tackling one Snapping Turtle that failed to escape and flipping over an armored truck by pushing up on it from below. The endless ear-splitting popping noises were a lot like having all the firecrackers in Chinatown go off at once. But those were no more than the back dancers that complemented the star dancing below the spotlight. The otherworldly Material and Kyousuke in his protective circle could not be harmed by normal bullets. Focus on the maintenance bay to the northeast. Destroy the landmark weapon being constructed inside. He gave her some quick instructions, but they did not head directly there. A large force was already approaching them. Olivia, sweep away the 30 directly in front of us. After that, take out the bazooka unit at four oclock. Those are powerful enough for friendly fire to kill the Repliglass soldiers, so deal with them quickly. They must have decided this was not going to end as things were because some Repliglass soldiers wielding heavy machine arms rushed directly in while receiving covering fire, but they could not get any closer to Kyousuke thanks to the protective circle. As the arms strained with effort, the Original Red controlled by Olivia crashed into the thick Repliglasss sides and then followed Kyousukes instructions by charging into the group starting to use shoulder-fired anti-tank weaponry. They could ignore the 10-minute restriction in this case. After all, 10,000 people were crammed into a small space here. By opening the Artificial Sacred Ground based on one person, defeating them, and opening another one based on someone else during the 90 seconds of the Chain state, they could fight almost indefinitely. The strength of the built-up Material was carried over, so Kyousuke and Olivias advantage only grew. Olivias form changed again and again. A giant rotting dog crushed a group of four Repliglass soldiers along with their heavy machinegun fixed to the ground with a tripod. A man-eating plant with countless blades instead of petals launched steel seeds with the force of bullets to neutralize the snipers lying atop the barracks roof. A beautiful Western doll with round and fat maggots wriggling in the cracks covering its body slowly shifted its aim toward a soldier attempting to lend a shoulder to a Repliglass soldier who could not move due to a malfunction. I guess not every member of the worlds most powerful army can be a veteran hero. Its common for people to enlist because they need a job during a recession or for immigrants to enlist to contribute to society and gain the right to citizenship. Being the worlds most powerful army is another way of saying its soldiers die a lot less than other countries. They dont send in their true elites without good reason. I bet they leave the annoying groundwork to the rookies and the kind of machos seen in movies and games show up later for the part that gets their names in the history books. Because as long as they have Repliglass, even rookies can perform adequately. <> The silence contained a strained tension. This was a war fought with just one hand and interspersed with yawns. Although that was no solace for the people of Kingdom F. Still, it was fortunate for Kyousuke who wanted to stop the war. He heard a voice from a radio that had fallen at his feet. We have had some success with the losses still in the acceptable range. The vehicles have been moved into place. Lieutenant Stallone? Attention, everyone. We have lost contact with the Lieutenant. I will take command from here on. Fire!! The tanks and armored trucks had moved a certain distance away. Tank guns and howitzers were fired though the newly-opened gap to hit Kyousuke and Olivia. The explosive booms were accompanied by filthy dust blossoming up like overlapping flowers. In addition to the simple blast and shockwave, a horizontal downpour of small metal balls and sharp fragments assaulted them. The storm of destruction filled the entire space, so it was well beyond the point that any kind of martial arts could hope to dodge it. The blasts were occurring at such close range that orange sparks occasionally flew from the armor of the tanks themselves. Steel claws flying at supersonic speeds were wearing down the composite armor. However Olivia. With that one word, the cloud of dust was blown away from within and a great form stood upon the battlefield. Divine-class. Cost: 8. Sound Range: Middle. That giant being that looked down upon the cutting-edge tanks was a great black dog with three heads. It was the faithful guard dog of the underworld in Greek Mythology whose original Greek name began with a K. The orange sparks spilling from the gaps in its violently uneven teeth were reminiscent of the heat at the depths of the earth. Its great size caused the Artificial Sacred Ground to expand outwards so that it now contained the tanks which had supposedly fallen back. Before beginning its fierce attack, it howled once toward the heavens. The tanks were controlled by an electronic network, yet they still froze in place for just a moment. He might seem frightening since he belongs to the underworld, but hes no more than a guard dog. Its true he shows no mercy to those that try to break the rules and crawl out of that land of the dead, but that isnt all. And. Kyousuke rested his Blood-Sign on his shoulder and used his other hand to point at the group of targets. He will never allow the living to wander blindly into the underworld and needlessly forfeit their lives. Hes a kind guard dog. There was no hesitation whatsoever. Whose lives was that guardian of death protecting: Kingdom F which was relying on it, or the US Army which was opposing it? They shared the one body, but the three heads roared at each other in competition as the giant guard dog charged in at the helpless tanks. Before the treads could dig into the ground, a mass of composite armor was held down from above and had its gun grabbed and yanked off by giant jaws. The soldiers inside were now exposed, so they stared blankly up at their enemy. They did not have time to hurriedly don their Repliglass. As soon as the stolen tank gun was chomped through like an aluminum can, they raised both their hands even though no one had ordered them to. That was the end of the damage wrought by the three-headed guard dog. It moved on to its next target without devouring the flesh-and-blood humans who had lost the will to fight. Olivia, attack at three oclock. A tank next to the one turned into a convertible was aiming its gun at the Divine-class. If the shell exploded, it would harm their own exposed allies, but they apparently were too panicked to think it through that far. The guard dogs giant foreleg dropped down and bent the entire tank gun at a right angle before it could fire. When she shell was launched, the tank itself was pushed backwards. The explosion opened the gun barrel like a flower, so that one had been knocked out of the fight. After a short break, Kyousuke raised his Blood-Sign once more and used White Thorns to gather Petals. Olivia changed form a few times before he settled on a Cost 8 from the middle Sound Range. It was a giant from Mayan Mythology whose 8-letter name began with C and referred to earthquakes. That colossus began kicking the tanks around like soccer balls. Why was Kyousuke meaninglessly building up the Material? The Original Series at the very bottom would be enough to simply defeat this enemy, so he had to have some other reason for building it up like this. Reaching the Divine-class required summoning 100 Regulation-classes. Reaching the Unexplored-class required summoning 50 Divine-classes. So what was Kyousuke aiming for? (Here we go.) Olivia, focus on the sky overhead! Cruise missiles are being fired on Kingdom F. We cant target them with the Artificial Sacred Ground since theyre unmanned, but theyre top priority targets!! Unexplored-class. Cost: 19. Sound Range: Middle. The Lady of Purple Lightning that Separates Good from Evil (iu - ao - eu - ei - kub - miq - a - ci - pl). A sickly-thin beautiful woman sat in a battered wheelchair. Her purple hair blew in the wind, her unhealthily skinny naked body only had some purple cloths halfheartedly wrapped around it, and she was as limp as a doll someone had tossed aside. But her power was undeniably real. Her head was still hanging down, but a withered branch of an arm was lifted just enough for the slender index finger to point into the empty air. A dreadful purple beam shot out and that sword of light accurately sliced through the four cruise missiles using GPS to carry explosives at Mach 1.9. Materials normally could not leave the Artificial Sacred Ground, but projectiles could pass right through its walls. To deal with aerial explosives flying overhead, it was fastest to summon a Material that specialized in ranged attacks. When it rang directly in Kyousukes head, Olivias voice contained an impatience separate from that overwhelming accomplishment. Thats why were stopping it. Warning to ten oclock. Altitude: 25 thousand meters. The drones flying there have babies. Shoot them down before they can drop the bombs in their bellies. As he had pointed out before, they could not contain unmanned weapons in an Artificial Sacred Ground. But they could destroy anything that existed outside of Alice (with) Rabbits no-killing rule. The most frightening nightmare scenario was to be left alone in a deserted location, being attacked with countless missiles and rockets from 3 or 4 kilometers away while unable to use an Incense Grenade, and have the explosive blast fill the entire area. Summoners and vessels could be killed by normal firepower if it was used correctly. That was why the veteran warriors like Kyousuke and Biondetta did not take normal soldiers lightly. That fact had permeated them to the bone since it had been normal people managing the children in the Queens Miniature Garden located deep underground. Riding down on the space station had not been a meaningless performance. As a summoner, the center of the most populated area was the one safe area where he could keep the Artificial Sacred Ground and protective circle going as he fought. If he had tried to reach the center along the surface, he would have been shredded into mincemeat in an empty field. The Lady of Purple Lightning specialized in surefire projectile attacks. There was no need to approach their top priority target. Olivia, the northeast maintenance bay! Slice it apart!! The roofed maintenance bay was larger than a school gym, yet it crumbled before their eyes. But not from the Lady of Purple Lightnings attack. Something had broken out from within before the shutter covering the one wall could fully open. A gigantic mass of steel rolled out from the rubble. The giant gun barrel looked like a steel bridge and far surpassed the category of mobile artillery. The fortress cannon had been forcibly loaded onto a 32-wheeled special transport vehicle meant to carry 7000ton frigates at shipyards. The Grad Killer 500mm heavy cannon, huh? Its a large weapon that fires special liquid container shells into the bedrock to intentionally cause a deep-seated landslide and destroy natural fortresses. A deep-seated landslide is normally a largescale landslide caused by underground water veins, but that thing shapes that liquid into a shell and injects it into the ground. Mountains can be structured in a number of ways, but the Grad Killer can destroy any of them. To put it another way, it took an environment surrounded by mountains for the weapon to display its power. It was not an easy weapon to utilize, but weapons were always designed and refined for the convenience of those who would use them. An island nation surrounded by ocean would develop its navy, while a desert nation surrounded by sand would develop its army. And a look back in history showed a time when the US and the Soviets were staring each other down with enough intensity to destroy the world. It was not that surprising to find an outlandish weapon had been designed for use in Eastern Europe in order to pry open the Warsaw defenses and directly reach Moscow via a European route separate from the Alaskan route. However. Its appearance only sped things up. Shiroyama Kyousuke spoke two simple words. Do it. It took just one attack. The Lady of Purple Lightning lowered her skyward-pointed finger of destruction and aimed toward the surface. It did not matter if this weapon used 500mm shells which were even larger than those used by a battleships guns. That movement was all it took for the mass of steel to be sliced through like a boiled egg pressed against a taut wire. It ended far too easily. But Olivia Highland sounded concerned despite having done most of the work herself. Dont worry. The destruction was already complete. When the Lady of Purple Lightning pointed her finger at the remaining enemy forces, the Repliglass soldiers must have decided their tanks and armored trucks would not function as shields because they scrambled out of them. They raised their trembling hands in surrender. Good girl, Olivia. So you do understand. Thats why the wind is blowing in our favor. Olivias voice ground to a halt. For some reason, she had the lady in the wheelchair turn to face Kyousuke and aim her slender finger toward the summoner. Even the US soldiers poking their heads out of their convertible-ized tank tilted their head in confusion. Calm yourself down, Olivia. This isnt Normandy or Stalingrad during World War Two. Nor is it the swamps of Vietnam. No one in the world wants this to develop into a head-on battle where blood is paid for with blood. Kyousuke gave a thin smile. The boy who had defeated even a revenge demon did not hesitate to speak. This is a war that a superpower started under the assumption that it would be a 100-to-0 perfect game. That alters the victory conditions into something quite unique. The chaos was at the northern fortress. But the other frontline base to the west was silent and ignored. What are they doing? muttered a large black man with a plethora of medals decorating his chest. His large glove of a hand slapped and rubbed his head which he kept shaved in a habit he had picked up when he was a new recruit. Yes, the distant western front had also received reports of the spontaneous battle. That Colonel had been left in charge of the great force meant to pry open the western gate, but he did not immediately send reinforcements when the terrified reports arrived. But not because he was too reliant on doing things by the book to make a decision. There was a bigger problem. Sir, said his saluting Asian aide. This will not end well if the rookies who viewed this deployment like a field trip have snapped under the pressure of live fire. An explosive outbreak of PTSD and soldiers gone berserk under the influence of mass hysteria Everyone in the command room grimaced, but they were missing some fundamental information. They knew a battle had broken out in the makeshift base of the company to the north. But that battle was centered on a summoner and vessel. And normal people would forget about such supernatural beings as soon as they were out of sight. Now. Given those conditions, what did the world look like to them? Here is the answer. They knew their distant allies were fighting. But they could not at all see who those allies were fighting against. Attacking each other and creating unnecessary victims within the fortress? Those fools. And they expect us to share responsibility!? There do seem to be some witness accounts of something like a ghost. You want to send that report back home? Theyll question our mental health. Others are saying they are fighting mythological gods. And it seems like everyone there can see them. Shut up!! Curse those part-timers who grabbed a gun to earn a stable income. Did the fear and confusion of that space station falling on their heads cause them to lose all control!? The conversation continued while unclear whether they were on the same page or not. This was what it meant for a summoner and vessel to drop into the center of a large army and slip into the crowd of soldiers. Even the soldiers standing side by side and directly fighting some kind of strange enemy gave contradictory witness reports. And even if the fragmentary reports that miraculously survived were patched together, it would only lead to the nonsensical idea of fighting against ghosts or gods. Of course, those reports were not the only source of information. The large black man and the others waiting in the west viewed the chaotic northern division using satellites and drones. But the summoner and Material inside an Artificial Sacred Ground could not be seen with cameras or sensors. They had vague witness reports and hard proof of nothing there. Of course they were going to doubt the sanity of the other group. ~ ~ ~ Whatever the case, their timetable had fallen apart. Even if the cruise missiles, rockets, and bombers of Phase 2 completed on schedule, they could not continue past that. This was a devastating blow to their ground forces. And unfortunately, technology had not reached the point that wars could be ended with only aerial bombings. The ground forces were needed to declare checkmate by attacking the remaining forces hiding among the rubble. Also There has been some difficulty with Phase 2 as well. The cruise missiles were lost for no apparent reason. It happened to every last one of them, so I doubt it was a mere accident. We are speculating that the northern units anti-air weaponry was used. Ugh. And we only have satellite imagery to go on, but the Grad Killer that forcibly causes deep-seated landslides appears to have been damaged beyond repair. How this has happened is a complete mystery, but wont it be difficult to pry open the tunnel shelter? Bunker busters are not suited to the terrain conditions. Ohhhhhhhhh!! The large black man shouted futilely. They could not move things forward without first dealing with those idiots. The Asian aide remained at attention. If the entire division of 10,000 has gone berserk, that is more than 40% of our forces rendered unusable. Thus, we can claim our overall force has been routed. How about that? How about what? In war, it was not after every last soldier had been killed that a force of 25,000 was considered defeated. It differed between militaries and units, but once between 30% and 50% had been taken out, the entire army would withdraw because they could no longer accomplish what they had set out to do. We could attempt to suppress them, but if we head north and get into a fight, we might be lumped in with them as an uncontrollable force. So couldnt we leave them be and withdraw? To be blunt, the US Armys enemy was not Kingdom F. In this backcountry war, victory was assumed and defeat was unthinkable. Rather than thinking about how many enemies they could kill, they thought about how little damage they could take while ending the war according to their timetable. That was the logic of a powerful nations war. Their biggest fear was the living rooms across the US mainland. It could be the number of young new recruits who died while deployed overseas. It could be mysterious health problems caused by chemical substances. It could be psychological problems like PTSD brought on by a variety of pressures. If a war cameraman snapped a photo of those social problems and it spread across the internet, intense anti-war protests would begin across the US mainland. This was an age where the chemical fertilizers used by farmers were criticized because they could be used to make bombs. And now this was happening to the high school and college graduates who had excitedly rushed to a foreign land so they could legally fire big guns. If a newscaster displayed a line graph of the tragedy befalling those youths, the politicians would realize how this would affect their approval ratings and the war would fall apart before the militarys eyes. This was meant to be a deathless perfect game that would be over in a day or two, but now 10,000 of their troops had gone berserk and it could devolve into a shootout between allies. If word of that nonsense got out, they would receive an onslaught of criticism from the civilians with too much time on their hands. When the alternative was holding a war of words with the made-in-America housewives whose self-consciousness had been fattened to the limit, starting World War Three with those brown bear bastards fueled by vodka did not sound so bad. They were a formidable foe, but they understood the rules of the battlefield. (Its all over) In the end, there was no threat of the world being split between east and west. Losing here would not allow anyone to trample all over the United States and it would not get their families and lovers killed back home. They were not facing a precipice. And that may have been why the large black man and the others did not give this their absolute all. In a game of chicken without a cliff, you could slam on the brakes at any time. Would they wash their hands of the berserk unit and withdraw, or would they stop the berserk unit despite the danger of misunderstandings? The large black man slapped the back of his head with his glove-like hand. Relay this to the troops: Those bastards still havent taken the pacifiers out of their mouths, so lets slap them upside the head and wake them up. Colonel. It would be easy to abandon the berserk unit and prove were still of sound mind. But if they drag the locals into this and there are victims, well be criticized for not stopping them when we could! It doesnt matter if these are the people of Kingdom F were talking about!! Killing as a strategic action in accordance with a plan is entirely different from killing as a chaotic and barbaric act!! If it comes to that, itll be more than just the liberals in Congress criticizing us. What about Free Feather, the war bereaved families association? No, this goes beyond just one country. The UN General Assembly which includes more than 180 nations and regions will start talking about war crimes and crimes against humanity! If it gets that bad, any groundwork we laid will be null and void. And if they can claim theyre protecting civilians from the berserk unit, Russia might get involved. I dont care if World War Three breaks out here, but I will not let it happen with us as the villains!! Sir, I marvel at your foresight. Now, what are your real motivations? Ive already bought a farm in Colorado to live out my old age in retirement. Hunting in the forest, fly fishing in the river, golf all day long, and even a natural hot spring. It will be a private paradise for me and my family!! I spent ages slowly building up to that dream, so I would rather die than have it taken from me by throwing me into Guantanamo just to pacify the TV viewers in their living rooms. Ive paid my dues to our nation and Ive followed every last rule since I was a new recruit. It wasnt easy having a shootout with my own brothers in arms when they disobeyed orders and attacked a jewelry store after we secured that desert nation. So why does my career have to end with some idiots going nuts and getting me thrown into a cell smaller than a phone booth where I only get beans and salt soup to eat!? They made a swift decision. The western division, who were safe here but found their futures at risk, took action. Haul out everything we have!! Including the land SDIyes, the carbon gas laser!! Isnt that the landmark weapon meant to pry open the western gate? It would only get in the way when we withdraw. If we start breaking it down and loading the pieces on transport planes now, we would never make it in time. Well scrap it on site and incinerate it until it cant be captured and analyzed. Theyll be mad as hell if we report we abandoned it, so make sure we use this confusion to properly dispose of that bulky weapon. Okay, lets go!! Destroying a large mass of technology would earn them a harsh scolding, but if a weapon was damaged in the fighting and they disposed of it so that it could not be analyzed, they would actually be praised or it. The aide breathed a somewhat exasperated sigh. The life of an upstart required some clever solutions at times, but this young man had not enlisted to see this. Sir. Wont your very outdoorsy hobbies not sit well with your wannabe New Yorker of a wife? Drop the wannabe next time, boy. And dont worry. Ill give her a tablet with an Amalon Premiere account. Shell be able to shop and watch videos as much as she wants. Here they come. Once they reached the Unexplored-class, there was no need to build up the Material any further. Kyousuke stuck with the Lady of Purple Lightning while resting his Blood-Sign on his shoulder and looking to the massive cloud of dust covering the horizon. North and west. The two divisions had been deployed far apart, but that just meant he had to get them to come to him. Olivia, the other half have arrived. Crush them and our war is over. Theyre sending some scouts in first and a larger group will follow. They should send a few sets of 500 to a 1000. Kyousuke was right. The few armored trucks were followed by a horizontal line of tanks that looked like a wall of steel. They did not even use the hills as cover. There were probably troop transport trucks loaded with Repliglass soldiers behind them. Prioritizing personnel over equipment may have been an American trait since they wanted to minimize casualties and avoid criticism from the TV viewers. If those had been Russian troops, there may have been infantry clinging to the outside of the tanks as they charged from the front line. If we crush them too, the bizarre reports will continue and they wont be able to escape the suspicions of mass hysteria, but the TV viewers will soon boil over with anger and criticize the White House for starting this war. The youth had been deployed on what was supposed to be the worlds safest war, yet they had been harmed. This was not what they had signed up for. It looked silly spelled out like that, but that was how a superpower with absolute strength viewed war. Because they were the strongest, they were unaccustomed to losing. Or rather, they did not know how to accept defeat. Draw them forward some more. The closer the two units, the better for us. Oh, so now its a giant laser cannon? If theyve brought out the west divisions crucial weapon, they must be ready to withdraw, no matter what the higher ups might think. The tanks without turrets may have been collection trucks meant to retrieve broken vehicles. Four of them were being used to pull a giant flatcar like a horse-drawn carriage. Instead of a canopy, it carried a cylindrical cannon enclosed within a boxy metal tower. The weapon was intended to intercept missiles from space, so that was likely meant to reinforce it so it did not bend within earths gravity. 2000 meters. Yes, this should be good. Tank guns generally aimed in a straight line, but 2km was close range for them. They had approached so close because they were sick of the confusing reports coming from the satellites and drones and they wanted to check things out for themselves. That might sound silly for an age of digital warfare, but there was a report saying a temperature of just two degrees higher than their body temperature would lower infantrys attentiveness. And if they were inattentive, it increased the risk of stepping on a landmine or tripwire. That was the state of the incomplete digital warfare that had not fully eliminated humans from the battlefield. There was no avoiding the emotions that had been a part of war since BCE times. No matter how many reinforcements were sent in, Kyousuke and Olivia only had to keep doing the same thing. The protective circle and the Lady of Purple Lightning would not allow normal bullets or shells to harm them. Without Princess Olivias extremely precise control over the Unexplored-class, it would have actually been harder to avoid killing the enemy. Their one concern was that they had already used up their last Incense Grenade. That meant they had to protect the Artificial Sacred Ground they already had. If the enemy was scattered over too wide an area to reach them during the 90s Chain, this would get a lot trickier. It was risky and they were walking on thin ice. If the Artificial Sacred Ground vanished, Kyousuke and Olivia would return to being vulnerable humans who could lose their lives to common bullets and explosions. Between two battles, Kyousuke spoke while stepping on a tank shell that rolled out of a supply truck. Weve pretty much settled things here, so lets go crush the reinforcements. Its time to join civilization, Olivia. We dont need to go on foot. Kyousuke sharply jabbed his Blood-Sign at something on the ground. He detonated the tank shell he was stepping on. The close-range blast was not a problem thanks to the protective circle. And the rules of the Summoning Ceremony stated that the Artificial Sacred Grounds base surface was the surface on which the Incense Grenade detonated, but if that surface was broken and destroyed, it would instead be based on the surface stood on by the summoner who had thrown the Incense Grenade. Kyousuke was propelled upwards by the blast and flew more than 10m straight up. He flipped himself upside down so the soles of his feet touched something while pointed skyward. They touched the bottom of a large transport plane that had approached surprisingly close. It seemed to have been trying to land on the field runway because it was low on fuel, but it must have given up upon seeing how large the battle on the ground had grown. Kyousuke designated its belly as the next foothold while it cruised at fairly low altitude. The feeling of landing must have been different while seated in a wheelchair because Olivia screamed while existing within the Lady of Purple Lightning. If this is one of the new C-1092s, it uses electronic control support when landing, so it can fly at more than 300km/h even with its wheels out. Itll carry us those 2000m in just 20 or 30 seconds. With that, Kyousuke ran upside-down along the bottom of the fuselage to reach the front. The Chain was still in effect, but to set the next foothold on the ground, they would need to destroy the old onewhich meant the transport plane. That was why he moved to the front, circled around the round nose, and looked through the thick reinforce glass at the pilot who looked so shocked he was about to have a heart attack. Kyousuke viewed the pilot. And after confirming the next 10 minutes had begun, he smashed the glass canopy with the tip of his Blood-Sign. The protective circle was in the way, so he used the end of the long stick to snag the military uniforms collar. Olivia, destroy the plane. With that exasperated comment, a purple beam sliced the transport plane apart. Kyousuke carried the screaming pilot with him as they returned to the surface. He set foot in the center of the western tank unit sent in to suppress the mysterious riot. They were outside the base. It was a flat, featureless plain, making it a poor location for taking on tanks. But Kyousuke shook the pilot (who had gone quiet after his eyes rolled back in his head) from his Blood-Sign and winked. He sounded like he was reading off the warnings in a users manual. Sorry about starting with an Unexplored-class right off the bat. Even an expert would cry foul at that, but youre the worlds strongest. Im praying youll find a way to escape this. It only took an instant. The sickly woman in the rickety wheelchair launched a purple beam from her fingertip. Kyousuke thought about the state of the battle while watching as the tanks were sliced apart to leave just the soldiers behind. It was like a magic trick. They arent even trying to preserve it, so theyre probably planning to abandon it here. Still, destroy it just to be safe. The lasers fired by the giant strategic weapon and the Unexplored-class collided, but the result had been obvious from the beginning. No matter how much firepower that thing boasted, physical methods of harm could not even scratch the protective circle or Material. With the north and west landmark weapons destroyed and Kyousuke right in the middle of the tank reinforcements, it was clear what would become of the Silver Resource War. After thoroughly cleaning things up here and letting their mistaken view of the situation work to its fullest, it would no longer be feasible to continue that economic activity known as war. If it became known that 20,000 soldiers had succumbed to mass hysteria and destroyed each other, the higher ups in charge of those promising youths would undoubtedly be asked to take responsibility. And international society would be hesitant to let such dangerous units enter their borders or pass through their territorial waters. In the worst case, every last unit would have to keep a motherly school counselor or fortune teller with them at all times. Some were. Kyousuke readily confirmed it and Olivia fell silent again. Only her impatience and confusion reached Kyousukes mind. The ignorant TV viewers will still be angry, so it wont change anything. I mean, the truth of the matter is that a single summoner and vessel pair defeated the worlds most powerful army and a being greater than the gods went on a rampage. What good would it do for the military officials and IT company presidents to explain that at a press conference? People would think a mysterious war disease had spread to the US mainland and theyd be sent to a mental hospital. <> It doesnt matter whether or not the truth is known. We need to focus on how many people will believe it. That was a frightening threat, so Kyousuke made a mental note to give her some candy later to placate her. As tiny as she was, she was a member of the royal family and could be particular about her food, so he would have be careful. Would this be a job for the forbidden chocolate chip cereal? Its hard to judge that one since its taken a step outside the category of food, but it is overflowing with an immediate charm Had they finally identified the threat now that it was right in front of them? Or were they still utterly confused because a single boy could not account for all of the damage? Either way, Kyousuke wanted to defeat them before they could recover, so he did not wait around. He wanted to end this before they came up with the actual right answer: have all of the US soldiers fall back and attack endlessly with drone bombings and cruise missiles. Just like with food and ammunition, depriving your opponent of time had long been used as an extremely effective method of applying pressure. The boy snapped his fingers. Olivia, its time to end it. However. That was when an unexpected voice burned into the back of his mind. He felt a pressure in his heart. This was the one thing that not even Shiroyama Kyousuke had been able to predict. After all, this was the Unexplored-class who had directly killed the White Queen and been broken by it. Her childishness, purity, and obedience made this monster far too different. There was only one thing he knew. She had suddenly appeared during his battle with War Criminal and destroyed the Artificial Sacred Ground with the touch of her fingertip. Regardless of the summoner and vessels skill, the Third Summoning Ceremony simply could not last until the conclusion when she was involved. (Why now!? If she had waited just a bit longer, we could have fully neutralized both US divisions!!) He of course had no more Incense Grenades. If this final Artificial Sacred Ground was taken from them, that was the end for Kyousuke and Olivia. Their momentum would grind to a halt and the stalled car would never start up again. The tension he felt now was far different from before. Olivias voice was trembling too. The environment that allowed her to use the Unexplored-class strength of the Lady of Purple Lightning could end at any second. There was only one possible key to overcoming this. A summoner and a vessel Government summoners and vessels must have been unofficially sent here with the American troops. If theres a way out of this, it has to be that. And. A group was secretly waiting in a forest at the midpoint between west and north where no pieces were thought to have been placed on the map. It was only 50 strong. That was about the size of a platoon or two, but the coordinator who knew the truth of the Kingdom F knights knew it was nowhere near enough. The US military was composed of four branches - the army, navy, air force, and marines - but they were woefully unable to prepare anyone capable of directly using the Summoning Ceremony. That was why the summoners and vessels cooperated as mercenaries who were not counted on paper. America had always led the world in its 300 years of history, but that short history also left it weak when it came to the mystical and the occult. 25 pairs had been gathered to fill that mystical gap. One of the pairs was Government Award 501, Perfect Game. The summoner was Max Layard, a macho man with a pompadour. The vessel was Ellie Slide, a small brown girl with bright swimsuit tan lines. G-god this is dangerous. Hes reached the Unexplored-class while we just watch. Ahh, ahh. And the Grad Killer and Land SDI landmark weapons have both been destroyed. At this rate, he really will crush both 10,000-man divisions. Now, we still havent received any instructions from the coordinator, but what should we do about this? Im not about to guess what that Alice (with) Rabbit is thinking, but hes beating up people whove never even heard of the Summoning Ceremony. Im still not fond of what the American military or monster corporations do, but this is different. Attacking without explaining the rules just aint fair!! Sowhat? Are you going to charge in shirtless and wielding a Gatling gun like a Hollywood hero? He already has the Lady of Purple Lightning of the Unexplored-class, but are you going to take him on with a Cost 1 Regulation-class, Max? Okay, Im sorry. So what are we supposed to do, miss? American culture taught you never to apologize, even if you hit a child with an 18-wheeler, but the incense expert with glasses and a bare midriff liked Maxs break from that. An idiot who knew they were an idiot was better than someone who had been so spoiled by their parents that they were convinced they were a genius. The girl in a large witch hat carried a Native American ritual item taller than she was that looked like a cross between a single-edged axe and a tobacco pipe, but she currently had it stabbed into the ground so she leaned her small butt against it through her miniskirt and shorts. He might be Freedom Award 903, but Shiroyama Kyousuke is still human. Have you forgotten that he was affected by my incense during the Pandemonium incident? If a direct attack wont work, then we just have to be sneakier about it. Dont underestimate a witchs secret techniques. If we can destroy the Artificial Sacred Ground and remove his protective circle, I can burn some incense smoke and send his brain to a world of illusion. (Thats as cheap a trick as the gloomy rabbit bastard.) Max. Who is it that is kiiiindly soothing the pain from your front teeth since you were throwing a childish tantrum over your fear of visiting a foreign dentist? If you doubt a witchs secret techniques, I can respect your wishes and end that before heading home. Yes, maam. I have no objections whatsoever, you sexy lady in glasses, blonde hair, and brown skin!! Good. The girl with a height of less than 140cm gave a snort from her small nose. The dreamcatcher hanging from her neck did not budge from her sadly flat chest. The age of feminine superiority may have arrived. That girl possessed a fusion of the techniques developed by the Native American tribes and the witches who had fled to the New World, so what meaning did she find in this Eastern European forest? In a process incorporating Native American asceticism, Ellie Slide had piercings in her navel, her tongue, and even below her clothing. At the moment, she took a deep breath. Lets get started. Lets take up a position upwind and send in some Incense while keeping enough distance that Shiroyama Kyousuke wont notice our presence. We came here to do a job and we cant refuse to fight just because we think we cant win. We need to achieve the results we were paid for. However, Max did not respond. He was the man who had not hesitated to punch his supervisor because he could not allow a tropical village to be sacrificed for a superpower to further its plans. No matter what he said, he may have been questioning the invasion of Kingdom F. Or did he think he could apply the brakes at the right point if he was involved? He was an idiot, but his was an idiocy Ellie never got tired of seeing. Claiming both Kyousuke and the US Army were oppressive was a fair argument, but making an enemy of both sides would only isolate yourself. That man was amusingly ignorant. Or so she thought, but that was apparently not the case here. Max wobbled on his feet and then collapsed to the side. Hello, young lady. Care to lend a hand with your incense expertise? Despite the silly tone, the presence directly behind Ellie Slide was like a drawn blade. Nothing was pressing against her windpipe or heart, but if she moved, she would be cut down. This warrior had honed their skills until their killer intent alone served as a warning. Ellie considered a few options, but they would all be too slow. She would be killed before the incense could take effect. Unable to turn around, she asked a question. Who are you? You can call me Biondetta or Freedom Award 920, Liar Cat. This could not be worse. She had even more Awards than Shiroyama Kyousuke. Ellie heard the quiet rustling of leaves at her feet and looked down to see something approaching her from where Max had collapsed. A white snake slithered between the legs of that young girl with bright tan lines. And Ellie belatedly realized that the area was too quiet. The others in the forest had also been secretly knocked out. Presumably so they would not get in Shiroyama Kyousukes way. I agree 100% that there is no need to challenge a powerful enemy head on. So I wont bother throwing an Incense Grenade. Because this adorable little thing can sneak up to the target and use its fangs to send venom swiftly coursing through their veins. I live with rattlesnakes in the New World, so Im familiar with snakes. The pattern is hard to tell since that one is albino, but I doubt that is a venomous variety. Then how do you explain the people who have collapsed? Surely you arent going to suggest it was the placebo effect. With a sound much like rustling cloth, a damp sensation slithered up her leg. And not figuratively. After passing between her legs, the mystery white snake coiled around Ellie Slides brown right leg and slowly climbed that healthy bare leg. Its tongue moved in and out. It showed off its mysterious fangs. Did you replace its fangs? So people would assume it was harmless and let their guard down before it injects them with whatever chemical youve decided to place inside it? Oh? I wouldnt have thought someone with a piercing here would take issue with extensions and implants. Ive replaced half my body with artificial bone, so it doesnt really bother me. The white snake passed the girls knee and reached her thigh. The carrier of a powerful venom seemed to tilt its head while in position to bite at the center of Ellie Slides body past her miniskirt and shorts. You knocked Max out immediately, but you didnt with me. What do you want from me? Im glad to see you understand. And speaking of thatMax was it? That summoner also functions as a hostage, so keep that in mind. If you do as I say, Ill swap in the antidote cartridge and have my girl bite him again. Or are you going to rely on your witchs skill to attempt mixing an antidote? That would be tricky. First of all, this is a super rare chemical with very few samples to come by. Ellie Slide shut her eyes behind her glasses. She let go of the combination of an axe and pipe and slowly raised her hands. Without opening her eyes, the young witch breathed a heavy sigh and spoke in a low voice. I am going to murder Shiroyama Kyousuke. Yes, thank you. Now, it would seem you are only pretending to surrender to put me at ease, but drawing out the conversation long enough for an incense to take effect wont work on me. I take so many antibiotics and other things on a daily basis that the inside of my body is a complete mess. Both poisons and medicines arent going to function normally. The person seemed to have casually circled in front of Ellie Slide. When Ellie opened her eyes again, she saw a waitress demon with sexy proportions and long hair dyed pink. She got down to business with a sticky smile on her face. Youve made a name for yourself with your incense expertise, so I would like for you to create an Incense Grenade for my client, Shiroyama Kyousuke. Right this instant. I remember his basic composition from the Pandemonium incident, but what exactly does he want it for? Hes asking for help from a former enemy. I doubt he would accept the risk of sabotage if he only wanted to resupply his normal Incense Grenades. I do not know what he wants it for. Ellies summoner partner was at risk of dying, but the waitresss behavior was completely irresponsible. I was given two jobs by my client. One, to sneak into the American summoner unit that had to be here for the Silver Resource War and trip them up from within if a battle broke out. And two, approach the Perfect Game pair, which he knew would almost certainly be here thanks to information from a Government intermediary, and get Incense Expert Ellie Slides help if a battle broke out. How exactly I went about these jobs was up to me, so do not blame my poor, adorable client. I cannot stand how much those boobs are jiggling. How about I fill them with holes to criticize your methods here? Squish squish To show off the overwhelming difference in bust size, the smiling waitress demon brought her loosely-clenched fists together at face height and used her arms to press in on her breasts from both sides. He wants you to take a look at the scene and create the perfect cocktail for the occasion. As dangerous as it is, he has no choice but to rely on your skill which your average incense maker could never hope to match. And that leads us to the present. So work hard for your beloved Max The noise was awful. Each time that voice sounded in Kyousukes head, it felt like the wiring of his brain was being fried piece by piece. The limit was approaching. He could tell. The Artificial Sacred Ground was already straining and it felt as unreliable as a suspension bridge on the verge of snapping. Meanwhile, Kyousuke worked to finish things. Olivia!! Blow away as many of the remaining tanks as you can! Right now!! The young woman in a rickety wheelchair made quick movements of her fingers like she was performing a mudra. Purple light sliced across the scenery in a straight line. To follow Alice (with) Rabbits methods, it skillfully avoided the human bodies while slicing apart the Repliglass armor and tank armor panels. It was reminiscent of the die cutting game played with hardened sugar at festivals. The dance of destruction was so powerful that it was a miracle the entire thing did not shatter. The enemy had been defeated. That should have been the end of it. But sweat poured from not just Kyousukes face but his entire body. He knew this was only the beginning and that the true battle had yet to begin. He did not hesitate. The staticky voice grew much clearer. The air split open vertically and a young hand broke through. With a deafening noise, a being from another world once more appeared in this one. Met with the screams of the world itself, the ephemeral girls full body appeared. And that changed the phenomena that came with her. Unexplored-class. Cost: 21. Sound Range: None. The Colorless Little Girl Dedicated to a Single Goal (aie - a - oio - ei - ueo - ioa - e - uai - ee). That honest, pure, obedient, and insane girl would not play games like the White Queen. She would destroy everything with her very first move. Oooooooooaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!! Her appearance pushed the Artificial Sacred Ground past its limit, so Shiroyama Kyousuke could not stop it from bursting like an overinflated balloon. With that special power gone, he and Olivia were merely human. If she swung her right hand, the boy would die. If she then swung her left hand, the girl would die. That was the only possible result while exposed like this. Hello, sir. Your delivery has arrived Which was why they were so fortunate to hear the jocular tone of a demon who had snuck up to them at some point. Of all the cards he had prepared, this was the very last one he had wanted to draw. Given the situation, not even he had known whether this would arrive in time. The slightest coincidence could have kept it from working. But she had in fact arrived. Biondetta Shiroyama threw an Incense Grenade so it detonated precisely when the Artificial Sacred Ground ruptured. It fused with that bursting Artificial Sacred Ground, changing its nature. Biondetta had thrown it, and not even she could escape it. She was blasted toward the center. Out of habit, she started pulling out her silver Blood-Sign that looked like a collapsible rifle, but Kyousuke just barely saved her life by shouting at her. Dont pull it out!! Protective circle or no protective circle, you cant block the Colorless Little Girls attacks. Using a Material will only make you stand out!! Tch. So I have to run around this enclosed Artificial Sacred Ground without anything to protect me? I see, I see. So thats how much you trust my abilities. But how about some advance warning next time, sirrrrrr!? He would of course never ask anyone other than Biondetta to do this. Even the weakest Cost 1 Regulation-class could unilaterally kill a Repliglass soldier. On the other hand. Olivia had precise enough control over her Material that there was no fear of friendly fire. And while the Colorless Little Girls destructive power was incredible, she was only focused on Kyousuke. A summoner of Biondettas caliber had a chance of surviving this. As long as she could cleanly fit herself inside a psychological blind spot. That let Kyousuke focus on the enemy in front of him. He would use the chance Biondetta had given him to make sure she did not have to die. Ha ha. I finally have a chance at winning. In other words, he had an Artificial Sacred Ground that could withstand the Colorless Little Girls presence. Olivia! Just a little longer! We can protect Kingdom F hereno, protect the world!! Normally, it would not be possible. Not even using all of the Three would be enough to deliver a finishing blow to the Colorless Little Girl. However The Colorless Little Girl keeps appearing in an unnatural state. She isnt relying on an Incense Grenade and she isnt supported by an Artificial Sacred Ground or the Petals. She smashed the White Queen who could distort the worlds laws like a black hole, so you could write this off as her being able to do anything, but this gives a simple solution. Shes been summoned in a twisted way, so we only have to resummon her in the proper way. If we trap her in an Artificial Sacred Ground that wont be destroyed by her appearance, she should be drawn back into the other world when the 10-minute limit arrives and the Artificial Sacred Ground disappears. Ghosts like the one known as the Rainy Girl were spirits of the dead who got caught somewhere and could not leave the world properly, so they could be eliminated by throwing an Incense Grenade and correcting things. It was like they stood on a wire mesh floor. In the Colorless Little Girls case, it was not the location or environment causing the problem. Her presence was simply so great that she could not fit through the normal holes in that wire mesh. When she appeared, she forced those holes open from the other world and pushed her body through, but since she saw no need to leave this world, she closed up and strengthened those holes so she could remain standing there without her feet slipping through. She was cheating. But once they understood that, they could fight back. They would not allow the holes in the wire mesh to be widened and tightened. They would return them to the normal size. The wire mesh would likely be too weak and would break. Just like a black hole distorted space around it, the Colorless Little Girl would be caught in the borderline surrounding her and fall back to the other world. And once she had fully returned to the other world, they just had to repair the broken wire mesh. Ellie Slides incense could accomplish that. So they just had to outlast. It was only 10 minutes. A mere 10 minutes. This brief showdown only required enduring the Colorless Little Girls fierce attacks which made an instant feel like an eternity. Even if they could not deliver a finishing blow here, they could at least get through the day. Biondetta began shaking her hands inside the same Artificial Sacred Ground. U-u-umm You seem to have some kind of master plan here, but I cant do anything. I mean, youre the one that ordered me not to summon a Material, sir!! Dont worry. Im not expecting anything from you. That pisses me off too. Is that any way to treat someone who saved your life by getting you this Artificial Sacred Ground? It seems my naughty little brother doesnt know how to say thank you and sorry, so perhaps he needs a spanking later. A special Incense Grenade, a special Artificial Sacred Ground, a special Unexplored-class, and special combat rules. This was a new kind of battle that differed from the Third Age ruled by the White Queen. Now, how about we get started, Colorless Little Girl? Something swished through the air. The boy made a statement while lifting the Blood-Sign from his shoulder and pointing it at the enemy dead ahead of him. Time for the Fourth Summoning Ceremony that we ended up creating!! The win condition was surviving for a set period of time. To reiterate yet again, none of the Unexplored-classes they could summon could directly defeat the Colorless Little Girl. The wheelchair woman used her unsteady finger to fire a purple beam in a horizontal sweep toward the Colorless Little Girls skinny neck. Oooooaaaahhhh!! The purple beam was deflected upwards and away from the Colorless Little Girl. No, it was broken. The Lady of Purple Lightenings withered branch of a right arm was broken, that is. The bones from her wrist to elbow were snapped at a right angle. The vessels scream rang in Kyousukes head. <> Something like a shotgun had fired from the countless weapons surrounding the Colorless Little Girl like a long skirt. That was all it took to incapacitate an Unexplored-class. But they were lucky the one attack had not annihilated her. Was this the result of so perfectly tuning her for use against the White Queen? The tip of Kyousukes Blood-Sign launched a White Thorn at about the same time as the Colorless Little Girl tossed a bookmark back over her shoulder. One of the 12 books floating behind that juvenile Unexplored-class devoured the bookmark like a carnivorous beast. As if following the law of equivalent exchange, something shot out from the gaps between the pages. It was the end of the world. A swarm of black, glistening cockroaches with a hopelessly powerful resistance were released as a single mass like floodwaters. That ultimate pest consumed all, infected all with disease, and left all living things with nowhere to live. They rushed toward the Lady of Purple Lightning. Once inundated by them, the wild dance of small mandibles would work at your entire body like a thick file and tear away every last strip of flesh. (That single-shot attack style is the high Sound Range, so we need a low Sound Range Material!!) Just before the collision, Kyousuke rearranged the letters to achieve a new Unexplored-class. It was a gracefully beautiful woman wearing a red kimono and swimsuit. She had two horns on her forehead and her long hair was endlessly stretched out in a group of gears reminiscent of the worlds fate. It was said she would determine the fate of all she gazed upon if she opened her coolly shut eyes. Unexplored-class. One of the Three. Cost: 20. Sound Range: Low. The Red-Eyed Lady who Sees Through all Sin and Calamity (fa - ao - ab - ei - fj - cib - b - du - a - eif). Sorry!! A voice that was clearly not Olivias responded with an independent thought and statement. What Ellie Slide had made was not so much an Incense Grenade as a small-scale Box. As the insects approached like a black flood, the Red Lady merely swung her large sleeve out like she was dancing. That was enough for the roach swarms perfect angle to shift. It was like redirecting a tank shell with angled armor. And she did not stop there. At some point, she had opened the eyelids that functioned as a seal. That was a sinister ill omen. The Red Lady accurately viewed something and thrust her hand out toward the roach swarm once more. With a wet popping sound, a portion of that world destruction was annihilated. Countless wings, legs, and bodily fluids thick with glittering exoskeletons scattered everywhere. Of course, the Red Lady was not unscathed herself. After touching that ultimate source of infection, her kimono sleeve melted away and her fingertips grew purple and dissolved until the white bone was visible. The fact that she could not feel the pain was proof of how powerful the infection was. Im awareof that!! The greatest merit of the Summoning Ceremony was that the god providing their protection could be swapped out instantly. Kyousuke accurately acquired more Petals while watching the Colorless Little Girl toss several more bookmarks behind her. Unexplored-class. One of the Three. Cost: 18. Sound Range: Middle. The Wicked Green Woman who Fills the World with Empty Treasure (lu - o - np - e - qo - ei - r - k - a - rum - pl). Short wavy hair glittered like an emerald. She had the upper body of a young girl and the lower body of a great sinister serpent. Rusted swords and scepters that symbolized the patriarchy formed a giant who was down on all fours. A different peak sat atop that giant. That disrespectful mouth came to a stop. Two ends of the world arrived at once. Two of the books behind the Colorless Little Girl devoured the bookmarks and released brightly-colored torrents on either side of her. One was a spatial distortion cannon created by giving directionality to an artificial black hole and firing it in a straight line. The other was God Hazard One, in which the entrails of slaughtered gods lost sight of their original purpose and attacked humanity. The two forms of ruin approached from either side like a giant pair of scissors cutting through the world. But after a series of dull sounds, the Wicked Green Woman pierced her own snake body with several swords and scepters. The wounds bubbled up and then giant soap bubbles separated off from them. They were like snowdomes with immoral scenes contained inside. When they contacted the approaching disasters like balloon bombs, they burst and scattered never-before-seen forms of immorality. It could be a strange bomb, a sweet chemical formula, or a gang that no one could capture. When the concepts of ruin and immorality collided, the deadly trajectories were slightly diverted and the end of the world swept past above Kyousuke and the others heads. The Colorless Little Girls long skirt squirmed. That collection of weapons had blown away the Lady of Purple Lightning with a single shotgun blast. Seeing that, Kyousuke chose his next hand with the Petals he had earned with his White Thorns. Unexplored-class. One of the Three. Cost: 16. Sound Range: High. The Spirit of Fluttering Yellow Gills that Rules the Heavens (s - a - so - voz - tix - ei - yw - za). A yellow-haired girl sat on a crescent moon bed while wearing pajamas that resembled an oriental Taoist outfit. But the bed she rested in had the most bizarre shape, as if every last kind of living creature had been molded like clay and stuffed into it. Unfortunately, Im not about to go easy on anyone who survived in the depths of the Queens Miniature Garden. Everyone who fought honorably there is dead. The only survivors - myself included - are those who offered up some kind of sacrifice. (Since Ive been focused on strengthening our defense with the rock-paper-scissors Sound Range for each attack, the Cost keeps dropping! Damn, is the Colorless Little Girl guiding me!?) The direct line of fire did not matter. Each of the projectiles fired from the many weapons that composed the Colorless Little Girls long skirt bent away at impossible angles. Or was it the people watching it who failed to perceive it properly? She was a psychological warfare specialist who fought by dragging her opponent into a dream. Something grew from the normal ground. It was the Colorless Little Girl herself. But not just one of her. There were two, five, tenno, even more. The Yellow Gills gave herself more pawns as carelessly as weeds that grew up on their own. <> The White Queens killer was surrounded by her own face. But she did not let it bother her. Her entire long skirt spread out like an umbrella and the weapons began firing in all directions. With deafening noises and blinding flashes, giant holes blossomed in the scenery that was modeled after reality. And with no concern for the many Colorless Little Girls between her and the border of the world. Once that holey world reached its limit, it shattered like glass. The Yellow Gills looked annoyed that her opponent had used physical destruction in a mental world. What happened to Olivia? The Yellow Gills smiled thinly, but a dark-red and sticky liquid flowed from the corner of her mouth. Without creating confusion in that mental world, she could not dodge the Colorless Little Girls attacks. Sorry. He swung his Blood-Sign and switched to yet another Unexplored-class. It felt like someone was using a black hole to infinitely stretch out each minute and each second. Feeling that much pressure made Kyousuke wonder how the White Queen had felt while facing the Colorless Little Girl. He had a feeling that White had smiled at the very, very end. She had been happy to see how thoroughly he had studied her. Three minutes left! I am measuring the time with multiple types of clock, so it must be accurate! Sir!! Kyousuke calmed his breathing when he heard Biondetta who was also inside the Artificial Sacred Ground. Three minutes. That was more than he had thought. Just a bit more, Olivia!! Dont let the Yellow Gills sleepiness stick with you!! He knew that was asking too much of her, but that was all he could do at the moment. Vessels had their fight just like summoners had theirs. Simply using the Three was not enough. He helped her endure the Colorless Little Girls fierce attacks by summoning more and more Unexplored-classes: the Ashen Shrine Maiden, the Liquefying Rainbow, the Gray Mollusk, etc. Unexplored-class. Cost: 18. Sound Range: Middle. The Dry-Grass-Colored Dancer who Returns Twice the Roaring Flames (zb - ei - sd - wp - e - be - xu - a - kk - pl). At the moment, Olivia resided within a girl who had a slender silhouette and latte-colored hair. The only things she wore were a makeshift skirt and chest covering made of dry grass and a dry flower necklace that decorated her chest. The dry grass scattered around her as she danced, but it was all fuel to be ignited. She never released any fire of her own. Her alluring dance drew her opponents attack, she just barely danced out of the way, and the fire user was hit with a thorough counterattack. However Olivia!! Even Kyousuke cried out without thinking when he saw a short spear pierce her near the heart where the Silhouette was. This Unexplored-class specialized in counterattacks and he had hoped that would buy some time, but it had not worked at all. The dry flower necklace decorating the Dry-Grass-Colored Dancers flat chest was shredded and scattered by the sharp blade. Kyousuke immediately began collecting more red Petals to summon another Material, but then he clicked his tongue. He had been gathering the Petals in such an unbalanced way that he was running somewhat short. He needed a full set of vowels to spell an Unexplored-classs name, so he would have to resupply with a new Rose. That meant a time loss of a few seconds. But the Dry-Grass-Colored Dancer could not move and the Colorless Little Girl pressed her slender hand against her. An eerie light slowly flashed within that hand like a clione. With a straining sound, that light twisted around and transformed into a strange arrowhead. He would not make it in time. Olivia would be killed. !! As time stretched out infinitely, Kyousuke realized there was an option available that he had been subconsciously avoiding. Unexplored-class. Cost: 21. Sound Range: None. The White Queen who Wields the Sword of Unsullied Truth (iu - nu - fb - a - wuh - ei -kx - eu - pl - vjz). Of course he had not used her. Of course he had not relied on her. But the Colorless Little Girl was a Material created for the express purpose of killing the White Queen. He did not have to entrust himself to her. He only had to use her and throw her out. Bringing the White Queen here would be the greatest bait for the Colorless Little Girl. And even if she had failed to defeat the Colorless Little Girl, the White Queen had lasted a fairly long time. Why had he not done that? Had he chosen to sacrifice everything to preserve his own puny pride? An ignorant person in some corner of the world had to have thought it: If only someone with overwhelming power would take away this vague anxiety. The powerful people who knew the origins of the Silver Resource War had to have thought it: If only the Unexplored-class known as the strongest of the strongest was by my side. Even the knights constructing the line of defense meant to protect Kingdom Fs people and land had to have hoped for it: If only we could fight alongside the White Queen!! Just give up. Your personal preference does not matter. Simply search for the optimal solution and you will find it. What do you need to resist the Colorless Little Girl? It might not be enough to defeat her. But if you summon the target she was designed to destroy, she is sure to strike there first. That will create a distortion in that pure strongest and it might lead to a large enough opening to find a way out of this. So compromise. Its fine as long as youre just using her as bait. Anyone in the world would tell you its the right answer. And. And. And. Shiroyama Kyousuke clenched his teeth hard enough he thought they would break. He made his decision. The boy moved in between the Colorless Little Girl and the Dry-Grass-Colored Dancer controlled by Olivia. The clione-like orange light mercilessly smashed Kyousukes protective circle. Kyousuke bent backwards and realized he now had nothing to protect him. Two Materials clashed inside the Artificial Sacred Ground, but his one defense had been pierced, shattered, torn away, and broken. A single hit would be fatal. Even a stray shot from Olivia would mean instant death. And yet he was smiling. He had heard Olivias voice and that meant he had successfully diverted the attack. The obstacle in the way had kept the Colorless Little Girls attack from hitting the Dry-Grass-Colored Dancer controlled by the vessel. There was a precedent for this. Boy As vessel had intentionally sacrificed one of her wings to protect her summoner. No matter how risky it was, buying a few seconds gave him another chance. The White Thorns ricocheted around and knocked the Petals into the Spots until a new Rose appeared in the center of the Artificial Sacred Ground. Now he could summon any Unexplored-class he wanted. So what should he summon? What Material would shake the Colorless Little Girl and change the state of the battle? The normal Unexplored-classes were not enough and the Three had not worked. No matter how much he tried to reject it, a certain color flashed in the back of his mind. White. The frightening Queen symbolized by that color. But. However. I wont The thick presence of death approached to within a hairs breadth away. The pressure might have crushed a normal persons heart, but Kyousuke definitely said it. He spoke directly to the Colorless Girl. I wont rely on the White Queen. Im sorry, Colorless Little Girl. Hearing that, she silently tilted her head with her palm still held out toward him. The broken little girl may not have known what he was saying to her. She may not have been able to comprehend the unreasonable situation she found herself in. Yes. She had done nothing wrong. She had been made at someone elses convenience, she had killed at someone elses convenience, and she had broken at no ones convenience. It did not mater how much of a threat she was, how much incredible power she had, how much she distorted the world around her, and how much chaos she brought to people. All of those were Shiroyama Kyousukes issues. They could not be used to criticize the Colorless Little Girl who wandered the world without an objective. I dont care how difficult it will be or how crazy it is to try. He had no protective circle. And that was why he approached death just like death was approaching him. He gently touched the Colorless Little Girls cheek with his empty hand. I will save you. I swear it. Listen. Remember this one thing: I will never abandon you. You havent done anything wrong and youre only lost, so I will grab your hand and return everything to normal. I swear it!! She looked puzzled. She mechanically stared at his face using the emotionless eyes half hidden behind her bangs and then she slowly opened her lips. Her rusted throat moved. She spoke a series of words other than Nii-sama in a way that others could understand. Thinking back, the Colorless Little Girls actions had always had the same motivation: protect Shiroyama Kyousuke. But her targeting was broken, so she may have shot him in the back as she did so. So that monster had only one answer to the boy. Kyousuke breathed a heavy sigh. He had not even considered this possibility. It was the worst of the worst case scenarios. This girl was strong. On a different level than Kyousuke or the White Queen. For Alice (with) Rabbit, this was a more tragic ending than having his own heart ripped out. Someone needed saving, but they refused to say the words help me. It was the worst ending Shiroyama Kyousuke knew of. He had worked so hard to make sure this would not happen. He had sometimes used straightforward methods and sometimes used more deceitful methods to gain the authorization of the Alices standing by his side even if it meant half forcing the words out of them. Biondetta had said it was him who wanted to save the girls and not the girls who wanted saving. She had speculated that was his form of insanity. She had been exactly right. The truth of the matter was Shiroyama Kyousuke was weak. He could not bear to see someone elses tragedy through to the end. When reading a picture book of The Little Match Girl or A Dog of Flanders, he could not flip to the end of the story and he would close the book partway through. And despite not seeing the end for himself, he would act like he knew what he was talking about when he said the tragic end was wrong and he could handle it better himself. So. So. So. He could not just step back when someone said he was not needed. He could not be satisfied when someone said they would descend into hell for his sake. Shiroyama Kyousuke was afraid. He did not help people because he was strong. He could not accept the alternative because he was weak. The tragic picture book was about to the turn the page to the climax and he could not bear to watch. His heart would not last unless he found some way of slamming the book shut before reaching the end. He had found what she wanted. And she had not given him authorization. But what did that matter? The extremely selfish and childish part of him was throwing a tantrum. That was supposed to only be a rite of passage to maintain his self-consciousness. Binding himself with his own rules and losing sight of why they existed was the height of folly. Of course, the mature and rational part of him understood. Forcing unwanted salvation on someone would be wrong. It was the same as a jidaigeki samurai storming into the governors mansion and slaughtering everyone he saw there. He would only be spreading around the kind of damage no one had asked for. The process had been necessary. It was a safety never meant to be removed. Given what his actions had caused when he tried to save the Queen in the Queens Miniature Garden, it was clearly an ironclad rule he could never forget even for a moment. But. Was there no cure for being a fool? Then. He finally forced it out. The part of the strongest boy that was not the strongest spat out the words. Then Ill do it myself. I dont care if it violates my rules or causes my soul to rot away. I will save you!!!!!! Immediately afterwards, the world broke. That was not a figure of speech or just from the boys point of view. It was hopelessly physical. No fair There was a voice. But it did not belong to the Colorless Little Girl. Nor did it belong to Olivia who he was contracted with. It was purer and more sinister. It was hopelessly beautiful and hopelessly ugly. It was a repulsive voice from the depths of the earth that covered Shiroyama Kyousukes entire body with goose bumps. No fair Thinking back, could the Colorless Little Girl really have supported her existence in this world without a vessel, an Artificial Sacred Ground, or the Petals? While it may not have explained everything, wouldnt there have been some kind of structure supporting her existence here? And. When that being had been killed in Houbi Village, she had been working with Kyousuke in the guise of the artificial vessel named Meinokawa Aoi. That had gone beyond her appearance. Despite being a Material, she had been able to play the role of a vessel. So it was not impossible. That being could have the Colorless Little Girl reside within her. No one could say that kind of cheating was beyond the pure whites ability!! You never said that when it was me!!!!! An impossible scene played out in front of Kyousuke. The Colorless Little Girls undeveloped chest split vertically open. There was no blood or anything else. And it did not matter that her body had been transparent. Ten fingers grabbed the right and left edges and something peered out from the deep, deep darkness within like someone spying out of a cracked door. This may have been the first time ever that there was none of her crazed love to be found there. There was nothing else mixed in. She unleashed pure hatred in her words. !? It all fell apart. A hand in a pure white glove shot out of the wound in the Colorless Little Girls chest. At this close range, there was no way he could dodge or defend. Even if he had still had the protective circle, there would have been no escaping this attack. An instant seemed to stretch out infinitely as he tried to come up with something he could do. Kyousuke had only one option. He formed a gun with his fingers and aimed it at the Unexplored-class that was his vessel. OliviaIm ending the contract!!!!!! This was the greatest and strongest attack from the White Queen. Its force might just affect his contracted vessel as well and he had to prioritize that over the sturdy body of the Dry-Grass-Colored Dancer. So he severed it. Kyousuke and Olivia truly became mere humans. And then. Without mercy. The White Queens right arm was absorbed straight toward Shiroyama Kyousukes heart. Facts: *The Colorless Little Girls only objective was to protect Kyousuke. Thus, she refused to say help me to him because that would have bound him unnecessarily. *Kyousuke steeled himself to rescue the Colorless Little Girl even if it meant abandoning his pride as Alice (with) Rabbit. *They did succeed in forcing the US Army to withdraw from the Silver Resource War. *The Colorless Little Girls independent actions were supported by the White Queen acting as a vessel. *With nothing to protect him, Shiroyama Kyousuke was hit by the White Queens attack of hatred. Volume 8, Ending X-01 - Do Not Underestimate Youth Volume 8, Ending X-01: Do Not Underestimate Youth You are weak. Right now, you are like a hedgehog sticking out all its needles in fear of an unseen enemy. (Ending X-01 Open 08/04 07:20 UTC+03 Flanguild time) Do Not Underestimate Youth I really, really, really didnt plan on it this time. But I ended up making an appearance anyway. Pant, pant, paaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaant!! Perhaps because the Silhouette supporting her at the core had shifted out of place, the Colorless Little Girl grew as motionless as an empty shell. Someone gasped for breath deep within the vertical crack in her flat chest that seemed to lead into another dimension. What kind of feelings were roiling within the White Queens chest now that she had laid a hand on her beloved? Whatever the result, she could not change what she had done. She had been driven by a twisted love before, but she had just broken again. She now knew hatred in addition to love. But that did not spell the end of the White Queens love. But not in the sense of carrying memories of the dead in your heart. Even after what she had done, it had not been snuffed out. It was true Shiroyama Kyousuke had lost consciousness. But his heart was beating. His brain remained. At the very, very last second, something had deflected and diverted the White Queens attack. A supernatural being far too graceful to be the Colorless Little Girl spoke to the White Queen. Yes, this was a third being that had not been here before. They were inside the Artificial Sacred Ground created by Ellie Slide. The laws of the world were bent there so humans of this world and Materials of the other could coexist. Brother Uweaaaaaooooooooaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!! Someone Something held the boys limp form. It was someone who may have been even closer to him than the White Queen. But most everyone in the current world was unaware of her because she had vanished into the shadows of history. She was a beautiful woman with a long black ponytail. She was an educator wearing a long white coat over a tight skirt suit. She was one of the few good people in this hopeless world. There was one witness from the past present: Biondetta. She moved her trembling lips and seemed unable to believe her eyes. Shigara Masami? Madam Professor. Also known as Freedom Award 3000, World Complete. But was Biondetta aware of that true identity? Was she aware this woman was the true ruler of the Queens Miniature Garden who had collected the full set of 1000 Awards each from Government, Illegal, and Freedom? She had supposedly died deep underground during the Secret War. But those who had passed Award 1000 could become a being of the other world. In fact, it was strange for them to remain in this world as humans. Even if she had been trapped underground with no escape, she still could have escaped to the other world. But With a quiet sound, the silver twintailed girl revealed her beautiful body to the human world like she was stripping off the Colorless Little Girl. Her face was crumpled up. She could not control her emotions and she could allow herself the look of a child on the verge of tears because Kyousuke was unconscious and thus could not see. But brothermy brother never said that to me. He chose being right over love. That was who he was. I could endure it because thats just who he was But she was rejected. Shigara Masami stepped outside the trivial categories of Divine-class and Unexplored-class to stand above the Queen. Her relationship may not have changed since she sacrificed herself to allow a great sinner like Kyousuke to escape the Queens Miniature Garden. She was on a different level as a woman. Then what was I supposed to do? This went too far and the emotionless White Queens meter began to turn once more. It turned toward the emotion of anger. In that garbage dump of a dark underground facility, my perception was distorted so I believed everyone was my beloved brother. What were the countless mes supposed to do when we had our love used against us!? Meanwhile, Shigara Masami spoke with pity in her voice. She slowly shook her head before such a powerful being. She breathed a heavy sigh. How had it managed to get so twisted? She seemed somewhat exasperated by that boy and girls destiny. She was not allowed to continue any further. The White Queen who Wields the Sword of Unsullied Truth (iu - nu - fb - a - wuh - ei -kx - eu - pl - vjz). That being seemed to physically swell out from within. The pure white clothing containing her beautiful body rippled and formed countless fearsome weapons: swords, guns, spears, crossbows, axes, spikes, katanas, staffs, hammers, whips, etc. The Queen of two worlds used all of her authority to shut the insolent mouth before her. The twintail girl raised a wordless roar and unleashed absolute resolve from her entire body. However. However. The guardian carrying Shiroyama Kyousuke did not hesitate any longer. Shut up I said shut uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuup!!!!!! The weapons exploded. The White rushed in after being rejected as a hedgehog, but Shigara Masami did not move. Freedom Award 3000, World Complete, had said she was not special. So It was the White Queen who was dumbfounded with a look of astonishment. Shigara Masami did not have a scratch on her. She was like a fierce dog bound by an invisible chain. The White Queen bared her teeth and unleashed a low growl, but she did not snap at the enemy before her eyes. In fact, she was pushed back by a strange pressure. Someone made a statement to the cornered beast. That summoner still held the injured boy and had once risked her life so the children could escape, so she was speaking from personal experience and not just idealism. And she spoke to someone who had similarly chosen to fight the entire world for the boy she loved. White. What was it that color had represented? With that said, Shigara Masami relaxed her shoulders. And she gave a smile that was far too out of place when facing her enemy. Facts: *Shigara Masami remained alive by shifting from this world to the other world. *Freedom Award 3000 was the first person in history to use nothing but words to beat down the White Queen until she could say nothing in response. Volume 8, Ending X-02 - The End of a Rebellious Phase Volume 8, Ending X-02: The End of a Rebellious Phase Remember what it is you must do. Dontworry. (Ending X-02 Open 08/04 07:30 UTC+03 Flanguild time) The End of a Rebellious Phase Was it no more than an incoherent dream? Kyousuke stared blankly up at heaven and could not get his eyes to focus. He saw someones face there. They peered down at him. Someone gently held his limp body. They smelled just like someone who could never be here. Had the Yellow Gills done something? Kyousuke aimlessly accepted this situation he could not logically explain. A dream was fine. As long as it meant he could see her smile once more. Hhah? He found it nostalgic. His actual father was simply the worst. He had no real memories of his mother or his little sister. To that boy, the Queens Miniature Garden was both a symbol of nightmares and a fond childhood memory. Biondetta and Shiroyama Kyoumi had acted like his big sisters and Shigara Masami had raised him like a parent. No, that was not all. He had not really focused on it much, but when the Queens Miniature Garden had collapsed, a great many people had reached out a helping hand out of concern for him. He had not been alone. He had held connections to a lot of people back then. But. He could not lose himself in memories. He still had something to do. Yes Shigara Masami was deadsupposedly. No matter how much he wished to, he could never speak with her againsupposedly. Dontworry. After trying to speak, he realized just how little control he had over his body. He may have been seeing an ominous hallucination on the border between life and death. He tried forcing out his voice. I knowwhat it isI really, trulymust do When asked anew, Kyousuke swallowed the saliva in his mouth. It was as sticky as glue, so it threatened to seal up his windpipe if he was not careful. I I I will settle things with the White Queen once and for all. And I will save the Colorless Little Girl. If I dont If I dont, I wouldnt be able to face the changed world or the people who were lost!! He heard a sigh and an oddly raw voice. And a very real fist struck the top of his head like a small child being scolded. Facts: *Shigara Masami got carried away and overpowered Shiroyama Kyousuke as well. Volume 8, Afterword Volume 8, Afterword (Postscript Open ??/?? ??:??) And thats the 8th volume!! This is Kamachi Kazuma. This was a world tour battle that crossed the globe, as often seen in the sequel to a popular action movie. A cruise ship, deep under the ocean, space, and the border of the Eastern European Kingdom F. I hope you enjoyed seeing Kyousuke freely hopping all over the world in a single volume. Kyousukes vessel was the same as last time: Olivia Highland. I knew I had to go all out on showing her charm, so I focused on her alone. Before she was possessed and before Bridesmaid left her eyes spinning, Olivia would cling innocently to Kyousukes waist like that. And that is why Kyousuke was so shocked to see a changed Olivia stolen by his father in Volume 7. Oh, dear. Explaining it like that makes dandy Doctor S sound wholly immoral. The original plan was not to have a Silver Resource War at Kingdom F. I had planned for the war to occur at South Americas Devils Island, for the enemy to be the fleet surrounding the island and the marines who had landed on the island, and for the battle to be like a game of beach flags where Azalea Magentarain in a blue swimsuit played the role of the flag. The story is in August and the setting would be an island of everlasting summer, so there would be no reason not to put her in a swimsuit!! Ahem. But anyway, she fit the bill for someone trying to build a Queen lookalike out of Repliglass and being able to write about the original cute Azalea freed from the Queens contamination seen since Volume 1 was an attractive prospect. But when I was putting Olivia in the spotlight, I knew the final stage had to be the Kingdom F mentioned in Volume 7, so I changed where the space station crashed and ended up with the story you read. Even if it was necessary, visiting a chilly inland mountain doesnt show off the charm of August at all! What a waste! What a waste of summer break!! Uuh, I definitely want to retry that Azalea idea sometime. The in-story calendar is still August 4, so our summer is only just getting started!! Olivia was always going to hold the main spot, so the character that got to appear instead of Azalea may have been Sinceria. Kingdom F was mostly just symbolic in Volume 7 (well, that was kind of the point), so did it seem to gain more life to it now that Queen Sinceria and Knight Rachel actually showed up? Incidentally, simply referring to that mother as the Queen could get her confused with a certain silver twintails, so I tried to make sure it was clear who they were talking about. She did not appear much, but I hope I managed to get the main points in there and cover the whole story. Now, why is it that parent characters always end up being so strong-willed? In Dengeki Bunko battle series, beautiful older girls or student council presidents tend to be the strongest, so maybe a parent is seen as someone who is completely off the charts of the power ranking. You want a protagonist or heroines parent to have already saved the world three times over, dont you!? In the sense of being a guardian, Biondetta and Shigara Masami who showed up at the end also qualify. It might be interesting to compare them to Sinceria. Sinceria casually commits sexual harassment while also never removing the locket containing a picture of her family, so she has drawn a line with Kyousuke who is relatively chaste (for a guy). You could say shes the type to attend a group blind date but only eat the food and not pair up with anyone or that shes the type to casually seduce someone but become disillusioned if they show any serious desire. Shes just a really difficult and troublesome character. And since just being complicated would not convey her true thoughts, you can see how she refers to herself as I, your/her mother, and we when speaking as a woman, mother, and queen respectively. That should tell you how serious she is being about each thing. If she ever changes how she refers to herself in the middle of a sentence, that requires extra attention. You should be able to see how her statements contain more emotion when she scolded Rachel for preparing to die than when she was messing with Kyousuke. I mean, of course she isnt serious about that when shes doing it in front of her daughter! Although she takes her daughters happiness seriously, so she is serious when it comes to getting Kyousuke and Olivia together. You cant let your guard down when shes smiling and talking about herself as a mother and I think that is this characters greatest charm. I hope you enjoyed a complexity different from the White Queen or the Colorless Little Girl. Meanwhile, Biondetta and Shigara Masami are dangerously close to Kyousuke. That may come from becoming his guardian but not fully becoming a parent. On that note, what did you think of the standard shocking twist at the end? It was different from the usual where Kyousuke is essentially folded up compactly and crushed to death. If anyone was going to utterly overpower the White Queen with words, I knew it had to be her instead of Kyousuke, the equally-powerful Black Maw, or the more powerful but extremely inexperienced Colorless Little Girl. I think that is because Shigara Masami is so very close to him as a guardian and can look down at teenage romantic feelings from a detached perspective. I think Sinceria would have stayed out of it and dodged the issue with nice-sounding words. The ending may seem extremely harsh, but criticizing the White Queen while Kyousuke was not looking shows how tolerant Shigara Masami is. She lectured her to reveal her weakness but did not just tell Kyousuke herself. She is saying that it would be meaningless unless the White Queen works up the courage to do it herself. I think that is the strength of an adult woman, which has nothing to do with Awards or the Unexplored-class. That would be why children like the Queen and Kyousuke are no match for her on a fundamental level. After the Queen execution in Volume 7, I knew this had to be the point where I showed a meeker twintails! I mean, give her enough time afterward and she would be recharged with energy!! So I made use of this greatest opportunity by playing the Shigara Masami card I had been holding in reserve for a while. It isnt quite the same as the Colorless Little Girl who obeys commands like wait, sit, and shake, but is the na?ve idea that the strongest might be obedient (to me alone) a way to make them look cute? That is why Shigara Masami scolded that tsun tsun Queen for staying up on her throne without ever stepping down. Shes only making a show of being available while actually keeping her guard far too strict!! By the way, I compared the White Queen and the Colorless Little Girl there, but they were won over in completely different ways in Volume 8. Which one tugged at your heartstrings more? By comparing her to Kyousuke who is the strongest yet ends up in tears and essentially crushed to death each time, I think you should have a good idea of how the White Queen is also the strongest but treats everyone coldly. Kyousuke honestly reveals his heart in battle and the Queen was never able to do that. So which of those is strong and which of those is weak? Did Shigara Masamis reappearance change your opinion about that? And about the Queen indulging herself. Surely you could figure out that much. No, thats asking too much!! Now that the White Queen has been so shy for so long, will she finally be able to show off all the dere shes built up for so long? No one wants to see that surface-level strongest part. Its time to test your true courage, Hedgehog Queen. Oh, I just realized Ive been talking about the characters instead of the theme and structure of this volume. This is a pretty rare kind of afterword for me. Weve finally reached the 8th volume, so maybe this is a sign that the setting and stage are solidly in place. Or maybe its because this is a love story that focuses on the relationships between people. I give my thanks to my illustrator Ikawa Waki-san and my editors Miki-san, Anan-san, Miyazaki-san, Nakajima-san, Yamamoto-san, and Mitera-san. This was another chaotic volume with the stage constantly changing, one legendary god after another, and a new character who is the mother of a previous character, so it must have taken a lot of work. I am truly grateful that you stuck with me to the end!! And I give my thanks to the readers. How did you like this complicated-looking story that is actually a love story between a boy and a girl? That it was Shigara Masami and not Kyousuke who figured it out was this volumes biggest twist. Lots of misunderstandings is the key to a love comedy! Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the different sort of surprise this time. And I will end this here. How did Biondetta manage to steal the show with nothing more than Squish squish? -Kamachi Kazuma Volume 9, Battle Tutorial Volume 9, Battle Tutorial Phase 1 Upper Cube: Collection of Petals Left Dark Figure: Summoner Right Dark Figure: Vessel Left White Figure: Summoner Right White Figure: Vessel Overall Box: Artificial Sacred Ground K: The Summoning Battle begins when one of the summoners uses an Incense Grenade. Q: When the Incense Grenade is used, an Artificial Sacred Ground forms around them. Summoning and other paranormal phenomena can only be reproduced inside there. Q: Inside the Artificial Sacred Ground, a cube of about 60 cm appears at the midpoint between the summoners. K: It is a collection of the 216 Petals which are red spheres about the size of an apple. Phase 2 Dark Ball: Petal White Ball: White Thorn White Stick: Blood-Sign Q: 3 white spheres known as White Thorns appear with each summoner. Those are hit with a long staff known as a Blood-Sign and they collide with the Petals. K: You hit the Petals with the White Thorns in order to knock them into the spherical Spots that appear in 36 locations inside the Artificial Sacred Ground. Q: What Petals are hit into the Spots changes what can be summoned. K: And the vessels body is used to create Phase 3 White Monster and Dark Sword: Vessel transformed into a Material Q: a Material. The summoners use them for a fight to the death. K: The Petals used to summon the Materials are each engraved with a letter of the alphabet and each of those belongs to a certain Sound Range. Q: aiueo are vowels and thus the Lowest Sound Range. As for the consonants, bcdfghj are Low, klmnpqr are Middle, and stvwxyz are High. K: There are of course rules governing the summoned Materials and they are based on the Petals rules. Q: Low wins against High, High wins against Middle, Middle wins against Low, and I win my brothers heart. K: Werent we supposed to avoid making jokes during the explanation section!? Phase 4 K: And after the vessels transform into Materials, they continued to be updated into new forms as they fight. Q: The Materials start at Regulation-class. After summoning 100 of those, you gain the right to summon the higher Divine-class. And after summoning 50 of those, you gain the right to summon the even higher Unexplored-class. K: The vessel has a core known as their Silhouette. If that is destroyed, the battle ends. The losing summoner and vessel will become dolls that wander around in a stupor. Q: And that concludes our simple explanation of the Summoning Battle. As a summoner fights more and more battles, they earn more titles known as Awards. And if their number of Awards reaches 1000hee hee hee. Now, I wonder what happens then. Volume 9, Prologue Volume 9, Prologue I loved you, brother. You were the one and only person I could say I truly, truly loved from the very bottom of my heart. All of the Unexplored-classes waiting for me in the other world fell apart too easily and everyone in the human world grew distorted and corrupted all on their own and then bowed down to me. They threw out all questions of morality or personal preference, leaving them with no core or center. What was I supposed to think when I saw that? But during it all, I found you, brother. You and only you maintained an unwavering heart when you gazed upon me. I questioned it. That eventually grew into a longing. I wanted you. I wanted the being I call brother no matter what it took. I wanted to make you mine. I wanted you all to myself. I refused to let anyone else have you. I was confident I had been born a girl because you were a boy. But you were not easily won over. Even when I gave you strength, threatened you with my strength, tempted you with my beautiful side, or mocked you with my ugly side. Nothing went my way, but that was exactly what latched onto my heart and would not let go. I knew you would be able to support me. Does that not seem like enough? Or do you think I sound spoiled? But no matter how complexly the historians and theologians try to describe me, that was all there was to me. It was thanks to that one thing I could not have that I saw greater depth in this world and never gave up on it. Oh? You want to know why I keep using the past tense? Figure it out for yourself, you sack of sheet. Facts: *Love is easily converted into hate. But the feelings that remain throughout are true emotions. Volume 9, Opening X-01 - The Cowardly King Defeated Volume 9, Opening X-01: The Cowardly King Defeated Oh, the Chinese food girl!! I am not a housemaid. And dont get up like that. I can see your boobs. Every bit of them. (Opening X-01 Open 08/20 14:00) The Cowardly King Defeated Toy Dream 35 was a giant amusement park city made from high-rise buildings jutting directly up from the ocean. At the very lowest level, there was a yacht harbor at the base of the buildings and several yachts, cruisers, motorboats, and more were moored there. A groaning voice could be heard on one of those. Nnn. A woman with long silver hair lay face down on a beach chair she had dragged out onto a large cruisers deck. Every little movement produced a vivid change in the lines of her back and shoulder blades. She wore a black bikini, but with the top (which had a frilly cloth placed over it) untied, it was not clear if that qualified as wearing it. That exposed the line of her spine more than necessary. Her chest was fully protected by being softly squished between her body and the beach chair. The sun was blocked by more than just the fluffy cumulonimbus clouds. The many buildings and giant bridges chopped the summer sunlight to pieces, but she had found an unobstructed sunbeam to bathe in. With just the one ray hitting her with such pinpoint accuracy, it looked something like she was being fried in a solar cooker. Her name was Meinokawa Aoi. She was an artificial Joruri Method created to look just like the superior being known as the White Queen. Aoi was an artificial being but also a high-level vessel. She had gone to live with a certain summoner boy to avoid being attacked or stolen in the chaotic world created by the Queens death at the hands of the Colorless Little Girl. But at the time of that event, the real White Queen had taken her place and Aoi herself had not played much of a role. She was not quite sure what it meant that the Colorless Little Girls internal structure had been damaged by psychogenic shock after successfully killing the White Queen. And yet Gwohhh! Im so bored. The fishing rod just sits there without getting a single bite and my host is busy being a pathetic coward. She kicked her bare feet around and said far more than a freeloader should, but she was not far from the truth. Shiroyama Kyousuke had been in an awful state ever since running across the White Queen and the supposedly dead Shigara Masami at the border of Eastern Europes Kingdom F. He had been sleeping ever since. He had been sulking and refusing to leave the bed. You just had to step inside the cruiser and take a peek inside the cabin. He was alone with such a pretty and sexy silver-haired girl, but he was hogging the entire double bed in complete violation of the ironclad ladies first rule. He never tried to peep on her in the bath and he did not stumble in on her while she was changing for a kyah, pervert! scene. When she put all her effort into a fabulous swimsuit apron ensemble, he completely ignored it. When she thought he was finally getting up, he just poured some cereal and milk in a bowl and ate it. What kind of summer was this? Wasnt summer supposed to be an exciting mixture of love and desire? Meinokawa Aoi was about ready to kill him. Then a visitor arrived at the gloomy cruiser. Hello, old-fashioned clockwork granny. No change in Kyousuke-chan I assume? Oh, the Chinese food girl!! I am not a housemaid. And dont get up like that. I can see your boobs. Every bit of them. The silver-haired shrine maiden hopped up from the beach chair (with her long hair protecting the greatest secrets of the Joruri Method) like Pavlovs dog. But what choice did she have when this modified China dress beauty named Lu Niang Lan always made such scrumptious food when she visited? Oh, whoops, said Aoi like usual as she reached behind her back to retie the strap to her black bikini top which had a frilly cloth on top. Are you here to see that host boy again? That will just bore you, so go make some food. Heh heh. You still have a lot to learn about Kyousuke-chan, emotional android girl. The true Kyousuke-chan experts can adore him just by looking at him. So bow down to me or I wont make you any food. Yes, my mistress. The bikini beauty showed reverence like something from a samurai film and Lu Niang Lan walked in from the deck. It had a living room, a kitchen, a bathroom, and a bedroom. If you ignored the cramped bath which give more room for the shower space, it was actually a more comfortable living space than a student apartment. But the modified China dress beauty shivered from the chill of the excessive air conditioning inside the dimly lit cabin. She shut one eye and held her bangs back with a hand. Hes rotting away in here, isnt he? I thought it was supposed to be August. See, what did I tell you? He has none of the love and desire needed for a proper summer break. Dont think I havent been trying my best. I went with the Ama-no-Iwato strategy based in the history and traditions of a shrine maiden, but this limp-dicked bastard hasnt reacted at all!! That really hurts!! You might not think it by looking at him, but Kyousuke-chan has some childish delusions about girls. Act too openly around him and he might find it obscene. Tch! If you knew what he liked, you should have told me!! So I should have gone the pure lady course with a wide-brimmed white hat and a long dress!! You need to be careful so he doesnt mistake your silhouette for the White Queen. Do you want to dig back up his trauma with your smile, you hunk of junk? They were complaining while approaching the double bed, but the lump in the blankets did not move in the slightest. Freedom Award 903, Alice (with) Rabbit, had even the top of his head covered. He was acting more like the tortoise than the hare. It was true the events at the border of Eastern Europes Kingdom F had been shocking. The worlds largest army had not been the problem. He had made short work of them, devoted a lot of his strength to stopping the Colorless Little Girls rampage, and then been helpless when the White Queen appeared before him without warning. Shiroyama Kyousuke might have died there if not for the intervention of Shigara Masami who had the ridiculous accomplishment of reaching Freedom Award 3000. And more than that Was it really that much of a shock? Lu Niang Lan did not hesitate to sit on the edge of the bed the boy was sleeping in. She crossed her long legs and spoke back over her shoulder. That your teacher, Shigara Masami, took the White Queens side, I mean. Facts: *After the events at the border of Eastern Europes Kingdom F, Shiroyama Kyousuke has stayed in bed out of shock. *Meinokawa Aoi, who looks abnormally similar to the White Queen, is hiding in Kyousukes cruiser so she is not attacked or stolen during the chaos as the world breaks down. *Meinokawa Aoi was wearing a bikini as part of an Ama-no-Iwato strategy meant to snap Shiroyama Kyousuke out of it, but her plan failed. *Lu Niang Lan has already successfully won over Meinokawa Aoi using food. *Shigara Masami, Freedom Award 3000 and the person who once survived a hell by shifting from one world to the other, chose the White Queens side after saving Kyousuke. Volume 9, Opening X-02 - The White Queen’s First Battle? Volume 9, Opening X-02: The White Queens First Battle? Shigara Masami I get it, so just give me something to wear already. (Opening X-02 Open 08/04 10:20 UTC+03 Flanguild Time Rewind Mode) The White Queens First Battle? To describe the current situation, we must first rewind time into the past. That brings us to the morning of August 4 at the border of Eastern Europes Kingdom F. To start with, a fearsome white light swept across everything. The worlds largest armys unilateral invasion, the Colorless Little Girls rampage, the White Queens appearance, and Freedom Award 3000, Shigara Masami, rescuing Shiroyama Kyousuke may have been no more than the triggers. Some said it looked like a large domed explosion and others said it looked like a gigantic pure white cocoon. No one knew what it actually was. But perhaps that was not too surprising since no one had ever seen the White Queen driven to such desperate measures. Even with Freedom Award 3000 around, it was a highly abnormal situation. Whatever the case, something burst from the White Queen. It grew into a dome shape in the blink of an eye and it continued to expand even several hours later. If this continued, it would cross the national border and swallow up Queen Sinceria Highlands Kingdom F. It currently had a diameter of about 5km. Dont touch it!! We have no idea what would happen!! We cant even put together an evacuation plan if we dont know what it is or what its made of! I volunteer!! You fool, how would I ever explain it to your family!? The knights of Kingdom F included quite a few summoners, but even they were baffled. They made it sound like they were up against a highly-concentrated radioactive material or a mysterious deadly pathogen, but when they risked their lives to investigate, all they discovered was that the material was a lot like the Sword of Truth, the pure white clothing worn by the White Queen. Since this was information about a higher being, it meant a lot that a few of the knights had successfully summoned her in the past. And if that was true, there was nothing humankind could do. After all, this was the Queens sword and shield. They could not find any way to scratch it, much less tear it apart. If it continued to expand, it would slowly but surely crush every single structure in Kingdom F like a giant bulldozer. And would it stop with just this small Eastern European kingdom? Why should they be optimistic enough to assume it would not cover all of Europe, obliterate all of Eurasia, and ultimately cross the oceans to reach every livable part of the planet? And while everyone was focused on this new threat Uuh. Someone groaned quietly while at an utter loss as to what to do. That may have been no real surprise. To repeat, the cocoon gradually applying pressure to Kingdom F appeared to be a transformation of the Sword of Truth, which was the White Queens battle costume. Her clothes were there. So what did that mean for the Queen herself while she looked up at it? The girl shrunk down, blushed, and covered her chest and hips with her arms. The White Queen who Wields the Sword of Unsullied Truth (iu - nu - fb - a - wuh - ei -kx - eu - pl - vjz) was entirely nude. The situation could not have been more abnormal. The closest thing to clothing she had were the two hair ties she had found lying around. That allowed her to maintain her usual twintails. She should have been in control of her battle costume, but it was continuing to expand without her. And yet that was not the strangest thing happening here. There was something fundamentally wrong when the White Queen was blushing, cowering on the ground, and covering her body like she wanted to disappear. Even the gods feared that transcendent being, so the glory of her nudity should have actually made everyone else bow down before her. She had no greater weapon than her beauty. She might show it off like the sun, but would she really feel the kind of embarrassment that led her to hide herself like this? The absence of clothing was a trivial matter in this case. It felt like the White Queen would have been cowering down like this even if she were fully equipped. It was like she wanted to vanish from view like a fading fog or mist. And a woman stood next to the silver twintail girl. She was Freedom Award 3000, World Complete. Shigara Masami. That summoner had passed the 1000 mark and shifted from this world to the other. The young woman used a scrunchie to wear her long black hair in a ponytail and she wore a lab coat over a tight skirt suit. However, she blew away all the implications of that outfit with the smile of a mischievous child. And she placed a hand next to her mouth to whisper to the White Queen. This is a first in the history of the world. The sun was hidden. The White Queen growled with resentment while covering her radiant body with her arms. Shigara Masami. You are the very first intelligent being who was ever insolent and arrogant enough to make a fool of me, the White Queen, for your own enjoyment!! It did not matter that she was blushing, tearful, naked, and fidgeting. Normally, the pressure rising from the Queen should have nearly crushed anyones soul, but Shigara Masami did not seem at all bothered as she stood there in her lab coat and tight skirt suit. She had been the true mastermind behind the Queens Miniature Garden, so she may have seen both Shiroyama Kyousuke and the White Queen as her students. Hmph. The twintail girl childishly looked away while still covering her body with her arms. It was an obvious rejection, but didnt it seem like an expression she had never let anyone else see but in a different way from how she behaved around Kyousuke? Let us review the situation. First of all, I am having a hard time accepting what happened. Namely, that I was scolded by you and had my beloved brother taken from me. No matter how much my conscious mind tries to logically accept it, my subconscious pride will not allow it. That is how the heart works. Shigara Masami of course had no intention of stealing Kyousuke for herself. In fact, she had intervened to help those two get along. The thing about that is The White Queen started to point a finger at the cocoon expanding and growing in the distance, but she quickly stopped and pointed with her chin instead when she realized moving her arm left some things exposed. You could say that battle costume guarantees I am always right. That mass of violence will turn white to black or black to white for me. It normally changes form in response to my commands, but it is based on the weapons which, when used by their rightful owner, will fly around and achieve victory all on their own which are found in Celtic, Norse, Alaskan, Japanese, and other mythologies. Although in this case, it is not bothering with choosing individual targets and likely intends to achieve victory by destroying the entire world, eliminating all that is unnecessary, and remaking everything again. At this point, I dont think my conscious or subconscious thoughts will change anything. It thinks for itself and will not allow anything to exist that would harm me. The rebellion against me in the Kingdom F area was just the starting point. Depending on how this plays out, it might eliminate the entire world that would harm me. In the past, the White Queen had received the devotion of this worlds people, bound the other worlds Unexplored-classes with fear, and brought madness to all with thinking minds. But did her influence extend beyond that? Did even this inorganic weapon feel the need to bow down to her and present her with an offering? When it came down to it, the White Queen did not care what happened as long as Shiroyama Kyousuke was safe. The fate of the other 7 billion was none of her concern. But if the Sword of Truth went berserk, it might kill Shiroyama Kyousuke as well since he had made himself her enemy. If the White Queen abandoned the 7 billion, even Shigara Masami would likely use her powerful defenses to keep her away. And more importantly, she doubted Shiroyama Kyousuke would be happy in a thoroughly ruined world. He was the kind of person who readily claimed that half the worlds tragedies were his fault. Even though he could escape all that guilt by blaming 100% of it on the White Queen. He claimed he would use any kind of underhanded method to kill her, but he still felt a need to play fair. She adored that about him. To the point that she wanted to bully him to death. The naked girl breathed a gentle sigh. Lets stop that cocoons expansion, she said. It is my possession after all. How about you remind yourself who it was that psychologically stripped me of my power? I am not exactly at top form at the moment. Of course, that did not mean she was weak in any sense of the word. She was still the White Queen. This was more an issue of instability, so she might blow up the entire dimension if she tried using her power now. <> You didnt think this through, did you? Besides, tearing that cocoon apart wouldnt do any good. Shigara Masami, are you aware of the tension problem with space elevators? As a cocoon, that is made from threads and it would produce even more force than that. Did you give this any thought at all!? Ahem. Anyway, that is the power that protects me. If it bursts in its current uncontrolled state, the best case scenario is a fireball large enough to fry the entire planet, but it might also produce enough gravity to create a black hole that swallows the entire solar system. It currently has a diameter of 5km, but if that passes 10km, it will collapse in on itself. And that leads straight to the aforementioned explosion. Of course, that is still nothing compared to what the power inside me would do if released. That meant destroying the cocoon was not an option. It was enough of a miracle that it was contained there without allowing any of its power to leak out. Nothing could compare to the defenses of the Queens battle costume. Normal matter might have already produced more gravity than the sun, causing the earth to fold in on itself. Plus The cocoon is no more than the ignition. The true danger lies elsewhere. The Colorless Little Girl Dedicated to a Single Goal (aie - a - oio - ei - ueo - ioa - e - uai - ee). The White Queen spoke that name with emphasis on each individual word. The Queen did. If she is still functioning as a tool to kill me, then she will try to destroy all of me, including that cocoon. So the larger the cocoon grows, the more power the Colorless Little Girl will store up. I am more worried about that than the cocoon rupturing. If the cocoon and the Colorless Little Girl clash head on after growing to the limit, all life will be enveloped by endless flames and destroyed. Yes. That led to only one conclusion. I must accept it. Those words brought a greater flush to the White Queens cheeks than having so much bare skin exposed to the outside air. Shigara Masami. I have no rebuttal to what you have said, so I must accept that you have taken my brother from me. And I must accept that the choice you have made is the best way to bring my brother and me together. I suppose you could call this a journey to learn what it means to be human. The Sword of Truth guarantees I am always right. It will continue to grow endlessly and meaninglessly as long as there is something I cannot accept and it could trigger a supernova if its 5km diameter reaches 10km. But at the same time, if I can conquer my issues and prove you mean no harm, the cocoon will have no more need to act on my behalf. And stopping it should also stabilize the Colorless Little Girl who must be gathering power in response. That is the only way to save this world and to save my brother who lives in it. That might sound simple enough, but the White Queen was the strongest being who existed beyond the Regulation-class, Divine-class, and Unexplored-class. This was not like Norse or Greek Mythology where there were plenty of equally-powerful gods who could provide advice if one made a mistake. In other words, the entire world would have to change to match. If the White Queen listened to what Shigara Masami had to say, it would be the same as altering the very structure of the existing Third Style. But she had to do it. She did not care about herself and the 7 billion did not matter at all. The White Queen was always focused on just the one person. That nude girl with the reflectively white skin would accept any indignity if it was for her beloved Shiroyama Kyousuke. Tight skirt Shigara Masami nodded a few times and spoke like she was giving this a lot of thought, even if she was not really. Um, uh, I hesitate to say thisbut isnt that because I got a tad carried away at the Queens Miniature Garden? The ponytail researcher rejected it with a single word. It was a lot like reading a 10-volume series of textbooks by starting with the 3rd volume. No matter how much work you did from there, you could not hope to understand it without the foundational knowledge of the 1st volume. Nothing you learned would do you any good. Any attempt would go to waste. No matter how hard she sought him, they would only misunderstand each other. Thatisnt a bad idea, said the naked silver-haired girl. A journey to learn what it means to be human? At the very least, it sounds better than staying in this irrelevant little kingdom. My brother needs to be at the center of my universe. Regardless. She knew young Shiroyama Kyousuke had been given some kind of gifted education by his biological father who was now known as Doctor S. And that education had occurred at an ordinary home instead of a special research facility like the Queens Miniature Garden. She knew that home was somewhere in Japan. But where exactly? This was the same problem as ordinary kitchen knives being harder to trace than police batons and stun guns that required going through special channels to purchase. This home could be anywhere, so it was hard to narrow things down. Shiroyama Kyousuke said he could not remember what his mother or little sister looked like. But it was different from simple memory loss. On that day and in that place, the White Queen had done something which had erased and blown away the worlds data. So it was not just that Kyousuke did not remember. Not one of the 7 billion people on this planet could provide that information. The White Queen was involved in half of the worlds mysteries. The nude twintail girl sighed. Shigara Masami. The White Queen seemed to be placing someone else in control and listening to the lesson they had for her. Shigara Masami looked so calm in this situation, but that was due to the great skill backing up her confidence. The next stage would be Japan. It was time to begin her journey to understand Shiroyama Kyousuke and what it means to be human. And on top of that ? Shigara Masami placed a hand on her forehead and shook her head in a somewhat exaggerated fashion. And she continued speaking. There was a staticky sound, but it did not come from Shigara Masamis voice. The White Queens alluring curves blurred. At some points, they grew jagged. At some points, they were swallowed by a gray sandstorm. She was losing her stability in this world. Only then did she realize what was happening. In the Blood-Sign System, the supernatural beings known as Materials could only remain in this world while an Artificial Sacred Ground had been established by an Incense Grenade. The White Queen had only been able to ignore that rule at times because of the irregular permanent summonings her worshipers had sacrificed themselves to perform. That support had collapsed. And that meant just one thing. That does make sense. Shigara Masami had kept her voice low as she reported the severity of the situation, but the White Queen had let go of that throne because it was too much of a bother. She would hide in the Colorless Little Girls shadow and stay with Shiroyama Kyousuke. This was no time to be worried about a decline in reputation. Shigara Masami sighed in her suit and lab coat. Hm? How did you manage that??? Anyone who had survived that extreme war would have grown into quite a fierce warrior. Even so, a Box required a number of sacrifices. There were plenty of examples, including the Anthill Project the vessel named Isabelle had been involved in or Pandemonium secretly run by the Deltaston family. Shigara Masami herself had worked to stop some of them, yet here she was using one. And at the same time, if you viewed it from a different angle, it was a major gamble on Shigara Masamis part to throw the White Queen back at those warriors of the Miniature Garden after they had regained their sanity. After all, this was a repeat of the past. The introduction of the White Queen had gradually driven that underground lab insane, so the same thing could always happen again. However Because it was a repeat The silver twintail girl remained silent for a while. Like she was assessing something. Finally, she took a step into Shigara Masamis personal space. And she leaned her naked shoulder against the woman. The static vanished and she regained her stability. Shigara Masami had apparently earned a passing score. Then the transcendent being spoke under her breath while childishly pouting her lips. If it will help brother. Shigara Masami. The White Queen winked. I get it, so just give me something to wear already. Down with the Queen!! Dont be left behind by the times! We need to push through to the future!! We cant afford to fall back by a century! Kill the White Queen!! Just closing her eyes was enough to imagine the angry shouts and screams and picture the placards and burning paintings. If anything, the White Queen was her enemy, but the shouts of down with the Queen still got to her. They were not directed at her, but she still felt a squeezing at her heart. Sinceria Highland was the ruler of Kingdom F. She was a young woman with long, fluffy blonde hair, white skin, and curvy bodylines, but her most notable feature was her long and pointed ears. It was rumored she had left the realm of humanity and taken a step into the devilish beauty of a Material because she had made more contracts than anyone else in history. There were many summoners in the ranks of Kingdom Fs knights and she always partnered herself with the most powerful of them, so it was not surprising that such rumors existed. But at the moment, she was dressed in a way not at all suitable for a skilled vessel or the ruler of a kingdom. She was in a swimsuit. It was a blue one-piece that covered most everything, but there was no hiding her figure. Clichd descriptions of large breasts and long legs did not do her justice. Instead of being sexy because of a special outfit, she was sexy no matter what she wore. This was South Americas Devils Island. There were different kinds of beauty, but Sincerias was an extreme variety reminiscent of snow and ice. When that ruler, who currently wore a swimsuit with a ribbon at the chest, stood nearby, she created an illusion that the temperature had dropped by 2 or 3 degrees even on the sunny beach. She had a good reason for visiting this palm tree island bearing the name of the devil. It isnt everyday a penal colony receives a guest. A beach chair and parasol were set up on the white sandy beach. A cold drink sat on the side table. More than just pouring in a chilled liquid, the glass itself was ice cold. All of that was managed by an old butler who wore a black suit despite the sun beating down on him. And at the center of it all was a young girl with reddish-blonde ringlet curls. Azalea Magentarain was lying there. She was wearing a blue bikini. The white border increased its cuteness. She did not at all look like someone who was currently imprisoned. But Sinceria was a true monarch, so she was used to that sort of luxury. And this was not the time to let it overwhelm her. That cocoon was expanding even now. To stop it before it crossed Kingdom Fs border and crushed the peoples homes and possessions, she had to gather information from this summoner girl who was a former weapons designer for Quad Motors and had made her way deep into a group of White Queen worshipers. I arranged a meeting through Government. Do you mind if we speak? Not at all. But we should finish this before Claude notices. Your body is too dangerous to have any gentlemen around. Would you like something to drink? Hee hee. I think Im in the mood for something nonalcoholic. To feel like Im young again. Hyah Sinceria shrieked when cold water found its way into her ample cleavage after dripping from the bottom of the cocktail glass she was handed. Azalea responded far too calmly when she saw that. Yes, it really is dangerous. I need to keep Claude away from you. Oh, are you referring to the one-armed man with an eyepatch? I believe Rachel is chasing him around with her battle hook. She said something about leering at the swimsuit of Kingdom Fs ruler qualifying as lese majeste. Already!? Do I not even get a chance to react!? I was wondering what he was up to after ignoring my fantastic swimsuit and going clamming! I cant believe him!!!!! Sinceria had a single question. She wanted to know what the White Queen would do next. She had a nearly accurate grasp of the connection between the cocoon growing at Kingdom Fs border and the Colorless Little Girl. Her daughter, Olivia, had helped a lot with information on the Colorless Little Girl. The Colorless Little Girl was the greatest threat, but they had to do something about the cocoon if they were to stop her. And that cocoon was originally a part of the White Queen. According to a Government researcher named Maria Heartocean, the 5km cocoons limit was 10km. If it grew beyond that, there was a risk of a supernova-level explosion. And the Colorless Little Girl would likely take action before that. That would begin the worst possible chain reaction where a fierce explosive blast was used to prevent an explosion. But whatever the case. Whatever the case, Sinceria had to protect the people of Kingdom F. But if she let that obvious impatience show, she knew she would be forced to accept demands she would rather not accept. Ahem. This should go without saying. A noble was no match for a royal. But Azalea had not lost a hint of her shine. That was proof that she was not just coasting on her bloodline. Sinceria had failed to elope with the man she had fallen for, so she was honestly envious of the girls grounded lifestyle. Azalea sat up on the beach chair and crossed her slender legs as she started speaking. There is only one thing in Her Majestys heart: Shiroyama Kyousuke. From beginning to end, everything she does is centered on that summoner. And that remains true whether it is based in love or hate. The reason Shiroyama Kyousuke stays ahead of everyone else when it comes to her is quite simple. He just has to ask his own heart what she will do. No amount of resources and personnel and not even the greatest supercomputer can compare to that. Well, I would very much like to have Kyousuke fighting to protect Kingdom F, but it seems he took quite a psychological shock this time. Youre looking at this wrong. Azalea toyed with the strap on her hip and sharply corrected Sinceria. She was a crazed believer being imprisoned for her brutal crimes. She might appear cooperative, but from what viewpoint was she discussing the White Queen? Once someone had been corrupted by the Queen, was it possible for them to ever fully recover? Sinceria very much wanted to know the answer to that question since her daughter, Olivia, had worked with Doctor S for a time. This girls age and stature both reminded her of her daughter. And the fact that her daughter might have ended up like this if she had made one wrong move or Shiroyama Kyousuke had not worked to solve the situation. (As a mother, I would really like to know.) How am I looking at this wrong? We are monitoring Kyousukes condition from multiple sources. And personally, I think this seems like the best time. Sinceria was a mother, a ruler, and a woman. When she spoke, she often switched between those three different sides of herself. It went without saying what a three-faced goddess like Hecate symbolized. Yes, Sinceria stood at the peak of the feminine identity and she also ruled her kingdom on the occult side by using the Blood-Sign System. Meanwhile, Azalea treated her like a mere guest. It was a confrontation between the occult and the military industrial complex. In this case, it doesnt matter whether Shiroyama Kyousuke actively does anything or not. He has given up on fighting and is falling behind, so why hasnt Her Majesty abducted him yet? What could be more important than Shiroyama Kyousuke just lying there waiting to be attacked? What could it possibly be??? Just to drive the point home, you ruler of a fairy tale kingdom, she has nothing beyond Shiroyama Kyousuke. So she would never leave him be and focus on something else. That means there must be something she wants to do for his sake even if it means leaving him be for now. So this must be a rather unique situation. I see. That does explain it. And when someone has lost interest in the present, there arent many other options. There is a fair amount of risk in speaking about her thoughts on a human level, but isnt it worth considering? Facts: *White Queen learned Embarrassment!! *The Sword of Truth, the White Queens battle uniform, has the divine power to guarantee she is always right even if that means turning white into black or vice versa. It normally obeys her commands, but it is essentially an item that automatically fights to bring her victory. *The cocoon currently has a diameter of 5km. If it grows to 10km, it might produce a supernova-level explosion. But the bigger threat is the Colorless Little Girl who is storing up power to match the cocoon. *To prevent that path to ruin, the White Queen must accept Shigara Masami, a lower being. Can she believe that the woman is working toward the best interests of both Shiroyama Kyousuke and the Queen? To accomplish this, she must go on a journey to discover what it means to be human. On this journey, she will investigate Shiroyama Kyousukes roots and what happiness means to him. If she fails, the world is doomed. *Shigara Masami receives an emotion similar to worship from those who survived the Secret War. She is supported by a long-term summoning Box and she has invited the White Queen into that Box despite the risk. *Shiroyama Kyousuke was a precision-guided missile before arriving at the Miniature Garden and the White Queen immediately referred to him as brother when they supposedly first met. Thus, their roots predate the Miniature Garden. *Kyousuke does not remember his mother or his little sister. But this is not just memory loss. At some point in the past, the White Queens destruction erased some of the worlds data. Volume 9, Stage 01 - A World of Ruin Indulges in Chaos Volume 9, Stage 01: A World of Ruin Indulges in Chaos Are you ready now? Yes. (Stage 01 Open 08/21 09:00) A World of Ruin Indulges in Chaos Down with the Queen. Most of the people populating this planet would have no idea what that phrase meant. Even so, it eerily began spreading on its own. People used it when they wanted to gather attention on a video sharing site. It appeared as a social media hashtag. It was the name of a famous artists song or the theme for their concert tour. It was given impressive renderings as spray-painted wall art. It even covered the placards and banners carried by the protestors filling the streets. However. Unsurprisingly Wow, theyre really running with that, arent they? On the top floor of a luxury apartment in Toy Dream 35, the swimsuit girl named Aika was being very unkind to the planet by keeping the air conditioning at 19 degrees despite the midsummer heat outside. She used her 5m white liger as a sofa while she commented on the commotion which had even more of a presence than the cicadas crying outside the windows. The tablet she held was linked to a projector that displayed some footage over the entire ceiling. But the deep rumbling could not be explained by the audio and video of some online news. These protests were not isolated to the screen. If she opened the curtains, she would find thousands or even tens of thousands of people participating in protests - no, they were riots at this point - within Toy Dream 35. On the video chat, the modified China dress beauty named Lu Niang Lan spoke with exasperation in her voice. None of them can even know who they mean by the Queen, but theyre still wasting their summer break on this. Those normal people have never even heard of the Blood-Sign Summoning Ceremony, so who do they think theyre mad at? There is such a thing as anger without an outlet and anxiety without a cause. Is that any reason to attack pawnshops and prize exchange shops? And a few Illegal front shops have been destroyed in the process! Thats a huge problem!! Invisible anxieties take aim at the weakest points and eventually lead to financial exploitation. Just like the victims of the witch hunts who had all their assets seized. The white and green striped bikini girl kept a dry attitude at times like this. She could not function as a Government intermediary otherwise. People tended to think scientism, realism, and atheism were relatively widespread in Japan, but remnants of older beliefs were actually quite common. Many common idioms and phrases originally referred to mythical creatures and the fortunetellers who stared at a crystal ball while performing a cold reading to draw out their customers worries had only been replaced by AI speakers and big data. Despite claiming to be skeptics of everything, they had carried over quite a lot by simply changing the box they put it in. Truth could be found in lies, but the opposite was also possible. This countrys darkness had not been illuminated enough for the mystical to have no hold on the people there. Mythology and religion could shake them far deeper than they thought and without them even noticing. Normal people had no way of knowing about the opposition between the White Queen and the Colorless Little Girl, but the vague anxiety and fear had reached them. And because they did not know the identity of that internal pressure even as it passed its limit, they made bizarre actions as a way of protecting their own minds. Just like the popular question of what someone would do if they knew the world would end tomorrow. But what about the real summoners and vessels who knew about the Blood-Sign System? Did knowledge of the truth help them keep their cool? The answer was no. In fact, it may have been even worse. As if to say there were some things you were better off not knowing. But is this any time to just watch it happen? asked Lu Niang Lan. Government is supposed to preserve order, so shouldnt this be an even bigger problem for you? To be honest, Government is an organization for protecting and punishing people. When the White Queen or Colorless Little Girl themselves are directly involved, its mostly outside of our control. This is centered on him, isnt it? It is, confirmed Aika while retying the side strap on her hip that had a habit of coming loose if she was not paying attention. There would be no solution unless Shiroyama Kyousuke took action instead of rotting away in his cruiser. However. Would Kyousuke-chan even listen if someone said help me right now? I mean, its really a miracle he never broke before this. The world was far too reliant on his good will. Heh. Looks like this job is too much for the wet gunpowder that is some old ladys seduction. If you want to trigger a response, you need to send in the cute little sister. Im going to let that one slide, but how does a year-round shut-in expect to go outside? Mhn. With a grunt of effort, the swimsuit girl pulled out a stuffed doll with cartoonish proportions. The doll had unique twintails made by tying a braid into a loop on either side of its head, it only wore a striped bikini, and it was packed full of enough tech to walk upright in response to instructions from a tablet. I call it the Pretty Aika-chan Doll. You can even change its clothes. Now I can leave the apartment just fine as a shut-in, so Onii-chan will never again have to spend a night alone. If this actually works, I will be seriously concerned about Kyousuke-chans future. It had begun as disbelief. If he accused her of betraying him, would he be neglecting to consider her feelings? After all, he had never been given any kind of guarantee that Shigara Masami would unconditionally take his side. Inside a cruiser moored at the yacht harbor at the bottom level of Toy Dream 35, Shiroyama Kyousuke lay motionless on his own double bed. While so close to the water, the cries of the seagulls were louder than the cicada chorus. But a cacophony loud enough to forcibly mix everything up might have been better here. A heavy gloom hung over the cruiser. (Even at her level) He had seen a portion of Shigara Masamis humanity and skill at the Queens Miniature Garden. If what he had later experienced through the Yellow Gills was true, then she was Freedom Award 3000, placing her far above Shiroyama Kyousukes Award 903 position. And yet Yes, and yet (Even a summoner at her level can be distorted like that? The White Queens powerful influence will even violate a mind on that level?) Isnt it for the best if there are no more victims? If you can reconcile your differences, isnt it more productive to take advantage of this opportunity? The world should be filled with love and peace, so its obviously better to eliminate all conflict. Now, Kyousuke-kun, go make up with her and take the cutest and strongest White Queen for yourself. What could be better than that? Really? Was that really what the researcher was thinking? That cant be right. Kyousuke could not go anywhere, so he simply groaned to himself. Too many unwanted thoughts came to mind when he simply closed his eyes. What about the tragedy at the Queens Miniature Garden? Or the civil war in Kingdom F? And he did not need to stick to the past. The White Queen was currently dragging so many people into this mess, including Meinokawa Renge and Higan. That cant possibly be right. Alls well that ends well. Could he really just brush it all off to have a happy ending? After everything that happened? She had done such horrific things. Could he really accept it just because Shigara Masami, one of the victims of the Queens Miniature Garden, had reappeared and said she did not mind? He had to stay true to himself and stand firm. The White Queen had caused half the worlds tragedies and Shiroyama Kyousuke was connected to the other half. He could not forget that. No matter who tried to offer him forgiveness. The cocoon and the Colorless Little Girl were of secondary importance. The White Queen was the root cause of it all, so killing her would solve everything. He could not look away from that answer. He could not seek a happy ending just for him and his friends. He could not lose momentum, stop before reaching the finish line, and decide that was close enough. Heyyy. A girl with long silver hair approached Kyousuke who was acting like his batteries had died. She looked just like the White Queen, but a close look would reveal some differences. For example, that white girl would never have worn a black bikini. This was Meinokawa Aoi. She was the Meinokawa Shrines secret object of worship and a Joruri Method vessel made to look just like the White Queen. She childishly pouted her lips and raised her voice louder than the cicadas. I dont like this bait. I mean, I come from the mountains, so Im used to small prawns and sliced wieners! I cant bring myself to touch these wriggling ragworms and eunicids! Bait the hook for me, boy!! Are you even listening? Oryah!! He heard a shout and then the blanket rose up at the foot of the bed. Bikini Aoi must have dived in headfirst like she was sticking her head into a tunnel. The area below the blanket was immediately filled with a warmth that could not be explained by Kyousukes body heat alone. No matter what she looked like, she was still an old lady on the inside, so she did not seem to have an issue with getting so close to a teenage boy. Hmm, sniff sniff. It smells strongly of boy in here. Aoi crawled ever upwards and ultimately stuck her head out from the blanket by Kyousukes face. And she raised her voice while looking him in the eye. Bwah! Anyway, do the bait! I cant fish without new bait on the hook, so fix it, boy!! (Not even someone at Shigara Masamis level could fight it.) This was not enough to get a response from Kyousuke. In fact, the more obvious a smile she gave him, the deeper he sank into his own thoughts. He poked at the phone on the side table to check the time and found there were no missed calls. When a summoner or vessel had reached a certain Award level, they vanished from normal peoples memories and awareness when not in their direct line of sight. It was obvious, but that too was an issue of the rules. It was a part of the Blood-Sign rules, so there was no fighting it. That was just more proof of how easily peoples minds could be influenced. And the White Queen stood at the peak of the Summoning Ceremony. To repeat, peoples minds were easily influenced. (Then what about everyone else? Whats the point of anything Ive done? I saved them because they asked for help, but if their definition of happiness can be distorted by the white, then what do the words help me even mean???) Wahyah? Zoning out turned out to be a bad idea. While still lost in thought, old habits moved his body. Specifically, he placed a hand on Meinokawa Aois silver-haired head and stroked it as if soothing a small child. W-wait, this is not what I asked for! The bait! I only wanted you to bait the hook! Ahh, yes. Right there. Gently massage my scalpah!? W-w-wait, no, I need to resist!! That was not enough to silence her, so Kyousuke picked Aoi up and carried her to the bath. While he used shampoo to roughly work up a lather on her head, the worlds oldest Joruri Method finally realized what was going on. Hold it! I think Ive figured this out! You dont know who I am, do you!? Wake up! I might look the same, but I am not the White Queen!! You really do have a hard time separating love from hate, dont you!? What a pain!! She may have been lucky her black bikini was a little trickier than average. Otherwise, he might have stripped off her clothes before placing her in the bath based on his autopilot programmed at the Miniature Garden. From beginning to end, Kyousuke never really looked at Aoi. He stared into the distance while washing the bubbles away with warm water from the showerhead. Then he left the shower room on his own and collapsed right back into the double bed. It all looked like someone mindlessly constructing boxes on a conveyer belt. The Joruri Method looked a bit dissatisfied at not being given any conditioner or hair treatment, but she still left the bath and placed a towel over her head. She looked down at the empty shell of a summoner and breathed an exasperated sigh. He has it really bad. Shut up. It was a surprising blind spot. I never thought I would be able to work part-time at school. Braided and bespectacled Librarian-chan spoke her soul. Ever-expanding cumulonimbus clouds floated in an otherwise clear blue sky. Due to all the bushes and trees growing on the school grounds, the noisy cicadas were out in full force. August was approaching its end, but summer break was not over yet. And lately, schools had begun opening themselves up to the public after school to provide communication opportunities outside of studying. As an extension of that, this was naturally the most popular part of the school during the summer. The pool had been opened up. Yes, yes. Thats dangerous, so please stop it. Fwee, fwee, fwee, fwee!! Stop lining up the kickboards to try to run across the water! I said stop it!! Why was Librarian-chan sitting in the lifeguard seat blowing on a whistle when she was not all that good a swimmer herself? Because she was Librarian-chan. A close observation of the pool would show boys and girls in non-school swimsuits holding waterproof packages made of thick plastic. They were book covers designed for reading in the bath. (I know its a campaign to increase the reading rate during midsummer, but I still dont like bringing paper anywhere near the water.) In her dark blue swimsuit, Librarian-chan grumbled in her heart. This was originally a library-led event, not a pool event. During summer break, the only thing the school library had going for it was the quiet and the air conditioning. But it was a cruel world out there and everything needed some way of drawing in users. So Oh, Librarian-chan? Are you so straight-laced you wear the boring old school swimsuit at an event like this? Wow. Oh, god. Why did I have to run into a classmate on the job!? This is hell!! The customer is your god, so youd damn well better treat me with care. The classmate was Rendou Akiya(). The odds of running into a classmate were likely higher than at a normal job since this one used a school facility. But that did not mean she had to like it. This classmate had his chestnut hair tied back and normally wore a girls uniform as a fashion statement, but today he wore a bright yellow two-piece swimsuit that used frilly cloth to subtly hide the shape of the chest and hips. And wasnt that swimsuit the hot new product from Wet & Smith!? Also, a form-fitting school swimsuit really only works with a flat chest or giant tits. You cant draw out the true charm of a school swimsuit with average proportions. Well, you talk like a boy if nothing else. Just look at the Student Council President! See how the threads holding on that Benikomichi Fuuki nametag are straining and about to burst? Now thats how you do a high schoolers school swimsuit! Hell yeah!! Wait, why is she forcing that excessively curvy body into a school swimsuit!? And that nametag is written in hiragana like it was written by an elementary school kid! That just makes it look indecent!! And speaking of nametags Hey, Librarian-chan, whats that on your swimsuits nametag? Some kind of nickname??? Its my real name! Who would write Librarian on here!? Librarian-chan sighed at that person whose bodylines somehow still looked feminine in a swimsuit. I really dont want to pursue this too far, but which locker room did you use? Do you take me for a fool, average girl? I only dress this way as a fashion statement, so Im not going to use my appearance to shamelessly satisfy my love of peeping. Did this mean that someone who looked that pretty (she hated to admit it, but that guy looked more feminine than she did!!) had marched into the boys locker room, stripped off his clothes, and changed into that swimsuit? While battling this harsh reality in her school-approved swimsuit, Librarian-chan was worried that him using the boys locker room would cause just as much chaos as the opposite. And as the part-time lifeguard, it was her duty to preserve the peace of this small slice of the world. You cant get in the pool without borrowing a book, so what do you want to read? 100 Simple Snacks Made With Pancake Mix. Just how high were his femininity points? The readings were so high he was reaching the level of a young wife. Fixing a bento out of necessity was one thing, but these snacks were an extra luxury. Not even a serious(?) girl like Librarian-chan went for handmade food. In an age when you could get decent coffee and donuts at any convenience store, why would anyone need to work with pancake mix? These thoughts were rapidly draining away the braided glasses girls femininity points, but she seemed oblivious of the severity of her situation. Well, take your time and relax. I hope this cookbook will come in handy for you. Yes, I hope the combination of sugar, flour, and lots and lots of femininity points will shatter the pride of girls all over the city. Gwa ha ha ha! Yknow, we went to the same middle school, but do you have an older sister? This summer I met someone with the same family name as your nametag. What!? Wait just a second! Are you making those snacks to hit on my sister? You have to be joking! I cant imagine anything more awkward than the possibility of a family member and a classmate dating!! This was a very serious issue. Librarian-chan frantically leaned out from the lifeguard seat in her school swimsuit, but she was unable to get to the bottom of the matter. She was interrupted by a deep tremor. It came from awfully close by and was not at all something from a normal school life. Volume 9, Stage 01: A World of Ruin Indulges in Chaos Volume 9, Stage 01: A World of Ruin Indulges in Chaos Are you ready now? Yes. (Stage 01 Open 08/21 09:00) Part 1 Down with the Queen. Most of the people populating this planet would have no idea what that phrase meant. Even so, it eerily began spreading on its own. People used it when they wanted to gather attention on a video sharing site. It appeared as a social media hashtag. It was the name of a famous artists song or the theme for their concert tour. It was given impressive renderings as spray-painted wall art. It even covered the placards and banners carried by the protestors filling the streets. However. Unsurprisingly Wow, theyre really running with that, arent they? On the top floor of a luxury apartment in Toy Dream 35, the swimsuit girl named Aika was being very unkind to the planet by keeping the air conditioning at 19 degrees despite the midsummer heat outside. She used her 5m white liger as a sofa while she commented on the commotion which had even more of a presence than the cicadas crying outside the windows. The tablet she held was linked to a projector that displayed some footage over the entire ceiling. But the deep rumbling could not be explained by the audio and video of some online news. These protests were not isolated to the screen. If she opened the curtains, she would find thousands or even tens of thousands of people participating in protests - no, they were riots at this point - within Toy Dream 35. On the video chat, the modified China dress beauty named Lu Niang Lan spoke with exasperation in her voice. None of them can even know who they mean by the Queen, but theyre still wasting their summer break on this. Those normal people have never even heard of the Blood-Sign Summoning Ceremony, so who do they think theyre mad at? There is such a thing as anger without an outlet and anxiety without a cause. Is that any reason to attack pawnshops and prize exchange shops? And a few Illegal front shops have been destroyed in the process! Thats a huge problem!! Invisible anxieties take aim at the weakest points and eventually lead to financial exploitation. Just like the victims of the witch hunts who had all their assets seized. The white and green striped bikini girl kept a dry attitude at times like this. She could not function as a Government intermediary otherwise. People tended to think scientism, realism, and atheism were relatively widespread in Japan, but remnants of older beliefs were actually quite common. Many common idioms and phrases originally referred to mythical creatures and the fortunetellers who stared at a crystal ball while performing a cold reading to draw out their customers worries had only been replaced by AI speakers and big data. Despite claiming to be skeptics of everything, they had carried over quite a lot by simply changing the box they put it in. Truth could be found in lies, but the opposite was also possible. This countrys darkness had not been illuminated enough for the mystical to have no hold on the people there. Mythology and religion could shake them far deeper than they thought and without them even noticing. Normal people had no way of knowing about the opposition between the White Queen and the Colorless Little Girl, but the vague anxiety and fear had reached them. And because they did not know the identity of that internal pressure even as it passed its limit, they made bizarre actions as a way of protecting their own minds. Just like the popular question of what someone would do if they knew the world would end tomorrow. But what about the real summoners and vessels who knew about the Blood-Sign System? Did knowledge of the truth help them keep their cool? The answer was no. In fact, it may have been even worse. As if to say there were some things you were better off not knowing. But is this any time to just watch it happen? asked Lu Niang Lan. Government is supposed to preserve order, so shouldnt this be an even bigger problem for you? To be honest, Government is an organization for protecting and punishing people. When the White Queen or Colorless Little Girl themselves are directly involved, its mostly outside of our control. This is centered on him, isnt it? It is, confirmed Aika while retying the side strap on her hip that had a habit of coming loose if she was not paying attention. There would be no solution unless Shiroyama Kyousuke took action instead of rotting away in his cruiser. However. Would Kyousuke-chan even listen if someone said help me right now? I mean, its really a miracle he never broke before this. The world was far too reliant on his good will. Heh. Looks like this job is too much for the wet gunpowder that is some old ladys seduction. If you want to trigger a response, you need to send in the cute little sister. Im going to let that one slide, but how does a year-round shut-in expect to go outside? Mhn. With a grunt of effort, the swimsuit girl pulled out a stuffed doll with cartoonish proportions. The doll had unique twintails made by tying a braid into a loop on either side of its head, it only wore a striped bikini, and it was packed full of enough tech to walk upright in response to instructions from a tablet. I call it the Pretty Aika-chan Doll. You can even change its clothes. Now I can leave the apartment just fine as a shut-in, so Onii-chan will never again have to spend a night alone. If this actually works, I will be seriously concerned about Kyousuke-chans future. Part 2 It had begun as disbelief. If he accused her of betraying him, would he be neglecting to consider her feelings? After all, he had never been given any kind of guarantee that Shigara Masami would unconditionally take his side. Inside a cruiser moored at the yacht harbor at the bottom level of Toy Dream 35, Shiroyama Kyousuke lay motionless on his own double bed. While so close to the water, the cries of the seagulls were louder than the cicada chorus. But a cacophony loud enough to forcibly mix everything up might have been better here. A heavy gloom hung over the cruiser. (Even at her level) He had seen a portion of Shigara Masamis humanity and skill at the Queens Miniature Garden. If what he had later experienced through the Yellow Gills was true, then she was Freedom Award 3000, placing her far above Shiroyama Kyousukes Award 903 position. And yet Yes, and yet (Even a summoner at her level can be distorted like that? The White Queens powerful influence will even violate a mind on that level?) Isnt it for the best if there are no more victims? If you can reconcile your differences, isnt it more productive to take advantage of this opportunity? The world should be filled with love and peace, so its obviously better to eliminate all conflict. Now, Kyousuke-kun, go make up with her and take the cutest and strongest White Queen for yourself. What could be better than that? Really? Was that really what the researcher was thinking? That cant be right. Kyousuke could not go anywhere, so he simply groaned to himself. Too many unwanted thoughts came to mind when he simply closed his eyes. What about the tragedy at the Queens Miniature Garden? Or the civil war in Kingdom F? And he did not need to stick to the past. The White Queen was currently dragging so many people into this mess, including Meinokawa Renge and Higan. That cant possibly be right. Alls well that ends well. Could he really just brush it all off to have a happy ending? After everything that happened? She had done such horrific things. Could he really accept it just because Shigara Masami, one of the victims of the Queens Miniature Garden, had reappeared and said she did not mind? He had to stay true to himself and stand firm. The White Queen had caused half the worlds tragedies and Shiroyama Kyousuke was connected to the other half. He could not forget that. No matter who tried to offer him forgiveness. The cocoon and the Colorless Little Girl were of secondary importance. The White Queen was the root cause of it all, so killing her would solve everything. He could not look away from that answer. He could not seek a happy ending just for him and his friends. He could not lose momentum, stop before reaching the finish line, and decide that was close enough. Heyyy. A girl with long silver hair approached Kyousuke who was acting like his batteries had died. She looked just like the White Queen, but a close look would reveal some differences. For example, that white girl would never have worn a black bikini. This was Meinokawa Aoi. She was the Meinokawa Shrines secret object of worship and a Joruri Method vessel made to look just like the White Queen. She childishly pouted her lips and raised her voice louder than the cicadas. I dont like this bait. I mean, I come from the mountains, so Im used to small prawns and sliced wieners! I cant bring myself to touch these wriggling ragworms and eunicids! Bait the hook for me, boy!! Are you even listening? Oryah!! He heard a shout and then the blanket rose up at the foot of the bed. Bikini Aoi must have dived in headfirst like she was sticking her head into a tunnel. The area below the blanket was immediately filled with a warmth that could not be explained by Kyousukes body heat alone. No matter what she looked like, she was still an old lady on the inside, so she did not seem to have an issue with getting so close to a teenage boy. Hmm, sniff sniff. It smells strongly of boy in here. Aoi crawled ever upwards and ultimately stuck her head out from the blanket by Kyousukes face. And she raised her voice while looking him in the eye. Bwah! Anyway, do the bait! I cant fish without new bait on the hook, so fix it, boy!! (Not even someone at Shigara Masamis level could fight it.) This was not enough to get a response from Kyousuke. In fact, the more obvious a smile she gave him, the deeper he sank into his own thoughts. He poked at the phone on the side table to check the time and found there were no missed calls. When a summoner or vessel had reached a certain Award level, they vanished from normal peoples memories and awareness when not in their direct line of sight. It was obvious, but that too was an issue of the rules. It was a part of the Blood-Sign rules, so there was no fighting it. That was just more proof of how easily peoples minds could be influenced. And the White Queen stood at the peak of the Summoning Ceremony. To repeat, peoples minds were easily influenced. (Then what about everyone else? Whats the point of anything Ive done? I saved them because they asked for help, but if their definition of happiness can be distorted by the white, then what do the words help me even mean???) Wahyah? Zoning out turned out to be a bad idea. While still lost in thought, old habits moved his body. Specifically, he placed a hand on Meinokawa Aois silver-haired head and stroked it as if soothing a small child. W-wait, this is not what I asked for! The bait! I only wanted you to bait the hook! Ahh, yes. Right there. Gently massage my scalpah!? W-w-wait, no, I need to resist!! That was not enough to silence her, so Kyousuke picked Aoi up and carried her to the bath. While he used shampoo to roughly work up a lather on her head, the worlds oldest Joruri Method finally realized what was going on. Hold it! I think Ive figured this out! You dont know who I am, do you!? Wake up! I might look the same, but I am not the White Queen!! You really do have a hard time separating love from hate, dont you!? What a pain!! She may have been lucky her black bikini was a little trickier than average. Otherwise, he might have stripped off her clothes before placing her in the bath based on his autopilot programmed at the Miniature Garden. From beginning to end, Kyousuke never really looked at Aoi. He stared into the distance while washing the bubbles away with warm water from the showerhead. Then he left the shower room on his own and collapsed right back into the double bed. It all looked like someone mindlessly constructing boxes on a conveyer belt. The Joruri Method looked a bit dissatisfied at not being given any conditioner or hair treatment, but she still left the bath and placed a towel over her head. She looked down at the empty shell of a summoner and breathed an exasperated sigh. He has it really bad. Shut up. Part 3 It was a surprising blind spot. I never thought I would be able to work part-time at school. Braided and bespectacled Librarian-chan spoke her soul. Ever-expanding cumulonimbus clouds floated in an otherwise clear blue sky. Due to all the bushes and trees growing on the school grounds, the noisy cicadas were out in full force. August was approaching its end, but summer break was not over yet. And lately, schools had begun opening themselves up to the public after school to provide communication opportunities outside of studying. As an extension of that, this was naturally the most popular part of the school during the summer. The pool had been opened up. Yes, yes. Thats dangerous, so please stop it. Fwee, fwee, fwee, fwee!! Stop lining up the kickboards to try to run across the water! I said stop it!! Why was Librarian-chan sitting in the lifeguard seat blowing on a whistle when she was not all that good a swimmer herself? Because she was Librarian-chan. A close observation of the pool would show boys and girls in non-school swimsuits holding waterproof packages made of thick plastic. They were book covers designed for reading in the bath. (I know its a campaign to increase the reading rate during midsummer, but I still dont like bringing paper anywhere near the water.) In her dark blue swimsuit, Librarian-chan grumbled in her heart. This was originally a library-led event, not a pool event. During summer break, the only thing the school library had going for it was the quiet and the air conditioning. But it was a cruel world out there and everything needed some way of drawing in users. So Oh, Librarian-chan? Are you so straight-laced you wear the boring old school swimsuit at an event like this? Wow. Oh, god. Why did I have to run into a classmate on the job!? This is hell!! The customer is your god, so youd damn well better treat me with care. The classmate was Rendou Akiya(). The odds of running into a classmate were likely higher than at a normal job since this one used a school facility. But that did not mean she had to like it. This classmate had his chestnut hair tied back and normally wore a girls uniform as a fashion statement, but today he wore a bright yellow two-piece swimsuit that used frilly cloth to subtly hide the shape of the chest and hips. And wasnt that swimsuit the hot new product from Wet & Smith!? Also, a form-fitting school swimsuit really only works with a flat chest or giant tits. You cant draw out the true charm of a school swimsuit with average proportions. Well, you talk like a boy if nothing else. Just look at the Student Council President! See how the threads holding on that Benikomichi Fuuki nametag are straining and about to burst? Now thats how you do a high schoolers school swimsuit! Hell yeah!! Wait, why is she forcing that excessively curvy body into a school swimsuit!? And that nametag is written in hiragana like it was written by an elementary school kid! That just makes it look indecent!! And speaking of nametags Hey, Librarian-chan, whats that on your swimsuits nametag? Some kind of nickname??? Its my real name! Who would write Librarian on here!? Librarian-chan sighed at that person whose bodylines somehow still looked feminine in a swimsuit. I really dont want to pursue this too far, but which locker room did you use? Do you take me for a fool, average girl? I only dress this way as a fashion statement, so Im not going to use my appearance to shamelessly satisfy my love of peeping. Did this mean that someone who looked that pretty (she hated to admit it, but that guy looked more feminine than she did!!) had marched into the boys locker room, stripped off his clothes, and changed into that swimsuit? While battling this harsh reality in her school-approved swimsuit, Librarian-chan was worried that him using the boys locker room would cause just as much chaos as the opposite. And as the part-time lifeguard, it was her duty to preserve the peace of this small slice of the world. You cant get in the pool without borrowing a book, so what do you want to read? 100 Simple Snacks Made With Pancake Mix. Just how high were his femininity points? The readings were so high he was reaching the level of a young wife. Fixing a bento out of necessity was one thing, but these snacks were an extra luxury. Not even a serious(?) girl like Librarian-chan went for handmade food. In an age when you could get decent coffee and donuts at any convenience store, why would anyone need to work with pancake mix? These thoughts were rapidly draining away the braided glasses girls femininity points, but she seemed oblivious of the severity of her situation. Well, take your time and relax. I hope this cookbook will come in handy for you. Yes, I hope the combination of sugar, flour, and lots and lots of femininity points will shatter the pride of girls all over the city. Gwa ha ha ha! Yknow, we went to the same middle school, but do you have an older sister? This summer I met someone with the same family name as your nametag. What!? Wait just a second! Are you making those snacks to hit on my sister? You have to be joking! I cant imagine anything more awkward than the possibility of a family member and a classmate dating!! This was a very serious issue. Librarian-chan frantically leaned out from the lifeguard seat in her school swimsuit, but she was unable to get to the bottom of the matter. She was interrupted by a deep tremor. It came from awfully close by and was not at all something from a normal school life. Part 4 Toy Dream 35 was made up of countless skyscrapers rising from the ocean and countless giant bridges that connecting those buildings. This was a large midair garden about as wide as a train station plaza or a small park. The August sun shined brightly. White cumulonimbus clouds floated overhead. But despite that cheerful scene, the world on the surface was endlessly gloomy. Wheres the commotion this time? Right next to Club Resistance in R Block. Are you kidding me? Thats Illegals turf!! The modified China dress beauty named Lu Niang Lan shouted in annoyance to answer the transmission from shut-in girl Aika. Since she was sharing this information with Government, she likely intended to remove all equipment from this facility and abandon it now that this commotion had drawn too much attention. A criminal organization like Illegal worked best when hidden. This facility had been built in the same block as so many schools in order to function as a gateway club. It found new recruits by getting the good students to stop by after school, give them a taste of the spoils of illicit activities, and have them drop out. The underworld could not function if the organizations were nothing but muscular mohawked men. That type would drop out on their own and every industry wanted the genius boys and genius girls who were at the top of their class. But in this case, there was a more important issue. Club Resistance has lots of communication equipment which is officially for streaming online concerts. Summoners and vessels have difficulty with the internet since normal people forget about us when we arent in their line of sight, right? So nothing we post gets a response. Renting online videos which only requires interacting with another machine is fine, but orders from online stores that require people to pack them up and ship them out will be completely forgotten. Thats why we use intermediaries who have stayed at less than Award 100. Ugh, as a veteran shut-in, I know exactly what you mean. Illegal might be the enemy, but you have my sympathy. What do we have left if you take our network from us? Illegals dark web communication bases are convenient, but they double as archives due to all the data that naturally gathers there. Even gathering up all the temporary files would provide a lot of data. Especially when it comes to data sources related to the Summoning Ceremony and Materials. Meaning? This is another side effect of this age of chaos. Someone is probably demanding all the data we have on the White Queen and the Colorless Little Girl. Toh!! She stopped speaking, swished the bottom of her modified China dress around, placed a hand on the bridge railing, and immediately jumped out into empty air. She was about 150m above the ocean surface, but there was no need to calculate that out. Not all of the bridges were at the same height. They crossed over each other in a complex three-dimensional arrangement, so she had only jumped down onto one a level lower. That placed her right in front of Club Resistance. She did not take her time to land, prepare, and then attack the enemy. She did it all in one flowing motion. She placed her legs on the shoulders of the man she was attacking, squeezed his neck, and then made a vertical half rotation. With a windmill-like movement, she slammed the top of his head against the asphalt floor. The shaking sent cicadas flying from a nearby roadside tree. Bwah!? She was now below a mist sprayer to provide some relief from the heat. She did not bother introducing herself to the vessel girl who was unsure what to do now that her summoner had been taken out so quickly. Without the Summoning Ceremony, the vessel was no more than a human. The girl tried to pull a handgun from her hip like it was the natural thing to do. But with her palms still pressed against the ground, the modified China dress beauty spun herself around like she was breakdancing. This time, she made a horizontal rotation. The vessel just barely managed to jump back to keep her slender legs out of reach and she pulled the trigger, but a dull impact hit the side of her head. The artificial mist was swept several meters to the side. Lu Niang Lan had used a Saryuda. That was a binding tool made by attaching anchor-like clasps to the end of a metal chain. Instead of swinging it around to grab at a fleeing opponents clothing, she used it to extend the reach of her spinning kick. It only took the one hit. The blow from the side shifted the handguns aim, so the bullet blew a hole in the mist sprayers water pipe instead of Lu Niang Lan. With a low watery gurgle, a puddle quickly formed. The vessel girl collapsed to the side without as much as a scream. Lu Niang Lan sighed while returning the metal chain to her modified China dress so smoothly it looked like a snake moving on its own. Hey, you walking obscenity, cut in Aika. My bodylines are a thing of beauty, so I have no problem showing them off. Even when people can see the outlines of all the secret toys hidden under your clothes? Oh, how indecent of me. And I call myself the Perfect Dragon? That woman primarily carried items that would violate the Swords and Firearms Control Law, so she finally started worrying about her silhouette and pinched and tugged at her modified China dress. By placing some air in between, she could hide what she was carrying within. She continued the effort while using her long leg to lightly kick the vessels head so she would face the other way. The girl would have drowned in the puddle otherwise. Lu Niang Lan stopped at knocking them out. She had a reason for not killing them right here and now. She brushed up her bangs which looked even more charming while wet. I was worried we were leaking information from the dark web communication base, but I was wrong. It looks like this mess was entirely contained to Illegal even though were the ones who are supposed to be protecting Club Resistance. Why were those scum interested in a nearby high school? We were leeching off of a nearby public facility because we were afraid someone would notice the large server from the power consumption, but that didnt work out so well. Neither did the enemys plan. They were only after the data, but they did not cleverly make a cyber-attack from some remote location. Nor did they sneak in and swap out a ROM for one with their own malware on it. They had simply planned to blow open a wall, march into the facility, and directly steal a server blade or storage device. But they had been confused by the power leeching and decided to attack the school that had none of the data they wanted. That just made it look like they were trying to cause as much damage and bloodshed as possible. Down with the Queen. Lu Niang Lan saw bloodshot eyes and heard a voice. But it was hard to explain exactly who they belonged to. Several summoners raised their voices at once. Where is the Queeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeenn!!!??? An affiliation with Government, Illegal, or Freedom no longer mattered. They were simply trying to escape the pressure created by the conflict between the White Queen and the Colorless Little Girl. So they were trying to kill one or the other. It was like the walls were closing in on them, so they felt the need to break through one of the walls to escape. And they were willing to do whatever it took to accomplish that. It was the same psychological pressure and desperation of someone who thought the world was ending tomorrow. A three-way battle between factions was not an option here. They would not even obey the rules of war. Back when superstitions were spreading that the tail of Halleys Comet would rob the earth of all its oxygen, people had apparently fought over rubber tire tubes in their desperation for air. During the oil shock when people believed the oil would dry up before long, products like gasoline, lamp oil, and even toilet paper had vanished from store shelves. Unlike the normal people on the streets, summoners and vessels understood what the White Queen was. But that only brought more anxiety and fear. There were delusions one could only have when you had some but not all information on something. How many people on the planet truly understood the White Queen? Did anyone understand her more than Shiroyama Kyousuke, creator of the Colorless Little Girl? That was why the professional summoners and vessels who thought they understood were actually the most dangerous. Just like the fools who saw something they should not have, their minds would break. Just like lunatics who mistakenly thought their minds were being influenced by invisible transmissions from space. Those rioters approached as a single mass while smashing through everything in their way: a large bucket, a glass window, a car, and a planter. A frightened white cat bristled its fur, but they did not care it was a living creature in their path. However Pipe down, all of you. Something large and white stole away a summoner from the side. It was not a Material. That 5m beast was a white liger who functioned as an animal vessel. Perhaps to provide instructions, the cartoonish Aika-chan doll rode on the creatures back. The four-legged beast held her prey in her mouth lightly enough to keep him alive. She shook her head to swing him around before tossing the poor summoner off of the giant bridge. The white cat mewed up at her, so the 5m white liger glanced down at it just once before moving on. Real professionals would make the effort to maintain their sanity, so there was no need to sympathize with the summoners and vessels who had given up on that and joined the frenzy. They had failed to use their knowledge to erase their fear. Powerless normal people were one thing, but other professionals could be criticized for their insufficient effort. It was the same as Halleys Comet, the oil shock, Nostradamus, the Mayan calendar, and the AI uprising. Amateurs could be forgiven, but the experts had to keep a cool head. Because the qualifications of an expert gave them a greater influence and ability to cause harm. Since Im from Government, I honestly couldnt care less what happens to Illegal facilities and personnel, but there are quite a few schools in R Block. Government must uphold the principles of love and justice, so we cant have anyone getting carried away and summoning a Material there. How about you try saying that when youre not releasing a 5m animal near those schools without a leash or collar, circus girl? The black-haired beauty gave that annoyed response while a bit bothered by how her China dress clung to her skin thanks to the mist sprayer and its broken pipe. Maybe doing things like this for everyones sake was just the Government way of thinking. Actually, arent there an awful lot of kids around here for summer break? she asked. That high school was designated a wide-area evacuation point. If anything happens, the nearby residents will gather there. The modified China dress beauty held a hand to her cheek when she heard that. Just so you know, Im not going to wave a little flag at the intersection to help all the kids find their way. Liar. Everyone knows delinquents have a soft spot for lost children and kittens in the rain. Even during summer break, the schools in the area were not necessarily deserted. Even the Original Series at Cost 1 would be too much for a normal person. Not even a gun or a metal door would protect you from them. The basic plan is to individually defeat the rogue summoner-vessel pairs before they can summon a Material. What if we dont manage it in time? asked Aika. The target will vanish from my video footage if they open an Artificial Sacred Ground. That was when they heard a reinforced concrete bridge creaking. But not because the number of gathered rioters had exceeded its weight limit. It came from a different bridge a few dozen meters away. A cubic area of the world had already been cut away and a scaly otherworldly being planted its four legs on that artificial land and opened its mighty jaws. The Material itself could not leave the Artificial Sacred Ground, but the same did not apply to additional objects and projectiles like lightning or dragon breath. (Illegal Award 908, Monster Freak!?) Stop giving Liger-chan any instructions and let her wild instincts take over. ? Meanwhile, we need to gather their attention as best we can to distance them from the more populated areas!! Got that!? Lu Niang Lan did not have time to explain everything to Aika who could not see this. She was only focused on the line of fire. While drawing this opponents attention along a line that did not place the white cat or the children in danger, the modified China dress beauty and the white liger took evasive action at the exact same instant. A moment later, a beam of light burned up into Toy Dream 35s sky, destroying an entire bridge on its way. Part 5 Oh, ohh? Meinokawa Aoi stopped curiously poking at the contents of a small bait box to make an odd noise. Something quite large had fallen into the water very nearby. The cruiser rocked below her. Not even an experienced and battle-hardened(?) granny like her could do anything about this. She did not even have time to find something to grab onto. The silver-haired bikini girl fell to the deck, supported herself on all fours, and then realized something: what had happened to the bait box? Her question was soon answered by the box flipping upside-down and dumping its squirming contents right on her head. They were not quite earthworms. The ragworm and eunicid festival had begun. Gyaaaahhh!!!??? The nearby seagulls fled from her scream. The aquatic wrigglers were far more horrifying than their terrestrial brethren. A sticky feeling crawled all over her body. Aoi initially tried to get them off of her like she was brushing dust off of her clothes, but that was not enough and she felt the stickiness reaching her chest and hips. She concluded that the frilly extra cloth around her chest was getting in the way. She could never be sure if there was anywhere left for them to hide, so she resorted to scorched-earth tactics. Even though she was outside, she reached for the bow on her back, stuck her thumb below the elastic on the side of her hip, and gave a pleasant tug like she was pulling the pin from two grenades. With the rustling of cloth, she exposed every last centimeter of her body like it was a form of carpet bombing. An odd light shined down on her. A-ahhh. Such freedom! I have never felt more liberated!! But this was no time to tremble in liberated ecstasy while bathing in the piercing sunshine below the blue August sky. Chunks of reinforced concrete larger than the cruiser were still falling from overhead and, even if she had gotten all of those creepy-crawlies off of her body, they were still all over the deck. Simply put, she was afraid of stepping on them with her bare feet. She felt a crawling sensation on her feet, so that childish granny abandoned her responsibility to clean up and fled into the cabin. Wahhhh, boy!! I cant face them on my own!! Can you check to see if any of the bait got in my hair!? Had she not learned her lesson last time? Kyousuke was still out of it, so when he saw Aoi in the nude, he silently picked her up, carried her to the bath, washed her silver hair, and then dove right back into the double bed. He was not even conscious of what he was doing. It was the same as a worried housewife cooking a fried egg without realizing it. It had nothing to do with what he wanted or did not want to do. He was running on autopilot. It was an extreme case of summer heat fatigue. But this is fine. I only wanted to make sure none of the ragworms or eunicids got in my hair, so that worked perfectly. (mutter, mutter). As a granny, she may not have known how to respond when someone treated her like a little girl. No, Kyousuke may have been treating her more like a large dog. Another dull splash sounded outside. A piece of rubble must have fallen nearby. Hey, boy. It sounds like theres trouble afoot. Soooomeoooone needs help! She shouted that in his ear while reaching behind her back to retie the black bikini top to regain her safety(?), but he remained face down in the bed. After all, what was he supposed to do? He had supposedly killed the White Queen at Houbi Village, but the Colorless Little Girl had been damaged, creating a new threat and increasing the worlds chaos by making the worlds people seek their own ruin. Even Shigara Masami at Freedom Award 3000 had been taken in by the White Queens influence. She had gone along with the idea that a happy ending was good enough. She had succumbed to that beauty, sealed away the truth, and fled to the illusion of happiness without actually solving the fundamental problem. So what hope did anyone else have? Was this the end for the human race? Would they not even fight or risk their lives? Would they be left smiling as long as the White Queen stamped them with a label saying you are happy? His eyes lazily turned toward his phone. No missed calls. When a summoner or vessel reached a certain number of Awards, they were erased from the memories and awareness of normal people. It was a simple rule. But could peoples hearts and the bonds that tied them together really be influenced so easily by those rules? By the Blood-Sign rules where the White Queen reigned supreme? What did help me matter? What did Alice (with) Rabbit matter? No matter how much he hunkered down to desperately endure it all while waiting for an opening in the shrapnel-filled gale, the people around him would quickly crumble and what little he had saved up would vanish. All his efforts would go to waste. So wouldnt it be easier to give up? Wasnt it silly to keep fighting? He looked like an idiot continuing to struggle all on his own. White could be turned to black and vice-versa. What the hell was that? How was he supposed to protect the righteousness of a world with no core of truth!? He heard a nasal snort. Black bikini Meinokawa Aoi put her hands on her hips, tugged on the side strap of her bikini bottom to produce a nice snapping sound, and looked down at him. Human, people need to take breaks from time to time. You might look like you are simply rotting away, but if you find it meaningful, then do as you wish. But do not forget: No summoner fights alone. Whether they are the strongest or the weakest, a summoner must rely on others. Even the Materials cover each others weaknesses with the power of numbers. The only one who can truly wield their power as an individual is the White Queen you so detest. If you reject all others and assume you alone are special, that is when you will lose everything. She did not seem interested in spending too much time on this. With a swish of her long silver hair, Meinokawa Aoi left the cabin. Kyousuke still did not move. So any change had to come from outside. A quiet buzzing came from the bedside table. When he realized it was his phone vibrating, Kyousuke reached out his hand while still lying face down. He caught the mobile device when its own vibration caused it to slide off the table. Just like when he had washed Aois hair, his hand was moving automatically based on his memories. Opening the screen revealed it was a group message on social media. The commotion was coming from directly above, so probably near his school. This was only an automated message warning all of the students to stay indoors. They had no idea who was where during summer break, so they had simply sent it to everyone. (Is that all?) That did not mean there was anything left for him in that school life. Summoners with a certain number of Awards vanished from normal peoples awareness. Even the classmates he greeted on a daily basis and studied with in the classroom would forget all about him once he left their line of sight. Online relationships were entirely out of the question. This message had only reached him because it was mechanically sent to everyone at the school, but he could never receive individual one-on-one messages. They would never think of sending him a message and, even if he sent them one, they would only tilt their head at it. From their point of view, some unknown person was contacting them like they were friends. It all came down to the rules. The rules of the Blood-Sign System that lifted up and glorified the White Queen. That was just how it worked. Peoples minds could be easily swayed and there was nothing anyone could do about it. Yes. So it should have been. Ren-Bow// Hey, have you still not finished the roll call? I kinda want to get out of here!! He was simply registered as a part of the group and no one from the class community would respond if he posted. But then something odd happened. Dont Call Me Librarian// Wait. Just once more. Ren-Bow// How many times have you done it now!? Dont Call Me Librarian// How do I put this? Dont you feel like were forgetting someone? Dont Call Me Librarian// Like the count is coming up short (What?) Kyousuke frowned. Instead of simply having his body respond to the outside world on autopilot, his mind actually started moving. The gears resumed turning. He consciously sat up in bed. Meanwhile, more speech bubble messages scrolled across the screen. Im the Center// Thats definitely a worrying thought. Himiko// Yes, it would be bad if anyone was trapped in the middle of this. Future Guitarist// Ill try contacting whoever it is using a different tool. Sorry if anyone gets duplicate messages. He assumed they were talking about some easily-forgettable classmate other than him, but that was not the case. Their roll call found a single member of the class missing. That meant everyone except Kyousuke was accounted for. But it would end there. They would not find this strange. Once he was outside their line of sight, they would forget all about him, so they would be satisfied with this and move on. And yet. And yet. Dont Call Me Librarian// Once more! Just once more!! Ren-Bow// Okay, fine! Well stick with it until everyones accounted for!! What is this? It might seem like a tiny thing at first glance. But it was not. Librarian-chan, Rendou Akiya, and the rest of the classmates were fighting the absolute rule stating that summoners and vessels could not be perceived when outside their line of sight. Of course, there was no way they could do it. The rules were rules and they would be meaningless if they could be broken. But those students refused to give up on their hopeless task. They were continuing their efforts which would never be rewarded. Their lives were at risk. It was all over if they failed to escape in time. But they were restraining their pounding hearts and staying put based on no more than a vague sense that something isnt right. They were fighting the Blood-Sign System rules that lionized the White Queen. As if to protest the idea that nothing could be done about it. Why? The answer was obvious. They were worried for the unknown person they were not sure was safe. They were worried for him. A deafening alarm blared inside of Shiroyama Kyousuke. Could he abandon this? Could he declare this worthless? Could he give up on peoples hearts and the bonds that tied them together? Could he deny that strength? Shigara Masami had been moved to emotionno, had been tricked into thinking she had and the White Queens influence had reached her. She had given up on fighting to the bitter rend and she was trying to compromise with a half-assed happy ending. So what? Was that any reason to give up on the other 7 billion people out there? Was that worth criticizing Librarian-chan or Rendou Akiya over? Not a chance. What did Shigara Masamis failure have to do with anyone else? To judge each and every one of them, he had to look to each and every one of them. Why had it taken him so long to realize something so obvious!? The most important things were not necessarily found in an elite few. In fact, viewing Shigara Masami as some special genius because she was Freedom Award 3000 was disturbingly similar to the thought process that led people to worship the White Queen as some twisted ruler. Right? Wasnt that true? Hadnt Shiroyama Kyousuke loathed the free pass people gave her violence because she was a special being and the way people viewed eccentrics as geniuses as long as they produced results? Everyone had something. Everyone had something they wanted to protect even if it meant bending the rules of the world. And. His entirely ordinary classmates had proven it. Their attempts were doomed to fail, but they did not want to evacuate without Shiroyama Kyousuke who had shared a classroom with them. They did not want to forget him. They did not want to leave him behind. What did being the strongest matter? What good was logic? How could he write off their actions as wasted effort!!!??? I was wrong. Alice (with) Rabbit had stayed 5 or 10 steps ahead of the average person and defeated all sorts of fierce warriors with his absurd combat ability. But it was that very cleverness that kept him from avoiding this decision. No one had a monopoly on human strength. Everyone had it equally. I was dead wrong. His index finger moved across the 5-inch screen. He had learned here that there was work that required a strength very different from the deadly Summoning Ceremony battles. No one would be able to recognize it. They would mistake any message for something from a stranger who had somehow made it into the system. He knew that. He really did. But his response was as follows: so what? Now was not the time to be rotting away in his own little world. The boy gathered his resolve and tapped his finger on the screen. He sent out his powerful words. Rabbit// Im fine now, so dont worry about me. And. While crouched down on the cruisers deck, cautiously picking up a ragworm, and returning it to the bait box, black bikini Meinokawa Aoi looked back. The vessel was trying to overcome her fear and solve the problem she had caused, but she grinned as soon as she saw his face. Stand up, he said. You need to symbolize your return, do you? Fine, I will help. A dull sound of impact followed. Shiroyama Kyousuke had punched his own cheek with a tightly clenched fist. Are you a masochist? asked Aoi in amusement. But I like it. You finally look like a man, boy. Swimsuit time was over for Aoi. It was now time to support him as a vessel. With the sound of cloth flapping in the air, the frilly black bikini girl grabbed a shrine maiden outfit and a white sarashi. Are you ready now? Yes. He wiped off his split lip and held the finger out toward Aoi. Needless to say, this was the ceremony a summoner and vessel used to form a contract. He would not make this mistake again. And he would challenge that white disaster as many times as it took. Sorry it took me so long. Lets settle this immediately!! Part 6 She did not summon a legendary dragon or spread her arms to fly around all on her own. The White Queen sat on a bench in an international airport lobby just like anyone else. She was in the business class priority boarding zone, but it was summer break. The place was packed. A young brother and sister were loudly fighting over a robot toy right next to her on one of the many long benches. She was not wearing her usual battle costume that looked like a wedding dress cut down to size with silver armor covering the important parts. She only wore a casual summer dress with thin fabric. It was like she had had been forced to find a change of clothes after having water dumped over her head. Her chest, armpits, and bright thighs were all too risqu. The borrowed clothing was simply too short in a number of places. She wore narrow walking sandals on her feet. It was all white, so the selection may have been made with her tastes in mind. She wore hair ties in her hair. Those twintails were the one remnant of her former look. She was lazily waiting her turn to board the business class of Flight NAL901. At first glance, it may have looked like the silver twintail girl had regained her common sense. At least compared to traveling by breaking through the stratosphere with no outside assistance or directly slicing through the dimension. But something was fundamentally wrong here. Hi, hi, hiii! A waitress demon with long pink hair and a cow horn headdress called out to her. It was Biondetta. She boldly showed off a couple of passports in the middle of the public international airport lobby. It was likely only meant to draw the eyes of the White Queen and Shigara Masami, but she bent over and accentuated her large breasts in a needlessly provocative way. This ones yours, Shigara Masami. And this ones yours, White Queen. These are pretty important in human society, so dont lose them, okay? [Yes, theyre instant insurance for travelers.] Be careful. These can gather a lot of unwanted attention if they get out. That was why Biondetta had been holding on to them to handle the processing, but that was not what mattered here. Biondetta Shiroyama had just handed them brand-new passports. And they were made with printing techniques possibly even more precise than the real ones. They were not using the Blood-Sign System, so they could have their photos taken as long as they were not in an Artificial Sacred Ground. The White Queen found it odd to see a photo of herself. But that was not the crux of the issue. Shigara Masami. [What is it, Queen?] Um, isnt this against the rules??? [But we cant reach Japan without a passport.] That woman toying with the whistle around her neck provided the illusion of being a capable adult, but she was actually very devil-may-care. It pained the White Queen to remember that someone like that had managed to break her with a lecture. Think of it like being scolded for holding your chopsticks wrong by a drunk with a horse-racing newspaper in hand who was drinking beer at a restaurant in the middle of the day. [Well, that sure took a while, didnt it? I wanted to complete the digital investigation first so the trip wouldnt be a waste of time, but I didnt expect that to take more than two weeks.] Um, Queen? Why does Shigara Masami look so happy talking about all the tedious work she did? Remember the bottles of Sbirnoff, Absolium, and vodka she was waving around earlier? They only allow small containers of liquid on the flight, so she started drinking it all to sulk. And now I believe it is catching up with her. As the resident of another world, the White Queen had no personal information to include on the passport. Everything from her nationality to her age was made up. The name appeared to be a simple anagram of iu - nu - fb - a - wuh - ei -kx - eu - pl - vjz. Perhaps out of respect for the Blood-Sign System which placed such importance on the meaning found in letters and names. Biondetta also waved around her own passport. Anyway, it is a very moving experience to meet with you again. You dont hold a grudge? That question sounded simple, but it carried deep meaning. The White Queen was the one who had torn apart Kyousuke and Biondetta as children. But what about Shigara Masami? No matter what she had thought deep, deep down, she had contacted those children while hiding her true identity and she had run the entire Miniature Garden as Freedom Award 3000. Complex emotions surrounded the White Queen and Shigara Masami. But even though Biondetta may have been justified in criticizing the two of them Not really, no. She placed a finger on her slender chin like a child who had forgotten what fear was. Do I hate the White Queen? Yes, because I have the Queens hatred. But during the final stage of the Secret War, I was mostly just trying to escape and I never directly fought you. The person I had to fight in the very end was Alberto the Hatter. So I do have to wonder whether or not the image of the White Queen that its said I saw was really the whole picture. She made this point very clear. And you did not kill my little brother, Kyousuke-chan. Even though he must have directly confronted you, unlike me. That is not some vague image; it is an undeniable result. So I will focus on that result. You may be twisted, foolish, awkward, and inept, but I know you will always do what Kyousuke-chan needs you to do. No matter how much you must suppress yourself or dirty your hands. Praying to you is silly and expecting anything in return is the height of folly, but when it comes to him, you will act without needing to hear anyones prayers or asking anything of anyone else. That is the one thing I can trust about you. The White Queen could not decide whether or not she could rely on this. She rubbed together the thighs visible below her thin casual dress. Biondetta was just as unreliable as Kyousuke. And I also want to see what lies at Kyousuke-chans foundation, added the waitress demon while scratching her cheek. I signed a contract with him and fought alongside him, so I believe Ive seen his enmity for you more than most. Theres something odd about that hostility. It feels so different from the thought processes that make him reach out a hand whenever he hears the words help me. And wouldnt it be sad if it turned out that had been implanted inside him by someone else? Doctor S. A precision-guided missile. I think this needs to be settled one way or another. Biondetta sounded like she was spitting the words at someone not present. But that needs to be done between you and him with no one else intervening. I dont care what lofty ideals or grand plans are involved. If the ever-expanding cocoon and the power-gathering Colorless Little Girl were not stopped, the human race had no future. And the only way to stop them was for the White Queen herself to change. She had to use her journey to understand what it means to be human to understand Shiroyama Kyousuke and overcome her issues with Shigara Masami. The White Queen glanced out the window covering the entire wall, but she viewed something only she could see. The cocoon should reach 6km before long. A soft tone sounded. Next, a gentle female announcer spoke, although it was hard to tell if it was live or a recording. Flight NAL901 will take off on schedule. Boarding will begin in less than an hour. Please do not forget any of your luggage as you board. First class and business class passengers should gather in the priority boarding zone and economy class passengers should gather in the general boarding zone B. That acted as a quiet starting pistol. The White Queen slowly stood from the bench with her short casual dress fluttering dangerously at her thighs. Shigara Masami stood to her right and Biondetta to her left. Flanked by veterans of the Secret War, the silver-haired girl silently faced forward. Some of the worlds data had been erased by some past action. This was a journey to learn what it meant to be human. This path would take her to Shiroyama Kyousukes mother and little sister. Let us see where it all began. Sinceria Report 02 Q. What do you think about Shiroyama Kyousuke? Hm? Thats a really broad question and Im not sure what youre getting at, but Im gonna marry him. As you can see, he must be swiftly cut down as the vile criminal who drove the princess to madness. This discussion was held on Kingdom Fs royal plane. Olivia Highland had her blonde hair in double braids, wore a school swimsuit with a decorative collar and pareo, and was 100% serious when she said she would marry Onii-chan when she grew up. Rachel Wormwood was a knight in glasses who looked ready to kill someone right here and now. Olivia should have returned to being a normal person after ending her contract with Kyousuke, but here she was speaking normally with a summoner like Rachel and a vessel like Sinceria. Her memories and awareness returned when they were in her line of sight, so conversations like this could continue just fine. Since it was their royal plane, they could bring anything aboard without going through strict anti-terrorism checks. And unlike your average charter flight, this plane was large enough to hold more than 3000 passengers, but it had been redesigned for no more than 10. In her blue dress, Sinceria sat on a sofa much more spacious than any first class seat and rolled around a tall glass of Chateau de Corail 1999 (mo) - it sounded fancy, but it was just sparkling wine easily bought from French online stores - that a maid had poured for her. Sinceria knew when to show restraint. A lot of money had to be poured into the royal plane for safety reasons, but the drink was only a personal luxury. And she did not even have the excuse of serving it to a foreign diplomat in this case. So as long as it came from a vineyard with no risk of a poison being mixed in, it could come from anywhere. And high prices at auction were not what gave a wine its flavor. The true connoisseurs knew where to find treasures hidden quite close by. And they were not foolish enough to spread the word about their personal treasure. They did not want it to become a target of speculation or reselling, did they? No, not that. I am talking about the secret to Kyousukes strength. Or the source of his obsession if you would prefer. Sinceria would not make a fool of herself in front of her daughter just because she was a little buzzed. She only sipped at the faintly golden liquid as a way of loosening her tongue. When Olivia begged for some wine too, their skilled maids poured her a nonalcoholic sparkling wine made at the exact same vineyard. It was really just a carbonated grape juice made by simply removing the skins, but the school swimsuit braid girl did not notice because the bottle and label looked so fancy. Onii-chan is my hero! He saves anyone who asks for help!! He deserves countless deaths for going over the knights heads and stealing the princesss heart, buthmph. I do sense an insane sort of strength in his abnormal policy. But our kingdom and the world cannot run on feelings alone (mutter mutter) and he could always ask for some help (mutter mutter). Rachel, are you after Onii-chan too? Should I see you as a rival??? Sinceria smiled at Olivia who tried to act like an adult by grabbing an olive from the large plate of finger foods and tossing it into her mouth. Well, he did secretly save her life at least three times during the war. Via, had you heard this story? When she had collapsed from an arrow to the thigh, Kyousuke sucked out the poison and then princess-carried her to safety. He gave her the old kiss-kiss-hug Despite the critical shout of My Queen!!, Sinceria childishly stuck out her tongue with her milky skin and long ears somewhat flushed. She loved the ability to blame the alcohol for anything she said. And it felt right to go with a childish sparkling wine over a red or a white. She munched on a kiddy cracker smeared with cream cheese and raisins while listening to her summoner speak. Anyway, Shiroyama Kyousuke never did like talking about his past. He likes looking after others and part of that makes him something of an explainer. He has no issue with holding conversations and he will dig right in to the private lives of his vessel. It isnt that he does not like talking about himself, but he always changes the subject and redirects things back toward you when his past comes up. Really, Rachel? Onii-chan didnt hide anything from me. Like he told me he really loves cereal. That was him changing the subject from-ahem, ignore that, princess. Please do not glare at me like that. My heart cannot take it. Sinceria thought for a while as she spun her tall glass and made air bubbles dance through the liquid. When she opened her mouth, she was speaking more to her own reflection in the glass than anyone else there. Does Kyousuke have trouble facing his own past? ? (If so, what part of his past are we talking about?) This fit with Azalea Magentarains theory that the key to it all could be found at Shiroyama Kyousukes roots. So was that the right place to investigate? The beautiful ruler of Kingdom F fell deeper into thought while Olivia and Rachel gave her curious looks. The cocoon continued to grow and it was applying pressure to Kingdom Fs border. If the Colorless Little Girl was amassing power in response, the entire world was in danger. They could not afford to wait. They needed to solve the mystery of Shiroyama Kyousuke even if it was only to predict the White Queens actions. Then the other two started whispering to each other. (S-surely I dont have to add mother to my list of rivals, right? I dont want to do that. Theres no way I can beat those boobs! And no matter who wins, the royal family is going to be super awkward. Will we have a closed-room suspense theatre in an Eastern European castle!?) (Do not even suggest such a thing, princess! What a horrific thought!! If that insane cereal rabbit ever wears the crown of Kingdom F, I will stage a coup to overthrow him!!) (Oh, so the criminal could be from outside the family? It couldnt be sillier, but it isnt very exciting if we dont discuss every possibility. Although if you see it that way, wont you end up doing that when I marry Onii-chan? Wow, Rachel, youre going to have a rough life. Whens the movie coming out?) (Gh, the queen and princess have both gone mad!! Does Kingdom F have no hope of a healthy future!?) Facts: *Aika is a shut-in and generally does not leave her apartment, but she can have the white liger move about on her own. Just like Lu Niang Lan, the liger is very useful until a Material has been summoned. *The chaos spreading across the world has created some rogue elements among the summoners and vessels of the three major powers. With cries of down with the Queen, they are apparently searching for the Queen in order to kill her. But it is unknown whether they could actually do this if they did find her. *Normal people like the Librarian and Rendou Akiya cannot remember Shiroyama Kyousuke when he is not in their field of vision. But that does not meant their efforts should be ignored. *Shigara Masami and the White Queen have chosen to work with Biondetta to help them interact with and blend into human society. Biondetta seems to be using this journey to learn what it means to be human in order to root for her little brother and the White Queens love *Shiroyama Kyousuke made a contract with Meinokawa Aoi. *Stay strong and do not let the White Queen influence you. No one is interested in a love comedy. Volume 9, Stage 02: Stand Back Up and Return to the Starting Point Volume 9, Stage 02: Stand Back Up and Return to the Starting Point Actually, what did you climb up this high to see? I was watching my knight in shining armor fight against the worlds tragedies (Stage 02 Open 08/21 12:00) Part 1 It did not matter if it was ugly. He had never wanted to be the strongest who could cleverly do anything and everything. A dull sound rang out. It came from one of the large bridges in Toy Dream 35s R Block where so many schools were located. This was an unbelievable choice according to the standard theory of the Summoning Ceremony. The rogue Illegal summoner known as Monster Freak had already reached the Divine-class. He had summoned an evil Norse dragon thats name began with n and that had a Sound Range of low and a Cost of 8. Challenging that while starting with a Cost 1 Regulation-class was utter suicide. And yet. And yet. Wha-? Shiroyama Kyousuke did not respond to the confused man who wore a black jacket made from the leather of various animals: cow, snake, crocodile, etc. The man must have sacrificed his own allies to reach a Material with such a high Cost. The 3D Artificial Sacred Ground had already been set up, but once you used up your initial 3 White Thorns, it was possible to join in. Kyousuke did not hesitate. With his Repliglass Blood-Sign resting on his shoulder and his vessel by his side, he stepped right into that field ruled by a Divine-class. The definite killer intent seemed to muffle the loud cicada cries. Monster Freak forced himself to yell at the boy while holding a Blood-Sign carved from banned ivory and decorated with tortoiseshell. What, you wanna end up a smear on the pavement!? Can it, rookie. The 10 seconds bought by that unnecessary exchange of words was more than enough. Kyousuke gained a single new White Thorn. The tip of his Blood-Sign struck the glowing white ball of the White Thorn and it contacted one of the glowing red Petals floating in the air. They bounced around and several different Petals dropped into the Spots opened directly in space. It likely functioned as a psychological restraint, but the silver-haired shrine maiden reached below her shrine maiden outfit and tightened the pure white sarashi around her chest. She raised her voice as she transformed into the colorful slime of the Original Series. Hah hah hah!! Ill show you what the worlds oldest Joruri Method can do!! Of course, Monster Freak had no reason to wait. The black jacket man snapped his fingers and the large dragon took a step forward. That was enough to apply pressure to the entire space enclosed by the Artificial Sacred Ground. After all, there was a considerable difference between a Regulation-class and a Divine-class. A single scratch from a claw would mean instant death. Or so Monster Freak assumed. A metallic sound came from Shiroyama Kyousukes feet. But why was there another metallic sound when the Incense Grenade had already been thrown? The black jacket man was briefly confused, but then he caught on. Watch out, Sumomo!! Is he trying to rattle us!? Then something happened. There was a bursting sound, but no flash of light or explosive blast. It really was no more than an Incense Grenade. It was an entirely meaningless action since the Summoning Ceremony had already begun. However. It did do something. It did release something into the air. How would you react to a normally unthinkable situation in the middle of a battle? Shiroyama Kyousuke had stepped in front of his Material to use his protective circle as a shield for the Cost 1 Material. And no matter what the vessel at the core thought, the summoned Divine-class was afraid of this unthinkable situation. It may have been a lot like a shogi or chess AI hanging up when it failed to react properly to a movement no human would ever make. Monster Freaks dragon roared. That was meant to threaten what it feared. Even though Kyousuke had only summoned the weakest of the weakest, a Cost 1 Regulation-class of the Original Series. With the exception of rare cases like Sinceria or Olivia, a vessel did not have full control over the Material. They could only guide that mass of fighting instincts toward the target like they were moving a struggling cursor. What would happen if the dragon itself succumbed to an irregular state of fear? There was no way of calming it down. Tch!! Sumomo, regain control of Nidhoggr!! Too late. Two icy words cut in. It felt like a joke. Kyousuke had already secured several Petals, so his Material had cast off the title of the weakest. It was now a collection of red laser beams bouncing around like they were in a room of mirrors. You might have had a chance if you had immediately summoned a different Divine-class to reset things. But the man had been afraid to let go of the overwhelming power that Divine-class provided. The confusion had bought Kyousuke 30 seconds. That was all it took for him to catch up and grow into a legitimate threat. It was too late by the time the black jacket man actually started thinking. It was a giant serpent with 8 heads. Divine-class. Sound Range: Middle. Cost: 14. An ancient Japanese dragon that contained a divine sword and thats name started with a y. The Sound Range and Cost were superior. Oh. There was nothing he could do. Monster Freak tried to raise his ivory and tortoiseshell Blood-Sign once more, but Owaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!??? It still came from directly above. The crushing blow squashed the Norse dragon, making it scatter and vanish. The summoner and vessel lay there like broken dolls after being hit by the shock of seeing their god slaughtered before their eyes. [Striking back with a dragon of our own, huh? But did you really need to do that!? I thought it was standard to preserve Incense Grenades on the battlefield.] During an away game, sure. But this is a home game, so I have a bit of a stockpile. [So what now? You built up to a Divine-class, but the Chain state only lasts for 90 seconds. Im itching for some action!] Dont beg. Its indecent. You sound like a battle-starved berserker. There was exasperation in the boys voice, but his body took precise action. As Meinokawa Aoi had pointed out, they only had 90 seconds of time to spare. He was already using his Blood-Sign to pole vault over the railing and onto another bridge running alongside this one. And there was more than just the one rogue Illegal summoner-vessel pair destroying the everyday scenery of Toy Dream 35. Illegal Award 900, Creation Dead. Illegal Award 887, Killer Acrobat. Illegal Award 910, Sinful Monk. [Defeat this many of their elites and that sexy China dress girl is going to be pissed.] We can apologize later. By jumping down and placing his feet on that new bridge, the Artificial Sacred Ground moved to contain these veteran fighters. It was one-against-three and Kyousuke had only just demonstrated that a Divine-class was not an absolute advantage. But it did not matter. No matter what, that boy would do whatever it took to ensure nothing happened to the classmates who had struggled to remember him. This was not a temporary home. It was a line he had to defend with his life. With the Repliglass Blood-Sign resting on his shoulder, he beckoned to the enemy with the fingers of his other hand. Ill take you all on at once. If your skill lives up to your nicknames, then bring it on. It might as well have been an explosion. Those three rogue summoners had been crushed by the White Queen and Colorless Little Girls pressure and they all took action in different ways. But the phrase they introduced to the fray was identical. Down with the Queen!! Posers. But he easily swept them aside. Thats my job. Part 2 Wahyah! A short distance away, the cartoonish Aika-chan doll made a weird noise from the white ligers back. The modified China dress beauty next to it gave an exasperated comment. I thought your cameras couldnt show you whats happening in the Artificial Sacred Ground. I cant see it, but my Onii-chan sense is tingling. Aika sounded like she was dreaming. I can tell hes back. That he is. This was no surprise. When that boy was carrying some kind of weight, he possessed an indomitable strength. The enemy ranged from the high 800s to the low 900s and he was taking on three of them at once. Kyousuke never assumed his position or his Divine-class Material gave him an unbeatable advantage. At times he destroyed the ground below his feet to get a fresh start and sometimes he used his own protective circle as a shield while he continually beat down the rogue summoners. The summoners on the receiving end of that beating were supposed to be Illegals secret fighters. This was a serious loss for the modified China dress beauty, but Lu Niang Lan was actually smiling a little. How could she say it? That boy had always kept his distance from his surroundings out of fear of the White Queen and of losing the things he cared for, but now he was baring his teeth and going on the attack. He had finally accepted the city he lived in was worth protecting like this. And now that he was fighting so fiercely, how could she tell him to stop? Welcome back, Kyousuke-chan. But then the white liger spun around to face the other way. This time it was not a summoner or vessel. It was Repliglass soldiers with white armor enveloping them. That cutting-edge equipment was not common in underground Illegal, but the number of soldiers continued to grow: 20, 30, 40, and even more. The obvious conclusion was Government too? asked Lu Niang Lan. So it seems, replied Aika. The chaos was worldwide, so there would be plenty of rogue fighters to go around. The White Queen and the Colorless Little Girl. Their conflict had created a formless madness like the world was ending tomorrow and it spread that frenzy as if by a mysterious signal. Individual morals were easily swept aside and they would spread destruction like it was the latest fad. In this world, everyone went mad and rushed to destroy. But Lu Niang Lan and the white liger did not stop fighting. Down with the Queen? Why should they care about that? The only thing on their minds was the world they wanted to protect. Part 3 And, in what may have been a response to what had happened, a voice spoke in one of the two worlds. [Nii-sama.] Part 4 The last one, Illegal Award 910, Sinful Monk, collapsed to the ground with a thud. There, that should do it. Indeed. Aoi lazily responded after returning to being a silver-haired shrine maiden. She held up a slender hand to protect her eyes as she looked up into the sunny blue sky that echoed with cicada cries. Whew, you really start sweating as soon as you turn back to normal. And I think I tightened my sarashi too much. Ugh, too much pressure on my chest. Hm? Come to think of it, why a sarashi??? It is my restraint as a vessel. Plus Im not an exhibitionist, so Im not going to walk around in public with my boobs jiggling everywhere. Even an old lady worries about those things, you know? Releasing Aoi from her Material form was not a problem. There was no point in continuing the Chain because the ground was littered with defeated enemies. No one was left to fight them, so Kyousuke looked around while Aoi worked at loosening her white sarashi. Yahoo. Got things settled there? Lu-san. Im here too. Lu Niang Lan and Aika must have fought off the ordinary firepower while Kyousuke and Aoi were battling the summoners. It was hard to say which was the harder job when a gun was more than enough of a threat to someone without a protective circle. Shiroyama Kyousuke never forgot that even when wielding his special power. Um, why is that white cat rubbing up against the white liger? And it seems to be offering her a captured cicada. Oh, the cute little thing is going with a gift strategy? said Aika. That is the ligers new follower. I believe we are witnessing the birth of a true harem. ? They had settled the Club Resistance problem. The high school was unscathed. But the fundamental global chaos remained. The White Queen and Colorless Little Girls conflict created massive pressure. Anyone could succumb to that pressure at any time and run amok while shouting down with the Queen. There was no division between expert and amateur here. It had been an outside enemy this time, but what if it was Librarian-chan, Rendou Akiya, or one of the other students next time? I need to do something about this, said Shiroyama Kyousuke. This was a turning point for the world and it was obvious who he would support when the options were the White Queen and the Colorless Little Girl. I will thoroughly crush the White Queen and fully shift the world onto the other set of rails. I will update the entire world from the Third to the Fourth. And I will keep it there. I cant let her keep getting away with this. It doesnt really matter whether or not shes doing it consciously. I will stop that cocoon and stop the Colorless Little Girls rampage linked to it. That is my top priority and I will attempt everything necessary to pull it off. I will help. But. Aoi breathed an exasperated sigh while Lu Niang Lan and the white liger focused on her. She must have successfully loosened the sarashi a little. To be honest, I am not quite sure whether you are acting rationally or are on a rampage of your own. Its too much to watch, so I think the medicine you need now is to take a look at that school. Shiroyama Kyousuke narrowed his eyes a little. But he did not look back. He replied with his Blood-Sign on his shoulder and his back to that gentle light. Not yet. Why not? If I relax here, something will threaten to crush me. Even kindness can be toxic. I cant afford to collapse yet. You really are a fighter to the core, arent you? Okay, fine!! I will see this through to the end, so I hope you are ready. I will not let you screw this up after coming so far!! Then the cartoonish doll on the white ligers back spoke up. But what exactly will you do now? Chasing after the White Queen seems like the only option for now. Chase after her? Lu Niang Lan frowned. But how? You dont know where she is. Kyousuke sighed before answering. I just have to ask myself where she would be. Thats how the Queen and I were made. Part 5 Below the midsummer sun and cumulonimbus clouds was a cylindrical water tank on a school roof. A normally obedient and unobtrusive girl sat on the very top of it. Hm, hm, hmm, hm, hmm Her name was Umie Shouko. If history had been just a little different, she would have been the star of a ghost story known as the Rainy Girl, but she had instead grown into a short but feminine high school girl. Heyyyy, Onee-chaaaan! ? While wearing her school swimsuit, she looked down at the voice from below and saw a hand reaching nervously up from the rusty ladder. It was a girl with glasses and a braid. That very librarian-esque girl was Umie Shoukos younger sister. But this was summer break and that sister was apparently cutting loose somewhat, just like Shouko was by climbing up onto the water tank (in her swimsuit). Oh? Ryouko-chan, were you walking around school dressed like that? Your swimsuit is still wet, so you must have dripped water everywhere. Lets hope people dont start spreading rumors of a Wet Girl or something. There was some kind of trouble, so the event was canceled! So lets get back home, Onee-chan. Im the lifeguard, so Ill get in trouble if I leave anyone behind. Oh, thats too bad. But I think things should be okay now. Actually, what did you climb up this high to see? Arent those the bird watching clubs binoculars? Hm, hm, hmm. This is what everyone really wanted to do. The older sister (who was shorter but with a sexier figure) hummed at the younger sisters question. Whats that supposed to mean? I was watching my knight in shining armor fight against the worlds tragedies ??? Part 6 That night, the royal plane carrying Sinceria Highland arrived at the international airport in Toy Dream 35s A Block. This was Shiroyama Kyousukes home ground where he kept his cruiser, but she was not there to see him. She had apparently used a music app or online video to start learning this countrys popular songs because she hummed one of the latest hits while performing some work. Hm, hm, hmm, hm, hmm What are you doing, mom? Olivia sat next to her mother with her two blonde braids, school swimsuit, and decorative collar, but she did not actually sit on the womans lap. That made Sinceria a little sad as a mother, but she held out the memo pad she had been writing on with a fountain pen. Tah dah! Your mother just listed up all of Kyousukes past girls. These are all the vessels that bunny has saved Our top priority is saving Kingdom F from the cocoon, so I do not care if this is unfair or underhanded. The quickest shortcut here would be to get Kyousuke on our side! So we will give him our full support. A skilled lawyer or trainer will learn what makes their client tick and provide them with the best possible advice when things are not going well. Yes, I see your mouth turning into a small triangle out of jealousy, but you reign supreme on this list, Via. But why are you on a list of girls, mom? Oh, come on. He saved me personally during that civil war as much as he saved you Personally!? You mean youre saying this as a woman!? Her daughter tearfully shouted at her, but she ignored it. This list might be necessary to discover Shiroyama Kyousukes roots as a person. Even if he would dodge the questions or was unaware of it himself, the vessels who had accompanied him might be able to tell them more. Fluffy blonde Sinceria was a skilled vessel herself. Experience meant more than logic when speculating about things like this. But it seems most of the list is concentrated inside Japan. National boundaries are meaningless in the face of love!! Yes, of course. We welcome him to marry into the royal family. Keh heh heh. And then your mother might just borrow him when she is bored. It was amusing how Rachel started freaking out over that, so Sinceria left it at that. However. Since Kyousukes activities had mostly occurred in Japan, that meant the White Queen had also been witnessed there most frequently. There was likely some unique trait to that country. It was technologically advanced, its religious views were willing to absorb anything from other religions, and it was part of East Asia yet had a strong Western-style capitalist ideology thanks to Americas influence. And let us not forget about the presence of the Queens Miniature Garden. And one other thing. (This land has no connection to Nostradamus, but it experienced a major frenzy related to his prophecy in July of 1999.) Just as Sinceria pondered that in her blue dress, the plane shook violently. That was not too unusual if they ran across some turbulence, but it was in the process of landing. Being tossed about this close to the runaway introduced a serious possibility of crashing and bursting into flames. Rachel remained standing perfectly straight despite the shaking and she barked a question into the small radio in her ear. What happened!? It appears to be a riot! Some rioters managed to break through airport security and have entered the runway!! That would be what they had been avoiding by leaving their scheduled path. But they had descended too far to rapidly ascend once more. Raising the nose might even scrape the tail against the ground. The giant tires just barely avoided the rioters as they forcibly landed off the straight line of the runway. A scream came from the control tower, they cut right past a fueling truck, and they grazed the nose of a passenger plane moving along a different runway, but they still had their momentum. Toy Dream 35 could almost be thought of as a midair city built on the many buildings rising from the ocean, so the international airport was built on the square of land supported by over 100 pillars and it did not have much room to spare. Overrunning the runways would send them tumbling right into the ocean. Just before that happened, they broke through several fairly useless safety nets and came to a stop right next to the edge of the square. The pilot (who had fewer than 100 Awards) continued to explain. I must deeply apologize. If anything has happened to the royal family, I- Enough formalities. I will apologize to our queen as the commanding bodyguard. What is the situation? According to our sensors, there is no risk of overheating or fires. But we are awfully close to the edge, so please use the rear exit when disembarking. The remains of the safety nets will make it difficult to call a stair truck right away. I recommend using the escape slide. Oh, how fun. I have always wanted to do that at least once. My queen. The straitlaced glasses knight breathed an exasperated sigh. If members of our honorable royal family must use emergency measures, whoever is in charge at the airport may feel the need to resign in disgrace. I apologize, but I do recommend you wait on the stair truck to help the airport officials save face. Hmm. Our Kingdom F has vanished from official history, so I really doubt this will cause much in the way of criticism. Long-eared Sinceria placed a finger on her slender chin. And, Rachel, this may not be the time to worry about that. As the ruler of the knights, I command you to prepare for battle. ? Those rioters seem to be making their way toward us. Looking out the window, it looks like 50 to 100 of them managed to get past airport security. But these are only ordinary people, so do not use the Summoning Ceremony. Stick to your battle hook. If that is your command. She did not hesitate. In her silver armor and tight skirt, Rachel put on the face of a warrior. She snapped her fingers to gather the other bodyguards on the plane and then began discussing the actual formation to use. Let me be clear, said Sinceria. If we are to keep any of the airport workers from being fired, nothing can happen to me here. But if something happens to Via, I will lose control of myself as a mother, as a woman, and as a queen. It does not matter where we are. We knights will not allow a scratch on any member of our noble royal family. Well said, Rachel. The knights of Kingdom F did not sneak around in the shadows. Even as the rioters approached in their self-made frenzy, the knights threw open the planes door as if to greet them. Via, excuse me a moment. Wahyah! Kingdom Fs royal family had arrived. The height was equivalent to a 2 or 3 story building, so the makeshift slide was not necessary. Sinceria picked up her young daughter and set foot on the asphalt runway as light as a feather. Wow, summer here is so humid. Thats why they have such an advanced swimsuit culture. Im so jealous everyone here can go to the beach whenever they want. While surrounded by veteran knights and standing majestically on the runway, the ruler in a dress viewed something other than the rioters. She gently sighed and kept the words in her heart. (Im surprised. I thought Toy Dream 35 was only Kyousukes temporary home, but his roots are located quite nearby.) Shiroyama Kyousuke had revealed some bits and pieces of information during the war in Kingdom F. He could not remember his mother or little sister. The White Queen had apparently erased the data from the world, but that may have been better than if it had been intentionally concealed. This way, there were a few hints remaining. The rioters were still a short distance away. But a few of them were spinning something around over their head. They appeared to be towels or belts, but they were being used differently. Someone who used Incense Grenades would have plenty of chances to see things like that and Sinceria had experienced that cruel civil war. Did those makeshift slings contain bricks or Molotov cocktails? She did not know what would be thrown with the centrifugal force, but their hostility was clear. Sinceria shut her eyes and gave an order to protect her daughter more than herself. Begin suppression. It only took an instant. Her silver-armored hounds were released like a blowing gale. Part 7 Also in Toy Dream 35s international airport, something was happening inside the ordinary passenger plane the Kingdom F royal plane had just barely grazed. [Oh, wow. I didnt expect to run into someone here of all places.] The ponytailed researcher named Shigara Masami sank down extra far in her business class seat so there was no chance of seeing her through the window. If she was here, then two other VIPs had to be here as well. Urp. Why does Shigara reek of alcohol? You can blame that on the in-flight all-you-can-drink service. But why do they have these lost Japanese whiskies like a Hamazaki 12 year and a Hakuzu 18 year? Anyway, she is working off her frustration at them stopping her from bringing her own drinks with her. Biondetta Shiroyama. And the White Queen. The rioters pouring into the runways were ordinary people, but they would not show up here for no reason. The world was unaware of the Summoning Ceremony, but they were still being subconsciously crushed by the pressure of the White Queen and Colorless Little Girl. There may have been so many rioters here because some half-formed sixth-sense had informed them of the Queens presence nearby. If the Colorless Little Girl broke loose after storing up power in response to the cocoon, the world would end. It was no surprise that the people with more sensitivity to such things would break first. Down with the Queen, is it? The silver twintail girl repeated their words while looking out the window and rubbing together the thighs sticking out from the bottom of her short casual dress. Yes, if they just wanted a quick resolution so they could escape the pressure, it made sense for those ordinary rioters to attack the White Queen, who was the weaker of those two powerful beings. Just like a gas pipe rupturing at its weakest point. Of course, they could only attempt something so reckless because they were unaware what they were doing. Even a weakened dinosaur was still a dinosaur. It was obvious what would happen to the fool who thought they had a chance just because it was lying down on the ground. Biondetta (who wore her chest-accentuating waitress uniform even on the plane) shrugged. Honestly, I say just let the rioters and knights do their thing. If we do much of anything around here, Kyousuke is going to find about it somehow or another. This is Toy Dream 35, so were already on his home turf. [It would be bad to run into him now. Especially if we had attacked some vessels he once protected. He would probably mistake it for some strange cruelty by the White Queen.] Shigara Masami chuckled at the thought, but the White Queens bare shoulders jumped a bit. Biondetta found it unusual for the Queen to be shaken - in other words, to appear hurt - by the words of someone other than Kyousuke. The dangerous part was how she might just summon a downpour of spears if someone mentioned a delay due to weather. [What should we do?] Lets find a way to slip out of here. They viewed this differently than the pure and innocent Kingdom F knights. As a demon, Biondetta was skilled in using bluffs, tricks, and detours to grant peoples wishes. Luckily, an announcement told them the plane had decided to have the nearly 300 passengers disembark immediately. It might seem odd to send them outside where the rioters were, but airplanes were built to be light and so their hulls were surprisingly flimsy. Large passenger planes had their engines exposed and the fuel tanks were located on the thin main wing. The flight crew feared the worst if the rioters surrounded them and trapped everyone inside. An explosion was not out of the question. This way. But with her tail flipping behind her, Biondetta did not guide the other two toward the plastic escape slide the other passengers were using. Instead, they used the confusion to slip into the off-limits cargo area. One reason for this was to retrieve her silver Blood-Sign (How careless of them to overlook that I can use it as a gun!) and her animal vessel which was being handled as a pet. The second reason was Where is it? Oh, found it. This is the wheel storage space! This was the place that Hollywood liked to use and that had had led to much debate: You could sneak into the plane through there. No, youd be caught in the gears and killed if you tried. No, no. You could totally do it. The hell you could! Oh, you wanna fight!? At the moment, the wheels were out and the plane was stopped on the runway, so the storage spaces door was open. Biondetta, Shigara Masami, and the White Queen used the thick shaft to climb down onto the runway separate from the ordinary passengers. [Be careful, Queen.] Hm? I really dont think anything could harm me. [Not that. I can see right up your dress!] The cicadas were crying, but this was not the time to enjoy the summer atmosphere. At an airport, the cicadas could easily get sucked into an engine and cause problems. There was a good reason for moving away from the other passengers. That fear and chaos is infectious. The passengers were separated from it by the planes hull, but now that they share the same space as the rioters, they might be infected and join in. [Thanks for the explanation. But I really wish you had paid more attention to our surroundings.] Yes, I see them. Just as the white dress and bare legged White Queen said that, some silhouettes stepped out from behind the passenger planes giant tire. More and more of them appeared as if they were duplicating. They formed groups of two. And one member of each group held a skinny stick measuring 150-200cm long. Shigara Masami sighed in her suit and lab coat. [What do you think?] All but one pair is a bluff. Theyre probably extras hired with some money. But guinea pigs know the risks when they agree to participate in the experiment. Summoners and vessels with a certain number of Awards would disappear from the memories and awareness of normal people when outside their line of sight, but contact could be maintained as long as they remained in that line of sight. And from the moment the battle began to the moment they were literally killed instantly, they would have no clue what kind of world this was. Biondetta herself had used a gadget known as Girls Backdoor to mess with Kyousuke. Because they all acted at once, their opponent could not tell who the real summoner was. If they were using a bluff like that, this summoner would be the quick-attack variety that ended the battle with their first strike. That meant a battle between the lowest level of Regulation-class, but if that was enough, that was enough. And that meant they would have trouble with a longer battle. Biondetta shook her waitress uniforms miniskirt and unfolded her collapsible Blood-Sign she had retrieved from the cargo space. In Toy Dream 35, there was someone from Illegal who sounded like an expert in this sort of thing. Illegal Award 891, Puppet?Theatre?Crime?Device. Down with the Queen. Was this a summoner and vessel who had succumbed to the pressure despite understanding the Blood-Sign System? The rogue summoner was a lot like a lunatic being controlled by the extraterrestrial signal beaming into their brain. The White Queen rubbed her index finger against her temple. The panic has reached a puppeteer too? I kind of feel sorry for the poor people drawn in by money without anyone explaining the danger. Queen, the incidents caused by you and your worshipers were a lot like that. All of them used identical movements to pull out some kind of round sphere. Needless to say, these were Incense Grenades. Upon seeing them, Biondetta clicked her tongue and the White Queen frowned slightly. A fight here was fine, but opening an Artificial Sacred Ground and summoning a Material would draw the attention of the Kingdom F knights fighting on the runway. And it would all fall apart from there. The White Queen sighed once. She tugged down on the bottom of her casual dress which was shorter than she had thought. She did not swell out with muscles or anything, but the pressure grew enough to make people imagine something was growing from her slender body. Even lying down, she was still the Queen. In fact, she could not afford to hold back at the moment. Whether to indicate that simple fact or not, she tilted her head and thought for a moment, so Shigara Masami reached out a hand to stop her. [Dont worry.] The ponytail woman smiled. And then something happened. There was a deafening boom and then a single person was blown back from the crowd of people. But not from one of Biondettas bullets. When the lab coat researcher flicked something with her thumb, it flew forward with the force of a gunshot, hit her target right in the forehead, and gave them a concussion. Once the precariousness of their situation finally dawned on them, the many extras scattered and fled. The woman had apparently been correct, but despite Biondettas expertise in trickery, she had no idea how the woman had figured out which one was the real summoner. The waitress demon had only figured out what had happened after seeing them lying on the runway. It was a sunflower seed. This was not even a part of the Blood-Sign Summoning Ceremony. But the idea of ending the battle before summoning a troublesome Material seemed like the foundation and origin point of Kyousuke and Biondettas fighting styles. [Illegal Award 891. Well, you probably could have made a fair amount of money in a more peaceful era.] Shigara Masami winked while she took some food from a small container and gave it to the small squirrel-like animal that crawled out from the neck of her lab coat. [But unfortunately, I am Freedom Award 3000. If you want to challenge me in the Summoning Ceremony, at least reach the same number of digits first] Part 8 On the border of Eastern Europes Kingdom F, there was a never-ending and very ominous sound of something thick being bent. This may have been what someone would hear if they could directly witness a continental plate being bent. Its incredible seeing it for myself. A researcher in glasses and a lab coat sat inside a large transport helicopter slowly circling the site of the cocoon. Her name was Maria Heartocean. She was technically a Government summoner, but her specialization was actually in developing the largescale devices known as Boxes. There was of course only one reason she had been called here. It appears to have a diameter of about 7km at the moment. They could no longer fly directly above the cocoon. 7km was passing the max altitude for the transport helicopter. Kingdom F had always been a natural fortress surrounded by mountains on all sides. From this vantage point, it looked something like someone had stuck some medieval European cities in a giant crater. But one side of that was being gradually crushed by the cocoon. At this rate, the entire crater would be obliterated. (But we cant wait that long anyway.) The cocoon was the White Queens battle costume, but it still had a limit. It looked stable at the moment, but that was only because the battle costumes incredible defensive power was containing the massive amount of energy inside. But what would happen once the dam cracked? In the worst case, this could form a black hole that would swallow up the entire solar system. Where should we begin? (Of course, I was really sent here to make sure no one tries anything rash.) She did not even try to hide her exasperation when she saw the other staff members growing over-excited with an odd sense of justice. There was only so much they could do. It really came down to extending the time limit as much as possible. That and helping restrain those with weaker wills. For the people who were itching to take action, being told to wait would only make the pressure harder to bear. They knew this was doomed to fail, so they would want to trigger that failure themselves so they could watch the world go up in flames. The wannabe heroes would never admit it themselves, but that was the truth of the matter. Maria knew exactly who really stood in the spotlight, so she breathed a gentle sigh. (If I mentioned that name, the world police would probably move out in full force to arrest him. And I hear he did fight back against Government right around here.) Part 9 Surrounded by a rhythmic shaking, Shrine Maiden Meinokawa Aoi spoke loudly as if to break through the stagnant air of that lazy midday. Yawn, so were finally on the move. After holing up in the cruiser for so long, Kyousuke had pinned a bunch of documents to the wall of the cabin. He had attached all sorts of colorful strings and pins to each one, viewed the entire arrangement over and over, and worked to desperately figure something out. He had gone without any sleep. Once his engine had been fired up, there was no stopping him. That was just the way he was. And this appeared to be the result it had led him to. The seats were made to swivel and move depending on how crowded the train was. At the moment, the two-person seats lined either side of the car like in a bullet train. Aoi had taken the window seat and she kicked her feet in a childish way that looked out of place on a shrine maiden with a white sarashi tight around her chest. Its not a real train trip without a bento! And not some bread or a sandwich. A train bento has got to have rice!! I have to admit I didnt expect the worlds oldest Joruri Method to get fired up over trains. Hm? I welcome all new and unusual experiences. Aoi gave him a puzzled look with the ends of her chopsticks still rudely in her mouth. She may have been saying this was not limited to trains and she would enjoy just about anything since she lived in a cave no one ever visited. She must have noticed the tightness only after swallowing the food because she belatedly reached into the chest of her shrine maiden outfit and loosened the sarashi a bit. Although having the window open would have perfected the authentic train experience. The A/C is good enough. But the authenticity!! Their destination was much closer than Aois hometown of Houbi Village which required taking the high-speed Ultraloop and several regional trains. Just the one rapid train was enough. The bento that Aoi so treasured had been bought at the large station at Toy Dream 35. It was a normal seaweed bento with some fried fish and chikuwa tempura, which was not particularly rural, but Aoi did not care as long as it felt right. Perhaps eating it with someone mattered more than the bento itself. So were searching out your past, are we? The White Queen is obsessed with me and only me. She ignored me over the past two weeks when she could have attacked and killed me at any time. That means she has no business with me in the present. So she has business with your past? Assuming it isnt my future, spat out Kyousuke. If we can trust the Government information from Aika and Illegal information from Lu-san, then there are no signs of movement at the remains of the Queens Miniature Garden. Based on that, we can guess she is digging even deeper into my past. That means the part of my past that was erased from this world by her. He paused there. This was about his own roots. But he still resumed speaking. Ive never actually gone back there. I never had a reason to. He had no hometown. No, he had not needed one. How did that sound to Aoi who had been kept deep behind Houbi Villages Meinokawa Shrine as an object of worship, even if she did find that fact irritating at times. The train rushed right past an intervening station. The angry shouting and yelling of a large group passed by with the distortion of the Doppler Effect. Down with the Queen, hm? said Aoi. Its the same no matter where we go. What a waste of a summer break. Train stations are always crowded. Kyousuke did not seem interested in that. Stopping the Colorless Little Girl requires stopping the cocoons expansion and that requires defeating the White Queen. So its simple. We just have to return to the starting point. Those people were being manipulated by the words, but they made no sign of approaching the meaning behind those words. Meinokawa Aoi looked just like the White Queen, but no rioters rushed at her while she ate her bento by the window. They talked about the Queen, but they had no idea who the Queen was. A small group of high school girls was gathered near the cars door. They were all viewing the same phone and they seemed to be watching a video. Kyousuke could hear the strange melody of the Down With the Queen Dance that used an odd fusion of styles to create a summery sound. Meinokawa Aoi looked around in annoyance while drinking from a small bottle of tea. So what are these roots of yours, boy? Not even I know the whole story, he admitted. It goes back to Doctor S. You must have seen him at Houbi Village. You would have been attacked first. You mean that cruel researcher with the oxygen mask? She looked annoyed in a different way now, so Kyousuke smiled bitterly. Outside perspectives could sometimes be almost too accurate. He was apparently a fairly well-known researcher in the field of the Blood-Sign Summoning Ceremony. As a researcher, he would probably have been ranked similarly to Shigara Masami if not a little higher. In July of 1999, he was part of the research group that first successfully summoned and measured the White Queen with real data. So without him, this world would not be overflowing with Materials like the White Queen. The residents of the other world would remain in that world. Youre running through this pretty quickly, but doesnt that make him one hell of a monster!? He was only one step along the way. Theres no point in acting shocked when hes already been defeated. Meinokawa Aoi had been designed several centuries ago to look just like the White Queen. Yet Doctor Ss group had been the first in the world to contact her in 1999. It might seem that did not add up, but there were two theories for how it could work out. The first was that, before anyone had clearly opened that door to contact her, there had been humans who had received inspiration from the other world through channeling and other occult means. The second was that all of history had been rewritten (just like for Kingdom F) at the moment Doctor S had contacted the White Queen. There was no objective way of proving it one way or the other. With the exception of an extreme singularity like the White Queen, only someone who had been expelled from history could view it from an outside perspective. For example, the person who had freed herself from the title of the Rainy Girl. Doctor S managed to partially contact the White Queen, but he could not precisely control her. And the formulas for the Blood-Sign Summoning Ceremony had already been established, so further messing with them was bound to cause it all to collapse. So what was he working toward? Its simple. He wanted to strengthen us humans so we could use the Summoning Ceremony. Its like finding a flaw an airplanes design that prevents it from flying, but then giving it a much more powerful engine to forcibly launch it into the sky. Reckless is the only word for it. Thats why summoners these days still cant control the White Queen. Not that that means Doctor S has given up on the white he feels is just out of reach. That was how unstable the world was. It had been launched into the air with no thought given to landing. It was desperately keeping itself airborne while unable to stop flaws from cropping up. Come to think of it, you mentioned something about your past I didnt understand back when you were lying around in your cruiser, said Aoi. Something about trying to build an elite summoner in an ordinary home. Not even I know the specifics since I cant even remember what my own family members looked like. Kyousuke breathed a heavy sigh. I imagine it started out as a perfectly sterile lab much like the Queens Miniature Garden. He gave his thoughts on the matter. I dont know if the first specimen was a success on the skills front, but at the very least, they must not have reached the point of being practical. A sterile lab is too twisted a location, so if a monster raised there was released outside, I doubt they could bear the various stresses of the real world. Focus is everything in the Summoning Ceremony, so noise, smells, peoples eyes, insults, and plenty of other things can distract you. The protective circle might keep out germs and air pollution since they distance the summoner from all causes of death, but that means non-deadly stressors will pass right through it. My guess is that first one ended up self-destructing. The stress of being fired on by a cannon can damage the heart or stomach even if the actual shell doesnt hit. And then? Whether it was a success or failure, he would have established some kind of methodology. So the next step for Doctor S to overcome was applying stress to his guinea pig to bring them to a practical level. So instead of an ideal sterile environment, he would have tried using a lab with an intentionally inferior environment. You can think of it like taking an assault rifle constructed in a military lab and seeing if it can be produced in regional factories. An ordinary home. Perfectly normal household items. Doctor S had reproduced the lab work there. It was simple enough to say, but it was a lot like adding a special program to a juicer or food processor to use it as a centrifuge for enriching uranium. Because it used perfectly normal things, finding a successful methodology and spreading it around the world would have prevented anyone from monitoring its spread. Government, Illegal, and Freedom would be powerless in the face of a threat like that. It went without saying what would happen if summoners on Kyousukes level started popping up all around the world. Of course, Doctor S had not cared at all about the balance of the world. He had helped create the Blood-Sign Summoning Ceremony, so no one could tell him how to use it. He was not going to listen to those major powers who had shown up later on, started using the techniques he developed, and took on the title of managers. Aois hunger must have been fading because she held her chopsticks more elegantly than before. The chopsticks hovered over her bento without actually grabbing anything. But that collapse never happened, she pointed out. Its simple. There was no na?ve optimism in his words. His constant failures and losses may have all been a result of the White Queen. What kind of life would you live if you constantly challenged someone who would always win? Nothing could be more obvious. But he had never given up and that was how he had lived a life no one else could emulate. He was not some spoiled brat who was simply satisfied with the title of strongest. Doctor S still failed to control her. He underestimated his experiment with the Queen and it all fell apart. Just like someone who blows themselves up with the nuclear material they enriched. Or maybe I should put it like this: the specimens that Doctor S hoped would act as a safety device were utter failures. You need not look down on yourself like that. Aoi reflexively rejected that assessment, but then she realized something. She frowned and asked about it. Specimens? Yes, readily admitted Shiroyama Kyousuke. He may have had difficulty getting public funding and equipment after the spectacular failure in the sterile lab. Or maybe succeeding without any kind of public support was how he thought he could prove the methodology could be reproduced by anyone. At any rate, he intended to use up all of his children in that experiment. Thus, specimens. I never said I was his only child, did I? Well, no. But still Remember who I said I couldnt remember? And this is more than just amnesia. My guess is the White Queen caused too much damage to the world itself. He paused for a beat. And then he said it. I had a little sister. Part 10 Meinokawa Aoi felt short of breath despite not having to breathe. She was made to look just like the White Queen. She could follow the Queens thoughts and logic as far as was necessary to play that role. And with that in mind, what word did the White Queen always use when referring to Kyousuke? Brother. In hindsight, that made no sense. Everyone had given it a pass because no one expected to understand a superior being like the White Queen. But, but, but. Didnt that word hold crucially important meaning in the context of what Kyousuke had just said? Wait, boy. She spoke as carefully as someone holding unexploded ordnance. Kyousuke fell silent with a troubled look on his face, but then he looked to the side. And a moment later, he hugged Meinokawa Aoi like she was a stuffed animal. Fwah? It was so unexpected her mind simply went blank. Heat gradually filled the core of her mind and then her entire face grew pink. Not even tightening the sarashi could have stopped the pounding of her heart. Fwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!??? She just about dropped her bento. Good news: The granny could still act like a young girl. Wait just a second, boy! What is the meaning of this!? Are you homesick!? Why did you invite me on this train trip!? Now that I think about it, why did I ever agree to that? There must be something wrong with my defenses to just agree to a trip alone with a young boy! But. While Aoi blushed and stammered, Kyousukes heartrate remained normal while he squeezed and relaxed his arms as if checking on something. He was still holding her in his arms, but he spoke like he was checking on the contents of a test tube. Was it just my imagination? Part 11 And. A bit back from Kyousuke and Aois seat, someone sat in a different seat rather than summoning a dragon or rivaling a stealth fighter. She wore a short casual dress, her legs were bare, and she had silver twintails. [Calm down, Queen. You mustnt let him provoke you!!] This is your journey to learn what it means to be human, remember? Try not to ruin it with some impulsive act. The ponytail researcher and the waitress demon desperately stopped her while seated on either side of her. The end result was similar to how Kyousuke was clinging to Aoi. They were all pressed together. And being shaken and touched like that may have been why a resentful voice escaped the White Queens lovely lips. The struggle had caused her dress to ride dangerously high up on her thighs. Her Majesty spoke with a tilted head and eyes like a dead fish. (But it makes no sense. No sense at all. Flirting with another girl deserves countless deaths, but Meinokawa Aoi was designed to look just like me. She might as well be me as far as appearance is concerned, but look at brother. He keeps rejecting me, so why is he all over that fake?) [Uh, oh. I guess such a deeply-held obsession cant be fixed in just a few days!] However, the White Queen was fairly calm if you ignored the silver twintails wriggling like snakes. Normally, she very well might have summoned a dragon or rivaled a stealth fighter to chase him down. But the Queen was showing restraint. That was notable in and of itself. [Still, this is pretty unbelievable. Does this mean great minds think alike?] Well, he is my brother. [Yes, he is Kyousuke-kun.] Kyousuke had to have noticed the cocoon and the Colorless Little Girl. And they knew where his thoughts would turn then. If the cocoon was the battle costume, then it could be dealt with by killing the White Queen that acted as its core. Kyousuke and the Queen. Which one would save the world? Things remained relatively peaceful, but this had caught Shigara Masami entirely by surprise. She was not familiar with Doctor Ss research. The nightmarish experiment that had transformed young Shiroyama Kyousuke into a precision-guided missile was wrapped in mystery, but this just threw another bombshell into the mix. A little sister. The scrunchie ponytail researcher thought about the girl in her arms. The entire Unexplored-class was meant to restrain the White Queen. They had failed in that role, but it was said they were all female in order to match their target as much as possible. But why did the White Queen have a form so similar to a human? [] Shigara Masamis personality prevented her from getting hung up on some unexpected turn of events. She was Freedom Award 3000. She had gained that title as a result of seeking freedom at every turn, so she was not fixated on the pre-established harmony. If you did not celebrate the unexpected as a part of freedom, you could not reach her level. What we must do remains the same, whispered the White Queen in the two womens arms. Either way, if I do not accept your presence and words, the cocoon will continue to grow until it reaches the 10km point and triggers a supernova-level explosion. And if the Colorless Little Girl releases her power to combat that, this planet and both worlds will be at risk. If I am to conclude that your interference was best for my and my brothers future, I must first see where he came from. That has not changed. [You mean?] Yes, of course. Even at times like this, she was still the White Queen. She accepted the risks in a different way than Freedom. Let us continue this journey while staying just out of sight. If we do run across each other, I expect it will all fall apart, control of the cocoon will be entirely lost, and the Colorless Little Girl will break down, sending the world straight to its doom. [] In the end. She slowly let out a breath and sank down into her seat. She sadly rubbed her thighs together while whispering her thoughts. No matter what I do, I may be nothing but a threat to my brother. Even if I simply exist nearby. Sinceria Report 03 By the way, Sinceria and Olivia were not on the same train as the others. Kingdom Fs royal family still had something to do in Toy Dream 35. Shiroyama Kyousuke? Yes. Sinceria smiled as she answered a brown-skinned girl with short silver hair. The girl seemed a little too skinny and she only had bandages and golden decorations to cover her nudity. She and Sinceria were both leaders, but she was dressed very differently from Sincerias blue dress and crown. Her name was Sekurtiti. She was the Tomb Priestess who led a group of tomb keepers with a connection to Egyptian Mythology. However, she was not enclosed in a pyramid full of mysterious traps. This was a floor of a skyscraper rising from the ocean in Toy Dream 35. It looked like a cross between an apartment and an office, so it had an industrial air conditioner and a water cooler. Also, everyone there had mobile phones. Ever since being invited inside, Olivia had been looking curiously around. What was she thinking while viewing the pamphlet for a museums Egyptian Mythology exhibit or a computer displaying a 3D pyramid created using VR mapping? Sekurtitis group saw the location of the pharaohs slumber as the home of the tomb keepers, so they were not insistent on a traditional look. Their priority was ensuring their culture and civilization did not die out. That was why it was so important for them to maintain a relationship with a global entertainment company like Toy Dream. Their brown leader wrinkled her beautiful brow. She looked troubled. My feelings are complicated. It was thanks to his assistance that we confirmed the location of President Toydreams Founders Gallery and were blessed with an opportunity to learn of its true meaning. But at the same time, the later events led to President Toydreams downfall. I do not know how directly Shiroyama Kyousuke was involved in that, but it would not have happened without his actions. Although you may not care much about our reasons when Kingdom F was the one being attacked. Sekurtiti was aware Toy Dream had spread the Blue Film as a way of pushing the worlds largest army into a war that would have destroyed Kingdom F. That had needed to be stopped. She knew that intellectually, but peoples hearts were not always so understanding. There were personal feelings between Sekurtiti and Shiroyama Kyousuke. But her connection to Former President Toydream was related to her duty as a tomb keeper to preserve the pharaohs mummy and possessions. In that sense The bandaged girl thought for a bit and then responded. I think Shiroyama Kyousuke is a summoner who acts on personal emotion rather than the fate of the world or the future of the human race. But in addition to that, I suppose you would say he has a strong enough will to do what must be done. He places great weight on personal emotion, but he does not let it compromise him. He would not hold back even if a familiar face turned out to be an enemy. I see. It was true he had fought against old friends a few times before. Like Biondetta and Claude from his days in the Queens Miniature Garden or like Sincerias own daughter, Olivia. Kyousuke truly wanted to fight the White Queen. He felt no hesitation there. Just like a good lawyer or trainer, Sinceria wanted to understand his weaknesses and flaws so she could give him the best possible advice. So there was one thing that bothered her: that woman with a long black ponytail and a lab coat worn over a tight skirt suit. She had been a researcher at the Queens Miniature Garden and, according to Sincerias daughter, was actually a monster of a summoner at Freedom Award 3000. What if? ? What if Kyousukes teacher - someone he sees as a second mother - were to become his enemy? Could you say the same thing about him then? I see it the other way around. Sekurtitis response was not what long-eared Sinceria had expected. I was in contact with him for a far shorter time than you, but I believe the time that began with Azalea and ended with Elvast was densely packed. That is why you came here to speak with me. I apologize if I sound conceited, but you are not looking at his true foundation. He is not an onion where you can hesitantly peel back layer after layer to find the beauty at the center. In fact, I would say the hostility is what lies at the very core. What do you mean? The closer someone is to him, the more fiercely his hatred and fighting spirit burn when they betray him. Isnt that the kind of person he is? The closer they arethe more he hates them? Sinceria gasped as she groaned the words. She would be lying if she said the signs were not there. She knew fairly certainly that he detested Doctor S who had remade him into a precision-guided missile. At the very least, he was not fond of the man. Olivia had told her how merciless he had been when fighting in Houbi Village. Sekurtiti nodded. If someone is directly linked to his past, he views them as a powerful enemy. If they have little to do with his past, he views them more lightly. For example, he took a lighter view of the Queen worshipers like Azalea and The Saint, but he took a much harsher view of Biondetta, Lu Niang Lan, and Claude who I believe have spent much more time with him. At the very least, he saw them as someone who could speak the same language as him concerning a certain individual. And what lay at the center of Shiroyama Kyousukes past? What was at the core of it all? The White Queen. It was not Doctor S. Brown Sekurtiti immediately pointed to someone greater than his father. That greater being has to have spent more time with him than any of us. Whether he wanted it or not, she has made him who he is. The closer a summoner or vessel is to her, the greater a threat he views them as. Government Award 1000, Elvast Toydream, who could summon her with 100% accuracy, is a good example. He has almost nothing in common with Shiroyama Kyousukes past as far as I know, but his close connection to the White Queen must have made him look like the greatest of threats. Of course, once the White Queen appeared on the field, it was obvious what Shiroyama Kyousuke would prioritize. Because they had so much in common, he could not allow it. Because of their close relationship, he could not ignore it. (Shigara Masami.) Sinceria gathered her thoughts while gulping and toying with her locket to calm herself. She did not let anything show on her face because she knew she was a leader just like Sekurtiti. But if not for that, her face would have been tense with fear. The cocoon came from the White Queen and the Colorless Little Girl came from Shiroyama Kyousuke. If those two peaks clashed to truly destroy each other, no one could predict what would happen. He had always acted within the framework of resolving some kind of incident. That was likely his compromise with humanity. But now the White Queen and Shigara Masami, who he had trusted all this time, were his enemies. If he let loose and stopped worrying about the consequences, the resulting disaster might be greater than the easily-predictable doom from the cocoon. The most dangerous element was the Colorless Little Girl. But Shiroyama Kyousuke would likely reach for the unstable Little Girl if he needed to. If a complete stranger reached for the White Queen, that would be no different from the other worshipers. But this was different. Shigara Masamis presence had torn into his heart from a different direction than the White Queen or Doctor S. And what complications would that result in? (You seem to think you are a problem-solving counselor, but do you really understand what is happening here? That might be Pandoras Box you hold in your hands.) Facts: *Materials generally make destructive actions as masses of pure fighting instincts, but under certain special circumstances, they can fall into fear or a panic. They will avoid fighting when that happens, so the usual calculations using Cost and Sound Range go out the window. Discussing Divine-classes from the same mythology (like Odin and Fenrir) is simple enough, but caution is needed when crossing mythological boundaries, such as between Norse and Greek. Also, the White Queen causes some level of fear and panic in all Materials except for the Colorless Little Girl. *Kyousuke triggered this panic with the meaningless action of detonating a new Incense Grenade with an Artificial Sacred Ground already open, but that will not necessarily work every time. It is a complicated issue involving the type and condition of the individual Material as well as the surrounding environment. *Shiroyama Kyousuke and his little sister were the second generation of precision-guided missiles developed by Doctor S. The first generation was presumably created in a sterile lab and could not bear the ordinary stresses of the outside world, so the second generation was created in an intentionally inferior environment. Stage 03: Not Even Coughing Up Blood Is Enough Stage 03: Not Even Coughing Up Blood Is Enough Help me. Brother understands the true meaning of those words. (Stage 03 Open 08/22 13:30) Part 1 Kyousuke was not too surprised with what they found in this more rural area. Dowwwn wiiiiththeee Queeen Below the fluffy cumulonimbus clouds, the train station area only had a shopping district with rusty shutters covering everything and a single giant shopping center that appeared to have absorbed all of the economic activity. A video production van must have been parked in the parking lot there because he could hear a cracked and dispirited voice from a speaker in that direction. The entire area had the desolate atmosphere of a summer festival where no one had shown up. Toy Dreams international revived city program had split the population into two groups: the metropolises flooded with lights that held year-round festivals as giant amusement parks, and the shadows that were not able to share in the festivities. This was clearly part of the latter. And it was a truly hopeless situation since they just had to go bankrupt if they wanted to share in those festivities. If they worked hard to save money and actually managed to survive, they ended up like this. That was why Toy Dreams charity work was often called an aerial bombing or invasion using the economy as a shield. Yawn. Aoi really stood out with her long silver hair, the white sarashi around her chest, and her shrine maiden outfit, but even with her hands on her hips, she did not gather much attention. But that was because there was no one around. The taxi boarding zone and the bus stop were both deserted. Only the cicada cries were louder here. Was that due to the artificial-looking forests full of cedars and cypresses, or was it due to the lack of noise from Toy Dream 35s ubiquitous parades and large LCD screens? This is incredible. The place feels like a video tape thats been recorded over too many times. Is this really the home of Doctor S who brought the world one step away from disaster? If you were developing a chemical or bacteriological weapon, would you really place your lab in the middle of a city of a million? Im guessing a run-down and inconspicuous area was more to his liking. And when you say video tapes, do you mean magnetic tapes? Even credit cards use chips nowadays. Sigh, kids these days know nothing about atmosphere. I bet you dont see spirit photos or UFO videos much anymore because no one uses film or tapes. Why would you take those away from me!? I always looked forward to those summer TV specials in my cave!! Hearing that made Aoi sound like part of a horror story herself. And large reels of magnetic tape were actually being used for backup systems in banks and such to prevent loss of data in case of an unexpected power surge or something. You know, those things you see in the background of giant robot labs in old tokusatsu shows or anime. If Aoi was to be believed, it was possible the tsuchinoko, mothman, and other unidentified creatures had moved over to that format for their exhibitionist needs. Aoi held the back of her hand to her forehead, but more due to the bright sun than the sweat. So what do we do now? Is it still a fair distance away? It doesnt look like there are any buses or taxis to use. It wont take that long. Doctor S would have used a lab far away from human civilization for the first generation. Maybe deep in the mountains or on a remote island. But if he wanted some level of human interaction and transportation options, he would not place his HQ in too difficult a location. Is that how it works? Its within walking distance, so dont worry. That said, the August sun was beating down on them. As they walked along the shimmering asphalt, Meinokawa Aoi was quick to loosen her sarashi, grab the chest of her shrine maiden outfit, and fan herself with it. It was a perfect demonstration of the North Wind and the Sun. By the time they arrived, she might be soaked in sweat and looking quite indecent with her cheeks flushed pink. Phew, there really isnt anyone around here, is there? Especially children. Even Houbi Village had more life than this. It isnt an abandoned ghost town or anything. But when its this hot out, all the kids are probably in their air-conditioned homes playing video games. Everything I hear about modern children is so depressing. Youre one to talk. My phone is full of icons for social games I certainly didnt download, like this one where you launch balls with a rubber band or this one where you dig into the dirt to knock down towers. And lets not forget all the in-game purchases I found charged to my account! What were you doing while hiding in my cruiser, you freeloader!? Hey, you have no one to blame but yourself for taking so long to recover. Its your fault for lying in bed instead of getting after me!! Heh heh heh. I still know how to act like a child! Im young in body and soul! They sensed a definite change while discussing that. All sounds had vanished. Including the cicada cries that had been a constant companion. Even the faint sounds of everyday life coming from the houses. It was a deafening silence, like inside a cave full of stagnant air. Meinokawa Aoi looked displeased, so it may have reminded her of her shrine located deep, deep, deep belowground. This is different, she said. It is, agreed Kyousuke. Aoi must have realized this was not the time to worry about the heat. She retightened the sarashi that acted as her vessel restraint as she said more. This mood of self-restrain makes cheerful voices feel like a taboo. But what are we protecting by suppressing our voices and preserving this mourning silence? The answer soon revealed itself. The narrow roads of the residential district crisscrossed like a go board. Instead of apartments, these roads were lined with two-story houses and single-story houses with an otherwise identical design. It was like being inside a box of luxury chocolates or a house of mirrors that reflected the same image over and over again. It had to all be carefully maintained, but if you forgot to check the house numbers, it would be hard to tell where in the neighborhood you were. And within all that, a single house stood out from the rest. Even though it was the exact same design as the others. It was a perfectly normal house with a concrete wall around it. It had a red roof, white walls, and a balcony on the second floor. It also appeared to have TV antennae for terrestrial and satellite broadcasts. There was a metal lattice door in front of the main entrance, although it did not look like it would do much to keep anyone out. There was a nameplate next to the intercom. It said Shiroyama. What is this? But Meinokawa Aoi had to question the ordinary house she saw. Her artificial face tensed a bit. Yes. At the end of the mysterious experiment, the entire Shiroyama family had supposedly left. And yet. Aoi raised her voice nearly to a yell as she peeked over the concrete wall to view the yard. How long has it been left like this? I dont actually have any scientific data to back up the folk belief that houses quickly fall into disrepair with no one living in them, but there is no way a house would look this pristine after nearly 10 years! None of the paint is peeling and the lawn looks mowed! But Shiroyama Kyousuke did not even so much as stir as she shouted from so close by. He stood motionless in front of the nameplate while a gust of wind blew the humid summer air across him. He had returned. Returned to this deep layer that had been erased from the worlds data. This would change his thinking in some way. The recovery would begin here. He thought he heard a click as some kind of circuit finally reconnected and the energy reached him once more. The scene had not changed in a decade. If he wanted a logical explanation, he could assume that someone had been maintaining the place. But he sealed away that weak opinion. Since when did logic and common sense apply to the White Queen? Those things could be useful as a support, but binding his thoughts with them would only shorten his life. So he knew what to say. Time must have been stopped here. This is a holy ground. These coordinates hold some kind of meaning to the White Queen as well. With her, distorting time and space should not come as a surprise. In fact, its a little surprising we dont see the house flipped upside down or floating in the air. Preserving the mourning silence. The surrounding residents may have been bound by that subconscious reverence for a holy ground. Now, then. He was back to his childhood home. But it was by no means a warm place. He probably would have felt more attachment to a rotting ghost house. He looked up at his starting point which was like a small but mysterious labyrinth. Lets jump right on in and figure out what I can learn about my past and what it was the White Queen erased from the world. Should I wait for her here, or will the information here help me predict her behavior more accurately? Who will acquire the most accurate information first? Whatever the case, this house is sure to be the turning point. Part 2 Research. An experiment. Shiroyama Kyousuke had repeated those words over and over again. But Meinokawa Aoi looked puzzled when she stepped through the unlocked front door. What she found inside looked just like a normal home: a shoe shelf, a plastic tank of kerosene, a fire extinguisher, bundles of old newspapers, etc. There was no dust to be seen and that cleanliness was certainly unusual, but there were none of the mysterious beakers, test tubes, analysis computers, and monsters preserved in formaldehyde she had expected to see. The only thing of real interest was the variety of shoes. There were adult-sized leather shoes and pumps which likely belonged to Doctor S and his wife. The athletic shoes smaller than her hand may have been Kyousukes from back then. But what about the other pair? Those small pink shoes did not look like something Kyousuke would have worn, so who did they belong to? This was his lab. But Shiroyama Kyousuke said something odd. He pointed at the each ordinary item in turn. 30 days of newspapers. Huh? The kerosene tank has 10.295 liters remaining. The fire extinguisher, shoehorn, and umbrella stand form an equilateral triangle with 120cm sides. The umbrella stand has 8 umbrellas, which have 10, 15, 8, 12, 14, 13, 7, and 7 ribs respectively. The angle of the shoes, using Doctor Ss right shoe as the center point, have a margin of error of +2, -3, +7, -15, -1, 0, and -4 degrees. It all looks random at first, but it all carries meaning. What good is memorizing all that? Nothing really, he readily admitted. But if I tried to line the shoes up properly, he would get mad at me. He never told me what exactly he was hitting me for, so I had to memorize it all. He could turn anything into a weapon if he wanted to. When he grabbed something, I had to figure out how I could protect myself. I had to make sure I was hit hard enough to satisfy him but not enough to seriously injure me. But I couldnt get carried away and fight back. If I did that, the beating would be two or three times worse than normal. The only way to survive was to make him feel like he had won. The words that followed were truly shocking. But that had been the norm here. An unheard storm of abuse had wreaked havoc in that closed household. Based on the size of the shoes, Kyousuke would have been 5 or 6 at the time. Domestic violence came in many forms, but a fist could do much more damage to such a small body. It was entirely possible it could have killed him. And Doctor S was not just human garbage who could not control his emotions. It had all been calculated. Getting on his good side to avoid the violence had not been an option. Everything here was a symbol related to the various forms of invitation, awakening, and communication that form the base of the Summoning Ceremony. The most obvious example is the equilateral triangle, but everything else is the same. It all mattered: color, shape, number, straight lines, curved lines, even numbers, odd numbers, a group in alignment, a group with one or more items sticking out, etc. Doctor S never taught us anything. We had none of the answers, so it was like navigating a minefield in the dead of night. He apparently felt we would not actually absorb any of the information if he gave us a textbook and provided lectures. Everything he had mentioned was just in the entranceway. The living room would have a TV and stereo, the bath would have soap and a shampoo bottle, the kitchen would have knives and a cutting board, and the kids rooms would have a study desk and bed. Doctor S could turn anything into a weapon. So Kyousuke had to understand everything in advance. Intense did not even begin to cover it. And Shiroyama Kyousuke was not done speaking. It did not end here. At first, Doctor S would beat me, he spat out the words. But it didnt take long for him to figure out a more effective method. He realized I wouldnt cry even when he beat me. So every time I screwed up, he would beat my mom or my little sister instead. It didnt matter what I grabbed to prepare myself. I really and truly thought about killing him. Although I imagine he was trying to inspire those emotions in me so he could turn me into a precision-guided missile. He stopped speaking there. Suddenly, Shrine Maiden Aoi looked up. She had sensed a small presence in the living room beyond the opened door. Was it a boy or a girl? Nh, nhh, nhhhh. She peeked through the door and saw a small figure struggling with the lid of a clear bottle. It seemed to contain multicolored candies. She took a closer look. It was hard to tell with the bangs over their face, but it appeared to be a girl. Someone else arrived from the dining room. Boy? The completed summoner did not respond. This was not a physical presence, but Meinokawa Aoi did not even consider reaching out a hand to see if it would pass right through the young boy. But not because he was so obviously just an image. He seemed like a snow crystal. He was surrounded by an ephemerality that made her think he would melt away at a touch. And having just heard that this boy had accepted being beaten as normal may have played a role. Hand it here, *****. I can do it. Cmon, Ill open it for you. No!! I can do it! This alone might have been a heartwarming scene. It made this feel like a lived-in place rather than a creepy ghost town or dungeon. Then place a handkerchief or something over the lid to help grip it. Like this? Ahh, not the chest of your clothingwell, I guess thats fine. Now try turning it. Nghhhhhhyah!? Yes, it came off!! When the lid popped off, the candies nearly spilled out from the bottle, but she just barely managed to keep them inside. The small girl reached into the bottle and pulled out a few round candies. Okay, you can have this one. Its strawberry flavor. I got it out for you. I see. Ill have strawberry too. Keep that up and all the strawberry ones will be gone. Its fine because we match. Aoi spent a while just watching this meaningless but undeniably real scene. She saw them smiling and leaning against each other, so there must have been more than just despair here. Wah! She shrieked when the two of them dashed from the living room with the candies in their mouths and moved to the entranceway where she was. She had been hesitant to touch them because she did not know how it worked, but they came to her. She reflexively crouched down and held out her arms to catch them, but they passed right through her, put on their shoes, and left through the front door. So theyre only an illusion. Something like a 3D image. She sounded somehow relieved. But Kyousukes response was different. The information missing from his mind seemed to be pleading to him in some way. For him, logic won out over sentimentality. He viewed their surroundings instead of the small illusions themselves. The supernatural elements here are remnants of the White Queen, but does this mean those remnants just grew stronger? Boy? Be on your guard, Aoi. She must be nearby. If we defeat the Queen, we can stop the cocoon. And if we stop the cocoon, we can stop the Colorless Little Girl!! Part 3 The supernatural showed no hesitation. Her journey to learn what it means to be human had begun in earnest. Just before Kyousuke and Aoi cut across the living room in their outdoor shoes and moved out onto the small yard, the White Queen and Shigara Masami scrambled over the concrete wall. Then they climbed up to the second floor balcony. While they made sure they were not casting a shadow on the yard, a voice reached them through a machine. Wow, that was a close shave. But wouldnt the normal choice be to withdraw? Why are you playing ninja with a two-by-four? You arent sneaking into a giant Edo-period mansion. [Do you see anything odd from there?] Im not quite sure what youre asking about, but the colors are scattering from time to time. It isnt going to turn out that what youre seeing and what Im seeing are entirely different, is it? Biondetta was viewing them from afar and her half-exasperated and half-impressed voice entered their ears. Also, Queen, watch your dress again! How many times have I warned you about this!? Oh, dear. How indecent of me. The balcony covered a few different rooms, but none of the glass doors appeared to be locked. The White Queen and Shigara Masami slid one of them open and disappeared inside. Your shoes. [Oh, excuse me.] The ponytail researcher with a whistle dangling from her neck removed her shoes only after the Queen pointed out her bad manners. This seemed to be a childs room. There was some writing equipment on the study desk and the floor was littered with toys like building blocks and robot action figures. Something flooded in. Something unbelievably large flooded into the White Queen. No one could know for sure, but the feeling piercing the White Queens chest here may have been identical to the one Kyousuke had experienced in front of the house. It was like recovering each individual piece of data from a broken album. And it was mixed with the vague fear that some of the photos or videos might be entirely unrecognizable. How nostalgic. The White Queen emotionally viewed everything in the room, but she did not touch any of it. Almost like that would be breaking a powerful taboo. [?] Shigara Masamis attention turned toward the bed next to the wall. But instead of a normal bed, it was a bunkbed. That meant two people had likely used this room. A closer look showed that the writing equipment and toys were a mixture of boy and girl products. But she also noticed something else. [Sigils?] Yes. Even the inconspicuous wrinkles in the bedsheets had meaning. [Tattva, tarot, the tree of life, the creation and consecration of magical weapons, the injection and accurate control of Telesma, the structure of a catacombs, the management of incense, the psychological defenses needed for astral projection, astrological magic circles, a conversion chart for the divinities of different mythologies and religionsand lastly, the rose cross. But this is not the traditional version with the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet. This is a script and graphical interface for representing the human body and the world with the 26 letters of the English alphabet. Wait, does that mean what I think it does!?] The bare-legged White Queen only smiled faintly in her thin casual dress. They heard a small pitter-patter. It was rhythmic, but far too light. So at first Shigara Masami did not recognize it as human footsteps. A small figure ran by in the narrow hallway outside the bedrooms open door. She thought it was a small girl. Poorly maintained hair was a sign of abuse just like cavities and dirty clothing. This girl had long bangs that hid her eyes, but she still looked somehow familiar. And like the needle finding its way into the records groove, the illusion filled in another piece of the worlds missing data. This image of the past might be even more critical for Shiroyama Kyousuke than that girl herself. [Wai-] Shigara Masami hurried out into the hallway, but the small figure was nowhere to be found. It had always been no more than a formless illusion. It all leads back to Doctor S. The White Queen slowly walked out into the hallway. The strength in her gaze seemed greater than before. She looked like she had retrieved something. Since he worked to raise people capable of using the Summoning Ceremony, he must not have thought following the manual he had created would be enough. It might be the difference between a user tapping on an app and a programmer or engineer who fully understands the syntax within. At any rate, he tried to take the horribly complicated and confusing foundation behind the Blood-Sign System and drive it into his childrens minds. He was trying to create administrators, not users. [] There was no one in the hallway, but they still faintly heard some lively voices. The voices seemed to be coming from beyond the storage closets door, but they sounded like adults. Yes, I want to watch the magical girl show. You need to keep the volume down, *****. We dont want him to hear us. The young siblings may have been snuggled up next to each other watching the 1seg TV built into an electronic dictionary or something. The bright and energetic voices and music coming from the TV accentuated the gloomy atmosphere in the childrens room where Shigara Masami stood. It may have seemed ridiculous. And in fact, simply using the service was enough to move between the world powers and reach Award 1000. Yet Doctor S wore down his childrens lives to drive that information into them. At first glance, it does look like wasted effort, doesnt it? Words flowed out. The White Queen acted like a purifying shrine maiden who conveyed someones lost words. But my brother was able to resolve so many incidents because he understood what was happening on the inside and was not just using the service. My many worshipers broke down the Blood-Sign System and remade it into a grotesque ceremony to permanently summon me, but he immediately saw right through it because he accurately understood the program running at the foundation of the app. [Is that really the answer?] What do you mean? [You said Doctor S thought his Blood-Sign System could not fully control you. So he attempted to strengthen the humans using it instead of trying to complete the system and likely breaking it in the process.] Shigara Masami had to have been overwhelmed by this small house. It was a holy ground. It carried more weight than a giant temple on the ocean floor. She chose her words carefully. [Did Doctor S hope they could teach him a unified theory that went beyond the Blood-Sign System that had hit a dead end and could not be completed? So he drove all the foundational materials into his children like they were a witchs cauldron and he waited for the magic potion to be made. It started as an unpredictable mixture of random ingredients, so he just had to pray a miraculous combination would rise to the top.] That is a rather fanciful interpretation, but if that were the case, he would have used more specimens. He would have gathered a thousand or even ten thousand children. [But in a way, Kyousuke-kun was a success.] ? [The Colorless Little Girl Dedicated to a Single Goal (aie - a - oio - ei - ueo - ioa - e - uai - ee). He constructed a concrete method of killing you, which could also be used to threaten you into obedience.] I see, said the bare-legged White Queen in a white casual dress. That is one way of looking at it. However But if that was what Doctor S wanted, I imagine he would have worked to build it himself. If you ask me, it is most accurate to say my brother ended up growing beyond Doctor Ss expectations. [Beyond his expectations?] That was important, but the preceding words were even more curious. [He ended up growing?] This oppressive home was enough to know that Doctor S had been a crucible of malice in human form. Shigara Masami had led the Queens Miniature Garden which had gathered unfortunate children from around the world, but even she was overwhelmed by this. This small house was even deeper, darker, and heavier than that shelter constructed deep underground. The Miniature Garden had been equipped with everything necessary for a normal life. The children had been able to swim in the pool, eat cake, and smile together. But it felt like this house would cause a normal persons soul to rot away if they so much as breathed in its air. The White Queen breathed an exasperated sigh while tugging down the short hem of her casual dress. As if to say that boy would not just take it if he were thrown into an artificial hell. Have you forgotten? [Forgotten what?] As soon as she asked that, she heard that light pitter-patter again. It was far too light to think it was footsteps. A small girl entered the childrens room. Shigara Masami gasped, but the girl must not have been able to see her. There we go. The small girl climbed up to the top bunk and pressed her small palm against the ceiling. No, a square of the ceiling slid aside to reveal the attic space. A minicar, a ball, and an animal encyclopedia. Theyre safe now. Shigara Masami tilted her head, so the White Queen explained. This house only contained the things Doctor S felt were necessary, so he would throw out everything else. Even if they belonged to my brother. [You mean she secretly stole back Kyousuke-kuns discarded toys and hid them in the attic?] Yes. That must have been a part of life here. I imagine their mother drew Doctor Ss attention while she was digging through the trash. A boy called to the girl from the hallway. The young girl quickly closed up the ceiling, climbed down from the bed, grabbed two cheap hair ties from the study desk, and left the room. The siblings could be heard speaking in the hallway. My hair is in my eyes. Fix it. What do you want? I want twintails today! Shigara Masami was curious about the hallway, but the voices suddenly ended. She gasped because she had not heard the footsteps leaving. The source of the voices had clearly just disappeared. As if they had never existed in the first place. The White Queen toyed with her own hair and sighed with an indescribable look on her face. Lets get back on topic. It is true this was a lab for Doctor S to realize his ugly dream. My brothers dignity was trampled on and his desperate resistance rang hollow as his mother and little sister continued to be beaten before his eyes. But do you really think every little thing went according to plan for that scum of a man? This lab was ultimately shut down, if you recall. [Ah,] said Shigara Masami in belated realization. You do not seem very familiar with Doctor S. But since all of the Miniature Garden children were given the name Shiroyama, I assume he had to have held an important position in that project you led. [To be honest, I did know Kyousuke-kun had been turned into a precision-guided missile. Queen, I also knew about the plan to assassinate you. But I simply could not figure it all out. Even at the top of all three major powers with Award 3000, I could not stop that giant organization from moving forward. I also never figured out how Doctor S had made Kyousuke-kun the way he was.] However. Until now, it may have slipped Shigara Masamis mind because the past she saw here was just so raw. But history revealed how it had all ended. At some point, the experiment at the Shiroyama house had ended and they had withdrawn from here while disguising it as a family breaking up. Help me. The White Queen spoke a certain phrase. It was a perfectly normal pair of words. It may have been even more ubiquitous than the Ill kill you that felt like the catch phrase of delinquents everywhere. But at times, that phrase carried meaning that outweighed everything else in the world. Brother understands the true meaning of those words. So no matter the environment or circumstances, he will not stop once he hears them. He will come running even if it means making an enemy of the entire world. If the incident at the Queens Miniature Garden was the trigger, than perhaps we should say this house was where the gun was cocked. It all leads back to here. Shigara Masami had thought the events here had already ended. She had thought they were simply chasing the traces of a tragic past. But the White Queens words changed things. What had young Shiroyama Kyousuke done? Had he fought back against Doctor S? And what had that meant for the mother and little sister whose faces he could no longer remember? Had he won or lost? Day in and day out, Shiroyama Kyousuke had continued to sharpen his fangs while tasting humiliation in his pursuit of that phrase when it was spoken in complete and utter distress, but had he been successful here or not? [What did?] Shigara Masami felt like she was finally opening Pandoras Box. She gulped and completed her question. [What did Kyousuke-kun do to Doctor S???] But just then Gah, red alert!! Get out of there! You need to get out of there! Kyousuke-chan and his vessel moved back inside and I cant see them through the first floor windows. Theyre probably climbing the stairs to the second floor!! You cant run or hide in that cramped house and your journey to learn what it means to be human is over if he finds you!! Biondettas warning stabbed into their eardrums through their earphones. The holy grounds atmosphere was shattered instantly. Shigara Masami grimaced and the White Queens shoulders relaxed somewhat. Lets end it here. [But] I have all the information I need. And we did not come to view these traces of the past in order to reveal the truth. That is only the means to an end. If I run into my brother here, it all falls apart. I must avoid that at all costs. [] Shigara Masami could hear the creaking of the stairs. The footsteps had real weight to them, so these were not tiny illusions climbing the stairs. The ponytail researcher bit her lip, hesitated, and then made up her mind. [Okay, fine. We can continue this later.] They were quick to action. The White Queen and Shigara Masami cut across the childrens room and prepared to climb onto the balcony railing that did not have a hint of rust even after a decade. Sensing someones eyes on her, Shigara Masami looked back and saw a small girl looking at her from the childrens room. No, the girl would not actually be able to see her. No matter how clearly abused she might be, reaching out a helping hand would accomplish nothing. [~ ~ ~] The researcher squeezed her eyes shut as if shaking free of something. She faced the White Queen once more and the two of them jumped from the balcony. Queen, the wind is pushing up your dress!! warned Biondetta. Oh, pardon me. After landing in the yard, they climbed over the concrete wall. And then [Wait, what?] Rain poured down on their heads like from an overturned bucket. They looked up and saw thick and dark rainclouds. They also heard the intermittent rumbling of thunder. Sudden downpours were common in midsummer, but that was not enough to explain this. The sky had been clear as could be just a moment before. The sun, said the White Queen with her soaked casual dress clinging to her skin. Only then did Shigara Masami notice the overall coloration of their surroundings. It was dusk. The dark clouds overhead added to the darkness, but the suns position in the sky made no sense. And this rainfall had not just started. In fact, it looked like it was starting to let up. The orange of sunset managed to pierce through some gaps in the clouds. Shigara Masami forgot all about the rain hitting her as she muttered in disbelief. [But we only spent a few minutes in there. All we did was check the childrens room, right?] The flow of time can grow stagnant in places. You must have known that. We should count ourselves lucky that we did not find a few centuries had passed when we left. [] Heyyy, called Biondetta. Youre really starting to worry me, so could you at least tell me whether youre alive or not? They were afraid to ask. It was raining outside and sunny inside. So how had Biondetta kept a consistent image in her head while she watched them from afar? Part 4 Meinokawa Aoi and Shigara Masami were not actually the only ones interested in Shiroyama Kyousukes little sister. It was 6PM, making it evening. The cicada cries were shifting to the evening cicadas. As desolate as everything looked, the area was still quite warm. The night would almost certainly be a sweltering one. Oh, my. It seems the legends about Japanese government offices closing early were true. Sinceria, ruler of Kingdom F, elegantly placed a hand on her cheek when she learned she would have to wait. And what she did next went without saying. Via, dont forget your straw hat. Ugh, but it makes my head too hot. Cmon, make sure you get plenty of water. Cmon, cmon. What is with you, mom? Youve been all over me for a while now. Just then, the mothers long ears heard a quiet sound. Rachel had tapped the window twice with a flathead screwdriver. She did so right next to the internal lock. The spider webs of cracks intersected and she skillfully removed a small triangle of glass. After unlocking the window in a way that showed she knew exactly what she was doing, the knight in silver armor and a tight skirt turned back toward Sinceria. You may enter now, my queen. I know I asked you to do this, but the civil war really changed you, Rachel. You used to flatly refuse to do anything that violated your idea of chivalry. I realized it is a knights duty to sully her own name if it will help Kingdom F. That phrasing is a bit worrisome, though. The ruler in a blue dress managed to look graceful even when she was breaking in through a window. This was the city hall of a rundown rural city. Since the employees had gone home, the air conditioning and lights were off. It was the worst possible venue for experiencing Japans sauna-like weather. Olivia gulped down a bottle of carbonated water in an insulating cover before asking a question. So we can find Onii-chans secrets here? If I am correct about something, yes. We must understand his weaknesses and flaws if we are to give him good advice. Sinceria raised a finger while walking gracefully through the city hall. Doctor S established a small lab in this rural city while disguising it as a normal family. Setting aside whether that experiment was a success or failure, he eventually withdrew by making it look like the family broke apart and skipped town. What does that matter? That means he did not go through the proper procedure for a change of residence. When a house is abandoned, an alert is carefully preserved to prevent any legal trouble later on. Which means Long-eared Sinceria had snuck into the document storage room. I imagine the certificate of residence and family register are still here. This incident existed on such a ridiculous scale that the White Queen had erased the data from the world, but since she had not intentionally concealed it, there was a good chance that erasure had not been very thorough. The biggest risk was the possibility of them being declared dead in absentia because enough time had passed since they went missing. That normally meant around 7 years, but in special cases such as a war or shipwreck, the declaration could be made in less than a year. 7 years. Japanese high schools apparently did not allow students to skip years, so given Kyousukes age, that limit would have already passed. If a request had been made, he would have been legally declared dead and the certificate of residence would have been erased. If the government office knew they could remove the records for that empty house without any legal trouble, they would not have held onto the documents any longer. However, that system generally only came into play when processing an inheritance, so that would not have happened unless someone made a complaint in family court. Simply put, it was all up to chance. Summoners and vessels with a certain number of Awards vanish from normal peoples awareness. Hopefully that is one more reasons that the documents were simply forgotten in here. This might be a commuter town with a declining population, but I doubt they could store all their documents in paper. Rachel, you handle the specifics. Everything was digitized in the modern age, but not all of that was available for access online. Certificates of residence could be printed off from a convenience store copier, but that did not mean you could just access anything you wanted by hacking in from a net caf. In the end, you could steal far more data by sneaking into the building the old fashioned way and accessing one of the internal computers. Bespectacled Rachel did not use the old-fashioned and yellowing computer and keyboard. She instead attached her mobile device with a cable and used that. That skipped the need for a username and password and it would not leave anything in the host devices access logs. The mobile device was originally meant to mess with Toy Dream who had indirectly attacked Kingdom F. It was extremely useful, but since other techniques were needed to sneak into the target facility, it was not all that attractive to normal hackers. Shiroyama, Shiroyama, Shiroyama That seems to be a common name in this country. That is intentional. And we know the full name for one family member. Have you found Shiroyama Kyousuke? Here he is, replied Rachel while displaying the result on the old monitor. Doctor S. Despite the impressive-sounding nickname, his real name was surprisingly mundane. So was Shiroyama Kyousuke for that matter. It was unclear if this was their real names or if they had all taken fake names so their family would not stand out. It also listed the names of Kyousukes mother and little sister. However. Just their names? Are there no photos? This is only a certificate of residence. A national ID card would probably have a photo, though. Rachel, search these full names on the external internet. Maybe you can find photos from a school event or a personal social media account. Understood, my queen. However Yes, I know. Shiroyama Kyousuke had been 5 or 6 at the time. His little sister would have been even younger. They may or may not have even entered elementary school by that point and it was unlikely they would have had their own social media accounts. Insurance cards did not include photos and they would not have any kind of license at that age. There were cameras everywhere you went in the modern age and they would have been photographed at some point, but that was useless if there was no way to search for it. But luck was on their side. Glasses knight Rachel found something while searching through some regional community sites. Passports. Rachel? It seems the shopping district ran a foreign travel program to get the residents of the commuter town to take a foreign vacation once a year. And even an infant less than a year old will have a photo on their passport. We can track them down like this!! Well done. You have my praise as a queen. Luckily, the ticket requests were made in the same building as the city hall. With the declining population and reductions in funding, they had likely been forced to run multiple public agencies from the same building to reduce costs. That saved Sincerias group the effort of breaking into another building. Once they walked to a different room and hacked into the computer there with Rachels mobile device, they finally found it. They found Shiroyama Kyousukes little sister. They found a photo of her face. But despite finding the data they were looking for, Olivia frowned. Isnt that? Part 5 The cocoon had grown to 8km. The world would end once it reached 10km. It was hardly surprising some people were starting to think about the afterlife. There is nothing at all to worry about. This is the predetermined judgment. None of us have any reason to worry. If you have led a blameless life, then relax and wait for the time to come. Praise be to the White Queen!! She waits for us beyond the gods and she is the one and only being who will save our souls!! Blue bikini Azalea Magentarain gave an annoyed look to the nun who was kneeling emotionally on the beach. Azalea was not the only person in Governments secret prison on South Americas Devils Island. The Saint. Just like Azalea, that woman had been a Queen worshiper from Bridesmaid, but while Azalea had been freed from those bonds, the nun had not. Perhaps as a sign of her suppressed fear, she wore her habit despite the heat and she continually offered prayers to the White Queen with a glow of ecstasy in her eyes. They had received a few reports from Maria Heartocean. About the cocoon and other things. If youre that afraid of dying, why not jump ship and worship the even-more-powerful Colorless Little Girl? Do not be silly. No one is stronger than White Queen. Especially not some human-made Unexplored-class!! Its not like you know where the White Queen came from. If she was born from a normal human mother, then you might as well have just spat on her existence. Not to worry. People make mistakes during our journey to find the right way through life. The White Queen is truly unfathomable, so she would never get angry over something so trivial!! The nun always had an answer. Or rather, if she let her argument be defeated, she would be forced to accept a truth that terrified her. The world would soon be destroyed. And she did not hold a priority ticket to salvation. (But when you get down to it) Which was the real danger: the White Queen or the cocoon? The Colorless Little Girl had been created to oppose the White Queen and she had in fact defeated the Queen. It was hard to believe, but if you built a theory on that information, didnt it mean a threat greater than the Queen had been introduced to the world? In the field of weaponry, you always struck back when outdone. No one could hold a monopoly over a new weapon forever. Once they were used in battle, the enemy could analyze them, collect malfunctioning or damaged units from the battlefield, and produce weapons of equal or greater capability. When that process repeated, the lethality of the weapons would rise endlessly. You always needed something more powerful than your enemy. It was the same with grenades, poison gas, landmines, tanks, missiles, and everything else. That back-and-forth meant the developers could never stop working. If the cocoon was a part of the Queen, the Colorless Little Girl would react to its growth. That was on the assumption that Maria had found the correct answer, but it was apparently true that Unexplored-class had been built to kill the Queen. In theory, anyone should be able to summon the Colorless Little Girl if the conditions are right. What a vile thought. Who would want the power to harm the Queen!? And yet I havent heard of anyone other than Shiroyama Kyousuke succeeding. I would think at least someone would try it with the entire world boiling over like this. Was that because she had been broken? Or was there some other reason? Part 6 Nghghgghgh. What is it now, Aoi? We are in a stuffy business hotel eating ordinary convenience store bentos. This is supposed to be a trip, so where is the local color!? It was night. Kyousuke and Aoi had left that house for the time being. That was partially because they were unsure what effects the distorted flow of time would have. Aois hair was wet because she was fresh from the bath and she was throwing a fit on the bed while wearing a starchy towel-material bathrobe with no logo on it. The difference in behavior from the train was likely due to growing accustomed to the excitement of the trip. It was like growing homesick for white rice and miso soup during the second half of a foreign vacation. Her fit was causing the bathrobe to slip out of place quite a bit. And while she was behaving very childishly, she did not seem to be wearing a sarashi or fundoshi at the moment. They had been lucky enough to find this business hotel in a commuter town that had failed to become a tourist location or an office town. There were rarely any visitors outside of the local residents. Kyousuke had feared the possibility of having to spend a sleepless night in that small house that felt like a nightmare preserved in formaldehyde, so he was delighted with the hotel. Wait, is the pay-per-view broken on this thing!? complained Aoi. I inserted the card I bought at the vending machine!! Is that what you call local color? It was the same as a convenience store or an online store. This business hotel chain had been built here even if it was guaranteed to lose money just because the company wanted their signs in every part of the country. Just like phone booths and mailboxes, they felt like a part of the public infrastructure. The biggest problem with this hotel is the lack of a hot spring. What is with that tiny bathtub!? You cant even stretch out your legs! And the closest thing to a view is the sink, the small mirror with the corner broken off, and the toilet! Argh, I finally got to leave that damp cave, so where is my moon-viewing sake!? Can you even drink sake? I have been running for hundreds of years, so surely you do not think I am too young. Besides, my entire body is fake! He was more curious about why the humans who had made her had felt the need to make her so she could get drunk. Just like all the excess icons lined up on the desktop of a commercial computer, it felt like they had too much time left over and decided to add a bunch of unnecessary stuff. Aoi used the bed springs to hop up, sat cross-legged despite only having a bathrobe to cover her nudity, and popped off the lid of the One Cup Yokozuna she no longer had a use for. Um, hey, said Kyousuke. What!? Isnt that my bed? You were rolling around on the other one earlier! Shut up, pervert boy. Ill cover both of them with my scent and warmth and theres nothing you can do about it!! Why did the worlds oldest look so at home with some convenience store sake in hand? Not many women could hold an unwieldy One Cup Yokozuna as comfortably as a middle-aged man at a horse-racing track. She also had convenience store edamame on the side table. Pwah Now, then. Yes? Aoi continued while her unnecessary functionality caused even her nape to flush red. Boy, are you sure you should have come all the way back to the station area? You made it sound like we could have lied in wait for the White Queen. More than that, Im pretty sure she was there with us during the day. Bff!? Aoi spat out her sake (which actually had a pretty high alcohol content). She reacted like someone who had walked down a forest trail as a neighborhood association test of courage and then later heard a man-eating tiger had been on the loose after escaping from the zoo. Kyousuke breathed a heavy sigh. Looking back on it, theyre probably on too high a level for most things. If we set up cameras and sensors all around the house, I bet they would slip right past them. We cant hope to limit their options either, so well have to predict what the White Queen and Shigara Masami are thinking. That put a terribly complicated look on Meinokawa Aois face. As a Joruri Method, she was not actually human, but Predict what the Queen and that Award 3000 are thinking? Is that even possible? We have no choice. If Shiroyama Kyousuke made his decisions based on what was possible or not, he would have given up on life and succumbed to the White Queen a long time ago. This was past the point of debating whether or not they could do it. What matters most is recovering the missing data about my mom and little sister. That house is definitely important in that regard, but staying there with nothing in mind wont teach us anything. We need to know what to look for and where to look. Then allow me to ask about something. ? The White Queen is only interested in you. Since she has not appeared before you in the present, she must be interested in the data surrounding you instead of you directly. For example, your past. There was no sign of her trying anything at the ruins of the Queens Miniature Garden, so she must be focused on Doctor Ss research which predates that. And that means this commuter town that is barely noticeable on the map. Yes? Weve discussed all that before. Now for my question: Why is the White Queen obsessed with you in the first place? She chugged the clear liquid. With the chest of her bathrobe dangerously loose, she winked, raised a finger, and then pointed that finger at Kyousuke. That Joruri Method was the spitting image of the White Queen and she asked another question to clarify. Or to put it another way: who is the White Queen? A direct timeline is meaningless when talking about her. She could easily have rewritten the past after being born in the present, so I am going to risk suggesting a bold theory. Why does she call you brother? Or to put it more clearly, is the White Queen your little sister? That was the decisive question. Silence reigned for a while. Finally, Shiroyama Kyousuke sighed softly. And he answered. No, that isnt what this is. Part 7 Meanwhile, the White Queen was silently pressing the mouth of a paper cup against the wall. She was down on all fours and the way her casual dress clung to her figure was quite risqu when it came to her butt. A girl in love was cutest when she somewhat lost control of herself!! [Umm, I really dont think thats going to help pick up the sound. Scientifically speaking.] Shigara Masami gently chided her while attaching the supplied coffee filter to her mug and pouring in water from the hot water dispenser. The air conditioning was nearly dead, but when they tried opening the window, they found the night breeze to be chilly. They had expected a sweltering night after how awfully hot it was through the evening, so this was a surprise. Maybe because this was not a heat island. Thanks to that, they wanted something to warm their bodies. They always seemed to be regulating their body temperatures in one direction or the other. [Biondetta-chan, how much sugar do you want?] It would be great if you could give me four sticks of sugar, three packets of milk, and then some cream, honey, caramel, brown sugar, meringue, and maple syrup. I would really like some coconut milk and orange peel to help bring out the summer flavor, but I will show some restraint. [Arent some of those pretty much the same thing? Like sugar and brown sugar, honey and maple syrup, or cream and meringue?] Dont be dumb, you complete foockhead!! [Oh, dear. Now youve said it. You shouldnt talk like that to a woman, you know? And this coffees flavor changes dramatically depending on how you prepare it. I hope youre ready for an ultra-bitter bomb as punishment!!] Shiroyama Kyousuke should have considered it more rationally. If this was the one business hotel in the rural city, then anyone visiting would naturally end up there. Most likely, Sinceria, Olivia, and the others from Kingdom F had a room there as well. [The real trick to perfect coffee is adding a few drops of brandy.] Nothing good ever comes from giving you alcohol. How many times do you think I saw you curled up on the floor with a bottle of vodka back in the Miniature Garden? [Ehh? You dont want to make something fancy like a caf royale!? You put a sugar cube on the spoon like this, let it soak in brandy, and heat it with a lighter until theres a blue ball of fire! Then you drop it into a cup of coffee and - kyah! - its so adult! Kyah, kyah] Queen, restrain that alcoholic before she sets off the smoke detector! Hurry!! Kyousukes mistake may have been thinking of them as supernatural beings. While Biondetta still counted as human despite modifying half her body with artificial bones, the other two would not starve to death just because they had nothing to eat. But that did not mean they would be satisfied only eating fog and mist. That may have been part of what it meant to learn what it means to be human. The waitress demon bent her back in a way that pushed out her large chest, looked up, and gulped down a ridiculous amount of antibiotics like they were coffee milk after a bath. Im surprised, she said afterwards. ? That Kyousuke-chan had a little sister. Is it that unusual? I know people like to go on and on about the low birthrate these days, but it isnt like no one has multiple children anymore. That wasnt what I meant. Biondetta seemed unsure how to put it, so Shigara Masami cut in. [Thats right. I let it wait because we had to avoid Kyousuke-kun, but who was that girl? And does it have to do with what you always say, Queen?] [You always call Kyousuke-kun your brother, dont you?] Everyone would draw a connection between those two facts. However. No. The White Queen breathed a heavy sigh after moving away from the wall. She seemed to have regained something when she entered that house. If that were the case, I might have been able to save him in some other way during those hellish days. But it is not the case. I am not Doctor Ss daughter. Shigara Masami and Biondetta exchanged a glance. They were clearly wondering the same thing. Then who was that little sister seen in Shiroyama Kyousukes past? Who was that girl from those painful memories? Who was that girl who had introduced something other than pain to those memories? You are looking at this wrong. The White Queen rejected the idea even further as if forcing them in the right direction. Her journey to learn what it means to be human was gradually bearing fruit. We are pursuing data concerning my brothers past, not data concerning his little sisters past. Do not forget that. Yes, but [Thats right. I dont think this is something we can just ignore.] Sigh. The White Queen rubbed her temples with her index fingers. Yes, I suppose she is bound to come up if we are following my brothers past. But let me lay out the basic framework of that story: that house was Doctor Ss lab. Doctor S lived there with my brother, his mother, and his little sister. Doctor S followed his own manual to apply pressure to my brother and his mother and little sister fell victim to Doctor Ss violence in the process. My brother already had the makings of what Doctor S wanted, so hitting him and beating him would not be enough to break him. So Doctor S instead beat the family members he cared for. All while laughing and saying it was his fault. It was simple enough when spelled out like that, but the reality of it had to have been so much more sticky and horrific. Shigara Masami had trouble imagining it and she had directly stood in the rampaging White Queens path to allow as many children as possible to escape the Queens Miniature Garden. Researchers came in any number of forms, but Doctor S clearly lacked anything resembling human morals or brakes. But that was not the White Queens main point. So a question: where did my brothers hope lie during those unbearably hellish days? Eh? That question shocked Biondetta. The answer may have come to her so quickly because she saw herself as Kyousukes big sister. Well, wouldnt that be his mother and little sister? If he had been alone there, he wouldnt have had a reason to bear with it all. Yes, that is correct. It might seem clich, but that was what supported his heart. He wanted to save his mother and little sister who were being beaten in his place as if to teach him a lesson. He wanted to gain the strength to outdo Doctor S and free his family. That was the only thing on his mind as he so valiantly completed all the tasks presented to him. However. The White Queen paused there. She had a subdued look on her face because not even she knew what expression was appropriate here. Like I said, that small house was Doctor Ss lab. Shigara Masami, you intuitively sensed it as soon as you saw it for yourself. Everything in that house served a purpose. Even the positions of the pencils and erasers. [What about it?] Another question: what role did the mother and little sister play? And who had placed them in that role? That question left the other twos minds blank. The answer to that question was certainly a possibility, but even considering something so horrific felt taboo or profane. To repeat: that small house was Doctor Ss lab and everything there served a purpose. It was all set up to complete the methodology for surpassing the limits of the Blood-Sign Summoning Ceremony to both summon and control me, the White Queen. My brother was being made stronger for that purpose. He was being made into a precision-guided missile that would never give up once he set his sights on something. [Wait, you cant be serious. That cant possibly be true, can it!?] In other words In other words In other words His mother and little sister were in on it. Those family members were no more than staff members or assistants prepared by Doctor S. It was all meant to construct a sob story to inspire my brother to fight when he otherwise would have refused. Part 8 Unforgivable. Someones shoulders were trembling. It was Meinokawa Aoi who looked so uncannily like the White Queen. And this was not due to the alcohol. Curse that Doctor S!! Has he no respect for peoples hearts!? Argh, you should have told me sooner! I should have killed that bastard before you handed him over to Government!! She started making chronologically impossible complaints. Meinokawa Aoi had been attacked and torn to pieces by the White Queen at the start of that mess, so she had been entirely left out of the Houbi Village incident where Doctor S and Olivia had been plotting behind the scenes. But she was so angry that slipped her mind. Even though Kyousuke felt abandoned by his own memories since he could not remember their names or what they looked like. Aoi. What!? Why are you crying? When she heard that, the silver-haired shrine maiden pulled the sheet up over her head. How should I know? she sulked from below the sheet. But it was not over yet. There was still more to this hopeless story. The words help me had yet to appear. Sinceria Report 04 What are you doing, mom? Hee hee hee. I was thinking a capable mother should review the days results. Running water could be heard through the door because Rachel, the glasses knight, was taking a shower. Sinceria held an ordinary tablet in a business hotel room. Cheap but high performance was how the ruler of Kingdom F did things. Olivia, who still wore her school swimsuit with decorative cloth and pareo, peeked at the screen and saw the girls they had spoken to before arriving in this rural city. Sekurtiti was not the only one. Shigara Masami. Sinceria slowly pronounced the name with long ears twitching while sitting on the bed. The White Queen overshadows her, but she has made herself enough of a legend on her own. And there is very little information on her. So it is fortunate we managed to contact her early on. Lets review the information for Kyousukes sake too. Yes. The screen displayed a woman with a long black ponytail and a tight skirt suit. She looked like Shigara Masami, but she was not. Her name was Himekawa Mika. That vessel had so looked up to Shigara Masami that she had remade herself to look just like her. The best way to identify her may have been the intentionally torn sides of her tight skirt. She had apparently fought alongside Kyousuke during the incident related to Pandemonium and the Deltaston family, but according to her There is not much I know. I had never even heard of the Queens Miniature Garden, much less the fact that she was Freedom Award 3000. She had been very modest at first, but she had gradually dug deeper into the issue as time passed. There was a simple reason for that: the mug of beer in her hand in the middle of the day. I wonder if the real one likes alcohol too. Like you do, mom. Maybe so, but your mother does not get so woozy even after drinking several beers. And just like Meinokawa Aoi copies the White Queens appearance to help get into her mindset, I assume Himekawa Mikas behavior is copied after Shigara Masami to an extent. But as a researcher, continued Himekawa after finishing off her beer like some kind of ritual. She tended to be very precise and something of a perfectionist. So she was better at using the brakes than the gas pedal. If she decided it would be dangerous to go any further, she could cut off all desire from there on. She would rationally step back and reassess the big picture. If she used that side of her in the field of combat, her fighting style was probably something like a spider or antlion. Instead of making any big moves herself, she would persistently poke at her opponent and wait for them to adapt to her pace. She was always true to the fundamentals and made no mistakes herself, so I imagine she would use even a single mistake from her enemy to destroy them with more and more shots fired with perfect accuracy. Ugh, groaned Olivia. Sinceria and Olivia viewed the world of the Summoning Ceremony through the lens of a vessel, but they still had their thoughts about Himekawa Mikas analysis. They had no desire to take on someone who gradually wore down their opponents nerves and waited for them to make a mistake. It would be like playing tennis against a thick wall. You could hit the ball back a thousand or even ten thousand times, but if your racket missed the ball just once, you lost. It would be like the battle against your enemy had suddenly transformed into a battle against yourself. How long would each and every second feel to a summoner fighting Shigara Masami? That sounds like an even more perfected form of Onii-chan. Yes. Shiroyama Kyousuke was a highly variable summoner who would stick to the fundamentals to an extent, but he had a tendency to rely on tricky stunts when it really mattered. A look at their battle records showed that Biondetta was less reliant on gambles because she stuck to underhanded methods from beginning to end. I imagine it was Shigara Masami as a researcher who taught them the basics. What we dont know is how much of an influence she had on Biondetta and the other survivors of the Miniature Garden. But there must have been some influence. Rachel and the other Kingdom F knights were trained as summoners using a different method from the Miniature Garden, but what would happen if they got into a fight with Shigara Masami? Sinceria could not say it out loud because it would infuriate Rachel, but based on the results during Kingdom Fs civil war, she doubted Knight Representative Rachel could defeat Miniature-Garden-trained Kyousuke. And it was best to assume Shigara Masami was on a level even higher than Kyousuke. In that case Were moving on to someone else? asked Olivia. This is Ellie Slide. She is well known as an incense expert. The tablet displayed a girl about as tall as Olivia. Her skin was tanned a healthy brown with bright swimsuit tan lines. Her blonde hair was not worn up and was left unkempt. And yet she also had an intellectual face that included glasses. Award 3000? she sounded exasperated from the start. If someone like that really does exist, you would have to be an idiot to challenge them in the Summoning Ceremony. It would be a waste of time. The way she rejected straightforward work was similar to Kyousuke but also somehow different. He was known to say the battle began before the preparations for the Summoning Ceremony were complete and he would often settle things with a surprise attack before any Materials had been summoned. But that also meant he was accepting his opponents skill and was afraid of being worn down by a serious battle with them. Kyousuke might look like he reigned supreme at the very top, but he never underestimated his enemy. It was because he recognized their skill that he did not hold back. But even if someone has earned Awards in the quadruple digits, they are still bound to the Blood-Sign System. The stronger they become, the harder it is to escape the field they have mastered. That means there is nothing to guarantee their strength without the foundation of those basic rules. A boxer who is undefeated in the ring will not necessarily be able to hold their own in a street fight, and vice-versa. This has nothing to do with who is better. It is a simple concept: if you cannot defeat the individual, then shake up their world instead. I dont like her, said Olivia. My, my, Via. You shouldnt be so quick to judge. Its simple. On the screen, Ellie Slide spoke with scorn in her voice. You could tamper with their Incense Grenades so they wont detonate, or you could steal their Blood-Sign. Either way, you just have to prevent them from starting a battle using the Blood-Sign Summoning Ceremony. I am an incense expert, so I do not make a living with direct fistfights. I am a coward who always looks for a way around such things. Facts: *The house Doctor S used as a lab was preserved as if time had stopped. Presumably, this was the result of the heavy burden placed on it by the White Queens power. *Shiroyama Kyousukes predictions of the White Queens actions leave something to be desired in the accuracy department, so the two of them have just missed each other a few times. But Shigara Masami and Biondettas familiarity with his habits has played a role in this. *Sinceria and Olivia seemed to recognize the little sister they saw in the passport photo. *Shiroyama Kyousukes little sister was not the White Queen. *Everything in that small house served a purpose. Shiroyama Kyousukes mother and little sister were no more than staff members or assistants hired by Doctor S. Doctor S used them to give Kyousuke someone to protect in order to keep him working when he would have broken on his own. *And you must not forget. Feeling anger over the past is all well and good, but Shigara Masami and Biondetta have trampled on Kyousukes trust just like his former family did. Volume 9, Stage 04: The Truth About Brother” Volume 9, Stage 04: The Truth About Brother White Queen. Dont you dare interfere. (Stage 04 Open 08/23 00:01) Part 1 The old-fashioned analog lock broke as he kicked down the door with a loud bang. Tch!! Someone had been here. They had left signs of their presence in the room adjacent to the one Kyousuke was staying in. There were wrinkles in the sheets, water droplets in the bath, and a few mugs that appeared to have been quickly washed in the sink. It was just past midnight on August 23. The room was deserted. This was the 9th floor, but the curtain blew in a lukewarm breeze as if to provide an explanation. It would have been more convincing to hear they had vanished in a puff of smoke. The White Queen had been here. Until very recently. Aoi soon caught up to him, but even outside of their room, she still wore the towel-material bathrobe which was too big for her. She did seem to have left her One Cup Yokozuna behind. Without her usual white sarashi, her breasts were jiggling a distracting amount. What is it, boy? Did you hit the jackpot? Thats a prize Id rather not win. She had gotten away. And the Colorless Little Girl was responding to the cocoons growth. The risk from both sides grew as time passed. Kyousuke spat out the words, but he was also coldly analyzing the situation. He realized something odd when observing the position of the beds and chairs, the number of used mugs, and the amount of soap and shampoo that had been used. Its more than just the two? Hm? He had assumed it was just the White Queen and Shigara Masami working together, but this hotel room suggested there was a third person with them. Assuming the White Queen had not left intentionally misleading evidence, she had some other helper. Kyousuke wandered around the room. No, he was pursuing each piece of evidence to figure out what the people here had done. Just like a profiler viewed a crime scene in a different way from a forensics team. Who could it be? He started to look puzzled as he pursued the unseen persons actions. And he opened his mouth just like the needle following the groove of a record. Dont be dumb, you complete foockhead!! Eek!? Wh-what was that for? What did I even do? ? Meinokawa Aoi tearfully covered the top of her head with her hands when he suddenly swore at her, but Kyousuke was only tilting his head. (Wait. An extreme sweet tooth and chugging the contents of a pill bottle???) As he followed the signs, he found something in the gap between the TV stand and the floor. It was a white pill that appeared to be an antibiotic. He also found a pellet of pet food. Probably for a reptile, specifically a snake. That clinched it. You too, Biondetta!!!??? Whew, we really screwed that one up. Still in her miniskirt waitress uniform, Biondetta stuck out her tongue while using the downspout to escape to the asphalt road. The only things in that room had been their tools for a Blood-Sign battle and the bare minimum needed to spend a night in the hotel. Attacking someone in their sleep was standard practice, so their other clothing and items not needed to survive were in a coin locker at the train station. But even then This is honestly pretty bad. I was so focused on getting out of there, I left tons of evidence I was there. Caesar Kyousuke-chan is probably really pissed at me right about now! The White Queen and Shigara Masami were supernatural beings, so Biondetta carried the greatest risk of leaving evidence behind in the real world. The others had been aware of that when they let her join them, so they were not going to complain. [But I wonder how he knew we were there. Did he hear us through the wall? Or did he just sense our presence???] He did it because he is my brother. It was not clear if there was any deeper meaning in the White Queens explanation. She and Kyousuke were two sides of the same coin. Just as she sought love from him, he pursued her based on his combat instincts. And that was not the main point here. With her bare legs mostly visible below her short casual dress, the White Queen glanced back just once. Do you think he will pursue us right away? Her group wanted to avoid a fight with Shiroyama Kyousuke. After all, they could not stop the expanding cocoon or the responding Colorless Little Girl unless she accepted that Shigara Masami stopping her had been the best option for her and Kyousuke. Any major cracks in that now would bring them back to square one. But Shigara Masami shook her head in her suit and lab coat. [I doubt it. Because he has no surefire way of attacking us.] What? But he has the Colorless Little Girl he built specifically to use against me. [Queen, that might work against you, but what about me? I am technically Freedom Award 3000, which means I have more than 3 times the Awards he does. He is a combat expert in his own way, so do you think he would really be na?ve enough to think he could defeat us both at once by rushing in without a plan? Especially when he has a contract with a vessel girl.] That reminded the White Queen of something as the short hem of her thin casual dress fluttered in the wind. To make a long story short, Shiroyama Kyousuke had never defeated Government Award 1000, Elvast Toydream. Being defeated along with his vessel must have been a bitter memory for him. And this time it was Freedom Award 3000. This woman was a warrior among warriors who had traversed all three major powers and taken 1000 Awards from each. No matter how the battle would actually go, Kyousuke would never take an optimistic view before it began. [Lets assume Kyousuke-kun has been working his brain around the clock to come up with a method of defeating us one-against-two since he learned I had taken your side. It would have to be a personal attack that pinpoint targeted some kind of critical weakness. But he would have only just learned that Biondetta-chan is with us, right? All of his assumptions have fallen apart. His assault on our room might look courageous, but he is the one who will be agonizing over all his plans going awry.] The scary part about Biondetta was how she could pull off victories above her Award level by using underhanded tricks. He might be able to handle her one-on-one since he could keep his eyes on her at all times, but in a one-on-three fray, he would have a much harder time predicting what would happen. They just had to look at it with some of the positions reverse. Even if she was Freedom Award 3000, Shigara Masami would want to avoid rushing in to fight both Biondetta and the White Queen without a plan. That could easily end up more than just a normal Blood-Sign battle. Who knows what that waitress demon could draw out of the Queen. Summoners would predict each others actions at a very high level, but that brought its own kind of doubts and anxieties. Shiroyama Kyousuke was not dumb enough to thoughtlessly rush in. Shigara Masami could guarantee that more than anyone. During the Secret War at the end of the Queens Miniature Garden, he had learned all too well what that kind of recklessness would bring. The situation was in their favor. As if the entire world were blessing the White Queen. But the Queen herself looked like she would start gnawing on her thumbnail if she let her guard down. This must be very painful for him. Seeing the betrayal of a family member must be digging into his old scars. [Yes, that may be true.] Her journey to learn what it means to be human was not over yet. Shigara Masami agreed with her while walking along the night road. But she had more to say while fiddling with the whistle around her neck. [The more obstacles standing in the way of your love, the more exciting it is, Queen.] Part 2 The White Queen and Shigara Masami had been joined by Biondetta. Shiroyama Kyousuke knew he could not defeat them without preparing first. Still, he did not currently have the patience to just sit and wait. To stop the Colorless Little Girls rampage, they had to stop the expansion of the cocoon. To stop the cocoon, they just had to kill the Queen. The Queen was right there. Perhaps he should have breathed a sigh of relief that he had escaped this time. This was primetime for an assassin. He just had to get one attack in even if it was by surprise. Ohhhhhhhh, you stupid dumb fool! Cool your head! Are you trying to get yourself killed!? If all you can do is stagger onto the battlefield without a realistic chance at victory, then you need work behind the scenes for now! Why dont you get that!? His teachers prediction had been wrong. Meinokawa Aoi had grabbed at him from behind and he was dragging her down the business hotel hallway, but then he realized her voice was growing more distant. She was leaning her full weight on him, but her head and legs had been left behind after they popped off. The bathrobe was a complete mess now. That was when they ran across another coincidence. This calls for a motherly punch to calm Kyousuke down!! Wait, mom didnt use her motherly tolerance this time!? Sinceria and Olivia were there. And the royal mother played rock rather than paper. As evidenced by Sinceria Highlands long ears, the very structure of her body had taken a step outside the framework of humanity because she had held contracts with more summoners than any other vessel. With the headless shrine maiden still clinging to his back, Kyousuke was knocked all the way to the hallway wall. The kind and gentle woman smiled with one palm to her cheek. Oh, dear. If you sell my hit that hard, it makes it look like I was showing off some kind of inhuman strength. With Hong Kong films, they do say the villains ability to throw themselves around is more important than the leads ability to punch or kick. Oh, Kyousuke, youre just so good at everything My queen. Smiling as you strike too quickly for a professional fighter like me to react places your muscles solidly above those of a mountain gorill- Rachel, one word more and its the Judas cradle for you. The glasses knight decided to hold her tongue because she could sense how serious her queen was behind that smile. Sinceria was known as a goddess with the three faces of a mother, a woman, and a ruler, but Rachel was left trembling at the hint of a 0th personality hidden behind those three. Meanwhile, young Olivia only looked puzzled since she did not know what that high-level term meant. What are all of you doing here? Kyousuke, you always had an aura of seeing right through people, so this must be worse than I thought if youre asking such vague questions. You probably still need time to recover. Hee hee hee. So if you go climb into the hospital bed like a good boy, I will lie down next to you and sing you a lullaby. Was mom always the type to beat them into submission before hugging them!? I-I cant let my guard down around her. Was she the final boss standing in my way this whole time? Blonde braided Olivia trembled in fear, but they ignored her for now. So you all were pursuing the White Queen too? Have the gears finally started to turn, Kyousuke? Given the location of the cocoon, the future of Kingdom F hinges on this issue. No, given the danger if the Colorless Little Girl loses control, the future of the entire world is at risk. How could we possibly just sit idly by? Kyousuke sighed while shoving the most important part onto Aois neck and sticking his hands up her bathrobe to attach her legs. His response was blunt. Youll die. I could say the same to you. Sinceria continued to smile. You could not even dodge my fist, so how do you expect to do anything against the White Queen? Summoning Ceremony battles begin before the first Material is summoned. It takes five seconds for a thrown Incense Grenade to detonate and do you really think she is going to wait for the Artificial Sacred Ground? Oh, dear. Oh, dear, dear, dear. This is not good at all, Kyousuke. Did you think you alone would receive special treatment from the White Queen? Dont you have this entirely backwards? Kyousuke, no matter how you hope for this to end, you need to first free yourself from the yoke of the White Queen. You are not even standing on the starting line yet. How do you like devouring the food your father made you while insisting youre entirely independent, Mr. Rebellious Phase? Yes, yes. I get it. The Blood-Sign System was created by Doctor S, Kyousukes father. The White Queen had used her position as the strongest to stay by his side all this time. So there was only one way to look at it. In the end, it was Shigara Masami and not me who created a situation the White Queen did not expect. Everything Ive done has been in the palm of her hand and I havent taken a step outside that. Freedom Award 903? Hah! Its not imaginary, its not an irrational root, and its even a damn integer! Its all perfectly in line with the Third Style created by Doctor S and preserved by the White Queen. To hell with it all!! Onii-chan The whole world is a cage. Kyousuke roared with teeth bared like a beast. If I want to break free of this na?ve rebellious phase, I need to reject everything Doctor S created, beat down the White Queen, and take it farther than anyone ever expected. Thats what youre saying, right? Well, I should be able to do it. Shigara Masami is a Divine-class, but shes overwhelmed the White Queen who exists beyond the Unexplored-class!! I know the rules can be broken, so surely I can- You stupid child. This isnt even a rebellious phase. Youre still sucking on your pacifier. This time it was Meinokawa Aois fist that hit him on the top of the head. When he stopped talking, the silver-haired shrine maiden (currently wearing only a bathrobe) winked at him. What, you couldnt predict or dodge that one? Boy, you should really get some maintenance done. ~ ~ ~ And you two of noble blood, I know your kingdom is threatened by the cocoon and the Colorless Little Girl, but I must ask that you stop hoping to accomplish anything by stirring up this boys fighting spirit and directing him toward the Queen. I do not know what connection you have with him, but I am his vessel now, so back off. Do you really expect me to just sit here while you take advantage of his psychological exhaustion to drive him toward a flawed attack plan? Imaginary sparks flew. And after some silence, fluffy blonde Sinceria spoke up. Do you really think you could fight me, woman against woman? Rachel took things much too far earlier, but you do know my skeletal structure itself is no longer quite human, dont you? Mwa ha ha. So this fight would be as a woman instead of a ruler or mother? How romantic of you. Aoi stepped forward and crossed her arms to pointlessly push up her large breasts (which were loose without her sarashi). She was protecting Kyousuke so he was not directed down the path of justice while he was not thinking straight. Also, I am the worlds oldest Joruri Method, so I am not much different from you. I was never human in the first place, so dont hold back. Bring it on, you mountain gorilla disguised as- The rulers fist sent Meinokawa Aois head flying before she could finish speaking. Sincerias eyes widened, glasses knight Rachel covered her eyes with a hand, and Olivia screamed at the horrific scene. The headless corpse stood there with arms still crossed, forgetting to fall. But the head rolled down the hallway, bumped into the bottom of the icemaker, and started shouting something. Run away, boy!! Forget about me!! She really does have monstrous strength and isnt afraid to use it!! Kyah, get out of here if you want to escape a night of fear with that carnivorous love monster who doesnt know how to act her age!! Protect your chastity, boyyyyyyyyyy!! Hold it right there!! I saw how easily your head came off earlier. I bet youve made it so it would come off if a kindergartner hit you. So stop treating me like Im some kind of creepy monster. Right!? I can see youre panicking over being insulted as a woman in front of the boy, but its too late now. Mwa ha ha. As an image of the Queen, I will grant you an Award: Gorilla who rips off the heads of any female vessels she sees near the (much younger) boy she is preying on. Mwa ha ha ha ha!! Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!??? That was the moment when the ever-beautiful and capable mother snapped and became a splatter monster (whose weapon was her muscles). The worst part was how Aois description did technically describe the situation. The truth could be easily distorted if you lined up the facts like playing cards. Meanwhile, the blonde braid girl in a school swimsuit was staring blankly into the distance and the glasses knight was clenching her teeth. So mom really does have Onii-chan in her sights. Now theres no avoiding the closed-room suspense theatre between mother and daughter. And with a royal as the culprit, it might involve some over-the-top trick that makes every single citizen an accomplice. So the key to solving it will have to be a traveler from another country! And that gives a logical reason for the three office ladies to bathe in a hot spring together!! Dark clouds. This love of younger boys can only mean dark clouds for Kingdom Fs dignity!! A step removed from it all, Kyousuke sighed all on his own. It was well known that CPRs success rate dropped significantly as time passed, but the graph for successfully tracking someone looked very similar. If the timer began at the moment your target disappeared from view, then you had a chance of quickly chasing them down if you started within 2 minutes, but any longer than that and it would be a long-term affair where you needed the manpower to search a wide area and question people. And it was worse in this case because that target was the White Queen plus Shigara Masami and Biondetta who used tricks full of human ingenuity. This conversation might be silly, but there was no taking back the time it had eaten up. He could not expect to accomplish anything more tonight. Or perhaps the pause had let him realize just how reckless he was being. Goddammit. Part 3 The next morning. Heyyyy, boy! On the way to that small house, someone called out to Kyousuke from behind. He clicked his tongue. Theres no need to be that obvious about disliking me. And dont just leave me behind at the hotel. That hurts, you know? But anyway, a summoner and his vessel are linked, so I really dont see the point. I would be dragged to you once you threw an Incense Grenade. Why are you here? I dont need a vessel who puts the world in danger by wasting valuable time and running away from fighting the White Queen. Hold on now. Why are you assuming you need to fight the White Queen to end this? I know the cocoon and Colorless Little Girl are a lot of trouble, but arent you letting those Kingdom F people influence you too much??? What are you-? Smooooch. Wah!! yelled Kyousuke as he jumped back. That was a real close shave. And in her shrine maiden outfit and sarashi, Aoi opened just the one eye while still puckered up for a kiss. I have one question for you, boy. You seem to treat me very differently from the White Queen, but why is that? Thats a stupid question. Youre completely different people, just like Renge and Higan are. Thats nice and all, but lets double check your definitions. I was created to look identical to the White Queen in every way. Im like a statue of Buddha or the Virgin Mary in that way. In ooooother words, we are identical when it comes to appearance. Below the midsummer sun, the silver-shrine maiden took a very un-shrine-maiden-like pose by placing her hands behind her head and twisting her hips. She checked her bodylines in the round mirror used to see around a dangerous turn in the road. You go on and on about how much you despise the White Queen and how much she makes you want to vomit, but I didnt notice any negative emotions when you saw me in my swimsuit or this shrine maiden outfit. And when you jumped back from that attempted kiss, it was not out of disgust, was it? Mwa ha ha ha ha!! There, there. No need to blush, boy. Teenage boys are so cute. Meinokawa Aoi seemed to have seized the initiative enough to make her own move. There was definite confidence in her mischievous smile. She had some nerve acting like this after nearly dropping her bento when he hugged her on the train. However. Something was different now. Perhaps this was the Joruri Method ability to use the appearance to play the role. It was probably impossible for Shiroyama Kyousuke to identify with the White Queen. The very thought of it made him feel like there were tons of little bugs crawling around under his skin. So your issue is not with her appearance. So where does your disgust come from? Is it how the White Queen talks, her personality, or some other internal issue? It was like an invisible switch had been thrown. The cicada cries sounded more distant. If so, you should start getting goose bumps when I talk like this, brother. Yet I do not see it. This is silly. She took on a sweet voice and a smiling personality that stomped right on into someones greatest depths. But Kyousuke shook his head and spat out a rejection. Copy her mannerisms all you like, but you havent done anything wrong. A harmless person cant create a connection to the Queen just by forcibly pretending to be evil. Oh, is that so, brother? You must be very particular about my behavior and appearance. Hee hee. I didnt know you loved me quite that much. Youre going to make me blush Aoi. So it isnt her appearance or personality. What does that leave? Something she did in the past? The heavy silence that followed made it feel like even the shimmering of heat above the asphalt had frozen. After everything. It was quiet. But Shiroyama Kyousuke bared another part of his heart as if squeezing out the words. After everything she did, how else am I supposed to feel about her? So you could have loved her if not for that? Dont give me that bull- But its true, isnt it? There was no smile in Meinokawa Aois eyes. They were like mechanical lenses observing the expression and eye movements of a suspect in custody. The issue is not with her appearance or personality. The events of the past are the only possibility I can come up with. Boy, you said it yourself, didnt you? He need not reject me because, unlike the White Queen, I am harmless. Then heres a hypothetical for you: What if the White Queen had never killed anyone and you felt she was harmless? How would you behave around her then? Thats a meaningless question. Then why go to the trouble of refusing to answer? It isnt like a yes or a no answer will change anything about reality. So what? he spat out in desperation. Was he harming the Queen or himself at this point? So what!? Yes, its true. There was a time when I trusted the White Queen. I even made a promise with her in the Queens Miniature Garden! I had her promise not to kill anyone!! And you know what happened then? Look at the world around you! Its still falling apart!! Claude Magentarain had not died. So what? Shigara Masami did not want revenge. So what? How could they look at those exceptions to the norm and claim they spoke for all the other victims of the Secret War? What about Shiroyama Kyoumi? What about the nameless guards? What about the old leaders of Government and Illegal? It was obvious, it should have been so stupidly obvious, but most of them had not survived. Seeing a miracle or two was not enough to erase the resentment from all the others. Thats nonsense. It doesnt add up. I cant disrespect all those victims by looking at it like that. Half the worlds tragedies are my fault and the other half are her fault!!!!!! Mwa ha ha. But even after being pummeled by a deluge of words, Meinokawa Aoi was laughing. And on the side of a deserted road Im glad I heard that. ? Boy, you dont get to take back what you said. Not unless you go crying to the White Queen who can bend the timeline. Whatwhat are you trying to say, Meinokawa Aoi!? Lets get to the heart of the matter already. Boy, the one and only thing you cant forgive the White Queen for is some incident from the past, right? The Queen was not harmless, so you cant forgive her. You get goose bumps, feel nauseated and dizzy, get a headache, and feel other symptoms of a cold, but it all goes back to the same thing. You cant change the past. Of course not. Im sure the Queen can mess with the timeline, but because she is a singularity like that, she cannot change the things she herself has caused. Isnt that how it works? If the White Queen directly killed someone, then that was the end. There was no way of bringing them back, even if you introduced time travel or parallel worlds. And yet. But, boy, you are making one fundamental mistake. ? There is nothing wrong with not being harmless. What I mean is, you need not remain bound by the past. At first, he honestly did not know what she was talking about. His mind would not have been this blank if he were suffering from heatstroke. When Meinokawa Aoi smiled from this close up, she looked like a mysterious being with no understandable language or thoughts. For example, what if we were to discuss the future? The future? Or you could think of it as possibilities. What if? What if the White Queen repented for everything she had done, swore she would never do it again, and gave up all of her power? Couldnt you call her harmless then? Thats ridiculous. Do not forget what you yourself said, boy. You admitted your hatred came from there instead of her appearance or personality. This is utterly ridiculous!! So if she says my bad and turns over a new leaf, were just supposed to pretend none of it ever happened? Do you have any idea how many people shes killed!? What, so the death penalty is the only option left? Yes!! But, boy. She smiled like an immature old woman who insisted on outdoing a young child in a battle of wits. If the White Queen said she agreed and laid her head on the chopping block for you, could you really still call her evil? The cold sweat soaking Kyousuke was enough to completely forget the midsummer sun. Do you really think? Hm? Do you really think thats going to stop me? Do you really think some sweet sob story can get me to hug the Queen instead of killing her!? This is nothing so shallow. Meinokawa Aoi looked utterly exasperated. Lets say the White Queen really does accept all blame and really truly does let herself be executed. What happens then? And I am talking about a true annihilation without any resurrections, rebirths, or other loopholes. Boy, once the Queen has proven with her life that she is harmless, would you still have the guts to spit on her name? It isnt like history will suddenly end with her death. Peoples bonds continue even after one of them dies. You should know that given how many of the dead you drag around with you. So it is possible you would be freed from your hatred. And if that happens, how could you accept the fact that you killed the Queen once she proved she was harmless? Could you really directly accept the fact that you had killed someone who did not need to be killed? I mean, I seem to recall a certain insolent boy saying he could never forgive the Queen because she killed someone who did not need to be killed. Wouldnt you be the same for killing the harmless Queen? And where could you go once you found yourself unable to accept yourself? Wandering the world after breaking down from your excessive power sounds a lot like someone else we know. Aoi gave a snort of laughter on the deserted road. You coward. What you are doing is no different from the witch trials that shoved a suspect into the water and declared them innocent if they drowned. What happened to trying to stop the cocoon and Colorless Little Girl? I am not obligated to take one side or the other, but this will not please the Queen either. Even she will flail around in search of oxygen when you force her underwater. It is just that her flailing arms and legs carry unimaginable power. These questions are meaningless. Probably. But I have pricked you with the thorn, hero. Not a nail or stake that will cause a fatal wound. The pain from this tiny thorn will stick with you for a long while. The what-ifs will stick with you. You will wonder if there was some path that would have let the White Queen live happily alongside everyone else just like any other girl. Knowing and not knowing are very different things. So whatever result you aim for, keep this in mind: Boy, now you know. You can no longer claim you do not know what it means to remain dedicated to your goal of killing the Queen to the very end. Kyousuke said nothing. He simply stood there, so Meinokawa Aoi spread her arms and pointed in a certain direction. She pointed toward a small house. Now, lets get going, cowardly hero. I will not support either side. I will simply take a step back and observe how you choose to save the world. Part 4 The entire shopping center was named Multiple. This rundown rural city was not a part of Toy Dreams revived city program, so the one lively place near the train station was the shopping center. It was crammed full of small stores primarily offering food, clothing, or electronics, but the fresh foods were definitely the foundation of it all. That was why the front gate was already open at 9 AM and cheerful music was playing on a loop while the names of supermarket chains were visible here and there. The hustle and bustle of people was joined by the chorus of cicada cries. Neat, they have more than 200 stores in a space about the size of a domed stadium. Biondetta bent over in her miniskirt to look at the map on the wall. But she was not exactly impressed. They have so much empty land from failed redevelopment projects, so they could have easily built 10 or 20 of these domes. I wonder why they decided to cram all 200 in here. How could you describe the center as a whole? It was something like a colosseum built with modern construction. The main building was a giant circle, the roof was supported by thick columns, there were 8 entrances people could freely enter or leave through, and there was a large fountain plaza in the center for use as an event space. The ponytail researcher named Shigara Masami glanced over at the White Queen walking next to her in a white casual dress. [Are you sure you dont want to revisit that house, Queen?] Yes. The White Queen walked gracefully through the crowd without disturbing the flow of people as she made her way from the exterior parking lot, through one of the gates, and toward the fountain plaza. Local children were gathered around a kiddie pool with water balloons floating in it. It was likely a game where you fished them out by their strings. The White Queen gave a curious look at a sign announcing the Colorful Sentai Hero Show would start at 11. I am more or less finished with it. You could say I had everything I needed to reconstruct the lost data when I saw that house. So let us wait here until my brother catches up. So no matter what happens, the order doesnt change, huh? The Queen in first and Kyousuke-chan playing catch up. Biondetta giggled like an alluring demon, but the White Queen winked and held a finger to her lips. You must not mention that to him. My brother has always gotten so worked up over that. [Biondetta-chan is doing it on purpose. Shes rotten to the core.] Nee shee shee. [Yes, you have always been the mischievous type that teases the boy she likes to get a reaction out of him.] Wait, what!? The waitress demon grew flustered on the way up the escalator to the second floors midair walkway. And Shigara Masami had something else to say. [Queen, your dress.] Oh, whoops. In the end, this may have been where it all went wrong. The White Queen was of course the White Queen. She was the strongest through and through and that had never wavered. This was an age of upheaval, but if you looked back, Shiroyama Kyousuke was entirely unchanged. He had never insisted on anything other than defeating the White Queen. It was the world that changed. Shigara Masami had scored a critical hit on the White Queen and that mental blow had affected the fight for the top between the White Queen and the Colorless Little Girl. Then why was Shiroyama Kyousuke so stubborn? Given how selflessly he had saved those many Alices, it seemed strange for him to be so dead set on violence. In other words [Kyousuke-chan is too reliant on you.] Shigara Masami cut right to the heart of the matter. The White Queen looked through the show windows of the small shops lining the curved midair walkway until the scrunchie woman lightly slapped her defenseless butt. [He relies on you being the strongest who cant be defeated no matter what. Thats how he knows you can handle anything he throws at you. At his core, he has a challengers mentality. I have no idea if he is even aware of it, though.] A challenger? [Yes. He comes running once the incident has already occurred. It can be hard to tell since he is one of the strongest with his more than 900 Awards, but he is not the titleholder waiting for the challengers to come to him.] Yes, he was the challenger, so he did not know how to hold back. He was the attacker, so he always went in with everything he had. Shiroyama Kyousuke could not have gone as far as he had with any other opponent. Not even with Biondetta, Shigara Masami, the Three of the Unexplored-class, or the Colorless Little Girl. It was only because the White Queen was the White Queen. She was as unreasonable as could be, but that also meant she sat in a special position that no one else could fill. She was the only one that boy saw as sitting in that throne. The Queen sighed while viewing her reflection in the window. This is very complicated. Oh, is that why it was such a shock for him when you joined the fight, Shigara Masami? It might have felt like you were saying the Queen should be protected, pointing out that she has her weaknesses too, and calling him scum for attacking a girl instead of hearing what she had to say. [It might have felt like waiting for a death match to begin, but then having the monitors filled with photos from the champions private album, stirring up sympathy for your opponent. Now people will call you a monster if you dont go easy on them, but you never wanted to see them smiling with their family and holding their baby.] But it was not right to criticize Kyousuke either Just think back on the fierce incidents he had survived so far. Could any of them have been solved with compromise or kindness? Freedom Award 903, Alice (with) Rabbit, had only just barely pulled through after pouring his all into it. After constantly looking up from the mud to see the White Queen laughing, who could blame him for wanting to strike back even more harshly? What if he had reduced the tension just a little? What if he had compromised and given up on revenge? If more people had died, the White Queen had committed more misdeeds, and the girls close to him had been torn apart, he never, ever could have forgiven her. [Its like a game of chicken.] Shiroyama Kyousuke would show no mercy. But it was also true he could not have stopped the White Queen any other way. Shigara Masami, who wore a lab coat over her suit, continued while observing a kit for growing algae in a wall-hanging container much like a picture frame. [Last time, I was trying to point out that you can overwhelm the White Queen without fighting, but does Kyousuke-kun really have the courage to let go now that he has loaded his car with everything he cares for and floored the gas pedal?] We kind of have to hope he does, dont we? Biondetta sounded exasperated, but the devils tail extending from her miniskirt was swishing side to side a bit. I mean, Kyousuke-chan has grown as much as he has through his obsession with the White Queen, but that wont necessarily last forever. The White Queen has always been the White Queen. In RPG terms, shes the final boss who never gets any stronger. But he is different. To be blunt, you have a ridiculous 3000 Awards, but can you even keep up with what hes doing? Ive seriously been considering throwing in the towel on that ever since he started screwing with the worlds fundamental laws with the Colorless Little Girl. Like, why does that nonsense code even run, right? [] The cicada cries were the only other sound. A Fourth Style to combat the Third Style? Hes not even fighting on a level that uses the Blood-Sign to hit balls around. The very laws of the world are collapsing. The only thing keeping him remotely stable is the impossible task of defeating the White Queen still standing in his way. But what if he does actually break through that? What if he actually achieves what he was convinced could never happen and loses his bearings in life? How far will he go along with the Colorless Little Girlor with something even nastier he creates? I cant even imagine the answer. For the world at large, the White Queen was a source of great chaos. Her threat could not even be perceived as a threat because the weak-minded tended more toward worship than fear. But what about Shiroyama Kyousuke, the one and only person who had sharpened his fangs in order to oppose her? Depending on his decisions, couldnt he become something even more fearsome than the White Queen? [How did this ever get so complicated?] The researcher knew the answer. She knew it, but she still had to ask the question. And the higher being naturally gave the obvious answer. Because this is my brother and me we are talking about. Part 5 Once they arrived, they found not much had changed. Kyousuke looked at the small house. Its faded somewhat compared to yesterday? Are you telling me that? If you have a bad habit of talking to yourself, you should work to fix it. In what may have been a sign of caution, Aoi tightened the sarashi she used as a mental restraint and she pouted her lips. Perhaps because it was his own house, Shiroyama Kyousuke showed no restraint toward the lost time here. Specifically, he walked right on in without removing his shoes. How much had time been distorted with that first step? In the worst case, they would find the human race destroyed when they left the house once more. They heard small feet in the living room. The sound had enough weight to it that it was easy to forget it was no more than an illusion or hallucination. The White Queen was the one who had stopped time in this localized area. Which meant (The Queen isnt here?) Kyousuke was already lost in thought, ignoring Meinokawa Aoi who had said she would remain neutral despite sharing his fate as his vessel. He saw a small figure when he looked in the living room. It appeared to be a boy. The boy came up to about Kyousukes waist and there was no need to wonder whose past this was showing. The figure was not looking at him. Kyousuke followed the boys gaze. The living room was directly connected to the dining room and kitchen. There was a simple reason why the walls had been removed to secure such a large space in that small house. Doctor S had wanted a 20m space for performing the Blood-Sign Summoning Ceremony indoors. There was a dull thud as a 180cm rod was tossed to the small boys feet. But that was not the only sound. A similar thud came from the dining room. Only now could Kyousuke see the man in a lab coat standing on the border between living and dining room. It was his father, Doctor S, who had seemed so big and strong at the time and had been a symbol of fear and death. But even that had been a lie. His mother and little sister had been in on it. They must have all been laughing at Kyousuke as they surrounded him. So this had been inevitable. The Blood-Sign Summoning Ceremony could not be done alone. Not only did the summoner need a vessel, but they also needed an opponent. Who had Doctor S thrown a Blood-Sign to as his opponent? Who was in the dining room? I dont believe it. Not even Meinokawa Aoi could remain emotionless when she saw this. There was another child there. The girl there was just as little as Kyousuke, if not more so. The experiment has arrived at its final stage, said Doctor S. He was a man with slender jaw and black hair exposed. He spoke with a solemn voice that made it sound like he had mistaken himself for the god of this small space. His words might be of no use anywhere else, but they ruled this home. His voice sounded different from the present, but that was likely due to the lack of the oxygen mask. This would be what he originally sounded like. But Kyousuke had changed a lot too. He had been made into a precision-guided missile, he had rejected that, he had completed himself again, and he had repeated the process. It was the end of that painful process that had made Kyousuke who he was today. The man was a thrill seeker. Instead of rejecting fear, he secured his own safety so he could enjoy it as much as he liked. Or rather, drawing it out any longer would lead to diminishing returns, so I should view this as a success. It is time for the final appraisal. A deadly battle between brother and sister. Whichever one summons the White Queen first will be declared a success. The success will be passed on to the next experiment to preserve the valuable data and samples. The other will be unnecessary and will be disposed of along with the house. They were frightening words. There was no scorn or hatred there. He was simply providing a matter-of-fact report on the situation. And Doctor S would follow through on that. His previous actions had made that clear enough. The small boy did not pick up the Blood-Sign at his feet. He desperately shouted something while too upset to string together coherent sentences. But he must not have expected his words to get through to Doctor S because he instead directed them to his little sister who stood in the dining room like his mirror image. Laugh, spat out the present Kyousuke with obvious self-deprecation in his voice. I really thought she would understand. Unlike Doctor S, I thought my mom and little sister would still listen to me. But they were all in on it together. Worse, they had joined on thinking they were just playing a simple role, but after getting beating and bearing so much needless pain, they ended up hating me from the bottom of their hearts. Dont be silly, boy. Meinokawa Aoi had clear anger in her voice. Just looking at you over there, youve clearly been without food for at least two days and now your own father is ordering you to fight, yet there you are showing more concern for your little sister than yourself. How could I laugh at someone like that? In the present, you are a shockingly cowardly hero, but things were different back then. This is the same as your logic behind hating the White Queen, so I choose to root for you before you did anything wrong. No amount of sentimentality would change anything. This was a vision of the past. It had all already happened. Hm? Doctor S actually sounded surprised. Do you think you actually have a choice in the matter? The little sister looked more frightened than Kyousuke. Looking back at the scene, she may have been giving him a look that said I thought we were a team. Surely you arent that stupid. I have kept a careful balance in all the previous abuse. I filled the cup to the limit, but it never did overflow. So did you think things would work out today as well? Did you think I would at least spare your life? It was all meaningless effort. This was the madman who had designed the nightmare to apply so much pressure to Kyousuke, so any plea to his sense of camaraderie was bound to fall on deaf ears. He did not speak the same language. The word team meant very different things to him and the rest of the family. So Then let me show you how wrong you are. There was a horribly light bang of gunpowder. They must not have known what it meant at first. Had he done that just to push them further? Really? For no other reason than that!? When they were supposed to be husband and wife!? Someone else had always been there. She had not been a powerful enough presence to shield the young siblings from danger, but she had to have brought them some gentleness and kindness. She had to have provided some kind of support. Looking back, it would have been an act to set Kyousuke up, but that kindness still had to have saved his young heart countless times. But now there was a dark red hole in her chest. Even though she was supposed to be Kyousukes mother and Doctor Ss wife. Do you get it now? When you dont need something anymore, you get rid of it. Research. This man measured the value of all things through that lens, so he had no problem spouting such nonsense with a smile. Was he insane or not? The young siblings must have immediately realized just how foolish it would be to pursue that question. When an absolute monarch was wrong, pointing it out would only get you killed. Revealing the true nature of the emperors new clothes was not the end of the story. A small hand grabbed a Blood-Sign. The first to do so was the little sister. Now there was no changing what happened. The boy continued to shake his head in protest, but the little sister spoke in a low, dark, and heavy voice. Every time Kyousuke made a mistake, she was the one who was beaten in his place. She must have been laughing alongside Doctor S at first, but at some point she had lost any trust in that supposed ally. Only then had she realized that she was as trapped as Kyousuke was. At this rate, well die first. You cant, *****(star star). You cant save anyone by doing what he says!! Its all, all, all, all s fault. She was driven by fear. But her eyes also contained the aggressiveness of a rusted blade. It wasnt supposed to be like this. It was supposed to be an act. So why does he have to hit me? Why does this have to happen to me!? Im not like !! Mom and I were supposed to be the ones laughing!! We - mom and I - werent supposed to be part of this. Its all s fault!!!!! There was a click as an Incense Grenade pin was pulled. Shiroyama Kyousuke raised a meaningless cry as he kicked up the Blood-Sign and grabbed it in both hands. Their vessels were the disposable mass-produced ones that Doctor S specialized in. In this case, they were silkworms, aka moth larvae. They were probably the smallest scale of the animal vessels. Basically, beneficial bugs tended to become deified. And these larvae had no venom and their mandibles were too weak to bite into human flesh. They were weak to environmental changes and difficult to raise, but they could be raised in large numbers for a much lower cost than a white snake or tiger. Everything was in place. So everyone knew what had to come next. Kyousuke had the Original Red (b). Regulation-class. Sound Range: Low. Cost: 1. The little sister had the Original Green (k). Regulation-class. Sound Range: Middle. Cost: 1. Both of them commanded colorful slime, but it did not end there. The two Blood-Signs sliced through the air, launched White Thorns, and knocked the floating red Petals into the holes known as Spots. In no time, the Materials were remade into something much more brutal and powerful. Young Kyousuke only saw one option. Ill kill Doctor S and end this!!!!!! Oops. That was all Doctor S said while leaning against the wall inside the Artificial Sacred Ground without a protective barrier. Yet the Material did not actually attack his hated father. It instead clashed with the monster summoned by the little sister he wanted to protect. Have you forgotten the basics, Kyousuke? Under normal circumstances, I would have had to beat your little sister yet again. !! A summoner can only summon the Material and strengthen it. It is the vessels job to control the Material. And who was it that developed that silkworm vessel? It has an understanding with me, not you. Isnt that right??? He could not escape these hopeless rails. That man had whispered that he would spare them if she hit her brother, so now young Kyousuke was forced to essentially kill the family member he had shared such an abusive life with. The piece of sheet behind it all was right there, but he could not break free and attack the man. Then I wont even use the Material. I can still kill you if I drive this Blood-Sign through your throat!!!!! If you could pull that off, then you should have attacked me in my sleep, you stupid child. Besides, is this any time to work off stress by shouting threats you cant follow through on? The more obedient child has been strengthening her Material this entire time. What are you doing, *****!? Thats what makes her so very boring. She can do pretty well, but she cant hold it together when something surprises her. To be honest, Im hoping you will win this one. Now, would anyone actually be delighted to hear their abusive father say they had a talent for violence? The answermight surprise you. Why is it always ? A voice of pure resentment reached their ears. But it was not just lamenting the hopeless state of their family. Why do you always focus on him!? I do everything like Im supposed to, but all you ever do is hit me!! Extremely biased values tended to rear their ugly head in closed environments. For example, in schools. College-prep schools, technical schools, boys schools, and girls schools would all have their unique colors. Philanthropists ranked themselves based on how much they had helped people and prisoners formed a hierarchy based on the scope of their crimes, with criminal organizations at the top. This was the same. In this thoroughly rotten household environment, someone had decided they wanted their fathers praise no matter what form it took. She knew it was wrong, but there were still times when she wanted to escape the abuse like that. She wanted to be told good job. She wanted what most children took for granted. But Doctor S did not sound remotely interested, despite being the root cause of it all. Do something about her, Onii-chan. Kh. This is your last chance. If she successfully summons the White Queen and becomes a completed summoner, there will be no stopping her. Being the strongest is a tragic thing. Even if you become a tyrannical ruler, no one will dare criticize you for it. No one wants to die, do they? So theyll all plaster creepy smiles on their faces and insist you arent slaughtering people. They will swear up and down those are the deeds of a proper hero, saint, and genius! Ah ha ha!! Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!! He was nearly in a frenzy. Yet his fingers controlled the Blood-Sign with unmatched accuracy. They were like the robot arms attaching the ultra-thin gold circuits in a semiconductor plant. His movements were fully cut off from his emotions and they built up his Material with abnormal speed. Kyousuke had a Divine-class. Sound Range: Low. Cost: 7. That ruler of demons had a name starting with l. His deadly sin was pride. He was a leader of rebels symbolized by Venus and he was the wicked influencer who had led a third of heavens population down the path of evil. The little sister also had a Divine-class. Sound Range: Low. Cost: 9. That fat lord of the flies had a name starting with b. His deadly sin was gluttony. He had a unique origin distinct from the legend of Canaan and he was the ruler of the Witchs Sabbath who was worshiped by all witches and blessed them on that special night. The same Sound Range and a Cost difference of 2! I can still attack her from here!! No, Kyousuke. A dull rumble overturned the young boys assumptions. Your Material is panicking. I taught you to be extra careful with Divine-classes from the same or similar mythologies, didnt I? Did you think they were equal because they both rule over one of the Seven Deadly Sins? Just look at Johann Weyers Pseudomonarchia Daemonum. Beelzebub is the ruler and Lucifer is only one of the officials. That meant he only had to switch to some other Divine-class, but that meant a slight time loss. And when the change was forced onto him by outside circumstances rather than his own plan, his options were drastically reduced. And a reduction in options could easily mean incredible risk. You can do better than that. Right, Onii-chan? Doctor S chuckled while still leaning back against the wall. Werent you going to save your mother and little sister from your cruel father one day? Well, that day happened to be today. You werent in time for your mother, but what about your little sister? What will happen to her if you let go now? Which one of you will reach out for that monster? If you dont stop her now, the entire world will turn on her. Shut uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuup!! He shouted. He shouted and yelled and wailed. But he may have actually realized the truth: now that it had started, there was no stopping it. There was no stopping this until he or his little sister summoned the White Queen and ended it. So. He shouted until his throat was raw because he wanted to stop his little sister before that happened. Kyousuke had one of the Three. Unexplored-class. Sound Range: Middle. Cost: 18. The Wicked Green Woman who Fills the World with Empty Treasure (lu - o - np - e - qo - ei - r - k - a - rum - pl). The little sister also had one of the Three. Unexplored-class. Sound Range: Low. Cost: 20. The Red-Eyed Lady who Sees Through all Sin and Calamity (fa - ao - ab - ei - fj - cib - b - du - a - eif). I have the superior Sound Range. When young Kyousuke said that, there was no joy on his face. In fact, he looked like it sent a chill down his spine. No, dont kill her!! The silkworm vessel obeyed only Doctor S and the Unexplored-class was not supported by a Box, so did his words even reach it? The Material had the upper body of a lovely girl and the lower body of a sinister serpent. Countless scepters symbolizing the patriarchy stabbed into the serpentine lower body and never-before-seen crimes bubbled up from her. That Unexplored-class only glanced at the young boy as if to scoff at him. Then came the whirlwind of violence. She would not last. The little sister would be defeated. Kyousuke quickly tried to summon a different Unexplored-class, but that was no more than switching around without building the Material up any further. He was approaching a dead end. Brother and sister. This battle would never end unless one of them ended it. And they had already arrived at the Unexplored-class. The end was nigh. They would summon the White Queen. Once they reached that point, it was all over. Only the winner would survive. The one whose skill was not up to snuff would be disposed of in accordance with the withdrawal manual. That ridiculous plan would become a reality!! I will win. Resentment filled her voice. His little sister had absorbed the information too well. I will win, win, win!! I will win and survive! I swear I will, no matter what it takes!! No, you idiot!! What future will you have if you survive by doing what that awful man says!? Yelling would not stop time. She was going to reach that point. The situation was approaching the theoretical limit. They could practically see the pure white already. iu - nu - fb - a - wuh - ei -kx - eu - pl - vjz. Just one letter. Kyousuke must not have had a long-term plan for victory. He just wanted to delay the ending as much as possible. That was the only thing on his mind. If I can get her to miss just one letter!! If I can stop her from completing the name!! This resulted in a fight over an f. The little sister used a forceful power shot and young Kyousuke used a spinning trick shot. That Petal would normally just be one of many, but in this moment, its value skyrocketed. Both Kyousuke and his little sister sharply launched a White Thorn toward it. And. While young Kyousuke continued fighting in the illusion, the Shiroyama Kyousuke watching it groaned some words. You dont have to watch. Which one of you ultimately summoned the White Queen? It doesnt really matter. There was no hope in those words. Wishes dont come true. Part 6 The first step was crucial in all things. If you did not stand on the starting line, you had no chance whatsoever of winning first prize. The midsummer sun ruled the clear blue sky and the few cumulonimbus clouds, but the surface was filled with even more energy. Wait, arent we getting ahead of ourselves here? How will this help me learn what it means to be human? We havent solved all the mysteries surrounding my brother yet. Oh, shut up. You and Kyousuke-chan need to get closer before we can do anything about the world! And that means one of you needs to approach the other. We both know Kyousuke-chan is too stubborn to do it, so that means its up to you to approach him!! They seemed to be flirting in front of the show windows along the midair walkway of the shopping centers second floor. Waitress Demon Biondetta moved behind the barelegged casual dress White Queen, grabbed her slender shoulders, and pushed her in front of one show window in particular. Time for a change of clothes. Eek! Time - for - a - change - of - clothes!! I mean, youve been wearing that dress since Kingdom F just because it was on hand! Its lazy!! Thats why youre showing off your thighs like that and your clothes should mean something when youre meeting a boy! So come here!! Wait, um, Shigara Masami, please say something. [Yes, I really should set an upper limit. Try to keep it under 30,000 yen, okay?] After she was betrayed with a smile, the White Queen was dragged away by everyones big sister, Biondetta. And from inside You dont need to make up your mind right away. Queen, lets start with the standard options. So how about this? Wait, how is that standard!? And can you even call it clothing when so much of it is see-through? Are you sure this isnt a kind of underwear? If you want to go the boyish route, this would be the way to go. Try on this T-shirt and shorts. I didnt know they made shorts that short. Japans extinct bloomers would cover up more. Oh, thats not a bad idea, actually. Wanna try some on? Do I need to explain why they were driven extinct!? Yeah, but Kyousuke-chan is ultra dense, so if you dont make your intentions super obvious, he wont catch on. Maybe this femdom police uniform? Ooh, or this riding suit. A bunny? Cat ears??? Are you sure this is a clothing store and not a party goods shop!? Cmon, Queen, hurry it up! Theres still a ton more to try on, so you need to get a new outfit on at least once every two minutes!! Wait, this is the dressing room!! Dont just open the curtain like that!!!!!! Shigara Masami sighed. She had lost her chance by just watching them go. She regretted not joining in like she had wanted to. The Multiple shopping center was supported by the three pillars of food, clothing, and electronics, but the shops along the midair walkway were mostly interior and accessory shops rather than the necessities. The White Queen had been so uncharacteristically timid because of the many couples gifts they offered like pair rings and mugs. The non-automatic glass door burst open. [Oh, my.] Shigara Masami was surprised by what she saw. The White Queen left the shop in something other than the short casual dress. She now wore a summery yukata with pure white lily flowers on a light blue base. Honestly, when this is the only decent thing in the shop, you can tell they have too much variety in a very bad sort of way. [I think its a good choice, Queen. I bet Kyousuke-kun will be surprised.] The White Queen did look pleased. She toyed with her silver twintails which were now tied using Japanese-style strings and she twisted her body around to look at as much of the yukata as she could manage. But then the demon snuck up behind her. And Biondetta whispered in her ear. (Uh. oh. I already did the mini-yukata thing back during the Elvast Toydream incident. Im a little reluctant to say so, but the second yukata of the summer will have far less of an impact.) !!!!!! The White Queen marched right back into the shop. In the end, she was right back in her white casual dress. I made the right choice the first time. I need to stick with the classics if I am to keep brothers attention!! Dont blame me if that limited-time-only shiny dress SR card is your undoing. Biondettas muttered comment was enough of a shock to the White Queen that she started trembling. [She may not be completely off-base, Queen.] Shigara Masami laughed with a hand over her mouth. [It was a huge shock to Kyousuke-kuns psyche when I covered for you. So even if he has been doing nothing but reject you on the surface, he is less sure deep down. It is because of his doubts and hesitation that something like this can shake him so badly. It shakes him so hard the signs show up on the surface. Or to put it much more simply, he is currently checking to make sure he has been doing the right thing all this time. He wants to know if he has gone too far even if his opponent was you, the White Queen.] The White Queen could not immediately respond to that. Even though she was known for her wisdom and beauty as much as for her extreme violence. Well, I know I cant go too far. I want him to look my way. That is the only thing on my mind and I have done so much to achieve it. [It is because you can think of it that way that are worrying over how to approach him now. In a way, things are a lot easier when youre up against a mindless and absolute evil. But that isnt the case here. Although he really should have known that as far back as the Queens Miniature Garden.] That failure had left him afraid. It had felt like a punishment against the fools who tried to measure the White Queen by human standards. So he had mentally sealed her away. He had decided she was fundamentally incomprehensible and an absolute evil, so there was no need to even try reasoning with her. She was starting to see the answer in her journey to learn what it means to be human. [Its like how a kitten learns. When a kitten hops up onto the stove and gets burned, it will never approach the stove again. The same happens if it nearly drowns in the tub or sink. Kyousuke-kun has set up rules for himself to avoid danger based on his own experiences. He has told himself he will suffer a fatal wound if he approaches you.] This was further complicated by the fact that Kyousuke was a combat expert. He would fight with everything he had even if it was just to escape danger. Because he could never defeat this opponent under normal circumstances, he honed himself for combat as much as possible to increase his odds of success. A similar phenomenon could be seen in adult society. When people were able to logically explain their emotions, they would quickly justify their actions and refuse to change. In a way, using the phrase Im doing nothing wrong as a weapon could produce pleasure signals. They were producing results, so they felt no one could complain. And in fact, how many people had actually protested what Freedom Award 903 was doing? Freedom Award 3000, Shigara Masami, had become a crucial turning point as far as that was concerned. But the White Queen shook her head in her thin casual dress. He isnt wrong, though. [It covers too wide a range. Queen, it is true you are a higher being who is much too risky for people to try to contact and use. But at the same time, it is unnatural and frankly impossible for anyone to remain entirely unaffected by you. If someone decides to stay away from all water for fear of drowning, they will have nothing to drink and they will die of thirst.] Shigara Masami relaxed her shoulders at this point. [To be blunt, everyone is influenced by you in some way just by living in this world. It doesnt matter if were talking about a normal person with no knowledge of the Blood-Sign Summoning Ceremony or an extraterrestrial lifeform in the far-off reaches of space. Queen, that is how much weight your existence carries. It is a basic fact of life with no room for issues of morality or preference. It is on the same level as no one getting motion sickness from the rotation of the galaxy or feeling nauseated by the flow of time.] Shigara Masami had researched it all as something that simply existed, so that was how she viewed the laws of the universe. Those laws were simply there and not even the people who discovered them could alter them based on their personal plans. They were not something you could resist or push back against. The heliocentric model had overturned the geocentric model, so everyone just had to accept it and keep living. But Kyousuke refused to accept it. To him, a black hole was no more than an all-destroying incarnation of evil. He did not stop to consider the fact that the gravity that caused the black hole was what allowed people to keep their feet on the ground. He had learned to avoid danger just like a kitten, so he kept away from the White Queen without checking to see whether that would really be beneficial or not. He had discovered this new law, so it was his responsibility. He had to cross out the simple equation to protect the world. And the Colorless Little Girl was the two lines he used to cross it out. It may have seemed like a good idea to his juvenile sense of justice, but from the viewpoint of a researcher, it was something he never should have done. There was no such thing as absolute justice. Kyousuke was wrong for trying to reject the White Queens absolute authority to do whatever she pleased, but from someone elses point of view, Shigara Masami was wrong to shake her ponytailed head in response to Kyousukes decision. [There is an extremely simple way to show a kitten there is nothing to be afraid of.] Shigara Masami raised her index finger like a teacher. [Just place it on the stove or in the bathtub. Take the kitten to the site of its painful experience and overwrite that with a new experience. Its very simple, Queen. Human history and the fate of the world is really just a collection of people doing just that.] And that The White Queen knew what the researcher in a lab coat and suit was trying to say. But she frowned and pointed into a show window. is this? Hwa ha ha. I call it Operation Gift Giving!! Giving physical form to unseen things is always the most effective method. Now, its usually the guy who gives the girl a bag or a ring, but if you wait for that the densest boy alive to figure out what you want, youll be waiting until the end of time. So go find something you like and have an employee wrap it up all nice for you!! Now. That was a little much to throw at the White Queen all of a sudden. She pressed her soft hands to her cheeks as she worried over it. She had done plenty of complaining about Kyousuke and how obsessed with fighting he was, but she was much the same. She had tended in that direction when she followed Alice (with) Rabbits style to get his attention. She had ended up thinking of everything in terms of fighting. She was not sure what to think or say when asked to approach this from a more normal angle. This is all so sudden. But I can think of several ways of surprising my brother. It doesnt count if it would make him cry. Wait. Why do you look depressed? Hold on!! You cant do that to me! If the boke doesnt do their part, the tsukkomi just looks like an asshole! Why did emotionally unstable people get so serious out of nowhere like that? As the life of the party, Biondetta Onee-chan knew it was her job to cheer everyone back up. Just picture it!! Lets say you set aside Blood-Signs, Materials, and all that stuff and go on a date like a normal boy and girl! What would you want to do!? Dont lie to yourself with this serious aura! Cmon, you wanna do all sorts of flirty things with Kyousuke-chan, dont you!? Wait, dont say that so loud! What if someone hears you? Oh, dear. This is the popular destination for dates, isnt it? I just realized. Kyah [Biondetta-chan, step away from her immediately. Touch the Queen when shes electrified from embarrassment and youll be blown to smithereens.] The hem of the white casual dress fluttered and the White Queen floated up into the air a bit. To keep everyone safe, she established a ground line to allow all the energy escape and the earth had to work overtime to absorb it all. [It doesnt have to be anything special. Just choose something you want to give to Kyousuke-kun.] This effort was almost guaranteed to be wasted. The world was not simple enough for anything else. No matter how much the White Queen approached him, Shiroyama Kyousuke would slap her hand away with pure hostility. If she wrapped up her weak and gentle side and handed it to him, he would only throw it to the ground and stomp on it. She had done enough to deserve it. The White Queen was aware of that. But. Even so. (I dont care.) She bit her lip as she thought. (If it wont reach him, I just have to keep it up until it does. If he wont accept it, I just have to keep it up until he does. The impending rupture of the cocoon is no excuse. In fact, the idea that you have to push everything else aside because of an emergency is the reason the world has accepted everything Ive done.) Shiroyama Kyousuke knew the pain of having your feelings stomped on. That was why he had never accepted it when others played the historian by saying can you really blame them when you look at the big picture? (I wont make any excuses. I wont confront him with the emergency known as the White Queen. In fact, Ive attempted this so many times before. Im just changing my method this time. So even if he throws it down and stomps on it, its sure to become the foundation of something. In the final moment before the cocoon ruptures and the Colorless Little Girl starts to move.) Shigara Masami and Biondetta had said something worrying. They had said Shiroyama Kyousuke could become an even greater monster than her if the circumstances were right. She had to prevent that at all costs. He was like a kitten. He had established his own rules based on his past experiences and that had led to creating the irregular rule known as the Colorless Little Girl. And there was no guarantee he would stop there this time, so if she was to soften the result before that happened, she had to make him a normal boy again. When her thoughts reached that point, she tugged down the bottom of her short dress with one hand and shook her head. [Queen?] No, she faced her own thoughts once more. That wont work. Im pretending I understand, but Im really just interpreting it through the Blood-Sign System and using logic to justify my actions. That was a very embarrassing thing. She did not want anyone other than herself to go on that kind of rampage. There was something she could see now thanks to her journey to learn what it means to be human. It might seem silly after the mess she had made of the world. Shiroyama Kyousuke was certainly not going to forgive her. But even so, she had to face her own thoughts. She was supposed to be accepting that she had been wrong all this time, so why was she trying to save face by coming up with logical excuses for her actions? No one needed excuses for their feelings. Her feelings might not reach the boy she loved and he might cruelly trample on them. It might take tens of thousands of attempts for a miracle to finally occur. The cocoon and the Colorless Little Girl might be on the verge of destroying the entire world. But none of that was a reason for taking this lightly. None of it was an excuse for holding back during this final day. The situation was not going to change the feelings in her heart. There was no need to keep those feelings inside. She no longer needed her hedgehog spines or her charisma that masked her true essence. She had to face him without hiding anything. What did it matter if he rejected her, trampled on her, and scoffed at her? That boy had taught her what to do. He had always crawled through his own coughed up blood while reaching toward an unachievable goal. If she had not learned anything from that, it would mean everything in this world was a lie. Thats right. The girl had made up her mind. The gears turning inside her were entirely different from the usual ones and they transferred a great power. Then I will take one of these. Yes, and wrap it in red and black. She had to face defeat. A blow to this would mean this attempt shattered in failure. But that could still produce something. However, would it happen before the world ended? Part 7 And. And. And. It felt like that single second of time stretched out for an eternity. And in that place, it was possible time really was being distorted. The color white blew through a small house. It had all begun in July of 1999. Doctor Ss research group had completed their theory, but something was missing when they tried to do it in practice. They only managed to see some light and the White Queen never actually took form. It was an imperfect result. With a complete failure, he might have given up. With a complete success, he might have been satisfied. The imperfection of it was the problem. It was that longing that grasped Doctor Ss heart and would not let go. It was his desire to reach one result or the other that had created this hell. That was why he had not built a grand temple or a cold lab. In a way, it had been inevitable that those wings of light would descend upon that completely ordinary looking house. The house had been built for this purpose. It was a type of door of uncanny thickness created by young blood, sweat, and tears. So we meet again, Queen. Doctor S sounded like he was speaking to an old friend. And welcome to our world. The worlds first complete summoning of the White Queen was underway. The fact of the summoning would remain the same no matter which sibling arrived there first. And the one who summoned her would swiftly crush the other to prove which one it had been. So which one was it? Meinokawa Aoi was focused on the vision of the past. Which one summoned her and won? The grown Shiroyama Kyousuke could not bear to watch. And he spoke in perfect unison with the small boy. Thats enough!! Please dont!! Thats enough!! Please dont!! That suggested it was his little sister who had reached the White Queen first. Had young Kyousuke been devoured and his little sister was taken away by Doctor S as the success? Please. I beg you. Please. I beg you. But no. That was not what happened. He had more to say. Please dont appear!! I dont want to win!! I dont want to hurt my little sister!! Sososo just let me save her!!!!!! Please dont appear!! I dont want to win!! I dont want to hurt my little sister!! Sososo just let me save her!!!!!! Part 8 At that time, the White Queen had long since grown bored with everything. She had already defeated the laws meant to stop her tyranny in the other world - in other words, the Unexplored-class. The door to this world had opened in July of 1999, but what had she found waiting for her there? Those humans had talked big about conquering the occult with technology, but when the light of a mere fraction of the White had touched them, they had easily succumbed and become yet more worshipers. There was nothing certain there. Even though she had wanted something sturdy enough to attach her lifeline to. Two young siblings had been abused and then ordered to battle each other by their own father. It was a cheap tragedy that felt like a hackneyed drama dragged out into reality. So many people had sought the White Queen for salvation, so this was not going to move her heart. She would simply destroy things, people would say she had brought salvation, and another lovely story would be passed around without her knowledge. She was honestly sick of it. She was sure they would come to her with tears in their eyes, show off how tragic their situation was, and demand she share her blessings with them. People seemed to think they could get away with anything if they could move you to emotion. And that was why. Thats enough!! Please dont!! Those hopelessly incoherent words rang loud in her ears. She felt their weight directly in her heart. For the first time, the White Queen felt the weight of the world. Please. I beg you. She knew what it meant. She trembled. Here was someone who would reject her despite knowing who she was. Here was someone who would stay true to their beliefs even when awash with her overwhelming white light. She had wanted someone she could attach her lifeline to. Was this that person? Was finding someone who could support her really such a pleasant feeling? Please dont appear!! I dont want to win!! I dont want to hurt my little sister!! Sososo just let me save her!!!!!! So while trembling, the White Queen asked a question of the worlds knowledge. She asked a question of something that would drive a normal human mad if they simply gazed upon it. What is that? A predecessor, one who shows the way, one you can rely upon, the master of an apprentice. The answer was simple. When she searched that knowledge it always provided the same result. In other words, a being known as an older brother. The White Queen found herself tracing a finger along her own lips. She did not really know what that word meant, but her trembling lips repeatedly sounded it out. Brother She had established a definition for herself. And she quickly responded to the summons from the human world. Brother!! Part 9 So in the end, it did not really matter which of the siblings summoned the White Queen. From the moment the Queen responded to the summons, she had intended to protect Shiroyama Kyousuke. Ah The young, young girl felt fear. But the White Queen did not care. That was the enemy. That was the enemy who intended to harm Shiroyama Kyousuke. So what she needed to do could not have been more obvious. An Unexplored-class Material and the summoners protective circle were trivial matters. The White Queen had decided to do something and that was the one and only absolute rule. She looked to the young girl. Did the girl even realize her fate had been decided in that moment? Help m- She did not even have time to speak those two words. A sword of concentrated white light eliminated the threat. Part 10 Ah, ahh. Not even the theory of relativity could be trusted in that warped coordinate. A voiceless voice rang out. No matter how much force was placed behind it, there was no meaning in it. Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!! He knew the truth. Young Kyousuke did know the truth. Complaining that it violated the rules would change nothing. What he had seen occur before his eyes was a simple fact. Combat was not a game or a sport. The protective circle was supposed to keep the summoner safe no matter what, yet it had been shredded like mere paper. No Material could stand up to this, not even one of the Three of the Unexplored-class. And there was blood. The little sister he had wanted to protect so badly fell to her knees and then collapsed to the floor. The original murder. The first sin. The Artificial Sacred Ground and his own protective circle meant nothing to him now. He ran over and desperately tried to prop up his little sister even as her blood soaked him. She was light. Far too light. She felt so fleeting, like she was missing some vital part of a human body. The grown boy had to look away again. No Young Shiroyama Kyousuke did not care how he looked. He shouted at the top of his lungs with tears and blood soaking his face. Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!! G- A breath escaped the girls bloody lips. He did not want to think of this as the end. He did not care how hateful her words might be. He just wanted to hear any sign of life from his little sister. But it was not hate he heard. Had she been freed by whatever was possessing her? No, it was not even that. Good , youre still alive. When Doctor S had thrown out his toys, who had stolen them back and hidden them in the attic? They might have been chosen as staff members. The mother and little sister might have been playing a part to set Kyousuke up. I finally knowwhat I want to say. Being praised for that was meaningless. But if that was all it was, she would not have had to do that behind Doctor Ss back. If she had been caught, she would only have been hurt even more. But she had still done it for Kyousukes sake. She had been unable to stick to the malicious role given to her. I waswrong. I was wrong this whole time. I didnt know how to save you. Not just today. But all this time. Im so tired of being the good girl. So Im gladI finally found what to do They had fought over the f. They had launched their final White Thorns. But in that moment, the little sisters aim had strayed just a bit. No. He clenched his teeth and trembled. Kyousuke shouted at the top of his lungs while holding that disconcertingly light body in his arms. A minicar, a ball, and an animal encyclopedia. He recalled the toys hidden in the attic. They held no strategic purpose, but they had still helped bring peace to his young heart. And yet. What had he just done here? That isnt true!! I wont say it! I wont let anyone say something like this saved me!! I failedagain? He could not nod or shake his head. He could only wail and tremble while his little sister looked up at him and smiled. Then Ill do better next time. *****(star star star star)? She probably could not even see anymore. But she still managed to smile like an angel and speak. When Im reborn, then Ill take your side and help you, Nii-sama. That was the end. He almost forgot the definition of death when he saw the smile on her face. He no longer needed words. Kyousuke screamed so loud he thought his lungs and throat would tear, but then Doctor S, the man with slender jaw and black hair exposed, spoke to him. So it didnt even last a full second. His unpleasant voice was like having someone take a file to your eardrums. But I learned a lot from this. Kyousuke, looks like you were the success after all. Now its time to analyze this result, figure out how to mass-produce it, and spread that system around. We dont need this house anymore, so lets clean up what we no longer need and leave. That includes that filthy lump of flesh in your arms there. I dont know why she thought she could hold onto the privileges of a good person when she was betraying you. God, and she really made a mess of things, didnt she? This is going to be a pain to clean up. Hey, Kyousuke, Ill take care of it, so you go take a shower and a put on some fresh clothes. Shiroyama Kyousuke rebooted with the stiff movements of a doll in dire need of some oil. He gently placed his little sisters body on the floor and picked back up his Blood-Sign with blood-slick hands. A red light did not do it justice. How could you even describe the look in his eyes? Hm? What do you hope to do with that? Doctor S scoffed. He had no trouble watching his own child soaked in blood. I control the silkworm vessels. Throw an Incense Grenade and youre done for. And the battles in this cramped lab are not like those in the real world. My experience far outweighs yours in true combat using pure Materials. Do you really think a kid like you could beat me? He did not respond. Shiroyama Kyousuke instead spoke to someone who was not even there. White Queen Wait, wait. Wait, wait, wait!! The Artificial Sacred Ground is gone and the original field has returned. You havent kept a Chain going, so how do you expect to get help from that higher being!? You are the product of my research, so if you keep acting so dumb, people are going to doubt my intellect! But Doctor S was wrong. Why didnt he realize the truth? The look in Shiroyama Kyousukes eyes was beyond that of a hound. That boy had the eyes of an untamable and bloodthirsty wolf, so he would never pray to a higher power and rely on optimism. He would rip flesh and spill blood using a much more direct and surefire method. So. So. So. The humanoid wolf made his demand of the Queen. Dont you dare interfere. Young Kyousuke spun his Blood-Sign like a baton. That was as much as Doctor S could see. It was truly like an awakening. That fool of a researcher must have entirely forgotten the task he had set for himself. He had used violence and abuse to draw out the killer intent and hatred needed to complete the precision-guided missile. He had filled the boy with those emotions. He had fit the many gears together. And this may have been the moment when the ultimate weapon was completed. At this point, there was no time to leisurely pull the pin of an Incense Grenade. The Blood-Sign flew, struck, jabbed, crushed, pierced, and drove all forms of destruction into the researchers body. In the present day, Doctor S used an oxygen mask to regulate the amount of oxygen sent to his brain to control his emotions. But it was not necessarily the White Queen who had made that necessary. Part 11 Tah dah!! It is now 11 oclock. The Colorful Sentai Hero Show is beginning, so now is your chance to gather at the central fountain plaza!! On the midair walkway at the second floor of the Multiple shopping center, the White Queen, Shigara Masami, and Biondetta sat at a round table in front of a caf. They could view the show in the plaza from a different angle here. Okay. Shigara Masami, you had a hot dog and a weak coffee, right? [Yes, with some brandy for flav-] No, you foockhead. [Umm, what is that you have, Biondetta-chan?] Eh? Just a special whip honey syrup crushed nuts caramel custard chocolate matcha strawberry milk iced latte. The liquids of different densities were forming layers inside. It looked more like a parfait or sundae with the colorful layers of white, pink, light green, brown, and more inside the clear container. It looked fine like that, but if she mixed it up with a spoon, it would probably form some horrific mixed drink. She had only ordered a drink, yet the ponytail researcher who had also ordered some food still seemed to have the healthier option. And the Queen ordered A white mocha. Right, right. And you also had the white wiener in a steamed white bun with cream cheese. If only I could have gotten a cauliflower and white asparagus salad and some milk custard for dessert. Oh? Why are you two looking at me like that? It was all extremely white. In clothing and food, she really was the White Queen. She was generally perfect in every way, but there was definitely something wrong with her taste in colors. It would be one thing if she were making it herself, but it looked far more bizarre when she managed to get it all to match when eating out. There was a small box unrelated to the food sitting on their table. She must have had the boys tastes in mind because it was wrapped in red wrapping paper with a black bow. It was about the right size to hold a large apple. [A mug, hm?] Nee shee shee. With a bunny on it to boot. Shiroyama Kyousuke would eat nothing but cereal given the option, but he had shared a cake with everyone back in the Queens Miniature Garden. He was not entirely immune to luxuries. The White Queen faintly smiled while gripping the skirt of her thin casual dress below the table. Yes, but he isnt going to accept it. Even the noise of the cheerful hero show seemed to grow more distant. An eerie wind seemed to blow through. But even if he throws it to the ground and stomps on it, I will just do the same thing again. I will do everything I can until the very moment the cocoon and Colorless Little Girl burst. This is the first step. I just have to think of it as the foundation for teaching brother he was mistaken about the danger, like a kitten on the stove. [Non.] However, Shigara Masami was quick to correct her. [Have you learned nothing on this journey, Queen? The feelings behind this arent that shallow, are they?] The White Queens expression silently changed when she heard that. And she covered her face with her hands before anyone could tell what emotion had caused the change. She knew it would never happen. Failure was inevitable. And yet. And yet. And yet. Hey. She spoke quietly while covering her face and hanging her head. I really want you to accept this, brother. That was her wish. You did not make wishes because you could see a realistic way to achieve them. You made wishes specifically because you knew they could never come true. Part 12 He had seen everything. He had learned everything. Finally, Shiroyama Kyousuke had retrieved the blotted-out faces of his mother and little sister. But there was no chance of speaking to either one as both had been killed. Time was distorted in this place, but he still forgot all about the flow of time for a moment. Are you satisfied? He had more than just his help me syndrome. He had gone on a rampage of his own. He was a human with every last emotion that entailed and there was definite shame and resentment in his voice. Are you satisfied now, Meinokawa Aoi? If so, then laugh. Look down on me like you always do. Say youve taken a neutral position so my sob story is none of your concern!! The silver-haired shrine maiden said nothing for a while. She simply embraced Kyousukes head and held him to her sarashi-bound chest. She had felt it was necessary. If she simply accepted it all, she was no different from the White Queen. There were times when she had to push him away to apply the brakes. But this was the result? She regretted it now, wishing she had been kinder to him. He could be a child throwing a fit if need be. As long as there was a human heart behind it. The Shiroyama Kyousuke before her now was battered, pitiful, and had cast aside the title of strongest, but he was not the precision-guided missile some odious person had designed him as. For that at least, she was glad. He had broken free of those chains, saved a great many people, and stood here now. He could be proud of that. His life might have been a series of losses to the White Queen, but there was no need to look down on the path he had taken. Cry. Shut up. Boy, dont bottle it up any longer. This is what it means to be human, right? I said shut up!! And. While holding the trembling boy, Aoi bit her lip and finally opened her mouth once more. But still. She knew not all of it had been right. She hesitated and questioned it, but she still spoke to the boy at her chest. I cannot bring myself to place the blame on you or the White Queen. You were desperately trying to find a way to save your family to the very last moment and she was only protecting you, even if she was oblivious to what her actions would mean. The blame clearly lies with Doctor S, does it not? I know that, you idiot. The White Queen and I thought the same thing during the Secret War. I joined a plan to kill her, but I let my emotions get the better of me and befriended her. I baselessly thought it might turn out all right. I wanted us to be happy. I wanted to live alongside her. But. In the end. Nothing changed. She hadnt learned her lesson. It felt like she was denying my little sisters death. So I had no idea what to do. Part 13 The White Queen suddenly looked up. Without warning, the barelegged girl in a casual dress provided an oracle. Brother is coming. Shigara Masami and Biondettas expressions changed. Just like always, if the White Queen said so, then it had to be true. Sinceria Report 05 Do we really have to keep researching, mom? Are you sure you arent using this to stay away from Onii-chan after what happened last night!? Despite what Olivia said, Sinceria continued her investigation. This time, she had set her sights on Isabelle and Murasame Kuina. Two vessels was an unusual pairing, but the report she had read said they were split between enemy and ally during the battle against Biondetta. Shiroyama Kyousuke? Ugh. Why do you have to bring up someone like him after intruding on our class trip? The girl with short blonde hair was Isabelle. The one with brown hair was Kuina. It was surprising, but Isabelles real name was Kawamo Sayuri and she was Japanese despite her skin, eye, and hair color. The very structure of her body had been changed by the Anthill experiment led by Government. (Yes, thats right. I am not the only one. This girl must be the same. She must be just as strong as me after the changes to her soul from making contracts with so many different summoners. Hee hee hee. Ah ha ha. So no one can call me a mountain gorilla. That hunk of junk should really be calling me an absolute monarch with unparalleled beauty. Mutter, mutter.) I guess we can talk, but could we move into the shade first? This girl is surprisingly frail, so she could get heatstroke if we stand out in the sun for too long. Gwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!! Calm down, my queen!! Her faithful knight managed to restrain her and prevented anything unfortunate from occurring. The doll-like girl called Isabelle silently tilted her head. My impression of Shiroyama Kyousuke? Hmm (deadpan). It took her a while. But once short-tempered Olivia started getting irritated, she finally answered. A baby? Bffh!? Everyone else spat out the contents of their mouths. That word had come as a complete surprise. But it did not look like Isabelle was trying to be weird. It is true he is a top-level summoner, but he doesnt give any thought to what happens after he saves someone. He goes around saving a super-sized amount of people and then just leaves them there like a baby that gets tired of playing with his toys and falls asleep. Sinceria flapped her mouth wordlessly and glanced over at Murasame Kuina, but the brown-haired girl only gave an exaggerated shake of her head. Sorry. I was with his enemy, Biondetta, so I didnt spend any time with him. But I think we can trust what Sayuri says. Stilla baby??? I dont think he knows how to maintain a connection with other people. Not even a small-sized amount. Isabelles cold eyes did not even waver as she said that. She had approached the crux of the issue. Whether youre talking about a parent, a sibling, a friend, or a lover, he does not think the connections between people can or should ever change. He thinks they should never change or be altered. That is why he cannot forgive the incidents caused by the White Queen or her worshipers when they shake and sever those bonds. And at the same time, he does not think merely saving someone can create such powerful bonds. Yes, he does not think even that can change things. So when the incident is over, he always severs his contract with the vessel and irresponsibly returns them to the world they left behind. Grr, grr (deadpan). Merely saving someone could not create an eternal bond. Was that a concept he came up with so he could reject the link between the White Queen and her worshipers? The thing is. Most likely, that was a view of him exclusive to someone who had been with him during that specific time. The quantity and quality of the time was not the issue. This was a puzzle piece only seen in the time Isabelle had spent with him, so not even Meinokawa Higan, Librarian-chan, Himekawa Mika, Sekurtiti, Lu Niang Lan, Olivia Highland, or Meinokawa Aoi could have provided it. He wants love more than anyone, but he does not know how to accept love. So he respects anyone who can do it. It has nothing to do with the Summoning Ceremony or Awards. I do not know how he ended up like that. I fought alongside him against Biondetta, but I did not see his past. It isnt about whether or not he is broken. What matters is that he knows he is broken. So he has drawn a line in the sand and he makes sure not to drag anyone else down with him. Because he does not want to destroy everything around him with his combat-oriented rules. And yet he does not actually know if that caution is even necessary. Silence followed. No one could say a word. Even the wind had died on that midsummer day. That was how long it took for them all to process the information Isabelle had given them. In other words. Finally, Sinceria Highland restarted the stopped time. Kyousuke is suffering from a love deficiency, so what is it he needs? Nothing could be more obvious! It is finally my time to shine!! Now, does he want my love as a woman, a ruler, or a mother!!!??? Oh, no. That would be too much of a shock to Onii-chans system when hes so exhausted. He really would develop a mother complex then. Facts: *Sincerias long ears are a sign of structural changes on the skeletal level that make her more powerful than she looks. *There is no Award called Gorilla who rips off the heads of any female vessels she sees near the (much younger) boy she is preying on, so Sinceria can rest easy. *The woman who was Kyousukes mother and Doctor Ss wife was disposed of when they withdrew from that house. *The White Queen was only summoned for less than a second. It can be speculated that the data was erased from the world because she was trying to protect someone for the first time ever and did not know how to hold back. *It is unclear whether Kyousuke or his little sister summoned the White Queen. Based on what they said afterwards, the odds are good it was Kyousuke. But either way, the Queen killed his little sister to protect him. The driving force behind the Queen has not changed since then and she made the exact same mistake when she fought to protect Kyousuke in the Secret War that affected Biondetta and Shigara Masami as well. Just because the evil deeds did not start with you does not mean anything can be forgiven unconditionally. *Young Kyousuke was unable to hear his little sister finish saying help me. *Shiroyama Kyousukes little sister seemed to call him Nii-sama? Volume 9, Ending X-01: Light the Fuse Volume 9, Ending X-01: Light the Fuse -----(The original text is too long)----- -----(The original text is too long)----- (Ending X-01 Open 08/23 12:00) 1. The White Queen had gone to the trouble of using the business hotel. 2. She had used the window to escape. 3. She had not returned to the small house. It sounded simple enough, but those facts hinted at something important. How about we figure out what that is? If the White Queen would die from lack of food or sleep, she would not be such a menace, so she had to be mimicking a human lifestyle for fun or for some other reason. The fact that she used the window to escape meant she still had some attachment to these coordinates - that is, the rural city. If she had wanted to, she could have grown wings or split the dimension to escape to the other side of the planet. And she was not interested in the small house. She had gone somewhere else. So where in the rundown rural city had the White Queen gone while mimicking a human lifestyle? One only had to follow the local residents. Where most of them gathered was where the White Queen was most likely to appear. So it was only a matter of time before Shiroyama Kyousuke showed up there. The shopping centers fountain plaza was surrounded by tall colosseum-like walls. It was the ultimate public stage where many other people were walking around, oblivious to the danger around them. The afternoon Colorful Sentai Hero Show begins at 2! An unexpected helper might just make an appearance. Do not let your guard down just because you saw the morning show. Your cheers fill the heroes with strength!! A cheerful announcement was playing. How much easier would life be if good and evil were so clearly defined? Shiroyama Kyousuke and Meinokawa Aoi. The White Queen, Shigara Masami, and Biondetta. It has been too long, brother. Yes. They finally met after her journey to learn what it means to be human. She wore a thin casual dress with her legs bare. Her silver hair was tied in twintails by cheap hair ties. She held her hands behind her back as she spoke to him. Meanwhile, Shiroyama Kyousuke made his response. It really does feel like a long time since we last met. Was that because he had reviewed the events in that small house and regained the blotted-out faces of his mother and little sister? What would have happened if the White Queen had chosen his little sister instead? Or what if no ones wish had been answered and the summoning had failed? His life would have ended there without him ever breaking free of the small cage built by Doctor S. He was only here now because the White Queen had protected him. In the end, it was all the same as the Queens Miniature Garden. He had been weak. His strength had not been enough. He lived his life now on the backs of so many sacrifices. And the White Queen had taken on the dirty job of protecting his young life. [You cannot defeat the White Queen with simple hatred,] said Shigara Masami while toying with the whistle around her neck. [And, Kyousuke-kun, you must have realized by now that you are not driven by some grand objective of saving the world. This is all about that one scene in that small house. Kyousuke-kun, what did you gain by learning how it all began? Did you see a single continuous line following the long, long path you have taken from the Queens Miniature Garden to the Colorless Little Girl?] Everyone was telling him to accept it. It was okay if it was embarrassing and pathetic. He just had to be honest about the feelings in his heart. This was not about Blood-Signs or a fight to the death with a being that existed beyond the gods. He needed to gather his courage for some other purpose. Would he say it? Could he say it? Was a happy ending really an option after so many people had been hurt? Could he say alls well that ends well and sweep aside the resentment and sorrow of the victims? How? Finally, he forced out the words. How did it all get so twisted around? Boy. Isnt it because both of you were too powerful? Meinokawa Aoi started to say something, but Biondetta cheerfully interrupted her. I mean, when a teenager goes through a rebellious phase, they eventually grow out of it because it gets to be too much to bear, so they give up and compromise at some point, right? But that didnt happen with you two. Whenever you challenged things, you actually got results. So you could keep going and going without ever hitting the wall. If youre blindfolded and walking through the darkness, youll just keep walking forever if your hands never feel anything ahead of you. Even if there really are walls there and youre breaking through them without realizing it. Between friends, lovers, and married couples, there was always someone who took the initiative. They might claim to be equal, but they could not actually relax without a defined position for themselves. That was what happened in the battle between Shiroyama Kyousuke and the White Queen. No, they did have defined positions. The White Queen should have held the initiative. But Kyousuke refused to accept it. And he refused to listen even when the Queen offered to let him have it. The boy could not even measure the distance between them until they had settled things once and for all in combat. He viewed everything through the lens of combat. He could only think in those extremely simple terms. Think, worry, and doubt. Biondetta winked at him and circled behind the White Queen. She grabbed those slender shoulders and gave her a push toward Kyousuke. It was all wrong. None of them were even talking about how large the cocoon had grown. You might not be able to make sense of your feelings, but it actually helps a lot that you cant reach a simple answer and freeze up. Nya ha ha ha!! Ah, wait!? [Kyousuke-kun is showing us exactly how he feels, Queen. But are you just going to go hide in hedgehog mode again?] ~ ~ ~ The White Queen bit her lip and blushed. She still had her hands behind her back, so she must have been hiding something there. Her eyes wandered nervously around, but she finally seemed to make up her mind. She held it out. It was a small box with red wrapping paper and a black ribbon. She was too preoccupied to worry about the short hem of her white casual dress. She restlessly rubbed together her bright and dangerously-exposed thighs. Um, uh, you see, brother, I know this must be a surprise, but ifif, um, you like, could you calm down some and, um, well, try not to smash it on reflex and, uh, accept this? I would, um, very much appreciate it. Would this change anything? These feelings and emotions seemed entirely removed from the Blood-Sign Summoning Ceremony, so were they really so important? What had inspired this in her? And. How was he supposed to solve this mystery? He closed his eyes once. And he decided how he should respond to the changing times. I He spoke from the core of his being and it felt like he was squeezing out his own blood. This might have been far, far more difficult for him than rationally constructing the Colorless Little Girl. The times were changing. So the world would change too. Shiroyama Kyousuke looked the White Queen straight in the eye and made another attempt at saying it. I loved Ah. The White Queen thought those words were going to stop her heart. Her eyes widened. Um. Even the nape of her neck grew pink. Her mouth flapped wordlessly like she was having trouble breathing. She did her best to suppress the tremor in the bright thighs below her casual dress, tears welled up in her eyes, and she tried to get confirmation just like a normal ordinary girl. So you mean, umI, uh, I know I started this, but what am I supposed to do now? And. And. And. The boy raised his head and gathered all his strength. Shiroyama Kyousuke shouted his true feeling at the top of his lungs. I really did!! I loved Shigara Masami!!!!! [Huh?] This was so unexpected that the ponytail womans mind went entirely blank, her eyes widened, and she started shaking. She could no longer remain an outsider and let the young boy and girl handle the rest. [Huhhhhhhhh!!!???] It was the surprise attack to end all surprise attacks. Shigara Masami was too shaken to calm herself, but Shiroyama Kyousuke was not done yet. I loved Biondetta too. Oh. Meinokawa Aoi finally figured out what was going on. She looked like someone who had overlooked the hints and allowed some major mistake to occur. Same for Shiroyama Kyoumi, Alberto, Claudia, and Cain!! I loved all of them. I couldnt protect my real mother or little sister I wanted a family!! Doctor S had denied me that in that small house and he branded me defective, saying I could never have one!! But I thought I could redo everything in the Queens Miniature Garden! I was touched by the Queens smile and supported by Shigara Masami, so I thought I could rely on that! But godd*mn it all!! It just kept happening. I knew it wouldnt work, but I still didnt give up! I was such an idiot. I was driven out of that small house, the Queens Miniature Garden was destroyed, and then I just kept spouting nonsense about girls and Alices or whatever the hell, but I was really just living in a dream and chasing after illusions!! Yes, thats right. When I saw Biondetta and Shigara Masami had turned against me here, I felt betrayed! Even though youre not really my family!! Laugh if you want. I was nothing but a pathetic baby!!!!! Love came in different forms. If Sinceria and Olivia had been here, they would have understood what Isabelle had meant. My impression of Shiroyama Kyousuke? Hmm (deadpan). A baby? I didnt want some dangerous girlfriend. I only ever wanted one thing. He clenched his teeth. He felt like he was facing his own weakness in the mirror. So he did not hold anything back in what he said. I wanted a family that would keep me away from danger!! And werent you the one who always destroyed that, White Queen!? So no matter how unreasonable it might be and even if what you brought me was true love, I could never accept it! It was nothing but fear!! I didnt want the love of some girlfriend who comes marching in and tears my family apart!!!!!! Meinokawa Aoi knew this was very bad. She had not wanted to see Shiroyama Kyousuke and the White Q lash out at each other until they destroyed each other. She had hoped they would find some kind of emotional compromise. (Are) But this was not at all what she had expected. The situation must have already left Shigara Masamis control. There was no stopping it. Not even by Shiroyama Kyousuke or the White Queen. The situation would only deteriorate from here. Like the beginning of a nuclear war no one had wanted. (Are you kidding me? I cant imagine this happened by accident. What is this? Its like a nightmare drawn on construction paper with red and black crayon. Whose scenario is this!?) Just as Aoi was starting to dodge the issue by anthropomorphizing this disaster so she had someone to direct her hatred at, her thoughts started to grasp something. It felt like a strange tingle down her spine. Bring it on. But before she could figure anything out, Shiroyama Kyousuke pushed it. He pushed the switch of doom that had to be avoided at all costs. Bring it on, love monster!! The cocoon and Colorless Little Girl are secondary. You havent done anything wrong. I admit it. Your love is probably real. But I still have something to say to you. I will protect my family. How many of my loved ones do you have to kill before youre satisfied? If youre gonna do it, then bring it directly to me. So bring it the hell on, you utter monster!!!!! Silence. Silent silence. Silent silent silence. How did the White Queen view this situation? With Shigara Masami and Biondettas encouragement, she had revealed her weak and soft side, worked up the courage to buy a present, and even hoped he would accept it, but this was how he responded. Oh, dear. I failed again, did I? Thats too bad. But we are family and not lovers, so it works out, doesnt it? I suppose I will enjoy watching my beloved brother struggling to escape from me yet again Ah ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha. How much of that was true and how much was a fantasy? The distinction hardly mattered anymore. What had she gained from her journey to learn what it means to be human? Nothing at all. Left all alone in her own world, even the ringing in her ears was gone. There was nothing at all there. And. And. And. The White Queen crushed and shattered the bunny mug in its gift wrapping. Why is it always love this and romance that with you? Is that all youve got in your head? Is your brain nothing but romance? Oh, I see, I see. Is that it? Yeah, its always fun supporting love, isnt it? Well, screw that! Is that what all of the crap with your worshipers has been about? Some cheap pickup artist technique where you have someone cause trouble so you can swoop in and save me!? Its so clich even Shakespeare would steer clear! Apologize! Apologize to the world! How do you think Azalea or The Saint would feel if they heard this!? You should really learn how to feel shame! Its always about you, isnt it!? Is bringing a guy and girl together really that noble a goal!? Wow, and is that what the whole White Queen thing is about!? Is it supposed to give you a bridal image!? You exist beyond every last god, so why the hell are you focus on the one religion and culture when it comes to that!? Its not fair, really. If I complain, I bet everyone else will say Im being immature! Theyll say I shouldnt speak to a cute girl like that! Oh, whoops. Shouldnt have said that! Is your romance-obsessed brain jumping for joy over being called cute: cute, cute, he called me cute, wa ha ha! Well, forget it! Why do you walk all over people as soon as you meet them!? And with a smile on your face to boot! Arent you afraid of what might happen!? And your very existence is like some kind of joke! How is anyone supposed to fall in love with you!? Try thinking how it feels to be on the receiving end of your advances! How many times do I have to say no before it gets through to you!? No means no, so just give up! Cant you start by installing the concept of giving up in your romance brain!? I dont want romance. Like, not at all! And you cant try to wrap this up by saying alls well that ends well! Dont you know how much damage youve caused already!? And you claim it was all for your love!? What the hell is that!? I dont care how much of a hit at the box office that love story is, Im not going to let you get away with it! None of it makes any sense! Its weird! Just fight like normal! I dont really get it, but quit trying to mix all this extra crap in there! Take this seriously! Wasnt the point of this to use a Blood-Sign to summon a super strong Material and see what lies beyond the limits of humanity!? But thats all gone to waste when some idiot started going on about love and romance! Dont you feel any responsibility at all!? Youre the strongest in the world, arent you!? Dont you realize youre in the center of it all!? I dont want some all-knowing and all-powerful being making all her decisions because shes horny! Even Zeus had Hera to slow him down! Is this world just completely broken or something!? I cant explain it. What do we tell all the true heroes who died in the past incidents and wars? You died because god was horny and got a little carried away!? Cant you just move on already!? First loves never work out! So forget about me and find someone else! Im sure you wont even remember my name 5 seconds later! Why do you need to think your love is so special!? Thats the problem! Thats why youre so obsessed! All 7 billion people on this planet do this love thing! Include bugs and animals and its nothing but year-round sex, sex, and more sex! Is sex really that important to you, you creep!? Is sex all you ever think about!? It doesnt matter how hard you try, a sex freak like you just isnt going to fit with a human! So dont try to cram those mismatched puzzle pieces together! I cant take it anymore! Its really going to break me!!!!!! Shut up! Is it always family this and family that with you!? When are you going to take that pacifier out of your mouth!? Its creepy, you mamas boy! Oh, wait, no! Im sorry! I had that wrong! It was your little sister, wasnt it!? But thats not much different! How long are you going to keep dragging Doctor S around with you, you gloomy creep! Eh? What, were you doing it all for attention!? Well, sorry again! Yes, yes. Look at the cute widdle baby. Is it time for you milky-wilky? How about that!? Satisfied now!? Try to be self-reliant for once! You can leave the house, you know!? Your family isnt just going to run away while youre out! So dont worry! Did you think it made you look like a caring badass if you got super anxious about every little thing!? Well, think again! Its just creepy! How do you even get to your age without knowing how to maintain a healthy distance from your family!? What is wrong with you!? I cant take it anymore either! So you say love is unconditional and you cant be disillusioned out of it!? You say if that was enough to break it, then it was fake to begin with!? Brother, that makes you no different from a chick opening its mouth and waiting to be fed! Its so incredibly, incredibly, incredibly juvenile and silly! Are you sure your brain is working right!? If you have time to put on the heh, Im the strongest, so you cant trick me act, then how about using that alleged intellect for some self-analysis!? No, I guess you couldnt do that, could you? If you actually took an objective look at yourself, you would probably just kill yourself on the spot. Arent humans one of the few living creatures that commit suicide? Oh, how strange. How strange indeed. You claim to care about family more than anyone else, but you arent even aware how much of a burden you are on that precious family! Thats the thing about morons who think theyre geniuses! Its like how people cant smell their own body odor! Now thats a saying worth putting on your gravestone, brother! Or how about I use my charisma to start a new religion and have it written verbatim into the scriptures!? Then youll be the idiot of the millennium, spoken of for a thousand years to come! Oh, dear. Whats wrong? Whats wrong, widdle baby? Are you gonna cry!? Well, are you!? But unfortunately, Im about at the end of my patience too and I have zero interest in cheering you up or comforting you! Theres no point in attempting the impossible after all! Im so very tired, so feel free to just ignore me and go crying to Big Sister Biondetta or Mama Shigara Masami and get them to give you some milk! Ah ha ha. Hee hee hee. Why did you ever seem so wonderful!? Maybe it was me who was broken, not you! In that case, you didnt do anything wrong. I suppose I really was being a nuisance to you since there isnt a single good thing about you! Yes, if Im getting so worked up over a worm like you, I guess my love really was just an illusion in the first place! Agh, theres no use denying how I feel, you stupid, stupid, stupid, brother!!!!!! A short silence followed. The boy and girl glared at each other from close range while grinding their teeth. Their faces were wrinkled with rage. And for once, they actually spoke in perfect unison. Ill kill you!!!!!! Ill kill you!!!!!! Facts: *The White Queens feelings of love were real. *But Shiroyama Kyousuke wanted the love of a family instead of that dangerous love. That may have been a longing for what he had never been given due to the harsh experiments by Doctor S and the Queens Miniature Garden. *Isabelle detected this distortion early on. At the end of the fight with Biondetta during the Girls Backdoor incident, she voiced her disappointment when Kyousuke, the only one to truly be given love by the White Queen, insisted he had only seen the Queens fear. Volume 9, Ending X-02: Find a Way Out of Certain Doom Volume 9, Ending X-02: Find a Way Out of Certain Doom I will side with the boy. But I will not explain why. Its too embarrassing!! Yes, take care of Kyousuke-kun!! (Ending X-02 Open 08/23 12:20) The thing expanding across Kingdom Fs border was not an explosion or a dome. It was a cocoon. It was a medium for letting something grow. And the Sword of Truth, which was the White Queens battle costume, was a force used to ensure she was always right. It would make white black or vice-versa. To do that, it would automatically fight and bring victory to its master. If it lacked something, it would construct that something to make all the necessary preparations. So when the cocoon suddenly opened, how many people were truly capable of gazing directly upon its contents? Most would have simply seen it as a massive white light. When not protected by the Blood-Sign System, it was difficult to see such a great spiritual and divine presence. It would only appear as a light unless you were Sekurtiti or someone else who had taken a step outside humanity without relying on the Blood-Sign System. It was not quite like a rainbow. It was more like a meteor shower launched from the ground. Something frightening was released away from the puny planet. It had responded to its original masters desire. It was offering her a true sword. It was a white bolt of lightning. The human clothing the White Queen had worn was obliterated. ther She now wore her white battle costume. And with an energy resembling electricity, she was joined with Brooooootherrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!! Hee hee. In one corner of the hellish shopping center, someone could not contain their laughter as they watched those two enveloped by such great power. Hee hee hee. Hee hee. Hee hee hee hee hee. It was Biondetta Shiroyama. That demon helped others take revenge and pushed them to take it much further than they had intended. She held her body in the provocative waitress outfit and a tremor ran along her spin. (Ah ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!! Ohh, that one took a while! But the fire is finally burning! Success!!!!! I was afraid they were going make up for a bit there, but I can finally rest easy. Now theres no way their fighting spirit can be naturally extinguished.) She had always had a consistent reason for helping the White Queen with her love life. Unlike Shigara Masami, Biondetta had realized early on that Kyousukes longing was for a familys love, so she had set things up to fail. Her objective was plain as day. She did not particularly dislike Kyousuke. Or the White Queen. Only one thing mattered here. (It was my client, Shiroyama Kyousuke, who asked to sign a contract with me.) What had that boy decided to do when he dragged her out of that Government truck? He had sold his soul. There was a common flaw shared by most everyone who made a deal with a demon: they were too focused on the short term and neglected to consider long-term losses. She had no reason to feel disappointed. She had been like this from beginning to end. (So I need to produce the best possible revenge for you. When you make a deal with a demon, you dont get to back out when the time comes to pay up.) Without Biondetta, he may not have survived this long. But without his contract with her, this would not be happening now. As a vessel, Meinokawa Aoi had been able to view it all from a more detached position, so she noticed Waitress Demon Biondetta holding her body and trembling. Accusing her now would accomplish nothing. The sparks had already been thrown and it had already grown into a giant wildfire. Attacking the culprit now would not make the conflagration go away. (Although I will give her a solid punch once this is over.) Aoi made a mental note of that, but her biggest concern lay elsewhere: Shiroyama Kyousuke. (That fool. Is this what happens when someone is never given any real love? A family is not always given to you unconditionally, but it is possible to make one yourself.) This was not a political marriage of an older age. Could a family be started from something other than love in this day and age? (We still have a chance.) The world had been ignited. But Meinokawa Aoi still had a thought as she retightened her sarashi. (His values are shockingly immature and childish, but I can still reach him. Accept it, boy. You desire love more than anyone, so just accept the simple fact that someone is offering you love right here!!) Hey!! A storm had blown in. As the wind pummeled her, the shrine maiden held her silver hair down with a hand and called out to the enemy group. Specifically, to Shigara Masami because she seemed the most reasonable. What do you want to do about this!? Which side are you taking!? [I cant take sides here! I want happiness for both Kyousuke-kun and the White Queen. So even if shes lost control, I cant choose to abandon the White Queen!!] (Thats what I wanted to hear.) Meinokawa Aoi had pushed Kyousuke to this point. So no matter how pathetic, pitiful, ugly, and beyond reach he might seem, the silver-haired shrine maiden had no intention of leaving him all alone. I will side with the boy. But I will not explain why. Its too embarrassing!! [Yes, take care of Kyousuke-kun!!] They made no mistake here. The two of them were enemies. But Meinokawa Aoi still smiled fiercely at the woman in a suit and lab coat. Neither side needs to hold back. Lets give this everything weve got. Its too late for tears or regrets!! And. Somewhere in this world or the other, someone gently opened her eyes. It was a small translucent girl. She looked to be around 10. A faint light at the center of her chest flashed in time with her heartbeat. A portion of her long hair stuck up like cat ears and her undeveloped body was contained in something like a leotard. Swords, spears, guns, axes, staffs, hammers, chains, katanas, and other weapons surrounded her hips like a long skirt and 12 thick tomes recording different ends of the world floated in a ring behind her back. She was The Colorless Little Girl Dedicated to a Single Goal (aie - a - oio - ei - ueo - ioa - e - uai - ee). In order to kill the White Queen, she was preparing for battle to match the growing strength of the cocoon, but the actual trigger was found elsewhere. [Nii-sama.] Had the boy even noticed? He had gathered everything necessary to defeat the White Queen, but had he noticed what kind of energy had been mixed in? [Nii-sama, I will protect you this time.] Thinking back, that was all this Unexplored-class had ever tried to do. Even though the psychogenic shock of actually destroying the White Queen had created an unexpected error, this one part of her had remained. [Now that Ive been reborn, its my turn to help you, Nii-sama.] Facts: *Biondetta had remained a revenge helper from beginning to end. That was why she had egged the White Queen on with a smile despite knowing this would happen. That was why she had helped the Queen find a change of clothes and a present even though she had predicted it would all fall apart. *The cocoon has been released. Whatever hatched has given the White Queen the power she needs. *Meinokawa Aoi did not think all hope was lost. Shigara Masami agreed. *The soul of Shiroyama Kyousukes little sister was included in the materials for the Colorless Little Girl. It is unclear if Kyousuke was aware of it, but given how he handled the Rainy Girl, humans - even dead ones - have a hard time letting go. Based on that, it is likely that his little sister secretly included herself in the mix of her own free will. *The Third Style vs. the Fourth Style. A dangerous love vs. a familys love. The time has finally come for the girl and the rabbit to clash head-on. Volume 9, Epilogue Volume 9, Epilogue It was known as the Antlion Pit. The world police of Government used that prison to hold criminals who had committed serious crimes using Materials. That was another side of South Americas Devils Island where Azalea Magentarain was staying. The shrine maiden twins were deep, deep underground, but even there, they doubted they had seen the true horrors of this facility. This was only the visiting room. The reinforced glass separated two entirely different worlds. Their circumstances and feelings were completely different, so food made in the exact same kitchen would taste completely different. Meinokawa Renge and Meinokawa Higan. One had long black hair and one had long blonde hair. They pressed their cheeks together to listen to the same phone receiver. A man in the prime of his life held an identical receiver on the other side of the thick glass. That summoner wearing an oxygen mask was well-known in their field. He was known only as Doctor S. Are you running out of questions to ask me? I see, I see. I will say I am impressed you managed to track me down after I was passed from prison to prison a few times. That coincidental luck of the draw may even be superior to Kingdom Fs outsourced intelligence agency. While I will not say no to spending time with such lovely young ladies, there is honestly not much I can tell you about Kyousuke. He succeeded on his own and spread his wings on his own. I have no responsibility or fault there. I see What is he doing now? ? Doctor S grinned and leaned toward the reinforced glass. He was addicted to thrills. He knew the fear was there, so he wanted to view it from a position of safety. I created a precision-guided missile, but he threw out that perfected weapon and became a rogue weapon flying uncontrollably around the world. Hes still screwing things up to this day, isnt he? Hes broken at the most fundamental level, so it doesnt matter what you build up from that foundation. Thats why he will never gain anything no matter how hard he tries. Higan. The one twin called the others name. Hold the receiver for me. Then cover your ears and shut your eyes. Dont open them again until you count to 30 in your head. Can you promise me that? Um? Hurry. It may have been Renges ability to make demands like this that made her the older twin sister. Higan obediently did as she was told, so Renge found her to be a truly wonderful little sister. Meinokawa Renge grinned and rolled up the right sleeve of her shrine maiden outfit. She was showing off her strength. What are you doing? asked Doctor S. There was no point in answering. Not when it would be faster to just do it. She was a Joruri Method, giving her strength beyond the human limits. She shut off her limiters and sent her fist crashing through the 5cm-thick reinforced glass and into the scummy face on the other side. An incredible crash rang out after a short delay and then a shrill alarm began blaring. My god!! shouted the large black guard in the room. (I wasnt really designed to do that. Yeah, my shoulders cartilage is fried. I need to get some maintenance done by grampa once were back home.) By the time Higan widened her eyes in surprise, Renge had already pulled her arm back like nothing had happened. She stood nonchalantly next to her sister. Waaaaaaaaaahhhh!? Renge, what did you just do? His oxygen mask is broken, his chair fell backwards, and hes foaming at the mouth. What happened!? Uhhh That 5cm glass can stop a bullet, cant it? Did you pull out a rocket launcher or something!? Good, were back to normal. Renge secretly clenched her fist in triumph. It did not occur to Higan that her sister might have broken through bulletproof glass with her bare hand. She was so glad her sister was so pure. There was no point in sticking around, so she turned around and left the visiting room. And. She winked toward her sister who frantically followed after her. Listen, Higan. It doesnt matter what exists beyond the gods. There are some things you cant forgive no matter what clever justifications and arguments people come up with. Volume 9, Afterword Volume 9, Afterword (Postscript Open ??/?? ??:??) Okay, this is Kamachi Kazuma!! Blood-Sign has finally made it this far. There were a lot of unstable aspects to this one and I imagine some parts were difficult to read. But it was not Kyousuke who was shaken. It was everyone around him (including the White Queen). You should see this if you open up Volume 1 again, but Kyousuke has been consistent in his focus on killing the Queen throughout the series. It never seemed so awful before, but that was because she was surrounded by worshipers, so very powerful, and entirely beyond reach. But with Shigara Masami breaking through to the White Queens girly side at the end of the last volume, all of that has been shaken. Oh? you realize. Could she be the type who cries if you push back too much? For better or for worse, the setting of this series only works with the White Queen. Kyousuke tried all sorts of plans on the assumption that she could handle everything he threw at her, but now Shigara Masami and Meinokawa Aoi are asking him if that is really what he wants to do. What matters here is that Kyousuke remains unshaken and ends up assuming they have been influenced by the Queens charisma. The greatest enemy of a battle story is not the unfairly strong final boss or the power inflation; I think it is a mood saying you can no longer keep fighting. Theres no need to fight! Lets throw down our weapons, laugh, and hug!! What could be worse for someone who wants to settle things once and for all? And the White Queen has radiant beauty, unmatched wisdom, and irresistible charisma in addition to her brutal violence, so she could make that happen if she wanted. But after seeing so many veteran summoners and vessels transformed into her worshipers, Kyousuke would never give in even if any normal person would have been moved to emotion and let go of their Blood-Sign. He would stubbornly press on. That might be a necessary talent for truly fighting the White Queen to the end. Meanwhile, the White Queen is looking back on what she has done and finally become aware of how much pressure she has placed on Kyousuke and how twisted that has made him. Returning him to normal will not be easy, but nothing will ever improve if you throw in the towel just because something isnt easy. So she will change tack to something more traditional: if he will not come to me, I will go to him. Kyousuke wants love more than anyone and the Queen is offering him love. The fact that the White Queen, who exists beyond the gods, is making a wish may be the most important point of this volume. But nothing can ever be that easy in this series. After all, misunderstandings are the key to a love comedy!! There is more than one kind of love and Kyousuke wanted a familys love instead of a dangerous love. That is the greatest distortion here. You might have been able to see this coming if you saw how important he viewed his memories of the artificial family in the Queens Miniature Garden and how he immediately cut all ties with the vessels (who could be seen as possible lovers) and never intruded on their families. However. Things ended in a soft landing due to Biondettas conspiracy, but I think the White Queen would have failed even without that. If the strongest of the strongest suddenly tries to approach someone by bringing herself down to their level, I say shes definitely going to be awkward about it and screw it up. I actually think she was spared some damage by having the blame lie with Biondetta instead of her own ineptitude, but what do all of you think? At the very end, there was a scene where Kyousuke and the Queen release all of their pent-up frustrations, but if you thought they sounded like they were actually enjoying themselves, you were right. The White Queen in particular earned lots of moe points by insulting him so much but then making a last-second U-turn into Agh, theres no use denying how I feel, you stupid, stupid, stupid, brother!!!!!! The White Queen and the Colorless Little Girl. Comparing them might be a good way of comparing the opposing forms of love: a dangerous love and a familys love. Man, and then theres Meinokawa Aoi. I know Im the one writing her, but she doesnt play fair. Drinking the One Cup Yokozuna, treating untouchable Sinceria like a gorilla, and pushing Kyousuke away only to hug him later. Shes just unstoppable. And she made no mistakes in what she was doing. It was supposed to be a sticky drama of love and hate, but she somehow turned things into a refreshing display of sportsmanship at the end. I give my thanks to my illustrator Ikawa Waki-san and my editors Miki-san, Anan-san, Nakajima-san, Miyazaki-san, Yamamoto-san, and Mitera-san. In a way, the White Queen was already in her perfect form, so it couldnt have been easy to then give her a different outfit. Sorry about all the trouble Ive caused you. And I give my thanks to the readers. I wanted to show how the world has been so badly shaken, but is that what you saw when you actually read through the text? I was trying to make it all seem like a big mess, so I apologize if that made it hard to read. I hope you will read the next one too. And I will end this here. Now, which do you want: a dangerous love or a familys love? -Kamachi KazumaVolume 9, Afterword (Postscript Open ??/?? ??:??) Okay, this is Kamachi Kazuma!! Blood-Sign has finally made it this far. There were a lot of unstable aspects to this one and I imagine some parts were difficult to read. But it was not Kyousuke who was shaken. It was everyone around him (including the White Queen). You should see this if you open up Volume 1 again, but Kyousuke has been consistent in his focus on killing the Queen throughout the series. It never seemed so awful before, but that was because she was surrounded by worshipers, so very powerful, and entirely beyond reach. But with Shigara Masami breaking through to the White Queens girly side at the end of the last volume, all of that has been shaken. Oh? you realize. Could she be the type who cries if you push back too much? For better or for worse, the setting of this series only works with the White Queen. Kyousuke tried all sorts of plans on the assumption that she could handle everything he threw at her, but now Shigara Masami and Meinokawa Aoi are asking him if that is really what he wants to do. What matters here is that Kyousuke remains unshaken and ends up assuming they have been influenced by the Queens charisma. The greatest enemy of a battle story is not the unfairly strong final boss or the power inflation; I think it is a mood saying you can no longer keep fighting. Theres no need to fight! Lets throw down our weapons, laugh, and hug!! What could be worse for someone who wants to settle things once and for all? And the White Queen has radiant beauty, unmatched wisdom, and irresistible charisma in addition to her brutal violence, so she could make that happen if she wanted. But after seeing so many veteran summoners and vessels transformed into her worshipers, Kyousuke would never give in even if any normal person would have been moved to emotion and let go of their Blood-Sign. He would stubbornly press on. That might be a necessary talent for truly fighting the White Queen to the end. Meanwhile, the White Queen is looking back on what she has done and finally become aware of how much pressure she has placed on Kyousuke and how twisted that has made him. Returning him to normal will not be easy, but nothing will ever improve if you throw in the towel just because something isnt easy. So she will change tack to something more traditional: if he will not come to me, I will go to him. Kyousuke wants love more than anyone and the Queen is offering him love. The fact that the White Queen, who exists beyond the gods, is making a wish may be the most important point of this volume. But nothing can ever be that easy in this series. After all, misunderstandings are the key to a love comedy!! There is more than one kind of love and Kyousuke wanted a familys love instead of a dangerous love. That is the greatest distortion here. You might have been able to see this coming if you saw how important he viewed his memories of the artificial family in the Queens Miniature Garden and how he immediately cut all ties with the vessels (who could be seen as possible lovers) and never intruded on their families. However. Things ended in a soft landing due to Biondettas conspiracy, but I think the White Queen would have failed even without that. If the strongest of the strongest suddenly tries to approach someone by bringing herself down to their level, I say shes definitely going to be awkward about it and screw it up. I actually think she was spared some damage by having the blame lie with Biondetta instead of her own ineptitude, but what do all of you think? At the very end, there was a scene where Kyousuke and the Queen release all of their pent-up frustrations, but if you thought they sounded like they were actually enjoying themselves, you were right. The White Queen in particular earned lots of moe points by insulting him so much but then making a last-second U-turn into Agh, theres no use denying how I feel, you stupid, stupid, stupid, brother!!!!!! The White Queen and the Colorless Little Girl. Comparing them might be a good way of comparing the opposing forms of love: a dangerous love and a familys love. Man, and then theres Meinokawa Aoi. I know Im the one writing her, but she doesnt play fair. Drinking the One Cup Yokozuna, treating untouchable Sinceria like a gorilla, and pushing Kyousuke away only to hug him later. Shes just unstoppable. And she made no mistakes in what she was doing. It was supposed to be a sticky drama of love and hate, but she somehow turned things into a refreshing display of sportsmanship at the end. I give my thanks to my illustrator Ikawa Waki-san and my editors Miki-san, Anan-san, Nakajima-san, Miyazaki-san, Yamamoto-san, and Mitera-san. In a way, the White Queen was already in her perfect form, so it couldnt have been easy to then give her a different outfit. Sorry about all the trouble Ive caused you. And I give my thanks to the readers. I wanted to show how the world has been so badly shaken, but is that what you saw when you actually read through the text? I was trying to make it all seem like a big mess, so I apologize if that made it hard to read. I hope you will read the next one too. And I will end this here. Now, which do you want: a dangerous love or a familys love? -Kamachi Kazuma Volume 10, Prologue Volume 10, Prologue Ah ha ha. Hee hee hee. Oh, excuse me. This is the White Queen, the Unexplored-class who fell in love My brother is the one and only person in the whole wide world I love! I do not need anything else. Nothing could make me happier than to have him walking by my side. There is no point in trying to verbally express how much I love him. Unfortunately, every single linguistic system on this planet is incapable of expressing this feeling. That is how much I love him. And love is not meant to be a casual thing. Human lives are short, things rarely go the way they want, a great many problems will stand in their way, and they may have to compromise. So they begin to wonder if the happiness they achieved was really the best they could have found. So when someone else insults the relationship they have chosen to create with their lover or spouse, it angers them. Because they want their partner all to themselves? No. Because they want to protect their partner? Also no. They are afraid. Afraid that they could have chosen differently and found even greater happiness. They cannot accept that they might have let their rightful happiness slip from their fingers, leaving them stuck in an inferior position forevermore. Why is infidelity and adultery frowned upon in most every culture? It is not because they fear their preexisting household will fall apart. Dont you think they are simply afraid of having to face the reality that they could always change their mind and aim for something even better? Once they see someone else succeed in that, all of the systems built by people stuck in the relationships they settled for will fail simultaneously across the globe. But none of that has any bearing on me. The flow of time, external factors meant to restrict ones actions, and the circumstances of the common folk can never stop me from doing what I want. That means I can pursue true love no matter what it takes. I have only ever fallen in love the one time. And I am willing to sacrifice the future of the world to fulfill that love. I am saying I have a truly transcendent and heavenly love. Where could you find a greater love than this or a greater success and happiness than that provided by this love? Ggbrhewafa, broooooooooooooootherrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr, aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!??? Volume 10, Opening X-01: The Path to Doomsday Volume 10, Opening X-01: The Path to Doomsday ff277e99da5e800aa (A serious error has occurred.) 1090cc6bd8e3e19f8 (A serious error has occurred.) (OpeNiNg X-01 opeN 08/b3 1b:b0) thE p_Th TO dOom_dAy The world was collapsing. But viewing the cause as a chronological series of events would only lead to confusion. It would be easier to shuffle the events around to better organize the information. Shiroyama Kyousuke and the White Queen. They constantly fought, bickered, and worked to kill each other. For example, Guard of Honor, a group of White Queen worshipers, attempted to infiltrate Toy Dream 35. In this incident with a name taken from those who lead the Queens parade, Shiroyama Kyousuke worked with the Meinokawa Sisters, Renge and Higan, in the fierce fight to defeat Azalea Magentarain and the White Queen who lurked behind that girl. This has to be what everyone really wanted to do!! When it comes to events related to the White Queen, we must not forget the criminal group that attempted to create a world without death. In that fight centered on a ghost known as the Rainy Girl, Kyousuke worked with his classmate known as Librarian while throwing himself into a deadly battle to stop Student Council President Benikomichi Fuuki and Summoner Yasuzumi Hayato of Telomeres End and their organization. That is not what I meant. Speaking of criminal organizations, Kyousuke was once hired to protect a facility from those who were targeting the world police of Government. He made a contract with a vessel named Isabelle in the process and she had been altered to give her that talent. They fought against a vessel girl working to retrieve her friend from that Anthill Project and Summoner Biondetta who had a connection to Kyousukes past. The confusion only grew due to a glove-shaped gadget known as Girls Backdoor. And at the end of this battle, he was given an audience with the Red Lady, one of the Unexplored-classes known as the Three. That Unexplored-class was known for giving accurate prophecies and she gave him the following oracle: You can never defeat the White Queen. At a Summoning Ceremony weapons show, Pandemonium made an appearance as the key to a conspiracy by the Deltaston Family which had infiltrated all three major powers: Government, Illegal, and Freedom. Kyousuke traveled between two different temporal viewpoints - the past and the present - sometimes bickering with the White Queen and sometimes fighting alongside Himekawa Mika, who looked just like his teacher Shigara Masami, while he challenged Max Layard and Incense Expert Ellie Slide. Afterwards, he was given an audience with the Wicked Green Woman of the Three. And a piece of the truth was revealed. The members of the Unexplored-class were the very laws that ruled the territory in which the gods lived, but the White Queen had singlehandedly defeated them all and had essentially chained them to her while she dragged them around. Thus, killing the White Queen was not possible using the current laws and relying on the Blood-Sign Summoning Ceremony. I value freedom above all else. In that sense, she is in the way. But then Kyousuke did not hesitate to rely on the Yellow Gills of the Three. His goal was to use a dream to replay his own past in the underground lab known as the Queens Miniature Garden and search for hints to defeat the Queen. After receiving some success in that, he rescued his old acquaintance Biondetta from a prison transport vehicle and agreed to a contract of revenge. He asked for her help in killing the White Queen. At the same time, Azalea was also rescued from imprisonment by the The Saint and other Queen worshipers. No reason. It just so happened to be Tanabata, so I thought coming home would be a good idea. Toy Dream 35 received multiple visitors during Tanabata. One was Sekurtiti, the central figure of a group of grave keepers and priestesses with their origin in Egyptian Mythology. Another was Azalea, the leader of Bridesmaid, a group that worshiped the Queen. The last was the monster with Government Award 1000: Elvast Toydream. They fought an intense battle over the Founders Gallery left behind by the original Toydream who led that global entertainment company. The gallerys guardian was Aika Toydream. The Founders Gallery was the very apartment building she lived in. Onii-chan, do you know the story of the Worlds Happiest Girl? After finding an answer vis--vis killing the Queen, Kyousuke and Biondetta visited Houbi Village, home of the Meinokawa Sisters, to execute their idea. Their goal was Aoi, historys first artificial vessel. They needed her help to create a vessel strong enough to withstand the strongest Unexplored-class. They were opposed by the elites of Bridesmaid, Olivia Highland (a vessel Kyousuke had worked with in the past), and Doctor S, his own father. In the end, he freed Olivia from the Queens bonds and worked with her to summon the Colorless Little Girl, a new Unexplored-class embedded in the other world for the sole purpose of killing the White Queen, and successfully defeated the Queen. But the White Queen somehow resurrected herself and said the following: What if killing me caused some critical damage to the Colorless Little Girl? Olivias homeland of Eastern Europes Kingdom F was at risk of destruction. They were opposed by the Stars and Stripes who had the worlds strongest military. And that opposition was inflamed by the Toy Dream Company that was supposed to give dreams to children around the world. Kyousuke and Olivia began fighting to stop the spread of the war-supporting Blue Film and to eliminate the justification for war. In the process, they were occasionally attacked by the Colorless Little Girl who had gone berserk. In the end, they managed to stop the Colorless Little Girl in a brief chance for dialogue, but that enraged the vessel supporting that Unexplored-classs existence - in other words, the White Queen. She mercilessly tried to kill Kyousuke. Then someone appeared to protect him. It was a summoner who had supposedly died long ago in the Queens Miniature Garden. Freedom Award 3000, Shigara Masami, appeared before them as a Divine-class. Queen, you are weak. And for some reason, Shigara Masami took the White Queens side. Kyousuke, Biondetta, the White Queen, and Shigara Masami took their separate paths to pursue Shiroyama Kyousukes roots. They found a small house in a rural city. Doctor S, his wife, Kyousuke, and his little sister had lived there. At the end of a cruel experiment, Kyousuke and his sister had been forced to fight to the death. The White Queen had not known restraint and she attacked his little sister in order to protect him. The entire distortion was concentrated on that one act. The White Queen represents a dangerous love and Shiroyama Kyousuke desired a familys love. Their paths could never cross and they had chosen a path of unavoidable conflict while constantly aware of each others presence. When Im reborn, then Ill take your side, Nii-sama. And that cleared the path to doomsday. On one side was a certain boy and the Colorless Little Girl, the Unexplored-class containing the soul of his dead sister. On the other was the White Queen who had surpassed her limits to outdo her existing position as the strongest. Ill kill you!!!!!! Ill kill you!!!!!! Now. The time had come to settle everything. Facts: -A critical error has been detected. Diagnosing system -Responding to emergency situation by rebooting in safe mode. -Shiroyama Kyousuke and the White Queens relationship is beyond repair. -They have clashed in the outdoor plaza of the rural city shopping center named Multiple. -Shiroyama Kyousuke has Meinokawa Aoi and Biondetta and the White Queen has Shigara Masami. -The Colorless Little Girl is aware of this battle. -A dangerous love and a familys love. The two of them have begun to clash over those incompatible feelings. Volume 10, Opening X-02: A Dance on the Precipice of Death Volume 10, Opening X-02: A Dance on the Precipice of Death Why!? Why must you make me suffer so, brother!? Isnt it obvious? (Opening X-02 Open 08/23 12:20) A Dance on the Precipice of Death It was hell. Anywhere would be when those two seriously said they were going to kill each other. With no regard for who might be caught in the crossfire. No hell could have been worse, not even the Tapana spoken of in Buddhism or the Cocytus referenced in the Divine Comedy. The rural citys Multiple shopping center had a large open space similar to a courtyard. It was normally used for summer break hero shows and other childrens events, so it would be a memorable place for the children. But now someone did not hesitate to throw an Incense Grenade there. It was of course Shiroyama Kyousuke. Meanwhile, the White Queen could distort the world with her mere presence. Brother No. It would not matter even if the hoodie boy set up an Artificial Sacred Ground here, acquired his three White Thorns, and swung his Blood-Sign around to summon a Material. He would have to start at the bottom-level Regulation-class and work his way up to the powerful gods and demons and the Queen was not going to wait for him to do thatbut that was not why it would not matter. Whether he summoned a Regulation-class, a Divine-class, or an Unexplored-class and no matter what orders he gave them, the enraged White Queen only had to make a scratching motion with her fingers to tear through that insolent being and the very space in which it existed. Not even the Three at the top of the Unexplored-class could escape that fate. Incurring the White Queens wrath meant death. She was not known as a lady or a princess; she was a queen. And it was time she demonstrated why. Brotherrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!! So it should have been over. With the Blood-Sign Summoning Ceremony - in other words, using anything within the bounds of the Third Summoning Ceremony - the fool would be torn asunder and killed before he could manage any kind of resistance. But that was not what happened. This boy had already arrived at the Fourth Summoning Ceremony. The Queens fingers were deflected with an impossible sound. The silver twintail girl grimaced as pain throbbed in her wrist. The dull pain was similar to having hit a solid concrete wall with a metal bat, but the Queen was the Queen. She was not so weak that mere physical pain could inspire anger or fear in her. The grimace on her face came from something else. Someone stood right next to Shiroyama Kyousuke. A moment before, it had been Meinokawa Aoi, the worlds oldest artificial vessel, but now it was someone a head shorter than even the White Queen. She had a translucent body. That monster had a small, undeveloped body that appeared to be around 10 years old and she wore something like an incomplete one-piece swimsuit. Her long hair hid her eyes and poked up on the sides of her head like cat ears. Many weapons spread out around her like a skirt and 12 large and ancient tomes were spread out behind her small back like wings or a clock face. She was an Unexplored-class who should not have existed in this world. The Colorless Little Girl Dedicated to a Single Goal (aie - a - oio - ei - ueo - ioa - e - uai - ee). She was a pure Queen killer who asked for nothing more. [Ghhh!!] Meinokawa Aois groan of agony rang directly in Kyousukes head. [Curse you. This already!? But, boy, are you sure this was a good idea!? Thoughtlessly siding with whoever gives you strength and supports you is not the best ide-kssshhhh!!!???] Completely controlling a Material was nearly impossible to begin with, so if a vessel was thrown inside as irregular a Material as the Colorless Little Girl without warning, they could easily lose consciousness. Olivia Highland had a special inborn talent and had been injected with special artificial blood, but even she would have had trouble restraining the Little Girl and guiding her aim in this situation. The desperate plea vanished from Kyousukes mind. The White Queen also let slip a deep voice filled with more enmity than he had ever heard. So we meet again (rx - ht). The undeveloped girl calmly brushed it all off. She tilted her head, turned deeply mechanical eyes toward the summoner, and spoke. [Nii-sama.] RQ Cat. This is fine. [Nii-sama!] The situation was perfect for Kyousuke and the Colorless Little Girl. The vessels role was over once that being had been summoned to this world. However. [How?] It was not the White Queen who spoke without thinking. Other summoners insolently shared the same battlefield as Kyousuke and the Queen. One of those was Freedom Award 3000, World Complete. Shigara Masami was a ponytailed researcher wearing a tight skirt suit and a lab coat. [Youre supposed to go through 100 Regulation-classes and 50 Divine-classes before reaching the Unexplored-class, so how!?] Whoops. From here on out, we must ask that all guests obey the proper etiquette and dress code while enjoying their meal. If you rudely try to cut in line, we must ask that you leave And the other was Biondetta, the waitress demon, who cut in with a smile. [Detta-chan, what are you doing!?] You look at me like I am some poor, miserable thing. They both had one of the translucent slimes of the Original Series. Regulation-class. Cost: 1. The lowest of the low. They were hopelessly ordinary and incomparable to the White Queen or Colorless Little Girl. But a skilled summoner could build their Material up from there using countless transformations. But Im personally fine with the status quo. Im not trying to change anything. All I want to do is irresponsibly lend a helping hand in other peoples revenge!! Thats all it is, really. So will you please not rob this mentally and physically ruined girl of the purpose she has found in her life? [Are you sure youre doing this to help with his revenge? Are you sure you arent trying to help Kyousuke-kun as an older sister like you did back in the Queens Miniature Garden?] [I am Freedom Award 3000, you know? I am part of the Divine-class. Do you really think you are a match for me in this field when you still belong to this world, Detta-chan?] In a proper fight, probably not. I mean, Im only Freedom Award 920, so I couldnt hope to stand up to you in your area of expertise. However. The girl known as Biondetta stuck out her tongue and licked her lips in such a seductive way that the woman who had helped raise her could barely stand to watch. Have you forgotten? I am Liar Cat. I am the smiling Cheshire Cat who will take my customers revenge much further than they ever intended. I carry the Queens hatred. Did you think you could measure my skills using the traditional methods? You could even say I have inherited a fraction of the Queens distorting charisma. If I use my power to replace stability with chaos and mayhem, it will not be hard to swallow up a hardheaded rule-follower. The arrow-shaped tail extending from her miniskirt swished behind her and her arms further squished together the chest already accentuated by her suspenders. She must have been sweaty because this produced an audible sound from her cleavage. Biondettas voice already contained a toxic level of heat and sweetness, but there was also something odd mixed in. Shigara Masami grimaced, but Biondettas eyes shined bright. It was an eerie light, like the sticky glow on the dark ocean surface as the waves rose and fell in the night or like bugs smaller than grains of rice crawling along your eyeballs. Perhaps this was their fight too. Shiroyama Kyousuke had not been raised by just one person. His original home had been a nightmarish crucible of a laboratory and his later home of the Queens Miniature Garden had been destroyed, but he had still met people there. And the hands they reached out to Shiroyama Kyousuke must have triggered some kind of response in his immature heart. One had embraced that change. The other had regretted that change even after failing to die. I will not let anyone say that what happened in that miniature garden was meaningless. Not you who led that facility deep, deep underground and not Kyousuke-chan himself. [No, Detta-chan, we need to stop here. We were wrong to even try to control the Queen from the outside. If we had accepted she was a person all her own, none of that would ever have happened!!] So. The older sister and the teacher readied their Blood-Signs here. To create a future for Shiroyama Kyousuke in their own way. Ohhhh!!!!!! [Ohhhh!!!!!!] Meanwhile, the White Queen clicked her tongue while holding her wrist with her other hand. Yes, the Queen did. Of course. The White Queen knew these were exceptional circumstances. You would normally have had to follow the steps Shigara Masami had mentioned, but if you hit all the Petals into the Spots in order, you could skip past all that setup and summon any Material right off the bat. But this had been the very first hit. That initial strike would shatter the three-dimensional Rose and almost randomly send the Petals every which way, so it would normally be unthinkable to spell out the name you wanted there. It was as ridiculous as the ultimate form of cheating in mahjong or hanafuda, where you set up everything on the table to give yourself the hand you wanted right away. Even the White Queen only knew of one person who could do this. Namely Elvast Toydream. Have you reached the level of Government Award 1000? No. That monstrous summoner had always summoned the White Queen with his first move thanks to his spatial awareness skills. He used a unique sense to instantly scan the terrain and walls of the Artificial Sacred Ground to subconsciously calculate out what hit on the Rose would give him what he wanted. But Kyousuke was different. He really had simply hit the White Thorn with his Blood-Sign. He had simply sent the Petals scattering every which way to signal the start of the battle. And yet he had arrived at this result. Specifically, the terrain, the Artificial Sacred Ground, the arrangement of the Spots, and even the flow of the White Thorns and Petals had been forcibly altered as if sucked in by a magnet. All so that the Colorless Little Girl would be summoned no matter what Shiroyama Kyousuke did. In other words !? This was not brothers doing. Did you distort the coordinates yourself, Colorless Little Girl!? This was cheating of the highest order. Once her reaction began, her energy grew so rapidly there was no controlling it. Meanwhile. The Unexplored-class that contained a dead girls soul softly placed her arms around Kyousukes hips. The summoner was guarded by the protective circle that kept out all causes of death, but even that fundamental fact was fooled by the strange form of cheating going on here. [I will protect you, Nii-sama.] That had been this young girls goal from the very beginning. She may have been more consistent even than Kyousuke and the White Queen at the center of it all. [When Im reborn, then Ill take your side, Nii-sama.] !? However. The White Queen could tell something here. That was a ghost. That ghost of the past haunted Shiroyama Kyousuke. He might see it as an opportunity, but if not for that girl, he never would have thought to fight the White Queen. He was only doing this because he had a concrete method at hand. So the Colorless Little Girl really was a ghost whose regret and obsession dragged the living into the realm of the dead. Curse you She was furious. The Sword of Truth, which surrounded her as her battle outfit, picked up on that fury and throbbed. A great number of weapons shot out in every direction like wings, like a skirt, like countless hands, and like indescribable things. You pretend to take his side, you dont even show the courage to oppose himand you dare use that to steal my brother from me!? She gave a shout, but she was stopped by a high-pitched sound. Once the dark-eyed Little Girl held out a small and soft hand, twice as many weapons shot out. Orange sparks flew, but it was the White Queens weapons which were pushed back. [I will protect you, Nii-sama.] Something new happened behind that stubborn boy. It was not over once the Colorless Little Girl had been summoned. While the Third Summoning Ceremony had the summoner switch between so many different Materials, the Fourth Summoning Ceremony left it all in the Colorless Little Girls hands, meaning the method and element of her attacks was changed using the Petals. But Shiroyama Kyousuke did not do anything so ordinary. He removed one hand from his Blood-Sign and reached casually into his pocket. Surely he was not going to throw a new Incense Grenade now. Instead, he pulled out a knife far too small for combat. It was a maintenance tool used to carve down the holy wood cork used on the end of the Blood-Sign. ? Even the White Queen had to frown at this. She should have realized what he was doing. Her predictions were close to being oracles or prophecies. When she opened her mouth, she could start a new religion or end a mythology. So just how much of a crisis was the world in if something she had not even considered was happening? This is what happened: Without pausing, Shiroyama Kyousuke slit one side of his neck. Ah. The short knife was only as long as his thumb, but the blade sank in to the base. There was no blood. The boy she loved more than anyone did not even flinch. Ahh. The protective circle would negate any damage that would be fatal to the summoner, but that effect was limited to the 10 minutes of the Artificial Sacred Ground. Causes of death already within the circle were not deflected and malignant tumors were not torn from the body. So if a tool small enough for the protective circle to not recognize as a threat were used to commit suicide, that would not be deflected to prevent the summoners death. So it would instead forcibly adjust things to prevent the summoners death no matter how much they were slashed or stabbed. Simply put, Kyousuke would die once the battle ended. Even if the White Queen won or if the battle was ended peaceably, she could not have Shiroyama Kyousuke. No matter what. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!??? A long scream echoed from the White Queen. The cry of sorrow felt like it was going to tear her throat apart. [Kyousuke-kun!!] Sir? Even Shigara Masami and Biondetta briefly stopped their own battle. Only one person moved amid it all. [I will protect you, Nii-sama.] That girl had been so permeated by the realm of the dead that this was nothing special to her. Only the Colorless Little Girl. [I will take your side, Nii-sama. I will help you this time.] She threw a small bookmark behind her to be devoured by one of the giant books spread out like angel wings. And that volume widened its maw to spew forth one possible end of the world. An army of autonomous weapons had worked to annihilate their creators after being infected by viruses created for highly unnecessary reasons like making them sentient and telling them to optimize the use of the planets resources. That army attacked the White Queen like a flashflood of gray. The White Queen wailed as she held them back with her hands with her feet sliding back on the tiled ground. Whywhy!? Why must you make me suffer so, brother!? Isnt it obvious? Finally, the deadly weapon named Shiroyama Kyousuke opened his mouth. And he spoke in a voice that may have been more frightening than the precision-guided missile he so loathed. He tossed aside the small knife used to take his own life and held his Blood-Sign in both hands once more. His words were far colder than the White Queens. If your suffering will create even the slightest opening for attack and repeating that process enough times will allow me to ultimately achieve victory, then my life is a small price to pay. Isnt that what we were talking about? The White Queens face crumpled up. And with an even louder scream, a bright white explosion enveloped everything as a dome. Facts: -The White Queen could not bring herself to give up on her love. -The Colorless Little Girl can distort the worlds coordinates to set things up so she will be summoned by any shot made by the summoner. That essentially breaks the Blood-Sign rules and the connection between summoner and Material. So instead of the summoner summoning the Material and using them to fight, the Material has the summoner summon them and drags the summoner to almost certain death. -The White Queen views the Colorless Little Girl as a ghost who lures the living into the realm of the dead by giving them hope as a means of fighting. -Shiroyama Kyousuke cut his own carotid artery inside the protective circle to create an opening in the White Queen. Win or lose the battle, he will now lose his life due to blood loss once the battle ends. Volume 10, Stage 01: Across the Seven Planets and Twelve Constellations Volume 10, Stage 01: Across the Seven Planets and Twelve Constellations They are hacking the Summoning Ceremony. Are you serious? (Stage 01 Open !!timestamp ERROR!!) Across the Seven Planets and Twelve Constellations Part 1 In truth, the 10-minute time limit did not function as a real limit. The White Queen and the Colorless Little Girl. The world had not been designed for a situation as extreme as a direct confrontation between those two great beings, so it was hardly surprising when their clash caused the theory of relativity to fail and the laws of time and space to break down. Everything was warped. It happened when the Colorless Little Girls palm touched the very edge of the domed explosion born of the White Queens wrath. That attack was sent equally in every direction, so it should have been unavoidable, yet it was twisted like a vortex and it was diverted as if being swept up into the blue sky overhead. In the end, there were no fatalities. They could only thank their lucky stars that the extent of the damage was some shredded cumulonimbus clouds and scattering electricity. But the Colorless Little Girl puffed out her soft cheeks with her eyes still devoid of emotion. Almost like she had caught someone folding up her favorite dress and using it as a rag to wipe up the floor. She seemed to be saying that was the wrong way to use that tool. [That was meaningless.] But it was necessary, spat back Kyousuke. This was not simple benevolence. In fact, his heart was filled with a deep and dark hostility. If anything, his emotion was closest to spite. It is absolutely necessary to lay on the pressure so she loses her cool. Oh Something seemed to catch in the White Queens throat. Was there more? Was it not over yet? She seemed to be lamenting the length of the hellish path laid out before her. Ohhhhhhhh!! Agghgaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhh!! She shouted. She shouted and raised her right arm horizontally. Obey (v). She did more than just clench her teeth. Her lovely lips finally uttered words. And she directly spoke the language that possessed enough power to draw the gods up from another world just by linking the letters together properly. Obey my command (jh - a - ra - ou - v). That sword will instantly cut down that unneeded thief (ii - wuh - i - iu - qb - o - kr - fp - ei - tz)!! Her clothing wriggled. Instead of picking up on its masters will and automatically providing her with the power to fight, she manually controlled it. The cloth wrapped around her horizontally raised arm, hardened, and produced a sword more beautifully sinister than any art could hope to emulate. The White Queen showed no mercy. Her target was the Colorless Little Girls skinny neck. She briefly exhaled and then swung the blade to the side without so much as a glance at her surroundings!! Just then, the scenery grew distorted. After all, this was a full-power attack from the White Queen. The distance from her target did not matter; this attack could cleanly behead the Colorless Little Girl and slice through the surrounding scenery in the process. It did not matter how many people were outside the Artificial Sacred Ground. No matter how many lives would be lost, the Sword of Truth that gently surrounded her as a battle costume would spread destruction as she saw fit. However. That was not what had caused the distortion in the scenery. Her full-power swing of the sword sliced through the empty desert night and launched a tremendous wall of sand into the air beyond the horizon. Wha-!? The Queen of all people stared in confusion with her sword still in its follow-through position. The wall of sand covered her vision like a sandstorm and nearly blotted out the moon in the night sky, so she clicked her tongue and sliced through it all with a second sword strike. And what did she see then? The moonlight shined on a frigid desert where countless stone blocks had been stacked to form square pyramids and giant monuments stood to praise ancient rulers. Egypt? It was hard to believe, but what else could she call it? She was the White Queen and she was not known as the strongest for her physical strength alone. She had senses beyond those of humans and those senses told her the truth. She did not know how it had happened, but her coordinates had unexpectedly jumped. That had prevented any of the panicked civilians in the Multiple shopping center from being cut down and she had only sliced through the empty sand. But. But how had that salvation come about!? [Nii-sama.] Ignore it. Its best if shes confused. She clenched her teeth even harder. And the White Queen voiced her raw emotions. Give it a rest, you pedophile (ri - ou - v - ii - ee - biq - u)!! She slashed her blade back from its follow-through position. But once Shiroyama Kyousuke spun his Blood-Sign around, the scenery had already blurred. They were in the South American Amazon. A stifling heat and humidity surrounded thick jungle trees which were meaninglessly felled with loud cracking sounds. Although the illegal logging and largescale slash-and-burn agriculture here was visible from space, so destruction may not have been anything new here. Their coordinates had shifted. Kyousukes side did not bother explaining what kind of supernatural power had been used or what surface world phenomenon it had caused. The myths remaining in this world were highly optimized to be easily told and understood by humans. They had needed to spread among the illiterate and uneducated masses, not just the scholars chosen from the upper classes. Those in the realm of the gods may have stooped down to the level of the human realm in that way. Even if only to drive the fear of divine punishment into those people so they would not sin again. But the Unexplored-class was different. Human concerns did not matter to them. If they were not understood, they would simply push the humans away. So if your understanding could not keep up with the situation playing out before you, you would be exposed to a unilateral attack. Expository speeches and bragging explanations were not a necessary part of supernatural fights to the death. If you did not understand, you would be driven to the verge of death without ever understanding. They had changed continents twice in the span of ten seconds. No, time and space were linked by the theory of relativity, so if they had this much control over space, it was possible time had been distorted as well. Were they traveling through space or through time? Even that became suspect in this battle. And make no mistake. The surrounding scenery was not what truly mattered; Shiroyama Kyousuke and the White Queen were. And the source of the power obeying - or possessing - the boy was the Colorless Little Girl. You only had to remember. Government Award 1000, Elvast Toydream, had reached an instant understanding of the Artificial Sacred Grounds walls and of every slight contour within the surrounding terrain so he could perfectly calculate out the movement of the letter-containing Petals after the first hit and thus summon the White Queen with his first move no matter the situation. But that was a passive technique that used the terrain that was already there. Then what if you had the ability to freely manipulate the surrounding terrain? So this is how it worked. The White Queen gnashed her teeth. But not because she had figured out her enemys tactics. Because it had taken her this long to figure it out. Because she was supposed to have a perfect grasp of both this world and the other. This is the true form of your power! I didnt notice it at the shopping center, but you moved us some small amount. I thought it was strange that you managed to summon the Colorless Little Girl on the first move, but it was so simple. You just had to make a random shot and, if that shot wasnt quite right, she simply shifted the entire table for you. Like she was tugging on the tablecloth!! If you can cheat like this, there are no more restrictions in the Blood-Sign system. This goes beyond auto-aim. With this, you can move the fat turkey in front of your gun so you only have to pull the trigger. Youve created a shooting game on the most hand-holding of all easy modes!! And. If Shiroyama Kyousuke had already summoned his trump card, why had he been so focused on the White Thorns and Petals and even begun altering the worlds coordinates? A powerful pillar had been inserted into the laws of both worlds. (The Third Summoning Ceremony switched between countless Materials to represent all things.) The White Queen was surprised, but her thoughts were also grinding away. The peak of the world was not so low that being caught off guard would be enough to reduce her performance. (Meanwhile, the Fourth does the same by switching between the Colorless Little Girls weapons and changing her attributes and method of attack. So even if she is an irregular Queen killer, the battle is not over from the moment she is summoned. Brother must support her based on the situation and choose the best attack and defense against my ever-changing onslaught!!) So RQ Cat, High #11 (s - ag - ag). Standby. [Understood, Nii-sama.] Tease her to lure her in closer. Then block with Middle #418 (k - fh - ag - et), bring down her defenses with Middle #633 (k - st - td - td), circle behind her, and attack with Low #777 (b - sv - sv - sv). [Nii-sama, I will leave everything to you.] With a series of pleasant sounds, more and more red Petals were knocked into the Spots hanging in the air. The Queen had not seen this side of Kyousuke. He was not spelling out the names of Materials. In fact, he was more focused on the number than the letters. The actual phenomena caught up. The scenery blurred. The ground below the White Queens feet moved like a conveyer belt and she was roughly pulled toward the Colorless Little Girl. She had already heard them explain their plan, yet she could not reach them. She immediately swung down her pure white sword, but then she clicked her tongue in regret. The Colorless Little Girl pulled a thick axe from her weapon skirt and struck the base of the sword. The blow should have been deflected backwards, but she instead made a perfect parry and twirled like a figure skater. Then she moved to the White Queens side. She kept her rotation going, her entire weapon skirt opened up, and all those weapons targeted the twintailed girls hips like a giant circular saw. Gah!? The White Queen immediately unraveled her sword to send a white beam of light between them and avoid having her flesh and blood torn into, but the close-range blast caused her to lean back a bit herself. She staggered back a few steps as well. Bring down her defenses and attack. As soon as Kyousukes words replayed in the White Queens mind, the Colorless Little Girl had the giant books behind her devour two bookmarks she held. The two attacks intersected. One was an intense acid rain that dissolved the entire world after the planet was covered by the black clouds of pollution. The other was an extraterrestrial threat that started as a single small egg attached to a giant meteor and overran everything with its unstoppable reproductive power. The two possible ends of the world erupted from the old tomes and attempted to slice through the White Queens torso like a giant pair of scissors. Like that would work!! The White Queen did not bother with any cheap tricks. No weapon could reach her. Her greatest weapon was her own slender arms. She grabbed the large pair of scissors coming for her hips, forcibly bent them even as her gloves decomposed, and sent them back toward the Colorless Little Girl. The Little Girl was indeed a Queen killer, but Kyousuke was managing her power. She had only managed to execute the Queen by switching between attacks as the situation demanded, so her soft skin could not deflect any attack of any type. Meaning Ghghhh!! Your own attacks might just be able to harm you!! [Nii-sama.] With a buzzing sound like power entering an old cathode ray tube, the scenery blurred again. They were in an Antarctic blizzard with an aurora in the sky. The coordinate change was no longer a surprise, but it still caused her to miss her mark. The Colorless Little Girl was not standing where she should have been, so the deluge of alien lifeforms instead devoured an entire frozen mountain behind her. The Colorless Little Girl alone had a vulnerability to take advantage of. But as long as she had Shiroyama Kyousuke wielding his Blood-Sign to give her accurate instructions, she could make up for that. They were in perfect harmony. They were siblings. The older brother looked after his vulnerable sister and the little sister relaxed and let her brother take charge. The symbolism before her eyes caused the White Queen to softly clench her teeth. She would not claim that should be her spot. Quite the opposite in fact. He still could not bring himself to leave his little sisters side and the more he spoiled her, the worse it got. As the dangerous love being blocked by that familial love, no sight could have been more unpleasant. So Forget targeting by sight. Snow white fingers extended from the gloves as they crumbled away. The White Queen lightly shook her hands and brand new gloves covered her fingertips once more. So I will add in a non-physical curse that automatically attacks you. Move spatially away and the curse will continue to pursue you and take your life. Move temporally away and the curse will give chase to the end of time to destroy you. Your cheap tricks will save you no longer. You ghost, you black cat reeking of death. I will kill you now (wv - i - nc - hc). That was a divine oracle. And if this sort of oracle was disobeyed, she would burn down an entire world in retaliation. In the age when the Third Summoning Ceremony still ruled the world, this might have been enough for a grand altar to be erected in the central square where gloomy festivals were held. But no more. Now that they had arrived at the Fourth Summoning Ceremony, Kyousuke and the ghost were not cowed. This was the same as the ancient Central American calendar that had failed to catch on even in 2012. Once it had passed without incident, nothing felt emptier than a prophesied end of the world. Shiroyama Kyousukes answer was simple. An unavoidable curse, you say? Yes. Doesnt that sound like the perfect weapon to use against those who grow lost in this world and must rely on the other world? Then I just need to rely on a location that can interfere with curses. I need a power source that functions similar to a neodymium magnet for magnetic media or a high-voltage line for cellphone calls. RQ Cat, standby. It happened a moment later. It was unclear who was controlling who here. The name Alice (with) Rabbit was only an empty husk now, but the boys Blood-Sign gave a roar and the world was enveloped by a staticky buzz similar to a cathode ray tube. Part 2 The Artificial Sacred Grounds protective circle rejected any lethal factors that would prevent the summoner from fighting. Simply put, any physical attacks using a knife or bullet would be deflected and the summoner would have no trouble surviving in a fire, underwater, in a vacuum, or surrounded by poison gas. And this was not limited to external factors. For example, if a summoner threw an Incense Grenade while infected with a deadly virus, they would be temporarily freed from that hellish suffering until the battles end. Even if their natural lifespan ended in the middle of a battle, they would be able to continue moving until the protective circle was removed. So. He could ignore any ordinarily deadly factors. He was free to choose any coordinates he wanted. And if he wanted to escape the massive curse brought by the White Queen, there was only one option. The sun. Shiroyama Kyousuke and the White Queen did not bat an eye as they stood on that blazing land of ultra gravity. The light would have normally destroyed his eyes, but that was adjusted for him. He found himself in an orange world. The gravity was 28 times that of earth. The scorching surface temperature of nearly 6000 degrees Celsius would burn through anything at a touch. A massive prominence passed through the dark and empty night sky above like a rainbow of molten metal. They only had 10 minutes, but during that 600 seconds, they could move anywhere they wanted. They could throw out their grounded assumptions. There was no need to stick to the framework of earth. I see. There was an odd sound like a saw blade bending. The White Queen did not even rely on a protective circle as she moved her slender legs to directly set foot on the suns surface and observed her surroundings curiously. During a less-developed era of human civilization, before they knew the difference between stars, planets, and moons, they believed all light from the heavens was influenced by the seven worlds surrounding the earth. Did you interfere with my non-physical curse by approaching one of the seven planets that laid the foundation of astrology? Much like approaching a transformer substation, broadcast tower, or other powerful EM source to escape a GPS-guided bomb meant to fall on your head. However. There was a quiet sound. No one seemed to care whether or not there was any air here for that sound to propagate through. It came from the Colorless Little Girl. A slight gash had appeared in the part of her hair shaped like a cat ear. Did you really think a small rotating system like the solar system would be enough to stop my power? Need I remind you I completely control not just this universe but another world as well? There may have been a slight margin of error, but recalculating the parameters takes no time at all. The next attack will have been corrected, so there is no escaping it. What makes you think Im only relying on the sun? Now were talking The White Queen grinned, rolled up her right sleeve, and gathered strength in that arm. Immediately, the suns prominence arching above them was unnaturally caught in place. It succumbed to the Queen and offered its power to her. It would no longer function as a jammer, so Kyousuke hit another White Thorn with his Blood-Sign to accurately strike the Petals. Buzz!! Space grew distorted and they found themselves on a crater-pocked natural satellite near a blue planet. It was known as the moon and it too had been counted as a planet in antiquity. The White Queen swung her slender arm regardless. At this close range, that attack from the sun can reach you directly. The world was filled with blazing white and the contrasting black created from the shadows. The scorching attack launched directly from the sun approached to tear into the lunar surface like an Eastern dragon. Buzz!! There was that sound again. Before the lunar land could melt and cool down as glass, Kyousuke and the Colorless Little Girl moved on to the next planet. After a quick stop on Marss red sand, they moved not to Jupiter but its moon Io. It was cold enough for nitrogen to exist as a liquid rather than a gas, but Kyousuke and the Queen were unfazed. The curse bent. Even an entire planet could only be used once for jamming. They were fairly ineffectual as ECMs. Once the White Queen learned and adjusted for the error as if using an ECCM, the unseen curse would consume them. [Nii-sama.] This isnt a problem. Leave it to me. Buzz!! Oh? Were past the seven planets now. The white ice-covered land they found themselves on had once been known as a planet. This was Pluto. A human standing there with skin exposed was a bizarre enough visual on its own, but Kyousuke did not bat an eye. The White Queens natural wickedness began to show on her face. Or perhaps she needed to indulge in those pleasure signals to avoid crying. Either way, she laughed and brought her hands together in front of her surprisingly large chest. And this is the end for you Even if we include the new discoveries so innocently made by the later astronomers despite how they made the worlds occultists cry, you can only reach a ten-planet system at most. There are no more planets in the solar system that are used in astrology. You can make a U-turn and head back home if you like, but I have already learned how to correct for all the planets along the way. That means you can no longer affect my curse. But how much pressure was there between those two soft palms? She silently squeezed the empty air with enough force to crush a planet as she spoke and smiled. So how about we end this now? That took so long it was frankly boring (uu - i - lw - rx - mpe - br). Maybe so. Kyousuke spun his Blood-Sign around. That action was meaningless. But he was not aiming for a psychological effect like a cat licking itself to relieve tension. That meant Shiroyama Kyousuke was still confident. Then Ill rely on something even further out. Who said I had to stick to the solar system? Seven planets or ten planets, Pluto is the most distant one to have any effect on the occult. I seriously doubt there are any balls of dirt past this you can use. Lets get back to the basics. Back to the age before the Blood-Sign system. There was still no change to his expression. With this boy, it may have been better had there been anger on his face. The Colorless Little Girl did not seem to know what to do, so he placed a hand on her head to keep his little sister by his side while she ticklishly pressed against him. And he spoke coldly. Astrology measures peoples destiny based on which of the twelve zodiacs the seven planets pass through as they rotate around the earth. No matter what actual astronomy says, that is what they believed. She gnashed her teeth in a way wholly unbefitting of her lovely form. It was nothing more than a silly sign of affection between brother and sister. But did Kyousuke realize how scorching a fire it set in the White Queens chest? He probably did. This time anyway. He may have been a precision-guided missile who had rid himself of all else, but he was the kind of person who would immediately slice through his own carotid artery simply to settle a conflict between a dangerous love and a familial love. Fire, water, wind, and earth. The seven planets and the twelve zodiacs each have their own elemental color, so a combination with the same element will increase their power and other combinations will negate each others power. The circular horoscope is split in two to represent peoples inner side and outer side, the angle between the center of the circle and the different planets has meaning, and that can also introduce a multiplier to the calculation. Except thats all bunk. Fortunetelling looks complicated, but thats only because making it look that way is a good way to stay in business. In truth, its no more than adding and subtracting a few different symbols. What good is that now? The girl frowned in confusion while something other than earths gravity caused her silver twintails to trail behind her. However Wait, you cant mean Dont you think the twelve ecliptic constellations will have a similar jamming effect to the seven planets? He made it sound so simple, yet he was referring to a journey of literally astronomical distances that would take decades even at the speed of light. So lets do this in order. First up is Aries of April births. The corresponding constellation includes a giant star of spectral-class K2 thats only 65 light years away. And. The low buzz sounded once more. Part 3 A series of solid sounds rang out. Even though they were in the vacuum of space with no matter to propagate sound. And it was not just Shiroyama Kyousuke and the White Queen who were fighting. Biondetta had an Unexplored-class. Cost: 18. Sound Range: Middle. The Wicked Green Woman who Fills the World with Empty Treasure (lu - o - np - e - qo - ei - r - k - a - rum - pl). Shigara Masami also had an Unexplored-class. Cost: 16. Sound Range: High. The Spirit of Fluttering Yellow Gills that Rules the Heavens (s - a - so - voz - tix - ei - yw - za). Both were from the Three, who were especially glorious even for the Unexplored-class. They were the very laws of the world of the gods and they had originally been powerful enough to restrain the White Queen without needing the Colorless Little Girl. Biondetta and Shigara Masami had also been inside the Artificial Sacred Ground, so Shiroyama Kyousuke and the White Queen had dragged them along into outer space. But once outside the solar system, everything looked the same. That meant they only had to consider the walls of the Artificial Sacred Ground set up in that empty and weightless space. The calculations were much simpler than in a forest or a city full of buildings. However. Could they really build up their Materials so easily even then? Wah! Wah, wah, wah!! [Detta-chan!!] Shigara Masami was supposedly her enemy, but she still gave a word of caution. Like someone desperately reaching out toward a child about to be swept away in the current. Yes. You must not forget. The White Queen and the Colorless Little Girl were exceptions, but Materials from all classes normally belonged to one of three Sound Ranges. Looking at Cost alone, Biondetta seemed to have the advantage with the Wicked Green Woman, but Shigara Masami had the upper hand in the rock-paper-scissors arrangement of Sound Ranges. Also, Biondettas forte was trickery. In addition to the usual fight over White Thorns and Petals, she had intended to use her phones camera flash and the sniper unit hidden in the tip of her silver Blood-Sign to mess with Shigara Masamis timing. And yet Tch!! [Its no use, Detta-chan. Your cheap tricks cant shake me.] In that moment, Shigara Masamis eyes were colder than the camera lenses of precision machinery. [You can never defeat me unless you outdo me with your Blood-Sign and White Thorns.] !? This was a pure battle. Tricks and sleight of hand were not an option in this plain outer space field, so the difference in base ability was reflected in the result. In fact, Shigara Masami seemed troubled by how easily she was overpowering her opponent. [Pay careful attention to where Kyousuke-kun and the others are! If you are left behind when they make a jump, you will be stranded in space 65 light years away!!] Yes, this really throws me off my game. I mean, are we even limited by ten minutes anymore? I really dont think thats enough time to reach the Three at the top of the Unexplored-class without using any Chains!! [Oh, Im sure the 10 minutes are still in effect.] Shigara Masami responded more as a researcher than a summoner. Eve if she did not like it, she was willing to accept anything and continue forward at times like this. [But when you get close enough to the speed of light, that 10 minutes will have a very different length from ten minutes measured on a clock back on earth. Plus, Kyousuke-kun has obtained an ability to instantly travel a distance that would take 65 years at the speed of light. No one can predict what happens to a human when they travel faster than light!!] Youre kidding, right? Were actually traveling those distances? Are you sure he isnt opening a convenient wormhole to take us directly from Point A to Point B!? [Have you actually observed the instant of movement? I havent. We can make any number of theories about whats happening here. They are hacking the Summoning Ceremony. They had already overcome the need to build up your Material and the use of the White Thorns and Petals, but now they have even overcome the time limit!!] Are you serious? [Detta-chan, you may not have thought much about choosing to help him based on your personal beliefs, but this battle is past the point that it can be controlled by human hands!!] The Colorless Little Girl had gone berserk. Or perhaps a chain reaction had begun within her after she reacted to a certain form of energy and she could no longer contain it. You could call it a spiritual big bang. It was stable as far as explosions went, but it used a completely different vector from the White Queen who had brought obvious blessings to the world. They probably had not lied about anything. They probably had not broken any of the rules. So Kyousuke and the Colorless Little Girl may have taken issue with someone saying they had gone berserk. But what if the length of a meter extended to the end of the universe or the length of a minute continued to the fall of civilization? The rules described using earths metric system would no longer apply. It would be as crazy as stubbornly insisting on the geocentric model, where the rest of the universe revolved around the earth, because it was tradition. There was no restraining it. The Blood-Sign system could no longer restrict Shiroyama Kyousuke and the Colorless Little Girls freedom!! They moved from Cancer to Leo and Leo to Virgo. Kyousuke and the White Queen hopped from point to point, but they were now standing on a star so massive the sun was no comparison. It looked like it was a small push away from transforming into a blackhole. Even when stars appeared to be grouped together when viewed from earth, it was not uncommon for there to be mind-boggling distances between them. The boy and the others descended toe first onto Spica, or Alpha Virginis, like they were making a light hop to avoid a puddle. That world of ultra-gravity was far too hot for boiling to suffice, but Shiroyama Kyousuke and the White Queen did not bat an eye or release a single bead of sweat. [I can think of worse fates than being stranded in space.] The half-serpentine Wicked Green Woman began casually speaking despite not having a specialized Box. Was she able to behave so humanly because she had been summoned by a Divine-class like Shigara Masami, or was she making use of whatever was giving the Colorless Little Girl the ability to speak? [Relativity links space with time and its the time you really need to worry about, dont you think? Lets hope you dont have a nice pleasant tour around the universe only to return to earth and find giant dinosaurs stomping around.] [And when it comes to time, Im not so sure those protective circles of yours will help much.] That last comment came from the Yellow Gills who was dozing off in her grotesque cradle. She claimed reality was no more than a resource used to create dreams, so any problems in this world would be low priority for her. Even now, she was giggling. [I mean, you cant trust the length of ten minutes right now. Thats working in your favor now because it extends how long this lasts, but what if the world fast-forwards and everything ages in an instant? The protective circle supporting you summoners will pop as easily as a bubble and youll be exposed to the vacuum of space, wont you?] It was the waitress demon who had a smile freeze on her face. Yes, Shigara Masami had ultimately abandoned her humanity and become a Divine-class, so she and her squirrel-like animal vessel might not die if dumped into outer space. They might be able to endure it, or they might have some means of returning to somewhere other than this world. [I wont let that happen.] But the ponytailed researcher spoke up as if to throw out her advantage. Shigara Masami actually protected her direct enemy. [These children have already paid such a large price. And when they shouldnt have had to pay a thing So they must be given enough happiness to make up for that. I will not let them lose their lives without receiving back anything that was stolen from them. No matter what!!] A dull sound exploded out. Shiroyama Kyousuke and the White Queen had been busy while traveling between constellations. Possible ends of the world left the old tomes behind the Colorless Little Girl, intertwined like a braid, and avalanched toward the White Queen. The White Queen sank her canine tooth into her thumb and used the drops of blood that flowed forth for curses. The curses that were not fully diverted away by the power of the stars slowly but surely ate into the Colorless Little Girls organs and spine. As a result, one of the White Queens arms and the pure white clothing covering it was twisted and colored a bluish-purple and the Colorless Little Girl seemed to expressionlessly puff out her cheeks before coughing up an unbelievable amount of dark red blood. Of course, the visual damage was not necessarily directly linked to the actual limits of their lives. The surface-level injuries would quickly heal. But the two of them were undoubtedly wearing each other down. And damage to the soul was an irreparable thing. This went beyond frightening destructive power. Even when hit by an attack that would likely destroy the entire civilization on the surface of a planet, neither girl let out any kind of cry. Biondetta glanced over at the pure white and the colorless clashing within the same Artificial Sacred Ground. Are you saying you will get between those two? [Yes.] Do you have any idea what youre saying, you alcoholic old hag of a teacher? This goes well beyond what youve been doing to stop me. [I came all this way with Blood-Sign in hand specifically so I could do this. I never wanted to fight one of the children I am supposed to protect, Detta-chan.] The two Unexplored-classes exchanged another glance. Whatever their relationship in the other world was, they were supposed to be ruled by fighting instincts and try to kill each other once they were summoned here, but the Wicked Green Woman and the Yellow Gills remained very well behaved. Was that due to the extreme singularity of the White Queen, or was it a result of Shiroyama Kyousuke and the Colorless Little Girl hacking the rules of the Summoning Ceremony? [To be clear, wed be killed instantly if we tried to get involved in that.] [It would be difficult to lure them into the world of sleep when they are so worked up.] However. Those two of the glorious Three were not hopeful. [I am not expecting anything that ridiculous.] Shigara Masami was quick to respond. But this just confused Biondetta further. It was true the White Queen and the Colorless Little Girl were absurdly powerful. No normal Material, not even the Three, could defeat them, so what could a summoner do without her Material? [Did you forget? I passed Award 1000, moved from this world to the other, and became a new Divine-class.] The ponytailed researcher answered the unspoken question by slapping the center of her chest with her open palm. She winked as she continued. [So shouldnt I have some power as a god in addition to my power as a human summoner? Even if it is a miniscule thing compared to the Colorless Little Girl, whose entire being was artificially embedded in that world.] Part 4 This was something no one should do. But it was something everyone dreamed of doing. It was in fact one ambition Shiroyama Kyousuke himself had once had to suppress within himself. [Divine-class. Cost: 12. Sound Range: Middle. Color: Dark Blue. Number: 3. Direction: Northeast. Divine Role: Guardian Deity and God of Medicine. Prayer Responsibility: Health.] This was the power Shigara Masami had been given as one of the divine. In other words [Insert yourself here, deathless world!!!!!!] A new paranormal power spread from the new god and across the entire world. The existence of a sun god meant the sun moved through the sky and the existence of a death god meant people had a set lifespan. In the same way, the existence of the god named Shigara Masami established a previously nonexistent phenomenon. It was an incomplete elimination of death that did not quite reach total resurrection or rebirth. That said, it was not built up from nothing. This deathless world really just expanded the range of the protective circle that guarded a single summoner so that it would instead surround everyone. And unlike the eternally deathless world sought by the Illegal group led by Benikomichi Fuuki, Shigara Masami only temporarily extended peoples time alive to give more of a chance for fatal wounds to be closed up and CPR to be performed. Its maximum effect only covered this entire world for half an hour. But since the clash between beings as extreme as the White Queen and the Colorless Little Girl had disturbed the spiritual ground, she would be lucky to get even a tenth of that. However, with Shiroyama Kyousuke and the Colorless Little Girls relativistic interference stretching every second out to eternity, a mere three minutes was like an inescapable cage. Also. Shigara Masami was a Divine-class. She was a Material. Yet as a summoner, she was receiving the blessings of a protective circle. That meant the deathless world created by expanding the protective circle would also apply to the Unexplored-classes like the White Queen. He must have immediately realized what that meant. For the first time after hacking the rules of the Summoning Ceremony, Shiroyama Kyousuke looked, glared, and shouted at someone other than the White Queen. Shigara Masami! You shouldnt have done that!!!!! Neither human nor Material could be killed now. No matter what stars they flew to, there would be no resolution to this battle. [Nii-sama.] Brother. They spoke almost simultaneously. [We can never settle this inside the eternal 10 minutes we have created, so I suggest we do something else to reach the definite victory you want, Nii-sama.] I really would prefer not to keep punching each other until we have torn away each others flesh to the bone and look like zombies. Brother, I have a suggestion. How about we stop this boring ecliptic journey? Now it was Shigara Masamis turn to click her tongue. She was a god, but only a new one. Not to mention that a Divine-class could not hope to fully stop the selfish actions of the Unexplored-class. An eternal 10 minutes was an extraordinary phenomenon for the physical world, but it was not strictly necessary for Kyousuke and the Queen to settle things. If they gave up on fighting during a long journey through space, they could easily throw out that condition. First, they would use up the deathless three minutes Shigara Masami had created. They could settle things afterwards. [Nii-sama, I have analyzed the pattern to the White Queens curses. I am certain of it after intentionally letting some hit me. From here on, we do not need the power of the stars to divert their power.] You are bluffing. Although perhaps I should call it an admirable bluff. [Even if I do take a direct hit, I can still push through and defeat her if I get in a combination of blows before I fall. What should I do, Nii-sama?] Shiroyama Kyousuke wanted to settle things here. He was guarded by the protective circle himself, but he had already fully cut through the carotid artery on the side of his throat. He was past the stage where he weighed the risks. His response was brief. Where to? Why not the place you are picturing in your mind right now, brother? A moment later, a buzzing similar to a cathode ray tube gave a groan. Part 5 They descended to a familiar city. Familiar to both Shiroyama Kyousuke and the White Queen. The one who tilted their head was the Colorless Little Girl by the boys side. Biondetta and Shigara Masami had also returned to the planet. Either as an educator or a guardian, that inexperienced goddess had created a deathless world, but that had not been enough to change things. She bit her lip and checked a nearby road sign. Yes, this city was not a familiar place for the ponytailed researcher. [Toy Dream35?] she muttered. In the end, they had returned here. Perhaps Shiroyama Kyousuke saw it as a symbol of victory over the White Queen using only his own power. He had suffered setbacks, defeat, unreasonable violence, and mockery on his way to this point, but this city had to be one of the few positive symbols remaining in his heart. 1g of gravity, an oxygen density of approximately 20%, and an air temperature of 34 degrees Celsius. Once here, they no longer needed the eternal 10 minutes. Shigara Masami had created a prison out of a deathless world. But that would not last forever thanks to the extreme noise created by the clash between the Colorless Little Girl and the White Queen. The fundamental theory behind that Divine-classs ability would collapse and the effect would not last. They had about three minutes to use up. So if they did away with the semi-eternally stretched-out relativistic flow of time created to fight out in space, Shigara Masamis deathless world would disappear. And for Kyousuke, this truly was the final battle. Win or lose, his neck wound would start spewing blood as soon as the protective circle vanished. But that was fine. The journey through space had only been the opening round. Lets start anew, Queen. And end it this time. Foolish brother. Nothing you do can ensure your safety now (ng - bh - wi - ou - i - tv - eu - el - zh - i - iu - oo). They had found nothing in the farthest reaches of space. Humanitys final frontier was found in their hearts. The White Queens twisted arm returned to normal like a plastic doll filled with air. The Colorless Little Girl erased any sign of her damage simply by wiping the blood from her mouth with a hand. Brother Queen. The tension hung as thick in the air as before a duel using katanas or revolvers sheathed or holstered at the hip. The exact distance between them was immaterial. Those few meters mattered more than the star twinkling 65 light years away. And they raised their voices in unison. Its time to say goodbye, you sack of sh*t!!!!!! Its time to say goodbye, you sack of sh*t!!!!!! Between the Lines 1 This world has been altered or damaged a few times. The most notable example would be the Rainy Girl. Umie Shouko was supposedly killed in a random attack in the past, yet she now appeared to have grown up normally and attended a high school in Toy Dream 35s R Block. Hers was a peaceful life. So peaceful, in fact, that she considered the intense direct sunlight her greatest enemy. God, its hot At least I dont have work today, but please dont make it so hot the asphalt melts and the train tracks bend when we have school. Humans arent meant to live in these conditions. Her younger sister, who was a stereotypical student librarian with a longish braid and glasses, was complaining to the sun. History had changed, so that younger sister had no memory of fighting in the world of the Summoning Ceremony as Shiroyama Kyousukes vessel. The older sister, whose eyesight was good, found it odd that the strict rule to never view the sun through a lens did not seem to apply to glasses. They were on a parasol-equipped bench near plenty of food trucks filled with coolers of water bottles, Ramune bottles, soda cans, various forms of frozen treats, and even shaved ice. They remained solidly within the category of ordinary people. The bespectacled younger sister tore apart a set of two popsicles, and Here, Onee-chan, you can have half. What, do you not want it??? Hmm. With the packaged popsicle pressed against her soft cheek, the survivor named Umie Shouko casually looked up. And she spoke to herself. Before and after, that girl was capable of viewing history from a detached position. This is getting really messed up. Facts: -Only when she is summoned by Kyousuke, the Colorless Little Girl can ignore the protective circle to stand by his side. That is because she is not counted as a threat to his life like other Materials are. -Instead of using them to summon Materials, Kyousuke uses the Petals to indicate numbers and sounds which freely switch between the Colorless Little Girls weapons and attributes. This is something like an abbreviated number, so it is far less effort than summoning Materials like normal. -The White Queen manually controlled the Sword of Truth using the language of the other world. -An Artificial Sacred Ground can only last about 10 minutes after the Incense Grenade is thrown, but that can be altered by relativistically altering the length of a second. And by altering space, failed shots can be corrected into effective ones. Shigara Masami referred to this as Kyousuke and the Colorless Little Girl hacking the Summoning Ceremony so its rules could not restrict their freedom. -The White Queens curses can just barely be avoided by approaching the heavenly bodies forming the 7+3 planets and the 12 zodiacs. But each heavenly body only works once, so there are no second chances. -As a new goddess, Shigara Masami can make this a deathless world. -After traveling through space, Kyousuke chose Toy Dream 35 as the location of the final battle. It is estimated that is based on his image of single-handed victory over the White Queen (by summoning the Black Maw). Volume 10, Stage 02: This is the Chosen Final Stage Volume 10, Stage 02: This is the Chosen Final Stage RQ Cat. Standby! Get ready, Sword of Truth. Obey my command (jh - a - ra - ou - v)!! (Stage 02 Open 08/23 12:23) This is the Chosen Final Stage Part 1 or temple. This was Toy Dream 35, the city built by the worlds largest entertainment corporation in place of a rural city that had collapsed economically. The coastal city included countless attractions like roller coasters and Ferris wheels, its many skyscrapers moved past the coast and rose directly from the ocean surface, and innumerable giant bridges connected those. The intense heat of the midsummer sun must have been too much even for the urban crows because there were very few wild animals at this time of day. The only noise came from the cicadas on the trees planted along the midair bridges and the swimsuit-wearing guests who had descended from the steel and concrete city to enjoy some marine sports. They were on one of those many bridges. But despite being a bridge, it extended in every direction like the roundabout access roads leading away from a large train station. Dirt had been piled up afterwards for a nice meetup point with grass, trees, and a small fountain, so it was a lost like a small park at this point. Pluto and Spica. Compared to the planets and stars they had visited today, this might seem ordinary and boring. But neither Kyousuke nor the Queen were laughing. Tearing up and blowing away some dried and lifeless land they had never before visited would not inspire any emotions at all. But that changed now. This was a living place that played a role in plenty of stories and that had taken root deep in peoples souls. They could not allow this to be accidentally blown away. Every single attack would be an opportunity, but it would come with just as much responsibility. That was how it was with fights to the death. They could not just throw a lever and hit a button to have victory fall in their lap and they could not stop thinking about it all once they did win. Brother. What is it, you coward? Are you gonna take the entire city hostage next? No, you chicken. I have only ever been looking at you, brother. What I must do at the ends of the universe is the same thing I must do here on earth. I would prefer you did not start coming up with excuses for after you lose. Is foocking all you ever think about, you crazy girl? My, my, what is this chicken even talking about (ob - ob - pi - u - ng - vd)? You dont even have the guts to accept my advances (du - vo - a - lui - ei - lvz - ya - fu - iu - oo). Any attack now came with a risk. Even if they won, there was still risk involved. In reality, the true winners were the ones who never encountered the incident in the first place and lived in peace. Then Kyousuke and the Queen spoke simultaneously. RQ Cat. Standby! Get ready, Sword of Truth. Obey my command (jh - a - ra - ou - v)!! A gust of wind unrelated to the atmospheric pressure blew out in all directions from the Colorless Little Girl and the White Queen. It must have been a strange wind for a mere human like Biondetta. But the Unexplored-classes like the Wicked Green Woman and the Yellow Gills actually tried to flee behind the humans protective circles. That wind was power. It was the very source of what flowed from the other world to distort this one. Just like formless electricity could damage the signal carried by a precise circuit, this chaotically scattered power could damage the orderly Materials. [Gh] Shigara Masami held her chest like she was in pain. Meanwhile, Kyousuke and the White Queen had already begun to move. The visible number of wounds meant nothing when she could repair them at any time if she wanted. That made this chess rather than shogi. Only after gouging into, tearing away, and robbing the functionality of the pieces set up on that human shaped board could they finally pierce the single core and achieve victory. In other words The Silhouette. So you did indeed think it through that far, brother. We only need to directly destroy your Silhouette!! To put it another way, she could only accept it if he crushed anything other than that. Not even the greatest chess player could win against a complete amateur without having a single piece taken. While their raging power pushed at each other like a powerful wind, it was the Colorless Little Girl who took the first step forward. Was it to protect Shiroyama Kyousuke, or because she feared having the host of her ghostly possession taken from her? The White Queen responded by taking a step forward as well. They glared at each other from close range. And a moment later, their right arms reached out to tear into each others chests. The Silhouette was an organ located somewhere in a Materials otherworldly body to carry the vessels mind. Its location changed from Material to Material, so it could be the brain, the spine, their single horn, the vulnerable scales below the jaw, the third eye, or whatever else. That was the one definite weak point of the Materials summoned with the Blood-Sign system and they would be killed instantly regardless of Cost or Sound Range if it was destroyed. However, things were different with the Unexplored-classes, who all looked very similar to human girls. For whatever reason, their Silhouette was almost always located in their heart. The Colorless Little Girls core shined at the center of her translucent body like a clione. The few times the White Queen had been seriously injured in the past, Kyousuke had seen the core in her heart. So. Therefore. Once they were in arms reach of each other, the Little Girl and the Queen showed no mercy. Everything else was secondary as their right arms shot out like spears and pierced the others chest. A wet sound of destruction burst out. The first to smile was the White Queen. She spoke with her fingers still piercing straight through the girls translucent and undeveloped chest. My, my. Nothing there after all this? Did you make a last second decision to flip it horizontally? [Nii-sama.] The Colorless Little Girl had always been expressionless. With her arm crossing past her enemys and piercing the left side of the White Queens chest, she silently tilted her head and gave a mechanical report. [Something within her body is stopping my nails. It appears to be her ribs.] With several high-pitched sounds, multiple Petals were absorbed by the Spots. High #813 (s - et - ag - td). Detonate it there. I knew you would say that A blinding flash of light erupted out. But it came from the White Queens wrist before the Colorless Little Girl could do anything. The attack came from the fingertips stabbing into that childish body. A welding-like shine came from the translucent Little Girls palm a moment later, but she had already been blown away and her hand had left the White Queens chest. Her prey had escaped. She instead detonated the bridge below their feet. Kyousuke had thrown the Incense Grenade to set up the Artificial Sacred Ground, so a new one would be established wherever he set foot next, be it a wall or the ground. (It is true brother is in control here.) But the White Queen saw no reason to wait for that. She even licked her lips. (But the Spots needed to accept the Petals disappear during the gap between Artificial Sacred Grounds. That means he cannot give the Colorless Little Girl any instructions in that time. She is defenseless right now. With the wave of a hand, I can remove her entire weak point from her ribcage!!) Her silver twintails trailed behind her as she lightly walked along the concrete blocks falling from the collapsing bridge. She approached the Colorless Little Girl who could not even recover her balance in midair. The Little Girl had experienced an explosion inside her body, but her Silhouette had not been destroyed. Regardless, she was damaged now. Whether she moved her core to the left or the right, the next attack would tear that Silhouette from her young chest. The White Queens eyes shined bright as she pursued her prey. Just then, she noticed something out of the corner of her eye: Kyousuke spinning his Blood-Sign around. Hitting the White Thorns was meaningless now. The old Artificial Sacred Ground had been destroyed and the Spots for the Petals would not return until the new one had been set up, so not even the godliest skills could earn him a single letter right now. Then why? The White Queen questioned it specifically because she had driven him into such a corner. That was when it happened. The end of Kyousukes Blood-Sign did not strike a White Thorn. It hit one of the many concrete blocks pulled down by gravity. He pressed the tip of the rod against it and used the strength of his arms to forcibly push. Almost like he was pole vaulting. He repositioned himself. He used his own body to protect the Colorless Little Girl. A dull but deafening sound exploded out. The protective circle guarded summoners against all causes of death, but it was still far from perfect. As soon as the White Queens fingers were launched forward, her arm was diverted off course by a resistance similar to punching an exercise ball affixed to the wall. Meanwhile, Kyousuke was far from fine. The sturdy barrier meant to protect him bent inwards, slammed into his body, and sent him spinning through the air. Brother The girl in love clenched her teeth. Partially for the simple reason that she had harmed Kyousuke with her own hand, but also because the Colorless Little Girl could freely enter his protective circle yet she was immediately rejected when she only reached out her hand. She was only an enemy to him. Her mere presence nearby was considered a threat to Shiroyama Kyousuke. Brotherrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!! No. The boy had been counting on being sent flying like this. Summoner and Material had swapped places once more. The Colorless Little Girl let Kyousuke escape overhead after shielding her and then she held her small hand out in front of her. She was not close enough to directly tear into the White Queens chest. But she was close enough to count as point-blank range with a shotgun blast. The White Queen clenched her teeth. No matter what anyone said, the Colorless Little Girl was working on her own at this moment. It was too late for Shiroyama Kyousuke to give her any instructions. So If thats all youve got, then die, you thief!! The White Queens pure white battle costume swelled out in response to her yell. Separate from that, there was a solid sound of impact, like a baseball bat swung hard against a ball. It came from the tail extending from the back of the Colorless Little Girls hips. At some point, a weight larger than a bowling ball had been attached to the end and it had smacked down Kyousuke and his protective circle behind her. With an explosive roar similar to a lightning strike, Kyousuke crashed down to another bridge cutting by on a lower level. Yes. Kyousuke had thrown the initial Incense Grenade. Wherever he set foot was where the new Artificial Sacred Ground would be created. And once it was set up, the Spots would appear in that space and he could resume sending instructions with the White Thorns and Petals. (Even so) The Colorless Little Girl, the White Queen, Biondetta, and Shigara Masami were all sucked in toward the new Artificial Sacred Ground. And the White Queen heard some pleasant, light sounds of impact before she set foot there. After knocking several Petals into the Spots, Kyousuke released a low voice. (It might be logical, but can he really take it this far!? The Colorless Little Girl was accepted by the protective circle not long before that. The rules of the Summoning Ceremony have grown so vague and inconsistent, so the slightest confusion in the on-off switching could have reduced him to mincemeat!!) RQ Cat. Low #44 (b - fh - fh), standby!! [Understood, Nii-sama.] Yes, it was all for this. But the most badly injured one here was not the Little Girl or the Queen; it was Shiroyama Kyousuke. Regardless, the Colorless Little Girls attributes were greatly changed. Several cloths flew in from every which way like white wings, but it was no use. The Colorless Little Girls path through the air unnaturally bent, her fist glowed red, and then a fearsome blow tore through all of those defenses and slammed mercilessly into the Queens head. Kah!? Even her shout was delayed. The White Queen crashed down to the lower bridge like a meteor. Part 2 Their goal here was to target each others Silhouettes. With extraordinary Unexplored-classes like the White Queen and the Colorless Little Girl, the visible wounds were fairly meaningless. Any other wounds or broken bones were no more than the setup needed to restrict their opponents actions and reach the Silhouette at their core. This may have been similar to moving all the other chess or shogi pieces in order to kill the one and only king. So Middle #81 (k - et - ag)!! The White Queen lay face up on the bridge and the Colorless Little Girl dropped feet-first toward her while also swinging her tail. The attack dropped like a lightning strike and produced a sharp frictional sound similar to a rifle bullet grazing the wall. But the very instant before her heels crushed the left side of the White Queens chest, the silver-twintailed girl moved. When she slid her slender arms from right to left, the Colorless Little Girls trajectory bent. She was launched to the side like an invisible wrecking ball had hit her. Kyousuke reached out his arm toward the undeveloped girl as she spun through the air. She clung to his wrist in midair and twisted her entire body to wrap herself around the boys body and safely reach the ground. It was a lot like something from a pair figure skating routine or a pole dance. The White Queen perfectly understood the situation as she got up from the broken concrete bridge as casually as if she were getting out of a queen-sized bed. Yes. She and the Colorless Little Girl were fighting within the same Artificial Sacred Ground, but there was one fundamental difference. Whether or not Shiroyama Kyousuke acted as an obstacle. Ill join in from here on, RQ Cat. [Okay, Nii-sama.] You can even use me as disposable if you want. Getting a finishing blow in on the White Queen takes top priority. [As you wish.] The first to rush forward was in fact Shiroyama Kyousuke with his commercial Blood-Sign. It was the mere human. But when the Colorless Little Girl kicked off the ground shortly thereafter, she placed her feet on the boys back and did not hesitate to kick off of him to take a position above the White Queen. With the sun to her back, the 12 ancient tomes arranged behind her like a clockface all opened at once. This was the story of a mind-numbing amount of time into the future. After the sun expanded too far, it roasted all of earths habitable zones in an inescapable scorching apocalypse. That was the identity of what rushed at the White Queen like a flood. Curse you (ru)!! She gave a shout. An invisible shockwave became a solid wall that erased the entire storm of heat and light. The White Queen thrust out her hand just as the Colorless Little Girl landed, but that was blocked and deflected by an unnatural power. The translucent and undeveloped girl had rolled back and through the tunnel formed by Kyousukes legs to arrive behind him. The Queens pursuing attack had been deflected by the summoners protective circle. Bro- She tossed a white rose decoration straight up. It burst in midair and shot one million thorns toward the ground. The Colorless Little Girls unexpected response was to kick the back of Kyousukes knees so he would topple backwards, casually grab his back with one hand, and use him as a shield to protect herself. therrrr!! Inside the protective circle, a small hand passed below Kyousukes arm and it held a weapon out toward the White Queen. She had chosen a semiauto shotgun from the many weapons surrounding her hips like a skirt. Her eyes remained dull and mechanical as she whispered. [Beginning joint attack with Nii-sama.] !!!??? Just as the loud boom sounded, the White Queens battle costume fluttered around her while she kicked the gun barrel to the side. While the shot scattered in the wrong direction, she tried grabbing the gun with her white-gloved hand. The Colorless Little Girl pulled the gun back to get it within the protective circle and thus out of the White Queens reach, but it was too late. (Brothers protective circle might deflect my hand) She grabbed it, stole it, and aimed it back at her opponent. She spun the shotgun around, held it between her head and shoulder, and gave a roar. But what happens when its your power!? The explosive noise and shock of the gunshot passed through the Queens body. The translucent form was blown away. The undeveloped curves of her chest were blasted apart and the clione-like pulsating light was exposed. (Not quite enough.) The Little Girls face was not twisted in pain or fear. Although it may have been useless expecting a ghost to respond like the living. (But if I get in another shot!!) The Queen did not hesitate to pull the trigger. However. That cat that reeked of death was willing to use her summoner to reach victory and her core still remained uncrushed. That was thanks to a small power. But that definite power intruded from the side to slightly shift the shotgun barrel to the side before it fired. It was Shiroyama Kyousuke. Specifically, the tip of his Blood-Sign. Must you stand in my way at every turn!? RQ Cat. High #474 (s - fh - sv - fh), standby. Even while this close to the action, Kyousuke skillfully struck a White Thorn. And the Colorless Little Girl obeyed his command. She obeyed as accurately as possible. [Okay, Nii-sama. As you wish.] From directly behind him, she stabbed a spear through his side. Part 3 Biondetta saw it happen. [Kh!!] Shigara Masami would probably have made a bigger fuss about it since she strived for benevolence, but she was unfortunately too preoccupied at the moment. Something like a wind was blowing through the area. That power disturbed this place and it was much too powerful. For Materials, this place was more dangerous than a star or outer space. The Regulation and Divine-classes would be too stricken by fear to oppose the White Queen and even the Unexplored-class was no match for her. And this place had the Colorless Little Girl on top of that. Not even the Three could maintain a presence while those ridiculous monsters were clashing. Something like intense static ran through the Yellow Gills before her outlines suddenly collapsed and she was blown away. Shigara Masamis squirrel-like animal vessel was dumped onto the ground in her place. [When you get down to it, this is their fight. The hierarchy of the Summoning Ceremony is meaningless at this point.] Shigara Masami herself was propping herself up using her Blood-Sign and it was hard to believe she had not been annihilated as well. She was the Freedom Award 3000 summoner, but she was also a Divine-class. It was odd for her to remain in this world when a much more powerful Unexplored-class had been crushed and annihilated by the pressure. Plus Wait, your Material was just destroyed, wasnt it? Why havent you been incapacitated for losing? [Who can say. I am a Divine-class right now, so maybe the shock of seeing a god killed isnt as strong when its more like seeing a death of one of my own. Or maybe Im being protected by the Box that is supporting my presence outside of the Blood-Sign system.] That meant she could pretend to lose while secretly being just fine. Crafty Biondetta could think of many different ways of using that ability. The waitress demons own Material, the Wicked Green Woman, was also filled with static. Her outlines had already begun to collapse, so she was unlikely to last long. And Biondetta did not have any tricks up her sleeve like Shigara Masami did. So this is it, huh? [What are you talking about, Detta-chan? You are probably the last one here who can move.] But the ponytailed researcher, who acted like the childrens guardian, said something unexpected. According to her [I somehow escaped being incapacitated by my loss in the Summoning Ceremony, but I am a Material and I cannot last long in this pressure from the Queen and Little Girls battle. To be blunt, Im barely hanging on as things are, so moving around is out of the question. That means only you can move freely, Detta-chan. But that ends once the Wicked Green Woman breaks down on her own.] [There is no time, so decide here and now what it is you want to do.] Shigara Masami looked Biondetta straight in the eye and spoke as plainly as possible. [Set aside the Queens hatred that lives inside you, set aside your revenge business you love to indulge in, and set aside your assigned role as an older sister. What does Biondetta Shiroyama want to do in the very, very end? No matter how it happened, you took Kyousuke-kuns hand. Were you really only acting based on some mechanical rules? This can only lead to ruin as things are, but you have the chance to throw a wrench in the works no matter how small it is. So take responsibility and choose. Will you steer things in a kinder direction, or a crueler one? You once took Kyousuke-kuns hand, so what kind of future do you want to see now!?] Part 4 Red. Blood red. On Kyousukes own orders, the Unexplored-class stabbed a spear into his back, producing a venomously bright color. Even the White Queen. Even her thoughts briefly ground to a halt. But her body moved all on its own. She twisted with all her might to escape the bloody tip of the spear, but then the entire spear shook unnaturally. The protective circle had reacted. The Colorless Little Girl had been reclassified from harmless little sister to life-threatening evil spirit. But how foolish could that protective circle be? Deflecting the spear after it had already pierced through Kyousuke would not allow him to avoid it. All it did was widen the pierced summoners wound and pursue the White Queen with an unnatural change of direction. !? Khahhh!!!!!! It hit her. It stabbed into her just below the navel. With the spear pinning her in place, the White Queen saw the Colorless Little Girl let go of the spear and poke her head out from behind Kyousuke who she had used as cover. The translucent girl spread her five fingers as if preparing to claw at the air. Did she intend to directly target the Queens Silhouette if she had the slightest opportunity? Why go this far? That question was not directed at the black cat who reeked of death. With a red trail of blood dripping from the corner of her mouth, the White Queen was of course staring straight at the boy. Do you have no fear of death, brother? When you get down to it, Im just a puny human. I couldnt even earn a thousand Awards. So I can never reach your level if I worry about life and death like normal. That was how I had to look at it. He had already been fatally wounded. But even if there was no saving him, was repeatedly taking even more wounds really the logical and efficient thing to do as a human? But I know how frightening you are. What did the boy think of how the White Queens face had crumpled up? What did he think about the Alice (with) Rabbit name he had tasked himself with? It isnt just how strong you are in a fight. In fact, the real terror comes from your ability to distort the world around you with your mere presence. Its reached the point where everyone in the world would say youre blameless despite everything youve done Theres no use trying to argue. Thats why I decided to use that power against you. What are you-wait, you dont mean I will die here. He was blunt about that. Could a high priest with a century of mental training have accepted it so resolutely? No And I dont mind if I die. Not as long as Ive set things up so the battle can continue afterwards. I was still skeptical with Elvast, but Shigara Masamis presence confirmed it for me. Humans can become a Divine-class if the conditions are right So it isnt over even if I lose. You cant mean it Humans and gods. But when the myths were viewed academically, the distinction in definitions could be vague. The gods created humans and gods were defined by human worship. So what if you could intentionally control that act of worship? More specifically, what if someone could spread a convenient form of worship throughout the world? Brother, are you saying you created an original religious text that rewrites you as a Divine-class Material!? When Shigara Masami had appeared without warning and sided with the White Queen, Shiroyama Kyousuke had refused to come out of his cruisers bed with the covers pulled over his head. But did you really think that was all he was doing? Freedom Award 3000. She had gone beyond even Elvast Toydream. Did you really think he was simply wallowing in despair after seeing that new territory opened before his eyes? With a tablet, anyone could create a collection of data using only their fingertips. There once was a boy who refused to budge an inch in his battle against the White Queens tyranny. Yes. It was the story of a fall. It was the story of a hopelessly reckless and foolish attempt. But it was the kind of story that contained a hidden beauty that inspired people to tell it and spread it around. Maybe I cant accomplish anything on my own, but the connection to you and your extreme distortions will evolve this document into a legend. So even a puny human will be given the chance to become a god. Although it might take centuries or millennia for it to sufficiently cover the world. The White Queen provided cheap emotions filled with artificial colors and flavors. But again and again, this boy had seen how everything was manipulated and destroyed by those things. Humans would seek out the simplest things, indulge in them, and support them. After fighting that powerful current on his own for so long, the boy was making a major change of direction here. If I win, it ends here. If I lose, I will eventually have my chance. So it doesnt matter to me either way. He moved his bloody mouth. And his sticky hands grabbed the spear that had pierced him on his own command. He would throw out his own life if it would create even the slightest opening. Thinking back, his actions had been consistent from that initial moment when he slit the side of his throat. (But) The White Queen had her doubts. She may have noticed this only because she had spent so long pursuing this person she had never stopped loving. (But is this really brothers logic? Even if his story spreads and people begin to believe that recklessly standing up to me is the right thing to do, that will lead people all over the world to do the same. How many doomed attempts will be made and lives lost in the centuries or millennia before he becomes a Divine-class? This might be logical, but it does not sound like something he would strive for. Then someone must be guiding him this way. Someone must be steering him toward this action that is so unlike him.) The White Queen bit her lip. Shiroyama Kyousuke raised his voice to rely on someone other than himself. So do it, RQ Cat!! Win or lose, I wont hold it against you! Just give this a proper endiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiing!!!!!! She was within firing range. The Colorless Little Girls chest had been destroyed by the shotgun blast and the faint pulsating glow of her Silhouette was exposed, but the White Queen could not move from that spot with the spear piercing her lower stomach. She could not get that final attack in. [Okay, Nii-sama. If that is what you want.] Still expressionless, the Colorless Little Girl accurately circled to the Queens blind spot while the twintailed girl could not even twist around. She only had to swing her small fingers as if tearing through the air to gouge into the center of the White Queens chest and end this. There was no reconciliation. There was no talking it out. There was no attempt at mutual understanding. All of that was eliminated by this brute force resolution. (Kh!!) An unpleasant tearing sound came from the White Queens body as she tried to forcibly aim the shotgun around, but she could not manage it. She did not care if she lost. She did not care if that loathsome hand tore into her weak point and exposed it to the open air. But. However. Did they really expect the White Queen to help remake her beloved into some strange monster they called a god!? (Brother!!) She bit her lip. And then an explosive sound rang out. Part 5 That settled it. Part 6 The Colorless Little Girl slowly tilted her head with her right hands fingers still partially bent. And with that pose intact, she looked down at her own chest. She acted just like a small girl looking down to see if some meat sauce had splattered on her favorite clothes, but this was something else. There should have been a fist-sized light glowing like a clione in the center of her translucent body. She had already been hit once by the shotgun the White Queen had stolen. The undeveloped girls faint curves had been blown away and the rhythmically throbbing light of her Silhouette had been exposed to the open air. Just one more hit - even the slightest scratch - would have killed her instantly in that state. However. The White Queen should not have been able to make that final attack. Then what had caused that explosive noise in that final moment? It had not come from the Colorless Little Girl or the White Queen. Khah There was another summoner in the Artificial Sacred Ground, even if she had been ignored as not a threat. Freedom Award 920, Liar Cat. The silver Blood-Sign that Biondetta Shiroyama so loved functioned both as the Summoning Ceremony tool and as a bolt-action sniper rifle. Just one more attack had been necessary. Even the slightest scratch. A normal army was no match for even the Original Series at the very bottom, but Materials were not actually defended by the protective circles. After stepping away from Kyousuke and with her Silhouette exposed by her destroyed chest, a normal bullet with no connection to the occult was enough to shatter that critical weak point that was like a self-destruct switch requiring only a gentle push. You want to continue this in a few centuries or millennia? She laughed weakly. But separate from that, the waitress demon, who had replaced half her bones with artificial ones, made oddly precise movements. This was not the revenge helper fueled by the Queens hatred or the older sister given her position by the adults. She spoke here as the human being named Biondetta. You really are dumb. No matter how ridiculous and selfish it is, it doesnt count as revenge if it doesnt satisfy your heart, Kyousuke-chan. And. However it had happened, a conclusion was a conclusion. [Nii-sama] There was still no fear or pain. Her voice was flat and emotionless. Yet it carried the slightest hint of a small child being abandoned in an unfamiliar city. [I will alwaysbe with you, Nii-sama.] She could say nothing more. That extraordinary Unexplored-classs Silhouette had been destroyed, so she was killed instantly. Her body collapsed and disappeared, leaving behind the silver-haired shrine maiden named Meinokawa Aoi who had been supporting her existence. As for Shiroyama Kyousuke Ahh The White Queen thought she was going to collapse on the spot. She felt no joy in her victory. In fact, the true despair began here. After all, Kyousuke had slit his throat in the protective circle and had his side pierced by the spear meant for the White Queen. Yes, that spear had not vanished even after the Colorless Little Girl herself had. It was still there. Pinning the White Queen in place must have been her top priority to the very end, so she had left behind some kind of clever trick. In other words (This is not the spear itself. Just like with my attacks, did she tear into the space of both worlds and thoroughly coat the surface of the spear with the wreckage!?) It was similar to adding gold leaf to a blade. Even if the blade within disappeared, the gold leaf on the outside would remain. And the wound left by that spatial rift was far stronger than any heavy metal or composite armor. That alone was enough. So what would happen without the protective circle preserving his life? Ahhhh. This battle had not been between two summoners, so the White Queen did not take over the Artificial Sacred Ground after winning. So. There was no 90 seconds of leeway for starting a Chain. The Artificial Sacred Ground ended immediately. Of course. That also applied to Kyousukes protective circle that was supported by the Artificial Sacred Ground. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!! There was a horribly wet sound of doom. It came from the neck of the person she cared about more than anyone else. Lots of red blood erupted from his carotid artery now that it was released. Kh!! The White Queen desperately reached out a hand, but she could not even apply pressure to the wound. The spear piercing her lower stomach was in the way. And she could not carelessly remove the spear since it was also stabbing through Kyousukes side. That was plugging up the wound and removing it would only increase the bleeding. Gaaaahhh!! The silver-twintailed girl grabbed the spear with bloody hands and pushed her own body back. She moved herself toward the end of the shaft which was thicker than a clothesline pole and the sharp barbs at the tip shredded her wound, but she still forcibly freed herself from the spears bonds. She doubled over and coughed up a clump of blood. The dark red also dripped from her lower stomach thanks to a wound thicker than her thumb. But she could not let herself collapse here. Not yet. No matter what. Brother She moved her unsteady body forward. She supported Kyousuke as his body went limp and began to fall to his knees and she forcibly pressed her palm against the side of his neck. No!! Brother, brotherrrrrrrrr!! She screamed so close, yet he did not react. He did not even convulse like you would expect for a living being. Even his looks of revulsion and hatred seemed adorable now. His eyes remained open and entirely motionless and his lips hung slack with no breath passing through them. But their color was fading dreadfully fast as time passed. There was no resistance from him. The blood was draining from his body, yet he disturbingly seemed to be growing heavier as she lifted him up and buried her face in his chest. She felt strength leave her own legs as the red stained her. They both collapsed down onto the bridge together. She could only consider it lucky the spear piercing his stomach had not caught on the ground. (No) Her mind went blank, but her arms moved all on their own. The white Sword of Truth battle costume wriggled, balled up, and pressed against the wound on the side of his neck. The bleeding had to be stopped no matter what. She could not allow even one more drop to be spilled, yet the cloth was dyed red in no time. (No.) It would not stop. She could not stop the life from leaking out of him. She had done everything she could to treat him. She was the White Queen and her true value went beyond simple destructive power, but not even her perfect treatment was enough to handle something on this level. This went beyond the depth of the wound or the amount of blood lost. The problem was how Shiroyama Kyousuke showed no resistance to death or attachment to life. Almost like he was being dragged away by the vanishing ghost of his sister. p me (jg - ra). And. The White Queen gave up on logical thought. Her face crumpled up, she did not bother wiping the tears from her eyes, and she redirected all her strength to her voice. Even though she knew from the beginning it would never reach him. Please no (nc - pa)! Help me (jg - ra)!! Brotherrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!! Part 7 The Colorless Little Girl had been defeated. That meant there was one thing to check on. And since Shiroyama Kyousuke was pale from bleeding out, it may have been better to observe Meinokawa Aoi, his partner vessel, than the boy himself. She was like a baby. She was curled up on her side on the broken bridge with her thumb in her mouth. That would normally be unthinkable for her, but you must not forget. She had lost a Summoning Ceremony battle. The god she had believed in and worshiped had been killed before her eyes. The shock of that would leave the loser unable to resist any kind of external stimulus for more than 24 hours. They would enter a defenseless and mindless state where they would repeat a simple action and unconditionally grab at a finger waved in front of their face. That penalty may have been a fate worse than death. (Ah) One persons eyes wandered vaguely. That person was Shiroyama Kyousuke. He had lost all mental resistance and his body was headed toward death. Treatment from the White Queen might have been enough to save him, but after losing, he lacked the willpower to even try to live. However. Unbeknownst to him, there was a single exception: Government Award 1000, Elvast Toydream. Shiroyama Kyousuke might not remember since he had lost his battle against that man, but it was not the Summoning Ceremony that brought an end to that fight. Lu Niang Lan. When she was in that mindless state of loss where she could only repeat a simple action over and over, what had she done because the action was carved so deeply into her soul? She had driven her fist into Elvast Toydreams heart, destroying it. (Ah) So after losing in the Summoning Ceremony, the human soul was stripped bare. All the camouflage and sweet lies were removed, exposing the hidden instincts and desires that the person could not bring themselves to face. That was part of what made this a fate worse than death. p me (jg - ra). So. What if those words reached that boys ears? Normally, it never could have happened. With the many veils of reason, guilt, anger, and humiliation covering it, his true soul hidden deep down may have never made it to the surface. But. However. The Colorless Little Girls defeat left him with no pride or self-respect. He could not even lie to himself while under the effects of this penalty. Deep down, he had known that the White Queen had done nothing wrong. He had known that, but he still could not forgive her. He had worked so hard to protect something in that small house even as he was beaten. He had hesitantly reached out in the Queens Miniature Garden to build up a new mountain of sand for himself. But when those treasures were destroyed, the sorrow had been too much to bear and he had converted it into anger. He had found nothing other than being the strongest to rely on. It may have been wrong to even try to compare a dangerous love to a familys love. They belonged to different categories. It was as absurd as using the exact same ruler to measure whether your mother or your schoolteacher cared more about your future or to measure whether your little sister or your girlfriend was nicer to you. Family was family, friends were friends, and lovers were lovers. There was no contradiction in using separate rulers to measure each category. So Please no (nc - pa)! Help me (jg - ra)!! Brotherrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!! Victory made people look beautiful. But no matter how ugly defeat was, it had a way of showing you who someone truly was. Just like someone at the summer baseball tournament swallowing their tears and gathering up some dirt from the field. Shiroyama Kyousuke revealed the glow of the true soul deep, deep inside him. At the very end and on the verge of death, his lips moved. This was not of his free will. It was not a conscious act. Nevertheless, his hand slowly reached out and wiped the tears from the girls eyes. And he spoke clearly. As you wish. Freedom Award 903, Alice (with) Rabbit. This was the moment when that name carved deep in his soul rose to the surface. Between the Lines 2 Shiroyama Kyousuke was already barely conscious in that mindless state of defeat. But one thing remained in his mind as it faded in and out. He had sliced through his own carotid artery. And then he had intentionally taken one of the Colorless Little Girls Unexplored-class attacks despite being a flesh-and-blood human. There was a limit to what miracles the White Queens battle costume could bring about. Not even wrapping it around the wounds like bandages could overturn death. The costume was just a costume; it was not the Queen herself. So Not yet The White Queen bit her lip. There was no need to tear into her flesh with her canine tooth. Her side had already been skewered by the Colorless Little Girls spear. She really should have been coughing up blood already, so she got what she needed simply by bringing the rusty taste in her throat up onto her tongue. A red drop. That liquid was more beautiful than any natural gemstone. She did not care about her own injures. For an Unexplored-class with such exceptional power, the number and severity of the surface wounds was not all that important. The human was what mattered now. This boy could not be saved in the same way. If he died, then it was over. She could sacrifice herself as many times as it took. Because she had found something she cared about more than anything else in either world. I wont let it end here. I will not, no matter what it takes. This was a miracle of blood. It was the greatest of divine acts that required she reject her own color to save that boy. Her soft hands held the boys cheeks. She softly shut her eyes. And. There was no sound. Lips touched lips and she forced her supernatural medicine deep into his throat. The rusty flavor reached him. It reached his tongue and his stomach. There was no greater blessing and she had used it to save just the one life. And. Shiroyama Kyousukes heart finally approached stability. But nothing was certain yet. She took his arm and lent him her shoulder. She needed somewhere - anywhere - that was safe enough for the summoner to rest. His limp body was disturbingly heavy. The White Queen could lift the entire universe while humming a tune if she wanted, but she felt like this weight would crush her. ry. Brother. Im sorry, Mary. The White Queen softly bit her rust-flavored lip. She refused to let him die. She swore that to herself once more as she took a step forward. This was by no means an easy path for her. She still had the wound from the Colorless Little Girls spear piercing her side along with Kyousukes, so dark red blood dripped out whenever she tensed up even a little. But even so. She had to do this. The twintailed girl clenched her teeth, lent the limp boy her shoulder, and dragged her own body along to keep walking. If it had been possible, she had wanted to shake the boy awake when he overslept and feed him the breakfast she had made. If it had been possible, she had wanted to live in the same world as him, attend the same school, study in the next desk over in the same classroom, and play in the pool with him. If it had been possible, she had wanted to rush to the battlefield when he was in danger and fight alongside him. But where was she supposed to go? Was there anywhere that would lead to that bright future? [Aika Toydream.] A graceful voice reached her. At some point, a woman with a long black ponytail had approached the boy and the girl. She was Shigara Masami, Freedom Award 3000 and a Divine-class. [His blood pressure seems to have stabilized, but this isnt over yet. With the unpredictable rocking of the waves, bringing him to his cruiser increases the risk of his wounds reopening, so using his friends apartment would probably be best.] The lonely girl weakly brushed aside the womans outstretched hand. Shigara Masami. The White Queen could display a different expression than normal in front of her. She could react in a different way than she could around an extreme exception like Shiroyama Kyousuke. I will bow my head to whoever I must. If they demand I apologize, I am willing to cry and beg and humiliate myself. It could be heard to tell with her head lowered, but the girl was definitely sniffling. That action seemed so far removed from the title of Queen. But saving brother is my job. Do not interfere, Shigara Masami. There was no logic there. It was a desire to have him to herself and it was very similar to the immature stubbornness of a child. Shigara Masami made no attempt to argue. In fact, she sighed and relaxed her shoulders. And she stepped aside to clear the way. But not for the fearsome peak of the Unexplored-class. She may have done this because she felt she could trust that look of a stubborn girl. And was it the boys reckless attempts to challenge her that had ultimately drawn out that look? Anyone could see those attempts had been misguided, but if he had not taken that so seriously, neither he nor the girl may have ever reached the honest feelings within them. Being too good at things could be a problem at times. And the adult woman had more to say. [Continue this way and you will reach a park. Turn east there to reach another bridge. The apartment building you want is located there.] After hearing that, the White Queen slowly resumed walking while lending Shiroyama Kyousuke her shoulder. She did not include any strange supernatural phenomena like flying through the sky or warping through three-dimensional space. There was no room for that. This was her story. She would not allow any third party to interfere with that, even if they were a god or a demon. She absolutely refused to let go here. She could not allow her knees to give out here. There was no need to fight. And there probably never had been. Facts: -By turning his beliefs into an original religious text about the heroism of standing up to the White Queen to the bitter end, Shiroyama Kyousuke hoped to create his own legend that would make him a Divine-class without reaching Award 1000. He guessed it would take centuries or millennia for the legend to spread across the entire world, but it is unknown whether or not this method would have actually worked. -The Colorless Little Girl was defeated by human Biondetta. -When the Silhouette is exposed to the open air, it can be destroyed by normal attacks not belonging to the Summoning Ceremony. If even the thinnest layer had been in the way, Biondettas gunshot would have been deflected. -In a battle between summoners, the winner has the right to keep the fight going with a Chain, but if a winner is determined in any other situation, the Summoning Ceremony and protective circle are removed immediately. -Beyond the veils of self-deception and rejection, it was a desire to save even the White Queen that smoldered deep within Kyousukes soul. Volume 10, Stage 03: The True Enemy Was With Us All Along Volume 10, Stage 03: The True Enemy Was With Us All Along You only have two options, but a wrong answer means a full-power slap. And refusing to answer guarantees that happens (Stage 03 Open 08/24 13:30) The True Enemy Was With Us All Along Part 1 Shiroyama Kyousukes vision gradually recovered It took him a while to realize he was lying down somewhere. The cruiser he used as a home did not have a bed this large and soft, but he detected none of the disinfectant smell of a hospital. After staring up at the familiar ceiling for a long, long while, it finally clicked why it was familiar. This was Aikas high-rise apartment. He was alive. He was supposed to have died whether he won or lost, yet here he was alive. He seriously doubted this was something he had caused himself. (The Queen.) So there was only one answer. (It had to be the White Queen.) Now that it was over, he found his emotions were not boiling over anymore. That may have been due to his head being too heavy or due to the opposite. To keep a gas burner going, it had to be fed a constant supply of gas. If the supply was ever cut off, it needed another spark to reignite. He had been given a chance to stop. So where he would go next was up to him. He would have died long ago if not for the White Queen. Over and over, she had disgraced herself for that. The answer was staring me in the face the whole time, dammit. When the boy said that, what event was he thinking back on? That small prison of a house, that lab deep underground, or that bridge not long ago? A still silence surrounded him. Until he heard an ominous voice from the same bed as him. Hee hee hee. Now Onii-chan really is mine. He cant move right now, so I need to win him over with an explosion of familial intimacy only possible with a cute little sister in a swimsuit and apron. Yes, and if I play my cards right, I can even get him to leave Freedom and join Government. Dont be ridiculous. Kyousuke-chan is joining us in Illegal. Yes, hes sure to make a delicious meal for a beautiful young woman like me. I have always thought his crazy ideas were too much for Freedom. Joining Illegal is the only real choice for him at this point. What are you two doing? asked Kyousuke while lifting up the blanket with an annoyed look. He found a striped bikini and a modified China dress below. Oh, Kyousuke-chan. Youre back to normal? I was hoping for a little more of Marionette Kyousuke-chan who obediently opens his mouth when you tell him to say ah. If only hed been a little less obedient so I couldve gone with the ultimate special move of nursing: mouth-to-mouth medicine delivery. This was sounding worse by the second. His memories were cloudy after the sniper shot that took out the Colorless Little Girl, but what had happened since then? Ghh. He somehow managed to sit up. Simply lifting his upper body from the soft bed sent a chain reaction of dull pain through his body. He checked the bedside digital clock to find it was August 24. About a full day had passed since his clash with the White Queen. His memories were correct. He had lost and was rendered mindless by the penalty. Then he looked down at his own body. His hoodie and shirt had been removed. His upper body was instead wrapped with what looked like bandages, but had to be something more. The broad white strips were even smoother than silk. They had been concentrated around his right side. Something felt odd when he tilted his head, so he reached up and found similar cloth wrapped around his neck. Those were the two obvious wounds, but he also had bruises all over and damage from overworking muscles he did not usually use. He clearly ached in more places than he had visual wounds. And more importantly (So I survived.) That was honestly the most unexpected part. Win or lose, he should have died from blood loss once the battle ended and the protective circle vanished. It had been a true fight to the death and that must have had an effect on him. He could also thank his reliance on the Colorless Little Girl, but he had drawn out more of his potential as a summoner than ever before. Receiving such a blessing and escaping without paying the price should not have been possible. Or so he had thought. He looked down at his hands and thought for a while. He had definitely cut his carotid artery. Sliced all the way through it. He doubted any normal first aid could have saved his life after that. Yes. Normal. Onii-chan? Thats odd. He has a swimsuit-wearing little sister clinging to him and he isnt responding. This requires removing the final seal. Time to untie the forbidden knot below the covers. Only an immature little girl would find this to be a problem. An adult like me sees this as an opportunity. Its time to touch him all over and find his weak points!! Those two were making it hard to think, so he kicked them out of the bed and found he could move more than expected. A white cloth. That color represented the salvation of a certain Unexplored-class. A quiet knock came at the door. The 5m white liger had been curled up on the large rooms floor, but now her ears perked up and she looked over. Kyousuke also focused on the door and took a deep breath. He knew what had happened. He knew what choice he had made while barely conscious. And she was beyond that thin door. Since Aika and Lu Niang Lan were so relaxed, this could not be as tense a situation as he felt like it was. It was already over. But that did not mean the gears were going to turn smoothly right away. Still, Shiroyama Kyousuke decided to move forward. Come in. How much strength had it taken to speak those two short words? In the past, he had focused on simply being the strongest and he had kept away the pain by pushing away anything he did not like. But how much more effort had it taken to take this step forward now? The knob turned. The thin door slowly opened. The face that hesitantly peeked in was indeed white. Except B-brother, have you woken up? I am really not sure what to say to you right now. There weretwo of her? Two identical girls with silver twintails!? Wait, wait, wait!! Ive changed! I decided to try talking it out with you! I made a decision as agonizing as disemboweling myself, so why are you perfectly fine!? And are you multiplying again like in Houbi Village!? It hit him after he said it. Houbi Village. Yes, hadnt there been a divine image identical to the Queen hidden back behind the Meinokawa Shrine? She was the oldest artificial vessel and the definitive Joruri Method. Aoi!! Are you screwing with me!? But despite Kyousukes accusation, the two silver-twintailed girls only exchanged a glance. And with identical tilts of the head, they spoke in stereo. Sigh. I really am the White Queen, so I dont know what to say when you get angry at me for not being me. Brother, does this mean you cant tell us apart? After saying as you wish to me!? Kyousuke could not answer. This was way too hard!! The one on the right put her hands behind her head and the one on the left put her hands on her hips. They both pouted their lips like a sulking child and continued speaking. If you really cant tell, then why not take a good hard look to compare us? Just ask if you want a hint. This battle costume might be confusing you, so I can always remove it one piece at a time if you ask. He made the wise decision. Im not messing with- You only have two options, but a wrong answer means a full-power slap. And refusing to answer guarantees that happens He wisely chose to make an attempt. The two White Queens climbed into the bed on all fours. But when he glanced over everything from the bodylines running along their spines and even the individual eyelashes decorating their eyelids, he could not find any difference between them. A general look was not enough. He needed to pinpoint target the details. Now, brother. Are you going to count my moles? You dont have any moles. Oh, dear. It seems you already know my body quite intimately. A wrong answer would mean losing his head to a slap more powerful than a gray bear wandering the Siberian wilderness. He needed to get back to the basics and not let their seemingly identical appearance fool him. What parts of the body were most unique between different people? After thinking of a certain identification system, he knew where he had to look. And with that, the atmosphere changed somewhat. Once he got started, there was no stopping Kyousuke. First, the eyes. Hyah! He placed his hands on the right Queens soft cheeks and peered deep into her eyes. There were identification systems that specifically used the iris instead of general facial recognition. U-um, uh, brother, uh. He was up against a slap from the Queen. A single wrong answer could seriously spell the end for him, so he wanted as many sources of information as he could get. He absentmindedly rubbed the right Queens smooth cheeks while thinking. What other part of the body was used to identify people? (The teeth.) That was a standard form of identifying corpses. So Kyousuke slid his index finger over to the right Queens soft lips. More than that, he pushed it inside, bent it in a J-shape, and pried open her white teeth. Mgh!? Hamyahwabahbah!! H-hroher? They were perfect. This was hardly surprising, but he doubted her teeth were weak enough that she ever needed to visit a dentist. He pulled his finger out and wiped it off on the edge of the blanket. Okay, now this one. Wait, hold on, you just had that Queen sucking on that- nbhh, mmghghgh!? The left Queen shook her head in protest, but he shoved it in regardless. There were tears in her eyes. Meanwhile, Kyousuke wished he had thought to get a penlight first. He gave up on trying to use his vision, so he shut his eyes and slowly traced his index finger along the top and bottom row of teeth. It was a lot like reading braille, but his first impression was that the two Queens were identical. Ahhahm, ahm. Hah hoo higured it out het, hroher? The left Queen must have felt restless when he started ignoring her again because she stayed on all fours while pursuing his fingertip with her warm tongue. But it was too soon. He was still not sure, so he could not give an answer yet. He considered using fingerprints or palmprints. Those had been used to identify people in criminal investigations for more than a century. He removed the Queens long gloves before poking and prodding their hands. Gait and posture could be used to track people, so to be absolutely certain, he traced his fingers along their backs and down to their butts while they stood there on all fours. His eyes followed his fingers along their path. (Hm. I went on and on about how much I hate her, but theres a lot I didnt know about her.) I-Is it just me or are we leaving that bittersweet atmosphere behind? Hyah Brother, I only turned this into a problem to solve because I thought it would give you an excuse, so you dont have to take it so seriously!! Hyah! Maybe I should have had you take a photo so I could use that to - nh! - my advantage later on. They should have known better. For better or for worse, this thoroughbred summoner had inherited Doctor Ss genes and learned from Shigara Masami, so challenging him to a game had been a mistake. That said, it was impressive that not even Kyousuke could tell the difference between them. Although the praise there should go to the Joruri Method instead of the White Queen. So Shiroyama Kyousuke gave up on telling them apart visually. Instead, he hugged the one on the right. Hyah!? And he squeezed her. He repeated the action a few times like a child trying to choose a giant stuffed animal or body pillow at the store and then he moved on to the left one. This one, on the left. Youre the White Queen, arent you? Gwah, how could you tell, boy!? The abandoned one on the right suddenly stopped calling him brother. And she rolled along the bed. Except her head rolled further than her body. Her head had popped off. Meanwhile, the left one - the real White Queen - placed her hands on her red cheeks while letting him continue to hug and squeeze her. W-wow, ha ha ha. I did not expect you to tell us apart by how we feel in your arms, brother. W-wowww. (Except it was really because youre wearing the same thing thats wrapped around me.) After finding nothing at all different about their appearances, he had decided to instead rely on the texture of the Sword of Truth battle costume that human civilization could not possibly duplicate. That had been a wise decision. Although if he said so, he would receive a double slap and probably be labelled an extreme underwear fetishist who was more interested in the fabric than the soft skin below. After rolling around on the large bed some more, Meinokawa Aoi (Had she made that costume herself like Shiroyama Kyoumi had? Or was it supplied by the shrine?) grabbed her disembodied head, shoved it back onto her neck, and returned those distinctive twintails to her usual long hair. By the way, dont you need to change his bih - eithat is, his tourniquet? You did say it is a double-edged sword that helps the wound heal faster but also increases the risk if it festers or he gets tetanus. Oh, thats right. Brother, its fresh bandage time again. Okay, raise your arms for me. Again. She seemed quite accustomed to this. The teenage boy known as the strongest summer was very reluctant to consider what had happened over the past 24 hours. Hold on. Lets stop for a second!! You dont have to explain everything thats happened, but since Im awake now, I can do this on my own. Remote hug The White Queen made a hugging motion in the empty air. All the bandages wrapped around Kyousukes upper body squeezed him like a vise. Bgweh!? To be clear, you gave yourself these wounds on your neck and side, so for once, I have no reason whatsoever to feel guilty. She was smiling. The White Queen grinned as she spoke. And the tourniquet (bih - ei - ni - de) keeping you alive is made from the battle costume I am wearing. These cute things are so spoiled and demanding, so I really doubt they will obey anyone elses orders. !? ~ ~ ~!! Hey, Queen. Isnt he going to die like this? Brother needs to be treated a little roughly. I am the Queen, so I will dominate even my partner. And I must say, brother, you get 0 points for trying to kill yourself like that! Try harder next time!! This really isnt the time to get all cutely upset with him. His side is one thing, but the neck bandages are strangling him. His face is turning blue. Oh, no! Brother! Why do you always keep everything to yourself!? You should have told me before your face turned blue and then white!! He had been physically unable to voice an SOS with the bandages so tight around his throat, so the White Queen really needed to learn more about basic human anatomy. At any rate, she loosened the neck bandages before he started foaming at the mouth. But loosening them caused a change of its own. When all the blood rushed to his head, he grew lightheaded and the White Queen used that opening to remove all the tourniquets and prepare a wet towel. Okay, brother. Time to wipe you down in lieu of a bath. Wait, you dont have to do that! Complain while you can. Read from that tablet, my bootleg. Sure thing. Lets see In that moment, Shiroyama Kyousuke decided to throw himself into the fated battle. His enemy was the White Queen and he would continue to stand up to her even if the rest of the world supported her and he was left all alone. His heart stopped. His tongue blocked his throat. Kyousuke held the left side of his chest while trembling violently despite his stopped heart and the White Queen smiled and made a suggestion after gently bringing him back to this world. Do we need to read more? Ah, ah, ahhh. Broootherrr? I skimmed through that original religious text you wrote to ascend to godhood and it was quite well made Oh, how about we give it some random title and pretend to be a novelist? Yes, that is a great idea. How about calling it Unexplored Summon://Blood-Sign? 3 trillion PVs or bust! Ababbabababababaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!??? Kyousukes heart had stopped two or three times now, but the White Queen would not let him take the easy route up to heaven. A legend featuring him as the star was no laughing matter. It was the most embarrassing of embarrassing texts to have someone discover. A crawling feeling covered his entire body. He had expected to be dead before that text got out, but now he was here to see peoples reaction to it. And how could someone be cruel enough to read it aloud to him!? That was like going up to someone after their failed suicide attempt and reading their suicide note to them. There we go. Now that you are feeling a little more obedient, brother, it is time I wiped you down. Come on, cheer up, brother. You can even have some cereal or something once I am done. Finally, some good news. Brother. Sometimes, I think you might be crazier than I am. Part 2 Now that he was awake, he could not just lie around anymore. Okay. Brother? When he got up out of the unnecessarily-large bed, the White Queen called out to him from where she had been seated next to him. Where are you going? I can bring you anything you need. I have to do it myself. Thats how rehab works. He held out a hand to stop her, but she refused to listen. The silver twintailed girl grabbed his wrist, wrapped her arms around his, and supported his weight. She held his arm to her chest and placed her head on his shoulder. Then I will go with you. This is kind of embarrassing. Brother, do you know how sunny it is outside? It is 2PM on August 24. She glared at him while saying that. And regardless, if he tried to resist, it was obvious she would push him back into the bed. When it came to a simple contest of strength, a human like him had no way of winning. He let out a long sigh and spoke. Fine, then. Yay She smiled so brightly he suspected she would have danced a little jig if she had not been supporting his weight. He always had to wonder why these little things could influence her emotions so much. That was a foreign world to Kyousuke who closely guarded his heart by logically processing everything that happened. Or maybe he was jealous. Because for him, fleeing to logic and laying down a defensive line of derisive detachment was the only way he could bring himself to spend time with anyone. Is something wrong, brother? No. He was unsure if he should call it lucky, but he did not run across Aika or Lu Niang Lan after leaving the room. They must have gotten back to their usual routines once he had woken up. Although that also meant they had been neglecting their jobs until then. The ordinary kindnesses were found where you could not see them. That was a truth he could not afford to forget. Dull pain enveloped his neck, side, and the rest of his body too. Crouching down to put on his shoes was a struggle. His body protested far more than he had imagined. When it took him too long, the White Queen reached out a helping hand from the side. Here, brother. Lets start with your right foot. If you help, it doesnt count as rehab. This helps me grow accustomed to this world. After tapping his feet on the floor to check the fit of the shoes, he used the elevator to leave the high-rise apartment. The White Queen had been right. He found a scorching world of direct sunlight so hot he thought it would melt the asphalt. Apparently, even this city of artificial things had cicadas on the roadside trees. The deluge of sound nearly deafened him and threw him off balance. When he staggered, the twintailed girl supported him from the side. She pouted his lips a little. What did I tell you, brother? Should we return to that air-conditioned room? No. He shook his head, but even that was enough to mess with the equilibrium in his blood-deprived head. There was something I wanted to think about, but this works even better if youre coming with me. I want to discuss something with you while were out here. ? The White Queen looked puzzled while they walked through Toy Dream 35 which shimmered in the midsummer heat. You should stay in that apartment a while longer. I could return to my cruiser now. The more people around the better if something unexpected happens. It was summer break, so there was an endless stream of people even in the hellish heat. Families, couples, groups of tanned boys, and more were walking across all the many bridges. People of all sorts were crowding this one place. The Gozaru Samurai handing out balloons on the roadside could not be having a fun time in this heat. When a small child offered him a chilled drink bottle with a tilt of the head, he froze up and panicked. There was no conflict here. If you wanted to fight, you would have to force one to happen. The long, long battle was finally over. This was the scene that Shiroyama Kyousuke and the White Queen had won. It was perfectly ordinary and no one might realize how valuable it was, but the conflict was over. They had set aside their Blood-Sign and lowered the Sword of Truth. Those two knew just how much energy that took, so this scene meant so much more to them. A picturesque million-dollar view of the citys night did not matter. This scene roasting below the bright sun was their treasure. Brother? The White Queen tilted her head again while holding his arm. She angled it just like that small child trying to give the costumed mascot a drink. Do you mind if I say something that will ruin the mood? he asked. Not if you think it is necessary. The twintailed girl guided the injured boy into the shade of a roadside tree. He sighed after leaning against the tree trunk so he was out of the way. And he resumed speaking with his summoners face on. Have you noticed? That something is not right? The very fact that youre here is out of the ordinary. Since you arent relying on the 10-minute Artificial Sacred Ground of the Blood-Sign system, I can only guess this is Shigara Masamis doing. Yes. I am using the same Box she is. But that means Shigara Masami has not returned to the other world. Boxes sounded very convenient since they did not rely on Blood-Signs or Incense Grenades, but there was a reason that method was not more common. The cost of production and operation was far too high. Shigara Masami would not have been left in this world for no reason. Which meant She has some reason to keep you here. Shiroyama Kyousuke had prefaced this discussion by asking if she minded if he said something that would ruin the mood. And it wouldnt be for anything as sentimental as letting us have this chat here. She must have some kind of pressing strategic reason to keep a card as powerful as you up her sleeve. The twintailed girl said nothing. This boy would arrive at the answer without her giving it to him. That was why she had always failed to stop him from getting himself hurt and tormented. Summoner Shiroyama Kyousuke stared straight ahead as he stated his conclusion. Theres something more. Part 3 Her bright pink-dyed hair blew in the salty midsummer breeze. The waitress demon named Biondetta was on the roof of that same apartment building. And Aika, the owner of the building, was unaware of her presence. She had moved past the railing. She sat on the edge of the roof with her long legs dangling off. Have you reached your limit? She heard a staticky sound. It was similar to spooked cicadas taking flight from the trees, but not quite the same. This static was more systematic. Someone else stood next to Biondetta. It was a ponytailed researcher wearing a tight skirt suit and a lab coat. Gray static surrounded Shigara Masami. She looked down at the back of her hand and let out a self-deprecating sigh. That was just how much the battle between the White Queen and the Colorless Little Girl had affected their surroundings. Even without a direct attack, the side effects had been enough to blow away the Three, so Shigara Masami could not ignore that damage even if she was simultaneously an excellent summoner and a Divine-class. Biondetta brushed the hair from her shoulder. Shouldnt you pop in to say goodbye? However. Another voice rudely spoke up from the smartphone-connected wireless headphones in the ponytailed researchers ears. The girls voice was loud enough to reach Biondettas ears while she sat nearby. Wait, I went to a lot of trouble making that Box and dumped tons into the energy costs to keep it running, so you cant just give up like that. We are imprisoned, if you recall. And being given some labor is better than simply being locked up when it comes to staying in shape. I needed some way of getting exercise, so do not worry about that. More importantly, it sounds like this allowed us to indirectly support the Queen. Thanks to that, The Saint is high on brain chemicals and running around the beach in the nude. What am I even supposed to do about this? We are back to square one on her anti-Queen rehab program. The mood was ruined, so Biondetta frowned and spoke up. I was wondering where you were storing such a largescale Box. So you used that entire Government prison island on the other side of the world? I shouldnt have been worried. Everyone related to the Fifteen Siblings was surprisingly tough. They kept claiming they were dying without ever actually dying. Shigara Masami was lasting longer than a battery on its last legs. More importantly. There was something Shigara Masami wanted to check on before returning to the other world. You mean that place that was even worse than the Queens Miniature Garden? Biondetta and Shigara Masami fell silent there. They were both afraid to give the answer. Their mutual fear mixed together. But if whatever-this-is is hidden below the surface, we have no way of searching for it. The waitress demon pulled a phone from her exposed cleavage and checked through the current events around the world. At a glance, the biggest topic is Eastern Europes Kingdom F, but all the news is happy stories about the mysterious cocoon vanishing without a trace. Besides, if there is some villain advancing some plan below the surface, Im not going to find any sign of it by swiping my finger along this 5-inch LCD screen. ? Biondetta had not expected this reaction. She frowned while Shigara Masami clapped her hands together in front of her large chest. This was apparently not a joke. Part 4 On that same far-eastern island nation, Kingdom Fs Queen Sinceria Highland did not overlook the oddity while on an unofficial visit to Toy Dream 35. Phew. The Poolarium was the fusion of a leisure pool and an aquarium and its selling point was the ability to swim with the dolphins and otters. But at the moment, it had a new star. People viewed Sinceria like a mermaid as she swam through the artificial seawater in a swimsuit. Her daughter Olivia was lying face up in a mat-shaped rubber boat floating on the water. The pool was several meters deep, so Sinceria wore a life jacket and held a kickboard to swim up to the boat. Via, arent you going to swim? Heh hehn. A proper lady does not cause a scene and splash around the second she sees a pool. But the Japanese summer is so hot. Thats for sure. Sinceria smiled as she kicked her long legs as if practicing her flutter kicking. The actions themselves were childish, but they caused her butt and thighs to continually dip above and below the water. Rachel (who was also wearing a swimsuit) was in charge of security and also had to think about the underwater tunnel running below them, so her head was already hurting. She walked along the poolside rooftop while staying close enough to dive in at a moments notice. Did we really have to hold our meeting here? Would you have preferred to use a rental conference room? An office building anyone can use is bound to be full of laser listening devices. Because using one of those places is like announcing that you are about to discuss something lucrative. They had a good enough reason to blend into the crowd like this. The small kingdom she ruled had nearly been destroyed. The dome-shaped cocoon made from the White Queens battle costume had nearly crushed it while continually expanding. Her worries had vanished once that cocoon had suddenly disappeared and returned to the White Queen, sparing her subjects. But what had become of the White Queen herself? What had happened afterwards? There have been sightings of the White Queen in Toy Dream 35. Rachel Wormwood was the kind of straitlaced knight who kept on her glasses even when in a swimsuit, so she gave a formal report while walking alongside the pool at the same pace as Sinceria pushed the rubber boat. The reports said nothing about her being naked, so the Sword of Truth must have returned to her. She is staying in the top floor of an apartment used as a base for a Government intermediary. That is the same major power as us, so we should be able to request that intermediary disclose what information she has. Shes sure to already be overwhelmed by requests from all over the world. And just like a restaurant that gets a big head after receiving a single star review in a gourmet guide, I doubt she will return our call any sooner than three years from now. Truthfully, flutter-kicking Sinceria did not find it all that important to learn the details of that fights conclusion. That apartment was also Shiroyama Kyousukes territory. If the White Queen was staying there now, there had to have been a major change in their relationship. Knowing that was enough. However. Not all of her worries were gone. She was a queen, a woman, and a mother, but this worry was not related to her identity as a queen. And not even she was certain which of the other two identities it was most strongly affecting. Let me see that file. Of course. Rachel tossed her something from the poolside. It flew like a frisbee and she caught it in one hand. It was a notebook-sized waterproof tablet. She stopped flutter kicking and placed the tablet on the rubber boat her daughter was riding. Honestly, you really cant underestimate public video sites. Who would expect to find this at the edge of a random video? They had not intentionally searched out this data. It had mostly been a coincidence. It helped a lot that they had searched that city hall database in their search for Shiroyama Kyousukes roots. More specifically, it helped that they had checked the ticket request facility in the same building. Her daughter Olivia Highland tilted her head while lying on the mat-shaped rubber boat. The girl wore the dark blue one-piece swimsuit born from the hot and humid summers of this country and she held down her straw hat with both hands so it would not fall off. Hey, mom? Yes, Via, what is it? What does this mean? Is that who I think it is? Sinceria had no answer for her. But she was glad they had been able to notice this oddity. They had only done so because they had seen this before. That which appears in summer to envelop everything. Those blonde royals could speak Japanese, but they were still not all that familiar with its culture, so they focused on the meaning before getting to the pronunciation. Summer clothing. Natsuginu. Part 5 It was late at night. Kyousuke had escaped the penalty for losing and his injuries were being healed by the White Queens tourniquets, but he was still making an effort to get plenty of rest. He could have returned to his cruiser, but he had been forced to stay in Aikas apartment because the others claimed the rocking boat would be bad for his health. (Whether they had an ulterior motive for keeping him here was unknown.) And while he tried to sleep Long time no see. He heard a voice. It came from the balcony. The lights were off, so the moonlight illuminated the visitor. But this was the top floor of a high-rise apartment and there had been no sign of someone arriving on the roof by helicopter or tiltrotor. Then how had this girl arrived on the balcony? She stood there so naturally it felt wrong to even ask that question. Kyousuke sat up in bed and frowned a little. UmieShouko? You can call me the Rainy Girl if you like. That name is more familiar to you, isnt it? Shiroyama Kyousuke had gone as far as correcting history to forcibly save her. His librarian classmates older sister had been killed in a random attack and the incident had held such a lasting effect that it transformed into a ghost storyexcept all of that should have gone away once Umie Shoukos death had been avoided. He could only think of one explanation. You still have your memories? No, this isnt just Timeline A or Timeline B. Did you diverge from the actual branch point in history? It is not over yet. This was sudden. No, if they continued this conversation in the ordinary way, they would never get away from discussing that divergent side of her existence. That may have been why she decided to jump straight to the topic at hand. Someone on the outside like me has begun to move. I am sensitive to such things because I exist in a similar fashion. How you respond is up to you, but I really think you should get ready. ? This person has a connection to you, Shiroyama-san. She seemed to be jumping all over the place as she talked. It may have been similar to someone doing a bad job of explaining the plot of the movie they had just finished watching. Prophecies and oracles had their pros and cons. In addition to the accuracy of the original information, the speaker and the listener also had to be accurate. In that sense, Umie Shouko really was an ordinary person. She had talent, but she had not trained as a shrine maiden. She had gotten wrapped up in the Rainy Girl incident by random chance, so she had trouble passing on the message in this game of telephone. The world you live in is also the one my sister lives in, so please do not let anything happen that would make her sad. As long as you give me that, I do not care what happens to the world. And either way, you alone are in the position to change fate here. What? Finally, a chill caught up to him. It was like the icy fingers of death crawling along his spine. Im not going to confront the White Queen again, so what else could there be? You will know soon enough. She did not say much, but her words had to contain more information than an entire library. He had suspected there was something else, but what exactly was it? Remember your past. There is still an unresolved source of tragedy, isnt there? That was all. Her voice vanished. As did her presence., Shiroyama Kyousuke got out of bed and walked across the floor to the balcony beyond the fluttering curtain. But there was no one there. This was the top floor of a high-rise apartment. Just like when she had arrived, he could not even guess how Umie Shouko - the Rainy Girl - had left. Part 6 What is all this racket? That question came from Sekurtiti, a brown-skinned girl with shoulder-length silver hair. She worked as a Tomb Priestess for a group with its origins in Egyptian mythology, so the only things covering her bright skin were white bandages, pure gold, and red gems. She was being guided through the apartment by Aika, a girl in a green and white striped bikini. They were both showing a lot of skin, but not because it was summer. They were like this 365 days a year. Onii-chan probably did something again. Apparently, hes preparing to abandon his shut-in bikini little sister so he can go to the pool. It really is a frightening thought. The battle for little sister superiority has been entirely overturned by that silver twintails girl. By Onii-chan, do you mean Shiroyama Kyousuke? Sekurtiti only tilted her head further, but she was here for work. Aika only lived in the top floor of this apartment building and the other seemingly-ordinary floors hid a crucial facility known as the Founders Gallery. That stored some of the fairy tale materials that the Toy Dream Company had used as a foundation for their massively successful global entertainment business. It specifically held the old documents and antiques gathered from around the world that held a value that normal people would never even notice. Sekurtiti was here to check on something for her job. You said you were closing the gallery, didnt you? All it does here is bind me. And then grandpa helped make that Blue Film meant to harm Eastern Europes Kingdom F. I thought now was a good time for it. The Worlds Happiest Girl. A certain granddaughter should have been the main character of a fairy tale told until the end of time. But after unknowingly earning some Awards as a summoner, the entire world had forgotten her and she had forever lost that position. Another voice rudely interrupted those twos solemn mood. Hold on. Are you saying you called us to this hot-as-hell far eastern country just to help you move? It was a girl even shorter than Aika and with skin brown from tanning unlike Sekurtitis natural brown. She had piercings in her ears, tongue, navel, and more unspeakable places as a sort of penance rather than fashion. She wore a witch hat and glasses and she dragged around a special weapon that looked like a giant hatchet or smoking pipe. She was Incense Expert Ellie Slide. She was accompanied by Max Layard, a large summoner with a pompadour. Aika shrugged. Your job is to transport this stuff to the deepest part of a museum in Washington DC. The researcher named Maria Heartocean should be able to put my grandpas treasures to the best use. And dont complain when youve already taken half the payment up front, subcontractors. You will get the rest of your money after the job is complete. You act like some kind of tragic heroine, but you still think like a gazillionaire deep down. I dont like it. Ellie Slide continued grumbling while they unlocked one of the ordinary doors lining the hallway and stepped inside. It was packed full of blessings and curses. Ignorance was a frightening thing. No one with any proper knowledge of the occult would have been able to gather all this without having nightmares. Ellie Slide looked annoyed. We have to transport all of this? Please make sure none of it is stolen en route. Your job is not complete until it has been delivered. I shouldnt have let Max do the talking just because I hate doing it so much. He totally botched the negotiations this time. This is a secret job for the world-famous Toy Dream Company and the going rate for delivery jobs is 1% the value of the cargo. We should be getting paid 15 times what were getting But it was too late to complain now. The up-front payment was not just a kindness. The payer used it to restrict the payees freedom. Sekurtiti placed a hand on a too-skinny hip and softly sighed through her shapely nose. I will supervise the work as a member of the tomb keepers. What your company did to Eastern Europes Kingdom F was inexcusable, but it did not entirely negate the debt we owe you for preserving the pharaohs tomb and ruins we have protected for generations. So youre gonna be looking over our shoulders without even helping!? Look at how much there is and how powerful it all is!? Packing it all up with curse seals and physical cushioning is going to use up an entire day!! Ellie Slide had tears behind her glasses as she shouted in despair, but the brown Tomb Priestess kept a composed expression. She had not taken any money, so she did not need to obey Aikas instructions. Meanwhile, the striped bikini girl was arrogant. By the way, I hired you to do the work, so I will not be helping. Work hard, you movers. This is the worst I cant think of any response other than kicking Max. We can eat lunch once youre done packing up. Im as ravenous as my liger today, so lets have some buffalo steaks. Yay! And so they began reorganizing the Founders Gallery. Everything there was a valuable treasure, so even a single ring would fetch hundreds of millions at auction. They first constructed some large cardboard boxes and shoved smaller duralumin cargo boxes inside those. Just like with armored trucks carrying cash, an appearance of strict security was like painting a target on yourself. It was important to make things look cheap and unimportant. While decorating the interior with ordinary packing material and a wide tape woven with a long talisman text, Ellie Slide spoke up. Listen, we will be taking this by the ordinary air route. After stuffing all the boxes in the cargo room of an ordinary airline used by movers, we will take some business class seats as ordinary customers. Even if the plane crashes, the boxes are waterproofed enough to float in the ocean for 18 hours. Now the emergency recovery beacon will- Wow, I remember this. This is grandpas notebook of ideas. Are you the kind of person who ends up reading old manga when trying to clean your room? Do I need to fill the Government local network with one-star reviews about how awful the intermediary here is!? A paper sticker was attached to the notebooks cover and it had something handwritten on it: Restrain your hatred for now (qe - i - md - ei - wbjrb). That is the standard (ii - i - jd). Fill this age with new ideas (hi - wz - ei - lm - ou - yh - ml). (Oh, grandpa.) This brought back so many old memories. That man had founded the Toy Dream Company which had brought dreams to children around the world. But he had not simply pulled out presents with a constant smile like Santa Claus. This contained the rawer side of him as a writer and as a human. There would have been nights when he struggled all alone while tearing at his hair, fearing he was out of ideas, and holding a pen in hand and finding nothing to write. These were the claw marks he could not let anyone see. He had not realized that series of letters could possibly summon a real god, but he had created more smiles than any summoner or vessel in the world. Hm, hm. Aika sat down and flipped through the notebook, but then she came to a stop. She ran her slender finger along some hastily jotted down text that was written in the alphabet but was not English. Sekurtiti also seemed interested as someone who had seen that old man from a perspective other than as a granddaughter. She peered over Aikas shoulder. What is it? Mhh. Aika did not understand everything that was written there: It is simply not possible in this world (web - go - i - pms - kd). Call her (kq - ei - rg). That was what a direct interpretation of the messy writing said, but was that really accurate? It was not uncommon for people to jot down a memo before an idea vanished from their mind and for no one but them to understand what that memo meant. It was also possible these were ideas for story titles or song lyrics. But The next thing she knew, the swimsuit granddaughter was silently reading. The founders talent was real. A lot had happened along the way, but he had built the Toy Dream Company up to a multinational corporation in a single generation. There were things only he could understand. The fairy tales loved by people around the world were the result of him taking the undiluted original content and watering it down to the point that it was palatable for everyone. But even this girl could read the emotions contained in this writing, like the needle following the records groove. This had been jotted down so quickly it was barely legible. There was a lot of agony and confusion there. Those emotions were so thick it reached a dangerous level. The accompanying sketch appeared to be a girl. Her white or silver hair was tied into twintails at a point below her head. She did not appear to be wearing any actual clothing. She instead had strange objects like junk and cables wrapped around her body. But that white figure was all drawn in the style of a childrens picture book and it was only an incomplete rough, so it all looked more eerie than provocative. It made one want to run away, like seeing a French doll with all its clothing removed. So. Aika had no idea what about this had caught her attention, but she read one particular word out loud. Had her grandfather been unable to find the corresponding letters in the old texts he was referencing? For whatever reason, this word alone was written in ordinary language. Wisdom? Part 7 The White Queen had been the one to suggest they go somewhere summery. Had the constant focus on battle been suffocating her? Or had she wanted to rid herself of as many regrets as she could before heading to death? But Im full of holes. My blood will start spilling out the second Im in the water!! The tourniquets should have closed up your wounds by now and you need rehab, dont you? This is a good test As their conversation suggested, the Queen had changed into a swimsuit. They had chosen a pool as a compromise because salty seawater sounded like a very bad idea for his wounds, but now a different warning signal was going off in Kyousukes head. Well, if you insist, brother, I suppose I can meet your selfish demands. Oh, my, my. Look at this lovely pool here, brother. They are opening the school pool to the public. Hee hee. It might be nice to see what swimming classes are like. You set me up!? I just know you spent all night researching this so you could trick me into it! Whatever are you talking about? Now, brother, can you take my hand? It is time to go. The smiling White Queen claimed to be supporting his body, but she was mostly dragging him along as they left the high-rise apartment. The fact that Kyousuke was making such a fuss may have been proof he was recovering and feeling less pain. The school was a busy place even though this was summer break And not just because of club activities. The pool was open, so a lot of nearby residents were there. Ugh Brother, we are already here, so you might as well try to enjoy yourself. This was the amusement park city of Toy Dream 35. It was scary how everyone just accepted her battle costume as no more than flashier than a yukata. The girls tennis team was trying to show off by wearing their full tennis uniforms even on a practice day, so they ended up grinding their teeth. The Queen herself kept a composed expression as she gathered all the attention. She made her way to the school building and looked to one of the few empty classrooms designated as a girls locker room. Okay, brother, I hate to be away from you for even a moment, but we have no choice here. Yes, yes. You are injured, so just let me know if you ever need any hands-on rehab assistance Yes, I get it. Youll kill me if I run away. He shooed her away like a dog and walked to the empty classroom for the boys. He kicked the door open while holding the waterproof bag carrying his swimsuit and found someone already changing inside. Rendou Akiya had just put on a lovely swimsuit and was pulling his chestnut hair back with a hair tie in his mouth. The orchestral band and the pop band must have been competing in some way because Kyousuke could hear their loud music playing in the distance. Oh, right. You dont use the girls locker room, do you? Hwa hwa hwah hwa hwa hwan. Take that hair tie out of your mouth. Kyousuke could have read his lips, but revealing that skill would only confuse the boy. His classmate tied back his hair with the tie before speaking. I only do this as a fashion statement, so why would I use the girls locker room? That sounds like a harrowing experience, if you ask me. I accidentally boarded the women-only car the other day and that was very bad for my heart. Sigh. That said, Rendou Akiya was so perfect that having to change in the same room as him felt like being handcuffed. There were a lot of ordinary guests here, so this explained why no one else was using this particular locker room. However, making too much of an issue out of it would only put this belligerent classmate in a bad mood. By the way, howd you hurt yourself so bad? What happened? Did you try to learn how to ride a motorcycle during summer break and have it fall over in the middle of a ride? I got in a bit of a fight with my little sister. Yikes. That sounds way more dangerous than a 250cc big scooter. My condolences. I swear nothing brings trouble like a little sister. Why anyone wants to have one of those when they can have an older girl is beyond me. These days, everyone wants to be surrounded by kindness. I mean, were all too overwhelmed by life to deal with supporting someone else. That seemed to be Rendou Akiyas philosophy, which explained why he had heaped praise on Student Council President Benikomichi Fuuki in the other timeline. The two boys walked barefoot down the hall. So, Shiroyama-chan, did you know Librarian has an older sister? Oh, you mean Umie Shouko? Eh? You already know her full name? Wait, why have you researched her so much? I went to middle school with Librarian and I only recently learned about this. Are you seriously aiming for that sexy upperclassman!? Rendou Akiya suddenly grew tearful and emotionally unstable, so he was definitely into older girls. Kyousuke was kind of impressed by how the boy did not hide anything from his friends. And the boy had nothing to worry about. The Rainy Girl could manipulate the paranormal all on her own without spelling anything out with letters, so in a way, she outdid even Tomb Priestess Sekurtiti. Her power could be seen as a form of cheating different from the White Queens, so Kyousuke could only praise his friends courage for going after someone like that. After following the passageway to the outdoor pool, a chlorine disinfectant smell stung their noses. Librarian-chan, who wore glasses and kept her hair in a braid, must have only just arrived. Her school swimsuit somehow did not help her stand out from the crowd. She stood on the poolside with her legs spread apart and her hands on her hips while she wiggled her body around in some warmup exercises. Morning, you two. I hope youre enjoying a lazy summer while Im stuck here for work again. Morning, Umie Whatever. Hello, Shouko-sans sister. Um, I am super worried by how you seem to be defining me based on my sister, but please dont tell me some summer event has greatly complicated the interpersonal relationships around me. My family isnt going to be hit by some strange storm, is it!? Is it!? Librarian-chan approached them so forcefully she would likely make a good member of the public morals committee, but she had nothing to worry about. Kyousuke felt like successfully confessing to the Rainy Girl would be harder than seducing the Red Lady of the Three. (Although I guess I tried something just as crazy.) The heat of the tiles must have been too much for her bare feet because Librarian-chan began hopping back and forth as she asked another question. And Shiroyama-kun, whats with those bandages? Did you visit the mountains and fight a bear??? I got in a bit of a scuffle with my little sister. I regret nothing. I-I refuse to accept the common theory that little sisters are nothing but trouble!! In my family, its always my older sister that brings chaos with her!! Librarian-chan began freaking out again, but she seemed to be enjoying her summer. That was when Kyousuke heard some quiet footsteps. It was still morning and the water was still cold, but there were a lot of people here. Nevertheless, this chilly noise was not drowned out by the crowd. It reminded him of water dripping from stalactites in a blue glowing cave. Sorry about the wait, brother. A silver-twintailed girl awkwardly stood there holding an extra-large sports towel. She was wearing the same style of school swimsuit as Librarian-chan, but her overall aura was different. White. It was white. Kyousuke was surprised to find that swimsuit actually existed. Rendou Akiya stared in shock. A white school swimsuit? Are you serious!? That legendary item is too much even for me, yet shes pulling it off perfectly! Who is she!? If that is made to be see-through when wet, I am blowing this whistle. And why did you call him brother? Kyousuke recalled that Librarian-chan did not remember anything of the Rainy Girl incident since it had been resolved by altering history. This was confusing. Although if she did remember all that, she might have done a spit take and collapsed backwards here. He decided to give a simple explanation before this got to be too much trouble. This is my little sister who is my little sister but also not my little sister. I also have a little sister who is my real little sister. Oh, god!! This is definitely trouble!! Rendou Akiya held his head in his hands. An amateur opinion could sometimes be surprisingly accurate. Part 8 The twintailed White Queen had gone to the trouble of visiting the school pool, but she did not jump in the water or chase after the beach ball. She only sat on the edge of the chlorine-smelling pool and kicked her feet to splash the water. She opened a rental book contained in a clear waterproof bag, but she seemed more entertained by watching Kyousuke play with his classmates. According to her Um, matching my actions to human standards is quite difficult. And the underwater calculations are especially difficult. You do not want me to start walking on the water or accidentally part the ocean, do you? Not sneaking up behind her and pushing her in was the right decision. They also ended up eating lunch at the school. The cafeteria had been opened up to sell some seaside restaurant snacks like yakisoba, chilled noodles, grilled chicken, ramen, curry rice, pancakes, fried rice, and shaved ice. This was of course just a repurposing of the cultural festival menu. Mind if I join you? The Student Council President sat across from Kyousuke at the long table and she too was wearing a school swimsuit. Her long black hair and dark blue swimsuit were both soaking wet and the floor below the table was quickly covered with chlorine-smelling drops. Her name was Benikomichi Fuuki. Who is this person with you? A foreigner? I hate to brag, but it is unusual for someone to outshine me. Damn, I thought going with the school designated version during the summer would be interesting enough, but I never expected someone to get a white one. The White Queen tilted her head, but Kyousuke held out a hand to stop her. Their memories of the incident involving this girl made these situations tricky. At the very least, the current Benikomichi Fuuki was not an Illegal vessel and she was not fighting Kyousuke over a deathless world. And since she was hanging around in a swimsuit like this, checking her back would probably not reveal tattoos that functioned as psychological bonds. The beautiful Student Council President did not seem to notice Kyousuke and the White Queens exchanged glance. There are an awful lot of people here today. It seems the kids from some other school are here for a field trip to appreciate nature. Nature? In this concrete city? Some areas among all the bridges are considered nature parks. Yesterday, they apparently went to a 100% artificial forest to cook in the great outdoors and sleep in a tent with mosquitos biting them throughout. All while they could see the light of a convenience store not far away. Thanks to that, they are starving for some junk food. It was quite a scene when they viewed the fries and sodas with tears in their eyes. The other schools apparently had their own issues. And that entire event reeked of having been planned entirely by the teachers. For one thing, it was unlikely a student would schedule any kind of school event during summer break. The Student Council President brushed the wet hair from her ear while giving off the chlorine scent of the school pool and ate a mysterious experimental dish made by combining cold udon, a salad, and some sweet vinegar dressing. Also, why is that girl eating only the whites of those fried eggs? If you were being picky, wouldnt you normally focus your attack on the yolks!? Queen. I am a body builder, so I only eat egg whites, white chicken tenders, and drinks made from white protein powder. Im fine with you being a picky eater, but dont lie about it. When the White Queen said all that with a straight face, he pinched both her cheeks to punish her. It was a small thing, but he did not like how she started falling back into old habits once things settled down. Hut I heally hoo heat honly hite hings With her base durability, the punishment had little effect. In fact, the white swimsuit girl looked a little happy about it. We must not waste food, she said once released. So we can solve all of this by having you eat what I leave behind, brother. Are you serious? Here, you can have this garlic liver. Oh, and all the eel that didnt come out white. And lets not forget these bite-sized pork cutlets. She mercilessly began loading up his plate until it was piled high. By the way. She was smiling. Just one of these is something I cooked myself using a portable stove Now, brother. You know everything about me, so surely you can figure out which it is. A deadly quiz out of the blue, huh? I get the feeling you havent really changed at all! Oh, and looking for something white is not going to work. I bit my lip and endured the pain this time. Nothing was more annoying than a lover who decided to test your love every once in a while. Did she not understand that simple fact that was known the world over!? Meanwhile, Benikomichi Fuuki rudely placed her head in her hand. The beautiful Student Council President frowned while resting her wet swimsuit boobs on the table. Hmm, I seriously doubt the school budget is enough for natural eel. Either theres some strange supply logic at play like with the gyudon shops fighting for supremacy in the dog days of summer, or some kind of deep sea fish is being used as a replacement. Then it must be that!! Where did that eel come from!? Tch. I shouldnt have left room for another girl to help you out. But regardless, say ah, brother. I will feed you the eel as a reward for getting it right. The only difference between white eel and amber-colored eel was whether it had a sweet sauce on it or not. The White Queen must have cooked it and then given it the (from her perspective) unnecessary coloring sauce while cooking it some more. Kyousuke looked on the verge of tears, but he was gradually figuring out what the White Queen was trying to do here. He was looking fairly weak due to his injuries, so she was trying to feed him highly nutritious foods that would help him produce more blood. (I was wondering what she was reading so intently there on the poolside, but it must have been a cookbook.) Hee hee hee. Get better soon, brother. Honestly If she really wanted to do this, it would have been easier to prepare him some cereal with iron-fortified milk, but he had no intention of getting into an argument here. But. Then he heard a clattering sound from a seat a short distance away. And when he looked over I am super-sized afraid to speculate what she is hoping to accomplish by feeding him nothing but stamina-building foods while wearing a wet and see-through white swimsuit. Shiver (deadpan). No, Sayuri! We should leave them be. That white swimsuit alone is taking things too far, but when you also take all those stamina foods into consideration, its pretty obvious they have some rather adult plans for this summer night!! There were indeed some students from another school here for a field trip. And thanks to that, Shiroyama Kyousuke had to hold his head in hands with a dark look on his face. Part 9 They may have only been the tip of the iceberg, but there had been signs and premonitions visible here and there. And now someone had stumbled upon the correct answer by pure coincidence instead of by following all the hints and gathering all the relevant information. If this were a murder mystery novel, they likely would have ended up as the second or third victim who was killed in an irregular fashion after learning too much. R-Renge? They wore bright white and red shrine maiden outfits. And they themselves were identical twins. Except that is, for the black hair and black eyes of the one and the blonde hair and blue eyes of the other. They were Meinokawa Renge and Higan. They too were qualified for this role because they knew the truth of the Shiroyama family. Although they had acquired the information through a unique route: speaking directly with Doctor S while he was imprisoned on South Americas Devils Island. Of course, a simple conversation did not give them all the information they might have wanted. They were on a large bridge crowded with people. The twin shrine maidens were in Toy Dream 35 to get more accurate information out of Kyousuke himself even if it was hard on him. But the truth was, Doctor S had broken the strict rules of his prison. He needed an oxygen mask at all times for medical reasons, so he always had a small tank in a bag he wheeled around with him and he had hidden a few personal items in there. For example, some documents and photographs that corroborated the truth about the past. But instead of trying to preserve his memories of his wife and kids in that nightmarish small home, he may have been more interested in the large price tag he hoped to attach to the information on Shiroyama Kyousuke and the White Queens origins. However. That was why blonde Higan had grown pale now. She had seen something on the crowded bridge that should not have been there. It was nowhere near as exciting as an oddly-dressed summoner or vessel and nowhere near as strange as an otherworldly Material. Nor was it a bloody warrior or skeleton. In fact, no one but those twins realized anything was amiss as they enjoyed their summer break despite the sweltering heat. The twins themselves may have stood out more due to their shrine maiden outfits. But thanks to their experience on a different stage, Meinokawa Renge and Higan could tell quite clearly that a true oddity was mixed in with the crowd of people. And this could not be explained away using theatre costumes or special makeup. They sensed a sickly sweet smell similar to a fruit just as it started to rot. This was a dangerous presence that lured others toward death along with it. I-i-isnt that-? But it cant be!! Wait, Higan. Lets look at this rationally. It could just be someone who looks a lot like her. This was someone intimately connected to Shiroyama Kyousukes past. Yet it was not the Colorless Little Girl who had been created using his younger sisters soul. The extreme oddity standing before them was someone else. That personNatsuginu-san, was it? She seems to have talent as a vessel just like my sister. Higan cried out in surprise. When a summoner or vessel had earned a certain number of Awards, normal people would forget all about them. Yet this girl had spoken to them without issue. That suggested she was an expert in the world of summoning, but something about her seemed different. A summoner would be carrying a Blood-Sign and a vessel would be wearing some kind of psychological bond so evil spirits and monsters would not take control of their mind. Yet this high school girl had nothing of the sort. She was an ordinary person, yet she could properly perceive summoners and vessels. The short-haired girl wore the wine-red miniskirt and short-sleeved blouse of some schools summer uniform and she existed outside the Blood-Sign rules. She glanced over at Higan. I wonder if being a younger sister is an important factor there. You are a vessel too, arent you? U-u-um, who are you? My real name is so boring I doubt you would remember it. Even my sister is still called Librarian-chan by her friends, after all. So I think I will name myself as the Rainy Girl. She seemed like a perfectly ordinary girl, but she had seemingly appeared out of nowhere and kept a casual tone as she spoke. More importantly, she added. You arent wrong about this. That person is probably the same as me. The same how? The girl laughed at black-haired Renges question. She has died, but certain circumstances erased that death. ? You dont need to understand. But you know that person over there should be dead, dont you? Yes. That was right. Whoever this girl talking to them was and whoever that person in the crowd was, it could not overturn the information Renge and Higan had acquired. It made no sense for that person to be alive. And they doubted this was anything as boring as decoy information at this point. They had to assume that reality had been forcibly altered by some great force. So. Who was this person that Renge and Higan had spotted by chance? Shiroyama-sansmom? That was exactly it. Doctor S had created that nightmare stage and it had been bloodied by the White Queens appearance. When that happened, Kyousukes mother and little sister had been killed. Anyone directly killed by the White Queen could not be saved even by traveling back in time or to parallel worlds. That was an inviolable rule. But you must not forget. The Queen had killed Kyousukes little sister, but what about his mother? Hadnt she been shot to death by her husband, Doctor S, before all that happened? And. If the White Queen had not done it, then there was a way to save a supposedly dead person by altering history. The Rainy Girls very presence here was proof of that. Hurry to Shiroyama Kyousuke. That was all she said at first. However it was done, there must be someone more powerful behind the unnatural resurrection of a supposedly dead person. That means there is something here with a connection to Shiroyama-sans roots that wants a special vessel. And at this point, it cant be the White Queen. Who is that wandering out there? And whoever is behind this, it is obvious who it is they want to control: the Colorless Little Girl. Like a midsummer mirage, the Rainy Girl was already gone by the time Renge and Higan tried to ask more. Ah. And. The other ghost, Kyousukes mother, had also disappeared without a trace. Part 10 With that, they had all the information. Part 11 They were in Aikas mansion. Shiroyama Kyousuke was back to his normal self as he stepped out of one of the many guest rooms. While borrowing the White Queens shoulder. Several familiar girls were waiting for him in the living room: Aika, Lu Niang Lan, Meinokawa Renge and Higan, Joruri Method Aoi, Shigara Masami, Isabelle, Murasame Kuina, Biondetta, Himekawa Mika, Sekurtiti, Sinceria, Rachel, and Olivia. These were all bonds Kyousuke had risked his life to build. Vessels without a contract were the same as normal people, so the memory and recognition issues must have made it difficult to summon some of them here. The summoners must have put in a lot of work while he was recovering. The boy looked around and immediately got to the crux of the matter while sitting down on the sofa. Wisdom. That term alone did not mean much of anything. But anyone who had seen his past would find special meaning there. The White Queen once asked a certain question while watching me and my sister in the fight to the death Doctor S demanded of us. She asked what is that? A predecessor, one who shows the way, one you can rely upon, the master of an apprentice. In other words, a being known as an older brother. You could say that is where it all began. This was a criticism. A criticism only possible for someone who had overcome that hell. It was that answer to the Queens question that led her to view me as something special. And I think that is why she tried to protect me even if it meant killing my sister. But who was that? The Queen had never been summoned to this world before then. That means there was someone else in that world that could speak like a human and provide opinions on a level equal to or greater than the Queen. All of this might have been set up by them. They might have intentionally sent the Queen on a rampage so she would kill my sister and destroy any chance of us ever getting along. Wisdom. A search. Thinking back, when the White Queen had first come to Toy Dream 35 in response to Azalea Magentarain and Guard of Honors summons, she had said she called him brother not because of a blood relation but because she had performed a search and that was the most fitting term. That meant there was some other being who the White Queen relied on for knowledge. For Kyousuke and anyone else who still lived in this world, they could only ever speculate about things in that other world, so asking someone who actually lived there was their best bet. Everyones eyes focused on the White Queen. The twintailed girl tilted her head while standing next to Kyousuke instead of sitting on the sofa. This Wisdom you are referring to is a special Unexplored-class. She readily supplied the information. In fact, it was such an ordinary fact of life for her that she probably never even considered hiding it. She seemed surprised to learn that the others were only just now realizing this being existed. Her technical name isum, it is actually impossible to represent it using the alphabet. What do you mean its impossible? asked Olivia who had pulled out a kiddie pool even though they were indoors. The White Queen winked and raised her index finger. It is a non-looping pattern similar to pi, so it just continues on and on forever. A few of the cults I have visited speculated her existence and worked on analyzing her name, but none of them have ever made it past 1,287,993,006 letters. Then again, that entire endeavor is probably meaningless. If letters cant spell her name, is this a Material no one has ever summoned? Names were everything in the Blood-Sign system. If their name could not be represented with the 5 vowels and 21 consonants, they could not be summoned to this world. Yes, but that has no bearing on her strength. I get that. Im not about to accept that theres someone even more overpowered than you or the Colorless Little Girl out there. In fact, if some convenient being like that existed, Kyousuke would not have needed to rely on the Colorless Little Girl at all. The Queen stood at the top of the pyramid and the Colorless Little Girl was the specialized killer who did not exist in the natural world. She definitely exists, but she cannot be summoned with the Blood-Sign system since she has no name. That makes her an Unexplored-class with no place except for the other world. She has no power in combat, but she instead constantly absorbs all forms of knowledge in real-time. Yes, if you think of me as the omnipotent one, then she would be the omniscient one. She is the yin to my yang and the left to my right. When one of us exists, the other is defined into existence as well and we remain together whether we try to or not. So after all this, it turns out she has an ex-girlfriend? Oh, dear. Is this a new rival for Kyousuke-chan? And since all of the Unexplored-classes are girls, am I right in imagining a strong lily scent coming from this? Everyone always talks about lilies, but do you really know what they smell like? Of course I do. I went to a girls school. I meant the literal flower. Where were you sticking your head and what were you smelling, flower chafer woman? The striped bikini girl and modified China dress beauty used the white liger as a sofa while discussing something on their own. Mhh (deadpan). I dont get what theyre talking about one small-sized bit. Sayuri, try to ignore them. Blonde Isabelle tilted her head, but Murasame Kuinas face blushed bright red below her shoulder-length chestnut hair and she was clearly shaken. She must have known what that discussion was really about. Theyre talking about love and romance between girls! There must be an unimaginable world out there!! Dont look, Sayuri, Im not ready yet! The White Queen sighed. It was not uncommon for the one giving the warning to have the more active imagination. If you want to insist that using a search engine makes it your girlfriend, then be my guest. Oh? Going with the dry response? How boring. What am I supposed to say when you point at the AI speaker hooked up to the network and claim it must be my girlfriend because I let it live in my house? Do you draw eyes and a mouth on yours to help anthropomorphize it? But we are talking about an Unexplored-class here, arent we? cautiously asked Himekawa Mika who was sitting on the glass table instead of the sofa. Yes, although she is the weakest of us all when it comes to combat, said the White Queen. I viewed the world through her until I met brother. Because it was a lot easier than heading out and taking a look for myself. It could not hurt to ask as many questions as they could. Aika tilted her head while leaning back against the white liger. Hm? But shouldnt an Unexplored-class be associated with a color? Usually, yes, but she is omniscience while I am omnipotence. All of those colorations came from breaking down my white coloration as if by a prism, so it has nothing to do with the omniscience that exists in another category altogether. Um, you called it searching, but does it work like with an internet browser or an AI speaker? Renge hesitantly spoke up while directly sitting on the floor because she was a traditional Japanese-style person. Her examples were awfully digital for a shrine maiden, but that may have been because the insufficient infrastructure of rural villages led people to rely more on online shopping and flat-fee video streaming sites that were uniform across the country. The other shrine maiden, Higan, was still hiding behind her twins back. Her fear of the Queen was not going to disappear overnight. The White Queen put a hand on her hip and answered. It may be more like a translation or interpretation. Interpretation? Brown-skinned and bandaged Sekurtiti frowned while standing and leaning back against a cupboard with a glass door. The twintailed girl nodded. Wisdom is a being who gathers all words. When speaking with another Unexplored-class, it is easier to have Wisdom provide a translation of what they mean than to try to read the emotions from their face. Kyousuke felt like he was figuring something out here. Even if the White Queen had been in contact with one million Unexplored-classes, she would only have really been speaking with Wisdom. Like a mother bird flying around in the dangerous outside world to bring food back to the baby bird in the safe nest. And there was more information that bothered Kyousuke. When I lost, the Colorless Little Girl would have left Aoi and returned to the other world, right? he said. And now Sinceria, Olivia, Renge, and Higan have seen Shiroyama Natsuginu. In other words, my mom who should be dead. It is highly suspicious that she came back from the dead without warning like this. Its a little worrying that we only have the Rainy Girl as a source, but it seems she has talent as a vessel. What if Kyousukes mother really did have excellent talent as a vessel? Wouldnt that change the meaning of what happened in the past? Doctor S had maintained control of that small house by controlling the supply of insect vessels using silkworms, which had been worshiped as a beneficial bug. No matter how powerful Kyousuke and his sister were as summoners, they could not rebel against him when he controlled all the vessels. But what if their mother had been a vessel capable of fighting? If she had escaped Doctor Ss bonds and helped out those young children, that tragedy might never have occurred, they might have easily defeated their father, and the story might have ended with the good rewarded and the evil punished. And in fact, Kyousukes mother and sister had secretly protected him during all that abuse. They had retrieved the treasures Doctor S had thrown out as unnecessary and hid them above the ceiling. So. When Doctor S started that incident by shooting his own wife, it was not because he thought nothing of her. He had feared her from the bottom of his heart. In that final stage, he was pitting Kyousuke and his sister against each other in a fight to the death, but he would have been destroyed had that woman chosen to act as a mother more than a wife and had protected her young children. (He feared his wife and his children. He made sure he looked like a researcher who had it all, but he was such a pitiful man.) Doctor S had only been reaping what he sowed, but Kyousuke could only feel pity. He felt no anger when thinking back on that tragic past. He had always thought a lack of desire for revenge was only found in dramas and movies written by people who disliked killing, but here he had found someone so utterly hopeless that he could not even work up those negative emotions about him. There was no point in discussing a man as small as Doctor S any longer. What mattered was Kyousukes mother, the vessel whose very presence had filled that mans heart with fear. Like with the Rainy Girl, it is possible to use the logic of the Summoning Ceremony to resurrect the dead. It requires a singularity on the level of the White Queen, but it is possible. Resurrecting the dead. That was one of the oldest topics of discussion and it was just like Shiroyama Kyousuke to not simply write it off as impossible. And this was not just a theory for him; he had actually pulled it off with the Rainy Girl. You said Wisdom is a word specialist, right? he said. That seems suspiciously similar to the entire Summoning Ceremony system. At this point, there is no way to know which came first. Maybe what Doctor S developed in 1999 was no more than a small piece of Wisdom. And if it is not that simple, the similarity may have caused some kind of crossed wires somewhere. Glasses Knight Rachel, who stood at the ready, was correct. And To reiterate, I saved a girl during my fight against an organization that started with Killer Intent Antenna. And it required rewriting history. Do you think Wisdom would be able to use that same method to overturn my moms death? Wisdom herself cannot leave the other world, but that does not mean she has no influence in this world. You should know that well enough after everything I did to you, brother. This was strange. The White Queen was speculating and discussing possibilities instead of just stating facts. That said, she is only omniscient. She only has all her intellectual knowledge and no direct power. Or perhaps some of my power has been stolen from me even as I discuss this here. What do you mean? asked Kyousuke. The Queen herself looked like she was slowly getting her bearings while inside a bewildering forest. Wisdom limited what she told me to narrow my view of the world. Or she did until I met you and began moving between worlds myself. Wisdom had chewed up all the letters and words before taking them to the baby birds mouth and she had used her lullaby to guide even the baby birds dreams in the direction she wanted. Like a kind older sister who was overprotective to the point of smothering her younger sister. I wonder if Wisdom was originally meant as a safety system to control me and prevent me from going berserk, much like the rest of the Unexplored-class was meant to do. And just like Doctor S successfully used the Summoning Ceremony to draw out some portion of a Materials power, a word-based safety system like Wisdom might be able to extract my power. Of course, it would have to be a small enough amount that I did not notice. The White Queen was positing a theory. It might be as close to the truth as possible, but she had no proof. But just like the big bang theory, this might be a question that would never have a proven answer. If this Wisdom being is in a position to hold the omniscience that matches your omnipotence, it is possible. And its also possible she could forcibly resurrect a third party to use as a pawn. The Colorless Little Girl disappeared into the ether and now my vessel mom has unnaturally appeared. The logic is not all that complicated if we assume Wisdom is controlling both of them. Um. The modified China dress beauty looked puzzled while leaning back into the white liger next to Aika. Lu Niang Lan did not seem to understand. This Wisdom is a safety system, right? Then why is she trying to make Kyousuke-chan suffer? She may not actually be focused on brother. The White Queen slowly let out a sigh. I had been partially summoned to this world before that incident, but that was the first time I came here of my own free will. Since Wisdom was limiting my view of the world through what she told me, wouldnt it have looked like I was going over her head and accessing all that information without her permission? If Wisdom wants to control me, shutting everything down for the time being would make sense. And I mean shutting down this world, not me. Also, summoning is only possible because there are two worlds, added Kyousuke. If only one of them remains, I guess theres nothing we can do, huh? Wisdom sees this world as the alternate world, so she would have no real reason to protect it. The Queen made it sound like she had nothing to do with it. And since she had not intentionally done anything this time, that may have been accurate. Wisdom was the overprotective big sister trying to set up strict filtering on the home computer. And when that did not work, she started thinking about removing the internet connection from the house. Of the three girls in old-fashioned shrine maiden outfits, the one with long silver hair breathed a soft sigh. So wouldnt this Wisdom entity be really interested in targeting the boys life? I mean, there is no one else the Queen can rely on without worrying about breaking them with her charisma. Black-haired Renge belatedly started panicking because she too was a Joruri Method, but blonde Higan only tilted her head curiously. Renge apparently did not want her twin sister to see that worlds oldest version, but it was unlikely the secret would be revealed here. To be honest, Higan could be a little too polite. Wisdoms mentality may have been similar. She wanted to externally control everything her beloved someone saw, everything they heard, and every word that entered their mind. Everyone in charge of protecting someone would feel that desire to filter things out, but it only remained adorable for Renge because she always failed when she tried. But if you took it far enough, it was like imprisoning that person behind invisible walls. The person kept inside that cage would not be thankful. And during that discussion asked Shigara Masami with ponytail swaying. Waitress Demon Biondetta poured Shigara Masami some more of a cold carbonated beverage (because the woman would reach for something alcoholic if she did not) and continued the conversation. Wouldnt that explain exactly why she wants an avatar to act in her stead? Hence the special vessel. She had acquired what she needed to make the Colorless Little Girl her pawn. Kingdom Fs Queen Sinceria placed a hand on her slender chin while her butt squished a balance ball that Aika had barely touched since buying it. I am glad that strange being did not target Via, but since my Via was snubbed, should we assume Kyousukes mother has even greater precision as a vessel than we do? Do not be ridiculous. No vessel alive is more skilled than you! Rachel, I appreciate the thought, but try to remember what we are talking about. Wisdom pulled this vessel back from beyond the veil of death, so there is no point in discussing the rankings of vessels who are alive. Kyousukes mother must be enough of a vessel to make that worth it. Not to mention that Doctor S had chosen her as a wife. Kyousuke should have considered it more rationally. That research-obsessed man had thrown out all his morals and even experimented on his blood-related son, so would he really have invited a normal person into his family? After all, that was his one and only wife and it was obvious that Doctor S would not use looks, personality, educational history, or income to determine someones value. Olivia and Sinceria could almost perfectly control a Material, even from the Unexplored-class. Since they could lock onto and precision target the Silhouette weak point, their strength could not be measured using the normal Cost and Sound Range values. Yet they had been snubbed, as Kingdom Fs queen had put it. Then how much control did Kyousukes mother have over Materials for her to be chosen? Would she be able to fully control the Colorless Little Girl while entirely ignoring the Materials mind and soul? Striped bikini Aika spoke up while leaning back against the curled-up white liger. What are you going to do, Onii-chan? It imagine it would be impossible to track down where my mom and sister are as they wander this world. Since my mom has returned from the dead like the Rainy Girl did, she should be able to do the same things that girl can. He made this clear. He would admit when he was at a disadvantage. That was always this boys stance when faced with a seemingly impossible task. He would clearly define the invisible hurdles standing before him and make the preparations needed to clear them. But we do know what Wisdom is thinking, dont we? She wants to destroy this world so she can limit what the Queen sees. And the biggest obstacle to that would be me, since I was the starting point for all this. If thats all shes thinking about, then its simple, isnt it? The final battle will begin no matter what we do, so the real question is where we will start it. Also. Kyousuke did not really have anything to gain here. If he did lose, he would be killed while defenseless in that mindless state. But what would he gain if he won? The Colorless Little Girl would return to the other world and nothing they did to Shiroyama Natsuginu would harm Wisdom who was controlling that vessel remotely. It was terribly unfair, but Wisdom only saw Kyousuke as a security hole in her filtering system. She wanted to fill in that hole however she could, so why would she set up the rules to give him an advantage? Her job was to control the White Queen. She had created a safety system by reshaping the words the White Queen was given into a convenient form that narrowed and limited the Queens view of the world. She would do anything to maintain that system. And preserving this world was not a requirement for managing the Queen. The White Queen had always relied on Wisdom and asked for words and information like a baby bird opening its mouth to ask for food. Although it was unclear if Wisdom wanted to control her like a pet or protect her like a little sister. So. If they wanted to fight her, they could not just follow the rules she had set up. They had to add in their own rules. (Houbi Village and Quad Motors are the hints I need. Although this hinges on how quickly Azalea can respond to my request from Devils Island.) I wont let this keep happening. We might be up against my mom and my sister here, but I will fight them both and bring this to an end. And if Im gambling with my life here, I need to make sure Wisdom is risking something of equal value. I wont let her go at this with unlimited continues and zero risk. He would end this. He would settle everything that had begun so long ago. And to do that How does this sound as an idea? Part 12 They had settled on a general plan. But there was one thing Shiroyama Kyousuke had not told the others. And he did not necessarily have a logical reason for that. He was a summoner, but he was also a teenage high school boy. Now that he had freed himself from the bonds of the White Queen, he would not always make the most logical and efficient decision even if it meant selling off his heart and soul. He was embarrassed. He was embarrassed to violate the principles he had proclaimed so confidently in the past. Queen. What is it, brother? In one of the many guest rooms of Aikas apartment, the White Queen smiled and poured a glass of ice-cold mineral water from the pitcher on the bedside table. He took the glass and got to the point. Despite what I said in front of everyone, I want to get out as much of the pus as I can when we do this. What I am about to request will probably only get in the way of simply winning, so you can refuse if you dont think its doable. Brother. The twintailed girl put her hands on her hips. But she looked more troubled than angry. Do you want me to scold you or comfort you? Tell me and I will do it. Im not really sure myself. He smiled bitterly. This was different from asking for advice to receive support for the choice he had already made. This really would put everyone at risk for his own personal reasons. He had the idea in his head, but he was not sure if it was the right thing to do. But the White Queen shrugged. Brother, who are you fighting for here? ? Is it for the human race or for the world? No, Wisdom is using your dead mother to acquire the Colorless Little Girl. That is not such a largescale issue. This is an extremely small-scale and personal fight, but that is why you cannot back down. So shouldnt you make any decision based on what you claim your goal is here? This is all meaningless if you hold back for the human race or the worlds sake and end up winning an unsatisfying victory. He knew he was indulging in her kindness, but he decided to continue along that line of thought. It bothers me that Wisdom brought back my mom now of all times. Does it? I dont know what she can do as a vessel, but surely there are better ones if you search all of the living and the dead throughout history. If historical prestige means anything, Kingdom Fs very first ruler would be a good example. Yet Wisdom chose my mom. She chose someone who would remind us of our failure that placed those initial cracks between us. And Wisdom intends to wield the Colorless Little Girl. Queen, that is the sister that you killed. Shes doing this on purpose. Shes highlighting our mistake and criticizing your actions by drawing a clear line between the mother who can be brought back and the sister who cant. Shes saying you did something irreversible, so trying to reconcile is meaningless. But if she can lock you down under her rules again, then no one else will die, so she is asking me to hand you over so you will never dirty your hands again. The Summoning Ceremony required intense use of the body and the mind. The concentration it required was far greater than a game of shogi or chess and the physical stamina it required was far greater than a game of soccer or basketball. Even if they knew this was psychological warfare similar to heckling, it could still affect the White Queens condition during the battle itself. I intend to accept what I have done wrong, said the Queen. I have done more than enough to warrant criticism, but that criticism should not come from Wisdom who has only observed everything from the other world. That isnt good enough. Responding at all is what she wants. She literally is Wisdom, right? Shell use whatever tricks it takes to bring you down psychologically. And in ways that wont be bearable even if you know what shes trying to do. Then what should we do? Surely you arent saying we should ignore your sisters death and just move on. Thats exactly what Im saying. The White Queen gasped at Kyousukes response. Alice (with) Rabbit never could have spoken those words. If my sisters death only functions to shackle me, then Ill remove it. I wont let Wisdom manipulate us after she intentionally set it up so you would press the wrong button. And that means we have to do something about that factor. Are you serious? She was trembling. As if to say she was not happy about being defended like this. Youre going to overturn someones death!? Youre going to cancel out my crime!? Sealing away the truth wont save anyone and it wont help us!! We wont even be able to fight Wisdom because youll be crushed under the weight of what youve done!! Yeah, I know. The time had come to violate his past principles. The time had come to choose one and abandon the other. So Shiroyama Kyousuke spoke while prepared to carry the weight of his mistakes. I want to save the Colorless Little Girlno, I want to save my dead sister. Just like the Rainy Girl and my mom. The White Queen looked even more flabbergasted as she listened to this. But, um In the past, I stopped Benikomichi Fuuki of Killer Intent Antenna. I know its ridiculous for me to mock the idea of a deathless world then and rely on resurrecting the dead now, but I have to change my views on this! Do you understand what you are saying? This is not like the Rainy Girl or your mother. That girlyour sister was the victim of my very first murder. And when I have directly killed someone, there is no saving them even if you travel back in time or to a parallel world. Isnt that the absolute and inviolable rule!? Is it, though? Those were the magic words. Yes, after constantly facing the most powerful enemy out there, Shiroyama Kyousuke would not stop just because something was impossible. He had developed the strength to question any claims of impossibility. Which was why he could speak these words without hesitation. What if there was a loophole in the rules weve believed in this whole time? Queen, are you prepared to face this? Im not talking about a cruel reality or a nightmarish defeat. Are you prepared throw out your principles while laughing your head off and reach for the kind of happy ending that looks so unnatural, contrived, and convenient that it makes people want to vomit? What if that initial murder had never happened? What if nothing had happened in that small house ruled by Doctor S? What if it had ended happily? What if the boy and the girl had met in an ordinary way with nothing tragic occurring? The White Queen bit her lip. It sounded like a dream come true. However, it was such a silly idea that speaking it aloud could easily be taken as a sign of weakness. But. Even so. That was a different possible world that would have happened if not for Wisdoms intervention. And. And. And. I am not going to ask you to help me again, brother. She slowly looked up, forced back the tears, and let those words out from between her lovely lips. But not as a rejection. So let us go help her together. Let us save the soul of that girl who did nothing wrong but was plunged into the depths of the underworld for our mistakes!! It was an utterly impossible dream. But that did not matter to them. The boy and the girl exchanged a handshake as equals. They had decided on the true win condition. Between the Lines 3 Words were everything for Wisdom. The thought of skin-to-skin contact disgusted her. (md) The words flowed out. She could not stop hose words filled with dark emotions. (wb - ao - xf - oo - kd - iu - jrb) Wisdom had always specialized in words and the White Queen had always relied on her. Whenever the Queen spoke with or about anything, Wisdom was always there to break everything down and relay the words to the White Queen. Just like the mother bird flying around the dangerous outside world and bringing food back to the baby bird in the safe nest. From the opposite perspective, it was like a little sister clinging to her older sisters skirt and hiding behind her. As an older sister, she wanted to sing a lullaby that would give her little sister sweet dreams. She did not care if it was considered overprotective. The White Queen was too powerful, so Wisdom simply wanted to give her a safe and comfortable environment to live in. One that would never, ever break down. So Wisdom had covered all points of contact and the White Queen had not actually spoken with anyone else. That was their relationship. That should have been enough. She had decided to give the White Queen anything she wanted. While being very careful that what she was given did not pose a choking hazard. But perhaps that had been a mistake. Wisdom regretted listening to the White Queens selfish demands. She should not have shown her the outside world. Words that did not first pass through her were poison. And it was Wisdoms own overprotectiveness that had left the White Queen too inexperienced to handle it all. What is that? Wisdom still remembered that question. And she remembered going against her own nature as Wisdom by providing false words in response. When the White Queen had viewed that world and all its conflicting interests and desires, she had not been looking to Wisdom. Only then had Wisdom seen her in profile. And in the end, the White Queen had not been satisfied with words alone. She had not accepted simply spying on that world. She had needlessly responded to the summoning, started moving between the two worlds, and tossed Wisdom into a corner of their world like a discarded toy. Omniscience and omnipotence. It was blatantly obvious which one would win in a struggle of strength. There was nothing intellectual Wisdom could do while stuck in their world. But. What had the Queen acquired from that? She had been harmed, she had wept, she had been used, and she had been lifted up as a ruler she did not want to be. If she had never contacted anyone else in the first place and had continued hiding behind Wisdoms back, she never would have been exposed to that unnecessary suffering or used in various plans. And the humans were a problem too. It made no difference whether they were throwing mudballs or gold coins at her. The White Queen was already perfect, so adding anything else could only harm her. Why did they not understand something so simple? Their words harmed the White Queen. What was that Summoning Ceremony nonsense? Anyone would cower down if people started angrily shouting their name for no reason. They would be emotionally shaken. It was laughable to think of that as successfully making contact. If she only wanted to speak with them, why didnt the Queen realize it was many times more efficient to do it through Wisdom? If she let Wisdom take charge, the words of the worlds people would have the edges rounded off and smoothed down and the surfaces polished so none if it would hurt her. Wisdom hated being omniscient. She was aware that part of her wanted to gloat when she saw the White Queen crying or entering a fit of rage. But that was exactly the point. She wanted to remain someone who loved the White Queen. She wanted to stay in that position. She wanted to play the glad game. She wanted to see the White Queens obedient side again before she truly started to hate her. That way she could bring her feelings back to where they had been. That way the part of her that wanted to protect the White Queen would not become something else entirely. The White Queen could be controlled. Attempting it by brute force was meaningless. Then you would only be defeated and dragged around like the many other Unexplored-classes had been. Using strength to oppose the omnipotent Queen was meaningless. It may have been Wisdoms realization of that which had earned her that title. So she thought about it differently. To construct a safety system for the White Queen, you had to know what desires would appear within her and then control them. And Wisdom could do that. All she had to do was use her words to narrow the Queens view. She had to do it. It was the only option. Wisdom was like a big sister and she knew she should never bring harm to the Queen who was like a little sister to her. And yet the omniscient might just kill the omnipotent. She might get carried away and overturn the usual way of things. No matter what kind of trickery it required. Facts: -The grudge between Kyousuke and the Queen has been resolved. -The Rainy Girl, aka Umie Shouko, diverged outside of history when her death was overturned. As a result, she can independently use paranormal powers without relying on Materials or the Blood-Sign system. -The true villain was Wisdom, a being who had continually given the White Queen advice in the other world. -Wisdom resurrected Kyousukes mother, Natsuginu, a vessel capable of even greater precision control than Olivia, in order to take control of the Colorless Little Girl. Her goal is to create a perfect safety system she can use to control the White Queen. For that reason, Kyousuke is a hindrance since he gives the Queen freedom. -To the White Queen, Wisdom was no more than an inorganic search engine or interpreter app. -Doctor Ss greatest fear was that his wife would choose her identity as a mother and side with their young children. That small house had not been an absolute dead end and it could have ended with the good rewarded and the evil punished had some decisions been made slightly differently. -Now, go rescue the Colorless Little Girl who is actually the murdered little sister. Only then will that boy and girl really and truly have earned the right to walk side by side. Volume 10, Stage 04: Unexplored Summon://Blood-Sign Volume 10, Stage 04: Unexplored Summon://Blood-Sign No. Queen, you still cannot win like this. No matter what. (Stage 04 Open 08/25 23:30) Unexplored Summon://Blood-Sign Part 1 Midnight was fast approaching. Nevertheless, Toy Dream 35 bustled with activity even in the oppressive heat. After all, summer break had arrived for the amusement park city. Roller coasters rose and fell through the gaps between buildings, the lights on a giant Ferris wheel kept the time like a clock face, and delighted screams echoed from the freefall ride attached to the broadcast tower sticking above the other buildings. A glance directly down would have shown people crowding the bridges as well. A parade of floats was in progress. Families were out during the day and lovers during the night. Toy Dream 35s attractions never slept; they only showed a different side of themselves. And within all that If he was being honest, Shiroyama Kyousuke did not know where his mother Natsuginu or the Colorless Little Girl would attack while under Wisdoms control. But knowing that Wisdom was specifically trying to harm him changed his plans considerably. He could not predict when or where a battle would begin or who would be caught in the crossfire, so he could no longer visit the school pool for fun. He chose as deserted a place as he could find and waited there. That would reduce the possibility of anyone else being harmed once the battle did begin. Not that this will help all that much, whispered a silver-twintailed girl leaning against the complex arrangement of steel beams supporting the back of a sign. They were on the roof of a relatively tall building in the blind spot behind that giant LCD sign, but the brightly lit attractions were still not far away. She lightly kicked at a reinforced plastic container sitting next to her (although it was only the size of a cooler needing both hands to carry). It is fortunate Azalea Magentarain was more obedient than expected. And that she has access to such an excellent transport system. We have the age of Repliglass to thank for the air delivery to take less than half a day. Kyousuke crouched down and performed some kind of work while listening to her. He was lighting some special incense he had spent a small fortune to buy from Incense Expert Ellie Slide. It had not been packed into a grenade, but that allowed the smoke to last longer. A brass censer might sound fancy, but the basic idea was the same as the old-fashioned porcelain pigs used to keep mosquitos away. Death wafted up into the air. The stench of death had been artificially reproduced with a delicate arrangement of incense. According to Ellie Slide, spraying the correct substance on the burning incense could adjust the number of days after death the stench replicated, but he did not need that kind of precision now. It smelled like rotting fruit with a hint of sweetness mixed in. The smell must have attracted the bugs gathered around the light of the giant LCD screen because a few of them approached. They looked powerless, but they must have been the kinds of bugs that gathered around human corpses. The lovers enjoying the thrill rides so close by would have no idea Kyousuke was doing this here in the dark. The hint had come from the stench that lingered in Meinokawa Renge and Higans noses. The girl lightly clenched her battle costume in both hands, perhaps out of concern the stench would mix with the nights sweltering air and get on her clothes. Honestly You have no right to criticize my interests after this, brother. This is necessary. Wisdoms goal was to have the White Queen all to herself. The global issues did not matter to her. That was why she was bringing those past deaths to the battlefield to shake and fracture the bonds between Kyousuke and the Queen. The combination of his mother and sister would never happen by pure coincidence. To repeat, he did not know when or where the attack would happen. So he would take matters into his own hands. By emphasizing the elements of death, he could increase the odds of this deathly enemy appearing. The school during the day and the school at night were the same physical location, but which one saw more evil spirits? Instead of just waiting, he wanted to prepare a time and conditions favorable for this enemy to change the encounter rate. What if they do not show up? Then we keep doing it until they do. Theres nothing else we can do. The death incense was only a booster. That meant they could not use it as a starter. Ellie Slide had not trusted the American dollar because of something or other about the latest counterfeiting prevention tech it used, so he had paid her in old coins that could be exchanged in ticket shops. She had said the following while counting up those coins: Your target is wandering around, right? First, figure out the rules behind that. When they smell an abnormally concentrated death smell, does it draw them in or push them away? Once you know that, the rest is like using the north or south pole of a magnet. You can set up the censers to guide the target magnet wherever you want. That means you can start the battle at the location of your choosing. Listen, you arent getting an immediate effect where burning the incense guarantees the ghost appears. Its all in how you use it. To be clear, Im not going to give you any further help if you come crying to me about how it didnt work right away. Basically, the incense could spiritually disturb an empty location to move the haunted location where the ghost would appear. Kyousuke breathed a soft sigh. So its all about figuring out the statistics. The world isnt going to end tonight if we dont settle this and our odds of a hit will increase each time we do it. Just like the odds in a game of Russian roulette change with each shot taken. Eventually is good enough. I just care about starting the battle somewhere that wont get other people involved. Yes. Kyousuke had compared it to Russian roulette. Which meant the odds of this happening were not zero. It all vanished. The amusement park city was flooded with light and sound even in the middle of the night, but all noise, all human presence, and all signs of life vanished. It was like the depths of a secluded cave. The incredible stillness was reminiscent of thick bedrock and they felt a strange pressure that made them want to scream and run around. They became less aware of the oppressive heat and the bugs drawn in by the death stench had disappeared at some point. It was like the harbinger of a great disaster. The silver-twintailed girl stepped away from the steel beam. Looks like we got it in one. This had of course been possible from a probability standpoint. It would mean a sudden end to your game of Russian roulette, but now that it had happened, they had to respond. Luckily, Kyousuke had done this because he wanted to clash with the strongest assassin being controlled by Wisdom. He heard footsteps. But from where? A single figure stood at the center of the large square rooftop. The boy and girl who had fought so many deadly battles in the past could not even tell when this person had appeared there. But they doubted she had arrived through the door leading to the elevator or emergency stairs. It was like Shiroyama Natsuginu had been summoned here regardless of coordinate. She gave the opposite impression of the silver-twintailed girl. The figure standing with her back to the attractions beyond the railing was a reserved adult woman who would have easily blended into the city. She was a parent, but she had to still be in her twenties. Her chestnut hair was tied back behind her head and she wore a blouse and a skirt that reached her calves. She also wore a housework apron on top of that. She may have been intentionally restraining her true abilities. She may have wanted to protect something badly enough to do that. Kyousuke was taller than her now. The boy silently narrowed his eyes and spoke. Mom. I am aware my presence here is out of the ordinary. She did not directly respond. And that may have been for the best. Butbut now that I am here, I am breathing and my heart is beating. That alone is gradually distorting history. That means I do not need to worry about how little or how much I change. My very presence brings change, so I will do this. Kyousuke. It is true that man killed me. But the person who killed my daughter is right there. If the result had been overturned in the same way as with the Rainy Girl, then his mother was not a ghost; she really was alive. But the circumstances were different for their other family member, his little sister. However, Shiroyama Kyousuke did not think making a plea to emotion was going to change anything here. If the world was that simple and as beautiful as a diamond made only out of carbon, then the tragedy in that small house ruled by Doctor S never would have happened. Even when you found something you wished to protect even if it meant placing your own wellbeing second, there were times when reality would not allow you to reach out and save them. If she tells me to kill her murderer, then that is what I will do. She must have been the type to go with the flow. Or maybe she had been afraid of change. In a way, that may have been one requirement for adulthood. At the very least, she had been unable to involve the entire world in a battle for her own powerful emotions and pride like Kyousuke and the Queen had. And that was why Doctor S and Wisdom had been able to take advantage of her soul. Even though she might just have enough power to change the world and protect everything. But that isnt what she longed for. It was always protecting Nii-sama. Even after she was killed, thats all she ever asked for. So what else can I do? I was a failure of a mother who couldnt give her anything, so I can at least do this for her now!! No, mom. Her shouted words were like a thunderclap, but Shiroyama Kyousuke gently shook his head. He too had tried that and failed. He had seen that as the only solution to the fundamental mistake the White Queen had made, so he had been unable to elevate himself to the level of trying to correct her instead. We didnt want a father who shouted angrily at us or a mother who praised us unconditionally. We wanted adults who would scold us when wed done something wrong and guide us in the right direction. If wed only had that, we never would have lost our way. He had to show her. He had to teach her. He had to use to use the hands that carried the same blood as her to let her know that choices were not something you left up to someone else; they were something you made yourself. And this was not about the gods and heroes of some distant world. He wanted to let her know that the people breathing the same air in that small house could have done that too. And it was not too late to change things. He would show that it could be helped. He would not let anything throw his one and only little sister into the great pit of the dead because that story was supposedly already over. He would bring happiness to them all. He would give this a happy ending. Thats nonsense, mom. That small house had become a stifling prison, but he would not let anyone put on a pitying smile and claim that meant there had been no hope or possibility there!! Youre doing this for my sister? No, youre just giving up. Youre only thinking about maximizing cost-effectiveness and stepping down at a convenient place. No one will ever get what they really want that way! Doing things half-assed never saves anyone!! Shiroyama Kyousuke pulled out a metal cylinder the size of a hairspray can and pulled the pin with his teeth. He tossed it onto the building rooftop and pulled his commercial Blood-Sign from the back of his hoodie. This was the worlds smallest battle. It was a family quarrel. But some days, he was willing to risk his life for something like that. Now he just had to raise his voice. Queen, help me out. Lets settle this here!! You can try, but I will show you the power of a mothers convictions after she failed to protect anything, Kyousuke!! As expected, Wisdom herself did not make an appearance. Kyousukes mother was only a vessel, so could she summon the Colorless Little Girl inside herself without using the White Thorns and Petals? A moment later, something happened before the Incense Grenade could detonate, setting up the 20m cube of the Artificial Sacred Ground. Yes, brother. As you wish. The strongest Unexplored-class dropped straight toward Shiroyama Natsuginus head like a white bolt of lightning. Specifically, this was the real Queen who had been waiting on top of the giant LCD sign. His mother clenched her teeth and gave a shout. Wipe thatsmug look off your face, murderer!! With an explosive noise, gray dust filled the air. The concrete must have been somewhat destroyed. But since the Queens full power was enough to manipulate the sun to turn a portion of the moon to glass just for fun, this was a miniscule change. Although that only proved she had made sure as much of the blow as possible had burst within the targets body instead of escaping elsewhere. But then who was the silver-twintailed girl who had been standing next to Kyousuke in the fancy battle costume this whole time? First of all, Shiroyama Kyousuke was a summoner who wielded a Blood-Sign. He could not summon a Material without a vessel. You get ready too, Aoi. Youre my trump card. Argh, I thought I was just humoring the Queen with one of her pranks, so I never thought I would end up with such a crucial role!! The girl loudly complained while removing her hair clips to regain her long straight hair. Yes. The girl next to Kyousuke was Meinokawa Aoi, his contracted vessel. The Incense Grenade finally detonated and the Artificial Sacred Ground appeared. That was enough for Kyousuke to grimace. The dust had obscured his vision, but the Artificial Sacred Ground itself would capture the enemy and preserve a location for them to fight. Not yet A resentful voice reached him from beyond that filthy veil of dust. But her true grudge may not have been with Kyousuke or the Queen. This is not over yet. I can at least grant her wish to be useful for her Nii-sama!! A gust of wind spiraled around. The gray dust was blown away and a white glow flew toward them. She did not pathetically roll along the roof or anything like that. She elegantly landed lightly on her feet. But fully blocking an attack from the White Queen and getting her to fall back was an extraordinary feat. It has begun, brother. Yes, I know. Shiroyama Natsuginu was plain, reserved, and had tried to protect her family even if it meant restraining herself, but she had failed to draw out her courage in the very end. She was a woman drowning in regret. [Nii-sama.> But she was nowhere to be seen. She had transformed. Into something hopelessly dangerous and psychedelic. [Nii-sama] She appeared to be about 10. Her translucent body was covered by something like a one-piece swimsuit or leotard and a clione-like light throbbed rhythmically in the center of her chest. She had long straight hair with bangs that hid her eyes and points on either side of the head that resembled cat ears. Weapons surrounded her hips like a skirt and twelve giant old tomes were arranged around her back like an angels wings or a clock face. She was known as the Colorless Little Girl. That Queen killer Unexplored-class contained the young life a certain woman had failed to protect. [When Im reborn, then Ill take your side, Nii-sama. I will always, always, always take your side and fight the White Queen for you.> This power was specifically designed to kill her daughters killer. Summoning her to this world may have been that mothers form of atonement. Yes, if that is what you want, then I will do whatever it takes to give concrete power to your wishes! Even if it means destroying the world or contradicting myself!! Two voices mixed together. The vessels own voice forced its way out against the Materials will. This may have been a glimpse of the talent that surpassed even Olivia and Sinceria. If so, it was very sad. She really had chosen the wrong time to show her courage. Hers may have been a life of constantly failing to reach out a helping hand in time and being crushed by the guilt and regret after the fact. But Ill break that chain here. The boy spun his long Blood-Sign into a fighting stance. I too lived a life of failure and disgrace. But my defeats were after I made an attempt! When you lose like that, you can use it to reach your next opportunity. It might be painful, miserable, agonizing, and frustrating, but you can convert all that into the strength to move on!! Ill teach you that here, mom. You might think you were cleverly backing down before making a serious mistake, but youre just lying to yourself. You never had to stifle yourself. So Ill teach you how its done! Ill show you how to reach for what you really want even when youre battered and bleeding!! Shiroyama Kyousuke and the White Queen. The strongest summoner and Material held hands and faced the symbol of their failure and defeat. They intently focused their minds on what hung in the balance. No one was talking about a largescale battle or global stakes. Ohhhhhh!! Give up, Kyousuke. This is no longer about logic and I dont care if I contradict myself. You should be standing by her side, not the White Queens!! This was about something much more important. If those two lovers could not save his family here, they would never make any progress. Part 2 With a pleasant clack, Kyousukes White Thorn shattered the three-dimensional Rose. The many red glowing Petals scattered every which way. They were on the roof of an ordinary building. In truth, once the White Queen and the Colorless Little Girl were clashing, building up another Material did not really matter. No matter what he summoned from the Regulation, Divine, or Unexplored-classes, the Materials attacks could not influence the battle. If thats what youre thinking, then youre wrong, mom. ? The Colorless Little Girls small hand pulled a longish spear from the many weapons spread around her like a skirt. Her aim was difficult to predict since there was no emotion in her gaze, but what Kyousukes side had to do remained the same. Move out front, Queen! Dont let the Colorless Little Girl crush you until Ive finished building up my Material!! You got it, brother!! (She is the Queen killer, a special Unexplored-class I built myself.) The Colorless Little Girl licked her lips. That translucent Unexplored-class had never done anything like that before. Are you bluffing to rattle us? You move out front, Kyousuke. If you dont, the Queen will die. [Dont let her get to you, boy! Staying calm is the best way to support the Queen!!> Normally, the Material would be ruled by its fighting instincts and would join the battle even if the vessel tried to stop it. It was only the White Queens pressure preventing that now. He was still only letting her protect him. He clenched his teeth and moved his Blood-Sign more accurately than ever before. (That means she might not be able to withstand an attack from an Unexplored-class other than the White Queen. And that would be really useful now that I screwed up and lost control of her! Thats why she cant completely ignore the other Unexplored-classes even though shes stronger than the White Queen!!) That also meant he had no chance if he only relied on the Queen to the end. That was hardly surprising when he had designed the Colorless Little Girl as a Queen killer. In a simple battle between the White Queen and the Colorless Little Girl, it would end just like a predator devouring its prey in the natural world. He could not let the apparent stability confuse him. He needed to deliver the final blow. There was no winning this if he did not sharpen the scorpions tail as the summoner. The vessel inside the Original Red (b) slime spoke directly in his mind. [Hurry it up, boy!! We have to at least get past the Divine-class to stand a chance!!> I know that! More importantly, restrain its fighting instincts as much as you can, Aoi! Making an attack too early would be suicide!! The pleasant clacking sounds continued. A Blood-Sign hit a White Thorn, which hit the red glowing Petals and knocked them into the Spots open in the air. However, this did not come from Shiroyama Kyousuke. The girl of about 10 mechanically opened her lovely lips while sliding her hand along the spear shaft she held. And a mixture of two voices left those lips. Middle #934 (k - nn - td - fh). [Understood, mother.> [What!? The Material is using the Blood-Sign itself!?> Calm down, Aoi. Whatever might be theoretically possible, this wont be all that strategically valuable in practice!! The Little Girl skillfully manipulated her spear in one hand while the other hand pulled out a hatchet and aimed for the White Queens neck. But whether or not it scored a direct hit did not matter. There was a sound like a giant balloon popping and a massive electric attack burst out in a fan shape. It was a lot like a point-blank range shotgun blast that used high-voltage electricity. !? Those silver twintails flipped around. A few pieces of white cloth spread out like wings and fluttered in the wind. The bluish-white electricity caught the edges of those and scorched them black, but the Queen herself was fine. She had perfectly slipped through the gaps of the mesh-shaped attack. It was the building rooftop that did not survive. Two or three floors gave out in quick succession and the Artificial Sacred Ground changed location each time. It was more like being caught several times in a row than it was like falling. Once they finally came to a stop, they were standing in the toy section of a dark department store. Luckily, it was after hours. In the darkness and with the rubble surrounding them, the Toy Dream mascots looked like creepy monsters instead of products meant to produce smiles. There was a light in the darkness. This light was not the Petals or White Thorns floating in the air. The light calmly flashed at the center of the Colorless Little Girls chest. She did not bother taking care of her hatchet. Instead of pulling it back, she loosened her grip to throw it while her empty hand returned to her skirt. Her spinning spearno, her Blood-Sign struck another White Thorn. Now do High #61 (s - st - ag). [I will do it repeatedly.> A blood-red whip sliced through the air and accumulated sound within itself. It was guaranteed to do damage if it hit and a miss would double its force. No matter what happened, it benefited the Colorless Little Girl, so the small girl obeyed the instructions while moving as if dancing with a ribbon. The shelves and the register counter were knocked over. But Kyousuke continued building up his Material all the while. And he observed the situation at the same time. Theyre focused on a representation of sound and number. Since that usage is specialized for the abbreviated number, the focus is on how many Petals they use, so they should not interfere much in our general gathering of letters. We have to let the Queen bear with it for now, but this will not affect our speed. [You seem to be ignoring the key point here. She can fight and build herself up on her own, so no one can control her. This is less like a summoning and more like a god descending to go on a rampage!> This had not happened when the Colorless Little Girl was fighting as an individual. Did this show just how powerful Wisdom was? Or Curse my mom. Come to think of it, she would have had a close-up view of Doctor Ss original research when he completed the format back in 1999. But would those observations really be enough to pull this off? If so, does she have specialized summoner skills on top of the ability to fully control the Material like Olivia can? [How many levels beyond the rest of us is your mother!? And I thought I was special as a fully artificial vessel!!> She did not need to let it take control of her. That vessel could control the Material and fight as a summoner. That might sound frightening, but this really just meant she was fighting on the same field as Kyousuke. Since she was gathering Petals based on sound and number, it was incredibly easy to predict what she would target with her White Thorns. She may have had been unbelievable precision as a vessel, but she was still his mother. She had not focused everything on being a summoner like Doctor S or Kyousuke had. She could not reach the same heights while trying to master both. Middle (k)- Not good enough. [Mother, that is an error.> She fell out of her tempo. Kyousukes White Thorn bounced off the Artificial Sacred Grounds wall and knocked the Colorless Little Girls White Thorn off course from an acute angle. And this was more than just interference. He also used this hit to knock the Petals he wanted into the Spots. They were inside an ordinary department store, but he did not need to be in a grand temple or cathedral to deliver a finishing blow to that extraordinary Unexplored-class. Or more specifically Taboo 3: A White Thorn remaining on the field must not enter a Spot while you have no White Thorns in stock. [Nii-sama.> Which one of you was that? My sister, or my mom pretending to be young again? Kyousuke!! Oh, now that was mom. If youre just going to swing that Blood-Sign around blindly, I dont even need to build up my Material. I can put you in checkmate right here and now!! The Queen killer Unexplored-classs eyes clearly shifted from the twintailed girl to the boy. He was not talking about whether or not defeating the Colorless Little Girl with the Summoning Ceremonys penalty was realistic. As long as he highlighted the risk, they would have to respond to it. He had been given this chance from the moment they used the human rules of the Blood-Sign system. This was not nonhuman Wisdom or the Colorless Little Girl trampling on the rules with some hopeless divine punishment or calamity. The key person here was Kyousukes mother. This was a battle between humans using the human rules. [Hey, we still havent left the Regulation-class. One attack from the Little Girl will obliterate me!!> I know that, but the Queen isnt going to last on her own. Draw their attention and dodge their attacks. We can reach the next stage as long as we keep them from focusing on the Queen! [That is easier said than done! The Queens presence might be restraining the Material some, but do you have any idea how hard it is to hold the reins of these things!?> Here they come. The Colorless Little Girl pulled a boomerang from the many weapons spread around her like a skirt. The mothers words left the daughters mouth. I will support you, so do what it is you want to do! Do not hold back!! As soon as she threw it, a tornado had already developed. The giant blender of violent winds and vacuum directly attacked the White Queen while throwing out additional sparks. The color changed in the blink of an eye and it transformed into an orange pillar of fire. It rose to the higher floors and covered everything from the ceiling to the toy section here. The tornados destructive power tore away the outer walls and pillars that had just barely managed to survive until now. This floor was essentially the roof of the building now. This was the most violent of methods, like tearing off the roof of a car to make it a convertible. And. The stone flung up by the eruption built up plenty of energy in their descent from the sky and struck with more speed than a bullet. It was like the fire arrows raining down upon a castle. There were hundreds of them, thousands of them, or even more. They glowed like heated metal as they fell toward Kyousuke and his Materials heads. But Kyousuke actually laughed. Thats pretty lazy on the aiming there. Theyre attacking over a general area because they dont have time to aim carefully. [That doesnt make it any easier to dodge!!> He had no choice but to use his protective circle to defend Aoi. The Queen and Kyousuke. The mother and Little Girl could not decide which to attack, so their attacks lost their shine. The edges of the White Queens fancy ribbons had torn a bit, but she did not seem harmed herself. And as long as this situation was allowed to continue, Kyousuke could bring his Material to ever-greater heights. He now had a sexy woman with long silver hair and brown skin. Divine-class. Cost: 8. Sound Range: High. She was an Egyptian goddess whose name began with an N. Her name was the Greek form of Nebtho. As the sister of the victim Osiris and wife of the perpetrator Set, she was the goddess of purification and atonement whose tears had washed away the sin of god-slaying. Ive reachedthe gods. This is where it really begins, Aoi! [ - - -!?> She flinched. He heard some kind of voice, but his mind could not convert it properly. The Colorless Little Girl held one hand out toward them with the other still holding the Blood-Sign spear. Lets do this. [Nii-sama, you are in the way.> And then it happened. Buzz!! It sounded like an old cathode ray tube being turned on. The scenery had already blurred. They now stood on the decoratively-lit rails supporting the course of a roller coaster that passed between Toy Dream 35s buildings. They ignored gravity by standing straight out from the side. It did not matter how far away it was. As long as he was defended by the protective circle, the Summoning Ceremony battle could continue even if they were touching the sun or a blackhole. A few centimeters and a hundred light years were essentially the same. The White Queen clicked her tongue and looked around. Is she teleporting around so you miss your shots, brother!? She had used this to his advantage when fighting the White Queen before. The terrain had been shifted after the fact to transform even the laziest shot into the perfect shot. But this used it against him. Even when he carefully calculated out the course and focused on every little thing, she would shake the table and ruin it all. However Not a problem. Kyousuke did not look worried. I came up with this strategy and I was the one instructing her. Colorless Little Girl, I perfectly understand your idiosyncrasies This tugging at the tablecloth doesnt matter when I can predict the magnitude of the effect in advance! His sister fell silent and his mother continued speaking through her mouth. Honestly, a brilliant son is a real pain when he makes himself your enemy!! Was that a compliment? Why? I am saying the apple doesnt fall far from the tree. You are a lot like that man! I see. Thanks for historys most effective psychological attack. Im seriously about to puke!! The young hand extended toward him again. There was a hint of anger in her eyes and her puffed-out cheeks, but did that emotion belong to his sister or to his mother who could not keep up as a summoner? Vessel and summoner. It was the same as how the lyricist and composer would use slightly but definitely different parts of their brains when writing the same song. Buzz!! Now they were on a twisting waterslide that connected a building rooftop to an illuminated night pool. Specifically, they were standing on the underside. Having them hanging there like bats may have been meant to disturb Kyousukes senses and get him to miss a shot. But it changed nothing. The more effort the Colorless Little Girl or Kyousukes mother spent on these tricks, the more he could build up his Material in peace. He had already explained the logic behind that. How!? Is it that surprising? Training is built on a foundation of dissatisfaction and longing. Someone as multitalented as you by default wouldnt understand the fear of having nothing left if this is taken from you!! Only after feeling that fear and insufficiency can you train your body to the point of destroying yourself!! You had to focus on a single thing to truly shine. You could not master two things at once. And given Kyousukes accuracy as a summoner, his shots would not lose their edge even if he was moved to a freefall gondola or the edge of a bungee jump platform. Now it was one of the complexly structured supports for a Ferris wheel. Shiroyama Kyousuke and the Colorless Little Girl jumped down and readied their Blood-Signs like normal. Cost: 19. Sound Range: Middle. Given time, this was bound to happen. This was not a true battle where the White Thorns crashed together to interfere with each other in the fight over the Petals. Kyousuke effectively had control of where almost all the Petals went, so he built up his Material in no time. With 10 minutes to work with, he could just barely reach it. Come forth, member of the Unexplored-class - Lady of Purple Lightning that Separates Good from Evil (iu - ao - eu - ei - kub - miq - a - ci - pl). A light sound followed. A sickly woman with only some purple cloth to cover her nudity was seated in a rickety old wheelchair. The sound came from the center of her chest. She had been pierced through by a dart casually tossed by the Colorless Little Girl. She really was the Queen killer. Shiroyama Kyousuke had overcome countless difficulties to create this bizarre Unexplored-class from the ground up. Too weak. His mothers words rang cold while she stood upside-down on the underside of the waterslide like a bat. From the tip of the needle to the fletching, that dull-colored weapon was made from a heavy metal even denser than tungsten steel. The Lady of Purple Lightning specialized in long-distance beam attacks, so this attack challenged her in her own field. It was like an armor-piercing round from a tanks gun. Even the smallest hole would have been fatal, but the dark red damage spread as if the wound was peeling back. The Unexplored-classes were all shaped much like human girls and their Silhouette weak point tended to be located in their heart. [Kah!?> A gasping and dumbfounded noise reached Kyousuke from his vessel, Meinokawa Aoi. Their defeat was guaranteed now. Once Kyousuke and Aoi were rendered motionless, it would become a pure battle between the White Queen and the Colorless Little Girl. Then it was no more than predator vs. prey in the natural world. Even if the White Queen was the strongest, she was no match for the Colorless Little Girl who had been specifically designed as a Queen killer. Is that how you thought this would work, mom? What!? Kyousuke shouted a single word just before his supposedly guaranteed defeat arrived. Switch!! Part 3 Hadnt Shigara Masami said those two had hacked the Summoning Ceremony? This was never going to end as a normal battle. And nothing said the Colorless Little Girl was the only one who could cheat like that. Freedom Award 3000 had said it was both of them. And since the Colorless Little Girl had in fact been created by Kyousuke, it was best to think of all the cheating as coming back to him. He would win this battle. He would win so everyone could survive with a smile on their face. And there was one rule he had to break in order to do that. (10 minutes.) Time felt like it had stopped as Kyousuke blatantly clenched his teeth on the underside of the waterslide leading to an illuminated rooftop night pool. Yes. He had always expected Meinokawa Aoi to be defeated. (I can only just barely reach the Unexplored-class in 10 minutes, so that isnt enough. The only way to win this is to reach that point and then start switching between Materials so I can challenge the Colorless Little Girl with everything Ive got!!) So he would break that rule. He would not let the match end in ten minutes. And without receiving a penalty. If his Material was fatally wounded, he would break free of them instead of accepting the loss. He would switch to a different vessel and continue the battle right where he had left off, with all the Petals he had earned intact. It was unprecedented, but it was not impossible. Shigara Masami, who had taken one step into the Divine-class, had brushed off the shock of seeing the death of the god she believed in after her Material was destroyed. She had said the shock was not that much when she too was at the level of a god. Kyousuke was still human, so he could not take it that far. He could not do it by brute force, so some trickery was called for. In other words Aoi, do it nowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!! A pleasant bursting sound rang out. The Lady of Purple Lightning vanished into thin air. She had had a fist-sized hole in her chest, but this was not how a defeated Material would disappear. Vessel Meinokawa Aoi had used her clockwork arms to pull off her own head. Wha-!? Shiroyama Natsuginu may not have ever seen anything like this before. But it had happened in Houbi Village. When Aoi had been targeted, she had removed her head from her body to sidestep the rules of the Summoning Ceremony. At the time, the Blood-Sign system as a whole had failed to find an answer for whether the center of the vessels body (and thus where the Material should reside) was the brain or the heart, so it had crashed and the Artificial Sacred Ground had burst. Gah!! Her voice reached Kyousuke physically now. Aois body was flung from the Artificial Sacred Ground for breaking the rules. But the outcome was still undecided for a brief moment here. Kyousuke puled a small knife from his pocket, shallowly cut his thumb, and swung his arm horizontally to scatter drops of blood outwards. It really did only take the span of a breath. The special vocalization method he used was a technique of an age before the Blood-Sign system back when the gods were left in charge of the paranormal. I bind this covenant of blood in the name of The Spirit of Fluttering Yellow Gills that Rules the Heavens (s - a - so - v o z - t i x - e i - y w - z a), one of the Three which manage and guide the summoning ceremony. You are of human flesh with a proper heart and soul, yet from this moment onward, you shall be a limited vessel that can hold all things. You shall be a lord of emptiness that uses the power filling you to at times bend the laws of this world. So I shall prepare this vessel. I am a summoner, unable to leave the world of man, yet a symbol of haughty intellect that uses power from beyond the world of man to guide the world of man to the next age!! This had not been coordinated in advance. Kyousuke was not alone. He had simply had vessels waiting at suspicious points around Toy Dream 35. Vessels without a contract could not remember him any more than ordinary people, but that was not the case when they had a professional summoner within eyeshot. So in this case Murasame Kuina!! Youre up!! [God, really!? But now I dont owe you anything for saving Sayuri!!> She had been waiting in one of the cars of the Ferris wheel located right alongside the water slide. She had stuck her tongue out of the open window and caught Kyousukes blood in her mouth. That passed the baton to her. The nearly-dead Lady of Purple Lightning moved to the stable human vessel and Kyousuke used his Blood-Sign to acquire many more Petals. This Material might be fatally wounded, but he could cancel that out by switching to another Unexplored-class. Unexplored-class. Cost: 18. Sound Range: Low. The Bizarre Gray Mollusk Who Swims the Starry Ocean (en - a - hf - ei - ja - o - cd - to - jok). Her upper body was that of a shamelessly nude girl, but from the hips down, she was a giant octopus with 8 legs glowing a dull gray. Those legs extended, struck, tangled, and constricted. She was an expert in punches, strangleholds, pins, and all forms of close-quarters combat. Tch!! Kyousukes mother clicked her tongue just as the Little Girl let fly a few hatchets. She may have been trying to kill the Material instantly like with the dart before, but the same technique would not work again. !! An ordinary vessel like Murasame Kuina had far less precise control over the Materials movements than Sinceria or Olivia. Even with the Queens pressure keeping it from moving out ahead, Kyousuke would have to get in the way with his protective circle if it came to it. The hatchets missed and sliced through the water slide they were standing on. Their next footing was the support pillars for the entire Ferris wheel, which were a mountain of steel beams arranged something like a jungle gym or bicycle spokes. Meinokawa Aoi fell limply from the Ferris wheel support and into the ocean below, but all Kyousuke could do for her was break off one of the glow-in-the-dark lights, get it flashing, and toss it after her to mark her location. Aika and Lu Niang Lan had snuck Government and Illegal troops around the city, so he could only pray they would collect her. [The Unexplored-class and your vessels are disposable to you? Youre so damn wasteful!> Sorry, Kuina, but our enemy isnt going to wait around!! Kyousuke had only heard of this in a different history, but the Illegal summoner contracted with Benikomichi Fuuki had apparently switched between partners to fit the needs of the battle, like he was using a golf set. Kuina probably would not last long either. And he already had a countermeasure ready for that. [No fair, Nii-sama.> Dont pout your lips over something so trivial, my bratty little sister. The 10 minute limit had been reset. And as powerful as the Colorless Little Girl is, shes only designed to kill the White Queen. Kh!! Are you suggesting she cant ignore the damage if the other ordinary Unexplored-classes get a hit in on her!? The Little Girl was an abnormal being that did not exist in the natural world. The Unexplored-classes were the very laws of the other world and their power was meant to be wielded to maintain balance, so their attacks would likely affect her. He no longer had to hang back while the White Queen fought. He no longer had to let her protect him. Grarr!! Grarr!! With bestial roars, the White Queen and the Gray Mollusk crossed paths from the right and left while charging in toward the Colorless Little Girl. And they did so while jumping between the jungle gym arrangement of pillars supporting the Ferris wheel. The Artificial Sacred Ground was generally a 20m cube. So with each steel beam destroyed, the entire Artificial Sacred Ground shifted over. The Ferris wheels weight was distributed over a great many steel beams that intersected in a complex pattern, so it would not immediately collapse when a few of its supports were cut through. Where to? Where to next? Where can I jump to protect her? The Little Girls side seemed to be realizing the teleportation interference was not working. But they could not shake the temptation of shifting the field to escape the immediate damage. Natsuginu was desperate to protect her child. That would be why she caught on so quickly. In the brightly lit city of Toy Dream 35, a modified China dress beauty and a white liger were waiting on a giant bridge and the roof of a relatively short building. They were vessels. Moving to any of those areas would only give Kyousuke more power. It likely still was not possible for him, but she could not ignore the fact that she had seen Kyousukes vessel shift from Meinokawa Aoi to Murasame Kuina. In that case!! Buzz!! They were somewhere indoors. It was a hemispherical underwater tunnel made of clear acrylic. A giant manta slowly passed by over their heads. This was the Poolarium, a combination of a pool and an aquarium. As soon as his feet contacted the cold floor, a rumbling shook Kyousukes eardrums. The Colorless Little Girl had used the slight shift in position to easily dodge the White Queens fingers and land a cross-counter. Got her!! [No, mother. Not yet.> With a click of her tongue, some of the White Queens clothing was blasted backwards like she was brushing the powder snow off the fur covering her shoulders. She had gathered the impact there and had the clothing destroy itself in her place. Her soft skin was exposed to the air, but she did not seem to care about how much she had left in stock. Also. The White Queens slender arms were a far greater trump card than any other weapon. Diealready!! Her right hand flew toward her rude opponent as a slap. The rumbling attack did not slice whitely through space itself or gather the air around her, so it was meant to stun rather than kill. Whether it hit or was blocked, its point was to hold her opponent in place for a moment. She could deal with them as she pleased afterwards. However. The Colorless Little Girl let one of her giant tomes devour the bookmark she held. The end of the world that burst out of the book consumed the stunning wind. And that attack was not aimed directly at the White Queen. It was a surprise feint, like a soccer player looking the other way before making a pass. It instead crushed the Gray Mollusk who contained Kuina. The attack was green, pink, black, and orange. It was a torrent of killer mold that had gained the ultimate resistance after exposure to so many pesticides. They were somewhat lucky this was an airtight tunnel made of thick acrylic. You idiot! shouted the White Queen. As much as I hate it, arent you supposed to be using that to fight for brother!? But the twintailed-girl may have made a mistake by focusing elsewhere no matter how briefly. One of the 12 books behind the Colorless Little Girl opened like a great maw and directly bit at the White Queen. It was like a giant shark swallowing its prey whole. Mary!? Damn! Kuina, lets deal with this one thing at a time!! Whats your situation!? [Gbh!! Promise me you wont make Sayuri do anything like this!!> A mechanical sound burst throughout the entire underwater tunnel. The Colorless Little Girl pouted her lips. [Nii-sama is up to something again.> He can only have so many tricks. We just have to push through by force!! Shiroyama Natsuginu was not exactly wrong. Murasame Kuina was only human, so she could not pull off her head like Aoi could. But if the logic existed, there was a way of using it. It was time to show off the skill of Azalea Magentarain, who had stolen the Joruri Text from Houbi Village and tried to create a Queen lookalike out of Repliglass. That weapon designer, who supported the global arms manufacturer of Quad Motors, had said the following over an online channel while wearing a swimsuit and lounging in a beach chair. If what you saw is accurate, the Blood-Sign system rules can be confused by the location and number of primary organs, right? In that case, we should be able to intentionally trigger a malfunction in the rules by introducing some mechanical products. And so Murasame Kuina held a fist-sized mass to her stomach. It was an artificial heart made using silicon stem cells. Activating that was enough to cause some confusion similar to when Meinokawa Aoi had removed her head from her body. Kyousuke did not have time for any extraneous emotions here. He was using an oversight in the official rules. It was as crude a method as hacking into a target at the moment the area recovered from a widescale blackout. If he missed this momentary opportunity, this tightrope walk would come to an end. (This is Coordinate F-93. That means!!) Himekawa Mika, switch!! It happened too late. Buzz!! There was a roar. They were thrown to the side of the freefall tower as if by teleportation. But the Little Girl could not keep up. Kyousuke had already switched to another vessel. So [Please dont forget that you promised to give me a nice long chat with the real sensei. And not during a crisis like this.> The vessel who looked identical to the ponytailed researcher took over the contract and summoned a different Unexplored-class. Unexplored-class. Cost: 18. Sound Range: Middle. The Dry Grass Colored Dancer who Returns Twice the Roaring Flames (zb - ei - sd - wp - e - be - xu - a - kk - pl). However, she could not just focus on what was in front of her. A dull thud exploded out. An attack from the side had struck the Colorless Little Girl in her young temple. It had come from outside the 20m cube of the Artificial Sacred Ground. Two people were glaring her way from the large balcony sticking out from a building there. No, it was a beer garden after hours. One was Biondetta. The other was Shigara Masami, who looked just like Himekawa Mika. Materials could not leave the Artificial Sacred Ground, but their projectile attacks like javelins or lightning strikes were not bound by that. So. If someone else had set up a different Artificial Sacred Ground and fought each other to build up their Materials, they could then make a surprise sniper attack using an Unexplored-class. In this case, Unexplored-class. Cost: 14. Sound Range: High. The Gold Harlot who Serves the Killer Boxes (hs - a - te - ei - yw - az - a - hq). She was a blonde woman in a skimpy dress that was adorned with so many jewels it actually looked cheap. She and the treasure chests and moneybags at her feet normally functioned as a single giant trap, but she was not going to just wait around because her opponent did not approach her. The golden woman standing in the beer garden used her bare feet to kick the many dangerous treasures like soccer balls to fire them as projectiles that pierced right through the mobile home style kitchen area like it was made of cardboard. The corner on the bottom of a heavy treasure chest had struck the Colorless Little Girl in the temple. Argh. Ive been acting as your bait this whole time to build up your Material, so make yourself useful, Freedom Award 3000!! [Of course, Detta-chan. That was one clean hit!! Time for some more!!> [Nii-sama!?> But Shigara Masami was not the only one capable of making these long-range attacks. If the Colorless Little Girl pulled a hunting rifle from the weapons surrounding her like a skirt, she might blow that group away along with the very space around them. But Kyousuke would not allow it. Mika!! [Thats Mika-san, you damn kid!!> Now it was the Dry Grass Colored Dancer from the same Artificial Sacred Ground who stepped forward. Shiroyama Natsuginu muttered to herself with her daughter residing in her body. I cant let her be under attack from close and long range at the same time. We need to move elsewhere. Buzz!! They were on some buildings rooftop again. But this one appeared to be a launch pad for filming drones. Special authorization symbols were written on the floor. The design was similar to helipads, but they were a lot smaller and it looked like a honeycomb pattern. And the battle was still underway. Kyousukes mother seemed to fear Shigara Masamis sniping, but that distracted her from Kyousuke and Mikas Material right in front of her. He used this chance to charge forward. The Colorless Little Girl could kill her enemy with a full-power clean hit, but that would not end the battle. When an Unexplored-class charged forward while canceling out the damage and ignoring the knockback, she could not prevent it from getting close. [Nii-sama!!> She was not about to use ordinary methods at this point. The Little Girl slashed her large bookmark directly at the Dry Grass Colored Dancers neck like it was a sword and swung around a giant old tome like it was a drawing board. The Dry Grass Colored Dancer dodged that attack just once before being annihilated. She was all about counterattacks. Every step in her alluring dance sent out dried grass and flowers that ignited from the friction and swallowed up the Colorless Little Girl like a great deluge. Kyousukeeee!! In that moment, his mother rose to the surface over his sister. It was hard to say how they were experiencing this, but it was possible Natsuginu was facing the actual realistic problem more than his sister who was solely focused on protecting her brother. An internal explosion sent flames bursting from the Little Girl. But someone else chose exactly that moment to send a slender arm toward her from a different angle. Their fingers slashed rather than struck and the old tome the Little Girl used to shield herself was shredded like soft underwear. In that case First the slender arm and then the White Queen herself burst from within. I did not even need to build up the power to shred you from the inside out. What a waste of time!! When she shook herself like a wet cat, fist-sized balls of pink or green fluff splattered across the rooftop drone launch pad. Those things looked fancy, but this was no laughing matter when you remembered they were masses of world-destroying mold. The White Queen could apparently take some of the damage done to her and place it on the Sword of Truth battle costume instead, but the chest and hips of that costume were falling apart. It barely looked like actual clothing anymore. [Im sorry, but I cant manage another attack!!> Understood. Sekurtiti, switch!! Unexplored-class. Cost: 21. Sound Range: Middle. The Ashen Shrine Maiden who Invites Merciful and Dignified Death (em - ao - lev - ck - rol - ei - vb - yu - a - ps). That petrification expert perfectly combined flowing feminine curves and the cold hardness of rock. She launched harmful curses using countless methods: her nails, her fangs, her gaze, her hair, her scream, etc. [Do not think about preserving me. I will throw everything into a single attack. Think of me as expendable!!> Sorry about this!! Youre up next, Isabelle!! Get ready!! Unexplored-class. Cost: 17. Sound Range: High. The Liquefying Predator who Covers All With Rainbow Colors (hb - e - wuz - vc - a - weq - ei - lvz). A dull but loud thud followed. She was a liquid woman who glowed like a rainbow. From head to toe, she was actually a special digestive fluid. But before Isabelle could launch her first attack, the Colorless Little Girls attack pierced the center of her chest. And it seriously was done with a giant drill. [What!? You promised you would take super-sized good care of me> He had to harden his heart. It pained him so much he felt like he was going to cough up blood as he raised his voice again. Meinokawa Higan, switch!! There was definite fear and panic coming from the Little Girl. There was no end to it. This was starting to rattle even that abnormal Unexplored-class. Buzz!! It must have been a split-second decision. The scenery jumped. They were now on a reverse bungee launch pad in Toy Dream 35. In other words, they were at the edge of the grounds to a certain high school supported by a giant float. If the summoner was separated from the waiting vessels, he could no longer cycle through new contracts. That logic was sound. But he had efficiently distributed the vessel girls around Toy Dream 35. That meant he had not had enough people to leave more than one in a single location. Once he played the card he had, it was over. So I was bluffing. What, no! Mom, it seems youre not very good at that side of things. Im glad I finally found a cute flaw in you. I imagine this is how a guy as awful as dad caught you. Will it be Sinceria next? Or maybe Librarian-chan? I dont care where you try to run, but dont forget I have vessels everywhere!! Meinokawa Higan had not been there. If the Little Girl and his mother had not panicked and had stayed on the rooftop drone launch pad, he could not have passed the baton to another vessel. The Colorless Little Girl had unnecessarily guided him to his next supply. So he could reach them. He could pass the baton of possible victory to the next vessel. Olivia Highland, switch!! [Okay, Onii-chan. Its the stars time to shine!!> Unexplored-class. Cost: 20. Sound Range: Low. The Red-Eyed Lady who Sees Through all Sin and Calamity (fa - ao - ab - ei - fj - cib - b - du - a - eif). A red female oni had two horns parting the bangs of her long black hair. She was alluringly dressed in a combination of a kimono left open and a one-piece swimsuit, her eyes were gently shut, and she kept a calm and graceful expression on her face. The many gears behind her represented the worlds destiny. She was the ruler of prophesies of unparalleled accuracy and it was rumored the opening of her eyes would not just see the future but determine it. Kyousuke had pulled off a result beyond what simple skill could have accomplished. This was a school. His young sister had never been old enough to attend one of those and she spoke in a frail voice now. [Nii-sama.> Then I will not even bother trying to think this out, Kyousuke. If thinking means falling for bluffs, then I will simply crush you by brute force!! In order to push away the enemy right in front of her, the Colorless Little Girl had a long bookmark eaten by a book behind her. But the Red Lady parted her alluring red lips with her eyes still shut. She whispered in a voice other than Olivias. Her words were an accurate prophecy. [Queen, swing your left hand horizontally. That will overturn this.> With the dry sound of bursting air, the giant tome prepared to spew out an end of the world in a muddy torrent, but the prophecy came true before it could. It was overturned in the air, altering its aim. [Ah.> The Colorless Little Girls jaw dropped. A gross sound reminiscent of sewage flowing back up the drain reverberated across the nighttime school and that apocalypse attacked its own master. It was the endless mountain of trash that could have piled up and piled up and piled up until it buried everything and brought an end to the human race. It sprayed out like water pressurized to the point of gaining a cutting edge and it slammed into that young body. Finally, they got a clean hit on her. We can win this! roared the White Queen. The Little Girl could not get away from the Queen and the Unexplored-class approaching her. She was only a Queen killer, so she would be overwhelmed in a two-against-one rush. She could not change this without falling back and starting fresh, but she could not fall back until she changed this. She was trapped in a catch-22. Now we can win this!! The scales have tilted in our favor. Even if we cant get a critical hit in now, the Colorless Little Girl cant recover from this!! [No.> It was like a splash of cold water. The Red Ladys eyes had cracked open at some point. [Queen, you still cannot win like this. No matter what.> A moment later, a dangerous light filled the Colorless Little Girls eyes visible through the muddy torrent swallowing her up. This is not over yet. She spoke with a womans voice much too low to come from such a small girl. Yes. After a deep bursting sound, the speargun the Little Girl held pierced the White Queens chest. It was a clean hit. That muddy torrent had acted as a curtain and the relief of getting a hit in had created a psychological opening. The speargun was one of the many weapons surrounding her like a dress skirt. There were many types of spearguns, but this one was a rifle-style weapon made by taking a rubber band gun made with chopsticks, remaking it with a lightweight aluminum frame, and increasing the size and destructive power. But since this was one of the Colorless Little Girls weapons, it had to be more than just that. The trident it fired had to carry even more destructive power than that symbol of Poseidon would suggest. And unlike the ordinary Unexplored-classes that Kyousuke could switch between endlessly, there was just one of the White Queen. Since her strength never changed, she was always the strongest, but there were no surprises there either. Also, the Colorless Little Girl was a Queen killer. She might have some trouble with the other Unexplored-classes, but she could kill the White Queen instantly. Almost all of the White Queens clothing burst away with a sound like a balloon popping. But it was too little too late. The girls own body was pierced before the clothing could shoulder the damage. Although the Sword of Truth battle costumes crazy high specs could be seen in the fact that it prevented the attack from killing her instantly. Gh She coughed up blood. A metal spear thicker than her thumb had mercilessly pierced the Queen from front to back. The barb at the tip had sharply caught at her. The center of her chest was her Silhouette. The core supporting her presence in this world had been entirely destroyed. She could not last. She could not stay here. I am sorryghh. Brother. I cant-!! Shigara Masamis Box could only do so much to support her. Her silhouette blurred, she came apart into countless particles, and she vanished from the dark school. Part 4 Wisdom had never been interested in the outcome of that battle while she floated in the other world. She looked white because she had wanted to match the Queen. Because she did not want any distance between them when they were together. Instead of tying her long silver hair in twintails on the sides of her head, she tied them at the bottom of her head so they would not get in her way. She was not wearing any kind of clothing. Instead, she had cables wrapped around her body again and again like thick belts and those cables dragged around keypads, card readers, padlocks, magnetic lock keyholes, the glass panels for fingerprint reading, and eye-scanning scopes that resembled microscopes. She created a safety system. If the innocent baby bird harmed no one, there was no risk of anyone harming the innocent baby bird. If she only hid behind someones back and tugged at their skirt while peering out at the outside world, she could live a life free of earned troubles. That was the entire reason Wisdom existed. So there was only one answer. She would once more feed the White Queen the food of words. She would narrow the world she saw. She would free her from all advantage and harm to reset her outlook. Wisdom had caused this. Her overprotectiveness had left the White Queen too na?ve and then she had foolishly let her contact the outside world. So this time, she would lock everything down. She would keep her where she belonged. So Wisdom felt no guilt over what she was doing. Even if she had led the White Queen to kill young Kyousukes sister before his eyes and even if she was now killing the White Queen in that world to bring her back to this one. She wanted to scan all words and letters the White Queen would consume and sing a lullaby that would safely determine even what the White Queen dreamed of. She wanted to be the overprotective big sister. Even if it meant having that twintailed-girl temporarily dirty her hands and cry. She would apply as many locks as there were stars in the sky and thoroughly manage everything herself. What a pain. She heard an exasperated sigh. And with those words, the world expanded around her. By placing her feet down, the concept of land came into being and the endlessly expanse of the sky appeared as its opposite. The White Queen who Wields the Sword of Unsullied Truth (iu - nu - fb - a - wuh - ei -kx - eu - pl - vjz). Everything transformed around this girl whose silver twintails swayed, but this was not a privilege exclusive to the Queen. Unlike the human world, this world looked different to everyone who viewed it. For example, what heaven or hell looked like was not consistent between religions and mythologies. So if 100 people were standing here, 100 different worlds would exist around them. The Red Lady had her version of this world and the Wicked Green Lady had hers. They all wandered within their own viewpoint. They all existed in the same space, but they could never be connected. They could have anything they wanted, but they could never share it with anyone. It was like everyone was wearing VR goggles and playing their own individual games. The players did not care what things were like outside their goggles, so they would not even know they were in the same space unless they bumped into each other. Isnt that the kind of beings we are? The strength of our power isolates us, so when we cannot bare the loneliness any longer, we descend to the human world in search of someone. We long for the voices of all those people. You may not be able to do that, but trying to fulfill that desire in this world is still a problem. I have a world I can lose myself in, so please do not remove the goggles from my face. That had happened in the past. The other Unexplored-classes had so feared her power that they had worked together to attack her. That could be seen as pulling the goggles from her eyes while she played and starting a fistfight in this vast space. Of course, the Queen had been so angry she defeated every last one of them and ended up unifying the rules of the game for better or for worse. As a safety system, that was the height of folly. Why would you challenge the omnipotent White Queen using strength? In this world of isolation, the Queen had the exceptional power to connect each individuals world and intrude on them. That was why she could speak with the omniscient Wisdom now. Wisdom had long silver twintails similar yet different to the White Queens. That exceedingly odd Unexplored-classs radiant nudity was covered by belt-like cables and a variety of locks including keypads and padlocks, but not everyone could see her like that. --------- Wisdoms words compressed their data so much that they sounded like a combination of simple tones to ordinary people, so it would have been reminiscent of Morse code or a fax signal. But if you forcibly replayed the memory in slow motion and broke it down, it became this: rx - ht - iu - nu - fb - a - wuh - ei - kx - eu - pl - vjz. qe - i - rx - weq - qo - a - lm - u - rx - iu - wi? weq - a - bh - rg - i - jd - ou - pms - u - eu - lw - vg - mpe - iu. But trying to transcribe it all would be an endless task. At any rate. Seeing someone elses silhouette was enough of a miracle in this world. But the White Queen could see her face and hear her voice. She could gaze upon the radiant and nearly nude body of Wisdom. That may have been why she was known as the omnipotence to match Wisdoms omniscience. The White Queen herself sounded exasperated. Did you hope that killing me and closing me up in this world would allow you to feed me your words once more and get me to rest my head and sleep on your lap like you are my big sister or something? ------- That is nothing to be embarrassed about, but it is annoying. Also, that will not be happening. Brothers fight is not yet over. Wisdom seemed confused by the White Queens confident tone. She tilted her head and her silver twintails shook somewhat. Wisdom honestly had no interested in the human world. If Shiroyama Kyousuke seduced the Queen and took her beyond Wisdoms reach in that world, then she would do everything she could to stop it, but none of it mattered once the Queen was back here. Because no matter how much Kyousuke struggled and no matter what the result of his battle against the Colorless Little Girl, he could never take back the White Queen. Wisdom no longer cared about the Colorless Little Girl or Kyousukes mother for the same reason. Nothing that happened in the human world could reach them here now. No one could contact the White Queen anymore. Wisdom would apply as many locks as there were stars in the sky so no one elses words would ring in her ears again. She would scan and break down all letters and words given to her. Her lullaby would even control the dreams that girl had when she shut her eyes. The worship of the humans in their world and the fear of the beings in this world were no longer necessary. Wisdom would interfere with the White Queen and keep away anyone who would harm that ignorant girl. However. The White Queen smiled and said more. By the way, why do you think I returned to this world? ----- It was not to open my mouth like a baby bird so you could feed me your words. Why would you think that, you imbecile? She really was exasperated now. The White Queen was passionate enough to lose control. And Wisdom had to know that since she felt the need to apply locks to keep her safe. If Wisdom had not known that from the beginning, she never would have used her bluffing skills on her. It is true brother and the others in the human world cannot reach this world no matter how hard they try. They can summon things from here, but they cannot come here themselves. The one exception is earning 1000 Awards and becoming a resident of this world, but brother has not reached that level. The Red Lady had prophesied that they could never defeat Wisdom. But so what? The Queen was not going to back down because of a prophecy made in the miniscule framework of a silly fight in the human world. She winked and raised a finger. But what if someone helps him from this side? Ever heard of someone being spirited away by a god? If someone on this side acts as a powerful anchor, it is entirely possible for a human to intrude on this territory while supported by their own lifeline. Even the sturdiest castle gate is useless if someone opens it from the inside. It had to be possible. Summoning was a technique to travel between worlds. And who had ever said it only worked in the one direction? If there was a way to summon residents of this world to the human world, it was only logical for there to be a way to summon residents of the human world to this world. Something fell to the ground with a heavy thud. It was decorated with something like pure white ribbons or wings. No, it was long hair much like the White Queens but not worn in twintails. This was an artificial object made of an entirely different substance. It was the head of the artificial vessel named Meinokawa Aoi. Aoi had supposedly left the stage after removing her head back in the early stages of the battle. But what if a team made up of Sinceria and Rachel had collected it and passed it around to the different vessels so it was ultimately returned to the Artificial Sacred Ground and secretly given the White Queen? I cant believe this. How did I end up being the first and the last trump card in this fight? Although I suppose this is better than living in a wasteful society of single-use products. And. If the vessel to contain a Material was here You did this yourself, didnt you? You had the Colorless Little Girl wield a Blood-Sign to gather the Petals. With a swishing sound, the White Queen was suddenly holding a long stick just like her beloved always did. Shi - Ro - Ya - Ma - Kyo - U - Su - Ke. Hee hee. Looking at it like this, spelling out his name character by character is kind of embarrassing. ------!? The twintailed girl smiled and dropped something else at her feet. On that signal, history was forever changed. It was a metal cylinder the size of a hair spray can, but it did not contain the same substance as Kyousukes. It was brother who prepared for all this from the beginning The grenade burst and a certain boy crossed the boundaries between worlds to appear there. Part 5 Everything had changed. Kyousuke had no idea what kind of world it really was, but for a human like him who could not contact it properly, it was a horribly empty space. It was endlessly vast, but had nothing in it. It was a flat surface covered in evenly-spaced intersecting lines like graph paper. A greenscreen studio taking up an entire planet may have been the closest comparison. The world changed depending on your viewpoint, so daily training was important. That was a Buddhist philosophy, but this was probably different from what Buddhism meant. There was a roar of wind. A slap from an Unexplored-class could easily take off a human head. But that was no what happened. In fact, Kyousuke did nothing at all, yet Wisdoms raised hand was deflected and she staggered back a few steps. She gnashed her teeth in an expression of rage. Her anger went full circle and brought tears to her eyes. Her long silver hair swam through the air. She was no more than a girl with cables wrapped like belts around her radiant nudity. The clattering sound when she moved came from the keypads, padlocks, and other locks that checked the palmprint or iris of the eye. She must have never expected anyone but the White Queen to see her because she belatedly bent over and tried to cover her chest and hips with her hands. Having her soft skin so casually seen was like having your love letter made public when it was meant for just one person in the whole world. There was thorough anger and embarrassment on her face. -----!! ----!? ----. ----------------. --------. ----! ------------!! ----. --------!! ----. ------------!? ------------!! ------------!!!??? Wisdom sent out a frightening amount of information. Direct physical strength was not the only cause of death. A normal persons brain might have been destroyed. But Kyousuke did not die. The White Queen softly wrapped her slender arms around his head, held it to her chest, and eliminated all that excess noise. He knew what Wisdom was trying to say. This had always been the final hurdle since Wisdoms cruelty had become apparent. No matter what kind of compromise I make, it wont change the fact that the Queen killed my sister. So youre saying I should let you control her as a safety system? That was all he said. She might have used a sea of letters vast enough to drown an entire planet, but Kyousuke had no obligation to worry about Wisdoms feelings. He just had to quote mine as maliciously as an aggregation site and accept just the crux of the issue. Thats why Im here. To be honest, fighting my sister and mom in my world wasnt going to solve anything. Defeating both of them wasnt going to harm you in any way while you hide in this world. So Im not going to follow your rules. You set everything up to serve your own ends and even prepared an escape route to avoid any harm if you lost. So tell me this: what do we gain by accepting your cheap cowardly views? --------!! He was afflicted by a headache so intense he thought his skull was going to split open. Her twintails floated up like they were filling with static electricity. Ominous sparks flew from the keypads and padlocks covering her nudity. The White Queen held Kyousukes head all the tighter. She knew doing so would only enrage Wisdom further, so it felt like she was intentionally showing it off. I have two demands, said the summoner with his head held to that soft chest. First, the utter defeat of you, Wisdom, as the ultimate cause of all this. And second, saving my sister who you defined as unsavable. I will not back down on either of those. Wisdom was not even shouting anymore. His demands were so absurd that her mind may have gone blank. Even her expression had frozen in place. Kyousuke grinned as he continued. Only his voice echoed across that unique world with a graph paper grid. This isnt just a pipe dream. Its true there is no way of resurrecting someone directly killed by the White Queen even if you alter the laws of the world or travel back in time or to a parallel world. Thats the rule. But that rule only applies to the world I lived in. The rules in this world are different. It might be possible here to perform a ceremony to resurrect my dead sister!! Shiroyama Kyousuke alone could never have accomplished it. Nor could the White Queen alone. But they were not alone now. The time had come for human and Material to work together. This will remove the original grudge. This will save my sister the Queen killed. It would not bring back all the dead. For example, it would not bring back everyone who had died at the Queens Miniature Garden. But they could at least erase the first murder. They could eliminate the murder that the Queen had unintentionally committed as Wisdom whispered in her ear. And I have to thank you for one thing, Wisdom. Youre such a godawful Unexplored-class it makes me want to vomit, but you do have my gratitude for resurrecting my mom. Mock me and say I have a juvenile sister complex and Oedipus complex if you like. I have zero intention of ever reconciling with Doctor S, but now I have my whole family back ------------!! The solid barrier was going to crumble. Once that wall of guilt was gone, nothing would remain to restrain the White Queen. The entire concept of a safety system and locks would fall apart. As before, the entire world would drown in her charisma or throw stones at her out of a sense of justice. But now Wisdom could no longer intercept all those words, break them down into a convenient form, and provide that to the White Queen. Various items fell from Kyousukes hoodie, pants, and their pockets to reach the ground in that essentially empty world. Theses were impurities created in the human world. They crudely disturbed the precise and orderly image of this grid-covered world. Then Kyousuke breathed a soft sigh. So I really could bring my tools with me. Well, I was guessing as much since the Unexplored-classes dont appear naked when you summon them. My, my, brother. If that is what you are into, then should I wake you up like that tomorrow morning? He could build something if he had tools to work with. You must not forget. Azalea and Benikomichi Fuuki were not the only ones to break down the Blood-Sign system and construct a master plan. The person who had found success with the worlds greatest experiment was Shiroyama Kyousuke who carried Doctor Ss blood and had studied under Shigara Masami. Plus, no experiment had ever been on a larger scale than the creation of the Colorless Little Girl. It was not Pandemonium or the Founders Gallery that mattered. Shiroyama Kyousukes presence was all that was needed to create a fearsome laboratory. But what was this? Wisdom was filled with questions. She silently tilted her head. The apple spoken of in Norse mythology, the philosophers stone used for alchemy, the ambrosia of Greek mythology, the trip to the underworld attempted by Orpheus, the mummification process taken from Egyptian mythology, etc. She used every piece of knowledge she had before her intellectual work came to a sudden halt. Wisdom. Since you go by that name, surely you really do understand there is a loophole in the rules governing death. Thats why you so desperately wanted to hide it. To keep Mary from escaping you. !!!??? Part 6 And a miracle occurred. Part 7 It was likely already over at that point. The Colorless Little Girl would have vanished back in the human world. That unique Unexplored-classs core part had been removed. Because that girl no longer existed as a dead ghost. Shiroyama Natsuginu could not continue the fight all on her own. She may have been able to break the rules like the Rainy Girl, but this was a more fundamental issue. Now that her daughter had been saved, she had lost her justification to maintain her anger and grudge as a mother. She could only return from being an avenger to being an ordinary mother. Wisdom could not act as a safety system for the White Queen. She could not act as a contact point for all words and she could not unilaterally narrow the Queens view of the world. She had no interest in the world at large, so all her despair was probably focused on that one point. Her shoulders trembled in that world lined as accurately as graph paper. The keypads and palmprint pads clattered unnaturally as she shook. Omniscient Wisdom did not seem to have any direct power to fight. One instruction to the omnipotent White Queen would bring this to a swift end. Wisdom. The girls shoulders jumped at Kyousukes voice. She must have known that backing away now would accomplish nothing. When it came to pure physical strength, she was not just weaker than the other Unexplored-classes but weaker than the weakest Regulation-class. If Kyousuke threw a slap, it would be her who was knocked back. So. She could only accept his words. I promise you I will not let this end with the Fourth Summoning Ceremony. I only created that to settle things between the Queen and me, so it isnt necessary anymore. ----? Those words actually brought Wisdom to a stop. The look on her face said that even a collection of knowledge like her had not expected this. Kyousuke continued regardless. I will create the Fifth Summoning Ceremonyno, I will destroy the very framework of summoning and create a new age. Just like the age of the dinosaurs ended because the power of individuals was not enough to build up a civilization. It would take a single stab. That would end it all. He had to settle this. There was no changing that. I swear I will pass you the baton in the next age. I will tear down the boundary between the two worlds and eliminate the need for the inconvenient Blood-Sign system. So I wont doom you to an eternity of loneliness. Thats what Im trying to say. Brother I wont let you act as a safety device or an addition to the White Queen. You dont have to define yourself as no more than her pair. Wisdom, create your own life. You can meet the Queen again once you do that. The White Queen held out the object in her hands: a Blood-Sign. It was a powerless club against an Unexplored-class who could shrug off bullets and bombs, but things were different for Wisdom who lacked the direct ability to fight. Everyone made mistakes. If people were never given a second chance, then Kyousuke and the Queen would not been worthy of reaching for happiness. Wisdom had maliciously attacked young Kyousuke and his sister, but without that, he would have been killed without ever escaping Doctor Ss clutches. It was thanks to her that they had finally found victory here. So there was one more thing that needed saying. Wisdom. He did not expect an answer. That was fine. He would hear an answer someday even if he did not force one here. He was sure of it. So Shiroyama Kyousuke spoke while readying his Blood-Sign to end it all. No one needs to be the strongest. Lets meet again once the playing field has been leveled. Facts: - Shiroyama Kyousuke defeated Wisdom. - But he stayed true to the ideals of Alice (with) Rabbit to the end. - If he had stayed with the Fourth Summoning Ceremony, he could have acquired everything in both worlds, but he refused to settle things by abandoning a life and is instead advancing to an even higher stage. Kssshh ksh ksh ksssssshhhh!! Beeeeeeeeeeeeeep - An unexpected error has occurred. - The Fourth Summoning Ceremony will soon come to an end. Volume 10, Ending X-01: Who Sits in the Queen’s Throne? Volume 10, Ending X-01: Who Sits in the Queens Throne? Hi. The second term, huh? Give me a break. Why cant summer vacation last forever? (Ending X-01 Open 09/01 07:30) Who Sits in the Queens Throne? A monotone beeping repeated within a dimly-lit cruiser. A phones alarm was going off. But before sleepy Kyousuke could reach from the double bed to the bedside table, another small hand touched the 5-inch LCD screen. One fingertip stopped the alarm and then the arm flopped back down. It had come from below Kyousukes blanket. Someone else was lying across his body so they drew a cross together. What are you doing? He yawned and pulled up the blanket. A small girl who looked about 10 was lying face down across his stomach. Nii-sama, said the girl while ignoring the long hair covering her face. This was a physical voice, not one that rang directly in his mind. Her body was not translucent. She tossed and turned a lot more than he remembered. She had rolled all over the bed throughout the night, so a few buttons of her baggy dress shirt had come undone, her slender shoulders were sticking out, and her hair must have gotten caught between her head and the bed because it was a mess. I should really buy you some proper pajamas. No. I like yours, Nii-sama. A high school shirt has a grownup smell. He initially placed a hand on her small head, but patting her head was not going to fix that hair. Instead, he got up from the bed, held his sister to his chest, and combed from the top of her head to the back of her head and on down her back to fix it. That tickles, Nii-sama. Stay still. Please just stay like that a while longer. Okay, if you say so. She smiled and buried her face in his chest. Her body had definite weight and heat to it, so this was not an illusion. When he held her close, he could feel the breathing and heartbeat of a living person. His sister had really only been around 4 when she was killed, but being built into the Colorless Little Girl must have had a lasting effect. The apparent age of her physical body had grown a little bit. Dont you have school today too? Yeah. Its my first day of elementary school! She looked up from her brothers chest with a big smile on her face. That was a look he had never seen in that small house, but it seemed like the look she was meant to have. She had grown too much to fit in at preschool or kindergarten and she was enough of a genius to survive Doctor Ss education. So what was the best way to help her live like a normal person? After some discussion with his mother, they had decided to go with the age she looked. Of course, test scores were not the only purpose of school, so Kyousuke and his mother would have to do some work outside school to make sure she developed her social skills and made friends appropriately. (I guess thats something I have to work on too.) Since he had only needed to live in the world of the Summoning Ceremony, he had previously decided friendships and other relationships were not really necessary. He had had the power to fight, so he had used that as an excuse to face society on those terms. But that path was no longer available to him. That age had ended. With all his Awards removed, he would no longer vanish from normal peoples memories and awareness. He could no longer take the easy way out. He walked from the cabin to the kitchen and heard the sizzling of oil in a heated frying pan. An older woman with her chestnut hair tied back behind her head was wearing an apron and cooking enough food for everyone. A boats stove is just not powerful enough. Plus, its cramped and it rocks in the waves! Look at this, Kyousuke. I was trying to make a half-boiled omelet, but it ended up as scrambled eggs! I havent screwed up this badly since elementary school cooking class!! Elementary school!! His sisters face lit up as she approached the table in that baggy dress shirt. Their mother childishly pouted her lips. Honestly, youre happy with anything as long as its drenched in ketchup. Im not sure how to feel about that The small girl did not seem to mind, though. Kyousuke started to sit at the same table, but she slapped a chair and spoke to him. No, Nii-sama. Sit here. I thought that was your chair. Ill sit in your lap and eat. Thats my special seat! But if you ask nicely, I might lend it to you sometimes, mother. There was no talking her out of it once she set her mind to it, so obeying her was the best option in the mornings when they had somewhere to be. Kyousuke placed his small sister on his lap, but then he frowned. Hold on. What happened to your underwear? Its uncomfortable and keeps me awake. In that case, he might find it balled up under the covers somewhere. Natsuginu looked all the more exasperated. Hey, Kyousuke? I wont insist on anything as fancy as Aika-sans high-rise apartment, but how about we rent a proper room? I can work part-time as a cashier if need be. Whats wrong with the cruiser? Its too small for four people. That reminded him that one person was missing. He still looked sleepy, so his mother continued with a finger on her own cheek. There must have been some formalities she has to deal with because she already left. And she was not happy that kissing you here did not wake you. I recommend having a small gift ready to make sure you dont get struck by lightning when you see her again. Its a little late to make a full bento, so maybe some iced tea in a water bottle. She did that? thought Kyousuke while briefly falling silent, but the sister on his lap leaned back against him. She kicked her legs below the table while speaking to him. Nii-sama, I like your boat, but the bath is too small. Even though you said it was a custom bath. Not to mention the kitchen. I would really prefer something better. Is it really that bad? Kyousuke was fine with taking showers and eating milk and cereal, but the woman in charge of the housework pointed at the egg dish she had made. If you want actual food to eat, yes. Honestly, what kind of kitchen trips the breaker when you use the microwave and toaster at the same time!? And what about home visits from your teachers? I dont want to borrow Aika-sans apartment for that. It would feel like I was deceiving them. At any rate, the sister eating the freshly-made breakfast had hit on the truth. It was September 1, so they could not continue acting like it was summer break. It would be best to wait until after school to discuss all this. Even in this short time, he had discovered that his mother did not like it when he used his phone while eating. It seemed unfair that having the TV on was somehow okay. The news was showing a commotion on the level of a new global OS or smartphone going on sale. Quad Motors, the defense company known for its Repliglass development, has just made several announcements to the press. First of all, the internal conflicts over management of the company have come to an end and Miss Azalea, a girl of only 14, has taken the position of CEO. The photo displayed on the TV screen carried great meaning. She had not been forgotten by the people around her. 14? America is an incredible place, said his mother. Now I feel silly worrying about whether to send this girl to preschool or elementary school. Eh? Skipping ahead is a waste. After watching Nii-sama for so long, I just know staying in school forever would be fun! Natsuginu confiscated her daughters toast before the girl could add butter, jam, and chocolate paste to it. Before handing it back, she made it clear that toast was only allowed two toppings in this household. Kyousuke slowly ate his own breakfast. With his sister in his lap, he had to eat carefully so none of the crumbs got on her head. Hm, not as good as cereal. Kyousuke. He heard a low voice from the person who had made the food, so he wisely chose to say nothing more. Quad Motors has also announced several new projects along with their new CEO, continued the news. The largest of the projects they plan to begin alongside their Repliglass development has only been described with the mysterious phrase the non-physical service industry. With only that and the curious tagline from summoning to awakening, it is unclear what this will entail, but Miss Azalea left the following comment on social media: If big data is to trigger a new revolution in the physical industries such as Repliglass, we must turn to the spiritual industries. This has led some to speculate that the technology-focused company will be branching out into the fields of spiritualism and alternative medicine, so people are voicing their hopes and worries both inside and outside the United States. Kyousuke. His mother called his name to draw his attention away from the TV. I will be going to her school to complete the official process there. Is that okay with you? Its a whole lot better than having my mom show up at my high school. Im a little worried that she went on ahead of me, but she was a Machiavellian specialist back when she was out of control, so she can probably adlib her way out of any trouble. Kyousuke waved a hand dismissively, but his sister started trembling. H-high school. What a scary holy ground Pretty sure youre overthinking that. At any rate, once they finished breakfast, it was time for school. Kyousukes sister started hopping in excitement when she saw him in his ordinary summer uniform of a short-sleeved dress shirt and pants, so he had to pull her away from him before leaving the cruiser. And she could no longer wear that one-piece swimsuit or leotard covered in weapons like she had as an inhuman monster. After changing into a comfortable short-sleeved blouse and a knee-length skirt, she put on a backpack with a security buzzer on the belt. Nii-sama, help me with the final check. How is the security buzzer? Yes, yes. Its battery is fully charged. My skirt isnt caught behind my backpack? Youre fine. I cant see your butt. She was probably more interested in showing off her school outfit than actually performing a check. She spun around in front of him and he sighed while playing along. But are you sure you wanted a red backpack? You can choose them in any color you want these days. Yeah, I like this color best. Its your color, Nii-sama! It sounded like something rhythmically slicing through the air. However, this was not the sound of a propeller. The vibration of the thin roof simply made it sound a lot like that. The schools and hospitals in rural Houbi Village did not have heliports, so the Hornet Repliglass VTOL transport plane had to land on the green grass. It was September 1. Meinokawa Aoi, the silver-haired shrine maiden who had been collecting morning exercise stamps along with the neighborhood kids up through yesterday, brushed back her hair with a hand. Mwoh, what is with all this noise so early in the morning? Youre disturbing the neighborhood. My apologies, lonely woman who lost track of time and went to the public square despite September having arrived. Shut up!! she tearfully shouted, but the girl she was responding to did not seem to care. That girl wore a customized blue tight skirt suit as she stepped out of the side cargo door. She was Azalea Magentarain. The ends of her reddish blonde hair were curled in a classy sort of way. Fractal. Yes, milady. It was early morning, but the sun was already high overhead as if to declare war on everyone who wanted to stay cool, but the old butler next to Azalea still wore a black suit. He pulled out and opened a silver attach case to reveal the old text within. Instead of parchment, it was Japanese paper bound with thick strings. The cover was written in a stylistic way that your average modern Japanese person would be unable to read. That was the Joruri Text. I would like to return this since we no longer need it. So you absorbed all of its knowledge? Yes, although Shiroyama Kyousuke did most of it himself. Quad Motors simply calculated out the cost of adopting his plans. The Joruri Text was centuries old and Quad Motors Repliglass had to have just as long a history behind it. Yet they had both been outdone so easily. He had shaken things up at a more fundamental level than a simple artificial vessel. He could look at the exact same texts or manuals and see something entirely different, like it was a piece of trick art. Astounding, isnt it? Yes, it really is. It is apparently meant to invite in that which cannot be summoned by a series of letters, but I call it the monstrous result of necessity being the mother of invention. He is the type of creator that finds a solution in mere seconds when he feels something is lacking. Time seemed to flow slower in Houbi Village, but the radio used for morning exercises still received the daily news. The adults often told the children to read the newspaper and watch the news, but Aoi wished they would divide the news up between that which you could show the kids and that which you could not. Far too many of the stories were too depressing. And. Two schoolgirls rode up on a high-tech motor-assisted bicycle with boxy backpacks on and they thoughtlessly spoke up. What are they doing there? S-Sayuri, lets not get involved in Government business. That category no longer exists. Lets hurry up and deliver this breakfast and have her special-sized pay with her phone. We can earn lots of money while completing our summer break hands-on learning project. Vroom Aoi had been the one to order the food. The appearance of the unexpected intruder delayed the delivery process. She was sick of the usual breakfast of white rice and miso soup, so she had wanted the Greek yogurt & granola set from a popular nearby restaurant as a fashionable change of pace. However Ehhhh!? You didnt put them in separate containers, so now its all soggy! I think you were super-sized mistaken to think that would survive the long trip over the mountain on a bicycle. Okay, hold out your phone. Cha-ching, all done. Lets get going, Sayuri. This hands-on learning project is a valuable chance to earn some money while in middle school. Dont look that dangerous woman in the eye! W-w-wait! You expect me to eat this? Nwohhhhh, what kind of service is this!? For the modified China dress beauty named Lu Niang Lan, the morning made her sleepy, but she had walked to the outskirts of Toy Dream 35 anyway because she had business there. Government Award 1000. When she arrived on the hill where Elvast Toydream slept, she found someone already there. This is a problem, you know? How long is an Illegal assassin going to remain so attached to the leader of Government? There was a squeaking of a moving wheelchair. The person seated in it looked like an ordinary baseball boy. The name Irigaru Tarou was of course fake. The girl holding the wheelchairs grips behind him was wearing a bunny suit that did not fit her nervous behavior. But Lu Niang Lans senses told her the girls reluctance was feigned and she actually enjoyed this. The boy was wearing sunglasses as straight as a ruler, but they meant something different now. In the Summoning Ceremony, the Incense Grenade would have no effect if you could not visually designate a target. A certain rabbit had taken advantage of that by crushing his eyes and shoulders to take the entire Blood-Sign system away from him. But even if he could no longer fight directly, he was still the top of Illegal which controlled all the worlds criminal organizations. And Lu Niang Lan knew all too well that in the underground world, the power of groups was to be feared much more than the power of individuals. However. Despite all that, the modified China dress beauty breathed a sigh of exasperation and lightly tapped her shoulder with the bouquet she held. Now that everyones Awards have been taken away, no one cares about those old categories like Government and Illegal. Those are a thing of the past, like the baby boom generation or the bubble era. Or like some old guy whose comedian name doesnt even ring a bell. True enough. Boy A laughed. They no longer disappeared from ordinary peoples memories and awareness, but that was not always a good thing. It would now be a lot harder for the outlaws to avoid the police. A single hair left at the crime scene could be a fatal mistake now. What are you gonna do now? Do you really think this perfect happy ending applies to people like us? You seem to be mistaken about something. I was not working a second job as an assassin because I wanted to. I came to Illegal to avoid pursuit from Government and I helped out because I needed some way to pay my rent. Now that that isnt necessary, its over. I can work as a legal used tool shop and that is how I prefer it. If you were hoping for some wonderful advice given out of a strange sense of camaraderie, then I apologize for not being a villain to the core. With that said, the modified China dress beauty kneeled down and placed the bouquet on the modest grave that most people would entirely overlook. And she turned her back on Illegals leader to do so. That showed just how little respect she had for Boy A, Irigaru Tarou. Hey, said the wheelchair boy quietly. But who was he talking to? Lu Niang Lan, his rival sleeping below the dirt, or the childhood friend girl supporting his wheelchair? I hear theres a sport you can play even when youre blind. You can follow the sound of the bell to find the ball. Do you think I could do that? If that is what you want to do. Ugh. Aika, the girl in a green and white striped bikini, groaned quietly. The morning sun may have been more of an enemy for this shut-in girl than for the mysterious young woman who had worked as an assassin. She was on the top floor of her Toy Dream 35 high-rise apartment. She would normally still be asleep while leaning against the white liger she used as a sofa, but that was not an option today. Liger, we need to take a shower together. The 5m beast sprang up as if to say Eh!? Lets not get hasty!, but there was no avoiding it now. Their Awards had been taken, but her bond with the animal remained unchanged. The white liger was more comfortable than a beanbag or balance ball, but the oily fur of a feline carnivore was a flaw. It had reached the point that a towel was not enough to get it off. And so the two of them were soaking wet. After much one-handed fighting with the hairdryer in the changing room, naked Aika reached for her change of clothes. And it was not just the usual swimsuit. It was a boys hoodie she could wear over that. This was the same as leaving behind a handkerchief or piece of clothing that smelled like you to keep your pet a little less worried when you were gone on a trip. Aika held that going out clothing for a while and stared at it until she finally put it on. A lot of time had apparently passed while she stood there. When she returned to the living room with the white liger who shook the excess moisture from her giant body, the phone on the glass table was vibrating. Aika grabbed it before it fell off the table and answered the call. I am in front of your room. Where should I wait? It was a short question. That would sound like a horrific stalker if this was from some unknown person, but it was not a problem when she knew who it was. If a direct meeting would be too difficult, we can do it online. With modern technology, that works just as well as meeting face-to-face. No, Sekurtiti. I have to make a physical appearance for this. As the family member who gave grandpa his final notice. A few dozen pages of A4 printer paper were sitting on the glass table. They were a new project idea for Toy Dream. They concept was as follows: The Story of the Worlds Happiest Girl. The full story will be retroactively recreated based on the many documents discovered in the Founders Gallery! It was like a curse. And if she did not break free of it, she would never escape the cage she had made for herself. That was how it felt to her. With her Awards gone, she would no longer vanish from ordinary peoples memories and awareness. That left her with no more excuses to continue being a shut in. In fact, if she failed to open her door now, she would end up staying in her room forever. But. Even so. It was not just Tomb Priestess Sekurtiti. If Toy Dream began producing a movie, it would involve hundreds of thousands of people around the world. Now was the time to change. No matter how much it scared her and no matter how worried she was, there would never be a better chance than this. The white liger gently rubbed against her. She patted the animals large head. Lets go, liger. We can make up for the time we lost. Even if it has to be little by little. And. The door clicked open. Shiroyama Kyousuke, his sister, and Shiroyama Natsuginu. The three of them took the same route part of the way. Toy Dream 35 was in a festive mood yet again. They had been running a Bye Bye Summer Break event through the day before, but it was now a Hello Second Term fair. Perhaps the city could not relax without having something going on year-round. A female Oni with long hair, two horns, and a combination of a kimono left open and a one-piece swimsuit was walking through all that. A snake girl with the upper body of a lovely girl and the lower body of a sinister serpent was seated on a giant made from scepters and sunbathing while gathering attention in the central square. A girl dozing off in a bizarre cradle apparently did not care which world she was in as long as she could play in her own world of dreams. Wow! His sister ran around with the contents of her backpack rattling and she reacted like they were costumed mascots. Theyve already awakened the Unexplored-class? They were still stuck at the Divine-class yesterday. I heard they summoned Athena and Minerva simultaneously as a test case to make sure it could handle this. Once Azalea took over, the Unexplored-class projects they had been working on in secret were released. Shiroyama Kyousuke had created the ignition at the core of it all, but he had needed Quad Motorss help to act as a booster and have it spread across the world like an amoeba. He was not involved in every little project. It was similar to how those monsters had incredible influence on social media and video sites, but the giant data infrastructure was needed for that influence to spread. Gods were no longer a rarity. No one had to wield a Blood-Sign and rely on letters and they were not restricted to 10 minutes. It had all begun with Azalea and Quad Motors. She had hoped to combine her companys technology with the data in the Joruri Text she had acquired in Houbi Village, but Kyousuke brought a great change to that. He had suggested it might no longer be necessary to create a doll as a vessel. He had wanted to check all those documents and reconsider the overall rules of the Summoning Ceremony. And this was from the perspective of the person who had created the Colorless Little Girl from scratch and embedded her in the other world. As a result, supernatural beings were no longer summoned into humanoid vessels. He had hoped to instead create a new technique of calling the gods of legend to a location separate from any human. This was not the Fifth Summoning Ceremony. He was fine with bringing an end to the age of the dinosaurs. That was the kind of impact he wanted. To reiterate, Azalea had planned to combine her companys technology with the Joruri Text acquired in Houbi Village, but being able to compare those two things had meant a lot. That had helped him understand in more general terms what exactly it meant to call in gods and demons from another world. Simply put, this was a summoning method that did not use human or artificial vessels. No, it was an awakening technique. And what had happened as a result? All Materials, from the Regulation, Divine, and Unexplored-classes, could freely visit this world without needing someone to support them. Summoners were no longer needed as guides who controlled their movements. Doctor S had created the Age of Summoning, but his son Kyousuke had wiped the slate clean with the Age of Awakening. There was nothing left of the old age. Shiroyama Natsuginu held her daughters small hand and viewed it all with a somewhat sad look to her eyes. She may have been reminded of the man who had been her husband. The times had changed. At the very least, it had completely left the expectations of that man who assumed the Blood-Sign system gave him everything he wanted and believed nothing more would ever be needed. The Third and even the Fourth were a thing of the past. The miracle of 1999 was as forgotten as the beeper. It had all begun when Kyousuke assisted Azalea who had been imprisoned on Devils Island just like him. He may have been writhing around behind those thick walls right now. And. Hrahh! Good morning, Onii-chan!! The sound of rattling backpacks doubled. It was a girl with her long blonde hair worn in two braids. She was still dressed in that bizarre outfit based on a school swimsuit, but when Kyousuke recalled the night before when his sister had been too excited to sleep and had him help her make sure she had everything she needed for school, he remembered that there were still pool classes in early September. Everyone in this girls class would probably see her as just a little overeager to swim. She was Olivia Highland, First Princess of the Flanguild Permanently Neutral Kingdom. Once the Awards were removed, no one vaguely thought of them as Eastern Europes Kingdom F anymore. Thanks to that, Queen Sinceria had apparently made a stir at an international conference as an unbelievably beautiful politician. Meanwhile, Kyousukes sister cautiously clung to his hip. Nii-sama is mine. Do not call him Onii-chan. I can call him that if I want to. When I get back to my home kingdom, Im enacting an Onii-chan Law to legalize polygamy and NTR. It sounded like he had a budding tyrant on his hands here, but what was her mother doing??? I need to start by calming down the one who will actually listen. What is it, Nii-sama? Try to get along with Olivia, okay? If you say so Kyousuke patted his sisters head to cool her down. They were in different years, but they would probably be attending the same elementary school. Kyousuke could not look after them throughout the day, so he could only hope she really would get along with Olivia. Why does that sound so unlikely? Anyway, Olivia, I take it you really are attending school here. I am. Mwa ha ha. When I get back, I can brag about how I studied abroad!! Kyousuke found it oddly interesting that foreigners also found the idea of studying abroad so appealing. He had always assumed the appeal was mostly fueled by the Japanese obsession with Western culture. Meanwhile, Shiroyama Natsuginu and Sinceria were chatting a short distance away. Oh, does this make us friends brought together by our children? I suppose it does. The people of this country of beaches and swimsuits must have a natural resistance to the sun. How can you walk around without a parasol? Um, to be extremely blunt, that parasol probably does not accomplish much since the UV rays are reflected off of the ground. If you dont at least use some UV-blocking sunscreen, you are going to have an awful time in the bath tonight. Hm, do we need to determine a leader to know how to interact? Oh, are you picking a fight with me? Ho ho ho. How about we compare our childrens grades next time? The combination of two mothers had a way of ending up with sparks flying between two smiling faces. This was a different sort of battle. The boys and girls could not keep up with the world where two single mothers would let their frustrations get the better of them and start fighting in the middle of the afternoon. This was too much even for Shiroyama Kyousuke. The students valuable morning was frittered away on these pointless things. They were approaching the borderline of tardiness, so they could not afford to waste any more time. In fact, some other students were passing them by. What the hell? Those high-grade girls are scary. Hayato, youre more interested in the girls than the gods and demons? You really are a boy. A giant squid-like kraken crawled along the side of a skyscraper. Was that Apollo and Amaterasu flying through the sky along with the shine of the sun? The gods did not seem to have a care in the world. All the fighting to the death may have been the result of the human ego. Okay. We have to go this way! See you after school. Nii-sama, will you come meet me at my school then? If not, Ill go meet you at your school! Thats fine if you want. You were interested in seeing a high school, werent you? He ignored his mothers comment of but you wouldnt let me visit you. The woman looked quite young, but she still did not understand the sensitive heart of a teenager. After saying goodbye to his family and the royal family, he continued on to his high school. As he followed his usual route there, he saw more summer uniforms like his own. His classmate Rendou Akiya called out to him. Sup. Hi. The second term, huh? Give me a break. Why cant summer vacation last forever? I feel like wed learn a lot more about life that way. The giant Hr?svelgr bird seemed to cover the entire sky as it passed by overhead. Rendou held down his hair and skirt half on autopilot in response to the surprise gust of wind. Dammit, what is with all this lately!? Have they systemized some kind of panty shot demon!? Thats apparently a test run for the upcoming autumn pollen. Once pollen season is here, they plan to manipulate the air currents to keep it out of the city center. So its a god, then? Keep up the good work, I guess. While the two of them walked along, the topic of discussion was not the clash between the strongests. They could talk about smaller things. By the way, I hear weve got a transfer student coming. A boy or a girl is fine with me as long as theyre fun. Oh? You dont limit yourself to cute girls? Shiroyama-chan. Theres one problem I didnt manage to solve over the short summer. Now is not the time to ignore it. Directly facing the path ahead is the one and only way of completing that tightrope walk!! Let me tell you, this person has a lot of flaws Theyll probably never really change, but theyre definitely too curious for their own good. Wait, you know who it is, Kyousuke-kun? I seriously hope not, but it isnt like your ex-boyfriend or something, is it!? Rendou Akiya apparently still had not gotten over the Rainy Girl thing. But based on what he was saying, this did not sound like a conversation Kyousuke wanted to have. He felt like casually sidestepping it all would be much easier. Once they arrived at the school entrance, Kyousuke encountered a familiar face. It was a woman with a long black ponytail, a tight skirt suit, and a lab coat. Eh? Are you the transfer student??? Why would I be? I am the school doctor, where you can find all your hopes and dreams. My name is Himekawa Mika. Nice to meet you. Whoa, this ones way more immature! Whoa, this ones way more immature! Making an entrance based on an old comedy program was apparently not well received by kids these days. The normal students treated Shigara Masami like a ghost. Everyone in the world had lost their Awards, but after moving to the other world, Shigara Masami had apparently permanently become a god. Rendou Akiya had no idea what was happening, so he tilted his head like normal. So whats this? Are you twins? Wait, did you put down god as your last job on your resume? After leaving the two teachers(?), Kyousuke and Rendou walked to their classroom. His friend did not forget about those two even after they were out of sight. And that was true of Kyousuke himself as well. When they entered the classroom, Librarian-chan was glaring at him for some reason. He assumed something Rendou Akiya had done had made her mad at him too, but the glasses girl walked over with braid swaying and whispered into his ear. (My sister told me to tell you good job, but what did you do over the summer? Why does my sister have to be so secretive!?) Come to think of it, he had not known how to explain everything to them, so he had not used Librarian or the Student Council President in the final battle even though they had talent as vessels. But where had the Rainy Girl been watching it all from? The scary part was how plausible it seemed that she had even seen what happened in the other world. In a way, she was a being who had manifested herself without using the Blood-Sign system or getting Azaleas assistance. (So can mom do all those same things after Wisdom resurrected her from the dead? Oh, god. The world is as full of miracles and mysticism as ever, isnt it? I just hope she doesnt start flying through the night sky on a broom or something.) Morning homeroom began before long. The information from Rendou Akiya proved accurate. Their homeroom teacher announced the transfer student before making the normal announcements. They heard a footstep out in the hall. It was not a loud thing, but that one sound grabbed everyones attention. It is a pleasure to meet all of you. Silver twintails swayed. She looked a little uncomfortable since the school uniform could not be made all in white, but she still stood behind the teachers desk with a smile on her face. My name is Mary Ann Shiroyama. I hope we can all get along. Facts: - Updating system - The system will automatically reboot once the update is complete. Please wait. Volume 10, Ending X-02: The Age of Awakening Has Arrived Volume 10, Ending X-02: The Age of Awakening Has Arrived I thought the world was supposed to become a happy place. That depends on your definition of happy. (Ending X-02 Open 09/02 00:02) The Age of Awakening Has Arrived Summoner was no longer a viable profession. Midnight had passed and it was now September 2. The middle-aged man named Leonardo Pounds placed his hands on his hips and breathed an exasperated sigh. Times sure can change, huh, Kevin? A single large space with no walls or partitions was brightly illuminated by the many halogen lights hanging from the ceiling framework, so it may have been reminiscent off a school gym. But this was no gym. This was one of the warehouses in the coastal harbor district of Toy Dream 35. The Summoning Ceremony is a thing of the past. From the age of summoning to awakening. Ha ha ha. I get it! With everyones Awards taken, weve all gotta start back at the beginning! But no matter the age, there will always be a place for religions and mythology. And that gives me room to work my magic. Our great sex cult adventures have only just begun!! The way he put it could not have been worse, but that view did not just come from an overestimation of himself. No matter how silly it was, the most basic desires could be a frightening thing when they were used to bind people together and, when enough people gathered together, they would begin to forget their original purpose for gathering and feel weirdly drawn to each other. Just like with scams, the trick was to isolate the marks, keep them from thinking through their decisions, and drag them up onto the ridiculous theatre stage. Leonardo was a charismatic guy. He was decently confident in his ability to command the scene. So if it would allow him to display his talents there, making a scene at this late night party was fine with him. A woman with a pure white habit covering her from head to toe walked through that same warehouse. She was The Saint. She was like his polar opposite when it came to worshipping the Queen. Except Heh heh heh. She does not deserve to be called Queen. She abandoned us. Without even asking first. Oh, I was such a fool. I spent so much time and effort worshipping her, but no matter how much faith and belief you have, its all over in the blink of an eye once she abandons you. I need to grow stronger all on my own. (Hmm. She looks kinda disoriented and is muttering some scary stuff, but maybe I should look for a chance to sleep with her. YOLO, right!? I have no idea how she escaped that tropical island, but doing a runaway prisoner sounds weirdly hot!! Looks like shes got some psychological scars, but that means this is my chance. Mwa ha ha, I can help comfort her all night long!!) There was a reason they were gathered in this warehouse in the middle of the night. They had needed a large space, but they now also needed walls and a roof to hide them. Their Awards had been taken. They were no longer bound by the three major powers, but they also had to worry about a lot more eyes than they used to: police, security guards, ombudsmen, tabloid cameramen, etc. So how far along are the containers? The next one is the last one. Once we open it and fill in the eastern corner, the barrier will be complete. A huge shape sat in the center. That silhouette could not be made by human hands and did not look naturally occurring either. Detta, huh? You gotta love those prominent curves. And a young woman who knows how to operate machinery like that gets a lot of points from me!! Whew, Im a little afraid whats gonna happen to me tonight. I might just dry up into a mummy! Kevin, bring me some maca and caffeine! A whole bunch of it!! Those who could not fit in would never fit in. In the end, that was the truth of the matter. And people were not made to simply obey. For better or for worse. By the way, I would like to point out one thing. What is it, Hot Body #1? Should we really have left that Biondetta on her own like that? Not to worry! Detta can wait until Im ready for her! Oh, but if she cant wait and starts operating her machinery on her own, Im not about to complain! What if I told you the GPS tracker I hid in her clothing is showing her in an unusual location??? Just then, bright searchlights lit up the warehouse from seemingly every angle. In the same coastal harbor district of Toy Dream 35, two sets of racing footsteps and tense breathing could be heard among the warehouses so late at night. Pant, pant! R-Renge. Um, uh!? The bright white and red made it impossible to hide in the dark night. Those shrine maiden outfits belonged to Meinokawa Renge and her twin sister Higan. A different pair jumped over the twin shrine maidens heads as they moved along the top of the containers stacked up like small mountains. We were supposed to have them surrounded, so what idiot got lazy and left an opening!? Theyre lucky the great Claude here can pick up the slack. Probably that Max Layard and Ellie Slide. They might have learned to derive pleasure from losing at this point. Arent you glad they gave you an excuse to show off? 3A? Detta is in there as part of the sting operation and we are talking about a wannabe sex cult. If we dont do something, this is going to take a rather X-rated turn!! That seems to delight you a little too much, so here is a suggestion: why not wait a bit before rescuing her? I feel like that waitress demon could stand to suffer a little. The Blood-Sign Summoning Ceremony was no more, their Awards were gone, and the major powers of Government, Illegal, and Freedom no longer existed. An age of chaos had arrived. Various forces were at work in the open and in secret and countless groups were continually joining together and breaking apart. Whoever took control of that chaos would be the winner of the next age. Would it be a vast empire ruling over several continents, would it be an educational organization full of all sorts of knowledge, would it be a global religion, or would it be a multinational corporation? No one knew. The blonde-haired, blue-eyed shrine maiden named Higan spoke up with tears in her eyes. I thought the world was supposed to become a happy place with the Blood-Signs gone and - eek - the threat of the White Queen gone. That depends on your definition of happy. If you want to create your own empire, this chaos will look like the opportunity you need to reach happiness! Black-haired Renge responded while pulling out a device that looked like a stun baton with a small umbrella at the top. It was a directional anti-electronics bazooka that sent powerful EM waves out in a single direction to destroy any security cameras, IR sensors, or other electronics within 20 meters. They needed this now that their Awards were gone and they had to worry about the police and security, but then Renge came to a stop. The security cameras had already been destroyed. Someones there!? She sensed a presence. And they clearly had no intention of hiding any longer. First, some trained dobermans were released and then a few figures leaned out from the tall stacks of containers so they could target the twin sisters. Renge pulled a paper charm from her pocket and held it between her index and middle finger. It was a Storm charm. She only had to move her hands in a set pattern and mutter an incantation under her breath. I lift a request to Susanoo, god of wind and violence who wanders this world. Please lend a portion of your power to your powerless worshiper!! That was all it took for a raging tornado to take her side. In this case, targeting the obvious dogs or snipers would have been a mistake. First, she used the wind to blow away all trace of their scent to eliminate the risk of the dogs tracking them and then she had it knock over the stacks of containers to drop the elevated assassins into the abyss. With a dull thudding, something rolled over to Higans feet. It was one of the snipers weapons. The short sword painted yellow was likely a Symbolic Weapon from the West. The gods exist, said Shrine Maiden Renge while carefully walking through the labyrinthine harbor block while the containers collapsed all around her. And they can exist just fine in this world ruled by Newtonian physics. So theres no need to go through the process of summoning them from the other world. If you directly appeal to the gods and draw out a portion of their power, humans can use miracles. You can use the cardinal directions, the traditional elements, and other symbols to incorporate the gods into your own spells. From summoning to awakening The age of magic has arrived. No longer were the gods summoned into the fragile and restrictive bodies of vessels. In the Age of Awakening, the gods were brought to this world as gods, so the previous rules no longer applied. Hurry up and finish this, will you? The voice in their earpieces was as condescending and unconcerned as ever. Maria Heartocean. It was pretty clear that woman was not going to run to their aid if they asked for help. I know everyone is vying for superiority right now, but I will cut ties with any organization that would not benefit me if it rises to the top. That is why I developed those charms to match your character and lent them to you. And Im giving you a special exemption on payment for the time being, but if you fail to accomplish anything here, you will have to pay for it all yourself. Im hungry, Renge!! Dammit. Does the Meinokawa Shrine have to be poor no matter what happens in the world!? That was when a tremor shook the earth. This further moved the collapsing piles of containers, so they had to make sure they were not crushed. But blonde Higan was focused on something more distant than that immediate threat. L-look, Renge, look! A shape rose up even higher than the giant gantry crane used to transfer cargo to and from ships. It was a mountainous serpent with not just eight heads, but more heads than one wished to count. That venomous lake-dwelling serpent was from Greek mythology. The Hydra. They really are poachers! The gods and demons were wandering reality with physical bodies. And people could borrow their power using wands and charms. So it was not surprising that some people would want to capture them and surround them with a barrier so they could keep that power to themselves. After all, the gods had no civil rights. Now, could Susanoos storm alone contain this? Miracles were widely accessible now, but you would still have an advantage if you directly controlled the gods or demons they originated from. It was like Renge and Higan were walking around with normal computers and phones while this group had a supercomputer larger than a school building. Higan, use your charm too. You still have Sun, right? Ehh!? I-Im too scared to borrow Amaterasu-samas power. Ill help you out with my Susanoo. The Hydra can regenerate its heads and two will replace every one that is removed, but the wounds are weak to fire. The air blades from my Storm isnt enough, so you need to burn the wounds afterwards! Another tremor ran through the ground. Their logic may have been sound, but your instincts would try to stop you from challenging a monster taller than you. And this Hydra was larger than a gantry crane. R-Renge. Wait, Higan. I know youre scared, but stay quiet. We cant screw up our positioning here. No, not that. Um! Theres someone behind that container. A girl!! If it was simply an enemy, they could have ended it by silencing her with the power of their charms. But in a way, this was much more troublesome. ng - uu? It was hesitant, but they heard a girls voice suing a certain system that sounded almost nostalgic in this age. But they understood. That nearly-nude girl was holding herself in her arms and looking toward the distant Hydra in fear. uu - kq, wz - iu - ou - hi - lm - ou - weq - ei - yh - ml! That settled it. Meinokawa Renge shouted without thinking. Are you kidding!? Shes not a part of all this!? This way, um, hurry! The containers are collapsing!! The giant Hydra gave a roar. That was enough to bind peoples hearts and make them tremble. However. With a tremendous explosion, the Hydras giant body was blown to smithereens in a single attack. Something could be heard swishing through the air. It came from the lighthouse at the end of the harbor. And the person overlooking everything by sitting dangerously up on the viewing platform railing there was the Rainy Girl, Umie Shouko. She was facing outwards and kicking the slender legs extending from her skirt. You sure are overprotective. Not really, replied another voice. The viewing platform surrounded the top of the lighthouse and included the equipment for the giant light source, but another figure stood on the actual roof located even higher than that. Her back was leaning against the lightning rod in the center. Shiroyama Natsuginu. Just like the Rainy Girl, that womans life had been saved in a way that separated her from the main line of history. She spoke with the confidence of an adult. That was not me. You also only intended to observe without actually helping, right? Unlike them, our power is not bound by the rules of letters or charms. A single fingertip can produce abnormal results, but we cannot predict what kind of side effects that will have. I am figuring out the rules bit by bit by leaping, using clairvoyance, and playing something like a mine-searching minigame, but in the worst case, a single coin toss could destroy the world. Why are you here? The Saints presence scared me a little. I was curious what had happened to that man since he was imprisoned on the same island, but it looks like there was nothing to worry about. It would seem none of his fellow prisoners bothered to help him when they broke out. Losing your popularity is a tragic thing. She had done plenty of awful things to Kyousuke and his sister. She had simply watched when she should have intervened and saved her children and then she criticized him like she had done nothing wrong herself. Even if Wisdom had set it up that way, she had said some terrible things to her child in the foolish hope of regaining everything she had lost. There may have been no place for her in this age of victors. But that brother and sister had accepted their pathetic mother. So she had decided on an absolute rule for herself. She would atone for everything by actually protecting that happy family this time. But the Rainy Girl did not take such a dry view of things. If this organization escaped and the risk of them reaching her sister grew past a certain threshold, she would intervene and mercilessly crush them. No matter what kind of distortion that brought to the world. But Shiroyama Natsuginu, that mother in an apron, smiled thinly. Dont worry, she said. I can tell at a glance. This new age belongs to them. A long skinny object spun in the boys hand. It was a magic wand only a certain boy could use. It looked a lot like a Blood-Sign, but instead of being a device to summon power, it was a Symbolic Weapon that placed certain elemental colors in his hand to strengthen his internal image. Both ends of the long, skinny wand glowed with a different color and the light trailed after it to draw dual circles in the empty air. That weapon was named Magick. His Awards had been taken, so he could not position himself anywhere that would be spotted by security personnel or cameras. First I create it and now I destroy it. I need to apologize to Quad Motors after this is over. The Hydra can no longer support its presence here, so it has returned to the other world. It was meant to purify the seawater, so Ill have to do a largescale public infrastructure Awakening to make up for this. Three people stood in the moonlight atop the roof of one of the many large warehouses. One was a boy in a hoodie and comfortable pants. And two lovely girls stood on either side of him. Honestly, you humans never do change. Is your species unable to live without these selfish desires? Nh, the sea breeze is sticky. I want to get this over with and take a bath with you, Nii-sama. Hes really good at washing hair. I get so sleepy in the bath when he does it. What? Its too soon for you, new girlfriend. Thats a special privilege for only me and mother. Since the gods and demons of legend existed in the real world with physical bodies, whoever controlled them became the victors of this new age. So what did that make this boy for having the two strongest and most irregular Unexplored-classes by his side? He could move between worlds and in some cases even choose to save the dead. He managed the gates of the underworld and could communicate with gods like Odin, Enma, Hades, and Osiris. (Well, my life will only last 100 years and I doubt I can overturn even my own death.) Iai, any readings? Yes, Nii-sama. Three primary ones. Othinus and the Aoandon from the Divine-class and the Lady of Purple Lightning from the Unexplored-class. And one unidentified one. The small girls body became translucent at times like this. Her soul had been resurrected as a human, which had removed the sisters soul from the Colorless Little Girl, but the empty shell that had left behind had been preserved. So by transferring her soul in a process similar to astral projection, she could swap from being a human to being the Queen killer at any time. They had reconciled with the twintailed girl dressed in a white battle costume, but her power remained. The Colorless Little Girl had to periodically release her power or else here mere presence would distort everyone around her. Mary, I want to know about the humans too. There are far too many to count. It seems like a decently sized group. Lets decide what roles to play. I will provide the attack power, so that little thing can lock onto the individual humans and give them barriers so no one dies. Give them each their individual rooms like a honeycomb. Boo, why does the old twintail lady always get to do the fun part? Silence, twerp. You are the Queen killer, remember? Reverse the roles and you would break through my barrier and what good would that be? They had a plan. Once they took action, the entire largescale battle would be over after a count of three, like some kind of magic trick. The beings designated as Regulation, Divine, or Unexplored-class could now freely move between worlds without a Blood-Sign spelling out their names. That meant someone who could not be summoned with the Blood-Sign system would be here as well. Wisdom must be out there somewhere. And maybe a lot closer than we thought. Kyousuke looked down into the harbor district to see two familiar faces: Meinokawa Renge and her twin sister Higan. And. There was a third girl nervously running through the dark harbor while they tugged on her slender hand. He had made the world like this to keep his promise. Kyousuke, do you still need to hear the words help me? Mary Ann placed a hand on his shoulder and whispered that question in his ear. Shiroyama Kyousuke responded with a shake of his head. And he gave a short reply. Not in this new age, no. The age of summoners had ended. He had shaken off all his defeat and guilt. He was bound by no one now. So Magician Shiroyama Kyousuke gathered the power of two Unexplored-classes in his wand and ran toward the late-night battlefield. Facts: - Reboot complete. - Welcome to the Age of Awakening, Administrator. Volume 10, Afterword Volume 10, Afterword (Postscript Open ??/?? ??:??) Afterword And with that, we have a nice even 10 volumes. This is Kamachi Kazuma. What is the best resolution and how best to pull it off? I have been asking that question this whole time. To be honest, the White Queen went on such a rampage in this series, that I ended up heading in a different direction than I initially planned. Ive written a lot of different things, but this may have been the first time the story changed so much based on the pull of a single character. In this volume alone, Kyousuke was moping all on his own at the start, but with each Stage, he continued to get help from the others around him and he relied on them more and more. Kyousuke was oppressed in that small house with no one he could ask for help, but I remember it feeling like he had saved himself when he seemed to emerge from his hard chrysalis and spread his wings as he grew up. The biggest change from my plans can be seen in the fact that Meinokawa Higan was actually supposed to be the main heroine (throughout the series). Volume 1s final Facts section says the battle between those two strongest individuals will continue until one side falls or until one side is saved and my initial plan was for Kyousuke and Higan to go and beat the Queen as the final boss no matter what hardships he went through before reaching that point. By the way, the eternal game of tag where Kyousuke would turn his experiences into a religious text, spread it throughout the world, be resurrected millennia later as a Divine-class, and take revenge on the Queen was some insurance I had ready in case the series got canceled. But once I actually wrote the series, it ended up like you saw here. Shiroyama Kyousuke and the White Queen dealt with their issues, saved each other, and saved even his dead sister and mother. But I feel like that kind of spirit is what you should expect from Shiroyama Kyousuke who said this has to be what everyone really wanted to do in front of the Rainy Girl in Volume 2. Having Renge and Higan always witness the most important thing in a volume was a remnant of my initial plans. It isnt possible. It simply cant be done. This protagonist was constantly fighting against those negative views. So once he truly broke free of those bonds, what choice would he make? Kyousuke managed to even break free of the authors intentions to snag the perfect happy ending, so I think he has more life to him than any of the other protagonists Ive written. This volume also had him visit some previously unseen locations like the 12 zodiacs and the other world where the Unexplored-classes live. That might seem impossible, but with everything built up in the previous volumes, he pulled it off. Even I was surprised at the level of freedom he had achieved while I was writing it. There have been a few different date scenes with the White Queen in the previous volumes, but this one should have left a different impression. If they do not try to fight, there is no conflict. I think you should have seen a change to the world as seen through Kyousukes eyes. And at the same time, I thought it was useful to include some foreshadowing for the later battle in the ridiculous Spot the Difference scene with the two White Queens. It always makes me happy to give some actual meaning to those scenes. I think of it like the difference between some untouched ore and a beautifully cut gem. The Third Summoning Ceremony was created by Doctor S and eventually left his control, but the Fourth Summoning Ceremony was built up by Kyousuke. Then what about the Age of Awakening he built up with help from Azalea, Aoi, and the others? I thought if I made it more than just what was most convenient for him, it would leave room for an expanding world of hopes and possibilities, but what did you think? I give my thanks to my illustrator Ikawa Waki-san and my editors Miki-san, Anan-san, Nakajima-san, Miyazaki-san, Mitera-san, and Yamamoto-san. Blood-Sign was exposition-heavy and fairly inaccessible, so I am very thankful you supported it with such cool and cute illustrations. I hope we can work together again someday. And I give my thanks to the readers. From the age of summoning to awakening. How did you like this story of a boy who makes the impossible possible? He could be awkward and selfish, but he still managed to shake free of my plans for him and achieve a happy ending. I think he managed that because all of you were hoping for their smiles. Thank you very, very much for leading me to this conclusion. And now I announce the end of one story while hoping their happy days will continue forever in all of your hearts. Oh, no. The mom is even crazier than the sister. -Kamachi Kazuma Volume 10, Appendix: Summoner Name List Volume 10, Appendix: Summoner Name List (While I am at it, I decided to list up all the summoner names given in the series. I generally thought of them as something like online screennames, but I also made them a second name given by the people around the summoner instead of by the summoner themselves. So the lesser-known summoners will not have one. That might be because they are lacking in skill like Renge and Higan or because they were too isolated from the rest of the summoners like the members of the Queens Miniature Garden. Also, these are based on peoples observations, so keep in mind that they do not always pinpoint the persons true nature.) Perfect Dragon (Slender Body, Hidden Weapons): This is the name for Lu Niang Lan who is a regular character yet does not use the Summoning Ceremony. I really wanted the word dragon in there somewhere! And I love how she seems to be showing off all her bodylines yet is actually hiding weapons everywhere. If I hadnt gone with the modified China dress, I might have made her a kunoichi. Uniquely Selfless: Just one character away from the kanji phrase for truly unique. I like how changing just that one character completely changes the meaning. This is the name used by every member of Guard of Honor, the Queen-worshipping group. If you look at Azalea in Volume 1 Stage 02, you can probably see what the Truly Unique and Uniquely Selfless lifestyles are like. Alice (with) Rabbit (Non-Killing King): As referenced in the main text, this name was based off of the guide rabbit in Alice in Wonderland. A name full of memories and the starting point for it all. He ended up becoming a character that finds the girls who ended up in the world of Summoning Ceremony after falling down the rabbit hole and returns them to where they came from. Golden Luxury (Elegant Demon Lord): Blonde Azaleas name in Government. She too was Uniquely Selfless while with Guard of Honor, but I think I gave her a gorgeous name for her work as a decoy within Government. As a side note, am I the only one who thinks luxury sounds sexier than celebrity? Maybe Im just confusing it with lingerie. Perfect Game (Perfect Victory): With so many names, I thought it would be fun to include some that did not at all match the person they belonged to and Maxs lifestyle grew from there. He is a summoner who crawls through the mud to protect peoples smiles in a different way from Kyousuke. Tricky AAA: To be honest, this was is the top candidate for a name I chose with no thought whatsoever. I even used AAA later on with 3A. I decide to make them someone who is really skilled as an individual but has trouble with teamwork, but I kind of feel like that describes almost every Blood-Sign summoner Diabolos (Loving Demon): Just like with the kanji for Azaleas Golden Luxury, I did not hesitate to include demonic motifs in the names of the summoners of righteous Government. I think that solidified their image as an organization with a mixture of the bitter and the sweet. I made Government the kind of righteousness that includes the filthy circumstances of the adults and I had the Queen worshipers be the unnaturally pure-looking organizations. Bloodbath Rhapsody: I pictured them as a cheerful summoner that enjoys combat like an event or a party. When on the side of powerful righteousness, winning is expected, so I figured people would either grow sick of battle or learn to enjoy it. Someone who starts earning points base on their own invented rules would definitely be the latter. L.D. 250: I based them on the concept of LD50 used to measure the lethal dose of a toxin. They apparently inject the toxin into 100 rats and see how much is needed until 50 of them are dead. I changed that to 250 to say this summoner takes things way too far and makes absolutely sure their opponent is dead. Theyre a side character, but at Freedom Award 954, they have actually earned more Awards than Kyousuke or Biondetta. Telomeres End: The name for Hayatos father. Benikomichi Fuuki gave it to him. Telomere is a genetic term referring to a repeating sequence thought to be related to aging and lifespan. The end refers to the fact that he was an assassin who supplied an inescapable fate. Since Benikomichi Fuukis affection was for Hayatos father and not Hayato himself, Telomeres End could be seen as an ironic name referring to that which cuts off life and genetic inheritance. Academia (No Battles, Total Victory): The kanji is a modification of a few common kanji phrases. This name belongs to Maria who specializes in research instead of combat. In the Blood-Sign world, she is a truly clever kind of winner. Instead of being the strongest in battle, she talks things out to prevent the need for fighting to develop in the first place. The value in that can be seen in Kyousuke who has always longed for an ordinary family. Mothers and fathers who fight against society to protect their families are a wonderful thing. Sky Brain: Since they were an enemy that specializes in aerial combat, I combined two relatively simple words. To be honest, sky and brain are fantastic words that sound fairly meaningful no matter what you combine them with. I wonder if you could give a character a strange sort of presence by combining them with words that normally wouldnt match, like Pretty Brain or Sky Pink? Liar Cat (Vengeance Dyer): Like normal vengeance except she dyes her vessel partner in its colors without them noticing. I actually gave Biondetta a different name to start with, but when I realized what she was doing instead of simply losing herself in the joy of revenge herself, I went ahead and changed it. Yes, sir or maam. But how you use it is up to you. I think I made her feel like a sleazy loan shark who spots someone struggling after being abandoned and approaches them with a smile. If this had been a story about revenge instead of salvation, I would definitely have made her the protagonist. She is a bad person who takes revenge too far, but she is also someone who turns herself into a bad person, gives her client the position of another victim instead of a criminal, and carries their sins for them. Scorpion 11: A summoner based on the Scorpio constellation. They are persistent, but if their enemy loses focus for even a moment, they will strike at a weak point and turn everything around. While expanding on that, I realized I had created a very idiosyncratic character who constantly takes on challenges they should not be able to win yet somehow survives to the end. Hikikomori (Non-Aggressive Defense): A very straightforward name for the shut-in girl Aika. Lu Niang Lan is a super offense-focused vessel who breaks into the enemy formation and kills them with precision attacks, so I thought of Aika as the opposite: a summoner who specializes in defense by retreating, withdrawing, and holing up within her own formation. Nevertheless, she was being attacked an awful lot in Volume 3, but while her defense might seem limited to her top-floor living space, you should realize otherwise once the Founders Gallery is revealed in Volume 6. And what if Biondettas group had happened to enter that gallery in Volume 3? Madam Professor: Shigara Masamis better-known name. Since these names are given by the people around the summoner, I thought it would make sense for some people to have more than one. The Awards are not separated out. In a case like this, the hidden identity can seem like the true one, but with Shigara Masami, I think she was more comfortable and could open up more in environments where she was known as Madam Professor. Love and Hate Aggressor: I thought of her like a strict instructor or a teacher with a scary look in her eyes. Looks scary but always repays someone who saves one of her students. Normally doesnt fight, but will pursue the summoner who killed one of her students to the ends of the earth. I like how those few facts are enough to glimpse a multifaceted dere. Cursed Doll: Just looking at the name, it sounds like an extremely standard occult name. A vessel who nevertheless wields a Blood-Sign. The Blood-Sign system has the summoner manage the Material, but this was one test case in opening a hole in those rules. Gozaru Summoner: A costumed summoner made by expanding on the Gozaru Samurai mascot seen in the series. They might seem weird, but in a world flooded with Toy Dream cities and products, this might be the ultimate camouflage to visit any country or region with your face hidden. Lionheart: They might live up to their name even less than Max with Perfect Game. Dragons and dogs are fairly common, but I feel like tiger and lion motifs arent as commonly used. Aikas white liger would fall under that category too. Harem Collector 98: There are a few people in the Blood-Sign world (such as Kyousuke) whose skill and charisma have unintentionally led them to create something of a harem, but I thought it would be neat to have a character who became a summoner for the sole purpose of intentionally creating one. The 98 is not how many people they have won over but a symbol of their failure in letting 2 out of 100 people get away. The emphasis on that failure is a sign of jealousy in the people who gave them the name. Amplifier 500: A simple combination of an amp and 500. This is the personal name for Incense Expert Ellie Slide who works with Max. She was actually killed, stuffed in a metal drum, and covered with asphalt in Volume 2, but since she was not the direct target of salvation like the Rainy Girl or Kyousukes mother, she does not get any special powers. Similar to Lu Niang Lan, she is a rare example of someone having value as a vessel alone. Her overpowered technological skill is on par with Azalea. Maybe this is a world where young girls are the most powerful. Humanism: The official ruler of old Government. A strongest character who directly faces the Materials through her belief in human strength. She would never abandon her hope and possibilities as a human, so she was not corrupted by the White Queen. In that sense, she is a bigger person than Elvast who only reached Award 1000. Although perhaps she was too strong and that is why she misjudged when to withdraw from the Secret War and lost her life. Open Bluff (King of Harm): All harm and no benefit. Keeps bluffing even with his cards visible. With Governments Humanism the way she was, I created him as the opposite. This king of underground society has no skill yet stands at the top of Illegal and cheats his way toward breaking down the world around him. But because he knows his power is an illusion, he also seeks real power more than anyone else. Whatever he might have said, he was a real summoner who took up a Blood-Sign to protect the world and lost his life after fighting to the bitter end. Perfect Equilibrium: And here we have the scum who ran away because it was too much of a pain to mess with. She is the official leader of old Freedom, but she is also irresponsible enough to not support any group because she prioritizes her own freedom. Hence equilibrium. Her true identity is the Yellow Gills of the Three who is only interested in her own sleep. She is the stereotypical sealed monster who will devour any who disturb her slumber. She is not good or evil and in fact has no interest in the real world at all, but if a human defeated her with only their own power, she might fall for them and actually face reality. Wouldnt it be super cute if she normally refuses to wake up and clings to the covers, but will rub her eyes and reluctantly wake up if the one person she deems worthy softy calls out to her? Blasphemous Inspiration: Akuras name as a researcher, similar to Maria. He is a mad scientist, but you need roles like that when writing a story. Instead of a scientist who builds up his research results as he goes, he is the inventor type who has sudden flashes of insight. His eccentricities left his relationships and social skills in shambles, so he is fully reliant on his intelligence. World Complete (End of the World): Shigara Masamis name as a legendary summoner and the leader of the three old powers. It comes from how she traversed all three major powers and earned all of the Awards. She appeared in this volume as a god who could create a deathless world, but the term end of the world also appeared in Volume 2 as the theory on which Hayato and Benikomichis attempted deathless world was based. She is another summoner like the Yellow Gills who abandoned the fight during the Secret War, but her decision was based on the idea that she could leave behind a chance for the surviving children (including the White Queen) even if she lost the war. Unlike Humanism who went out in a blaze of glory, she could not force her strength on those around her even if it meant everyone called her a coward. Colorful Museum: From their twisted hobby of collecting things including humans. I thought of them as ending up with a mansion of junk because they lose interest in their collection but cannot bring themselves to throw anything out. Not every nonviolent person is a pacifist. Delivery Heaven 2 Hell: A courier summoner who calmly completes their job despite knowing their deliveries will bring misfortune either to the recipient or the delivery itself. This might be another form of the precision-guided missile Kyousuke was when he was younger. The Saint: I gave her a pure-sounding name so you would suspect there had to be an ulterior motive. And she turns out to have a saint side and a witch side while the leader of the summoner-vessel pair switches depending on the flip of a coin. And keep in mind there is no correct answer like that the witch is her true form or she is actually an M. Since she has great skill but no fixed personal identity, she is like taking Azalea from Volume 1 in a different direction. All Around Armament: The decision to abbreviate it as 3A was of course partially for the bust size joke. Similar to the modified China dress person, she looks thinly dressed yet her clothing is packed full of hidden weapons. She is an assassin, but I thought of her as a Trojan horse who could do more damage by using her lovely appearance to sneak her armory into the enemy formation. Thousand Eater (One who Has Exceeded 1000): This title technically refers to anyone who has achieved Award 1000 and not Elvast in particular. But in the current timeline, he is the only one who could do it, so it automatically became his name. He is the rusty king who has grown tired of fighting because he developed the surefire method of summoning the White Queen with the first shot. He wanted to remain human, so the approach to Award 1000 was like a countdown to doom for him. Being such a selfish leader of Government was his way of reminding himself that he was a human first and foremost. If he had been a little stronger, he could have been a match for Humanism who had conquered that fear. Doctor S: Since he is Kyousukes father, the S was an absolute necessity. As a researcher, he is more like Volume 5s Akura, but he can hide his greed, he can fight on his own, and he can get along in the world, so he is much harder to deal with. If you think of Akura as the random attacker type who was at the mercy of his own ideas (or delusions), then Doctor S is the serial killer type who preserves a perfect presence in society while calmly fulfilling his desires in secret. As someone who would do anything for his research, he is the polar opposite of Shigara Masami or Humanism who pursued human strength. He is a hopelessly bad person, but without someone like him, the door to the Blood-Sign system would never have been opened. Noble Bride (Bride of the State): The name of Sinceria, the impressive mama character who perfectly maintained the three identities of a queen, a mother, and a woman. Being a mother generally requires a husband, but I added the of the state to brush aside that image as much as possible. Divorced is a taboo word. At first glance, she looks like a caring mother focused on her family, but if you dig into her conversations with Rachel, you can catch some glimpses of some more worrying things. Queen Executioner: A second name given to Kyousuke in Volume 7 after he used the Colorless Little Girl to kill the White Queen. Generally used by his enemies. I thought a lot about it, but since he had killed the Queen and spread the word of her death, I decided to base it on the idea of the public execution of a powerful figure. Back when Kyousuke was still bound by her, the White Queen would probably have enjoyed being put in some scraps of cloth, shackled, and dragged out into the public square as a part of flirting with him. She wants to be the kind of self-absorbed couple who shows off their relationship instead of keeping it hidden, so she was probably wiggling in excitement when she heard he was given a name with Queen in it. War Criminal (War Slaughterer): A different sort of ruler of the underground society than Open Bluff, the old king of Illegal. Boy A, aka Irigaru Tarou, was made to be as nondescript as possible. He is the ultimate criminal who embodies the nightmarish idea that the most frightening things are found in your closest neighbors. He knows what he does is wrong but still does not hesitate, so he is even more hopeless than Elvast who secretly agonized over it all. He was taken out of the fight by Kyousuke, but that means he was such a villain that not even Kyousuke could think up another way to stop him. Eisen Rosen (Barbed Wire): I used a rose and flower petal motif for the Summoning Ceremony itself, but I took that a step further and used a metal flower image for her. She is an outlaw but also the class rep type who makes sure everyone follows the rules. However, she is interested in the rules of the criminal organizations, not the laws of the nations. Railroad Executioner: A railroad-obsessed summoner. And one who is interested in the people killed when hit by trains, so he is a horribly insensitive criminal. I started with wanting a brutal character who would calmly execute people according to a schedule and I expanded that based on the idea of a timetable. He might use rhythmic shaking or the high-voltage power poles to enter a trance. Monster Freak: A summoner who uses Materials as beasts instead of gods. His clothing and Blood-Sign are both made of animal materials, but that is related to his complex related to the weakness of his own human body. He reassures himself by showing himself he can control the animals with the power of civilization. But he does not hate animals and will take good care of them as long as he has made his dominance clear. Creation Dead: A combination of opposite words. A nonproductive summoner who creates death. I could have really increased the characters destructive power by making them a little girl wearing nothing but a cape, but she never had a chance to appear. Killer Acrobat: Another combination of opposites. Acrobatics are generally meant to just barely keep you alive, but this summoner uses those techniques to kill. Instead of fighting on the flat ground, they constantly move around to fight in the air instead. Most of their effectiveness is determined by whether or not they can throw the Incense Grenade and gain control of the Artificial Sacred Ground. Since they jump around a lot, going with a cheerleader or gymnastics theme might have been better than a circus one. Sinful Monk: Simple and straightforward. The fact that a summoner with this name reached the 900s in Illegal tells you all you need to know about the path they have taken, dont you think? In a way, they have stayed true to themselves to the end. Yes, this was a summoner who could remain mistaken because they were powerful enough to defeat anyone who protested. Puppet?Theatre?Crime?Device: I finally used a symbol in their name and dont ask me how youre supposed to pronounce it, but since these names are based on screennames, I went for it anyway. I started with Theatre Crime for the motif and added the other words to the front and back as extra flavoring. (*The following are not names given to characters, but these are some things that had a large influence on the setting but never got much of an explanation because the story did not demand it.) Quad Motors: The quad part comes from the ridiculous idea that they monopolize the weapon supply for all four branches of the US military. Repliglass, one of the major twists of this setting, is either supplied by this company or by rival companies from other countries. But they are actually European instead of American because the Magentarain family has been watching what America does from within and sometimes intervening ever since the country achieved independence from England. The Magentarain family is also a member of the Round Table, a group of old European bloodlines. (Since that is a collection of nobles, a royal like Sinceria is not a part of the group. A queen can construct a community with herself at the top, so she would feel no need to join a group of equal members.) In Index, the European powers of England, Rome, and Russia control the magical side of things while America lags behind due to an insufficient occult foundation, but in Blood-Sign, America has used their money and technology to increase their presence while shoving Europe aside. Quad Motors has some level of indirect control on military matters, but that is far from perfect and there is room for interference from Toy Dream who have global influence through their media and cities. Toy Dream: A multinational entertainment company that wishes to fill the world with toys and give people dreams. They do not know much about the occult, but their fairy tales and movies have all been massive hits because they draw inspiration from the true occult books and antiques gathered using all their money. They are a giant organization that represents the world, but they actually knew nothing about the secrets of the world. That was one of the major twists in the Blood-Sign setting. The Round Table never intervened because despite all the money they spent, they never showed signs of unusual desires, but the founder self-destructed through Volume 8s Blue Film. Meinokawa Shrine: Meinokawa refers to the Sanzu River and the names Higan and Renge are based on the image of flowers blossoming on its bank. Because they are the ones who manage who comes and goes between the two worlds. But even with the syncretism of Shinto and Buddhism, doesnt this seem more of a Buddhist temple thing than a Shinto shrine thing? The Joruri Methods name came from the Ningyou Joruri. That is a collection of many different techniques - woodworking, clothing, anatomy, joints, dollmaking, music, etc. - so I had the evolution (or the gathering?) of the Queens images come from that line of creating tools for something like a theatrical ceremony. The Meinokawa Shrine has very little influence on the Summoning Ceremony industry given their level of technology, but that is because they were satisfied after completing Aoi as the original artificial vessel and felt no need to expand their power from there. If they had felt any dissatisfaction or longing because they did not have enough of a specific material or could not complete the design, that may have given them the drive they needed to invade others. But that would have entirely eliminated the image of the Meinokawa Shrine as the protectors of that idyllic rural village. Kyousukes Cruiser: I had already decided that Aika was living in the stereotypical rich persons apartment, so where was the super cool and strongest protagonist supposed to live? After a lot of thought, I finally arrived at a cruiser as the answer. Since it isnt fixed to one location, it helped establish his position as the rabbit that immediately parts ways with the heroines. Note that Aika lives on the top floor of a high-rise apartment while Kyousuke floats in the ocean at the bottommost level of the city. The idea of living in a large vehicle must really tug at my heartstrings because besides the cruiser, this series has also had a mobile fortress, an excursion ship, and a cruise ship. And if you look at my other series, you find an RV made from a large bus, a flying wing that constantly moves all around the world to keep its whereabouts unknown, maintenance bases made from more than 100 large special vehicles, nuke-resistant Objects, and more. And cruise ships in particular have appeared in Index, Object, Intellectual Village, Vampire Zombie, Boo Boo, Magisterus, and Blood-Sign, so they show up an awful lot, dont they? About the Shiroyama Name: Shiroyama was a fake name Doctor S took, but not even he knows why he chose it. Since this was about the White Queen who can distort history, I decided to start the series without having an answer and leaving that blank. That way I could see what answer naturally came about after the fact as the story progressed as an experiment in growth (or maybe in altering history?). In the end, I discovered that the consonants of Shiroyama (srym) are not found anywhere in the letters for the White Queens name (iu - nu - fb - a - wuh - ei - kx - eu - pl - vjz). So as the story progressed, I gave it the meaning of that which the Queen lacks or that can complement her. But they are not complete strangers, so if you spell Shiroyama with a shi at the start instead of a si, you get one letter in common. A young boy and girl brought together by H!? You really cant underestimate coincidence, can you? Or is this the White Queens guidance?