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<METADATA> Name: Touka Nishikujou | Gender: Female Name: Tennouji Kotarou | Gender: Male Name: Kagari | Gender: Female | Aliases: Key Name: Arata Imamiya | Gender: Male Name: Sougen Esaka | Gender: Male </METADATA> [Kagari]: "If you would specify a place where it would not find me." [Kotarou]: "...okay, I'll look around." Protecting a clueless princess is a lot of work... [Kotarou]: "This would be a lot easier if you understood the human world better..." [Kagari]: "Then let us travel the world immediately." [Kagari]: "Kagari will learn through contact with the herd." [Kotarou]: "...too bad we don't have the time." I'm very busy right now. I'm both a follower of Gaia and a hunter for Guardian. And I'm cutting into my sleep time to come visit Kagari. Fortunately I only need three hours to recover my stamina now, but that still doesn't leave any free time left over. [Kotarou]: "I can't escort you, and it'd be dangerous to do that alone." [Kagari]: "Kagari does not understand." [Kagari]: "If humans have so much empathy, then why do they go so far to avoid disturbing the status quo?" [Kagari]: "With this much intelligence, you have to leave good memories behind..." [Kotarou]: "...humans can't help but fight." [Kotarou]: "I don't know why that is either." [Kotarou]: "We know the world will end eventually, but we only act on what's going to happen in the short term..." Environmental destruction is the perfect example. Even though we know we're bleeding the Earth dry, we continue cutting down forests and using fossil fuels. We only act on those issues when they provide some economic benefit. [Kagari]: "People are wise, yet foolish. It almost seems as if they're broken." [Kagari]: "...Kagari cannot understand." Guardian's underground facilities have expanded. At first I thought there was just a massive cavern under the ground, but it's more than that. Apparently they have a safe house inside compressed space. ...despite all the problems that would be solved if they published that technology and let the rest of humanity have infinite living space. [Kotarou]: "We're making a new HQ already?" [Esaka]: "...we've sensed some unusual activity from Gaia." [Esaka]: "We've decided to respond quickly." I have no idea what that unusual activity might be. Since I'm still just a no-name summoner, there's a lot of information I don't get. [Esaka]: "The equipment should arrive this afternoon, so help us get it set up." [Kotarou]: "Sure." [Esaka]: "Also, we need more monitors." [Esaka]: "You'll be one of them, Tennouji. Be sure to talk to your supervisor later." [Kotarou]: "Understood." Esaka-san smiles meaningfully. Later that day, my supervisor arrives. [Imamiya]: "No way..." [Nishikujou]: "Oh." [Kotarou]: "...I see." [Imamiya]: "You are...Tennouji, right?" [Kotarou]: "Who do I look like?" [Imamiya]: "So you're the "assistant"..." [Imamiya]: "When did you get back?" [Kotarou]: "A couple of months ago." [Nishikujou]: "You feel different." [Kotarou]: "Same for you two." [Kotarou]: "Especially you, Nishikujou..." Nishikujou feels like a completely different person now. She looks bright and happy. [Nishikujou]: "Well...I can't stay gloomy forever." [Imamiya]: "Somehow she's already teaching rookies." [Kotarou]: "Eh?" [Nishikujou]: "A lot happened." [Kotarou]: "I guess it has been a long time." [Imamiya]: "Pretty much. I'm going to be in charge of the monitors here this time." They both feel like they've overcome a lot of their past doubts. They're probably stronger too. [Kotarou]: "So I'm going to be one of the monitors when I'm not helping Esaka-san." [Kotarou]: "Should I simply report to you, Imamiya?" [Imamiya]: "Yeah, pretty much..." [Imamiya]: "You went abroad, right?" [Kotarou]: "Yeah." [Imamiya]: "So you've been in combat." [Kotarou]: "Well, yeah." [Kotarou]: "People were shooting at us every day." They seem a little intimidated by that. [Imamiya]: "Hmmmm..." [Nishikujou]: "At first I thought you'd had plastic surgery." [Kotarou]: "Why?" I haven't done anything to my face this time... [Imamiya]: "...well, it's a lot of things. Overall you're a lot bigger." [Kotarou]: "Ah..." I see, compared to these two who've been in Japan the whole time, my combat record is unusual. [Imamiya]: "But you can't just intimidate your enemies here, okay?" [Nishikujou]: "Imamiya, cut that out already." [Imamiya]: "I'm not picking a fight." [Imamiya]: "Being a monitor requires blending into the town." [Imamiya]: "We can't work with someone who sticks out like a sore thumb." [Imamiya]: "You understand? We're not going to be stuck in the area no one cares about this time." [Imamiya]: "I'm in charge of watching the temple." [Kotarou]: "The temple?" [Nishikujou]: "You know the culture hall? They built that while you were gone." [Kotarou]: (They actually call it that...) [Nishikujou]: "What is it?" [Kotarou]: "No, nothing. But I've seen it, I know which one you mean." [Imamiya]: "It's also the center of operations for Martel Japan." [Imamiya]: "Tons of people from Gaia will be there, and we'll be watching." [Kotarou]: "Are you sure you can afford to dress like a punk then?" [Imamiya]: "I stand out a lot more if I'm not wearing this." [Imamiya]: "It's not that rare for twenty-somethings to be wandering around town anymore, you know." [Nishikujou]: "I think your face is starting to age a bit though..." [Imamiya]: "No it's not! I'm still cool! I'm a young outlaw!" [Imamiya]: "I'm...still..." He's starting to lose confidence in his youth. [Kotarou]: "Should I dress like a delinquent too?" [Imamiya]: "No...that'd never look right on you." [Imamiya]: "If you're not used to dressing that way you'll only make yourself more obvious." [Imamiya]: "...hmm...don't take this personally, but I'm honestly not sure what to do with you." [Imamiya]: "I'm sure you've gotten stronger since then..." [Nishikujou]: "Why not let him work alone for a while?" [Imamiya]: "Every spot's taken already..." [Kotarou]: "So you don't have any use for a guy that doesn't blend in well?" [Imamiya]: "...well, you could put it that way if you want." [Imamiya]: "Nishi, could you use him?" [Nishikujou]: "We're also full right now...sorry."

<METADATA> Name: Arata Imamiya | Gender: Male Name: Tennouji Kotarou | Gender: Male </METADATA> [Kotarou]: "It's fine." That's actually better for me. I'll have to betray everyone here eventually, so the fewer friends I make, the better. [Kotarou]: "Could you tell me about the monitors here anyway?" [Kotarou]: "Maybe I'll think of something I can do." [Imamiya]: "If you want..." Imamiya opens up a map. [Imamiya]: "Okay, our job is surveillance...which means holding back Gaia's first move." [Imamiya]: "We're Guardian's eyes in Kazamatsuri." [Imamiya]: "Did you see UAVs where you went? We have small versions of those we can use here, but their familiars are better at that sort of thing." [Imamiya]: "And the defenses around here are horrible." He points to the plot of land with the temple. [Imamiya]: "But it's easy to recognize familiars. Even if they look like little bugs, there are always differences." [Imamiya]: "The guys with good enough eyes to see those differences at range are used to watch key areas directly." [Imamiya]: "The important areas are the train station, the main roads out of the city, and everywhere around the temple." [Imamiya]: "There are a lot of things to watch for, depending on our orders from higher up...often it's specific people." [Imamiya]: "If they need to capture someone, we'll be guiding them." [Imamiya]: "Until something drastic changes, that's as far as our job goes." [Imamiya]: "Normally, we just blend into the crowd and stand watch. Some of us have been working part or full time in this area for years." [Imamiya]: "Living normally for years in a perfect place to keep watch from." [Imamiya]: "This is enemy territory after all. We can't replace them easily if they get found out." [Imamiya]: "We have to be more careful than anyone else about what we do in the city." [Imamiya]: "So you see why I don't know what to do with you." [Kotarou]: "Yeah, you're right." That's a lot of valuable information. I am so glad I got a chance to talk to him at such a perfect time. [Kotarou]: "...why is this area crossed out?" [Imamiya]: "That's not considered too important." [Imamiya]: "We know they're moving a lot of familiars through the forest, but..." [Imamiya]: "It's like cutting off a lizard's tail. No matter how many you take out, they'll keep coming back." [Imamiya]: "Ah, sorry, I guess that's what you've been doing for a while." [Kotarou]: "It's fine." [Imamiya]: "Unless the Key's in one of these areas, there's honestly no point sending anyone out there." [Kotarou]: "How are we going to find the Key anyway?" [Kotarou]: "I heard some people can see it." [Imamiya]: "That was...you know, from Mikuni's team...Oonishi." [Kotarou]: "Oooh, he could see it?" [Imamiya]: "I know there's some more, but they're all in other important positions right now." [Imamiya]: "So there's no easy way to find the Key on our own." [Imamiya]: "Our usual strategy is to let Gaia find it first, but watch them carefully so we can see when they make a play for it." [Kotarou]: "I'm amazed that works." [Imamiya]: "When the Key shows up they get very active. If we keep an eye on Gaia's higher-ups in the city, we can tell what's going on just from where they're going." Several pieces connect. [Kotarou]: "Hey, Imamiya." [Kotarou]: "Why don't I keep an eye on one of these unimportant areas?" I point to a piece of the forest. [Imamiya]: "Yeah, I've got no problem with you being there. It might suit you better anyway." [Imamiya]: "But don't go familiar hunting anymore, okay?" [Kotarou]: "I know, I'm not a child." [Kotarou]: "I'll just be keeping an eye out. I'm good at boring jobs like that." [Imamiya]: "...you have grown up." [Imamiya]: "Okay, you can take that area then. It's not glamorous, but keep your eyes open." [Suzaki]: "You're Suzuki-kun, right?" [Kotarou]: "Yes, I'm Suzuki." As I do push-ups in the area outside the temple, an old man talks to me. He's slender, but he's clearly been well-trained. [Suzaki]: "Are you exercising? You look pretty fit." [Kotarou]: "Thank you." [Suzaki]: "I'm Suzaki. I'm dean of the educational department and chair of the board of directors." [Suzaki]: "I've heard about what a promising recruit you are." [Kotarou]: "I'm really not. I still don't know left from right when it comes to these familiars." [Suzaki]: "You're just not used to it yet. A lot of people are hopeful for you, myself included." [Suzaki]: "Keep up the good work." [Kotarou]: "Thank you very much." [Suzaki]: "If something's bothering you, talk to me whenever you want." Suzaki Shuuichirou. Fifty-two years old. He used to be a colonel in the SDF, and now he's a key member of the Japanese Martel Group. According to my research, he's effectively in charge of all business operations. ...one of the people I most wanted to get in contact with. Kashima Sakura has a more symbolic position, and the two of them are inseparable. ...or so it would seem, but Suzaki has all the real control. Kashima doesn't have the authority she used to. Suzaki's the reason that Martel's been converting itself into a scientific group. He's been taking power from Kashima Sakura, who was once worshipped as the holy woman. That's why Martel is the way it is now. There's a Kashima faction and a Suzaki faction. The latter is more important for my purposes. And easier to approach. Suzaki really likes some of the familiars I've been trying to optimize. He invites me to the dining hall to talk to other key members of Suzaki's faction. They're very energetic people, unlike the rest of Martel... They act friendly towards me. Some of them I really don't like, but I put up with that. I can't afford to be picky about my acquaintances. My bad acting turns out to be good enough for them. They all see me as a promising rookie. The rest almost writes itself. Suzaki invites me to his office every so often, and I talk about stuff I think he likes. "I came here after growing tired of living, but now that I have power, I'm beginning to think differently." That's what I tell him. Then Suzaki leans forward and says this. [Suzaki]: "When you joined, you were told that familiars are a manifestation of our desire to right the wrongs of the world." [Suzaki]: "I believe those words are more than just propaganda." [Suzaki]: "It's a fact that familiars continue to evolve through human efforts." [Suzaki]: "I'm sure you've heard that we have some ancient familiars in storage." [Suzaki]: "I've seen them. They're horrifying. They're absolutely massive, and I'm sure they're powerful, but they're too big to use."

<METADATA> Name: Tennouji Kotarou | Gender: Male Name: Kagari | Gender: Female | Aliases: Key </METADATA> [Suzaki]: "What kind of familiar do you think helps us the most these days?" [Suzaki]: "The correct answer is this." He points to a sparrow statue on his desk. A bird-shaped familiar. [Suzaki]: "Using these, we can learn whatever we want. A skilled user can even use its beak to attack." [Suzaki]: "The familiar you created felt similarly useful to me." [Suzaki]: "Do you feel that you want to disappear from the world as soon as possible?" "No." At least, that's my answer right now. [Suzaki]: "Good...we mustn't kill ourselves." [Suzaki]: "There was a time when I wanted nothing more than to end my life peacefully, but in retrospect I was being rash." [Kotarou]: "...since I..." [Suzaki]: "Hmm?" [Kotarou]: "Since I have this power now, I want to do something useful." [Kotarou]: "I've thrown away my old life, so I have nothing to be afraid of now." I'm trying to make Suzaki see me as a person who gave up on their life but now has newfound ambitions. Since that's kind of true, I should be able to pull it off... [Suzaki]: "Do you want to move up in this organization?" [Kotarou]: "...yes." [Suzaki]: "I see..." [Suzaki]: "In that case, there is something I'd like to ask of you." [Kotarou]: "Just say the word." [Suzaki]: "What do you know about the "hunters"?" [Kotarou]: "Only that those people see us as enemies." [Suzaki]: "They're a real threat." [Suzaki]: "They don't allow terrorism, and they're after our secrets." [Suzaki]: "Did you also know I was in the military police?" [Kotarou]: "Yes." [Suzaki]: "Martel has no equivalent to that." [Suzaki]: "Officially, we don't need such a thing. But in reality, we do." [Suzaki]: "I've been trying to revamp this organization, but we're having endless problems with information leaks." [Suzaki]: "So I'd like a few other pairs of eyes looking into that problem." [Kotarou]: "Are you saying I should do an internal investigation?" [Suzaki]: "I'm not asking you to do any professional espionage." [Suzaki]: "Just listen to what people are saying, and tell me your honest impression of what's going on as an individual summoner." [Suzaki]: "Of course it'd be ideal if you found out who was leaking information." [Suzaki]: "But you don't have to go that far." [Kotarou]: "Why are you asking me to do something so important?" [Suzaki]: "You're new, and unlike most summoners, you think the way we do." [Suzaki]: "Such people are valuable in my opinion." He places a cylinder the size of my palm on the desk. [Suzaki]: "You can use this familiar. Don't worry, it's a plant type, so it doesn't use oxygen and won't shorten your life much. Also..." Suzaki also pulls out a thick envelope. [Suzaki]: "You can use this too. If you do well, I might give you more." Maybe it's because I'm Japanese, but I feel the urge to try and turn some of this down. Still, I have to play my part. [Kotarou]: "Thank you." I put the envelope and the cylinder in my pockets. I head out to monitor my part of the forest, but Kagari's not here today. Normally she comes right out even if I don't say anything, but I don't even feel her presence. I spend half an hour searching the area, but clearly she's not here right now. [Kotarou]: (She couldn't have gone somewhere alone...) Kagari doesn't think things through as much as a human does. And that's a problem. Safety can only be achieved after carefully checking to make sure not the slightest possibility has been overlooked. But Kagari lacks even a basic sense of danger. No matter how long I wait, Kagari doesn't come back. I definitely feel some kind of longing for her. But seeing her act this reckless just irritates me. Since I'm doing everything in my power to protect her...this is just unacceptable. She's wasting all of my effort. [Kotarou]: "But I can't stay here and watch her all day..." Gaia has familiars that can sense the Key. [Kotarou]: "Dammit, if they find her..." That's going to be the end, no matter what. In that case, I might be forced to abandon Kagari to save myself. [Kotarou]: (...can I die for her?) She drew me to her at our first meeting. My heart was racing. I want to know more about her, and I don't want anyone else to have her. And these secret meetings we're having are quite exciting. Can I say for sure that this is more than just infatuation? Could I die to protect Kagari if it comes down to it? If I'm going to keep helping her, I have to consider that possibility. I pull out the cylinder. Inside is a bunch of rolled up leaves. He said this was a familiar. [Kotarou]: "...I get it." When I make the contract, visual data gets sent to me. This is a new trick. This information acts as a reference manual. Leaf bird. A familiar made entirely out of leaves. Three of them can fit in a small tube. It can send and receive information over short distances using pheromones. I can use one by itself, or a group of several. In exchange the sensitivity of each individual is a bit low, but they can assist each other. This does sound pretty impressive. When I first saw how life energy could be used to manufacture these things, I felt a possibility. A pointless hope. Summoners can only draw out this power through negative emotions. [Kotarou]: "Go. Find Kagari." The three hummingbird-sized familiars all fly off at once. They can't sense Kagari themselves, but there is something only I know about her. Her smell. Kagari smells like dense vegetation. I just have to look for that. Fortunately, leaf birds have a strong sense of smell to make up for their vision. ...Kagari's in the city. She's walking around. My face is probably pale right now. I rush through the forest towards the city. [Kotarou]: "Why are you doing this!?" [Kagari]: "To improve my understanding of Homo sapiens." [Kagari]: "I judged that this would aid in completing my objective." [Kotarou]: "Don't run right into the enemy's crosshairs!" [Kagari]: "...you must not show hostility towards Kagari." The ribbons react to my shout, spreading out. [Kotarou]: "I'm mad because you made me worry!" The ribbons back off. [Kagari]: "...Homo demens, you are not behaving rationally." [Kagari]: "Kagari must contact a herd to educate herself." [Kagari]: "That is how she learned to speak." [Kotarou]: "Don't make me repeat myself. We can't let them know you're here." [Kotarou]: "You have to stay hidden at all times." [Kagari]: "Kagari is unsure." [Kagari]: "It is unclear if what you say is acceptable." [Kotarou]: "Don't you want to save the planet?" [Kagari]: "But the situation is not changing." This is stupid. I am so sick of trying to explain this to her.

<METADATA> Name: Jasmine | Gender: Female Name: Tennouji Kotarou | Gender: Male Name: Arata Imamiya | Gender: Male Name: Sougen Esaka | Gender: Male Name: Kagari | Gender: Female | Aliases: Key </METADATA> [Kotarou]: "I'm infiltrating both organizations and preparing to screw with them from the inside." [Kotarou]: "Just give me some more time...I know you don't understand any of this, but I am following a plan here." [Kotarou]: "Please." [Kagari]: "Understood. I will continue waiting." [Kotarou]: "...thank you." [Kagari]: "Please do not disappoint Kagari." I definitely felt something like destiny when we first met. But right now, I feel endlessly frustrated. Suzaki tells me there's a spy in Martel. I try asking Esaka-san if there are any spies, but he says there aren't. I don't know if that's true or not. [Esaka]: "Superhumans and summoners are different kinds of people. We simply cannot impersonate them." He's right. The idea of a superhuman spy in Martel doesn't seem very plausible. Could they be sneaking their way in instead? Hiding in shadows and ventilation ducts? [Kotarou]: (Just like a spy movie...) I don't think I can completely rule that out... The Martel HQ has a section meant primarily for managing familiars. I have to spend some time working for Guardian, but thanks to Suzaki's influence, I get free reign to investigate that part. There are very few familiars within the HQ itself. There's no military force meant to protect the building. The fact that this is a peaceful country is their greatest defense. But the building is split into two zones. The area that normal members work in, and the part used by summoners who know Gaia's secrets. Most of the security is at the passages between the zones. After I go outside, getting back in is a bit of a pain. Many of the researchers simply live in their labs for a few days at a time to avoid the hassle. I start acting as a messenger between people on opposite sides of the security checkpoints. ...I meet a lot of people that way. People who hate the world, were rejected by it, and whose emotions manifest as familiars. I can get along with anyone as long as I don't interfere with their work. That frog-like man is also working in this section. Apparently he works on familiars for assassinations. He seems to be enjoying it. [Kotarou]: (...I could've been like this.) It's hard to imagine any of them are spies. They hate the world. Only Martel accepted them. They appear to be giving this their undivided attention. But there's also Sakura's faction. The "holy woman" is mostly a symbolic position nowadays, but in the past she was like a priest. A religious leader. Since the organization is trying to look less religious nowadays, she doesn't have as much power. Suzaki made that happen. The holy woman's supporters probably don't like him for that. They want to preserve the old teachings. Suzaki's side wants to get rid of all that. Martel has been split into an old minority and a diehard majority. [Kotarou]: (...from Suzaki's point of view, the holy woman's charisma is just a nuisance.) [Kotarou]: (Does he want me to do something about her...?) Sakura's supporters are dwindling. Maybe in part because most of them are elderly women. They form a closed group, but they don't seem like much of a threat to Suzaki. These two factions... Could I take advantage of this situation? If I help the holy woman, Suzaki will be in trouble. Since they have to deal with Guardian too, that could create a three-way conflict. [Kotarou]: (...that'd just make the fighting even messier.) I need to do some more investigation. I ask Jasmine to analyze the data from the familiars I get. [Jasmine2015]: "I'm mad, you know >:-(" [Koko1010]: "I see..." [Koko1010]: "Did you get the data?" [Jasmine2015]: "You should talk to us more often >:-(" [Koko1010]: "Yeah." [Koko1010]: "Please have your summoners look at this data. Tell me if you learn anything from it." [Jasmine2015]: "Everyone's worried about you >:-(" [Koko1010]: "I see..." [Jasmine2015]: "Are you listening to me?" [Koko1010]: "I don't want to get you involved." [Jasmine2015]: "We're family!" I'm honestly surprised to hear that. [Koko1010]: "I'm paying in advance. Check that the payment went through." [Jasmine2015]: "We're worried about you :-(" [Koko1010]: "I'm doing just fine." [Jasmine2015]: "Can I come to Japan?" [Koko1010]: "Don't. You could compromise my position." [Jasmine2015]: "You're our leader." [Koko1010]: "An invisible leader." [Koko1010]: "Keep everyone busy for me." [Jasmine2015]: "I've seen the data." [Koko1010]: "Sorry for my bad English." [Jasmine2015]: "These aren't djinn. It's like using life to manufacture whatever humans want." [Koko1010]: "Maybe that's what familiars really are." [Jasmine2015]: "It's terrifying..." [Koko1010]: "Yeah." [Koko1010]: "But could you analyze it?" [Jasmine2015]: "I'll do whatever you say." [Jasmine2015]: "But I'm afraid. I feel like I shouldn't be touching this." [Koko1010]: "I'll remember that." [Jasmine2015]: "...don't do anything dangerous." [Koko1010]: "I won't." [Jasmine2015]: "Then I'll take a look at this." They're much better at this stuff than I am. Hopefully they can figure something out. I move Kagari's safe house to the area I'm in charge of monitoring. [Imamiya]: "Any familiars in your area?" [Kotarou]: "Nope, it's been quiet." [Imamiya]: "...ah, did you know about the elementary school kids who've been spending a lot of time in the forest?" [Kotarou]: "No...?" [Imamiya]: "Come on, at least deal with this stuff." [Imamiya]: "Apparently a bunch of kids are getting lost in the forest lately." [Kotarou]: "Why?" [Imamiya]: "They're spreading rumors about very rare beetles and stuff." [Imamiya]: "Like one with seven horns." [Imamiya]: "If you see any kids, get them out of there. We can't let them keep doing that. If someone gets lost in your area you'll be held responsible, okay?" [Kotarou]: "...o-okay, I'll look out for them." [Imamiya]: "But are there really any weird beetles like that out here?" [Kotarou]: "...I-I dunno, I haven't seen any." We're risking our lives every day, but these kids... [Kotarou]: "...hm?" I immediately notice something in the terrain.

<METADATA> Name: Kanbe Kotori | Gender: Female Name: Kagari | Gender: Female | Aliases: Key Name: Tennouji Kotarou | Gender: Male </METADATA> Because it could affect my life. [Kotarou]: (This is definitely the right location...) I'd never forget where Kagari's safe house was. But right now, I'm in a place I've never seen before. [Kotarou]: "...Kagari?" Silence. Something's been done to me, that's for sure. I focus on my right wrist. A raw wound. It should have closed up long ago, but something red is oozing out of it. My skin is being broken from the inside, and blood is coming out. It drips down, hardening into a sharp icicle. ...nothing attacks. I know what feels off now. The scenery and the noises are different. I squint my eyes and listen carefully. [Kotarou]: (...my senses don't seem to be confused.) Most people can't see Kagari. Is it possible she's doing the same thing to me? ...she's supposed to be... I kick a pebble at my feet in that direction. I hear a short scream. I jump in that direction. I grab a branch with one hand and drop down on the enemy. [Girl]: "W-wait!" A small silhouette runs out with both hands raised. [Kotarou]: "What?" [Kotori]: "I'm...Kanbe Kotori!" [Kotori]: "Y-you're Kotarou-kun...right?" She's grown a bit since I last saw her...but she's definitely Kotori. Then Kagari walks out from behind her. [Kagari]: "Did the barrier have an effect?" [Kotarou]: "Huh?" [Kagari]: "I asked the girl." [Kotarou]: "Wait." [Kotarou]: "Why are you two here together?" [Kotori]: "Umm..." Kotori answers the question. After I ran away from home, the Kanbe family had a car accident on a mountain. They were thrown off a cliff and into the forest, but Kotori happened to land on some branches at just the right time. In the forest, she found what seemed to her like a divine revelation. The knowledge of an ancient summoner. It resided in an overgrown plant, and only those suited to the power could read the information. People called druids. An old group of summoners that worshipped Kagari. The price for gaining this great power is that she must serve Kagari. Apparently. [Kotarou]: "So that's why...?" [Kotori]: "It said I have to help Kagari-san..." [Kotori]: "That if I don't, I won't gain the power to save them." [Kotarou]: "Save who?" [Kotori]: "Mom and Dad." [Kotarou]: "...I see." ...so they both died. [Kotarou]: "I'm sorry to hear that." [Kotori]: "It's okay...they came back." [Kotarou]: "They what?" [Kotori]: "They're still a bit awkward though..." [Kotarou]: "What do you mean?" [Kotori]: "I used this new power." There's only one thing Kotori could possibly mean. [Kotarou]: "You made them into familiars?" [Kotarou]: "Did you turn humans into familiars!?" [Kotarou]: "You idiot! What are you thinking!?" [Kotarou]: "That's not bringing them back to life! They're just familiars! Zombies!" [Kotori]: "That's not true! It said I could bring them back to life...it'd take a long time...but someday!" [Kotarou]: "People don't come back from the dead that easily!" [Kotarou]: "I know you're smarter than this. Can't you tell this isn't the right thing to do!?" [Kotori]: "But..." [Kotori]: "...how should I know!?" [Kotarou]: "You idiot..." I hold my head and groan like an animal. This isn't making sense to me. [Kotarou]: "...we'll talk more about that later." [Kotarou]: "Let's focus on you and Kagari." Kagari finally opens her mouth. [Kagari]: "The girl came to me." [Kagari]: "With this vine in hand." Kagari's holding a vine. [Kotarou]: "Is that the plant you mentioned?" It looks normal to me. I don't feel anything when I touch it. [Kotarou]: "I'm guessing it doesn't like me." But it seems like a familiar made in a completely different way. And I had no idea they could be used for long-term information storage... [Kagari]: "The wise man of the forest exists to aid and support Kagari, the Earth incarnate." [Kagari]: "This girl has erected a barrier for that purpose." [Kotarou]: "...so that's what that was." Disrupt awareness... Even I wouldn't have gotten through that barrier if I didn't know the area so well. [Kagari]: "This girl will protect Kagari." [Kagari]: "You should now be able to focus on combat without concern for me." [Kotarou]: "...screw that." [Kotarou]: "I'm not making a little kid do this. Let Kotori go back home right away." [Kotarou]: "This is an adult issue. We're all risking our lives here." [Kotarou]: "I have no intention of putting innocent children at risk." [Kagari]: "If the planet dies, children and adults will all be destroyed." [Kotarou]: "We don't need that much perspective right now." [Kotarou]: "Anyway, let Kotori go home. We can do this ourselves." [Kagari]: "...so stubborn." [Kagari]: "And you call yourself Homo sapiens?" [Kotarou]: "Call us whatever you want. I'm taking Kotori back home." [Kotori]: "You don't have to do that..." [Kotarou]: "Why not?" [Kotori]: "This is my job. It doesn't matter why you're here, Kotarou-kun." [Kotarou]: "...you have no idea how dangerous this is." [Kotori]: "I do." [Kotarou]: "No, you don't." [Kotori]: "Yes, I do." [Kotarou]: "You definitely don't." [Kotori]: "Can you prove that? Do you have a machine that can read people's hearts? If you do, please show me." [Kotarou]: "...uuu." [Kotori]: "It doesn't matter anyway." [Kotori]: "I have no idea why you're here with Kagari..." [Kotori]: "But I'm here for my own reasons!" Would Gaia or Guardian go easy on her because she's a child? ...no, probably not. [Kotarou]: "...I'd like to say you don't have to worry about me since you have nothing to do with me..." [Kotori]: "I wouldn't say that..." [Kotarou]: "If we were strangers, I'd have chased you away by now." [Kotori]: "...eh?" [Kotarou]: "Just go. Don't get involved with us." [Kotori]: "But...my parents..." [Kotarou]: "I'm not going to help you make walking corpses out of them." [Kotori]: "...why?" She looks like she's about to cry. I wince. [Kotarou]: "D-don't cry..."

<METADATA> Name: Tennouji Kotarou | Gender: Male Name: Kanbe Kotori | Gender: Female Name: Touka Nishikujou | Gender: Female Name: Arata Imamiya | Gender: Male Name: Sougen Esaka | Gender: Male </METADATA> [Kotori]: "Everything's been sad for me, so why can't you at least be nice to me!?" [Kotarou]: "Haven't we always been like this?" [Kotori]: "Am I supposed to live the rest of my life alone!?" [Kotori]: "Only Mom and Dad were ever nice to me..." This is bad... That's right, she's... [Kotarou]: "...Kotori...when did you bring your parents back?" [Kotori]: "Right after the accident..." [Kotarou]: "How long can you move them both?" [Kotori]: "I immediately get tired...and pass out." [Kotarou]: "Can they talk?" [Kotori]: "...I made them so they answer me when I say something...but it's not the same..." [Kotori]: "But that's just because I'm new at this, so if I practice...!" I knew it. [Kotarou]: "...Kotori, your life is what allows familiars to move." [Kotori]: "Fue?" [Kotarou]: "You're literally giving your life away to do this." [Kotarou]: "The stuff I'm involved in has a lot of people dying and shortening their lives that way." [Kotarou]: "It creates nothing but sadness. You should have nothing to do with it." [Kotarou]: "You're smart enough to live on your own." [Kotarou]: "Let your parents rest...I'll get in contact with your other relatives, so go back to a normal life." [Kotori]: ".........no." [Kotarou]: "You can't just..." [Kotori]: "I still have to put up a bunch more barriers." [Kotarou]: "...that's not what I'm talking about, Kotori." [Kotori]: "I'm not leaving." In the end, I can't persuade Kotori. Our argument gradually gets more incomprehensible, until the next day comes. I've missed my chance to force her to leave. Kotori and I were never that close. We're acquaintances. Barely more than strangers. I begin cooking my own food. After my mercenary life, I'm used to simple food. I can put anything in my mouth no matter how horrible it tastes. So I don't even have to be good at cooking. With that in mind, I try making a bentou box by myself. Tragedy strikes. [Kotarou]: (Crap...) [Kotarou]: (I forgot to plan out what to put in the bentou.) The box has nothing but white rice in it. And a single plum. A traditional rising sun bentou. [Shimizu]: "Esaka-san, do you want any tea?" [Esaka]: "If it's from a teabag, then no." [Shimizu]: "What about you guys?" [Imamiya]: "I'd like some." [Nishikujou]: "Me too." The briefing takes so long that we have a lunchbreak partway through it. As expected, everyone brought food with them. Imamiya has a giant hamburger, large fries and an extra large drink. Nishikujou brought a five-tier bentou box. Esaka-san has one whole cake (he's a light eater). Everyone eats to their heart's content. I shouldn't have picked today to try this. It's not that I mind eating nothing but white rice. There's a different problem. [Kotarou]: (If I eat this in front of everyone...they'll pity me!) Warriors value pride. So I scuttle out of the room with my bentou. I should quickly devour it to hide the evidence. So I look for a good place to sit down. For some reason every room has people in it today. [Kotarou]: (...don't freak out.) [Kotarou]: (My warrior instinct will guide me to a safe location...) I give my warrior instinct total control of my body. [Kotarou]: "Here?" If my instinct says so, it must be safe. ...I head inside hesitantly. As a soldier, I'm capable of eating and sleeping anywhere. The moment I stick my chopsticks into the rice... The door I forgot to lock opens mercilessly. Esaka-san looks at one of his subordinates sitting down on the toilet and opening up his lunch. [Esaka]: "Y-you're eating...in the bathroom!?" He starts shivering. I've never seen Esaka-san react this badly to anything. [Esaka]: "...I had no idea you were faced with such hardship!" [Esaka]: "Tennouji, do you have no friends?" [Kotarou]: "I-it's not that..." We head to a flight of stairs that no one ever uses, and I eat there. Esaka-san sits down next to me. [Esaka]: "Tennouji, most warriors do not fight for any great cause." [Esaka]: "They fight for their comrades." [Esaka]: "It's important to have friends here." [Kotarou]: "...yes, you're right." [Esaka]: "You must have at least one, right?" [Kotarou]: "Well, I guess so..." [Esaka]: "Who?" [Kotarou]: "I-Imamiya." [Esaka]: "Even though you're still calling him by his surname?" [Esaka]: "What about the woman?" [Kotarou]: "...unfortunately, we never really talked much." [Esaka]: "So much for that..." [Esaka]: "All right, how about this?" He stands up. [Esaka]: "I will teach you gags. Then you can make friends." [Kotarou]: ".........huh?" [Esaka]: "I guarantee idiots will love it." [Kotarou]: "Haa..." [Esaka]: "Listen...and repeat after me. This is how you do it." After a deep breath, Esaka-san shouts with stupendous vigor. [Esaka]: "WHYYYYYYYYYYY!?!" I almost fall off the stairs. [Esaka]: "What? Repeat after me." [Kotarou]: "...wh-what the hell was that?" [Esaka]: "I will explain." [Esaka]: "That is called a "tsukkomi"." [Esaka]: "It is a valuable technique in Japanese comedy." I thought saying "What the hell?" in a Kansai accent was the most valuable technique in Japanese comedy. Actually, I'm pretty sure it is... [Esaka]: "Next I will teach you the "boke"." [Kotarou]: "Esaka-san, I appreciate the thought, but..." [Esaka]: "The murderer was YOUUUUUUUUU!" I'm completely overpowered by this. [Esaka]: "Understand? This is different from the tsukkomi." [Esaka]: "It can only be achieved by stating something which is blatantly contrary to the truth." [Esaka]: "The combination of boke and tsukkomi is vital. Never forget that." Esaka-san's Teachings ― Part 3. [Kotarou]: "...wouldn't that just be a false accusation?" [Esaka]: "If the boke stood alone, yes. That is why one's partner must quickly use a tsukkomi to complete the humor." [Kotarou]: "...it feels like that'd turn into something more surreal than funny..." [Esaka]: "When I was younger, my peers and subordinates thought I was unapproachable." [Esaka]: "But through researching gags, I was able to thoroughly conquer that deficiency." ...really?

<METADATA> Name: Sougen Esaka | Gender: Male Name: Arata Imamiya | Gender: Male Name: Tennouji Kotarou | Gender: Male Name: Touka Nishikujou | Gender: Female </METADATA> [Esaka]: "Now then, let us perform an elite comedy act in front of Imamiya. Follow me." [Kotarou]: "Wait, what?" [Esaka]: "I will be the boke, so you will be the tsukkomi. Understand?" This is rapidly going downhill. [Shimizu]: "Are these your éclairs, Imamiya? They look great." [Imamiya]: "Nope, they're not mine." [Shimizu]: "There seem to be plenty here, so I'll take one." [Imamiya]: "Aaah...well, not my fault..." [Shimizu]: "Whoever it is, they should buy some for the instructor who put up with them in basic training." [Shimizu]: "...whoa, these are good...I've never had éclairs like this before." Instructor, those are the ultimate éclairs au chocolat. They only make fifty of them daily. We happen to find Imamiya just as Shimizu-san is stuffing his face with food. [Esaka]: "...how dare he steal my pastries..." [Kotarou]: "This is what happens when you don't write your name on stuff in the fridge." [Esaka]: "I should have known." [Kotarou]: "Should we stop him?" [Esaka]: "No, we will continue with the operation. As planned, we will attack Imamiya." [Kotarou]: (I'm not getting out of this...dammit...) Esaka-san strides into the room with a look of indignation. [Esaka]: "Who has been stealing my SNAAAAAAACKS!?!" [Shimizu]: "Bufu!" [Esaka]: "Unforgivable. As punishment I will cut out your TOOOOOONGUE!!" [Imamiya]: "See? I told you they weren't mine." Imamiya comes back in and Esaka-san grabs him. [Esaka]: "So the culprit was YOUUUUUUUUU!!" [Imamiya]: "Why MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!?" [Esaka]: "What you stole from my plate was meant to become my flesh and blood!" [Esaka]: "This is unforgivable. I will tear your body asunder!" [Imamiya]: "Waaaaaaaaa!!" [Imamiya]: "I really didn't do iiiiiiiiiiiit!!" Esaka-san looks at me. That's the signal. I throw off all hesitation and leap into the room. [Kotarou]: "Esaka-san, WHYYYYYYYYYYYYY!?" Then I smack Esaka-san in the side of the head with a giant paper fan he gave me. [Esaka]: "Uoooooooooooo!" Esaka-san leaps to the side and crashes into a wall. A pile of cardboard boxes fall onto him. ...silence. All the other combat personnel and desk jockies in the room are frozen solid. As if time has stopped. [Nishikujou]: "...what?" [Imamiya]: "T-Tennouji...what just happened?" [Kotarou]: "I'm...not really sure either..." [Esaka]: "...a marvelous tsukkomi, Tennouji." [Esaka]: "You have learned well." Esaka-san gets out of the pile of boxes. He looks as if he accomplished something great. [Shimizu]: "Umm, I'm the one who ate them..." [Esaka]: "It matters not. You gave us good material." [Esaka]: "Imamiya, you can stop prostrating yourself." [Imamiya]: "...umm, I still have no idea what happened." [Esaka]: "Everyone, Tennouji performed quite well, did he not?" No one seems to have any idea how to react. [Shimizu]: "Ah, I remember now. It's been a long time...since we last saw Esaka-san's "condition"..." Esaka-san, your underlings are calling you crazy... [Imamiya]: "A-anyway...it looks like you saved my life, so annoyingly I need to thank you for that." [Kotarou]: "No, I really didn't..." [Nishikujou]: "Not bad. Maybe you aren't so useless after all." [Kotarou]: "Ah, well...thank you." At this point I don't even care if they misunderstand. [Staff]: "You faced such a terrifying opponent to protect your friend..." [Staff]: "I never noticed you before, but maybe you're something special." [Staff]: "Not just anyone can hit Master Esaka with a paper fan..." For some reason they think I risked my life to save someone from a rabid Esaka-san. Esaka-san nods a few times with a satisfied smile. ...is this really what you were after? My investigations continue. The information leak to Guardian. It's not the deliberate work of a spy. It's merely a side effect of Martel's origins as a religious group. The Japanese Martel Group was both a nameless cult and a group of summoners. In modern times, Gaians across the world have unified. Together they're referred to as Magna Martel. Nowadays they're based in Napoli and call themselves an environmental group. About half a century ago, the Japanese branch of Martel really was a religious group. Their attempts at secrecy were probably amateurish at best. A lot of those old attitudes are still left. So information is probably leaking that way. You could probably blame that on the holy woman if you wanted. Suzaki's definitely been cutting down on these leaks. He's transforming the Japanese Martel Group into a scientific organization. It feels like Suzaki and Kashima are in direct conflict. And by looking into these information leaks, he might be looking for something he can blame on her. [Kotarou]: "...is that what's going on here?" Am I being tested? Is he hoping I can find something to incriminate her? Suzaki already controls the majority of the organization. I was definitely right to start out on his side. But... Since I've talked to Kashima Sakura before... [Kotarou]: (Has she told Suzaki any of her real secrets?) It's possible she has something that can ensure my victory. Suzaki, or Kashima. I have to pick one. Suzaki's not that mysterious. I know how to handle him. But Kashima... Sooner or later I'm going to have to meet her again. And I'm not sure if I can keep up my Suzuki Bond act in front of her. [Kotarou]: (No, I should still talk to her.) I know all my summoner peers have already talked to her. Apparently they met her at the meetings, not at HQ. I haven't attended the meetings since I became a summoner, but now I have a reason to go again. I hear Kashima values long-time believers. Many of the people in the meetings have known about the holy woman's authority for a long time. They're religious followers who don't know about the summoners. I try to act like them. Conveniently, Kashima Sakura shows up at a meeting only a few weeks later. I'm a promising rookie who was promoted to working in the HQ. I don't even have to do anything. One of the professors introduces me to Kashima Sakura. [Kotarou]: (...I have to be on my toes here.) [Kotarou]: (I should decide how to act now so I don't screw it up.) I have a complete fake history prepared for myself. Something that Guardian shouldn't be able to connect to me even if it leaks to them. I'm confident I can answer any questions she has about my past.

<METADATA> Name: Tennouji Kotarou | Gender: Male Name: Kagari | Gender: Female | Aliases: Key Name: Kashima Sakura | Gender: Female </METADATA> The trick is to make sure she can't deduce my real intent based on what I do. First, how to introduce myself... I'll go with that. And for most of the conversation... Okay, I'll stick to that. And when she asks about Suzaki... That's probably the best move. And if she asks about my ideology... No other choice... I'm going to be talking to the symbolic leader of Gaia's old guard. If she asks for my loyalty... That'll be the plan if it comes down to it. And the last thing to be careful about... This is the way to go. And if I'm ever at a loss for words... ...that'll be how I keep myself calm. [Kotarou]: (That should do...) I reach into my inside pocket to activate a device. ...I'm as ready as I'm going to get. I knock on the door of the back room Kashima Sakura's in. [Sakura]: "Come in." I bow before walking inside. Kashima Sakura's powerful gaze pierces through me without hesitation. [Sakura]: "...have we met somewhere before?" That sudden question makes me tense up. [Kotarou]: (...she's good.) I'm glad I planned for this. The tense questioning continues―― And eventually, our conversation ends. [Sakura]: "...I see, so that's how you think." [Kotarou]: "Yes." Kashima Sakura closes her eyes, and gathers her thoughts as if meditating. [Sakura]: "I understand." [Sakura]: "You certainly are a better fit for Suzaki." [Kotarou]: "...sorry." [Sakura]: "That's fine. Even I admit that he's done some amazing things." [Sakura]: "The fact that he's never been short of funds since he quit being my bodyguard proves that." [Sakura]: "I am aware that some of my long-term supporters dislike what Suzaki's done..." [Sakura]: "And even though you sympathize with Suzaki's viewpoint, since you can actually use familiars, you understand why they would feel that way." [Sakura]: "All we really want is to disappear quietly." For a long time, Kashima Sakura says nothing. She doesn't say a single word about what she's really thinking. All she gave me was a bunch of shallow, beautified words. [Kotarou]: (...this is a serious confrontation.) It's impossible to get any information out of her. If I do, I'll just give away what I'm after. That's too dangerous. I should avoid trying. I was definitely right to stick to Suzaki's side. They're much easier to deal with. I don't think I'll be able to understand Kashima Sakura. [Sakura]: "That's right, I have some advice for you." When I try to say goodbye and leave, Kashima stops me. [Sakura]: "If you want to impress Suzaki, get close to the Key." [Kotarou]: "...the Key?" [Sakura]: "They're quietly pursuing it." [Sakura]: "...they want it badly enough to kill." [Kotarou]: "...and that's what happened." [Kagari]: "I see." Kagari's cold. [Kotarou]: "If you have complaints, you can tell me." [Kagari]: "I do, but you would not listen to them." [Kotarou]: "I would if they weren't impossible to act on." [Kagari]: "This is pointless." [Kotarou]: "Don't be like that." [Kotarou]: "I'm making progress here. It's not visible yet, but it's real." [Kotarou]: "Though I still feel like I have no idea what I'm doing." [Kagari]: "For now I have no choice but to believe you." [Kotarou]: "...huh? Kotori?" Kotori's sleeping, wrapped up in a giant leaf. I can only tell its her because of the hair poking out. [Kotarou]: "It looks like she's been caught by a carnivorous plant." [Kagari]: "Kotori has been doing good work." [Kotarou]: "...though she's been spending every waking hour on it." After the first time, Kotori and I haven't bothered arguing anymore. Apparently she visits her house every so often, but I see her here almost every time I come. [Kotarou]: "Is this a familiar?" What looks like a familiar-in-progress is lying on Kotori's workbench. Bones whittled out of tree branches, assembled into a medium-sized dog shape. Next to it is some gardening soil and a lot of crab shells. Crabs? She's probably using this stuff to make familiars. Now that she's been implanted with ancient knowledge, Kotori's far better at this than I ever was. [Kotarou]: "I've never seen one like this before." [Kagari]: "It will be a powerful servant." [Kagari]: "The day it is complete, she will rule the Earth." [Kotarou]: "...is it just me or are you getting stupider?" [Kagari]: "...that is not happening." [Kagari]: "Although my learning has been on hiatus due to my separation from human gatherings." [Kotarou]: "One familiar isn't going to do anything by itself, no matter how strong it is." [Kotarou]: "Just as no superhuman can destroy a tank by themselves." [Kagari]: "Tank. That is a weapon created by Homo sapiens, yes?" [Kotarou]: "There's a limit to how strong any individual can be. What really matters is finding a situation where it can win." [Kotarou]: "And that's not something we can see with our own eyes. Just like you." [Kagari]: "Kagari has a good idea." [Kagari]: "If tanks are stronger than any superhuman, why not procure those?" I know she's always like this, but still... [Kagari]: "Then use those tanks to control the Earth." [Kotarou]: "It's illegal for individuals to own tanks here." [Kagari]: "Then why not change the law?" [Kagari]: "This could be a perfect solution. A trick no lower life form would ever conceive of." [Kotarou]: "Kagari..." [Kagari]: "Why are you stroking my head?" [Kotarou]: "Sympathy. The way you think is just so pitiful." [Kagari]: "Cease your insults." Her ribbons shove my hand away. [Kotarou]: "Well, at least it'll be nice to have a combat familiar if we need it..." That would be a pretty bad situation though. I gaze at Kagari. ...I'm willing to risk my life for her. But sometimes I wonder about that. Is it worth betraying so many people to make this happen? [Kotarou]: "...hey, Kagari." [Kagari]: "What is it?" [Kotarou]: "I want to do something noble." [Kotarou]: "Something that has to be done." [Kotarou]: "That's the only reward I want." [Kagari]: "I already promised you a reward." [Kotarou]: "...I'm not really after something like that." [Kotarou]: "I'm not sure how to explain it, but something that gives me a meaningful role in..." I hear something behind me. It's not a little animal. It's the kind of noise an ordinary human makes when walking in the wilderness. No animal would ever be that loud. I push Kagari behind a tree.

<METADATA> Name: Tennouji Kotarou | Gender: Male Name: Kagari | Gender: Female | Aliases: Key Name: Senri Akane | Gender: Female | Aliases: Prez, The Witch of the School </METADATA> At the same time I let the slit on my wrist open, in case I need to use my power. ...no shots. No sign of danger. I slowly approach the bushes. Something's shaking in there. I grab it and pull it out. [Akane]: "Aaa..." [Kotarou]: "You..." [Kagari]: "What is that?" When I let go, Akane curls up like a turtle. [Kotarou]: "...a lost girl. She might have followed me here." [Akane]: "Uuu...uu..." Akane looks up at Kagari, then looks down again. [Kagari]: "That individual appears to recognize Kagari." [Kotarou]: "...really?" [Kagari]: "Yes. That is what I feel." [Kotarou]: "Hey, can you see Kagari?" Akane is still too scared to respond to me. That's right...she's always been like this. She's grown up quite a bit, but she still has trouble communicating. [Kagari]: "This is dangerous." [Kotarou]: "...how?" [Kagari]: "She's seen my face." [Kagari]: "Did you not say we have to avoid that?" [Kotarou]: "I did...but she's just a little girl." [Kotarou]: "As you can see, she can't even talk on her own..." [Kagari]: "It's still possible she'll report this to someone." I start to deny that, but I can't completely rule out the possibility that Akane and Iko-san can communicate. [Kotarou]: "...I guess." [Kagari]: "Then we should kill her." She says something crazy. A ribbon moves sharply. [Kotarou]: "Wait you i―...!" I block the ribbon with my arm. It digs a few centimeters into me. Sharp pain and heat. The blood vessels in my arm harden to resist it, preventing my arm from being cut off. It hurts...so much I could die. But this is still better than seeing someone I know get cut down before my eyes. [Kagari]: "...why are you interfering?" [Kotarou]: "I know her..." [Kagari]: "...you also know many of our enemies." [Kotarou]: "Not that. She's harmless. There's no need to kill her." [Kagari]: "I cannot understand." [Kagari]: "She saw me. We cannot allow her to leave." [Kotarou]: "That's the only part of my advice you're listening to..." [Kagari]: "You told me this, Homo sapiens." [Kotarou]: "Then listen to me again. Let her go. I'll make sure it won't be a problem." [Kagari]: "No. I will dispose of her." [Kotarou]: "Don't just say "dispose" about a human being!" I throw the ribbon off. I make my blood coagulate immediately so my wound closes up. That doesn't heal the wound, but it helps. [Kagari]: "Are you overly invested in this individual?" [Kotarou]: "What?" [Kagari]: "There are too many suspicious aspects to your judgment." [Kagari]: "Given the gravity of the situation, you should be more aggressive." [Kotarou]: "...we're not at that stage of the plan. We need to be careful right now." [Kotarou]: "This is my professional opinion." [Kagari]: "I understand that logic, but it does not connect to your desire to overlook this dangerous individual." [Kagari]: "Much less injuring yourself to protect her." [Kotarou]: "...well..." Kagari's face is still completely emotionless. She resembles a human, but it's obvious she isn't one. What about her attracted me so much in the first place? [Kagari]: "Your actions are not aiding Kagari." Her ribbon splits into several strands, each deliberately changing into a disturbing animal-like shape and growling at me. Each one of them can cut through my life at any moment. [Kotarou]: "...so you'll kill me too?" I hold Akane. [Kotarou]: "You'll be doomed if you do that. You know you can't destroy them just by running into their HQs and attacking stuff." [Kagari]: "Kotori will not allow such a thing." [Kotarou]: "...are you this foolish because you haven't been with people very long?" [Kagari]: "...you call Kagari foolish?" [Kotarou]: "Just think about it! There's no way one or two of anything can stand up to what those organizations have!" [Kotarou]: "Do you seriously not understand that!?" [Kagari]: "...I understand that it is difficult." [Kagari]: "That is why we must choose the means carefully." [Kagari]: "But your actions feel stifled by countless self-imposed restrictions." [Kotarou]: "Humanity is like that." [Kagari]: "You are Kagari's servant. That is more important than being human." I laugh. Kagari's no human, I know that. But she's even farther away from us than I thought. She's supposed to be noble and divine, but I can't see her that way now. [Kotarou]: "...haha." [Kotarou]: "You really can't empathize with human nature at all, can you?" [Kotarou]: "I know...I've known that for a while..." I walk away with Akane in my arms. [Kagari]: "Stop. That individual..." [Kotarou]: "That individual can't talk." [Kotarou]: "Besides, if a little girl dies, the city will freak out. We can't risk bringing attention to ourselves that way." Kagari says something else, but I ignore it and leave the safe house. She doesn't cut me down as I walk away. I head to the Enishi House. I don't have much stamina right now, but I remember to change my face into Suzuki Bond's before heading inside. [Kotarou]: (Akane's older than Kotori, isn't she?) A girl who has to endure far more than most. I can't imagine what it must be like. The Enishi House. I ring the bell, and a woman comes out. As soon as she sees Akane... [Staff]: "...ah, thank goodness." I recognize her. [Kotarou]: (Nagai...?) Last I heard she left Guardian. [Kotarou]: "I found her in the forest. She seemed lost." [Staff]: "Thank you so much...I took my eyes off her for just a second and she ran out of the house...thank you." A courteous demeanor. None of the cold aloofness she had before. Does changing your life mean becoming a completely new person? [Kotarou]: "If you don't mind me asking, is this place run by Martel?" [Staff]: "Yes. Why do you ask?" [Kotarou]: "I'm Suzuki, from the third group." [Staff]: "I'm Tsukuno, caretaker for the Enishi House." [Kotarou]: "Tsukuno...san?" [Tsukuno]: "Yes. I'm from the first group." She changed her name so she could stay in Kazamatsuri. And she's lost her power. Once she lost that, Guardian must have stopped keeping track of her. Otherwise there's no way she could've gotten a job with Martel. [Kotarou]: "I'll be off then." [Tsukuno]: "I should thank you sometime."

<METADATA> Name: Tennouji Kotarou | Gender: Male </METADATA> [Kotarou]: "No need, miss. Good night." As I try to leave, a small hand grabs my sleeve. Akane. [Tsukuno]: "Oh...what's wrong, Akane-san?" [Kotarou]: (Those eyes...) It's not much, but I do see a glow of intelligence in them. She can't talk, but her ability to think is developing fine. [Kotarou]: "Ojou-chan, don't go into the forest anymore. It's dangerous." [Tsukuno]: "...umm, do you know this girl?" [Kotarou]: "No, we've never met before." [Tsukuno]: "She really likes you though..." [Tsukuno]: "She still can't talk." [Kotarou]: "I see..." I rub Akane's head. [Kotarou]: "There's a lot of things people can't get across even when they do talk." [Kotarou]: "There might be another way to make people understand what you're feeling." [Kotarou]: "Akane-chan, try to find one." [Kotarou]: "You may have a handicap, but there's nothing stopping you from giving it your all. Don't forget that." It's going to be hard for her to forget what she saw and heard in the forest. Anyone would have a strong first impression of something as divine as Kagari. She may be able to tell someone about that impression eventually. [Kotarou]: (...if that does undermine everything I've done...) ...I honestly don't care. I'm not a cold machine built to save the world. Akane can live as much as she wants. I have no intention of getting involved in her life, but I'm not going to get in her way either. It's a small, but clear betrayal of Kagari. I write up a report on my investigation, and submit it to Suzaki. He summons me soon after. [Suzaki]: "I read your report." [Suzaki]: "It was very intriguing." [Suzaki]: "Compared to what I normally read, this was a breath of fresh air." [Kotarou]: "I'm honored." [Suzaki]: "As for the writing...it's not bad. Despite your age you write with mature moderation. To be honest, you could have made slightly stronger claims than you did." [Suzaki]: "So this conservative organization couldn't keep up with rapid modernization, and as a result our old subconscious habits make it easier to gather information on us..." That's what I wrote. [Suzaki]: "I see you haven't put the blame on anyone in particular." [Kotarou]: "Simply understanding that situation was all I could do." [Suzaki]: "If anything, that was a wise move on your part." [Suzaki]: "Danger is something you only start to feel once a problem rises up right in front of your eyes." [Kotarou]: "Yes." [Suzaki]: "Though that sense of danger can become a strong motivation for people to change their ways." [Suzaki]: "If I was to seriously criticize this report, I would have to say that it lacks the emotional impact necessary to instill that desire for change. But otherwise it's very well-written." I also wrote this. If there was an investigation to find an individual mole within the organization, it would definitely find someone. And that someone would be innocent. Because there is no real "inside man" leaking information on purpose. [Kotarou]: "Thank you." [Suzaki]: "Now, let's put this investigation on hold for the time being." [Kotarou]: "You're not going to pursue this?" [Suzaki]: "There's something I want to check first." Before I realize it, a large, unfamiliar man is standing behind me. [Suzaki]: "Let me introduce you to my secretary, Takasago-kun." The man's already tense. It's obvious he's ready to grapple with me as soon as I try something. [Kotarou]: "What's going on...?" [Suzaki]: "Don't worry about him. More importantly, I wanted to ask you something." He speaks with a much more subdued voice than before. [Suzaki]: "I heard you talked to Kashima." That got all the way back to Suzaki...? [Kotarou]: "...yes." [Suzaki]: "I didn't see that in your report. Why not?" [Kotarou]: "Because giving someone's name would imply they're guilty, but I have no evidence of that." [Suzaki]: "Kashima is the holy woman. She's very important. If you met her by yourself, I would've liked to hear about it." [Kotarou]: "...my apologies." [Suzaki]: "What did you two talk about?" [Kotarou]: "It was just small talk." [Suzaki]: "The way you two met was a very traditional audience with a respected leader." [Suzaki]: "Though it's not quite as bombastic as it used to be." [Suzaki]: "That is still a ritual to allow summoners who sympathize with Kashima to meet her in person." [Suzaki]: "Did you not know that?" [Kotarou]: "Not at all." [Suzaki]: "You're a terrible liar." The big man moves. He's trying to restrain me...! ...I shouldn't do anything. I'm not trained for this. He twists my arms behind my back with a well-practiced technique. A very specific way of hurting my joints. Probably judo or jujitsu. That's right, a normal person would scream here. [Kotarou]: "Owwww!?" [Suzaki]: "Much better." [Suzaki]: "Now if you try something stupid like using a familiar, he can stop you immediately." [Suzaki]: "Remember this. Killing the summoner stops all the familiars." [Kotarou]: "Suzaki-san...I-I didn't do anything." [Suzaki]: "That's what I'm about to find out." [Suzaki]: "What I hate most is someone who underestimates their adversaries despite being clueless themselves." [Kotarou]: "...I did talk to Kashima Sakura..." [Kotarou]: "But that was for the investigation." [Suzaki]: "Like I said, you should have written that in your report." [Kotarou]: "There's a reason I left it out..." [Suzaki]: "I would love to hear your excuse." [Kotarou]: "...first, can I ask you something?" [Kotarou]: "What is the "Key"?" Suzaki's face turns pale. I take advantage of that opening by summarizing my conversation with Kashima. After which, I tell him the reason I didn't mention it. [Kotarou]: "...I thought...if I could get the Key...that might improve my position here." [Suzaki]: "Improve your position?" [Kotarou]: "...yes." [Suzaki]: "You have some real nerve...aiming that high when you're still just a rookie." [Takasago]: "Should I do it?" [Suzaki]: "Wait. We're still talking." [Suzaki]: "...hmm..." Suzaki thinks. Yes, please think. There must be something else bugging you, right? I don't want to leave him any other room for doubt later. So... [Suzaki]: "That's odd. Why did the Key come up in mere small talk?" [Suzaki]: "I find that hard to believe." [Suzaki]: "Does this mean you knew about the Key already?" Yes, he noticed it on his own. If I had to point that out, it would be too obvious I planned this. [Kotarou]: "I can...prove I didn't."

<METADATA> Name: Tennouji Kotarou | Gender: Male </METADATA> I recorded my conversation with Kashima Sakura. With the tiny recorder in my inside pocket. I let Suzaki listen to it. [Suzaki]: "You're right, Kashima brought it up." [Suzaki]: "...I guess you're telling the truth after all." [Suzaki]: "Very well. Takasago, release him." He lets me go. Suzaki's face has a gentle smile on it now. [Suzaki]: "But it sounds like you essentially told her you'd choose my side over hers." [Kotarou]: "That was a mistake." [Kotarou]: "I should have tried to maintain a more neutral position." [Kotarou]: "...but I couldn't act that well...it felt like Kashima Sakura would swallow me whole if I tried." [Suzaki]: "A lot of people feel that way. She is terrifying." [Suzaki]: "Still...why would she mention the Key to someone she only just met?" [Suzaki]: "It almost seems like she was trying to throw a wrench into our plans." [Kotarou]: "Would this data prove anything...?" [Suzaki]: "Don't voice every stupid thought that comes to mind." [Suzaki]: "Besides, electronic data is never rock-solid proof of anything." Suzaki's face becomes expressionless. He focuses on the empty space above his desk and thinks about something. [Suzaki]: "...do you want to know why the Key is important?" A few people hiding their faces under robes come to collect me. We enter a restricted area on the fourth floor. They blindfold me. We go down endless stairs. [Kotarou]: (...this should be the third floor, roughly above the...) I have plenty of military experience. Losing my eyesight isn't enough to make me lose my sense of direction. And I know how long my stride is. This seems like a simple hallway, but it feels cramped, so it must be quite narrow. We walk down it for a while. Then we reach some kind of courtyard. Then we go down more stairs. Past the fourth underground floor and to the fifth. ...the air feels different here. Back above ground again. We go back up the way we came. The first floor, near where the front door is. They take off my blindfold. ...I see the city. The same, familiar Kazamatsuri City. But...this one's different. The buildings all have very flat sides, as if they've been carved out of stone. The air is dry and stale. A silent cityscape with no sign of people. I turn around to ask about it, but the robed men and women have already gone back inside. [Suzaki]: "Welcome to the city of stone." Suzaki walks up to me. He must have come here earlier. [Kotarou]: "...what is this place...?" [Suzaki]: "A compressed world that has existed alongside Kazamatsuri City for a long time." [Kotarou]: "Compressed...?" [Suzaki]: "It's best to think of it as an alternate dimension." [Suzaki]: "A closed world folded into a narrow physical space without any pressure from normal physical laws." [Suzaki]: "According to our researchers, this is the result of some invisible power humans are completely incapable of observing." [Kotarou]: "...you mean like the power that creates familiars?" [Suzaki]: "How'd you know that?" [Kotarou]: "It feels similar." We probably changed dimensions when we went deep underground. I feel like my body got instantaneously replaced at some point. I wouldn't say it's unpleasant, but it does feel extremely abnormal, and I'm getting goosebumps. [Suzaki]: "You have a better sense for familiars than many of us." [Suzaki]: "And you're right, arguably this whole place is one giant familiar." [Suzaki]: "The power to create familiars is impossible to measure." [Suzaki]: "Since we can't measure it, we can't say it contradicts any physical laws...but as you can see, this exists." [Kotarou]: "This is amazing...I've never seen anything like it..." [Suzaki]: "They say it's been here for a very long time." [Suzaki]: "And it seems to be copying Kazamatsuri City, though not perfectly." [Kotarou]: "How big is it?" [Suzaki]: "Not very. It doesn't even have the whole city, just one part." [Kotarou]: "So it's just a little shelter." [Suzaki]: "That might even be the reason it exists." [Suzaki]: "This place used to be protected by the summoners that later became Martel." [Suzaki]: "They might have been sacrificing lives to construct a safe haven from persecution." [Kotarou]: "So if this is a familiar, who's the summoner?" [Suzaki]: "At the moment it doesn't really have one. That doesn't get in the way of living here." [Suzaki]: "If the need arises we can have all of our summoners on standby use a little of their life to activate it." [Suzaki]: "That would make it possible to add more buildings and expand the acreage in here." [Suzaki]: "But it would require so much life it's not very realistic to expand it any further than this." Suzaki takes me for a walk around the town. I thought it was uninhabited, but every so often I see someone in a robe. And not just that. The robed men are walking around with familiars too. All of which are carrying heavy loads, like work elephants. [Suzaki]: "There's no infrastructure here. No water. No power." [Suzaki]: "So what we need has to be provided by manpower or familiars." [Suzaki]: "The environment at least is real, so we don't have to worry about purifying the air." [Kotarou]: "These are all very big familiars." [Suzaki]: "Anything smaller would be useless down here." It's an alien land. A tiny country cut off from modern society. It feels weird, but at the same time it's a little reassuring. I find my negative side yearning for a closed space like this to rest in. [Suzaki]: "There are a lot of mysterious disappearances in Kazamatsuri City. This is the cause." [Suzaki]: "Because this place is trying to copy the real city, a lot of invisible connections appear between them." [Suzaki]: "And sometimes they draw certain people in." [Kotarou]: "...so Kazamatsuri really does have portals to another dimension." [Kotarou]: "I've heard that urban legend before." [Suzaki]: "I doubt anyone would believe it though." He smiles happily. [Suzaki]: "We can use those connections to move familiars around." [Suzaki]: "At least for this part of the city." [Suzaki]: "I'll send you information on how to do that yourself. It's one of our secrets." Suzaki takes me around the place. By the time I get used to how it feels here, we reach the outskirts of the city. Our walk ends there. [Suzaki]: "First, let's talk about the Key." He suddenly gets to the main point. Suzaki's information is far from complete. The Key is born from the planet. It looks a lot like a human. Most humans can't see it. The Key brings about destruction. Considering he leads an organization of summoners, that's not a lot of detail. [Suzaki]: "Summoners are people who've given up on the world and now hate life itself." [Suzaki]: "The salvation they speak of is the destruction caused by the Key." [Suzaki]: "So what do you think?" [Kotarou]: "...living is definitely unpleasant, but..."

<METADATA> Name: Kanbe Kotori | Gender: Female Name: Tennouji Kotarou | Gender: Male </METADATA> [Suzaki]: "Exactly. This problem calls for more careful thought than that." [Suzaki]: "Our positions on the Key differ." [Suzaki]: "Guardian tries to kill the Key, which prevents destruction once, but all it really does is put off the real problem." [Suzaki]: "On the other hand, Kashima's old guard wants to protect the Key and accept its destruction." [Suzaki]: "...what would you do if you had the Key?" I try to figure out what my character would say. The Key is like a powerful bomb. I can't imagine actually using it. But I can't give it to anyone else either. If I had it, then I would... [Kotarou]: "Could we control it at all?" Suzaki nods deeply. I guess that was the right answer. [Suzaki]: "The Key is like a sensory organ the planet creates for itself." [Suzaki]: "The Earth's eyes and ears, as it were. If it didn't do that it'd probably never find out how much damage it's been sustaining." [Suzaki]: "So as long as the Key's eyes are covered, it won't be able to make a judgment." [Suzaki]: "...the very fact that Keys appear implies that the planet is sensing danger." [Suzaki]: "That's why Keys observe and destroy humans..." [Suzaki]: "Quite a few environmental problems have been exaggerated for propaganda reasons, but this planet is definitely nearing its limit." [Suzaki]: "It might not last more than a few decades." [Suzaki]: "If the planet dries up, civilization will die. Look up what happened to Easter Island. That's a good example." [Suzaki]: "By itself, society dies out. So what kind of salvation could we hope for?" I finally understand what Suzaki's after. [Kotarou]: "...you mean use this as an actual shelter?" [Suzaki]: "Our experts believe this space is large enough that we could transplant a small ecosystem successfully." Experts... My parents' faces flash in my mind. [Suzaki]: "So even if the planet dies out, we could allow this place to remain lush and verdant." [Kotarou]: "...how many people could we save that way?" [Suzaki]: "We would have to limit the population to the tens of thousands." [Suzaki]: "And they would have to live under more primitive conditions...but we can convince them it's worthwhile." [Kotarou]: "How do you plan to do that?" [Suzaki]: "Simple." [Suzaki]: "Call it our "artificial future"." [Kotarou]: "...where's Kagari?" [Kotori]: "...outside." Kotori answers hesitantly. [Kotarou]: "...outside?" [Kotori]: "I tried to stop her...but she went anyway." [Kotarou]: ".........not again..." This is frustrating. After everything I told her, Kagari still won't listen to me. [Kotarou]: "Why didn't you stop her?" [Kotori]: "I tried..." [Kotarou]: "You know what'll happen if they find her in Kazamatsuri, right?" [Kotarou]: "You're the one with her 24/7...if you can't stop her, then...!" Kotori twitches. I stop myself from finishing. I shouldn't lash out at Kotori. I didn't even want her to be here. [Kotarou]: "...do you know how far she went?" [Kotori]: "Umm, yes. This should..." In her small hands is something similar to the leaf birds Suzaki gave me. Kotori told me to let her see them at some point, so I handed one of them over and assumed it was gone for good. [Kotarou]: "You recreated it yourself?" [Kotori]: "Yes." [Kotori]: "It can sense Kagari too now." The birds are connected. If I make a contract with one, I can tell where the others are. I didn't think I'd be using one of Kotori's familiars though... [Kotori]: "I told her not to leave the forest...so I think she's nearby." [Kotarou]: "...I see." Apparently Kagari thinks avoiding the city is good enough. It's not. If anything, the forest is more dangerous. Because Gaia's familiars move through here. Intelligence gathering, assassination, general destruction... There are people and familiars out here assigned to those roles. I don't know the details myself, but I hear people talking about it a lot. The Japanese Martel Group under Suzaki is definitely doing all of that. [Kotarou]: "I'll get her back." [Kotori]: "Use this." [Kotarou]: "...it's fine, I have my own." It's probably not as good as Kotori's, but I do have my own leaf bird copy. And I can see Kagari myself, so that should be plenty. This might be a tedious search, but I should be able to find her if she's nearby. [Kotori]: "...okay." She looks sad. [Kotarou]: (She's been a lot more dejected lately...) ...what should I do about her? Right now nothing's happened yet. When things get serious, I'll have to protect both Kotori and Kagari. [Kotarou]: "...on a different topic..." [Kotarou]: "I met your parents." [Kotori]: "Yes...I know." Well, she does control them. Kotori can see anything her familiars see. [Kotarou]: "I'm sorry, but they're not human anymore. They're familiars." [Kotarou]: "Rikako-san wasn't like that before, was she?" [Kotarou]: "She's just a robot now." [Kotarou]: "I'm sure you know that already." [Kotarou]: "You're smart, after all." [Kotarou]: "A summoner's power doesn't bring people back from the dead." [Kotarou]: "You can make them into something new, but that's different from bringing back the people you knew." [Kotarou]: "Life is just like that." [Kotarou]: "Only under really strange circumstances could it come back perfectly." [Kotarou]: "I really think you should give up on this, for your own sake." [Kotarou]: "So Kotori, I don't think you need this power." [Kotori]: "That's not...true." [Kotarou]: "You said you aren't going to school anymore, right? Are you going to live here in the forest forever?" [Kotori]: "For a while..." [Kotarou]: "I might be leaving Japan after this is over. What'll you do then?" [Kotori]: "Eh? Really?" [Kotarou]: "Really. I'm doing dangerous things here. I have to be ready to run." [Kotarou]: "I have to be able to vanish before they start looking for me. I can get by in English-speaking countries." [Kotarou]: "But there's no way you can do that. You've never even traveled abroad." [Kotarou]: "But if you quit now, you can go back to a normal life." [Kotarou]: "And you should." [Kotori]: "...no." [Kotarou]: "Mmm..." Only when I bring this up does she act like a little kid. How am I supposed to talk her into leaving? [Kotarou]: "I'm grateful for the barrier. That helps a lot." [Kotarou]: "But shouldn't you get back to your own life now?" She suddenly looks harsh. I can just barely see tears in her eyes. I wasn't trying to pressure her that much...

<METADATA> Name: Kagari | Gender: Female | Aliases: Key Name: Tennouji Kotarou | Gender: Male Name: Kanbe Kotori | Gender: Female </METADATA> [Kotori]: "...I refuse." Kotori says it more formally this time in an effort to put a wall between us. She turns around, and runs off into the trees. [Kotarou]: "...she's tough." I can only sigh. Kagari looks down on the city from a hill relatively far away. At least no one seems to have found her. [Kotarou]: "...did something bring you here?" [Kagari]: "I heard the voice of people." She says without turning around. [Kagari]: "Several languages, with a variety of tones." [Kotarou]: "So you're trying to learn what they mean?" [Kagari]: "I cannot understand them at first." [Kagari]: "But over time they begin to carry meaning with them." [Kagari]: "But no matter how many words I learn, there are things I still do not understand." [Kagari]: "The human heart." [Kagari]: "There is a deep ravine between your thoughts and your actions." [Kagari]: "You need only do what you think is right, and yet you make no effort to do so." [Kotarou]: "...humans have a lot to worry about." [Kotarou]: "We can't just kill everyone in the world we think is bad." [Kagari]: "Kagari has recently learned about the unseen powers that maintain your associations." She's probably referring to governments and ethics. [Kagari]: "And then I realized something." [Kagari]: "You put great value on the present situation." [Kagari]: "You are not willing to risk your present happiness on future hope." [Kagari]: "You do not care about tomorrow at all as long as today is all right." [Kotarou]: "I know it's not a good thing...but we really can't change that." [Kotarou]: "Unless we feel threatened..." Suzaki said something like that. Am I just quoting him now? [Kotarou]: "And we only feel that way when something bad happens." [Kagari]: "...such thoughts feel shallow to Kagari." [Kotarou]: "Yeah, they probably aren't good memories." [Kotarou]: "It's just a weak attempt at protecting ourselves." [Kagari]: "Sometimes the present must be sacrificed to have a tomorrow." [Kagari]: "Even when you understand that, you do not act on it." [Kotarou]: "Very few humans are capable of doing that." [Kotarou]: "Once you have a family, you have to protect them. There's no getting around that." [Kotarou]: "Everyone has their own happiness to protect." [Kotarou]: "Maybe it is shallow and foolish to ignore the future for that." [Kotarou]: "But humans are animals. We feel fear." [Kotarou]: "Very few of us can fight." [Kagari]: "Homo sociologics." [Kagari]: "Yes, I thought of something. You should stop fighting over ranks and classes!" [Kagari]: "Use a more pragmatic set of titles to make the future a better place." [Kotarou]: "...don't say things that make me want to rub your head." [Kagari]: "Kagari does not like being rubbed." [Kotarou]: "That's why I do it." [Kagari]: "Is that...a threat...?" [Kotarou]: "Come on, even you should know people's opinions can't be unified like that." [Kotarou]: "Several people have tried, and they've all failed." [Kotarou]: "People will always fight over something. No matter what the situation is." [Kotarou]: "For some reason, no matter how advanced civilization gets, that still happens. There's always someone who finds it hard to accept." [Kagari]: "That's too irrational." [Kotarou]: "Shouldn't evolution have given us something to deal with that? ...I dunno." [Kotarou]: "But there isn't any land left on Earth for people to spread out to." [Kotarou]: "We just have to accept what we have." The only way to fix that would be to make infinitely many "artificial futures". And sacrifice countless lives in the process. [Kagari]: "Kagari has a good idea." [Kagari]: "Why not build a city on the ocean floor, and move half of humanity down..." I start laughing before she can finish. I find that idea so funny I feel like forgiving her for all the frustration before. [Kagari]: "...Kagari cannot understand why you are laughing." [Kotarou]: "Because you haven't learned anything." [Kagari]: "That judgment seems appropriate." [Kotarou]: "Do you think you'd be able to understand our emotions if you kept studying?" [Kagari]: "Probably." If she continued coming into contact with more and more people... If she continued observing endless people the same way... If I was the one doing that... I'd probably start wondering why only I was different. That subconscious inferiority complex makes people join groups. It makes us try to become someone meaningful. Kagari would probably never feel that way. But if that was possible...I'd really like to see it happen. [Kotarou]: "Okay, Kagari." [Kotarou]: "You can continue taking walks up to this hill." [Kagari]: "...why do I need your permission?" [Kotarou]: "Umm...never mind." [Kotarou]: "Anyway, carry these with you at all times from now on." I take out a number of transmitters from my pocket. All of them illegally obtained. All meant for little kids. These things were originally designed to allow parents to keep track of their children. [Kagari]: "Oooh, Homo faber. The creation of devices for one's own convenience is one of the greatest virtues of man." [Kotarou]: "Thank you for the exceedingly rare compliment." [Kotarou]: "I brought a bunch of them, so you can choose one you like." Since they're meant for kids, they all have anime-like characters on them. [Kagari]: "...I'm not sure I understand, but I feel like I'm being insulted." [Kotarou]: "That's not true at all." Though I do find this funny. [Kotarou]: "What about this one? It's a patimon...which I guess is meant for boys...oh, and patimon is short for "Compatible Monsters". It's a video game." Apparently most of the creatures in it are based off Kazamatsuri UMAs, but I'm not sure how true that is. The blue device has an insect-like monster on it. [Kagari]: "Do the colors and patterns indicate differences in functionality?" [Kotarou]: "No, they're all the same. Pick one you like." [Kagari]: "I don't have a preference." [Kotarou]: "Humans have preferences." [Kotarou]: "As part of your studies, why not try picking one?" Kagari moves her face closer to the devices I'm holding. [Kagari]: "...then I shall take this one." The simplest design, with a daisy on it. Orange-colored. Probably the least popular one. [Kotarou]: "Are you sure?" [Kagari]: "Yes. I chose at random." [Kotarou]: "I see." [Kotarou]: "As long as you have that, I'll know where you are." [Kotarou]: "So keep it on you at all times." [Kagari]: "Very well." [Kotarou]: "But don't go too far away, okay?" [Kagari]: "I know. This is all for our grand designs."

<METADATA> Name: Arata Imamiya | Gender: Male Name: Tennouji Kotarou | Gender: Male Name: Sougen Esaka | Gender: Male </METADATA> Kagari gazes with deep interest at the orange transmitter. Despite her arrogant tone, she's actually adorable. [Newscaster]: "...the annual budget they've announced contains clear and drastic budget cuts for the commercial space flight subsidies and the international Moon base plans." [Newscaster]: "The project's cancellation now appears all but inevitable. In fact, America has already withdrawn all funding for international space development projects..." Imamiya is doing absolutely nothing, just watching TV on his cell phone. [Kotarou]: "Imamiya, got a minute?" [Imamiya]: "What...?" I report that nothing has been out of the ordinary in my area. [Imamiya]: "Ah, okay." He seems uninterested. My area is laughably huge, and I can tell Imamiya's annoyed at me, but that works in my favor. There's something else I'm interested in right now. [Kotarou]: "Hey, what happened to all the equipment here?" [Imamiya]: "Huh? You didn't know? The operation's canceled this year." [Kotarou]: "...wow." [Imamiya]: "We'll still try to distract them, but command says they don't care." [Imamiya]: "The other guys still haven't shown any sign of making a move, so I guess I can't blame them." There's no reason why we have to do something huge during every harvest festival. [Imamiya]: "We should still distract them though. Think you can do some familiar hunting?" [Kotarou]: "Okay, should I change positions?" [Imamiya]: "...no, nobody's said anything like that. Aren't you gonna be working for Esaka-san's shop now anyway?" [Kotarou]: "Why would I be doing that?" [Esaka]: "I have to go overseas for about half a year." [Esaka]: "I would like to trust you with my antique shop during that time." [Kotarou]: "Eh?" [Esaka]: "You'll be in charge while I'm gone." [Kotarou]: "I-in charge? Me?" [Esaka]: "It's a simple job. You should be fine." [Kotarou]: "R-really? It seems like a really bad idea..." [Esaka]: "Anyone can manage a shop temporarily." [Kotarou]: "There's no way I can appraise any antiques myself." [Esaka]: "You won't have to." [Esaka]: "Just sell whatever you can. Or nothing, if you can't. There's no need to make a profit here." [Esaka]: "All I need is the cover story that I've been running this shop here for years." [Kotarou]: "Ah, I see." This is a standard espionage technique. Blend into enemy territory, live in the area for years, and all the while be a spy. Esaka-san has done a lot of work in Kazamatsuri before. He also goes abroad very often, so there's lots of reason to be suspicious of him. To make it more plausible, someone has to keep the business here running, to imply he actually cares about it. [Kotarou]: "So it's fine if I go bankrupt...?" [Esaka]: "Perfectly fine. Ask my secretary for the details." [Esaka]: "Farewell." And then, Esaka-san leaves the country. Almost completely abandoning his shop in the process. I do what little I could, but almost no customers come in. My job's pretty easy, but almost nothing sells. As a result, I get more free time than before. Time passes. Very little changes. Kotori makes more defensive familiars and better barriers. Kagari continues walking up hills, but she's going to slightly safer ones now. It's relatively far from the city, but still close enough for her to learn something. I don't talk to anyone in Guardian as much as I used to. But I still see Imamiya and the others around town. Nishikujou is heading out somewhere on a different mission. I hear she's going to be part of some new project, but neither of us ask the other about these things. I'm a lot busier at Martel. I get assigned an R&D job, where I make, repair and test familiars. I also end up getting to know a lot of moody people in that department, like the frogman. They're all rather secretive, so they don't like talking to people. But since I'm not a very good summoner, every last one of them looks down on me, and lowers their guard. They have a habit of saying "Not that you'd understand, but..." before revealing all sorts of secret information. Suzaki's "artificial future" plan has brought together a huge number of resources and personnel. Old, wealthy people are the ideal clients for Suzaki. He can sell them the rights to move into the shelter at a high price, and they'll die pretty quickly afterward. In fact, some of the people he's sold rights to have already died. The artificial future is a tiny second Earth. Even if the world ends, the womb-like mini-world inside that enormous familiar can maintain a thriving ecosystem. Whoever oversees that ecosystem will have godlike status. A closed, primitive world will have far less wealth and resources, but honor will still have the same value. Once in a while, I see a dignitary from somewhere or other getting guided to the underground part of the temple. Those funds are used to gather the supplies necessary for the shelter. If the ecosystem is self-sustaining, then all the resources they put into it will create more wealth for it in the future. That's why Suzaki wants the Key. Then he could delay destruction until the opportune moment. It's both a deterrent, a trump card, and a negotiation tool. Now that I've gotten this deep into the organization, I know all about this. Martel has a lot of people devoted to searching Japan for the Key. There are a lot of familiars patrolling around Kazamatsuri too. If Kotori's barrier wasn't redirecting them, we probably would've been discovered ages ago. I try to skillfully manipulate information during my work for the organization. I leak the guard patrols for Guardian's facilities. Then I give Guardian information about the familiars' movements. The forest becomes less stable for both organizations. In the process, I make myself less visible. But there's one thing I can't grasp. Kashima Sakura's movements. I have no information about what Kashima's summoners are doing. I don't even know if they're doing anything... If Kashima is still working toward the destruction of the world... Then she's definitely looking for the Key. That I can be sure of. And yet, I see no sign of them searching. There are two invisible factions in this war. Mine, and Kashima's. Beneath the surface, the conflict is definitely going on. Ominous signs of a battle to come. [Suzaki]: "...do you know this "Tsukuno" person?" I inadvertently stiffen up when I hear the name. The documents sliding across the table have a familiar name and face on them. [Kotarou]: "...who is she?" [Suzaki]: "A lot of funds are going to a certain orphanage. This is one of the summoners working there." [Suzaki]: "I'm told she's one of Kashima's lambs." [Kotarou]: "Don't they contribute to a lot of charities?" [Suzaki]: "But they don't usually put summoners inside the charities too." [Suzaki]: "We're investigating Tsukuno right now, but it's strangely difficult to get anything on her." I feel cold sweat on my back. [Suzaki]: "She disappeared a few years ago, and her sole living relative died of an illness."

<METADATA> Name: Kashima Sakura | Gender: Female Name: Tennouji Kotarou | Gender: Male </METADATA> [Suzaki]: "Then she reappeared and joined Martel." [Suzaki]: "There's something special about people who've erased part of their past." [Kotarou]: "Maybe it was something she wanted to forget?" [Suzaki]: "No. To be blunt, I think she's an ex-hunter." ...I can't underestimate Suzaki. [Kotarou]: "Seriously?" [Suzaki]: "It's rare, but not unheard of." [Suzaki]: "Sometimes people discover they were better suited to the other side." [Suzaki]: "There are plenty of summoners who lost the ability to use familiars, though of course they don't usually switch to Guardian after that." [Suzaki]: "And some hunters can lose their powers too." [Suzaki]: "Since she's using familiars, I doubt she's still connected to Guardian...but this is a bit scandalous." [Kotarou]: "...you think Tsukuno might be a spy?" Suzaki smiles with glee. [Suzaki]: "Doesn't it sound dangerous?" He's clearly enjoying this. I choose my words carefully, as a Suzaki supporter. [Kotarou]: "...but will that really do much damage?" [Suzaki]: "I'm not hoping to destroy her with this." [Suzaki]: "It's customary for the holy woman to nominate her successor." [Suzaki]: "Kashima might have found her candidate at that orphanage." Akane's face comes to mind. It can't be... [Suzaki]: "Either way, I think it'd be interesting to try and prevent that." [Suzaki]: "I wonder how big a shock it would be if she suddenly lost her successor." [Kotarou]: "......well..." [Suzaki]: "I doubt Kashima can do very much anymore, but she still has quite a few powerful summoners." [Suzaki]: "I'd still prefer she not interfere." [Suzaki]: "...can I trust you to do this?" [Kotarou]: "You're giving a job that big to me instead of Takasago-san?" [Suzaki]: "This requires brains, not brawn." [Suzaki]: "And I'm sure you're not a fan of your current position." [Suzaki]: "If you can pull this off you'll have a good shot at a promotion. So how about it?" Make Nagai...I mean Tsukuno look like a spy. Kill a young child. Cast doubt on Kashima's political intentions and make it harder for her to act. If someone else had been asked to do this, I could've stopped them covertly. But now that he's insisted... I feel like refusing would distance me from him. ...that would miss the whole point of getting on Suzaki's good side. [Kotarou]: "...I'll do it." For now, this is my only choice. [Suzaki]: "I thought you'd say that." [Suzaki]: "Since you're not used to this, I'll have a plan prepared for you." [Suzaki]: "You just have to follow our instructions to the letter. Got it?" [Kotarou]: "...yes." It's a rather harsh plan. Step 1: Reveal Tsukuno's history and make her confess to being a spy Step 2: Eliminate Tsukuno and the successor Step 3: Use it against Kashima Sakura This plan does have its advantages. If anything, doing that kind of damage to Kashima is in my best interests. The cost is relatively cheap. The lives of two people I don't know very well. Much cheaper than innocent lives. I've already killed people, and I have an important duty to fulfill, so I should have no reason to hesitate... I carefully read the information he gave me on Tsukuno. The operation will take place over a very short timespan. Before they can do anything to counteract it. I expect this to happen soon. Tonight there will be an emergency meeting among key Gaia members, and someone under Suzaki's control will bring up the issue. Kashima will be there too. After it starts, we'll capture Tsukuno and the successor. We can't exactly hand them over to the authorities, so they'll probably be disposed of internally. The ideal sentence has already been prepared. They'll be used to enlarge the artificial future. A forced contract that will instantly suck out their lives. There will literally be nothing left of their bodies. What would Kagari say? It's pretty obvious. She'd want me to sacrifice them to damage Kashima. Something feels weird in my gut. My stomach lining is quivering with stress. Headaches. Light nausea. I know. I can't complete my objective without some sacrifice. Paradise isn't free. Just as I have to sacrifice my true self in order to become someone meaningful. So I have to let them both die for Kagari's sake. [Kotarou]: (But that would also mean admitting that it's okay to put Kotori in danger.) I could say that about everyone. Doing that could mean giving up on humanity entirely. ...I'd just be a monster. [Kotarou]: (Is there a way to let them both live...?) ...there is. But can I do that? It's pretty risky. I could be undermining all of my work. There's no benefit to it, beyond letting my two acquaintances survive. If I don't prioritize Kagari, then what on Earth have I been living for? I'll never be able to do anything if I try to make everyone happy. But I'm too weak. Laughably weak... ...yes, it has to be her. It's dangerous, but this is the only way. I roll up my copy of the plan and slide it into a little cylinder. I activate one of the leaf birds in my pocket. Today, Kashima's waiting on a specific floor of the temple. The bird flies out the window. Through my weak connection, I guide it to the right room. I make it drop the papers right in front of the door. [Kotarou]: (That should do...) My naïveté is pitiful. After this I might be completely ruined. Am I going to die without accomplishing anything? I don't think I can take that. But I'm on a path that's already hard to take. I wait outside the Enishi House, as planned. I'm in a van parked outside with a couple other people who're supposed to help me. None of them talk much. They're like machines that do their job and nothing more. The meeting should have started by now. I put an earphone in my ear. The meeting room's been bugged, so we can hear what's happening. [Suzaki]: "I apologize for bringing you all here in the dead of night on such short notice, but there is a grave..." [Sakura]: "Before that, may I say something?" [Suzaki]: "...you will have plenty of opportunity to talk later." [Sakura]: "At least allow me to greet everyone first." [Sakura]: "I haven't spoken to all of you together in a long time." [Suzaki]: "...all right." Suzaki sounds very reluctant. All the major figures in the Japanese Martel Group are in that meeting room. In front of all of them, Kashima Sakura raises her voice. [Sakura]: "There's something I want to announce tonight." [Sakura]: "...I've chosen the next holy woman." The room stirs. [Sakura]: "A girl named Senri Akane from an orphanage called Enishi House." [Sakura]: "Despite her handicap, she's perfectly healthy and mature enough to live a normal life."

<METADATA> Name: Kashima Sakura | Gender: Female Name: Tennouji Kotarou | Gender: Male Name: Kagari | Gender: Female | Aliases: Key </METADATA> [Sakura]: "She fulfills all the necessary conditions, and after meeting her myself I feel she's perfect for the role." [Suzaki]: "...I was also planning to talk about that girl." [Sakura]: "Suzaki, I know what you wanted to say." [Sakura]: "You're going to give us another speech about how the holy woman is no longer necessary in today's Martel." [Suzaki]: "No, tonight I was..." [Sakura]: "So I've decided that this successor will be the last." [Sakura]: "Senri Akane will be the last holy woman, to support our parts of the organization." [Sakura]: "Everyone who knows the previous Martel is growing old. Senri should not have to lead them for long." [Sakura]: "And then these old traditions will end. That should be exactly what you want, Suzaki." [Suzaki]: "Wait, that's not what I...!" Questions fly at her from the other members, preventing Suzaki from saying anything. Kashima deliberately made that happen. Since I'm listening calmly to all this, I can see exactly how she did it. [Sakura]: "There's one other thing I have to confess." [Sakura]: "This could arguably be a scandal for me." [Sakura]: "Senri Akane's guardian is a former hunter." This time everyone goes silent. Kashima's commanding, well-timed voice seals everyone's mouths as if they're underwater. [Sakura]: "We learned she was a hunter very early on." [Sakura]: "But she was able to use familiars, she proved her loyalty to us by giving us inside information on the other hunters, so we trusted her." [Sakura]: "Still, it is too great a secret to hide, and I have felt guilty for hiding it from you all." [Sakura]: "Now that I've chosen a successor, I feel this is a perfect time to take responsibility for that mistake." [Sakura]: "But I still hope all of you will accept Akane and her caretaker." Several questions are thrown her way. Can we trust an ex-hunter? How will the next holy woman be treated within the organization...? Countless questions, all overlapping each other. The focus of the meeting dissolves. Suzaki's at a loss for words. Kashima answers the questions with ease and composure. Some of the people there are Kashima supporters, so they help the discussion move toward allowing the elderly woman to retire and let a successor take her place. This is a major event. Right now, complaining about Tsukuno would merely be calling the holy woman's judgment into question. ...I sigh with relief. The driver's phone rings. He picks it up. [Driver]: "The plan's been canceled...let's head back." When we get back to the temple, Suzaki's too busy dealing with the fallout to summon me. I wait around just in case, and around dawn someone else finds me. [Robed Woman]: "Suzuki-san, please come with me." [Kotarou]: "Sorry, but who are you exactly?" [Robed Woman]: "I'm a follower of the holy woman." [Sakura]: "We've spoken before, haven't we?" [Kotarou]: "...yes." [Sakura]: "I doubt I need to explain why I've summoned you." How did she know? I have no idea how she could've singled me out for this. As I struggle to come up with an answer, Kashima brings it up instead. [Sakura]: "I traced the contract of the familiar that came to this room." [Sakura]: "It led straight to you." ...not much I could've done about that. [Kotarou]: "...the documents were mine." [Sakura]: "Those gave me the time I needed to plan for this." [Sakura]: "I knew Suzaki wanted to get rid of me, but I didn't know he'd chosen to act now..." [Sakura]: "Why did you help me?" [Sakura]: "If you don't want to answer, then I'll figure it out myself." [Sakura]: "Let's see...clearly you're not the kind of person you appeared to be at our last meeting." [Sakura]: "You're not wholeheartedly devoted to your goals." [Sakura]: "It seems like something...more subtle than that." [Sakura]: "I doubt you did this to help me." [Sakura]: "But I also don't see the point in causing trouble for Suzaki today." [Sakura]: "Even if you wanted to betray him, you should've waited until he'd defeated me and taken more control." [Sakura]: "Maybe you wanted to help someone else." [Sakura]: "Do you know Senri Akane or Nagai?" ...I wasn't expecting her to say "Nagai". [Sakura]: "Oh, I see." [Sakura]: "Akane's fine. She's just a child. Anyone in her background can't be more than an acquaintance. But knowing Nagai is more interesting." Her pupils glow bewitchingly within her wrinkly face. [Sakura]: "So how do you two know each other?" ...this is bad. I have to change the way this is going. But there's no easy way to do that against a witch like this. Sweat soaks my forehead. That alone probably gives her more information. [Sakura]: "...very well. To show my appreciation for what you did, I won't ask any more." [Sakura]: "But you should be more careful from now on. You've given me a lot of ideas." [Sakura]: "I probably won't be surprised by anything you do in the future now." [Sakura]: "You shouldn't have made your move this early." [Sakura]: "You should've let your acquaintances die so you could solidify your position." [Kotarou]: "...I know, but..." [Sakura]: "I pray that your objective won't conflict with mine." [Sakura]: "You may be foolish, but since you tried to help them, I'll ensure Tsukuno and Akane remain safe." [Sakura]: "You can leave now." Our nightmarish conversation ends, and she releases me. [Kotarou]: (I really am horrible...) Now Kashima Sakura knows all about me. She had no idea I was even a threat before... I can't report this to Kagari. I'll have to hide it. And...that will put another little barrier between me and Kagari. It feels like I'm losing track of my goal. [Kotarou]: "...I'm such a dumbass." I bang my head against the corridor wall. [Kagari]: "...why?" [Kagari]: "Why do you repeatedly take such thoughtless action?" It takes courage to keep quiet about something. I told her everything. Kagari doesn't forgive me. [Kotarou]: "This time you're right." [Kotarou]: "It was thoughtless." [Kotarou]: "You must be mad after all the lecturing I gave you before." [Kagari]: "Of course I am." [Kagari]: "Kagari is disappointed in you." [Kotarou]: "...yeah." [Kotarou]: "...I guess I'm not determined enough to let people I know die." [Kotarou]: "I've never been that way, and I don't think I ever will be." [Kotarou]: "I can't sacrifice children or broken people, even to save the world." [Kagari]: "Then I cannot trust you." [Kotarou]: "...you're right. I won't make excuses." Kagari's eyelids are quivering.

<METADATA> Name: Tennouji Kotarou | Gender: Male Name: Kanbe Kotori | Gender: Female Name: Kagari | Gender: Female | Aliases: Key </METADATA> [Kagari]: "...why...won't you help me?" [Kotarou]: "I will help." [Kotarou]: "But I'm sick of making other people die." [Kotarou]: "I was sure I could do that." [Kotarou]: "I've been through real combat, and all this espionage." [Kotarou]: "But I'm still just as soft as ever." [Kagari]: "Do you understand what will happen if the planet dries up?" [Kotarou]: "I do." [Kagari]: "Then why are you still...?" [Kotarou]: "Most humans can't handle more than one big problem at a time." [Kotarou]: "Tons of problems come up just in daily life." [Kagari]: "But Homo sapiens are intelligent." [Kagari]: "Intelligence is supposed to be the ability to take more pragmatic actions." [Kotarou]: "...it's not always that easy." [Kotarou]: "Our own lives are most important." [Kagari]: "Then have you seen what the Earth looks like when its life dries up?" [Kotarou]: "I'm not saying that. I'll still do whatever I can." [Kotarou]: "But I thought I should tell you that I'm not as cold-hearted as I thought I was." [Kagari]: "...wait, Kotarou, I have a question." [Kagari]: "How close were you to the individuals you saved?" [Kotarou]: "No, they were almost perfect strangers." [Kagari]: "Then...why...?" [Kotarou]: "...I'm not sure I have an answer." [Kotarou]: "I guess I just didn't want to lose even the slightest connection I had with someone else." [Kagari]: "The planet will die for them." [Kotarou]: "If that happens..." [Kotarou]: "I'm fine with that." [Kagari]: "Foolish Homo demens. You are all insane!" [Kotarou]: "...I have nothing to say." [Kagari]: "That attitude of yours will not bring about good memories no matter how hard you struggle." [Kotarou]: "...if you say so." We go quiet. A long, unnatural silence. I look up. [Kagari]: "Why...?" She's crying. [Kagari]: "Do you even want to survive this...?" [Kagari]: "Why were any of you born in the first place!?" [Kotarou]: "Kagari...you...have emotions...?" She learns about people by coming into contact with them. Kagari learned language quickly, and now she's starting to understand another part of humanity. Emotions. [Kagari]: "Are you going to let your race end before even taking the first steps to another world?" [Kagari]: "Are you going to pursue the happiness of tiny individuals even if it means abandoning grand possibilities?" People can't develop indefinitely. Land is finite. We can't just keep taking more and more. The Earth fills with people, and then they have nowhere to go. In the future we'll have to make a lot of compromises. We'll have to live frugally. [Kotarou]: "Please understand...humanity's drying up too." [Kotarou]: "We're at our limit." [Kagari]: "You have the abilities to think and create new things!" [Kagari]: "There are still possibilities! There isn't any energy to re-evolve, but...your wisdom should be enough to let you use what power remains to create good memories!" [Kagari]: "And yet you...throw your lives away...how is this any different from t&ro#!n%*$#&#@%)^@!!!" [Kagari]: "Life...was...not...born...to...give...up...!" Her ribbons turn sawtoothed. The plants around Kagari multiply, crawling up into the air in large bundles. [Kagari]: "Aa...aaa..." The next moment, Kagari's scream goes beyond the audible range and tears the air apart. The radius of destruction skyrockets. The tree trunks fly away like a child's building blocks being kicked down. Large pieces of wood rain down. I'm fine for now, but if one of these hits me in the wrong place I could be in trouble. The tornado of destruction levels the surrounding forest. [Kotarou]: "K-Kagari...!" [Kotori]: "Wa, wa, wawawawa!?" Kotori's screams. This is bad...! I cover my head with my arms and run toward the scream. I grab her as she starts panicking, and leap out from under some falling debris. I grab a branch with one hand and fly outside the danger zone. Once I land, I run. I go far enough away to feel safe, and put Kotori down. She's not hurt. [Kotarou]: "Head home for a little while." [Kotori]: "What will you do?" [Kotarou]: "...something." [Kotori]: "The barrier broke..." [Kotarou]: "...can't say I'm surprised." [Kotarou]: "Anyway, go." As I start to run back, a sharp whip hits me in the foot. The tornado of aurora carves out the ground in front of me. ...this is bad. It's attacking the entire area. I can't get close to her. [Kotarou]: (...except from above.) I find a tall tree out of her range and climb up. It looks impressive from up here. The forest is being cut down from the inside, and the layer of green on top is sinking down. [Kotarou]: (Over there.) I find Kagari at what looks like the eye of the storm. She isn't cutting upward. ...this is just like a child's tantrum. She's a bit far away, so I'll have to jump. If I get the distance wrong I'll be chopped into little pieces. [Kotarou]: (Carefully...accurately...) I jump. My body slides through the air. Then my buoyancy disappears and I get pulled down to the ground. Right into Kagari. I grab onto her. Normally this impact would break someone's bones, but Kagari doesn't flinch. She stands firm, like a giant tree with deep roots. The ribbons flash, preparing to eliminate the foreign object. I block them with my left arm, which I've hardened against blades again. They tear through my flesh, but that's fine. [Kotarou]: "Kagari!" [Kagari]: "―――――――――――!!" It feels like my eardrums are tearing. Losing my hearing would screw up my combat instincts. So what? Kagari is completely lashing out. What can I do to calm her down? Attacking her might make her see me as an enemy. It might permanently remove any hope of reconciliation. I need to let her know I'm on her side. I need a way to impress upon her that I care about her... When I get the chance, I suck on Kagari's lips. The winds of carnage cease. The ribbons continue floating in the air, like their motors have run out of power. I continue kissing her. Kagari's lips smell of grass and earth. Then I step back. The ribbons turn back to normal. Her anger is gone. ...it's over. [Kotarou]: "I don't know what I would've done if you hadn't reacted to that." Well, I probably would've died immediately. [Kagari]: "...I have been disgraced."

<METADATA> Name: Kanbe Kotori | Gender: Female Name: Tennouji Kotarou | Gender: Male Name: Kagari | Gender: Female | Aliases: Key </METADATA> Tears fall from Kagari's eyes. [Kagari]: "What are you?" [Kotarou]: "Your ally." [Kagari]: "Why are you toying with Kagari like this?" [Kotarou]: "I'm not helping you because I want to save the planet." [Kotarou]: "I'm doing it because I was drawn to you." [Kotarou]: "Because I thought you would give me a place where I truly belonged." [Kotarou]: "That's why I can do what I just did." [Kagari]: "I cannot understand." [Kagari]: "Are you saying you will worship Kagari as an individual of Homo religious?" [Kotarou]: "No, not worship." [Kotarou]: "What I meant by that was..." [Kotarou]: "...I love you." Kagari's piercing eyes are the color of the deep ocean. [Kagari]: "...that is more humiliating than marking my body with your scent." [Kotarou]: "Yeah, I know, it's a selfish emotion." After being rejected from everything, I can't be satisfied with a normal life anymore. A normal, everyday happiness isn't good enough for me. That's why I don't care if humanity falls. I do care about my own life...but I'm willing to give that up too. At the same time, I want other people to accept me. I really, really want that. I'm greedy. Selfish. The more I can't get, the more I want it. And to do that, I need to walk a different life from everyone else. Just being an exception isn't going to be enough. That's why Guardian and Gaia don't satisfy me. The possibility of an utterly unprecedented life is the only thing reassuring me. After being forced into loneliness all my life, that's the situation I'm in. [Kagari]: "...do not insult Kagari." [Kotarou]: "Sorry." [Kotarou]: "...there's nothing I can do about that." [Kagari]: "Then I do not need your help." [Kagari]: "Leave Kagari this instant." [Kotarou]: "I refuse." I move my lips closer again. It already happened once, so... But I forget that only humans are affected by that logic. [Kagari]: "...in that case..." She pushes me back the moment before I make contact. I fall to the ground, and look up at her. [Kagari]: "Kagari will leave you." She turns her back on me. I can't stop her. Her eyes overpowered me. Those eyes of resolve and disappointment were filled with the dignity of an individual human. Kagari walks off into the forest without a sound. ...have I been fired? I have nowhere to return to anymore. This isn't an opportunity to go back to my old life. That was never an option for me. I spend the next several days going back and forth between Esaka-san's shop and my room. Kotori said she'd make a new barrier, but I made her go home for now. She has a life to go back to. I still don't see any sign of either organization making a move. Suzaki hasn't summoned me since the last incident. At the temple I indifferently do whatever work I'm given. I don't have much of anything to do at Guardian either. There's no need for me to watch my area of the forest all the time. As long as I keep telling them nothing's out of the ordinary, no one seems to care. Managing the shop is also too easy to call work. I've always been thinking about belonging somewhere. Not having a place where I belong makes me anxious. Because I'm not used to myself. I should've focused on finding my identity, not on becoming someone important or respected. I should've tried to become myself. But who is that? A lot of people flash through my mind. Everyone's leading the life they decided to live. Imamiya started out as a school dropout, but even he has a purpose now. Nagai never found her place at Guardian, but she gained a new persona later. Luis was already Luis by the time I met him. Esaka-san, Kashima Sakura, Suzaki, Mikuni...all of them clearly knew what they wanted in life. [Kotarou]: "I..." I ran away from home and threw away my past. I decided to help Kagari, but lately I've only been protecting her. ...can I become more cruel? Can I sacrifice people I know? Of course not. Even if I tell myself I can, when the time comes to do it I'm going to hesitate. Is there a price left that I can pay? I slide off my wristband. The scar is still there. That's one thing I do have. [Kotarou]: (...yes, if it comes down to it...) After closing the shop, I go visit Kotori. In her cold living room, I ask her about borrowing a familiar. I take a few of her animals, and all the birds she had on her. Kotori also has some special elephant and dog-like familiars, but I can't use anything that powerful. [Kotarou]: "Also...I'd like to ask Keisuke-san and Rikako-san for help." [Kotori]: "Mom and Dad?" She normally keeps them in the bedroom. Of course, I can't make contracts with them. So I'm asking Kotori to control them for me. [Kotarou]: "Next time I contact you, I'd like you to set up a perimeter at this location." [Kotori]: "What are you going to do?" [Kotarou]: "I still want to help Kagari. She probably won't like it, but I'll do what I can." [Kotori]: "I'll help!" [Kotarou]: "...okay, let's do this." [Kotori]: "Yeah!" Next up... I head to one of my safe houses. ...I'm prepared for this. I've distributed the necessary equipment across all three safe houses. I'll be doing this work in the city. I gathered this stuff here because I knew it'd be here. If the situation won't change, I should make it change. That's what Kagari wanted. I've been hesitating to act because I feared the risks. [Kotarou]: "I'm sick of living that way." "Who am I?" I ask myself. I can answer immediately. [Kotarou]: (I'm Kagari's follower.) A lonely boatman, following a faraway flame floating in a sea of darkness. That's what I am. I'm not dragging my friends along this cruel road. That's why I'm alone. I'm not going to lose sight of this anymore. Before I realize it, I'm smiling. There's no time to waste, but my heart is calm. I start turning on all the machinery. I know Kagari hasn't left the city. I can use GPS to trace her for only 500 yen a month. Since her position changes a little from time to time, I know she hasn't thrown away the transmitter I gave her. Kagari's on that hill. After checking a topographical map, I can be sure of that. How has she felt over the last few days as she gazed at the town? I doubt there are any "good memories" there. I still don't know what that means. I'd assumed she meant humanity using its intelligence to control their combat instincts. But is that really accurate? Even Kagari doesn't know. I'll just have to find out. After I break the vicious cycle of hostilities between Gaia and Guardian, Kagari herself will have to judge how "good" it is.

<METADATA> Name: Tennouji Kotarou | Gender: Male </METADATA> That's probably the largest-scale achievement I can hope for, as a single individual. I can't stop humanity from destroying the environment or consuming too many resources. Same with discrimination and fighting. This is the only thing I can affect. I control my bodily fluids to alter my face. I know where the familiars watching the forest are. I know exactly where both organizations' recon units are. ...there. An out-of-place owl sitting on a high branch. That's a familiar with powerful vision. Just one of them can cover a huge area. I climb up a tree on the side it can't see, and reach the same height. I pull a cylinder out of my pocket, and extend it like a spyglass. I insert a syringe, and push it down until I hear a click. ...all set. I put the tube in my mouth and aim carefully. This was a custom order to one of the firearm manufacturers connected to Guardian, so the construction is solid. I blow into it, the lock inside the device releases, and the syringe is silently lost in the darkness. It hits the familiar. The chemical is a high-density pollutant. It wouldn't even kill a human, but it's designed to harm familiars. It works perfectly. The outline of the familiar warps, falls apart and turns to dust. Familiars made from plants or animals are very weak to pollutants. ...I can't go back now. I accept that fact, along with a slight sense of accomplishment. The next day, I do the same thing to two other surveillance familiars. That night, the temple is in an uproar. I'm not allowed to know what's going on in other departments, but it's obvious that something bad happened. The day after that. The forest is obviously on high alert. Several birds are flying around. So many it's as noisy as a colony of bats. There's probably hounds on the ground too. They're concentrating in the areas where I killed those owls. [Kotarou]: (...that's not bad, but I'd like a bit more chaos.) So I start hunting all familiars in a ten kilometer radius. I can't wait to see their faces tomorrow. [Kotarou]: (I haven't had this much fun in ages. It's like I'm playing an old RPG.) It's so much easier to just enjoy it. Not only do I have a massive intelligence advantage over them, but my anti-familiar combat skills have risen quite a bit. As expected, there's an emergency meeting the next morning. I close the antique shop early so I can attend. Summoners are being gathered there and assigned roles. No unnecessary information comes down to grunts like us. We just get orders. But from that meeting, I learn that the hill is now part of the search area. My job is to take some familiars currently under development and get them combat-ready. The R&D guys obviously don't like this. They never want to send out something incomplete. But I manage to get a couple familiars ready to go in almost no time at all. I try to focus on ones that aren't good at gathering information. Some of them are capable of sensing Kagari. Kagari's invisibility varies depending on the individual. In particular, it's much easier for familiars to see her than people. Either way, I'll have to do something. [Kotarou]: (...time for the next stage.) At night, I leave the temple. Summoners are moving directly from the artificial future to the real-world forest. Convenient shortcuts connecting the two Kazamatsuris. That's how so many men in suspicious robes can get around without freaking people out. I'd like to use them as well, but the entrances are all carefully watched. Plus you have to use special sap (with microbial familiars) to draw a magic circle if you want to make new connections. For secrecy reasons, those things are kept under lockdown. I get around on foot and by taxi. After avoiding all the other summoners, I find the patrol team assigned to the hill. There's four of them. So there should be four familiars up ahead of them. If Kagari tries to fight back, everyone will know where she is. Even if she doesn't, a familiar will probably sense her presence and the summoner will know about it. And even if the familiars don't see Kagari, it's possible one of these summoners can. So if a single one of the familiars or summoners is resistant to having their awareness disrupted, she's doomed. [Kotarou]: (I guess...20% chance they find her?) That's too high to ignore. I follow the four of them carefully. ...then, one of them notices something. He insists to the others that there's something nearby. [Kotarou]: (...damn.) If they got through here without seeing anything, that'd be the end of it. But they found her. Which is a shame. But I can't hesitate. I'm only protecting people I know. Everyone else is fair game. [Summoner]: "...my familiar's dead." [Summoner]: "...a hunter?" [Summoner]: "...no, I sense nothing." [Summoner]: "...surround it with the other three until we can be sure." Their familiars are up ahead, so they can't see me. I close in on their defenseless backs. I put a hand over the first one's mouth, pull him into the shadows and slit his throat. His body twitches and stiffens up in my arms. My knife is blocking his windpipe, so he can't make any noise. It takes him a few seconds to die. Since I did that silently, no one noticed. The other three are still walking. I quickly approach the second one. It takes fifteen seconds to kill all four. I check my GPS. The dot representing Kagari is right in front of me. One of the summoners said their familiar died. No doubt Kagari did that herself. This was probably her first time fighting something Gaia sent after her on purpose. I wonder if that worried her. Her mind has reached the level where she can feel complex emotions like that. [Kotarou]: (...but I can't talk to her now.) I need Kagari to continue acting as bait for a little longer. It's not fair on her. But we need to take these risks in order to achieve our objectives. [Kotarou]: (Don't worry, Kagari.) [Kotarou]: (I'll pay the price too.) Martel will find these four bodies later. I need to make it impossible for them to tell the killer was human. I use a familiar to very thoroughly destroy their bodies. Ideally they'll assume Kagari did this, but I don't mind if they think some unknown creature did it. The important part is ensuring they don't think a superhuman was involved. I don't feel sick at all anymore. I'm too used to seeing blood. The whole area is covered in it... After that, I head back to the temple and watch what happens. They confirm one of the search teams never came back. A few hours later, someone reports finding mutilated summoner bodies. The situation changes rapidly. And then, someone finally says it. [Summoner]: "...could this be the Key?" The rest... ...is just a surging wave. Kagari's running. With no expression, and with inhuman speed. Familiars fly after her. Ribbons reach through the air and wrap around branches. They can expand and contract at will with superhuman strength. Kagari's body is carried up the tree in an instant. She crosses from tree to tree, and when a bird-type familiar attacks she flees back into the undergrowth. Kagari definitely isn't meant for combat, but she's strong enough to deal with the smaller familiars. She's clearly a wild creature. The attackers know that, so they attack in waves, hoping she'll make a mistake.

<METADATA> Name: Arata Imamiya | Gender: Male Name: Tennouji Kotarou | Gender: Male </METADATA> They're also funneling her toward an ambush. A huge number of familiars are lying in wait. They're hoping to overwhelm her with sheer numbers. Right now, Kagari's running right into their trap. Kagari isn't even aware of the concept. She's very wary, but she can't predict her enemy's movements. Kagari needs more help to make it through this. I check the information from my leaf bird against a map of the area. I can tell where the ambush will be. [Kotarou]: "...move forward." The four mammoths rush off into the forest all at once. They're familiars that Kotori made out of elephant tusks. They have the agility of a hound alongside powerful trunks and tusks. Even superhumans can screw up if they get ambushed. These familiars are perfect for throwing off their plans. Since it's difficult to give complex directions to several different familiars, these guys are made with very strong attacking instincts. As long as I give them a target, they'll auto-attack it. Gaia doesn't like this approach, but since druids are meant to control several familiars all by themselves, Kotori had no trouble setting this up. My bird's-eye view of the battlefield shows Kagari rapidly approaching the trap. It's time. [Kotarou]: "Okay, attaaaack!" I give them their orders, and the mammoths charge. I learn from a different bird that several of the summoners lying in wait are being killed off. When summoners die, their familiars stop. I watch Kagari break through the remaining familiars. Though the slaughter continues. I told my familiars to kill everyone they found. The team that was trying to capture Kagari will all die. That way, Gaia will think Kagari killed them all. Otherwise, they'd realize something else was at work here. Even summoners who've given up on life have an instinctive fear of death. Screams. Agonized faces. Many of them. It was a large unit, but they're all dead now. ...except one gets away. [Kotarou]: "...come back." I tell the familiars to come back. The straggler's moving fast. The leaf bird's already lost track of him. It's possible he's riding a familiar. He's heading toward me. I pull a knife out from my ankle holster and wait. ...there. It looks about as big as a Saint Bernard, and there's a summoner on top. When he sees me standing in his way, his face fills with shock. I leap straight forward and jump kick him in the face. He can't do anything. I can feel his vertebrae breaking. The giant dog crumbles into sand in mid-stride, and the summoner's corpse gets thrown aside. I look under the hood. It's a woman, younger than me. With a huge, unsightly birthmark on her face. She would be perfectly cute without that. I sympathize. But that's all. I can't apologize, and I'm not going to regret this. My duty makes my pain disappear. It was probably the same for her. Anyway, Kagari escaped. I'm done for today. But, I do have nightmares. The pain may vanish, yet the wounds remain. But no matter how many wounds I have... I... I have to keep moving forward. There are signs of Martel getting ready for a large-scale combat operation. It's not something I can deal with by myself. I submit a report to Imamiya about suspicious movements from Gaia. [Imamiya]: "...is this for real?" [Kotarou]: "Yeah." I describe it to him directly, in addition to the written report. Imamiya leaves the restaurant with those documents in hand. The next day, a command post is set up. It only took them one day to scrutinize and choose to act on my report. In Guardian, it's customary to make temporary HQs in a tenant building. But to establish an HQ in the middle of enemy territory while maintaining secrecy, they avoid that. Since they're very careful about these things, there's no way I can bug any of the rooms. But there's still an option. That same day, Nishikujou brings in a guest. [Imamiya]: "...this is Oonishi. Remember him from basic training?" [Kotarou]: "Yeah, kinda." [Oonishi]: "Hey, it's been a while. How've you been?" A heavy-set man comes in and bows energetically. He looks like he might've done judo or something. Apparently he's a superhuman capable of seeing Kagari. I remember everyone's name and face, including guys who weren't in basic training with me. People like this are called "eyes". Just having that power gives him a salary several times greater than mine. Only a handful of people in Japan have that power. Since Kagari could be anywhere on Earth for all they know, he's probably the only "eye" we're going to get. [Oonishi]: "You're Tennouji, right? I know we haven't spoken much, but I heard you have a lot of combat experience." [Kotarou]: "Yeah..." [Oonishi]: "That's pretty impressive..." [Oonishi]: "You look a lot tougher than you used to." [Kotarou]: "I'm not really..." [Oonishi]: "Not that. Grades don't matter once you get into the real world." [Oonishi]: "Being the winner in the end is what's really amazing. Grades only matter when you get them." [Oonishi]: "Do you remember Mikuni? He didn't understand that back then, and neither did we." [Oonishi]: "I don't remember making a good impression on you guys...but you must've said something about me to Esaka-san, right?" [Imamiya]: "No. You're an "eye", right? That's all this is about." [Kotarou]: "Yeah. Besides, we're not petty enough to hold something like that against you." [Oonishi]: "...thank you." [Oonishi]: "I'm glad to be part of something this huge. Teach me what you know about real combat." He bows deeply again. [Oonishi]: "I look forward to working with you both!" I decide not to have any personal conversations with this guy. ...if I start liking him, I won't be able to kill him later. At the moment, Suzaki's the one making a move. Kashima's faction is remaining silent regarding the Key's appearance. But today, a huge group of women is visiting the temple. Singers. Apparently they're going to be performing some ancient folk music at a ceremony during the harvest festival. Even from far away, I can tell how terrifying those women are. I doubt a single one of them loves the world. They believe the very existence of life is a grievous sin. I see that in all of their eyes. Silent fanatics... Far more incomprehensible than anyone on Suzaki's side. [Kotarou]: (...this could get really bad.) It hits me that the harvest festival is only a few weeks away. Later that day, 18:00 hours―― The first search team enters the forest. Oonishi's been assigned to them. I know that because of the state-of-the-art bug I placed on Imamiya's laptop. It can record keystroke sounds as well as voices. At the same time, I'm one of the summoners sent to wander around the mountains. We're going to try to find the Key up here. The operation begins. Gaia's forces fan out across the search area.

<METADATA> Name: Arata Imamiya | Gender: Male Name: Tennouji Kotarou | Gender: Male </METADATA> At the same time, Guardian focuses on observing them from the sidelines. They have their familiars moving ahead of them, so the superhumans are approaching them from the side unopposed. They're defenseless because they don't know what Guardian's doing. They were sure that Guardian wouldn't know about their own plans in such great detail. This huge search team was deployed hastily, so they have almost no combat familiars at all. [Kotarou]: (Guardian's going to win the first battle easily...) I need to make reality line up with my script. To do that... I wake up the four familiars I left waiting in the area. It's easy to make an inexperienced combat team self-destruct. When Guardian's search team gets unexpectedly attacked by familiars, one squad immediately changes plans. They follow the familiars as they retreat, and prepare to take revenge on the summoners up ahead. Of course, Imamiya didn't tell them to do that. They made that call themselves. At this point, Gaia first realizes that Guardian's in the area. I watch them panic. Most of them aren't combat personnel. They outnumber the superhumans, but they're still completely outgunned. They attempt a counterattack, but it's almost childishly incompetent. Just some uncoordinated familiars randomly attacking. That just provokes Guardian more. The superhumans let their hunting instincts take over, as if they've found a herd of deer. After several screams from the summoners, the forest becomes silent. Getting back into formation is a fairly advanced technique. A flock of birds can't be expected to do that. Even though I caused this, I find it oddly irritating. They should be sending familiars after the superhumans to cover their own retreat. It's a perfectly standard tactic. But part of real combat is being unable to do things like that even when it's obviously the right move. The summoners start instinctively calling their familiars back. To protect themselves. They have no unity whatsoever anymore. Though I could say that about both sides... [Team Leader]: "Wait, we can't just..." [Kotarou]: "But they're going to attack us any moment now." [Team Leader]: "What? I don't think..." [Team Leader]: "We still shouldn't do that without permission from above..." The middle-aged man doesn't even notice that he's blatantly ignoring the problem we're facing. [Kotarou]: "This is no time to continue searching." [Kotarou]: "Shouldn't we set up some defenses, then send out a few familiars to scout them?" [Kotarou]: "If we don't know what's going on...we won't be able to report anything." [Team Leader]: "Yes, you're right..." [Team Leader]: "Could you go do that?" [Kotarou]: "Sure." As I defend them, the confusion continues. [Team Leader]: "Okay, we have permission to bring back our familiars. Everyone, defend yourself. You, go inform the other teams!" [Kotarou]: "On it." I leave the team. From here on, I'm acting alone. I'm not going to return to my team today. Even if they don't die, I can just say someone from Guardian prevented me from getting back to them. There's something I want to do right away. My phone vibrates. ...it's from Kotori. [Kotarou]: "Damn, she noticed..." Well, she is a NEET. She has more than enough time to figure it out. I can't reply right now. I make sure Kagari's in a safe location, then put my phone back in my belt pouch. I run through the forest. [Kotarou]: (I'm pretty far away now...) I start running at full speed. I make a very wide circle, all the way around the search team. I can't let my guard down around these guys. Four familiars appear from behind some trees and start running together. They pass by some corpses on the ground. There must be a summoner here. I trace the contract. I connect to one of the leaf birds I've spread out around this area, all of which are currently impersonating leaves. I don't see any of the people who are supposed to be here. [Kotarou]: (They must've moved already...) [Kotarou]: (...but where to?) I tell my birds to fly up and search for them. I find them quickly. Four people rushing through the forest. One of them is running ahead of the others. Oonishi. But they're not heading in the direction I expected. They're not heading for what's left of Gaia's forces here. They show no hesitation at all. Another ring. To improve the reception, I climb up a tree before answering. It's Imamiya. I don't answer, and he leaves a voice message. [Imamiya]: "...B37..." [Imamiya]: "If you can't...rendezvous in thirty minutes...go to A09 and wait." A simple message. An order. There's a lot of static, so he must be running around outside too. [Kotarou]: (B37?) That's where Oonishi's group was heading. [Kotarou]: "...wait a minute." I double-check where Kagari is. Right next to area B37. [Kotarou]: (Does that mean...Oonishi can sense Kagari from that far away!?) If so...then it's likely Oonishi reported this, and Guardian's about to commit a lot more forces to this. The Key has been located―― I feel danger. I'm shaking. Is Imamiya going to send reinforcements here to try and capture Kagari right away? To any soldier, that would be an incredibly careless choice. No planning or thought to it at all... Come to think of it, Esaka-san and Shimizu-san would normally stop him from being so rash, but they're both out of town. [Kotarou]: (...he would.) [Kotarou]: (Imamiya would do this.) I send my leaf birds North. They form a surveillance network around B37, and quickly locate another small group moving at high speed. Reinforcements. Three of them. I get the feeling they were chosen hastily. They're trying to rendezvous with Oonishi's team. I have to stop that from happening. I need to keep Oonishi away from Kagari. That's the top priority. It won't be easy, but I have to do it. I might have to fight multiple superhumans. Can I really do that? I breathe slowly. I close my eyes, and clear my mind. I imagine a stronger, faster me. The blood throughout my body seems to boil. Heat from inside me. It gets unbearable, then bursts through my skin and pours out. The blood gathers at my feet, forming an aggressive outline and picking itself up. [Kotarou]: (...a familiar?) It looks like a porcupine. That mental image dissolves. I know I quietly lost some part of me. I open my eyes, and immediately feel dizzy. This always happens after rewriting. My stomach is churning. I vomit once. Then I feel a bit better. It sucks not having time to get used to this. I move forward. Everything feels weird, but my body is lighter than before. [Kotarou]: (Yes...I can catch them now!) Three points of light moving through the forest. That's what the data from the birds turns into inside my head. They represent Oonishi's team, the reinforcements, and me. Two of those points are moving at about the same speed. As a result, I end up approaching the reinforcements much faster than Oonishi.

<METADATA> Name: Tennouji Kotarou | Gender: Male </METADATA> [Kotarou]: (At this rate I'll have to fight them first...) And even they're still ahead of me. I don't have time to fight with them. I can't believe this. After all the work I've done, this is it? [Kotarou]: (The reinforcements don't know I'm here...I'll have to kill them quickly.) They aren't amateurs this time. It won't be as easy as when I attacked the summoners. I decide to send my familiars against two of them while I deal with the third. My target is...the one in the back. ――Suddenly, I feel something flying toward me at high speed. [Kotarou]: "......!!" I throw myself to one side. Something drills through the air, shooting just past my ear. [Kotarou]: (They know I'm here!) Despite throwing a spear that huge, they haven't slowed down at all. He must've thrown that while running. [Kotarou]: (...Hunter-type.) A perfect throwing technique achieved through accumulated hunting instincts. I follow them, keeping trees between me and them whenever possible. With no warning whatsoever, a projectile breaks through a tree and hits my shoulder. It lost enough momentum in the tree that it doesn't damage me at all. [Kotarou]: (Huh? ...this is just a branch.) So he's pulling random branches off trees as he runs and throwing them at me? They gradually get farther away from me. [Kotarou]: (In that case...) I leap up into a tree. I jump from branch to branch, taking the shortest possible path to them like a ninja. During one jump... Another branch, this time propelled by using string like a slingshot, hits me in the shoulder and knocks me out of the air. [Kotarou]: "Gua!" Falling from that height keeps me in agony for a while. It takes almost ten seconds for me to regain my composure. It was just a branch. Fired by a trap set to go off after the vibrations from my jump. Not only did they perfectly predict my path, but they set that trap up in a matter of seconds... [Kotarou]: (His specialty isn't throwing...it's trap setting.) Hunters are good at more than just throwing things. Some of them are good at setting elaborate traps. They have the eyesight to immediately spot traps at a single glance, and the hand-eye coordination to rapidly construct their own. He must have built most of it while running, then put it down quickly. It's hard to believe humans are capable of such a thing, but... The traps so far are all ones that could be constructed while running. A Hunter-type superhuman could pull it off. [Kotarou]: (Dammit!) I stand up, ignoring my despair. I still have to follow them. [Kotarou]: "Regret can wait until after I die!" I force myself to start running again. I step on a string in the grass. A piece of bark rockets toward my forehead. I'd be dead now if I hadn't raised my arm in time. ...I give up on this route. I'll have to follow them from the side instead. My phone's been vibrating a lot. It's probably Kotori...but I can't talk to her right now. I have to move faster to make up for this detour. Unsurprisingly, that's making me run out of breath. I'm still controlling some familiars, so I'm getting tired fast. I tell the four familiars to huddle up then cut the contract temporarily. Rewriting myself serves no purpose if I waste that energy on them. I start running again. I discover those three superhumans have moved onto my new path. [Kotarou]: (...so they really want to get rid of me.) I can feel their malice through the freezing night. I'm about to step right into their trap. A faint twinkle, like a spark in the distance. My instincts tell me to do that. They were correct. The next moment, what looks like a discus cuts through the trees. It stops in one of them with a loud thwack. It was a knife spinning at high speeds. If I'd tried to dodge it like a spear, it would've cut into my neck. [Kotarou]: (...I recognize that knife.) It's him... Imamiya's up ahead. Knowing that makes me strangely calm. It reminds me of my resolve. One by one, I'm cutting out things I don't need in my life. I unsheathe my machete. I run straight ahead. Something sharp falls down. I just barely slip past it. Something narrow flies at me. I deflect it with my blade. I hop over or duck around whatever string I see and continue heading straight for them. My strengthened reflexes are just barely faster than Imamiya's traps. If I make one misstep, I'll die instantly. But this is how my life is. I just have to not screw up. I'll never be able to save Kagari if I don't get that kind of luck. I'm getting closer to Imamiya. Eventually, he starts focusing entirely on running away. Just before I can get into range, I suddenly feel an overpowering danger up ahead. I dig my feet into the ground to stop myself. I lose connection with my leaf birds one by one. One of them falls down in a tailspin. I catch it in my hand. ...no injuries. But it's stopped. Real birds can die just from shock alone... [Kotarou]: (What happened?) I try approaching the threat. The smell of blood drifts toward me. Fresh blood that just got spilt. I see disembodied feet in the middle of it. Was that one of the three I've been following? I didn't sense combat going on at all. But clearly something happened here. I move forward carefully. I find a gruesome corpse on the ground. It's been utterly pulverized...I have no idea if this is the same person whose feet I just saw. I hold up my machete so I can attack at a moment's notice. I slip from shadow to shadow. [Kotarou]: ".........!" A massive familiar... That's the one that killed Mikuni. [Kotarou]: (It's based on a Tyrannosaurus Rex.) [Kotarou]: (An ancient familiar...) I can't even imagine how many people must've died to make that thing. There are multiple corpses nearby. Evidently the reinforcements are all toast. Imamiya leans against a tree, covered in blood and facing the familiar. [Kotarou]: (He's still alive...) [Earth Dragon]: "Listen, hunters." A throaty voice shakes the bottom of my stomach. [Kotarou]: (It's projecting.) There's a super-sensitive wearable camera attached to my chest. Since it's designed for military purposes, it works flawlessly. I'll have to do some amateur reporting after this. [Earth Dragon]: "This attack of yours was exceedingly unpleasant and inconsiderate." [Earth Dragon]: "I am merely taking a walk right now, so I will be exceptionally merciful and let you live." [Earth Dragon]: "Do not interrupt my private time again." It walks away with a far lighter gait than I'd expect from something that huge. [Kotarou]: (...it's like...he was talking on his own.) It wouldn't make much sense for a summoner to make him say that. I've heard rumors that really old familiars gain intelligence... Once it disappears through the trees, Imamiya falls to his knees. [Kotarou]: "...Imamiya." Until a moment ago we were trying to kill each other. I'm still holding my machete. I could kill him easily now.

<METADATA> Name: Kanbe Kotori | Gender: Female Name: Arata Imamiya | Gender: Male Name: Tennouji Kotarou | Gender: Male </METADATA> Considering the situation, he could cause me a lot more trouble. He's not even my friend. There's no need to protect him. But I still feel a slight hesitation. During that time, Imamiya opens his eyes. [Imamiya]: "...Tennouji...?" I lower my weapon. Imamiya starts muttering to himself. [Imamiya]: "Dammit, I screwed up...he just...came out of nowhere..." [Imamiya]: "I'm...amazed...you caught up..." [Kotarou]: "Yeah, I left as soon as I heard." [Imamiya]: "Haha...good call..." [Kotarou]: "I'll go get help." [Imamiya]: "No...find Oonishi..." [Imamiya]: "He found it...you have to help him kill it..." [Imamiya]: "Go...I can...take care of myself..." [Kotarou]: "Where's Nishikujou?" [Imamiya]: "...somewhere...in the forest." We have cell phone reception in this part of the forest. I call Nishikujou, she picks up, and I tell her about Imamiya. [Kotarou]: "Nishikujou's coming to help you. I'll go back up Oonishi." [Imamiya]: "Good call..." [Kotarou]: "...try not to die." [Imamiya]: "Yeah..." He closes his eyes with a smile on his face. It looks as if he's going to die in his sleep...but that might be for the best. Everyone has the right to die naturally. Not that I have any right to say that... According to the GPS, Kagari's close. Just up ahead. On the way, I find three corpses. And evidence of a fierce battle. They're probably from Oonishi's team, but given the collateral damage, it probably wasn't that huge familiar I saw earlier. But it wasn't Kagari either. Kagari would make cleaner cuts than that. The broken trees look like they've been pushed over through brute force. [Oonishi]: "...Tennouji?" [Kotarou]: "Yeah. Is that you, Oonishi?" He sees me first. [Oonishi]: "Good job making it here." Oonishi's bleeding all over. [Oonishi]: "We got in a fight with summoners...they were strong...I'm the only one left." [Kotarou]: "Where are they?" [Oonishi]: "200 meters ahead. They're protecting the Key." [Kotarou]: "How many?" [Oonishi]: "I think there were three of them, and three familiars. I killed one." I weigh my options. I should take out the Gaians first. [Oonishi]: "It's weird, though...the one I fought was normal, but the other two..." [Oonishi]: "I don't know...I only saw glances of them...but they're..." [Kotarou]: "Calm down. Let's go kill those summoners and think about it later. I'd like to hit them from both sides. Can you help with that?" [Oonishi]: "If we do it quickly." [Kotarou]: "Okay, I'll go around the left side." [Oonishi]: "Got it. I'll go right." We split up and move forward, searching for the summoners. As we move, I notice a glowing sphere in Oonishi's open hand. Come to think of it, Oonishi was a Hunter-type. I don't know what it can do, but we can't risk attracting attention. I give him a hand signal to use his knife instead, and he gets rid of the sphere. We continue moving forward. My strengthened senses are on par with any wild beast. I sense what I think are two familiars up ahead. There's something behind them that "feels alive", so it's probably a summoner. I move that way. I hold up my knife. I move as fast as I can without stepping on branches or leaves. The summoner is standing in a small, natural clearing. A tiny shadow. Much smaller than I expected...and I recognize it. She's sitting cross-legged, with her back straight, and her eyes closed so she can focus. I stand still. The next moment, Oonishi silently appears on the other side of her. We look at each other. Oonishi's closer. He makes that same judgment, so he raises his knife... And charges toward Kotori. I move too. Kotori notices, and briefly screams. Oonishi's big hand covers Kotori's mouth and pushes her into the ground. He points his knife at her throat. I crash into Oonishi. I jam my knife up into his thick chest. [Oonishi]: "...ah.........?" Oonishi drops his knife. He grabs my shoulders. His eyes open wide. He opens his mouth to say something. I push the blade in deeper. I break through his rib and pierce his heart. Oonishi falls to his knees. He dies with a look of agony, and I crouch down. ...I never had a choice with him. There's no way I could've gotten away with leaving an "eye" alive. For the planet...for Kagari...and for myself... No matter what reasons I give myself, I can't conveniently justify what I'm doing. I can't help but feel like a villain. And I am one. Anyway, now Guardian has no way of locating the Key anymore. [Kotori]: "K-Kotarou-kun...?" A shaking voice behind me. I look at my call history. It's all Kotori. "Where are you now?" "Something happened in the forest." "I'm heading into the forest." Terse and to the point. [Kotarou]: "...I figured you'd do something reckless like this eventually." [Kotori]: "But Kagari-san..." [Kotarou]: "Did you send familiars after them?" Kotori nods. So she killed the rest of Oonishi's team. I shake from indescribable anger. Both at myself, and at the unfairness of the world. [Kotarou]: "Do you understand what you did?" [Kotori]: "I do...but―!" [Kotarou]: "No you don't!" She curls up so tight it's pitiful. Kotori's not the only one in the wrong here. I screamed at her again, even though I know I shouldn't. I can't control my emotions right now. [Kotarou]: "Of course you wouldn't understand...why would you..." [Kotarou]: "But I did say to stay away from all this." [Kotori]: "But I..." [Kotarou]: "You don't belong here." [Kotori]: "...that's not true." [Kotori]: "Why do you keep saying such mean things...?" [Kotarou]: "I'm not trying to be mean." [Kotarou]: "You almost got killed just now." [Kotarou]: "If they think you're a Gaian, they won't care how young you are." [Kotarou]: "They think anyone who can use familiars is a blight on humanity." [Kotarou]: "Don't come all the way out here on your own without even hiding your face." [Kotori]: "If you told me to cover my face I'd have done that." She looks like she could cry at any moment. [Kotarou]: "You have no reason to be in this war in the first place." [Kotori]: "...this is for my parents." [Kotori]: "So I can bring them back."

<METADATA> Name: Sougen Esaka | Gender: Male Name: Tennouji Kotarou | Gender: Male </METADATA> [Kotarou]: "...you're still clinging to that?" Kotori bites her lip and looks up at me. I can't say any more. It'd just be a pain. I don't want to deal with human problems like this anymore... [Kotarou]: "...where's Kagari?" She silently points into the forest. I walk that way, and think about what to do next. I've crushed Guardian's only "eye". And they'll be watching Gaia's movements like a hawk, so the summoners can't do anything too rash either. So I still need Kagari to act as bait. I come out onto a hill. Once I pass through the canopy, a dark blue sky fills my vision. Kagari is crawling on all fours at the very top of the hill. [Kotarou]: "Kagari!" The ribbons multiply out of control, waving vigorously. Fortunately they aren't attacking anything, so I push through them and grab Kagari. I have Keisuke-san and Rikako-san carry her (it's still hard to call them familiars). I make sure Kotori escapes with them. I go elsewhere. I mess with all the corpses so it looks like familiars killed them, then head back to Guardian. I deliver my report and answer their questions. At the same time, a team is sent to recover the bodies. At dawn, they declare everyone in the operation KIA. The first operation is finally over. Kotori texts me to say they escaped successfully. Now things get busy. I return to the temple, using an underground route only some members of Martel know. Apparently it'd been so long they presumed me dead. They immediately question me about the incident. I tell them Guardian chased me around until I found a hiding place where I stayed for the rest of the night. They suspect nothing. This crazy day is finally over. After I leave the temple, I meet up with Kotori, and we take Kagari to one of my safe houses. It's risky to keep Kagari in the city. But now that both organizations are focused on the forest, this is the safest choice. [Kotarou]: "Huu..." I can finally relax for real. Though tomorrow I'll have to start running back and forth between Gaia and Guardian again. I drift into a heavy sleep right next to Kagari. A week passes. The forest is still a battleground. Both organizations found the power spot out there, and they're now constantly glaring at each other from opposite sides of it. They know the Key tends to go back to its birthplace. And when it does, it stays there for a long time. And it's born at a power spot. That's the passageway it uses to reach the Earth's surface. Except it spits out invisible energy rather than magma. Energy that makes life grow in the earth. For that reason, the plants around the spot are all overgrown. The place where I first saw Kagari was right on top of the power spot. Kotori tells me she was using its power to maintain her barrier. And that most of the druids' techniques were made on the assumption of having a power spot. It is an important place, but right now Suzaki's summoners have total control of it. They have several familiars in the forest. On the other hand, Guardian is still sending recon teams into the forest to gather information on them. A war of information revolving around the Key. Both organizations force the local government to declare it forbidden to enter the forest, due to some alleged wild animals on the loose. Being a triple agent is getting even harder than before. I have to be working for someone all day and night, so for several days I get basically no sleep. Sometimes I join Guardian's recon teams. Other times I control familiars for Gaia. I'm so busy I almost lose track of my real objective. Then Esaka-san comes back to Japan, two weeks before the harvest festival. He's been very busy, even after retiring from his position as leader of an instructional unit. Up until recently he's been participating in some international conference. Guardian is a very omnipresent organization. There are heroes in all countries and all time periods. Like Gaia, it's been modernized over time. There's the special parish centered around the Catholic Church. And there's a tight alliance between all the groups around the Pacific. Those are the two biggest groups. Esaka-san and I are in the latter, but many people here belong to the former. Like Nishikujou. That surprised me. They're basically the major factions of Guardian. Historically, the "special parish" has been around a lot longer, and has final authority. Their decisions are supposed to be absolute, but it's possible to disagree. The "parish" retains a lot from its days as a "demon-hunting" clique. Whereas the "alliance" controls weapon production, aviation and nautical industries. It's only natural for differences in methodology to appear when they try to go after the Key. But in Kazamatsuri, having Esaka-san as the leader of the operational support team (and the de facto commander overall) prevents infighting from being a problem. At ranks as high as his, mediating between those even higher up is just part of the job. I can't imagine what a pain that must be. He spends every day after his return gorging on junk food, possibly to reduce stress. ...though they seem to be super-spicy chips. Then, he suddenly talks to me. [Esaka]: "Tennouji, would you like to spar?" [Kotarou]: "Sure. It's been a long time." [Esaka]: "Let's see how much you've improved." I slice. He blocks. He cuts. I deflect. An ideal confrontation, where we attack each other in turn. In the past I couldn't even imagine how strong he truly was, but now I can accurately measure it. Esaka-san's not trying very hard. I remember what one of my instructors said. If your opponent's technique is beautiful and flawless, you're not putting any pressure on them. The real fight comes after you break through that. A knife has less reach than a sword, so I need to stay very close to him to cancel that out. But my legs are stronger than before, so I can pull that off. Even Master Esaka didn't expect his weakest student to be several times stronger now. But he still blocks my first attack with reflexes alone, so the fight drags on. And now that he knows I'm faster, I can't surprise him again. It'll get much worse if he gets farther away. But for now I'm managing to stay in close. I cut. He dodges. I turn. Esaka-san's sword flashes downward diagonally. Before that swing gains momentum, I block it with my knife. It's strong enough to do that. We push against each other's blades. I try delivering a palm strike during that, but before I hit... He pulls his sword back at the right moment to make me stumble. I fall. My instincts tell me to reach out and block my fall, getting myself on all fours. If I do that, I'll be giving him an opening. That's what happens when you break posture. Ideally you don't let that happen in the first place, but once it does, the only way to save yourself is to react quickly. I suppress my fear, and kick out with one of my legs. The one that's no longer on the ground. I cling to Esaka-san. The space between us shrinks, and my knee impacts him. I manage to prevent his next attack. He turns his body immediately. A skillful leg swipe. I can tell he's about to completely unbalance me. I resist the urge to shift my weight onto my other leg. Instead I stay put, lower my hips, and stabilize myself. I just barely manage to stop him from flipping me over. Now I go on the offensive.

<METADATA> Name: Tennouji Kotarou | Gender: Male Name: Sougen Esaka | Gender: Male </METADATA> I push with my knife, but not too hastily. He responds in kind whenever I add force. I push stronger, and so does he. I push even stronger, and he matches it. We continue matching strength. I can tell he's letting me give my all here. He's dragging this out on purpose to teach me something. But he's still going to beat me up if I'm not genuinely as strong as him. Keeping up with Esaka-san when he's being easy on me is probably the best I can do right now. This feels kinda like Shogi or Chess. In the opening there are endless possibilities, but in the mid and endgame all we do is take possibilities away from each other. The number of possible mistakes skyrockets, and in the end we reach a situation where no choice remains. I mobilize all my nerves to control my arms and legs. I shift weight from my ankles to the balls of my feet, down to the individual gram. But I'm still thrown off constantly. [Kotarou]: (So what?) [Kotarou]: (There's no need to take this seriously, considering how much else I have to do.) [Kotarou]: (I should be trying to hide how strong I am.) Sparks fly in front of my eyes. A comforting sound, like steel wire snapping. [Kotarou]: (...I want to show him what I'm capable of.) ...okay. Let's do this. I think about the timing. I work out how much my body can move in the next few tenths of a second. I quickly consider potentially dangerous movements, and choose superior options. I'll neither miss my chance nor overcommit. But because I'm lacking experience and technique, I continue making little mistakes. My defeat approaches. A few seconds later, I'm placed in a position where no matter how I dodge his attack, I'll suffer a fatal blow. What can defeat a perfect chess master? Something unexpected. I start my final attack. After this, I'll be defeated. My knife runs down the practice sword, giving off sparks as it slides down. As my arm extends, he turns his sword horizontally. That slight turn is enough to flick the knife out of my hand. At this moment, my side becomes vulnerable. The practice sword is drawn to it. Blood gushes out of my right wrist, instantly forming a small blade. That red flash heads for Esaka-san's neck. I'm hoping for a draw―― [Esaka]: "......!" Esaka-san's sword speeds up. He hits me in the stomach before my blood wristblade reaches him. He probably didn't hit me with his full strength, but the impact still jostles my entrails around. I fall straight to the ground. If he was serious, he could've cut me in half. But I'm still writhing on the ground. [Kotarou]: "You...win..." [Esaka]: "You've grown a lot, Tennouji." He praises me with feeling. I've only heard him talk like that when he found the ultimate cake. [Esaka]: "I'm impressed you've come so far." [Esaka]: "Rejoice! I give you a passing grade!" [Kotarou]: "So I'm finally competent..." I smile for some reason. [Esaka]: "Yes. You're no longer dog food." [Esaka]: "You have far surpassed my expectations. Well done." [Kotarou]: "Th-thank you..." He grabs my shoulders. [Esaka]: "With that strength, I'm sure you can make this organization your home." [Kotarou]: "Umm..." My guilt surfaces, and I lower my eyes. [Esaka]: "It's a thankless job." [Esaka]: "Once this operation is over, I'll let someone younger take charge here and try to make my own organization." [Kotarou]: "You can do that?" [Esaka]: "After working for a certain number of years, superhumans are allowed to start their own businesses." [Esaka]: "Many of our helpers here are subcontractors who've gone on to found PMCs or animal control companies." [Kotarou]: "Wow, I had no idea..." [Esaka]: "Many of us want to have our own little castle to be king in." [Kotarou]: "If you do that, can I work for you?" [Esaka]: "...I can't imagine why you'd want to." [Esaka]: "But very well. Just don't expect good pay." The happiness that he accepted conflicts with an equal amount of pain. But hidden beneath that pain is a cold, calculating heart forged by years of betrayal. [Kotarou]: (...so I've seen Esaka-san's true speed...for just a moment.) I'll be able to match him... after two more leaps―― For the first time in ages, I talk with Suzaki. [Suzaki]: "It's been a while. Good work during the last search." [Kotarou]: "No, I wasn't able to do anything." [Suzaki]: "The fact that you survived is impressive enough." [Suzaki]: "So...what happened to your hand?" My right hand is covered with a thick bandage. [Kotarou]: "...I got injured." [Suzaki]: "Is it serious?" [Kotarou]: "No." [Suzaki]: "Good." [Suzaki]: "I read your report, but there's a few things I don't understand. Could you clarify it for me?" [Kotarou]: "Sure." [Suzaki]: "Some other reports claim seeing two adults and a child together...what about you?" [Kotarou]: "No idea. I didn't see anything like that." [Suzaki]: "They were all close to where you were...oh well." [Suzaki]: "So about Guardian's movements..." He doesn't ask me about the Enishi House incident. But it's not safe to assume he doesn't suspect me. That concern doesn't go away, even after having an amicable chat in Suzaki's office. I probably won't be able to get any closer to Gaia's core. Suzaki's the type to never trust a pawn twice. [Kotarou]: (There's less and less reason to stay here...) I feel like I'm heading into a dead end. There's a lot I still don't know about Gaia. I'd like to learn more, but... Can I switch to Kashima now? If I changed my identity again... [Kotarou]: (...she'd see through that.) I buy some coffee from a vending machine, and lean against a handrail in the stairwell leading to the concert hall. After stirring up the situation that much, everything's back to a stalemate again. There's only so much strength alone can solve. I'm trying to stop a single war. I assumed that would be enough to make "good memories"...but in retrospect that feels shallow. [Kotarou]: "Good memories." The planet's memories must not be sad. That will cause destruction and re-evolution. The Earth is drying up. If it tries to spend the rest of its energy on re-evolution, it will die. So "good memories" probably help maintain the amount of life energy in the planet. Environmental protection. Recycling. Frugal living. What does Kagari think about those things? Is all of that not enough? As I think about that, I start to hear singing voices. From the concert hall. [Kotarou]: (Are those the singers that came here a few months ago?) As Kashima Sakura watches them, a few dozen women in white clothes sing in unison. Only one melody, and no instrumental accompaniment. It's a downright primitive song. They're just chanting a single tune. I didn't get a good look at them before, but now that their hoods are off, I can recognize a few faces.

<METADATA> Name: Tennouji Kotarou | Gender: Male Name: Kagari | Gender: Female | Aliases: Key Name: Arata Imamiya | Gender: Male Name: Touka Nishikujou | Gender: Female </METADATA> [Kotarou]: "Iko-san..." Those old days pass through my mind. Days that will never come back again... [Kotarou]: "...I'm back." [Kagari]: "...Kotarou." Kagari woke up a few days ago. [Kotarou]: "Sorry. The situation still isn't changing." [Kotarou]: "Neither side wants to do anything after that last fight..." [Kagari]: "...there...is no...time..." Kagari can't speak as well anymore. I have no idea why that is. Kotori said she doesn't know either. She just can't use words as well as she used to. [Kotarou]: "I know. I'll think of something." [Kagari]: "No time...it's already...too late..." She claws at the window like a cat. Her ribbons hang limp between her arms, rubbing the floor. [Kotarou]: "You can't go outside." [Kagari]: "Hurry...I must..." [Kotarou]: "I know. I am hurrying. I've been working all day every day." [Kotarou]: "Wanna watch some TV? You might learn something." I turn on the TV. We almost never use it. [Kotarou]: "The news is on. This should be perfect for you." [Kotarou]: "Look, they came up with a new technology for recycling." [Kotarou]: "They're saying it'll help them cut down on costs." [Kotarou]: "Hey, what do you think of that?" [Kagari]: "It has...no value..." She glances at the screen, then turns to the window again. [Kotarou]: "You're not into this? Hmmm..." [Kotarou]: "How about this news on afforestation?" [Kotarou]: "They're planning to convert this desert into a jungle." [Kotarou]: "It'd be amazing if that whole area was covered in trees instead of sand." [Kagari]: "It does not...matter..." [Kotarou]: "I know it'll take a long time, but you've got to think ahead..." [Kagari]: "There is no...long-term..." [Kagari]: "It's too late..." So much for that. I sigh. As Kagari gets worse, I can't hide my frustration. Is the end approaching? Humanity still hasn't solved problems like deforestation and dwindling resources. We must be doing really badly at it for Kagari to show no interest whatsoever. [Kotarou]: "So we're just throwing water on hot coals." [Kagari]: "Sad...so sad..." [Kotarou]: "Yeah, nothing but sad memories." [Kagari]: "That's why...I want you to do good things...quickly...hurry..." She's been like this for a while. If Kagari's intelligence degrades any further... My heart feels cold. [Kagari]: "...hurry up...not a moment to..." Strangely, Nishikujou calls me. I wait in the usual family restaurant, trying to look like a lazy teenager, and Nishikujou arrives with a little girl. Around the same age as Kotori. [Imamiya]: "...so..." [Imamiya]: "Who's the father?" [Nishikujou]: "She's not mine!" [Nishikujou]: "This girl is Nakatsu Shizuru-chan. She's one of us." A superhuman... [Kotarou]: "Why introduce her to us?" [Nishikujou]: "...it'll be a little while until I'm old enough to do it, but I'm thinking of being a teacher here." [Imamiya]: "Eh? At Kazamatsuri Academy?" [Nishikujou]: "Yes. No one else is stationed there right now." [Nishikujou]: "And I've heard plenty of suspicious rumors about the place." [Nishikujou]: "The plan is to sneak some students into the school, and have me there to back them up." [Kotarou]: "And this girl might be one of the students?" [Nishikujou]: "Exactly." The girl's sitting down next to her and whittling away at a parfait. Nishikujou strokes her head. She's such a little kid... Actually, we were pretty young when we joined. If you discover your powers at an age when you lack self-control, there's no way to avoid it. We couldn't live in normal society anyway. [Imamiya]: "You've got a pretty cool eyepatch." She ignores him. [Nishikujou]: "Could you try not to scare her?" [Imamiya]: "All I did was talk to her..." [Nishikujou]: "Anyway, so that's why I wanted you two to see her." [Imamiya]: "Since we might be working with her in the future?" [Nishikujou]: "Yes." It feels like we're being introduced to a business partner... But she's been getting a lot more cheerful. I guess that means she's becoming a proper hunter. [Kotarou]: "Isn't this a bit early?" [Nishikujou]: "What do you mean? You're both in respectable positions already." [Nishikujou]: "Imamiya's leading surveillance in this city, and Tennouji, you've been helping Esaka-san for a while." [Nishikujou]: "It's amazing the three of us got this far considering how bad we were at first." [Nishikujou]: "Do you remember me going to that school during the previous operation?" [Imamiya]: "Yeah." [Nishikujou]: "That was fun..." [Nishikujou]: "I think I was too afraid of things before that, because my life was in shambles." [Nishikujou]: "But now I know all these possibilities are available to me." [Nishikujou]: "So I want this girl to have the same happiness. I want her to know that she can have fun, even though we're forcing her into a difficult life." [Nishikujou]: "I wanted you two to understand why I'm doing this." [Imamiya]: "I'm fine with it, as long as you keep working for us." [Imamiya]: "So we help you out now, and you and your kids will help us later. It's not a bad deal." [Kotarou]: "...I'm fine with it." [Nishikujou]: "Thank you. I'm glad to hear that." [Imamiya]: "...well, as long as we're all here..." Imamiya lowers his voice. None of the other customers are listening to us. [Imamiya]: "...something big's gonna be happening soon." [Nishikujou]: "About the Key?" [Imamiya]: "No, they're planning to kidnap a Martel bigwig." [Kotarou]: "Really?" [Imamiya]: "We're in charge of watching the target." [Kotarou]: "They've never tried to do that before..." [Imamiya]: "Because it's too risky. But we can't afford to worry about that anymore." [Nishikujou]: "They're worried because we still don't know where the Key is." [Imamiya]: "Yeah. It's pretty bad." [Kotarou]: "They're afraid the Key will start destroying stuff, aren't they?" [Imamiya]: "Did Esaka-san tell you about that?" [Kotarou]: "No, he wouldn't tell me that much. It's a secret after all."

<METADATA> Name: Arata Imamiya | Gender: Male Name: Tennouji Kotarou | Gender: Male Name: Kagari | Gender: Female | Aliases: Key Name: Touka Nishikujou | Gender: Female </METADATA> [Kotarou]: "But if they want to kidnap someone, does that mean they think Martel knows where it is?" [Nishikujou]: "...this is getting dangerous." [Imamiya]: "Apparently Shimizu-san opposed it, but the intelligence division forced it through." [Kotarou]: "So who's the bigwig?" [Imamiya]: "...aaah, don't ask me that. I think you'll hear about it soon anyway." [Imamiya]: "I just wanted you guys to be prepared for it." [Nishikujou]: "Are you sure it's okay to tell us?" [Imamiya]: "We'll all be working on this together, right? Like Esaka-san's old team?" [Nishikujou]: "I guess so..." [Kotarou]: "Eh? I'll be working with you guys?" [Imamiya]: "Why not?" [Kotarou]: "But..." [Imamiya]: "I know what you're thinking. It's just...well, I'm sorry." I can't believe my ears. [Kotarou]: "...huh?" [Imamiya]: "I said I'm sorry...for making fun of you and stuff." [Imamiya]: "I don't doubt your skills anymore, okay?" [Kotarou]: "What brought this on...?" I'm so thrown off by this even I'm wondering what's wrong with me. [Kotarou]: "Don't say weird things like that. Just do what you always do." [Kotarou]: "If I do something stupid, you should make fun of me for it." [Imamiya]: "...do we really need to keep doing that?" [Imamiya]: "Things are just going to get worse from here on." [Imamiya]: "If we can't start working together, we're seriously going to die." [Nishikujou]: "That's true." [Imamiya]: "So what's the problem?" [Kotarou]: "I dunno...it's just too sudden..." [Imamiya]: "Isn't it time we tried to make up?" Imamiya pokes the ice cubes in his glass with the straw. [Kotarou]: "Okay, I get it." In this case I'm going to say some selfish stuff too. [Kotarou]: "I need to stop acting so cold and open up to you, right?" [Imamiya]: "So do I." [Imamiya]: "Give and take." [Nishikujou]: "Friendship between men." [Imamiya]: "Stop it. You're not aging any better than me." [Nishikujou]: "―!?" [Imamiya]: "You'd prefer that too, right Tennouji?" [Kotarou]: "...y-yeah." [Kotarou]: "That'd be good." [Imamiya]: "Okay, let's all try to get along from now on, you bastards." Imamiya holds out his hand. Confused, we both stare at it. [Imamiya]: "You're supposed to put your hands on mine!" [Imamiya]: "Haven't you ever seen them do that in sports movies!?" [Nishikujou]: "Ah, that's what you meant...hohoho." Nishikujou puts her hand on top. [Nishikujou]: "Come on, Tennouji." I feel like my heart's being twisted. I don't want to lie to them like this. But... [Kotarou]: "Can I use my left hand?" [Imamiya]: "Your right hand still hasn't healed? Sure, I guess." [Kotarou]: "...I look forward to this." I force a smile and put my left hand on theirs. The girl called Shizuru puts her tiny hand on top of mine. [Imamiya]: "Oooh, nice. She already understands teamwork." [Nishikujou]: "...she's a strange girl. But I really do look forward to this." [Imamiya]: "Okay, from now on, you're part of the Imamiya team!" [Nishikujou]: "We're not a gang. I don't like that team name." [Nishikujou]: "Let's pick something cuter." [Imamiya]: "Like what?" [Nishikujou]: "Hmm...Pink Elephants?" [Imamiya]: "Those aren't cute, they're fat. And pink ones would just look weird." I can't think of anything to say. My heart is a mess. Why did this have to happen now of all times? Why do they trust me after I've betrayed them? Why am I reconciling with people I never thought I'd get along with... I have no choice but to make a fake smile. And a fake vow. I should've made fake jokes to go along with theirs. But that part I couldn't do. ...it's tough sticking to only one hand. I take off my bandages and let my right hand move freely. It's a bit awkward, but I get used to it. My fingers can still move. Kagari is still glued to the window. She acts like she wants to go outside, but she never forces her way out. If she wanted to, she could easily cut out the wall, or simply open the door. She just stares out the window like a cat on a rainy day, as if she's lost the ability to move around. She talks less and less every day. Kagari doesn't eat or use the bathroom either. I realize I'm starting to see Kagari as a house plant, and I'm overcome with guilt. ...I'm getting disrupted. I can see her, but I can't recognize her for what she is. That's more or less what's happening. [Kotarou]: "Hey, look at this." I hand her a shiitake mushroom growing kit. I saw it in a random store. A lot of mushrooms have already appeared on the little tree's trunk. [Kagari]: "...shiitake." [Kotarou]: "Yeah, they're shiitake." [Kotarou]: "This shows how good we are at making life grow now." Her eyes make it clear she's not interested. [Kotarou]: "So this approach is a waste of time." I pop a few of the mushrooms into my mouth. Environmentalism has nothing to do with the "good memories" Kagari's after. It's too small-scale. And it's far too late. I have to do something to quickly and meaningfully change the situation, or I'll never get Kagari's attention. [Kotarou]: (I have to stop Gaia and Guardian from fighting...that's the only way.) I close my work laptop, and turn on the TV. News about space. A planet has been discovered eighteen lightyears from Earth, with a similar water level and atmosphere composition―― Eighteen lightyears. The distance light travels in eighteen years. For a moment, my heart reverts to the childish state it was in when I went to the meetings. [Kagari]: "...a planet..." Kagari reacts to that news. She moves away from the window and faces the TV. [Kotarou]: "Oh? You like hearing about planets?" [Kagari]: "...planet...water..." [Kotarou]: "They said it was very Earthlike. They're finding a lot of those lately." [Kotarou]: "And they're pretty close too. A lot have been only twenty or thirty lightyears from here." [Kagari]: "Go there." [Kotarou]: "We can't yet...we don't have any spaceships." [Kagari]: "It's close..."

<METADATA> Name: Kagari | Gender: Female | Aliases: Key Name: Tennouji Kotarou | Gender: Male Name: Sougen Esaka | Gender: Male </METADATA> [Kotarou]: "Only by astronomical standards." [Kotarou]: "Humanity can't travel at light speed yet...we haven't even figured out nuclear fusion." [Kotarou]: "Not that fusion would help us reach light speed." [Kagari]: "Purchase...buy it...Homo commercias." [Kotarou]: "We can't just buy one." [Kagari]: "Online..." [Kotarou]: "We can't buy it online either." You can't buy a nuclear reactor. [Kotarou]: "Come to think of it, we do have stuff that can propel itself using sunlight." [Kotarou]: "They're still doing research on it." [Kotarou]: "But if we want to transport humans...maybe some kind of hybrid?" [Kagari]: "Sunlight...?" [Kotarou]: "In the future we might be able to make some kind of spaceship that uses sunlight." [Kotarou]: "Though it'll still be hard to send any missions across twenty lightyears." [Kotarou]: "We could slowly transfer an artificial ecosystem, terraform the new planet, then suck up its resources and a few generations later move to the next one." [Kotarou]: "Ah, terraforming means changing a planet's surface to be habitable for us." Kagari gazes at me. [Kotarou]: "Wh-what is it...?" [Kagari]: "Please continue." [Kotarou]: "...that was the end." [Kotarou]: "Ah, by the way, terraforming takes a ridiculously long time." [Kotarou]: "They say it'll still take thousands of years no matter how good our technology gets." [Kotarou]: "Turning a whole planet into something like Earth is a huge job." [Kotarou]: "And we still don't have the technology to transplant an ecosystem from one planet to another." I think back. When I was a child, I learned a lot about this from the meetings and from reading books. [Kotarou]: "An artificial ecosystem is a pretty tall order." [Kotarou]: "There was an experiment to find out how well life could do in an artificial recreation of a closed environment." [Kotarou]: "I think it reached its limit after only two years." [Kotarou]: "The balance between oxygen and carbon dioxide got thrown off, and predators ran out of food, and so on." [Kotarou]: "Though I guess that's partly because they tried to recreate the same ecosystem that works in the real world." [Kotarou]: "It would've lasted a lot longer if they used some machinery." [Kagari]: "So, you'll be able to travel?" [Kotarou]: "No, there's far too many problems with that." [Kotarou]: "We need to have everything planned out and working flawlessly before we try to actually go." [Kotarou]: "And we can't afford to carry anything we don't absolutely need." [Kotarou]: "And we need to study our target planet thoroughly before we can plan for it." [Kotarou]: "We'll probably need better astronomical techniques just to do that." [Kotarou]: "Then time to study all the data." [Kotarou]: "We need to know exactly what resources we can find on that planet, and what we'll have to bring with us." [Kotarou]: "The resources and personnel we'll need are going to be tremendous no matter what." [Kotarou]: "To put all of that together...it's gonna take a while." [Kagari]: "We have to hurry..." [Kotarou]: "What? Is this a good memory?" [Kagari]: "Spread out...fill the Earth...spread out...and fill the Earth." [Kotarou]: "Ah, I see." [Kotarou]: "Traveling to another planet counts as a good memory." So pioneering new places to live is good. But there's nowhere for us to expand to on this planet. Could we build cities on the ocean floor? [Kotarou]: "That's also pretty implausible..." [Kotarou]: "We might manage it in another millennium..." [Kagari]: "Not fast enough...no time..." [Kagari]: "Please hurry." [Kotarou]: "We can't make it happen any faster. Besides, I'm still working on a different good memory." [Kagari]: "Aaah..." She cries. Kagari does that a lot lately. It makes me feel uneasy, and wonder if what I'm doing is wrong. [Kotarou]: (I've come this far already...there's no way to back out of it.) [Kotarou]: (Besides...I know this is right...somehow...) Since Suzaki's such a high-ranking Gaia member, he has to travel once in a while. When he does, he usually uses hotels in the city he's visiting. Martel's not stupid, so they have bodyguards staying in the rooms next to his. They're always at least thirty floors up, and they choose rooms that are difficult to get into or even snipe from the outside. There are even more guards in the hallways, preventing people from moving through the floor freely. Even in the middle of the night, the guards check the area every thirty minutes. There are no holes in their performance. By normal standards. Our plan is as follows. Inject gas into Suzaki's room. A team of four will infiltrate the hotel using a secret passage constructed in advance. They will retrieve Suzaki and his two personal bodyguards from the room. Then hide any evidence that the locks were tampered with. Then we go back out the same passage. Everyone on the team needs to be capable of climbing up the hotel wall without any ropes, while carrying equipment that weighs as much as an adult man. Suzaki's disappearance is discovered twenty minutes later. But by then, he and his bodyguards are already in a car heading West at sixty kilometers an hour. When Suzaki wakes up, he's in a dark underground room with no distinguishing features. Since the other men in the room aren't hiding their faces, Suzaki probably knows he's going to die. [Esaka]: "...now then." Obviously, the men have no intention of making this easy on Suzaki. ...once it's all over, Suzaki has very little time left to live. [Suzaki]: "...this was awfully daring of you." [Suzaki]: "Be warned. Once I'm gone, Martel will have nothing holding it back." [Suzaki]: "You've released a monster..." Those were Suzaki's last words. [Esaka]: "...send a report to the intelligence division immediately." [Kotarou]: "Yes, sir." Suzaki never realized I was Suzuki Bond. [Kotarou]: (...that was brutal.) But thanks to that we got a lot of top-secret information. After leaving the room, I press my ear against the door. [Esaka]: "We were so sure they had the Key already..." [Intelligence Operative]: "Do you think he was telling the truth?" [Esaka]: "He was." [Intelligence Operative]: "So if we find the Key first, we'll win." [Intelligence Operative]: "Though we'd need an "eye"..." [Esaka]: "I asked about it, but they won't give us that information unless we capture the Key alive." [Esaka]: "If we don't, they might do something themselves." [Intelligence Operative]: "Like what...?" [Esaka]: "Intervene on their own. We haven't solved the problem yet." [Intelligence Operative]: "We can't let outsiders come in and screw everything up."

<METADATA> Name: Jasmine | Gender: Female Name: Sougen Esaka | Gender: Male Name: Tennouji Kotarou | Gender: Male </METADATA> [Esaka]: "I won't let them capture the Key either. If we let it escape, everything will end. They don't understand that." [Esaka]: "...we'll have to make our own judgments. I'll do what I can to prevent outsiders from intruding." [Intelligence Operative]: "This will be tough." [Esaka]: "I suspect one of us is helping them." I almost groan. [Intelligence Operative]: "Are you referring to the bug Imamiya reported?" [Intelligence Operative]: "Was that a spy from the "alliance"?" [Esaka]: "That's what I would assume. It doesn't feel like Gaia." [Esaka]: "I'm going to be asking the "parish" for another "eye". I'm only telling you and Shimizu about that." [Intelligence Operative]: "Good thing you've talked to them so much." [Esaka]: "He'll be a foreigner. He'll stand out. He'll arrive during the harvest festival. Can you take care of him?" [Intelligence Operative]: "Understood. I'll send helicopters this time." More and more information I didn't know before. [Esaka]: "What about high command?" [Intelligence Operative]: "They're leaving the bug in place and feeding it dummy information." [Intelligence Operative]: "We haven't found anything, so we're just continuing to monitor it." [Intelligence Operative]: "It's just strange. Are you sure it's not Gaia?" [Esaka]: "I doubt it. They aren't making any moves based on the information." [Intelligence Operative]: "Hmm...are we missing something?" [Esaka]: "Possibly. Examine the device in more detail, while taking care not to disable it." [Intelligence Operative]: "...I can't believe this..." [Esaka]: "It's always been our fate to hold each other back. Don't beat yourself up." [Esaka]: "We still have to destroy the Key, even if it means burning the city to the ground." [Esaka]: "...this time there's something we don't know about stirring things up. Don't underestimate it." ...the battle is about to begin. This is probably going to be the last one. I quietly leave. [Woman]: "Hey, can you hear something?" [Man]: "Eh? Like what?" [Woman]: "...I'm not sure...praying? ...singing?" [Man]: "Dunno, I can't hear it..." [Student]: "Hey, is that the wind?" [Student]: "It's too high-pitched..." [Student]: "No, I'm not hearing anything." [Worker]: "Nnn...my ears hurt...what the hell...?" [Girl]: "What is this? ...it's like everything's shaking...it's horrible." Bizarre rumors start spreading all throughout Kazamatsuri City. I can hear a song. A song that's not of this world. Some people can hear it and others can't, so the rumors fluctuate a lot. The song continues. Without stopping, without ending. As if beings other than humans are chanting. No news organization reports on it. It only appears on a bunch of niche sites for occultists. Kagari is coming to a halt. She leans against the window, never moving a muscle. No matter how much I talk to her, she barely reacts at all. I feel pressured. My fingers hammer on the keyboard. I notice I'm trying to fake my expressions around her, and I punch myself. ...I just have to get through to her. My appearance doesn't matter. I attach various images, decide on a layout, then add explanatory text. I feel like a journalist. On the other side of the ocean, Jasmine's doing the same thing. This is one of the few things I want their help with. [Kotarou]: "Just wait, Kagari." [Kotarou]: "It won't be much longer." [Kotarou]: "What you want will happen soon." The girl doesn't speak. Her weary eyes tell me of the emotion hidden within. [Kotarou]: "...bear with it just a little longer." [Disciple]: "...wait." As I try to enter the temple, someone stops me at the gate. The guard's a woman now. [Kotarou]: "Are you one of the disciples?" [Disciple]: "Starting today, this building is to be used exclusively by the disciples." [Disciple]: "We ask that all other Martel staff do not enter." [Kotarou]: "No one told me about this." [Disciple]: "It was decided urgently." [Disciple]: "Until the harvest festival ends, please visit your nearest Martel assembly hall to receive instructions." [Kotarou]: "What are the rest of us supposed to be doing?" [Disciple]: "All programs are on hiatus until the festival ends." [Kotarou]: "Hm? Okay...but wait, I'm in the R&D department." [Disciple]: "The research and development section has been temporarily frozen." [Kotarou]: "What...?" [Disciple]: "I apologize for the suddenness, but please understand." They essentially shove me back out into the street. [Kotarou]: (...Suzaki was right.) Kashima's already acting on her newfound authority. But this is just too soon. They don't even have the Key, so why now? [Kotarou]: (I was hoping to check on where the summoners are right now...but I guess that's the end of that.) I turn my back on the temple. Suzuki Bond's role has ended. The time has come to go back to Tennouji Kotarou. I get rid of most of my machinery, so that I can move around freely on a moment's notice no matter what happens here. That makes the room even more barren than before. The stuff that's left is all impossible to tie to me. Narrow letters flow into the message box on my laptop at high speed. [Koko1010]: "I got your proposal. It looks fine. We'll go with it." [Koko1010]: "You almost didn't make it, but well done." [Jasmine2015]: "Thank you :)" [Koko1010]: "Did you confirm the payment?" [Jasmine2015]: "I did. Thank you." [Koko1010]: "I think that'll be the last one from me. Do you think it's enough?" [Jasmine2015]: "Yes. We have plenty saved up here, so we should be fine." [Koko1010]: "How is everyone?" [Jasmine2015]: "As planned, they've all left this place already." [Jasmine2015]: "They were all very grateful to you. They were disappointed that they never got to meet you again." [Koko1010]: "It's best we don't meet without a good reason." [Jasmine2015]: "Are you ever going to come back, Kotarou?" [Koko1010]: "Don't say my name." [Jasmine2015]: "Ah, sorry." [Koko1010]: "Please physically destroy this log when we're done." [Jasmine2015]: "Yes, I will. I'm sorry :'-(" [Koko1010]: "I still have things I need to do here, so not anytime soon." [Koko1010]: "Make sure nothing you leave behind is traceable." [Jasmine2015]: "Yes, I'm confident there's no information left here. The djinn and the stronger children are protecting what we didn't destroy." [Koko1010]: "In that case, this will be my final order."

<METADATA> Name: Arata Imamiya | Gender: Male Name: Tennouji Kotarou | Gender: Male Name: Sougen Esaka | Gender: Male Name: Jasmine | Gender: Female Name: Touka Nishikujou | Gender: Female </METADATA> [Koko1010]: "Let's begin." [Jasmine2015]: "――(long silence)" [Jasmine2015]: "...now?" [Koko1010]: "Yes. I'm moving the plan up two days. Get ready to leave immediately." [Jasmine2015]: "I've already finished preparing. This PC is the last one here." [Koko1010]: "Good. Burn all your records. Again, physically destroy the PC." [Jasmine2015]: "Understood. Are you in danger?" [Koko1010]: "I will be soon. It could get dangerous at any time. I want you out of there by this evening." [Koko1010]: "If they somehow manage to find that place, nothing will save you." [Jasmine2015]: "I know." [Jasmine2015]: "Thank you for everything you've done." [Koko1010]: "We won't have any way to check on each other once you leave. Take care." [Jasmine2015]: "I want to see you again." [Koko1010]: "If fate lets us." [Jasmine2015]: "I still want to." [Koko1010]: "Please focus on surviving. We'll never see each other if you die." [Jasmine2015]: "I understand." [Jasmine2015]: "I knew this was going to happen, but I'm still crying a little." [Koko1010]: "Thank you for everything. Sorry for making you waste so many years of your life." [Jasmine2015]: "You didn't do anything like that. This was fulfilling work." [Jasmine2015]: "Everyone said the same thing. We all feel that way." [Koko1010]: "I'm honored." [Jasmine2015]: "I won't waste the chance you gave us to start over. We'll watch the world change with our own eyes." [Koko1010]: "I'm glad to hear that." [Koko1010]: "If the world does change, and people can still live on the surface afterward, come visit Japan." [Jasmine2015]: "I will." [Koko1010]: "I might show you around then." [Jasmine2015]: "Okay." [Koko1010]: "I'm ending the chat now. Goodbye, Sampaguita." [Jasmine2015]: "Farewell. I hope that you create a good planet." I turn off my laptop. I'll never use it again. I take it apart, and use chemicals on key areas to physically destroy all the data on it. I can't leave a shred of evidence behind. It's possible my enemies will chase me for years after this. Tomorrow, the pre-festival begins. During the night, the world will begin to change. When I think about what might happen at the end of my journey, I feel a little scared. [Kotarou]: "Kagari, it's starting tomorrow. Let's go see it together. Let's watch it from that hill." [Kotarou]: "A good memory covering the whole world." [Kotarou]: "Let's go see if it's something beautiful or not, Kagari." Kagari doesn't even turn toward me, so I pick her up from behind. Her body is getting stiffer. She no longer needs it to move. If she's already out of time... I should have made my move sooner. But then my "theory" wouldn't have seen completion. The theory―― Gaia and Guardian. What I asked Jasmine to do was write down an explanation of all the technologies secretly used by both organizations. They're going to publish them to the world. To both rich and poor. People will learn a completely different way of life. Now that the Earth is running out of resources, the last thing we have to depend on is our own life energy. The time has come to start using that to sustain ourselves. People will change. We have to change. The confusion will be huge. But it's necessary. These powers are the only way for the world to find a future. The power, and the will to carve out a new path. This is the good memory Kagari wanted. I've done the best I can. Now it's just a matter of time. If the revolution starts now, will it happen before she... For a villain like me, it doesn't feel right praying to God. So I pray to the planet. With Kagari in my arms, I put my hands together. I lower my head, touching her stiff back. Only one or two days until it all ends. Please, let this girl last that long. [Esaka]: "Something's happening in the city?" Esaka-san heads into the command center with some of his direct subordinates in tow. [Shimizu]: "Yes, take a look at this." The monitor shows people coming from outside the city. The roads, public transportation, sidewalks...everyone's heading into the city. The crowds are so tremendous the entire station is packed like a sardine tin. [Esaka]: "What about it?" [Shimizu]: "They aren't all civilians." [Shimizu]: "I checked against some data from HQ, and there are a lot of big-name summoners in there." [Esaka]: "Martel?" [Shimizu]: "I can't imagine all of these guys are summoners, but..." [Imamiya]: "The townsfolk are getting worried about this too." [Imamiya]: "I'm pulling out some of my monitors since they tend to stand out." [Esaka]: "The pre-festival is tonight...where are they headed?" [Shimizu]: "They appear to be gathering around the culture hall." [Esaka]: "This could be enough to paralyze the city's transportation networks." [Shimizu]: "...are they moving their plans up?" [Esaka]: "Either they have the Key now, or they're certain they can get it." Imamiya receives a call. He goes to the corner of the room to answer it, then comes back. [Imamiya]: "...Esaka-san, I just got a report from the forest." [Imamiya]: "All the summoners have pulled out of there." [Esaka]: "Are you sure?" [Imamiya]: "Yes. He's not seeing a single familiar out there anymore." [Shimizu]: "The forest was supposed to be a buffer zone for them..." [Esaka]: "Kashima Sakura must have ordered this." [Esaka]: "...that old, dried-up..." [Shimizu]: "What is it?" [Esaka]: "This is urgent. Get all personnel on standby into Kazamatsuri immediately." [Shimizu]: "Okay, but their infiltration routes will..." [Esaka]: "Leave it up to them. I don't care if they get spotted." [Esaka]: "Nishikujou, I want reinforcements from the parish. Can you negotiate with them?" [Nishikujou]: "Y-yes!" [Esaka]: "Tell them we'll accept any conditions." [Esaka]: "Iijima and Inui, set up shifts so at least one of you is gathering information 24/7." [Shimizu]: "Esaka-san, I've arranged nonstop flights from Narita, Komatsu and Osaka. Everyone on standby is preparing to enter Kazamatsuri." [Esaka]: "Good. Prepare a team specifically for breaking into an enemy stronghold. Shimizu, you'll be in command of it." [Shimizu]: "Sir!"

<METADATA> Name: Sougen Esaka | Gender: Male Name: Arata Imamiya | Gender: Male Name: Touka Nishikujou | Gender: Female Name: Tennouji Kotarou | Gender: Male Name: Kanbe Kotori | Gender: Female </METADATA> [Esaka]: "Sakai, keep control of the press. Don't let them launch any helicopters." [Intelligence Operative]: "What about the civilians? This could affect them." [Esaka]: "Can we use the local police?" [Intelligence Operative]: "Martel's already gotten to them...but there are signs of that weakening after Kashima regained power." [Esaka]: "Try their disaster countermeasure unit. Use my name if you have to." [Esaka]: "If it comes down to it, we need to be ready to evacuate the city." [Intelligence Operative]: "We're going to need an excuse then..." [Esaka]: "A landslide, a toxic spill...if you have to, claim there's a dirty bomb." [Kotarou]: "Umm, should I..." [Esaka]: "You will stay here. Be ready to head out at any time." [Kotarou]: ".........okay." ...so I don't have to do anything important. [Imamiya]: "Okay, okay, let's do thiiiiiis!" [Nishikujou]: "...ummm, who to call...right, Father." The HQ is overcome with enthusiasm. Like a festival. In contrast, my heart is cold. I turn around and leave the room. When I open the door, chilly air flows in. I push myself out into the cold. People are running all over the place, preparing for the festival. Most of them are just ordinary civilians. They have nothing to do with Gaia or Guardian. I look up at the sky. An indigo blue sky, colder than it should be in autumn. A high-pitched noise grates in the air, which only certain people can hear. It's like a song. It sounds different to different people. I wonder how it sounds to animals. Or plants. The sky doesn't have a single bird in it, so this doesn't feel real. On my way back to the safe house, I throw the phone Guardian gave me into the river. I already placed a final bug in the HQ. I expect them to find it eventually. This kind doesn't transmit until someone says something near it, so it doesn't give itself away as easily. But I know any professional intelligence agent will notice it eventually. [Kotarou]: (...once they find that, I'm all on my own.) By the time I get back, there's a huge crowd around my apartment building. [Kotarou]: "What happened?" [Housewife]: "Apparently there was an explosion." [Kotarou]: "Seriously?" [Housewife]: "It's true. There's a huge hole in the wall." She points at the wall of my safe house. I thank her and leave. I get into my apartment from another route. The hole is indeed in my wall. The police show up. [Kotarou]: (This hole's been cut out...) It's not an explosion. It looks like the aftermath of an insanely large glass cutter. This has to be Kagari's ribbons. ...Kagari ran away? In her condition? My phone rings incessantly. Not many people know this number. I check it as I run. It's Kotori. ...she must have sensed something was happening. I don't have time to respond right now. I ignore it and run to one of my other safe houses. A room I've been using as a storehouse. [Kotarou]: "...calm down." I think calmly. Kagari doesn't have her transmitter anymore. I didn't have a plan for dealing with that. I have to find her on my own now. That could take a while. Once I start looking, I won't have a chance to come back for something. I do what I need to do now. I go to the bathroom, replace my cell phone batteries, and snack on some crackers and cheese. I open the attaché case I have hidden in the closet. A military machine pistol and plenty of ammo. I spent more money getting the gun here than I did actually buying it. If someone finds me with this I won't be able to make any excuses. It's as compact as possible, and the best gun I could think of for my purposes. I put on a holster for it and hide it under my clothes. I also grab an anti-familiar blowgun with eight syringes. Plus a knife. I put a bunch of leaf birds into a cartographer's tube. This is the extent of my preparations. Finally, I grab two chocolate bars and shove them in my pockets. There's two places I can imagine Kagari going. The power spot where she was born, and that hill. First, I'll check the power spot. When I enter the forest, someone else's leaf bird passes by. [Kotarou]: "...Kotori." Kotori's standing between Keisuke-san and Rikako-san. [Kotori]: "There you are..." [Kotori]: "I'm helping too." [Kotori]: "You need help, don't you?" [Kotarou]: "...help..." [Kotori]: "This doesn't feel right...something bad's happening." [Kotarou]: "You don't know what's going on?" [Kotori]: "You never tell me, Kotarou-kun..." [Kotarou]: "Because you don't need any babysitting." [Kotarou]: "I knew you'd find me on your own." [Kotori]: "Kotarou-kun, I'm scared." [Kotori]: "It feels like you'll go away if I don't help..." [Kotori]: "Hey, why are you helping Kagari?" [Kotori]: "You're not getting any money or fame out of it, are you?" [Kotarou]: "Good question." [Kotori]: "You don't owe Kagari anything, do you Kotarou-kun?" [Kotori]: "And you're not fighting for justice or anything like that..." [Kotarou]: "...you're right, I'm definitely not fighting for that." [Kotarou]: "Though what I'm doing may end up saving the planet in the end..." [Kotarou]: "My methods aren't the sort of thing I can let people know about." [Kotori]: "What if..." After a little hesitation, Kotori finishes. [Kotori]: "...you don't help Kagari?" [Kotarou]: "...then the world will end." [Kotarou]: "If I let Kagari go, civilization will disappear. If I kill her, the world will dry up in a few decades." [Kotori]: "So what do we do?" [Kotarou]: "This'll take a minute." [Kotarou]: "The planet is hoping for humanity to achieve something." [Kotarou]: "And it's not taking care of the Earth or the environment or anything." [Kotarou]: "It has nothing to do with recycling or afforestation." [Kotarou]: "The only way to save it is to show the planet a good memory." [Kotarou]: "We need to prove to the planet that humanity has possibilities left." [Kotarou]: "And by that I mean――" [Kotori]: "That doesn't matter!" [Kotori]: "That's not...what I...was asking about..." [Kotori]: "Our promise..." [Kotarou]: "Promise?" [Kotori]: "You still haven't played with me yet!" Ah... That's right, we... That was such a small promise for me. But for this little girl, it meant the world... Unfortunately, I can't do anything about that. Since I'm about to...

<METADATA> Name: Kanbe Kotori | Gender: Female Name: Tennouji Kotarou | Gender: Male Name: Sougen Esaka | Gender: Male </METADATA> [Kotarou]: "...we're all alike." [Kotarou]: "You, me and Kagari." [Kotori]: "Kagari too...?" [Kotarou]: "Yeah." [Kotarou]: "Kagari was alone too." I feel like... I've known that for a very long time. [Kotarou]: "I do sympathize with you...but I'm sorry." [Kotarou]: "I'm choosing Kagari." I pull out my gun. I shoot three rounds into each of her parents' heads. They convulse for a little while, then crumble apart. [Kotori]: "...no." The next moment, she gives a hoarse scream and clings to the two piles of dust. [Kotarou]: "After this much time passes, their bodies are nothing but familiars." [Kotarou]: "That proves they're no longer human." [Kotori]: "Why!? Why did you do that!?" [Kotarou]: "I was always planning on doing this." I apologize to them on the inside. [Kotarou]: "Now they can finally rest in peace." [Kotori]: "...why are you...always..." [Kotarou]: "The truth is, Kotori..." [Kotarou]: "I always felt you were in my way." The girl stops crying. [Kotarou]: "It was a pain in the ass dealing with you." [Kotarou]: "But now I don't have to anymore." [Kotarou]: "You were always an annoying little brat." [Kotarou]: "And that's that." [Kotori]: "...you're..." She looks up at me resolutely. [Kotori]: "I hate you. Just die!" I watch her run away. I should've done this a lot sooner. If I'd given her the chance to get out of the city... No, it doesn't matter where she is. Will my plan work? And can I protect Kagari until it happens? That's all that matters. I feel like I'm directly connected to the fate of the world, and that scares me. I needed something to rely on... So I avoided rejection... All I've been doing is running away from the problem. But now it's started. I'm going to betray everything. My organization, the people, all of humanity. That's what siding with Kagari entails. [Kotarou]: "Bye, Kotori." I head into the dark forest. The next morning. I receive an urgent notice from the city that the harvest festival will be extended. The pre-festival is being canceled. Some of the decorations are being left unfinished, making parts of the city look abandoned. I see a lot of people gossiping on the side of the road. They're exchanging information in hushed voices. In the sky above them is a recon helicopter, disguised as a news chopper. A blond man leans out of it and looks down at the Earth, a strange glint in his eyes. [Intelligence Operative]: "Transmission from the helicopter over the forest." [Intelligence Operative]: "They think they found the Key." [Esaka]: "Let's hear it." The voice comes out through the speakers. [Transmission]: "This is Sky Fish 2. Mr. Hewitt says he's been seeing something emitting a strange light for a while now." [Transmission]: "The area affected by the Key's power is known to look like a glowing light to him." [Esaka]: "Can we be sure it's not some other familiar?" [Transmission]: "Yes, it has a special color...like the aurora borealis. The location is..." He lists coordinates. [Esaka]: "Understood. Continue watching it." The transmission ends. [Esaka]: "We have to destroy the Key immediately...but it's strange that we've had no resistance." [Shimizu]: "Is it a trap?" [Esaka]: "If they have the Key, what purpose would there be in setting a trap?" [Esaka]: "It's almost as if they don't care where the Key is." [Gen]: "I haven't been here in a while so I can't be sure..." [Gen]: "But it can't hurt to try and destroy the Key, right?" [Gen]: "Why not let the guys in the helicopter go down and check it out?" [Esaka]: "Those men are from the parish. I'd prefer not to give them excessive information." [Esaka]: "We will have to take care of the Key ourselves." [Gen]: "If you say so..." [Esaka]: "What do we know about the Gaians?" [Operator]: "They've spent all night in the part of the city surrounding the temple. They even appear to be distributing food to everyone there." [Intelligence Operative]: "So all the main roads are blocked." [Operator]: "The police are asking them to move, but they're not listening." [Operator]: "They're still gathering from outside the town." [Shimizu]: "I don't like this..." [Shimizu]: "It feels like they don't care about the consequences at all, as if by tomorrow..." [Esaka]: "...you might be right." [Gen]: "What? What's going to happen tomorrow?" A long silence. [Esaka]: "...Shimizu, can I use the PA?" [Shimizu]: "It'll only work for this building." [Esaka]: "That's enough." [Esaka]: "...this is Esaka Sougen, acting manager of the Kazamatsuri Special Creature Control Center. Everyone, listen up." [Esaka]: "The current situation is extremely dangerous." [Esaka]: "We have spent many years fighting the Gaians in this territory." [Esaka]: "All to destroy the Key." [Esaka]: "Those who do not understand the danger insist we capture it, but that is a mistake." [Esaka]: "Because the Key is part of the Earth's immune system, an antibody meant to eradicate all of humanity." [Esaka]: "The Key's appearance shows that our human activities are harmful to the Earth." [Esaka]: "But are we to quietly accept our destruction?" [Esaka]: "That is simply not acceptable." [Esaka]: "Those who worship the Key are throwing away their own lives to allow such crimes against humanity to take place." [Esaka]: "They wish for death, and will not hesitate to bring innocents down with them." [Esaka]: "Their plans constitute terrorism on a worldwide scale." [Esaka]: "Believe in your duty as protectors, and in your survival instincts as individual humans. We must not fear dirtying our own hands..." [Esaka]: "We have been walking through the darkness to achieve what ideals alone could not!" Suddenly, his voice cuts out. [Kotarou]: "...hm?" My phone isn't outputting a voice anymore. I try calling 117 for the speaking clock service. ...no connection. I open my map, and find the coordinates I just heard through the bug. ...that's pretty close. She's heading toward the hill. I was worried when I didn't see her at the power spot, but I guess finding her won't be a problem. But first... I look up through the tree branches, up at the helicopter. It's pretty high up, but it does feel like they're watching me carefully. One of the people up there is an "eye" flown in from the parish. He must be capable of more than just seeing Kagari. They'll probably see me if I pop out of the canopy for even a moment. ...and even if I don't do that, they're still a threat. There's no way I could shoot them from down here. But if I had some other way to attack... ...this is all I ever had going for me. I close my eyes, and think of what I need. I remember Luis. His talent.

<METADATA> Name: Kagari | Gender: Female | Aliases: Key Name: Tennouji Kotarou | Gender: Male </METADATA> Where did it come from? My mind flies. I get a vision. A memory of the distant past. A human memory left outside of our genes. A half-naked man holding a spear. He has a very different physique from modern man. From his skeletal structure to his brain size. A giant bird passes in front of him. High in the air, and far away. Farther than he could possibly reach. But he tries. A past farther back than any history we know. There were people who tried to do things no one else could, using a process history never recorded. There were only a handful of people like him in each era. But they were real. If you add up all of them over the course of time, you'd be amazed at the number. The first person failed. So did the second. And the hundredth. The thousandth was the first to graze its wing. They continue this quest without tiring. They succeeded only a couple thousand years ago. Acquired characteristic. A phenomenon where abilities learned after birth are passed down to future generations. A central nervous system capable of reading that information is the core of any superhuman. The technique simply appears in our minds. It hits us in the most primitive part of the brain. So it's impossible to explain logically. It's something instincts and senses alone can obtain. An intuitive understanding. Superhumans have exceptional physical abilities with which to apply those miraculous techniques. Before I realize it, there's a small throwing spear in my hands. ...a branch. I subconsciously chose the branch in the vicinity whose shape and weight are closest to that of a javelin. I cover the surface of the branch with my blood. A resource flowing out of my wrist... I put my life into it. It reinforces every part of the branch, as if it has a will of its own. The red lines coincidentally form a tribal pattern. [Kotarou]: "...Luis, I need to borrow your skills." I hold it up. I know how to throw it. Everyone just told me how. [Kotarou]: "Here goes...!!" I get a quick running start... ...and transfer all of my momentum into my right hand at the last moment. The spear pierces the sky at supernatural speeds. The blond man turns around. He must have sensed something coming. His strengthened vision must be good enough to see the spear shooting toward his forehead. It's just a single branch, but it's as strong as any armor-piercing round. It shoots through the man's head and destroys the mechanism connecting the rotors together. The helicopter falls into the forest, erupting in smoke and flame. [Kotarou]: "...yes." After paying that price, I got a first-class superhuman ability. That price... I can see it even through my clothes. My right hand is larger, and my knees have a keratin carapace. And several of my joints hurt. Since it was impossible for humans to do that, I needed to change. [Kotarou]: "...better hurry." They'll figure out the shot came from here in no time. I need to find Kagari before Guardian's combat teams get to her. After a short while, I get onto the route Kagari's taking to the hill. Kagari left far too much evidence of her passage. Anyone trying to find her will have no trouble at all. There are countless gashes in trees and branches nearby. She probably dragged herself around with her ribbons to make up for her body no longer moving. I don't have time to hide this damage. [Kotarou]: "This way..." Before long, I see her. [Kotarou]: "Kagari!" She's essentially crawling. She's moving very slowly. [Kotarou]: "Kagari, we need to take a detour." She doesn't react. I pick her up. Fortunately her ribbons don't fight back. I choose a path over rocks so there won't be any footprints. I find a small river. I get into it and run downstream. I doubt this will be enough to lose them, but it should delay them a little. Hiding in the city isn't feasible anymore. We need to escape the area entirely. I already have an escape route planned. [Kotarou]: "Kagari, we're done hiking. We have to run." [Kagari]: "...you are..." She whispers. [Kotarou]: "That's good, Kagari. Just try to stay awake." [Kagari]: "...the planet...will be destroyed..." [Kotarou]: "We don't know yet. Don't give up until you can see it." [Kotarou]: "It won't be much longer. Hang in there." [Kagari]: "People...destroy..." [Kotarou]: "Don't think." [Kotarou]: "The world will change soon." [Kotarou]: "The war between Guardian and Gaia will end." On the way, my ears start ringing. [Kotarou]: (...the song's getting stronger.) This song definitely isn't a good thing. It's permeating through my senses. [Kotarou]: (And I've been feeling uneasy for a while.) I can't calm down, as if a gun's being pointed at me. Either someone's watching me, or... While I run, I open the tube and let out my leaf birds. They fan out behind me. But I lose contact with them before long. The birds get destroyed before they find my pursuer. [Kotarou]: (Is someone chasing me?) Despair clouds my heart. Why didn't I direct my strength toward something else? If I hated everything, I should've run away from all of it. Even if that meant leaving the planet... I wake up the other familiars I have. I'll just have to distract him with these and try to get away during that. Suddenly, Kagari spasms. She shrieks. I forget the danger and stand still, petrified. Kagari's holding her hands to her chest in agony. Fresh green buds come out through her fingers. [Kotarou]: "Wh-what the...hey, you okay?" Her fingertips break open, sprouting leaves. Her ribbons darken like withering leaves, crumbling apart. She's transforming into a tree. [Kagari]: "...I guess...this is...the end." She says, giving up. Her transformation accelerates. As if her willpower has been holding it back until just now. [Kotarou]: "Is...this song doing it?" The singers... If they were elite summoners―― Creating familiars involves chipping away at your own life. Manipulating life. Organic engineering. Human will alone can't cause destruction. But it can break through the last bastion of intelligence keeping Kagari in check... Now I know what I have to do. I need to stop that song. Before that sacred call causes irreparable damage to Kagari and the world. My familiars are right behind my pursuer. I watch through their eyes. I see a man I've spoken to several times before. [Kotarou]: (...I don't mind if he hates me for this.) I give the order to attack. The four familiars rush him from behind. With Kagari still in my arms, I run through a gap in the enemies surrounding me. I only just realized the whole area is full of enemies. By running the opposite direction I manage to lose most of them. But just one continues pursuing me. [Kotarou]: (He must be very good.) Despite all the rewriting I've done to my legs, he's still gaining on me. Only one. But he's extremely strong. That persistent malice sends shivers down my spine. If I don't defeat him, this chase is never going to end.

<METADATA> Name: Sougen Esaka | Gender: Male Name: Tennouji Kotarou | Gender: Male </METADATA> [Kotarou]: "...sorry, Kagari. Give me a little more time." I put her down on the ground. I turn around, and focus my mind. I rewrite myself again. I draw life out of a well deep inside me. The well's starting to run dry. People are only born with a certain amount of life. An amount they can never increase. Once it's gone, life ends. I draw up as much as I can in one go. My physique warps, and my flesh burns. The proteins in parts of my body above a certain temperature fall apart, ruining my physiology. But those parts I compensate for with new, miraculous things. Parts of me are familiarized. There's no way for me to maintain a human form. ...after I finish, the enemy is almost on top of me. [Kotarou]: "...ga!" Sharp pain hits my heart. I fall to my knees. [Kotarou]: (I need to stay conscious!) I grit my teeth and endure it. ...that was heart failure. Proof that my body is starting to give up after all this rewriting. I look at my hand, and groan aloud. This isn't a human hand anymore. It's grotesque. But it's far more powerful than what I had before. I hold my gun and crouch. The enemy disappears the moment I expected him to become visible. I feel a slight vibration from the tree trunk I'm leaning against. Something grazed the top of the tree―― I jump back. A blade comes down from the sky, sticking into the ground. My pursuer calmly stands up. ...I thought so. I knew he'd come out himself for this. I have nothing to say to him. My betrayal is clear. He knows we're enemies. So I follow warrior etiquette, and pull the trigger without a word. My arm is strong enough to completely absorb the recoil even on full automatic. Esaka-san...he ducks under the firing line and charges toward me. He thrusts out one hand with incredible reach. I wasn't letting my guard down, but he still manages to cut off my index finger and the gun trigger. I throw away the gun and pull out a knife with my left hand. His sword slices upward after grazing the ground. The moment I block it with my knife, I sense danger. I bend backward. His sword cuts through my knife like tofu. If I'd moved any later he would've cut right through my face. A steel-cutting sword―― A simple and perfect technique for instantly killing an enemy in close quarters. The upward momentum of his sword is canceled out as he steps forward and switches to a downward slash. I rush past his side with inhuman strength. When a sword that big misses, it creates a large opening. Until he can absorb the momentum and get back into his stance. But despite that reasoning, his sword swings sideways and grazes my cheek at the same speed as before. [Kotarou]: "―!!" I back off at an acute angle, and he thrusts. I focus on evading him. A physically impossible chain of attacks with no pauses in between. I have no way of blocking his sword, so I have to evade it. He cuts away all the possibilities I would normally have, pushing me toward his intended ending. [Kotarou]: "―!" I see my death seven swings ahead. My last chance to prevent it is only one swing away. Amidst my horror, I desperately use all my intellect. It seems like...this is the only option. The life flowing through my body becomes a lubricant, and I collide with his chain of attacks. My abilities versus his. If I'm ever going to get on the offensive, I have to take this risk and hope I can match him. [Esaka]: "......!" His white sword eats into my grotesque hand. Soundless severing begins. My skin doesn't feel anything, but once it gets through that I feel some pain. Something hot flows out, forming a dark red stain on the ground. If his sword was stronger, he could've cut straight through and severed my neck. I can make this work...! I leave everything to fate and wait for the conclusion. The sword stops halfway through my hand. [Esaka]: "...uuu!" Esaka stops moving. Along with all of his swordplay. The defeat I saw seven swings ahead fades into the distance. I try to kick his knee, but unsurprisingly he does the same thing, so we merely kick each other's feet. We both try to pull back, dislodging his sword. I throw a syringe at his nose. He sees fluid inside and blocks it with the side of his sword. It's an anti-familiar drug that won't do much to humans. But only a superhuman with an optical talent would know that at first glance. I can't afford to miss the opening that created. He can cut me in half with one swing, while I have to whittle him down with weak blows. Almost every possibility results in his victory. My chance of success is at most a couple of percent. My raw strength is actually better than his, but his power is so much more efficient. Fighting a sword with fists just isn't a good idea. [Kotarou]: (I need to slip through...!) In a thick space of decaying possibilities, I put everything on the line. [Esaka]: "―!" Esaka's face has the ferocity of a war god as he deflects my heavy blow. If I'd hit, his sword swings would've lost a lot of their power. But now I'm close enough that he has to either back up or push me away before he can do a proper swing again. I pound into his shoulders, trying to retain my advantage with footwork. I'm getting more attacks in than he is. I can use both of my hands, while Esaka's hands are committed to his sword. I try to wear him down with the sheer number of blows. Esaka throws away his sword. When he takes a step forward, I realize he wants me to take the bait. His now-empty hands fly toward my chest like a cannonball. My legs come off the ground. I crash into a tree and my mind goes white. He catches his sword in midair as it falls. And as he takes a strong step forward, I―― [Kotarou]: (I guess that's it...) A horizontal swing. A pure, graceless killing technique. There's no time to avoid it. As my strength leaves me, Esaka steps in a colored patch of earth. He steps in my blood. Only a little while ago, I subconsciously picked the ideal branch to shoot down that helicopter with. Similarly, all of my blood now forms temporary weapons. Lying in wait like animals, ready to eat into him. That's why I decided it's best to let some of my blood spill. Countless needles shoot up from the puddle, through Esaka-san's feet and up to his femur. [Esaka]: "Guooo!?" My body moves forward as if it knew this would happen. I crash into him without hesitation. The blood sword in my right hand gouges deep into his chest. This time, his sword falls to the ground. My blood crumbles, and Esaka falls on his back. That's clearly a fatal wound, but his expression is calm and content. [Esaka]: "Now then..." He sits up, and talks to me as if we just finished sparring. [Esaka]: "That's enough for today." I can tell he means that. I sit down next to him. I can't keep standing anyway. Esaka-san looks as if he just aged twenty more years. [Kotarou]: "I'm sorry...Esaka...san." [Kotarou]: "Sorry...for being such a coward." [Esaka]: "Was that...your power?" [Kotarou]: "...yes." [Esaka]: "You never cease to amaze."

<METADATA> Name: Sougen Esaka | Gender: Male Name: Tennouji Kotarou | Gender: Male Name: Arata Imamiya | Gender: Male </METADATA> [Esaka]: "You outsmarted me. You win." [Kotarou]: "It was a cheap trick..." [Esaka]: "What are you talking about?" [Esaka]: "Any weakling can be dignified." [Esaka]: "But only the strong can win." [Esaka]: "You're the strong one here. Have some pride." [Esaka]: "Though I'd hoped for you to be a valuable pawn of mine..." [Kotarou]: "Esaka...san...I've...been betraying you for a long time..." [Esaka]: "Tell me. Were you a Gaian?" [Kotarou]: "No...I'm neither." [Kotarou]: "I've been working to stop the war between Gaia and Guardian." [Kotarou]: "While protecting the girl you call the Key." [Esaka]: "What...?" [Esaka]: "You...protect the Key?" [Kotarou]: "The Key wants humanity to have a future." [Kotarou]: "The resources wasted by these two organizations were the biggest obstacle to that." [Esaka]: "...I see." He looks off into the distance. [Esaka]: "I did get the feeling our organization was reaching a limit." [Esaka]: "We all tend to take independent action and get in each others' way." [Esaka]: "There was no point hoping for cohesion." [Esaka]: "Only the powerless can organically learn the humility needed to cooperate." [Esaka]: "That's why I turned to someone weaker." [Esaka]: "Because I knew the powerless can be motivated by their sense of inferiority to achieve great things..." [Esaka]: "Though perhaps that means superhumans themselves are outdated." [Esaka]: "None of us can be heroes slaying great monsters..." [Kotarou]: "That's not true. You just weren't using your powers for the right things." [Kotarou]: "We've been stuck in an endless, unchanging cycle. That's all." [Esaka]: "Then perhaps this wasn't a waste..." [Esaka]: "What will you do with the Key?" [Kotarou]: "...I'll show her my final work." [Kotarou]: "If that makes her choose not to destroy us, then humanity will have new possibilities." [Esaka]: "Ah...I suppose that is one way of seeing it." [Esaka]: "Very well." [Esaka]: "Defeat is nice once in a while. It allows you to admit many things you couldn't before." [Kotarou]: "I won't waste what you've all done." [Kotarou]: "What I'm doing will save all of us." I can't find any other words to give him. [Esaka]: "I hope you're right." [Esaka]: "Now go. This wound is fatal, but humans don't die very quickly." The sweat on his forehead and the irregularity of his breathing tell me how close he is to dying. It probably won't be much longer... [Esaka]: "What? Don't you have a mission to complete? Go do it." [Kotarou]: "I'll never...forget what you taught me. Thank you very much!" [Esaka]: "Yes...now go...hurry..." Esaka-san stifles a cough in the back of his throat. I stand up, and start running. I run with my back straight. Esaka-san doesn't want me to look after him. So I leave quickly. Without turning back... Guardian didn't notice the jammers being set up in the forest until they were all in place. That's why they lost contact with Esaka-san. Shimizu is being forced to make a huge decision. No matter what order he gives, he doesn't know where the enemy is. Most of the monitors are cut off by static. They try signal flares, but still no response. They send out newbies to get at least some information. Thirty minutes later, one of the newbies comes back. He's lost an arm. [Reconnaissance]: "Familiars...in the forest...too many to count!" Not just any familiars. In terms of combat strength, they're weaker than most. A herd of primitive, voracious, shapeless familiars. Beasts of sickly chaos. If they see a moving, living thing, they'll devour it like a horde of zombies. Even though most of them don't even have digestive organs. Most of them are made from organic materials like trees, grass, flowers and humus. None of them gain any nourishment from what they eat. It's a form of madness. Is this the hell that Kashima Sakura designed? The entire forest is slowly becoming a familiar. Strictly speaking, that's not quite true. It's becoming life. The song is fundamentally similar to the power that brings about re-evolution. Of course, it's far weaker, but it's enough to jump-start the process for organic materials. Familiars. Lives that aren't fully alive. They move energetically despite having no metabolism. All lives are born that way first. A noble phenomenon that's occurred countless times on the Earth. But to humans, they're harbingers of disaster. Shimizu is efficient by human standards. He swiftly delegates tasks and gains an understanding of the situation. The entire forest is becoming harmful to humans. He logically accepts that fact. Shimizu decides that most of the teams in the forest should be presumed dead. He's reluctant to say that about his long-time friend, Esaka, but he forces himself to accept that. In that sense, there's no reason to doubt Shimizu's abilities as a commander or a warrior. Right now, the forest is starting to swallow up part of the city, causing civilian casualties. Shimizu is the only one remaining calm in the situation. Gaia is out of control. He has limited personnel to work with. Shimizu decides not to attempt sending any reinforcements into the forest. [Shimizu]: "...find out whether this interference is being caused by electronics or familiars. Get all other combat personnel back into the city." [Shimizu]: "If you can't call them then use flares and messengers! You guys can all run at superhuman speeds, can't you!?" ...Kagari is definitely being affected by the song. Around the time the forest started becoming a familiar, her legs started splitting apart into what look like tree roots. She can't walk on her own anymore. Her ribbons are weak too, so the only way she can move is by dragging herself with her arms. I let Kagari lie down on the hill, and head back to the city. If I don't stop the singers, Kagari is going to keep weakening. The city is full of civilians running around like headless chickens. Everyone's running every which way. Gaia's familiars have taken up positions at the station and all the main roads. Everyone trying to escape the town ends up seeing them firsthand. Having nowhere to run gives them even more terror. I know what Gaia's after now. This is Kashima Sakura's way of keeping people away from the temple. It's only a delaying tactic. Putting summoners and civilians between us and her to buy time. And with their transmissions jammed, Guardian can't mount an organized attack. Even if they break their way through the crowds, the summoners behind them will all attack at once. ...I'm no exception. As I think about some other way of getting close, a bunch of superhumans surround me. I recognize all of them. And someone very familiar to me walks up from behind them. It's obvious he's pissed off. [Imamiya]: "Tennouji...why the hell are you wandering around here?"

<METADATA> Name: Arata Imamiya | Gender: Male Name: Tennouji Kotarou | Gender: Male Name: Touka Nishikujou | Gender: Female </METADATA> I'm completely pinned down. I raise both hands to indicate surrender. They tie me up, and take me to Shimizu-san at the temporary outdoor command post. They all look coldly at me. They must know I'm a traitor now. Though there's only ten or twenty here. I know there's a lot more than that in the city. But they can't bring them all together right now. [Shimizu]: "You must have seen Esaka-san." [Kotarou]: "No, I haven't." He hits me. Not the way you'd hit a comrade. Not anymore. [Shimizu]: "Are you the one who destroyed that helicopter?" [Kotarou]: "I didn't see a helicopter." He kicks me. I can see his frustration as he throws questions at me. [Shimizu]: "Are you part of Gaia?" [Kotarou]: "No, I'm not on either side." [Shimizu]: "Then whose side are you on?" [Kotarou]: "Tennouji Kotarou's." He hits me again. [Kotarou]: "That part's true." [Shimizu]: "You're going to die anyway. Don't you at least want a painless death?" [Kotarou]: "I can't die yet." [Shimizu]: "What?" [Kotarou]: "I need to let her see it..." [Shimizu]: "What are you talking about?" [Kotarou]: "Possibilities...good memories for the planet." Shimizu and his subordinates look at each other. They shake their heads, unsure what I mean. [Shimizu]: "...there's no time to interrogate you. Let's get this over with." He pulls out a knife. [Imamiya]: "Mind if I ask him something first?" [Shimizu]: "We're not sparing him." [Imamiya]: "No, I just want to check something." [Imamiya]: "Tennouji, you've been deceiving us for a very long time, right?" [Kotarou]: "...I'm sorry about that." [Kotarou]: "I really am." [Imamiya]: "There's all sorts of stuff I'd like to ask...but there's no time." [Imamiya]: "So please tell me one thing before you die." [Imamiya]: "...what the hell are you?" A question I asked myself a long time ago. I laugh. [Imamiya]: "What are you laughing at, you bastard? Don't give us an excuse to kill you faster." I look up at him as I answer. [Kotarou]: "I'm...the savior of the Earth." Imamiya's face twists, from either rage or ridicule. I immediately cut the restraints on my hands using my blood. Then I trip up Imamiya, since he let his guard down. Without giving him a second glance, I jump over the nearest car. Nishikujou throws a knife at me. I assume she'll miss anyway but hold up my right hand to block it. It actually does land right in my hand. But that just benefits me. I land, and run away as fast as possible. [Nishikujou]: "...uu." Nishikujou's knives are quite nice. I'll make good use of this one. [Imamiya]: "How is he that fast!?" [Nishikujou]: "He must have been hiding his power." [Imamiya]: ".........that bastard." The crowds are still panicking. But now that they know there's no way out, they've lost the will to run around aimlessly and are just crouching down. Obviously, public areas like school gyms, courtyards and community centers are all full. But the land surrounding various companies and private estates is also filling up with refugees. And past all of that are all the summoners. I can't imagine getting to the temple without going underground. I look up at the sky. Enormous airborne familiars are floating in plain sight overhead. [Kotarou]: (So we're not escaping by air.) They're serious. And yet, the underground entrances look defenseless. Not a single guard in sight. Guardian should know about these passages. And Kashima Sakura should be smart enough to plan for this. [Kotarou]: (There's probably something really bad down here.) I'd like to rush this and try to break through...but I can't risk dying. I could send my familiars ahead... But then I realize I could easily let someone else do that, so I hide. Within five minutes, a car pulls up with Imamiya and some other superhumans. They're fully armed. Including firearms. They split into teams of four and head down. I go in after them. A partially constructed subway―― The plan was frozen a while ago, and Martel owns this area now. The superhumans march silently through the darkness. Eventually, I sense something happening up ahead. They begin fighting familiars. I get closer to them, since they won't notice me as easily now. ...they're not doing too well. I look closer, and I can see a lot of what look like tiny dinosaurs. Giving off vague glimmers of life. Unless some of them are "eyes", they have to rely on their flashlights or simply listen for them. But the enemies are too numerous and too fast. Gunshots continue sporadically. Their flashlights waver around. The first one goes down. The hole in their defense lets more familiars in, making their formation fall apart. [Kotarou]: (...so much for that.) I put a syringe in my blowpipe. I aim for what look like the most dangerous ones. Each one is strong enough to keep moving for several seconds after I hit it. By the time I run out of shots, half the team is dead. Imamiya falls to the ground as I run past him, leaping at the largest one left. I land on it, bringing it down with my body weight, then jam a knife into its head. Once I see it turning to dust, I quickly move to the second biggest one. Once I'm done, there are only four survivors. Three are unharmed. One is wounded, and currently giving himself first aid. A flashlight shines on me. I can already tell who they are. [Kotarou]: "...that's a coincidence." [Kotarou]: "I'm not here to save you guys." Imamiya and Nishikujou look at me with puzzled faces. [Kotarou]: "Sorry, no time to explain." [Kotarou]: "Once you've helped the wounded, you should escape to the surface." As I turn to leave, Imamiya points a shotgun at me. [Imamiya]: "You think I'm gonna let you go...?" [Kotarou]: "Imamiya, you know I have to do this." [Kotarou]: "Guardian doesn't have the forces left to do anything to Gaia." Imamiya's at a loss for words. [Imamiya]: "Seriously...what the hell are you doing?" [Kotarou]: "Like I said, I'm saving the planet." [Kotarou]: "That's the only way to win over the girl I like." [Nishikujou]: "How is what you're doing going to bring about world peace?" [Kotarou]: "I'm not bringing peace." [Kotarou]: "I'm just stopping the world from falling apart." [Kotarou]: "Whether the world becomes peaceful after that will depend on you guys." [Imamiya]: "What the hell's the point? That's just delaying the inevitable." [Kotarou]: "...maybe."

<METADATA> Name: Tennouji Kotarou | Gender: Male Name: Touka Nishikujou | Gender: Female Name: Arata Imamiya | Gender: Male </METADATA> [Kotarou]: "But humanity should at least have the possibility." [Nishikujou]: "So how are you going to do it?" [Kotarou]: "...yeah, I guess that is a fair question." [Kotarou]: "Since you volunteered in that girl's place, you must be dying to know." [Nishikujou]: "How do you...?" [Kotarou]: "Because I'm a traitor." [Kotarou]: "Nishikojou, could you take care of another girl for me?" [Kotarou]: "She knows a lot about the situation, but...don't let the organization have her." [Nishikujou]: "Eh...?" [Kotarou]: "Can you do that?" [Kotarou]: "She's lost both her parents." Nishikujou accepts, and I give her Kotori's address. [Kotarou]: "Thank you. She needs all the help she can get――Watch out!" [Imamiya]: "Huh?" I grab both of their arms and pull them behind me. The survivor who was bandaging himself gets pulled up into the air. It bites him in the spine, then throws him up against the ceiling. The impact snapped his neck. [Kotarou]: "...damn!!" I move toward it and attack with a blood sword. An infinitely precise attack guided by my unparalleled senses. For some strange reason it closely resembled Esaka-san's sword swings. I cut the familiar's head off. [Nishikujou]: "Wh-what!?" [Kotarou]: "There's more. Dozens behind us..." I'm the only one who can fight familiars like this in the dark. [Kotarou]: "...I can take you guys to the exit. Okay?" [Imamiya]: "F-fine..." [Nishikujou]: "What about the wounded?" [Kotarou]: "...sorry, they're dead." They didn't see the enemies in time, possibly because they had their flashlights on me. [Kotarou]: "We need to run. Keep up with me or you'll die." We come out on the other side of the wall of disciples. After making sure there's no one around, we pull ourselves out onto the surface. [Imamiya]: "...haa...haa." [Nishikujou]: "There's no one here. Why?" I climb up a telephone pole and look around the area. After checking the situation, I jump back down. [Imamiya]: "...w-wow...that only took a few seconds." [Kotarou]: "The forest is slowly eating into the town, and isolated members of Guardian are fighting summoners wherever they find each other." [Kotarou]: "If you want to run, go that way. But stay away from the edge of the city." [Kotarou]: "The superhumans are winning in some areas, but overall the summoners seem to have the upper hand." [Nishikujou]: "No..." [Imamiya]: "So what are you gonna do!?" [Kotarou]: "Stop this song." [Nishikujou]: "Song?" [Kotarou]: "I think you guys call it a resonance phenomenon?" [Kotarou]: "It was fun teaming up with you guys. Take care of yourselves." [Imamiya]: "Wait!" He points his gun at me again. [Nishikujou]: "Imamiya, don't!" [Imamiya]: "You want to just let a guy this dangerous run around freely!?" [Imamiya]: "...I'm going too. I'm helping you stop that song or whatever." [Imamiya]: "We're going together." [Kotarou]: "Haha, that's a nice thought." [Kotarou]: "Young guys like us need to be like that." [Imamiya]: "I'm serious!" [Kotarou]: "Put 'em up." [Imamiya]: "Eh?" [Kotarou]: "Let's fight. Get out your knife." Imamiya hesitates, then hands his gun to Nishikujou and pulls out two knives. [Kotarou]: "...I never beat you once in training, did I?" [Kotarou]: "If you can block this attack, you can come with me. Ready? Three, two, one..." I move. His two knives come at me a little slower, but I push his hands aside with my shoulders and elbows, letting only my blade slide forward. The battle ends in an instant. Only my knife is touching the other's neck. [Imamiya]: "...y-you win." [Imamiya]: "I don't get this...how...how are you so strong now...?" This isn't fair, but a win is a win. [Imamiya]: "Why...the hell is this happening!?" [Kotarou]: "Sorry. You'll understand later." [Kotarou]: "In the new world." [Kotarou]: "I'm leaving the future to you two." [Nishikujou]: "Why are you saying that...?" [Kotarou]: "...bye." I hold up my hand for a moment, then start running. I get to top speed within one breath. From their point of view, I vanish. I enter the temple grounds. I stay wary, but no familiars show up. This should be the perfect area to ambush me in. I enter the temple. ...it's empty. It's eerily silent. The singers should be on the roof. Somewhere they can't possibly be sniped from. There are some powerful familiars flying up in the sky. Climbing up the outside will just make me a sitting duck. The hallways are all sealed, so I head to a stairwell. I can get to the top floor through here. In a room resembling a godless temple, a heavy voice echoes. [Earth Dragon]: "Just one hunter?" An enormous magic circle fills the hall. And a massive shadow crawls out of it. [Earth Dragon]: "Fate must have chosen you somehow." This is the Earth Dragon. The symbol of Gaia. A familiar who's been destroying their enemies in exchange for their lives for hundreds of years, long enough to gain its own wisdom. I'm ready to fight. A comforting tension, and sweat all around my body. The potential paths to victory last at least a hundred moves. I naturally accept that illusion. [Kotarou]: (...that's how good humans are at planning fights.) Is it possible to rewrite myself any further? I have to completely destroy this familiar right here, right now. Evidently this familiar can talk. So... [Earth Dragon]: "The descendants of Gaia are like children to me." [Kotarou]: "...and yet you use their lives to move?" My mind swirls. I still have life left. Not much, but it's there. I draw it up, and drink it down. There's only one helping left. I don't care any more. The point of no return. I've passed that point a long time ago. [Earth Dragon]: "You are willing to speak with your enemy?" [Earth Dragon]: "You must be a heretic then." [Earth Dragon]: "Many strange things happen at the end of an age." My rewriting isn't done yet. I need to stall him just a bit longer. [Kotarou]: "If Gaians are your children, then give them their lives back, you stupid lizard." A roaring laugh shakes the whole room. [Earth Dragon]: "All life has the right to end itself if it wishes to, just as they have the right to worship and empower a false life like myself." [Earth Dragon]: "If my children insist on offering their lives to me, is it not fair that I at least use it to protect them?"

<METADATA> Name: Tennouji Kotarou | Gender: Male </METADATA> [Kotarou]: "If they want to kill themselves they can do that, but taking the rest of the world with them just isn't right." [Earth Dragon]: "As if conquest is not also a right granted to all life!" [Earth Dragon]: "And you call yourself a hunter! Such a distorted individual." [Earth Dragon]: "Actually, perhaps I should not call you a hunter." [Earth Dragon]: "You have their power, and yet your selfish nature is more fundamental than that." [Earth Dragon]: "Your body seems to have finished preparing for battle. Shall we begin?" ...so he knew. What comes out of my right arm isn't blood anymore. A red-green fluorescent substance...life itself. Both a blade and a vine. It sprouts countless branches, each with several joints. It can bend in any direction, like a scorpion's tail. It fights in place of my useless right arm. My first attack is essentially a greeting. The dragon responds with a swing of its tail. I jump over it, land with a roll and use my momentum for my next swing. I show the symbol of Gaia the strongest attack I can deliver. [Kotarou]: (――This had better work!) I kick the thick wall with all my strength, tearing a hole through it. My right leg has been partially eaten, so instead I use my countless blades like spider legs to walk out onto the roof. [Kotarou]: (The song...stopped?) A flat space. Clear, glass-like stone covers the entire area, rising up in one small area. A white world. No seating or anything else down here. Just a group of women covered in white cloth lying on the top of it. All the women are dead. There's over a hundred of them. They must have taken turns singing, so that each one who died would be quickly replaced. There is one seat at the very top, too simple to call a throne. Someone's sitting in it, with a hood pulled down over her eyes, and a body as slender as a willow. [Kotarou]: "...Kashima?" No one reacts, so I move closer. The old woman is definitely Kashima Sakura. ...but she's dead. An empty wind blows through my heart. [Kotarou]: "That's it..." Maybe everything I did was for nothing after all. The song invites destruction. The world is still in one piece only because of Kagari's willpower. But... Did I make it in time? I look at the corpses, and find one that's still breathing. It's Iko-san. [Kotarou]: "...Iko-san, can you talk?" [Iko]: "...you're...Kotarou...kun?" [Kotarou]: "I came here to stop you." [Iko]: "Oh, you did? But...everyone's already..." [Kotarou]: "You were working so hard, Iko-san...why do this?" [Iko]: "Because my children...had no future." [Iko]: "Most of them will stay that way...for the rest of their lives..." [Iko]: "Watching them grow up like that is too painful..." [Iko]: "...their bodies are healthy...but their hearts...never grow at all..." [Iko]: "They'd have entered old age with the minds of toddlers." [Iko]: "...so...I killed them..." [Kotarou]: "Eh?" [Iko]: "The first was an accident...she got caught by a door..." [Iko]: "But when I saw her so quiet...it felt like...she'd been saved..." Blood flows out of Iko-san's lips and nose. Very watery blood. Not as thick as it should be. Blood without the color of life. [Iko]: "After that...I couldn't stop..." [Iko]: "Something happened to me." [Kotarou]: "But even Akane was improving!" [Iko]: "That's because...Sakura-san took a liking to her..." [Iko]: "She can...copy her mind..." [Iko]: "...that's why...she was the only one...I couldn't kill..." [Kotarou]: "Where's Akane now?" [Iko]: "I sent her...to the city of stone..." [Kotarou]: "So you're trying to keep a handful of people alive after destroying the world?" [Kotarou]: "You think Kashima Sakura would really let that happen!?" [Iko]: "Hey, tell me...what's the world look like now?" [Iko]: "What color is the sky?" [Kotarou]: "It's still blue!" [Kotarou]: "It's still the same blue, filthy, sad, cruel world! Dammit!" [Kotarou]: "Everything's on the verge of dying out...but there's still enough energy left for one more generation!" [Iko]: "...so...we failed." [Iko]: "Maybe...we should...try to...bring Akane-chan back?" Iko-san suddenly curls up and groans. The strength supporting her body suddenly vanishes, and she shakes just a little before collapsing for good. ...she's dead. In my arms, without taking responsibility for anything. [Kotarou]: "...you can't...You can't be fucking serious!...There's no time...dammit, dammit, dammit! Kagari and I don't have the time...!" [Kotarou]: "Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!" I run. I throw myself off the roof, into the open air. I crash into the ground, crushing one of my lungs. My body quickly constructs a replacement. Air bubbles get mixed into my blood, and my heart almost stops. I add other valves around it and force it to continue beating. I cough up some blood. I don't care. As I do that, I cut through the walls and floors of the temple to reach the underground levels. The city of stone―― Considering how muddled my mind is, I'm amazed I made the transfer successfully. There are people here. They're all dressed like pilgrims. They gaze at me from far away. Strangely, they don't seem at all surprised to see me. They're silent and calm. Almost confident. [Kotarou]: "I'm here to warn you." [Kotarou]: "...you should all go back to the real world." [Kotarou]: "Kashima Sakura's sure to have set a trap here. That old hag won't let a single form of life survive this!" No one answers. [Kotarou]: "Either this place will vanish after the real world is destroyed, or it'll be cut off forever from the real world..." [Kotarou]: "But the world's still there! It's not dead yet!" [Kotarou]: "We can still live up there!" One man walks out from the crowd. [Man]: "Why would we want to?" [Kotarou]: "Why...? This is a trap!" [Man]: "We don't care if it is a trap." [Kotarou]: "That's just suicide!" Someone else steps forward. [Woman]: "We're all sinners." [Man]: "We don't want to be judged by the laws of the other world." [Man]: "Or executed by Guardian." [Woman]: "We'd rather die here quietly." Men and women, young and old... They all speak in chorus. It sounds like a song praising destruction. The passionate voice of those who believe the end is salvation. [Kotarou]: "...all of you?" [Kotarou]: "Is there no one here who wants to live?" Silent rejection. ...I doubt they'll give me Akane. But...I can't kill them just to bring Akane back... What if that's my only option? I've betrayed plenty of people I did know. Why not these Gaians? Someone starts moving around.

<METADATA> Name: Senri Akane | Gender: Female | Aliases: Prez, The Witch of the School Name: Tennouji Kotarou | Gender: Male </METADATA> The crowd gets disrupted, and a girl flies out from between the adults. [Akane]: "...a......ah...!" The adults quickly grab the girl and try to take her back in. [Kotarou]: "Let her go!" I hold my blade up to the man in front of me. He's completely undeterred. He doesn't fear death. [Man]: "No! We're going to give this girl peace!" [Kotarou]: "But she wants to live!" [Woman]: "She's the holy woman!" [Man]: "Exactly! We can't allow you to kidnap the holy woman!" [Woman]: "Leave us be!" [Kotarou]: "Screw that! If you want to die, don't take others with you!" I rush into the crowds. I grab the girl and hold her to my chest. Countless screams. I go back the way I came. Someone grabs my leg from behind. I could shake off one or two easily, but several of them do that. They grab my hair and tug my sleeves. I keep moving forward. I'm close to the gate. But at the last step, they start to overpower me. The gate's closing in front of my eyes. Kashima Sakura's trap is cutting the artificial future off from the real world. [Kotarou]: "...let us go...I...we..." [Kotarou]: "We haven't given up on life yet!" Underneath my scream, Akane screams as well. Our voices feel as strong as life itself... Is that why a miracle happened? Someone pushes us from behind. The strength of three people. We just barely come out on the other side of the gate. Something about the connection between the two sides of the gate prevents their hands from reaching through. I turn around. As the gate closes... ...I see... ...my mother, my father, and Tsukuno. Before I realize it, I'm crouching down in the middle of the hallway. My chest is hot. [Kotarou]: (Is my heart...still boiling with life?) It's not my heart. It's Akane's body heat. My own body is already losing its human warmth. [Kotarou]: "...this is...the business district...?" My memories are flying away. Because I have urgent work to do? My body feels as heavy as lead. ...I regret staying behind. I won't be able to rest easy just yet. [Kotarou]: "Akane...can you hear me?" Akane nods firmly. [Kotarou]: "I still have something left to do." [Kotarou]: "So you'll have to find someone to take care of you on your own. Okay?" The girl looks troubled. [Kotarou]: "I'll give you some protection." [Kotarou]: "Dima! Lyuba! Berezovka! Woolly! Come here!" The four familiars jump from rooftop to rooftop, soon appearing on one near us. [Kotarou]: "They're a bit tricky to control...but they'll escort you." Akane reaches out toward the mammoths, her eyes big and round. She quickly takes hold of their contracts. [Kotarou]: "...you can control them? ...without any training?" Akane looks proud. [Kotarou]: "...not bad." [Kotarou]: "These guys aren't half-bad. From now on, they're your familiars." [Kotarou]: "They're a mass-producible design, and they don't consume much energy for what they do." I relinquish control of them, giving them to Akane. [Kotarou]: "Listen, you need to try and go somewhere safe, and...that's right..." [Kotarou]: "Can you speak yet? Could you try that for me?" [Kotarou]: "Just do what you did a minute ago." Akane tries to force out brief noises. [Kotarou]: ""Help me." Just say "Help me."" [Kotarou]: "Not "He melp." "Help me."" [Kotarou]: "Okay, then...if you say it with feeling and give them a sad look it should work out." [Kotarou]: "Again, you have to go somewhere safe..." [Kotarou]: "Find the nicest guy you see there...and tell him "Help me."" [Kotarou]: "But make sure he's not a pedo." [Kotarou]: "Got that?" [Kotarou]: "Good. Now get going." Akane runs off happily. As if she's heading out to play. With her familiars behind her. [Kotarou]: (She's taking this really well...) Tough girl. But I like that about her. She has the toughness needed to survive. [Kotarou]: (...okay, now it's time to go find her.) It's been a busy day for me. Has my work produced any results? I climb up the tallest building near me. I look across the world. I see life. Several lives flickering. Throughout the world. They tell me the new world has arrived. What does Kagari think about this? I have to go ask her. But my life will only last a few more minutes. I can't get to Kagari that fast. Since I'm going to die anyway―― [?]: "Are you sure?" Who are you? [?]: "Your predecessor." [?]: "Where you're trying to go is hell. Are you sure?" I don't have any time left. [?]: "For you as an individual, yes. But taking my place means your history cannot be rewritten until a replacement appears." [?]: "That's a very painful existence." ...painful...? [?]: "Yes, more than anything." [?]: "If you become the last survivor, all that awaits is eternal solitude." [?]: "Is that not terrifying?" [?]: "Are you really sure you want to do this? You can still change your mind at this point." ...but I have to go see Kagari. I want to see her so badly. ...now that I say it, it's strange. Why do I like her so much...? It's easy to say "that's just the way I feel." It is an instinct after all. But this feeling is nostalgic... I feel something swelling in my chest. My mind and body are starting to come apart from the past rewrites. That's why I can see it. At the core of my existence. Something in the depths of my soul. I reach out and grab it. I take it out...and open my hand. I can't tell what it is exactly. It's just a foreign object that's been mixed with my soul since before I existed. And yet, tears come out. I can feel the wish inside it. Like an insect flying into a lamp. I've been seeking Kagari since before I was born. I gaze at the man in front of me, and ask him. Did you have someone like that? The man smiles faintly. [?]: "...I see. Then I won't stop you." [?]: "Now I can finally disappear..." He raises his hand. I raise my own――Perfectly human hand――And high-five him. I take his place. [?]: "Farewell, Kotarou-kun――" I'm flying over the city at incredible speed. I jumped. I'm reaching a height of hundreds of meters after just one jump. I have no idea what I look like at this point. I'm probably not human-shaped anymore. I kinda liked my old handsome face, but I'll have to accept that. Ah...this feels nice...the wind...

<METADATA> Name: Kagari | Gender: Female | Aliases: Key Name: Tennouji Kotarou | Gender: Male </METADATA> I feel like I could fly anywhere. As long as I have life, I can be whatever I want. I can use all sorts of junk left outside the gene pool to modify myself. But sadly, I only have a single human's worth of life. So this is all I can do. That's why I'm leaving this technology to everyone else. To the world―― At some point, I started walking. My gait is heavy. My movements are slow. I'm trying to run, but this is slower than a walk. She's close. Not much longer. I head for her. [Kotarou]: (...where?) At an important place. [Kotarou]: (No...) [Kotarou]: (I wouldn't...forget somewhere...that important.) So am I heading to a place that isn't important? That can't be. [Kotarou]: (I'm pretty sure...I was chasing someone...?) That's right, I remember. ...I've been following that light. I'm just a little gnat. A pitiful, tiny creature instinctively drawn to a bug lamp. I have nothing but the desire to follow that light. In this cruel, dark world. I get the feeling I've always been following it. But I can't see anything anymore. There's no light. So is this my final destination? This place with nothing in it? I keep walking... After throwing away everything in my life, this is where I ended up. I achieved quite a bit. I lived to the fullest. I fought pretty hard. I don't think it was meaningless. But what the hell am I? I've been living for some strange sense of duty. Do I feel...fulfilled after all this? Joy? Relief? [Kotarou]: "...no..." It's just painful. I've...betrayed so many things. People I respected... I'm burning up. The core of my body is hotter than I can stand. I take off my coat. I take off my gloves. Ah... My hands aren't hands anymore. They're familiars now. I made a familiar out of myself. Because I realized my duty. The scenery is growing hazy. My eyes have lost most of their functionality. Is anyone there? I'm starting to no longer be myself. Is anyone waiting for me? It hurts to breathe. My head is blank. There's a hole in my chest. I can't remember my name. I can't remember anyone's name. No one's here. Then―― A small light in my heart. Aaah, this is it. This is what I wanted. Warmth, and guidance. Something with value. That's right. This is plenty... for my love. The world is waving. The trees are walking, the ground's shaking, and the sky's crying. Even the seven seas are joining in the chant, whipping up the atmosphere covering this planet. Salvation. And once the world melts, new life will be born. ...no. Didn't she say re-evolution couldn't happen? If we fall, we can't get back up again. That was the whole problem. [Kotarou]: "...Kagari...Kagari!!" Suddenly, I see Kagari. She was there the whole time. I just lost sight of her. [Kagari]: "Thank you." Her voice. [Kagari]: "That was a wonderful memory." [Kagari]: "Better than any I've ever seen." [Kotarou]: "It was...?" [Kotarou]: "I did it in time...?" [Kagari]: "No." [Kagari]: "Unfortunately..." [Kagari]: "If only I'd seen this world a little bit sooner...I can't stop thinking that now." [Kotarou]: "I see." [Kotarou]: "So I was too late." [Kotarou]: "What a waste." [Kagari]: "No, you have nothing to be ashamed of." [Kagari]: "You've done very well for a single individual." [Kagari]: "Now finish your final task with pride." [Kagari]: "Come..." Kagari opens her arms wide. My body moves on its own, to fulfill its final duty. Kagari smiles, embracing me. My sword runs through Kagari, as if it's growing out of her back. Surprisingly, I feel no resistance. But it definitely had an effect. [Kotarou]: "Eh? ...why...did I...?" I can't believe I made that choice. I've done all this just to see Kagari. [Kagari]: "Well done." Why are you smiling? I just did something horrible to you. [Kotarou]: "That can't...this is a mistake..." [Kotarou]: "Am I cursed?" [Kagari]: "It's not a curse." [Kagari]: "It's a blessing." [Kotarou]: "No...this is a curse...to make me suffer..." [Kotarou]: "I've killed so many because of it!" I was definitely capable of loving other humans. I didn't hate everything in the world. There were people I could understand. People I liked. I betrayed all of them, sacrificed all of them, and here I am. I used their trust and their beliefs as fuel to reach this hill. To see Kagari. I gave the world hope, all for her sake. But to stop salvation I had to kill her myself... This can't be a blessing. Kagari puts her hands on my cheeks. Her eyes are clear. Why...? [Kagari]: "...you should've done this sooner." The ideal memory for Kagari... Wouldn't that be the will and the power to carve out a new future? Something humanity gave up on. Something the people lost sight of when they started caring for the planet. Even if it means devouring our Mother Earth... We have to expand. Because... Kagari's expression is so kind. Because...she looks like a mother watching her children go off into the world―― [Kagari]: "But you've done everything you could...you have nothing to regret now." [Kotarou]: "Was this...for the best?" [Kagari]: "The possibility is there now." [Kotarou]: "I see..." [Kotarou]: "I did all this just because I liked you." [Kagari]: "You liked me?" [Kotarou]: "Fine, I loved you." [Kagari]: "I was never very kind to you." [Kotarou]: "Love doesn't always make sense." [Kotarou]: "In this dark world...you were the only thing that ever seemed truly bright to me." [Kagari]: "I never realized." [Kotarou]: "You were kinda dense." [Kagari]: "But an unrequited love is futile..." [Kotarou]: "That's fine." [Kagari]: "You idiot..." She holds me tighter. Kagari's voice is shaking. [Kagari]: "...you're just...an individual." At the very least... I hope that all the choices I made as I was wandering through the darkness... Might give everyone a ray of light. The trains don't work anymore, so there aren't many people at the station. In the past it was always horribly crowded, but after the familiars came everyone ran away. Those familiars disappeared at some point. It seems safe now. A single woman stands in front of the station. She holds the hands of two little girls, as they stand facing it. Her large backpack is swelling with water and food they gathered from the ruined buildings. She's thinking about their future. She can't help but feel gloomy.

<METADATA> Name: Nakatsu Shizuru | Gender: Female | Aliases: Shizu Name: Konohana Lucia | Gender: Female | Aliases: Class Rep Name: Ohtori Chihaya | Gender: Female | Aliases: Chi Name: Senri Akane | Gender: Female | Aliases: Prez, The Witch of the School Name: Kanbe Kotori | Gender: Female </METADATA> She knows the tragedy took place worldwide. She can't hope for any aid. She could probably survive on her own, but she has dependants. There are countless things for her to think about. But a faint noise disturbs her thoughts, making her turn around. She finds a girl with a hair clip looking at them from inside the rubble. ...she's clearly afraid. She must have been hoping to scavenge something from the burnt buildings. But her eyes are also asking for help. Their eyes meet. The girl cautiously comes out. The woman walks over to her and holds out a hand. The girl hesitates, but as the other two offer her a handkerchief and a water bottle... She eventually breaks down into tears and accepts those things. They're all hurt. The woman's face is covered in scratches. Her clothes are torn. One of her shoes is missing. That's not uncommon in Kazamatsuri now. But the glow in her eyes shows a strong will to live. Another one. Some rubble collapses, and a dark-haired girl rolls down into the plaza. Another girl she has to protect. The woman wonders if she really has become a teacher now. She enjoys her normal, but joyous illusion. Just as she thinks about heading off, the dark-haired girl shouts and points. A new girl appeared. The woman shivers when she sees the four familiars the girl controls. She moves forward to defend them, and pulls a knife out of her pocket. The girl hides her familiars behind her. Then she slowly walks forward, opens her mouth wide, and speaks from the bottom of her lungs――― The five girls live in this world. With the one woman holding their hands――― The planet has been cruel to humans. The climate transformed, food production plummeted, and there are fewer places to live now. A new ice age. The season of summer no longer occurs. The methods they've used to thrive in the past don't work anymore. Humans had to seek new technologies. The documents published on the internet spread globally in an instant. Techniques to use life itself as fuel... Using life to control familiars... Using life to strengthen the human body... The reactions varied. Some searched for talented individuals to begin research on it. Some feared sacrificing parts of their life. And...others feared that some might try to monopolize it. But it didn't take long for everyone to realize they all needed it to live. Through the networks left in the world, they researched that technology. In order to survive. The technology spread like wildfire. The world changed. Individual humans changed. Rumors spread about the young people mentioned in the original documents. They're called... "Those who lit the torch"――― ―――The reconstruction began. The time to sit down and rest has long passed. The people begin smiling, and devote themselves to their roles. Young men cut down trees for lumber, the elderly use all their wisdom to guide the others, and the children study in roofless schools. No one grieves. Even though they have a tougher life than they used to... People start returning to their daily lives. Very different lives from before. There are even inhuman creatures in the cities now. The seasons pass. The people are very busy preparing for winter. No one talks about preserving nature anymore. They're too busy living to worry about anything else. They cut down trees, plant huge fields, and redirect rivers. They fuel fires with wood and oil. Even if it harms the environment, people need fire. If they ever run out of things to burn...we'll just have to go on a journey. But that's not going to happen for a while. Another season passes. No one ever goes to that hill anymore, but a giant tree is growing on it. With dark green leaves. It's hard to believe how huge it is. It quickly becomes the tallest in the forest. And it's still growing. The town starts talking about it. They say that it's pointing at the Moon. That its trunk moves, following the Moon's journey through the sky like a compass needle. The people who saw the forest run wild advocate cutting it down. There's no way―― A few might think that, but the idea is soon laughed off. There's no way that tree is trying to grow toward the Moon. [Kotori]: "...does this look right?" [Shizuru]: "That should be it." [Chihaya]: "Huiii...finally...found it..." [Lucia]: "Is this the one, prophet?" [Akane]: "Hu...my prophecies have never been wrong." [Shizuru]: "I think they have..." [Kotori]: "They have." [Chihaya]: "They have." [Lucia]: "Ninety percent were wrong." [Akane]: "Enough nitpicking! This one's right!" [Akane]: "Behold the magnificent tree." [Kotori]: "Splendid. Gorgeous." [Chihaya]: "It's very sturdy." [Lucia]: "...is that an innuendo?" [Kotori]: "No. Your mind is just dirty." [Lucia]: "That's my genes' fault." [Chihaya]: "Do you think...it'll work this time?" [Akane]: "It's more about whether this is the right one." [Kotori]: "Is it not the right one?" [Chihaya]: "You just said you were certain it was." [Akane]: "I'm not getting paid for this so I'm not that careful." [Akane]: "But I am fairly confident about this one." [Lucia]: "This is the only tree left in the city that meets the conditions." [Kotori]: "Yeah, it's probably this one." [Lucia]: "Why do you say that?" [Kotori]: "...women's intuition." [Akane]: "That's not evidence..." [Shizuru]: "It matches the vision." [Lucia]: "Yes, I would agree." [Lucia]: "This might be a genuine treasure." [Shizuru]: "What's wrong, Kotori?" [Kotori]: "...eh? ...nothing, I just spaced out a little." [Kotori]: "It feels...very familiar." [Lucia]: "So says the courageous mother of our Occult Research Club." [Kotori]: "We're the same age you know." [Chihaya]: "But is it really okay to just take it with us?" [Chihaya]: "This is part of the city, right?" [Akane]: "It'll be fine if no one finds out." [Shizuru]: "If they find out Touka-sensei will chastise us..." [Lucia]: "They're going to cut down the large trees in this area anyway since they block sunlight, so it shouldn't matter." [Chihaya]: "Hard to blame them for one this big." [Lucia]: "It's grown five hundred meters in three years...that is a problem." [Kotori]: "Okay, that's enough chit-chat. Let's do this thing." [Shizuru]: "Do this thing." [Lucia]: "All right. Get in a circle, everyone." [Shizuru]: "I hope we make something useful." [Akane]: "Huhuhu...it's going to be flawless this time." [Chihaya]: "Everything's set." [Kotori]: "Time to count down." [Kotori]: "Five." [Shizuru]: "Four." [Chihaya]: "Three." [Akane]: "Two." [Lucia]: "One."

<METADATA> Name: Ohtori Chihaya | Gender: Female | Aliases: Chi Name: Konohana Lucia | Gender: Female | Aliases: Class Rep Name: Senri Akane | Gender: Female | Aliases: Prez, The Witch of the School Name: Nakatsu Shizuru | Gender: Female | Aliases: Shizu Name: Kanbe Kotori | Gender: Female </METADATA> [Everyone]: "Come on out!" And then, I awaken. [Lucia]: "That was incredibly successful..." [Akane]: "Can you hear me? You're our familiar now." The girls look at me. I...don't know who they are. I can't remember very well... [?]: "...yeah." [Lucia]: "Your job is to wear a butler's uniform and act as our slave." [?]: "...yeah." [Chihaya]: "Can you understand what we're saying?" [?]: "...yeah." [Shizuru]: "He's saying nothing but "yeah"..." [Akane]: "That's what they're like just after you make them." [Kotori]: "Is there a name you'd like?" [?]: "...Bond." [Akane]: "Huh?" [Shizuru]: "Why that name?" [?]: "...I don't know. That's what I thought of." [?]: "...I have some kind of attachment to it." [Lucia]: "That's not very interesting. What about Pochi?" [?]: "...okay." [Kotori]: "Not much attachment." [?]: "By the way...this place is warm." [Lucia]: "We're in an ice age." [Kotori]: "It's cold this far from town." [?]: "...so that's what that is." [?]: "The town looks like it's protected by a layer of life." [Shizuru]: "Of course it is." [Kotori]: "It's been getting colder every year. They have to." [Akane]: "Pochi, do you understand what you are?" [?]: "...yeah, I'm...a familiar." [?]: "I'm getting a transient life through parallel contracts with the five of you." [?]: "My job is to wear a black tuxedo and serve you." [Chihaya]: "Just like we said." [Kotori]: "Repetition helps retention." [?]: "And I have to guard you..." [Akane]: "That's right. You seem pretty competent." [?]: "But I refuse." [Lucia]: "...what?" [?]: "That's not my job. I do much bigger things." [?]: "I have a special power." [Akane]: "...you sound like a college graduate who doesn't want to get a real job." [Chihaya]: "I've never seen a familiar disobey its master before..." [Kotori]: "I told you guys not to try a human-shaped one. I knew it'd be awkward for me." [Chihaya]: "For you?" [Kotori]: "I'm selfish." [Lucia]: "We'll discuss the problems with that statement later." [Kotori]: "Selfish!" [Akane]: "...silence." [Akane]: "You. Why are you disobeying us even though you're literally our slave?" [?]: "I want to be given the treatment my power deserves." [Chihaya]: "If you're that powerful then prove it." [Akane]: "What is your power anyway?" [?]: "...I don't know yet." [?]: "I just felt like bragging because I was born from tree shavings." [?]: "I can probably do almost anything if you give me life, and I manipulate it creatively enough." [Shizuru]: "...I have no idea what he's saying." [Chihaya]: "Okay, can you fly through the air?" [?]: "Probably." [Kotori]: "I don't see any wings on you." [?]: "...I'll grow a sail if I need one." [Shizuru]: "Really?" [Chihaya]: "This is kinda weird." [Akane]: "We can try it." [Akane]: "Pochi, take us somewhere right now." [?]: "Piece of cake." [?]: "...but I only have drops from five right now. That's not enough." [Lucia]: "So how much do you need?" [?]: "I'd need tens of thousands of contracts at least...to make it that far." [Lucia]: "Tens of thousands?" [Kotori]: "...this guy isn't fuel efficient." [Shizuru]: "How far do you plan on going with all that?" [?]: "Outside the solar system." [Chihaya]: "Why do we have to go that far into space?" [?]: "Why...?" [?]: "I dunno why. You guys think of a reason." [?]: "That's humanity's job." [Kotori]: "...could you really do that?" [?]: "Yeah." [Akane]: "...I'll start a business...if enough people pay a fee and make the contract they can all..." [Shizuru]: "Akane's trying to get rich quick again." [Kotori]: "...spaceman, how far can we go with just five people contributing?" [?]: "In that case, about that far." I point up. At the celestial body above us. [Lucia]: "...I see." [Chihaya]: "What do we do? There's no way it's true, but..." [Kotori]: "Let's just test him, even though he's lying." [Shizuru]: "It'd be cool if he could...though he might be lying." [Akane]: "Pochi, how long will that take? Though you're clearly lying." [?]: "...what do you mean? That'll take no time at all."