CtG -Zero kara Sodateru Dennou Shoujo-:Tập 1 Chap 3

The sudden separation Kugimiya Miharu had with her father happened close to her 1〇th (TL Note: Somewhere between her 10-19th birthday) birthday.

But it was not a separation by death like Kasugai Yuu and his mother however. It was just a common case of divorce. Her mother did not told her why though. But it was not a rare occurrence in Miharu’s household at the time, if it’s something her parents don’t want to tell her then it stays like that.

As result, Miharu lost her father without knowing anything. And like a “good kid” Miharu was at that time, she didn’t even try to inquire about it by force.

After that she hasn’t meet her father even once. She thought she would meet him immediately after the divorce however. Miharu was very fond of her mild father, more than her overly strict mother, that feeling of her was certainly strong.

However, after hearing the truth from her cousin in a family gathering, that feelings of hers withered. Her cousin whispered “Because Haru-chan will be sad hearing it” with sympathy.

──The reason for the divorce was because her father fell in love with another woman and unable to break his relationship with her.

It was then Miharu unable to trust any man.

To be exact she was afraid of most people in general but her fear towards man was more than that. It was because the man who used to treat Miharu so kindly ended up loving another woman more than his own wife or daughter.

From what she heard, her father and mother met during high school and married after dating for 1〇 years (TL Note: Again, did not specified). She don’t know whatever it’s true or not, but from what her father secretly told her, that was because her mother told him that she wanted to marry her first love. So wonderful── thought Miharu who know nothing about romantic relationships at the time, it was her pride to be born under the love of her parents.

Yet, a man such as him ended up breaking his own family.

That is wrong.

Miharu thought. She wanted to always be with the person she loves. To feel in love with a person who will always stay by her side. Same goes for everyone else.

It will just be painful if it’s not.

Miharu committed to her mother since then. Her cousin was wrong. It’s her mother who’s sad. That’s why she will listen to whatever her mother says and obediently go to all-girl school as recommended. It’s not like her mother think it will keep her off man, but at least it’s a place completely unrelated to her father’s wrongdoing.

It was right after she passed the entrance exam, Miharu was shocked hearing her mother said that she will marry a man she met at work. Miharu was in dismay, so great that she find it strange herself. She couldn’t understand her mother. She knows that her mother broke up with her father. Her father is the bad one. But, why, he mother tries to tie up with someone else after breaking up with her father. In the end she can’t even understand her own mother.

In the end Maruha was all alone. She able to make some friends at school, but in the house she’s all alone, while her mother was with another person. It’s not balanced. She was afraid of that. Even so Miharu don’t have the courage to go on nightlife, as result she start playing 『CtG』 where she can interact with various kind of people while inside the house.

Miharu who became “Mifa” in virtual world tries to be someone different from her original self. Someone, whose certainly within her, but unable to show herself outside. “It’s just a game after all”, under that spell, “she” became bolder than she ever thought. The girl who’s a timid person in real world made a lot of acquaintance in an instant. The world being surrounded by a lot of people felt really good for her.

And when she was helping the guild 【Labyrinth Troupe】, where a girl she knows belongs to, she met Clamp. Her first impression of him was actually less than favorable. Even though he’s as old as her he was quiet and only says few words as if he’s mocking her, but more than that, the way he silently reject people and create distant feels like Miharu herself.

But, if she befriended with such person, Miharu won’t be alone anymore. The moment when she spoke to Clamp with that feeling buried within her chest── Mifa, Miharu, have finally no longer alone.

Because she has the treasure she shares known as Haruha, and knowing the person who like the same thing as her, she was able to believe that person even though he’s a man. They snuggled little by little. Calm but also restless. He’s very skillful when playing game, but very clumsy when dealing Haruha or her.

Clamp.

The player whom she met in real life, and as much as his absent pretentious-like figure, was really dull-looking. But, he was very kind, and more of all he’s so sincere when facing Haruha and Miharu. The “hunch” she has since the day he gives the name Haruha to that girl in 『CtG』 was pretty much a hit.

Kasugai Yuu.

I’m not like my mother. I won’t be sad. She thought.

But, he, already──

　　　　◇

An hour had passed since Clamp went off and Mifa, who complaint about Yuu to Payakino, received a request to log-out from Hajime through Haruha.

Miharu and Haruha didn’t know why they were called back into real world and couldn’t believe the scene they immediately see after removing their Ramiel.

It was the scene of Hajime piercing Yuu, who was lying on the floor, with a pistol-shaped big syringe on his chest.

“Eh……what are you doing Haru──”

“Quiet. I can’t concentrate”

Hajime’s expression was unrecognizably serious. The greasy sweat on her forehead shines like red scales under the sunset.

After she carefully finishes the injection, she pulled out the syringe with terrifying precision and appropriately threw it away. Then, she took out a pad-shaped electrode from her bag and pressed it against Yuu’s chest.

“Errm…… what……?”

“It stopped”

Hajime answered frankly and operates what appears to be the controller of the electrode.

• Zap!* It made a twitching sound and Yuu’s body faintly bounce. It was like seeing a filature doll. But even after shocked by the electricity, Yuu’s thin eyes remain closed and did not react at all.

As she realize, Miharu’s legs were shaking.

“Eh? Kasugai-kun? Eh? Why?”

Just a little while ago he was reprimanded about the case with Kodzuchi-something inside the game. Miharu’s anger was real but frankly saying it just as simple as that. Even so── even so, why it become like this?

Within this past two months, the face that looked like Clamp’s face she meets in 『CtG』 every day. The sleeping face that made her heart beats just this morning. But this face is completely different. This is…… this is like──

“He got killed inside of 『CtG』”

In contrast to Miharu who was in the pinnacle of hypnotic state, Hajime’s voice was very businesslike. She couldn’t understand the meaning of that answer, but that voice convinced her that it’s “the truth”.

“I’m sorry……. I didn’t think that not just Haruha but Yuu-kun is also targeted”

Miharu nearly shouts.

(WHAT ARE YOU SAYING!?)

──She wanted to say, but desperately hold it in. No. There is something more important to talk about.

“Just hurry up and save him!”

“That’s what I’m doing”

Hajime’s voice remained calm. She sounded reliable but in the same time makes Miharu wanted to let her outburst explode and slap her. She was in verge of panicking.

It was all too sudden. A Ramiel should’ve met safety standard and would not emit any strong signals, in matter of fact, over a year had passed since 『CtG』 start running and there is no health issue report other than light dizziness. At least it is the case when Miharu check it on the net before she start playing.

Yet, Yuu is dying in front of her eyes. All of the sudden her new everyday that just begun is leading towards the end.

Again…… again, she will be separated from someone without knowing anything. And this time, in a place where she can’t go even if she want to. That comes to her mind was a simple rejection.

No.

No no no.

It only been a while since we first met but.

At first we met as Mifa and Clamp and instantly married, raise a child like playing house, pushing our love onto Haruha like a child, also he said that he loves my song, when I first meet him here he was unreliable but also very kind…… and seeing him die while we’re still fighting is just unbearable.

First of all, Miharu still have a lot of thing to say to Yuu. Isn’t it Yuu who said “Just say all what you want to say”. It will be troublesome if he die now.

“Kasugai-kun, you don’t know right…… you don’t know why I was angry right!?”

The word she couldn’t say when being Mifa, fell like flake of snow. It fell along with her tears.

“When we were giving name to Haruha, I was really surprised when Clamp said 『Haruha』. I was shocked thinking that you might know my name── Miharu. But soon I realize that it just a coincidence…… but, then, I start to think that coincidences might be 『Fate』. We met in 『CtG』 and held a strange marriage, then give birth to our very own child…… all of that special things are all fate, then the person inside Clamp might be my destined… that”

But after saying all that, she got mad all of the sudden.

“And then…… why? In the end, YOU JUST GIVE HER THE NAME YOU GOT FROM THE GIRL YOU LIKE! WHERE IS MY FATE!? COME ON AND SAY SOMETHING!”

Hajime activates the device once again. Yuu’s body was coughing violently like a caught fish.

As if gushing all of her feelings, Miharu called Yuu.

“KASUGAI-KUN!!”

　　　　◆

Thus Kasugai Yuu revived.

Then, he got carried to the hospital by the car Hajime called, and receive an inspection for the first time in his life. No abnormalities── far from that he was “fairly healthy” ── by the time they receive the result of the inspection it’s already night.

“Explain……. you will do it right”

Just to be sure, Yuu was told to stay in the hospital room for a night. Within the small private room Yuu and Haruha, along with Niiro, the three of them talk. Yuu is lying on the bed, Miharu is sitting on a chair right next to the bed while holding Yuu’s hand, and Niiro is lending his back on the door.

Haruha and Hajime should be resting on the bench at the hallway. Hajime had already relieved from the tension by the time they reach the hospital but Haruha…… is still stunned and went silent. When she first arrives she was still being dragged by Miharu.

It should be the adults’ obligation to explain the background of what caused this incident.

Niiro, who still not wanting to take off his sunglasses like always, let out a dry voice.

“Currently, there is dreadful player killer on rampant in 『CtG』”

Come to think of it there is something like that on 『CtG』 news line. But.

“Player Killer…… they are people who attack other player inside the game right. I understand that Clamp got beaten up by one of them. But, why Kasugai-kun ended up like that?

Miharu asked with an interrogation tone, but, her voice was shaking. Probably because of fear, or perhaps, anger.

“That because the one who killed Kasugai-kun wasn’t human”

“……What was that?”

Memento Copellia. She’s obviously not emotionless. However, the insides of her emotion and outward actions were somewhat crooked. Such girl was somewhat similar to Haruha.

She penetrated Clamp’s throat while still smiling.

Just remembering it pulls back pain onto his uninjured neck. From what Hajime said the pain still remains inside his brain.

Niiro took out a mobile terminal and projected a figure of a girl on the air. She’s wearing different clothes which give different impression but she’s certainly Memento.

“She── Memento is the first generation of ハダリーズ. A human born within 『CtG』”

“Isn’t that just like Haruha……”

“That’s right. She was born from the exact same nucleus, or core I say. However, the method we use to develop her personality is greatly different. Memento is an approach from outside, while Haruha is an approach from inside. Simply put, Memento was born in that form from the very beginning. By physically analyzing a pre-existing body and memories we tried to create a complete human from the start”

“Such things are possible……?”

“We succeed to some extent. It was a breakthrough success at the time, Memento was able to think normally within 『CtG』, and also move freely as she wanted. However, no matter how many times we carried out an emotion operation, her autonomy was poor, and she wasn’t able to develop proper emotion. It will be fine as it is if what we aim is to make robot, but we, human equilibrium institute’s goal is to find a way to create new human. She will remain incomplete if we leave her like that. What rose as a hypothesis was there is deflect in virtual world building capacity and it unable to reproduce 『something』 that makes human as human. It most likely a factor that simple machine unable to perceive. If that the case── like that, in the end we held an experiment. An experiment to give real body for Memento”

So far, other than her process of education, she’s just like Haruha. Eventually Haruha safely obtained a body in real life and became Kasugai Haruha. But Memento, she…

“The experiment was a failure. No, you can say that it was half success. During Memento transfer to the body, because of some unknown reason, her mind caused a rejection and as result we have to 『discard』 the body. We manage to salvage Memento’s mind but...... as Kasugai-kun had seen, she became a madman”

“And why that Memento, became a player killer?”

He asked, but more or less already guessed the answer. The Pandora box anecdote Memento talked about. The allegory she made── all things in this world, the moment it opposed hope, it will no longer be a hope.

And so Niiro answer with the name of the “hope”.

“It’s Haruha-san. Haruha who is raised by the most ideal pair determined by the Nephilim Computer, with mind being carefully developed from a baby state, managed to develop emotion that Memento unable to”

Miharu’s grip that holds Yuu’s arm tightens.

“Our plan is to have Haruha-san develop characteristic to a certain degree. And then Haruha-san succeeded, which means there is no more reason to keep working on Memento. That’s why, we isolate her from 『CtG』, and we take care of her as a sample. By that time, her mental was severely unstable”

“So in the end she revolt huh”

A cold voice came out. He had no reason to be angry for Memento sake. But, isn’t that like, being told “You’re no longer needed so just sleep indefinitely” by her own parents?

By Haruha’s “success” Memento is labeled as “failure” and lost her own worth. Memento herself isn’t at fault, but from the change of situation she turned from “breakthrough success” to “a mere data”.

What an unreasonable story. But that unreasonable thing now land on this hospital room. It was because, Niiro’s mouth that talked about Memento, was…. smiling, happily.

“Yes. Even though distorted, her personality is autonomous. That’s why she showed a resistance towards the measures we take to seal her will ── it would be interesting if that is not the case. By establishing herself as an error Memento arrived to a conclusion『I’m an error so I must make mistakes』it seems. And then the error Memento chosen was to bring chaos to the world of 『CtG』”

“So why what she’s doing is to be player killer?”

“It’s a simple story. It is because that is the most efficient act to overthrow 『CtG』 that she can afford of. Just like what Kasugai-kun had experienced, Memento’s attack will give strong impact to the player in real world as well. That is an ability acquired from the evolution of the seed known as Memento, by giving a suggestion through gaze and pheromone she can give a strong stimulation to her opponent, it’s an ability to generate a fake reaction to the opponent’s brain. On Kasugai-kun case, the small stimulation from having his avatar’s throat stabbed were converted to pain when it reaching the stage of entering the brain. And what stopped his heart from operate was the result of the amplified image of 『death』 coming during game over. Since it’s a signal that originally not present within the game, Ramiel’s block system won’t react to it.

We call that ability as Shim - Stimulator Psudo Senses Poison , or『Eyes of Svengali』”

“……So my body mistook the small shock from being hurt in game as something that『would kill me』”

“It made you think that “I’ll die”. You can say it’s like an absolute placebo effect. Well then── what will happen if she continues to do player hunt with that power I wonder?”

Certainly, it’s a simple story.

“People like me will continuously be taken to the hospital. And then 『CtG』will be closed sooner or later”

“Precisely. A month ago, right when we’ve confirmed that Haruha-san had finally acquired emotion, Memento disappeared from our eyes with some kind of method. After that elusive disappearance, presumably she wonders around randomly killing players. Fortunately there are no serious victims like Kasugai-kun so far, but honestly speaking Imagine Ekphrasis fell under constant attendance of the police.”

“……So the recent fainting incident was the work of Memento?”

“Although one internal case was because of gas poisoning, most of them are. Currently we passionately comfort people above in order not prevent the name of 『CtG』 to be revealed on the surface. However, it won’t last long. Of course, we’re putting effort on capturing and isolating Memento. However Memento, who don’t know what exhaustion is, continue to move around and because she did not logged in or anything we cannot do immediate search on her.

“………Will 『CtG』 be closed?”

If they let Memento stay uncontrolled this incident will be revealed sooner or later, and the game closure will be inevitable. No matter how large the content it has, to put priority on safety more than a mere game is a fair story that even a heavy user and the son of the developer Yuu knows well.

Niiro nodded but then raise one finger.

“There is only one way to prevent that. In order to reliably stop Memento, we just have to kill her in 『CtG』. When that happens, Memento who can’t logout will have nowhere to go and tied-up, making it easier to us to isolate her. That’s why… We must defeat Memento. With Haruha’s hand”

The silent. Those dozen seconds silent. Was something that was brought by anger that inhibits rational thinking. And then, the thing that broke that was also anger.

“Don’t say nonsense!”

Miharu’s strong word was so loud making it clear that she had forgotten that they’re in a hospital.

“Kasugai-kun nearly die you know! And you’re telling us to send Haruha…… that small child to fight against that opponent!?”

Niiro was unfazed. Miharu’s desperate actions were easily repelled back by his reply,

“I’m sure Kasugai-kun had already realized it but Memento is strong. It is because most her form of thoughts are fully optimized in the world of 『CtG』. To Player Human , operating an avatar is like talking in foreign language whilst Memento is a fluent native speaker in. There is a grim difference.”

In fact, even Yuu who is a veteran in 『CtG』 controls was easily killed by Memento without even able to react at all. Memento’s speed and accuracy is far superior to that of a human being.

“However, if it’s Haruha-san── if it’s Haruha-san whose mind operates the same way as her, she should be able to compete against her. And among those who we can mobilize currently, Haruha is the only ハダリーズ who can fight Memento.”

“Is it possible for Haruha fight people like Memento──”

I don’t think so. He tells himself that, but, it didn’t last forever. Within Yuu’s mind, the image of Haruha brutally murders the train robbery flows.

“Still…… still I cannot approve that. No matter how strong Haruha is, even if 『CtG』 will close down if she don’t fight…… it’s ridiculous to expose risk a child’s safety for a mere game!”

“Tha, that’s right! What will happen if she die!”

Yuu who resolutely objects and Miharu who back him up. It’s a natural action for parents who take care of their child. However…

“Yes. She will die, Haruha-san I mean. If 『CtG』 terminated”

The situation they’re in is not under the “natural” standard that applies for everyone.

“…………Eh? Wh, why, is that?”

“Haruha-san obtained a human body and become a normal child. However, just like what we had mentioned earlier Haruha-san’s mind centers on the world of 『CtG』 with higher syntax purity than in real world. If she continues to process more foreign information in real world, an error will continue to pile up, and we estimated that she will die about a week”

They couldn’t react at all against the serious fact Niiro spoke of with indifferent tone.

“In order to prevent that Haruha-san must periodically go inside 『CtG』. By having her spent time on a clear world, it will give her more ease in processing data, and she will able to adjust her body to match all the stagnant she had through her time in real world. A dialysis of mind should I say”

This time Yuu is the one who got furious.

“To hell with that! You people should just take responsibility and maintain her through 『CtG』 computer right!? No matter how huge the cost will be!”

“We would like to do that if possible, but it’s not. The scales of virtual world we must maintain in order to do maintenance on Haruha-san require over ten million users to be connected. Even though we have the country backing, it’s something impossible for us who cannot make an open move”

“? What are you saying? Isn’t it easier to do with less people connected…”

Then he remembered as he said that── what did Fuyufu said?

『It’s not the problem of capability of processing power. It’s the nature of the problem itself』

『Even if it can create the same entrance and exit as a human, it won’t able to create the same maze inside. The “Heart” is that maze. If you want to create the same thing…… there’s no other choice but to give those computers flesh and blood as well』

And then the performance of the computer that operates 『CtG』 improves as the number of connected Human(User) increases.

──Could it be…

“Is it…… a human computer?”

Along the words he spilled through the momentum, Miharu blinked with a blank look on her face, and Niiro── smiled, letting out a rather refreshing grin.

“Correct. The identity of the Nephilinm Giant type computer that constructed the world of 『CtG』is a performance operation system using the flesh of human connected to its network to work. The area of consciousness within the brain, genes, and every single cell are made into the database and calculation device and we linked it to make requests, through the responds we got, or so to say arrangement of the memories of earth, we emergence the world that human perceived before the dawn of history ── that’s right, even the human’s mind as well. A dream of a person might be full of absurdity, but if we mix match the dream of several ten thousands the absurdity will weeded out, which means the more the number of the user the more absolute reality we got. Eight thousand people are needed for a simple start-up. We have that amount ready on our end, but to put it in other word, that is how much we can manage”

So that’s why they say it can only be operated by game maker. It makes it clear why they kept secret of the computer specification. It’s hard to think that there are million people who wanted to put their own body inside a machine.

──Human computer manage an online game in order to achieve its goal to ensure its performance level.

And if they cannot maintain its performance, Haruna will die.

“How could this be happening……”

Not only his daughter is an online game addict but also share the same fate as it.

The following one hour was a Q&A time that falls short to be described in detail. Yuu and Miharu who understand the reason but even so don’t want to expose Haruha to danger, and Niiro who convince them that there is no other way to solve this problem other than to have Haruha fight Memento. It endlessly continues to repeat itself.

And then, the person in question who settled the barren dispute was Kasugai Haruha herself.

Haruha who came inside the room along with Hajime spoke with a serve expression for the first time.

“Haruha will do it. Haruha will defeat that Memento”

She must’ve heard the situation from Hajime. Naturally, Yuu and Haruha desperately tried to stop her. She might be the strongest existence in 『CtG』, but Haruha whom they both know are innocent spoiled lonely girl, a small child who they know since she was born.

“Haruha decided already”

But, Haruha at this time was very intently firm. Even though she would occasionally pout, she would always listen to Yuu and Miharu, but this time Haruha made a clear revolt for the first time.

The dissimilar girl equilibrates from collection of observation of human computer. The round eyes of hers are filled with the color of iron, and Kasugai Haruha sentenced in a cold voice.

“Daddy, mommy. don’t follow Haruha. It will just be a burden. If that happens, Haruha will go back to home”

‘Go back home’ was the line Rasupu-chan’s mother often said when scolding her resourcefulness father── it’s not even laughable. On contrary, Yuu and Miharu were haunted with the color of despair on their eyes.

Which house…… she meant?

Everything went fast by the time they made their decision.

Everyone quickly go back to Kasugai house ── although it’s a bit too forceful Yuu was allowed to discharge ──, and Haruha lay her small body into the capsule shaped Ramiel.

At first Yuu thought it was like some kind of medical equipment, but after hearing the machine pale hum echo through the room at night it looked like a black coffin. Somehow the two soft vinyl dolls Haruha brought with her looked creepy like a grave goods.

“Around ten minutes ago Memento was seen by surveillance Non-Player-Character NPC in a tavern at Gunmans’ Glaive frontier town. She possibly looking for a prey for tonight”

“The game internal state can be viewed on this display”

In front of the provided monitor there were Hajime’s still-depressed face and Yuu and Miharu’s gloomy faces lined up. And on different spot there was the ever calm Niiro pushing the Ramiel switch. As if singing along the start-up sound, the sunglass man speaks.

“Well then, shall we watch over her. In this world where your daughter shall train to be the strongest gunman”

　　　　◇

──An acrid smell of burned dust. Looking at the vast view, the gentle sky and harsh wilderness will greet you. What heard across the wind are the whistling of adventurers heading to the unexplored. In this land everything decided by gun and courage. A person shall grasp glory on their hand while another shall sleep with their gun on their tomb. In here the gun smoke drift enough to choke on your own tongue. The amount of gun cartridges rolls on the ground equals to the number of victories and corpses. This is the dream horizon of the gunmen. Its name is Gunman’s Glaive──

Cheech fulfilled his dream.

Ten years or more had passed since he diligently works as a salaryman in a medium-sized company immediately after his college graduation. After his continuous dropout, it had become his dream to work on a stylish bar on the streets.

However due to his weak will his savings won’t increase, and by the time he was about to succumb to resignation from being the company slave, he met 『CtG』. And by the end of his miser play for few months, he finally set his feet on a tavern at one of the town in Gunman’s Glaive.

It is near the prime location of the transition point church. The store has set of NPC as a clerk. Now, he finally able to accomplish his many year dream to become the moody owner and bartender of the bar.

And his hope quickly burned on the first day of the reopening.

The store is wrapped with a full blast dangerous atmosphere.

Excluding one of seven costumers all of them are man, they has scary face and don’t even try to hide their gun belt. It’s not a rare sight in Gunman’s Glaive if that was just the case, it all because these people are wearing a worrisome face despite being on a gathering place.

“Mr. Bartender, are you aware of the recent player killer case?”

Within such sight, the only female guest smiled and talk to him. It was a girl on her mid-teens. She has pretty face but somehow wearing black dress which leaves a strong impression.

“Yeah, Thing that flowing on the news line right? More than thirteen people were taken down by it or something”

Cheech replied with a smile. He’s not a lolicon, but he like this more than dealing with stiff rough guy costumers.

“From what someone said, it happened on tavern like this one. There were six costumers. And everyone got killed in an instant”

The girl took a slip of hot milk she ordered, and continue after licking the remaining white residue on her lip with the tip of her tongue.

“The culprit enters the store and wonder around, and finally she says, 『Who is human?』 And the NPC clerk unhesitatingly answered 『me』. But, it’s not an answer a person will give when being asked so suddenly. All PlayerHuman tilted their neck and said『Eh? What does she meant?』. And then, the next moment everyone’s necks were torn apart. All six of them, near simultaneously. ──The black culprit is a gunman using a Revolver large revolver with a terrifyingly fast shooting speed, and the culprit seems to wonder around killing just player character.”

Cheech swallowed his breath involuntarily. He thought the story itself was just an exaggeration but the girl’s tone of voice that speak of this massacre drama was too indifferent, it as if she’s telling the story truly down to the core.

“……And what happened to the employees── the bartender?”

“Aah, the NPC bartender was safe. Saying stuff about receiving chip or something”

“Is, is that so…… so the bartender didn’t die”

“Why──”

As if taking place of Cheech who goes back to polishing glasses, one of rough costumer opened his mouth. The girl went “Yes?” and turned her body facing him. The man imperceptibly stood right behind the girl.

“Just why you know about the state of the scene where everyone got killed? An NPC shouldn’t have the ability to speak that much”

An instant Cheech went “Ah!”, and come to think of it this is a game world. The dead can speak.

“Oi oi, you. Isn’t obvious that the rumor coming from the revived killed player”

“No, that is impossible. It was three days ago the six got killed in the tavern. Those six people are all member of our guild and ever since they got sick and went to hospital, they hadn’t logged in ever since. There shouldn’t be anyone who heard about the incident from the victims”

The man let out a voice containing anger against the girl who still floating smile on her face.

“After that we get the testimony saying there is a black robed girl came out from the tavern on the time estimated to be when the incident took place── it exactly match your features”

“Wha, wait a second! Isn’t it way too unreasonable to label her that!? There’s no way this kid is the player killer──”

Cheech leaned to the counter in a hurry. The six men already took out their handgun and rifle and aimed at the girl. The girl shrugged and raised both of her hands.

“That’s right, I’m the culprit”

It surely doesn’t sound like a gag.

The speechless Cheech was left behind, and the girl slowly rises from her sit while keep raising both of her hands.

“So, what about it?”

Her voice was way beyond without any sense of guilt. The black girl shows a clear smile along with provocation and ridiculing words. Her burning golden eyes seemed to be laughing.

The first man who called over her then pressed the girl’s forehead with his handgun and then throw out what most likely be his last question, as if daubing her with his hearted.

“Why do you kill other players? Is it to show off your power, or maybe you’re doing it as a prank?”

“No way, it’s not for such stupid reasons”

“Then what?”

He put more force on his finger that pulls the trigger. The moment the girl speak her answer, a hole will show up on her breast── but even though it’s just a game the image showing on his chest makes Cheech’s whole body trembles.

But, if this happens in real world, he would show more ungraceful reaction.

“That is because──”

That moment── two small handguns (Dillinger) pops out from the girl’s sleeves. She’s using the skill 《Sleeve Weapon》, a skill that allows the user to pull out small type weapon to their hand without being bound by the laws of physics.

Every single man who aimed at the girl did not taken off guard however. In fact, all of them instantly opened fire.

But, the girl’s formidable shooting rapid-fire was beyond what she claimed to be. The Dillinger small bullets that were shot hit three of the man which disturbed all of their fire as they avoid the remaining bullets by rolling on the floor.

There is also a man who went stiff when he got shot on his shoulder. Abd he was about to stand up, she delivered the last one shot on his face. She then restrains the remaining while using that man, who muffled a scream from a serve pain, as a shield.

The girl discards her Dillinger’s that were out of ammo and unsheathed her main weapon.

It was a jet-black revolver equipped with flat square barrel that he never seen in real world. On the side of the disproportionately large barrel on the girl hand was engraved the mark of snake warping around a land tortoise, and the silver poured on the gun shines an intimidating light.

『Ｉ．Ｅ． Genbu』. It bears the name of its maker Imagine Ekphrasis, a revolver with special power in 『CtG』.

What happened after that was simple. Very simple in fact.

A continuous firing, aiming the neck of the six like in a single line. The roar-like overloading muzzle flashes and the tick iron plate increase the heat of the air within the tavern.

Red gunfire and red gunfire. By the time it all flake off and disappears…

Six bodies of headless mannequins were lying around in vain.

In just a mere moment the bitter sweet smell of liquor changed to the pungent smell of gunpowder, Cheech’s tavern had turned into a bloody garden. All NPC clerks’ knee where soaked in blood and they were trembling on their knee.

“Errrm…… why am I killing other player was it?

And the girl who started the tragedy dutifully answered the question.

“Those who exposes its throat and barks── it’s just a simple providence to hunt such animal to death. Do you understand? Dear meat head”

That smile of her was certainly graceful, and it exactly why it was so terrifyingly dreadful.

It was five minutes after the girl massacred her entire pursuers that she finished drinking her leftover hot milk from earlier. Meanwhile Cheech is killing his breath while hiding behind the counter.

“Well then…… shall I go”

The girl’s footsteps move away. After hearing the creaking sound of the swing door Cheech finally raise up his hips from the floor. His sigh of relief loosens his mouth.

“Tha, that’s right…… the bartender didn’t die──”

He wanted to say, but couldn’t. It was because his head that is now above the counter was pressed against a muzzle. Without even need to look up, he heard a cheerful voice.

“Last time the bartender was a NPC after all”

You’re a PlayerHuman so I’ll kill you. That what she meant.

The sound of hammer clicks into the place stained through his head. This is a game after all so it’s not scary, he tells himself that, but this is the first time I experience what it’s like to have my brain blown……. Like hell I can stay calm!

The moment Cheech was about to shout, the situation took a big turn.

The swing door was opened wildly and a small figure appeared.

The small figure lowers the guitar case on her left hand and pulled out a truncated horizontal two-barreled shotgun with her right.

Along with the sound of gunshot the body that was holding down Cheech trembles and collapsed. Her back was bruised by the sudden shot.

The newly-arrived guest drops her guitar case to the ground, and shot the girl’s head with the handgun she pulled out with her now empty left hand.

Two bullets were casually shot as if just sprinkling insecticide. *SPLASH* the bloody letter Head Shot Killed!! were splattered as if sweeping the floor.

He was surprised that the demon-like girl got defeated that easily, but the fact that girl who did that appears to be less than ten year old surprised him more. Why she’s not a travel None Player CharacterNPC── the idea to ask that simple question were washed away by the overwhelmingly strange situation. Simply, he stares at the child in awe.

The hazel cloak shines as if banked fire into the dimly lit store. Her face is cute and lovely that matches her young age, but her expression was simply too cold.

“E, erm, young miss……?

He timidly called. The girl looked down the mannequincorpse she made in apathy and talk. She speaks with a lisp voice.

“Where is Memento?”

“Memento……?”

“A girl wearing black clothes. She must have been here”

“Didn’t beat her down just now?”

“This is not her”

When he looked at it── it certainly is not. He couldn’t see it when his head was pressed against the gun, but what the mannequin is wearing isn’t a black robe; it is a waiter uniform Cheech is familiar with.

“No way…… isn’t she Marian?”

She is the clerk NPC he took over when he brought the store. Why Marian turned a gun on her employer….. no, more than that, the voice from earlier was certainly the black girl’s…… it was Memento.

And then.

“Pleasant to meet you, Pretty princess Star princess . I thought it’s about time for you to show up”

The next voice he heard was from Memento that girl . But, it was extremely strange.

“However, isn’t just somewhat too violent to shot me all of the sudden like that, even though we finally meet”

The one who spoke was an NPC waiter, Jhon. A youth set with a cheerful personality. And from his mouth, he let out the exact same voice as Memento.

“Jhon, why!?”

While facing the store self-defense use rifle he possess towards the guitar case girl, and spoke, either to Cheech or the girl.

“Meme’s 『Svengali』 can only give a fake sensation against human. However if it’s against NPC that doesn’t have a genuine self-awareness, I can manipulate their every limbs as if my own”

Cheech couldn’t get what she meant but it appears the girl understands it. And unsurprisingly, she stares at Jhon with a lit ice fire on her eyes.

“Memento…… where are you now?”

“Waiting right outside, Haruha”

“Is that so”

The girl who called Haruha then struck Jhon. Heart, neck, and forehead── the three key points in 『CtG』 were shot through in an instant, and lastly she blasts him with shotgun. The mannequin face that pops out like a pine cones bounced to the wall and fell to the floor as if it was dancing.

After shooting all bullets she has the girl unsparingly dump her exhausted guns and walked out with her out-of-place guitar case. She then squatted and opens the lid of it and reveals all tightly packed guns and magazines inside it.

Cheech was dumbfounded watching the girl chambering the first bullet into a retrieved handgun, but when Haruha was about to go outside he hurriedly tried to stop her.

“W-wait young miss! Just how many NPC do you think in this town? No matter how strong you are if you’re doing it alone you might……”

He thought she would ignore him, but the girl glanced back at Cheech and showed an innocent smile.

“Thank you. But Haruha will be fine, Oji-san. Haruha will surely kill all who dared to annoy daddy or mommy”

Meanwhile Memento is waiting all alone in front of the tavern waiting for her to show up.

Different to real world, the Gunman’s Glaive current time is noon. The sun above their head was shining violently on the midday.

The place where the tavern is standing is what known as the profane “Church Road” which is the aorta of this town; usually it’s flooded with passerby and horses. However, in this moment, there’s only Memento seen on the street. There seem a lot of people watching from inside the building, but no one dared to come out. They were afraid of becoming one of the mannequincorpse lying on the street.

A strong wind blows through the frozen air of fear.

The tavern swing door quietly opened and the opponent Memento was waiting for appeared.

Soft hair, an atmosphere of transient world wrapped within her childishness, and a gaze that sank in the shadows. She dropped the guitar case that hung on her shoulder and a dull sound echo as it hit the ground.

And then the girl then pulled out two strange guns with her both hands.

It has a realistically unimaginable symbol of phoenix engraved on its red metallic slide poured in gold that shines fiery. It is the game original automatic pistol similar to Memento’s Genbu, 『Ｉ．Ｅ．Suzaku』. It’s a crimson gun of destruction with tremendous firing capability.

The grip changes depending on the player’s hand size, which appear to be really unbalanced for a girl who is not even ten year old yet, and the silhouette on both of her hand looks…

“Like a monkey wearing mantle”

“Haruha is not a monkey”

She dutifully answered and stopped her step. The distant they had is about ten meters. From the both girl’s vision, they were able to see each other eye moisture.

As if to respond to Haruha who stopped her leg, dozens of people showed up from inside the store facing the street and alleyway. Every one of them was equipped with guns or axes. It’s not necessarily out of place but the appearance of old lady in apron holding a rifle gives a unique intimidation.

It’s all NPC under Memento’s control. They were surrounding the young girl in a large number.

However, showing no interested to the surrounding, the girls begins their conversation.

They talked about things that cannot be conveyed through their eyes. At least up to that point the two, the girls’ dialogue──

“I know it, Haruha”

“Why did you hurt daddy?”

“Haruha who were raised by human and became human”

“Even though daddy did nothing wrong”

“Haruha who is real human, unlike Meme”

“Mommy was scared”

“But, Meme couldn’t understand the differences”

“…… you made them cry……”

“What is the different between Meme and Haruha?”

“………… Haruha will…………!”

“If, there are no differences”

“What you did, dozens times more”

“Haruha must not be here as well”

“Haruha will make you, pay”

““That . is . why””

““Die””

“ “ Die ” ” 　　　　　 The wind blows and the red mantle wildly flutters.

Simultaneously, all NPC controlled by Memento pulled their trigger at once, and along with the sound of nonsensical explosion Haruha’s mantle was thorn like firecrackers.

But, that moment the figure of Haruha already part way with the mantle and grazing on the ground. And while rushing through the leg of lined up NPC, she shot their heads from low angle. Bloods spouted from the bullet that penetrate through their jaw up to their brain, and as if taking an uppercut their head were thrown up to the air. However, unlike boxer they just kneeled as if prying and never move again.

One after another the blood splash soared to the high sky and descend, red flowers blooms on the ground like fireworks that turnaround the heaven and earth.

Head Shot Killed !!　　　　　Head Shot Killed !!

Head Shot Killed !!

Head Shot Killed !!　　　　　Head Shot Killed !!

(Memento! The one who hurt daddy! ──Kill!)

Her sharpened malice took form; her instinct drew a slaughter straight line through calculation on her sight. That was the rail spread by the world for Haruha. It’s something that only those who were naturally born with understanding of virtual world providence and law can use, maneuver of revelation.

That small body sweep away along with the wind killing the entire group.

It blows like a violent storm.

It took away the false human nature from the NPCdolls, and builds a row of hollow mannequin in an instant.

While slipping through the enemies’ legs and blows up their gastrocnemius in a close distant, she pulled the rifle of the enemy at front with her elbow and shot it to the enemy on the side, she then kicked the wall and took grab on the enemy’s neck with her knee and break his upper body with a cartwheel.

After finally getting rid of NPC bodies that covered Memento from her line of shot, she pulled Suzaku trigger in great accuracy. However, it was stopped by a big man with an axe and the bullet hit his knee instead.

──But she won’t stop. Haruha discarded the gun without hesitation and pulled out knifes from both of her sleeves.

Using the knee of NPC as stepping stone, she cut through deeply into his neck. Without stopping she climbed his body and jump in an instant, and after cutting her way out of the enemies she arrive to the spot where she left her guitar case.

That moment, her eyes met Memento on the other side of the herd of NPC. On the other side of the burnt smell of heat distorted the air, she let out a joyful smile. Haruha just returned the gaze and unlock the case.

And, from inside she pulled out the third, and forth Suzaku slide and combined it together, with great dexterity as she loaded the first bullet…

The killing resumed.

　　　　◆

“This is… amazing”

Niiro’s straightforward sigh broke the long silent.

Kasugai household living room. The four watches Haruha’s fight earnestly through the screen without even sweeping their sweats. However from what Yuu sees, it seemed each one of them fell silent for different reason.

Niiro, just like what he said before, was only watching to measure the potential of the experimental body his people created.

Miharu who was sitting next to Yuu, while unmistakably surprised seeing Haruha’s fight, worried about her more than anything. And in order to not let her voice leak out she covered her mouth with both of her hand.

Meanwhile Hajime’s reaction was hard to distinguish; even though her lips loosen up to a shape close to a smile her face was clearly pale. Could it be her position as a researcher and personal feeling conflicting with each other?

And finally, Yuu was clenching his teeth due to his own pitifulness.

He cannot stand in the stage where Haruha’s life is at stake. It also does not change the fact that this is the fight that determines the fate of this game, the fate of his mother memento. While his chest infiltrated by the bashful thought, the pain Memento engraved into his body and the word Haruha left became a chain that took away strength from him.

(Even though I must be the one who protect Haruha……)

『If that happens, Haruha will go back to home』

In the end she said that. He disappointed the person he must protect. But, he also said the same thing to his mother who often leaves him behind devoted to her work. And eventually he stopped informing her about class observation day and sports day that she won’t come anyway. He also won’t even try to consult to his mother when he troubled about something.

He didn’t know that being given up by someone was this painful.

This might be a natural punishment for his helplessness. Because he had given up he lost his mother, and now he might lose Haruha too. As the feeling of nausea reaches his neck blood vessel, Hajime spoke.

“This as if…… she isn’t Haruha-chan”

She then cleared her throat, probably because her voice was huskier than she thought. It sounded painful for Yuu as he felt the disconnection between “Haruha” ferocious fight on the screen and “Haruha” he knew. A child who doesn’t need them, a child from “other side”……

But, the one who denied those words── the one who strongly denied those words was, Miharu.

“No. She is unmistakably, our Haruha. Just look at the screen closely”

““…………?””

Unsure what she meant, Yuu and Hajime watch over the screen Miharu pointed── there displayed the close-up figure of Haruha shooting a gun. As to look more closely both of them squirted their eyes. There was Haruha who top half of her face covered in shadow. The only thing they can see was the wild flashy muzzle flashes, but……

“Ah!!”

He then noticed, and then shouted with wide open eyes along with Hajime.

““Aa, aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa────!””

Everything becomes obvious when he noticed that──

““The muzzle flashes became cat’s paws───────!?””

“S-Since when did she customized that……”

As Hajime wipe the sweat under her chin Miharu nodded deeply and smiled.

“She may be young but she’s a girl after all. Being fashionable is given”

Is it……? He thought.

“Haha……”

He couldn’t help but to laugh noticing the cushion Haruha placed on top of the sofa also has animal paw pattern. It’s all connected── she is Haruha. No matter how powerful or fierce she became, she is unmistakably the same hugging mole Haruha who wet Yuu’s shirt with drool this morning.

And then.

That Haruha, was shot and blown off in the other side of the screen.

　　　　◇

Remaining NPC, three left. And finally Memento takes an action.

• Shooosh* with a smooth motion akin to that of a ghost, she came close behind Haruha in an instant. Against the giant NPC in front of her, Haruha pierces through its stomach and lung with a knife, and finish it with a shoutei. Swiftly, she pulled out Suzaku and shoves it back to where Memento is.

Memento had already pulled of her big black gun. Both of their guns’ paths didn’t cross with each other. Memento’s gun aimed Haruha’s forehead, and Haruha’s gun aimed Memento’s heart── in close distant, both of them ready to kill their target.

It’s what so called the Mexican standoff. But,

The girls pulled the trigger without hesitation. The violent roar broke the silent space and the image of two girls distort within the sound and heat. The two flutter along with the stimulations gunshots, and the bullets that were shot hit Haruha’s cheek and Memento’s flank, they managed to scrape off a piece of their opponent’s skin and spilled their blood. However, the two didn’t stop.

Exchanges between guns.

The murderer’s recklessness took away the threat of Prometheus gunpowder.

The two clashes each other fist to prevent their opponent from getting the chance to aim. The girls, who innate the ground of virtual world, battle was so elaborate and without even a moment of hesitation, each of all action they made are simply done to defeat their opponent.

Perfectly and infallible, therefore the two inevitably equally matched. It’s believed that it will stay that way── but.

The situation will eventually lean to Haruha’s side.

(Mustn’t lose…… mustn’t lose……! If Haruha lose──!)

Haruha’s strong will and purpose further accelerate her already top speed. She gradually pry open her line of fire, for each time she succeed she optimize the algorithm of victory.

And she finally reached it. She finally has her opponent’s small key point under her line of fire. On the deadly trajectory that pierces through Memento’s heart, her muzzle stopped!

That instant.

Haruha’s body was blown.

“Ah……?”

Her shoulder was pierced by a bullet shot from the side. That small body that very light compared to that of an adult, soared like a leaf, and fell on the ground like a mud.

What she able to perceive while helplessly rolling on the ground was that dozens of NPC had appeared in addition to the two. It seemed while Haruha was focusing on her fight with Memento the second batch had showed up.

Haruha who fell dramatically is quickly surrounded, and she is looked down by Memento with thin smile.

“Just a half-step more. Very unfortunate isn’t it, Haruha”

While her shoulder held down she glared up. With a ハダリーズ restraint strength she able to withstand the pain, but she can’t raise her arm like this.

“……For sure, Haruha will beat you up. Haruha won’t let you end『 this place CtG 』”

“Well indeed, if Haruha don’t defeat Meme, Haruha won’t able to sustain her life after all”

Against Memento’s point, Haruha answered,

“……It doesn’t matter what will happen to Haruha”

She abandoned it.

That child who is always full of curiosity and is interested in everything, but, against name word that provide that small body of her a place, she easily let out the voice warped in contempt.

Memento narrowed her eyes. It was the word that she, a person who earnestly seeking for self-definition till now, couldn’t believe. Is it that? Is it the different between a herself failure and a Haruha success ? If that is the case, then the next question Memento will deliver shall lead her to the answer she seeks.

“If it’s true── then for what reason, Haruha fight?”

　　　　◆

『Because this the place where mommy can sing as she like』

In respond to Haruha’s word.

Miharu was stunned; the hands that were holding her scream up till now had dropped from her mouth.

“Haruha…… just for that reason──”

『And also, this is the place where daddy will bid farewell with his mommy!』

In respond to Haruha’s next word.

Yuu recalled back the old story he told to Haruha as Clamp today noon.

『The reason I’m playing this game is, to have talk with my mother』

『Daddy’s mommy?』

『That’s right, she’s your grandmother. She had already departed to heaven though』

『She died……?』

『Yeah, that’s why it’s impossible to meet her anymore. I can’t talk to her anymore…… though, I hardly talk to her when she still alive however. Even way before I obtained my sense of discretion she had always been busy with her work, and at day time I would stay in Fuyufu…… the girl we met this noon, house. I was neglected I suppose. And also, the present she gave me during birthday or Christmas would always be the game she made at work. She said that it’s the one before it open for public, in other word the beta version. It’s full of defects and at times I got sick of it』

『Did she gave a huggy wuggy……?』

『Aaaah…… very rarely, I guess』

『That surely is lonely』

『That’s right…… and because of that, I don’t really like my mother. Even in very rare day she got a break she won’t say anything to me…… and while things stay light that, she died』

『To die, is that right…… scary stuff』

『Yeah, it’s scary. And what scarier is at the day of her funeral, a person who claimed to be my mother’s friend told me. “Your mother make game for your sake”. It because I don’t have a father, and because mother have to go to work she can only rarely take me out to play. But it’s her wish to show the world to me, so that’s why she made it with all her might, a wide world where even a me child can safely have fun adventuring various places. ……..I’m sure in her eyes; her unsociable son is nothing but a weak and small kid like Haruha. And the last game she made is, this “Cradle to the Glaive”』

『So this is……. This place, is the world grama made……』

『Stupid isn’t it…… Me and my mother. She worked hard for my sake and created this amazing world but what all I wanted was actually just a simple world where I can be with my mother. In the end she doesn’t get anything. But, also, I can’t even tell that to her. Because of that she remained unknowing my feeling and I also stay unknowing that all her hard work was for my sake. Both of us sure is bad in talking, we sure are bad combination. But, exactly why, the only thing I can do is to fully accept all her hard work. The world my mother left behind, a world she prepare for me ── I have to accept every single of it. Because that is the only funeral I can give to her』

『Funeral……? What is that?』

『That means……. To give farewell wholeheartedly to his/her very important person 』

It’s natural you can say, Memento couldn’t completely understand the reason Haruha gave.

『……I don’t really got it, but in other word Haruha is fighting for the sake of Clamp and Mifa, the two who raised Haruha?』

『That is right. The only thing Haruha has is, just daddy and mommy』

『They are just an existence to tune Haruha up to shape. They’re just a human among the large pile. So thing that Haruha, who is a very rare existence, is betting her life to protect is just their freedom? Even to bet your own left? …… What the heck with that? Stop speaking nonsense』

Memento was clearly confused. Even so she stays smiling.

Haruha is different. Her expressionless face quickly crumbles as she vigorously shouted.

『It’s not nonsense! Daddy and mommy would give Haruha a hug when Haruha ask to, and they also sleep with Haruha when Haruha ask so, and if Haruha did something bad they would get mad for Haruha’s sake! Even though Haruha is not their real child they will give a lot ── a lot of love and huggy!』

Ignoring Memento who confused how to respond, Haruha lower her head in momentum.

『And such kind daddy and mommy are fighting…… Even though they were always smiling in the game. It must be because Haruha went there (to real world) and troubled them……』

What shown on Haruha’s eyes weren’t sadness but the color of no resignation.

『That’s why……. That’s why Haruha is a bad child, a fake daughter like Haruha doesn’t matter at all. What matters is to protect daddy and mommy’s important place, nothing more』

Niiro then speak to Yuu and Miharu who pulled out their Ramiel.

“Are you two sure? She said she will go back home though”

Miharu ignored him. And Yuu answered with a sharp canine voice.

“I don’t care any less”

In fact, Kasugai Yuu was furious.

To Memento, Niiro, Haruha── and moreover, himself.

　　　　◇

“──Regardless, its Haruha lost. And then, the tool that couldn’t fix an error is an error itself…… what a mess”

Memento loosely lifted her gun and aimed between Haruha’s eyebrows.

Haruha stare straight into the gun muzzle without hesitation. Her arm still can’t move. If she tries to stand all NPC surrounding her will open fire. If she killed by Shim - Stimulator Psudo Senses Poison , Haruha’s body in real world might suffer some serious nerve abnormalities. She might die.

But no problem. Haruha’s winning condition is just to neutralize Memento. Other than that is not important.

With this close distant, if she able to throw a knife a moment right before the shot, and circulate the impact done to her skull by the hit to her knife, it will pierce through Memento’s throat and break her cervical spine.

(I’ll die, and kill her)

And it will over. She will save the world of 『CtG』 that Yuu and Miharu need, and they won’t be troubled because of Haruha. A rational result. She will kill all fake human who harassed her parents. Kill everyone, along with herself.

That is the cold equation that Haruha indicate in this beautiful world.

Memento pulled the trigger and Haruha took out the last blade out of her sleeve.

And then.

The bell rang.

The pencil-like bell from the small church bell tower sings loudly right behind Memento

““Eh…………””

Strangely, Memento and Haruha stopped their movement. At exactly the same time, their gazes were drawn to the door of the church. The mirror house connected to other world.

And what emerged from that door were, the two person imagined by the artificial girls.

Clam wearing unsuitable heavy armor, and Mifa dragging a large rectangular guitar case with his help.

Haruha’s family shows up, they step firmly on the vector known as determination.

While still aiming her gun at Haruha, Memento exaggeratedly shrugged her shoulder.

“Thank you for accompanying me that time, Onii-san. Didn’t think will see you again”

“Well, I agree”

Clamp and Mifa stopped dozens step away from the large number of NPC, Memento and Haruha. The thrown big guitar case made a sound as it hit the ground.

“What business do you have?”

As she asked, Memento commands the NPC and directed their gun towards Clamp and Mifa. Clamp answered regardless.

“We come to pick up our Haruha”

When her eyes met Clamp, Haruha’s pupil shook as if frightened.

“And while we at it, Memento, I will kill you”

“Can you? It’s 3 against 22”

“You counted wrong”

Mifa said frankly, and Memento went “What?” voicing her puzzlement. Against it, Mifa voiced a strong voice that Haruha never heard before. She is angry, seeing Haruha got hurt.

“It’s a mistake thinking that there are just three of us. ──Lie down, Haruha!”

As soon as she shouted, Mifa and Clamp threw themselves from the ground.

And then, the lid of the guitar case left on the ground was blown away. It blown away high to the sky.

Since they stay on the sky so comfortably── by mistake Memento looked up. And all NPC that connected through her thoughts follows. Conversely, Haruha obediently follow Mifa’s instruction. In that single moment less than a second, they’ve achieved their goal.

From inside the guitar case a stuffed doll-like thing uproariously emerged. That stuff doll has an umbrella, arms, a scrabbling-like face, and is holding a multi-barrel machine gun

──As all of you’ve already guessed. It is the brave figure of sire Payakino holding a Gatling gun like the one in a western massacre scene.

“──LET’S PLAY”

The mushroom heartlessly declared and began the slaughter.

Usually it uses a gun mount and lightly swings the large gun with it, and the NPC’s lives were reap like weeds by the bullet shot through the rotating turrets. The wildly splattered blood became a fog and dyed the air with its red color.

“Oi, what the heck is this Kinokino…… something that big exist?”

“T-This is total mess……”

All of the sudden the onlookers who were watching from afar start whispering to each other.

“Ufufufu....... that is the wilderness kidnapper Paya The Kid”

“You sure late with the news”

Those who explained with know-it-all face were the familiar elderly couple.

But enough about that.

What left after it ran out of bullet was the crispy reverberation on the air and the swarm of shattered body of mannequins.

And standing right in the middle of that nightmarish burning hell is the figure of Memento standing perfectly unharmed. However, she couldn’t help but to be separated from Haruha.

That’s why, what Haruha sees after the gunfire is the figure of Clamp squatting right on her side. She didn’t see Mifa’s face. Because, the moment she raised her body, she got embraced by her.

“Daddy, mommy…… why……?”

“Sorry that we’re late”

Looking for trace of wound Clamp stroked Haruha’s cheek. It tickles. Haruha twist herself and averted her eyes.

“Haruha said don’t come right! ……what if, you die again?”

“Because I’m too weak, I made you force yourself. But, it’s all fine now”

“Even though, Haruha said Haruha will go back home……”

“You will. Your home is… our house right”

“……hic……”

Her father’s words and her mother’s warmth loosen her clockwork-like body.

“That’s why”

Then Clamp made a strict face and stared into Haruha’s eyes. After that, he hit Haruha’s head with his firm fist. Since they’re inside the game Haruha didn’t feel any pain. But, pressure of his “serious” stained through her head.

“Don’t ever say 『not their real child』 again. If you say that, that moment”

That scolding mouth then crumbles into a cry.

“I’ll cut our parent-child ties”

Haruha’s determination that did not collapse even in front of her death… was unceremoniously shattered.

　　　　◆

“She is crying……”

Hajime muttered in surprise as she peered into the cradle-type Ramiel Haruha is in.

And immediately, she found the reason.

ハダリーズ born in virtual world will grow without doing the normal action of human baby── eating, sleeping, and also crying. It because consuming nutrient and sleeping is needless in this virtual world to sustain a life. And they gain wisdom without need to rely on others.

And Haruha who seemingly spoiled child is not an exception. That’s why when an “enemy” like Memento showed up she didn’t rely on Yuu or Miharu but tried to protect them instead.

And the tears shed by Haruha who don’t know what cry were happy tears.

And against that strange, bizarre, blessing moment, Hajime was trembling.

　　　　◇

“Well then”

Clamp slowly rise up and glared at Memento.

“It’s already night in Other side Real World . Let’s end this quickly”

Memento excessively opens her arm.

“Dou you think you can really with your family── including that mushroom?”

“What a nonsense I’m hearing. Figure it out Toy head Cyber girl , I’m alone is enough to deal with you”

That moment, Memento’s face that was showing a confidence smile earlier turned expressionless. Whether that expression is anger, aghast, or maybe something else, no one knows.

The girl opens the revolver cylinder and insert bullet through the displayed submenu screen.

“A duel huh. Interesting isn’t it, gunslinger”

Gunslinger Those who armed with gun . The reason why Memento calls him that was presumably because of the four disposable guns ironically resting on Clamp’s both sides and thigh holster. Weapons stored in a sheath or holster has merit to be equipped without taking it out from the item box. But, replacing magazine when running out of bullet is clearly way more economic, including the shotgun on his waist, there are no player who would carry five guns all at once.

“Mifa, raise my status with your song skill. Payakino, protect both of them”

“Daddy, Haruha will take care of her──”

Haruha tried to stand up in a hurry but Mifa won’t let go of her. Clamp stroked Haruha’s head and walked around Memento.

Mifa then gently admonish Haruha who restlessly squirm.

“Haruha. For now let’s just trust Clamp…… our Kasugai Yuu-kun”

She hugged Haruha’s head, and look at him together. Clamp’s back that walked in circle with Memento as the center.

“That person looked a little bit cooler in game right?”

What stopped Haruha weren’t Mifa’s words or her strength, but maybe the faint heat mixed in that voice.

Mifa’s clear singing voice rides the wind through the land of wilderness town, and soar into the distant sky.

──That name is 『The Perfect Gamer』. Lightly gallant, a lyric devoted with trust and prayer to their beloved ones.

As his entire physical ability rose by the singing voice, Clamp took out a shortened double-barreled shotgun from his waist, and asked Memento.

“Memento. Do you know why I’m called Scarabaeus?”

“? No. What about it?”

“I see── then it’s my win”

In the moment when he floated an irritating smile on his face, Memento aimed her gun with out of context behavior and opened fire. The sound of gunshot that was like the roar of god beast violently shook the atrophied town of tragedy and disappeared into the other side.

Memento saw it. The world of 『CtG』 is the world of determinism for ハダリーズ. She is able to accurately predict the definite future of next few second. That’s why she able to see the future where the bullet will blow off Clamp’s neck and create a new mannequins to the pile.

But.

The bullet didn’t hit Clamp. More than that, Memento lost sight of Clamp. She lost it along the future she saw.

Hence, the fact that she was able to avoid the direct hit shot from the side was due to her pure reflex and nothing more. However she wasn’t able to completely avoid shotgun from the blind spot, and she received a scratch on her shoulder. Drop of blood are falling. ──Graze Hit!

“I said don’t get carried away!”

Clamp’s voice was heard from slightly different place from the direction of the shotgun. He is slowly walking around Memento.

Memento was confused── she can’t understand. What happened just now was, something beyond this world rule of physic, something impossible to happen.

Clamp had moved 6 meter away in an instant. Memento herself has unfeasible speed, but this is way beyond that. Skill or item that allows teleportation to such distant does not exist in 『CtG』. Gunman’s Glaive in particular, item that allows similar feat are just 『Rut of Journey』 that allows warp to the church.

“O, oi…… isn’t he that Clamp of Scarabaeus? You know, the one on ranking list”

“The guy who has an abnormal score in game completion with short play time, the one who was suspected to be using cheat? But if that is the case isn’t his level too low, and I’ve never heard that cheat doable in 『CtG』”

The onlookers start whispering to each other, but they’re off the mark. Currently there is no phenomenon of data modification or such. That’s the conclusion. And that is exactly why she can’t understand.

“What did……. you do?”

That truth must’ve humiliated her, however Memento was smiling. In mist of confusion she was smiling. Meanwhile Clamp nonchalantly answers.

“Scarabaeus. Because it’s too absurd, I don’t use in PVP. But, it’s different story against the opponent who dared to hurt Haruha. Without hesitation or mercy, I’ll crush you with all I got”

“…………Hmmm”

This time Memento attack using her legs instead of her guns. She unsheathed the knife that she had on her hip, and instantly appeared right in front of Clamp’s chest. The moment her blade launch onto his heart, the menu screen in front of Clamp disappeared ──

And the figure of Clamp disappeared as well.

(Again──!?)

This time she quickly rolled on the ground and escape from the upcoming shot. As expected, shotgun then passed by on the place where Memento once was.

By the time she stood up and directed her gun, Clamp who was five, six meter away from her discard his shotgun and pulled out a gun from the holster on his side. It’s a very common, orthodox type of automatic pistol in Gunman’s Glaive.

Memento shot regardless. Bullets from Clamp’s gun don’t have much power in it. Even if they hit each other the possibility of Memento receiving fatal wound is zero.

The bullet Memento shot was again inexplicably dodged by him. But unlike before, this time Clamp only teleported several centimeters away. He staggered a bit received the shock from Genbu large-caliber bullets.

However, what struck Memento was a further absurdity.

The bullet shot by Clamp’s gun lost its target as well. Memento’s swiftness and reflex to dodge that bullet in such short distant was indeed way surpassed Clamp’s ability.

But, that bullet that should’ve from a standard handgun grazed Memento’s left shoulder── and loudly blast the wall of the bar behind her. Brush aside the scream of the bartender from inside the bar, that bullet strength is beyond normal. Memento’s shoulder that was grazed had broken and loosely hanging down.

This power is like, the armor piercing ammunition shot with large-caliber rifle to fight large monsters. Obviously, it’s not the strength that would come from a mere ordinary handgun.

Thus, that ordinary gun is most likely not a normal gun at all. That gun flew away from Clamp’s hand and floats in the air.

When automatic pistol had finish firing it would discharge its cartridge, but that mechanism had stopped midway. Specifically, its overly large cartridge is stuck by the slide cover and unable to complete its function to the end, morbid sound endlessly ring and it stays in the air.

Abandoning his now unusable gun in the air, Clamp pulled out the same type gun from his holster. It’s nothing special, his ridiculous multiple-equipment is simply for convenient of using that one-time-only gun.

“This is…… That’s right! This is──”

And after all that, Memento had finally understood. The reason why Memento couldn’t understand Clamp’s absurd behavior, the handgun that stays in the air ignoring the laws of physic, and then the meaning of the nickname of Scarabaeus──

“This is… a bug!!”

　　　　◆

Bug. It’s the word used to refer to bug insect wriggling in obscurity and causes problem or defect within a program.

“……so that’s why”

Hajime Hidari pulled out the 『CtG』 game control part of the source code with the terminal on her hand, and finally she find out the cause of this strange phenomenon caused by Clamp.

Niiro then deliver a puzzled gaze and she straightforwardly explain the mechanism in question.

“First of all, about Clamp’s teleportation-like action…… The teleportation item, 『Rut of Journey』 has a rewind function to return the player to their original coordinates in case of error in order to avoid the problem that occur in the middle of teleportation, and to do that it records the variable of area where the player is in before the teleportation executed. This variable is obtained during the final confirmation of the item usage, and will be deleted when cancelled, but if you open a menu that has higher respond priority than the item and close it in particular order and timing, the variable deletion sub-method will not get kicked out and the variable information alone will remain. And then, after walking a little he uses the 『Rut of Journey』, proceed the menu to the usage final confirmation, pulled out the logout screen and press cancel. As result, along with the error from the teleportation access, an error code will be reported to the system── and he will be teleported back to his original position”

“Too long…… in short, what happened?

“A simple coordinate bug! By acquiring the coordinate information on the spot he once stands on, he will be able to instantly teleport there at any time……. In other word, a trick!”

“A trick! To think that such thing also exists in this modern day. Then, the rifle bullet from that handgun too?”

“A bug too. There are two ways to load bullets into the magazine, doing it manually or through the menu screen in a batch. For the latter, the compatibility check between the gun and bullet is not done through the virtual world physical calculation. It’s instead handled by 『CtG』 game system. The set property determination is a combination of two digit alphabet and six digit numbers ── like 『GB000001』 or 『RB030103』 for example. It’s done with reference of these ID. However an armor-piercing bullet data ID was scraped and re-implemented later in the middle of production. Apparently during that input miss what originally be 『RB020013』 ended up as 『 B020013』 in incorrect format. And the program that determine whether or not the bullet is set treat the blank as a wild card and process it to be usable, and the powerful handgun bullet with ID『GB020013』 is able to be loaded to any possible gun. Although, as you can see, as result of revolting against the law of physic the gun ended up like that after one shot”

“……Thus Scarabaeus, huh”

Niiro quietly laugh.

“What a fateful parent and child”

Scarab Dung Beetle is the scared symbol of the sun god in ancient Egypt, and the figure of it has been engraved on amulets and trinkets as well.

Sacarab, amulet of insect. A boy who protects with bug insect .

Clamp of Scarabaeus.

That is the nickname given by the veteran players out of whim knowing about Clamp’s play style of using bugs, and strangely Yuu himself come to like it and did not remove the tag. The subtly silly tone it has felt fitting to him.

Playing game his mother made when he was young had become part of his life, and for Yuu who had played various prototype version game before its release, bug is as natural as air to him.

At first he simply felt amazed and irritated by it, but as he encounters many of it he figured it out, why such thing happens, and eventually he was able to somehow forecast various internal mishandles of it. That were, his mother’s simplicity mistakes, he thought. In there, his mother who often absent from home, is present.

After that he would enter his mother’s absent room, find a memo with program processing flow plan written on it, and open the programming guide filled with sticky notes── He was able to objectively perceive his mother’s game ideas and bad habits, and began to find gap in it and read it through like a kind of paranoid behavior.

It might just be a distorted affection, that by finding defects in his mother’s work he tries to seek revenge against her.

In doing so, like an anteater that attacks the nest of ants, he was able to find large number of bugs inside his mother’s game. He would report bugs that affect the game progress like in-game currency or big bug that change the parameter to abnormal number and have it fixed by the management boards. However, he won’t report bugs that were more complicated or extremely difficult to reproduce, and make it as his own thing.

A secret treasure he won’t pass to anyone. The jewelry of Scarab. His mother’s fragment.

What left in his mother’s game, what left in Yuu’s relationship with his mother.

The remaining wound(bug) is now, giving Yuu the power to protect his new family.

　　　　◇

“It surely was powerful”

Upon understanding Clamp’s identity Memento had finally escape from the confusion.

“But it means nothing if it don’t hit, and Meme won’t let that happen”

Even though it’s an irregular bug gun, as long she knows the type of its bullet, avoiding it won’t be a problem. As for his instant teleportation, she still doesn’t get its principle but she understands its rule. Clamp was most likely plan to end the fight by disrupting Memento with his instant teleportation then shot her with his bug gun. But, there is nothing more tragic than to miss in such situation.

By the time he missed with his first shot with his bug gun, Clamp’s defeat had been determined.

“It’s the end──”

She directed her gun towards Clamp and pulled the trigger without hesitation. And just like before Clamp’s figure had disappeared. But, after he teleports, Clamp hardly move. Considering all patterns up till now, that teleportation bug would only teleport him to somewhere near the area before he teleport.

If it only has such short range, she can kill him by the moment he reappear── that was what Memento thought. But.

0.3 seconds had passed after Clamp’s disappearance.

His face… appeared right in front of Memento.

“…!?”

She got confused once more. Memento had accurately memorized all of it. There is no way Clamp would be right in front of her. How can he teleport there? Did she predict the teleportation condition wrong?

In reality it was another bug that “Make the player invisible for a instance when he/she open the 『Remove all equipment』 menu and close it the moment choosing the option“. It doesn’t do any good by itself, and it is just a trivial problem that would most likely be ignored even if got reported.

However, it was a daunting task to identify for Memento who had been shown coordinates bug teleportation over and over. And it exactly because Memento can assess situation in coma second that she got confused.

Psychological bug combo. Memento had artfully trapped in it.

But.

Even so Memento’s victory won’t waver. Even if Clamp fires the bug gun in such adhesion state, she would fire even faster than him. Their speed is simply far from each other.

But, however.

The next moment, Genbu had disappeared from Memento’s hand.

『Snatch !』

As the synthetic sound of 《Snatch》 succession, Clamp raised his battle voice in the closed space, and the jet-black gun moved to his hand.

The moment Clamp had disappeared he threw away his gun and became empty handed── with that he fulfilled the condition to use 《Snatch》 skill.

It was because he did not underestimate Memento’s competence, he understood that even if he manage to get an opening in that close range it would just end as suicide attack. How does he understand that? That was because Haruha had showed Memento’s potential to the limit in the middle of that fight.

That’s why, all of his actions up to now, was just foreshadowing for this single moment to take away her gun in close proximity.

(I will win! Win and talk to Haruha! Not apologizing or scolding, but── 『Thank you for thinking about us』!)

Even so.

Even so, Memento did not doubt her own victory.

The next moment after she recognized that her gun had stolen, she would unsheathe Derringer small gun from her sleeve and shoot Clamp on the face right before he able to do anything with the stolen── Memento can do that.

But, however.

Even so.

The girls, the girls of Clamp’s family, had already convinced. Of who would be the winner of this duel.

『Stealing the enemy’s weapon while empty handed, and then, in perfect timing, activate a semi-auto attack; it’s a style that relies heavily on preliminary actions. It’s a distinct specification of『CtG』I say』

The two did not forget the word Kasugai Yuu said once.

Memento couldn’t predict that it wasn’t a legit move, but a bug.

Clamp had already directed his gun towards Memento in a distant less than a meter. In nearly the same time Memento’s derringer had already took Clamp on its line of fire.

Mifa and Haruha, shouted with all their might.

““Got it-------------!!””

The triple roar shot killed the entire sound and wind in the city.

It was from the revolver-only high-speed continuous shooting skill, 《Fanning》. It’s action to repeatedly fire bullets while pressing the trigger were said to be similar to fanning a fan.

──『Ｉ．Ｅ．Genbu』 the most powerful handgun in Gunman’s Glaive. That remaining three shots had bombarded Memento’s stomach in an instant. That overwhelming firing sound and ignition flame was more of an explosion than a gunshot.

Then, as the roar aftermath had sucked into the vast dry land and fades away, all that remain was silent. The conclusion of the duel produced a solemn air.

The next sound heard after that was the short sound of Clamp’s gun hit the ground. After he heard the sound he had finally recognized his victory. His noisy heartbeat had finally calmed down, and the wind that was absent during the gunshot had finally return as the victor was decided.

Following the flow of the wind, Clamp looked down upon the girl.

“……Gun sure is great…… a tool for human to kill another human. Unlike Meme who couldn’t even find her own living purpose……”

The flower black girl bloom that bloom from the other side of Hope Haruha .

Memento’s stomach was shot and her upper and lower body breaks off.

Her kneeling lower body collapsed and had already turned into mannequin, and her upper body that had lost its other part has both of her hand open and ten letters were lying on the ground.

That figure of her was like a Origami “Yakko-san” without its Hakama. A handpicked, doll.

“……In that regard, Meme is an error after all…… because Meme is an error, Meme can’t even accomplish bad thing……

The blood flowing out of the huge wound on her stomach formed word “Near Contact Shot!” on the ground. Clamp felt exceedingly bitter and was about to step on the blood letters to break it, but as he thought that would mean to stain Haruha and Memento who are the incarnation of 『CtG』, he stopped.

“You won, Haruha. Your believe stays true till the end. Meme will obediently sleep”

“Memento, you…… was it your plan from the very beginning to lost against Haruha, who is a 『Success』, and become a 『Failure』?”

She was born to be a human but couldn’t be one in the end── for Memento who had lost the purpose of her own existence; her only remaining desire was to get a clear definition of what she is. Even if that answer is garbage.

Clamp approached Memento, get on his knees and shook his head.

“But that is wrong. The one who defeated you was me. Using all cheats in my disposal”

Memento’s throat trembles. She tried to raise her head and laugh, but couldn’t.

“If that is the case, then the one who will stand on the line of fire will be Onii-san instead of Haruha. But no. Haruha made Onii-san to protect her…… that is the power of human. Haruha, who became human, is different from Meme, who couldn’t become a human……”

“………………”

“But now, Meme is happy…… thank you, thank you…… Onii-san”

“I didn’t do anything praiseworthy I think”

“But Meme, thanks to Onii-san, Meme lost, and Meme has been established as 『A trash who can’t win against old humanity』 you know? It is way worse than losing to Haruha. Lower. Narrower……… aah, like a spit spitted by a drunkard on a garbage dump nearby toilet, it felt really pleasant like having my head trampled thoroughly on the ground…… Aaaah, good…… it stick…… the definition sticks…… no more, no more need to look down, no one will need Meme…… a…… Meme….. is relieved…….”

Memento’s words felt really hollow, and it melts in ecstasy like the haze of dawn. Clamp didn’t force himself to understand her, and replied so in frank.

“…… I had no idea what you’re saying”

“Of course, that is natural……… Meme is an error after all”

Shortly after, her body turned into a mannequin corpse , and somehow appear to be really pleased.

　　　　◆

“Good job. We had successfully captured Memento and deactivate her. Let’s go back before the commotion start to spread”

Hajime reported through the red lens-shaped parts on the Ramiel Haruha is lying and let out a huge sigh. On the monitor displaying Gunman’s Glaive, there were the Kasugai Household residents running away from the cheering onlookers.

Haruha was smiling and happily running away. It was a face she didn’t show when she fights Memento. Feeling relief, her cheeks loosens up.

“And who would have thought that Kasugai-kun defeated Memento and not Haruha. Also, what a great Blade Runner doll hunting wasn’t it”

Even though they were both smiling, Niiro Mansei’s smile was somewhat horrifying.

“But still, this is problematic. It’s hard to decide whether this is a result coming from Haruha’s potential or an irregular coming from Kasugai-kun’s unique player qualities. Just how should we take this result and make it as a data…… no”

Trouble trouble, he repeatedly mumbles, his voice was bouncing pleasantly. He must be thinking about chaotic daily life that will happen from now on.

Hajime depressingly sigh. Her eyes naturally swung to the Ramiel black coffin Haruha is sleeping on.

This incident with Memento is only the beginning. The infinite world connected to that coffin will eventually turn into a battle field.

The start of the selection stage of ハダリーズ who obtained the criterion known as Haruha.

Now that it had passed the prototype stage, from now on, the curtain to the supremacy phase choosing for the superior mankind successor will raise. Not just Yuu and others, even unrelated general player will be involved.

ハダリーズ. The future Eve Bride .

Even Hajime couldn’t predict how will each of these girls, who about to be awaken with bizarre powers, fight in this battle of survival. The future no one knows.

But, that is okay, she thought.

In order to skillfully and endlessly stimulate the player’s adventuring heart a game would present them with darkness, the more darkness in front of them people will be tempted to step forward.

No matter how dark and deep that darkness is.   Mankind no longer has time to stand still.