CtG – Zero kara Sodateru Dennou Shoujo Vol 1 Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Interaction

The sudden separation Kugimiya Miharu had with her father happened close to her 10th birthday.

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

As a result, Miharu lost her father without knowing anything, and. like a “good kid” Miharu was at that time, she didn’t even have the courage to inquire about it.

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

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

──In reality the reason for the divorce was because her father had fallen in love with another woman and was unable to break his relations.h.i.+p with her.

It was because of that, Miharu was unable to trust any man no more.

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

From what she had heard, her father and mother met during high school and married after dating for 10 years. She didn’t know whether it was true or not, but from what her father had secretly told her, that was only when her mother had told him that she wanted to marry her first love. So wonderful── thought Miharu, who knew nothing about romantic relations.h.i.+ps at the time, it was her luck and fortune to be born under the love of her parents.

Yet… such a wonderful man like him ended up breaking his own family.

It was wrong.

Miharu thought. She was a person who wanted to always be with the person she loves. To fall in love with a person who will always stay by her side, was something everyone, like her, wished for.

It will just be painful if it’s not.

Since then, Miharu committed to her mother. Her cousin was wrong. It was her mother who was sad and that was why she would always listen to whatever her mother said. Thus, Miharu obediently went to an all-girls school. It was not like her mother thought that it would keep her away from men, but at least it was a place that would be completely unrelated to her father’s wrongdoing.

It was right after she pa.s.sed the entrance exam, Miharu was shocked as she heard her mother said that she would be marrying a man she met at work. Miharu was in dismay, so great was her dismay that she found it strange herself. She couldn’t understand her mother. She knew that her mother broke up with her father. Her father was the bad one. But, why was it then that her mother tried to tie up with someone else after breaking up with her father? She kept asking herself but in the end, Miharu couldn't even understand her own mother.

In the end, Miharu was all alone. She was able to make some friends at school, but at home she was all alone, while her mother was with another person. It was not balanced and she was afraid. Miharu didn’t have the courage to go out, and instead she started playing 『CtG』 where she could interact with various kinds of people while inside the house.

Miharu, who became “Mifa” in the virtual world tried to be someone different from her original self. Someone who could express the emotions that she was unable to show in the real world. “It was just a game after all” she had told herself, and under that spell, “she” became bolder than she ever was. The girl who was timid in the real world found herself making a lot of acquaintances quickly. She felt comfortable to be able to be surrounded by a lot of people in this workd.

When she was helping the guild 【Labyrinth Troupe】, where a girl she knew belonged to, she first met Clamp. Her first impression of him was actually less than favorable. Even though he was the same age as her, he was quiet and barely said any words. It was as if he was mocking her. However it was more than just that, the way he silently reject people and created distance felt like Miharu herself.

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

She had a treasure she shared with him-Haruha- and knowing that the person liked the same thing as her, she was able to believe that person even if he’s a man. They grew closer little by little. Calmly yet also impatiently. He was very skillful when playing game, but on the other hand, was very clumsy when dealing Haruha or her.

Clamp.

She had met the Clamp in real life and for all his pretentious like figure, he was actually dull looking. But, he was very kind, and more so he was sincere when facing Haruha and Miharu. The “hunch” she had since the day he gave the name Haruha to that girl in 『CtG』 pretty much hit the mark.

Kasugai Yuu.

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

But, he, already──

　　　　◇

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

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

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

“Eh……what did you do Haru──”

“Quiet. I can’t concentrate”

Hajime’s expression was unrecognizably serious. The greasy sweat on her forehead was s.h.i.+ning 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 as she began to operate what appears to be the controller of the electrode.

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

Before she realized it, Miharu’s legs began 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 was just as simple as that. Even so── even so, why did it become like this?

Within these past two months, the face that looked like Clamp’s which she met in 『CtG』 every day.... that sleeping face that made her heart beat just this morning... is different. *This face is completely different. This is…… this is like---

“He got killed inside 『CtG』”

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

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

Miharu nearly shouts.

(WHAT ARE YOU SAYING!?)

──is what she wanted to say, but she desperately held it in. No. There’s something more important to say.

“Just hurry up and save him!”

“That’s what I’m doing.”

Hajime’s voice remained calm. She sounded reliable but at the same time, it made Miharu want 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 standards and would not emit any strong signals, as a matter of fact, over a year had pa.s.sed since 『CtG』 start running and there has been no health issue reported other than light dizziness. At least that was the case when Miharu checked it on the net before she started playing.

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

Again…… again, she will be separated from someone without knowing anything. And this time, it’s in a place where she can’t go even if she wanted to. What came into her mind was a simple rejection.

No.

No no no!

It had only been a while since we first met but.

In the beginning we met as Mifa and Clamp, instantly got married, started raising a child as if playing house, we pushed our love onto Haruha as if she was our child, also he said that he loves my song.. when I first met 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 had a lot of things to say to Yuu. Wasn’t it Yuu who said “Just say all that you want to say”. It will be troublesome if he died now.

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

The words which she couldn’t say while being Mifa, they fell like flakes of snow. They fell along with her tears.

“When we were giving a 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 realized that it was just a coincidence…… but, then, I started 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 those special things were fated, 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 activated the device once again. Yuu’s body began coughing violently like a caught fish.

As if gus.h.i.+ng out all of her feelings, Miharu called Yuu.

“KASUGAI-KUN!!”

　　　　◆

Thus Kasugai Yuu revived.

He was then carried to the hospital by the car that Hajime had called, and there he received a medical examination for the very first time in his life. No abnormalities── in fact far from it, he was actually “fairly healthy”. By the time they received the result of the inspection, it was already night.

“Explain…… you will do it right.”

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

Haruha and Hajime should be resting on the bench at the hallway. Hajime had already been relieved from the tension by the time they reached the hospital, while Haruha…… was still stunned and silent . When she first arrived, she was still being dragged along by Miharu.

It should have been the adults’ obligation to explain the cause of this incident.

Niiro, who still did not want to take off his sungla.s.ses like always, let out a dry voice.

“Currently, there is a dreadful Player Killer rampant in 『CtG』”

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

But.

“Player Killers…… they are people who attack other players inside the game, right? I understand that Clamp got beaten up by one of them,

But, why did Kasugai-kun end up like that?”

Miharu questioned harshly, and her voice was shaking. Probably from fear, or perhaps, anger.

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

“……What was that?”

Memento Copellia. She was obviously not emotionless. However, the emotions she kept inside and the actions she displayed outwardly did not particularly match. Such a girl was similar to Haruha.

She had pierced Clamp’s throat while she was still smiling.

Just by remembering it, it brought back the pain he felt back then onto his uninjured neck. From what Hajime said, the pain still lingered in his conscious .

Niiro took out a mobile terminal and projected a figure of a girl on the air. She was now wearing different clothes which gave her a different impression, but, she was definitely still Memento.

“She── Memento is the first generation of Hadzar. A human born within 『CtG』”

“Isn’t that just like Haruha……?”

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

“Such things are possible……?”

“We succeeded to some extent. It was a major breakthrough at the time and Memento was able to think normally within 『CtG』.

She was also able to move as freely as she wanted. However, no matter how many times we carried out an emotional response test, her results were always poor, She simply wasn’t able to develop proper emotions. It would have been fine, if what we aimed to do was to create a robot, but our, the Human Equilibrium Inst.i.tute’s goal is to find a way to create a new human. She will continue to remain incomplete if we left her like that.

The resulting hypothesis is that there is defect in the Virtual World’s building capacity and so is unable to reproduce the 『something』 that makes human, human. It is most likely a factor that simple machines are unable to perceive.

That was the case──and thus someone proposed an experiment to give a real body for Memento and in the end we decided to go ahead with the experiment.”

So far, other than their education, she was exactly 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 partially successful.

During Memento’s transfer to the body, due to some unknown reason, her mind caused a rejection and as a result we had to 『discard』 the body. We managed to salvage Memento’s mind but...... as Kasugai-kun had seen, she became a madman.”

“And why did Memento became a player killer?”

He asked, but more or less he had already guessed the answer. The Pandora’s Box story that Memento talked about. The allegory she made── that 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 was raised by the most ideal pair determined by the Nephilim Computer, whose mind was carefully developed from the fetal stage, and was able to develop emotion that Memento was unable to.”

Miharu’s grip tightened as they that held Yuu’s arm.

“Our plan was to have Haruha-san to at least develop human characteristics to a certain degree.

Haruha-san succeeded, which meant there is no more reason to keep working on Memento. That’s why, we isolated her from 『CtG』, and took her in as a sample. By that time, her mental state became severely unstable.”

“So in the end, she rebelled huh?”

He said coldly. He had no reason to be angry for Memento’s sake. But, wasn’t this like being told “You’re no longer needed so just sleep forever,” by her own parents?

Because of Haruha’s “success”, Memento was labeled as a “failure” and lost her own worth. Memento herself wasn’t at fault, but due to the sudden change in situation, she went from being a “major breakthrough” to just “mere data”.

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

“Yes. Even though twisted, she still has a personality. That’s why she showed resistance towards the measures we took to seal her will ── it would have be interesting if that was not the case.

By establis.h.i.+ng herself as an error, it seems Memento arrived to the conclusion, 『I’m an error so I must make mistakes』. And then the error Memento chose to make was to bring chaos to the world of 『CtG』”

“If so why did she become a Player Killer?”

“The reason is simple. It is just her most efficient method to overthrow 『CtG』.

Just like what Kasugai-kun had experienced, Memento’s attack also impacted the players’ self in the real world. That is an ability acquired from the evolution of the seed known as Memento. By giving a suggestion through gaze and pheromones, she can give a strong stimulation to her opponents- an ability to generate a fake signal to the opponent’s brain. On Kasugai-kun case, the small stimulation from having his avatar’s throat stabbed was processed as pain pain when the signal entered the brain. And what stopped his heart from functioning was the result of the amplified image of 『death』 coming during game over. Since it’s a signal that was not originally present within the game, Ramiel Block system didn’t react to it.

We call that ability as Sim - StimulatorPseudo Senses Poison, or 『Eyes of Svengali[1]』.”

“……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 hunt players with that power I wonder?”

Certainly, it was an easy to guess result.

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

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

“……So the recent fainting incidents were the work of Memento?”

“Besides one case due to gas poisoning, most of them are. Currently we managed to rea.s.sure the people above in order to prevent the name of 『CtG』 to be revealed to the public . However, it won’t last long. Of course, we’re putting effort on capturing and isolating Memento. However Memento, who simply does not know what exhaustion is, continues to move around and because she is not logged in or anything, we cannot do an immediate search on her.

“………Will 『CtG』 be closed?”

If they let Memento run rampant uncontrolled, this incident will be revealed sooner or later, and game closure will be inevitable. No matter how large the content it has, prioritizing safety over a mere game is a common sense that even a heavy user or the son of the developer Yuu knows well.

Niiro nodded but then raised 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 log-out will have nowhere to go and will be tied-up, making it easier to us to isolate her. That’s why…

We must defeat Memento. With Haruha’s help”

Silence.

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

“Don’t say such nonsense!”

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

“Kasugai-kun nearly died you know! And you’re telling us to send Haruha…… that small child to fight against such an 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 her thoughts are fully optimized in the world of 『CtG』. To PlayerHuman, operating an avatar is like talking in a foreign language whilst Memento is a fluent native speaker. There is a world of difference.”

In fact, even Yuu, who was a veteran in 『CtG』 controls, was easily killed by Memento without even able to react at all. Memento’s speed and accuracy were 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 Hadzar who can fight Memento.”

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

I don’t think so. Even though he told himself that, the doubt didn’t last forever as the scene of Haruha brutally murdering the train robbers played within Yuu’s mind.

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

“Tha, that’s right! What happens if she dies!”

Yuu resolutely objected and Miharu backed him up. It’s a natural action for parents who take care of their child after all. However…

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

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

“…………Eh? Wh, why, is that?”

“Haruha-san obtained a human body and became a normal child. However, just like what we had mentioned earlier, Haruha-san’s mind is synchronized to the world of 『CtG』 with higher syntax purity than the real world. If she continues to process foreign information from the real world, errors will continue to pile up, and then she will die within, which we estimate, a week’s time.”

They couldn’t react at all against the dire facts Niiro spoke of in an indifferent tone.

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

This time Yuu was the one who got furious.

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

“We would like to do that if possible, but it’s not. The scale of the virtual world that we must maintain in order to do maintenance on Haruha-san requires over ten million users to be connected. Even though we have the country backing, it’s something impossible for us to do. Thus our modus operandi had to be covert .”

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

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

『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 entrances and exits 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 thus the performance of the computer that operates 『CtG』 improves as the number of connected PlayerHuman increases.

──Could it be…

“Is it…… a human computer?”

He suddenly blurted. Miharu blinked with a blank look on her face, and Niiro── smiled, letting out a rather refres.h.i.+ng grin.

“Correct. The ident.i.ty of the NephilinmGiant type computer that constructed the world of 『CtG』 is a performance operation system that uses the connection between the flesh of human and its network to work.

"The consciousness and the body of people, down to the last cell and gene, are made into a database calculation device. With that device, we arranged the responses we got from it and managed to observe the same world that was observed by humans from the moment of their birth.── that’s right, even the human mind as well. In other words we managed to observe the memories of humanity.

"A dream of a person might be full of absurdity, but if we mix and match the dreams of several of tens of thousands of people then the absurdity will be filtered out, which means the more the number of the user the more closer to absolute reality we get.

Eight thousand people are needed just for a simple start-up and we have that amount ready on our end. To put it in other words, that is as much as we can manage.”

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

──A human computer that manages an online game in order to achieve its goal- to maintain its performance level.

And if it cannot maintain its performance, Haruha will die.

“How could this be happening……”

Not only was his daughter an online game addict, but she also shared the same fate as it.

The following one hour was a Q&A time that needed not to be described in detail. Yuu and Miharu, who understood the reason, was still reluctant to expose Haruha to danger and raised issues, and Niiro, kept on rea.s.suring them that there is no other way to solve this problem other than to have Haruha fight Memento. It endlessly repeated itself.

But then, the person who settled the barren dispute was none other than the person in question herself—Kasugai Haruha.

Haruha, who came inside the room along with Hajime spoke with a severe 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 the Haruha they both know is an innocent, spoiled, lonely girl-a small child who they knew since she was born.

“Haruha has decided already.”

But, Haruha at this time was intently firm. Even though she would occasionally pout, she would always listen to Yuu and Miharu, but for the very first time Haruha went against them.

The dissimilar girl equilibrates from collection of observations 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 home”

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

Which house……did she meant?

Everything went fast by the time they made their decision.

Everyone quickly went back to Kasugai house ── although it was a bit forceful, Yuu was allowed to be discharged ── and Haruha laid her small body in the capsule shaped Ramiel.

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

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

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

In front of the provided monitor were Hajime’s still-depressed face with Yuu and Miharu’s gloomy faces all lined up. On a different spot there was the ever calm Niiro pus.h.i.+ng the Ramiel switch and as if singing along the start-up sound, the sungla.s.s 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 can be heard across the winds are the whistling of adventurers heading off to the unexplored.

In this land everything is decided through guns and courage.

One person shall grasp glory in their hand while the other 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 rolling 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[2] fulfilled his dream.

Ten years or more had pa.s.sed since he diligently worked as a salaryman in a medium-sized company immediately after his college graduation. Ever since then, it had become his dream to quit his job and work in 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 succ.u.mb 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 towns in Gunman’s Glaive.

It’s near the prime location of the transition point church. The store came with Clerk NPCs included in the set. And now, he is finally able to accomplish his many year dream to become the moody owner and bartender of a bar.

But his hopes quickly burnt up on the first day of the reopening.

The store is currently wrapped in a full blast dangerous atmosphere.

Excluding one of the seven customers, all of them were men; they have scary faces and don’t even try to hide their gun belt. It wouldn't be a rare sight in Gunman’s Glaive if it was just that, it's all because these people are wearing worrisome faces 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 talked to him. It was a girl arround her mid-teens. She had a pretty face but for some reason, she wore a black dress which left a strong impression on others.

“Yeah, that thing 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[3], but he liked this more than dealing with the stiff and rough male customers.

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

The girl took a sip of the hot milk she ordered, and continued after licking up the remaining white residue on her lips with the tip of her tongue.

“The culprit enters the store and wanders around, and finally she says,

『Who is human?』

The NPC clerk unhesitatingly answered 『me』. But, it’s not an answer a person will give when being asked so suddenly. All PlayersHumans tilted their necks and said 『Eh? What does she mean?』.

And then, in the next moment, everyone’s necks were torn apart. All six of them, almost simultaneously.

──The black culprit is a gunman using a Revolverlarge revolver with a terrifyingly fast shooting speed, and the culprit seems to wander around killing just player characters.”

Cheech swallowed his breath involuntarily. He thought the story itself was just an exaggeration but the girl’s tone of voice that spoke of this ma.s.sacre drama was too indifferent… it was as if she was 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 chips or something.”

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

“Why──”

As if taking the place of Cheech, who went back to polis.h.i.+ng gla.s.ses, one of the rough customers opened his mouth. The girl went “Yes?” and turned her body to face him. The man imperceptibly stood right behind the girl.

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

In that instant, Cheech went “Ah!”, and remembered that this was a game world. Where the dead can speak.

“Oi oi, you. Isn’t it obvious that the rumors are coming from the revived killed players.”

“No, that’s impossible. It was three days ago that the six of them got killed in the tavern. Those six people are all members of our guild and ever since then they got sick and went to hospital, they haven’t logged in ever since.

There shouldn’t be anyone who has heard about the incident from the victims.”

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

“After that, we got the testimony saying there was a black robed girl who came out of the tavern on the time estimated to be when the incident took place── it exactly matches your features”

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

Cheech leaned on the counter in a hurry. The six men already took out their handguns and rifles 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 rose from her chair while keeping both of her hands raised.

“So, what about it?”

Her voice was way beyond having any sense of guilt. The black girl gave a clear smile along with provocation and ridiculing words. Her burning golden eyes seemed to be laughing.

The first man who called her over pressed his handgun on the girl’s forehead and then threw out what most have likely been his last question, as if daubing her with his heart.

“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 exerts more force on his finger that pulls the trigger. The moment the girl says her answer, a hole will show up on her breast── but even though it’s just a game, the image shown in his mind made Cheech’s body tremble.

But, if this happened in the real world, he would’ve shown a more ungraceful reaction.

“That’s because──”

That moment── two Dillingersmall handguns[4] pops out from the girl’s sleeves. She’s using the skill 《Sleeve Weapon》, a skill that allows the user to pull out small types of weapons into their hand without being bound by the laws of physics.

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

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

There was also a man who went stiff when he got shot on his shoulder. As he was about to stand up, she delivered one last shot on his face. She then restrained the remaining while using that man, who m.u.f.fled a scream from severe pain, as a s.h.i.+eld.

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

It was a jet-black revolver equipped with a flat square barrel, something he’s never seen in real world. On the side of this disproportionately large barrel that is being held by a girl was the engraving of a snake warping around a land tortoise. The silver coating on the gun s.h.i.+nes an intimidating light.

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

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

A continuous firing, aimed at the necks of the six in a single line. The roar-like overloading muzzle flashes and the thick iron plate increased the heat of the air within the tavern.

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

Six bodies of headless mannequins were lying around in front of the tavern.

In just mere moments, the bittersweet smell of liquor changed to the pungent smell of gunpowder; Cheech’s tavern had turned into a b.l.o.o.d.y garden. All NPC clerks’ knees where soaked in blood as their legs trembled.

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

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

“Those who expose their throats and bark── it’s just a simple providence to hunt such animals to death. Do you understand? Dear meat head.”

That smile of hers was truly graceful, and that’s exactly why it was so terrifyingly dreadful.

It was five minutes after the girl ma.s.sacred all of her pursuers when 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 moved away. Only after hearing the creaking sounds of the swing door did 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──”

Was what he wanted to say, but couldn’t. It was because his head that was now above the counter was currently pressed against a muzzle. Without even a 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 the hammer clicking into place stained through his head. This is a game after all so it’s not scary, he tells himself… but this is the first time I experienced what it’s like to have my brain blown……. Like h.e.l.l 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 lowered the guitar case on her left hand and pulled out a truncated horizontal two-barreled shotgun with her right.

Along with the sound of gunshots, the body that was holding down Cheech trembled 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 b.l.o.o.d.y letters Head Shot Killed!! were splattered as if sweeping the floor.

He was surprised at the fact that the demon-like girl got defeated so easily, but knowing that the girl who did that appears to be less than ten years old surprised him more. Why is she not a Travel Player CarrierPC── the idea to ask that simple question was washed away by the overwhelmingly strange situation. Simply, he stared at the child in awe.

The hazel cloak s.h.i.+nes as if it banked fire into the dimly lit store. Her face which is cute and lovely 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 talked. She spoke with a lisp voice.

“Where is Memento?”

“Memento……?”

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

“Didn’t you 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’s the clerk NPC he took over when he brought the store. Why would Marian turn 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 princessStar princess. I thought it was about time for you to show up.”

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

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

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

“John, why!?”

While pointing the store’s ‘self-defense use’ rifle which he possessed towards the guitar case girl, she spoke, either to Cheech or the girl.

“Meme’s 『Svengali』 can only give a fake sensation against humans. However if it’s against NPCs who don’t have genuine self-awareness, I can manipulate their every limb as if they were my own”

Cheech couldn’t get what she meant but it appears the little girl understood it. And unsurprisingly, she stares at John with a lit ice fire[5] on her eyes.

“Memento…… where are you now?”

“Waiting right outside, Haruha”

“Is that so”

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

After shooting all the bullets she had, the girl unsparingly dumped her exhausted guns and walked out with her out-of-place guitar case. She then squatted and opened the lid of it which revealed all the 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 NPCs do you think are 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, Mister.

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 the real world, the Gunman’s Glaive’s current time is noon. The sun above their heads was s.h.i.+ning violently on the midday.

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

The girl then pulled out two strange guns with both of her hands.

It has a realistically unimaginable symbol of a phoenix engraved on its red metallic slide filled in with gold that s.h.i.+nes fiery. It’s a 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 years 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 distance they had is about ten meters. From both girls’ vision, they were able to see each other’s 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 an ap.r.o.n holding a rifle gives a unique intimidation.

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

However, showing no interest to the surroundings, the girls begin 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 was raised by humans and became human”

“Even though daddy did nothing wrong.”

“Haruha who is a real human, unlike Meme”

“Mommy was scared.”

“But, Meme couldn’t understand the difference.”

“…… you made them cry……”

“What’s the difference between Meme and Haruha?”

“………… Haruha will…………!”

“If, there are no differences.”

“What you did, ten 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 the NPCs controlled by Memento pulled their triggers, and along with the sound of nonsensical explosions, Haruha’s mantle was torn like firecrackers.

But at that moment, the Haruha’s figure had already part ways with the mantle and began running on the ground. And while rus.h.i.+ng through the legs of the lined up NPCs, she shot their heads from low angle. Blood spouted from the bullets that penetrated through their jaws up to their brains, and as if taking an uppercut, their heads were thrown up into the air. However, unlike boxers, they just kneeled as if praying and never moved again.

One after another the blood splash soared to the high sky and descended, red flowers bloomed on the ground just 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 was swept away along with the wind killing the entire group.

It blew like a violent storm.

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

While slipping through the enemies’ legs, she blew up their gastrocnemius [calves?] in a close distance, she pulled the rifle of the enemy in front with her elbow and shot it to the enemy on the side, she then kicked the wall and grabbed 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’s trigger with great accuracy. However, the attack was stopped by a big man with an axe wherein the bullet hit his knee instead.

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

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

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

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

The killing resumed.

　　　　◆

“This is… amazing”

Niiro’s heavy sigh broke the long silence.

In the Kasugai household living room, the four watch Haruha’s fight earnestly through the screen without even wiping their sweat. However from what Yuu observed, it seems each one of them fell silent for different reasons.

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

Sitting next to Yuu, Miharu was worried about Haruha more than anything as she was surprised seeing her fight. She kept her voice from leaking by covering her mouth with her hands.

Meanwhile, Hajime’s reaction was hard to distinguish; even though her lips loose up close to a smile, her face was clearly pale. Could it be that her position as a researcher and her personal feelings are 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 was being filled by the bashful thought, the pain Memento engraved into his body and the words 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 for her work. And eventually he stopped informing her about cla.s.s observation day and sports day because she won’t come anyway. He also won’t even try to consult to his mother when he was troubled about something.

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

This might be the consequential 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, Hajime spoke.

“This is 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 the “Haruha” that fights ferociously on the screen and the “Haruha” that 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 watched over the screen Miharu was pointing at── there displayed the close-up figure of Haruha shooting a gun. They both squinted their eyes to look more closely. Haruha was there. The upper half of her face was covered in shadow. The only thing they can see was the wild muzzle flashes, but……

“Ah!!”

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

““Aa, aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa────!””

Everything became obvious when he noticed that──

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

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

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

“She may be young but she’s a girl after all. Being fas.h.i.+onable is a given”

Is it……? He thought.

“Haha……”

He couldn’t help but to laugh noticing the cus.h.i.+on 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 Haruha who wet Yuu’s s.h.i.+rt with drool this morning.

And then.

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

　　　　◇

Three remaining NPC’s are left. And finally Memento takes 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 finished it with a shoutei* [ strike with the heel of the palm?]. Swiftly, she pulled out Suzaku and shoved 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 a close distance, both of them ready to kill their target.

It’s what was called a Mexican standoff... but,

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

Guns exchanged fire.

The murderer’s recklessness took away the threat of Prometheusgunpowder.

The two clashed each other’s fist to prevent their opponent from getting the chance to aim. The battle of the girls who were innate of the ground of the virtual world was so elaborate and without even a moment of hesitation. All of the actions they made were simply done to defeat their opponent.

Perfectly and infallible – 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 loses──!)

Haruha’s strong will and purpose further accelerates her 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 had her opponent’s small key point under her line of fire. On the deadly trajectory that pierces through Memento’s heart, her muzzle stopped!

At 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 mud.

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

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

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

While she held down her shoulder, she glared up. With a Hadzar restraint strength she was able to withstand the pain, but she can’t raise her arm in this condition.

“……For sure, Haruha will beat you up. Haruha won’t let you end 『This placeCtG』”

“Well indeed, if Haruha will not 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 was always full of curiosity and was interested in everything. However, against nameword that provides that small body of hers a place, she easily let out a voice warped in contempt.

Memento narrowed her eyes. It was the word that she, a person who earnestly seeking for self-definition up to now, couldn’t believe. Is it that? Is it the difference between a herselffailure and a Haruhasuccess? 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, is Haruha fighting for?”

　　　　◇

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

In response to Haruha’s words.

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 response to Haruha’s next words.

Yuu recalled the old story he told to Haruha as Clamp this (today basically) noon.

『The reason I’m playing this game is, to have a 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 talked to her when she was still alive however.

Even way before I obtained my sense of discretion she had always been busy with her work, and during the day I would stay in Fuyufu’s…… the girl we met this noon, house. I was neglected I suppose. And also, the presents she gave me on my birthday or on Christmas were always games she made at work. She said that it were ones from before they were open for sale to the public, in other words beta versions. They were full of defects and at times I got sick of them.』

『Did she gave a huggy wuggy……?』

『Aaaah…… very rarely, I guess』

『That surely is lonely』

『That’s right…… and because of that, I didn’t really like my mother. Even on the very rare days she got a break she wouldn’t say anything to me…… and while things stayed like that, she died』

『To die, is that right…… scary stuff』

『Yeah, it’s scary. And what’s scarier is at the day of her funeral, a person who claimed to be my mother’s friend told me. “Your mother makes game for your sake”.

It was because I don’t have a father, and because mother has 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 mechild can safely have fun adventuring in various places. ……I’m sure that, 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 grandma made……』

『Stupid isn’t it…… Me and my mother.

She worked hard for my sake and created this amazing world but all I wanted was actually just a simple world where I can be with my mother. In the end she didn’t get anything. But, also,