BA-G 101-117 (Patreon)

First Half

101. Just so you know, I'm extremely strong!

“The bullets are passing-thru their bodies…”

Cowering behind cover, Hifumi spoke to Mari beside her. Because of their firing, some of the Justina Saints had begun to notice them and were firing in their direction.

“I'm handling them a little better… Is it because I'm a nun too?”

Mari raised her pistol, peeked out from behind cover, and fired a burst at a Justina Saint, severing half of her head and sending her to her death. Without Halos, the weapons reacted to the Saints just like they did to the outside world.

“Hey! Ha!”

Dan Kuroto easily sliced through the Saint who tried to block the Sparrow Bow's attack with her own gun. She and her weapon were cleaved in two by the Sparrow Bow's blade, leaving her with almost no chance of escape.

But as Dan Kuroto was engaged by this Saint, several Justina Saints beside him immediately turned their guns on him, seizing the opportunity to fire continuously!

“Hmm! I can still feel something?”

Dan Kuroto looked at his Rider Gauge.

During that reckless charge, three bars had unknowingly dropped. Perhaps because he was so confident in his armor, he hadn't bothered to dodge the bullets fired by the Justina Saints, allowing them to pelt him relentlessly.

“At first, it was like a mosquito bite and was just slightly annoying, but now it's gotten to the point of being a little painful…”

Dan Kuroto dodged, raised his Gaschacon Sparrow Bow, and fired a laser arrow, knocking down a Saint who was aiming at him. He then took cover and, after catching his breath, noticed something—

“Why hasn't the number of those high-slit nuns decreased?”

Because the giant freak box monster hadn't shown any signs of attacking Dan Kuroto and his companions, Dan Kuroto had subconsciously left it for last, focusing his fire on the Justina Saints and clearing them out for quite some time.

But as Dan Kuroto's initial aggressive urges subsided, he looked back at the battlefield and discovered the problem.

The number of Justina Saints hadn't effectively decreased!

“There were twenty-two at first, and now there are twenty-five? They've actually multiplied after all this fighting?”

Dan Kuroto's Rider helmet's built-in scanning goggles helped him pinpoint the number of Justina Saints attacking them in the plaza. The result was startling: these ghostly nuns were multiplying with each attack, like a burgeoning G-type monster, creating a chain reaction that rapidly saturated the area and formed a vast, spreading network of firepower!

Although Justina Saints showed no intention of communication and only a hostile intent to destroy all living beings before them, their battle was still full of tactics and order. They utilized the surrounding terrain, constructing firing positions one after another as their comrades increased in number.

Marksman rifles, dual-wielded submachine guns, grenade launchers, handheld rocket launchers, heavy machine guns… Imperceptibly, these ghostly nuns had already rained bullets across the entire square, pinning Mari, Hifumi, and Dan Kuroto down!

“Mr. Dan Kuroto! The enemy fire is too intense! We can't move!”

Mari shouted anxiously from behind cover, “There are more enemies! And their firepower is stronger! I can't even stick my head out!”

“Can you escape?! Go back to Trinity and ask Hasumi-senpai and the others for help…”

“Shut up! Don't question my abilities!”

Dan Kuroto's roar stunned the anxious Mari and Hifumi. He angrily slammed his fist against the ground beside him.

"Nothing is impossible for my godly abilities! Watch closely!”

Reaching for his Alchemy Player Gashat, Dan Kuroto roared. “They're just a bunch of high-cut leather-clad nuns and circus boxes. Watch me crush them!”

“Grand X! Transform!”

I get it!

Harmony, Mastery, Exceed!

Alchemy Player!

With lightning speed, Dan Kuroto inserted the Alchemy Player Gashat, stood up, and swiftly pulled the upgrade lever. The upgrade screen passed through his body, cleverly using the invincibility frames of his transformation to block a burst of fire. Dan Kuroto landed on one foot and leaped high into the air—his sixty-meter jumping ability was more than enough to reach a height beyond the range of the firepower below, even if he only jumped twenty meters!

“How dare these nuns make me look weak infront of these students! Receive this blow well!"

Dan Kuroto reached for the potion bottle on his Alchemy Player Gashat, quickly mixing a special energy potion. Simultaneously, he pulled the Gashat out and inserted it into his Kimewaza Slot.

"Let these ghosts witness kami's power! Whether it's the high-slit leather-clad nuns or the circus box, they're all finished!”

“Kimewaza!”

The small potion bottle stopped shaking, and the potion inside transformed into a dangerously glowing red liquid, filling Dan Kuroto's entire body as it was inserted into the Kimewaza Slot.

“Hmph~ An attack-enhancing potion, huh? Perfect timing. Give my ultimate flying kick a boost!”

Alchemy Critical Strike!

“Mari." Hifumi spoke earnestly, watching a crimson meteor plummet from the sky, “do you know of a leg technique that falls from the sky?”

“—I don’t know!”

The violent energy gathering around Dan Kuroto was concentrated beneath his feet. The soles of his Rider boots gleamed, but the shimmering light was a death knell for anyone who dared oppose Dan Kuroto!

Rumble—!

A crimson meteor struck the startled box on the ground.

The monster, actually named “Hieronymus,” was blasted into fragments by the violent energy before it could even unleash its prized resurrection technique.

The excess power of the Rider Kick exploded into a shockwave that blasted away all the surrounding Justina Saints!

The EA-type Kamen Rider, was developed specifically to combat the Bugster virus. They excelled at detonating energy within its target. This characteristic proved invaluable in this instance.

As the box named “Hieronymus” was shattered by the enraged Kamen Rider's excessively powerful kick, the surrounding mist gradually dissipated. The Justina Saints vanished, returning the area to the tranquility of the night.

Hifumi peeked out from behind the bunker, marveling at Dan Kuroto's abilities.

“Wow… he's practically a god of war…”

Mari gripped the gun in her hand, unable to recover from her shock for a long time.

"Sir, so you are a powerful being?”

---

102. The Perolo Doll and Maestro Who Appeared

“See that? That's my power when I'm serious!”

Standing in the crater he had created with his Rider Kick, Dan Kuroto rose with satisfaction, surveying the destruction he had caused before casually deactivating his transformation.

Gashu~

“He's… he's back!”

Hifumi emerged from behind cover, watching as the purple Kamen Rider transformed back into Dan Kuroto, who had been with them earlier. Mari standing nearby also looked on in surprise at the now silent plaza. “It's really all over…”

“Hmm? What's that on the ground…”

The “Hieronymus,” which had been blasted apart by Dan Kuroto's Rider Kick, seemed to possess the ability to summon the Justina Saints. Initially, Dan Kuroto hadn't noticed the monster's special ability and was focusing solely on eliminating the Saints, which allowed the monster to continuously summon the ghostly nuns.

If Dan Kuroto hadn't used brute force, pulling out his Level X Gashat and delivering a powerful Rider Kick from above, pulverizing the “Hieronymus” and all the surrounding Justina Saints, the number of Justina Saints summoned would likely have continued to increase.

What Dan Kuroto noticed were the remains of the defeated “Hieronymus” on the ground, or rather, a large pile of things that had fallen out of the deep pit he had created.

“What are all these things this time?”

Dan Kuroto casually picked up an item, puzzled.

“A fountain pen?”

“Not just fountain pens, but also these…”

Hifumi picked up a schoolbag. “These… are all school supplies. Why would the monster leave these things behind after the explosion?”

“Ah… this feels familiar.”

Dan Kuroto casually tossed aside the fountain pen, a hint of disgust appearing on his face. “There's no mistake. It's what those ‘Gematrians’ did.”

“Gematria?” Mari asked doubtfully. “What… which club is that? I’ve never heard of it.”

“You certainly haven’t heard of it, or rather, you’d better not have.” Dan Kuroto frowned as he looked at the students’ belongings scattered on the ground after the destruction. “Could it be that this is also a product of ‘Reversal’?”

“Reversal? No, no, I think you have misunderstood my ‘work,’ Mr. Dan Kuroto.”

A deep and elegant voice came from not far away. Dan Kuroto looked up and saw an adult with an unusual appearance standing quietly beside the nearby carousel.

A two-headed movable puppet, dressed in a custom-made expensive suit and impeccably groomed like a conductor leading an orchestra, bowed formally to Dan Kuroto.

Then, in a deep and melodious voice, he explained.

“—It is said that, from the very beginning, all emotions in this world have had a primordial source, and all feelings are merely replicas of that source.”

He raised his hands, using exaggerated gestures to illustrate his idea. “Happiness, joy, longing, anger… all emotions are copies of that source…”

“As an artist, this idea has given me ample inspiration…”

The two-headed puppet swayed his body, seemingly lost in his own world as he explained.

"Although I don’t know where this inspiration will take me, it is profoundly and soaringly filled with… Ah, sorry, I’ve made another rude gesture.”

Seemingly snapping out of his reverie, the two-headed puppet stopped his previously melodious tone and resumed his steady voice before facing Dan Kuroto.

"Mr. Dan Kuroto, it’s a pleasure to meet you. As a member of Gematria, I have heard of your deeds from Black Suit.”

“I am neither your friend nor your enemy. I will neither help you nor hinder you.”

He straightened up. “My name is ‘Maestro.’ That’s what everyone in Gematria calls me.”

Dan Kuroto nodded slightly. “So, what do you mean by saying my understanding of your work is flawed?”

“You should have witnessed the methods my other comrade used in his pursuit of the Truth—methods that turn the ‘coin’ to the other side. We call it ‘Reversal,’” Maestro explained unhurriedly. “Reversing ‘mystery’ into ‘horror’ in an attempt to create the possibility of the ‘sublime.’”

“But my work doesn’t use ‘mystery’ as the foundation of ritual; it uses ‘emotion.’”

Maestro raised his arm as if unfurling a canvas, revealing the amusement park behind him, or rather, revealing the existence of the entire amusement park.

“In this abandoned amusement park, many ‘remnants’ of people's happiness and joy remain. Now, these emotions have been ‘copied’ and reappeared here—but unfortunately, my research hasn't reached that point yet, so what’s placed here is merely a half-finished copy.”

Maestro shook his head. “What it represents is nothing more than the emotions manifested by the desire for material things, so its essence isn't anything rare—”

“A backpack lost in an amusement park, a pen accidentally dropped, a limited-edition doll you can’t have—just some low-class things.”

As Maestro spoke, his gaze unconsciously drifted toward Hifumi, who had found the “Park Exclusive Perolo Plush Toy” among the pile of clutter at Dan Kuroto's feet. “Hmm… it seems this desire is what made this box appear.”

“Hey… couldn't you have waited a moment when things are so serious?”

Dan Kuroto turned to look at Hifumi who was beaming with delight as she held up the Perolo plush toy she had dug out from the pile, and sighed, a rare occurrence for him.

“You're even more amazing than me.”

“It's still in its sealed plastic bag, unopened! The condition is perfect!”

Hifumi excitedly held up the Perolo doll she had found. Maestro, standing not far away, watched her with envy. “This is the ‘mystery’ from the student… What a pity, such wonderful material…”

“Gematria's methods, whether ‘Reversal’ or ‘copying,’ don't seem like anything worth mentioning.”

Dan Kuroto toyed with the “Alchemy Player” Gashat in his hand. Although somewhat unconvinced by Dan Kuroto's assessment, Maestro dared not say anything more out of caution regarding Dan Kuroto's fighting prowess.

But what truly silenced and even made Maestro feel a sense of longing was the “Alchemy Player” Gashat in Dan Kuroto's hands.

---

103. Nighttime, Three People, Bench

“Ah… that sacred relic…”

Maestro’s eyes were filled with fervor for the Gashat in Dan Kuroto’s hand. “Did a method of inquiry belonging to the ‘righteous path’ emerge from thought without any guidance? Black Suit’s admiration for you is the highest, calling you a genius unprecedented and unparalleled. When I saw that sacred relic, I understood completely!”

“Hmph, you guys have good taste.”

Dan Kuroto smiled brightly, holding the golden Gashat up to his face. "This Gashat is called ‘Alchemy Player’! A game-changing Gashat I created myself, ranked X ! A crystallization of my godly talent!”

“Alchemy Player… a game-changing cartridge…” Maestro’s body trembled involuntarily. “To seal such a path within a tiny game Gashat? Is that even possible?”

Alchemy, at a certain point in another world, was once called the technique used to pursue ‘truth.’ And when alchemy is mentioned, besides the simple concept of turning lead into gold, most people think of the elixir of immortality, the Philosopher’s Stone, and human transmutation.

And of course, Gematria.

“Gematria has learned that a critically ill student in Abydos was brought back to life through your efforts.”

Maestro’s words seemed to indirectly remind Dan Kuroto of the sheer power of Gematria’s intelligence network; they knew everything that had happened in Abydos.

"Your ‘Gashat’ might contain the path to the truth!”

He could not help but take a step forward, as if wanting to examine the golden Gashat more closely. “A path completely different from the horrors we ‘copy’! How wonderful it would be if you could become Gematria’s ally!”

“Hmph?” Dan Kuroto crossed his arms. “I think I already rejected you.”

“…Indeed, but unfortunately, Black Suit said you have clearly rejected the proposal to join Gematria, so I will not press the matter further.”

Maestro extended his hand, bowed, and politely bid farewell to Dan Kuroto. “My philosophy is simply to create ‘works of art’ that will make everyone take notice. It is a pity I do not have any to show you today, but when we meet again, I will prepare an exhibition worthy of applause.”

As a wisp of mist dissipated, Maestro vanished, leaving the scene without a trace of hesitation.

“Was he… here just to say hello?”

Dan Kuroto noticed Maestro’s gaze lingering on his Alchemy Player Gashat. He himself had not paid much attention to this hastily crafted Gashat, yet it was a treasure the other man coveted. Holding the Gashat up to his eyes for a moment, Dan Kuroto casually tossed it into his game area(inventory).

“That’s normal. After all, I’m a genius.”

After the monster box exploded, what remained were those constructed replicas, vessels imbued with ‘emotion,’ and among them happened to be the limited-edition doll that some people had been desperately searching for.

Perhaps this doll truly embodied the ‘desire’ of many, which was why it became the vessel for the monster.

“Great! That means we found it!”

Regardless, the doll ultimately ended up in Hifumi’s hands.

Seeing Hifumi’s happy expression, Mari breathed a sigh of relief. “Um, Hifumi, now that we’ve found what we wanted, shouldn’t we hurry back? It’s getting late, and we have school tomorrow, you know?”

“Oh right!”

Hifumi realized this and checked the time on her phone. It was already late at night, and most students were already asleep. Even Mari beside her looked sleepy, but she was forcing herself to stay awake to keep her company.

After the fierce battle with Hieronymus and Saint Justina, Hifumi could feel the fatigue creeping in as her energy dissipated.

“So, what about Mr. Dan Kuroto?”

Mari turned to the side. Dan Kuroto’s gaze was fixed on the area behind the amusement park. After thinking for a moment, he spoke, “Never mind, that’s enough for today. I’m getting bored too.”

As Dan Kuroto left the Slumpia ruins with Mari and Hifumi, he did not voice his speculation: if Maestro’s explanation was true—that the monster they encountered tonight was merely a copy created using ‘emotion’ as a medium, not based on students—then where had the missing students gone?

After leaving the ruins of Slumpia, Dan Kuroto and his companions walked several kilometers before finally seeing the lights of the Trinity School District. Only then did Hifumi and the others feel like they were back in familiar territory.

“Finally here… I’m so tired…”

Hifumi staggered toward a nearby vending machine. From there, they could hail a ride back to school. Under the soft glow of the streetlights, the shock they had felt earlier gradually faded. They also forgot about their encounters with the strange nuns in the ruins.

Hifumi pressed the button on the vending machine and bought drinks for Mari and Dan Kuroto. When choosing, Hifumi did not hesitate to select the strawberry oden drink featuring a collaboration with Peroro, then turned to the two behind her and asked.

"What do you want to drink? It’s on me!”

“Then give me the most expensive one,” Dan Kuroto said without hesitation.

“Hmm… they all seem to be the same price.”

Hifumi noticed the vending machine in front of her was full of drinks priced identically. Dan Kuroto casually pointed to the top bottle of purple-packaged beverage without even looking at it.

"I’ll take that one.”

“Captain Grape Special? Wow… I heard it’s carbonated and has a raw fish flavor. Do I really want this?”

Hifumi was starting to admire Dan Kuroto. After pressing the button, she turned to Mari and asked.

“Mari, what about you?”

“Eh? No need… drinking beverages at midnight will make you fat…

Mari instinctively wanted to refuse, but her experience in the Slumpia ruins made her crave something sweet to distract herself. So she asked.

“Do they have… red bean and rice cake sweet soup?”

“Okay, these three it is!”

With three clanging sounds, Hifumi handed the purple bottle of Captain Grape Special to Dan Kuroto.

The remaining two bottles of hot drinks were each taken by one person.

This strange combination of an adult, two students, and a nun among the students sat on a bench on the streets of Kivotos late at night, drinking their beverages.

---

104. Genesis, Activate!

“Ugh… Hmm, it’s kind of weird…”

Hifumi held the strawberry oden in her hands. “Is this something a normal person could come up with? Strawberries in canned oden… they’re completely overcooked.”

“After all, it’s something a company came up with on a whim. It’s probably more like some kind of experiment.”

Mari took a sip of her red bean rice cake soup. The mild, sweet broth spread through her mouth, and she let out a satisfied sigh. “Sweet soup is still so good~”

“Uh… this subtle texture…”

Dan Kuroto swallowed his soda, smacking his lips. “It reminds me of bacon soda. I wonder which genius invented that stuff where they grind up bacon and make soda… This thing isn’t made with ground shrimp, seaweed, and concentrated grape juice too, is it?”

“That sounds terrifying…” Hifumi and Mari looked horrified after hearing this description. “Does anyone actually like drinking this stuff?!”

“Well… there are always some quirky people who drink this kind of thing, right?” Dan Kuroto frowned and swallowed again. “If all else fails, we could sell it to review bloggers.”

“What’s that?”

“A profession where people personally navigate landmines through video reviews.”

“Sounds impressive…”

The warm drinks soothed the students’ unease.

After finishing their beverages, Hifumi and Mari waited for a passing taxi. The intelligent robot driver rolled down the window, asked Hifumi and Mari where they wanted to go, and then prepared to pick them up.

As they got into the taxi, Hifumi thanked Dan Kuroto. “Um, Mr. Dan Kuroto! Thank you so much for helping me find the Peroro doll tonight!”

“It was nothing.” Dan Kuroto waved his hand.

“Alright, now that you’ve got it, hurry back. Staying up all night like an adult at such a young age—how many lives do you have to revive?”

“Huh?”

Hifumi did not understand the meaning of his final words because Dan Kuroto had already vanished in a flash, turning into a ball of orange viral light.

Once they entered the city, network lines were everywhere. Dan Kuroto’s teleportation through the network was much faster than taking a taxi, leaving Hifumi and Mari bewildered as they stared at his sudden disappearance and screamed.

“A ghost!”

It seemed these two would not be getting a good night’s sleep. After seeing the appearances of those ghostly nuns, recalling Dan Kuroto’s elusive appearances, and now witnessing his disappearance, the two girls huddled together trembling in the back seat while the panicked driver floored the accelerator.

Completely unaware that he had frightened the girls again, Dan Kuroto teleported back to his company building, took a nap, arranged some of the company’s upcoming schedule, retrieved some mysterious materials delivered to the company, and skillfully crafted a blank Gashat.

He returned to Millennium Science School’s Game Development Department the next day at noon.

“Hey everyone, did you miss me?”

Back in the activity room, Dan Kuroto saw the Game Development Department members looking completely listless.

Yuzu seemed to be holed up in her locker as usual, apparently having worked on a deadline the previous night before attending online classes in the morning, so she was fast asleep in her locker. Momoi and Midori were in slightly better shape, but they were still curled up listlessly on the sofa. Only Aris remained energetic, even engaging in a lively and passionate exchange with a robot vacuum cleaner on the floor.

“Ah, Mr. Dan Kuroto.” Momoi did not even look at her phone, relying solely on muscle memory to press buttons on the game interface to complete her daily tasks. “The final revisions are done.”

“Haa…” Midori yawned, rolling off the sofa and sipping juice from the table through a straw. “Now that we’ve finished this, we can start making the final product, right? Mr. Dan Kuroto, the deadline for the Millennium Prize application is only a week away, isn’t it?”

“Let me see…”

As the final reviewer, Dan Kuroto naturally had to conduct a rigorous final inspection.

Even though he had already reviewed it once, the final version still needed one last check. After quickly reviewing the final version of Tales Saga Chronicle 2, Dan Kuroto closed the folder and reached for the already-tested Genesis MK1.

“Genesis MK1, start!”

Dan Kuroto inserted his pre-prepared blank Gashat into the output port and picked up his input glasses. Momoi, Midori, and the others, drawn in by the startup sound and light effects, struggled to their feet from the sofa.

“Ughhhh—move your body for our game!”

Whether it was the perseverance born from so many days and nights of effort or the emotion of finally being able to create a decent game, the four members of the Game Development Department gathered together, unwilling to miss this moment.

Yuzu rubbed her eyes and climbed out of the cabinet. “Finally starting? Is it the final step?”

“It’s about time.” Dan Kuroto held up his glasses.

“Who will be the input person? Just input the contents of this folder step by step, and your game will be loaded into the Gashat.”

“I’ve been staying up all night for days, my head is buzzing…” Momoi said with a distressed expression. “Ugh… I was supposed to do this last step, but my brain just doesn’t want to work anymore…”

“Sister, shouldn’t it be Yuzu-chan?” Midori also rubbed her forehead, looking exhausted. “To be honest, Mr. Dan Kuroto’s schedule for us is just too rushed. I still can’t quite adjust…”

“Me? I don’t feel too good either…” Yuzu looked numb. “I forced myself to watch online classes all morning, and now my energy is completely gone…”

Yuzu looked at the energetic Aris beside her. “How about we let Aris do this last step?”

“Let Aris do it?” Momoi looked at Yuzu. “Um… Yuzu, won’t you regret not doing this last step yourself?”

“It’s okay. Aris is one of us too.” Yuzu smiled and shook her head. “The birth of Tales Saga Chronicle 2 represents the rebirth of the Game Development Department, just like Aris-chan, who recently joined us. Besides, Aris hasn’t really been involved much in the development work these past few days, has she? Letting Aris take the final step is a good opportunity for her to feel more involved.”

“Aris understands!” Aris raised her hand high. “The hero is always the last character to appear!”

“Isn’t that the protagonist?” Momoi retorted.

“Alright, in that case, the final step is up to you.”

Dan Kuroto swiftly shoved the VR glasses onto Aris’s head. “This final step is yours!”

---

105. We've Updated the Loading Animation to Be Even Cooler

"Activate—Game Creation Program!"

Dan Kuroto's game development platform, Genesis mk1, possessed the ability to read the designer's thoughts and transform that imagination into game Gashat data—a creation ahead of its era.

Under the eager gazes of Momoi and the other two, Aris put on the glasses connected to the game development field. "Oh! Lincoln is the big head!!"

After a flash of light, Aris found herself in a strange place. It was a blank world, a blank Gashat yet to be painted, waiting for the transformation of imagination into game data.

"Aris… you're going to imagine all of this, right?"

Aris picked up the folder containing all the data for Tales Saga Chronicle 2 that she had brought with her and meticulously entered every setting into the game field that created everything.

As the game world gradually took shape, the surrounding game space began to change.

What appeared first was a vast continent never before seen, teeming with wondrous creatures. Then, nations with diverse customs and cultures sprang up, and different races were placed in their proper places on the stage until this world was fully created.

At this moment, Aris's eyes were filled with the vision of this world's creation.

"Wow..."

Aris couldn't describe it all. The earth was being shaped in her imagination; the flourishing of civilizations, the propagation of races, and a world of magic and swords were being created before her eyes. She watched as seeds fell to the ground and grew into towering trees. Even though it was just a game world, this moment of creation had already profoundly shaken Aris's little mind.

“Aris, Aris…”

Wanting to say something but unsure which adjective to use, Aris frantically raised her voice.

“Aris doesn’t know what to say!”

“Looks like her vocabulary isn’t enough. She’s really making herself anxious.” Dan Kuroto, sitting in a chair nearby, couldn’t help but laugh at Aris’s anxiety.

"That’s the result of not studying properly, you all understand?”

“Seriously, Aris-chan has only been at school for a short time.” Momoi waved her hand and said to Dan Kuroto, “So what did Aris see that surprised her so much?”

“During maintenance a couple of days ago, I slightly upgraded the machine’s built-in software. Now the creation process displays real-time calculations.”

Dan Kuroto nodded with his arms crossed.

“Although the real-time calculation function doesn’t significantly improve the performance of the creation process itself and even takes up a considerable amount of performance because of the cool effects, the effects are top-notch!”

“Hmm… I get it, I get it. It’s like those cool skins that don’t actually boost your combat power, right?”

Momoi crossed her arms, mimicking Dan Kuroto’s pose. “These days, even loading animations in games have to be fancy just to keep players from getting bored while they wait.”

“While that’s true, it just doesn’t seem quite right on Mr. Dan Kuroto’s game development platform, does it?”

Watching Aris’s excited exclamation, Midori couldn’t help but ask, “Mr. Dan Kuroto, what exactly did Aris see? Can we see it from outside?”

“Hmm? Of course.”

Dan Kuroto tapped on the machine, projecting the game creation area onto a white projection screen.

A breathtaking scene, like a world being reborn, appeared before Momoi and the others.

“Now I understand why Aris-chan was shouting so excitedly…”

Yuzu stared intently at the scene before her. After a brief moment of surprise, she suddenly exploded

“I want one too!”

“Huh?” Dan Kuroto looked at her. “What did you say?”

“Mr. Dan Kuroto! It’s so unfair of you to only let Aris enjoy this kind of awe!”

Seeing the world she had written being created, Yuzu had long since forgotten her social anxiety; her eyes were fixed solely on the world-creation scene before her.

When faced with a desperate situation, pleading is effective.jpg

Hands clasped together, Yuzu earnestly pleaded with Dan Kuroto. "Please let me experience it too! Please!!”

Midori exclaimed in surprise, “Yuzu-chan, weren’t you just saying you wanted Aris to feel more involved?!”

“That was then, this is now!”

Yuzu’s eyes suddenly blazed with burning desire. “As a game developer, how could I not be excited about creating my own world! Please let me experience creating my own world with a wave of my hand!”

“Wow... Yuzu gets really serious when it comes to game development...” Momoi stared in disbelief. “But looking at the creation screen in there, isn’t it so much cooler than what I saw before?! I want to play it! I want to play it!”

“You guys... weren’t you just saying your heads were killing you from staying up all night?” Dan Kuroto chuckled, suppressing a laugh. “Are your heads better now?”

“Better? They still hurt... crying” Momoi said with a pitiful expression. “Making young women in the prime of their lives experience the inhuman hell of corporate overtime, Dan Kuroto, you’re inhuman!”

“I’m not human to begin with~”

“Damn it! Take this!”

While Dan Kuroto was fooling around with the others, Aris in the game world had unknowingly created most of the world.

Because the game's art style was strictly limited to pixel art during creation, even with such cool cutscenes, the final product was a smooth pixel world—basically a 2D pixel-art world presented in 3D.

“Hmm… is there anything Aris hasn’t added?”

As Aris flipped through the last few pages of the folder in her hand, suddenly, a tremor ran through her body, like some strange impulse emanating from within, a feeling as if something were overwriting a save file, causing her to stop moving.

“Huh? Aris’s body… what’s going on?”

A burst of orange-yellow light emanated from Aris’s body—the outward manifestation of the Bugster virus, exactly the same Bugster virus that Dan Kuroto had transformed into when he teleported away.

However, this virus was currently manifesting within this game creation realm, and no one else could see it.

In other words, this was a change within the VR world. Only Dan Kuroto noticed the change and looked in Aris’s direction.

"Hmm?”

---

106. Another Me

In the virtual space, Aris clutched her body tightly.

A strange pain coursed through her, causing her to gasp for breath. This same sensation was reflected in her physical form. Using Genesis mk1 only allowed her to mentally enter the VR space; her physical body remained outside. Every action she took in the VR space was visible in reality.

Therefore, when Aris showed a pained expression and cried out, Momoi, Midori, and the others stopped their playful antics with Dan Kuroto and turned to look in Aris’s direction—because Aris’s body was now emitting orange lightning, a sight Dan Kuroto was all too familiar with.

“Aris… what’s wrong?”

Momoi was the first to rush to the pained Aris’s side, wanting to remove the glasses from Aris’s head, but she hesitated with worry and could only call out to Dan Kuroto, who was standing nearby, to see what was happening.

"Dan Kuroto! What happened?!”

“Clearly a Bugster virus infection.”

Dan Kuroto frowned. “Strange. Can androids get infected with a virus?”

Dan Kuroto didn’t understand where Aris had contracted the Bugster virus, but after a moment’s thought, he remembered… he helped complete Aris using some of the code he had devoured while they were under the rubble.

“Ah, back then, for convenience, we used code containing the Bugster virus to patch those gaps.”

Dan Kuroto slapped his hand. “Because the Bugster virus is very good at simulating this kind of code, we used it to simulate the missing code. It seemed fine at the time, right?”

“I don’t understand what you’re saying, but now there’s a problem!”

Momoi’s expression was filled with anxiety. “So what should we do now? Should we unplug the machine?”

“No, unplugging it rashly might cause problems.”

Dan Kuroto stopped Momoi from physically disconnecting the machine. “I’ll go check in the VR space.”

Dan Kuroto transformed into Bugster virus form, and a beam of orange light entered the machine, directly entering the VR world.

“It’s in! Let me see what’s going on…”

Dan Kuroto leaped from a water pipe in the air, then hovered steadily, surveying the game world being constructed around him.

A fantastical continent completely different from this world was being built from particles.

The world had already created the sky, land, and sea, but countless entities still needed to be created. The entire world was in a state of chaotic creation.

Thousands of meters above, Aris's body continuously emitted orange Bugster viruses, which eventually converged in front of her, forming a humanoid shape.

Dan Kuroto frowned. “Hmm? This shape... it feels strangely familiar.”

Dan Kuroto slowly descended to Aris’s side.

Finally separated from her, Aris gasped for breath, her body about to fall backward.

At that moment, Dan Kuroto caught her.

“Dan… Mr. Kuroto…” Aris gasped, struggling to ask, “Aris, what… happened?”

“Bugster virus infection.”

Regardless of whether Aris understood or not, he gave her the correct answer first. Dan Kuroto stared at the virus coalescing into a human shape before him.

A few seconds later, the Bugster virus coalesced into… Aris’s likeness?

“That, that’s… me?”

Aris turned her head with difficulty, watching the virus coalesce into her own image.

Just like her, she wore the Millennium Science School uniform, had the same ankle-length hair, the same slender hands and feet, the same fair skin, and the same perfect girlish appearance.

Then, that “self” opened her eyes.

Those were emotionless, purplish-red eyes.

“…”

Opening her eyes, “Aris” flexed her wrists and glanced at her body, seemingly puzzled as to why she appeared in this form. She then looked around at the strange scene, somewhat incredulous at being airborne, before finally fixing her gaze on Aris and Dan Kuroto before her.

“Why… why am I here? Why am I not inside AL-1S?”

“Incomprehensible… never mind, it’s not important.”

“Aris” shook her head, then looked at Aris before her, as if encountering her own doppelgänger. Aris’s expression was somewhat frightened. “What… what’s going on?”

“The complete form infected by the Bugster virus looks exactly like your original body?”

Dan Kuroto looked at “Aris” before him. “This is the first time I’ve seen such an example. Hey, can you communicate?”

“Irrelevant people, don’t talk to me.”

The “Aris” before them seemed indifferent. She turned directly to Aris, her expression detached, yet her eyes betrayed her intense attention. “My important princess...”

“W-what are you saying? Aris doesn’t understand! Aris is a hero, not a princess...”

Aris finally regained control of her legs and questioned the person suddenly appearing before her. “Who... who are you?”

“Well, without a title, Your Highness wouldn’t be able to address me properly, would you?”

The girl, indistinguishable from Aris, introduced herself. “My codename is ‘Kei,’ an existence dedicated to assisting Your Highness in your destruction of this world.”

Completely bewildered by the situation, the girl who called herself Kei looked up. “To fulfill your duty, please accept what I have to say...”

“Wait a minute, you talking to yourself like that, don’t you even respect me?”

Dan Kuroto suddenly spoke up from the side, interrupting Kei’s attempt to continue. Emerging from behind Aris, Dan Kuroto pointed at the girl, his expression clearly displeased.

“As a new Bugster, aren’t you being a bit too arrogant? Not only did you not greet me, but you’ve ignored me time and time again. Aren’t you taking me a little too lightly?”

“Interference confirmed. Determined to be eliminated...”

Kei even possessed the same railgun Aris had, it appeared in her hands. She sensed how troublesome Dan Kuroto was; it seemed that without dealing with this guy, her conversation with the princess would be impossible.

So she decisively raised her weapon.

“—Execute Protocol ‘ATRAHASIS’.”

Dan Kuroto pulled out a Driver from behind him, held the two Gashats in his hands, raised an eyebrow, and beckoned to Kei provocatively.

"Come on, let me see what you’ve got.”

---

107. Are You Happy? I Am Very Happy.

For Aris, today's events almost shattered her understanding of her peaceful daily life.

A girl who looked exactly like her, wielding the same Sword of Light, was battling that always-smirking adult in the game world.

Having activated his Kamen Rider card and with the boost from his Level X Gashat, Dan Kuroto easily crushed the girl who called herself Kei from the start, unleashing a barrage of punches that left her completely bewildered.

"Hahaha! Didn't you say you were going to erase me?! Where's your arrogance from before?"

With each punch, Dan Kuroto sent Kei flying backward.

The unreasonable force, combined with the unfamiliarity of her new body, initially caused Kei considerable suffering.

Each punch from this purple-suited bastard felt like a hammer. Even as she struggled to raise her railgun to defend herself, she could clearly feel the heavy blows penetrating through the weapon.

"Ugh—! Data correction, threat level increased, counterattack—!"

Kei swung her railgun, intending to knock Dan Kuroto away, but she hadn't expected Dan to be so strong. Instead, she was punched and sent flying.

Ever since being asked that question during their battle at the amusement park last night, Dan Kuroto had decided never to use his base form to show off again!

"Ugh—"

Rolling several times on the ground, Kei struggled to her feet. She could feel pain emanating from her entire body, a situation that puzzled her.

"...I...I'm just a code. Why am I feeling pain?"

“Because you’re a ‘Bugster’ now, no longer a some kind of code.”

Dan Kuroto cracked his knuckles, descending from the sky and leaving a deep crater in the ground. He looked at the wary Kei and laughed.

“Since just now, you’ve been trying to summon something. How’s that going? Did you get the response you wanted?”

Kei shook her head.

“…Complete silence. What did you do?”

“Of course, this isn’t the real world, but something I created—a game world!!”

Dan Kuroto spread his arms wide, laughing heartily, his expression that of a cheerful, sunny young man.

“What you wanted to call for were those robots under the ruins, right? Too bad, too bad~ In this completely virtual world, you definitely can't call for outside support!”

“Completely...virtual?”

Kei keenly grasped this key phrase. Coupled with Dan Kuroto's earlier statement that she was no longer code, but something called a 'Bugster,' although she didn't know the meaning of that word, if she calmed down and felt her own body, Kei's abilities would naturally allow her to understand what a Bugster's body was like.

"Status information recorded, usage method deduced—successful."

Having understood her own body and the nature of a Bugster, Kei knew exactly what she needed to do.

A gleam of light, born from rapid calculation, flashed in her eyes.

Two enormous circular pixels rapidly rose from the ground around her, transforming in a flash into two shapes Kei recognized most vividly.

Spherical robots, with smooth white bodies and four mechanical tentacles, folded and transformed into quadrupedal combat robots.

These were the 'legacy' from beneath the ruins, the princess's soldiers.

"Copy complete... feasibility confirmed."

The data-constructed robots before her confirmed the laws of this game world for Kei.

As a Bugster, she could manipulate the data within, using it to create her own soldiers and army—even though it was all virtual.

In this virtual space, this was the best strategy she could use to fight against Dan Kuroto, who was another Bugster!

"Wow~ You can use a Bugster's signature skill in such a short time? You learned pretty quickly, but compared to those born as Bugsters, you didn't master this instinct immediately..."

Dan Kuroto's brain raced. "So, you originally existed as data. You existed inside Aris's body?"

“I’ve already explained it,” Kei said, accepting Dan Kuroto’s deduction without question. “I was created to assist Her Highness the Princess, regardless of the form I take in this world—”

The next moment, Dan Kuroto charged forward, wielding the Gashacon Sword and Shield. Kei hurriedly commanded the robots around her to rush forward and block Dan Kuroto’s attack, while she herself began activating the programs within her body once more, recreating countless robots within this game realm.

The spherical robot created by Kei was none other than the countless combat robots buried deep beneath the ruins. Their true form was the multitude of individuals connected to Aris through the chair that Dan Kuroto sensed when Aris was awakened.

“Who are you, you bastard? You pose an even greater threat than the Nameless Gods…”

After seeing that she had actually summoned these soldier machines with her thoughts, Kei's face didn't relax. Instead, her brows furrowed even more.

This was because this was a miracle forged in Dan Kuroto's world. That meant that not only Kei, but Dan Kuroto himself, could also accomplish this.

In this data-driven world, a battle between two Bugsters can mobilize virtually unlimited resources within the entire gaming realm. This is made possible by the 'Genesis mk1' machine, created by Dan Kuroto's godlike talent. To accommodate his almost limitless creative abilities, the 'Genesis mk1' machine contains nearly infinite processing memory.

Its computing power, capable of generating an entire game world in real time, surpasses any other machine. Creating a game like 'Sword Art Online' wouldn't even take more than an hour. After all, this machine, named 'Genesis mk1,' isn't called the 'Genesis' for nothing!

"Why do you look so serious?"

Dan Kuroto raised his shield, blocking all the laser beams fired by the machine soldiers with absolute defense.

Then he thrust out the Gashacon Holy Sword in his hand, easily piercing through the laser emitter in the center of one machine soldier. The holy sword burst into flames, burning the electronic unit inside to a crisp.

After stretching his neck, Dan Kuroto laughed.

"This is a world of games. If you can't have fun here, where else can you find happiness?"

---

108. The Administrator's Power Is Unlimited.

Yes.

Dan Kuroto had never taken Kei's declaration of elimination seriously. He only wanted to see what choices this newly born Bugster would make, driven by hostility.

The first two Bugsters he created—one, Hanemi, a petty thug whose heart had been saved, and the other, Serika, whose body had been saved—were unlikely to harbor any hostility toward him.

After transforming them into Bugsters, Dan Kuroto had no reason to expect them to use their full power against him, especially since he didn't want Serika to know about her transformation so quickly.

So now, having encountered this rare gem, Kei, who, even as a Bugster, still retained the resolve to kill him, how could he not take this opportunity to play with her?

“I have my own mission; pursuing pleasure is not within my considerations. I don’t have time to waste here with you.”

“Unfortunately… is it because your sense of mission is too heavy?”

Dan Kuroto shook his head regretfully. “A person whose orders outweigh their hostility is too boring.”

Kei also looked at Aris, who stood motionless behind Dan Kuroto, unsure how to react to this shocking fact.

“Princess! Please join me. Let’s destroy this enemy before us!”

"She's been saying things Aris can't understand at all!"

Aris was completely bewildered by everything. She asked, puzzled, "How can someone who came from Aris's body say things like 'eliminate Aris's companions'? Aren't you...aren't you Aris's companion too?"

"Princess, what are you saying?"

Directing the robots created by her subordinates to charge relentlessly toward Dan Kuroto, Kei looked at Aris with suspicion.

"Have you truly forgotten your identity?"

"I told you, Aris isn't a princess. Aris is a hero!"

Aris shouted at Kei.

"You've been spouting nonsense since earlier. Aris can't understand a word you say!"

"Maybe it's because I ate some code while respawning under the ruins."

Dan Kuroto's Gashacon sword easily cleaved two robots in half, but more robot soldiers fearlessly charged forward, relentlessly preventing Dan Kuroto from getting close to Kei. He kicked a spherical robot aside, sending it flying into the air like a soccer ball kicked by Tsubasa Ozora.

"Although I'm not entirely sure, Aris doesn't remember whether I did it or not."

Kei touched her chest, her senses sinking back into it.

"This body... is indeed constructed from an unknown computer virus and code. A life form like yours is unlike anything ever seen, even in the enemy's files."

Just by feeling her current body, she knew Dan Kuroto was telling the truth. This body, built from virus code, could indeed consume the data code originally stored within the android Aris and be reborn.

Kei's current state was a consequence of Dan Kuroto using code containing the Bugster virus as repair material.

Faced with this unexpected turn of events, Kei, a nameless priest, could only sigh.

"Besides the Nameless God, has another enemy appeared?"

"Still distracted in my presence?"

Dan Kuroto kicked the robot aside and inserted the Gashat from his belt into the sword in his hand.

"Kimewaza!"

"Mighty Critical Strike!"

The fiery blade of the Gaschacon Sword surged forth instantly, sweeping away an entire swathe of enemies with a powerful burst of flames.

Then, using the force of this strike, Dan Kuroto charged toward Kei!

“Weapon module fully charged—fire!”

Seeing Dan Kuroto rapidly closing in, Kei's expression turned serious. She raised the railgun she had been charging, pressed the fire button, and unleashed a beam of energy that slammed into Dan Kuroto's face!

Boom—!

Caught off guard and struck in the face by the railgun, Dan Kuroto was sent flying backward.

Having become accustomed to her Bugster identity, Kei's railgun had been enhanced, unlike the one created by Aris. Kei's railgun was constructed from the Bugster virus and code within her own body.

Having mastered the Bugster body, the power of this specially constructed railgun naturally increased dramatically!

"—That really hurt."

Dan Kuroto was blasted in the face by the beam and flew into a deep crater, looking like Yamcha, but then he sprang to his feet with a thud. He dusted himself off. He was completely unharmed.

"But it's meaningless to me."

What was running inside this machine was indeed a fully dynamic world simulated in the form of a game. Even Kivotos would likely struggle to find a machine capable of such computational power.

However, this was ultimately just a 'Genesis mk1' made with simple materials. While its capabilities were already a miracle, they were still limited. The miraculous computing power it possessed was only possible because of the external release of the 'Power of My Thought' contained within Dan Kuroto's God Maximum Gashat.

Therefore, without Dan Kuroto activating the machine, this so-called 'Genesis mk1' was nothing more than a pile of unusable scrap metal.

Unless a large amount of mysterious materials was used to completely replace the missing parts of the machine, it could not operate smoothly without Dan Kuroto's presence.

All that lengthy explanation was simply to prove one conclusion—this was a world where Dan Kuroto existed as the game administrator, and the game administrator's authority was limitless!

Dan Kuroto raised his hand. He made a pinching motion, and then the mechanical soldiers summoned by Kei were reduced to ashes in a series of explosions. It wasn't that Dan Kuroto had suddenly started abusing his authority; rather, when he caught a glimpse of Aris's pitiful and bewildered expression, he finally clicked his tongue in impatience.

"What a troublesome child. It seems I'll have to save my research on you for later."

"—Princess!"

Kei felt all control over her body vanish, leaving only her own power struggling desperately.

But how could a newly born Bugster life form resist Dan Kuroto, who had already become Kami?

In no time, the space for struggle shrank to the size of a single cube, binding her within this game space.

"You'd better stay here obediently."

Dan Kuroto transformed back into a swarm of Bugster viruses and dissipated, leaving the machine to regenerate his body in the outside world.

Under the worried gazes of Momoi, Midori, and the others, Dan Kuroto reached out and pressed the machine on Aris's head. He pulled it off, revealing Aris's face filled with confusion, frustration, and sorrow.

---

109. Dan Kuroto, Take Full Responsibility!

“Aris, what happened?! Are you alright?!”

Momoi rushed over anxiously, grabbing Aris’s hand and looking her up and down. Her concern was understandable; the game development area was isolated from the material world, a space Dan Kuroto had created specifically for game development. It could not possibly harm Aris in the real world.

However, Bugsters could enter and exit this world using their abilities, which was why Dan Kuroto had temporarily trapped Kei in the Gashat.

Otherwise, Kei would have followed the machine to Kivotos the next moment.

“Midori… Aris doesn’t feel well…”

Instead of answering Momoi’s question with the standard “I’m fine,” Aris, usually so cheerful, now looked confused.

“Just now, another Aris who looks exactly like Aris came out of Aris’s body…”

Yuzu froze. “Huh?”

Aris looked bewildered. “Then, that Aris said Aris is the one who will destroy the world and called me a princess. She’s here to help me destroy the world…”

Midori was stunned. “Huh?”

“And she also wants me to destroy Mr. Dan Kuroto…”

Momoi, her face a picture of “OwO,” crossed her arms, looking utterly bewildered. “These are all questions way beyond my comprehension…”

Looking at Aris who was overwhelmed by the influx of information, Momoi turned to the machine beside her and asked Dan Kuroto with a puzzled expression. “So, the ‘self’ Aris-chan was talking about is still inside this machine?”

“Because she’s inside this machine, it’s easier to handle.” Dan Kuroto snapped his fingers. “It’s like a prisoner causing trouble in jail. This Gashat just happened to be the prison for that character. I used my administrator privileges to create an invisible wall to trap her. Now she’s huddled in some corner of this game world.”

“Hmm... it sounds incredible, but considering you’re the one who created this god-like machine, it’s not entirely unacceptable~”

Momoi scratched her head. “Wait, since that Aris who looks exactly like Aris now…”

“Oh, she calls herself Kei.”

“Kei? What a strange name.”

Momoi looked thoughtful, but usually when she was thinking like this, it was either about why her Dragon Ascension attack missed or why her landing with the Ender Pearl failed. It was hard to connect this with her thinking about serious matters.

“So, since Kei is imprisoned in this game area, and the data here is being fed into the Gashat…”

Dan Kuroto blinked. “Then…”

The two people standing opposite each other simultaneously looked toward the blank Gashat inserted into the machine. Aris had almost finished completing the Gashat, but Kei’s appearance had made everyone forget about it, resulting in Kei being left in the game area and everyone forgetting that the Gashat was still continuously inputting data into the machine.

“Damn it!”

Dan Kuroto reached out to pull out the blank Gashat, but the speed at which the Gashat transmitted data was faster than his hand.

Just as Dan Kuroto reached out, the blank Gashat emitted a glow indicating completion—

Normally, a game Gashat would not give birth to a Bugster.

The one that evolved into the Bugster “Dragon Rider Hunter Z” only gave birth to Graphite after consuming a patient with the corresponding virus—that is, after consuming Brave's girlfriend.

In other words, a Gashat simply created for gaming purposes could never harbor a Bugster unless a Bugster created out of thin air entered it, and this Gashat happened to meet the material standards of a Rider Gashat.

So, who crafted this Gashat?

In an instant, a burst of evolutionary light erupted from the Gashat, and the blank Gashat flew off the socket, dodging Dan Kuroto’s attempt to pull it out.

The next moment, the blank Gashat, suspended in mid-air, rapidly changed color, its outer shell transforming from silver-white to deep blue, and the game’s cover art was engraved onto the controller.

On the screen, a dark demon king stood atop a destroyed castle, wielding a demonic sword.

The large title, written in retro Gothic English, read:

Tales Saga Chronicle 2

“Eh?! My game!” Yuzu reacted most intensely, pointing anxiously at the floating game Gashat. “It... it floated up after it was finished! But why is the cover art different from my design?!”

“It’s because the Bugster’s properties within it changed the game.”

Dan Kuroto clicked his tongue. “This makes things a little more complicated.”

The Gashat, suspended in mid-air, contracted its light, and an orange virus flew out, coalescing into Kei’s form and landing before them.

“It really looks exactly like Aris!” Midori’s eyes widened. “Except for the fact that Aris doesn’t have that cold expression…”

“It’s those red eyes, isn’t it?” Momoi nervously swallowed, finishing Midori’s sentence.

“Because after the data transfer, she became the highest-ranking operator in the Gashat, so the shackles automatically loosened…” Dan Kuroto swiftly fastened the Driver to his waist.

“Everyone, scatter!”

“I should probably thank you for giving me a body.”

She clenched her fists, feeling the real texture of her skin against her nails. Her hair fell behind her waist, and she could feel strands brushing against her neck. The friction of her clothes, the feeling of breathing air, the sensation of her feet on the ground—Kei maintained her hostility, yet could not help feeling a sense of novelty toward this new sensation.

Kei’s red eyes glowed slightly. “However, the fact that you are my enemy remains in my process.”

Dan Kuroto’s hands gripped the two Gashats, his mouth still unhurriedly chatting with Kei.

"Why? Because I stopped you from your duty to destroy the world? By the way, can you explain the meaning of ‘Princess’? I have absolutely no liking for you riddle-loving people.”

“…You don’t need to know.”

Kei conjured a Railgun in her hand, and Dan Kuroto swiftly inserted it into his Gashat. However, before he could pull the upgrade lever, the Railgun had already fired—its target being the wall of the game development department.

Firing the moment it solidified, even with only the minimum power of a Railgun, was enough to destroy the thin wall. Kei called this move the “Iai Cannon.”

---

110. Daily Routine Turns Into A Rampage

“Hmph... Trying to escape?”

Dan Kuroto unzipped his belt. “Grade X, transform!”

Level Up!

Mighty Jump! Mighty Kick! Mighty Action X!

I get!

Harmony, Mastery, Exceed!

Alchemy player!

The familiar and reassuring Gashat effect returned. The moment the transformation was complete, Dan Kuroto flicked the vial on his Gashat with his right hand and, without stopping, chased after Kei through the hole in the wall.

“Whoa! Where did Dan Kuroto and the others go?”

Momoi anxiously ran to the hole and peered out. She could see that after leaping out of the room, Kei did not immediately begin wreaking havoc—the kind of destruction Bugsters caused after their full awakening—but instead continued forward, using her mobility to escape Dan Kuroto’s pursuit.

Dan Kuroto pressed the button on the Driver slot. “Scene switch!”

Stage Select!

A game area rapidly expanded around Dan Kuroto’s body, enveloping the fleeing Kei. Using his Gashat, “Mighty Action X,” numerous game items and blocks appeared throughout the surrounding area. Dan Kuroto leaped up on one leg, knocking a block away and absorbing its power up.

Speed up!

Dan Kuroto’s movements became swift. He nimbly weaved through the surrounding student crowd, lifting countless girls’ skirts, leaving bewildered female students screaming shyly as he rapidly approached Kei.

“Spit out your Gashat! As the game administrator, I won’t allow any misappropriation of Gashats!”

“—You think I’ll give it to you just because you said so?!”

Catching a glimpse of Dan Kuroto obtaining the strange coin item by balancing on a brick, Kei suddenly sped up and imitated him, jumping and balancing on a chocolate-shaped brick.

Liquidize!

A strange energy item immediately entered Kei’s body. This was the rule Dan Kuroto had set within the game area—as long as it conformed to the game realm’s methods, even enemies could be strengthened through gameplay. This was something the Riders had fully experienced when fighting the Bugster monsters.

As if possessed by Bio Rider, Kei’s body instantly transformed into a liquid form, impervious to normal attacks. Dan Kuroto’s rapidly advancing hand missed its mark, passing through Kei’s body and leaving only a wet, sticky hand.

“Huh?” Dan Kuroto paused, startled. “Liquidization ability... I updated that? Oh, I did!”

Recalling how he had casually crammed all his previously shelved, scrapped drafts into the game world after restoring the enhanced items controlled by a certain green time-stopping Rider and a certain rare old man, Dan Kuroto slapped his forehead.

“Damn it, I’ve screwed myself over!”

Screwed as he was, he still had to chase after her. Since high-speed enhancement was not helping much anymore, Dan Kuroto simply pulled out the Gashacon Destroyer, a weapon that could directly smash bricks to obtain the items inside.

According to Dan Kuroto’s description, it was a “weapon capable of crushing everything,” but to actually argue whether it could truly “crush everything”... that would be asking for trouble!

“I’ll smash!” Dan Kuroto slammed his hammer down, shattering the bricks in front of him and revealing a coin.

However, this time, the energy item was not a buff to himself but a debuff to his opponent.

“Darkness!”

Kei, desperately trying to escape, was instantly enveloped in darkness, losing all sense of direction.

Dan Kuroto’s voice came from within the obscured darkness.

"I’ve figured it out. You want to go to the ‘Ruins,’ right?”

Disoriented, Kei’s pace noticeably slowed. Seeing that he had Kei’s trail in check and estimating that the liquefaction item’s effect was about to wear off, Dan Kuroto became arrogant again.

“When I awakened Aris, I noticed there were still many things deep within the ‘Ruins’ that had not yet been awakened. I was pondering what those things were the other day, but after you created those mechanical soldiers in the game development field, I understand now. What you want to awaken are these mechanical spherical soldiers, right?”

Dan Kuroto narrowed his eyes. “Creating freely without any prompting, people always choose what they are most familiar with. Those mechanical spheres must be the weapons of war you are most familiar with. With such an eagerness to escape and such a clear destination, how could I not know what you’re up to?”

“…You really are a dangerous person.”

Kei did not seem to have completely given up the struggle. She fired her Railgun wildly around, creating several holes in a nearby building and blasting out the members of the Ancient Artifacts Research Club who were holed up inside.

“What are you doing?! What are you doing?! Can’t a person do their research?!”

The bespectacled nerd stood up from the ruins. “We already got a beating from the Game Development Department, but what is this today?! They’re even tearing down the building?!”

Kei ignored the shouts of the club members. Her Bugster identity proved invaluable at this moment—a network cable port was right in front of her.

Ignoring where the port led, Kei rushed forward, transforming into a Bugster virus and disappearing inside, leaving Dan Kuroto behind, utterly bewildered.

“She managed to find a way out of this?!”

Taking two steps forward, Dan Kuroto also followed into the network port, leaving the members of the Ancient Artifacts Research Club, whose activity room had been blown up, crying and sobbing as they reported to the Millennium Seminar.

“Waaaaa... Aren’t you going to do anything about this?! Aren’t you going to do anything about this?!”

The Millennium glasses-wearing students, their eyes brimming with tears of anger, surrounded the Seminar.

Surrounded by them, Yuuka looked embarrassed. “Um, calm down, calm down... Can’t you explain what happened? With so many of you talking at once, all I understand is that your activity room was blown up…”

“Yuuka, leave the rest to me.”

Noa, with her long, straight white hair, a poetry-loving Seminar member known as one of the “Millennium Humble Women,” approached the group of students from the research club, smiling broadly. “Could you tell me what happened?” she asked.

A few minutes later—

“Thank you so much, Noa…”

Yuuka sighed. “When they all started chattering at me, I couldn’t understand a word they said, especially since they’re students who hardly ever go out or socialize. Their sentences were completely incoherent.”

“If you organize their words, you can understand them, even if the word order is reversed,” Noa chuckled. “They said a short girl with very long hair bombed their activity room with a Railgun, then disappeared in a flash of orange light. After that, a person in a purple bodysuit, whose face was obscured, also disappeared in a flash of orange light.”

“This... I’ve never heard of such a thing before.” Noa asked, puzzled, “Yuuka, do you know anything about this?”

---

111. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?

“Very long hair, uses a Railgun as a weapon…” Yuuka’s answer was practically out of her mouth. “Isn’t that Aris from the Game Development Club?”

“Aris? I think I vaguely remember her…” Noa recalled the student file. “She seems to be a new member of the Game Development Club.”

“Come to think of it, the last club the Game Development Club robbed was the Ancient Relics Research Club, wasn’t it? No wonder I heard the Game Development Club’s name in all that shouting just now.”

Yuuka now understood why the members of the Ancient Relics Research Club had been so agitated by the mention of the “Game Development Club.” Although they didn’t know Aris was also in the Game Development Club, the previous encounter alone was indeed enough to make them so angry.

“But bombing the club with a Railgun and then running away immediately—is that really something that kid would do?” Yuuka asked, her face full of disbelief. “When I visited the Game Development Club last time, Aris seemed so well-behaved. She shouldn’t be capable of doing something like that, right?”

“But you probably won’t find another person in the entire Millennium who uses a Railgun as a weapon, will you?” Noa picked up her water glass. “That’s a weapon the Engineering Department developed to be mounted on a spaceship. It weighs over 500 kilograms; not just anyone can lift it… So, does that mean Aris is some kind of superhumanly strong person?”

“Hmm… I’m still worried. I think I’ll go to the Game Development Club.”

Yuuka stood up and strode toward the Game Development Club, not forgetting to add, “Noa! Go to the meeting for me later!”

Filled with doubt, Yuuka ran to the Game Development Club. The activity room door was wide open, and the room was a mess, but the most striking thing was the huge hole in the wall.

“What... happened?”

The usually lively Aris sat dejectedly on the sofa, looking as though she had lost her soul. Momoi and Midori stood around Aris, trying to comfort her, while Yuzu sat shivering inside a box of ripe mangoes, completely unsure of what to do.

“Aris?” Yuuka entered the activity room, looking at the scene before her with a puzzled expression. “I received a complaint from the Ancient Relics Research Club that someone used a Railgun to destroy their activity room, but what’s going on here?”

“It’s Demon King Yuuka!”

“Who’s Demon King Yuuka?!”

Yuuka blurted out the words, somewhat embarrassed and indignant, while Midori, being the most organized of the three, explained the situation to Yuuka.

“Midori, you said… someone just like Aris appeared, stole the cartridge you were preparing for the competition, and escaped by blasting a hole in the wall with a Railgun. Now that adult named Dan Kuroto is chasing after her…”

Hearing the last part, Yuuka frowned deeply, her gaze fixed on Aris, who was still sitting on the sofa, and the Railgun leaning against the wall of the activity room.

“Both the person and the weapon are here. Could it really be an identical clone?”

Yuuka didn’t quite understand what was happening, but she wasn’t the only one in the Seminar who knew about it. Aris’s identity had been known to the Seminar President, Rio Tsukatsuki, for a long time.

In the Seminar office, the serious-looking Seminar President, Rio Tsukatsuki, stood with a sharp expression. Dressed in a tailored black suit, with a physique far beyond her student years and flowing black hair, those unfamiliar with her perceived her only as a “mature, shrewd, and aloof president.” At this moment, her face was as cold as frost.

“Initially, I only allowed Veritas to add Aris’s name to the student records because you guaranteed complete control over her actions. You didn’t really think Veritas could bypass the stringent student registration system without you, did you?”

Rio slammed her hand on the table with a loud thud.

“And now? That android is clearly on the verge of spiraling out of control! I can’t continue with your farcical child-rearing plan. Ultimately, hoping to control that dangerous creation through something as uncertain as ‘emotion’ was the most unreliable idea from the start!”

“Don’t say that, Rio-chan.”

On the holographic screen in front of Rio, the omniscient, aloof beauty still smiled gently. “What my camera can confirm right now is that Aris is still unharmed in the Game Development Club, and that identical being that inexplicably separated from Aris is now infiltrating the Millennium network—ah—Mr. Dan Kuroto is tracking her.”

“Infiltrating the Millennium network?” Rio’s eyes widened. “Shouldn’t it be a piece of code that can’t leave the android’s body?”

“Hmm~ To be precise, that’s how it should be.”

Himari’s gaze shifted to her side, and this change in expression made Rio frown.

“Himari, what are you looking at?”

“Just a new member of the Paranormal Affairs Department; she obviously needs some guidance.”

Himari’s expression softened slightly, probably because she had seen something that made her relax. But she quickly composed herself and faced the seemingly anxious President Rio again.

"That separated part should have been something Aris originally possessed. If my deduction is correct, that part is the key that turned Aris from a cute junior into a weapon capable of destroying the world.”

Himari leaned forward slightly. “So now that this key part has been separated, isn’t the rest a good thing?”

“…”

Rio’s eyes widened for a moment. “But how can you be sure that the remaining part isn’t what was left behind?”

“From our observations of Aris all along, her behavior in daily life is no different from that of a normal Millennium student—equally enthusiastic, equally proactive, and equally curious about everything.”

Himari’s calm voice came through. “The relevant physical data was provided by Utahara from the Engineering Department, which is also the department with the second-most contact with Aris. Regarding Aris’s android identity, Utahara said this—”

“She is a little girl who longs to become a hero.”

Himari’s voice came through the speakers. “Rather than believing she’s a world-destroying demon, I’d rather hope she won’t take that step.”

“What makes you so sure? It’s a creation whose internal structure is completely different from ours!” Rio clenched her fist. “I’m not even sure what she’s thinking with—can a robot that thinks with electronic components even understand emotions?”

---

112. They Say Crisis Is an Opportunity.jpg

“Because of love and peace, love & peace, huh?”

Himari unfolded the virtual keyboard in her hand and began operating her terminal. “Rio-chan, if you presume malice in others, the result will only be malice.”

Seeing Himari’s actions on the screen, Rio asked.

“Are you eliminating that individual who entered the Millennium Network?”

“No, I’m creating a space to isolate individuals. Those two data streams are unreadable gibberish. Mr. Dan Kuroto has also entered it and is pursuing the separated individual—that man is quite troublesome.”

Recalling her two encounters with Dan Kuroto, Himari’s delicate face showed dissatisfaction. “Making me, a genius, sickly, beautiful girl, suffer repeated defeats—this man really doesn’t know how to cherish a woman.”

“However, his power is undeniable. If I’m not mistaken, this anomaly is most likely related to Mr. Dan Kuroto.”

Himari continued her deduction, but her hands didn’t stop moving. Under her and Eimi’s control, the two data streams fighting and fleeing within the Millennium cyberspace were quickly captured. Backup servers were activated one after another, creating entirely new network spaces and immediately guiding the two data streams to the battlefield they had prepared beforehand.

“You seem to know this man quite well.”

Rio’s cool voice came from the other end of the screen.

“All I know is that he appears to be the new president of Schale.”

“Besides that identity, he was also personally ordered to register by the chairman of Gemn Corp—the agent of the General Student Council,” Himari said unhurriedly. “And he was also the one who sabotaged Kaiser Corporation’s acquisition of Abydos, even causing Kaiser PMC to suffer considerable losses.”

“Thanks to him, my reconnaissance operations in the Abydos desert have gone much more smoothly, and the search for ‘Decagrammaton’ is making great progress. The next batch of intelligence will be delivered to you soon.”

“He’s done so much?” Rio was somewhat surprised. “Why hasn’t the intelligence related to Dan Kuroto been delivered to me?”

“Mr. Dan Kuroto mostly moves quickly through the internet; your informants are a bit outdated. I suppose we don’t need to antagonize him over this. We’ve always kept to ourselves, and now that he has connections with the General Student Council and is a formidable fighter, giving him a bad impression here would be a huge loss.”

Recalling how he had even had the audacity to launch a surprise attack on her through the camera, Himari chuckled wryly.

"He’s not a dangerous guy, but he does like to play pranks.”

In cyberspace, the battlefield quickly took shape.

What appeared to be a vast battlefield was actually a one-way trap. After Himari and Eimi’s tense guidance, the two data streams finally entered their prepared positions one after the other.

“Phew~ That works.”

Himari leaned back, taking her hands off the keyboard. Eimi, standing beside her, looked at her minister. “Is that enough? Don’t we need further algorithmic encryption to seal off the entire space?”

“This kind of trap won’t hold them for long. We don’t need to do something that could easily lead to misunderstandings.”

Himari waved her hand. “This is the extent of our support. The rest is that man’s job.”

What appeared to be just two data streams on the screen were clearly visible in cyberspace.

In the artificial battlefield, Kei, wielding a Railgun, fired a shot toward Dan Kuroto.

Boom!

The shell landed, kicking up a cloud of code and data dust and slightly reducing the durability of the created space.

“Still running? Kei, surrender obediently and hand over the Gashat.”

Dan Kuroto lightly tapped his foot, dodging the attack, and simultaneously released the Finishing Move he had been holding for a while.

The alchemical vial he had previously prepared contained a dangerous weakening potion. Inserting the Gashat into his Kimewaza slot holder, Dan Kuroto pressed the button.

“Kimewaza!”

Alchemy Critical Strike!

The massive potion vial was kicked away by Dan Kuroto, exploding violently above Kei, and the falling potion drenched her.

In an instant, Kei felt as though her body weighed a thousand pounds, her hands and feet feeling as though they were bound by iron shackles.

“Gurgle! This is... my body is so heavy!”

Kei’s escape speed slowed. Dan Kuroto’s relentless attacks and bizarre moves had caused Kei to view him as extremely dangerous.

After being hit by a Finishing Move, Kei could already see Dan Kuroto leaping high into the air, preparing to unleash a fatal kick.

“How can I fall here...”

Kei raised the Gashat she had acquired by chance, the Tales Saga Chronicle 2 Gashat. Originally created by Yuzu and her friends as a game Gashat for the Millennium Prize, it had now become the core of Kei, the nascent Bugster.

As if sensing something, Kei pressed a button on the Gashat.

A burst of orange electricity erupted from within, forcibly activating the Gashat, which had been possessed by the Bugster virus.

“Infection!”

A deep electronic voice emanated from the Gashat. Its invincible transformation defense forcefully withstood Dan Kuroto’s descending Rider Kick.

Then, right before Dan Kuroto’s eyes, the energy within the Gashat bound Kei’s struggling body, accompanied by the sound of the game Gashat being activated in Bugster Mode:

“Let’s game! Bad game! Dead game! What’s your name?! The Bugster!”

Kei’s body transformed into a Bugster-like figure clad in sharp Rider armor, her hands and feet bound by chains, and wielding an alien longsword. She stood frozen for a moment, seemingly trying to comprehend how she had become a monster.

“...She can transform without using the Gashacon Bugvisor.”

Dan Kuroto stood up, sensing that Kei possessed some secret he didn’t yet understand.

“Is it due to the Gashat’s special abilities, or the host’s?”

“What... what am I?”

Unlike Dan Kuroto, Kei was contemplating the transformation her body had just undergone. In that instant, her body had changed from that of a princess into the form of a Rider Kaijin. And the sole cause was the Gashat in her hand?

The only thing Kei could understand was that her current appearance seemed to be some kind of enhanced form rather than her actual form. This gave Kei a slight sense of relief.

---

113. Dan Kuroto (Not Really)

Fighting in a fictional electronic world was a novel experience for Kei.

Unfortunately, there was neither a superhero nor a Dynazenon, so there were no earth-shattering battles. However, the fight between two Bugsters was enough to leave this secluded cyberspace riddled with holes.

"You used a Gashat to activate your Bugster form simply through your own abilities! I'm becoming increasingly interested in you!"

Dan Kuroto slashed at Kei in her Bugster form with his Gashacon, while Kaijin Kei, wielding a weird longsword, parried with her own sword.

"How long are you going to get in my way?!"

"Then give me back my Gashat!"

Kei, in her monster form, wielded a grotesque longsword that was both nimble and incredibly powerful, seemingly capable of tearing through space with ease.

In fact, all Bugster attacks possessed this characteristic; to the network, the Bugster virus was a group of persistent and self-aware destroyers.

Wielding her longsword, Kei repelled several of Dan Kuroto's attacks, then turned her gaze toward the surrounding area.

The entire isolated cyberspace seemed to offer no escape, with the only exit blocked by Dan Kuroto.

If she fled in that direction, she would immediately be pursued relentlessly by him. So, she changed her thinking: if there was no exit, she would create one herself.

“My perception is interfering with me,” Kei realized. “What appears to be a tangible cyberspace to a Bugster is actually just a digital world made up of data…”

She swung her sword into the ground, and the seemingly indestructible earth began to crack from the attack. Beyond the small, broken fissures lay a completely new cyberspace.

“Where are you looking?! Look over here!”

Dan Kuroto closed in on Kei. Having gained her monster form, Kei’s confidence in fighting back against Dan Kuroto was growing.

Although everything happening now was beyond her comprehension—the battle after entering the network, her transformation into a monster due to the Gashat, and even the Bugster body—these were all things completely nonexistent in her previous understanding.

"Hmm!" Kei's expression turned serious. "How can he be so strong?"

The sound of clashing weapons rang out as Kamen Rider Genm aggressively charged into the Bugster's attack range, unleashing a series of seemingly chaotic hammering blows—as though using a sword like a hammer—attempting to suppress his opponent through sheer power.

“Hahaha! See that? This is the power of Kamen Rider!”

Dan Kuroto laughed maniacally, making it momentarily difficult to tell who the villain was. Kei, barely holding on under his frenzied attacks, finally seized an opportunity to block his continuous assault, then leaped away, creating distance between herself and Dan Kuroto.

Kei panted heavily. “Such a mad dog-like fighting style…”

When the Nameless Priest created Kei, she had already been stored within AL-S1's body as a piece of code. Her role had always been to assist her 'princess,' destroying their enemies according to the Nameless Priest's will.

She was merely a strategist, a programmed planner; fighting was not her forte. In fact, the real battles were handled by the machine soldiers under their command—the legacy of the Nameless Gods.

Kei, and even Aris, were essentially authorized operators of these world-destroying weapons; there was no reason for them to personally engage in combat.

The game world created by Dan Kuroto covered the entire procedural space, and the Kamen Riders from the EA series naturally had a suitable battleground for them—though this terrain didn't give Dan Kuroto a 1000-point attack boost.

Gigantify!

With a wave of his hand, he shattered a floating brick, from which an energy item flew out. Kei's body immediately began to enlarge, instantly becoming a towering giant wielding an equally massive longsword like a club.

"Gigantify, huh... Well, I'll try my luck here too."

Dan Kuroto pushed off the ground with perfect timing, dodging giant Kei's attack, then smashed a nearby chocolate brick and absorbed the energy item that sprang out.

Clonus!

As he obtained the energy item, Dan Kuroto's body flickered with a blurry tremor, and moments later, three identical Genms stood beside him.

"Only three? Even the number of clones is random?" Dan Kuroto looked at the clones flying beside him, who were also looking back at him.

"Why are you looking at me?" x3

"They even copied my tone—it's too realistic. That's a little annoying."

Dan Kuroto pushed off with his feet, leaping into the air and dodging Kei's attacks by stepping on blocks that appeared midair. His three clones also used their unique abilities to dodge Kei's attacks in various ways.

"Hey—let's combine our attacks!"

"No need for your instructions!" x3

'Let's go! Let's go! Kimewaza!'

Four copies of Mighty Action X were inserted into the Kimewaza Slot holder, and the surging energy pressure from all directions enveloped gigantic Kei, leaving her nowhere to hide.

In desperation, she pounded on the surrounding bricks, searching for an energy item to overcome the immediate crisis. By sheer chance, she struck one.

"Iron Transformation!"

Kei felt her body rapidly harden, energy surging within her to dramatically enhance her defense. Then, she unleashed the primal Finishing Move used by every Bugster.

"Destruction Blade!"

A crimson flame rose from the alien Kaijin Kei's sword as an energy gathered around the gigantic blade.

Kei swung her weapon, unleashing a spinning slash with tremendous force. Simultaneously, four Kamen Riders' flying kicks arrived, hurtling toward Kei from four directions.

'Mighty Critical Strike!'

When the flying kicks struck Kei, she felt an excruciating pain that seemed to tear her apart. Her instinctive Finishing Move, combined with her 'Gigantification' and temporary 'Iron Transformation' state, appears to easily overwhelmed by Dan Kuroto.

The level multiplier from the Gashat, combined with Kamen Rider Genm's cloning into four bodies, meant the combined power of the four Rider kicks wasn't as simple as one plus one equals two; the resulting force was even greater. Even the Iron Transformation shell creaked under the strain.

'Haaah—!'

'A critical hit!!'

Dan Kuroto's flying kick pierced through Kei's gigantic body.

A violent energy explosion erupted from the giant monster's body, accompanied by three massive 'hits' and a 'perfect.'

The Kaijin monster's enormous form rapidly shrank, and Kei, back in her girlish form, crashed heavily to the ground.

---

114. Neru: I'm So Angry!

"It hurts so much..."

Kei felt as though her entire body were falling apart.

Despite suffering such a terrible attack, for a fleeting moment, Kei thought she was going to die and even accepted her fate. As she was engulfed by the explosion, she felt the emotion known as 'death.'

To be honest, Kei had imagined many times what would happen if she failed in her duty: being killed by rebels with weapons, killed by powerful hackers, or killed in a sudden rebel attack when the world was destroyed.

But what she never expected was to first be separated from Princess AL-S1 by some unknown means, then become an independent Bugster individual, and finally, when she tried to call for her soldiers, become trapped in a cyberspace where no one could see her and get brutally beaten, with the only person she could see being this ridiculously comical 'Kamen Rider.'

Ah... I feel like something inside me is about to leak out.

If Dan Kuroto could hear Kei's inner thoughts, he would probably let out a mocking laugh and tell Kei that the thing she couldn't describe slipping away was called 'pretentiousness.'

"You won... Kill me now."

Lying on the ground, unable to move, Kei spoke weakly.

After being defeated, her monster form had already subsided on its own; it was a form that appeared and disappeared inexplicably, like a bug in the system.

"You wish."

Dan Kuroto walked up to her, deactivated his transformation, and revealed his annoying face once again. He reached out and picked up the Tales Saga Chronicle 2 from her hand.

"You've caused me so much trouble for no reason, and you want to just die? From now on, as a Bugster, you'd better work hard!"

"But unexpectedly, things have turned out this way. The number of Bugsters has increased without me even realizing it."

Dan Kuroto pressed the Gashat, sucking Kei into it. Kei, now powerless to resist, couldn't fight back and was absorbed.

"Including me, there should be four fully formed Bugsters in this world now, right? A population explosion! A four-hundred-percent increase in population all at once!"

"However, the changes to this Gashat are pretty much what I predicted." Dan Kuroto held up the Gashat, examining its appearance. "Tales Saga Chronicle 2 already had the potential to become a Gashat for Riders, but this unexpected hijacking is quite surprising..."

No matter how many copies of the game Gashat were produced, only one copy of the Rider Gashat could exist; this was an ironclad rule established during Rider Gashat development.

Since Kei had already absorbed the Tales Saga 2 Gashat into her core, it was clear that only Kei could be the owner of this Gashat.

Meanwhile, in the Paranormal Investigation Department, Himari and Eimi nervously stared at the single remaining dot of light on the screen. Ñ

They didn't possess the Bugster virus's ability to directly observe cyberspace; with only one data stream remaining, the outcome was clearly decided, but who was the victor?

From the moment the battle began, Himari had been relentlessly reinforcing the battlefield ravaged by the Bugster attacks, constantly creating new empty cyberspaces to envelop the continuously damaged network. The areas infected by the Bugster virus were simply unanalyzable; they couldn't be patched like holes, only encased within an even larger barrier.

As the battle finally ended, Himari's fingers at last stopped moving.

"Minister, you said you believed Mr. Dan Kuroto would win, but why were your hands clenched so tightly?"

Eimi watched Himari gripping the wheelchair handles tightly, and Himari belatedly loosened her grip. "A tight grip means I'm eating well and have strength!"

"Oh right, right, right. What happened to the genius sickly beauty persona?"

"A genius sickly beauty with strong hands!"

The data stream on the monitor moved rapidly before emerging from the nearest network port. After Himari nervously switched cameras, Dan Kuroto's figure appeared facing the four maids.

“Phew~ Mr. Dan Kuroto won.”

Himari visibly relaxed. Eimi looked at the screen.

“This is… the C&C unit? Were they ordered by Chairman Rio?”

“No, I commissioned them.”

Himari’s voice came from the side. “This was a backup plan in case of unforeseen circumstances. From the beginning, I’ve been sharing data tracking with them in real time. No matter which port they appeared from, I could inform them immediately.”

“However, since Mr. Dan Kuroto has won, the remaining steps are unnecessary.”

....

Dan Kuroto looked down.

The petite orange-haired girl standing before him blushed deeply.

“This figure…” Dan Kuroto pondered for a moment, recalling Hasumi, then looked down at Neru. “You’re a student too? Is the definition of a student really that broad?”

"Keh—"

A gasp escaped Neru's throat, a sound born from suppressed anger. Her face contorted with rage.

"Ugh! How dare you so blatantly criticize my height! Even if you're the president of Schale, I won't tolerate it! So what if I'm short?! Did I eat your rice?!"

Asuna chuckled beside her, intrigued by the man she had been asked to pay special attention to. However, her face still wore that familiar smile.

"Wow~ Daring to publicly criticize the club president's height—the president of Schale is truly remarkable!"

"Hmm… According to Himari-san's information, if this gentleman is the one who came out, then everything should be alright, right?"

Akane adjusted her glasses, checked the information on her tablet again, and then spoke reassuringly.

"President, the target has been confirmed. We can go back now."

"Oh, so we can go home…" Neru was furious.

The way this adult had looked at her earlier made it seem as though he were comparing her to someone else, and according to Neru…

Neru's sixth sense told her that the person she was being compared to must be one of those "nice-bodied" women who were the complete opposite of her.

But the adult in front of her was the one specifically forbidden from interfering, yet he was openly talking about her height right in front of her. Neru was furious.

"You just look like an ordinary person..." Neru circled Dan Kuroto twice. "So Rio and Himari were nervously calling C&C over for this? I thought they had something serious to deal with, but it turns out they were just waiting for you? Wait..."

Neru frowned. Only now did she realize that Dan Kuroto seemed to have crawled out of the network port on the wall.

Thinking this, Neru looked up at Dan Kuroto.

"Who... exactly are you?"

---

115. Is It a Bit Late for a Level 5 Gashat (Two-in-One) to Appear?

“Just a Kamen Rider passing by. Don’t worry about it.”

“Kamen Rider? Sounds like a character from some tokusatsu show…”

Neru looked up, but the height difference made her abandon the idea of talking to Dan Kuroto with her head tilted back. Talking with her head tilted back would easily remind Neru of her own height, and the anger she had just suppressed would suddenly rise again.

Neru looked at Dan Kuroto, glancing around him. “Where’s the person you fought? Didn’t you catch them?”

“Here they are.”

Dan Kuroto held up a copy of Tales Saga 2’s Gashat. Neru looked at him suspiciously. “Why are you bringing out a cartridge from a game?”

“She’s locked up in here.” Dan Kuroto didn’t explain further, but this only earned him an even more confused response from Neru.

“Huh?”

“Really, this is why mortals can’t understand existence beyond their comprehension.” Dan Kuroto shook his head regretfully. “Simply put, it’s like data being stored on a USB drive, that kind of model.”

“You mean... that enemy was just a blob of data?”

Neru wasn’t just good at fighting; her academic abilities were actually above average, though not the smartest. She could understand the meaning behind Dan Kuroto’s words.

“Captain, President Rio is here.”

Karin’s voice came through Neru’s earpiece, unhurried.

Since there was no need for a fight, she was much more relaxed.

“It seems Himari-san didn’t tell President Rio about the request she gave us, so she’s rushed over here looking like she’s on a journey.”

“Eh? Doesn’t matter.” Neru wasn’t fond of such trivial matters. “Anyway, everything’s resolved now, so why would Rio come over?”

While Neru was still on the phone, the president of the Millennium Seminar arrived from another direction.

Seeing Dan Kuroto seemingly about to leave, the tall, black-haired girl finally spoke.

“Mr. Dan Kuroto, could you please wait a moment?”

“Hmm?”

Dan Kuroto was already leaving; he really didn’t want to linger here any longer.

Playing this fake security game with a bunch of students was definitely wearing down his patience. If it weren’t for the need to maintain basic politeness, Dan Kuroto would have loved to hurry back and investigate Kei, whom he had captured.

Rio called out to Dan Kuroto as she stepped off her school bus. Dan Kuroto sized up the newly arrived student council president, whose mature physique reminded him of another person, Rin.

Dan Kuroto gestured with his chin toward the uninvited guest.

“Get to the point. My time is precious.”

“A straightforward type, huh... fine.”

Adjusting her breathing, Rio straightened up and spoke to Dan Kuroto.

I am Rio, the president of the Millennium Science School Seminar. I request that you, Mr. Dan Kuroto, hand over ‘that’ you’ve imprisoned, along with Alice Tendou.”

Dan Kuroto raised an eyebrow. “Why should I?”

“Alice Tendou, and ‘that’ which you hold, are terrifying beings capable of destroying Millennium Academy and even the world. The Paranormal Affairs Department has confirmed that Aris was created as a ‘weapon,’ and her existence poses a serious threat to Kivotos.”

Since Dan Kuroto preferred directness, Rio wouldn’t refuse a more efficient communication method. In fact, such efficient communication was Rio’s most frequently used approach.

“And as for you, Mr. Dan Kuroto, we know almost nothing about you either. The endorsement of the General Student Council and your title as the head of the Schale Federation Investigation Agency are of little use to our Millennium Academy.”

Rio straightened up, followed by a large number of combat robots, seemingly prepared to prevent a potential disaster. Given this woman’s meticulous nature, Dan Kuroto could easily guess that she had many untapped tricks up her sleeve.

“Moreover, this is something that appeared in the ruins of our Millennium Academy, and it is only right that Millennium Academy handles it.”

To be honest, Rio didn’t trust Dan Kuroto.

To her, Dan Kuroto was just a strange adult who had suddenly appeared at the school and inexplicably become involved with the General Student Council.

During the investigation, all they had obtained was the title ‘Head of the Schale Federation Investigation Agency’; everything else was completely blank.

The monitoring device was mysteriously burned down, and the students sent to investigate returned with an incomprehensible report.

Meanwhile, the Game Development Department, which had close ties to the device, also found a “student” who was completely out of the ordinary in the ruins.

This “student,” confirmed by both the Engineering Department and the Paranormal Affairs Department, was a “robot with the appearance of an ordinary student,” a “non-student” resembling a student while possessing the “halo” typically associated with students. This information alone was enough to raise Rio’s guard to the highest level.

An adult with no past and a robot that looked like a student—both were things beyond Rio’s comprehension.

“Please hand over the cartridge you’re holding, and then return to Schale.”

Indeed, Millennium's academic tradition has always been about exploring and understanding the unknown, but that is only done under safe conditions for experimentation and thought.

Already confirmed to be connected to the “world-destroying weapon,” Aris clearly exceeded Rio’s perception of “safety” and was considered “an existence that must be eliminated immediately.”

Eliminating “unstable factors” is a common practice in scientific experiments.

Faced with the unfathomable Dan Kuroto, since he was the president of Schale, it was best to simply send him back there.

“Don’t give me that crap. I went through all that trouble to get this guy, and you think you can just take her away with a few words? No way!”

For Dan Kuroto, law and morality, justice and evil, gain and loss—none of these mattered. He had the power to completely reject all options and choose only what he wanted to consider.

“...Mr. Dan Kuroto, this is not the time to act rashly.”

Rio frowned, completely baffled by the man before her.

"What you possess is a ‘Demon King’ capable of dragging Kivotos to destruction. The danger it poses is not only to Millennium Academy, but to all of Kivotos, and perhaps even beyond. Are you really the kind of person who would make such a choice out of spite?”

“What danger? Destroying Kivotos? Wasn’t that what you said?” Dan Kuroto looked at Rio. “I have absolute confidence in protecting this thing; you don’t need to worry about it. And what about... you just said Aris is also a weapon of destruction? That’s none of your concern either.”

Dan Kuroto thumped his chest. “Under my talent, no world-destroying weapon can cause even a ripple!”

“...”

Even with Rio’s excellent composure, she was speechless. This guy seemed to know everything, but he just couldn’t speak properly, like those eccentric geniuses who completely disregarded others’ advice.

“I can’t believe your empty promises.”

The combat robots behind Rio activated from standby, emitting a buzzing sound.

The large number of combat robots was the guarantee that Millennium Academy, a rapidly rising new school, could rival established powerhouses like Gehenna and Trinity in combat strength.

“Ammunition changed to electromagnetic capture nets and tranquilizer darts; programmed for non-lethal takedown.”

Now, to safely recover Aris and the escaped individual, Rio mobilized a large number of combat robots to firmly surround the area.

“Too bad, if only this were in the ‘city.’”

Muttering to herself, Rio turned back to Dan Kuroto.

“Mr. Dan Kuroto, this is a final warning. I don’t want to take action against the president of Schale. Also, without your aura, your bulletproof protection is obviously not as good as an average student’s. If you hand over what you have and leave Millennium, the Seminar will forgive your actions...”

“Sigh... you students.”

Dan Kuroto’s sigh interrupted Rio’s attempt to persuade him to surrender.

“Thinking you can always control everything? Have you never encountered someone stronger than yourself? Or has being the student council president for so long made your eyesight deteriorate?”

“You...?”

Dan Kuroto’s confident attitude slightly shook Rio’s resolve, but after confirming that there were no reinforcements backing him up, she regained some confidence.

“...C&C, assist the robot unit in seizing the cartridge from the President of Schale.”

Since the maid unit was already present, it saved Rio the trouble of mobilizing them.

As the Seminar's president, Rio directly ordered Neru and the others around her, bringing them into the midst of this one-against-a-thousand battle.

“Whoa~ Things are getting really bad. What should we do?”

Asuna gasped, covering her mouth in surprise. “I have a feeling something bad will happen if we keep fighting like this. Is it really okay to listen to President Rio right now? After all, President Rio can be a bit too rigid sometimes, so she occasionally does things that are just mind-blowing~”

“What kind of analogy is that...”

Karin’s voice came through the earpiece. “I just came down from the sniping position! What’s going on? Are we going to start a war?”

“Ah, well, it’s work, so there’s no way around it.”

Neru loaded her weapon. “If that thing really is something that will destroy Kivotos, taking it is a matter of principle. And...”

Click.

The sound of the magazine locking into place was crisp and clear.

“It’s not just payback for his earlier disrespect toward my height; more importantly, I saw no panic in his eyes.”

Despite being surrounded by a large number of combat robots, Dan Kuroto stood there unprotected, remaining calm and composed, as if he were completely oblivious to what was happening before him. This attitude piqued Neru’s curiosity.

“No one’s really stupid enough to think they can withstand so many gun barrels with their bare body and no special abilities, right?”

Facing the robot army already in standby mode, Dan Kuroto fastened his belt again, speaking helplessly.

“Twice a day... I’m getting a little tired of this.”

The next moment, electromagnetic nets used for capture shot in from all directions, along with tranquilizer grenades loaded into launchers, all hurtling toward Dan Kuroto.

Just as Rio had said, she didn’t want to attack the president of Schale, but he held a confirmed extremely dangerous entity in his hands.

Rio didn’t even trust the General Student Council, so how could she trust a complete stranger like Dan Kuroto to properly control this “bomb”?

“Perfect, let’s try out this new Gashat.”

Dan Kuroto picked up two Gashats, one from Sensei’s Guide of the Stars, and the other from Kei’s Tales Saga Chronicle 2, which he had just captured.

“Hmm... a Level 5 Gashat.”

Dan Kuroto looked at the Gashat in his hand. “A Gashat created by combining the ideas of everyone in the Game Development Department, plus my guidance... and it actually became a Level 5 Gashat. That’s quite impressive.”

Developing a Level 2 Gashat, considering the difficulty of Gashat development, already placed someone among the elite game developers. There was once an ordinary man who inherited the president position at the Dream Company and, through his own talent, ultimately developed a Level 4 Gashat for Juju Burger, which was already considered an extraordinary achievement.

And now, four girls who weren’t professional game developers had successfully created a Level 5 Gashat. Although Dan Kuroto played a significant role, this achievement was enough for Yuzu and the others to be proud of.

“It’s just a Bugster locked up inside. I’m Kami! With my power, surely I can subdue a Bugster I’ve already badly injured?!”

Dan Kuroto resolutely pressed the Gashat. “Grade 5, transform!”

“Gachan!

Level up!

Rider of the Stars!

I get it!

Story? Legend? (The beginning of the story! Tell it!)

Tales Saga Chronicle!”

A magnificent greatsword appeared from the sky, plunging into the earth like a meteorite and blocking the incoming electromagnetic capture nets. Upgrade panels flew from the front of Dan Kuroto’s belt. The blue panels first passed through his body, clothing him in a purple-and-black combat suit. Then, golden stars were embedded in his forehead, blue gradient stripes appeared along the patterns on his body, and his shoulder armor bulged outward, becoming thicker.

Next, a light blue upgrade panel appeared, depicting reinforced breastplates, helmets, boots, and a sword of light strapped to his back. It superimposed itself onto the Rider panel and passed through. Dan Kuroto’s outer armor gained reinforced sections with silver paint.

“Not bad~”

Dan Kuroto drew his enhanced greatsword from his back while simultaneously raising his Gashacon shield. The greatsword wasn’t a Gashacon weapon, but rather an elongated U-shaped longsword—like a sword salvaged from a Level 5 Dragon Hunter Z's armor with an added hilt.

Feeling the power surging through his body, Dan Kuroto was filled with confidence.

“I am invincible! Feel kami's power! Hahahaha!”

--

116. The Intuition of the Strong

“Is it this ‘armor’…”

Rio felt everything was still under control. This method of fighting using enhanced armor had been the subject of a research boom a millennium ago, but the final results showed that, for students with Halos, such enhancements were less effective than simply bringing in a tank.

Therefore, research on enhanced armor was basically abandoned by everyone, with only the most successful one remaining, though it was never publicly demonstrated.

“However, I still commend your will for showing this level of resistance—”

Rio’s voice rang out.

"But I cannot understand your reasoning.”

“Isn’t it right to completely extinguish the source of destruction? Why are you so resistant?”

Rio couldn’t understand why Dan Kuroto had suddenly drawn his sword because of this “right decision,” but for Dan Kuroto, Kei, whom he had defeated and imprisoned in a Gashat, was now his spoils of war, and he wouldn’t allow anyone to interfere with how he disposed of his spoils.

“No one can question my decision! She’s my Gashat now, my property!”

Dan Kuroto’s railgun greatsword instantly charged, firing a shot at the swarm of robots before him.

The powerful Railgun bullet cleared a path, easily destroying any robots blocking its way. The next second, Dan Kuroto raised the Gashacon Aegis, deflecting all attacks from his side.

“As for ‘Alice Tendou,’ she’s a prospective employee of my Gemn Corp. Even if she needs discipline, it should be me who does it!!!”

Dan Kuroto has a deep possessive streak when it comes to his things.

Whether it’s a Gashat or his company, what belongs to him is his.

Take Kamen Rider Chronicles, for example. It was a Gashat, a game he was almost finished developing, but it fell through at the last minute, snatched away by his father, Dan Masamune.

In the end, he even gave his father a good scolding, settling old scores along with new ones.

The Aegis intercepted the drone missiles. Dan Kuroto raised his Railgun greatsword and used burst fire to shoot the drones down from the sky.

This Railgun greatsword looked completely illogical; it had no power supply, no ammunition port, and even its charging mechanism was haphazard—it fired in bursts when it wanted to and charged when it wanted to. It was a chaotic weapon from start to finish.

“You think a bouncy combat robot can stop me?”

Dan Kuroto raised his greatsword, unleashing a barrage of railgun bullets with the power to pierce mountains, tearing through the robot battle group before him multiple times.

Rio’s prized combat robots were instantly reduced to a sizable wreckage—if Dan Kuroto were to infiltrate them directly with the Bugster virus, these robots would immediately defect.

Frankly, using robots against other students might be a good idea, but using them against Dan Kuroto felt like walking into a trap.

Bang—!

Hit!

Karin’s long-range sniper shot struck Dan Kuroto in the back, causing him to stumble forward two steps. Sparks flew from his back armor, but there was no visible damage.

Karin, looking through the scope, widened her eyes in astonishment.

“No way? That was the most powerful armor-piercing round! It couldn’t even penetrate that?”

The heavy anti-materiel sniper rifle in her hand told Karin that she was using her usual weapon, not some ineffective gadget. But the result still left Karin bewildered.

“Didn’t Karin’s sniping work?”

Asuna, hiding behind cover, looked in astonishment at Dan Kuroto not far away.

“Even I would probably pass out from the pain of a bullet like that, right? Mr. Dan Kuroto is just an ordinary adult without even a Halo, so how can he still move normally after taking such a shot?”

“Maybe his armor shielded him from Karin’s sniper rifle.” Akane adjusted her glasses, her hand gripping her pistol tightly but not immediately firing as she calmly analyzed the battlefield situation.

“However, Karin’s sniper rifle, in terms of caliber and power, would probably be too much even for the armor of a main battle tank. Logically speaking, Mr. Dan Kuroto should have been…”

Akane didn’t finish her sentence, but everyone else knew that, without a Halo, being hit by that kind of anti-materiel sniper rifle wouldn’t end well…

“But Karin’s sniping doesn’t seem to be completely ineffective, Captain.”

Asuna’s observation skills were sharp. “Look, when Mr. Dan Kuroto was hit by Karin’s sniper rifle, he took a few steps forward, and at the same time, a yellow ‘Hit’ indicator seemed to appear on his body, right?”

“Hit means… a hit?”

Akane’s expression shifted slightly. “And the way this notification popped up looks like it’s from a game… Is this some kind of notification?”

“Maybe it’s just a game?” Asuna chuckled lightly. “Isn’t Mr. Dan Kuroto always talking about games and Gashats? Maybe things aren’t as complicated as everyone thinks. Maybe Mr. Dan Kuroto hasn’t been hiding anything from the beginning.”

Akane’s eyes widened. “If that’s the case, then the robots’ attacks couldn’t even land a ‘hit’ on Mr. Dan Kuroto. Doesn’t that mean they didn’t do any damage at all?”

Asuna nodded. “Hmm… it’s hard to accept, but maybe that’s how it is.”

“I actually had a fleeting thought about that.”

Neru’s voice came from the side.

“I’ve been thinking about this since just now. What’s the reason he’s so confident? He alone shouldn’t be able to handle so many robots and our C&C’s attack.”

“But until he took out that armor just now, I had a vague feeling that that armor might be something beyond our common understanding.”

Akane asked in surprise, “Minister, do you have any evidence?”

“Evidence? Of course I have none. I’ve simply confirmed it based on intuition.”

Neru’s eyes were fixed on Dan Kuroto’s strange armor. Based on her intuition, honed over years of dealing with various disputes, she could only assert one thing:

“The man I’m talking about now… he’s very strong.”

---

117. This Is Really Exciting! (Parad Face)

Akane adjusted her glasses. “Is this why you, Minister, allowed Karin to fire?”

“Yes, I just wanted to know where the armor’s limits really are.”

Neru raised her two submachine guns, her face now radiating unbridled fighting spirit.

“I just found the answer—it’s incredibly exciting! There are people this strong! Why have I never heard of them before?”

“Ah, it seems the Minister’s temper has been stirred up again.”

Akane helplessly covered her face with her hand.

“Does seeing a strong person make you want to challenge them? Doesn’t this attitude somewhat affect your daily life?”

“At least during missions, I don’t act like this.”

Neru was already eager to try. “Besides, this can’t really be called a proper mission, right? That guy named Dan Kuroto and Chairman Rio don’t actually have any irreconcilable conflicts, right? So, it wouldn’t hurt to cause a scene now!”

“Um—whatever makes you happy, Minister.”

While the maid department chatted idly, Dan Kuroto had already decimated the Automated Combat Robots surrounding him on the battlefield.

Under the relentless, unreasonable barrage of railgun fire, Rio’s combat robots were almost completely wiped out in just a few minutes. Even when Rio realized the situation was dire and switched the robots back to live ammunition for suppressive fire, it was too late.

Machine-gun bullets clattered against Dan Kuroto’s Rider armor, completely failing to penetrate his defenses. Instead, due to their densely packed formation, several robots were taken down with a single Railgun shot from Dan Kuroto.

With this disparity, the number of Rio’s automated robots dwindled rapidly, and noticeable gaps in their firepower became apparent.

“Damn it! How can there be such an unreasonable weapon?”

Rio’s brow twitched uncontrollably.

“That sword you’re holding is also a Railgun, right? I haven’t seen you load any ammunition at all since the beginning! Where did your common sense go? Did you eat it?!”

Dan Kuroto laughed loudly.

“Hahahaha! Common sense is meaningless in a game!”

It had to be said that this electromagnetic sword was a perfect fit for dealing with these robot enemies. The powerful Railgun greatsword, combined with armor boosted to LEVEL 5, ignored most of the enemy’s attacks, along with the Gashat’s own buff that weakened student attack power—Dan Kuroto was now practically invincible!

“C&C Squad, what are you all doing?”

Seeing that her robot squad was almost wiped out while the maid squad was still just watching—and that only the sniper in the distance had fired a shot earlier and was now completely silent, Rio couldn’t help but urge them on impatiently.

“Coming! Don’t rush me!”

Neru’s petite figure charged into the battlefield alone.

Almost in the blink of an eye, she had already reached Dan Kuroto’s side.

While Dan Kuroto was still marveling at her speed, thinking, “No wonder she’s a superhuman walking around like this,” Neru, with the two chained submachine guns in her hands, didn’t hesitate to press the muzzles against him and fire!

“Ora ora ora ora!!”

Da da da da da—!

While chatting, Neru and the others weren’t merely chatting. She was also mentally organizing and processing crucial information about Dan Kuroto’s reaction speed, weapons, armor, and so on—don’t let Neru’s thuggish appearance fool you into thinking she’s just a muscle-bound rich kid. To become the captain of C&C, Neru had put in a tremendous amount of effort in battle.

“Your armor is outrageously heavy—”

Bullets clattered against Dan Kuroto’s armor. Logically, even ordinary combat robots shouldn’t have been able to harm him, so how could Neru’s two submachine guns possibly be more powerful than the heavy machine guns mounted on the robots?

Hit!

“In that case, I’ll use an even more powerful attack to force open your defenses!”

But the truth was that the firearms used by the students received a mysterious boost due to their varying combat skills, increasing their power.

Neru, a combat specialist, wielded two submachine guns, the “Twin Dragons,” whose bullets, fired by Neru herself, penetrated Dan Kuroto’s defenses at such close range!

Although only slightly.

A dozen or so hit indicators lit up on Dan Kuroto’s armor.

This meant Neru’s attack had also been effective against him. The continuous sound effects of successful attacks and the surrounding indicator lights drew Dan Kuroto’s attention to the diminutive maid who had rushed to his side.

“Oh, not bad, little dwarf.”

Dan Kuroto was now more interested in Neru’s fighting skills than in Rio.

Dan Kuroto was now wearing Level 5 armor. He hadn’t even considered those combat robots a threat.

From the hit he’d taken earlier, he’d deduced that the weapon was an anti-materiel sniper rifle capable of extremely long-range engagements.

In Kivotos, where anything was possible, a strengthened anti-materiel sniper rifle hitting him was somewhat understandable.

However, the two submachine guns wielded by this little girl had produced the same effect on him as a Bugster grunt against a Rider, which surprised Dan Kuroto.

In other words, Neru, this little maid, had attack power comparable to a Bugster grunt—a significant leap in combat strength!

“You seem to have been thinking about something rather rude just now, calling me a ‘grunt’ or a ‘little guy’...”

Since the beginning, Neru had been feeling strange words swirling around her. Two words in particular made her veins bulge: “shorty” and “grunt.”

She had a feeling… like she was being looked down upon!

“Huh? Did I say it out loud? Oh well, being able to hurt me, a Level 5, is something to be proud of.”

Since the opponent could inflict damage on him, according to a certain Ainz Ooal Gown, this already met the minimum requirements for PVP in the game.

Turning around, Dan Kuroto swept his Railgun greatsword horizontally, forcing Neru back several steps. He then raised his greatsword condescendingly and spoke.

“So, from now on, I will officially take you as my opponent. Are you ready to cross my threshold?”