Chapter 148: The Conversation Ahead

"...Huh? Where is this...?"

──Inside a certain research facility.

A girl slowly regained consciousness, her voice faint and unsteady.

The room around her hardly resembled a laboratory. Sofas, bookshelves, potted plants, a glass coffee table... it looked more like a lounge where students might hang out after school.

And inside this makeshift "after-school hangout," several young men and women were gathered.

"Yo."

The first to speak was a boy in a school uniform layered over a sweater, carrying himself with the easy swagger of either a host—or a gangster in training.

Kakine Teitoku.

The boy ranked as this city’s Number Two casually addressed the newly awakened girl—Yuzuriha Ringo.

"Quite the nap you took. Have any good dreams?"

"Why... why am I...?"

"Supposed to be dead, thanks to the scum crawling around in this city’s shadows?"

Kakine snorted at the dazed Ringo, as if the very question were laughable.

"Idiot. Like some half-baked conspiracy could ever get past my Dark Matter."

"...I put in a fair amount of work too, you know."

"Well, whatever. At least we managed to save Ringo. More importantly..."

The boy with the headgear—Yobou—grumbled, only for the girl in a dress—Gokusai—to cut him off with a breezy tone as she glanced around the room.

They were the only ones present.

The girl with the twin side-up hairstyle who had been with them just days ago was nowhere to be seen.

"So what now? She might really be finished, you know."

"Doesn’t matter."

The absent twin side-up girl—Yumiya Rakko—had recently reconnected with an old acquaintance from the "surface."

After that, she’d been taken in by Reicia Blackguard’s group, "the Members," and was now in a recovery facility. But since she’d already reached out to her old contact on the "surface" and ended up in the hands of a rival organization, her return to "School" was no longer realistic.

That was the issue Gokusai pressed—what to do with her as a member. Kakine, however, answered without the slightest concern.

"...Besides, there’s that ‘contract’ with the Number Five bastard. I wasn’t planning on interfering with that side anyway. For now, this one’ll do as a replacement."

With a casual pat, Kakine placed his hand on Ringo’s head.

She blinked up at him in confusion, having no idea what the conversation meant. Watching that, Gokusai frowned, displeasure written clearly on her face.

"Wait. You’re not serious, are you? Dragging this girl into the city’s ‘darkness’? Don’t forget—we all had our own reasons for joining this organization."

"Don’t insult me. Of course I remember. Securing the ‘Tweezers.’ Gaining ‘direct negotiation rights.’ Those are School’s goals. But still..."

Kakine trailed off, scratching his head in irritation.

He had made a certain "secret deal" with the Number Five in exchange for rescuing Ringo.

---

"Rakko-chan...!!"

──Inside a hospital room.

One girl clung tightly to another in a desperate embrace.

The one being held was Yumiya Rakko, once a sniper for the organization known as "School."

Watching from a short distance were Junko Hokaze and Senya Yuuri. Unlike Iruka Yumiya—who sobbed in relief as she clung to Rakko—their faces were far more subdued.

"...Thank you very much."

Rakko lowered her gaze as she spoke softly.

──Yumiya Rakko had once belonged to Academy City’s "dark side." Inevitably, she had carried out countless underhanded deeds and crimes. Not for personal gain, but under the orders of the city’s "upper echelon." Still, that did not absolve her.

Nor could someone who had sunk so deeply into the city’s "darkness" simply walk away.

That was why Rakko offered quiet gratitude—because that, at least, was all she could give.

"But beyond this point, I would only drag you into my own problems. I don’t know how Kakine-san will move, but I’m already too entangled in this city’s ‘darkness.’ The Board of Directors will never allow me to just walk free. So—"

Having accepted everyone’s feelings, Yumiya Rakko still chose separation. Not out of hatred. Not out of cowardice. But because there were things more important than her own wishes.

"—About that, though."

The door rattled open.

A girl burst in, honey-colored hair framing eyes that gleamed with a fierce, star-like brilliance.

The Number Five, Mental Out—Shokuhou Misaki.

An overwhelming vitality radiated from her, so strong it made one wonder if the fragile, broken Misaki from before had ever really existed.

"First of all, first of all, you know—"

Her voice carried the same force as a certain boy’s, brimming with conviction.

"Why should we, of all people, have to tiptoe around this city’s so-called ‘darkness’? What reason could there possibly be for that?"

She struck at the very foundation of their assumptions.

It was a perspective no one else had dared voice. This city’s darkness never permitted happy endings. Once targeted, ordinary life would shatter. That was why they believed hope had to be kept small. That was why they settled for peace that wouldn’t catch the ‘darkness’s’ eye.

Because that was supposed to be "knowing their place."

But Shokuhou Misaki rejected that resignation outright.

Was there ever truly a reason to accept despair in the first place?

"Not long ago, I had a little chat with the Number Two. He owes me a big favor, after all. And it got me thinking."

She was giving voice to the thoughts everyone had secretly held, yet never dared to speak aloud.

"Isn’t all this nonsense about the ‘darkness’ and the ‘dark side’ just unbearably irritating already?"

She said it lightly, as if it were nothing more than idle talk.

"I used to think there were things I had no choice but to give up. That unless a miracle happened, they’d never come true. I capped my own ability to hope. But reality turned out kinder than I expected. What I wished for came true far more easily than I believed. And that’s when I realized..."

With each word, her will spread through the room.

The ceiling on hope was being rewritten.

What once seemed unreachable began to come into view.

"There’s no need to give up before you’ve even begun. And if you don’t give up, miracles can be surprisingly easy to make happen."

With that, Shokuhou took Rakko’s hand.

It was at once like a hero lifting the hand of the weak who sought salvation, and like a queen laying her hand upon a loyal subject.

"So, Rakko-san. Iruka-san. Senya-san. Junko-san... my comrades who once endured the hell of the Talent Workshop cloning program. Would you indulge me in a little selfishness?"

With the audacity of one ready to defy the entire world—

The queen declared proudly:

"This rotten birdcage crafted by those damn adults... Academy City’s ‘dark side.’ Let’s smash it all into nothing, shall we?"

──The smoke of rebellion, rising from the experimental subjects.

---

It was hectic.

No—if I’m being honest, half of it was our own fault. We were the ones who lit the spark in Shokuhou’s heart.

Once she realized that giving up wasn’t her only option, her actions grew bold and dramatic.

Her goal was nothing less than the dismantling of Academy City’s Dark Side. She started by leveraging the debt of gratitude she’d earned for providing information that saved Yuzuriha, and through that, secured Kakine’s cooperation. In other words, Academy City’s Number Two and a girl who could control minds had joined forces.

By that point, the uproar naturally spread to us as well.

Of course, we and GMDW pitched in, and Misaka joined the fight too. Once Misaka got involved, Shirai inevitably followed—and that led to Yumiya Rakko’s testimony being fed into Judgment’s official channels.

You can probably guess the rest.

Through Yumiya Rakko, the corruption of the upper echelons was set to be exposed publicly. And this wasn’t just anyone’s testimony either—it was coming from a former member of “School,” a group directly tied to the Board of Directors.

To be blunt, I couldn’t help thinking: is it really okay to go that far? But apparently Shokuhou had the backing of Tokiwadai’s chairman—himself a Board member.

So, in the end, the whole chain of events was turning into a power struggle within the Board of Directors—between those relatively clean and those neck-deep in the Dark Side.

And of course, since we were also part of Tokiwadai, we ended up busier than ever.

But before all that, there was something else we needed to do… and thanks to the chaos, we hadn’t had the time to act until now.

“Um, excuse me.”

We’d come to a research facility that also served as a GMDW hangout.

After school, the lab was already packed with the usual faces—Yumetsuki, Rinka, and the others.

Thanks to the whole Dream Ranker affair, the members of GMDW had gained valuable experience as an information network. They’d even begun to look like a semi-professional group in their own right. Well, after spending more than two weeks working alongside real pros since the Daihaseisai, it was probably inevitable.

Anyway, our original plan—strengthening the shaky foundation of “Reicia Blackguard,” who’d suddenly been recognized as a Level 5, by cooperating with “Member”—had been more or less successful.

For “Member,” the mission was technically complete. Considering we were now about to go up against the Board of Directors, it would’ve been more reasonable for them to cut ties with us.

But—

“…What is it? Thanks to your reckless demands, we’re still running around like crazy here. Keep it short.”

Even now, the members of “Member” were still with us.

“Heh.”

“What’s with that satisfied grin? Don’t twist our goodwill into some naïve, peace-addled fantasy.”

Baba sighed, visibly annoyed.

“Academy City’s Dark Side isn’t a single monolith. Each piece may be powerful, but more often than not, those pieces are at each other’s throats. Now you’ve got the Fifth Rank who can command hearts plus one of the Dark Side’s strongest groups—School—rebelling, with Tokiwadai’s backing through a Board member. The situation isn’t just balanced—it’s tilted in your favor. From our perspective, we’re just betting on the winning horse. The fact that the Doctor is still here proves it.”

“For my part, it’s also because I’ve found a certain satisfaction,” the Doctor said, speaking leisurely over a cup of tea in the corner of the lab, counterbalancing Baba’s defensive speed-talk.

“Disorderly Liberation—Poltergeist. Astral Projection—Astral Flight. The Ideal. Traveling with you exposes me to the hidden sides of new and fascinating rules of the world. I only care about having an environment where I can indulge in numbers and equations. If that happens to touch on what’s considered ‘good,’ then so be it.”

In other words, there was no calculation of profit and loss—he was staying simply because it promised more interesting things to study. Which left Baba’s earlier justification of “we’re ahead because we have the Doctor” hanging rather awkwardly in the air.

“…W-Well, as an employer, I suppose it’s not bad. Not that I’m aiming to boast about job satisfaction or anything!”

“—Lady Blackguard. If you’re staying long, I’ll prepare tea.”

Beside Baba, looking away in embarrassment, stood Xochitl—now surprisingly comfortable in her maid uniform. She spoke with complete indifference.

She’d originally come to eliminate Unabara, so staying with us was technically just a detour. And yet, here she still was, working alongside us.

“No, we only stopped by because there’s something I’d like to ask. Don’t trouble yourself.”

“Something you’d like to ask?” Rinka leaned forward curiously, eyes sparkling as I replied to Xochitl.

I nodded, feeling a little hesitant.

“Yes. …I’d like to ask about Kamijou’s whereabouts.”

“…Lord Kamijou, you mean…?”

Kamijou wasn’t involved in our current movement. Honestly, his strengths only really came into play once fists started flying, so at this stage—when everything was still about negotiations and adjustments—there wasn’t much point in bringing him in. Besides, even if we didn’t, we could trust that once the situation reached the point where he was needed, he’d sniff it out and show up on his own anyway…

So, well, it’s not like I had business with Kamijou for any tactical reason. But as I said earlier, things have been getting more and more hectic for us lately.

And they were only going to get busier. Which meant, if I didn’t meet him now, I might not get another chance to have a proper conversation with him for who knows how long.

Worst case, I might not see him again until around Halloween.

In short, I wanted to use our information network for personal reasons.

“Idiot…!”

“Eeek!?”

A chilling, resentful voice came from right behind me, and I instinctively jumped back. Standing there was Yumetsuki, looking absolutely furious.

“Wait, no, it is personal, but it’s also really important—kind of like a necessary milestone, you see…”

“Now, now. …But Shiren, couldn’t you just contact Lord Kamijou directly? Why go this far…?”

“That’s the thing—he’s not picking up his phone…”

I’d tried calling him several times, but he never answered. If it were just bad luck—his phone breaking or being out of range—that’d be fine. But knowing him, there was always the chance he’d gotten himself wrapped up in some incident again. So I figured, since we have the means, I might as well track his location and go to him directly.

“Tch. Just leave him be. He’ll wind up back home or in the hospital sooner or later.”

“It would be a problem if he went back to the hospital. He only just got discharged the other day.”

Not to mention academically. At this point, Kamijou was probably on the verge of repeating the year.

“Sigh… fine, it can’t be helped. …Sendo, how’s it looking?”

“Y-Yes! It should be coming up any second…”

Soon after, an image appeared on the monitor Sendo was working with. A map overlaid beside it showed a back alley near District 7. And there was Kamijou, fists clenched, shielding a girl behind him from some shady esper.

“Unbelievable. That guy really deserves to get beaten to a pulp by one of the women he’s trying to protect, don’t you think?”

“I-I’m not one of his women, thank you very much…”

I act on my own will. I never thought of myself as some kind of trophy Kamijou picked up. I helped him because I wanted to—because I believed in what he was trying to do.

“Well then, I’ll be off.”

With that, I placed a foot on the laboratory’s window frame. It was a little rude, sure—but if I just strolled over, the whole thing might be over by the time I arrived.

All right then.

《Reicia, shall we go?》

《Yes. Let’s wrap this up quickly—so we can talk about what comes next.》

---

Finale Chapter: To Make the Whole World an Enemy – Are_You_Ready?
Episode 122: The Conversation Ahead – Broken_Engagement.

---

──And so.

Breaking the sound barrier, we rushed to the scene, quickly secured the girl, and handed her over to the Anti-Skill guards. After confirming that Kamijou-san hadn’t suffered any serious injuries despite beating down a fair number of enemy espers, we also turned the captured esper over to Anti-Skill.

"Man, that scared me."

That was Kamijou-san’s carefree remark once most of the reporting was wrapped up.

"What did?"

"Well, she just came flying out of nowhere. I don’t even know how she tracked me down here."

"Ahh. …No, no, let’s just say it’s thanks to a young lady’s information network."

I gave that answer offhandedly to Kamijou-san’s impressed tone.

Well, our intel network is fairly wide-reaching. It’s tough to instantly pin down an individual, sure, but if someone’s having a flashy battle, we can usually get a read on it. Honestly, the Doctor’s robot surveillance net is pretty useful.

"…Come to think of it, we’ve already worked on more cases together than I can count, haven’t we?"

Well, more because I kept inserting myself into Kamijou-san’s business rather than anything like fate. This time included… and even the very first case with Index happened the same way.

"…Yeah."

Kamijou-san hesitated for just a moment, then nodded to my words.

I could more or less guess what was going through his mind. True, we’ve worked together countless times. But on the other hand, Kamijou-san has no memories of anything before this summer. He doesn’t have that "first memory" of meeting me before summer—so that must weigh on him.

Watching him, I spoke quietly.

"──Is not remembering something you feel ashamed of?"

"…!!!"

I felt Kamijou-san’s breath hitch, like it had just died in his throat.

"I’m sorry. The truth is, I knew from the very beginning. That night, when you lost your memories. I noticed, but… I was a coward, and I couldn’t bring myself to bring it up."

Because that would have gone beyond the scope of what I should have been doing at the time—saving little Reisia.

Because I couldn’t predict how history would twist if I set foot in the realm of Kamijou Touma’s memories.

Back then, I used that excuse, and I couldn’t take another step forward.

"But if you want it, Kamijou-san… I’ve been thinking I could try to help you regain your memories. I don’t know exactly how, but… it’s not something we need to give up on before we even try."

I studied Kamijou-san’s face as I said it.

──After that recent incident.

After seeing up close the "miracle" that Shokuhou-san seized for herself, I realized something. Maybe we don’t need to treat "Kamijou Touma’s memories" as some untouchable sacred ground.

Sure, in "proper history," Kamijou-san’s memories are probably an important factor. If they change, history will probably get even more chaotic than it already is. There’s no guarantee it would be for the better, either.

But even so… that doesn’t mean it’s something we should just resign ourselves to never regaining.

"…Reisia, what about you?"

Kamijou-san’s voice trembled faintly with fear.

"Would you rather have me with my memories restored, or me as I am now, with them gone?"

That was, perhaps, the very root of Kamijou-san’s fear.

Memories or no memories. Having shared history or not. That matters. Without shared memories, no matter how many times you fought side by side in the past, subjectively you’d feel like strangers. Kamijou-san probably understands that better than anyone.

So I gave an answer that matched his feelings.

"Hmm… Honestly? I don’t really care either way."

I replied without hesitation.

…Ah, come to think of it, that sounded a lot like something Index once said.

"…Huh?"

Kamijou-san blinked, dumbfounded, like his mind had gone blank.

But this was the truth of my heart.

"It’s true that before you lost your memories, you and I were friends. I think we made plenty of memories together. But it’s because of that I can say this for certain. ──Before you lost them and after you lost them, you’re still ‘Kamijou Touma’ either way."

For example: when I disappeared on my own, and little Reisia turned to you for help.

Did it make any difference whether you had your memories or not?

On the road we’ve walked until now, if you had retained your memories… would that have changed the fact you chose to save someone?

The answer to that has been obvious from the very beginning.

Impossible.

Even if every memory vanished in this very moment, Kamijou Touma would still be able to clench his fist for the sake of someone else.

When he fights for another person, that’s when his greatest strength emerges.

That part of him—the strongest kind of hero—will never waver.

…Of course, Touma-san is still just an ordinary boy, so there are times he’ll struggle or feel uncertain. But well, that’s only natural.

"So that is what I am asking. Is having no memories something you consider a weakness? Do you want to reclaim what you’ve lost? …We will be fine regardless of the outcome. But tell me, do you need your past memories in order to be happy?"

When we asked this, Touma-san stayed silent for a while. He searched within himself, asking if he was truly okay with it as it was. Of course, no matter what answer he gave, nothing would suddenly change. Touma-san’s brain cells had been physically destroyed; ordinary medicine couldn’t bring back his memories. Not even within the 103,000 grimoires was there a way to restore what had been lost.

If he were to pursue it, it would be a long, grueling road. Even after the incidents with Magic Gods and everything else had settled, he might spend decades and still never arrive at the end.

But deciding would set something in motion. That much was absolutely certain.

"…Sorry. Shiren, Reicia. I… still can’t give an answer."

After that long silence, Touma-san finally spoke.

"If I could get them back, I’d want to. A part of me believes that even if I regained my memories, I’d still be me. I want to remember how I first met Index and all of you. I want to reclaim my memories with Misaki and Misaka too. I want to restore all the exchanges I lost with the people from my past… I really do feel that way."

He clenched his fist.

"But that comes only after I make things right."

He declared it firmly.

"I’ve been deceiving everyone up to now. Shiren, maybe you realized and went along with it from the start, but Index didn’t. Neither did Misaka or Misaki. I’ve been playing the role of the ‘Kamijou Touma’ who existed before the memory loss, and in doing so, I tricked the people dearest to me. I sat in a place that should have belonged to someone else, without earning it."

It was the kind of statement that made me want to shout "That’s not true!" on reflex.

Because of course it wasn’t effortless. I knew all too well how much Touma-san struggled to build the bonds we had now. …But it seemed he didn’t see it that way.

"That’s why I have to apologize. To everyone I wrongfully gained bonds with by cheating, when I had no right to. …Unless I can be forgiven by them, I don’t even have the right to say I want my memories back."

That, it seemed, was the condition for Touma-san to take his first step forward.

If that was how he chose to do it, then so be it. Since it was his decision, we would simply stand by him.

"Then, may we be the first to receive your apology?"

Saying that, we reached out our hands.

"…I… I’ve been hiding the fact I had no memories, and slipping into your world. …I truly am sorry."

"I forgive you."

As I took the hand he offered back, I answered.

…And if you say you cheated your way into our world, then in truth, I’ve been doing the same.

"Touma-san, do you remember? Technically, we’ve been engaged, you and I."

"…Ah."

The realization flashed across his face.

Ah, so he really had forgotten. Well, it was only a verbal promise, so I can’t blame him.

After the whole ordeal with Nurikae-san, it was arranged as a kind of front to clear the way—Reicia-chan was the one who set it up. Since then, the title had been brought up every now and again…

"…I should be the one apologizing. Using a title like that, it’s no different from forcing a seat for myself in your world by cheating."

‘Fiancée of Kamijou Touma.’

By wielding that label, I secured a place in his world. Maybe, in the battlefield of a so-called ‘heroine race’—the world where girls fight for their place—that was an acceptable strategy.

But I used to be a guy, and no matter how much Reicia-chan teased me about being a maiden, I still felt like I wanted to approach this honestly.

So…

《…Honestly. After I went through all that trouble setting everything up for you, you’re just going to throw it all away?》

《Sorry, Reicia-chan. But… this way feels cleaner to me.》

I let go of his hand, bracing myself to speak. To truly stand on the starting line.

"Touma-san. Shall we… annul our engagement?"

Well, how should I put it?

…Doesn’t that sort of straightforward resolve sound more like a proper villainess to you?

---

"…So, we really did break it off."

After that.

Parting ways with Touma-san, we returned to our room and flopped down onto the bed—alone, or rather, the two of us together—staring blankly into space.

"Honestly! After I went to all that trouble to maneuver things so you’d have the advantage in the heroine race, Shiren, you ignored every single one of my efforts… If you end up regretting it and bawling later, don’t expect me to comfort you!"

"Haha… Well, things might actually turn out just like you said, Reicia-chan."

Hearing her scolding for the umpteenth time, I couldn’t help but laugh wryly.

Reicia-chan’s behavior might seem pushy, but deep down it always comes from her care for me. Even in what happened with Touma-san, her number one reason was my happiness. And I think she also considered my feelings when she acted.

Me, though… Reicia-chan says I’m dense, and honestly, I still can’t really feel it myself.

"But even if I do end up regretting it, I know I’ll be able to keep moving forward afterward."

I said it with conviction.

If someday I truly fall in love with Touma-san, and he chooses another girl instead, and I find myself heartbroken… As long as I acted in a way I could always be proud of along the way, then I’ll be able to keep living straight ahead.

"Because even in a future where Touma-san isn’t by my side, Reicia-chan will always be there next to me. Right?"

"……………………………Well, yes, I suppose so."

Her slightly sulky, flustered mutter made me smile with joy.

So, in the end, all I have to do is live looking forward.

After all, countless different futures are waiting for us.

"──Well then."

Once Reicia-chan’s mood had softened, we rose up from the bed.

Whatever else happens, we still have mountains of things left to do.

──To seize that yet unseen happy ending.

"Shall we talk about what comes next?"

---

A Certain Broken Engagement Near-Death Promise of Restart
The End

---

Thank you so much for reading over these past two years!

Before long, I’ll be posting an afterword on my author page, so if you add me to your favorites and keep an eye out, I’d be really happy.

…Sometime soon.

---

──This was the day before the honey-colored girl would encounter her "miracle."

In the pitch-dark laboratory, a lone boy stepped inside.

"──Hah? Oh, it’s you, Souji. Took your sweet time, didn’t you?"

The man seated at a cluttered desk, surrounded by scattered pages, turned to face him.

Half his face was covered in tattoos. This man was known as Kihara Amata.

Though the lab had lost the "original text" knowledge he’d secured, and the Skill Outs he had been using as pawns were no longer under his control, Amata himself had suffered no real damage. His objective of seizing the Divine Contract Near-Death Promise hadn’t changed in the slightest. Conveniently, the boy he had formed a personal alliance with was standing right there as well──

"Sorry to interrupt."

At that moment, Amata noticed there was an old dog standing at Souji’s side.

"…Figures."

Amata muttered with clear irritation. He had expected this.

To take the Divine Contract Near-Death Promise, he had struck at both the Main Plan and at a Level 5 esper. From Aleister’s perspective, even attacking just one of those would have been enough to invite fury, and Amata had gone after both.

Naturally, it made sense that a cleansing assassin would be sent in response.

That said…

"…Still, I didn’t expect this. For you to be the one betraying me, Souji."

"Sorry about that, Amata-san. But betrayals between ‘Kiharas’ are just an everyday occurrence, you know?"

"Gyahaha! Ain’t that the truth!"

And that was all.

Even though the two had supposedly shared a close connection, their conversation ended right there. That was the essence of the "Kihara" clan: between them, bonds simply didn’t exist.

The only one foolish enough to feel such things was that one defective girl.

"How unfortunate, Amata. To think the day would come when I’d have to put you down with my own hands."

"You already think you’ve won? Don’t get cocky, old mutt. Or have you gone senile already?"

Amata stood from his chair as he spoke. Several papers slid off the desk with a flutter, and when Brainstem caught sight of them, for the first time his expression faltered.

"…Those are grimoires…!?"

"Hey now. I’m the ‘heir’ among the Kiharas. Even if knowledge got purged, there’s no way I wouldn’t have absorbed some essence. Especially with Academy City about to turn against us."

WHSSHH!

Pages whirled up into the air, though there was no wind. Holes were punched through the supposedly perfect laws of physics.

"So let’s see it, Brainstem!! Just how well Aleister’s so-called science—the kind that rules this city—can keep up with the magic I wield!!!!"

CLANK! From deep in the laboratory’s darkness, machinery stirred to life.

"…Good grief. Aleister’s foresight was spot on. And I suppose it was the right call not to get complacent and to keep carrying this with me."

Ladylee Tangleroad.
Fraulein Kreutune.
The "Dragon."

The old dog, a failsafe for when confronting incomprehensible realms, spoke once more.

"Anti-Art Attachment A.A.A. Tell me, Amata… have you ever heard of the Anti-Art Attachment: Armor Engine Against Magic?"

---

──The fight didn’t even last five minutes.

No matter how much of the Original Text’s knowledge Kihara Amata had inherited, the power the old dog wielded was that of this city’s king.

Whatever specs Amata might boast, the old dog’s strikes surpassed them.

And so the battle ended almost immediately.

“Hyahaha… what the hell was that? Total cheat move…”

Kihara Amata—
The man whose body below the chest had been cleanly blown away was laughing even as he approached death.

“Ahh… damn it. I don’t get a thing. Not even the ‘theo’ in ‘theory.’ You’re really something, Aleister… such a great scientist…”

As life ebbed from him, Amata groaned in frustration.
The old dog, Brainstem, gazed down at his former student with a faintly sorrowful expression.

“…Amata.”

“……What is it, old man. I’m about to die. I’d rather spend my last seconds analyzing the phenomenon.”

“…I’m sorry.”

Between the two of them, there was a context no outsider could ever understand.
Why the old dog would apologize to this man of “inheritance” was something no one else could know—and something he would probably never speak aloud.

The dying man gave a snorting laugh at the thoughtfulness.

“Ha. How stupid. Getting sentimental, are you?”

Amata spoke.

This wasn’t the end.

“You think it’s over with me dying? You think everything’s been put back in its proper place? Wrong. It’s the opposite. This is just the beginning.”

His voice grew weaker and weaker.
But still, Kihara Amata laughed as if to celebrate.

“Brace yourselves, Brainstem… Aleister. It doesn’t end here… From here on out… there’s no such thing as a ‘theory’… In a world where irregularities are everywhere… we’ll see… just how safe your ‘Plan’ really is…”

And with that, Kihara Amata spoke no more.

Even so, his lips kept moving.
Like a broken doll twitching one last time.

With the last of his strength, Kihara Amata formed silent words.