1

"Right now, of all times!"

Kazuki caved into his first instinct of frustration. A Fragment just had to open up somewhere, when his conversation with Uehara earlier that afternoon had suggested otherwise. Why now of all times?

Then, it was as if he got struck by a blow that stunned him in place and temporarily took the wind out of him.

It was definitely not Shiki going for another round, nor was it Uehara, who wasted no time getting on the ready.

It was his own realization.

Amagi!

Could she have somehow summoned this phenomenon singlehandedly, all thanks to his careless word choice? Without outside intervention, it's the most likely explanation, and Kazuki fought off the urge to knock himself silly for the trouble he caused.

She ran off and was most certainly down on herself when she left. Had she continued drowning in her negative emotions, someone with as powerful of a spiritual potential as her could certainly lead to the manifestation of a Fragment.

Without second thought, he approached Shiki and quickly placed the ring with the insignia on his friend's palm.

"O-oi, this is..."

"Shiki, I have one request for you. Take care of this for me. No one knows it's ours, so you can pass it off as the one you and Uehara found and get those juicy bonus credits."

He then turned to the long-haired girl and gave a nod.

"Uehara, you thinking what I'm thinking? Let's go."

She gave him a nod as a reply, but almost immediately came a voice of displeasure that prevented him from leaving.

"Wait a minute, you leaving me dry while you take my partner away and go two-timing with her, and you think a bribe like that is gonna do it? Right after we had that talk about Amagi?"

"Shiki, there's no time for arguments. But to make things clear, it is not what you're thinking. We're gonna go get Amagi, and we just know where she is right now."

"Looking for Amagi, huh? Then I'm coming with you!"

The bandana-wearing classmate with orange-red hair motioned to hand the ring back to Kazuki when another hand stopped his. It was Sayaka Uehara, who had finally intervened directly for the first time since the encounter.

"Shiki," the calm girl began. "Leave this to us, please."

Kazuki focused on the facial expression of his childhood friend and silently prayed that he would back off. There's little time to waste on going about in circles and explaining the matter while skirting the topic of Mu.

He eagerly waited and held his breath upon seeing the look of slight contempt on his friend's face. Shiki didn't look like he was in any mood to budge.

"We also need someone to do the explanations and stall for time, and you're the only one we can trust. We'll be back before curfew, I promise," said Uehara. "Besides..."

She held Shiki's hands more firmly, much to his surprise, as seen by his sudden blush and softer expression. His stiff expression finally gave in when the black-haired girl gave him a wink.

"Could you do it for my sake, pleeeease?"

Faced with a look that made him turn around, Kazuki tried to stifle his own laughter because he knew that the girl accidentally seeing him would likely spell the end for him.

"O-o-ok ok ok!" replied the blushing Shiki, with a hint of energy in his voice. "Make sure to go get Amagi back, okay?"

With that, Uehara released his hand but maintained her smile.

"We have roughly an hour and a half more. We should be back by then."

"T-take care out there, okay? And don't let our friend here do something fishy or he'll get more than the punch I gave a while ago."

Shiki finished his high-pitched sentence with a salute at the transfer student.

"Alright, let's go!" called Uehara.

Kazuki gave his nod, and the two began their run into the forest, towards the location of the Fragment.

"He got you good back there. Honestly, I never expected that out of him. That's some real talk coming from the most unexpected places, too."

It had only been moments into their run inside the woods when Kazuki heard those words from his companion.

"Yeah, the same goes for me. I gotta thank him again for knocking some decency into me."

"Well, as for what you did to Amagi and what Shiki said about you, I can't say that I was surprised, Arata."

"Do you have such a low opinion on me?" groaned Kazuki.

"Perhaps," answered Uehara in a teasing tone. "You're the type of stiff guy who'd suddenly make bold declarations and steal lines out of some anime or game."

Kazuki sighed before Uehara continued.

"But I know you were earnest, and hurting Amagi was the farthest thing you had in your mind. I know better than to doubt you after seeing you dive into danger and put your own safety off for others so many times already."

"Thanks, Uehara. Those are some reassuring words."

"What else would you expect from your trusty partner?"

Kazuki was left staring at Uehara for a moment as they continued their run forward.

"Uehara..."

He opened his mouth to speak, but what came out was something that he just muttered without giving much thought.

"I certainly did not expect that out of you, too. You were so... girly back there with Shiki, like a normal teenage girl. With the winking and all."

To which he was faced with Uehara's furrowed eyebrows.

"I had to do it, okay?" began her with a ranting tone. "For your information, before you came along, Ms. Sadohara already had me do quite a lot of spying on gangs, corporations, and all that. A girl's gotta make the most out of her own charms, okay?"

"H-hey, don't get it wrong. I'm not saying as if it's a bad thing. I just said that it's unexpected from someone like you, Uehara."

"Hmph!"

Thus, the two continued on their way as they closed in on the location of the Fragment.

2

The foul air, the miasma, and the heavy presence inside Mu and its many extensions have long stopped bothering Touya Satoru. It was trouble the first time around, but after that first fateful entry into the world and the succeeding encounter with the silver-haired man, Satoru had come to relish the environment.

It did not matter whether it took the form of the caverns or the ruins that often characterized the Fragments in Shiroki City. Nor will it matter if it were unfamiliar soil, like the walls of thorny vines in front of it and the damp soil that his feet currently stood on.

Satoru took his first step forward and fixed his eyes on what seemed to be the entrance to a maze. As soon as he prepared to enter the maze, the sensation and the scent of the far too few Nullities lying in wait entered his nose.

"There's not a lot of them, eh? Doesn't matter. You're not after those small fry anyway. Am I right, Setsura?"

Instead of the repugnant smell, the normally foul air in this Fragment exuded a different kind of fragrance to the masked man.

He had a satisfied expression underneath the mask as the pale woman sprouted out of his back. Giving a shrill screech, Setsura readied her blade arms as her master began taking the walk into the maze.

"Class A Nullity. She really did it, that girl!" he said, his voice trembling with excitement as the tendrils that function as his right arm sprout out from his shoulder. After briefly taking the form of an arm, they quickly detached themselves from each other, leaving Satoru with literal interlocked tentacles on his right.

He looked at the red sky and shook in laughter upon sensing the power emanating deep within the labyrinth.

Recomposing himself after that burst of excitement, he prepared to take his first step into the maze when he paused.

Rustling sounds surrounded him, and the walls of thorny vines began moving, eventually forming a blockade in front of him.

"Not making it easy, are you?"

He clicked his tongue as he easily swiped and hacked the vines away with his tentacle-like appendages and entered the labyrinth.

Inside, he found himself flanked with walls of vines, thrice as tall as an average human being. The walls seemed to emit a menacing presence, one that seemed capable of quickly closing in on him and overwhelming him in a snap.

None of that bothered him. Not with Setsura by his side, and not with the tentacle appendages that had taken the place of his right arm.

He confidently made his stride, turning and walking into path after path, choosing one between forks on the road with only his primal instincts and the entrancing sensation of a Class A Nullity keeping him on.

However, just as he was able to take another step forward, he stopped his leg mid-air. He had sensed a change in the air, and he smiled as the ground in front of him burst up into a pillar blocking his way, revealing a spiky top that would have impaled him from underneath had he not halted.

He turned back to see that the layout of the path that he just traversed had changed. The vine walls near him also moved, and a few of the plants shot out towards him.

Setsura immediately put an end to that attack by hacking away at the attacking vines and shredding them to pieces.

"I'll play your game, Class A Nullity. It will only make the taste of victory all the more delicious."

He licked his lips happily, and he felt his body fill up with adrenaline. He felt drunk with excitement, and the prospect of consuming a powerful Nullity put him in an almost maddening fervor.

It has been far so long since he felt this kind of high as he thought of what kind of Nullity that Class A looked like. He thought of the possible memories and powers that will flood his mind as he consumes the essence of the Class A.

He thought of the hopeless feelings that he would crush from within should he be able to drain the Class A Nullity into being a mindless puppet, a mindless husk devoid of a true will.

Just like this woman.

Eyeing the woman with blades that could cut even the toughest material in one swing, he felt nostalgic.

How long has it been? How long until he gets his hands on more power, just like that day that changed everything?

With his thirst pushing him forward, it will only be a matter of time. His victory was all but assured, and once he gets his hands on that Class A...

He moved his tentacle appendages in a motion similar to wringing a neck and subjugating a living organism through choking before letting out a laugh.

A hollow laugh that knows no respect to life.

After all, all Satoru had known for quite some time was to consume and to control....

3

Walking down the riverbank, the youth with black, spiky hair gazed at the sparkling waters that reflected the late afternoon Sun. As he gripped on the plastic bag of groceries, he continued to stare longingly.

He paid no heed to the cars passing by on his other side. However, he felt a nagging feeling that radiated from the other side, beside the river.

It was not something that can be given form, but to him, it was warm. It was bright and hopeful.

The youth, feeling overwhelmed by the warm feeling that he typically was able to ignore, glanced and saw a number of people enjoying the afternoon together, running across the grassy path.

In particular, the sight of a father and his son playing catch across the riverbank made him pause.

Seeing the sight of the bespectacled father and the son's lively interaction flashed images in his mind, images of what could have been. It seemed to exude an aura that could melt anyone's heart. Very accommodating, and completely different from the one that he had grown accustomed to.

As soon as those feelings seemed to reach him, they faded, overwhelmed by an opposite force radiating from within himself.

How long has it been?

Touya Satoru gripped his grocery bag tighter, as despite everything, he knew that he did the right thing nonetheless. That man was scum of society, an abusive shithead who knew no love. All he knew was violence and the rule of the strong.

And he always exuded that sensation that overwhelmed the young Satoru with despair and heavyheartedness.

That man had one claim, and that was being a maverick in the business world, but all the riches cannot buy him empathy, nor can they bring back lives lost as a result of his actions. Not that he cared. Not one ounce of love can be found in that man, not to his only child, nor to his supposed wife.

Looking at his clothing, the scars that seemed to burn through Satoru's young body only served to remind him of how lucky he was to make it out back then.

He continued walking on, trying to erase the playing parent duo from his line of sight and senses as quickly as possible.

It has been a while since he ran into Shiroki City as a castaway. As a final parting gift to his father, he had managed to outsmart that asshole with some help and come away with the money that the man had for so long stowed away.

With the money he had stolen, perhaps starting anew in Shiroki City would bring him happiness.

Alas, the end result was all the same. Even more painfully, the boy knew the reason for it. His cutthroat father taught him everything.

Touya Satoru was weak. He was useless. He had no purpose in life besides wasting precious resources meant for the book smart, the athletic, and the handsome.

He might have hated his father, but he could never forget those lessons that he learned in pain. Lessons that his classmates in school also taught him.

The weak do not get to speak. Those not talented, not gifted enough deserve to stay down.

As for him, he had no talent. After everything, including some incidents with the people who helped him, all he left was the money that was now reduced to barely getting him through daily living and the bare minimum of schooling.

While some have said that all things work for the greater good and open the door to a bright future, the longer he stayed the course, the less and less he saw it. Those rose-tinted lens showed him a world that was nothing more than hopeful fantasy.

On second thought, he had something else: an uncanny connection to the spiritual.

He did not know when he got it, but he had known about that ability for quite a while already.

Whether it was a person about to strike someone down or groups bullying and eyeing the weak and soft-spoken kid in him with scorn. His heart felt it all.

If the books that he retreated to in his childhood were to be believed, perhaps that ability could soon be translated into some form of precognition or magical powers. Perhaps he could no longer be the bullied kid who soldiered on, having no one to turn to. Perhaps he could have exacted a more physical payback to that abusive man who called himself a father.

Alas, that would be nothing more than a pipe dream. His powers remained as they are: useless, only exacerbating the negative feelings that he would have already felt from others by making him feel the full brunt of others' emotions.

Not that magical powers would matter in this world that had begun to move away from the spiritual in favor of the grandeurs of technology...

Until now.

Behind his mask, Satoru maintained his sinister smile. Hacking away at the vines closing in on him and making appropriate detours as the floor in front of him warped, he slowly closed the distance between him and the powerful presence that he kept feeling.

His powers were not useless after all. It took a few years after first realizing his powers, but he finally managed to let those spiritual powers manifest in a form that empowered him.

In exchange, it gave him a craving. He had been so useless and ordinary years back. It was time to turn the tables on the world. He would crave, he would consume, and he would grow stronger until the time where he could not go any higher.

He never thought that such a craving, coupled with his ability to sense the intentions and the spiritual power from people, would make the perfect combination.

Few had as strong of a potential as the girl that appeared before him a few days ago. Lively, energetic, and popular, she was someone different from him. Yet, his senses had told him that they are two sides of the same coin.

Two opposites yet equals within. He sensed power brimming within her, and he needed no further proof than the magnificent bow that manifested in a pinch.

Through the eyehole on his mask, he stared at the tentacle appendages on his arm.

Just like me.

Just now, she had unleashed this Fragment and released the darkness of her heart in a physical form.

He gave a same, longing look at Setsura.

Just like me.

Following his mighty roar, the quickly closing wall of vines were shredded away in an instant.

The heart that had not stopped pounding continued doing so diligently.

That is where I draw the line between the two of us.

Those thoughts were interrupted as Satoru felt a jolt of electricity strike him across the chest. The sensation spread all throughout his body, and it gave off an intoxicating sensation.

He knew what those were.

"New Nullity presences, huh? Now, this has become a lot more exciting!"

4

The first thing that Kazuki did when he landed in the Fragment was summon his Armament, the shield that formed on his left arm.

He wanted to put a certain thought at first, but all the signs pointed to it. There's no one else who could have spawned a Fragment of this size and complexity besides a very powerful individual.

"So you're telling me that Amagi did all this?" he said as he looked at the surroundings.

Judging from the Fragments that he had visited before, a forest of thorny vines was the farthest thing from his mind when he jumped into the veiled portal.

Walls of vines surrounded the duo.

It was a completely different scenery compared to the desolate aesthetics of the wasteland, ruins, and cathedrals that he had been to.

Beside him, his partner stood on with her sword on the ready.

"Three Class As."

"T-three? Class A?"

Kazuki had to confirm, but the power levels that he sensed as he closed his eyes told him the same story.

"A fourth and a fifth individual, too."

Kazuki opened his eyes, recalling the locations of the five presences. Two of them were stationary and right beside each other, while the other three moved independently.

Things certainly took an unexpected turn, but there's no other choice if they want to save Amagi.

He walked forward, hoping to enter the forest of vines. Not even a few steps toward the forest in front of him, shaking noises greeted him.

From his peripheral vision, he saw the vines begin moving.

It took a little less than a few seconds before the vines shot from all directions, headed toward him. He touched his shield and prepared to respond, but before he can do so, the ever-recognizable swishing sound entered his ears, and the vines around him dropped down lifelessly.

"I know that saving Amagi is a priority, but you should not be too reckless, Arata."

"You're one to talk," answered the slightly amused Kazuki.

"We've never dealt with this many high level Nullities before. Stay sharp."

Kazuki nodded before closing his eyes and focusing his energy on his shield. The shield glowed as he channeled magical energy into it.

"Assimilator's Core!"

When the light faded, Kazuki confidently smiled at his Armament, now having transformed into its form more fitted for hacking through the vines that would come his way.

Some more preparations later, the two Awakeners took their first steps together into the labyrinth of vines.

He had gotten used to the heavy sensation that all Fragments gave off, but the forest maze gave a completely different feeling. Instead of being crushed by the air, Kazuki can feel something more forlorn in the air. It was as if he can sense the loneliness and the depression that gave birth to this place.

Strangely enough, none of the vines shot out and attacked them ever since they entered the labyrinth. However...

"The whole labyrinth is alive. Even the forests inside. Just what kind of power is this?" commented him as the duo soon found their path blocked.

Some of the vines have moved and blocked the way with a living barricade.

"If I were to give a guess, one of the Class As is in charge of manipulating the maze."

"You ran into something like that before?"

"No. But given how crazy some of the things have been these past weeks, I won't be surprised," answered Uehara.

"Getting stuck up on that won't help us. Let's hack our way through and find our way to Amagi."

Raising his bladed shield, Kazuki prepared to strike the wall of vines. He stared at it intently, thinking about how thick and tough it would be.

"Wait!" called out Uehara. "Stand back."

"Hmm?"

He looked past his shoulder to see his partner hold her sword horizontally. Emitting a blue aura, the sword glowed with power.

"I said stand back!" shouted Uehara the same moment she swung the sword sideways. A wave of energy shot out from the sword and went straight through the wall of vines, burning it down from the point of impact.

"Wow! When did you learn to bust that move out?" asked the amazed Kazuki who looked at the rest of the wall of vines collapsed.

"Just so you know, giving you your second life took a lot out of me. It's been almost a month now, and I'm still slowly recovering to peak form."

With the way clear, the two proceeded further.

The thickets and the vines only gave way to more thickets and vines, and the journey slowly tired out Kazuki more than the actual hacking and slashing that he had to do.

It seemed like a godsend to finally reach a wide area with far less vegetation. It was as if they had hit a checkpoint and a pit stop. The forest had given way to a clearing, and two forks on the path greeted them.

However, before either of them can consider any thought of taking a quick break and thinking their next move, the ground rumbled. The walls shook, and it was as if the whole place would collapse.

"Arata!"

Nodding, Kazuki braced himself. Finding himself back-to-back with Uehara, he focused his senses on the walls around him. Given how thick the walls were, it would not surprise him if multiple Nullities would jump out of hiding to attack them.

None of those Nullities came.

Instead, he felt the ground underneath him shaking some more. It was then that a powerful force pushed him up and forward.

He knew that it was not just him because he heard the shrill shout of his partner before he got planted face first onto the ground. The trembling and shaking continued, and he felt his head spinning from the impact of the fall.

Shaking the cobwebs from his head, he saw a path that lay in front of him. It was then that he recalled what just happened.

He quickly sprang to his feet and looked back, only to see a wall of vines having formed between him and Uehara.

Realizing what's happening, he charged at the wall. Swing his blade wildly, he hacked away at the wall of vegetation, hoping to power through and reunite with the black-haired girl.

He was certain that the girl on the other side of the fence was doing the same, but seeing as he had not seen any trace of her nor her blade beam, that only served to show how thick and resilient this wall was.

The path had been blocked. No matter how much slashing he did, the vines making up the wall just kept growing taller. Worse, more and more vines kept creeping, forming an even thicker barricade.

"Uehara! Uehara!"

He continued his desperate shouts as he hacked away to no avail.

More than a few seconds passed, and it finally dawned on Kazuki what just happened. If there was a puppeteer pulling the strings and manipulating the forest, everything started to make sense. It was no longer a matter of chance.

He had been forcibly separated from Uehara.