1

"What are you doing?" Kazuki forced his words out before the rest of his body flared up, sending shockwaves of pain all over.

The smile never left Guren Izaya's face even when he turned to face Kazuki.

"Opening the path to salvation," he replied, while the rapier on his hand glowed.

"Stop talking in riddles, dammit!"

"It is what it is. I am one step closer to fixing this rotten world. Hasn't Miyuko told you anything?"

"Miyuko? Ms. Sadohara, you say?"

The smile on Izaya's face that turned into a frown did not give Kazuki any bit of comfort. He still vividly remembered the last time they encountered each other and how that ended up for him. However, there was something off about his expression.

That look... He's pitying us? Why does he have such an expression?

Kazuki had yet to figure everything out when the silver-haired man began talking, now in a much more somber manner.

"That's to be expected. Even if Miyuko had known of my plans, she was the type of person to keep secrets. Let me ask you a question. When did the Fragments start opening up and affecting the real world?"

"How am I supposed to know that?!"

"That question is for her."

Kazuki followed Izaya's fingers which led to Uehara. However, the girl never replied.

"Three years. That was when my investigation on these extraordinary phenomena began. Miyuko and I had seen the power that this world holds, and I just cannot let it go untouched, not when it could lead to the dream world where no wars will be waged and no tears will be shed. A world rightfully called the ultimate utopia. That also means that we're nearing three years since I last heard of Senri."

"Shut up!" Uehara snapped, much to everyone's surprise. "You kept talking as if you're familiar with Brother. Who are you, really?"

"Senri was a beloved associate. We had a talk, and we both believed in using the power of Mu for the greater good. Together, we will be helping make the world a better place. Alas, our partnership ended after a few months due to unfortunate circumstances."

"Y-you... You're the one who introduced him to Mu?"

Izaya nodded, and the very next moment, the girl was up, her hands shaking uncontrollably as they held on the almost-fading Armament. It was as if her emotions were so strong that they forced the sword to stay materialized against all logic.

"You're the one responsible for taking Brother away from me! You're the one who killed him!"

Before she can do anything, however, she fell down with a thud, her sword finally shattering into particles. On the other hand, Izaya remained calm despite his face stiffening a bit when Uehara first got up.

"On the contrary, never had I taken a human life. I came to Tenka Peak to save you against Satoru. I could have let Ms. Utara set the Chronodome ablaze, but I instead fetched her after I had gotten what I needed. I did not want you to die, and I still do not do so."

All this while, he never let go of his rapier, which now glowed brightly as the cloud of black began to slowly dissipate.

"With this Armament of mine, I will be freeing everyone that had the misfortune of being afflicted by the Magna Arbiter's curse. Even Miyuko."

That last name drew an audible gasp from the group when Izaya stuck his index finger out.

"One. One casualty. Only one person has died inside this Temple of Recollections. It still pains me to not be able to get here in time to save that person. You can thank Miyuko for that."

He opened up part of his longcoat to reveal a scar that had healed.

"Just what happened with you and Ms. Sadohara?!"

"I told you. I did not kill her. In fact, knowing her, she should be headed here anytime now to stop me. Alas, it will be too late. I would have fully integrated the power of this Ascended One within my blade by then."

Hearing that seemed to have awakened something in Uehara, and despite having fallen under her own weight multiple times, Kazuki can clearly see that her determination had not waned. She had bloodshot eyes aimed directly at Izaya even from her prone position.

Confronting him now would be the worst idea in the world, but even he knew that there was no stopping her at this point.

"Sayaka Uehara, do you not want to see Senri again? Together, we can reunite with Senri."

Silence.

The air changed, to the point where Kazuki shuddered.

"You're lying. I refuse to believe you unless I see Brother with my own eyes again."

"What if I told you that the power of these Ascended Ones and my utopia are the keys to seeing Senri again? That's not all. In that world, Yuki-tan would be the greatest idol of them all, adored by all and making everyone happy. Miki Amagi would be living a fulfilled life with her one and only."

"Brother?..." muttered Uehara.

"Liar," replied Amagi. "I can tell that you are sincere in your belief, but such a world is impossible. It is not the truth."

"How could you know when you don't even know what Mu is? Or what happens to our bodies when we enter the place? Do you even know how your Armaments came about and how phenomena affects this world and ours? Once the Temple of Recollections collapses, you will be brought back and left to ponder those questions."

Just then, a shrill voice echoed from the back.

"Stop him! Don't let him get what he wants!"

Glancing back to see a bloody Ms. Sadohara near the entrance, Kazuki set aside all the questions in his mind and charged at Izaya.

None of the things he said felt credible, and when it came to choosing between this person who had previously injured him and the counselor who had looked after him, the choice was obvious.

"Imbecile!" shouted Izaya before Kazuki's entire weight came crashing down on him and sending him stumbling several times back.

The sound of the clanging rapier followed an eerie howl from the black cloud, and Kazuki turned back just in time to see it disperse. It scattered in a tempest of black and purple before exploding and completely diffusing into the air.

"Look at what you've done!" Izaya said in horror and exasperation as he got up and shook the haze away from his mind. "Do you know what you have just done?"

He quickly got up and summoned his rapier, undoubtedly his Armament. With his eyes completely locked at him, Kazuki knew what he was intending to do.

Kazuki's fears were confirmed when Izaya raised the rapier just as he was a few meters away from him, but he was blocked by a figure of a girl in cheerleader uniform.

"Don't you dare get your hands on Arata!" Amagi bravely spread her arms out and stood in front of him.

"Amagi, what are you doing? You can't..."

"If that world of yours does not have me getting together with Darling, I won't accept it!"

The two girls were on shaky footing, but they nevertheless held their ground. Kazuki saw a change in Izaya's expression before a third voice entered the fray.

"Hah... Not so fast, Guren. You won't have your way easily this time," said Ms. Sadohara, who took her place in the middle of the two girls.

Izaya's advance stopped, much to Kazuki's surprise. The dejected man threw his rapier and watched it promptly diffuse into particles. "You're only delaying the inevitable, Miyuko. Change will come, and you will all understand in due time."

The sound of an eruption followed a powerful set of tremors. From the point they're in, Kazuki can feel the loss of floor stability. Numerous crashing sounds can be heard from the distance.

In response, Izaya sat cross-legged with an expression of resignation.

"It's begun. The Temple of Recollections is collapsing. Worry not. Everyone alive will be safely transported back to the real world, but the last vestiges of the Magna Arbiter's power still lurk about," said him sternly. "At least I already made sure that it won't be in the form that would give rise to another incident like the Render of Bounds."

He looked to the distance, a hint of sadness and regret seen in his eyes. He eyed all five people one-by-one before sighing. "We will meet again when the time comes. Farewell, all of you. Especially you, Miyuko."

As soon as those words left his mouth, he, along with the world, contorted into a spiral of colors. Clenching his fists, Kazuki shut his eyes as he lost all feeling in his body.

2

The next thing Kazuki sensed was the flurry of panicked voices. He tried to raise his head, but his head simply slumped back down to the mat.

He's being moved.

He passed by the classrooms in quick motion as the bright lights shone upon his body.

"He's awake! Big Bro is awake!"

The stretcher carrying him stopped abruptly as Hikari draped herself over his abdomen, causing cramps on his arm and midsection that he toughed through.

"Hikari? You're safe, Hikari!"

He wanted to hug her in return, but spasms from his arms gave him enough warning against it. It was another person who did the favor for him by gently patting Hikari on her back.

He turned his head a bit to recognize that person as the one pushing the stretcher and immediately recognized the clean cut hair. The student council president, still dressed in gym attire, did not have his signature big grins or raucous laughs. Instead, he had a very perplexed expression on his face as he comforted Hikari.

"Good to have you back, Arata," said Kenji Saito.

"Where are we?"

"Oh, right, I get that you might not remember things too quickly. There was a massive earthquake just as the awarding ceremonies are taking place. We found you unconscious, but I guess that applies to the rest of us. No one remembered what happened when the earthquake hit."

Kazuki took a deep breath and looked at the ceiling of the hallway.

Earthquake, huh?

"Don't worry. We're near the infirmary. Miraculously, not a lot of people were hurt. You were in terrible shape, but most of us are safe."

He then continued pushing the stretcher past the hallways, and after a look at the windows, continued. This time, in a much relaxed and stable voice.

"Don't push yourself too hard, Arata. Your sister was crying, and so was her friend."

A double take on Hikari filled Kazuki with guilt, especially when he saw how red her eyes were. Furthermore, bags were underneath her eyes, and the sight of that made Kazuki turn away.

"Am I the only one hurt?"

"Unfortunately, no."

Those words cut deep into his heart until the time they finally pulled up to the infirmary. As he heard the sliding doors open, a wave of cold air latched onto Kazuki, and along with it the pleasant scent of the air freshener that had always kept injured students calm.

However, none of that would calm down the turbulent feelings in the injured boy's heart.

"Arata!" echoed multiple voices within a few seconds of his entry.

He gave a small smile in response as he looked at the people in the infirmary.

Despite the solemn mood, the gang was complete.

From Uehara, who was lying down by the windows, to Kimura, who called out while seated on her bed, they were all there.

He slowly tried to sit himself up to see Amagi, who seemed to have just come from a praying position. Then, he turned to see Shiki, Amamiya, Misawa, and Bloomenfled.

Even Ms. Sadohara, who was strapped down to an IV, smiled upon seeing him.

He can only guess the extent of their injuries.

Even some relatively uninjured people, like Tomoda and the third year Kotoko Chouno, kept themselves busy in a clinic that looked more like an emergency room in the midst of a medical crisis.

Nonetheless, he was glad that they're all safe and sound.

All?

He shook his head.

One very important member of the main group was missing, and as that thought assaulted him, he felt his body shaking. Would anything have changed had he been stronger? Should he have seen to it that she got away before he set off to fight the Magna Arbiter?

Perhaps, in some other timeline, Akane Fujiwara would still be alive. Had he survived the ordeal in that timeline, she would be here, taking care of Amagi. Maybe cracking a few jokes here and there, all while scolding him.

She would then silently complement him, like how she always did with Reijy.

His vision blurred the more those thoughts preoccupied him.

"Thanks for the hard work, Saito. You didn't have to, really," said the school nurse before the student council president hurriedly walked towards a medical cabinet and a refrigerator.

"What are you talking about? I can't just go home and leave them alone like this. Especially since he's one of the most hurt out there."

Ice packs, bandages, and a bottle of antiseptic were just some of the objects he hurriedly came back with.

"President, let the nurse have a look at him first. You'll break his body even more with ice packs."

The school nurse chuckled at Bloomenfled's comment before helping Kazuki to his bed. "You're really one responsible boy, Saito. But she's right, let me take care of him first."

"Oh, what's the matter? Your body hurting?" she asked before wiping away his tears. "Tell me where it hurts, and we'll patch it up."

"Fujiwara... Fujiwara... She's gone."

Kazuki felt that he must have been rambling like a madman because at that moment, the nurse backed off with a confused expression on her face. Kazuki then turned to Misawa, who was on the bed beside him.

"I'm so sorry, Misawa. I'm sorry," he sobbed. "I couldn't save Fujiwara."

He shut his eyes, ready to accept the full brunt of Misawa's grief and anger. Then, the others would naturally follow, and Kazuki braced himself for the barrage of questions.

Instead, there was silence.

He opened his eyes and was met with the rapidly-blinking Misawa.

"Fujiwara? I don't know anyone with that name."

The look of confusion was evident in the face of Misawa, and in a snap, Kazuki's tears stopped. He slowly sat up despite his body's protests and looked her in the eye.

"Come on, don't mess with me, Misawa. Now's not the time!"

In contrast to him, Misawa curled in, looking small in the process while she squeaked her question. "Pardon?"

"Misawa, don't you remember? We had so much fun at Tenka Peak, and she regularly drops by and hangs out!" chimed in Amagi from the other side of the room.

"I really don't know."

Kazuki had enough. He reached out and grabbed Misawa by her dress, eliciting a yelp as well as reactions from everyone in the room.

"Fujiwara! Akane Fujiwara! Stop it, Misawa. You should be one of the people who know her the best!"

It was an outburst that made Hikari run back with a scream.

"Hey, calm down." While Saito spoke calmly, the strength at which he pulled him away from the peach-haired girl said otherwise.

"She's not lying, Arata," said Bloomenfled.

"Why are you playing along with her, President?! You, too, Bloomenfled!"

"I swear that I have never once heard of an Akane Fujiwara. Not one enrolled in Fuyusato Academy. Maybe you hit your head a bit too hard, Arata. Or maybe you mixed the names up with someone else."

It was a response that got Kazuki's pulse racing. All it did, however, was amplify the pressure from the force at which Saito held onto him.

"The one girl who's always with that damn Reijy Ishida! You yourself are part of that, aren't you?"

"Look, pal, Ishida is still missing. We're losing our mind with looking for him already, but he's the one person unaccounted for. We searched the school grounds over and over while getting everyone else here. None. Zero. No clue on what the hell happened to him? But I swear to God that he has never been with an Akane Fujiwara. Tell me, Arata, do I look like I'm lying?"

Upon seeing the expression on Saito's face, Kazuki had no follow up, and all he could do was glare at the student council president with wide eyes of his own.

"Fujiwara... That's the red-haired girl, right?" quietly asked Kimura.

Kazuki nodded before calling Shiki and Amamiya over. The same went for Chouno and Tomoda.

No good. They refused to come over and just shook their heads, looking appalled at the turn of events.

With Uehara staring out the window and looking disinterested, he turned to the final person in the room yet to give her thoughts. When all Ms. Sadohara did was a gesture to end the conversation, Kazuki slumped back down to his bed.

Completely at a loss of what to do, he simply closed his eyes.

It was the least he can do in the middle of pandemonium.

Just what the hell is going on here?!