"LOAD GAME"

Tsukishiro Yanagi: ...I... I'm at...

Staff: Ohh, Deputy Chief Tsukishiro... Thank the gods at least you managed to wake up!

Tsukishiro Yanagi: ...

Tsukishiro Yanagi: I see... The others haven't made it back yet.

Tsukishiro Yanagi: ...What I am going to tell you now is very important. Please listen to me very carefully:

Staff: O—Okay!

Tsukishiro Yanagi: My teammates' consciousnesses are trapped inside that virtual environment and they are under threat right now. Please call HAND immediately and request a cybersecurity specialist plus a medical team.

Tsukishiro Yanagi: Before they get here, please block off the entrance and exit of the HIA Club, and stop anyone from coming in or going out.

Staff: Got it! Don't worry, leave it all up to me!

Tsukishiro Yanagi: ...

Staff: Dear citizens! Friends of HIA! Loyal users of the VR system!

Chatty Citizen: ...And premium users!

Staff: ...And, yes, premium users! Thank you all for your support and enthusiasm! Our apologies, but we may need to extend our VR system maintenance today!

Staff: The Career Club will reopen once maintenance is complete! We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience!

(Despite the disappointing announcement, the crowd gathered at the entrance doesn't have much of a reaction.)

Staff: Uh? It's great that everyone's staying so calm! By the way, the Executive Officers of Hollow Special Operations Section 6 will be resting in HIA during the maintenance period, so...

Passionate Citizen: What!? Miyabi-sama isn't coming!?

Angry Citizen: What the heck? I came all this way just to see the Executive Officers of Section 6!

Impatient Citizen: You should've mentioned something this important earlier! What do you mean, 'by the way'? It's your system maintenance that's the real side note here!

(Hearing that the members of Section 6 wouldn't be appearing, the crowd of citizens reacts with surprising intensity.)

Staff: We—We're so sorry! Deepest apologies! In any case, please leave for now, and we'll announce the opening time later! Thank you for your support!

(SiblingSiblingWise / Belle): (‍What on earth is going on...?What on earth is going on...?Text for Wise / Uh... Um... Errrr!!!Uh... Um... Errrr!!!Text for Belle‍)

What's wrong?

Did something happen?

(SiblingSiblingWise / Belle): (‍Ah, it's okay. Don't worry too much, Belle... I just feel like something's gone haywire over there.Ah, it's okay. Don't worry too much, Belle... I just feel like something's gone haywire over there.Text for Wise / It's nothing... No, it's not nothing! It's really setting me off, so you probably find it weird too, right Wise?It's nothing... No, it's not nothing! It's really setting me off, so you probably find it weird too, right Wise?Text for Belle‍)

About the HIA Club...

About Section 6...

(SiblingSiblingWise / Belle): (‍Yes. Section 6 has basically vanished after going into the HIA Club. Even their scheduled press conference has been canceled...Yes. Section 6 has basically vanished after going into the HIA Club. Even their scheduled press conference has been canceled...Text for Wise / Yeah! Section 6 basically disappeared after going into the HIA Club. Even their scheduled press conference has been canceled...Yeah! Section 6 basically disappeared after going into the HIA Club. Even their scheduled press conference has been canceled...Text for Belle‍)

(SiblingSiblingWise / Belle): There's a huge ruckus on the Inter-Knot with people speculating about what's happened to Section 6.

Let's pay close attention.

Better keep one eye on that.

(SiblingSiblingWise / Belle): (‍So you're concerned too, Belle. Well then, Fairy: Please filter the Inter-Knot using these keywords, and keep me up-to-date with all the latest!So you're concerned too, Belle. Well then, Fairy: Please filter the Inter-Knot using these keywords, and keep me up-to-date with all the latest!Text for Wise / I knew you'd be curious, Wise! So then, Fairy: Please filter Inter-Knot news using these keywords, and keep me up-to-date with all the latest!I knew you'd be curious, Wise! So then, Fairy: Please filter Inter-Knot news using these keywords, and keep me up-to-date with all the latest!Text for Belle‍)

(SiblingSiblingWise / Belle): (‍The keywords are... Let me see: Section 6, HIA Club, and Hoshimi Miyabi! Also...The keywords are... Let me see: Section 6, HIA Club, and Hoshimi Miyabi! Also...Text for Wise / Keywords: Section 6, HIA Club, and Hoshimi Miyabi! Also...Keywords: Section 6, HIA Club, and Hoshimi Miyabi! Also...Text for Belle‍)

Tsukishiro Yanagi?

(SiblingSiblingWise / Belle): (‍You really are a hidden talent Belle, focusing on that particular member of Section 6... Of course, I understand.You really are a hidden talent Belle, focusing on that particular member of Section 6... Of course, I understand.Text for Wise / What a hidden talent you are, Wise, keeping tabs on that particular member of Section 6... But I get it!What a hidden talent you are, Wise, keeping tabs on that particular member of Section 6... But I get it!Text for Belle‍)

Null_Face?

(SiblingSiblingWise / Belle): (‍Null_Face... You mean, that gang of Proxies who claimed to be the equals of Phaethon? It's understandable you'd be curious.Null_Face... You mean, that gang of Proxies who claimed to be the equals of Phaethon? It's understandable you'd be curious.Text for Wise / Null_Face... You mean, that gang of Proxies who claimed to be the equals of Phaethon? What's up Wise, you wanna compete with them?Null_Face... You mean, that gang of Proxies who claimed to be the equals of Phaethon? What's up Wise, you wanna compete with them?Text for Belle‍)

The next day...

 Talk to (‍BelleBelleText for Wise / WiseWiseText for Belle‍)

---

Ask (‍BelleBelleText for Wise / WiseWiseText for Belle‍) if there's any new information on what's going on at the HIA.

(SiblingSiblingWise / Belle): (‍Belle, check this out real quick! There's some new info about Section 6...Belle, check this out real quick! There's some new info about Section 6...Text for Wise / Wise, come here quick! There's some new info about Section 6!Wise, come here quick! There's some new info about Section 6!Text for Belle‍)

(SiblingSiblingWise / Belle): Are you free to chat right now?

Yup!

(Enter Immersive Storytelling)

I'm kinda busy right now, hold on a sec...

(SiblingSiblingWise / Belle): (‍No problem, Belle. You get busy with your work and I'll wait here for you.No problem, Belle. You get busy with your work and I'll wait here for you.Text for Wise / Three— two— one... just kidding! You do your thing, and I'll be here waiting for you!Three— two— one... just kidding! You do your thing, and I'll be here waiting for you!Text for Belle‍)

After the news on Section 6 concluded...

(SiblingSiblingWise / Belle): Let's compile all the info from the Inter-Knot selected by Fairy along with those stray morsels from the news...

(SiblingSiblingWise / Belle): Firstly, Section 6 hasn't come out of the club. Plus online reports have placed "several experts in cybersecurity from both the HIA and NEPS arriving at Lumina Square"...

Feels like something's going down.

Something's gone wrong.

(SiblingSiblingWise / Belle): That's what everyone's guessing, but nobody knows what's actually happened.

Should we go check it out?

Should we go join the party?

(SiblingSiblingWise / Belle): (‍I knew you would be keen to join in all the fun, Belle. Let's go, the car's ready.I knew you would be keen to join in all the fun, Belle. Let's go, the car's ready.Text for Wise / You know me, Wise! Of course, I wanna go check it out! Let's grab the car!You know me, Wise! Of course, I wanna go check it out! Let's grab the car!Text for Belle‍)

A little earlier today, at the HIA Club...

Tsukishiro Yanagi: "Login failed; missing authentication information"... "Login failed"... "Login failed"...

Tsukishiro Yanagi: Damn it... I haven't been able to log back in ever since the system kicked me out. I've tried everything but even the login link disappeared in the end...

Tsukishiro Yanagi: It's been so long already. Soukaku, Miyabi, and Harumasa — I mean, Asaba... They're all suffering inside there and there's nothing I can do about it...

Tsukishiro Yanagi: ...

Staff: ...Deputy Chief Tsukishiro?

Tsukishiro Yanagi: ...Ah, oh.
I'm sorry about that, I was daydreaming. Has our backup arrived yet?

Staff: The professionals from HAND have arrived. They're working on relinking the connection so you can re-enter the virtual world.

Tsukishiro Yanagi: ...When I tried logging in using the original link, the system prompt said "missing authentication information." But ever since I've been here, I've stuck with my team — whether in the virtual world or the real one.

Tsukishiro Yanagi: I can't figure out how there can be "authentication information" that Miyabi, Harumasa, and Soukaku all have, but that I don't. Even if they can create a new connection, I'm worried that I won't be able to log in at all if we can't solve this first.

Tsukishiro Yanagi: Do our experts have any insight about that?

Staff: ...We are working hard.

Tsukishiro Yanagi: Mm, I see... Thanks for your hard work.

Staff: ...We will never give up. Never...

Staff: ...

Staff: Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww
wwwwwwwwwwwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh!!!

Tsukishiro Yanagi: ...Please don't cry. *sigh*

Staff: Sorry, I'm sorry... You only came by to help us out, yet we've put you all in danger...

Tsukishiro Yanagi: Seriously, please can you stop crying? I'm really not very good at handling my workmates' tears.

Staff: Sorry... I—I'm just so sad... Deputy Chief Tsukishiro, did you hear? I just went out to console all the Section 6 fans outside and they were all clutching onto all the gifts that they wanted to give their idols...

Staff: I told them all to go and that I'd pass them on for them... But you know what they said?... They wanted to personally hand over their gifts to their idols — the Guardians of New Eridu.

Staff: ...We kept everything secret though... We didn't let anything out of the bag.

Staff: They've got no idea that their heroes are now on the brink of death because of our negligence. That's something I—I... I really...

Tsukishiro Yanagi: ...!

Staff: Oh! Your whole expression just shifted then, Deputy Chief Tsukishiro... A—Are you going to take your anger out on me? It's okay, you can hit me. I deserve it...

Tsukishiro Yanagi: Please rest assured I shall not be hitting you.

Tsukishiro Yanagi: What you just said has reminded me of something. Please hold on a minute, I want to run a quick physical diagnostic on my teammates.

Staff: Uh, of course. Sure...

Staff: They are all under expert medical supervision right now. If you can provide some details about their health, it should be useful in stabilizing the situation.

Tsukishiro Yanagi: I understand. Thank you.

(Talk to Staff again, optional)

Staff: Deputy Chief Tsukishiro, your companions' conditions are still within the normal range!

Staff: We'll ensure everyone's physical health!

(Talk to Lyla, optional)

Lyla: I'm sorry. HIA is definitely partly responsible for this incident...

Lyla: We'll do our best to solve the problem.

(Talk to Bertha, optional)

Bertha: Is there anything we can do to help?

Bertha: Please tell us!

(Talk to Mr. Hello, optional)

Mr. Hello: Didn't expect the enemy could slip in so easily...

Mr. Hello: Is this what you'd call a downside of being so popular?

 Talk to the researcher

---

Talk to the researcher and inquire about the status of my teammates.

Staff: Deputy Chief Tsukishiro, thank you for all your hard work... I'm currently in charge of taking care of your three teammates, and I've got a few questions I'd like to ask you.

Tsukishiro Yanagi: Thank you in advance. As long as it helps with the care, I'll gladly tell you whatever I know.

Staff: We retrieved the basic health records of the three from the database, but something went wrong during the data transfer, and we lost the info on each file's owners...

Staff: I'd like to ask for your help in identifying which of the three records belongs to each executive officer based on my descriptions.

Tsukishiro Yanagi: I'll do my best.

Staff: The first record... Let me see... Wow, impressive. Looks like it's a petite Oni girl with exceptional physical abilities.

Staff: Who do you think this file belongs to? Could it be Lady Miyabi, or Mr. Asaba?

Tsukishiro Yanagi: ...Do you really need me for this?

Staff: Please. My team can't bear the consequences of a mistake...

Staff: Fine. I think the person it describes is...

Hoshimi Miyabi

Staff: ...I believe you're referring to Miss Soukaku.

Tsukishiro Yanagi: Oh, so you know.

Staff: *cough* ...This is just a necessary workflow.

Asaba Harumasa

Staff: ...I believe you're referring to Miss Soukaku.

Tsukishiro Yanagi: Oh, so you know.

Staff: *cough* ...This is just a necessary workflow.

Soukaku

Staff: Understood.

Staff: Now, the second record — it belongs to a male officer. His bust, waist, and hip measurements are...

It's Miyabi.

Staff: You mean... Mr. Harumasa, right?

Tsukishiro Yanagi: Oh, so you know.

Staff: *cough* ...This is just a necessary workflow.

It's Asaba Harumasa.

Staff: Understood.

It's Soukaku.

Staff: You mean... Mr. Harumasa, right?

Tsukishiro Yanagi: Oh, so you know.

Staff: *cough* ...This is just a necessary workflow.

Staff: The last record — it looks like this belongs to a dignified, powerful female fox Thiren who wields a sword and has earned the title of "Void Hunter." Her height is 170cm... That must be with the ears included, right?

It's Hoshimi Miyabi.

Staff: Understood.

It's Asaba Harumasa.

Staff: ...I believe you're referring to Miss Miyabi.

Tsukishiro Yanagi: Oh, so you know.

Staff: *cough* ...This is just a necessary workflow.

It's Soukaku.

Staff: ...I believe you're referring to Miss Miyabi.

Tsukishiro Yanagi: Oh, so you know.

Staff: *cough* ...This is just a necessary workflow.

Staff: Deputy Chief Tsukishiro, thank you for your cooperation. All the data has been fully confirmed.

Staff: Rest assured, we will do everything in our power to care for the three of them. Section 6 is the protector of this city, a symbol of security for everyone.

Staff: So, Deputy Chief Tsukishiro — no matter what, please bring the three of them back. Please.

Tsukishiro Yanagi: ...I will.

Staff: You're the only one who can.

Tsukishiro Yanagi: (Can I... really do it?)

Yanagi walks up to them, quietly watching...

(Like the caretaker mentioned, the "New Eridu Guardian" badge gleams brightly on the chests of the three.)

(...Their breathing is steady, and their hands are warm.)

(Anyone looking at them would never think they were on the brink of death...)

(...)

(I can't imagine this city without you. So... I have to bring you back.)

Crossing into the Same River

The following is recorded in the Video Archive

 Crossing into the Same River

---

Video Summary: Why step into the trap? Because a friend remains inside

Story Description: After the experts arrive, Yanagi confirms the core rules of the VR system haven't been tampered with. After confirming her intention to enter the system again, the staff reactivates the system to log her in.

---

---

Just then, a message arrives: the cyber warfare experts have successfully restored the connection gateway—

Association Staff: Miss Tsukishiro, the login link has been re-established, but part of the system is still under the enemy's control. The message "Authentication Information Missing" keeps popping up, so we can't log in...

Tsukishiro Yanagi: I have an idea that might be worth a try.

Association Staff: What's that in your hand—oh? A "New Eridu Guardian" badge? That's a really unique design. Is it official HAND merchandise?

Tsukishiro Yanagi: That's not important. Please take this badge to the specialist team for analysis.

The staff takes away the badge for analysis, before bringing in back soon after...

Association Staff: This is... incredible...

Association Staff: Wait, do you intend to log into the system wearing this?

Tsukishiro Yanagi: It's the missing "Authentication Information", isn't it?

Association Staff: Yes, but... it's too risky! Once you log in, you won't be able to activate safe mode — even the pain feedback protection will be disabled! And it could...

Tsukishiro Yanagi: There's something I'd like to confirm.

Association Staff: What is it?

Tsukishiro Yanagi: Are the core system rules still in effect?

Tsukishiro Yanagi: I'm talking about the content in this user guide. "This system creates an immersive virtual realm synced with the user's senses. Once all test monsters are defeated, the session will automatically come to an end."

Tsukishiro Yanagi: According to the specialists, these rules are intact, correct?

Association Staff: Of course! These are the core rules governing the VR system. Our battle with the enemy has always been about gaining control of the system, and they have neither the ability nor the opportunity to alter them.

Tsukishiro Yanagi: Great. Then, I'm going into the system. My teammates are still out there. Please assist me — I'm counting on you!

Association Staff: *sniffling* Wahhh...!! That was so moving! I'm going to create a dedicated fan club just for you, and one day, I'll make sure everyone in New Eridu is a die-hard fan of Miss Tsukishiro!

Tsukishiro Yanagi: Uhh... you're thinking out loud again...

Association Staff: No, no, that's just what I'm saying out loud. My inner thoughts are way more embarrassing. If I were to say them out loud, you'd never look at me the same again, so I'll stop...

Association Staff: But since you've made up your mind, I'll give it my all to support you! I swear, as the founder of the Tsukishiro Yanagi Fan Club!

Association Staff: I pray to the founders of Eridu, to Lady Sunbringer, and the leftover noodles from lunch...! I pray for the safety of you and everyone in Section Six!

Tsukishiro Yanagi: ...Thank you. I'll make sure they all get back safely.