This Complicates things...
So, that’s the basic situation at hand.
Akeru, Komaru and Toko’s kid, found out everything we needed in the lab. She also put Yodogawa’s AI out of his misery.
I see...Thanks for the rundown.
I still can’t quite believe this. How could someone do something so...cruel?
Because he’s insane Akamatsu. Plain and simple.
And we will stop him, I swear it.
...
What’s wrong Mii-Yu?
No. It is nothing. I just did not consider that humans find becoming robots painful.
I suppose creatures like me live a different existence that humans cannot take to.
Listen Mii-Yu. This and that are very different.
You may be a robot, but you’ve got all the personality traits, quirks and queues that allow you to be human. If Katagiri was trying to turn people into AI like you, there might not be much of a problem.
But he’s stripping people of all of that. In that case, they become mindless machines. Drones that can only follow commands. That’s not what YOU are.
He’s right Mii-Yu. You really need to quit selling yourself short, you know?
Affirmative.
*The group arrives at the top floor.
Looks like this floor got cleared out before any of us got here.
By the way Akamatsu...By chance are you the one who our guy called to take out security here.
Uh...I mean, he never said to.
He gave me a location, but we were turned away at the door.
So, as you can imagine, instead of being discreet, Kaede decided to go through the backdoor and bust her way through before I could say anything.
Eehehehe...The reception wasn’t friendly so...Treat people how you want to be treated.
Atta girl.
So, what’s the plan here then?
Hey! We got some unexpected guests here! And I got a few questions to ask you.
Huh...!?
*Kuripa calls up to the platform.
I figured. I wondered why it was taking you so long.
Saihara? Akamatsu? Mii-Yu. This is Agent 404. AKA-
RANTAROO!!?
Wha-!?
Huh-!?
Hahaha...Yeah, that’s about the reaction I expected.
You...YOU’RE Agent 404!?
So THIS is where you’ve been hiding this whole time!?
Well...not the WHOLE time...
It’s true that I’ve been with ERR0RM3SS4GE for a long while now though...Forgive me, I had my reasons for not coming out into the light until now.
...
Hol’ up...I’m still trying to process this shit.
Shuichi and Kaede...You KNOW him?
Y-Yeah...
Yeah...
Yeah, stuff happened and um...
The fuck do you mean “stuff happened?” I...
Grr! Fine! Whatever...I’ll ask about it later.
Have you got that upload on the way?
Depends. Did Maya flip the switch like I asked?
Fucking hell dude, I’m not that dumb.
Good. Then can I ask you to help me install this drive while I talk with these guys? We’ll need to upload the data into the drive in order to use it against Katagiri.
...
...
You’ve got a lot of questions for me I’ll bet.
You have NO idea.
Whatever’s going on right now is clearly more important. And if what Kuripa said about Zen Katagiri is true, then I’ll accept that you’re trying to do something good.
What I want to know is where does your allegiance lie, Rantaro.
My allegiance?
You’re here, helping the Future Foundation, but you already helped our enemies. I’m not sure what side you’re really on.
Would you really treat me as an enemy?
I don’t want to but...If I had to.
...
I can see why they made you Branch Chief. You’re unbiased, even towards your own friends.
But trust me when I say that all I care about is stopping Zetsubou and saving this world. Just like the Future Foundation.
What’s the point of having a world-class hacker organization if there’s no world for it to exist in. Believe me, I had my reasons for aiding Uchui.
...
Fine...I still have my doubts about this but...if Kuripa and the Future Foundation believe in you, then I see no reason not to.
Thank you for your hospitality.
*Rantaro climbs down from the platform and pats Shuichi and Kaede on the shoulders.
And for the record, it’s good to see you...
All...of you...
...
*Rantaro’s eyes suddenly fall on Mii-Yu. Her eyes stare curiously back at him.
You are...
Uh...Oh! Let me introduce you!
*Kaede takes Mii-Yu’s shoulders.
This is M11-YU. I know she might look like Keebo, but she’s not.
Tsumugi was keeping her prisoner in one of Zetsubou’s towers. We freed her and now she’s being looked after by Miu.
Y-Yes. I am Model M11-YU. Please, just call me Mii-Yu though.
This is...Mii-Yu huh?
Well...it’s nice to meet you too.
...Are you ok?
Yeah, you...sound kind of uncomfortable Rantaro. Who flipped the switch on you?
Huh? Oh, no, it’s nothing. It really is nice to meet you, I’ve just...
Got so much on my mind right now.
Yeah...That kind of makes three of us.
...
Kaede? Do you want to say something to him?
...
What’s up Kaede? Is everything ok?
It’s just...I’ve been waiting a long time to meet you again and now that I’m here, I...I don’t really know where to begin.
Now isn’t really the best place to talk, so if you’d like, we can discuss the past later.
Right now, my top priority is dealing with Katagiri, and I’m sorry that I ended up dragging the both of you into it.
You’re right...I’m sorry too about what happened back in the Killing Game...What I did was...unforgivable and if you hate me for it...
Huh? Why would I do that?
...?
Even if you pushed us to the limit on the death road, I accept that you were only trying to act in everyone’s best interests. It’s not like me defecting from the group was the best way to deal with the situation either.
The...death road?
Yeah, the death road. The impossible gauntlet Monokuma ran us through trying to find an exit.
Oh...Yeah, that...Shame on me for that one.
I’m telling you, we’re totally cool on it. You’ve got nothing to feel bad for.
O-Ok.
Hey, Rantaro. Have I done this right?
Let me check!
Sorry, I’ll be right back.
*Rantaro hurries off to help Kuripa.
It appears he has no recollection of Kaede’s shotput ball trap that you mentioned.
Hm...It’s not like he really could have known that Kaede set it off...
Maybe he just blames Tsumugi for what happened, and that’s why he’s with ERR0RM3SS4GE?
...Maybe...
Somehow that just makes me feel even worse. Like I’m keeping some big secret from him...
...I understand how you feel Kaede, but like Rantaro said, he is in the middle of a mission. It’s not like now is an especially good time to bring it up.
Apologize to him later, and explain your side of things. I’m sure he won’t hold it against you.
...Thanks Shuichi.
*Kaede, Shuichi and Mii-Yu rejoin the others.
I didn’t really ask earlier, but what is it you actually plan on doing here Rantaro? Why do you need this drive?
Well, to put simply, Katagiri, our target, is holing himself up in a hidden base at Hyde Park. We need the information from this lab for several reasons.
The first is that if we copy the data from the tech made here, we can trace, and if we scan the park, we can find the point of origin. That will lead us straight to where Katagiri is hiding.
The second is that if we have this info, we can locate the weak point in whatever defense mechanisms he’s got as a backup.
We’re gonna draw him out of his hidey-hole, and when we do...
We rip him a new one...
Exactly. I’ll leave the last step to Kuripa.
...
What do you mean?
Huh? What’s up?
“Rip him a new one” how? Are you...
Are you going to KILL him?
...Something like that.
“Something like that?” Either you ARE or you AREN’T Kuripa.
It’s complicated, ok! It’s...an obligation...And a mercy.
So you ARE planning on killing him once you get to him?
I don’t have a choice this time, ok!? It was as per ERR0RM3SS4GE’s contract!
What...!?
In Kuripa’s defense, the specification WAS that Katagiri would need to die by the end of this mission.
I understand how you both feel. I know this is...difficult for you to accept.
But believe me when I say my organization has a very good reason for this. If Katagiri isn’t executed, he WILL HURT MANY.
Kuripa already told you what he’d done to Yodogawa. To prevent a catastrophe like that, don’t you think it’s worth it?
Kuripa, listen. I don’t know how or why the Future Foundation are following through with this, but it so blatantly breaks the code.
I AM still a Branch Chief, so it’s my duty and obligation to the Foundation to prevent you as a Foundation employee, to stop BREAKING that code.
...That damn “code” again...
I’m not gonna lie to you. I can understand how things are from your perspective, and why you’ve done what you’ve done before this point. In any other given situation, I wouldn’t try to get in your way.
But I have responsibilities now, and if I just overlook this, I won’t be able to live with myself.
...
You’re a good kid Saihara. And mature with how you think about it that way. I’m proud of you.
But...you can rest easy...I’m no longer tied down by the Future Foundation’s code and “obligations” and all the other BS that comes with it...!
Wh-What do you mean...? What...did you do?
...I’ll be blunt.
I’m no longer with the Future Foundation. The Chairwoman personally gave me the boot.
!!!??
N-No...! That can’t be!
See!? THIS is why I was trying to avoid you! There’s a whole ass conspiracy going on here and neither of you have any business getting caught up in it!
I know I’m a fucked up guy, but I’ve only ever LOVED you kids! This is MY problem, and you two have no right to be caught up in this drama!
But I’m telling you this...Don’t get in our way...Because I promise you, you won’t stop what’s coming...
You guys are smart...Hopefully you’re smarter than the others...Surely you can understand what I’m doing here. I’m trying to save your friends. OUR friends.
Kuripa...I get why you think of it this way, but this isn’t right.
...Why not?
I’m happy you’re trying to save Maki, Himiko, and the others, but by taking the lives of other people...Is the sacrifice really WORTH it?
Come on Kuripa...Rantaro...Have a heart...!
No, no, noooo you just don’t understaaaaand...! There’s more at stake here if we don’t put a stop to this evil permanently.
If we don’t kill Katagiri, he might use his own program to make himself immortal, then we’ll have missed our chance to stick a nail in his brain and nip the problem in the bud...!
Not only that, but this is the one chance we’ve had in AGES to finally put a stop to Zetsubou and save our captured allies. Seiko Kimura has been rotting in Zetsubou’s hidden base for almost a year now...Remember?
But-!
Kaede...You don’t want me to make a sacrifice, even if it means we can save many people from Katagiri and Zetsubou...
But doing the reverse means we sacrifice many innocent lives...just to save one guilty one.
In the grand calculus of fate, and the story that I’m paving the way for, this sacrifice means infinitely more than the life of one senile psychopath...
*Kuripa shoots a look at Rantaro.
I’m sorry kid...But I’m just doing my job.
...!
...Fine...Do what you’ve got to do...I know I can’t stop you.
Thank you for understanding. I’m sorry I’ve burdened you with this...
And with that...the upload should be-
HAAGH!
*WHAM!*
GUUGH!
!!!???
!!!???
!!!???
!!!???
*Against everyone’s expectation, Kaede suddenly shoves Rantaro aside and snatches the drive! She grabs Shuichi’s hand makes a break for it!
What are you DOING!?
I’M SORRY ABOUT THIS!
!!!?
*Kaede drags Shuichi out of the room, still holding onto the drive. Mii-Yu hesitates, but then chooses to follow.
I apologize! But I promised BeeZero I would look after Kaede!
*She presses a button on the iron door and closes it behind
...No....No, no, no NO, NOOO!
*Kuripa grabs his sword, takes a run up, and with a kick, breaks the steel door wide open!
AAKAAAMAAATSSUUUUUU!!!
Tch...! Dammit! Maya, do NOT stop that upload!
B-But without the drive-!
We’ll get the drive back!
*Rantaro grabs a pistol from his belt and cocks it.
By FORCE if we must!
//KURIPA KURAFTO AND RANTARO AMAMI VS KAEDE AKAMATSU, SHUICHI SAIHARA AND M11-YU!!//
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