Aoba!
Ren, log us out!
Loss Set!
Roger!
Ren, use the Jubilation Set.
Aoba?!
Just do it. Jubilation Set, Ren.
Understood.
The enemy has attacked!
We've lost three vessels. Endurance level is down 12.
Ren, what did I just do?
You ordered me to attack.
Attack...?
You won't get away with that!
Demolish Set!
Roger!
Aoba, your orders.
My... orders? Ren...
Is this a joke to you?
The Allmate has no armor and is an older model...
Is he underestimating me?
Going around au naturel... They're totally treating this as a joke!
I guess we should crush him now.
What the heck is going on?
Loss Set!
Roger!
The enemy's barrier has received 100% damage.
I guess it was useless to get my hopes up.
Let's go.
Withdraw! Withdraw!
No, wait!
The enemy's barrier is regenerating at an extremely rapid rate.
40%... 50%... 70%... 90%!
Alert! Alert! Danger! Danger!
Destruction and death...
What... happened?
Master...
This is... Mediocrity.
How did I get back here?
Ren...
Ren!
Aoba...
Are you okay?
I don't seem to have any major problems.
You're not messed up from the Rhyme match, are you?
It seems a portion of my data has been damaged.
That is a major problem!
I'll check it out as soon as we get home.
Please do that, just in case.
Actually, I feel like there's some damaged data in my brain, too.
I sort of remember fighting earlier,
but how'd it end up?
That's where the damage in my data begins, as well.
It's no use. I can't remember at all.
What's going on with my memory?
That cannot be helped.
If we set the value of the average human male's memory at 100,
Aoba, yours would be...
Are we really talking about this right now?
H-Huh? I feel kinda dizzy...
Aoba...
Wait right here. I'll go get the owner.
Ren...
This is...
There's something I'd like to report to Touei-sama.
We've been told that the lab has some footage to show you, sir.
All right. Show me.
Take a look...
Ow...
Here, have some water.
Thank you.
Are you all right?
Yes... But anyway, I'm sorry.
I lost the package that I was supposed to deliver...
Come on. Go home and rest for the day.
But...
Don't worry about the shop.
Thank you...
Man, that really sucked.
That guy seemed to know me... And...
Fight, Seragaki Aoba.
How do you know my name...?
Rhyme Name: Sly Blue.
Rhyme Name...?
I've never even played Rhyme before.
But you were giving me very precise orders back there.
It's only natural to think that you have some Rhyme experience.
That doesn't even make sense.
Still, now that I've been forced to play it,
I don't get that game at all.
Aoba, has your headache gotten better?
Well, actually...
The medicine's not working?
Yeah. That's why he let me go early today.
So it didn't work at all?
Well, not exactly.
It's more like it didn't work like it usually does.
I see.
Then maybe we should change the dosage.
Please do, Madam Physician.
Hmph. I've retired from being a doctor already.
Rest until dinner's ready.
Okay.
I've caused Haga-san and Grams a lot of trouble...
Damn it... What the hell am I doing?
After that accident,
I decided that I wouldn't worry Grams anymore...
Aoba-san?
Is something the matter? It's rather rare for you to call.
Oh? You played Rhyme?
Wouldn't you know that better than anyone else?
I've told you before that my memories are kind of fuzzy, right?
Oh, from that accident?
No, I have no idea. Is something troubling you?
No. Sorry for asking something so weird.
Not a problem. Let us know if we can ever help in any way.
Spirited away, huh...
I haven't played Rhyme before, have I?
The newest Allmate, huh...
That's right. Ren, I'm going to take a look at your data.
Looks like your reflex reaction speed is down a bit.
I apologize for the trouble.
Newer models have touch panels that make them easy to overhaul, but...
What are you talking about? I like doing this kind of stuff.
And there we go...
Well? Does anything else not feel right?
I feel a bit awkward, but it's tolerable.
I see. Well, we did just change the chip.
If anything doesn't feel right, let me know right away.
Understood.
I'm sorry for putting you through all this.
Don't worry about it.
Thank you for everything.
Likewise.
I hope you'll keep putting up with me.
Likewise.
You always answer like that...
Really?
I appreciate you five million times more, baby!
What the hell was that?
No, sorry. You can just act the way you always have, Ren.
Man, so much happened today...
Ow! And it still hurts...
Wake up, sleepyhead. Come on, damn it.
Ow...
Huh? Beni?
How long do you plan on sleeping? I'll kill you, dumbass.
Yo! Good morning.
Mornin'...
Your face... Looks like you're at your best again today.
No thanks to you.
Here.
I woke you up and that's how you treat me?
Don't mess with me, Aoba!
If you have any complaints, tell your master.
Actually, don't use him as an errand boy.
I didn't have a choice.
You're really annoying right after you wake up.
That's not true. You just suck at waking me up.
I always wake you up gently, don't I?
Yeah. Thanks for gently throwing me off the bed!
Aoba, if you're awake, give me a hand.
Food's ready, so get the chopsticks and bowls out.
Right, right.
Let's eat!
It's so good!
It's good! Your food is always the best, Tae-san.
Says the one who showed up out of nowhere.
I said I'd be coming...
I told Aoba.
What? You just said "soon"!
So, are you spending the night tonight?
I was planning on it.
Good grief. Are you familiar with the word "imposing"?
Well, this is nothing new. But I have work in the morning,
so if you're asleep then, I'll smack you awake.
You know the opposite will happen.
Right? Aoba sucks at getting up.
That's not true. Right, Ren?
I am unable to agree with that statement, Aoba.
Hey, Ren!
What the hell? You, too, Ren?
What?
Grams says to hurry up and take your bath.
All right.
You sure do like this place.
Maybe.
Even though you can't see a thing from here.
I guess...
But maybe not being able to see anything is what's nice about it.
Really?
I don't really get it, but here.
Jeez. You don't smoke anywhere else.
Smoking is prohibited here, you know.
Say, Aoba.
Hm?
Does it still hurt if someone touches your hair?
Yeah. I'm not sure why.
It's weird for hair to have nerves throughout it, isn't it?
Not at all.
Stop that!
Ow...
Whoops. Sorry about that.
No, that's not it.
Come to think of it, you looked pretty exhausted earlier.
Yeah. Actually...
You were dragged into Rhyme?
And all of a sudden, too. I was making a delivery,
and the next thing I knew, I was in a Rhyme Field.
It was close to your territory. The narrow alley right around there.
I've never heard about anything like that.
It was really sudden. Usui wasn't around, and there was no crowd, either.
Doesn't that mean it was a random attack?
Random attack?
I don't know much about it, either.
But apparently, there are those who randomly start Rhyme battles, without Usui.
They play Rhyme with no rules or limitations,
so some of the people who get dragged in end up nearly killed.
I don't like it...
Like what?
It's good that you were able to get away this time,
but when I think that it could happen again...
That's really dangerous.
Are you sure you're okay?
Yeah, it's not a big deal.
If something happens, tell me right away.
I know.
Good.
More importantly, about Mizuki...
Is something wrong with Mizuki?
You sure?
Go ahead.
This is amazing.
I'm glad you like it.
Spirited away?
Yeah. He said something from an old urban legend was happening again.
Apparently, Morphine is behind it.
Couldn't be...
That's what I said, too,
but Mizuki seemed pretty stressed out.
I see. I'll keep that in mind.
Is he playing dumb?
Mediocrity
I'm sorry about yesterday.
Actually, about that... It looks like it was a prank.
The sender and recipient had the same address,
so I looked it up,
but the person living there had a different name.
I checked with them just in case, but they knew nothing about the delivery.
It's like a fox tricked us.
So don't worry about the package from yesterday.
Right...
Now, then! Let's work hard today!
Right.
Working! Working!
Trash
Well, I need to step out for a bit, so please watch over the shop.
Work is fun! I'll do my best!
Yes, sir.
Working! Working! Working!
Still, I can't help but be curious.
If it's a random attack like Koujaku was saying,
then the victims ought to be random.
Clearance Sale Irregular Merchandise
And in my case...
Then one might think that it was a trap laid to lure you into Rhyme.
Yeah, it'd have to be. But who would do that, and why?
Clearance Sale Irregular Merchandise
That is unknown.
Ugh, how creepy.
What the hell?!
Mediocrity
H-Hello?
Is he... dead?
No, it appears that there are signs of life.
Master, I'm glad you're okay.
More like I'm glad you're okay...
And who's "Master"?
Upsy-daisy.
You're my master, Master.
Yeah, uh... I'm pretty sure you have the wrong person.
That can't be. My name is Clear.
I'm the one who brought you here yesterday.
Are you the one who dragged me into Rhyme?
No, that wasn't me.
But I heard your voice, Master.
You said, "Destruction and death."
Destruction and death...
That is familiar...
Ow, ow, ow! That hurts!
Master, you seem different from yesterday.
It's hard to explain how you're different,
but I guess your face and voice seem more messy.
They do not! Let go!
Okay.
Ow... What's your problem?
Who the hell are you? And what's with that mask?
Take it off and show me your face.
I can't! I can't take this off!
Take it off!
No!
Take this thing off!
Why, you...
Please, Master, stop!
It won't break any more!
So I guess you really aren't the one...
Anyway, I'm not your master.
I have work, so I'm going back. See ya.
What should I do?
Go home!
Understood. If you'll excuse me, then.
There we go.
See you later.
What was that about?
Aoba was worried about me?
Yeah, he was. So I was a little concerned, too.
That's why you came all this way? Sorry about that.
Well, I was thinking about opening up shop around here today, anyway.
But things really have changed around here.
It's because of Rhyme.
Those guys don't care about territories.
Koujaku, how's it going with your group?
Are there guys who've drifted into Rhyme?
There are a few, but we just let them do what they want.
I see...
But I'm sure people will get bored with that soulless cyber game soon enough.
I think so, too, but...
If anything happens, let me know.
Yeah, I will.
By the way, Mizuki, I've been thinking this for a while, but...
Your shop, Black Needle...
It's a pretty nice place.
It's my pride and joy.
Hey, want to have a drink?
It's still daytime.
Like I care.
I just got some good sake in.
Oh, really?
Yeah.
Cleaning. Cleaning.
What? "A mouse-type Allmate was destroyed by a stray cat"?
All clean. All clean.
Cleaning.
Mediocrity
You should be careful, too, Ren.
Indeed.
Welcome.
This is a pretty retro shop.
Can I help you find anything?
Found it.
You sell these kinds of things?
You don't know me?
So that's how you run away...
I'll destroy what's precious to you.
Please get away from my Master.
It doesn't matter what it is.
Mizuki disappeared...
It's not really that odd.
He must have been lonely...
Everyone's worried.
Stop!