According to rumors on the Net,
long before glasses ever hit the market,
Nakatsu Crossroads was a mysterious place—the site of many accidents.
Satchii's over there!
What's it doing in a place like this?
Me-Me... Me Sa-Sa... Satchii...
Haraken!
Quiet!
A representative of the Space Administration Council
is over there, isn't she?
Don't bother me any more.
I'll take down the others as well.
It doesn't matter how many of these useless puppets you have;
they won't be enough.
Something tells me this summer break is gonna be out of the ordinary.
His body is
desyncing...?
It must be a glitch.
I'll have to cut the power.
Wait!
Don't cut the power yet.
What's going on?
No doubt about it.
That girl's goal is the kirabugs.
Kirabugs?
You mean those really high-value bugs?
They're more than that.
That substance is cursed.
Cursed?
Auntie...
Haraken?
Are you all right?
I think I'm back to normal.
I wonder if Isako is okay...
Please, take care of Ken.
This is the last place we need to check.
Oh, the staff room, right?
Yasako, are you okay?
I think so...
Let's stop here for today.
I feel like something's wrong.
First we need to see who won!
How did it go?
Hmm... we only got four.
Same here.
It's a draw.
No way! We came back before you did!
But Haraken lost consciousness!
I can't agree with such a lame excuse!
Don't you think that something has been wrong ever since Isako came here?
Open your eyes.
Shut up!
We won!
That's right! That's right!
Be quiet already!
You're gonna wake the teachers, and they'll come over here!
Yeah...
I saw it at the crossing today, too.
Maybe you won't believe it, but...
In fact, I think
that it must've been Kuroe.
Thank you for the other day.
By the way, Ken'ichi,
that black creature we spotted that time...
I heard it's called an "Illegal".
Don't you think that's strange?
Oh yeah,
during the next summer break,
I'd like to research them together with you.
Actually, I heard a suspicious rumor.
Also...
Okay kids,
head back home, but watch out for cars, okay?
Yes, ma'am.
And don't fight during the holidays.
Yes, ma'am.
I think my plan was a huge success!
So you've failed.
No we didn't!
We won!
I'm sure I ordered you to take their glasses.
Therefore, you failed.
No way...
You're out.
Get lost.
What the hell are you talking about?
It's my club!
Oh,
I'm so scared.
Perhaps I should call out Miss Michiko to drive you off?
Daichi...
Who the hell are you?
I'm just an elementary school student,
who's just way more powerful than you.
This time it wasn't your fault.
Do you want me to teach you an encoding technique?
Was this your goal from the beginning?
What if it was?
You're free to go whenever you want.
I don't need anyone who isn't strong enough to make decisions for themselves.
Well, do you want a piece of the pie?
Or not?
So this is where you were.
I'll quit the hackers, too.
I didn't quit.
She just got rid of me on a whim.
Anyway,
I'll stay by your side.
Really?
Okay then!
I'm the founder!
Let's create the Original Hackers Club!
Yeah!
First, we have to take the lead.
Let's go get some metabugs!
Yes.
I merged with another one.
I know.
Of course I'll manage it.
Just a little more.
Just a little more till I reach the critical quantity.
I did it all by myself.
Congratulate me on that, Brother.
I pulled it off, too.
What was Kanna like?
Let's see...
Well, she was a very quiet, shy girl.
You could never tell what she was thinking.
Just like Haraken, huh?
Yeah, that's right.
Except she was a girl.
Hi guys.
How are you feeling?
Okay.
It's not the first time, you know.
Really?
I remember it happened once before.
It was after Kanna's accident.
Auntie made a fuss and had me undergo thorough testing.
What did they discover?
That nothing was out of place.
I see...
So what path were you talking about?
It was a route leading to a certain place,
starting from the Crossroads.
So where did you get this info?
Well, I'll explain later.
It's a long story.
Do you realize how much the repairs are going to cost?
I'm sorry.
You may have privileges,
but you also have responsibilities.
You do know that, don't you?
Of course.
Next time, I'll dock your paycheck for it.
I was too naïve.
She's not supposed to have collected enough kirabugs...
It's amazing she was able to destroy Satchii's logic sphere.
It's been so long...
Denpa, remember how we used to scramble for metabugs together?
Yeah.
Damn, only these...
I remember there were so many back then.
All right!
I have an idea!
What's the plan?
That girl stole something precious from me.
This time I'm the one who's going to beat her to the punch and steal her secrets!
Hey...
What is she doing?
Hey, Haraken,
when you say Kuro, do you mean Kuroe?
Yeah.
But Kuroe is supposed to be dead, right?
Yeah.
There's no doubt about it.
It even received a memorial service.
Then why...?
Kanna said she spotted it.
Kuroe?
Maybe she just couldn't forget Kuroe,
so she might've been mistaken.
Anyway, let's go to the Crossroads.
Hey...
Isn't it time you explain to me exactly
what Kuroe was?
Ah, it was the cyberdog Kanna was raising.
I wonder if the one Kanna spotted was—
Hey, you!
Why are you skulking around here?
This is my net territory!
How annoying.
You were defeated and had to become Isako's lackey,
so what "net territory" of yours are you talking about?!
Let's go.
That's no longer the case.
I quit as Isako's subordinate.
I'm free now.
You were kicked out.
Denpa! Stop lying!
I kicked her out!
Together with the three other guys in the club!
Hey, transfer student.
Tell me something;
you were there the day of that fuss at the station,
weren't you?
Yeah, I was there.
Was that an Illegal back then?
Yasako,
you don't have to answer if you don't want to.
So I was right...
An Illegal, huh?
I see, I see...
Okay then, good luck!
Haraken, about this...
In the end, I couldn't understand any more.
Okay. Thank you.
Hey, Denpa!
See you later.
What was that about?
I think something happened in the Hackers Club.
It must be something stupid, anyway.
Okay then, let's go.
The route...
should take us here.
It's a lot longer than the regular path.
It'd be shorter if we went in a straight line.
Yeah, that's true.
So will an Illegal come out?
Or will it be Satchii?
Okay, let's go!
Yeah!
Hey, there's not a single obsolete Space around here.
We have no clue what we should be looking for...
Yeah.
We should look for something like a gap or an e-mail.
What do you mean by "something like"?
Are you really sure that info is reliable?
Ah! Th-This...
Help me!
How did you find out about that route?
I saw it in a dream.
Huh?
A dream?
What?! So you've had us following you based on some info from a dream?!
Sorry...
How could you believe that kind of "info"?
Hey, let's try to follow the route indicated on the map
without taking any shortcuts.
All right,
let's try to follow the route.
Are you ready?
Yeah, yeah.
So will an Illegal come out? Or will it be Satchii?
Okay, let's go!
Yeah!
So Denpa couldn't distinguish anything
other than 4-4-2-3?
Exactly.
He said it was like a whale singing.
4-4-2-3...
Densuke!
Where are you?
Why are you crying?
Densuke has disappeared.
He's my glasses-pet.
A cyberpet?
All right,
I'll help you find it.
Do you live around here?
No, I'm from Kanazawa.
I see.
I've also just arrived here.
Densuke!
Thank you!
I'm Yuko.
It's written with the kanji for "gentle girl".
And you?
I'm...
well,
4-4-2-3.
4-4...?
4-4-2-3.
It's a codename.
A secret name.
A secret?
Me too, me too!
That's right...
Okay.
So your name will be...
Yasako?
"Gentle girl".
Yasako.
I'm Yasako!
Okay, your code name is Yasako,
and from now on, you're my follower.
No way!
I'll be your girlfriend!
Yasako?
Your face is a little red.
Sunstroke?
N-No, it's, ah... it's nothing.
How embarrassing!
Why do memories like that pop into my head at a time like this?
Right...
4-4-2-3.
I'm sure that's what he said.
Shall we go?
Well...
same as before.
It's the same place.
No it isn't!
What does this mean?
This obsolete Space wasn't here a few minutes ago...
It must be the route we took.
The route must have unlocked some kind of password.
So this place must be out of the Kyuu-chans' reach!
Okay, let's go!
There are so many spider webs in here.
There's something up ahead.
It's an e-mail from Kanna.
It...
must be a password...
It sure looks like it.
Well?
It's the right number of characters, so it's a possibility.
But it's blocked.
There must be a way to crack the password, right?
Yeah, there's one.
But it'll take a helluva long time.
I think there might be a clue hidden somewhere, but...
Hey...
Haraken, have you always lived here?
No, I came here when I was five.
Is that so?
That's why I wrote 4-4-2-3 in my diary...
If 4-4-2-3 was Haraken,
it would be like destiny...
Oh no!
What am I thinking?!
I'm so embarrassed...
I feel so stu—
Poop!
Right.
After all, that 4-4-2-3 looked a bit older...
No, it can't be Haraken.
I'm so silly.
Maybe—
The writing is upside-down!
It's been accepted.
Good!
I can't believe it was so easy.
There's an elaborate cryptkey set here...
It must be a piece of data she really didn't want people to read.
How long do you think it will take?
At this rate, it'll only come out bit by bit.
We'll just have to be patient.
Oh, one of them has been unlocked.
I'll take it with me.
It looks like it'll take a couple of days to finish...
Oh, right!
I have to let Haraken know.
This is...
A diary!
It's about the month before the accident.
Ah!
That route's different from today's!
I wonder if there are more—
That's awesome!
That's a great help, Yasako!
Sorry...
What for?
Why are you apologizing?
I opened it for a bit,
and...
I read a part of it.
I see.
It's because it's a diary, right?
But Kanna's mother said it was all right to read it—
But you know,
Kanna labeled the password "To Haraken".
I think you're the one who should read it.
I see.
I won't...
read it any more.
I don't have much time today,
so this is all I can write.
Today, I had a fight with Ken'ichi.
I forced him to join my research project,
and he must be very upset.
But this is my last chance to be with him.
I just found out my father is going to be transferred because of his job soon.
We might not be able to spend the next summer together.
So this is the last
summer break I get to spend with Ken'ichi.
To believe in urban legends...
I felt silly, myself.
But back then,
I'm sure I heard it.
A voice that sounded like Kuroe's.
I think I'll put off making up with Haraken until after I get back.
Because I heard that when you approach an Illegal,
you'll end up cursing your best friends.
I'm going to the Crossroads now.
If I happen to see Kuroe,
I want to tell Ken'ichi right away.
After all, it's our last summer vacation.
I love Ken'ichi.
When I come back,
I want to tell him that.
Uncle!
Ah, Yuko...
I brought flowers.
Perhaps I should go borrow a vase.
Thank you for coming.
How are you?
Can you leave the hospital yet?
I think I'll be here a little longer.
What is Isako planning on doing by collecting kirabugs?
NCS: Net Complex Server.
It doesn't work...
I can't even capture her with the NCS...
Yuko Amasawa...
What is your true identity?
Hey, Uncle!
My brother will be back soon!
I see, I see.
Glad to hear it.
I'm not joking!
Yes, I know.
But don't say a word to my aunt!
Or she'll take me for a fool, and say it's a lie.
I know.
I just came here to tell you that.
Bye.
She's such a nice girl!
Well, she's my niece.
Her brother, huh?
Hey, wait! You want to go right now?
It's getting dark!
I want to go there—immediately.
I have to know what happened to Kanna's body!
Haraken...
How odd.
The route doesn't match.
I'll have to start over.
How about quitting for today?
No.
Once more.
Let's do it once more!
We don't even know if the route on the map is correct...
No! I refuse to believe that!
Haraken, summer break has just started, you know.
We can do it tomorrow.
Those kids... could it be that they know the route?
I can't believe they're going to... just like that girl...
Next time
on Dennou Coil:
Submerged in Daikoku City!
See you next time!