Come on, Nat!
Why are you following me?!
Shut up!
I'm responsible for the area just above yours, Riko!
Oh, that's right...
Well, at least help me carry the Relics on the way home, then.
Why?!
Well, today my haul needs to receive the highest valuation out of all the Red Whistles!
Doubt that'll happen.
This area's mostly been searched already...
and there's not much anything rare left.
That's why it's gonna come down to quantity!
You okay with that?
How about fudging the numbers... with that thing you swiped the other day?
The Star Compass?
I can't do that!
It guides its user toward the truth of the Abyss, after all.
Besides... if it's found out I was hiding it...
I'll get a worse punishment this time than being strung up naked.
Talk about traumatizing a little girl!
Well, be careful.
Ah, the big gondola.
Huh?!
Wow!
Nat, look at that! It's the 600-meter group!
I know, okay?
Ah, it already went out of sight...
Lucky them... I wish I could ride it.
Say... isn't it kinda quiet today?
Probably 'cause there aren't any hammerbeaks around...
I can't hear them singing at all, anyway.
You're right.
Well, should make it easier to work.
Those guys take anything shiny back to their nests, after all.
Wait! Why are you going on ahead of me?!
I'm the one who takes the lead!
Huh?!
I'm gonna go all out excavating today!
I'll get so much stuff Leader will be at a loss for words!
Alright, let's do this! I'm gonna get the number one assessment!
Hup!
There's one!
Two!
Three!
Four...
Five!
A skeleton of someone in prayer.
First time I've seen one in quite a while, so it came as a shock.
Sorry for disturbing you.
I can do it if I just try.
At this rate, it's only a matter of time until I'm bumped up to the 600-meter group.
Heavy...
Hey, Nat! Help me out!
This is seriously heavy. Where'd he run off to...?
Damn it, Nat.
A crimson splitjaw?
What's it doing this far up?!
Nat...?!
Oh no! Is that blood?!
What should I do?
Nat's...
Nat's gonna be eaten!
Oh crap!
M-my arm... is it broken?!
It's not?!
Nat!
Help!
Amazing... The petrified trees are melted.
I think... maybe somebody saved me.
Wow, beautiful...
H-hello there...
No way! He's not breathing!
He needs artificial respiration!
What's with this texture...?
Huh?!
He's not human!
A-a machine?
Wow, this is big!
Never seen anything like this before!
He's still warm...
Must've been moving until a moment ago.
But, where did this boy come from?
Thanks!
Alright! Nat, just a bit more to go!
Screw you! The hardest part is just starting now!
What's the matter?
Oh, it's just you, Shiggy.
You startled me.
Who's that?
Don't know.
But, for the time being I'm calling him "robot boy."
Huh?
I get it. So you swiped something again, Riko, huh?
I'm just sheltering him, okay!
Either way is fine by me...
Ah, I knew she'd be there.
Director, we're back home now.
Hurry up and get inside.
How are we gonna get past her?
I think we can manage it.
Huh?!
Kiyui!
Huh? Welcome ho-
Shh!
He gonna understand that?
I hope so...
Hm?
Book... book...
How many times do I need to tell you?!
Don't read books out on the veranda!
Drop it again and I'll take it away!
Good work out there yesterday.
You didn't manage to excavate all that much, but it was the first time working solo for most of you...
so that's only to be expected.
Once again next week,
I'll have you base yourselves at the same site 100 meters down and continue working.
Those of you who lost their equipment, file a request with General Affairs.
That is all.
Now, a word from the director.
There's just one thing I want to say.
Realize that your possession of a whistle is based on being a student of the guild's orphanage.
Strive to work hard...
so as not to shame your parents who fell so nobly.
Ah, one more thing.
That's two things now...
Helping yourself to Relics is strictly forbidden.
Is she glaring at me?
Relics provide valuable income to the orphanage...
So pocketing them is inexcusable.
No matter the punishment...
I don't want to hear any complaints!
She knows it was me?!
Next time, it won't stop at just being strung up naked.
Keep that in mind. That is all.
You're dismissed.
She doesn't know... I'm safe.
Riko.
Can I talk to you for a sec?
Nat tells me he lost his backpack due to being attacked by a crimson splitjaw...
That's right!
If I didn't save him, he'd be snake droppings right about now. Oh, that Nat!
You saved him?
Yes! I blew my whistle like so and made myself a decoy!
Well, how did you get saved, then?
That's also surprising!
A light like none I've ever seen just-
Ah, that was close!
I was just about to start talking about the robot boy...
Well, whatever.
Even at a relatively safe 100 meters, you never know what's going to happen...
From now on, don't let your guard down.
Leader!
U-um...
I have a favor to ask!
Please assign me to somewhere deeper!
I thought I told you I'd consider it if your haul was assessed to be the most valuable!
First, develop some skills that allow you to cave-raid more efficiently.
I... want to quickly build up experience at deeper depths.
I want to become a White Whistle as soon as I can... and catch up with my mother!
I'll go down as deep as she has and-
You can't!
To begin with, if you were to go down 400 meters with your current level of experience,
simply heading back up again would be all you could handle!
For the time being, keep your head down and work hard.
Well...
That's too bad, Miss Saved-My-Life!
What of it?! Eavesdropping like that isn't cool!
More importantly, Riko, what are you going to do about that thing in your room?
The robot?
I'll wake him up, of course.
He's sleeping? Really?!
Yep! We've gotta hurry and wake him!
So, help me out, everybody!
So? How's that?
I think maybe he moved a little.
Really?!
Is someone there?
Maybe we should try turning up the power a little bit?
The voices of children? Maybe we should try turning up the power a little bit?
The voices of children? Yeah, good idea. Riko, set the dial to 2.
I'm on it!
Whatever...
I'll sleep... a bit longer...
Done! I'll sleep... a bit longer...
So, Shiggy, can I press it now?
Riko, isn't it actually set on 20?
Huh?
H-he's up!
Seriously?!
See! I told you that electricity would do the trick!
And who was the one who fed him hot coals earlier?
Hey, hey, Robot Boy, do you recognize me?
You saved me!
How did you attack that snake from so far away?
Ah, but first, tell me your name!
Hey, don't get carried away! He looks overwhelmed...
Ah, I'm sorry. My name's Riko!
I feel bad about replying to a question with a question, but...
He spoke!
How cute!
There's something I want to ask...
What? What? Ask whatever you want!
Where... is this place?
Here?
This is my room! In Belchero Orphanage.
Do you guys work as torturers?
Huh?
Riko's room is actually an old execution chamber.
She got up to too much mischief and was moved here.
Anyway, we work as cave raiders.
Well, strictly speaking, we're apprentices called Red Whistles.
Hey, hey, Robot Boy, what's your name?
What kind of stuff can you do? Who made you?
It's been on my mind for a bit now, but...
Yeah?
I'm... a robot?
You're a robot!
Electricity made you move!
You totally withstood fire!
And there's not a single scratch on you!
So, uh... you don't even remember that you're a robot?
Maybe that jolt of electricity messed with his memory?
Everyone, this is bad!
The lights are out throughout the whole orphanage!
What?!
I think we overdid it by going full throttle earlier.
Hide quick! Leader is headed straight over here!
Huh?! How does he know it was us?!
Probably 'cause you're always pulling stuff.
Can you stand?
Suppose we've gotta get that off you first...
Riko!
Huh?!
Riko! Distract him best you can!
I've got a bad feeling...
Huh?
Huh?!
Don't come out of there! Got it?
We'll be in a world of trouble if you do!
Hey, Riko! Open up!
O-okay!
Coming no-!
Ow...!
So, what the heck did you do this time?
Huh? Nothing... much really...
Ah, m-more importantly, I just banged my foot.
Caught it at a bad angle, too.
I-it hurts really bad...
I bumped it just the wrong way...
Wai...!
Huh?!
So this here is Shiggy's handiwork?
Once again, no idea what he's up to...
Hey, do you have anything to say for yourself?
S-sorry. I won't do it again.
I know you're frustrated given that your cave raiding didn't go so well...
That said, there's simply no sense in causing a blackout at the orphanage.
Riko...?
You listening to me, Riko?
Before I hear your explanation for this mess,
I think I'll have you clean the orphanage and write a sincere apology.
Huh?
Ah... I'm sorry!
I get it now.
If he was to find me here, there'd be hell to pay...
Nevertheless, my arm can extend...
I've got an extending metal arm...
and this helmet...
Talk about suspicious...
What exactly am I?
Does a robot really need a belly button?
Huh?!
D-do I need this thing, too?
Whoa!
Shh!
I took the chance to sneak away when Shiggy and the others got caught.
Oh, what now? You getting all dressed up in front of the mirror?
Uh, n-no...
Riko!
Riko! Where'd you go?!
C-crap! Riko! Where'd you go?!
What are we gonna do?! We need to get outta here!
Grab onto me!
Quick!
Amazing! What a handy hand!
How cool!
Riko, where'd you go?!
Doesn't look like things are gonna calm down anytime soon.
Oh, right!
Reg, there's something I've been wanting to show you.
"Reg"?
That's your name.
Not having one is pretty inconvenient, right?
So what do you think of the name "Reg"?
I don't mind it, but... how'd you come up with it, anyway?
It was the name of a dog I used to have.
A dog...
Reg, hurry, come quick!
We're here!
It's almost time now, Reg!
Reg, this is the city all of us live in.
The city of the great pit. It's called Orth!
Welcome to Orth, Reg!
So this pit...?
Huh?
Reg, you've even forgotten about the Abyss?!
"Abyss"?
This great pit is called the Abyss.
And I found you in the depths of the Abyss!
I...
I thought that...
maybe you came up from the bottom of the Abyss, Reg!
Huh?
I mean, I've never seen any kind of robot like you before!
That's gotta be right!
You must've come from the bottom of the Abyss, which no one has ever seen...
The Abyss...
About 1,900 years ago,
a huge pit was discovered on a remote island in the southern sea of Beoluska.
With a diameter of around 1,000 meters and a depth that is still unknown to this day,
the mysterious formation mesmerized people.
Valuable and dangerous primeval creatures and mysterious Relics that are beyond comprehension
beckoned adventurers looking to strike it rich, which in time gave rise to a giant city.
Over the span of many years,
with a spirit of adventure for the unknown and countless legends luring them in,
the world's only remaining unexplored chasm has swallowed up a great many people.
It is known as the Abyss.