That's... a guy from the Twilight Brigade, right?
That guy's the PC that got in a fight with TaN!
To defeat TaN...
I can't believe that TaN was cheating!
I heard they fell into the Brigade's trap and were exposed.
That's right.
Haseo!
Hey hey, isn't it amazing?!
Did you hear? We're really famous now!
Hey...
Shut up.
Huh?
No... I mean... you see...
Shino-san? It looks like she hasn't logged in yet.
She'll probably be surprised that we're so famous.
Speaking of the devil...
What?
Any word from Ovan?
Nothing yet...
No matter what you say, it's too suspicious!
Don't yell.
I'm not talking to you!
We fought for the Key of the Twilight!
We believed in Ovan!
Master, are you angry?
It's not really that I'm angry...
What do you want, calling me all the way out here?
Sorry.
Having you apologize to me feels disgusting.
I see... that's true.
In 30 minutes, my account will be terminated.
You got... a message?
I'm the face of TaN.
I won't run away.
That's brave.
It's not that I'm brave.
It's my...
...pride as a merchant.
You must hold to the failures of your business.
That's all.
Heh.
Well, I've learned a lot.
Oh by the way, can I ask a favor from you?
I can't say that "anything goes," but...
The altered graphics that only exist in the Lost Grounds...
You've seen them before right?
The ones that are in triangular shape?
That's right. I've never seen a cheat like that before.
And?
After this game went through revision, we of TaN have been the ones who fanned the flames of popularity.
Sign.
That's what I'm going to name those things.
Sign?
If someone asks you, tell them that.
Would anyone ask me?
Those are like... omens.
Thinking of that, I named them.
The day when everyone is talking about the Signs will come soon.
It's soon.
I see.
See ya later.
You're getting your account terminated...
Whaddaya mean by "See ya later"?
Was the Key of the Twilight found?
Or was it not?
You haven't even heard about that?
I can't get in contact with him, so...
I'm tired of hearing that!
It's no use rushing things, is it?
No use...
He might have taken it for himself!
Sakisaka-kun...
Is that really what you think?
Just a bit more...
How much longer?
There's a time limit for everything, right?
Hey you.
Come here.
Now isn't the time to be so happy, is it?
Why?
Don't say "why".
Ovan hasn't come back yet, has he?
Aren't you worried?
Well... he's never around.
And Shino-san's here, so.
Don't make excuses like a middle schooler.
News flash! I'm really a high-schooler even though I act like this!
Ah!
Haseo!
What?
I was just warning this child who was being too happy.
Can you take her with you?
I haven't done anything that merits a warning.
Hey...
...does it seem like Ovan might come back?
I don't know.
Wouldn't it be faster to ask Shino instead of me?
I asked you...
...because it's hard to ask her.
All right!
Let's go back and ask Shino-san!
Hey, let go of me!
Oh.
The triangular graphics that are in the Lost Grounds,
they're called "Sign", so...
Is that their name?
It was just named.
If someone asks, tell them that, okay?
That's fine, but...
Haseo! Let's go!
Sign...
...symbol.
You... where did you go?
I'm...
I'm thinking about graduating.
Really?
Ovan's not showing his face either, so it's the perfect time.
You helped me out a lot, gramps.
Don't worry about it.
In the end, it's just a way for an old man to pass time in his boredom.
You'll get lonely won't you?
This is a playground.
Eventually, everyone will disappear.
Similar to how while you're playing in the playground in the evening,
one, then two. They all eventually go home.
Go home, huh.
Are you going to be okay?
What?
You in real life.
That's why I'm graduating.
Even if I escape from reality here, there's no use.
Escape, huh?
I plan on properly making up for it.
You can restart not only on the net, but also in real life.
That would be nice.
Huh?
Master?
What's with him?
Shino-san?
Sakisaka just went out just now, but...
Yeah, I know.
Did something happen?
It's not something that you need to worry about,
so don't make faces like that.
So you're here as usual.
It makes me easy to find, doesn't it?
Is being here okay after everything's crumbled?
It's not anything to worry about.
I see. There's all sorts of rumors going around so I thought that you'd worry a bit, but...
Today's the last day for this character.
I see. So no matter what rumors are spread, it's not a problem to you.
And? What do you want today?
I have something to tell you, old man.
Do you want to change locations?
Forget about Ovan.
He cannot come back anymore.
Ovan...
It looks like Master is still on the game.
He's not responding though.
Hey, what do you mean by "Let's look for him"?
What should we do?
If I knew his phone number I'd call,
but I never asked him.
Haseo, do you know it?
If you don't know it then why would I?
That's true.
Rather than moving recklessly, wouldn't it be better to be waiting at Home?
What?
You want to be by Shino-san that badly?
Huh?
Just now, when Haseo was looking at Shino-san, your eyes seemed to be full of meaning.
What are you saying? This is all CG.
No. You were just intently staring at her through your display.
Well, it's not possible for Haseo to take Ovan's place.
What do you mean?
I'm saying that you can't support Shino-san.
Then, are you able to support her?
It's probably...
...impossible for me too.
It's amazing, Phyllo.
In a place like this...
So he hasn't come back since going up there?
Yes.
Any messages?
I see.
Just as I thought.
As you thought?
What do you mean by that?
Phyllo.
What do you know?
He wasn't inside the town...
Maybe we should just go around the Lost Grounds.
How about we just sending him a mail saying, "Come back"?
We might pass him on the way.
I'm saying that he's not replying.
That's not my problem.
Oh, missy. You're pretty fast.
This is the rumored thing that they say is always in the Lost Grounds.
They say that this is called "Sign".
Hmm...
I wonder if they're planning some kind of new event with this.
So, what do you want?
Oh yeah!
It's about Gourd.
He...
...had seen through it from the beginning.
That it might be a trap...
So... even if he can't move right now...
...I think that he'll come back someday.
It's just... I can't hold the Brigade together by myself like this anymore.
You heard that from Naobi, right? That Ovan can't come back to here anymore.
Why do you ask something like that?
Phyllo, you know a side of Ovan that I don't know.
I just thought that you're probably familiar with Naobi as well...
It's just a woman's intuition.
Oh, it's not like I think that Phyllo and Naobi are in league together, so don't worry.
Ovan...
...he wasn't able to find the Key of the Twilight, huh.
Well, that's what can be concluded from that.
Shino...
I'm fine... I think.
More than that... letting everyone know is the first priority, right?
Ovan...
Are you really unable to come back?
You two...
Are you waiting for Sakisaka-kun here?
No. We were about to go out looking for him.
There's no need for that.
Let's go back to the @Home right now.
Did something happen?
I have something to tell everyone.
Shino-san?
Anyways, let's go to the @Home.
After examining all of the different pieces of information,
we have found out that the Key of the Twilight does not exist.
Are you saying that it isn't in this game?!
"Does not exist", that's what that means, right?
What about Ovan?
There was some trouble and I don't think that he can come back for a while.
Trouble, whatever.
If the Key of the Twilight doesn't exist, he can't come back.
He's too afraid to meet us face-to-face.
So what are we going to do from now?
Hey, is Ovan really not coming back?
Are we going to close down like TaN?
No, he'll come back in a while,
so it'll be fine.
Then let's wait!
Ovan not being here is normal! Right?
Are you stupid?
It's different this time.
The Key of the Twilight doesn't exist.
There's no way he'd come back!
No way...
He'll definitely come back.
What's the proof?
It's no use arguing about it, is it?
And even if you criticize her, that won't bring Ovan back.
Sorry. I'm gonna go cool my head a bit.
Sakisaka-kun...
I'm going to go check up on Master!
Sorry.
It's not something you need to apologize for, Shino-san...
But...
...thank you.
I'm not in the position to say anything, so...
Yeah...
I'm logging off for today.
Master, wait for me!
Master...
Wait for me!
Leave me alone!
I can't!
I just want to think by myself for a while.
What are you going to think about?
All sorts of things.
Master, are you going to quit like B-Set and Gourd?
N-No way!
That's right! So, let's go back! Come on, let's go!
You're annoying!
Why are you so cheerful for no reason?
It's not like I'm cheerful because I want to b-