Do you know of Tri-Edge?
I'll only ask one more time.
Do you know of Tri-Edge?
I don't know.
Right?
Yeah.
There's no point in coming here every day, is there?
I'll be the one to decide if there's any point or not.
Right?
Eh... do as you wish.
By the way...
Hey!
Hello.
Hello... oh, Tri-Edge!
What about him?
They say that he disappeared.
Disappeared?
They say that he's missing.
Uh...
...are you a new player?
I guess so.
But I've at least heard the rumors about him.
Hey, hey, what do you think?
Maybe he got his account banned or something...
I wonder if there's even an account connected to him...
Missing, huh?
Are you going?
I just remembered some business that I have to attend to.
I'll come again.
You don't have to come.
I wonder what Shino-san would have done at a time like this...
There is no mistake about him being the holder of the evil deity.
In order to activate the sleeping deity... what to do...
How about shaking him?
Shaking him?
Yes.
When I awakened,
a reality that I couldn't even begin to imagine was suddenly thrown at me.
I didn't want to believe it.
It was hard to accept it.
At that time, something crossed a critical point, and overflowed.
A feeling that I could not suppress,
and my ability to reason was screaming for me to suppress it.
I can not explain it properly, but...
In that battle...
...the real me and the in-game Pai synchronized and linked.
Haseo is already severely unstable.
The rest is... just to shake him, I think.
I'll leave it up to you.
Understood.
Now... I wonder if it will work as well we want it to...
I'm telling you that we don't know!
It's okay to get mad, but don't take it out on us.
Direct me to someone who might know.
More importantly, that's like a kids myth.
That's true.
It's not possible for a player who's been killed to lose consciousness.
I'm saying that you're stupid for believing that!
Isn't that...
What?
That character...
Oh, him.
You shouldn't bother with him.
Let's go.
There's rumors that... Haseo's a pissed off player.
Rumors are rumors.
That's true, but...
If you don't believe in Haseo, then who will believe in him?
Phyllo, do you believe in Haseo?
I wonder about that...
What's that supposed to mean?
If you try to force open a closed clam, the clam will close its shell more tightly.
But if you persist and continue to try to open it, the clam will eventually break.
But...
Haseo isn't a clam.
Words don't mean anything to a clam.
But Haseo...
If he doesn't want to listen, then I guess it's all the same...
Nothing will happen if you don't initiate some contact.
I see.
That's true.
I'm going to where Haseo is!
How is it?
No good.
The personal connections of the information source is way too thin.
I see.
There's all sorts of rumors that have no substance...
Oh, but there was a strange rumor.
There's a guy that said he saw someone fighting against Tri-Edge in the Lost Grounds.
Seems like he defeated him...
Tri-Edge?
Are you serious?
Well, it's a rumor so...
It would be easier if you used TaN's network.
No.
Well, how about doing a background check?
That's true...
If we could find the PC that says they saw that then maybe...
Roger that!
Haseo!
Um... you look well!
Before you transfer out...
What?
This...
I don't use that.
That's true... you've gotten strong, huh?
You're... annoying.
I know... it's not that easy.
I really don't need this...
I didn't think that you would come.
I wanted to see your repentant face.
Hey...
And? What?
That Haseo who I asked you to take care of... we've decided to observe him from our side.
I see...
Tabby is no longer needed.
We found out that she's not "the one", so...
There was something special that happened to those two right?
I don't need to tell you about it.
It's not like you're going to cooperate with me anymore...
And, we're going to use that PC body...
I'd like you to give it back.
Use?
There's something that I want to test on Haseo,
with that PC.
Test?
This PC is a litmus test for investigating Haseo?
I don't know how you're going to use it but...
I won't be giving it back right away.
I've worked for you up until now,
so you should at least grant me that.
Your time limit is one week.
I won't wait any longer than that.
Test...
...what?
If I'm there then I'm in the way,
and giving him things doesn't work.
But... if there was some way to help him, it would be good...
Really, that Haseo!
Even when Tabby-san is this worried!
We're companions.
I don't want to see him continue to get worse.
Shino-san probably... wouldn't desire...
...that either.
The things that you can test in this world...
The things that those guys are trying to do...
You... didn't you retire?
Who're you talking about?
But...
I guess it doesn't matter.
I'm going to retire, so...
That doesn't matter.
You're wasting my time.
If you're going to retire, then stop bothering me and go somewhere else.
Looks like... things are going to get interesting.
Switch on!
Testing is...
Huh?
Probably... this, right?
Out of the things that you can do in this world,
the things that you want to test Haseo for...
You probably want to see the strength that Haseo acquired, right?
Want to trade information?
I'm not a information trader.
Well, I guess it doesn't matter.
There was another player who fought against Tri-Edge.
You...
...how did you stay alive?
It's been a while.
Jeez, you've changed way too much.
What? Was that the prize for winning?
What do you know about Tri-Edge?
Hey, don't be so hasty.
That bonus member address came in handy didn't it?
I don't have the time.
Even if you hurry, the unconscious person won't come back sooner.
Give me the information.
I guess this is what they mean by clinging to straw like it's gold.
This isn't just play!
It's just... a game.
It's not just...
I hope that it goes well.
You sent him because you thought that it would go well, right?
I'm beginning to think that he would just taunt him and end it.
That's not like you.
Oh... I'm sorry.
Hurry up and say it.
You've changed.
The you from before was a lot more straightforward.
I'm still... straightforward.
No. You've done a complete 360 degree turn.
Even if you're going straight, you're twisted.
I don't want you to be taken by others!
You plan on fighting me?
You want the information, right?
Don't... regret it.
Why?
It's for you.
The food that you like the best, you eat last.
Something like that.
As expected, I guess there's something to be said for all the battles that you've had against those PKers.
The thing that only you have...
Show it to me.
Is that all?
It appears that he would need to be shaken much more violently.
I'm sorry.
No.
This just means that any normal player would not be able to stand up against him, right?
I suppose...
that we should try to bump "that" unknown phenomenon against him...
I thought that there was no need for that yet...
The risks are too great.
If the PC body were to disappear...
Then to find it again would be too much trouble...
The enemies have increased, huh.
You mean Haseo?
The only one I'm thinking about...
...is Haseo.
He should just give up soon.
So that's how you really feel.
I don't believe that I ever spoke my own words...
Haseo!
You have potential.
Hey...
...what's potential?
Did someone tell you that?
What's this thing that only I have?
Calm down... what happened?
Tri-Edge... where is he?
He's not here anymore.
Forget about him.
I can't forget!
Even if you scream, the reality that he's gone doesn't change.
Isn't that...
He's so gone...
We shouldn't have anything to do with him.
Touta...
I wonder why he has any business with such a troublesome guy.
I saw the player that I met in the forest.
You mean... Haseo?
What is the meaning of his change?
Don't ask me.
Was he not the one who cleared the stage?
You also received that sword.
You asked last time, if it was a sword that was obtained through struggles.
Was I wrong?
That may be it, or that may not be it.
That doesn't matter to me.
You can become stronger in a short period of time.
That was the Forest of Pain, I believe.
The one who cleared it was...
...probably...
...only him.
However,
if that was the prize for clearing it,
I think it's good that I didn't clear it.
You've really changed.
So this is the place...
I've changed too, but...
To be honest, I'm surprised at your change.
Do you know of Tri-Edge?
Hey, it's not nice to use force when asking someone something.
I'll collect the information for you.
Who are you?
You're going to buy information from me.
For merchants, trust is the top priority.
Believe me. Okay?
Sold.
Tawaraya...