Rikka-san is quite skilled.
She'll present an argument on her own, literally die for it on her own,
then come back to life on her own to retake the flow.
But I'm not alone.
Kuro-senpai and I won't let you have your way.
Right. Even if the third solution is rejected,
it's not like all of them have gone in that direction.
Some percentage should've switched over to the side that doesn't believe
in the ghost named Steel Lady Nanase.
And I'm not worried about a small percentage that may have dissented.
Huh?
I'm sure there are some who've been satisfied with the explanation thus far,
but they aren't part of my calculations.
Rikka-san is thinking the same thing as you
and deciding her futures by selecting the ones with the fewest dissenters.
She's assuming that I'm trying to chip away at her influence in stages.
But that's where my trap begins.
My solutions thus far have included the previous ones to some extent.
Detective Terada investigating Steel Lady Nanase on his own.
Nanase Karin's father leaving behind a damning handwritten note.
Even if they reject the conclusions of each solution,
the basic elements themselves have not been rejected.
Even though our third solution was just rejected,
as well as the portrait of the killer from it,
no one has doubted the part where
I said that Nanase Karin's sister was the one who gave the media the note.
Rikka-san will be satisfied as long as the conclusion of
"a ghost named Nanase Karin doesn't exist" isn't believed.
So there's no reason to destroy my solutions at their roots.
She can achieve her goal just by crushing the conclusions.
If she tried to start destroying any other part besides the conclusion,
she'd stand out more.
Therefore, Rikka-san is forced to take the simplest option.
B-But then...
Is she saying that what Rikka-san is doing now...
The futures she has chosen...
are all part of her plan?
All of the preparations have been made.
All that's left is to unleash the final blow.
Fiction is born within the fiction
and inverts itself into truth.
Then Steel Lady Nanase will disappear.
Let us move on to the fourth solution!
Even then, Steel Lady Nanase is fiction!
The three solutions I've presented thus far
were just the foundation to get to the actual truth.
There is someone behind this.
The one who created a ghost named Steel Lady Nanase and killed Detective Terada.
We've been waiting for this!
Anonymous
Just give it up.
Anon
Jeez, you're persistent.
Nameless
The one behind all this is none other than Nanase Karin,
Nanase Haruko herself.
She's not dead!
The one who died at the construction site
was someone else made to look like Karin!
If you have a faceless corpse, it's a given
that they've actually been switched out with someone else.
The real Nanase Karin is still alive.
But that was debunked earlier.
Come on. No one believes that TV drama-esque story.
But if Nanase Karin was alive, there'd be no Steel Lady Nanase.
Nanase Karin lost her family and was all alone.
If I just wait a while, the rumors will settle down.
I mean, I won't be able to be an idol anymore...
But I'm still young.
I still have time to start over.
Excuse me!
Huh?
I'm sorry, I know this is sudden.
But I was just thinking... that you look like me.
And that was when she met her.
Though their faces were different, the length of her hair, her physique,
and their ages were quite similar.
Let's just call her A-san for now.
No one knows what A-san's circumstances were.
Perhaps she didn't have any friends or family, or she suffered from a mental illness.
But unfortunately, Nanase Karin found her.
If I can leave Nanase Karin behind and start over as a new person...
That temptation led her to commit a crime.
Say...
I have a favor to ask.
Nanase Karin managed to cleverly coax A-san into her hotel room,
and had her touch her personal belongings.
She made sure to get rid of her own fingerprints around the room,
ensuring that only A-san's would remain.
I'm sure A-san had some reason to want to help Nanase Karin out.
After being depressed and considering suicide,
Nanase Karin coincidentally stopped her,
making A-san dependent on her.
One might also think she was promised financial assistance,
so she was willing to cooperate.
So I'm going to act as your decoy and lead the media away.
Do you think it'll actually work?
They might figure it out right away, and I might not be much help.
You'll be fine.
See? It's perfect. Don't worry.
Look over there. See that construction site?
The media won't come over there. It's the perfect place to meet.
Let's meet there tonight.
If Nanase Karin hadn't met A-san,
she probably would've let the rumors run their course,
and would've been able to live a happy life.
But while in the pit of despair,
she had encountered a chance to dramatically restart her life.
A-san's face was crushed beyond recognition by the steel beams.
This would make it impossible to identify her that way.
And that would explain that mystery.
Why did Nanase Karin let the steel beams hit her without any signs of struggle?
That's because the body wasn't her own.
It belonged to someone else
who'd fallen unconscious and had the steel beams fall on her.
Nanase Karin finished falsifying the scene and fled.
City Hall
She then used A-san's identity to begin a new life.
She was thus freed from her past.
Thank you very much. Here's your driver's license back.
She would've had to change her appearance to make sure
no one would recognize her, but that probably wasn't that difficult.
Someone as gutsy and determined as her would've been able to do it.
The body that was found at the construction site in Makurazaka City
on January 30th of this year did not belong to Nanase Karin.
She used the faceless corpse trick to fool us all.
Nanase Karin is alive and well.
Therefore, there could never be a ghost like Steel Lady Nanase!
Then what about Steel Lady Nanase?
That just means Nanase Karin made her up, right?
Why, though?
Anonymous
Anon
If Nanase Karin's alive, what the heck is Steel Lady Nanase?
If a ghost appeared, that would mean Nanase Karin was definitely dead.
Anon
So it was to make sure people really thought she was dead.
Anonymous
But if that's the case, isn't it a bit late for Steel Lady Nanase to show up?
Wait, when did the rumors of Nanase's ghost start?
Around June of this year!
Around February, everyone was still freaking out about Nanase Karin's accident.
Wouldn't that just be stirring up the hornet's nest?
There's no way Nanase Karin spread the Steel Lady Nanase rumors.
There's too great a risk that they'd find out she's alive.
The site's viewers are now actively trying to solve the mystery.
Nameless
Hang on a sec.
Nanase Karin was living her life just fine until around May...
But then maybe people started a rumor that there was someone who looked like her.
That's totally possible.
Anonymous
Plastic surgery takes a while and has its limits.
I get it. And then, Nanase Karin moved away.
But if she thought the same thing would happen in the future...
So to make Nanase Karin completely dead in people's minds,
she created Steel Lady Nanase!
They're drawing their own conclusions.
They've taken the three solutions they were offered,
changed the stories and the people in them,
and kept certain elements.
So does that mean Nanase Karin
dressed up as Steel Lady Nanase and attacked people?
I'm sure she did a couple times.
To make the rumor spread faster,
she wore that dress and bow, and had a steel beam.
She made her boobs jiggle, too.
She didn't want anyone to think it was an astral body,
so she created a character named Steel Lady Nanase that walked around
with a smashed face and carried a steel beam.
This logic about why Steel Lady Nanase was needed...
It's the same as the third solution.
Picking up pieces from that solution will give you the answer.
She basically
showed them how fun it is to logically try to explain an urban legend.
So this was the real reason why she gave multiple solutions.
Steel Lady Nanase Wiki
Until now,
this site had gathered up the imaginations
<356> Name: Anonymous 09/05 00:15 ID.xzawegoj Her physique and presence are pretty noticeable, so if someone who knew about idols ran into her, that might've started a rumor. <357> Name: Anonymous 09/05 00:16 ID.9ptreq I see. And that's why Nanase Karin moved away from there. But if she thought the same thing would happen in the future... <358> Name: Anonymous 09/05 00:16 aoeigr3 Yeah. So to make Nanase Karin completely dead in people's minds, she created Steel Lady Nanase! <359> Name: Anonymous 09/05 00:16 ID.kfdsew So does that mean Nanase Karin dressed up as Steel Lady Nanase and attacked people? <360> Name: Anonymous 09/05 00:16 ID.nvmcsd I'm sure she did a couple times. To make the rumor spread faster, she wore that dress and bow, and had a steel beam. She made her boobs jiggle, too. <361> Name: Anonymous 09/05 00:16 ID.urq5fdr She didn't want anyone to think it was an astral body, so she created a character named Steel Lady Nanase that walked around with a smashed face and carried a steel beam. She made sure the name left an impression, too. <362> Name: Anonymous 09/05 00:16 ID.moadeg6 She walked around town as a ghost swinging around a steel beam so the rumors would spread faster.
of hundreds of thousands of people to give life to Steel Lady Nanase.
<363> Name: Anonymous 09/05 00:16 ID.omjiae With all that manipulation happening, anyone would think that Nanase Karin's grudge caused her to come back as the ghost Steel Lady Nanase. <364> Name: Anonymous 09/05 00:16 ID.ncyrep The only one who could've prepared everything so quickly out of everyone involved is Nanase Karin. <365> Name: Anonymous 09/05 00:16 ID.sspoa4h But if you think about it rationally, not doing anything would probably be best. <366> Name: Anonymous 09/05 00:17 ID.monaekr Nanase Karin's always been pretty perceptive. Maybe she felt something was going to go wrong. <368> Name: Anonymous 09/05 00:17 ID.wwfghs So does that mean Nanase Karin is behind everything? <369> Name: Anonymous 09/05 00:17 ID.wttvaar Wait, maybe she wanted to make sure it looked like the crimes couldn't be committed by one person. <370< Name: Anonymous 09/05 00:17 ID.vziwaj But she just started her new life. Would she risk it by doing all this?
But that's no longer the case.
Now, the site's viewers are trying to
use that imagination to prove that Steel Lady Nanase doesn't exist.
The Ultimate Fiction
We've won!
Not yet.
I haven't delivered the final blow yet.
Rikka-san, I'm not going to let you grasp the future you desire.
Because there is an order to this world that must not be
infringed upon by anyone.
Exactly!
In order to make herself completely dead in the public's eyes,
Nanase Karin created Steel Lady Nanase
and tried to make sure the ghost character came to people's minds instantly.
Anon
And this might've all happened
because someone pointed out that she looked like Nanase Karin.
In order to make sure no one figured out
the swapping of bodies and the faceless corpse trick,
she decided to do something extreme.
Nanase Karin started to appear in Makurazaka City every night
and act out Steel Lady Nanase.
Since she was playing the ghost version of herself,
I'm sure it seemed convincing.
The rumors spread, and that name became a huge hit on the Internet.
And to make sure the rumor spread effectively,
she did something specific.
Yes.
She created this Steel Lady Nanase Wiki herself!
Nanase Karin!
I know that you created this site, and that you're the admin!
What?
Nameless
Anon
No way...
I'm sure you're reading my posts as we speak.
I've been working to expose you from the very beginning!
This site spread the rumors about Steel Lady Nanase at an ungodly rate
and magnified them.
The spread of information was just too convenient.
But of course it was.
Because, as the one behind this,
you had all the information, managed all of this, and created Steel Lady Nanase.
You tried to reject every single solution that I presented.
Name: kuebiko 09/05 00:21 ID. ID.Mmimn43 You tried to reject every single solution that I presented.
All of my solutions were intended to erase Steel Lady Nanase,
and having anyone conclude that the ghost was fake
would've messed things up for you.
You're trying to make sure the rumors spread further,
so passing on from this life would not be ideal.
That's why you tried to refute everything I said,
and even tried to moderate my posts.
This is such a lie.
The one who created the site and runs it is Rikka-san!
I'm pretty sure I told you from the start that I'd be lying.
You made this site so that you could spread rumors about Steel Lady Nanase?!
Karin-chan! Did you see my post?!
I just came here for info about the urban legend,
I came here at a good time.
but damn, I could totally see Karin-chan doing this.
The truth is irrelevant in this assembly.
To anyone who believes this lie, this very site that they're looking at
is the front line of the Steel Lady Nanase case.
And now, I will explain why you killed Detective Terada.
Hell yeah!
Lay it all out there!
Is she really alive?
I don't want to believe that she's a murderer.
The real problem is killing the detective.
Is Nanase Karin going to be arrested?
What's going to happen?
Last night, you were in Makurazaka City.
To further spread rumors about Steel Lady Nanase,
you were going to check out the next location you planned to cause a scene at.
The detective who believed Steel Lady Nanase was human saw you
and thought you were suspicious.
You were probably dressed normally, but the detective didn't overlook
the fact that your boobs were huge.
Those boobs that reminded him of Steel Lady Nanase
made his detective's intuition go to work.
I heard that Terada-san wasn't a fan of big breasts.
The same could be said for Kuro-senpai.
Considering my petite frame...
Kuro-kun doesn't actually judge women based on their chest size or appearance.
Could you hurry up with the rest?
Lately, there've been sightings of a suspicious person around Makurazaka City.
I'd like you to answer a few questions.
What are you doing here?
Um... I'm heading to the convenience store to buy a few things.
I got a little hungry.
This was the last thing you expected to hear.
Have I seen her before?
No, I've seen her many times. That face...
Nanase...
Nanase Karin...
A person who was supposed to be dead was standing before him,
leaving the usually capable detective panicked and defenseless.
You saw your chance, and you took it.
After rendering Detective Terada unconscious,
you decided to make it look like Steel Lady Nanase was behind this.
If there was no sign that the capable detective fought back
and his face was smashed in,
it'd be hard for people to believe that a woman like you committed the crime.
And then you got rid of any trace of you having been there
and fled the scene.
This is the extent of your crimes.
If you choose to refute this, as well, please, be my guest.
But if you can, I'd like you to prove that you are not Nanase Karin.
I'll say it again...
Nanase Karin, you are the killer!
This is... such a terrible lie!
Who's this poster?
<539> Name: kuebiko 09/05 00:25 I'll say it again. Nanase Karin, you are the killer!
At first, I thought they were just coming up with theories for fun, but...
Name: Anonymous 09/05 00:25 Nanase Karin's alive!?
Nanase Karin's alive?
<612>Name: Anonymous 09/05 00:28 ID.nbccdse If it's true, that'd be shocking! <613> Name: Anonymous 09/05 00:28 ID.byfdse Nanase Karin's alive?! <614> Name: Anonymous 09/05 00:28 ID.plmnyew Wait, Karin-chan's alive!? <615> Name: Anonymous 09/05 00:28 ID.kpqojig Nanase Karin made this site? <616> Name: Anonymous 09/05 00:28 ID.udepwk What a sudden turn of events! So Nanase Karin's alive?
Is Nanase Karin really the admin and the killer?
So Steel Lady Nanase's fake?
I wonder if Nanase Karin's going to get arrested if she's alive.
Maybe they're involved in the case.
Admin! If you're reading this, show yourself!
Name: Anonymous 09:05 00:28 Admin! If you're reading this, show yourself!
There hasn't been a post about a sighting.
09/05 00:29 ID.nreooq Come to think of it, there have been some suspicious posts. <624> Name: Anonymous 09/05 00:30 ID.po9sien So Steel Lady Nanase's made up? <625> Name: Anonymous 09/05 00:30 ID.6rsaomgu Who's this poster? At first, I thought they were just coming up with theories for fun, but...
So the killer really is Nanase Karin?
I still don't believe it!
If they're a ghost they'll probably appear again.
59> Name: Anonymous 09/05 00:36 ID.y I still don't believe it! There's no way she could've actually switched places with someone!
No idea. How the hell are we supposed to know?
There's no way she could've actually switched places with someone!
There were so many sightings up until yesterday. Isn't this weird?
But if it is true, we just witnessed something insane!
Did we just witness a case getting solved?
So is it true or a lie?
Oh, yeah. Did anyone actually see Steel Lady Nanase today?
She pulled them all in.
This website is part of the killer's plot.
And the reason the first three solutions were rejected was also because of them.
I'll say it again. Nanase Karin, you are the killer!
She just managed to destroy Steel Lady Nanase
by simply saying that Nanase Karin's alive.
I can't believe you came up with all this!
But what if the actual admin of the site, Rikka-san,
just says she's not Nanase Karin?
And who would believe that?
The masses now believe that Nanase Karin is the admin
and love that idea so much that they're running with it.
Whether she decides to admit to that or not,
this wave of thought isn't going to change.
Iwanaga-san used the first three solutions to feed them basic elements
that would make them believe her ultimate solution.
She couldn't have done it had the future not been predetermined excessively.
Through his repeated deaths, he chose future after future to destroy the monster.
Kuro-senpai has decided the future.
Rikka-san won't be able to reach any options to change this future.
She won't be able to control Steel Lady Nanase with that site anymore.
Now, ladies and gentlemen of the committee...
It is time for the voting to begin.
Does a ghost named Steel Lady Nanase exist or doesn't she?
You don't need to do anything special.
Your votes will be cast automatically, no matter what you choose.
I just need you to freely make your wish in your own mind,
based on your own conscience.
There are true spectres in this world,
but there are also many false ones.
Fiction reverts to fiction.
The monster born from lies
shall be destroyed by lies, as well.
To Be Continued
Preview
Yokai, ayakashi, spectres, demons,
mononoke, and ghosts...
There is order to everything.
Next time, "She Who Defends Order."