Secretary Makabe: It's an outbreak in Shinjuku just like the one two years ago. An outbreak of monsters.
MP Ariake: They're back again? This is the fourth time this year.
Secretary Makabe: There's enough of them to justify a code yellow alert, so we've already evacuated the citizens. Right now, it's taking an entire regiment of the SDF to keep the monsters contained.
MP Hatano: What do you mean, contained? Why isn't there a plan to exterminate them?!
Secretary Makabe: Well, er, that's—
Just say the word, and I'll handle it.
MP Ariake: Natsume Hikasa... The newest chief of Murakumo.
MP Hatano: Murakumo? Oh, right, they do specialize in this sort of thing...
Prime Minister Inazuka: ...You've got the right people for this? And they're good to go?
We haven't wasted a moment, sir.
Prime Minister Inazuka: Fine. I'll authorize the Murakumo organization to handle this as you see fit.
Thank you.
Silence.
MP Hatano: Well, that's a relief, huh?
MP Ariake: Recently there have been a lot of monsters, though. Surely even Murakumo will need reinforcements?
Prime Minister Inazuka: Not to worry. I believe she's using this to find herself some fresh blood.
Prime Minister Inazuka: ...and I imagine her rival won't be far behind, either.
--------------------------
Cadets gathered here today, you are probably all wondering—
Excuse me, the young lady in the back? Have you entered your data yet?
Geh!
I couldn't help but be at least a little nervous, considering the context, and my strategy in situations like that was always to sink into the background and pretend I was very small. Unfortunately, I'd been perceived, so that plan was out the window.
Y-YES, SIR! I mean, er, N-NO, SIR!
...
I HAVE NOT ENTERED MY DATA, SIR!
C-could you? And have you considered taking a breath?
On his advice, I did so. It helped.
I'm sorry for the holdup... over here, right?
Oh, your terminals are in English?
We are a wide-reaching organization, ma'am.
Chisa Inomiko... twenty-three years old, recently graduated with a Master's in classic literature. Referred to the organization by referral from a personal acquaintance of the Chief.
Yes, sir.
Thank you, return to the line, please.
Ah, but I haven't introduced myself. I am Natsume Hikasa, head of Murakumo.
Adrift Woman: Murakumo... Don't they exterminate monsters?
You're well-informed. I imagine you've heard the rumors floating around the city about us, then?
Sharp-Eyed Man: About a secret organization that only takes in the most elite candidates, whose entrance exams are the stuff of nightmares?
These stories are true—you must pass a grueling exam in order to join Murakumo. The reason I've gathered you here today is because this is the location of your examination.
Burning Man: Are you kidding me? I didn't prep for any exam!
Is it a written test, or...?
Ordinarily, we'd test you by other means, but...
This year, the topic of your examination will be the eradication of all the monsters in City Hall.
Adrift Woman: But... this is all so sudden—
Of course, you're allowed to back out, but I assure you this is a small trial to endure compared to the honor of joining us. If you pass—you become Murakumo. The government will finally recognize your S-Class talents.
Clever Guy: So this goes all the way to the top.
Sharp-Eyed Man: Alright, I'm in! I've heard stories about these guys.
Uneasy Man: Y-yeah, me too... I'll never get another chance like this.
Few ever have, and few ever will. It's good you see that. Kirino, the exam parameters?
Today's topic is monster extermination. To accomplish this mission, you're expected to form teams of three. You can choose to go it alone, or in pairs, but for safety reasons I really wouldn't recommend that. I suggest you consider the abilities of your fellow candidates and form a well-balanced team. What exactly this monster extermination entails will be detailed on site by your instructor.
Let me introduce you to your instructor. This is Genji Gatou.
I'm Gatou, Murakumo Unit 10.
If I was any indication, I imagined a number of people in the crowd were quite intimidated by the heavy-set soldier. In my case, it was...
...well, plain on my face.
Pffft... gahahahahaha! What's with all the long faces? Eh, just do what I say out there and you'll be fine.
With that said, I believe we're ready to start. The Seventy-Fifth Murakumo Entrance Exam begins now. I have high hopes for you all.
Alright, go assemble your teams! Once you think you're done, head for the Entrance of City Hall!
I took a look at my data again to ensure I hadn't gotten anything wrong before I spent any time worrying about finding squadmates. That said, I didn't exactly have to do much looking.
Yo! The lady at the terminal!
Oh! Um, yes?
Me and the old man here are looking for a third. You grouped up yet?
Oh, not at all. I'd be happy to, Mr...?
Call me Mugen. 's my handle.
'Mugen'?
I mean sure it's not my real name, but the last time I gave anyone that was like, YEARS ago. I haven't done IRL in ages, y'know?
Ah, I see. You're an otaku.
I prefer the company of binary.
And you, sir, you're—
Oh my gosh!
...?
Kyoshiro Tamura, up-and-coming heavyweight star of the World Boxing Federation! One of the greatest relatively new talents on the scene!
Oh, is that who he is?
W-well, it's, er, it's common knowledge, really...
...
...I've, um, I've watched some of your matches, sir. It's... an honor to work with you!
Likewise.
I'm Chisa Inomiko. I'll be here practicing swordplay. I hope not to slow either of you down.
Don't worry about that.
Sir?
...You're tough. I can tell.
With that said, I had one thing I needed to ask before I headed in.
Of course. Well, not to be disrespectful, but... it's a bit odd that these are the circumstances we first meet under, you know?
Homura and I have largely seen each other through business in the past few years. It is a touch disrespectful of me not to meet her future daughter-in-law before needing business, but she insisted.
That sounds like her.
Doesn't it?
Er... am I missing something here?
She's Homura Akaneno's daughter-in-law.
Ah, I see.
Well, not legally, yet, but—um, at any rate, Chief Hikasa...
Call me Natsume.
Alright. I imagine Mom talked me up, so... I hope not to disappoint you. That's all I wanted to say.
You won't be disappointing me. Oh, no, only Japan, who direly needs the strength of specialists in this, its darkest hour...
Bwah?! U-Um?!
Snrk... pffftahahahahahaha!
Family friends, huh?
I should've known. Mom wouldn't be friends with someone if they couldn't keep up with her.
My condolences.
Before we head in, there's a number of NPCs milling about the plaza.
( We're right here!
Sergeant Ikoma: Yup.)
Private Makita: How the hell are we gonna pull this off?
Today, we'll be assisting with your exam. You have orders from command. Don't do anything out of line—you have orders, and you'll work quickly.
A swordswoman, a tappytype, and a bodybuilder... No problems here. You got a leader?
Do we need one?
...I'll just mark the lady in the uniform down.
Wait, er, are you sure about—
Quit griping and get moving, everyone else is inside already.
I... I had an important conversation to have...
It's okay, Boss. We're all late sometimes.
I had an important conversation to have!
Tokyo City Hall, the game's first area.
Let's get a move on. Remember, you're hunting monsters from here on out.
Enthusiastic Man: So, uh... what exactly do you mean when you say 'monsters'? I mean, I've heard the rumors, but I haven't seen one in the flesh.
Dahaha, ain't that great? There's a live one, right on cue! That right there is a monster. Doesn't look like much, does it? A bit ferocious, but it's mostly just an animal. All right...
Mr. Gatou turned away from the enemy and began to scan the crowd before his eyes, unfortunately, settled on me.
Mmm, yeah, you! You were late, you get to give it a go first. We'll keep going if you can take it.
I took a moment to steady my breathing, then nodded.
Yes, sir! Mugen, Kyoshiro! Let's go!
Remember, they might not look like much, but they could be hiding anything. Stay cautious!
Gee, you shaped up in a hurry.
Shocking nobody, this is a JRPG. We've got your standard features—basic attack, skills, defending, an auto-battle that makes all your characters ram their faces into the enemy headfirst like idiots. For this first dungeon, Chisa, Mugen, and Kyoshiro all only have one skill each, so we won't be doing much spectacular.
Hrgh!
Kyoshiro! Are you alright?
Don't worry. Hardly a scratch.
Alright. Advancing!
Whoa! Nice swing, Boss!
Stay sharp, it's coming back!
Don't worry, I got this.
Was that a chakram?
Yeah, everyone's got one these days. You don't?
Oh—Kyoshiro, the second one is open!
Tah!
Alright, it's on the ropes!
Nice work, you two!
Naturally, this is a JRPG, so we gain experience and money (Az). We'll explain what SP and Dz are later, kids. Don't worry.
Yes, sir. It was the least I could do.
But there's only a few monsters on this floor. The exam begins in earnest above. Oh—since you three got beat on, patch up with these. Wouldn't be much fair if one team started out all beat up.
Thank you, sir! I'll just—
Whoa.
Where the hell were you hiding a pack that big?
Keeping your supplies hidden is an important tenet when dealing with enemies who are intelligent enough to use them, right? I didn't know what I'd be facing, so I just wanted to be sure.
...Think I like you.
He headed off, and I and my squad were left by ourselves again.
Here's the stats on each of our characters.
Chisa is our Samurai, the headliner 'protagonist' class. Unsurprisingly, she's generally quite capable, with all-around high physical stats and speed. She's currently our fastest character, actually.
Mugen's one skill right now is a party-wide defense buff. He's the physically weakest character, but has the best magic defense, for what that's worth.
Kyoshiro is a physical tank that punches people. He is not fast.
Each of these classes have some weird, unique mechanics that I'll go over later.
Whoa whoa whoa, you brought this much?
Best to be prepared, right?
Is that a gun
Did you bring a gun
Oh my god is that a loaded gun
Y-yes?
Sweet. Can I shoot it later?
How old are you?
Uhhhhh, like seventeen?
No.
I brought the gun as a precaution, alright? I'm not very good at using it, actually.
This gun will find an owner soon enough, I assure you.
Right! Good luck!
Enthusiastic Man: Yeah, you too!
Proud Girl: Hm, I was curious to see if any other kids were called here. Appears I'm the youngest.
See? I can totally fire that gun.
Proud Girl: Oh, wait—black hair, one red stripe... you're that legendary student council president from Sanba Academy, Chisa Inomiko, right?!
Um, yes?
Proud Girl: Wow! I can't believe I get to meet you in person!
I also can't handle this sort of thing!
Indignant Student: Sending us to a warzone to take an exam! I wanna talk to the person in charge!
...You never know.
Our friendly neighborhood SDF soldiers are barring the elevator, so we'll be climbing up the stairs to the north.
Alright. Monsters could be lurking anywhere, so keep your guard up.
Aww, I bet they were exaggerating. I bet there's like, five.
...You wanna bet?
Hoo... okay, you two take the one on the right! I've got the left one!
Haaaah!
...Impressive. Where'd you learn your swordplay?
Oh, um... well, a few different senseis, really. There was one my family knew growing up, so I contacted him first—
Man, we're shoe-ins! I can't wait to tell my parents, man.
They'll be very proud.
Do you think these flowers are from the monsters? They're an odd color.
No sense stopping to stare at the flowers, unless you want old man Gatou to make you hit a pinata or something.
Hm...
Hold on. There's another few up ahead. Mugen, throw your chakram... over there, toward that sofa.
Huh? Okay.
Now!
Great!
...Have you seen combat before? You seem used to this.
Oh, um...
I mean, we're all "S-Class" here, right? I guess she's just a natural!
Cautious Man: These monsters, or whatever they're called, are a really serious threat! You agree with me, right?
Cheery Coed: I've been weighing job offers lately, but it looks like an easy decision~ Make mine Murakumo!
god there are so many fucking npcs in this building
They've got the shutters closed. We'll have to go around.
Man, these things aren't that hard!
Just keep up the spirit, okay?
Fun fact—leveling up in this game fully heals you. After this fight, I actually paused to heal up, but everyone was fresh.
Quaking Official: All I came in here for was to fetch some important documents, and then... W-what are you doing just standing here? Isn't it your job to deal with monsters like these?!
They haven't evacuated you yet?
Watchful Soldier: Don't worry about it. We're responsible for the civilians. Leave this room and make for the stairs.
Watch out for that nymph! It looks stronger than the rabbits.
Gggh—!
Kyoshiro! Mugen, its scales!
I do not like bugs, Boss.
Hate 'em. Can't stand 'em!
Your tastes are noted.
Considerate Woman: I wonder if the monsters above are stronger? It seems compatibility is important to a team.
Irritated Gal: That bonehead!! He ran off as soon as he started the test! I don't want him to ruin my one chance!
That's rough, buddy.
It's true. I feel a little out-of-place, actually...
What do you do?
Oh, um, I don't really have a job yet myself, I just got out of college... I draw manga, though.
Oh, for real? What kind?
Well, my girlfriend writes most of it, so I'm up to her whims... A fair amount of romance, though she enjoys writing plenty of action scenes, too. She likes vampires.
...Waaaait a sec—
Oh—
Who left this box around? It's full of first aid supplies. We should probably take—
...Show us your pack.
Kyoshiro, please use this vial of medicine.
Thank you.
Moving on, please.
Bahahahahaahahahahaaaaaaaahahahaha
Your inventory can carry a maximum of 15 of any given item. From here, we move onto the third floor.
Resting Girl: That sounds hella bothersome... but the pay is good.
Relaxing Student: That old dude is up on the next floor. I don't know what he's gonna say next, but we're taking a breather here.
Worn Man: Phew. I thought these monsters were small fry, but they're tough when they don't stop coming!
They're not the worst I've fought...
You've fought monsters before?
I still have nightmares about those baboons.
Oh, one of the libraries. My mother-in-law steals books from here, sometimes.
Hey, free treasure!
It's water.
T R E A S U R E. My dream is to sit on a massive treasure horde like, uhhh...
Like a dragon?
Yeah. Yeah, like a dragon.
These flowers, they're everywhere.
Perhaps those nymphs eat them.
You wanna try eating one?
No.
Awwwwww. Hey, that's a library there, too.
KY! I just wanted to look for some manga, dude.
Haha. I'm not sure there'll be any in here.
Seriously though, I'm remembering something. Uhhh... what was it...
Oh! A yuri duo who draws manga and one of them is a dark-haired beauty with a signature red swoop of hair—are you Gracia-sensei?
Eh?
You are, aren't you? Oh man, I follow Carmilla's Twitter! When's you two's next release?
Um, well?!
Let it wash over you. Fans are trouble.
Oh, well... Carmilla's been taking a bit of a break from writing to work on making music. She has a lot of hobbies.
Okay, but more importantly, inquiring minds want to know. Why is your handle 'Gracia'? See, 'cause I always thought it had to be like Hosokawa Gracia, you know?
HELLO, MR. GATOU
HELLO, INOMIKO.
Aww.
So, you're late. Again. But you can handle yourselves in a fight, so it's a wash.
Late compared to who? We passed several groups on the way here.
...They tell me to tell that to everyone so you hurry more.
Ah.
You guys hurt?
Oh, pointers would be very helpful!
Support Skills let us do stuff on the map without using items. They're handy, but we have to hit up a heal point like an inn or green Save Point to restock them.
Alright, let's head up.
Why? What's the problem?
Nagare: There's a huge monster in here! This is too much for one person to handle! Crap, he's—
Yeah, yeah. Looks like we've got an instructor in a jam. Don't really like the cadets to see it, but...
...Me too, sir.
Here we are on 4F. On our way through...
Aghast Soldier: These demons... Aaaaaaaaaaaaaah!
Alert Soldier: What the hell was that guy's problem?
Nagare: Look and see for yourself. It's big enough to be the source of 'em all.
We're here, sir.
Coming along? Far as I'm concerned, sounds like this one could be fun. I'll let you tag along, too.
Nagare: You're using the cadets?! But we can't do that—
If it was strong enough to give you trouble, it's gonna take all of us to beat it.
Yeah! And this'll totally mean we pass!
That's not the point. This one might hurt more people if we let it stay loose.
You and I are gonna have to go all around Japan exterminating these things.
Nagare: Yeah, that's for sure. Well... you cadets ready to go or not?
You're okay with it?
Nagare: He makes a good point. If you bail on us, it'll get so hairy even this masochist wouldn't enjoy it.
Yes, sir. Let's go!
Is that a dragon?! Oh my god, a real dragon!?
Make it dead meat before you marvel at it!
Mugen! Kyoshiro! Hit it as hard as you can!
I can do you one better!
One of those YUUHI doohickeys, huh?
Thanks, Mugen!
COULDN'T HAVE TIMED IT BETTER MYSELF
Alright, advancing!
Meet our first midboss, D1. D1 has a very simple pattern. On odd-numbered turns, he'll slap you.
I see an opening! Capitalizing!
oh thanks kyoshiro
D-Depth is a status ailment that most Destroyer skills fiddle around with. Kyoshiro has about a 50% chance to land it on his normal attack, for now, and if an enemy has it, he can use his Forward Punch skill. I'll talk more about it when there's more to do with it. Suffice it to say, though?
blue man do big puncho hee hee
Anyway, so on even-numbered turns, D1 spices it up a little.
It's breathing fire!
Aaaaagh!
I'm on fire! I'm on fire! Help, help, oh my god, help me!
Everyone, stand—y-your ground! Kyoshiro, stay on the offensive!
Mugen, calm down! We're almost there!
Okay it's easier to be calm when I'm not dying!
Unlike the rest of the monsters, this dragon took blow after blow to defeat. But eventually, we managed to fell it.
Get out!
Nagare: They actually did it?!
Well, I'll be.
Hah... hah... give me a second...
Oh my god we're alive. Oh my god we're alive
I asked the same question.
At least one of you can take the heat. But where the hell does a monster that strong even come from? We'd better check the other floors. Keep moving.
We did it... We did it!
Oh my god... Holy shit, we rule!
Heh. So we do.
But... we have to be cautious. We're not out of the woods yet.
We beat the boss, Boss!
We need to follow Gatou. Let's move.
Worried about these funny little flowers everywhere. There's something funny about 'em—
Thank you.
You three take the elevator up. The other cadets should be waiting up there. Oh—and there's a box of medicine over in that hallway if you need it.
Boss? We need to talk.
See how you feel when you're without an Ariadne Thread... grumble grumble Mom always said never leave home without 'em, and about five other things...
We skip up from 4F to 10F, now that we've beaten D1. At this point, my characters have gone from level 1 to about level 4. The only enemies in this dungeon are Rabis and Bluegrass Nymphs, so we're not really threatened.
Still, a dragon... I never thought I'd face something like that again.
You've fought a dragon?!
That was intended to be internal monologue! I—
On guard, everyone!
...They're multiplying.
Chisa. Chisa. Internal monologue is internal.
Seriously though, tell me about the dragons you've fought!
GAH
I wanna hearrrr! I mean, you did draw that one dragon really well in, uhh, Chapter 37 of KyuuKare, so I figured you had some experience, but I didn't imagine it was that kind of first-hand—
He wouldn't get to finish that sentence.
We have a situation. The observation team reports a massive monster touching down on the City Hall roof. Gatou and Nagare are to halt the examination and proceed to eliminate the monster at once.
Our comms buzzed again.
Tch... it had to be the roof! Hey, Chisa, you heard that, right? We're heading for the roof now, but your team's closer. Head to the roof and back up the others.
R-right! Yes, sir!
If things go south, I want you to retreat. ...I'm counting on you.
We need to hurry.
No... No!
Another one?!
The other cadets—
They're... they're dead. It killed them!
Oh my god
Oh my god oh my god
We—
We need to fight! We need to protect the city!
Oh my god, they're bleeding, I—oh my god, is that what blood looks like?! What—oh god, is that what dead bodies smell like, I thought Zero Escape was exaggerating—!
Stay focused!
I'm doing my best here!
It's coming!
S-setting up a defense field!
Lay into it with everything you have! Don't let—
Gaaaahhhh!
My jacket is burning! Oh fuck, I'm on fire!
As long as you're alive, you can still fight!
Boss! Are you okay?!
I'm—I'm fine! I—
CHISA!
M-Mugen, thank—thank you! Thank you.
Just keep hitting it! Come on!
Just keep... going through the pain! We're almost there! I can feel it!
Chisa! Open your pack and start treating your wounds! We'll get in there once we have a moment!
Okay, I'll—WATCH OUT!
Mugen! Kyoshiro!
I can't... take any more...
Ugh... keep... going...
You two, stay back!
Get out—
—of my city!
Ggg... guhhh... it hurts, it hurts...
It's... it's dead...
I'll... I'll start treating you two.
Wait off for me... he's young. Give him first priority...
That hurts, too... give us a little credit...
There was another one?!
We... we managed to defeat it. Barely.
...Well, I'll be damned. You've done well. You should be proud of yourself. Especially you, Inomiko. I can't believe you're still standing.
Honestly, neither can I...
We've gotta go make one more sweep for serious monsters. You guys... stand guard up here and treat yourselves. We'll come and get you afterwards, got it?
I don't... think we'll be going much of anywhere.
...mm.
Kirino.
It's strange... so many dead.
Such a pity... it happened fast.
(Dead?!)
Any success?
Just one team. And only one of its members was still standing to fight.
Even as out of it as I was on the roof, I heard the buzzing of the Murakumo comm frequency. It was unmistakable.
The sky... started to darken.
SDF Soldier: Huh?!
What?!
They're everywhere! We—
Hey... w-what's that?
Emergency dispatch! Get out of City Hall! Repeat! Get out of City Hall!
Mr. Ayafumi?!
Behind us!
It landed on a ground, with a heavy quake. It saw us, and we saw it.
A-another one... there's another one... there's—there's dozens of 'em...
I'm having a nightmare... I'm just having a nightmare, I know it...
...Chisa...you need to run.
You two... you can't run, not like that. I'm not—leaving you behind! I'm not!
I won't let you kill them!
It's all just a nightmare, any second, I'm gonna wake up...
...Come here, kid. Come here.
Oh, man... it's been ages since anyone held me.
Wow, you give great hugs.
Stay behind me... as best you can.
No, I—I won't—!
No... p-please... I-I don't...
Ms. Hikasa, we have to leave them! We can't wait any longer!
...Don't you think there's a chance she could still pull it off and get back?
But we can't hold on to this position!
A little longer. Wait five minutes more.
But, Natsume!
I agree with her on this one! If we just leave them to die, what was the point of the mission?!
Geez, we're finally here... Woulda been faster to take the elevator~
Exercise is good for you.
You calling me fat?
Probably. Takehaya said they'd look about like that.
Whoaaaa, someone's still kicking over there?
Sooooo... what now? It's not our job to help, but...
Can't just watch her die, I suppose. Back me up, Neko.
Yeah yeah yeah, I already knew you were gonna say that. You sure about this, though? If we do too much, Takehaya's gonna be pissed.
Who's... who's there? Please... you have to... get... get away...
...Mio...
Understood. Continue to monitor the situation.
Transmission: Yes, sir.
There are hostiles appearing even in South Africa. The EU, China, Japan, Russia... and with us, that makes six.
What're the damages?
We have next to no intel on how other nations are faring, but... I imagine it's just us standing up to them.
What's fortunate is that you had the wisdom to believe all that I told you.
In all honesty... I can't really believe it even now. I believed in the knowledge and technology you had. That's all. But with the appearance of the Dragons, I don't have a choice but to trust you.
They're strong adversaries. Can we prevail against such a threat?
We'll do everything we can. I'm trusting your command at the front, Emille.
I'll keep you informed, Mr. President.
This girl is the last survivor. The other two died on our way here. Now get out.
What on earth do you think you're doing, daring to interfere with Murakumo business?
...A message from Takehaya.
...
Nyahahaha! You mad, or is it just the wrinkles~?
...Anyway. Bye.
Take those two into custody! I'll load Ms. Inomiko into the vehicle—hurry and catch them, immediately!
...Hah. Of course... if anyone were to survive in a situation like this, it'd be Homura's.
Chisa Inomiko... I almost feel bad for you.
In an apartment in Shinjuku, a girl hovers over the start button on her newest song. "Okay," she says, "just breathe. You can do this."
The song begins.
Hibisakareta daichi no... koe (The voice of the earth was torn apart.)
Narihibiita gareki no, senritsu ni (Its cries reverberated from the shaking, the rubble and ruins.)
A young man comes to the front of Tokyo City Hall, and finds it awash in flowers. What was this? Was this part of his initiation? These bright orange flowers? All he wanted was a job...
He looks up, and sees the sky awash with beasts.
Kaerenai nichijou ni mukatte, nani o sakebu no ka? (As I look upon the daily life that won't return, what should I call out?)
Mezameta genjitsu wa toki o akaku akaku somete (This reality I've awoken to has been dyed in red.)
A girl rides on a train through the city. "Argh, Vergil and his motivation!" She mutters to herself, to a camera on her lapel. "He's really hard, okay?"
She wears headphones, and is not cognizant of the massive beast into which the train crashes.
Koware kaketa shishi kakae nani o wameku no ka? (All these broken limbs—what am I supposed to scream?)
Itoshii hito yo douka— (My beloved, I beg of you—)
Nani o inoru? Nani o kaesu? Nani o utau? (What should I pray for? What should I tell? What should I sing?)
A rabbit doll looks out the window, and the hermit who holds it stares into the sky from her hospital bed. The nurse comes in—"W-we need to evacuate! All patients!"
"Oh," the hermit says, "so you can see those, too. Here I thought I'd gone crazy."
Sekai no kai o, omoi egaita mirai o... (The way to save this world, the future drawn in my mind...)
—Hibikasete! (Let it resound!)
Atop a cliff on the lake, a haggard woman stands down, sobbing. In her hands, she holds a small box. A great, scaled monster flies down to meet her.
"Can't you see... I'm busy?" The woman says, and in response, two more appear. "Fine. Then I'll kill every last one of you!" And she charges to meet the monsters.
Ikusen to, ikuman to, iku oku to, namida koware kuzure ochitatte (You tell me that "countless broken tears have tumbled down",)
Aragaou janai ka, rinne zubunure ni natte inga
(but shouldn't we still fight? It's our destiny, soaked in Samsara)
Japan's most beautiful genius looks out the window of her home, staring up at the sky. "Welp, time to batten down the hatches," she says, clicking a button on her lab's door to cover it with steel. "That'll do for now."
"So, Chisa," she says, crossing her arms and looking up at nothing, "now's your moment, right?"
Nanhen to nai setsuna tatoe sou watashi no shinpaku ga karatatte (You tell me that "countless times, the rhythm of my heart has broken")
Kareta kureru na, unmei negatte yamanai to omoi yo (but even if fate wears me down, I won't stop wishing for my hopes to come true.)
Then, the girl who played the song looks out her window, and sees the sky darken. A chill runs down her spine, and she runs to the window, not to close it, but open it. Then—she opens her phone.
"Chisa..." she says. "Please come home soon."
Watashi ga aishita mono dakara (There is so much I love in this world,)
sasagetai (I want to keep fighting.)
Itoshii hito (My beloved...)
None of us would ever forget that day. Because... that's the day our crusade began.
