159. The Mastermind, and the Truth
159. The Mastermind, and the Truth
At first, it was a simple question.
"The handcuffs that bound Minerva in the psychiatric ward... those were [Titan's Shackles]."
Titan's Shackles.
To be precise, they were shackles forged by 'Cyclops' using 'Fragments of the Abyss' —
items primarily used to subdue heroines whose strength had been drained by the Hypnosis App.
"The effect was simple."
Neutralizing the 'Protection' of the bound target.
In fact, in these kinds of NTR games — commonly called 'eroge' — it was a frequently appearing item.
If you look at this phone, you'll fall under hypnosis, or something like that.
If you're bound by these handcuffs, you won't be able to use your strength, or something like that.
The point was that all of them were items appearing in NTR scenes, and every last one was an item used by 'Kochiomi Ro.'
"At first, I was seriously panicked. Because this... at least 'at this point in time,' it was something that shouldn't appear."
Even if it did appear, it should have shown up not this year but next year, during the 2nd-year period when 'Kochiomi Ro' was supposed to debut as a boss monster.
But it appeared in the 1st year, and in a psychiatric ward I'd never even heard of at that.
"At first, I wondered if that was even possible... but thinking about it, I never properly finished things off either."
From what I remembered, the earliest version of the Hypnosis App couldn't be used on many people.
At most, one or two was the limit. But conversely, that meant 'one to two people' could be affected by the Hypnosis App.
"So this was it. An incredibly simple story."
The Hypnosis App, Kochiomi Ro.
He was definitely hauled off by the Protagonist even before the academy started.
But it could be seen that, when taken in for interrogation, he hypnotized others on the spot, escaped from that place, and had the whole matter appropriately hushed up.
"In truth, this was my mistake too. A guy who uses an absolutely batshit insane ability like 'hypnosis' got caught, yet there wasn't a single news article or any kind of social controversy, right?"
But did that even make sense?
No matter how much this place was a game, the reality patch was implemented in an insanely detailed way.
If that were the case, then at the very least, if a 'villain' who uses 'hypnosis' was caught, there should have been articles about it and it should have stirred up the academy.
But the story of 'Kochiomi Ro' was buried from the world.
As if he was 'just another passing villain,' he vanished without leaving any ripple effects.
Strange.
Really strange.
And no wonder — there was no way the person serving as the 'Main Boss' of the '2nd Year' would disappear so futilely.
So, conversely speaking — it added up if he had 'deliberately' stepped back.
"On top of that — this item was used in the psychiatric ward where Minerva was confined."
Then, at this point, one question was worth asking.
"Was the Athena Guild... connected to 'Kochiomi Ro'?"
At least, there was nothing I could know 'right now.'
But — there were things I could know 'through the original work.'
"The Athena Guild was a guild rotten beyond imagination. A guild that demonstrated 'human wisdom' — kind on the surface while doing all manner of filthy deeds behind the scenes."
As if blatantly advertising itself as a trash villain bastard, in the actual original game, the Athena Guild had indeed dipped its hands into 'unsavory sides' as well.
And among those 'unsavory routes,' there was also a route of allying with 'Kochiomi Ro.'
"But since this could all just be my 'brain-fabricated delusions' — since it could be an 'undetermined route' that hadn't happened yet."
That was why I tested it.
At the courthouse, I gently provoked the guild master, provoked him while pressing my lips to Minerva's.
I told him there was no coming back anymore
and showed him he couldn't hold Minerva in his arms either.
If so, then at the very least, the 'Athena Guild Master' I knew — would show about two kinds of reactions.
"One was taking off the mask and cursing with sincerity."
With the final words of a man whose every backing had vanished.
Showing the wretched figure of a human for whom wisdom no longer worked.
And the remaining one was....
"...Still maintaining a smile."
The reason was just one.
"Well, how nice must it be? Having handcuffs that can neutralize a person who received 'Protection,' and even a 'Hypnosis App' that can control a target however you please."
Because he could return to the way things were anytime he wanted.
Because he had the materials in his hands to do whatever it took to restore things.
That was why the guild master had no reason to get angry, no reason to show emotion.
Because — it was all just 'within the plan.'
"......I really don't know what you're talking about, Chrono-gun."
"It's fine. Because that's already more than enough of an answer."
He feigned ignorance, but thanks to that, I could be even more certain.
And no wonder — because even in this very moment, his hand was slowly reaching toward his pants pocket.
'Well, with no weapon in hand, might as well grab that at least.'
I quietly watched the guild master's actions.
"Chrono-gun... you are, yes. You are clearly a person with a good head on your shoulders. Someone smart and skilled, who even possesses a certain sense of justice — clearly a person of the 'bright side.'"
But you see, Chrono-gun.
"The world sometimes — flows in extremely illogical ways as well! Now, [Look over here! (Kocchi o miro)]"
He pulled a phone from his pocket and pointed it at me.
Had he already unlocked it?
Along with the click of the shutter...
"...It's so stereotypical it actually feels unreal."
"Mai got it!"
...A world dyed in gray.
It wasn't like I'd only played this game for a day or two — I roughly knew at what point hypnosis took effect.
Mai came trotting over and handed me the guild master's phone.
"The Hypnosis App... is here, but..."
However, it wasn't the 'Kochiomi Ro' Hypnosis App I knew.
This was nothing more than a 'replica' and a 'degraded knockoff.'
"...The progression's way too fast."
The 'Kochiomi Ro' I knew was never the type to hand over the Hypnosis App to someone else.
At the very least, these were items that only appeared after the Protagonist, having identified Kochiomi Ro's existence before the 2nd semester midterms, raided him and barely survived, triggering an event where he needed subordinates or whatever.
'The handcuffs too, the Mk2 too.'
Dangerous didn't even begin to cover it.
This was at the 'critical' level.
Seeing that things hadn't visibly exploded into obvious problems yet, it seemed he was still biding his time, but...
"At this rate, if things go wrong, there's no answer..."
...Since he had even shown the 'patience' to wait for the right moment, this was a situation with even less of an answer.
'Is it fortunate for me, at least?'
If there was a stroke of luck amidst misfortune, it was that the Original Story Destruction Easter Egg existed on this side.
Simply put, Ur, the existence of the [Power Chord]. Even if a heroine thoroughly wrecked by brainwashing appeared, I could clean it up within my own means — but still, the Protagonist was the biggest problem.
"TerTer-ya...."
At this point, it almost seemed easier to just kill you.
But why the hell were you scheduled to receive the final boss-exclusive 'Holy Sword'?
Love him or hate him, like it or not, the fact that I had to hold onto him just to survive was absurd——no, wait?
"Don't tell me you too...?"
Got hit by the Hypnosis App or something?
Yeah. That actually made more sense.
No matter how shattered his personality was, did it even make sense that he'd collapsed to the point where even the original story's Garu was nowhere to be seen?
In that sense, it was clear that Ter had also been hit by the Hypnosis App and was in that boneheaded state.
'I'll have to give him some music therapy later.'
Anyway, the biggest question was resolved with this.
—Ttak!
"With this, time begins to move again... or something like that."
The gray gradually faded and the world began to show its original saturation again.
"....What...?! The hypnosis didn't take──W...Why are you holding my phone?!"
"Oh. Now your expression is finally breaking."
Seeing the Guild Master panic because the hypnosis app was in my hand, I decided to end this quickly.
"Normally, it'd be an event boss, a side boss, a boss of the underworld — there'd be no answer."
But I had skipped past that and had the king right before my eyes, so what difficulty was there?
I lightly accelerated my body, raised Agape and Squite, and slashed at the Guild Master's neck.
─Twung!
─Sgagagagagak!!
"Ugh...?!!"
"Huh?"
The blade that was clearly meant to cut the neck only grazed the skin.
It seemed like some invisible, colorless transparent wall had stopped the blade.
"....Chrono-gun. You are more mannerless than I thought."
"What is this──Ah, ah.... I remember now."
Aegis.
It was definitely 'Aegis'.
As befitting the Athena Guild's devotee and Guild Master, he possessed an EX-grade artifact on his body.
It was an item obtainable later after defeating the Guild Master through a linked quest from the Hephaestus Guild; I remembered it as an artifact that cuts damage received over a certain threshold.
─Sgagak! Sgak! Sgagagak!!
"From my memory, it wasn't this much of a cheat item.... This part must be an adult circumstance or something, right?"
"...Stop it. Before the shield of Athena, before 'Aegis', any attack is neutralized!"
"Let's be precise."
It wasn't neutralization, it was 'damage cut'.
But the fact that the threshold of that 'damage' was lowered to even a graze on the skin was really hopeless....
"But it's not really the case now, is it?"
─Ttaaak!
I snapped my fingers.
I designated the target, and adjusted time.
─Pishit....!
"Ugh?!... What is this....??"
What I targeted was──Athena Guild Master, the wound marks all over your body.
The blood vessels running beneath them. The blood. And for the places wounded by Squite, I could adjust the absolute 'time'.
"What happens if your blood pressure jumps four or five times at once~~~?"
At first, it had been a small scratch.
But the blood flowing out through that gap—I compressed and accelerated the time of that blood gushing out.
If the blood that was supposed to flow out over ten seconds all drained in just one second?
─Pushaaaaaak!!!
"Gh....Aah! Aaaaaaaahhhh!!!!"
The wound mark tore open wide from the abnormally surging blood pressure.
Momentary hypertension. Surging blood flow. And anemia all came as a set, so of course his body couldn't be normal.
"What is this.... What, nonsense...."
His body naturally tilted downward.
His body crawled on the ground. Plus, the amount of blood supplied to his brain decreased, so he trembled as if in shock.
"..........Haah."
Honestly, I had hesitated a little.
Whether I should spare this person.
Whether to force the sweet potato down and go the 'redemption route'.
How on earth I could keep this person alive.
'....Tch.'
To be blunt, I was human too.
How could a person accept killing another and do it?
On top of that, because he was Minerva's father, no matter how shitty he was, he was her father.
I agonized over and over whether I really had to kill Minerva's father.
The conclusion I reached was only one.
"Originally, I planned to end it with a detention center──"
"──Ah...!"
The ring on his finger.
After stopping the time of 'Aegis' and sealing the artifact,
─Taaaang!
"....We don't negotiate with terrorists. It's international common sense, isn't it?"
"............"
The man with a hole in his forehead no longer spoke.
I silently looked at the corpse, then took out the Guild Master's phone.
"Phone number.... shit."
The background was Minerva.
More precisely, Minerva's mother. The Guild Master's wife.
Roughly, the story behind it was a common cliché, so I'd skip it.
"First, if it can be resolved with dialogue, then dialogue──"
[──Look here!!! (Kochiomi Ro)]
...
..
.
[...................]
"....Did it work?"
Kochiomi Ro quietly stared at the screen.
Surely it would work, that was certain. Because he had tested before and figured out that hypnosis worked unless Mental Resistance was insanely raised.
On top of that, judging by the appearance, the target was at least an academy cadet, and the tie color showed he was a first-year. So a mere ordinary cadet─
[You... you son of a bitch...?]
".....Ah."
─wouldn't instantly kill a Guild Master with blood gushing from seven holes, right?
[I haven't even done anything yet... and you're trying to hypnotize me out of nowhere?]
"Uh... what do I do, what do I do, what do I dooo!!!"
I was fucked.
Quite a lot, at that.
Kochiomi Ro hurriedly grabbed the microphone.
"Um... that is......"
Here, yes, okay, he went with that.
"[It was just a light test, so don't be too flustered, Chrono. It was merely a procedure to inherit it to a 'legitimate person'.]"
He had figured out the name from the conversation with the Guild Master earlier.
On top of that, the opponent likely had no information about him.
Even if he did know, he'd only know him as a 'resident of the underworld', so here, using the asymmetry of information──
[Kochiomi Ro.]
"─Hiiii....!"
Why?
How?
Why did he know his name.....!
[I understand your intentions well.]
"........Hic!"
That's not it.
That's not it.
It wasn't that he meant it like that... well, that wasn't necessarily true but...
[I will find you.]
"Ah.... Aheuuu.....!"
A voice that sent chills down the spine.
The destination that voice was heading towards...
[And I will kill you.]
"........Shit...!"
...It was undoubtedly hell.
As an aside,
[Tuuu.... tuuu.... tuuu....]
".........Iiik!!"
After the call ended,
Kochiomi Ro got up from her seat and kicked the blanket.
"Fuck! Fuuuck!!"
After kicking several times and her anger barely subsiding,
Kochiomi Ro said,
"On top of already being pissed off because of that damned 'female corruption'! Now, uh! uh! Even the guild I trusted is disintegrating?!"
Her money! Her stocks! This damn Athena Guild!
'She' vented her anger with all her might.
─Ttakkeum!
"Ah-ook....!"
At the same time, a pain rising from her lower abdomen made her clutch her stomach and double over.
'──No way?'
This pain.
This agony.
"....It's not, right?"
'She' slowly raised her head upward.
Thus, a mission window floated before her eyes.
[Emergency Mission]
[Onahole Crafting]
- An emergency mission issued by Cyclops
- The previous one tore. Make it again. Sturdy.
1. Craft and offer Onahole (Durability 500+) (0/5)
[Upon success: Contribution +1 / 10-minute Cyclops Forge free-use ticket]
"No failure... penalty...?"
Kochiomi Ro
who had become 'what used to be a male' after wearing the TS Necklace as the price of one failure,
[Upon failure: Porchio Sensitivity Development Lv1]
"Yes, of course there's no way, dammit!"
Her body was being trained into a female in real time.
Put another way, if she didn't offer tribute, they'd take her, or something like that....