"It's over......"

After receiving the news from his subordinates that Zhu Bi had died and that there were no bones left, Riku, who had locked himself in the room, sat on a chair and looked at the empty seats opposite.

It used to be Jubi's location.

There was still a chess endgame on the table, which was the result of a game he had played against Zhu Bi not long ago.

Struggling to raise his bandaged arm, Riku gently lifted a chess piece before putting it down.

In an unoccupied room, Riku plays chess with an unseen, but sure, god of the game.

"Ah...... Why, I still can't win......"

A low inquiry rang out, but there was no response.

"I obviously thought that I would definitely win this time, and with everyone, together with Zhu Bi, it originally meant that I would definitely win if I did this!"

At the beginning of the game, Riku set six rules:

[First] You can't kill anyone.

――The reason is that if you kill someone, you will be killed, and you don't want to kill anyone in your heart.

[Second] no one will be allowed to die.

――The reason is that if people die, they will die, and they don't want anyone to die in their hearts.

[Third] it cannot be seen through by anyone.

-- The reason is that if you are seen through, you will die.

Fourth, the use of any means is not cheating.

――If your mind is not seen through, no amount of cheating will be counted as cheating.

[Fifth] their rules have nothing to do with us.

――The reason is that if you compete on the same stage, you will definitely lose, and your heart will be denied by those who kill each other.

[Sixth] Violation of the above regulations shall be regarded as defeat.

Then, as it happens, Jubi is dead.

It is in conflict with Articles 2 and 6 of the Rules.

"Again...... Lost!! ”

"Obviously, I don't want anyone to die...... I obviously hope to go to the end with Zhu Bi...... Clearly...... It's all so hard...... Why...... Why......"

On his face, which was also wrapped in bandages, dripping tears soaked the strips of cloth.

"If not even a single victory is allowed. Then why do you want to give us human beings such a thing as [Heart]!! ”

Supporting the broken body, Riku's heart, which Zhu Bi had tried so hard to decompose, continued to emit a tearing pain.

The 179 [Ghosts], including Zhu Bi and Riku themselves, paid all the costs except their lives, and finally created the current stalemate between the [God of War Altexiu Camp] and the [other camps], allowing mankind to have peace for ten years.

"But what a joke! Bet on all of humanity! Even including Zhu Bi's life! With only a brief 10 years of peace, is this a victory!? And then what!? Do you want to return to the world where you are always facing death? ”

Again and again. Riku asks questions in the unoccupied room, perhaps to himself, or perhaps to the ethereal God of Games

"- The One of Will, Riku."

Suddenly, a mechanical voice rang out in the room.

Riku, who was sitting in a chair in a decadent state, looked up and saw the black-robed man who had appeared in the room at some point.

The mechanical part exposed in the black robe silently expresses the race of the other party.

Aircraft armor.

"Who are you?"

“…… I don't have a name, but as everyone calls me, just call me [All-Connected Command]. ”

◇

Lucia Continent.

This is the name of this continent in the world where Yakumo is now.

"Gypril."

"Hey?!"

Follow Yakumo Mo's side. The young Winged girl raised her arms high.

"What's the matter??"

The strange tone, as if he was singing, made Yakumo sound Luo Tianyi.

"I say, can you speak normally?"

"Huh? Don't you like it? I think it would be more cute to talk like this with my current size, huh?? ”

"So, why do you want to make yourself cute?"

"To be able to follow you better, of course?!"

"Smack!" --Yakumo Mo, who finally couldn't help it, pulled out a paper fan and hit it on Gypril's head.

"Your loyalty to your master? Are you washed down the sewer with the broken festival!? ”

"Ahh Until then, even returning to the master will not be useful. Wouldn't it be good to follow you first? ”

Although the content of the speech gave Yakumo a headache, fortunately, the tone returned to normal.

Gypril seems to have taken her to Gensokyo because of Yakumo's ease. There was a subtle change in mind.

Although Yakumo had said that she could leave on her own, the Tianyi Species, who had become a young girl, was still by his side.

Thinking that having a resident of this world with him would be able to find out some information better, Yakumo Mo acquiesced to Gypril's behavior.

It's just-

Raising his eyebrows, he looked at the Kibril who was wrapped around and hugged his arm like a familiar man, and Yakumo raised his arm flat.

"Huh?"

Then Gypril, who was hanging in the air, tilted his head to look at Yakumo Mo.

"Let me ask you, is there a human settlement around here?"

"Human ......?"

Gypril showed a puzzled expression, and then realized what Yakumo meant by "human".

"You mean the monkeys?"

Monkey......

"I don't know...... Who cares about those low-level monkeys? They don't have any strength at all. The aftermath of our battle could kill them in large numbers. ”

Gypril rightly said.

It seems that Gypril can't count on it, and Yakumo flicks his arm in an attempt to shake Gypril off.

The young girl of the Tianyi race held his arm and did not let go, and with the wave of her arm, her petite body began to circle in the air, and at the same time she screamed "wow" in her mouth.

Suddenly. Yakumo suddenly turned his head to look into the distance.

Now he and Gibriel are in a mountain range.

Standing on the top of a mountain peak, although he couldn't see with his eyes, Yakumo was suspiciously sure that there was a group of [lifeforms] advancing rapidly in a place where his line of sight could not reach.

"Armor?"

Gypril was clearly aware of the other's breath as well.

"Hordes of mechs? How could they be dispatched at this time? ”

Yakumo thought about it and decided to follow for the time being.

According to Gybril, each individual is theoretically connected to a common network of connections. Although Zhu Bi said that he had reported a lot of errors because he tried to parse the [Heart], which led to the disconnection of the connecting body and becoming a waste machine, Yakumo still decided to follow those machine armor types first.

The result was beyond his expectations.

These mechs were dormant outside some inconspicuous valley.

Subsequently, one of the mecharmored species, who appeared to be the leader, entered the valley alone.

From there, Yakumo Mo sensed the breath of a human. (To be continued.) )