Final Chapter: How to Defeat an Innocent Monster
♯
“Ugh, I lost… Hmph, then let’s settle it with my game next, Onii-chan!”
—May Inter-District Tournament《Astral》Day 4, 11:30 PM.
Running into《Chameleon》Shiina Tsumugi in the restaurant hall on the first floor, and for some reason being challenged to a《Duel》by her, I cautiously but resolutely followed her to her room—only to end up dragged into an endless series of competitive games.
“~~~ ♪ Take this! And this! Hiyaah!”
Sprawled on her stomach on the bed, kicking her feet while controlling her character, Shiina’s outfit has grown increasingly casual day by day. She started with a heavily layered gothic lolita dress, but now she’s down to a single dark-colored pajama. Still, even in this state, she refuses to compromise on her heterochromatic contact lenses, with flashes of crimson occasionally peeking through her bangs.
Well, that’s not really an issue in itself.
…To think it’d turn out exactly like the past few days…
Staring at the screen displaying “YOU WIN!” I mutter to myself inwardly. …When she called out to me on the first floor, I’ll admit I was pretty rattled, but once the lid was off, this is how it turned out. What she proposed wasn’t a《Duel》but just a regular game. It’s only natural I’d feel a bit deflated.
Wondering if I’m the one misunderstanding something, I decide to ask just to be sure.
“Uh… Hey, Shiina. You’re really《Chameleon》, right?”
“? Yup, that’s me! I didn’t know until recently that everyone called me《Chameleon》, but I’m participating in《Astral》as a member of Seijo Academy!”
“…That’s it?”
“That’s it…? Oh, no, no! I was originally a resident of the Demon Realm, but I helped a human who fell there, and the Demon King caught me and banished me—”
“I’m not asking about your backstory.”
I shake my head slightly at Shiina, who’s enthusiastically spinning an elaborate tale with sparkling heterochromatic eyes, and let out a “Tch…” with a sigh. …How do I put it? Her response makes my wariness feel utterly foolish. I mean, it’s not like I ever thought Shiina was a “bad guy” to begin with.
With that in mind, I set down the controller and turn to face Shiina again.
“Listen… If it’s okay with you, could you tell me about your situation? Like, how exactly did you end up participating in this《Duel》?”
“Hm? My situation? Hmm, situation, huh…”
In response to my question, Shiina plops down cross-legged in her pajamas, folds her arms, and starts staring diagonally upward with a “Mmm” alongside her Cerberus plushie. She counts something on her fingers, makes a serious face while letting out a low growl, then suddenly nods with an “Uh-huh!” and leans toward me.
“It’s ready!”
“That feels like the wrong phrase, but go ahead.”
“Okay, I’ll tell you. —So, Onii-chan? I think I’ve mentioned this before, but I don’t really like school. I hate studying, I’m bad at talking to lots of people, and besides, I’m the ‘Chosen Emissary of Darkness’… So I don’t go to school and just play games or mess around on my computer at home.”
“Yeah, you mentioned that—”
“Since the summer of first grade, I think.”
“That’s an elite level of shut-in.”
I can’t help but interject. Whatever the reason, I didn’t realize she was that precocious.
“Whatever… So? How does that connect to this whole thing?”
“Yup. Anyway, I happily finished elementary school like that and moved on to middle school. Once middle school was over, compulsory education would be done. I thought I wouldn’t have to study anymore… but about a year ago, I realized something terrible!”
“Something terrible?”
“Yup! You know how this island has the ‘Star-Seizing Game’ system, right? Over three years of high school, everyone competes to take stars and decide who’s the strongest… And I found out that if I didn’t go to high school, I wouldn’t even be able to participate!”
“Ah… Yeah, that makes sense.”
Now that she mentions it, she’s right. The Star-Seizing Game on Academy Island isn’t just about individuals but also pits academies against each other. Given that concept, a student not affiliated with any academy wouldn’t have the right to participate in a《Duel》. And since this is “Academy Island,” if you don’t advance to high school, you might even get kicked off the island entirely.
Shiina tightly hugs her plushie, pouting her lips.
“I mean, I cursed the gods… no, the Demon God, that time. I wrote wishes on tanzaku hoping I could participate anyway, called the management headquarters, and even forced ‘#LetMePlay’ into STOCK’s trending tags, but they just told me no. ‘Go to high school like normal,’ they said.”
“Well, yeah, that’s obvious…”
Every school on Academy Island is fully funded by government subsidies, Saionji Masamune’s support, and each ward’s operational budget, making tuition and enrollment fees completely free. The admission rates are insanely competitive, so if you have the chance to enroll, there’s almost no reason not to.
“If you hate it that much, couldn’t you just enroll and not show up?”
“Uh, maybe, but… no way, I don’t want to! Enrolling but not going feels kinda guilty, and by giving up my spot, someone else can get in. …Anyway, I don’t want to be a high schooler. I don’t want to study or work. But—but the Star-Seizing Game was the one thing I absolutely couldn’t give up on!”
Saying that, Shiina leans in close again. Her black and crimson heterochromatic eyes are right in front of me, and the clean scent of her shampoo faintly tickles my nose.
“You get it, right, Onii-chan? If I join the Star-Seizing Game, I’d totally be super popular! Getting called out by people on the street… well, that’d be annoying, but I want to check reactions on STOCK and smile! And I want to become a high-ranker and splurge with the island’s currency!!”
“You’re just drowning in greed…”
“Of course! I mean, aren’t you the same, Onii-chan? A seven-star genius, the invincible transfer student… You’re so cool it makes me jealous!”
“…”
My reasons were unavoidable, but I’ll keep that to myself. Shiina tilts her head slightly as I fall silent, but soon brushes it off with a “Whatever” and continues.
“Anyway, that’s how I really wanted to join the Star-Seizing Game, and I couldn’t hold back… Then, my 256-colored brain went ping! If they won’t let me join normally, I’ll just sneak in!”
“…Huh?”
I furrow my brow at the sudden, nonsensical leap in logic. But Shiina continues, looking completely serious.
“So, I just needed to make a function to join the《Duel》myself. Everyone has a terminal, right? I dissected mine a bit, copied the real Star-Seizing Game program, and forced it in!”
“Forced it…? How?”
“? I just forced it! I connected the terminal to my PC, clicked around, swooshed through the code, and then gacha-gacha-squish!”
This is hopeless. I have no idea what she’s talking about…
I press my hand to my forehead as I listen to Shiina’s explanation. …She’s probably one of those intuitive geniuses. She said she hates studying, so I doubt she had deep knowledge of terminals or PCs, but her raw talent more than made up for it, letting her replicate the《Duel》program and create the first-ever fake account《??? (unknown)》in Academy Island’s history.
“Ehe, so, Onii-chan? Pretty cool, right? Am I awesome?”
“Yeah, that’s impressive. I’ll give you that. …But if you finished the account, wasn’t that mission accomplished? Why’s it turned into this mess?”
“Oh, yeah, about that—”
She puffs out her cheeks in dissatisfaction again.
“The account was done, but there was still one problem. When you《Duel》someone, your ID shows up on their terminal, right? If it says《???》, I’d get reported instantly and chewed out by the cyber police.”
“Not cyber police, but you’d definitely get in trouble. Account suspension for sure.”
“Yup. So I couldn’t use it casually, but since I made it, I really wanted to《Duel》. I was wondering what to do… and then I got a recruitment email! From someone named Mikado!”
My eyes narrow slightly at her words. …I already knew, but hearing it from her mouth carries a different weight. As expected, Kurahashi was behind Shiina.
Oblivious to my thoughts, Shiina continues cheerfully.
“I was so excited! That email just kept praising me. They said my fake account was an incredible invention and they really wanted me on their team, that my talent was essential… And the writing was kinda shady! Like, ‘If you’re interested, come to the top floor of such-and-such on this date and time,’ or needing a pass to get in… It felt like an evil organization!”
“…Evil?”
“Totally evil! My gut says they’re probably planning to destroy the Earth or something. …Ehe, to think my talent got recognized by people like that—am I actually amazing?”
I fall silent, unsure how to respond to Shiina, who’s happily kicking her feet. …In short, her chuunibyou heart was tickled, and she was cleverly manipulated. Classic Kurahashi Mikado move.
“So, so, Mikado told me about this plan. They said《Astral》would be the perfect stage to use my《??? (unknown)》account without suspicion, and they gave me a colored star—a perfect replica that could mimic real ones. The ultimate weapon to impersonate others and disrupt《Duel》… In exchange, they asked me to make that initial declaration of war. The one about taking down you and《Empress》—the strongest and the number two, all at once!”
“Ah… I see. That’s how it is…”
I murmur faintly, processing Shiina’s words in my head.
The full picture is finally clear—Shiina is likely an external member scouted by Kurahashi. She hasn’t been told anything about me or Saionji’s circumstances, just brought into《Astral》as a platform to use her《???》account. No wonder I didn’t sense any malice from her. She’s purely enjoying the《Duel》, completely unaware of the consequences it’s causing.
Shiina, hugging her Cerberus plushie, giggles with an “Ehe…”
“Tomorrow’s the final battle, right? The last day of this event where I get to play with Onii-chan… I’m so excited I can’t sleep… yawn…”
“…You sound really sleepy.”
“N-no, I’m not! Not at all… nya…”
Right after saying that, Shiina shifts slightly and plops her head onto my lap. Within seconds, soft, rhythmic breathing starts, and her innocent sleeping face fills my view.
“…She’s asleep, huh?”
At that moment, a faint static noise crackles, and Kagaya-san’s voice comes through my right earphone. As I drape a blanket over Shiina’s body, I reply in a low voice.
“Yeah. Talking about all that and not a shred of caution.”
“Well, she probably trusts you, Hiro-kun. And honestly, caution or not, for her,《Astral》is just a game. Win and she’s happy, lose and she’s frustrated—that’s it. I bet it’s not much different from the games she was playing with you earlier.”
“…That makes things a bit tricky.”
“Yup. An innocent genius, huh… Hmm, for me, that’s probably the most troublesome type.”
Kagaya-san says this thoughtfully, as if agreeing with my words.
“So… what’s the plan, Hiro-kyun? For example—and I know this sounds cruel—but if you smashed the terminal in that room, Tsumugi-chan wouldn’t be able to log into tomorrow’s《Duel》, and you could turn things around easily. Or, even crueler, something like sleeping pills.”
“Hm… Yeah, that’s true.”
I respond dully, acknowledging Kagaya-san’s suggestion. Sure, those methods could secure a win in《Astral》. …But,
“From these four days, I’ve figured something out. She doesn’t cling to games she’s lost, but for games that haven’t been settled, she’ll hound you relentlessly for a ‘continuation.’ As long as she thinks it’s ‘not over yet,’ she’ll never stop.”
“Yeah, that tracks…”
“Exactly. So, beating her outside the《Duel》context is meaningless. She’d probably just start another one. That’d keep us on the defensive forever. We need to make her truly believe she lost the《Duel》.”
“Mmm, that’s a tall order, Hiro-kyun.”
“Yeah. …But thanks to that, I’ve got a plan.”
I say lightly, a faint smile tugging at my lips.
♭
“Alright—everyone, ready?”
“Once the first half of today starts, I’ll lure《Chameleon》into that《Duel》. The flow and positions are as I explained yesterday. Everyone will need to move accordingly.”
“Honestly, every role is critical… We can’t afford a single mistake.”
“But I believe in everyone who’s stuck with me this far. I trust you’ll pull off this impossible《Duel》and turn it upside down.”
“So… let’s show them what Eimei Academy’s made of!”
♯
—May Inter-District Tournament《Astral》Final Day, First Half.
In the center of a field painted entirely black as far as the eye could see, I quietly stared at my terminal.
The final showdown was about to begin. …I’ve done everything I could, I think. To defeat Shiina Tsumugi and Kurahashi Mikado, I’ve used every trick in the book to prepare.
Now it’s just a matter of whether it all falls into place…
The moment I mutter that in my head, I think I hear faint footsteps and turn around. There stands a red-haired girl in Ouka Academy’s uniform—Saionji Sarasa.
“Sorry to keep you waiting, Shinohara. I meant to join up earlier, but… unfortunately, since our logout points from yesterday were the same, I started today’s《Duel》locked in a stare-down with《Chameleon》. It took time to shake her off.”
“No big deal, I didn’t wait long. I’m more impressed you managed to lose her alone.”
“Oh, don’t underestimate me. I am the six-star《Empress》, you know.”
Saionji places a hand on her hip, her ruby eyes glinting mischievously as she chuckles. I nod slightly and open my mouth again.
“Anyway, the basic plan is what we discussed yesterday. First, we make contact with《Chameleon》.”
“Yes. And after that, it’s the true final battle… right?”
Saionji says this earnestly, meeting my gaze.
We’ve already shared the strategy—but the《Duel》I’ve set up isn’t just me versus Shiina. It involves all three teams: Eimei, Ouka, and Seijo. I alone wouldn’t stand a chance. Saionji is also indispensable to overturning《Astral》.
“Hehe—shall we get going then? No time to dawdle.”
With a slightly more affected tone than usual, she turns gracefully and starts walking with elegant steps. I follow a beat later, soon catching up to walk side by side—when,
“…Hey, Shinohara. Got a sec?”
“? What’s up, Saionji?”
“Well… I actually have something personal I’d like to discuss with you.”
She lowers her voice, leaning in as if to whisper. There’s obviously no one around, but maybe she’s being cautious about《Libra》’s cameras picking up sound. Her silky red hair brushes my cheek, her breath softly grazing my ear—and in that instant,
“—《Sword Flash》!”
Saionji herself unleashes a《Sword Flash》spell at me. A complete surprise attack from point-blank range—I couldn’t possibly activate a defense spell in time.
—Or so it should’ve been.
“Hah… Too slow,《Chameleon》.”
The next moment, her attack is blocked by my《Barrier》, dissolving into white smoke. …No, I didn’t suddenly gain superhuman reflexes or anything dreamy like that. I simply knew the attack was coming and prepared a defense in advance—yes, an attack from《Chameleon》disguised as Saionji Sarasa.
“…!”
In front of me, Saionji… no,《Chameleon》widens her ruby eyes. This is probably the first time her disguise has been seen through. Her expression betrays clear shock.
“W-Why… How did you know? Could it be my aura was too overwhelming?”
“No, it’s not that. …It’s simple. You called me ‘you’ earlier, but she doesn’t use such polite language when it’s just us. And saying you shook off《Chameleon》alone is a bit odd, too. If that were true, you’d have gotten here too fast.”
“Ugh…”
《Chameleon》lets out a small groan at my explanation—a reaction you’d never see from the real Saionji.
“…By the way, how did you switch with the real her? The part about your logout points being close was true, right?”
“Oh, yeah, exactly. When I logged in today, it seemed like《Empress》hadn’t arrived yet… so I set up a few immobilizing《Traps》in the meantime.”
I silently ponder her claim. Saionji hadn’t arrived yet—no, it’s probably the opposite. Kurahashi likely tampered with the login settings, letting Shiina get there first.
Unaware of this,《Chameleon》tilts her head slightly.
“So the other Saionji-san will probably show up soon, right?”
“—Indeed, well deduced.”
At that moment, a curt voice of agreement comes from the side. Standing there is another girl identical to the one before me. The real fake heiress—the six-star《Empress》Saionji Sarasa.
“You really pulled one over at the last second,《Chameleon》. Wasn’t that a bit too unfair?”
“! U-uh…”
To Saionji’s accusation,《Chameleon》unexpectedly stammers without retorting. …No, wait. This is just her—Shiina Tsumugi’s—shyness kicking in. Unlike other players with physical presence, she’s controlling her avatar remotely like a VR game, but some things are still too much for her.
“…H-Help me!”
“Help? …Fine, then switch back to your original form,《Chameleon》. Two of you looking the same is confusing, and you’d probably feel more confident that way, right?”
“R-Right… That makes sense! In that case, I’ll take you up on it—!”
The moment she says that, her body is suddenly enveloped in a mysterious light. I can’t tell what’s happening inside, but she’s likely undoing the “copy” effect of her colored star and reverting to her true form. The silhouette gradually shrinks.
A few seconds later, a gothic lolita-dressed middle schooler—Shiina Tsumugi—appears before us.
“Heh heh—how’s that? This is my true form!”
“How’s that…? I already saw your appearance in《MTCG》’s broadcast archives.”
“Eh!? C-Come on, at least pretend to be surprised!! It’s my big reveal!”
Shiina puffs out her cheeks, standing tall and flipping up her hood to show off her heterochromatic eyes. But as Saionji said, Shiina already revealed her identity in《MTCG》. Expecting surprise now is a tall order.
“Don’t ask for the impossible, Shiina. …Also, isn’t that outfit a bit too big?”
“I-It’s fine! This is what makes it cool! Stop raining on my parade, Onii-chan!”
“Onii-chan…?”
Oh, crap.
I feel Saionji’s gaze drop to subzero at Shiina’s overly familiar term, and I start sweating buckets inwardly. But I keep my composure and quickly change the subject to cover it up.
“Anyway, that’s not important. Let’s start fresh—first time facing off in this field, Shiina. Thanks for the wake-up call with that sneak attack.”
“Ugh, Onii-chan’s teasing me… But whatever. I’m definitely not losing today. I’ve decided I’ll beat you and《Empress》and become the Dark Ruler!”
Shiina declares, her heterochromatic eyes gleaming. I exchange a quick glance with Saionji, then step forward alone. …This is it. This is where I have to lure her into the《Duel》. All my strategies, all my off-board tactics—none of it matters if Shiina doesn’t take the bait.
—So,
“Let’s cool that enthusiasm for a sec. Hey, Shiina, how about we take stock of the situation?”
“The situation? You mean…《Astral》?”
“Yeah, exactly. The May Inter-District Tournament《Astral》hits its final day today. Only three teams are left standing—Eimei, Ouka, and Seijo.”
“Yup! And Seijo Academy—that’s me—has the biggest area! I’ve got way more spells and support than you guys!”
“Sure, that’s true. At this rate, your victory’s pretty much guaranteed.”
“Hmph… No, Onii-chan, not pretty much! It’s guaranteed, guaranteed!”
Shiina puffs up her cheeks, clearly displeased with my wording.
“I mean, I don’t even have to do anything to win. I went for a cool sneak attack earlier, but honestly, I don’t need to. I just wait for the day to end, and I win by area size… Hehe, you get that, right, Onii-chan?”
“Obviously.《Astral》is an area conquest game, so the one with the most area is king. …But do you get it? Or rather, do you remember?”
Shiina tilts her head, looking completely clueless at my cryptic tone. I flash a sly grin and continue boldly.
“Before this May Inter-District Tournament started—specifically, last week—you picked a fight with her, didn’t you? You used island tube to publicly declare war on Saionji.”
“Uh, yeah, I did…?”
“You haven’t forgotten the terms of the《Duel》you proposed to Saionji, have you? It wasn’t something simple like whoever ranks higher in《Astral》wins. Tell me, Shiina—what exactly are you and Saionji competing over?”
“Uh, it’s… whoever beats you first wins…? …Oh!”
Shiina’s eyes widen, as if realizing she’s slipped up.
I take a calm step forward, pressing the advantage.
“Exactly. The《Duel》you two are playing is ‘who can defeat Shinohara Hiroto first’—which means《Astral》’s rankings are, frankly, irrelevant. First or last, whoever beats me wins. …And you said it yourself, didn’t you? If no one defeats me, you’re fine with me claiming sole victory in the《Empress》dispute. In that case, you’d let me decide your fate.”
“Eh!? I-I said that!? I mean, I might’ve said that!?”
Shiina flails, panicking. …No “might’ve”—she definitely said it. I checked the footage yesterday, so it’s certain. Also, since “self-destruction” wasn’t mentioned, there’s no penalty for it.
“Anyway, in your《Empress》dispute, if no one beats me, I win by default. That makes ‘escaping’ my victory condition. I don’t even need to defeat you to win the《Empress》dispute.”
“B-But… then I just have to make sure you don’t escape! I’ll go all-out to beat you!”
“That’s gonna be tough. …See, I’ve loaded most of my deck with《Barrier》and《Stealth》. I’m confident I can hold out no matter how much you attack for the remaining time.”
“That’s cheating!!”
“It’s not cheating.”
I shut down Shiina’s tantrum with a single sentence and keep pushing.
“So, as I said, as long as I keep escaping, you can’t win your《Duel》with Saionji. But at the same time, with the current map, I can’t win《Astral》—and neither can Saionji.”
“…Yes, that’s right.”
Saionji nods quietly, arms loosely crossed.
“As the real Saionji Sarasa, I can’t let you take the《Empress》title. So I’d welcome you escaping… but winning《Astral》is just as important as our《Duel》. If you win《Astral》, Ouka will fall to sixth place or lower. I can’t allow that. I’m Ouka’s representative, after all.”
She says this, her ruby eyes fixed firmly on Shiina. …Right, that’s how it’s always been. Saionji and I can’t afford to lose either the《Duel》against the impostor or《Astral》itself. That’s why, even as rivals, we sometimes have to join forces.
Reflecting on that… I speak in a calm tone.
“So—Shiina, how about a《Duel》with us right now?”
“…Huh?”
“A《Duel》, I mean. The three of us here will play a《Duel》separate from《Astral》. You get it now, right? If things stay as they are, you’ll win《Astral》but lose your《Duel》with Saionji. Meanwhile, we can probably protect Saionji’s《Empress》title, but we’ll definitely lose《Astral》. …See? This way, we all lose. You, me, Saionji—none of us will be satisfied with that.”
“That’s… maybe true, but…”
“Right? So let’s settle it here and now. —The《Duel》details are already sent to your terminal. A three-way board game linked to《Astral》… If you beat me in this, you’ll win not just《Astral》but the《Empress》dispute too. Of course, you’ve got the advantage, but it gives us a shot at a comeback.”
“Hehe, simple and clear. A bit rough around the edges, but I’m in.”
“Ngh… Mmm…”
Shiina hugs her plushie tightly, her gaze wavering with hesitation. …Strategically, it’s a proposal she’d rather refuse. But to win her《Duel》with Saionji, she has no choice but to accept. Otherwise, my escape will almost certainly end it.
That’s the “logical persuasion” part—but with her, there’s one more thing.
“Hey, Shiina. …You sure you wanna pass this up? This is an invitation to the《Duel》you’ve been dying for. The Star-Seizing Game you’ve always dreamed of, against a six-star genius heiress and the fastest seven-star in history. You’ll never get another chance like this.”
“────Yes, absolutely!!”
Shiina’s heterochromatic eyes snap wide open at my words—the biggest reaction yet. As expected, given her nature, this was the clincher.
And—with her robe’s hem fluttering like wings, Shiina says gleefully,
“Alright, Onii-chan. …Let’s settle this with this《Duel》!”
Her choice to accept my proposal. That’s the definitive declaration that she’s stepped down to our level on the same playing field.
Yes, I made it this far—
Staring at Shiina, I murmur quietly to myself. …A《Duel》within a《Duel》against《Chameleon》Shiina Tsumugi. The only path to victory in the seemingly hopeless《Astral》. Of course, Kurahashi will throw everything at us to interfere. But that’s already accounted for. I’ll win both the overt《Duel》and the behind-the-scenes maneuvering.
So bring it on, Kurahashi. What’s coming isn’t just a《Duel》—it’s an off-board war.
I flash a fearless grin toward the cunning devil watching from somewhere.
♯
[May Inter-District Tournament《Duel》within《Duel》, Official Name《Crossboard》—Rule Settings]
[《Crossboard》is a board game interlinked with《Astral》. The board compresses《Astral》’s field into 100 squares, with each square’s color at the start determined automatically by《Astral》’s area control status. Any color changes in《Crossboard》are reflected in《Astral》’s field.]
[Of the 100 squares, the number of squares in a team’s color represents their influence. Losing all squares results in defeat. Each team has one “Core Base” square; if it’s overwritten by another team’s color, the team loses regardless of influence.]
[《Crossboard》progresses turn-based. During a turn, players perform a Main Action and a Sub Action in that order, then the turn passes to the next player.]
[Main Action—Choose one of two “Flags” and place it on the board. It can only be placed on a square adjacent to your area. Effects are as follows:
- 《Conquest Flag》: Immediately changes the placed square to your team’s color.
- 《Erosion Flag》: At the end of the next turn, changes the six squares around the placed square to your team’s color.]
[Sub Action—Choose and execute one of the following:
- 《Gather Intel》: Target one enemy square to determine if it’s a Core Base.
- 《Relocate》: Move your team’s Core Base to any square within two squares of its current location.
- 《Disrupt》: For one turn, all《Gather Intel》actions targeting your team are nullified.]
[Additional Notes: As《Crossboard》is linked to《Astral》, it’s affected by roles (e.g.,【Commander】enhances《Gather Intel》effectiveness). All abilities registered in《Astral》are fully inherited.]
—《Crossboard》begins with Shiina Tsumugi’s first move.
“Mmm…”
Leaning over the augmented reality (AR) board that appeared with the《Duel》’s start, Shiina scans the map with serious eyes. Perhaps mentally reviewing the rules, her expression is unusually focused.
Following her lead, here’s a quick rundown—《Crossboard》is a territory-control board game similar to Go or Othello. Players take turns placing their team’s colored “Flags” on the board, using their effects to seize each other’s areas. It’s like a hyper-simplified《Astral》with combat elements removed.
Its defining feature is its linkage with《Astral》. Not only are roles and ability setups carried over, but area control is mutually reflected. Thus, starting influence is never equal. Based on《Astral》’s current square counts, of the 100 squares, Eimei has 3, Ouka has 12, and Seijo holds the remaining 85.
“…Okay, decided!”
Watched closely by me and Saionji, Shiina picks up a black Seijo-colored flag—a《Conquest Flag》that changes the placed square to her color.
“In this situation, there’s not much to hesitate about. No holding back, Onii-chan!”
With a cheerful smile, Shiina places the flag on an Eimei square adjacent to her Seijo area. Instantly, the vibrant green square is gradually overwritten in black.
“Tch, not the Core Base, huh… Too bad.”
“No way I’m letting you end it on the first move before my turn even comes. …Anyway, after the Main Action, it’s the Sub Action. Pick one of the three and execute it.”
“Oh, right! Hmm, what should I do~?”
Her eyes sparkle innocently as she rechecks each option, then Shiina uses《Gather Intel》. This Sub Action determines if a targeted square is the “Core Base”—the critical point that, if taken, means defeat. When performed by a【Commander】, it covers a wider range than usual, which naturally applies to Shiina, who holds all roles.
“I’ll use it on《Empress》’s area… Ngh, a miss, huh. Alright, your turn, Onii-chan!”
Finishing her turn, Shiina spins toward me. …Her move has left Eimei with just 2 squares. Due to positioning, there’s no immediate worry of the Core Base being taken on the first move, but that’s hardly reassuring. With only 2 squares, if Saionji and Shiina each take one in the next round, my defeat is sealed. So, I need to use a《Conquest Flag》this turn to secure at least 3 squares.
—And yet,
“Eh…?”
Saionji and Shiina’s voices sync in shock as they see the flag I pick. …No surprise there. I chose not the《Conquest Flag》but the《Erosion Flag》—a leisurely option that seizes six surrounding squares but only takes effect after one turn.
“E-Ehh!? Onii-chan, are you serious!? Not expanding your area immediately… Are you trying to let me win out of brotherly love!? Or just messing around!?”
“No way. Also, I’m not your brother.”
“B-But the board itself is proof! My jet-black brain cells are saying so!”
“Your jet-black brain cells don’t sound like they’re in great shape… Anyway.”
I retort lightly to the indignant Shiina while activating《Predict Action》from my terminal—a special ability infused with the green star’s power. A cheat ability usable only three times per《Duel》, I use its final charge to read Shiina’s actions. To read her thoughts.
“…Got it.”
I place the《Erosion Flag》on a square adjacent to the one Shiina just took with her《Conquest Flag》, connected to Eimei’s area. Then, I extend my hand further, pointing with my index finger at a square about five spaces away.
“That’s your Core Base. …Right?”
“! H-How did you know!? Could you have the ancient forbidden arts—”
“No, just an ability. You went wild with《Allied Forces》too, didn’t you?”
“Mgh, mmm…!”
Shiina puffs her cheeks, clutching her plushie. …She can’t argue when I bring up《Allied Forces》, so she doesn’t press further.
“And for my Sub Action, I choose《Disrupt》. For one turn, no《Gather Intel》can be used on my area—turn’s over.”
I announce breezily, and Saionji shoots me a look like she wants to say something. …Well, of course. Even if I pinpointed Seijo’s Core Base, Eimei’s area is still just 2 squares. At this rate, Eimei won’t get another turn.
But then,
“…Checkmate.”
The words Saionji lets slip aren’t a victory declaration but the exact opposite. Her eyes carry a hint of frustration, her face says she’s been had, and she lets out a sigh.
Shiina hesitantly questions Saionji’s reaction.
“…? Um… Checkmate? What does that mean?”
“You don’t get it? With Shinohara’s move just now, neither of us can attack Eimei anymore.”
“E-Eh? Why?”
“Why? …Put yourself in my shoes. Eimei has 2 squares left, but we don’t know which is the Core Base, and after my turn, Seijo gets to place a flag next. …In this situation, would you use a《Conquest Flag》on Eimei?”
“…Oh.”
Shiina freezes at Saionji’s question, then lets out a faint sound. Her eyes suddenly widen.
“I can’t… You’re right, I can’t place it!?”
…Exactly.
Eimei’s area is small, sure. But that smallness can be exploited.
“—In the end,《Crossboard》is a battle royale.”
I say calmly, waiting for both their gazes to turn to me.
“A three-way free-for-all. Plus, with the《Empress》dispute mixed in, you both want to take me down. But that doesn’t just mean knocking Eimei out—you want to defeat Eimei yourselves to meet your victory conditions. So naturally, you want to land the final blow. But《Crossboard》is turn-based—meaning, if I play defenselessly, the moment Eimei’s area drops to 1 square, the other player’s victory is guaranteed.”
“N-No way…”
Shiina’s mouth opens and closes in shock. …Watching her habits in various games over the past few days really paid off. Shiina Tsumugi is a classic straight-line opener. She doesn’t use roundabout tactics, always charging head-on. Knowing that, countering her isn’t too hard.
“So… basically, neither you nor Saionji can attack me anymore. No, it’s more than that—you have to protect me to keep the other from wiping out my area.”
“W-Was that your plan all along, Onii-chan!?”
“Of course. I tweaked《Crossboard》’s rules for this exact outcome.”
That’s not the only setup, but aiming for this scenario was definitely part of it.
“…Hmph? Well, Ouka’s fine with that, I suppose…”
Saionji, silent until now, shakes her head slightly and starts her turn. She chooses an《Erosion Flag》and places it not toward Eimei but in the direction of Seijo’s Core Base.
“Sub Action is《Disrupt》. …In this situation, attacking Seijo first seems smarter.”
“Grr, nghhh…”
Shiina groans in frustration as the tables turn on her. Still, since both Saionji and I used the delayed《Erosion Flag》, the board is still overwhelmingly in Seijo’s favor.
“What to do~… I could place an《Erosion Flag》on Onii-chan’s area, but I’ll gain a ton of squares this turn anyway… But since you both used《Disrupt》, I can’t use《Gather Intel》… Mmm.”
Shiina thinks hard, but her expression remains unmistakably excited. …As expected, she just loves games. Whether she’s dominating or being pushed back, fun is fun. She’s not the type to cheat for victory.
At this rate, we can probably press her a bit more…
But the moment I think that—
“…Huh?”
A puzzled voice hits my ears—Saionji’s, unusually shaken. Just a single word, but it perfectly captures the confusion and shock of everyone here.
“What’s this… Why is Ouka’s area being taken?”
Yes—that’s right. Shiina hasn’t even chosen a flag yet, but changes are already happening on the board. Specifically, two red squares under Ouka’s control are being overwritten with Seijo’s black.
The one most shocked by this is none other than Shiina Tsumugi.
“E-Ehh!? W-What’s this, what’s this!? The colors just changed out of nowhere!?”
“…Isn’t that your ability? I don’t know the type, but something like《Proliferation》?”
“An ability? Hmm, maybe, maybe… Oh! Or maybe my dark powers are so strong they dragged the whole map to the dark side!?”
“…Sure, let’s go with that.”
Saionji brushes off Shiina’s chuunibyou remark and looks at the board. …There’s no doubt Shiina hasn’t taken her turn’s action yet. But Ouka’s area turned black.
I have one guess about this phenomenon and open island tube on my terminal.《Libra》’s official channel is prominently featuring《Crossboard》, and another screen shows《Astral》’s field—but something’s off.
What the hell is this!?
I scream inwardly, but it’s no surprise—on the screen are players who should’ve already been eliminated from《Astral》. Kugasaki, Kururugi, Yuikawa, and others. And on closer inspection, their appearances are rough.
Not the real deal, but degraded copies… I see.
While I process this, on《Astral》’s field, these copies are overwriting Ouka’s bases with Seijo’s black. By seizing bases, Seijo’s area expands, which reflects in《Crossboard》.
“Probably… it’s the same gimmick as《Chameleon》.”
“Hoe? The same as me…?”
“Yeah. Something about colored star effects—you’ve been copying other players’ appearances, right? It’s like that. They’re rough because multiple are active at once, but since they’re not swapping places, it doesn’t matter. They’re using them to forcibly expand the area.”
“Ohh! …That’s it, Onii-chan! Am I a genius or what!?”
Shiina puffs out her chest, riding my explanation. …Nine times out of ten, the one spawning these degraded copies is the person behind her—Kurahashi Mikado. Copies of eliminated players and area expansion without consuming turns. Blatant cheating with no hint of restraint.
“Alright, I’m starting to feel like I can win…! Like this, and this!”
Spurred by this mysterious reinforcement, Shiina enthusiastically attacks Ouka’s area. She chooses an《Erosion Flag》and slaps it onto a red square.
But of course, Eimei’s in greater danger—Ouka still has about 10 squares, while Eimei’s down to 2. I don’t know what command structure these copies follow, but losing either square would be fatal.
“…Shinohara? What’s wrong? It’s your turn.”
Saionji speaks up as I stand still, head bowed. Her voice hides it, but she’s probably starting to panic slightly. Normally, she’d throw in a taunt or two, but there’s no sign of that now.
…Don’t worry, Saionji.
I meet her ruby eyes with a small smile. Without reaching for a flag, I speak in a voice brimming with confidence.
“The linkage of two《Duel》s—《Crossboard》’s data doesn’t just reflect in《Astral》; expanding an area in《Astral》affects《Crossboard》too. I didn’t expect them to use copies of eliminated players, but with this system, exploiting it isn’t that hard.”
“Exploiting? …Then why did you choose a rule like that?”
“Obvious. Because the reward far outweighs the risk.”
Answering Saionji’s question, I glance back at the projected screen. …It’s almost time. Any moment now, a major “change” should appear on this screen. Not a gamble or a prayer—just an inevitable “result.”
“After all… my teammates are the strongest.”
Almost simultaneously with my murmur, a black square near the board’s center is boldly overwritten in green.
As the other two stand speechless, beyond the projected screen, a blonde, short-haired girl is overwhelming the copy players.
♭
“Right, Nanase. …Lower your center of gravity. Attack incoming in three seconds. They’ll freeze post-attack. Take them out.”
“—Too many orders!!”
Shikishima Grand Hotel, Basement Level 1,《Libra》Base.
In a room packed with most of《Libra》’s members managing the nearing-end《Astral》, Enomoto Shinji, wearing a headset, issues rapid-fire instructions.
The massive monitor before him shows, of course, Asamiya Nanase. When Kirigaya’s《Dual Blades》nearly finished her, Enomoto read it and used《Lightning Rod》to draw both attacks to himself, then used《Stealth》with her vanishing effect to fake her “death”—with《Libra》manipulating the data and logs, naturally. That split-second decision is paying off now.
Still, Shinohara’s ability to weave that into a strategy at the last second is incredible…
Flashing through Enomoto’s mind is the face of the absent【Commander】. …He’ll admit it: Shinohara’s skill is the real deal. Enomoto protected Nanase, but he hadn’t thought through how to leverage it. Yet Shinohara quickly built a path to victory.
Truly worthy of respect. …Though I still can’t manage honorifics.
He smirks slightly. Then, a rough breath hits his ear.
“Ha… Haa, ngh!”
“…No time to rest, Nanase. Enemies remain. Three seconds, left.”
“Ugh, you could at least let me rest a bit…! —Sei!”
Despite her complaints, Nanase moves with no trace of fatigue, countering the degraded copies’ attacks. The《Libra》members watching from afar are stunned by their synergy. Enomoto’s exceptional intel-gathering and Nanase’s unmatched reflexes and physical prowess—the six-star duo from Eimei Academy relentlessly crushes the enemies before them.
“Nice moves, Nanase. But the next ones come from both sides. Jump off your pivot foot, forward roll to dodge, then《Gunfire》on the right. Block the left’s follow-up with《Barrier》, keep distance, and chain《Magic Cannon》.”
“You’re asking for the impossible, Shinji!? Sei, yo… Tan! …Done, eliminated!”
“See? Just follow my orders without complaining, Nanase.”
“Huh? Why do you have to be so annoying, Shinji!?”
“Annoying? The answer’s obvious.”
“What? Probably something like you can treat me however—”
“—Because I believe Asamiya Nanase is the only person in the world who can execute my orders with 100% precision.”
“…!?”
Nanase falters, letting out a voiceless sound at Enomoto’s words. Her cheeks flush slightly—her ears are bright red—and she glances at him through the camera.
“Idiot… That makes it sound like I actually trust you, Shinji.”
“…You don’t? That’s… disheartening.”
“D-Don’t sound sad, you idiot!”
Nanase hurriedly snaps at Enomoto, who’s clutching his forehead. Then, looking away, she mutters,
“I’ll only say this once… I wouldn’t trust my back to you if I didn’t believe in you.”
A quiet murmur. …Most real-time viewers hit the like button, and Asamiya Nanase’s adorable, honest moment later racks up legendary view counts.
But in response, Enomoto—
“I see. …But, Nanase, one question. Can I really be said to have your back when I’m just giving orders from safety? The phrasing seems somewhat erroneous—”
“Shut up, you’re so annoying, idiot Shinji!”
With a mix of anger, Nanase sweeps through the copies and resumes seizing bases.
♭♭
“…Tch, damn tricky bastard.”
Shikishima Grand Hotel, some floor, some room.
In dim light, Kurahashi Mikado glares at the monitor, muttering irritably.
A miscalculation. He didn’t expect other survivors. Yesterday’s data didn’t show them, so《Libra》must be backing Shinohara Hiroto.
Shifting focus to《Crossboard》, he sees《Chameleon》gradually being pushed back. The degraded copies he just spawned were crushed instantly, and several bases were taken, making Eimei the current frontrunner. There’s still a 60-square gap, but the momentum is bad. …All because of that brat, Shiina Tsumugi. Her rare talent drew him to recruit her, but she’s too foolish to be useful. Simply put, she’s a dud.
“The ‘Golden Night’ Asamiya Nanase, huh… No way degraded copies can stop that six-star. But I don’t have any decent pieces left… That’s Shinohara Hiroto’s plan, huh.”
But Kurahashi grins wickedly.
They’re thinking alike—while all remaining《Astral》players are busy with《Crossboard》, sending another participant to《Astral》lets them freely seize areas. Knowing this, he’s prepared a counter.
“Forging a Wild Card… That’s child’s play for me.”
He spits dismissively. …Wild Card. The reward for clearing《MTCG》’s hardest route and the ticket to return to《Astral》. Kurahashi Mikado created one himself and entrusted it to his top subordinate, Kirigaya Touya. Right now, Touya’s likely lurking somewhere in the field, awaiting his orders.
“Your strategy’s just that level, Shinohara. Half-baked from start to finish.”
Chuckling with a “Heh heh,” Kurahashi contacts Touya’s terminal and says gleefully,
“It’s time, Touya—show them our strength!”
“—Nah, that’s an impossible request.”
“What…!?”
The response, coming not through the earpiece but directly, makes all sound fade for Kurahashi. He can’t comprehend it. He doesn’t understand what’s happening.
“Why… Why the hell are you here, Touya!!”
Yes—opening the door with a click and stepping in is none other than Kurahashi’s final trump card, Kirigaya Touya, who was supposed to be hiding in《Astral》. Dressed casually in his uniform, he looks down at Kurahashi with a condescending gaze.
“Why? I wasn’t told I couldn’t come.”
“Stop screwing around, Kirigaya Touya! What about《Astral》!?”
“Huh? I’m not in it. I’m not dumb enough to join a《Duel》I can’t win.”
“What… You said you can’t win? No, with the Wild Card I gave you—”
“Wild Card? …Oh, that trash.”
“Tch—”
Touya curtly dismisses Kurahashi’s rage, continuing with his hands in his pockets.
“It was junk. Completely busted. Using it would’ve fried my terminal. Seemed like some nasty copy protection was on it.”
“…Impossible. There’s no way those《Libra》idiots could make something that sophisticated—”
“Probably Shinohara’s idea, right? Right after I noticed the data corruption, Eimei’s little devil came to taunt me. I was gonna force my way in at first, but that killed my motivation.”
Shrugging slightly, Touya says with a bored expression,
“Think about it—if she came to me, that means your whole plan’s blown. The forged Wild Card, using it to bring me back—Shinohara Hiroto saw through everything. There’s no point. Unless it’s a perfect ambush, this situation’s unfixable.”
“…”
“The first eight-star candidate, Shinohara Hiroto… Yeah, he’s interesting. Even the third ability forced on me via《Swap》was damn cool. I was skeptical before, but he’s got more than enough talent to entertain me.”
“What are you— No, enough chatter. If I tweak the system, we can still intervene in《Astral》. Help me, Touya—you’re my subordinate, aren’t you!?”
“Subordinate? …Hah, that’s rich!!”
Laughing mockingly, Touya closes the distance to Kurahashi in a single stride. Getting close enough to see the panic in his eyes, he sneers viciously.
“All I want is to climb higher. I was just using you to get there—I don’t give a damn about you. No interest, no concern, no value.”
“…!”
“So, you lose this time, Kurahashi Mikado. …Failing two plans in a row? You’re done. Let’s be clear: both Akizuki Noa last time and Shiina Tsumugi this time were SSR-tier pieces in gacha terms. You just couldn’t make use of them. Not like Shinohara Hiroto did. …But don’t worry—I’ll take your position. So, you can rot here.”
With a condescending look, Touya turns his back, completely losing interest.
Staring blankly at his former subordinate’s retreating figure, Kurahashi, now alone—
“…Damn it, damn those brats!!”
Half-desperate, he glares back at the PC with fire in his eyes.
♯
—May Inter-District Tournament《Duel》within《Duel》,《Crossboard》Turn 5.
Thanks to the “off-board war” between me and Kurahashi, the board’s state has shifted dramatically. Seijo’s black area is down to 35 squares, Eimei’s green area has grown to 37, and Ouka, uninvolved in the off-board war, has used skillful ability plays to reach 28 squares.
Personally, I think Saionji, keeping up without any cheating, is the most impressive…
I glance at the ever-formidable《Empress》and murmur to myself.
In contrast, Shiina glares at the board, growling “Mmm…” As green steadily erodes black, her anxiety only grows.
“Ugh, uuu~! Onii-chan, you’re way too strong!”
“…Well, I can’t afford to lose. This isn’t like our usual games.”
I reply with a wry smile. …No sign of Kirigaya Touya joining by now means Akizuki probably handled it. So, no more reinforcements for Seijo.
If nothing else happens, we can—
But the moment I think that…
“…Huh?”
Shiina, leaning over the board with her Cerberus plushie, suddenly mutters. She frowns slightly, her posture oddly stiff.
“Something feels… off?”
“Off? Off how?”
“Um, like my body won’t move, or I can’t control it—kya!”
In an instant, despite her words, Shiina’s body lurches forward. Nearly crashing into the board, she instinctively lets go of her plushie and throws her right hand out.
The moment her palm touches the board—
“—!?”
At an unbelievable speed, every square she touches begins turning black. Without holding a flag, a mere swipe of her hand seizes massive areas. They’re consumed.
Shiina’s eyes widen at the inexplicable sight.
“Eh… Eh, what’s this!? Does touching a spot make it my area!?”
“Make it…? That’s clearly not you doing it.”
“I-It seems that way, but I’m not—w-wah!?”
Giving a vague reply to Saionji’s words, Shiina reaches out as if puppeted. Each time, the areas she touches turn jet-black. Call it《God’s Move》—not even an off-board tactic, but a blatantly illegal ability that directly steals areas. And from the looks of it, Shiina herself is completely unaware.
Well, Shiina’s the type who just wants to enjoy《Duel》purely. So, this is Kurahashi Mikado—hijacking《Chameleon》’s controls and moving her.
“W-Wait, kya!”
Shiina, occasionally yelping, forcibly expands her area. The five turns of momentum are flipped in an instant, and a black-dominated board reappears. Like at《Crossboard》’s start, Eimei and Ouka’s areas are down to a handful—a dire crisis.
—But,
“Honestly… What pathetic desperation.”
Cutting through the tension with a sigh-laced remark is Saionji. She gracefully circles behind Shiina and restrains her body in a feather-lock, preventing movement.
“An ability to conquer touched squares? Impressive, but it’s over if you’re physically restrained. If you’re going to cheat, at least think it through.”
“I-It’s not me! If it was, I’d be way cooler and more genius!”
“Right. So that was directed at the shameless someone listening behind you.”
Saionji says cryptically, pausing briefly. Then, with a flick of her long hair, she turns her gaze to me.
“—Well, Shinohara? I tried piggybacking on your plan based on my guess. How’d I do?”
“Yeah… The《Empress》title’s no fluke, Saionji.”
I loosen my lips slightly, meeting her mischievous eyes. …Flawless, no complaints. My goal was to rattle Kurahashi into direct action—creating a situation where he’d control Shiina himself. With this, all conditions are met.
“《Backtrace》ability, activate—”
I trigger my final, never-before-used ability. It hacks communications interfering with another player’s terminal “from outside” the《Duel》and hijacks them. My low rank would normally limit its functions, but by restricting it to the final day, I negate those drawbacks.
Using this perfect trump card—I say,
“Yo, Kurahashi. …Can you hear me?”
I flash a grin at the true mastermind undermining《Astral》.
♭♭♭
“Yo, Kurahashi. …Can you hear me?”
—In a dimly lit room, Kurahashi Mikado slumps back in his chair, dazed.
On the screen, his hated rival smirks provocatively. A confident, almost finalizing expression. …Well, of course. With his last-ditch effort completely shut down, Kurahashi has nothing left.
“This time, it’s my complete victory. I won’t let you slip away like in the Ward Selection Battle—you’ll pay for what you’ve done.”
Shinohara Hiroto spouts this with his usual smug grin. …But,
Not yet… I haven’t given up.
Moving carefully to avoid detection, Kurahashi slowly reaches out.
He can’t afford to lose—as Kirigaya Touya said, failing this plan would get him cut from the “top.” He’d be permanently exiled from Academy Island, never to return.
No way an elite like me falls to a kids’ game…!
He grits his teeth. …Just one moment. If he can escape《Empress》’s restraint for even a second, he can manipulate《Chameleon》to wipe out Ouka’s area and turn the tables again.
No matter how crazy Shinohara Hiroto’s brain is, he can’t have any more tricks up his sleeve. I can win—《Astral》is mine, Shinohara!!
Kurahashi’s cheeks twist into a manic grin.
Then, Shinohara on the monitor suddenly speaks as if remembering something.
“Oh, right—the《Backtrace》ability I’m using doesn’t just hijack your connection; it can also track your location.”
“…? So what? That’s irrelevant to you in《Astral》.”
“Oh? Finally talking, Kurahashi? Alright, I’ll let you in on something. …Eimei Academy has four players besides me. You can probably see what two of them are doing—but where are the other two, and what are they up to?”
The moment Kurahashi starts processing Shinohara’s cryptic question—
“—!?”
The door bursts open with a clatter, and a figure steps in boldly. A monochrome maid outfit flares out. Silvery hair sways coolly.
Her name, if he recalls—
“Himeji Shirayuki. Pardon the intrusion during your scheming.”
“…Tch, I know you. Shinohara Hiroto’s servant, right?”
“Yes. It took quite some searching, but I’ve finally found the ‘correct’ one. My master informed me there’s a new VR game here that lets you control《Chameleon》’s body—might I borrow it?”
“Hmph, so a lone girl barged in? I’m being underestimated.”
Kurahashi laughs mockingly. But the girl tilts her head slightly.
“A lone girl? …Hardly. I’m not fond of interacting with the opposite sex. Even now, I’m getting goosebumps—there’s no way I’d come to a place like this alone.”
“Huh? What does that—!?”
Before Kurahashi can finish, Himeji Shirayuki calmly removes her white glove and snaps her fingers. As if on cue, a flood of figures pours through the open door, led by Eimei’s little devil, Akizuki Noa—none other than《Astral》’s selected members.
“—Ehehe, I brought a whole bunch! ♡”
Roughly thirty of them. No way he could break through.
As Kurahashi’s face pales, Himeji Shirayuki says in a cool voice,
“Now then. —Shall we continue?”
♯♯♯
—The events after Himeji and the others stormed Kurahashi’s base unfolded rapidly.
Himeji took control of《Chameleon》’s body, which Kurahashi had hijacked, and used the illegal ability to paint the board green… That was the final scene I’d envisioned. I didn’t know Shiina’s ability setup exactly, but by turning Kurahashi’s interference against him, I crushed his win condition. With that, Seijo’s long-dominant area vanished entirely, and《Crossboard》ended with Shiina Tsumugi’s defeat.
“…”
The table and board disappear, pulling us back to《Astral》. …But the battlefield’s state is drastically different from hours ago. Since《Crossboard》’s final board reflects in《Astral》, Eimei now holds 9,220 squares, while Seijo has 0.《Chameleon》’s LP is intact, but she has no bases left.
In other words, defeat—Seijo Academy is now eliminated from《Astral》.
Shiina Tsumugi stands before me, dazed.
“It’s over…? That’s it, all done?”
Her question seems to seek confirmation. I nod with an “Yeah.”
“You lost, Shiina. No matter how much LP you have, if your area hits 0, you’re out of《Astral》. …Give it up. You just had bad luck with your opponent this time.”
“Ugh… Yeah, maybe. You and《Empress》were super strong… Okay, so I lost《Astral》. …That’s fine, but.”
She lifts her face slightly. Her heterochromatic eyes tremble with unease as she clutches her plushie tightly, asking hesitantly,
“Hey, Onii-chan—did I… do something bad? These five days were so, so fun… but was it something I shouldn’t have done?”
Shiina speaks slowly, her face on the verge of tears. …She was likely kept in the dark about much by Kurahashi. She probably didn’t think swapping via copies was “cheating,” nor does she realize《Astral》nearly collapsed because of it. But after the dramatic showdown in《Crossboard》, she’s pieced together fragments of what her actions meant.
So, I can’t exactly say she’s “completely innocent”… It’s tricky.
Kurahashi is undeniably the mastermind, but that doesn’t make Shiina, the executor, entirely blameless. Still, saying that wouldn’t satisfy her.
So, I—
“Huh…? Fnya!? W-What, what!?”
—Operate my terminal with one hand, connecting to《Libra》’s private line. With both《Duel》s concluding,《Libra》’s broadcast is likely hitting its climax, but luckily (or perhaps intentionally), Kazami Suzuran picks up after one ring. Naturally, this call won’t air on island tube.
Knowing that, I speak without lowering my voice.
“It’s me, Shinohara. Sorry, Kazami, got a minute?”
“Shinohara-kun…!? O-Of course, I’ve got time! Not just a minute, as much as you need!”
“Cool, thanks. Then, one thing I want to ask—what do you guys,《Libra》, think of Shiina Tsumugi? As the resolution to this mess, what kind of ending are you hoping for?”
“—”
Kazami falls silent, as if holding her breath.
That’s right… That’s what I wanted to ask her. After all,《Libra》is arguably the biggest victim in this fiasco. So, she’s far better suited to answer Shiina’s question than I am.
After over a minute of gathering her thoughts, Kazami quietly speaks.
“Um… First, we don’t get to decide the ‘ending.’ Thanks to you, Shinohara-kun,《Astral》was saved, but《Chameleon》eliminated a lot of players. So, she needs to face the council’s punishment.”
“Ugh… Yeah, that’s right.”
“But, separately, I want to ask something. …Tsumugi-chan, did you have fun?”
“…Eh?”
“I mean, in《Astral》. Was this《Duel》fun for you, Tsumugi-chan? Or… was it boring?”
“N-No way, not at all…!”
Shiina shakes her head vigorously, flustered by Kazami’s question.
“It was so, so much fun…!《Astral》,《MTCG》, and《Crossboard》—all of it was fun! I’m sad it’s over—I could play forever, it was that fun!”
“…Then, that’s good.”
The voice from the call is Kazami’s, tinged with a hint of ticklish warmth.
“We worked hard on《Astral》so everyone could enjoy it. And yeah, it was tough, but having a strong foe like《Chameleon》made the《Duel》super exciting. Still, I was a bit worried that Tsumugi-chan might not have had fun—so hearing you say you did makes me really happy. For me, that’s a perfect score!”
“Perfect score! …Phew, thank goodness.”
Kazami speaks with genuine sincerity, and Shiina slumps to the ground with a relieved look. Then, she turns to me with an innocent, age-appropriate smile. …I thought it might get messy, but it resolved smoothly, thankfully.
With this,《Crossboard》and《Astral》are Eimei Academy’s—our—complete victory… Wait, huh?
But—in that harmonious resolution, I suddenly feel a faint unease and look up. If Eimei truly won the《Duel》,《Astral》’s digital world should be dissolving by now. Yet there’s no sign of it.
No way…
Checking《Astral》’s overall map with a sinking feeling, I see—predictably—a tiny sliver of Ouka Academy’s red area remaining.
“—Hehe.”
As I freeze, the red-haired girl nearby lets out an elegant chuckle.
“I figured it’d come to this, so I protected Ouka’s Core Base with《Interference Null Lv5》. I’ll have to concede《Astral》’s championship to you—but I won’t let you take every square for a perfect victory. Not that cool.”
“…This girl.”
My cheek twitches at Saionji’s faintly provocative words. …Yeah, this heiress is trouble. Troublesome, cunning, and always annoyingly cool.
With that thought—we exchange fearless gazes until《Astral》finally reaches its end.
[May Inter-District Tournament《Astral》—Final Results]
[Team with Most Area: Fourth Ward Eimei Academy (9,533 squares)]
[Team with Highest Support Rate: Fourth Ward Eimei Academy (89.2%)]
[Final Rankings: Eimei – Ouka – Tsuyuri – Otowa – Shinra – …]
[Note: Seijo is excluded from final rankings due to lacking official participation rights.]
LNN Special Edition:
May Inter-District Tournament《Astral》Final Results!
1st Place: Fourth Ward, Eimei Private Academy
Maximum Bases: 114. Maximum Area: 9,533. Final Survivors: 2.
—Standing at the pinnacle of《Astral》is Eimei Private Academy, led by Shinohara Hiroto-kun! The fastest conquest of《MTCG》, the alliance formed to defeat the《Allied Forces》, and the final game against《Chameleon》… every single moment was the absolute best! An undisputed, magnificent victory!!
2nd Place: Third Ward, Ouka Academy
Maximum Bases: 24. Maximum Area: 891. Final Survivor: 1.
—Second place goes to Ouka Academy. With the precise commands and skillful play of the《Empress》Sarasa Saionji-chan, they splendidly overcame the《Allied Forces》, showcasing the dignity of the top-ranked school!
3rd Place: Sixteenth Ward, Tsuyuri Girls’ Institute
Maximum Bases: 15. Maximum Area: 477. Eliminated: Second Half of Day 4.
—The《Demon God Shrine Maiden》Kururugi Senri was, as expected, incredibly strong! They settled for third place this time, but in the next event, their strength as a “team” might shine even brighter!
4th Place: Eighth Ward, Otowa School
Maximum Bases: 11. Maximum Area: 384. Eliminated: Second Half of Day 4.
—Otowa School, boasting the “Phoenix” Hararashi Kugazaki-kun! They displayed solid team play in the first half and cleverly utilized the《Allied Forces》to secure a comprehensive fourth place!
5th Place: Seventh Ward, Shinra High School
Maximum Bases: 3. Maximum Area: 79. Elimination Timing: Second Half of Day 4.
—Shinra, led by the “Absolute Monarch” Kirigaya Touya-kun, ranks fifth overall. Joining the《Allied Forces》early on, they played a major role as a key force and achieved significant success!
