An Unwilling Alliance
♯
《SFIA Sphere》 Final Battle 《Tower of Legends》──First Floor.
In the elevator room leading to the second floor, Yumeno escaped, and Minami
was taken by the demon faction, leaving only us and the Shinra twins behind.
“Conveniently, it’s just the four of us now. …How much of this was your plan?”
“Hmm, who knows? I mean, after what just happened, are you saying we’re the bad guys?
No matter how you look at it, that was clearly that person’s—Tohya-san’s—setup, right?”
“If it’s Kirigaya’s, doesn’t that mean it’s Shinra’s setup too?”
“Even so, isn’t that a bit too hostile right off the bat? We’re potential allies, you know.”
Saying that without a hint of guilt, Fuwa-nii gives a small shrug.
Amid the clashing arguments, sharp gazes briefly meet—but in the next moment,
another girl boldly steps forward, cutting through our tension, and raises her voice.
“—Enough! Enough, enough, enough! That’s no good, no good at all! Mitsuru,
why do you start talking without even introducing ourselves? I’ve been itching,
itching, itching to introduce myself!”
“Eh? Oh… yeah, you’re right, Sumire. Sorry, sorry.”
Faced with the girl’s fierce protest, Fuwa-nii scratches his cheek with his index finger,
a wry smile mixed with an ambiguous expression. Turning to face me and Minakami,
he clears his throat with a small cough as if to reset the moment.
“Well then, it’s a bit late, but… I’m Mitsuru Fuwa, a second-year at Shinra High School
in District Seven, 4-star rank, with the role of Explorer. …That’s about it. Okay, Sumire, your turn.”
“Yes! I’m Sumire Fuwa! I’m also 4-star, and my role is Supporter! As you can see,
Mitsuru and I are twins, and since our family name might be hard to distinguish,
feel free to call us by our first names! It might be a short time, but please get along with us, okay?”
Spreading her uniform skirt—whether it’s regulation or not is unclear, but it’s a long one
reaching several dozen centimeters below her knees—with both hands, Sumire looks at us
with a delighted smile. Her thin beige hair fans out voluminously with the gesture.
If Mitsuru is a somewhat androgynous pretty boy, Sumire feels like a delicate beauty
or a refined young lady from a sheltered upbringing.
“—Thank you for the polite introduction.”
Responding to their introductions with courteous formality was Minakami.
“I’m Mari Minakami, a first-year at Eimei Academy High School, 3-star rank,
with the role of Summoner. I’ll do my very best not to hold you senpai back,
so please take care of me!”
Her flowing black hair sways as she gently places her right hand on her chest,
speaking with straightforward sincerity. Prompted by her glance, I add,
“…Hiroto Shinohara, second-year at Eimei, Supporter,” keeping it brief.
Then—at the exact moment our introductions conclude, Sumire, standing in front of us,
takes a step forward with a tap. Clasping her hands behind her back, she approaches
Minakami’s face, stares intently for a moment, and then breaks into a joyful smile.
“Wow… Mitsuru, Mitsuru! This person is amazing! Even standing this close,
I can’t sense even the tiniest bit of malice! She’s definitely a good person, no doubt about it! I give her my stamp of approval!”
“W-Wow… eh? No malice… you mean?”
“Yes, yes! You must be like an angel!”
Sumire nods enthusiastically to Minakami’s question. As Minakami and I exchange
puzzled looks at the vague exchange, help comes from an unexpected source.
“—You two, ever heard of empathy?”
It’s Mitsuru. Likely used to taking the explanatory role, he continues in a practiced tone.
“It’s like a skill… or rather, a sense, where you can feel others’ emotions as if they were your own.
Sumire’s got a strong knack for it. Especially hostile or malicious feelings—they hit hard,
so she picks them up keenly. She’s using an ability to boost that sense right now, making it even sharper.”
“…Huh, that’s impressive.”
The ability to detect hostility or malice with exceptional empathy. In poker or other card games,
there’s a technique to read an opponent’s hand from their expressions or habits,
but this is like doing it instinctively. In a 《Duel Game》 where psychological warfare is key,
she’s an incredibly reliable asset.
To my reaction, Mitsuru across from me flashes a slightly mischievous grin.
“I mean… is that okay? Acting so relaxed like that.
If Shinohara-kun were planning to betray us, we’d know, you know…”
“Yes! Leave it to me, Mitsuru!”
Quick as a flash, Sumire spins around and dashes up to me. At a distance close enough
to see every eyelash, she studies me intently.
But—soon, her expression shifts to one of curiosity.
“…Huh? I don’t feel… anything?”
“Nothing…? Really? So, Shinohara-kun has no malice?”
“No, no! It’s not like that. It’s not just malice—hostility, goodwill, everything feels like
it’s shrouded in a haze, hard to see! It’s definitely there, but… fine, if that’s how it is!”
“Eh, wait, Sumire!?”
In an instant, ignoring Mitsuru’s attempt to stop her, Sumire steps forward,
her long beige hair flowing as she presses her ear to my chest with a tap.
My body stiffens at the near-embrace, but Sumire pays it no mind.
“Mmm… mmm…?”
“…Hey, how long are you planning to cling to me? Don’t tell me this is some kind of seduction tactic?”
“Eh? …Oh, eek! S-Sorry! I didn’t mean anything bad, really!”
After listening to my heartbeat for a good ten seconds or so (which I think stayed mostly calm),
Sumire jumps back, her cheeks flushing. Thanks to my usual acting, my emotions seem hard to read.
“Hiroto… you’re a mysterious person, aren’t you…”
…Though it feels like I’ve caught her attention in an odd way because of it.
Anyway, with introductions out of the way, I decide to take stock of the situation.
The two Shinra students in front of us—their true intentions are unclear.
Logically, they should be allied with Kirigaya, but there was that moment earlier
where they were left behind.
So,
“Hey—tell me one thing. What exactly is your relationship with Kirigaya?
Depending on your answer, we might aim for the second floor together,
or we could part ways right now.”
“Ehh…? But, Shinohara-kun, don’t you think it’s impossible to know
who’s still on the first floor at this point? Maybe everyone’s already moved up.
Wandering around might just be a waste of time.”
“Yeah, so answer me seriously. Wasting time here is a loss for you guys too, right?”
“…Fair point. Well, it’s not much of a relationship—Tohya-san and us,
we’re just senpai and kouhai from the same academy. Tohya-san has their way,
we have ours. Tohya-san seems to have it out for you, but for us,
as long as Shinra wins, we’re good. Joining your faction is convenient for that.”
“Exactly, exactly! Everything Mitsuru said is spot-on! You can totally trust us!”
Sumire chimes in with an innocent expression, backing Mitsuru’s explanation—but,
(…Was that a dodge? No, I don’t think it was entirely a lie, but…)
Keeping my expression neutral, I mull it over. It’s certain they’re not just in a simple
cooperative relationship, but it’s also hard to believe the Fuwa twins and Kirigaya
are acting completely independently.
Still—if they’re not clear enemies, they meet the criteria for forming a faction.
(It’s a far cry from the ideal combo of Minami and Yumeno… but oh well.)
I shake my head slightly.
Glancing beside me, I see Minakami clenching her fist with a determined expression.
“Then, the four of us will form a team! Let’s aim to reach the second floor first—!”
♯
After Minakami’s rallying cry, our makeshift team is formed, and we resume exploring
the elevator room.
The elevators on the first floor also serve to “divide factions.” The elevator Kirigaya’s
demon faction took to the second floor has stopped, so we need to find another.
Thankfully, with Mitsuru the Explorer having the “Elevator Search” skill,
we quickly locate an unused elevator. Its side bears the logo of the “Revolution Faction.”
With four players, the condition is met, and the elevator starts smoothly.
“Phew…”
And so—《SFIA Sphere》 Final Battle 《Tower of Legends》 Second Floor.
The moment we step off the elevator, we immediately begin a strategy meeting.
The first floor of the 《Tower of Legends》 is like a “tutorial floor,” where factions
aren’t finalized, and even “Avatar Summoning” isn’t unlocked. Things start getting
complex from the second floor onward… so we need to rethink our strategy now.
“Um, faction info… wow, it’s amazing! It’s already updated!”
The excited voice comes from Minakami, peering at her terminal next to me.
“Revolution Faction—members are Shinohara-senpai, me, Mitsuru-senpai,
and Sumire-senpai, four in total. Our combined EXP is 【6,940】,
and skills are integrated too. The Supporter’s ‘EXP Gain UP’ and ‘Thrift’
are auto-active, and the Explorer’s ‘Elevator Search’ and ‘Player Search’
are available too!”
“Yup. Since I’m the only Explorer, my acquired skills are directly applied.
Sumire, as a Supporter, hasn’t taken any skills yet, so there’s no overlap
with Shinohara-kun’s. And now that our faction’s set, we don’t need to worry
about EXP loss. So, I’m thinking of taking the ‘Power Recon’ skill. Any thoughts?”
“Hm… hold on a sec.”
I pull up the details of the skill Mitsuru mentioned on my terminal.
Power Recon—a skill for “investigating other factions’ strength.” It costs
2,500 EXP, a bit hefty, but it lets you instantly identify each faction’s members.
Higher-tier derivatives can gather even more detailed info, so its performance is solid.
“S-Senpai, senpai!”
“I know, Minakami. …Yeah, it’s fine. No objections here.”
Nodding to Minakami, who’s vigorously shaking her head as if to say this is a must,
I give Mitsuru my approval. …By the way, while he’s asking for permission now,
consuming faction EXP to acquire skills can be done unilaterally.
It’d be easy to hog resources if someone wanted, which is one reason
faction members need to be chosen carefully.
Anyway, with Minakami’s and my consent, Mitsuru selects “Power Recon”
from the skill list. Executing it instantly—the next moment, each faction’s
members are projected before us with icons.
【Angel Faction—Akutsu Miyabi / Saeki Kaoru / Yuikawa Kanade / Kururugi Senri】
【Demon Faction—Kirigaya Tohya / Kugasaki Seiran / Yanagi Soma / Minami Shizuku】
【Kingdom Faction—Saionji Sarasa / Fujishiro Keiya / Ishizaki Ako / Yumeno Misaki】
【Revolution Faction—Shinohara Hiroto / Minakami Mari / Fuwa Sumire / Fuwa Mitsuru】
“Hm… I see.”
Studying the current power balance, I think it over. …As expected, every faction
is stacked with strong players, but it’s good news that Saeki, Kirigaya, and Saionji
are neatly split. In terms of ranks, we’re at a clear disadvantage,
but looking closely, the 《Hexagram》 members are scattered across three factions.
And Yumeno, as hoped, has made it to the Kingdom Faction.
“Well, that’s about it for now. ‘Power Recon’ has a three-hour cooldown,
so let’s check it regularly. Especially the 《Hexagram》 and 《Empress》—
they’re likely to make moves early, right?”
I nod in agreement to Mitsuru’s suggestion, “…Yeah.” In this 《Duel Game》,
faction shifts are clear signs of power movement. They demand attention no matter the situation.
And there’s one more major element unlocked on this second floor.
“C-Can I… can I take it now…!?”
Swallowing hard, Minakami’s trembling fingers hover over her terminal in excitement.
Yes—having completed the first floor’s tutorial, the second floor allows
the acquisition and use of the “Avatar Summoning” skill. Anyone can summon
an avatar, but Summoners like Minakami and Minami have the greatest aptitude
for controlling them.
An avatar’s performance is determined by two factors. First, total EXP—
the more faction EXP you pour into an avatar, the higher its base stats,
like a kind of “combat power.” Second, its skills, which are entirely
in the Summoner’s domain, dictating “how the avatar is used.”
Thus, the avatar Minakami summons, untouched by either factor, is a blank slate.
However, as per the rule text, its “appearance” can be preset.
If unset, it defaults to the summoner’s appearance, but you can also
choose the appearance of a “same-district, same-sex” player.
We’d finalized the details yesterday.
But… just to be formal, let’s get the Fuwa twins’ approval first.
“So, we’re planning to acquire the ‘Avatar Summoning’ skill too. Any issues?”
“Nope, none at all. Honestly, you can’t do much without an avatar.”
“Right, right! I’ve been so looking forward to this! Mari, go for it!”
With their enthusiastic approval, Minakami slides her hand across her terminal.
1,500 EXP consumed, Avatar Summoning skill acquired.
Then, she activates the freshly obtained skill.
“Come, Shirayuki-senpai—!!”
Words of summoning, offered like a prayer.
In that instant, Minakami’s terminal, raised high, begins to emit a faint white glow.
In response, fluorescent lines race across the floor of the room at breakneck speed.
A magic circle forms, combining a hexagram, countless circles,
and unfamiliar runes etched between—a work of art. The moment it’s complete,
a massive pillar of light erupts at the circle’s center.
“…!?”
A blinding, dazzling radiance—.
When it fades, standing at the center of the magic circle… is a familiar girl.
No, to be precise, an avatar modeled after her. It’s just her appearance;
she’s not actually here. Avatars have no will and don’t speak.
Additionally, her outfit differs from the usual—per the 《Tower of Legends》’s
flavor, the Revolution Faction is a group of heretics awakened to magic
under the influence of demons or angels, a band of sorcerers.
Reflecting this, she’s dressed as a witch. Her silvery hair flows freely,
topped with a large black tricorn hat, and her shapely figure is clad
in a gothic black robe. She grips a rugged staff. The short front of her skirt
stands out, though that might just be the designer’s taste.
Regardless—Himeji Shirayuki steps forward silently, heading straight
for me, her clear emerald eyes locking onto mine. With a fluid motion,
she removes her hat, a faint smile on her lips, and says…
“I’ve kept you waiting, Master.”
…in her usual cool, melodious voice.
“No… no, no, no, hold on. Something’s wrong here, right?”
Right after Minakami summons the Revolution Faction’s avatar 【Himeji Shirayuki】,
creating a witch-styled Himeji, the one raising his voice in genuine confusion
is none other than Mitsuru.
“I get it, okay? The avatar Minakami-san summoned looks like
Shinohara-kun’s maid… Himeji-san, right? That’s fine.
But what just happened is weird, isn’t it? Why does an avatar have a will?
Why is it talking? Don’t tell me you’re actually cheating?”
“…Well, that’s the expected reaction.”
Waiting for Himeji—now in a witch outfit instead of her usual maid dress,
and looking as stunning as ever—to take her usual spot at my right,
I let a small smile tug at my lips. Just having Himeji beside me
boosts my mental composure tenfold. Especially after being separated
in the fourth stage semi-final.
Anyway,
“Since it’s a hassle to be suspected, I’ll explain. First, this isn’t cheating.
It’s completely within the rules… I mean, if it was cheating,
there’s no way I’d do it this openly, right?”
“Well, that’s true, but… so, there’s some trick to it?”
“Yeah. Listen, Mitsuru—your points are mostly correct,
but there’s one thing you’ve got wrong. The 《Tower of Legends》 avatars
are indeed projected images, but they’re not controlled by AI or anything.
《Libra》 members act as the ‘person inside.’”
“Motion capture, you mean? That’d make sense, but…
that person’s different, right? It’s not 《Libra》—it’s actually
Shinohara-kun’s maid inside. Or am I wrong?”
“You’re not wrong. Like I said, there’s just one thing you misunderstood.
Everything else is spot-on.”
With that, I glance at Himeji. She steps forward slightly,
bowing gracefully to the still-stunned pair.
“Pleased to meet you both—I am Shirayuki Himeji, Master’s dedicated maid.
Being from the same district as Kirigaya-sama makes me quite suspicious,
I know, but our time together will likely be brief, so please bear with me.”
“…!”
“Wow… amazing, amazing! Are you a maid? A witch? Which is it?”
“Well, for now, I’d say I lean more toward witch. I do use magic, after all.”
To Sumire’s question, Himeji casually waves her staff.
The smoothness of her movements might just be advanced tech,
but the voice is unmistakably Himeji’s own.
The trick lies in one of her abilities.
“There’s an ability called 《Pinch Hitter》. It’s custom-made, not available
on the market, and it’s a pretty unique ability that lets you swap
with a player from outside the 《Duel》. It’s a gray area,
but it hasn’t been deemed illegal yet.”
—Exactly.
《Pinch Hitter》—an ability I bought for Himeji at a shady shop
Saionji dragged me to long ago, given to her as a gift.
It allows player substitution from outside the 《Duel Game》.
Tricky to use, but it was a trump card that outsmarted Akizuki
in the 《District Selection Battle》.
“Himeji’s using it to swap with the ‘person inside’ the avatar.
According to 《Libra》, the ‘person inside’ counts as a pseudo-player,
so it’s a valid target for the ability. Plus, the ability requires
the other party’s consent to work, but when I explained the situation,
they agreed readily. The organizers probably knew about it too.”
“…Hey, Sumire. Is Shinohara-kun lying?”
“No, no! It doesn’t feel like that. His malice or goodwill is hard to sense,
but I can tell he’s very calm! Hiroto isn’t doing anything bad!”
“Of course. Do you think my Master, the 7-star strongest of Academy Island,
would resort to cheating?”
Himeji sways her silver hair, holding her tricorn hat in both hands.
…With 《Hexagram》 watching, cheating’s off the table; we’re just exploiting
a loophole, but whatever.
“This is a big deal, Mitsuru. Being able to communicate with Himeji
means we’re connected to the outside. 《Libra》’s broadcasts have a lag,
so it’s not great for scouting, but it makes area exploration
and info-gathering way easier. Avatars can stay summoned outside of combat too.”
“…Got it. Alright, my bad for doubting you.”
Mitsuru raises both hands slightly, shaking his head as if to say my mistake.
Thus, a “fifth member” joins our Revolution Faction.
♯
With all the situation checks done, we begin exploring the second floor.
With Himeji Shirayuki’s “external” info, exploration efficiency skyrockets.
《Libra》’s broadcasts are delayed—edited footage from room cameras,
aired with a two-hour lag inside and outside the tower—but even so,
differences in faction progress give us a solid informational edge.
And when it comes to opening doors, the star of the show is none other than Minakami Mari.
“【Difficulty III / Genre: Puzzle】 door… Alright, I’ll read the problem.
【—You are being attacked by a magical beast!】
【You hold the legendary holy sword stolen from the beast,
but you can only swing it in the brief moment the beast opens its mouth.
If you can’t defeat it then, you’ll be swallowed whole.】
【You could try to escape, but the beast is overwhelmingly faster.】
【How do you survive?】 …That’s the problem.”
With a small hmm, Minakami tucks her chin, thinking seriously for a moment.
The Fuwa twins and I follow suit… but Minakami is the first to look up.
For a fleeting moment, she shoots me a smug watch this expression
before declaring at the door:
“I throw away the sword.”
“…Eh? Eh? What does that mean, Mari?”
“Exactly what I said. Why is 【you】 being attacked by the beast in the first place?
It’s clearly stated in the problem—because 【you】 stole the 【legendary holy sword】!
Stealing is wrong, so let’s give it back quickly!”
With a swift wave of her right hand, Minakami delivers an answer
that’s so very her to the door.
Seeing this, Himeji lets out a faint, impressed murmur.
“I see… that makes sense. Regardless of 【you】’s perspective or feelings,
the stated goal is simply ‘survival.’ In that case, Minakami-sama’s choice
seems the most correct.”
“Yeah… By the way, what would you have done, Himeji?”
“Hmm… Let’s see. I would have poured EXP Expoints into [you] to enhance your avatar.
If you can only swing once, you just need to defeat it with that one strike.”
That’s one way to go, I thought, inwardly impressed. Minakami’s plan feels closer to the “correct answer,”
but as expected, the puzzle doors of the Tower of Lore don’t seem to have just one solution.
“S-Senpai, Senpai! Um, what’s… this?”
As I was lost in thought, Minakami, standing in front of the door, shook her black hair and called out.
When I looked up, I noticed that the conditions for opening the door had vanished,
replaced by an unfamiliar display.
[Fragment Acquired]
[Fragment 14: The imprisoned girl is, in essence, the same kind of existence as the Reaper.]
“Fragments are one of the flavor terms used within the Tower of Lore,”
Himeji smoothly explained, sensing my hesitation to respond.
“To put it simply, they’re pieces of information—about the world, rules, or hints for progression.
The rule text mentions that they can sometimes be obtained by opening doors.”
“I-I see! But… this information is kind of hard to understand, isn’t it? A girl and the Reaper being the same kind of existence…? Hmm?”
“Well, sure, it’s cryptic on its own, but… maybe the mystery will unravel as we progress. Let’s keep it in the back of our minds for now. Nice work, Minakami.”
“…! Y-Yes! Thank you, Senpai!”
Minakami beamed with a delighted smile.
Nodding back at her, I quietly turned my thoughts inward—
Could it be that we got this Fragment because we didn’t defeat the magical beast?
For example, with Himeji’s plan, the beast would’ve been gone. In that case, getting the Fragment would’ve been tough,
but on the other hand, [you] wouldn’t have lost the sword.
(So, the rewards for “puzzle” genre doors change depending on how you clear them… huh?)
Given the intricacy of the Tower of Lore, it wouldn’t be surprising if there were gimmicks like that.
In any case, seeing that our camp’s total EXP had surpassed [10,000] thanks to the rewards, including the Fragment,
I slowly shook my head. The EXP spent on acquiring skills had already been recovered.
Considering the progress of the Duel Game, it was about time to move to the next stage.
“Hey, Minakami, why don’t we grab some combat skills now? They’d be useful for puzzle or combat-genre doors,
and we’re already on the second stratum. We don’t know when we’ll run into another camp.”
Indeed—with the avatar summoning skill now unlocked, combat was inevitable.
According to Himeji, every camp has at least one summoner, so if we clash head-on, fighting is almost certain.
In response to my suggestion, Minakami turned back, her black hair swaying, and nodded enthusiastically.
“Yes! We’ve accumulated a good amount of EXP Expoints, so I think it’s about time!”
“I’m on board too. But there are so many skills, so we need to choose carefully…”
Fuka, nodding slightly, quietly opened his terminal.
As I watched Sumire peek at his screen from the side, I projected my own terminal’s display in front of me.
Combat skills, available only to “summoners” among all players—as Fuka said, there were quite a few.
From temporary stat boosts to special attacks with weapons, elemental magic, and a ton of support or defense skills.
And—according to Himeji, combat in the Tower of Lore has a slightly unique system.
“It’s called a Logical Quest—”
“In the Tower of Lore, when combat begins, the total EXP stats of the avatars summoned by both summoners are revealed.
Based on the difference, [Conditions] and [Circumstances] are set.
Circumstances mainly involve a ‘penalty’ applied to one of the avatars.
If the EXP gap is too large, it manifests as action restrictions—like being handcuffed at the start of combat or having item usage sealed.”
“As for Conditions, they’re essentially ‘settings’ applied to the avatars.
For example, ‘invincible while touching the ground’ or ‘only takes damage from fire attacks.’
The specifics vary widely, and how powerful the setting is depends on the EXP gap.”
“On top of that, both avatars engage in turn-based combat—attackers and defenders each select one skill from their arsenal,
and they clash within a five-minute time limit. If time runs out, the roles switch.
If you have the EXP advantage, you might be able to brute-force your way through,
but if you’re at a disadvantage, you won’t deal meaningful damage unless you cleverly counter their ‘setting.’”
“So, when choosing skills, logical versatility is key.
For instance, if the opponent is an ‘angel soaring in the sky,’ the optimal choice might be lightning magic.
But throwing weapons or jumping could work too. You could summon a storm to ground them or manipulate gravity to pull them down.
Even a long stick might do the trick.”
“The point is flexible thinking.”
That’s the gist of it.
The Tower of Lore’s unique combat system, the Logical Quest.
It’s a ‘conditional battle’ where the key is figuring out how to overcome the settings applied to the opponent’s avatar.
It’s packed with puzzle-like elements, which makes it very fitting for the Tower of Lore’s rules.
“Hmm… If that’s the case, maybe magic skills are the most versatile?
Among the skills we can grab early, the most useful seem to be Fireball Barrage and Icicle Rain.
Fireball Barrage is highly versatile since it can tie into fire or high temperatures,
and Icicle Rain lets you create weapons in various shapes.”
“Right! I think those two are good choices for attack skills!
Defense skills are all pretty costly, so maybe total EXP matters more than the skills themselves…
But just in case, having something like Absolute Defense would be nice.”
“Lovely, so lovely! There are tons of support skills too—it’s hard to choose!”
Minakami peered at my terminal, Sumire at Fuka’s, each sharing their opinions freely.
With this many options, there’s probably no single “correct” way to build an avatar…
But either way, the basic strategy would be to acquire various skills while boosting total EXP stats.
In the Tower of Lore’s combat, losing doesn’t mean instant elimination,
but your camp’s most critical resource—EXP Expoints—gets halved, including all the EXP invested in the avatar.
Recovering from that would be a real struggle.
“Alright, let’s sum it up. For now, we’ll take the attack skills Fireball Barrage and Icicle Rain.
For defense, just Absolute Defense. And we’ll throw in the support skill Re-Action…
That’s 6,500 EXP total. The Revolution Camp has [12,700] EXP,
so we’ll allocate 5,000 EXP to stat boosts and save the rest. Sound good?”
“Yes, that sounds fine. Regarding total EXP, there’s a formula for the stat benchmark needed to clear each stratum:
[Stratum × Stratum × 1,000]. For the second stratum, that’s 4,000 EXP.
As long as we’re above that, we should be more than fine.”
“…Yeah, I’ve got no objections.”
Himeji agreed, her silver hair swaying lightly, followed by a nod from Fuka a moment later.
He seemed to be thinking carefully, probably because investing EXP in an avatar is a tricky matter.
Once EXP is invested, it can’t be undone, and if Minakami were to switch camps, her avatar would go with her.
It’s a decision that requires careful judgment.
With their support, Minakami began operating her terminal.
“G-Got it! Then, I’ll start with acquiring the skills…
Huh?”
“? What’s wrong, Minakami?”
“W-Well, um, it’s just… I can’t acquire them.”
(…What?)
Her gaze, a mix of sadness and confusion, prompted me to peek at her terminal from the side.
The [Skill Acquisition] section on her terminal’s home screen displayed a tree of countless skills.
Skills that met the acquisition conditions were supposed to light up,
but on Minakami’s terminal, nearly all of them were grayed out.
Back on the first stratum, I hadn’t thought much of it since the prerequisite Avatar Summon skill wasn’t unlocked,
but now, even with Himeji summoned, she couldn’t acquire any skills.
(It’s not a lack of EXP Expoints… So, is there some condition she hasn’t met?)
With that hypothesis in mind, I opened the detailed info for Icicle Rain to check—
“Attack Skill: Icicle Rain. Acquisition Conditions: [Summoner Only / Chaos Value 1 or Higher]… Chaos Value?”
“W-What’s that stat…?”
The sudden appearance of an unfamiliar term made both Minakami and me tilt our heads in unison.
No matter how much I racked my brain, I couldn’t recall seeing the term in the rule text or anywhere in the Duel Game.
“So… maybe this is information that only unlocks after reaching the second stratum?”
“—Yes. It seems that’s the case.”
Himeji, standing nearby, nodded in agreement with my guess.
“Chaos Value. It was quietly added as information under [Fragment 1] among your held items,
but it’s what you’d call a ‘hidden stat.’ It accumulates based on your actions in the tower,
and its exact value is never disclosed. I checked the reactions on STOC,
and among viewers, it’s seen as something akin to ‘contribution.’
The more active you are in the Duel Game, the higher your Chaos Value,
and the more powerful skills you can acquire.”
“…I see. So it’s a personal stat, not tied to the camp.”
Listening to Himeji’s explanation, I glanced at the skill list again.
In my case, some supporter skills were available for acquisition.
Skills requiring [Chaos Value 20 or Higher] were lit up, while those needing [Chaos Value 25 or Higher] were grayed out.
“Then my Chaos Value is somewhere between 20 and 24… Wait, hold on.”
As my understanding clicked into place, a sudden realization hit me,
and I glanced over at Minakami. As expected, the scene unfolding was half-anticipated.
“Gah…!”
Minakami’s shoulders slumped, clearly devastated.
It’s no wonder—she couldn’t hide her shock.
Being unable to acquire Icicle Rain, which requires [Chaos Value 1 or Higher],
essentially meant the game was declaring, “Minakami’s contributions don’t even reach Chaos Value 1.”
“Ugh… Why? I thought I was doing my best…”
“…Well, you know, skills can be grabbed anytime. For now, stat boosts should be enough.”
“Yes… I’m sorry for making you console me.”
Still looking crestfallen, Minakami shook her black hair and bowed to me.
As she began allocating EXP solely to her avatar’s stat boosts,
I felt a pang of guilt, accompanied by a faint sense of unease.
(“Thought I was doing my best,” huh… Honestly, Minakami’s been pretty active since the first stratum.
She’s opened doors way more often than I have. So why this huge gap…?)
My estimated Chaos Value is over 20, while Minakami’s is 0.
I’m not saying it should be the other way around, but the disparity feels too extreme.
In terms of contribution, Minakami should be rated higher.
“…Hey, Himeji, do we know anything more specific about how Chaos Value works?”
“No… At least within the scope of what’s been broadcast on Island Tube,
no camp has grasped detailed info about Chaos Value.
According to STOC’s speculative figures, Kirigaya-sama seems to be in the lead,
but that’s just deduced from skill trees.
However, there’s one thing we do know—thanks to a Fragment obtained by Saeki Kaoru’s Angel Camp.
Do you remember the ‘Reaper’ mentioned in the rule text, Master?”
“? Yeah, of course.”
The Reaper—the one who imprisoned the “captive girl” in this tower.
From the Duel Game’s perspective, it’s the unique hidden role capable of eliminating other players.
“The Reaper is deeply tied to Chaos Value.
According to the Tower of Lore’s rules, the Reaper role unlocks at 3:00 p.m. on the first day…
which is coming up soon. And who gets the Reaper role isn’t random.
[Fragment 6: The player with the highest Chaos Value is none other than the ‘Reaper.’]”
“…So that’s how it works.”
I muttered under my breath, almost growling.
Well, now that it’s been said, it’s not an unreasonable system.
The player with the highest Chaos Value—the one most active in the Tower of Lore—gets the most powerful role.
In a way, it’s a natural and fair way to decide.
And once the Reaper appears, this Duel Game truly becomes an “escape game.”
Getting caught means game over, so you have to maneuver to avoid the Reaper—or build enough power to negotiate with them.
That thought flashed through my mind—at that very moment.
“—Kyaha! Bingo!”
The sound of the door unlocking echoed, followed by an annoyingly high-pitched voice grating on our ears.
Whipping around toward the sound, I saw, as expected, members of another camp—
but not a full four-person team, just a pair: a guy and a girl.
“Haha… A traitor, huh? That’s hilarious.”
“…Ako-senpai.”
First, the girl, laughing frivolously and provoking Minakami, wore a hexagonal emblem on her uniform’s chest.
Ishizaki Ako, a third-year from Oumi Academy in District 10.
A member of Hexagram like Yanagi Soma, she had some connection to Minakami.
“…Shinohara. So you guys are the Revolution Camp, huh?”
And the other—a delinquent with dull blonde hair who stepped through the door with a menacing tone:
Fujishiro Keiya, the “ultimate weapon” of Ouka Academy.
From our alliance in Rainbow Patisserie and the semifinals’ fourth stage, I know he’s not a bad guy,
but he’s terrifying as an enemy.
(Ishizaki Ako and Fujishiro Keiya… They’re part of Saionji’s Kingdom Camp, right?)
Facing them with a calm expression, I thought to myself.
Normally, in the Tower of Lore, “members of the same camp act together,”
but with the Parallel Movement skill—available only to supporters or granted as an advantage to districts with multiple players in the final battle—
a camp can split into two or more groups to explore more efficiently. They must’ve been using that.
But that doesn’t matter.
In this Duel Game, when two camps clash, there’s only one course of action.
“So—shall we get to crushing each other?”
With a gleeful smirk, Ishizaki pulled out her terminal, and I mentally clicked my tongue.
♯
SFIA Sphere Final Battle, Tower of Lore, Second Stratum—
Our Revolution Camp was facing another camp for the first time since the Duel Game began.
Standing before us were members of the Kingdom Camp.
Their roster should include Saionji, Fujishiro, Ishizaki, and Yumeno,
but they must’ve split up to explore, as only Ishizaki and Fujishiro were here.
As for roles, Ishizaki seemed to be the “summoner.”
A blue flash burst from her raised terminal, and after a grandiose display, an avatar was summoned.
Fitting the Kingdom Camp, it had the appearance of a hero—light and agile yet dignified,
with a cloak bearing an emblem fluttering on its back.
Naturally, its appearance was female, not Ishizaki herself but an unfamiliar student,
exuding a sharp aura with a sword at her waist.
In response, Minakami, with a serious expression, turned to Himeji and spoke.
“T-Then… Please, Shirayuki-senpai!”
“…Indeed. Moving under orders other than my Master’s goes against a maid’s pride—”
“E-Ehh!? I’m sorry—”
“Just kidding. I fully understand that’s how the rules work…
Besides, there’s no reason to refuse a cute kouhai’s ‘request.’”
With a faintly mischievous tone and a gentle smile toward Minakami,
Himeji turned to me, bowed with a “I’ll be off,” and stepped forward with quiet, measured steps.
The hero and the mage faced each other from just a few meters apart.
Watching this exchange, Ishizaki, standing behind the hero, raised her voice in a mocking tone.
“Huh? The Revolution Camp’s avatar is a witch? Yikes, super cute…
But what’s that? Why’s she talking so normally? Is she communicating with the outside?
No way, that’s cheating, right? Ohh, I get it—since you’re the kind of coward who betrayed Hexagram,
you must’ve sold your body to the organizers to get a pass, huh? Ugh, so shady! Caught red-handed!”
“W-What!? I’d never do something like that! I’m just acting according to my own justice!
Shirayuki-senpai talking—it’s a method I can’t explain, but it’s completely within the rules!
Ako-senpai, you’re the one who needs to wake up!”
“Huh? …What’s that? You pick a fight and then play the justice card now?”
“Tch…”
“I mean… you know, right? We Hexagram are a righteous organization.
We crush bad guys to protect the island’s peace—absolute justice.
So anyone who opposes us is automatically evil, no questions asked.
That liar over there, and you too. …God, it’s so funny.
After we ditched you, you ran to the Seven Stars? You’re something else—”
“—Excuse me, Ishizaki-sama. Would you kindly close that filthy mouth of yours now?”
Can you please do it?』
And… at that moment, it was Himeji who slammed her fist on the counter
against Ishizaki, who was hurling insults at Minakami. Taking advantage of
Ishizaki’s inability to react in time, she continued in an icy tone.
『My permission to speak is not due to any foul play by Minakami-sama,
but rather a brilliant move by my master, executed within the rules. You may
rant and rave, calling everything unknown a cheat or a sham, but know that
such behavior only exposes the shallowness of your own judgment.』
「Wha… huh? What’s that supposed to mean, you—」
『Furthermore, it was we who invited Minakami-sama to join us.
Someone as insignificant as you isn’t even worthy of catching my master’s eye,
but to bring down Saeki Kaoru—《Hexagram》—Minakami-sama’s strength is absolutely essential.
In that sense, all your speculations and insults are utterly off the mark. Well done.』
「Tch… so what!? You’ve been super annoying this whole time!」
Himeji’s rebuttals, delivered with a cool expression—partly because of the events at the 4th stage semifinal,
Himeji fundamentally does not forgive 《Hexagram》—left Ishizaki trembling with rage.
Yet, showing not the slightest intent to apologize, Himeji sighed and was about to speak again
as she realized this.
But—just before she could.
「Hold on… ugh, that was our bad just now. I take it back and apologize.
So, can we just let it slide and start the battle? Wasting time
isn’t exactly great for you guys either, right?」
『…You seem calm, at least. As expected of Sarasa-sama’s ally
and my master’s former teammate. I have no objections.
If Minakami-sama is fine with it, that is.』
「I-I’m… yes, I’m okay. I never thought words alone would change anything
in the first place.」
「Hah!? E-even if you guys are fine with it, I—」
「Shut up, Ishizaki… I won’t say it twice.」
「…Eek… o-okay, okay, just don’t glare at me like that…」
The moment Fujishiro, leaning against the wall, spoke those words,
Ishizaki flinched, her shoulders jumping as she surrendered in an instant.
…Well, there aren’t many who could stay calm under Fujishiro’s glare,
are there? Anyway, the battle was finally about to begin.
Let’s take a moment to clarify—combat in 《The Tower of Lore》 is, in a word,
“conditional battle logical quest.” The performance difference between the avatars deployed by each faction,
namely the total EXP stat difference, assigns specific “situations” and “conditions” to both avatars.
The situation is a visible representation of the “power gap” between the two avatars in that battle.
If the EXP total differs by a certain amount, the weaker avatar bears it as a penalty.
And the conditions—these are the “settings” applied to each avatar.
Temporary rules valid only for that battle. Naturally, these are also adjusted based on the EXP total difference,
making it harder to deal damage the stronger the opponent is.
That’s why, in 《The Tower of Lore》’s battles, whether your avatar’s total EXP surpasses your opponent’s
is a massively critical factor.
(How’s it looking…?)
The hero and mage avatars locked eyes head-on.
As everyone’s attention focused, a display appeared above their heads.
【《The Tower of Lore》 2nd Floor B-2: Kingdom Faction VS Revolutionary Faction: Battle Start】
【2nd Floor Conquest Baseline EXP Points: 4000】
【Kingdom Faction—Ishizaki Ako. Avatar: Yamane Shion. EXP Total: 4700】
【Revolutionary Faction—Minakami Mari. Avatar: Himeji Shirayuki. EXP Total: 5000】
【Situation: Equal】
【Condition (Yamane Shion): Takes no damage while touching the sword】
【Condition (Himeji Shirayuki): Takes no damage while touching the staff】
Gazing at the fluorescent green text, I silently pondered. …Well, it’s about as expected.
The avatars’ EXP totals are nearly equal, so there’s no notable advantage or disadvantage in the situation or conditions.
It’s shaping up to be a straight-up fight—but,
「No favoritism in situation or conditions, huh… ugh. This might be a bit bad.」
At the same time, Tsuruga said this with a grim expression. Despite having a slight stat advantage,
her tone suggested they were being pushed into a corner. And the reactions of the other two were far more obvious than Tsuruga’s.
「Tch… I-I’m sorry! If I had tried harder…」
「No, no way! It’s not Mari’s fault! So you absolutely can’t cry!」
「I-I’m not crying… but, but if this keeps up!」
Returning to us for strategy time, Minakami bit her lip in frustration.
Indeed—since the EXP totals and conditions were revealed,
it’s normally the time to select skills to use. But, as we confirmed earlier,
our Revolutionary Faction hasn’t even acquired the basic attack skill “Rain of Ice.”
In other words, we can’t do anything. If we had at least a huge EXP total gap, it’d be different,
but unfortunately, it’s almost even.
(According to Himeji, no faction knows how to earn Chaos Points…
so it’s not Minakami’s fault she hasn’t acquired skills. But…)
「—Kyaha!」
As I was lost in thought, a grating laugh suddenly struck my ears.
「What, what, what~? No way, don’t tell me you don’t have any skills to choose from?
Yikes, for real? Did you not prepare at all, or is your summoner just that incompetent?」
Blatantly provoked, Minakami’s face fell with a 「Tch…」 as she lowered her head, her black hair swaying.
Watching her closely, I quietly began to speak.
「…In 《The Tower of Lore》’s battle rules, the attacking and defending sides need to set two skills each turn.
But since skills have cooldowns, even someone other than Minakami could end up with ‘no usable skills.’
What happens in that case?」
「Oh, um… yes. In that case, the default skills—‘Attack’ for the attacking side
and ‘Defense’ for the defending side—become available for unlimited use.
But since it’s just swinging or bracing with the weapon, fulfilling the conditions
might be a bit tricky…」
「Nah, not really. If it was a rule like ‘no skills means automatic loss,’ we’d be stuck,
but if that’s not the case, there’s no problem. You prepared perfectly, right, Minakami—
I don’t think for a second that you’ll lose.」
「…!」
I declared, locking eyes with her anxious black gaze. …Sure,
fighting without a single skill is normally beyond reckless.
But at least in this matchup, I had enough reason to judge Minakami as overwhelmingly advantaged.
And—facing my gaze head-on, Minakami…
「Understood. …I was a little worried, but if Shinohara-senpai says that,
I feel like I can do my best. Just watch—I’m going!」
「Yeah, I’m counting on you.」
Toward Minakami’s back as she flipped her long black hair and ran back to Himeji,
I tossed those words. Right after, in our line of sight, she swiftly swiped her terminal.
Skill set complete—at the same time, “First Move” and “Second Move” were assigned,
and the battle’s curtain was finally raised.
「Kyaha! First move! I’m so lucky!」
By the fair draw, Ishizaki secured the first move. Battles in 《The Tower of Lore》
alternate between attack and defense every five minutes, and since “the first to deplete the opponent avatar’s HP wins,”
the first move is simply more advantageous. That’s why the draw for first and second moves
isn’t equal—it’s like a skewed roulette wheel where the EXP total stat ratio directly affects the odds—
but this time, our slight edge was overturned.
And then,
「Get ready, traitor. I don’t have any time to waste on someone like you—
so, I won’t even let you have an attack turn. Here we go, Shion, 『Rensengara』!」
The skill Ishizaki set, 『Rensengara』—
upon its activation, the hero avatar began exuding a different aura.
Keeping her right hand on the sword, she slightly lowered her stance, taking short breaths.
Then, in an instant, BOOM! She stepped forward with tremendous force, accompanied by a fierce gust.
「Tch! Shirayuki-senpai, 『Defense』!」
『Understood.』
Minakami reflexively called out. The default skill 『Defense』—
the moment Himeji, dressed as a witch, calmly raised her staff in front of her body,
the hero’s sword, having moved at blinding speed, was swung down with full force.
A flurry of slashes, far more than ten or twenty. Himeji blocked them with a cool expression,
but at the very end, her staff was knocked out of her hands.
『Tch…』
「Haha—kyahahaha! Bullseye! Total bullseye! Using a default skill from the first turn…
Yikes, are you that weak!? So hilarious. Did you get divine punishment for betraying 《Hexagram》!?」
「…No, there’s no way you seniors, who aren’t even allies of justice, could deliver divine punishment!」
「Hmph, you’ve gotten mouthy, huh? So, what’s your next move?」
Ishizaki kept taunting with a smirk, her expression already radiating confidence in victory.
Well, it’s not surprising. After all, our Revolutionary Faction’s avatar, Himeji,
lost her witch’s staff in that exchange. Condition broken—
since the only thing protecting Himeji was 【Takes no damage while holding the staff】,
she’s now defenseless.
「One turn is five minutes, so there’s still over three minutes left, right?
I already used my skill, but since I’ve also got battle abilities equipped…
you made fun of me so much earlier, so I’ll bully you back. It’s, like, karma, right?」
I could tell Himeji narrowed her eyes slightly at Ishizaki’s words,
but there was no point in arguing back, so she didn’t.
She just waited silently for the moment.
「M-Mitsuru! What do we do in a situation like this!? How can we help!?」
「Hmm, honestly, retreating might be the best option here.
We need to figure out the mystery of Chaos Points…」
As for Tsuruga and Sumire, they seemed to think this battle was already half-“checkmated.”
That perspective isn’t hard to understand. From an outsider’s view, it’s probably accurate.
But I—more precisely, Himeji, Minakami, and I—were envisioning a completely different future.
(…Lucky break, Minakami. Your first opponent being from 《Hexagram》—)
「Here we go… Ability 《Tactical Pursuit》 activated! And Shion, 『Ensengara』!」
In that instant, at the center of our gazes, Ishizaki swung her terminal down with a triumphant expression.
《Tactical Pursuit》 ability, allowing an additional attack skill selection.
Naturally, the one to move was the hero avatar. The sword that had just knocked Himeji’s staff away
was now held horizontally, then thrown with great force—not just hurled recklessly.
The sword, released from the hero’s hand, spun through the air with a whir, tracing a circular path around the room,
aiming for Himeji with complex trajectories as if it had a mind of its own.
A direct hit would surely be fatal.
Yet, even so, Minakami calmly wove her words.
「—Ako-senpai. It’s true, I might be a burden.
Like you said, I haven’t acquired a single battle skill.」
「Knew it. Why not just give up? You’re not even the type to make it to the final battle—」
「But… even so, I won’t rely on skills!!」
A daring grin twisted her lips—a belligerent smile, almost as if mimicking someone.
Minakami thrust her terminal straight forward.
Her expression was worlds apart from the girl who, just a week ago, was beaten to a pulp by Saeki Kaoru,
left stunned and tearful. No longer a weakling waiting to be hunted, she had long resolved herself
as a participant—a player with the will to rebel.
「《Single-Point Breakthrough》 ability, activated—!」
Her resolute voice echoed through the room… and in that moment, light poured from Minakami’s terminal,
enveloping Himeji’s body. A torrent of overwhelming light, almost forcing you to close your eyes.
『…I see.』
Wrapped in that light, Himeji let out a soft murmur, as if suddenly understanding something.
At the same time, she pinched the brim of her tricorn hat with gloved fingertips
and lightly swung it toward the incoming hero’s sword—and in that instant,
GIIIIIN! With a dull sound, the sword was deflected in a random direction.
As everyone looked on in shock, Himeji carefully readjusted her hat with both hands.
And then, without the slightest disturbance in her breathing, she spoke in a cool tone.
『As expected, with this much of an EXP total gap, attacks barely get through.
Worthy of a unique star-class ultra-enhanced ability.』
—Exactly, that’s right.
The special ability Minakami had set, 《Single-Point Breakthrough》.
It was an “ultra-enhanced ability with limited conditions” developed with the genius members
to repay all the debts from the 4th stage semifinal and beyond.
Its estimated enhancement value was a staggering tenfold. By restricting its use to only against 《Hexagram》,
it far surpassed the performance allowed for a 3-star terminal,
honed to perfection as an ability for decisive battles.
And in this conditional battle logical quest, a change in EXP total
means a complete shift in situations and conditions.
【2nd Floor Conquest Baseline EXP Points: 4000】
【Kingdom Faction—Avatar: Yamane Shion. EXP Total: 4700】
【Revolutionary Faction—Avatar: Himeji Shirayuki. Modified EXP Total: 5000 → 51000】
【Situation Updated: Avatar Yamane Shion is fully restrained】
【Condition Updated (Himeji Shirayuki): Takes no damage while touching the staff】
【Condition Updated (Yamane Shion): Cannot touch the opponent avatar at all】
…It was overwhelming.
An EXP total of 51,000 is enough to challenge the 7th floor by the conquest baseline.
The stat gap with the opponent avatar is over tenfold—fully restrained,
and unable to even touch Himeji. With the situation this stacked,
the presence or absence of skills is irrelevant.
When you think logically, Minakami had already won the moment they faced off.
「W-what, no way…」
「Surrender, Ako-senpai. There’s still time—come with me and apologize to everyone!
Following Kaoru-san is a mistake. Because, because that person—」
But… just as Minakami tried to persuade her once more,
『To all players conquering 《The Tower of Lore》—hello, this is 《Hexagram》.』
「—!?」
At the sudden voice ringing out, Minakami stopped mid-sentence, startled.
At the same time, massive virtual monitors appeared, covering the walls on all sides,
and a certain video began to play.
It was a room within 《The Tower of Lore》, just like this one.
A sterile room surrounded by white walls and a door. Standing there were not just him,
but a total of four people, men and women.
『Heh… well, I’m in a bind. Everyone’s expectations are flattering,
but I’m not the star today, you know?』
The first was Ibara’s ace, Yuikawa Kanade, brushing up his bangs with a refreshing smile.
At the 4th stage semifinal, he betrayed us to secure his spot in the final battle first,
and his annoying demeanor is still alive and well. The only change is the hexagonal emblem on his chest.
『…』
Standing a bit behind Yuikawa was Kururugi Senri, a second-year from Tsuyuri Girls’ Academy,
her black hair tied in a ponytail. As usual, she carried a wooden sword at her waist,
but her typically sharp gaze was subdued. At least, she didn’t seem to plan on speaking during this broadcast.
Thus, the main focus was clearly on the two in the foreground—
third-year Akutsu Miyabi, a senior executive of the academy island’s official organization 《Hexagram》,
and 《Hexagram》’s leader, Saeki Kaoru. Members of Suisei Academy’s second district,
forming the core of the organization of justice.
After a pause long enough to draw attention, Saeki continued with a pleasant smile on the screen.
『This broadcast is being transmitted to all rooms on the second and third floors. For those conquering…』
“I’m terribly sorry for interrupting, but this is important, so please listen carefully.”
“Otherwise, all the effort Miyabi put into registering streaming abilities for you would go to waste.”
Saeki says this in a joking tone, his eyes slightly narrowed.
Spreading his arms slowly in front of the camera, he continues with a compassionate expression.
“Now, we don’t have much time, so let’s get to the main point.”
“First, as a premise, in this 《Duel Game》—《Tower of Lore》—you won’t be eliminated unless caught by a player with the hidden role of Reaper.”
“But doesn’t that feel a bit dull? This is the final battle, so shouldn’t the stakes be higher?”
“That’s why we decided to shake things up. The special ability 《Countdown》… in simple terms, it’s an advanced version of ‘conditional designation.’”
“This time, we’ve assigned a ‘forced elimination condition’ to everyone except 《Hexagram》.”
“The format is uniform: 【Perform ○○ ○ times, and you’re eliminated】.”
“In other words, each player has a forbidden action—if you reach the set number of times, you’ll be expelled from the tower.”
“By the way, as the ability name 《Countdown》 suggests, your terminals will notify you every hour at 00 minutes with the 【Remaining ○ times】 count.”
“Use it as a hint to narrow down your forbidden actions.”
“And finally, about how to release《Countdown》… there are two main ways.”
“One is to defeat my reliable ally—Miyabi—in combat, but I wouldn’t recommend that. Right, Miyabi?”
Saying this, Saeki turns his body sideways with a smile.
The silver-gray-haired girl standing beside him, Akutsu Miyabi, raises a cold gaze and speaks in a dismissive tone.
“Obviously. To make Kaoru’s 《Countdown》 work, I’ve registered abilities entirely focused on combat.”
“There’s no way I’d lose to some barbarian who dares challenge Kaoru.”
“Haha, that’s reassuring,” Saeki nods with satisfaction.
Then, narrowing his eyes slightly, he turns back to face us.
“As you’ve heard, defeating Miyabi will be quite a challenge.”
“But don’t worry—there’s another way to解除 《Countdown》.”
“That is, the elimination of the 7-Star Player, Shinohara Hiroto—”
“…Haha. Well, that’s obvious, isn’t it? We joined 《SFIA》 to expose his wrongdoings.”
“If he’s eliminated—if his 7-Star facade is stripped away—our goal is achieved.”
“There’d be no point in obsessing over victory.”
“So, I promise that if Shinohara-kun is eliminated, regardless of the circumstances or who does it, everyone’s elimination conditions will be release.”
“Much better than trying to beat Miyabi, don’t you think?”
“So—how about it? Don’t you all want to become heroes of justice?”
Saeki’s smile is brimming with confidence in his overwhelming advantage.
“Tch…”
I glare at that smile until the broadcast cuts off, then shake my head slightly.
What can I say… in a word, it’s the worst.
Saeki’s 《Countdown》 has forced every player except 《Hexagram》 to carry an invisible action that could lead to their downfall.
We’re now forced to constantly be aware of an unknown elimination condition.
Which means—
“Kyaha… Kyahahahaha!”
A gleeful laugh suddenly assaults my eardrums after the video cuts out.
Without even needing to look, it’s Ishizaki, laughing triumphantly as if she’s already won.
“I knew it! Those who believed in Kaoru-san are gonna win!”
“Giving elimination conditions to everyone except 《Hexagram》… that’s insane, seriously amazing!”
“It’s totally our victory already!”
“Our victory? That’s not—”
“Huh? What, you still haven’t given up? Fine, go ahead and attack.”
“But where’s the proof that attacking isn’t your ‘forbidden action’?”
“If you’ve got one count left, you’d be eliminated instantly. You okay with that kind of recklessness?”
—Yeah, exactly.
Since we don’t know what our forbidden actions are, we can’t afford to act carelessly.
As Ishizaki says, attacking someone could be the final push that eliminates Minakami.
Losing a fight only costs resources, but elimination is game over.
Knowing this, Ishizaki raises her terminal with a sadistic grin.
“Well then, there’s still time, but let’s say your turn’s a pass, okay?”
“I’m super pissed from all your trash talk, so I won’t forgive you until you’re crying and begging!”
The execution verdict slams into Minakami, who keeps her head bowed…
But,
“—…masu.”
“Huh? …What’d you just say?”
“Yes. I said, ‘No’—Ako-senpai, my turn isn’t over yet!”
“Wha…!?”
Ishizaki, who thought she’d regained the upper hand with Saeki’s announcement, widens her eyes in shock.
Minakami lifts her face resolutely.
There’s no confidence or composure in her expression, but with unwavering resolve, she swings her raised right hand down.
“Please, Shirayuki-senpai—‘Attack’ skill, activate!!”
Against a choice that could lead to elimination, Shirayuki Himeji, the mage still facing away, says—
“Good judgment, Minakami-sama. …Leave the rest to me.”
—in a gentle voice, lightly kicking the ground.
Temporarily super-enhanced by 《Piercing Strike》, she moves behind the hero with such force it could generate a shockwave, raising both hands.
In her grip is the witch’s staff that should’ve been knocked away earlier.
It’s back… no, it was likely ‘restored.’
With a stat gap between 4,700 EXP (2nd floor equivalent) and 51,000 EXP (7th floor equivalent), such absurdity is possible.
“Ei.”
Immediately after, Himeji gently swings both hands down.
Default skill “Attack”—a light clunk resonates, and the hero’s body is blown away.
Their HP is drained in one go, and the kingdom faction’s avatar vanishes in the same blue light as when summoned.
“—Defeat complete.”
“A-Amazing! That was insanely cool, Shirayuki-senpai!!”
Minakami showers Himeji with uncontainable excitement and praise as she calmly returns.
But, naturally, Ishizaki isn’t convinced.
“Wha… How can you attack!? Don’t you know fear or caution!?”
“Of course I do, Ako-senpai. I absolutely don’t want to be eliminated either.”
“Then why!?”
“I don’t understand what you mean by ‘why.’ …After all, we don’t know anything about the forbidden actions, right?”
“Sure, attacking might be forbidden, but there’s just as much chance that surrendering or running away is the forbidden action.”
“Exactly, Minakami-sama. At that moment, every action was equally dangerous.”
“In that case, prioritizing the option with the highest return—victory—is the rational choice.”
“Guh…”
Realizing she’s at a disadvantage, Ishizaki bites her lower lip and looks away.
With this, the battle between the kingdom and revolution factions concludes, and the words 【Winner: Revolution Faction】 glow in fluorescent green above us.
“…! S-Senpai! Senpai, I did it…!”
Seeing this, Minakami turns to me, her face a mix of relief and joy.
To an outsider, it’s just one win, but for her, this victory holds great meaning.
It’s proof of her resolve to face 《Hexagram》.
So, I let my cheeks soften slightly to match her joy.
“Yeah—you did great, Minakami.”
♯
《SFIA》 Final Battle 《Tower of Lore》, 2nd Floor—
Having defeated the kingdom faction, we gathered in a room we’d moved to.
“I ignored it and charged in earlier, but… these forced elimination conditions are really tough, huh.”
I sigh, shaking my head quietly.
Saeki Kaoru’s imposition of ‘forced elimination conditions’—originally, 《Tower of Lore》 was a 《Duel Game》 where you could keep progressing unless you encountered the Reaper.
But Saeki’s 《Countdown》 ability slapped an invisible elimination condition on everyone except 《Hexagram》.
Fuka, across from me, shrugs with an ambiguous expression.
“They’re really doing whatever they want… This is probably meant to hold us back.”
“Since we don’t know what the forbidden actions are, we have to move blindly.”
“With the remaining count only notified hourly, we’re forced to be cautious.”
“Yeah. This 《Duel Game》 favors those who take the lead.”
“Moving ahead of other factions lets you set traps or ambush easily.”
“Traps, ambushes… how terrifying, how terrifying!”
Sumire, sensitive to malice, says this anxiously and scurries to Fuka’s side.
Watching her absently, I raise my terminal.
“Just earlier, at 3 PM, we got the first count notification.”
“Mine’s 5, Minakami’s 3, and both Fuka and Sumire are at 4.”
“Whether these have decreased or not, at least none of us are one shot away from elimination.”
“Indeed. …But none of these numbers are exactly reassuring.”
“For now, we should track our actions and move with as few steps as possible.”
“Especially skills or combat-related actions tied to tower progression—those need caution.”
“Yeah… If we could pinpoint the forbidden actions, that’d be ideal.”
I let out a small sigh. …The one behind 《Countdown》 is none other than Saeki Kaoru.
I doubt the conditions are simple enough to figure out easily.
“But we can’t obsess over it too much. Let’s keep the forbidden actions in mind and resume exploring.”
“So, Himeji, can you update us on the other factions’ status?”
“Yes, leave it to me, Master.”
Himeji’s silver hair sways as she responds.
From outside 《Tower of Lore》, she has a view of the entire 《Duel Game》, albeit with a two-hour delay.
Using skills would give the latest info, but we’re trying to narrow down forbidden actions.
No unnecessary moves.
Her cool voice reaches my ears.
“As of two hours ago, only one faction has reached the 3rd floor—the demon faction led by Kirigaya-sama.”
“They cleared the 2nd floor via the shortest route and headed up without hesitation.”
“The kingdom faction, led by Sarasa-sama, has split into two groups, thoroughly exploring the 2nd floor.”
“They’re slower than the demon faction but have top-tier skill versatility.”
“Huh… Both are playing to their strengths.”
Kirigaya aims for speed, while Saionji prioritizes thoroughness.
Saionji, as she mentioned in our call the other day, treats this like a ‘real escape game.’
She’s meticulously gathering items and info.
“Lastly, the angel faction, which just gave a provocative speech to all players.”
“There’s something odd about them.”
“In the broadcast from two hours ago, they’d already found the elevator to the 3rd floor but haven’t activated it.”
“In short, they’re deliberately staying on the 2nd floor.”
“Huh…? Is that even possible? Why would they…?”
At Minakami’s question, Himeji places a gloved finger to her lips, murmuring, “Hmm…”
“Indeed. Minakami-sama, I hear you enjoy dungeon-crawler games.”
“If it were you, why might someone linger on a floor when they know how to proceed?”
“M-Me? I’d probably be collecting items… oh. Could it be… hunting?”
“…I see. As expected.”
Himeji shakes her head with a sigh.
Hunting—likely the correct answer.
Unless they’re focused on exploration, lingering on a floor means they’re ‘hunting’ other players.
And not just defeating them in combat.
“The Reaper… huh.”
“Yes. 《Tower of Lore》, Day 1, 3 PM—that’s when the hidden role ‘Reaper,’ capable of eliminating others, is unlocked.”
“In 《Libra》’s broadcast, it’s still in the future, but it’s likely already set by now.”
“The Reaper targets the player with the highest chaos value—an hour ago, that was Kirigaya-sama.”
“But with the ‘forced elimination conditions,’ the situation flipped. The first Reaper is undoubtedly Saeki Kaoru.”
“Tch…”
Hearing Himeji’s deduction, I quietly bite my lower lip.
…That’s it. Saeki’s strategy wasn’t just about slowing others down.
It was also about forcibly racking up chaos value to claim the Reaper role.
“B-But!”
Minakami, her face slightly pale, asks Himeji in a pleading tone.
“The Reaper can’t eliminate everyone, right? If there were no limits, the first Reaper could wipe everyone out…!”
“Correct. It’s not that one-sided.”
“When the Reaper eliminates a player, they lose 99% of their chaos value as a penalty.”
“Since the Reaper role goes to the player with the highest chaos value, if rankings shift, the role moves.”
“Oh? So maintaining the Reaper role is actually pretty tough.”
“Yeah. But Saeki obviously knows that.”
“If he’s planning to ‘hunt,’ there’s only one possible goal.”
“…And that is?”
“It’s now or never. As 《Tower of Lore》 progresses, chaos values keep rising, and ‘99%’ becomes an insane number.”
“But early on, losing most of your chaos value is recoverable.”
“Saeki wants to eliminate two players. One use of the Reaper’s power won’t cut it.”
“Two players? Um, could that be…”
“Yeah—who else but me and you, Minakami?”
“The 7-Star 《Hexagram》 wants to prove guilty, and the traitor who tarnished their justice.”
“Saeki has to take us out in this 《Duel Game》.”
“I see… a direct confrontation, then.”
Minakami swallows hard. She’s a bit scared but hasn’t lost her spirit.
“—But, hold on. If that’s the case, I’ve got one question.”
Fuka, who’d been quiet, speaks up.
Glancing at the map on his terminal, he continues, his light beige hair swaying slightly.
“Why haven’t we been found yet? Saeki-san, Akutsu-san, Kururugi-san, Yuikawa-san…”
“There’s no way none of them have scouting skills.”
“Right, right! Hunting without scouting skills would be so inconvenient!”
“Hm… oh, that.”
I shake my head slowly.
It’s natural for Fuka and Sumire to wonder, but there’s a clear reason—it’s not just chance.
“We haven’t been caught by scouting skills because of my registered ability—《Ten Colors for Ten People》.”
“It changes effects based on which school district’s players are in my faction.”
“With you guys, it activates 《Stealth》, making us undetectable by scouting and immune to traps.”
“Random encounters like earlier can’t be avoided, though.”
“Oh… I see. That’s what’s going on.”
Fuka nods repeatedly, satisfied with my explanation.
Yes—《Ten Colors for Ten People》, an ability tuned by 《Company》.
It manifests ten different effects based on the school districts of my teammates.
With Shinra and the others, it triggers 《Stealth》—a situational but excellent defensive ability.
That said, wandering a floor with the Reaper is too risky.
So, we decide to head to the 3rd floor ASAP.
Luckily, we find the elevator room in under an hour, and Minakami brilliantly clears its activation condition.
We leave the 2nd floor at a stellar pace.
“—Hey, Shinohara-kun.”
As my body starts to feel the slight increase in gravity, Fuka suddenly calls out.
His tone is casual, like he’s starting a chat, and he tilts his head slightly with a calm expression.
“That ability from earlier… 《Ten Colors for Ten People》, right?”
“It activates 《Stealth》 because Sumire and I are in your faction, yeah?”
“? Yeah, that’s right.”
“Got it. —Then, this should release our 《Stealth》, right?”
Before I can process his murmur, I frown with a “…Huh?”
In that instant,
“‘Temporary Withdrawal’ skill acquired and activated. Sumire and I are now temporarily ‘factionless.’”
Fuka says this with a faint smile.
The scouting skill 《Temporary Withdrawal》—for about three hours, you leave your faction and act as a neutral.
This leaves only me and Minakami in the revolution faction, forcibly deactivating 《Stealth》.
“!? W-What’s going on, Fuka-senpai!? Sumire-senpai!?”
“You’ll understand soon, both of you.”
“Right, right! I’m so excited!”
As the elevator reaches the 3rd floor, carrying our Eimei group’s confusion, it stops with a clunk.
At the same moment, Himeji’s expression changes with a “…Tch.”
“Master… it’s a trap. Likely set to activate the moment we step into this room.”
“All EXP-consuming actions have been sealed.”
(What…!?)
I widen my eyes internally at Himeji’s report.
…But it’s a reasonable tactic.
Unlike regular rooms that might go unvisited, elevator rooms—only a few per floor—are almost guaranteed to be passed through.
It’s the perfect spot for a trap.
The culprit, standing protectively in front of Sumire, speaks with an ambiguous smile.
“Phew, that was close. I set up the trap, and it didn’t even work at first.”
“Good thing I made it in time… failing after all this would’ve made facing Toya-san awkward.”
“…Kirigaya? So you’re—”
“Yup. The idea that Toya-san and us are working toward different goals? Total lie.”
“We’re proper ‘allies’—all three of us are part of the same organization.”
“Seems we’ve got quite a connection, huh? Even Kurahashi-san from the last 《Duel Game》 was involved with us.”
My fists clench at Fuka’s words.
…Kirigaya Toya’s mysterious organization.
Once home to Kurahashi Mikado, former head of District 12, they’ve been relentlessly targeting me since the May exchange battle 《Astral》 selection.
And now, Fuka and Sumire claim to be part of that group. Allies, they say.
(If Fuka and Kirigaya were coordinating, pulling off this ambush wouldn’t be hard.)
(Kirigaya’s demon faction reached the 3rd floor ages ago. Setting an ambush trap would’ve been easy.)
(…Damn, they got me.)
I exhale to refocus.
No point staying shaken. I plaster on my usual cocky grin and speak confidently.
“I figured you’d betray me eventually, but moving this fast? Wow.”
“Did Saeki’s 《Countdown》 spur you on or something?”
“Yeah, that’s the biggest reason.”
“But it might not be the angle you’re thinking.”
“Sure, Saeki-san’s actions pushed me to move now, but I’m not panicking.”
“I’m pissed.”
“…Pissed?”
“Yeah. Because this makes our strategy less noticeable.”
Still smiling ambiguously, Fuka—and Sumire—raise their terminals high.
A blinding light spreads through the tower, ignoring doors and walls.
Peeking at my terminal’s screen with a bad feeling, I see a short message: 【《No-Linger Restriction》 activated】.
Seeing it, Fuka gives a faint smile.
“We had our own plan—《No-Linger Restriction》.”
“Stay on the same floor too long, and you’re eliminated, no questions asked.”
“A classic dungeon RPG constraint. Targets all districts except Shinra.”
“Like Toya-san, we want a flashy showdown. Grinding or scheming? Not our style.”
“…So you guys are adding another ‘forced elimination condition’?”
“Yup. That’s why I was annoyed. Why’d they have to overlap…?”
Fuka shrugs with a sigh, but I’m screaming internally.
Saeki’s 《Countdown》 was already making the 《Duel Game》 a nightmare.
Now, 《No-Linger Restriction》 piles on top.
Whether this is Kirigaya and Saeki colluding or just two reckless plans clashing, I don’t know yet.
“By the way, this ambush was our idea, not Toya-san’s.”
“Toya-san generally stays hands-off.”
“It’s true we’re his allies, but it’s also true we couldn’t join the demon faction.”
“If we beat you, maybe Toya-san will recognize our strength.”
“This is a big fight for us.”
“Right, right! We’ll make Hiroto and Toya go ‘gyafun’ with our power!”
“Gyafun, huh… But you’re factionless now, right?”
“And your roles are scout and supporter. Without a summoner, you can’t even fight properly.”
“If it were just us, sure. But, as expected, the one who prepared this place
wasn’t me.”
The moment she spoke—almost as if responding to Tsumugi’s words, the three
doors in the room clicked open simultaneously. Emerging from them were none
other than members of the demon faction. From one door, Seiran Kugasaki stepped
out, her collared cape fluttering. From another, Soma Yanagi appeared with a
bored expression. And from the final door, Shizuku Minami peeked out with sleepy
eyes. Sure, Toya’s figure was nowhere to be seen, but that was a trivial
issue. Because the fact that all the doors had been opened by the other factions
meant that I, Hiroto, and Mari were now unable to leave this room.
We were trapped, unable to escape.
Tsumugi let a faint smile play on her lips.
“Now, Shinohara-kun, it’s time for a showdown with us. …Oh, and since it’s a special
occasion, shall I let you in on one thing? The name of the ‘organization’ that
Sumire, Toa-san, and I belong to is—”
“—《Albion》. Pleased to make your acquaintance!”
With belligerent grins, Tsumugi and Sumire declared in unison.
(Tch… what the hell is this? We’re already in a desperate situation!?)
Facing them, I maintained a composed attitude to accept their declaration of war,
but secretly, my cheek twitched—And it was at that moment that the first day of
《The Tower of Lore》 reached its closing time.
