Unnoticed, January was nearly at its end.
Though snow had already melted from the streets, the temperature was still bitterly low. The wind cut sharp, and without several layers of coats, no one wanted to leave home.
Even during the New Year—a holiday of such weight—Matsubara Takashi and the others remained under government watch. They knew well that for them, "supervision" leaned heavily toward protection, not surveillance. Yatouji Ryou especially dared not complain; terrified that Chikujoin Magane, that embodiment of Chaotic Evil, might come knocking, he stuck to the facility as if glued, never daring to stray.
They couldn't spend the holiday with family. But spending New Year alongside the very characters born of their own pens—such a chance came once in a lifetime.
Even on New Year's, Kikuchihara Aki and her bureau had to work—covering for Meteora's group, aiding in experiments, diverting attention when monsters appeared. Yet Kikuchihara herself didn't mind. She almost looked happy.
"To cover up the mess you cause, steer public opinion, keep civilians blind to the truth—yes, the workload's heavy. But when you aren't fighting, we get rest too. After all, our mission here is support. And with you around… for once, I've had a lively New Year. Better than all those years in an office drowning in paperwork, not even a moment for coffee."
So young, yet already a senior official, entrusted as lead of this special taskforce. So many saw only her brilliance, her sharp career arc. Few imagined the cost.
"Did you trace the magnetic anomaly?"
Outside the exit of a mall, beneath a huge glowing billboard, Selesia spoke into her phone. Beside her, Kanoya Rui was stuffing his face with a steaming jianbing flatbread. Fresh off the pan—since once cold, it would lose its charm.
Selesia wore a gray-white coat. Her bright red hair—rare even in 2D, glaringly so in 3D—made her stand out like a star among the crowd.
Compared to her, Rui's blue hair looked tame. But his longer-than-average bangs, delicate features, and a scarf tucked at his chin—at a glance, someone might mistake him for a cute girl.
Red and blue, standing together—like a couple pairing.
"Unfortunately, no trace."
On the other end, Meteora walked the city streets, phone in hand. She wore a white hoodie, cap pulled low to hide her pale hair.
Beside her walked Mirokuji Yūya. Unlike everyone else, he hadn't changed a thing. Dark gray jacket, crimson pants. In the chill, with people bundled in four layers and heating pads, his look was practically begging to be mistaken as cosplay.
And indeed, just minutes ago, three girls had spotted him, whispering and squealing. A mother and child had passed too—the boy pointing in excitement, tugging his mom's hand.
Not the first time. But Yūya didn't care. He lived by his own will. And Meteora's calm, analytical mind ignored it easily.
Luckily, no one had mistaken him for some suspicious stalker trailing Meteora. His face and clothes screamed "thug." Selesia had known it from the first moment she met him—enough to draw her sword without hesitation.
"…Why two anomalies at once?"
Selesia frowned.
"Likely the world's corrective power weakening. Variable imagination energy surging."
Meteora's tone was steady, her eyes faintly reflecting light.
From past cases, Kikuchihara's team had mapped it out. Whenever a Created entered the world, abnormal magnetic waves spiked nearby.
The first detection had been Altair's arrival. Later, when Yūya, Selesia, and Blitz came—again the spikes.
Monsters also warped the field. But different. A Created's arrival caused a sudden peak and swift collapse to normal. Monsters, however, only warped the field over time—the longer they lingered, the worse the distortion.
Thus monster sightings always lagged. The government helped them zero in on new anomalies quickly.
This time, they'd assumed it was another monster horde. That had been their grind lately: extermination. Sometimes running into Mamika—those ended peacefully. But if Alicetaria or Blitz were there, it spiraled into battles.
Never decisive. Alicetaria had not once used that "form" again before them. Sometimes Altair herself even appeared.
The good news: they'd learned some of her abilities.
The bad: she could fight multiple opponents and not falter.
If Alicetaria divine-ascended was a stats cheat, then Altair was a mechanics cheat.
And this time's readings? They weren't monsters. The signature pointed to another Created.
Rare. The last new arrival had been Chikujoin Magane—last year. She'd wounded Alicetaria, then vanished. Leaving Yatouji to shiver for months. Poor man was liable to develop psychiatric disorders. Might end up at the same table as Van Gogh…
Not that he hadn't brought it on himself. For the rest, arrivals had all been fan-favorites: Selesia, Alicetaria, Mamika, Yūya. Magane was the lone exception—pure chaos. Fans still baffle anyone who asked: why her?
Already outnumbered, they couldn't let Altair's side grow stronger. They had to recruit this newcomer.
That was why the four of them were out searching.
"…When Altair last appeared, I sensed impatience in her," Meteora added. "Her power is vast, but not limitless. When she exceeds a threshold, her body and abilities destabilize. That limit stems from the world's corrective force. Her current aim: weaken that force. That's why she pushes us into battles. Why she summons more Created."
By then Rui had finished his jianbing, and unwrapped a ham sandwich. Selesia knit her brows.
"…But isn't she afraid of the Great Collapse?"
"From all evidence, her goal is eradicating the monsters," Meteora replied. "She trusts her power. Believes she can annihilate them before collapse comes. She demonstrated to us to prove it."
"So we're just her whetstone, huh?" Yūya's grin twisted sharp. "Disgusting."
Meteora continued. "One more detail. In past overlooked sightings of Created, there were reports of robots. Giant mecha."
At "mecha," Selesia's eyes slid to Rui. Her own Vogelchevalier had been shattered by Altair before her arrival. The only known mecha left was Rui's Gigas Machina. Though Matsubara was working on ways to restore Vogelchevalier through recognition.
Feeling her gaze, Rui turned, cheeks bulging with food, hamster-like. His eyes blinked innocently.
"Witnesses saw a giant robot flying. Was that you, sneaking a midnight stroll?"
At once Rui paled, swallowing hurriedly. "N-no way! I always fly at night, when almost everyone's asleep. Always above the clouds, or out in the countryside! I'd have to be cursed for someone to spot me!"
It wasn't a secret—when stressed, he'd take the Machina up for air. Like someone crunching instant noodles when anxious.
In the last fight, Altair had copied his Machina outright. He'd fought his own duplicate to a standstill. Their side had gone all out, no holding back—and it hadn't mattered. Altair crushed them until the world itself intervened, forcing her retreat.
She wouldn't kill them. She still needed them to gnaw away at the world's force.
"This isn't Rui's doing. It should be a new Created. A sci-fi, robotic type."
Meteora cut in, backing him. Rui sagged in relief.
It felt like a roller coaster—and the only cure, more food. He tore open a box of Pocky, chewing chocolate sticks. He'd bought every flavor: classic, strawberry, matcha, milk, double chocolate…
Then he froze. A gaze.
At first he dismissed it. He knew he and Selesia drew stares—especially her hair. But then the gaze moved closer.
Someone was walking toward them.
Rui lifted his head. His eyes widened.
"Selesia?"
"…Hm?"
She answered automatically. Then stopped.
That voice wasn't Rui's.
It was a voice she knew too well. A voice that, upon hearing, she instinctively answered.
Her pupils contracted. Her whole body froze—shock, confusion, joy all tangled. She no longer heard Meteora on the line. Slowly, trembling, she raised her head toward the figure.
And her lips quivered open, whispering like in a dream.
"…Charon?"
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