Part 41: The Anguished One

The Anguished One

[Music: Exploration]



Somehow, you guys voted to not go to a higher level of anime.



Very definitely not complaining about that. Surprised, certainly.



Hey, Hibiki. Where were you? I've been waiting for a while.
Waiting for what?
"For what"...!? For the girl's physicals, dummy!
And you call yourself a man... Though then again, maybe it's a good thing you didn't show.



*sigh* It's only morning and I'm already exhausted. This is bad for my health...



Whoa... Joe! Will you stop sneaking up on us...!?
But that doctor, man! The lady who came to give our checkups was a real knockout!
Huh? Seriously...?
See, I like that gleam in your eye. I'm seriously serious. She was so cute, and sexy...



Hm? Hey, speak of the devil! Look, you guys, it's the beauty I was talking about!
Whoa...!
"Beauty"...? Haha... Thanks! It's sweet of you to say, even if you're kidding.



Ah, Keita. I recall you being under the weather the other day. Take your medicine, okay?
Gh...! You idiot! Don't bring that stuff up when--
We meet again, Hibiki. I made this.



[Music: A Moment of Rest]

Stupid Jungo... You've got some real goddamn guts, you know that?
Hmm...? Me?
I'm talking about you, moron! Why a chawanmushi? Quit bringing crap like that.
...You should have some. It's good.
...You little...
Now, now.
Say, is that a chawanmushi? It certainly looks tasty, but please don't eat it now.
It'll affect the readings... Sorry!



Hahaha... What a show!
A show...? I don't know about that...

[Music: Silence]





Wh-What was that!? A quake!?
...Strange. Maybe something else has shown up.
Aaaah! Geez, that scared me... Isn't that Hibiki's cell?



What is it?

[Music: Dark Clouds]



JP's squads are dealing with them now! We need you to go in as backup!

...What was that about?
Request for backup.
What!? What the hell!? Aren't things coming on a little thick today!?



You wait for everyone to get ready and leave the area...



We don't have any alternatives but to dive headfirst into more plot, so let's go. Strange that we're off to beat up Megrez again, but it's not a battle... eh, probably nothing to worry about.

[Music: Countdown]



Kuze...!
Are you okay?
Mm... Yes. I just got here myself.



I guess Jungo, Hinako, Airi and Keita went after the other Megrez's.

Dammit... what was up with that Megrez thing?
I thought it was weak... It's really here again?
We'll keep fighting.
Yeah... Right... But how many of them are there...? I feel like we'll never win...
W-Wait! Who's that...?

[Music: Silence]



[Music: The Anguished One]



You're in danger!
...You need not worry. That is a manner of kindness in humanity, I suppose.



What...!? What the hell!? He took out Megrez in one hit!



Hibiki Kuze.
That is a name... Fleeting, meaningless... yet wonderful.
But there is no rest for you. Dubhe, Merak, Phecda, Megrez.



H-Huh? What's he saying?
H-Hey Hibiki! What is he talking about?
I don't know.
Maybe I should have brought a dictionary...
What I defeated is nothing more than a "bud" of Megrez.





Hey humans. Heh heh heh... Shall I destroy them?
Don't... or I will destroy YOU.
...Fine, geez. You don't have to be so scary about it.

And then Bifrons just ups and leaves. Botis would've been here too if it somehow survived to this point, but that requires letting it live. And that's kinda silly.



A useless question... Nothing exists that can answer that.



Well then, Shining One...I will see you again.

[Music: Silence]



Oh. Hey!? H-He just left...

[Music: Connected Hearts]



And he beat Megrez so easily... Who can do that?
He has demons, too... Though they acted more like servants than the ones we summon.
What does that mean? He didn't seem like our enemy, but...
Yes, and he called Dubhe and Merak "Septentriones."



I'll report this to Chief. All of you, be careful.
Watch out for "buds" as well. They're appearing all over the place. Stay on your guard.
Well... you can go back now. Good work.

That sure was a fantastic nothing we did. Go team!



Uhh, hold on a sec! This doesn't make any sense... Let me sort this out.
Okay.
Umm... O-Okay. Sorry, Daichi. It's not that difficult of a concept.
...It's hard enough to me. What this Septemberones thing!?
Septentriones.



It's like that's what those types of... Actually, it's what the whole group is called.
Yeah... What does it mean? Even Makoto didn't know...
Well, if he knows about Dubhe and Merak, he must be one of the summoning apples.
..."Apples"? What? Never mind. I get what you're trying to say.
You're right.
You think so? I just... I feel like something's not right.
Huh...? That's not it? Why not?



...Hmm. So what's his story?
Um... Well, he can use demons without the app, and he knows about monsters like Dubhe...
He's Nicaeaman.



What...!? He's a superhero!?
Um, no... That's not what I meant. We got our summoning app from Nicaea, right?



Huh...? So, what, you're saying he's the Nicaea maintainer?
N... No way! Aww, we could've asked him a ton of stuff!
U-Um, well... we don't know that for certain yet. Let's not get our hopes up...
True, yeah. But now I'm wondering... This is a bigger mystery than we thought.



Will we see him again?
Who knows? He flew in out of nowhere. Maybe next time, he'll pop up out of the ground.
Alrighty. I could use a bite to eat, so I'm heading back! See ya...
Uh, hey, Joe!... Sheesh... He just does whatever he pleases...

You leave the area...



Yep, that time again. We could've hung out with some of the girls instead if we went through with Daichi and Joe's plan, but since we didn't we can only pick from the lads. And Makoto.

We have enough time for three, but... which three?