Part 189: The Jellyman Project is revived

Back to the timeline we know once more, but the alternate emails start coming almost immediately.













Kurisu is outed as an @channer.



The second and final warning message arrives.



Okabe once again reacts in the worst way possible.



The 42" TV is identified as the substitute Lifter, providing the missing piece for the completion of the Time Leap Machine.



Shortly thereafter, Kurisu completes the Time Leap Machine, but Okabe decides not to use it.



A group of Rounders, led by Kiryuu Moeka, break into the lab.



Mayuri dies.



The Time Leap Machine is activated for the first time, and the endless cycle begins.

End of Chapter 5.



Okabe tries to take Mayuri away from the lab, but the Rounders anticipate his movements, and Mayuri is hit by a car. She dies.



Before we advance further, why don't we take a little detour?

At this point, I can call either Mayuri or Ruka. Last time, I called Mayuri, and it ended with her getting brutally run over by a train. Why don't we see if calling Ruka is any better?





"Rukako! It's me! Okabe!"

"Eh, Okabe...? What's wrong?"

"Is Mayuri there? If she is, let me speak with her!"

"Ah, okay. Please wait a bit."



I contacted... Mayuri...

This gives me quite the time advantage.

"Where are you now? Yanagibayashi Shrine?!"

"Yuppers. That's right!"

"I'm heading there now. No matter what, don't move from there, okay?!"

"Ehh? Why not?"





Kurisu's eyes are half asleep.

"Daru, and you, Assistant. Both of you, leave right now and run as far from Akiba as you can. You must absolutely not use the train."

"What... why?"

"If you can, go somewhere you don't normally go, and hide overnight. Understand?"

"Wait, overnight? So basically, Makise and I should go to a love hotel and make hanky panky. I understand."

"Shut it, pervert."

Kurisu gets up.

"Okabe, what does this mean?"

"Please, just do as I say. We'll talk later. Whatever you do, don't come back!"

I thought of having them take the Time Leap Machine, but the microwave's pretty heavy to carry around, and Moeka's exact target isn't Mayuri, but that time machine. It's better to abandon the time machine so that Kurisu and Daru don't become targets.

I shake Kurisu and Daru's demands for an explanation and fly out of the lab.



I arrive at the shrine far easier than if I had run

Mayuri and Rukako are in front of the main building.

"Mayuri!"



Mayuri waves her hand happily. Rukako bows her head.

"By any chance, did Okarin come to back me up?"

"Back you up?"

"To persuade Ruka to wear my costume!"

"Mayuri, I really can't. It's embarrassing, so I really can't wear it..."

"Hey, Okarin. Is there no way to persuade Ruka? Mayushii can't see the ending for the Ruka route."

"I really can't... But Mayuri won't give up at all..."

My nose pricks up. I'm about to cry. I grind my teeth to hold it back. A very tranquil, adorable, optimistic conversation. I thought that these conversations would last forever.

That's what I thought, but...



I grab Mayuri's hand.

"Mayuri, leave your bags. Leave them with Rukako."

"Eh? What's this about?"

"We're going out of town."

"Out of town...? We're going on a trip?"

"Eh... A trip..."

Rukako's face turns red.

"You two are going...?"

"That's right."

I just let Rukako misunderstand whatever she wants. I start running with Mayuri, halfway dragging her.



It's half past 4. I don't know the exact time, but there should still be three hours until the trains stop. There shouldn't be any problems going to the station now... but I don't know which way to take. And Moeka might already be in front of the station. We should board from another station.

Around Akiba, there's Ochanomizu Station, Shin-Ochanomizu Station, Iwamotocho Station, Suehirocho Station, and Awajicho Station. And then, a little further away, there's also Kanda Station and Okachimachi Station. If we run to Yokohama, it would be fastest to take the Shinkansen from Tokyo Station. To get to Tokyo Station without passing through Akihabara Station means... either Kanda or Awajicho. We could walk all the way to Tokyo Station in an hour, but I don't want to waste that much time.



"SERN is aiming at our lives."

"Eh? What does that mean?"

"I'll explain later. For now, we need to leave Akiba."

"O-Okay..."

I decide on Awajicho Station and start running there. If we can make it to Yasukuni Dori, the station's right there, but I start to trip when I see a group of about six men walking just ahead. Are they Moeka's comrades? I don't know. I don't know, so for now, we hide in a building.

Just how large is SERN's assassin force? When did they start wandering Akiba? Are they on a lookout at stations besides Akihabara? I don't know any of the answers. Moreover, the group is indistinguishable from ordinary shoppers at first glance, though they do have well-trained bodies, so you can somehow tell when you get close. But if we get that close, they'll be the ones noticing us. I don't know, so I can't act.

Assume the men walking on the street are all enemies. Not just Japanese, but foreigners, too. SERN is in France. They may very well send assassins from headquarters. Damn, what should I... Should I bite the bullet and cut through? Or should I try my best to choose uninhabited roads...?

"Okarin... Mayushii's kinda scared..."

...I make up my mind when I see Mayuri's anxiety. I can't expose Mayuri to danger. All we can do is choose uninhabited streets and sneak through. It doesn't have to be Awachijo Station. If we use the subway, anywhere's fine. As long as we can leave Akiba.



And since I usually don't use the subway, it's an unexpectedly far distance to the stations. Returning to Suehirocho Station might be the easiest, but I don't want to go back to the lab area if I can help it. We don't know if we'll run into SERN's assassins.

"Let's hide."

We hurriedly hide in a building's landing. Several unfit young men pass by. They're all holding paper bags. Inside are some sort of computer parts. I don't think they're the enemy, but I don't know. I can't tell.

Anyway, if the walking group of men finds us, the only options we have are to hide or take another path. At this rate, it doesn't look like we can escape Akiba until nightfall. If it's come to that, then we have to take our chances and force our way through.

I check the closest station with my phone. It indicates Ochanomizu Station and Suehirocho Subway Station. I don't want to get near the lab, but I don't know if Ochanomizu Station gets stopped by the terrorist bomb threat.

I've lost my way.



"Where are you going?"

"To the station to see if there are any enemies."

And while we're at it, confirm the itinerary. If we plan to break through, we need to use the shortest route.

"Mayushii doesn't want to be left alone..."

"I'll be right back. If I'm not back in 30 minutes, get in contact with someone to get out of Akiba... umm, like Kurisu or Suzuha, I guess."

"I don't want you to say that. Be sure to come back, okay? If you don't, then Mayushii won't know what..."

"Okay. I'll come back. Absolutely."

I leave Mayuri behind and run to Ochanomizu Station.



Then all I can do is let nature take its course. I rush back to where Mayuri is.

"Mayuri!"



Mayuri's not there.

For an instant, I think I got the place mixed up, so I check the landing of the next building, but Mayuri isn't there, either. She disappeared.

"I even told her not to move...!"

I click my tongue and soon realize another possibility.



And then they took her away by herself... Is that even possible? At the very least, Moeka made it seem like Mayuri wasn't necessary. That's why she killed her so mercilessly there. So, is there even a meaning in kidnapping Mayuri? I don't know...

There's only one thing for certain. Mayuri disappeared. I knew I shouldn't have left Mayuri alone. I should've always kept her by my side.



But when I can't find her at all, I return to the lab in despair.






Heading over? To the lab? When she says "talk", she probably plans to kidnap me and take the Time Leap Machine.

I'm about to delete the mail out of frustration, but I notice there's an image attached. I gulp and open it.



There's a rough black and white picture, along with a date.



Fifty years ago.



In the photo...



That's not all. The face of the dead Jellyman embedded in the wall of a large house is...

"...!"