Before Rokuhara and Nameless had settled their battle.

At the same time that Sorciera and Nameless faced each other, Luka stretched widely in the student council room, bathed in the morning sunlight.

“…I couldn’t sleep.”

Though a friend had advised her to get some rest, the time given to her was ultimately spent on personal research.

Luka glanced down at the tablet in her hand, a small smile forming on her lips.

(Thanks to Sorciera’s magic formula, the biggest issue has been resolved. Now all that’s left…)

“—Ow!?”

Her consciousness drifted for a moment, and pain shot through her head.

It seemed that she had momentarily blacked out from lack of sleep.

Looking at the mess on her desk, Luka sighed in annoyance but didn’t bother to get up. Instead, she groped for her tablet.

After checking the time, she sluggishly left the student council room.

“Sleeping pills… I wonder if the infirmary still has some.”

At Zilnius Academy, sleeping pills were one of the first things to run out.

■

Zilnius Academy had many infirmaries.

Due to students frequently sustaining serious injuries from unhealthy lifestyles and extreme research, the need for them was high.

Among these, Konie made her way to one of the infirmaries located a little further from the main school building.

For new students, finding this infirmary was difficult, and upperclassmen rarely visited the main building since they often had their own labs.

The labyrinthine route, impossible to reach on the first attempt, was the result of generations of student council presidents making unauthorized expansions and renovations.

“I’m coming in.”

With her hands in her pockets, Konie kicked the door open.

As the door swung wide, her twin tails swayed cutely.

“Huh? The health committee is absent again? At this point, we should just make this a student council lounge, Luka.”

Saying that, Konie plopped down on the bed where Luka was sitting, without a care.

Luka watched her and let out a deep, weary sigh.

“What do you want?”

“You couldn’t sleep anyway, right? Let’s go for a walk before you try.”

Konie grinned, baring her teeth.

It was more the smile of a beast than that of a human.

“…No, I’m staying here to sleep.”

“I’m telling you to get up.”

It seemed Luka had no right to refuse.

“…Fine, I understand.”

Without bothering to hide her irritation, Luka stood up.

“I know a quiet spot where no one will be at this hour. Come on.”

“You sure have a lot of energy…”

Luka wobbled as she followed behind Konie.

Incidentally, the infirmary was already out of sleeping pills.

Zilnius Academy had many courtyards blended with nature.

They were designed by a former student council president, intending to help reclusive students experience the outdoors.

Konie led Luka to one such courtyard.

Being in a high place, the morning breeze brushed against their cheeks pleasantly. It was clearly designed with that in mind.

“What do you want to drink? I’m treating, so pick anything.”

“Then, Zilnius Energy.”

“Denied.”

“You just said anything, didn’t you?”

Seeing Luka’s pout, Konie sighed and began inserting coins into the vending machine.

She pulled out an old-fashioned coin purse.

“I meant normal drinks. Who told you to order a high-powered explorer’s energy drink?”

“No way…! I need at least ten of those a day, or my hands start shaking…!”

“All the more reason to ban it, idiot.”

Konie ended up picking a drink for Luka.

“Here.”

Luka glanced at the tossed can, then at Konie.

“What?”

“…Hot cocoa? Even though summer is almost here?”

“If you want to sleep, that’s the best choice. I always drink hot milk before bed.”

Luka resisted the urge to comment and merely observed Konie’s physique.

“Try sleeping properly without relying on drugs for once.”

“If I could do that, I wouldn’t be struggling.”

“Yeah, I get it. When you sleep, you end up thinking about unnecessary things.”

Konie sat down beside Luka.

There were plenty of benches, but Luka had already given up complaining.

Konie’s familiarity wasn’t new.

“…I was the one who let Miyume escape.”

Konie opened a can and spoke.

Luka only replied, “I see.”

Silence hung between them.

“…Luka.”

Konie called her name.

“Join me. We’re going to stop Kanon, that idiot.”

As Konie looked up at her, Luka quietly finished her hot cocoa.

For someone used to artificial sweeteners, it was a little lacking in sweetness.

“…Thank you for the cocoa. Thanks to you, I might actually be able to sleep. Well then.”

Luka stood up.

And just as she was about to leave—

A massive crocodile appeared before her.

The mechanical beast, at least seven meters long, coiled its body to surround Luka.

“…Sorry, but this time, I can’t just back down.”

Konie stood up, resting against the crocodile’s massive frame as she stroked its head.

“Konie, I have nothing to discuss with you. Because you—”

“Ran away from that project… right? Don’t be stupid. I didn’t run away. I abandoned it.”

Konie tossed her empty can.

The crocodile opened its massive jaws and swallowed it whole.

“Reviving a dead sister… sure, that sounds great. But the result of that is this?”

There was anger in her voice.

“You discard the failures, pick the specimens that suit you… do you think you’re a god?”

“…Konie, Kanon is desperate. Desperate to bring her sister back to life.”

“I already told you—she’s dead. There’s no bringing her back!”

Luka spoke as if explaining to a stubborn child.

“Kanon isn’t harming anyone. You know that, don’t you?”

“…No harm?”

But Luka’s words only fueled Konie’s frustration.

“…Haah.”

She clenched her fists and exhaled.

Suppressing the rage inside her, Konie spoke in a slow, measured tone.

“The first one was quiet. Always stuck close to me—annoying at first, but surprisingly smart.”

Luka had no words to stop her now.

“The second was more mature than me. Taller, bigger in every way… but still a child at heart. Always challenging me to fights.”

Looking up at the sky as if flipping through an old album, Konie’s eyes overflowed with nostalgia.

She wasn’t here—she was looking somewhere far away.

“The third… was the closest to how she is now. Understanding, well-liked… I liked her too.”

“Konie…”

“Three times.” Konie clenched her fists. “Three times, I watched Miyume die. They called them failures, took them away, and I couldn’t save them.”

Blood trickled from her fists.

“This one will be taken too. I’m going to save her before that happens.”

“…This Miyume is nearly complete. Her compatibility with The Mystic Eye is stable. She’ll be fine.”

“So you’re just going to ignore it again?”

“…!”

“Luka, you’ve always been like this. Pretending not to see, staying neutral. That’s why—”

The crocodile begins to move slowly.

Facing Luka head-on, it bares its fangs, clearly entering a battle stance.

“Decide now. The already broken fool Kanon, or Miyume?”

“…I—”

“Answer me, coward!”

At Konie’s signal, the crocodile lunges.

Despite its massive frame, it moves with surprising agility, its enormous jaws snapping toward Luka.

“Tch, GM04! Ruruika!”

In response to the activation phrase, Luka’s Dive Gear deploys its weaponry.

It takes the form of an autonomous, dolphin-shaped machine.

The dolphin, called Ruruika, dives into the ground as if swimming through water, striking its tail down to generate a wave.

The crocodile’s jaws, just moments away, are blocked by the rising earth.

As the crocodile gnaws through the ground, Luka mounts the dolphin’s back and retreats.

“Konie, please stop!”

“Like hell I will. If I have to knock some sense into you, then so be it!”

Konie’s shout and her eyes make it clear—

She truly intends to crush Luka.

“Tch, Konie, please understand! Just a little longer, and everyone will be saved! Yume will come back to life, and Kanon can forgive herself!”

“And Miyume isn’t included in that, is she?! You’re just ignoring what you don’t want to see!”

“I just want my friends to be happy!”

“Spouting pretty words makes you feel better, huh? Even when I’m trying to kill you, all you do is run away. You won’t even fight back!”

As the crocodile chases, Luka keeps fleeing aboard Ruruika.

“I don’t want to fight you, I want to get along with Kanon too. But there’s no convenient way to make that happen. …It’s too late for excuses. We’re already finished.”

Her voice trembles as though she’s about to cry, making Luka turn back instinctively.

But her eyes burn with fierce determination.

“I’ve made my decision, Luka! I’ll protect Miyume as she is now! And I’ll punch Kanon until she comes to her senses! Right now, I’m your enemy! Fight me!”

The crocodile returns to its master—

Then lets out a mighty roar.

From its back, a massive sword is formed.

Konie leaps up, kicks the sword into the air, and rests it on her shoulder.

“I call it Sword-Sword Gator-Gator… My ultimate masterpiece, made just to fight Kanon. I’ll slice that dolphin of yours into three.”

“Tch…!”

“Go, Lolon!”

With a bellow, the crocodile charges forward with its master on its back.

Faster and sharper than ever before.

Luka, doing nothing but running, can’t evade forever.

“Checkmate.”

“Konie, stop!”

“Then hit me back!”

Konie raises the greatsword—

And just as she prepares to leap from Lolon’s back—

“Huh?”

A student from Zilnius Academy suddenly clings to Lolon’s leg.

Before Konie can react, more students appear, grabbing hold of Lolon, trying to restrain it.

One after another, students materialize from thin air, and soon, their sheer numbers pin Lolon down.

“Tch… Using Dataroids to escape? Not satisfied with feeding them to Miyume, now you’re using them as disposable pawns for yourself?”

Konie commands Lolon to sweep its tail—

A controlled strike, just enough to knock the students away.

“N-No, I didn’t—”

“Another excuse. Got you.”

Lolon’s jaws finally catch Ruruika.

Tossing Luka off its back, Lolon drags Ruruika into the ground as if sinking it into a swamp.

Konie grips her greatsword and looks at Luka.

“I’m ready, Luka. I’m ready to crush both you and Kanon.”

“I… I…”

“…Hah.”

She won’t wait any longer.

With a sigh of disappointment, Konie raises her sword.

“Just sleep for a bit. I’ll take care of the rest.”

With that, she swings the greatsword down.

Luka squeezes her eyes shut against the impending blade—

But the pain never comes.

“—Wha… Why?”

Instead, a groan of disbelief reaches her ears.

She cautiously opens her eyes.

Before her stands Konie, a blade driven into her torso.

“You… Since when were you here—Kanon!”

“Mm, just a moment ago? You looked like you were bullying Luka, you know?”

From behind, Kanon holds Konie in an embrace, a small knife buried in her abdomen.

Her pristine white uniform quickly turns crimson.

“Gah…!”

“Haha, no good, Konie. You have to kill Dataroids. There’s always a chance I’m among them. …Well, I was sure you wouldn’t kill them anyway.”

For a brief moment, Kanon’s face shifts—into that of an ordinary student.

“You were hiding among the Dataroids…?”

“That’s right. And now, I win with love.”

With those words, she plunges the knife deeper.

Konie drops her greatsword but mutters in a hoarse voice—

“Lolon…”

Behind her, the giant crocodile reappears—

Its jaws wide open as it lunges for Kanon.

“Divided Death Must Die.”

A wall of black butterflies forms between Lolon and Kanon.

The butterflies dance around Lolon, clinging to it one by one.

Then, sinking their tiny fangs in, they begin to drain its magical energy.

As thousands of butterflies siphon away its power, Lolon vanishes without so much as a final roar.

Watching this, Kanon smiles in satisfaction.

She leans close to whisper in Konie’s ear.

“Did you think your handmade crocodile could win? Ahh… If only you had accepted the doctor’s offer, you could have used Divided Death too.”

“Damn… it…”

The butterflies envelop Konie.

As she disappears, Kanon steps toward Luka.

“Are you okay? Have you slept at all?”

Tilting her head, she extends a hand.

Luka hesitates—until Kanon grabs her hand and forcibly pulls her to her feet.

Then, before Luka can say anything—

She hugs her tightly.

“Thank you. For not betraying me.”

A heartfelt, deeply emotional expression of gratitude.

“…What will happen to Konie?”

“She’ll be fine. I’ll make good use of her.”

Kanon winks playfully.

Divided Death Must Die has disappeared, along with Konie.

As if nothing had ever happened, the silence is absolute.

“Hey, have you had breakfast? If not, let’s eat together.”

Despite having just stabbed her friend,

Kanon speaks as if nothing is wrong.

Luka swallows hard, trying to keep her composure.

She forces a smile.

“I’ll pass. I actually haven’t slept yet.”

“Eh? That’s no good. You need proper rest. Want some sleeping pills?”

“…No, I had cocoa earlier.”

With that, Luka staggers away.

Right now, she just wanted to sleep.