Absolute Zero Chain

Tsk, what are all these guys in white uniforms doing here...

Looks like they mean business. Have they cordoned off the area?

At the worst possible time... Hey, you over there! I've got something urgent to do, so let me through.

I apologize, but the Sky Terrace is undergoing safety checks. It'll be off-limits for a while.

Off-limits? Look, I don't give a damn about any danger and if you don't let me through, I'll use force.

Cool off, Jade! That's only going to get us in trouble.

The Sky Terrace is closed?

Sevyn? Hello. You were going to the Sky Terrace too?

Uh-huh. It's an ideal chill-out spot for ditching classes. Bummer, they're not letting us through.

You shouldn't be boasting left and right about skiving off school. Anyway, you'll have to wait until we make sure this area is safe.

Quit bossing me around! There's nothing I hate more than that! Now YOU get out of my way or I'll remove you myself, and it won't be painless!

What a jerk.

(Err, pot, kettle, black...) He's a bit of hot-head but he has his redeeming qualities too.

Did you tick off these guys, making them close off the Sky Terrace? You're ruining my day big time.

What, no! You got it wrong. We only just got here.

You shouldn't be boasting left and right about skiving off school. Anyway, you'll have to wait until we make sure this area is safe.

Quit bossing me around! There's nothing I hate more than that! Now YOU get out of my way or I'll remove you myself, and it won't be painless!

What a jerk.

(Talk about the pot calling the kettle black...)

Let's think of a different plan. There's got to be another way...

Hmm... Nothing comes to mind. Is there no alternative route to the Sky Terrace?

There's only one staircase. Unless you're thinking of something insane like jumping down from the higher level.

No, thanks. I don't want to break my neck today. There's got to be some other way.

Am I hallucinating? N-No... I'm in perfect health, my mind is clear. This was no hallucination.

What's the matter, Ruina?

Aldo... There was something coming out of that wall.

Out of the wall? Ahh, come to think of it, there's this creepy story. About a woman being walled in by accident when the school was being built.

Yeah, I heard that too. Phew... Good to know what it was!

Huh, that's not the kind of reaction I was expecting... Doesn't it creep you out?

No, why should it? Only things you don't understand are frightening. Once they're explained, there's nothing to fear.

I guess... I mean... I don't know about that.

She really wasn't bothered by it. That's a really strange illusion, though.

Is that an illusion, too?

......

......

Aldo?

I can see it too.

There's no way we'd all be hallucinating...

What the...

It looks like we can...pass through this wall.

We can but...should we? Some rumors say it's connected directly to hell...

Hell? Hah. I've seen hell many times.

Wait up, Jade! I'm coming with you!

Me too!

Huh, what? I can't get through?

Am I hallucinating? N-No... I'm in perfect health, my mind is clear. This was no hallucination.

Umm... Are you okay there?

Who's asking? You're not an IDA student... Are you a trespasser?!

No, I have been officially invited here. Got a visitor's pass and all.

Ah, that's all right then. My name's Ruina. I'm a guardian of public morals here, so maybe I'm more suspicious than I should be.

Don't worry, I'm used to being treated with suspicion, haha. If you don't mind me asking, what were you doing earlier?

I saw...a hand sticking out of this wall.

Out of the wall? Ahh, come to think of it, there's this creepy story. About a woman being walled in by accident when the school was being built.

Right, I heard that too. Phew... Good to know what it was!

Huh, that's not the kind of reaction I was expecting... Doesn't it creep you out?

No, why? Only things you don't understand are frightening. Once they're explained, there's nothing to fear. I'm off to the student council meeting.

It's probably nothing. What an oddball, though. Not fazed by anything, huh.

......

......

Aldo?

Sorry, Jade... I must be more tired that I realized. I'm starting to see things...

So you see it, too. In that case it's not a hallucination.

What the...

It looks like we can...pass through this wall.

We can but...should we? Some rumors say it's connected directly to Hell...

That's fine by me. As long as there's a chance it will lead me to Saki, I don't mind going to hell and back!

Wait up, Jade! I'm coming with you!

It's pitch-black... I can't make out what's what. Hello! Is anyone in there?

Welcome, Aldo. And you, too, Jade.

That voice...

......

Isuka?! Is that you?

It is me, indeed. I'm glad you've found this place. Now we can talk without being interrupted.

Welcome, gentlemen. I've been waiting for you.

......

I saw you earlier in the Theta District!

Oh, so you remember me. My name is Isuka.

Where exactly are we?

This is the Ops room of IDEA, IDA City Defense & Emergency Action unit.

IDA City... Defense... Yeah, your acronym checks out.

We're entrusted with policing IDA City, although we mostly work undercover. I'm the head IDEAlist.

Unbeknownst to the public, it's us that's stopping evil activities in the city. The white uniforms are our symbol.

That's all very interesting, but what business do you have with us? You didn't just want to say hello and take us on a tour of your secret ops room, I'm guessing.

I had, of course, a very good reason for letting you into this secret room. We're currently investigating a series of very concerning disappearances.

Disappearances?

Yes. You have seen a blue apple with your own eyes, haven't you?

The one Jade's sister ate? Those are called dark apples, according to the rumors.

Dark apples are composed of an unknown substance. Consuming one consigns the eater to another dimension. At first, a portal is left open, allowing access to that dimension. But it's only a matter of time before it closes. Once it does, there's no way to reach the other dimension.

In other words, it disappears from our world?

Precisely so. We believe the recent disappearances are caused by dark apples.

So the rumors about students going missing were true all along...

Unfortunately, they were. I'd like to ask you to cooperate with IDEA in this investigation. We're chronically under-staffed. What do you say? You're already involved in this anyway. Heh. You're a busybody with a nose for difficult cases.

I get told off a lot for meddling... Although I'm always just trying to help.

I wasn't telling you off. It's commendable to extend a helping hand whenever you see people in trouble. Well, shall we go to the Sky Terrace?

It's currently closed to the public.

Yes, but we're not the public. In fact, it was IDEA who cordoned it off. We had to keep students from finding the portal.

Ah... Then that would make all those other white-uniformed students members of your group?

That's right. For as long as the investigation runs, we have authority over that area, and can keep it closed to the public.

I see. You're kind of like IDA School's Knight's Order, keeping peace.

That's an apt comparison.

It's a somewhat starry-eyed view of our group, but that's not to say I dislike it.

Let's go now. Time is of the essence.

...... The white uniforms are here as well? This is going to be a problem. Ah, whatever. I've got to do what I've got to do. I don't feel great about betraying them but it's necessary this time.

Hello, Isuka! How's it going?

Hello. Nothing new on my end. How about here?

Huh? I can't go to the Sky Terrace? Where am I going to have my nap then? I can't hold out any longer... Zzz...

H-Hey, wake up!

Wake up. You can't be comfortable.

Lemme sleep... Zzz...

What should I do about him?

Just let him be. He's got his reasons for being like this.

Aww, that's sweet! Didn't think anyone would be nice enough to side with me on this!

I pride myself on always being well- informed about the IDA School students. You'd be welcome to join IDEA, however... You already seem busy.

Uh-huh. Searching for good nap spots takes most of my time!

Hehe. We both know there's more to it than that but this time I'll let you off the hook. I have something urgent to attend to right now myself.

As planned, I've had these two join us for this investigation and I'm hereby granting them access to the Sky Terrace.

Understood. I'll add them to the list of authorized personnel.

Thank you. Let's go.

So you just need to be on the list, huh? Interesting.

Zzz... Zzz...

Hey! You can't just fall asleep here!

Huh? I know that guy from somewhere...

Hello, Isuka! How's it going?

You seem to be having some trouble.

Hey, you. Get up. You can't be comfortable there.

Zzz... Uhn... *yawn* Good morning! Huh? Who are you guys?

I'm Aldo. This is Jade, and that's Isuka.

Hiya! I'm Mighty.

Why were you sleeping here? You fell asleep standing up...

What else could I do? They won't let me go to the Sky Terrace.

What a shameless slacker... What should I do about him?

Just let him be. He might have his reasons for being like this.

Aww, that's sweet! Didn't think anyone would be nice enough to side with me on this!

I pride myself on always being well- informed about the IDA School students. You'd be welcome to join IDEA, however... You already seem busy.

Uh-huh. Searching for good nap spots takes most of my time!

Hehe. We both know there's more to it than that but this time I'll let you off the hook. I have something urgent to attend to right now myself.

As planned, I've had these two join us for this investigation and I'm hereby granting them access to the Sky Terrace.

Understood. I'll add them to the list of authorized personnel.

Thank you. Let's go.

So you just need to be on the list, huh? Interesting.

Sorry, but you're not on the list. I can't let you through.

No waaay! I was like, together with those three!

Zzz... Zzz...

Hey! You can't just fall asleep here!

Huh? I know that guy from somewhere...

Hello, Isuka! How's it going?

You seem to be having some trouble.

Hey, you. Get up. You can't be comfortable there.

Zzz... Uhn... *yawn* Good morning! Huh? Who are you guys?

I'm Aldo. This is Jade, and that's Isuka.

Hiya! I'm Mighty.

Mighty?!

You seem surprised to see me... Have we met before?

Er, no... You just look like someone I know. And you happen to have the same name too. Sorry about that.

Why were you sleeping here? You fell asleep standing up...

What else could I do? They won't let me go to the Sky Terrace.

What a shameless slacker... What should I do about him?

Just let him be. He might have his reasons for being like this.

Aww, that's sweet! Didn't think anyone would be nice enough to side with me on this!

I pride myself on always being well- informed about the IDA School students. You'd be welcome to join IDEA, however... You already seem busy.

Uh-huh. Searching for good nap spots takes most of my time!

Hehe. We both know there's more to it than that but this time I'll let you off the hook. I have something urgent to attend to right now myself.

As planned, I've had these two join us for this investigation and I'm hereby granting them access to the Sky Terrace.

Understood. I'll add them to the list of authorized personnel.

Thank you. Let's go.

So you just need to be on the list, huh? Interesting.

Sorry, but you're not on the list. I can't let you through.

No waaay! I was like, together with those three!

Her Dream World feels so cold...

Dream World?

This is what we call this space. We haven't yet established exactly how it's created. It is clear that consuming a dark apple transports the eater to another dimension, shaped by their dreams and desires. This is their fantasy world where they can do anything they want and everything is exactly the way they like.

Wait... Are you saying this icy world...

...Is what your sister wished for. Yes, that is extremely likely.

I don't believe it.

This can't be what Saki really wants. She's confined here by our father. He died, but in this world he's alive.

That was the impression I had, too... So, do we go in?

This door was closed the first time. Let's see what's beyond it.

Tsk... Another dead end.

Just like before.

I guess we'll have to collect more radiance. What do you think, Jade?

Jade, you and Saki have a strong personal connection. As such, I would trust your hunches here. Of us all, you have the best chances of finding Saki, although I don't expect it to be easy.

No need to tell me that. Whatever dangers lie ahead, I'll keep going forward. We've got to get through here. Same method as before should work. Wait for me, Saki, I'll find you soon...

It's the same as the last time.

The little girl knew how this works. It was no coincidence.

If this is all Saki's dream, then that girl must have been...

What's the hold-up, Jade? Let's keep going.

Yes, sure. But first... It's our second time here. Traps might have been set for us. Let me go ahead and check this area out. You guys hang back.

Right...

I know you're here, Father! Come out and let's settle this. No need to get anyone else involved.

What the heck are you doing, Jade?!

It's nothing personal, Aldo. Don't you remember what I said? This concerns me and Saki. Thanks for your help earlier but... I'm doing this on my own. Don't get in my way.

Hold on, you can't be serious about this! Drat, what do we do now?

...... What I am about to tell you, Aldo, is for your ears only. Don't tell Jade, okay?

What's up, Isuka?

It would seem you finally opened your eyes to the misfortune you cause everyone who associates with you.

Insult me all you want. Where's Saki? Let her go!

You miss your little sister, do you? Well then, I'll let you see her. It won't change anything.

Saki! What did you do to her?!

I suppose it makes it easier for you, deluding yourself. Or do you really think I'm keeping Saki captive here?

Who else would do something this horrible to her! I'll defeat you and rescue my sister!

I'm so sorry for you... You must want to feel like a hero, but this, you see, is exactly what she wants.

Grrr!

What can you do all on your own? That's a purely rhetorical question, of course. No need to answer. You're powerless. No one has your back. You can talk all you want about saving your sister, but it's not going to happen. Now, let's end this sorry story of yours.

Out of the way!

Are you all right, Jade?

Huh... How did you...

No time to explain. You've got a battle to fight, Jade!

Oh my, what a surprise. Reinforcements for my dumb son. Do you not realize that he's not worth your trouble? That weakling fled in terror, unable to withstand my grimoire experiments.

You were...experimenting on your son?

It was an amazing piece of research. I used to work at KMS Inc. My department's task was to turn humans into unstoppable living weapons.

......

But I struggled fruitlessly at first, and my coworkers started calling me a freeloader, a waste of space. A leech! Then I got my hands on a grimoire, and realized this was my chance for a big break in my research. I only had to extract its astonishing power and transfer it into a human being...

I began the trials at once, using my son as the test subject.

That's insane! How could you risk your son's life for your research?!

Only a fellow scientist would understand... My cowardly son escaped before I could finish my experiment. It was his fault that I had to turn to my wife and daughter as new test subjects.

*sniff*

Although it turned out to be for the best, in the end. It was only thanks to his escape that I managed to uncover the true potential of the grimoire.

What do you mean? Just what on earth did you do!

There's no point in satisfying your curiosity since you have no future anyway. I'm going to stub out your life, along with your friends'.

No! You have to run away... I don't care what happens to me, but you don't deserve to die!

There's no way we'd leave you behind! We're in this together, Jade!

Why are you risking your lives for the likes of me?

We can't leave you behind. We're in this together!

I can't let this...happen again...

I won't run away again... I'll face this nightmare.

Is that what you decided? Try as you might, the result won't change. Perhaps you need me to remind you of the maddening fear you've experienced before...

I have fled from you before... But I promised myself that this wouldn't happen again. Aldo, Isuka... Help me defeat this monster, once and for all!

It's time to let you go! For all the atrocities you have committed!

Argh... No... I can't...lose...to you...

I must acquire...the grimoire's...power...!

So... Is it...over?

Well done, Jade.

I owe you my thanks. Without your help, it would have ended just as my father had threatened.

Time to free Saki. Now that Father's gone, you're free to leave this world, Saki. Let's go back. You need not be afraid...

Why...

Who's there?!

Why won't you leave me alone?

That's...her?!

There's...two of you?

You can't even tell which one is real? And yet you have the cheek to call yourself my brother.

I am the guardian of Saki's psyche. She created me to protect herself. This is the second time we've met.

That would make the frozen Saki the real one.

Yes. Right after this world was created, she chose to be bound in an icy coffin. I thought that showing her the phantom of her father would frighten her out of it, but I was mistaken.

He wasn't real?

Yes. I conjured him from Saki's memories. You knew that he died, didn't you? How could you think he was real?

But in that case... What about all the things he said to me?

It was but a script I had written for him, based on all I knew.

What?!

Jade...

...... The phantom you created said Saki didn't want to be rescued. Is that true?

You still don't understand? Saki is not going back to the real world. There's no place for her there any more.

Wh-What are you saying?

Look around you. This world is what she wished for.

She wished for a world where she could sleep peacefully, undisturbed by anyone. She bound herself with the Absolute Zero Chain, so that she might sleep away her pain, and slowly fade away.

You're lying...

She wants nothing to do with you. You left her to become her father's guinea pig, Jade.

......

All my life, I regretted that escape. That's why I want to save Saki now!

You should have thought of that before!

If you really want to do something for her, end her life yourself. Shatter her body along with the frosty fetters that bind it. Bring an end to everything. That is her wish. That's the only way you can save her from all the suffering she's had to endure.

Now, won't you make your sister happy?

I couldn't possibly do that!

Just as I thought, you don't really want to help Saki. You're just trying to make the guilt for abandoning her earlier go away. You're so self-centered. Leave now. The least you can do is leave Saki to herself.

Never repeat this nonsense about wanting to save her again!

Jade...

What was I thinking? I betrayed your trust, your good intentions, and in the end it amounted to nothing.

Why did you insist on doing this alone?

......

I have looked into your past in the course of Saki's Dream World investigation. You've been through a lot of trauma. I can briefly explain it to Aldo, if you want.

No, I'll tell him myself. I want to get this off my chest. It all started with Father's experiment. The grimoire experiment I escaped.

It was about turning people into living weapons. They'd no longer be themselves if the project succeeded. It was inhuman, but Father was so obsessed with the grimoire's power... I couldn't bear it, and so I escaped, even though I suspected that Mom and Saki would become the next test subjects. I joined IDA, hoping that I could one day rescue them.

Then I met a man in a white uniform.

It was over a year ago now. He was eager to help me, even though I took a dim view to him.

He was a lot like you, Aldo.

......

We finally located the place my father was keeping Mom and Saki at. He offered to come with me, quite matter-of-factly.

I fell into my father's trap, and he sacrificed his life to get me out. I overestimated my ability and it led to tragedy. In his last moments he must have regretted having offered to help me, only to die like that...

You accepted Isuka and myself as allies, and we fought alongside you for a goal that mattered to all of us. Nobody forced us to do it, and it's not as if we don't understand the risks. But, Jade, we're a team.

You didn't give me much of a choice...

Hehe... You didn't seem to mind all that much. There's something I want to show you. Come with me to the third floor.

Unfortunately, ACCESS to this area is DENIED at the present time.

I'm conducting an investigation. These two are with me. I request access for all of us.

Voice authentication successful. You may proceed, Isuka of IDEA plus two guests.

Wow, you can get just about anywhere, huh.

You're easily impressed, aren't you...

Is this what I think it is?

How come this room looks exactly like it did in Saki's Dream World?!

An incident took place here a few days ago. This is how we found it.

Ah... I heard students talking about a frozen classroom...

The classroom was frozen, along with the students in it. We don't know what exactly transpired here. But, since this scene is reproduced in Saki's Dream World, it's reasonable to suspect she's connected to it. It traumatized her so much that this memory manifested itself in her Dream World.

My hope is that if we manage to uncover what happened here, we may be able to make progress with saving Saki.

You want to save her, don't you?

Of course... Forgive me for losing sight of what I should be doing.

Her despair might have led her to want to disappear, as her guardian in the Dream World said. But if we unearth the reason she lost the will to live... Maybe then we can help her get it back. So let's look for it.

Sounds like a plan.

You're not thinking of doing this alone though, are you?

No.

You want me to say it, huh? All right...

If you don't mind... I'd appreciate your help. Let's save Saki together.