Vol. 2 Ch. 1 Ep. 12: In Search of the Mirror

I've reached my conclusion about the data you delivered.

It's finally time...

My heart is beating really fast.

As you know, Veritas prides itself on being the best hacker group in all of Kivotos.

We're handed cases regarding system and data recovery on a daily basis. Of course, we've solved problems like yours countless times...

Hm. I'm going to be frank with you.

*gulp*

Momoi. Your save files cannot be recovered.

*sob* Nooooo!

Momoi! You were supposed to ask them to figure out the password to the G.BIBLE!

Oh, that's what Maki's working on.

Maki is?

Good mornin', Mido!

I was just about to head over to see you guys, but here you are.

*sniffle* All my saves... WAAAH!

What's her deal?

Don't worry about her. Please tell us about the G.BIBLE.

I finished my analysis. All signs point to this being the real G.BIBLE, the manual written by the legendary game developer themselves.

Yes!

The file creation time, last sent time, file format, and the author all match the IP of the legendary game developer you mentioned, and above all, the data has been copied exactly once.

That means...!

Yep. This is the real deal.

A-Amazing!

That said...we haven't been able to decrypt the password yet.

Huh? You're killing me, Maki!

Sheesh. I may be a hacker, but this is some top-tier stuff we're dealing with.

But it's not like we're out of options.

Oh?

While it's basically impossible to brute force that password, we may be able to dupe it without the security file.

And to do that, we're going to need a tool known as the Optimus Mirror System, or the Mirror for short.

Th-This is all going way over my head...

Do I have this right? You need this Mirror thing to open the G.BIBLE? Where is it now?

Well, uh, we used to have it here at Veritas...

Great, then let's crack this sucker op, wait! "Used to"?! You mean it's not here anymore?!

Haha, well, the freaking Student Council came in and took it away!

That Yuuka stormed in here a few days ago, saying all sorts of stuff like it's "disgraceful" that we had "illegal" equipment. Sheesh. What a killjoy.

Besides the Mirror, she also took my...wiretaps...

Is this Mirror thing as dangerous as a wiretap?

Not at all. It's just a simple tool optimized for cracking encrypted systems.

And...it's the only hacking tool in the world created by our club president.

You mean Himari?

Who is Himari?

She's the president of Veritas. Even though she's wheelchair-bound because of her health, Himari's not one to be underestimated or pitied.

She's a genius known for being one of only three students in Millennium's history to receive the Omniscience Award.

Yeah, yeah, that's impressive and all, but what I wanna know is how you managed to lose this genius' equipment!

I just wanted to see what Sensei was texting...

Purely out of scientific curiosity, of course.

Riiiiight...

Gah! If I don't get that Mirror back soon, the president's gonna yell at me!

Anyway, as you can see, our interests have aligned.

We need our president's tool back, and you want to unlock the G.BIBLE.

Ah. I was wondering why you wanted an in-person meeting. I think I know where this is going.

Wait. You don't mean...?

Heh. You're pretty sharp, Momo.

It's like they say, birds of a feather flock together.

Before we enter the dungeon, we become a raid party.

A-Are you guys seriously suggesting...

...we attack the Student Council with Veritas?!

Yes, you heard me correctly.

You say that, but I'm still having a hard time believing it.

I know of Millennium's Game Development Department.

They seem like such cute, innocent girls. You really think they intend on attacking the Student Council?

They're naive. That's why they do ridiculous things sometimes.

But it's not so simple this time. Veritas is also involved.

Veritas? Those hackers?

Indeed. Both groups are willing to pull out all the stops when the things they hold dear are on the line.

I see. Well, it is our job to respond to requests.

However, there is one little problem.

What kind of problem?

It's the folks guardin' the Student Council's contraband storage where the Mirror is.

It's the Maid Club.

The Maid Club...?

I see. You mean C&C, right? The strike team from our school who wear maid uniforms and "clean up" their targets...

Exactamundo! Don't worry, it's just a minor snag!

Right! It's minor... Super minor...

Gah! It's impossible! We have no choice but to throw in the towel!

Whoa, what the heck are you giving up for, Momo? Don't you need the G.BIBLE?!

Sure we need it, but are you serious right now? The Maid Club?! You've gotta be kidding me!

We'd be better off standing in front of a moving train or throwing ourselves into a volcano than trying to fight them!

B-But, if we don't do somethin', the president is gonna yell at me, I mean, the Game Development Department is gonna be shut down!

Of course I don't want us to get shut down! But, come on! This is just crazy talk!

C&C have gotten rid of countless extremist groups and armed factions. And you know what else?

...When they "clean them up," they don't leave a single trace of their existence behind.

Exactly! The club is important, but I can't put Midori and Aris at that kind of risk! It's too dangerous!

Danger? You've got it all wrong! We're not Gehenna's Prefect Team or Trinity's Justice Task Force or something. Why would the Maid Club have to make us disappear?

Ya see, our goal isn't to get rid of the Maid Club. All we gotta do is get what we need out of the storage room they're guarding!

That's basically the same thing!

Actually, she has a point.

From what I've...heard, the Maid Club's not at full force right now.

Don't tell me...

I see. While the Maid Club is widely considered the strongest squad in Millennium...

...it wasn't just their skill as agents that earned them that reputation.

It was because of "her."

The president of the Maid Club, call sign Double O, Neru.

Correct.

But, as it so happens, right now, she's...

N-Neru isn't here?!

That's right. I believe she's out on personal business in the outskirts of Millennium.

But you needn't worry.

Our president is, well, let's just say she is much more fit for destroying, rather than protecting.

C&C is a strong fighting force when we're with our president.

But if the job is to protect something...we may be better off without her.

As such, we'll accept your request.

Until the deadline given to the Game Development Department, all access to the Student Council's contraband storage is off-limits.

So we avoid direct combat, grab the Mirror, and run for our lives...

...

Let's do it, Momoi.

You too, Midori?! Even without Neru, the Maid Club is still...uber scary!

I know, but...I'm not just going to give up.

Our club room's old and leaky, but...

...it's not just where we get together to play games anymore.

It's...where we all belong.

If we can avoid fighting the Maid Club...I think we have a chance.

No, even if we have to fight them!

I want to keep it safe.

For Aris and Yuzu and all of us together.

Midori...

I believe in us.

When the world is on the brink of destruction, the legendary hero must rise to save it by defeating the wicked demon lord.

After playing approximately 45 RPGs...I have realized that there is a great power all these legendary heroes have in common.

What do you mean? Like leveling up or upgrading equipment?

Or perhaps a wiretap?

Or an EMP?!

Uh... No.

They fight alongside their friends.

Aris...

...

All right.

We're doing this. We're gonna break into the Student Council and take the Mirror!

You've got a plan, right, Hare?!

Naturally.

But, in order to put that plan into action...

...we have some preparations to make.

Like wiretaps, EMPs, and...

...as Aris so eloquently put it, a little help from our friends.

By that you mean...?

Ah! *sparkle sparkle*

But, um, we're not exactly on the best terms at the moment, so I think you'll have to do the talking, Sensei.

Yup.

To be frank, this plan is dead on arrival unless we can enlist their help.

I see.

As you said, you'd have a hard time pulling off a plan like this without our help.

Very well. You can count us in.

Wait, really?

But hasn't the Engineering Department already qualified for renewal?

We did.

Then why would you team up with us to take on the Maid Club?

Oh. It's actually pretty simple.

Because that sounds fun.

Plus, it's a chance to hang out with and get to know Sensei!

That aside, there's also...

???

Huh?

...Oh. Don't mind me. I look forward to seeing what you guys can do.

Uhhh, okay.

Anyway, here's to a fruitful partnership!

All right! Is everyone here?

Yes, and we are ready to proceed.

Awesome!

So when is go time for the mission?

The mission...?

Well, actually, it's already begun.

I do have one thing I'm curious about, Yuuka.

How do you know the Game Development Department and Veritas will attack the Student Council?

When it comes to information warfare, I didn't think there was anyone at Millennium who could surpass Veritas.

You're right about that.

However, that's precisely how we came to know of their plot.

What?

There was only one person who could have tipped us off to such a thing.

The president of Veritas herself, Himari...