Vol. 2 Ch. 1 Ep. 19: Double O

Momoi! Are you done yet?

Gimme a minute... I just need to enter this and I'll be done...

We only have two minutes left! There's no time to spare!

96 seconds to be exact. Oh, 92 now...

Okay! Okay! I'm done!

Let's just do a quick test, and... Okay.

There are no errors, Momoi!

All right! Beginning the upload! 15 seconds to delivery! Aris, the time?!

19 seconds remaining...

Please, please, please...

Status: Sent...

We did it!

Pheeew... That was too close.

Now all we have to do is wait for the announcement in four days.

We made it in time, but we won't know our fate until the results come.

In four days, it'll be decided if we have to stay or go.

So I have a proposal.

Why don't we try uploading an open web version of Tales Saga Chronicle 2 in the time we have left?

Huh?

Why would we do that?

Cause who cares what the judges think? Don't you want to know what regular-old players have to say about our game?

B-But what if they say it's horrible?

Think about it this way. We did this for us. The Millennium Prize is just a bonus.

We did our best, and that's something to be proud of!

Well, sure, but...

Let's do it.

Huh?

Art is nothing if people never get to experience it.

I want people to experience what we made.

Yuzu...

It's okay. Even if it's just like last time, and we get an avalanche of nasty comments...

...I'll know that we did our best. And we did it together. That's what's truly important.

I'm all right, honest.

...

Okay! I'm going to upload it now!

W-Wait!

And...done! In two or three hours, the reviews will be rolling in. I'm going to take a break while we wait.

Sure...

...

...*plop*

Aris? Why are you sitting in front of the computer?

I am waiting.

People are starting to download the game. I want to know what they think.

A watched pot never boils, Aris. The real reviews won't come until later.

Well, I am just going to wait.

Me too.

I'm too anxious to sleep anyway.

So I'll wait with you.

Ah.

My heart is pounding.

Agh! I'm more worried than excited. And I'm the one who suggested we do this!

Oh! It's our first comment!

Wh-What?! Really?!

...

Ah... It's okay, Aris. Don't let it get to you.

Understood.

I am going to have Maki give me this person's IP address so I can go blast them with a full strength laser beam.

Y-You can't do that!

Midori's right.

They clearly didn't even try the game, so just try to ignore it.

Hey, now we're getting somewhere.

W-Wow! People are actually excited to play our game!

Uh... I feel like they're acting like our game is some kind of ticking time bomb.

They think they are going to hate it, but want to try it anyway...

Uhhh... They should really go take their test.

Whoa, we already have over 2000 downloads. How'd that happen?

Oh. Someone posted it on a social media aggregate site.

Ahhh! I was just hoping people wouldn't be apathetic, but now I'm scared!

...

My heart is beating really fast.

I can't tell if I'm scared or excited!

Huh?!

Did Momoi's heart just explode?

What?! No, that wasn't me!

Then what was it? Did our console finally die?

It was getting pretty old...

No! This shell is a 13.97 millimeter round! It belongs to Karin!

Eek!

Ranged attack confirmed. Position: eleven o' clock. Distance: approximately one kilometer!

W-Was our last game really THAT bad?!

Preparing to counterattack!

Don't, Aris! We have Sensei here.

And if we fight in here, the club room will be destroyed!

Momoi...

Student Council forces are outside! Maybe they're here for revenge!

I can't believe I felt a little bad for them before!

Eek!

Sensei!

Sensei!

Right!

Yuzu and I will take the lead. You know what that means, right, Aris?

Yes.

I must protect everyone.

All right. Let's move out!

...*pant*...*pant*

Phew, we just barely escaped!

What do we do now, though?

Well, we already submitted the game to the Millennium Prize.

All we have to do is keep running away until they announce the results!

I don't think so.

Huh?!

Ahhh!

Midori!

...

Ah.

I figured that'd work.

So the one that led these little chicks to attack the contraband storage...

...was you, right?

Should I call you "Sensei," too?

I guess Akane's investigation wasn't blowing things out of proportion.

Ha! I wouldn't be here for somethin' like that.

Then again... Hey, you. The one over there.

Don't think I forgot about you tricking me.

Eek...! I-I'm sorry!

You really got me good last time.

Huh?

Your performance was perfect. The way you pretended to tremble really had me going there.

(Th-That was real trembling, though...)

Anyway, you. Yeah, you with that massive weapon...

What?! I'm a third-year! Call me "little" again, and I'll cave your face in!

Mind your composure, Neru.

Wow, someone's brave enough to call Neru little to her face.

Grr...*sigh*

I was THIS close to losin' it, but I'm good. Anyway, you over there with that huge weapon...

*looks from side to side*

Yeah, you!

What about me?

You're not like the others.

You shot straight at C&C!

I've got something you need to hear.

Oh, I recognize this situation.

Next is: "I have never felt this way before."

It is a confession. The little maid is confessing to me.

The hell are you talking about?! And who the hell are you callin' little?! You wanna die, you...!

Uhhh...

W-We're so dead!

*sigh*

You guys are going to make me lose it. Let's cut to the chase...

I'm not here to get revenge for you guys attacking us.

Yeah, I'm a little pissed, but you guys beat us fair and square.

So I'm willing to look past it. However...you've caught my attention.

What do you mean?

There's just somethin' I need to see for myself.

So, let's fight.

If you win, I leave, and that's the end of it.

This is way better than doing some investigation or somethin', don'tcha think?

...

Okay.

You've got some fire in your eyes. I like that.

So an arena event, then? Understood.

What now? Arena...?

Last time, my strategies were limited due to the Mirror and limited area to move in.

However...

...this time my MP is fully charged!

That's...!

Blinding Light!

Gah!

Whoa!

That was amazing!

The wall's completely obliterated!

That was amazing, Aris.

Yeah, I've never seen anything like it.

Did I get her?

A-Aris! You can't say that line!

Oh, of course. Situations like this call for more grace and nuance.

Hath the fair maiden fallen in battle?

Th-That's not really what I meant...

"Not yet."

Ah!

Sure, that attack was pretty special...

But is that all you've got?

R-Recharging MP!

Too slow.

Oh, n...

Gah!

Your weapon is strong, but the time between trigger pull and impact with the target is too long.

And thanks to that gap, your weapon is useless at a certain range.

Because you'll be caught in the blast yourself.

And I'll tell ya how many people in Kivotos can beat me at close range.

None.

Uh-oh...

Aris!

What a let down. I can't believe you managed to trounce my maids.

...

*whoosh*

Crap!

D-Did she just swing that railgun like a bat?!

Heh. Not a bad idea in a close-up fight.

But I've still got the upper hand at this distance.

Even if you can fire, you won't be able to aim at me.

Then I will not aim.

Here I go!

I told you there's no point... Huh?

Th-The hell?! You're firing? But at this distance...!

You aren't even aiming at me! You'll hit the floor!

Are you insane? Don't you know you'll be caught in the blast too?!

Blinding Light!!

Aris! *cough* The smoke!

The floor completely collapsed... There you are, Aris!

Physical damage is at 48% of capacity. We need to retreat!

Hurry, Sensei!

President!

Do you think she's okay? Could she be buried under the rubble?

I saw Aris get out, and she was a mess. Our little Neru might be a pancake by now...

Who are you calling "little"?!

Whoops.

Whoa, that's our president! A little rubble's got nothing on her!

Whose side are you guys on, anyway?!

In any case, Aris is in no condition to continue fighting. She is likely going to an infirmary. Should we pursue?

Hmm. Millennium only has a few infirmaries, so finding her shouldn't take long.

...

...

Neru?

Ugh...

It's fine. There's no need to pursue. Let's pull out.

I feel a lot better after wrecking some stuff anyway.

...

Well, mission accomplished, I guess. Heh. I get now why Rio is so interested in the Game Development Department.

And that person with them...

You're worried about Sensei, aren't you?

W-Wait! It's not like that!

I understand. Though, I am a little worried.

Given that their group is full of nothing but little girls, I wonder if Sensei...

Good for you, Neru.

SHUT UP! One more word out of you, and these barrels will be pointed right at your face.

Hmph...

Sensei...and the Game Development Department.

Hmm.

They better watch themselves. I'll make 'em pay for calling me little.

Anyway, I'm starving. Let's go get some ramen.

All right!

Sounds good!

Oh? So you really did hit your growth spurt after all...

I said shut up!