Anda Kokoro Connect Volume 10: Asu Random Part 2

1. Auflage 2020
ISBN: 978-1-7183-2618-7
Verlag: J-Novel Club
Format: EPUB
Kopierschutz: Adobe DRM (»Systemvoraussetzungen)

E-Book, Englisch, 414 Seiten

Reihe: Kokoro Connect

The Cultural Research Club has entered the Isolation Zone, where «The Third»'s group has inflicted dozens of phenomena on more than a hundred innocent Yamaboshi students. Now the CRC is tasked with helping all of them cross the finish line-but can they really manage ALL these people on their own? As tensions rise, the threat of an emergency shutdown looms just overhead... Experience the thrilling conclusion to the final arc of the hit ensemble dramedy light novel from award-winning author Sadanatsu Anda!

Autoren/Hrsg.

Anda, Sadanatsu

Weitere Mitwirkende

Shiromizakana

Lee, Molly

Leseproben

“You too, huh? Did you wake up here on campus, or...? Let’s make sure we’re on the same page real quick!”

Taichi had no objections to this, so he readily agreed.

“First off, let’s go over the information we left with. So, we were told «The Third»’s group hatched a plan to cram half the school inside an ‘Isolation Zone’ for some kind of experiment.”

«The Third» and its posse («The Second» and «The Fourth») were all of the same species as «Heartseed». They had arrived in the real world in order to conduct some sort of large-scale experiment—so large, it required both prep work a test run.

“Yeah. Supposedly they knew they were going to have to prep for a massive Record Wipe either way, so they wanted to go all-out with something really ‘entertaining’ first.”

Due to the sheer quantity of «Heartseed»-related memories the CRC had stored up, it would take a great deal of time and effort to erase those “records” from each individual member. Hence, they were essentially trying to get the most bang for their buck.

“Then Yukina-chan and some other track team girls got hit with the body-swap while some first-year boys were cursed with the Liberation... and then Misaki-chan lost her memories, possibly due to an emergency shutdown,” Nagase recounted carefully.

Indeed, victims of an active phenomenon could potentially be subject to what was known as an “emergency shutdown.” If word of the phenomenon began to spread, and/or if a significant societal scandal resulted, and/or if any of the participants suffered a mental breakdown—in other words, circumstances deemed too risky to proceed, lest repairing them prove complicated later on—the «Heartseed» in charge would initiate the emergency shutdown process. This process would potentially erase all memories pertaining to the subject’s fellow phenomenon victims.

“But our objective here is to prevent any more of those emergency shutdowns,” Taichi stated firmly.

“Come to think of it, how are memories doing?”

“I can still remember a bunch of stuff, so I think I’m fine... probably. I can’t think of anything I’m forgetting.”

That said, once those memories were erased, he wouldn’t even know they were gone in the first place. However, as far as he knew, they would be safe from the Record Wipe for the full duration of the Isolation Zone experiment.

“Now, about the Isolation Zone itself. According to all the rumors...”

It was terrifying to , let alone experience, all of these things combined.

“We have no idea how complicated this is gonna get, which is why we asked «Heartseed» to send us in here in the first place—so we could protect everyone. The last thing I remember is... all seven of us, together at Yamaboshi at night. That’s when we made the decision to come here,” Nagase recalled.

“Yeah, and then «Heartseed» was like ‘Let’s get going’ or something... and the next thing I knew, I was lying on the ground outside the school building,” Taichi nodded.

“You were on the I was just standing.”

“But you were alone, right?”

“Yeah. I couldn’t see any of the others nearby. So then I started walking around, and that’s when I spotted you.”

“In that case, maybe the others are somewhere nearby. We should look for them.”

And so Taichi and Nagase moved away from the school building. Starting at the east end of the athletic field, they decided they would work their way all the way around to the opposite side.

The air felt... cold, but not especially. Above them, a dark sheet of clouds covered the sky, except for one small hole through which they could see the full moon shining brightly. The field was awfully dark, but the light from the school building and neighboring offices helped them feel their way forward.

“This the Isolation Zone, right?” Nagase asked, after a few minutes of walking.

“I think so... assuming «Heartseed» didn’t screw up, at least.”

It was just a feeling he had; there was nothing concrete he could point to as proof.

“I mean, it really like we’ve gone to a different world, but... Wait a minute!” Hastily, Nagase started digging in her pockets. “Our cell phones! Duh!”

“Oh, right,” Taichi muttered. How could he have forgotten this essential piece of modern technology?

“This way we can get in touch with Inaban and... Wait, what the? No service?”

“Same here.”

All around them, the trees rustled in the wind.

“Now that I think about it, I’ve never had service at school bef—Hey!”

Suddenly, Nagase took off running in the direction of the front gates. Perplexed, Taichi followed after her. Then, as he came within just five meters from the gate, he caught up to her, and together they ran side by side.

“What’s the matter?”

“Our school’s situated on a pretty busy street. Day or night, there’s always the occasional car passing by. So why does it feel like the road’s deserted?”

“Good point.” That definitely wasn’t normal. “Maybe we should step out real quick and see if we can get any service.”

He checked his phone again, but it still didn’t have any bars.

“Yeah, maybe... There’s at least a chance Inaban and the others are out there, right?”

“Right. Let’s find them so we can formulate a plan.”

“Yeah! We came here to help everyone, and by golly, we’re gonna!”

Pause.

“...So, uh...”

“...Um...”

They both took a deep breath and asked in unison:

“?”

They could only get so close to the edge of campus before they found themselves unable to make progress. Their feet were still moving, and it physically like they were getting closer... and yet they didn’t.

This space was isolated from the outside world, and there was no hope of leaving.

“Haah... haah... I guess... no amount of running... will do us any good...”

At last, Nagase threw in the towel and dropped to the ground. As for Taichi, he had given up much sooner than she had.

They were now face to face with the fact that this world was . Perhaps it was safe to say that this was indeed the Isolation Zone.

Taichi had chosen to come here and fight of his own volition, and as such, he had no regrets... but he couldn’t pretend he wasn’t a little frightened. This was «The Third»’s little dollhouse, and anything could happen. It was possible they were being watched right that very moment.

Regardless, he had no intention of giving up the fight.

“We need to find them, fast.”

“Yeah,” Nagase agreed.

They started walking, keeping their eyes peeled as they moved across campus, cutting across the athletic field from east to west.

And yet... there was still no sign of anyone else.

“They’re nowhere...”

“Maybe we should try calling their names? Or... on second thought, maybe not,” Nagase murmured nervously.

“Let’s keep a low profile for a little longer,” Taichi suggested.

Together, they forged a path through the dark, vast wasteland. This would be unthinkable alone, but as long as they had each other, they had the strength to carry on. Unfortunately, with five pieces of their heptagon still missing, their light was yet dim...

“Psst! Hey, Nagase! I see people!” Taichi hissed, pointing in the distance at the shifting shadows.

“What? Oh wow, you’re right! How many are there? One, two, three, four...”

“Maybe it’s the rest of the club! Let’s go see.”

And so, with high hopes, they took off running in the direction of the group. However, they soon realized these other people were in fact the rest of the CRC, but rather—

“Whoa, it’s Iori! Oh, and Yaegashi-kun!”

“N-Nakayama-chan?!”

Nagase’s good friend from Class 2-B, Nakayama Mariko, came bouncing over. With her high pigtails, she looked like a bunny rabbit.

“Oh my godddd, Ioriiii!”

“Nakayama-chan!”

The two shared a tight hug.

“Boy, am I glad to see you! But at the same time, I’m kinda glad! You really shouldn’t be here right now. Everybody’s going crazy!”

“Yeah, I know. What about you? Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, but the school sure as heck isn’t! One minute it gets all dark, and then the next thing I know, everything’s all And our phones aren’t getting any service!”

As it turned out, Taichi and Nagase weren’t the only two people trapped in this world. For a moment, this came as a relief... but at the same time, it was . These people were victims, trapped inside against their will.

“And you can’t leave, either. I just tried. No...