Ueno Therian Festival Part 2 (Abridged)

Xbalanque: ...hey wait, I forgot to ask about the talking to themselves thing...whatever, it's hilarious how I mistook them for someone else.
Xbalanque sees MC as totally human.
Xbalanque: How'd I ever mistake some random lizard for that legendary dragon Quetzalcoatl?
Solomon: who dat
Later
Solomon: Master, I'm back! Who was that guy you were talking with earlier?
MC: Hi Solomon. Are you talking about Xbalanque?
Solomon: Yeah, he was talking to himself, something about legendary dragons and random lizards.
MC: what
Leib: MC, are you okay? You're talking to yourself. If you start talking about lizards and dragons around here, that freak who's into scalies will pop out like an outdated meme... oh wait, have you ever met Pazuzu? He's a reptilian Tamer and researcher here who can rant about what dragons are for hours. If you've got no plans, I could introduce you to him and his Beast sometime. Oh wait, lots of visitors incoming. Get to hosting, people. (pulls out a pamplet from a cardboard box and gives it to MC. It's an ad for recruiting group researchers and crowdfunding) Also, our lab has to do some new stuff, but other people got the same ideas. Partnering up with new people helps you see things you can't see yourself, a big deal when you get stuck when researching. Okay, good luck guys!

Alp, Cu Sith, and MC interact with a ton of visitors. Later...
Leib: Hey, good work guys. Here's your pay.
Alp and Cu Sith: YAAAY!
MC: Our paycheck! / You sure? / You expensing this?
---
(C) Leib: Does it LOOK like I have a corporate sponsor? If I put it down as labor costs in the after report, I--oh wait, a high schooler like you doesn't need to care. How in hell did you ever learn about something like that anyway?
---
Leib: You worked harder than I expected, so I threw in a bonus. Okay, the lab people should be coming to help soon. We're good, thanks you guys.
Alp: Yay! We somehow survived!
Cu Sith: I'm so glad. Let's go back to checking out the festival, MC.
MC: Where should we look?

MC unfolds a map for the three to check. There's a lot of places everyone wants to see, but then Cu Sith remembers something.
Cu Sith: Hey! Since there's tons of Event Streamers and Drone Pilots here, why don't we check their streams and decide then?
Alp: That's a great idea!
MC opens up their phone and picks something off Not Youtube.
Green Streamer: Hello people, I've been checking out the stalls and stuff at the Ueno Therian Festival! I just heard about something cool from my viewers who are here! They're doing a game that's a mix of soccer and a shooting gallery and it's called Kick Crackshot! Kick balls, hit wooden targets, get points! But no hitting the pillars and curtains of these targets. Check out that high score as it keeps changing! Maybe I'll try to top the scoreboard. Bye!

Cu Sith: Wow!
Alp: Oh gods a chance to get in the spotlight! Let's go guys!
MC: Think we can make it? / We'll cheer you on! / I wanna try too
---
(A) Alp: It'll be fine. Come on!
(B) Alp: I'm suddenly getting motivated! Come on!
(C) Alp: Sounds good, MC! We'll wow the whole crowd! Come on!
---
Cu Sith: Hey wait for me!
Solomon: Well let's go Master!
Cu Sith and MC chase after Alp.

Elsewhere
Purple Streamer: Oh no my battery died! Is there a way to charge it until my partner Drone Pilot comes back?
Xbalanque: Hey you. You know where I can enter the special attraction thing?
Purple Streamer: Me?
Xbalanque: Yes, you. Tell me where it is and I'll put on a show for you.
An unseen fate draws people together.
Alp: WHEEZE...we finally made it from the other side of the map! Hello, I wanna do the new attraction thingy!
Staff: Sorry, we're declining new entrants due to high amounts of participants already entered!
Alp and Cu Sith: NOOOO
MC: NO / I wonder if it's because of that video / Aw man
Staff: Thanks to the Streamers and Pilots, a lot of people tried to enter so I had to close it off...
Cu Sith: Whoa...maybe I shouldn't have stopped to buy food on the way over...
Alp: Oh well...since I'm tired of running so far, let's just sit down and watch!
MC: How about that bench? I'll go buy drinks, I'm hungry.

The three walk over to the bench and buy drinks from a vending machine.
Alp: Ahh, cold drinks are the best~
Cu Sith: Summer's over, but it's still hot for us.
Crowds are still gathering, and it sounds like there's an argument going.
Green Streamer: Viewers don't want just a high angle shot. Use my video too!
Brown Pilot: But a ground angle shot won't catch everything, and the problem is that people won't know what's happening.
MC: huh, what's happening?
Blue Streamer: Hello everyone, I'm streaming with my usual Drone Pilot partner!
Yellow Pilot: Hi, sorry for the camera troubles I'm working on it.
Purple Streamer: We can get a different view with a helicopter shot, but man I wanna use my own camera too!
Silver Pilot: I know, right? But isn't your phone still charging?

Streamers are always looking into ways to better a sense of being there, and sometimes they argue about how to go about that. It's going on here too even with front row seats. Staff members and players should totally notice, but not this guy!
Xbalanque: ...
Green Streamer: Shouldn't my video take priority as the streamer? For entertainment's sake!
Brown Pilot: It's important to see everything from above. Entertainment can come second.
Green Streamer: GASP
Yellow Streamer: Hey could you fight somewhere else? I'll put your space to good use!
Yellow Pilot: Move your selfie stick, you'll hit my drone!
Purple Streamer: Ohh it's getting too heated there, we should move.
Silver Pilot: Our mic is picking up the fight. I wish they'd stop...
The streamer-pilot duos start distancing from each other and their arguments are loud enough that MC can hear.
MC: I wonder what's up? / Are they fighting? / Fight fight fight!
(A) Cu Sith: Hey...are they fighting? P-please, calm down!
Alp: It's an event, we should have fun! Wanna see my break dance mo--
(BC) Alp: Don't ENJOY it, MC! Were you always like that?
Cu Sith: We have to stop them! Everyone, ple--

Suddenly everyone's attention gets drawn to something.
Staff: Oh my god nobody has ever done this well before!
Alp and Cu Sith: Isn't that Xbalanque!?
Xbalanaque: Yo dudes, stop fighting and stream me! You'll be able to record my moves from any angle, and if you miss out that's your problem.
Xbalanque picks up a soccer ball with the tip of his foot, then rolls it up his leg and up to his chest.
Brown Pilot: Holy crap, look at that!
Yellow Streamer: I gotta get this on video! Hi everybody, sorry about the wait~!
Green Streamer: Okay we're back on scene, people!
Xbalanque glances towards the cameras before jumping up, ball held between his feet before shooting down the targets like it's Xiaolin Soccer Time.
Crowds: OOOHHH!
Purple Streamer: My phone's charged now! Connect it to the drone please!
Silver Pilot: Okay! I'll move it as close as I can without getting in the way of the action.
Yellow Pilot: I'll move my drone closer to the player. With so many people around we can't get a good shot from just the ground.
Green Streamer: ...okay, I understand. Hello viewers, we're switching over to the drone camera!

Xbalanque smiles and points at the cameras when he notices them flying in.
Xbalanque: Surprised already? This ain't nothing, and there's still eight shots to go. Also you know who I'm talking to? You, on the other side of the screen! You'll want to cheer for me when I knock your socks off, so keep watching!
Xbalanque kicks the ball at a target as soon as he stops talking, which zooms in dead center towards it.
Red Streamer: He did it! It was a casual over the shoulder shot from behind but HE DID IT!
Yellow Streamer: That aim! And you know what? That target he hit was about the same size as the ball itself!
Pilot-Streamer Duos: Holy crap, all those tips! Thank you everybody, thank you Xbalanque!!
Cu Sith: Whoa everybody here is looking at Xbalanque!
Alp: Wow, he thought out both the shots and the view for the audience! I gotta learn from this!
MC: So he's not all talk... / He must've practiced a ton / (cheer for Xbalanque)

There's tons of cheering and clapping drowning MC out.
Xbalanque: ...?
Suddenly the wind blows some pamphlet into the Xbalanque's vision and blocks off the target!
Brown Pilot: Oh no!
Xbalanque happens to look at MC...
Xbalanque: ...!!
Streamers: He missed? That last shot is going towards the audience and...
MC: It's coming this way! (focus and kick it back) / (kick it back randomly)
The ball flies back barely above the ground! Reaction shots all around! And then...bullseye!
MC: Yeah! / What? / I wasn't even trying to aim at that.
More reaction shots
Staff: WHOA! That was amazing! I can't give points for that, but still!
Standing ovation! Record view counts!
Brown Pilot: Dammit, I couldn't get a shot because something got in the way of my camera.
Green Streamer: It's okay, I got it with my selfie stick!

Later
Alp: MC, that was perfect!
MC: Just as planned / Random chance... / (V-sign)
Solomon: Congratulations, Master! I'm so proud! Too bad, if I could go over to the physical side I could have comboed with you.
MC: One day, Solomon / Do you even know how to play
Alp: ...MC, who are you talking to?
Cu Sith: Oh, it's him! Xbalanque, over here!
Cu Sith waves to Xbalanque as he approaches like he knew where they were to begin with.
Xbalanque: You know, I saw what you guys did earlier. You're pretty nice to go out of your way to try to stop a fight. I was gonna stay out of it, but then I stuck my head into it before I knew what I was doing.
MC: Oh, so you weren't just trying to stand out earlier when you called out?

Xbalanque: Yep. With skills like mine, people will come even without me talking myself up.
Alp: OOF that self-confidence! But it's so true!
Xbalanque: Well back in the moment I needed a way to get everyone's attention all at once, so I needed something that could blow away an audience in seconds.
Cu Sith: But thanks to that, we all had fun and nobody got hurt. It was amazing! Thanks again, Xbalanque.
Xbalanque seems cool and collected as he accepts Cu's thanks.
Xbalanque: It's cool. It wasn't much for me though, and there's plenty of even cooler people out there in the world. Like my brother. One time back home we were hunting together and he hit every single--
Xbalanque's swishing tail suddenly stops.
Xbalanque: ...never mind. So what brings you guys here? You saw the streamer's videos and wanted to try it out?
MC: We just came to watch / They stopped taking players... / To be better friends with you!
(A) Xbalanque: Lucky for you that you got to see me play then. Call it a reward for how hard you worked earlier.
(B) Xbalanque: You play soccer too? Awesome coincidence. I like and specialize in things having to do with balls... wanna play together sometime? It's cool, you can keep up.
(C) Xbalanque: ...so you're a joker, huh? Even if you're serious, talking alone isn't gonna cut it. You gotta show more of your skills first, but I'll be looking forward to what you can do at least.

Xbalanque looked gentler for a second but goes back to looking calm and collected with the subject change. Almost like a mask slipped, or he was putting something important away. Cu Sith noticed.
Cu Sith: So what was your brother like?
Xbalanque: ...sorry, I'm trying to stop bragging about my brother but slipped up there.
Cu Sith: What, why? Sorry, should I not have asked...?
Xbalanque: Nothing like that. I just tend to go on about him, so I try to not do that.
MC: I won't force it, but I wanna hear what you're okay with sharing. You like your brother that much?
Xbalanque: Big Br--my brother is amazing. He's great with balls, he's reliable, and he was always ahead of me. There were plenty of times where we...weren't together. I'd kick balls all day by myself while admiring him then.
Xbalanque talks about what he swore to himself when he crossed the rainbow bridge to Tokyo and the thoughts of someone in a far off sky.

MC: Was your brother a star athlete? / That...sounds lovely. / (look at Xbalanque's profile)
Xbalanque: I dunno... since we lived apart a lot, we just might not have fought much. Stay in a cramped place and see the same things as someone else and you're bound to get into conflict eventually. Like that legendary duo Tezcatlipoca and...Quetzalcoatl.
Xbalanque whispered that last name really quietly, no one could hear.
Xbalanque: Oh...that must've been why I was curious about you.
MC: What's up, Xbalanque?
Xbalanque: ...it's nothing. You can see things I can't. Nothing Weird about that.
Cu Sith: I wanna hear more about your past, Xbalanque. Pleeease?
Xbalanque: ...I can you the facts all day at least. I got a list of exploits as long as my brother's at least. I won't be able to fit all of them in a day though.
Alp: Then come visit us at our dorm! We can have a slumber party and talk all night!
Cu Sith: That's a great idea! And I'll cook something up if you do stay over.
Xbalanque: ...cool. I'm not gonna hold my breath about your food, but sounds good. I know how to make poisoned food at least. Big Bro taught it to me for hunting and--oops.
MC: Say it again! / Aww, you DO have a cute side / Oooh, right Alp? Cu Sith?
(A) Xbalanque: No
(B) Xbalanque: I'mma get you back SO hard for flexing on me like this, Senpai.
(C) Alp and Cu Sith: OOOH~
Xbalanque: Could you stop? ...I really didn't want to slip up in front of you in particular since you're older than me.

Xbalanque smiles as he thinks back to the days he spent with and without his brother. He swore that he would brag and live alone so people wouldn't look down on him even without his brother around. Because of that he held his swelling emotions back and presented as cool and calm, but now he looks open and honest as he smiles.
???: Hey, you still hanging around even though the game's over? No wonder it took so long to find you.
Leib, Fenrir, and Jambavan walk over.
Cu Sith: Jambavan, you're up! How are you feeling?
Alp: Leib, Fenrir, you two are here too!? Are you looking for us to help with something again?
MC: Huh, Leib? / Jambavan, you okay? / Fenrir, you're here too
(C) Fenrir: Indeed. I have finished mine Efforts to Afford Tomorrow's Rations and came across these two.

Jambavan: Sorry about earlier you guys! I let my guard down and fell asleep... Thanks for minding the booth Cu Sith and Alp! MC, Leib-senpai told me about how you helped too. I'll be sure to show my thanks for it next time too!
Leib: We also brought him along to take a walk to clear his mind after he woke up. I came along because I was reminded of someone nagging me to go outside and touch grass as they say sometimes. We already got people in the lab I could dump on switch out with for the booth and cleanup, so no worries.
Cu Sith: Oh! So you can come hang out with us? Let's go!
Alp: Yeah! There's still things to see and dances to do!
Cu Sith: How about you, Xbalanque? We can introduce you to everyone! I'd love for you to be friends with all my Beast Tamers friends.
Xbalanque: ...oh fine, I can make some time for you. You cool, Senpai?
MC: Yep. That was the plan. / ...fine.
---
(C) Xbalanque: 5 out of 10, Alp did better. You still got a way to go.
---
Xbalanque: Okay, let's go then.
Cu Sith: Thanks! I'll introduce you as we walk.

The cheery voices of the therians of Ueno fade into the sky. The crowds enjoy the festivities, and scuttlebutt has it that no crazy beasts were seen at all. Just friends and parading students as far as the eye could see. Time flies, and the sun sets on the festival. After MC says bye to the Ueno students going back to the dorms, they walk back to Ueno Station with Xbalanque.
Xbalanque: ...you're wondering why I'm here? I figured I should at least do my kouhai-ly duties when saying bye for the day at least. You seem like the type who'd be one place one moment and suddenly disappear five seconds later, so I'm making sure you're leaving safely. Careful on your way back, Senpai.
Xbalanque, sassy to the end as he holds his hand out to MC.
MC: (shake his hand) / (hug him) / (pet him)
(B) Xbalanque: Wait, you like me that much? Okay okay, you big baby. Haha...it's kind of a waste. Don't act like that to anyone else.
(C) Xbalanque: Wait what are you DOING!? Stop, aaaahhh... STOP you dumbass, we literally just met today! What? You did that to show me how much of a bratty kouhai I am? ...how bad are your senpais then? ...w-well, it wasn't all bad I guess. I'm always evaluating people in everything they do. Don't think I'll hold back again after this. Underestimate me and I'll be the one to come out on top with your place.

Xbalanque: Well I guess this is goodbye for now. I might see you again soon sometime. That's the feeling I'm getting!
Xbalanque waves MC off. They may be parting ways and going different ways, but an invisible bond of fate may one day reconnect them again.
Solomon: Welp, it's just you and me on the way home, Master! I wanna talk so much about everything we saw and did today! And I took pictures as promised. I'll send the first of my best to your phone!
It's a picture of MC, Xbalanque, and the Beast Tamers.
The End

Live A Hero Book 2 Chapter 1 Episode 5: The Library Guardian (Abridged)

Evil Red: Where are they!?
Evil Green: We protest the armed subjugation of our brothers with vandalism and threats of violence! We also protest against government workers who would hide people inside public facilities and we will do so with terrorism! We demand that you come aPoLoGiZe!
Evil Yellow: We demand to be heard! Let this random destruction be a lesson if you won't!
Simple bombs explode! Books fall underfoot and get trampled on! The evil ninjas are looking for MC and the party.
Library Worker: Nooo, please don't deface the books! We don't know who it is you're looking for!
Evil Green: No playing dumb! Space Racist Punch!
Library Worker: Oh no!
Evil Purple: You call yourselves government workers? WE are the ones doing the real work saving the country and being REAL patriots!
Evil Blue: Take no prisoners!
Evil Green: The beatings will continue until we hear what we want to hear! (click)
Another bomb goes off inside the building!

MC: OH NO!
Santetsu: AAAHH!!
Danzo: Damn punks! There's about 20 of them! I took down a group of them but the rest didn't care! They're totally looking for MC even if they haven't said any names, and they'll blow up everything until they get them!
Ryekie: This is horrendous!
Seiichirou: I'm sure what they're calling a protest is an attempt to provoke us into action. It seems their real goal is to lure MC out and capture them before they've made any new allies, but we can't give you to them.
Roiker: 20 enemies...? Well we can't beat them with them spread out.
Akashi: We can't just sit here and strategize! We gotta go out and do something now!
Santetsu: >:C
Huckle: Yes, but with them after MC we can't be careless. We need to figure out how to keep MC safe while defeating 20 enemies inside the library.
Exio: ...hey, where's Santetsu?
MC: Oh, he's gone...

Danzo: Look, he's over there!
Danzo points to the center of the library, and all the villains look.
Santetsu: (stands menacingly)
Evil Red: ...what? You a librarian here?
Evil Yellow: You gonna spill where they are?
Santetsu: ...do you know what year the book you're standing on was published?
Evil Red: ...huh? Who cares ab--
Santetsu: 250 years ago, in a time of peace before Monsters appeared on this planet. It's a historical record with lessons over the regrets of war. In fact all the books on that shelf is filled with history from that time, filled with wishes that people of the future won't have pointless fights. (glares)
Santetsu: Is it your way of doing things to literally trample on the thoughts of those past and create conflicts to fulfill your own wishes? You dare claim to do so for the sake of the country? What honor is there in your shameful actions?
Evil Yellow: What!? You dare insult us!?

Akashi: Holy shit, what is he doing!?
Roiker: Welp, that was bound to happen when all these books got damaged.
Seiichirou: Yes, Santetsu cares about books as much as he does his own life.
Ryekie: Hey look, they're starting to gather together! It could be our chance, but we can't leave Santetsu to get ganged up on over there!
Seiichirou's phone rings. It's Santetsu on the line.
Santetsu: I'm sorry. I'll take you're scolding later. So...could I ask you to transform me?
Seiichirou: ...alright. The only way we can get out now is through all of them, so...kick their asses.
Santetsu: Yes Sir.
Santetsu's transformation activated!
Evil Red: Wait he's a HERO!?
MC: That's Santetsu's hero form!? / His weapon is...a book? / He seems so much cooler now!

Santetsu: I will destroy anyone who defaces the books written by our ancestors. It's embarrassing to say so...but they call me the Library Guardian. Are you ready to face your punishment?
Akashi: Wait, he can't go 1v20! MC, I'm going out there too!
Huckle: Akashi! ...well we should get out too since it's come to this. Danzo, can you watch MC again like last time?
Danzo: Yep! Good luck out there!
Huckle: Thank you. Let's go, Ryekie!
Ryekie: Right! Full power!
Roiker: ...okay. Let's leave the front lines to them while I take care of any stragglers around inside.
Roiker looks to Seiichirou. Seiichirou nods and holds his hand up to transform Roiker. Hero Roiker has a telescope rifle and a floating armillary sphere to projects a map when he holds a hand up to it.
MC: Whoa! / Cool! / Oh my god so cute
(BC) Roiker: ...please stop. Getting complimented about my appearance feels weird...

Roiker compares the armillary sphere map and his phone and nods.
Roiker: So there ARE stragglers further in. But I can take them alone. Seiichirou, can you back me up? I'd like to ask Exio and MC if they can handle it to operate the battle over here. I know we're outnumbered, but I won't force the issue...
MC: I'll do it!
Roiker: Thank you. Beginning the operation.
Exio: We have five heroes and three Operators versus 20 scattered villains...this might be pushing it a little.
Exio sighs and holds his hand up to the party to transform them. The party readies to fight and goes to support Santetsu.
Evil Red: Fine, we'll bury all of you for justice!
Akashi: To hell with your justice and your blowing up the library!
Santetsu: What he said. Let's go!
BATTLE START (more happens later)

Evil Red: Eat it, punk!
Akashi: Stop using fire in here, dammit! Baseball Smash!
Evil Red: Ugh! (flop)
Evil Yellow: Zap the Justice! You are a part of the heroes who represent this country, so--
Ryekie: Are you really asking why I'm standing against you? I don't really know what you guys are plotting, but you don't hurt your country's citizens if you're doing things for your country! My justice leans on the side that punishes you all for using brute force on others! Justice Punnnnch!
Evil Yellow: AAAAHH!!
Evil Purple: Damn you, Zap the Justice!
Huckle: Hi, I'm here too.
Evil Purple: Whom--GAAH!
Huckle: Ryekie does the big sweeping moves, so it's my job to support him and deal with the smaller details.
Evil Green: H-how dare you look down on us!

One of the villains picks up a book and throws it at Santetsu. Santetsu catches it and looks at the cover.
Santetsu: Do you know what's written in this book?
Evil Green: What!? What are--
Santetsu: So that would be a no then. Allow me to tell you.
Santetsu closes his eyes and holds his hand up to the book. The book glows as letters of light float out of it.
Santetsu: This is a record of things from 1970, specifically of events caused by radicals and of their imprisonment. Sounds like you. Do you know how they were arrested? The criminals had barricaded themselves a building but lost morale and split apart when the police brought something out. Would you like to see how it felt?
The light words zoom over to the villains, enlarge, then...
Evil Green: Hey, it turned into an iron ball!
The ball starts spinning in circles, which then...
Evil Green: Ahhh!
Evil Blue: WHAT WAARGH
The chain on the ball catches the others around and slams them into the wall, knocking them out of their transformations.

MC: Whoa...
Santetsu: ...I can't use what hasn't been written down into books, and I have to close my eyes to focus.
Santetsu lowers his hand, which causes the book to stop glowing. That in turn causes the ball and chain to crystalize into light and disappear.
Evil Red: Urgh! Wait, the others! What are they--I can't reach them! Did those shits run away!?
Roiker: If you mean those stragglers I got them already. So, you want to keep going?
Evil Red: How dare you twerps--a call! Hey, where the hell are you!? Stop standing there and watching and start--what? HQ!? But...okay, fine. RETREAT!
The mobs stagger to their feet and scatter in different directions.
MC: Oh no, we gotta catch them!
Akashi: Yeah! Get back here, losers! You don't get to just run after all that--
Akashi chases after the closest mob when Mystery Man steps in to impede him.
Akashi: Wha? Who are--OOF!
Akashi gets sent flying.
Ryekie: Akashi! Who is that!?
Mystery Man turns around to leave, but MC gets a glimpse of his face.
MC: !? Akashi!

Huckle: ...what did you say, MC?
Mystery Man: (stops)
Akashi: ...what? MC...what does that mean!?
Mystery Man glares at MC through his bangs, then jumps out a window.
Huckle: ...he got away. I wished we got at least one of them.
Seiichirou: If we did catch one of them, they'd keep quiet and get cut off from the group. Then the group will come silence him later.
Ryekie: MC...was that really Akashi just now?
MC: I don't know, but I was sure that...
Exio: ...well this wouldn't the first time that's happened. Remember?
Yeah, remember Crowne Alter?
Huckle: Crowne...? Well, it's not impossible... But can parallel world selves coming over happen that often?
Ryekie: W-wait, even if that was Akashi, why would he be with those villains!? I can't imagine Akashi ever turning against society like that!
Huckle: I don't know... I don't want to believe that either.
Roiker: ...I suppose we should assume he's started to move then. But I don't understand why he would pick Akashi of all people.
Akashi: He's another me...? No way...

That night in the hotel room Seiichirou had set up, MC stares at Umeda while thinking about what happened. In hindsight the way Mystery Man looked and presented himself differed a lot from Akashi, but for some reason they saw him as Akashi.
MC: Is he...really Akashi?
He looks like he went through terrible despair and anguish. If that really was Akashi...he must have had one hell of a life. It must've been so bad for him to look so different from the Akashi we know.
MC: ...no way. What happened...?
Elsewhere, in space
Broker: ...
The Broker stares at some shining sphere, then snickers to himself.
End of Episode

Ueno Therian Festival Part 1 (Abridged)

One autumn day...
Sailor Solomon pops up!
MC: What? Summer's over. / (immediately pet him)
---
(C) Solomon: Ohhhh, Master~! Hey wait you can't distract me like that!
---
Solomon: Summer is over...and I didn't get to spend any of it with you! I know you were busy with your friends, but I wanted to spend time with you TOO! Oh, if only Master would ask me to go somewhere with them hint hint.
MC: Is there somewhere you want to go? / I wanted to play with you too / Little brat
---
(A) Solomon: Hooray! I love having a kind Master!
(B) Solomon: R-really!? Yay, thank you!
(C) Solomon: How can you be so MEAN!? ...oh, you were kidding? Aww, don't be like that!
---
Solomon: I figured this would happen so I used my Rank 3 Event Guide skills to find an event! Ueno Academy has the Ueno Therian Festival happening today, and everyone's welcome to join! How about we go?
MC: Okay
Solomon: Yay!

Ueno, that city with that famous bioscience research school that lots of furries go to. It's got tons of secrets so outsiders call it the school that cages up wild beasts. It's the city with savage animals with crazy powers they can't control or something they say, so the school is doing PR stuff with other organizations.
Soccer Jaguar: Aw man, the park's closed today! I was gonna practice there.
Soccer Jaguar is juggling a soccer ball like a pro.
Soccer Jaguar: There goes my plans...huh?
Solomon: Yay! Outing, ooting! We're at Ueno! Where do we go from here?
MC: Let's check the map app / There's a signboard for the event / (show Solomon a poster)
Solomon: Oh, it's at the park! ...you're wondering why I didn't look up the location? I figured we could work it out once we got to the station!
Soccer Jaguar is watching MC talk with Solomon from a distance.
Soccer Jaguar: Uhh, is someone invisible there? ...have I seen that guy somewhere before?

Soccer Jaguar starts approaching when some nerd runs in.
Yellow Event Streamer: Hey everybody! I'm at Ueno Station now! Today I'm gonna go see the Ueno Therian Festival. It's just you and me, people! Pretend it's a date! Let's gooo~!
Soccer Jaguar: (stares in futbol)
MC: He's streaming? / Lots of people doing that lately / ...what's his deal?
Solomon: Allow me to tell you! That was an Event Streamer, entertainers who do videos on Not Youtube! Lately a bunch of them have been contracting with talent agencies to do their thing instead of working solo. Oh, I see a security officer! It must be a big event!
It's some drone pilot.
Solomon: He's a Drone Pilot, and he can look around from the sky with a machine. There might be more at the festival! Let's go, Master!
Soccer Jaguar: Dammit I lost them.
The crowds are getting bigger.
Soccer Jaguar: Oh right that festival was happening today. So that's why the park is closed. Well I might as well go look for that weirdo since I have nothing better to do. (kicks ball onto his head and runs off)
And so a new bond is going to be formed.

Later
MC has reached the festival area. There are more Streamers streaming their visit, and Solomon is amazed at the drones flying around.
Solomon: Wow, look Master! There really are a lot of Drone Pilots. And a lot of Streamers coming here. Oh it looks like the Streamers and Pilots are working together. I see! Hmm...now I want to pull out my camera too!
MC: You're good at taking pictures / Can you stream too~? / Relax man
(A) Solomon: Flatterer...it's true tho. Welp, I better get to it and go all out!
(BC) Solomon: Are you TAUNTING me!? Welp, time to go all out then!

Solomon: My Rank 3 Photography skills are gonna wow you! Make sure you have enough storage on your phone. Bye~! (flies off)
MC: He ditched me... I wanted to look around together.
???: Huh? Is that you, MC?
Alp and Cu Sith walk up from behind.
Cu Sith: It IS you! Welcome to Ueno!
Alp: Aww, did you come to see me? I'm so popular~!
MC: Yep / Nope / I came to see everyone
(A) Alp: Aww ye--wait what? I was kidding! ...but if you say so, then I can look around with you!
Cu Sith: But I wanna go see the festival with MC too!
(B) Alp: GASP! I was joking but you shooting me down so fast feels bad... But since you're here and all, wanna come look around with us?
(C) Cu Sith: Does everyone mean everyone in the Ueno guild? Yay! Everyone will be happy too. So want to look around with us?

Cu Sith: Leib and the others are putting products codeveloped by the research lab and businesses on display. I'm sure they'll be surprised when they see you. Let's go!
MC: Sure! / Well I'm not doing anything else / Hmm...
Suddenly a Red Streamer starts talking!
Red Streamer: Hi, I'm streaming this event! Got any recommendations!?
Alp: Wait what? Are we being streamed!?
Cu Sith: Oh, is that a streaming phone? Hello internet!
Alp: Yo baby, it's ya guide!
Alp and Cu Sith pull out a map of the event and tells Red where the displays and stalls are.
Red Streamer: Ohh, thank you! I'mma head over now!
Alp: The festival has a lot of games and carts, so have fun!

MC: You seem to be having fun, Alp / Cu Sith, are you used to streams? / It's like you two are event staff!
Cu Sith: Hehe, I did a lot of introductions. I looked up the event shops yesterday since I figured Senpai and the others would be busy with presentations and couldn't go buy lunch...
Alp: Yeah we were just about to buy some stuff when we saw you.
???: There you guys are. I've finally found--hm? You?
MC: Hi Fenrir / Thou art the Silver Wolf of Twilight!
---
(A) Fenrir: Long time no see, MC. I see you've already met the Guard Dog with the Hidden Dark Power and the Dreaming Panda.
(B) Fenrir: Heh. I can't believe I would see you again in this Forest of Wisdom and Culture after an eternity.
---
Fenrir: It seems I, the Lone Wolf, really am connected to you by fate.
Cu Sith: Hey wait, why were you looking for us?
Alp: Yeah we haven't been gone that long.
Fenrir: Oh, right. We must hurry to the Smoking Polar Bear about the Toiling Bear Researcher!
Alp and Cu Sith: WHAT
MC: Oh no!

Fenrir leads everybody to the lab.
Alp: No...
Cu Sith: jimbo why
Jambavan: ZZZ...
MC: He's just sleeping! / That's it? / Cute face when he sleeps
Leib: Dammit Jambavan. You stay up all night for days in a row and fall over the second you finish putting the display together and building stuff.
Alp: Wait, that happened right after we left!?
Cu Sith: Oh...I told him he should've gotten some sleep earlier.
MC: Animal cruelty! / Leib gonna Leib / Let him sleep

Leib: Hey MC, been a while. And I've been busy too as lab boss, you know. Well, Jamabavan did good, so I'll give him some good stuff when he wakes up. For now we'll just throw up a cot behind the booth and have Fenrir carry him over. We're out a guy to run the booth though, so that's where you come in.
Cu Sith: But we were going to go see the stalls and look around!
Leib: What? You only need to sit there until it's my breaktime and prep to take over. Come on, I'll pay you. You'll help right ol' buddy ol' pal MC?
MC: Thank you for your business! / I'm already pulled in! / lmao bye
---
(A) Leib: Greedy magpie. Well I already took that into account when I asked.
(B) Leib: Hey, you'll get some extra cash to play around with by standing at our booth! Win-win, right?
(C) Cu Sith: NOOO don't leave us!
Alp: We won't be able to explain anything about the booth without your help!
---
Leib: Fenrir has another job to go to so he unfortunately can't stay, so I'm counting on you MC. It'll be over quick, no worries!
And so the three of them were given a crash course on what was at the booth.

Later
MC: I hope no one comes / how did this happen / (read the materials)
---
(A) Alp: Same. But someone is gonna come, huh?
(B) Cu Sith: Sorry MC. But I'll take care of things if you're in trouble! And Leib is doing his best in the back!
(C) Alp: Wow MC, you can read all that?
Cu Sith: Jambavan always makes it easy to understand, but it's still hard for us to get. Grad students are amazing.
---
Soccer Jaguar comes by!
Soccer Jaguar: ...hi. What's this booth for?
Alp: OH NO SOMEONE CAME BY! I bet he's gonna go so rough on me and Cu Sith for being cute and--
Soccer Jaguar: Uhh, I'm not into that.
Alp: WHAT!? How can anyone not see this cuteness and not think anything of it!?
Soccer Jaguar: Oh, no wait I wasn't talking about cuteness. I'm the kind of guy who can control his focus on things in front of him.
Alp: what

Cu Sith: O-oh, somebody's here! W-welcome! This is a display booth! Um, we show things codeveloped by Ueno's grad students with businesses. The stuff our senpais make is amazing! Cutting edge stuff? Something like that!
Soccer Jaguar: So uh, all I got was that your senpais are awesome. So isn't it your job to explain your things to a layman like me?
Cu Sith: OOF! But he's right...
Alp: Oh no we're screwed! MC, help!
MC: little bRAT / I can't argue with that... / Well in that case...
MC goes to grab a box labeled "for demos" from the back.
MC: Seeing is believing!
Alp and Cu Sith: WHAT

MC: Behold, the Cook Slime X!
Cu Sith: ...is this okay, MC? Uhh, so we show the slime a picture of what we want to eat, then...
Cook Slime: Beep beep! Analyzing...analyzing...
Cu Sith and Alp: !?
Cook Slime: Analysis complete, beep beep! Begin cooking!
Alp: It talks!? So it's a machine that cooks for us?
MC: Science babble!
The cook slime vibrates in place and eventually releases steam from the top. MC keeps reading from the explanation book.
Soccer Jaguar: Oh, I get it. It's a show to get people's attention? Nice, keep it going.
Cu Sith: (Yay! He thinks we're putting on a show!)
Alp: (Awesome! Let's turn up the cute and BS entertain our way through to the end!)
Alp: Hey everybody, come see our display booth!
Cu Sith: We have a Cook Slime X to show!

Randos start coming over.
Green Streamer: Smells good, man. Rice, spice...that's biryani! Whoops, I flehman'd on camera while streaming. Sorry! I'm gonna check it out!
Cook Slime: Cooking complete, beep beep! Bon appetit!
MC: It's done! Anyone want to try? (oh god we made it)
Cu Sith: Thank you MC! Things went great thanks to you!
Alp: We ain't done yet, Cu Sith! Now we just gotta get everyone to try the food!
Cu Sith: Right. MC, you can take a break in the back. Okay everybody, please line up here for a taste test of the Cook Slime's cooking!
Alp: Ooh, I wanna try too...oh no, I still have work to do!
Green Streamer: Wow, this is restaurant quality! An automatic cooker? Wow! ...it's still in development!? I hope it's done quick!

The food is eaten quickly between Alp and Cu Sith's charms and the food's aroma, and the randos walk away satisfied.
Soccer Jaguar: ...hey, can I talk to you?
Cu Sith: Huh? D-did you have another question!?
Alp: OH NO I can't explain anything any better!
Soccer Jaguar: No, it's not that. I wanted to apologize for being rude earlier to someone older than me. And that show you did was fun and easy to get. I like guys who can get things done, so I wanted to tell you that. Also... (stares at MC in sassy)
Soccer Jaguar: ...oh. I was just imagining things. You look just like a normal person. (turns away)
MC: Hey wait, who are you? (gives introduction)
Soccer Jaguar: Oh, right. The name's Xbalanque, from El Dorado. Nice to meet you.

Xbalanque: ...huh, you're in a grade above me? You're a lot more random than I'd expect from a senpai.
Xbalanque looks at Alp and Cu Sith.
Cu Sith: I'm Cu Sith. Alp and I are 1st years at Ueno Academy's high school. You're in the same grade as us? Hehe. Would you tell us about yourself? Which school do you go to?
Alp starts trembling.
Cu Sith: Alp, what's wrong!?
Alp: THAT WAS AWESOME
Cu Sith: WHAT

Alp: If I wanna be popular, I gotta be both cute and cool! I oughta introduce myself like you did, man! The name's Alp, from Yggdrasil. Nice to meet you!
Xbalanque: ...you aren't gonna show any part of your own self if you totally copy someone else, you know.
Alp: OOF right in the chest
Cu Sith: Y-you're so mean, Xbalanque! Alp just wanted to be friends with you!
Xbalanque: (points) You have your own good points, so you don't need to bother with copying me. I'm not bothered by the flattery, but I think you're better off working on what you do best instead of trying to be me.
Alp: O-ooh~...
Cu Sith: W-whoa...there aren't many guys like you around here so that really made my heart pound...
Xbalanque: Uhh, did I say something funny? I thought it was obvious.
MC: Alp is being sweet talked... / A wild bratty kouhai appeared... / I can't lose either!
Xbalanque: Say, are you guys still doing the booth? I'll be going then. Later.
MC: Uh... / (silently wave)
MC, Alp, and Cu Sith watch Xbalanque disappear into the crowd.
Later
Blue Streamer: Okay people, time to start our fun fall campaign!
Purple Streamer: Did you think we were done? We still have a second part to do! We're gonna enjoy the Ueno Therian Festival!
Blue Streamer: See you in the next part!
End of Episode

Live A Hero Book 2 Chapter 1 Episode 4: "Unique" (Abridged)

Evil Blue: HIDEBU
Evil Red: Those shitty little rats!
MC and friends have escaped, leaving the evil ninjas to eat the dirt.
Mystery Man: (walks up) Wow, you guys went down like little bitches.
Evil Yellow: S-shut up punk! Don't go acting big just 'cuz you're a little stronger!
Mystery Man: Big words from a baby who got his ass BEAT. Whatever. Your dumbass friends with better noses went ahead and caused some crap, so I gotta go see what they're up to. I might need to step in too. You guys should get out of here before normal people see you. (snrks and stalks off)
Evil Red: GODDAMN NEWBIE

Elsewhere
The party drives over to some huge building with landscaped topiary out front. There's a sign that says New National Library.
MC: A library? This is where we're going?
Seiichirou: Yes. Take the car back and watch out for enemy reinforcements.
Seiichirou talks to the driver, then closes the door. The car drives off and Seiichirou leads the way into the library. Team Parallel Flight looks at each other confused at this but follows along.
Danzo: Hmmmm...
Danzo brings up the rear but suddenly stops to stare at something.
Inside the building, not many people are around. Halls for days line the sides filled with bookshelves stacked with books.
Ryekie: I don't think I've been in a library since I was in school. It kinda makes me feel like standing straight up.
Akashi: Damn, this place is amazing. I only heard of the name before, and it'd take more than a lifetime to read all these books.
Huckle: Don't like libraries, you two? I grew up around books myself, so I like places like these.
MC: How many books are there? / I'd love to read a ton here / Akashi do you even read
(B) Akashi: Oh right, you're a reader. Me, not so much...
(C) Akashi: H-HEY! I read! ...sort of.

Huckle: I've heard this library carries every published book in the country it can get its hands on, but it's still amazing to see it in person. And that is a lot of bookshelves I see. How many books are there?
???: Between open access and librarian-reserve requests, we have 66,238,033 books.
Santetsu walks up from behind the party. He looks mildly annoyed that people are here.
Ryekie: Where'd you come from!?
Santetsu: We are in a library, quiet please.
Ryekie: O-oh, right. Sorry...
Seiichirou: ...how surprising. I was about to ask for you at the counter. You almost never come see anyone yourself Santetsu.

Santetsu scratches his head and sighs.
Santetsu: ...you told me ahead of time you'd be here, so I can come wait for you at least. So. "What are you looking for today?"
Seiichirou: "I want to see the articles on the middle column on page 3 and top column on page 8 in the Sept. 22, 2042 Taiyou Newspaper, the Sunday paper. I was told that a librarian has to reserve it, so could you show me the way?"
Seiichirou pulls out a card and gives it to Santetsu. Santetsu scans the card with his phone or some small computer, then nods at the results.
Santetsu: Okay, this way. (turns and walks further inside)
Seiichirou: W-wait, don't you need to verify everyone else's identities? At least introduce yourself.
Santetsu: I figured you'd have checked their backgrounds already if you were bringing them with you, Sir. Oh, I'm Santetsu. Tokuhara Santetsu, librarian. Nice to meet you. (starts walking again)
MC: Awkward / Weirdo / He's cute
---
(C) Akashi: (stares in childhood friend)
---
Exio: ...I see he's really started trusting you in the time we've been apart.
Seiichirou: ...no, he just can't be assed to do much of anything. (sighs) Well, let's get to walking.

The library is like a maze as Santetsu leads the party up up down down left right past a few researcher offices or something and further in.
Huckle: Is it just me, or are we...taking the scenic route?
Santetsu: Yeah, I think it's a pain too, but them's the rules.
Santetsu pulls on one of the books on the librarian-only shelves, which of course causes a secret door to reveal itself.
Ryekie: What? An elevator!?
The elevator door opens, and it looks totally normal inside. The party gets in.
Akashi: Is this a secret base or something
Seiichirou: Yes. Isn't this exciting?
Akashi: U-uh...yeah...
MC: Adventure! / Yeah, some people would like this / Yeah you look excited, Akashi
---
(C) Akashi: W-well, I did think they were cool when I was a kid... W-who cares!? Shut up, we're in a library!
---
The elevator door closes. MC then realizes something.
MC: ...hey where's Danzo?

Later, the elevator eventually reaches the bottom floor. There's computers and monitors and crammed bookshelves everywhere. It looks more like a military base than a library room.
Ryekie: ...impressive.
???: You're here? I apologize for the trouble it took for you to get here.
Roiker gets up from some desk in the center of the room and walks over.
Roiker: Hello Seiichirou, Santetsu. Long time no see Exio. And welcome to our guests. This is the Alliance's safehouse.
MC: Uh, who are you? / A scientist? / Cute!
(C) Roiker: Wha...? S-sorry, I got confused there since I don't usually get compliments on my appearance.
Akashi: Stop calling every alien you see cute! It might be rude...

Roiker: Excuse me. I am Roiker Chandler Shen, something akin to the boss of the Alliance's Earth branch. In public I'm an astrophysics professor at Keihan National College. Pleased to meet you.
Akashi: K-Keihan? That's the top ranked college in the country...
Huckle: If the Alliance is built around Observers...does that mean you're an Observer?
Roiker: No, I'm a hero. So is Santetsu by the way. We don't show up in public much so we aren't that well known.
Santetsu awkwardly looks away.
Roiker: We are looking into various methods for taking down the Broker. For example, I mainly research parallel worlds to look into the Broker's identity and the Monsters' origins. I also improve and maintain the gacha Ether Searcher.
MC: You made that thing!?

Roiker: Well it was my teacher who completed it, not me. I just took over his research and developed it. So while I may not be an Observer, I do know more than most about them. It's a large part of why I'm in this organization.
Roiker approaches MC.
Roiker: Seiichirou suggesting inviting you all here IS part of why you're here, but there's something important I need to tell you MC. Call it...background knowledge. I'll need to indicate how you should act from now on... and personally, I've wanted to talk to you at least once. Pardon my selfishness.
MC: what
Ryekie: Is this about how MC was able to bring back Mt. Fuji? And you know why MC is clearly different from other Observers...?
Roiker: "Know" would be slightly incorrect, but I do have a highly likely hypothesis. But with no way to prove it, as a researcher I can't call it the truth. I'm sure this will help you in thinking about your self though.

Roiker fixes his glasses and fiddles with his phone to pull some things up on screen.
Roiker: ...so my teacher and I once researched into beings called Uniques.
MC: What's that?
Roiker: I only have an example out of folklore and rumors so barely any of this is validated, but there was once this girl on another planet. Quick aside, all space scientists agree that ether flows in one direction. Ether can make waves, but it's supposed to be impossible for it to move in whirls and against the direction of the flow. I bring that up because that it was different for the girl, as the ether swirled only around her. For her this wasn't a good thing, and it started when scientists discovered this fact.
Roiker: Impossible phenomena occurred only around this girl. The scientists who were studying ether labeled her a Unique and did all sorts of experiments. They then discovered she could alter the development of the world closer to how she thought, even beyond her direct ability to interact with things. For example, she saw the news of a serial killer running, and she made him trip up out of indignation and get arrested. She also wanted to see a meteor shower one time and made a storm forecast go away in favor of clear weather.
Roiker: Individually you could call these coincidences. But some of the scientists still doubted the relationship between her and the events, so they tied her up even harder and did harsher experiments. She...decided to leave a note to say she didn't want to live anymore.

Roiker: The records of these times ended with the scientists taking their records back to their home planets. About a month after that happened, the planet the girl and scientists were on had strange activity happen. Then devastating damage was dealt that destroyed its atmosphere and killed everything on it.
MC: How awful... / Everything happened the way she thought it would / Sounds like a fable
---
(A) Huckle: ...that sounds like some sort of fable.
---
Roiker: Yes, it's so over the top that I didn't believe until I saw the materials for myself. My teacher had preserved these records though, and he even inherited the research of the other scientists. So, I must admit that Uniques can possibly exist. And that's why I'm doing my best to study them.

Roiker: So at the end of all that research there's no concrete proof, but there are commonly agreed upon hypothetical situations. First, Uniques have extremely powerful influences on the universe. Secondly, Uniques are omnipresent to the point they don't recognize themselves as Uniques. Thirdly, Uniques are constantly alternating in place as they exist in the universe.
Ryekie: Having a powerful influence on the universe...that reminds me of the Broker for some reason.
Roiker: I can't rule against it, but I doubt that he is a Unique. If he were, the Observers under his patronage would have been in situations he could more easily manipulate. That we CAN plan our opposition against him suggests he likely isn't a Unique.
MC: Right...so why are we talking about this? ...wait
Roiker: ...MC, I believe that you may be a Unique.
MC: WHAT / Figured...

Akashi: NO WAY! Yeah, MC's a little weird, and maybe they're special as an Observer! But I've never seen them having THAT much power!
Roiker: Of course they'd look normal according to outsiders. Not even Uniques themselves would have noticed anything different.
Roiker: We can't come to any conclusions of course. I have no way of knowing if and how the world changed according to MC's wishes. There's just reasons to believe they may be. Unlike other Observers, you seem to have the memories of someone else. Besides that, Exio among other Observers has noticed that ether flows differently around you.
Exio: (nods) Haven't you ever wondered how I was able to tell you were an Observer? When Observers understand what they are, they're able to sense the flow of ether on command. The day you awoke as an Observer, there was a huge change in the ether flow in Orient City. It formed a swirl around you, which was how I knew.
MC: Oh...

Ryekie: So...MC IS a Unique?
Roiker: To repeat myself, I can't say because I can't prove it. I just think so. I've looked into records of past Observers I've suspected were Uniques, but I've never found any sort of precedent. I can't think of any traits particular to someone who is both a Unique and an Observer.
Roiker: (looks pointedly at MC) ...if you happen to be an exception among exceptions and have incredible power as an Observer because of that, then you have to be more careful than anyone else. I mean that in how you use your powers, and of attachments from the Broker.
MC: Wait what
Sudden shaking!
Ryekie: Did something just blow up!?
Huckle: It's close by! Is it above us!?
Seiichirou's phone beeps.
Seiichirou: Danzo! What happened!?
Danzo: Shit hit the fan! I was secretly chasing after some dudes but there was more than I expected! Anyways, can y'all come out and help!? Or else the library's gonna turn into a scrap heap!
Santetsu: OH NO
End of Episode

Akiba and Dragons Epilogue (Abridged)

Summer event's over, Akihabara is peaceful once again. The communal workspace cafe is relaxed as most people there are blowing off steam reading or watching things.
Kuniyoshi: Summer is finally over! What a mess.
Hecate: Now we got fall events coming up! Into the next hell!
Catoblepas: I can make heavier costumes when it gets colder. Who should I do next...?
Akiha Gongen: Heeey you guys! ...what's going on?
Catoblepas: G-good morning. We're all just tired out from all the action.
Akiha: Oh yeah, you guys are like this after school events. Your summer festival thing, or something?
Hecate: I GOT THREE COPY BOOKS TO DO! Brutal... Barguest really was a huge help in getting my book making done this time... Now I wanna laze around after going so hard.
Kuniyoshi: I made a new book too. I gotta thank Licht and his maid sometime.
Akiha: I don't understand any of the words you just said but I guess you guys have been living hard. Have some drinks!
Hecate: More stamina drinks? I've been chugging the things the past few days already.
Akiha: Oh no, my firefighter senpai told me to give this instead when I asked.
Kuniyoshi: Oh, the newest popular relaxation drink? I'll have one.
Akiha has gotten a little closer with the other Creators since the event.

Akiha Gongen: Catoblepas, you have one too! Aren't you gonna get busy again once the next term starts?
Catoblepas: ...yes. Okay then, thank you Akiha Gongen.
Catoblepas is actually putting up MORE distance than before, but Akiha notices and steps closer.
Akiha: W-what? Did I do something wrong?
Catoblepas: N-no! Everything's okay. Everything is perfectly fine!
Akiha: Then why are you backing up?
Kuniyoshi: Fascinating. Akiha just doesn't understand, does he Miss Hecate?
Hecate: Nope. Allow me to explain, Mister Kuniyoshi! This is one of those situations where an actor has their glass mask slip off! But in Catoblepas's case, his lifeguard persona slipped off when he nearly drowned! The shame, SHAME, that brings to a cosplayer who falls out of character and loses synch with their partners! And that's why he runs when people approach him.
Kuniyoshi: Wow you talk fast, Kettle. Also my name is Pot now.

Three people walk in.
Zhurong: Hi everybody! ...I sense a story!
Babe Bunyan: Holy shit, this place is still loud after everything that happened!
MC: Hi guys. You look busy so I'm gonna take the kids out. Bad examples and such, you know. Okay bye.
Kuniyoshi: NO WAIT, hey guys it's been a while! Uhh, we're just a little wound up after the event I guess?
Zhurong: Are you okay? Do you want to talk to me? Not that I'll understand much...
Catoblepas: Oh no a small child is worrying about me! I-I'm sorry, I'm okay now.
Akiha Gongen: Really? Well okay. If you're down, you bring me down too.
Catoblepas: Y-yes, thank you very much Akiha Gongen.

Akiha Gongen: So anyways, hi MC! Want one of the new drinks? You did a lot this event, so you can have three as part of my thanks.
Hecate: What brings all of you here anyway?
Zhurong: Ehehe, I came to interview Tindalos.
Babe Bunyan: Yeah he said he'll let Zhurong take a picture of him as an apology for what happened.
Zhurong: Babe says he has something else to do. I think he called it beach combing?
Babe: Yeah that. I was asked to help clean up the beach.
Hecate: Oh right, the Metaverse is opening up again today.
Kuniyoshi: Yeah. We were dismantling things with Vapula up until yesterday...
Creators: (frown)
MC: He's down, huh / How has he been? / ...
Hecate: He looks cheerful enough, but he hasn't sorted it all out yet.
Kuniyoshi: He's usually happy to collab, but lately he's turned it all down.
Catoblepas: Um, MC? Would you hear me out? We can't really do much ourselves, but you know how he feels about that sand golem...
MC: Sure, thanks Catoblepas. I was thinking of coming to talk to Vapula about that.
Catoblepas: T-thank you! He said he's going to the Metaverse today.

Later
MC, Zhurong, and Babe Bunyan head to Akihabara Academy. Benten walks in at the same time.
Benten: Oh did I just pass by MC? Huh.
Kuniyoshi: DELIVER US FROM EVIL!
Benten: Screw you, Kuniyoshi! Start 'splainin', I gots lots on my mind!
Blah blah blah
Benten: Hmmmm, I see now. It's amazing how much of an effect I have saying just a few words.
Kuniyoshi: That's a funny way of saying you start shit.
Benten: What? I saw how everything went down.
Hecate and Kuniyoshi are surprised.
Catoblepas: ...you have? You didn't come to the event area, did you?
Benten: No, I was watching Tindalos's channel.
Creators: oh
Benten: Come on, expressionists gotta vibe check each other to find their feels! And Vapula will be okay! Instinct!

Later
The Metaverse is still in beach mode and students are around picking up trash.
Itzamna: Oh hello MC and children. We've been waiting for you.
Zhurong: Hello Mr. Itzamna! We came to see Tindalos and--
Babe Bunyan: Huh, you helping too old man? Throw out your back yet?
Itzamna: Hahaha, I'm supervising today. He's over there, working since this morning.
Itzamna points over to Tindalos, who casually walks over upon noticing.
Tindalos: S'up paparazzo! Be sure you get my good side!
Babe: That's the first thing you say to us, douchebag!? Adults should be nicer!
Zhurong: Hey, I'm not a paparazzo!

Enigma: Hello everyone. Please consider that to be Tindalos's clumsy way of hiding his embarrassment.
Tindalos: STFU, you useless scrap of code!
Enigma: ...
Enigma: It is true. I am an artificially created bit of incompetence as ineffectual as Tindalos.
Tindalos: Piss off with your casual digs! Ugh. I'm planning on streaming my apology for this incident and my volunteer work to make up for it.
Enigma: Master Turing is publicly saying the cause of this incident is due to a programming error.
Babe Bunyan: Huh. Is that how adults deal with things? You can't really hold fictional beings responsible for stuff.
Tindalos: Wow, sharp thinking kid.
Babe: STOP CALLING ME THAT!
Tindalos: ...it ain't that big a deal. Oh I don't mean that in a bad way.
MC: Not so sharp tongued today? / Cute / So about the Bro...
(A) Tindalos: Who the hell do you think I am!? ...yeah, that's getting a little old. I'mma do a workout video for my next upload. Detox, my style. I'll totally drop another drama bomb if it gets slow around here though!
(B) Tindalos: S-shut up...that ain't like me. People skip bugged out gaming streams. But yeah... I'm think that ain't that bad a thing.

Tindalos: ...yeah, I got no excuse for him. But I don't regret having made him, so I won't forget him...that's why I made THESE guys!
Mini Tindalos Bros!
MC: ...they aren't THAT Tindalos Bro, right?
Enigma: They are Tindalos Bro mk. 2 made from the data left from Tindalos Antimony. There is no memory continuity between them. They are comparable to children in human terms.
Tindalos: I'm gonna stream so many videos with these guys!
Enigma: In the end, Tindalos will be Tindalos. No regrets, no remorse, no change.
Tindalos: And you're gonna keep harping on mistakes, aren't you dickhead?
Enigma: How can someone who only hurts people be so wrong?
Tindalos and Enigma: >:C

Vapula: Okay you two, time to vaput a lid on it.
MC: Hi Vapula, I came to see you! Need help with anything?
Vapula: MC! Thanks for coming out all this way on such a hot day. Hi Zhurong, Babe. Vaplease enjoy yourselves to make up for last time.
Babe: Heh, we came to do work. The beach combing, remember?
Zhurong: And I have an interview to do! Tindalos, stand over there for your picture!
Enigma: Yes, please capture his punishment on film.
Tindalos: You're half responsible for this mess too, asshat!
Everyone splits off to do whatever.
Itzamna: ...so Vapula, have you sorted out your head?
Vapula: ...yeah, thanks for worrying about me. MC, would you vaplease come with me for a bit? I wanna talk to you.
MC: Sure.
MC and Vapula quietly walk off.

Vapula: So...I've been thinking this whole time after what happened. I was wondering why he...they did all that.
He's talking about Tindalos Antimony and the sand dragon and the ends they chose.
Vapula: Yeah I still don't get it...but I have started thinking one thing. Like, isn't it obvious that you wouldn't know much about someone else's life? Or maybe I should vaput it as life is about what you don't know. They had their thoughts, and those were real.
Vapula squats down and starts piling sand up, using some seawater to pack the sand together.
Vapula: I've been thinking a long time about what Itzamna asked me about what I can't express. I vaput so many sand dragons together, and they look the same on the outside. But...they just aren't the same inside. I never found a core for their memories.

Vapula: ...still, even if I had that core and did everything the same, I'd come out with something different. The golem we made together the other day Could Only be Born Then. We could make something just like it, but won't be the same thing as it. What gives it meaning is everyone around it. Touching the hearts of people and being loved makes it something that would only be there at that moment. I'm sure...that's what feels means to me. I saw what I couldn't express this summer.
MC: ...nice work, Vapula / I'm glad I met you / (hug Vapula)
(A) Vapula: ...hehe, you too MC. I'm...glad I found it. Thanks so much. I'll never be able to pay you back in full, so vaplease tell me whenever you want me to make something. A life-sized model, a giant mecha, anything!
(B) Vapula: ...haha, I think I'd have laughed at saying something like that before now. It's not so bad though. I'm glad I met you too. Vaplease call me if you need help. It's my turn to go to you! But vaplease make it sometime when I'm not making models...no, anytime's okay!
(C) Vapula: Uhh, this isn't just about you wanting to hug me right? W-well, I'm not totally against it... NO NOT SO SUDDENLY! I'm ticklish! Ahaha! ...I'm okay. Thanks...it must've sucked for you too.

Vapula: Alright, it's about time for us to go. Help me take down the event stage and vaput a golem together.
Vapula looks like he's cleared something up, but also kind of sad. MC looks off in the same direction he's looking at, thinking of those disappeared beyond the sea...
Babe Bunyan: Yee haw, guys. I know you're having a quiet moment, but you got some time?
Vapula: Y-yeah, it's okay. I'll be there soon after some vapreparations.
Babe: Oh, it ain't like that. I found this while cleaning up. Isn't this his? (holds out a golem core)
Vapula: !! W-where did you vapick this up!?
Babe: While I was picking up trash and shells. It's a cowboy's job to bring stray sheep back home.
MC: Awesome! You're the best, Babe!
Babe: Hey now, you're kinda overdoing it. Anyways, later!

Vapula: ...what do we do, MC? It won't be the same even with this core. But...I'm sure I can vaput something new together that has something from the old one. It'll be like his kid. So...want me to  make it?
MC: Yes please. (nod)
Vapula puts the core on the sand, and he and MC put the form together of a new life that inherits the shape and soul of the little thing that spent the summer with them.
Vapula: ...awaken, new dragon! And then...come vaplay with us!
Sand Dragon: Chirp!
The little dragon wraps itself around MC's feet, and MC decides to give it some meaning the previous one did not get.
MC: (name the dragon)

Elsewhere
Turing is typing on a keyboard in some tall building in Tokyo. A bunch of computer screens are showing videos and data about this event's details. Turing is packing them all up and sending them to someone who immediately absorbs them in an instant.
Turing: So what do you think of these results? ...oh yes, this should be great results for you.
Turing gives a jokey smile as he talks about this failure.
Turing: I've never seen Enigma have such enmity with Tindalos and such conflict with his failures. Before he would just prioritize any theories I put out and do nothing else... But then he changed when the Real World Tindalos came in as his opposite and pushed him that way. The thing I could never get to take root has finally gained the possibility to sprout. It's still in development though. How exciting! I suppose that even if an event like this one never happened, I could get a clue if I meet someone like that. We may reach a singularity one day, even if I'm not around. Things will go on even if something happens to me.
The person Turing is talking to smiles. Turing smiles back.

Turing: Tindalos Antimony ought to be a reference point for your guys' trilemma at least, right? The Competitive Self, the Given Thesis, and the Fusion of Selves...
Turing's comment provokes a flood of math formulas and theories, the project that genius on Turing's level pursued even after his life. Turing shakes his head at this.
Turing: Tell me the details later. How's the simulation this time turn out? The technology you gave me should have provided you with plenty of lab data. Hmm...that's nice. So me pushing things was worth it. But putting MC in danger and drawing attention to them made things really dicey. Could you make a cover up? Nobody else besides us needs to know the truth. Anyways, when do you think you'll give me the go sign about your plan?
A long silence passes tinged with doubt passes. Then a short reply comes.
Turing: ASAP, huh? I'm looking forward to it. (pretends not to see the deep passion behind them) See you later, A.
Turing leaves the room empty, and the computers automatically shut off like they're going to sleep. Silence is all that remains.
The End

Live A Hero Book 2 Chapter 1 Episode 3: Allies (Abridged)

The party is riding in a space limo flying through Central Osaka as the news is turned on.
News: There was a battle in the Shin Osaka train station in Yodokawa Ward between heroes and villains! The police say there was nobody hurt, but the villains are gone and we are requesting information from UEHA Japan because they were there.
MC: I'm glad nobody got hurt / Where'd they come from? / Who are they?
Huckle: Let's be glad no one got hurt in the crossfire. I'll call Okitaka later to apologize for the mess.
Seiichirou: You don't need to apologize. We have our own jobs after all. I should be the one to apologize for not figuring out what they were going to do faster.
Akashi: Man those guys were weak, but they came out of nowhere. What the hell would have happened if Danzo didn't escape with MC...? It sucks but...we wouldn't have been able to handle it alone.

Danzo: Haha! I'm a pro in situations like that! Spying and escorting are the main jobs of a ninja! I got it! Oh right, Akashi that drink you got has to be opened a specific way. Lemme see.
Akashi: What? Oh, sorry. I usually don't see off-planet drinks much on Earth... Also these leather seats and fancy pastries are making me nervous...
Ryekie: Who were those dopes anyway? They were after MC, and there being that many of them means that they can't be some small time gang.
Huckle: This attack raises so many questions. UEHA called us here, yet the guide sent to us is a hero not from UEHA? And why were you the one to call us and not Okitaka, the actual top of UEHA Japan? And how did they know we'd be coming to Osaka because of a government summons? (adjusts glasses)

Huckle: This will be presumptuous of me, but I have a hypothesis. The villains are related to the government, aren't they? And if they are, that ties UEHA's hands. So you just used UEHA as a point of contact to take private action?
Seiichirou: (surprised)
Seiichirou: Exactly. But maybe I dropped too many hints. It's shameful that you could figure that out by supposing the government isn't a monolith.
Ryekie: T-then...
Seiichirou: ...I wanted to tell you earlier, but they aren't the only ones after MC. Several anti-social organizations are after MC for being a strong Observer.
MC: M-me?
Seiichirou nods before continuing.

Seiichirou: The other day, Mt. Fuji came back from being by Monsters about 200 years ago by the strongest Observer in known history. Heroes and villains on Earth know about this, but spatial distortion broke the camera feed of the livestream when the big moment happened, so only the people who were there knew who the Observer was.
Akashi: Oh yeah, I think Mokdai mentioned the video recordings from then went all dark and became a mess of voices and noise.
Seiichirou: Yes, so we didn't know it was MC who did it at the time. But there was plenty of circumstantial evidence to guess on, and once there was a leak from within the Defense Bureau an organization who knew it was you formed up.
Ryekie: An internal leak!? You don't mean...!?
Seiichirou: No, I guarantee that it wasn't Col. Ikusabata. I have plenty of contact with him due to the Defense Department being under the Defense Bureau's jurisdiction. He is honest and mindful of social statuses, so he wouldn't lie to me due to my being top management. I checked just in case, but it's clear he is uninvolved.
Huckle: Then...who did?
Exio: It's the Shin Ashihara, isn't it.

Seiichirou: ...so you did figure it out.
Exio: Have you SEEN what they're wearing?
MC: literally who
Ryekie: ...I've heard rumors of them. International hero agencies have called them a threat, a mysterious villain group whose full scope is still unknown. By the way, Ashihara comes from Japanese myth as the land between the heavens and underworld and became another word for Japan.
Danzo: Yeah that's them. Though it's less we haven't figured out their full range and more that the country ISN'T looking into them. (shakes drink) Shin Ashihara is a group of people who are mad that Japan's full of aliens now. Their slogan is "we must secure the existence of our people and a future for Japanese children" "make Japan great again" "the Japanese will take back Japan." All sorts join in, and government workers are unfortunately included in all sorts. You can put two and two together, right?
Ryekie: Oh...so that's why the police and Defense Department can't do anything.
Danzo: There's top brass in deep with that group too, so that's why Milord privately hired me to get you guys after he heard the government summoned MC for a meeting. Our families go way back.
MC: Oh / So, you're really a ninja?
(A) Danzo: Oh wait this part is off the records
(BC) Danzo holds a finger up to his mouth and winks as he whispers "off record."

Seiichirou: There's always things in the shadows of government that can never go public. And "we" know that the Shin Ashihara aren't the only organizations after MC. We feared they would make a move when you came to answer that meeting summons.
Exio: ...I see a lot's happened since I cut contact.
Seiichirou: I couldn't call you guys since HE has his eyes on you. Still, I should have informed you of things earlier of at least this much. But it's very likely he is involved with this case. (side eyes Akashi)
Akashi: ...w-wait what
Seiichirou: ...no. I have no definite proof, and it never was you yourself. Relax.
Akashi: Uhh...
MC: What does that mean?

Seiichirou: I'm almost positive that the one who summoned you to this meeting is a high ranking government official that is part of Shin Ashihara. Their plan was to capture you there, but their mistake was passing things through the National Defense Department. I can't actually stop the meeting, but I can make up a few measures before it.
Huckle: Is that why you went through UEHA to put in a fake business trip request to us?
Seiichirou: ...you figured it out? I'm sorry about the sneakiness. There aren't many who can protect MC, so I believed it best to bring out some members of the agency MC is a part of. You would be able to attend the meeting through that relation, especially now that you are witnesses to that attack. I set it up so that you just happened to be in Osaka for work and now you just happen to be able to go to the meeting.
Ryekie: You're just pulling all the strings, aren't you.
Seiichirou: ...please don't misunderstand. We have no intentions of making you our pawns. MC is as important to us as they are to you. It's why we did what we did.
Huckle: I understand. So, care to explain this group you keep saying "we" and "us" for? I don't want to suspect you, but I'd like to know that at least. You seem to go way back with Exio, and he's part of our agency now.
Exio: ...that was your plan anyway since you had me come too, isn't it?

Seiichirou: We are the Alliance, an underground organization centered around Observers out to take down the Broker.
MC: WHAT
Seiichirou: And there's somewhere I'd like to take you all as part of Plan B.
Exio: ...so we're seeing him? (frowns)
Seiichirou: Don't look like that. The main goal here is to inform MC about their abilities.
Akashi: ...haven't I heard about the Broker somewh--(SUDDEN BRAKE!)--OW WHAT
The space limo is surrounded by other black cars! They're too close to change lanes.
Seiichirou: ...Moriguchi, I thought I told you to be careful on our route earlier.
Driver: ...my apologies. They showed up out of nowhere.
Seiichirou: ...well, it doesn't look like we can shake them off. I suppose we need to "discuss" things with them.
Huckle: How unfortunate that we seem to be heading to somewhere with few people around.
Seiichirou: Yes. I'm sorry, but it seems we'll need you all to fight. Please be ready, things will be touch and go for now about whether we can keep MC safe.
Akashi: ...
MC: Akashi... / Are you scared? / I wish I could do something...
---
(A) Akashi: ...don't worry. I'll keep you safe, no matter what happens.
(B) Akashi: ...you should worry more about yourself. And I'm less scared and more...never mind. I promised I'd protect you no matter what.
(C) Akashi: ...I know how you feel, but you'd be in danger if you went out. Leave it to me. I'll protect you, no matter what.
---
Akashi: Remember what I said back at the park back then? I'll never leave you.

The party is taken to some warehouse district. Evil ninjas surround the car, and one of them comes to knock on the window.
Ryekie: JUSTICE PUNNNNCH! (jumps out the door and blows the mob away)
Evil Red: AAAAAHH
Akashi and Huckle get out on the other side ready to fight.
Huckle: Sorry, we can't let you guys have MC.
Akashi: YEAH! GET LOST!
The evil ninjas pull out their weapons!
Danzo has transformed as is hiding in the car to defend MC.
Exio: The livestream is ready to go. Can you handle the operation?
MC: M-maybe! / I'll do my best! / I'll do what I can!
Exio: Okay. With so many of them, split some of the work to me. Let's get this started then!
BATTLE START

Akiba and Dragons Episode 6 Part 2 (Abridged)

Akihabara, the city where creators meet. These constructors of burning passion collaborate with each other to create new creations, like manga, anime, figures, computers, games, and other things that didn't exist before now. These works of Fiction make people smile, feel better, provoke emotional waves. They may not have been needed originally, but they become something that people become reluctant to discard. But the city will not always stay the same way. If the scenery changes, there will be people who leave. Nothing can stay the same way forever. The season will pass, and a new season will arrive. What was once a burned out land became a city of fruit and vegetable markets, to a city of electronics, to a city of otaku. Does that mean the past forms of this city were just a process to get to how it is now? Even if something in the past were discarded, there is a man named like the city who believes that isn't the end. The old lights may have gone, but those passionate memories remain within him. Something unbroken will stay, even if it changes or seems to disappear from the world. Its vessel may change, it may seem disappear from the world or die out. What if there is someone to inherit something? What if there is someone to remember what was?

Present
Akiha Gongen: FIREFIGHTER AX SMAAAASH!
Akiha Gongen breaks open an exit, and a crowd of panicky visitors rush to it.
Catoblepas: Please don't run, everybody!
Vistors: ...okay!
Catoblepas keeps things from getting out of hand like a real lifeguard.
Catoblepas: You're okay now! But please keep calm or else there will be chaos. Please follow directions and don't push. Thank you!
Visitors: Okay!
Children: Waaah~! We were scared, grandpa!
Itzamna: It's okay! Let's go outside, but not too fast.
Akiha: Watch your feet, people! Don't trip, literally!
Green Boy: Where's the cowboy kid and camera kid? I was with them earlier...
Akiha: You'll see them soon! Just wait outside, okay?
Green Boy: ...okay! We promised to get ice cream together.
Catoblepas: Please proceed quietly! I promise we'll help you!
Akiha: We'll save everyone that's left, no worries!

Later
Catoblepas: Akiha Gongen, we've finished evacuating everyone here.
Akiha: So we just need to save everyone trapped inside like MC and the others...hmm?
Zhurong: Calling... I hear the calling...
Catoblepas and Akiha: WHAT!?
A warp hole in space has been formed that Zhurong is entering.
Akiha: W-wait! Where are you going?
Catoblepas: S-stop!
Itzamna: No! Who knows what could be happening on the other side!?
Babe Bunyan: ...it's cool. I'll be with him. Leave it to us.
Babe has noticed as he is another Created Being that Zhurong is currently not Zhurong. He is something acting like Zhurong that has surfaced. Maybe his friend is another hollow being like him.
Babe: Elementary schoolers are so hardcore these days! (jumps in after Zhurong)

Metaverse
Tindalos Antimony: Come on out, Bros!
Tindalos Mobs spawn in!
MC: What!? Also is it getting hotter in here or is it just me!?
Enigma: Computational load increasing...heat increasing. Movements are slowing down!
Turing: This should apply to them too...but this is a pickle. We'll be crushed by sheer numbers at this rate.
MC: (flail) / (calmly defend)
More Tindalos Mobs attack!
MC: There's no end to them! We need more fighters!
BANG

MC: ...what?
Babe Bunyan: Heya, I came to help. You can't bite it here if you're gonna be my owner.
Catoblepas and Akiha Gongen have come too.
Akiha: There you are! We came to help, Otaku!
Catoblepas: MC, you're okay! I'm so glad...!
Akiha: The three of us really DO need to stick together, hehe!
MC: Akiha! Catoblepas!
Tindalos Antimony: WHAT
Tindalos Antimony is surprised that someone came in this virtual space without his help because that would mean there is someone with the power to interact with fiction from reality like him.
Tindalos Antimony looks up the visitor logs and sees Akiha, Catoblepas, Babe, and Zhurong aren't supposed to have teleportation abilities. He stops to reassess the situation.

Turing: Enigma, how did they get in? Trace their route!
Enigma: Analysis completed. Sending the data.
Turing: (looks surprised in scientist) ...Zhurong did it? With the Old Ones teleportation? But isn't he from Hourai? And how did he get our coordinates? Based on this unknown signal...
MC: Turing, why are you looking at me?
Turing: ...I see. Okay then. Well if we have this for a line up, things should get more interesting.
MC: What
Turing: Tindalos Antimony believes that if he can empty out the Metaverse space then he'll end everything. It's possible that isn't true though, and Akihabara's history can prove that. If reality ends, memories remain, and fiction becomes reality. Let's show him how profound the interoperability of those two are.
Zhurong: ...uh, where am I?
Babe Bunyan: God, you are such a pain in the ass sometimes. But it's good since I'm here as your friend.
Zhurong: Babe?
Babe: You buy me an ice cream and we'll call it even!
BATTLE START (more happens later)

All things created in this world are the results of channeled passion. That passion can be blood, wishes, rage, grief, resentment, or joy. Someone channels it all into a vessel, giving birth to something to the world. These vessels are given forms and names. They encounter others, lose their way, or follow in the steps of someone else. They all take their own paths until they burn out whatever they have inside them. Some things make mistakes and run into dead ends. Some just run in place forever. Some live in ways that make others think they've gone crazy, but only they know why they lived.
Present
Kuniyoshi: So most of the visitors have been evacuated by now. What do we do now, Hecate?
Kuniyoshi and Hecate are some distance away watching the big battle.
Hecate: Ooh, fighters back to back while great waves surge in the background! Doesn't that pop up a lot in ukiyo-e art?
Vapula: HOW VAPLUCKY CAN SHIPPERS BE!?
Kuniyoshi: Maybe she's on an adrenaline high. This is just how it feels in getting book copies done before events start!

Turing: The evac being done is great news. Now, Kuniyoshi, Hecate, Vapula? I want to ask you guys for help and it has to be you guys specifically.
Kuniyoshi: Wait where did you come from? And what are you asking us for?
Turing: I want you guys to make more sand art.
Kuniyoshi and Hecate: what
Turing: You heard me right. Make more sand art! Vapula, I want you to animate what they make.
Vapula: B-but Turing! In all vaprobability they're going to rampage...
Turing: That's the idea.
Vapula: what
Turing: Your golems are always going to rampage because they have no ways of channeling the passion put into them.
Turing thinks this is the same thing that's happening with Tindalos Antimony. Two contrasting theories caused him to skip the failsafe via overheating. Other guildmasters would probably first think of stopping it, but...
Turing: We are the Creators, and we fight passion with passion. Start bombing Tindalos Antimony with it!
Kuniyoshi: Uhh, okay whatever then! I've been wanting to make more sand furries.
Hecate: Still, isn't it a bit much with just us? Even with our artifacts?
Turing: It's okay! Look, there's already plenty of creators around besides you two.
MC: Enigma, defense! / Tindalos, attack!
(A) Enigma: Allow me to support your defenseless, MC. Securing blind spots!
(B) Tindalos: I'll cover you! Super DDoS attack!

More minions keep appearing.
Babe Bunyan: God these freaks never end, just like Daddy's appetite!
Zhurong: Nooo, I'm getting too many pictures of the same thing!
MC: They just keep coming and--wait what
Loud sand shaking. Then sand robots fly in to reinforce the party!
MC: WHAT / Okay, all together team!
Party: WHAT THE HELL JUST CAME IN
Enigma: ...people truly are incorrigible.
Further away
Kuniyoshi: Noble Phantasm, Item Creation Psychography!
Hecate: Noble Phantasm, Writings of the Witch Queen!
Kuniyoshi and Hecate's artifacts are making more sand figures alongside a bunch of Akihabara students!
Vapula: Go! Noble Phantasm, Emeth Tag!
The passion born of creating between Kuniyoshi and Hecate's imaginations, Vapula's golem creation skill, and the other Akihabara students' contributions explode exponentially!

Zhurong: So many things I need to take pictures of!
Babe Bunyan: Yeehaw, it's a real hootenanny out here! Charge!
Tindalos Antimony: Well I just need to shit out more minions to--aaugh! I-I can't control them!
The Tindalos Mobs start going haywire!
Turing: Overheating, love. You hit your processing limits.
Tindalos Antimony: Y-y'all should've hit that point too then! So why!?
Turing: Oh we aren't doing any centralized processing. We decentralized it and left them all to it.
Vapula: Wait what are we gonna do with this vaproblem!? OH NO THEY'RE COMING THIS WAY
Turing: It's their turn now. Catoblepas, Akiha Gongen, you're up!

Akiha Gongen: MC, Catoblepas! Can you guys get all the mobs in one place?
Catoblepas: I-I'll do it. Noble Phantasm, Mystic Eye of Fascination!
All the Tindalos Mobs have their attention drawn to Catoblepas, then charge at him!
Catoblepas: Oh no, there's too many!
MC: (blocks for Catoblepas)
Akiha: Nice guys! Noble Phantasm, Mantra of Avalokitesvara!
Akiha's power makes all the Tindalos Bros chill, which in turn makes their sand bodies crumble from the temp difference.
MC: Tindalos Antimony is the only one left!
Vapula smiles without thinking about it at the chaos happening.
Vapula: Welp! Kinda feel stupid being the only one who worried about rampages. Gotta vaput up and shut up at this point I guess!
Vapula puts his right hand on the sand and holds his left up
Vapula: The backup's all vaperfect! Now it's up to you!
The Sand Dragon grows giant and flaps its wings as it charges across the water! The water would splash the dragon and make its body collapse, but...
Babe Bunyan: Yippee kay yay, motherf0ckers! I'll clear the way! Noble Phantasm, Spirit of Manifest Destiny!
Babe creates a road of light towards Tindalos Antimony!
MC: Let's go! (pets the dragon's head)

Tindalos Antimony: WHAT!? A frontal assault!? Dudes I am SO much bigger than you!
Tindalos Antimony swings a fist at the sand dragon!
Turing: Hey love, have you ever heard of reactive armor?
Turing waves a finger in the air and activates the armor on the dragon that was put on at some point.
Turing: It counters attacks with a small scale explosion. Science!
Tindalos Antimony: NOOO
Turing: Yes! You'd best learn that there are times where full on aggression gets done in by other methods! (summons a golden apple)
Turing: Taste the fruit of knowledge! Snow White's Apple of Discord!
Tindalos Antimony's body starts breaking up and dissolving back into the Metaverse. He shrinks back to his original size for one last stand off against MC.
MC: You're dead! Sword of Severance!
MC hits a deeply hidden secret, the conflicting theses that also acted as Tindalos Antimony's core.
Tindalos Antimony: NOOO
Tindalos Antimony starts crumbling.
Tindalos: ...kidding! [Things will not end that easily!]

Enigma: No! It didn't work!?
Tindalos: I've been hacking while monitoring his interior! That should have worked!
Tindalos Antimony: Oh I know all about you, MC. You and your power. Yeah you cut me, but I planned for that!
Enigma: A dummy core? Never mind, what do you plan on doing from this point--
Tindalos Antimony: Because my plan failed? [You all have acted quicker than I expected. At the very least, you need to] take a look at my answer!
Tindalos: Give it up already, asshole! What gives!?
Enigma: Everyone, fall back! Calculation a safe route! ...wait, this is different from before. Is he attacking someone specific? Oh no!
The scenery starts flickering as a giant energy ball starts forming.
Tindalos Antimony: I'm after your ass, MC!
Tindalos: !!
MC: what WHY

Tindalos Antimony: [During this event, you have been repeatedly had special emotions revealed to you. Many emotions that I cannot be bothered to list out, and I do not understand why all these vectors are concentrating on you. But for some reason those bugged emotions have been inside Us ever since our creation, seeing you as someone special...]
Tindalos: ...!
Tindalos Antimony: [Hiding this secret has been deemed priority #1. I shall never let this secret leak,] and throwing it out there is gonna be the last goddamn thing that's gonna happen! [That is Our greatest implementable task.]
Tindalos: ...oh. MC's attack split the two of you up. But then...
Tindalos Antimony: [The task will soon be complete. You cannot escape. Please die while no one else can know.]
The energy ball is thrown at MC!
Vapula: NO!
The sand dragon tanks the hit!
MC: NO, STOP!

The sand dragon is body blocking for MC to fulfill its given order because serving its creator is its priority. No one knows if that is the whole reason though. Nobody else can know. The sand dragon runs on ahead.
Sand Dragon: ROOOOARRR
The sand dragon grows even bigger...then starts falling apart. Its body touches the water and collapses to sand. A swing of its tail beats back the waves, and the sand disappears into the void. Its whole body pushes back the waves, and its form erodes away. By the time the wave reaches MC and Vapula, it is only a tiny wave that reaches up to their ankles.
Tindalos Antimony: [Forced termination]... (crackle)
Suddenly, it all ends. The raging sea is calm. Nothing is left on the beach. None of the marks where the children played, none of the footprints of the people who walked there, nothing of the dragon that was only just there moments ago.
Vapula: ...you okay MC?
MC: Yeah / ...

Turing: ...MC, the dragon was just following its orders. Just think of it as a stepping stone that sacrificed itself to save u--
MC: Don't call it that / That's wrong... / (silently stare at Turing)
Turing: ...sorry. I was wrong.
MC: Vapula...
Vapula: ...yeah?
MC: I...never got to give him a name.
Vapula: oh
Flashback!
Vapula: No names! That just makes things harder on you!
Present
Vapula: MC...
Tears fall and disappear into the waves and sand. The transitory sea continues rocking in silence...
To be continued in the Epilogue!