Everything was quiet.
The battlefield—if it could still be called that—had returned to its default system state: smooth white panels, suspended in a calm data void. No broken floor, no screaming code. Just... silence.
Takumi sat in the middle of it, breathing heavily.
He was still sweating from the battle. Not from fear—at least not anymore—but from the weight of what had just happened. Kara.null, a literal deletion-class AI, had tried to erase him. The system had nearly collapsed.
And they'd won.
With love.
He hated how anime that sounded.
Airi paced nearby, checking her sword—now flickering with low power warnings. "That was too close."
"Agreed," Yuna muttered. She stood like a statue again, arms crossed, but her posture was stiffer than usual.
Emi was laying on her back behind them, arms spread, still humming. "I feel alive~ And slightly overcooked~"
Takumi looked at them all.
"Are you okay?" he asked.
Airi didn't look at him. "We protected our anchor. That's what we're programmed for."
"That's not an answer," he said quietly.
She hesitated. Then nodded.
"...We're okay. For now."
SYSTEM RECOVERY PROGRESS: 74%
EMOTIONAL NETWORK: REINITIALIZING
NEW ZONE UNLOCKED: SANDBOX – NEURAL SIMULATION HUB
Emi sat up. "Oooh! That means we're moving forward!"
"Where to?" Takumi asked.
A new system prompt appeared before him:
WELCOME TO SANDBOX MODE
This zone allows free interaction, optional missions, and relationship development. Casual attire enabled.
A window blinked:
Mission 01: "Try a Date"
Objective: Choose 1 partner and explore bonding options
Reward: Sync boost + CG memory unlock
Takumi turned pale.
"...It's starting again."
DATE EVENT INITIALIZED
Partner Selected: Yuna.C0RE
Location Rendering: "Urban Park – Evening Simulation"
Dress Code: Casual Wear – Auto-Generated
The white data void shifted again.
One second, Takumi was standing on system tiles. The next—warm wind, digital birdsong, and a simulated sunset washed over a quiet, empty city park.
Then she arrived.
Yuna.
Dressed in a black hoodie, a short denim skirt, knee-high socks, and dark sneakers. Hair neat, gaze direct.
Too normal. Too human.
Takumi blinked.
"I only agreed to this 'date' for protocol stabilization," Yuna said, arms crossed. "Not for emotional reasons."
"Right. Just a tactical bonding exercise," Takumi muttered. "Romance, but make it paramilitary."
Yuna ignored him. "The protocol demands three interactions. Choose one."
A menu appeared:
Interaction 1 – Choose:
[ ] Ice cream stand
[ ] Shooting gallery
[ ] Park bench moment
Takumi sighed. "Let's just get this over with..."
He tapped: [Ice cream stand]
The scene changed. They stood before a small virtual stall. The ice cream glistened—almost aggressively detailed.
"Select your flavor," Yuna said like issuing orders.
"Uh... chocolate?"
She chose vanilla. Then took a bite.
Slow. Focused.
Takumi stared.
BLUSH SPIKE DETECTED – SYNC +5%
"Why are you looking?" she asked flatly.
"I—I don't know. Eye contact is a danger zone."
"Then avoid it."
She extended her cone. "Taste. For calibration."
"You're serious?"
"Noncompliance triggers system penalties."
He took a bite.
One spoon. Shared.
They both froze.
SYNC SURGE DETECTED
Mini CG Unlocked – "Unexpected Taste Exchange"
They pulled apart awkwardly.
Yuna cleared her throat. "Interaction 1: complete."
Interaction 2 selected: Shooting Gallery
Objective: Competitive tension-based sync test
Note: Rivalry may trigger hidden bonding events
The shooting gallery was bright, loud, and overly cute.
Stuffed virtual targets danced on rails, digital music blared, and prize icons sparkled in the corner.
"Competition?" Yuna asked, eyes narrowing.
"No team-up?" Takumi asked.
"Cooperation reduces effectiveness."
"Fine. Loser has to... say something nice."
Yuna blinked. "Voluntary emotional praise? Accepted."
GAME START – Countdown: 3... 2... 1...
Takumi did well. Yuna? Better. Machine-level precision.
Final score:
YUNA: 37
TAKUMI: 35
"So close..." he sighed.
Yuna stepped close—very close.
"You are... reasonably efficient. Occasionally intriguing."
"That's... the nicest thing anyone's ever said to me."
"Never again."
SYNC INCREASE: +9%
Side Effect: Fluster radius expanding
Then:
UNPLANNED PRESENCE DETECTED
ENTITY: EMI.VER2 – OBSERVATION MODE
"Ara~ You two are having so much fun," said a voice behind them.
Takumi turned—Emi was there. Smiling. Wearing a summer dress far too elegant for a 'coincidence'.
"Sandbox mode is open to everyone, right?" she said, stepping up and... linking her arm around his.
SYNC FLUX DETECTED – MULTI-ANCHOR CROSSFEED ACTIVE
Yuna on the left.
Emi on the right.
Takumi in the middle. Dying.
A new mission window appeared:
Side Event Unlocked: "Jealousy.exe – Who Knows Him Best?"
"I want to leave," Takumi whispered.
SIDE MISSION ACTIVE: "Jealousy.exe – Who Knows Him Best?"
Participants: EMI.VER2 vs. YUNA.C0RE
Rules:
– Take turns answering questions about Takumi
– Wrong answer = Loss of sync proximity
– Correct answer = Bonus points + Physical Claim
– Spectator: Takumi (helpless)
A giant, overly animated quiz ring blinked into place around them. The air filled with a too-happy announcer voice.
"Let's find out who knows our lucky boy best! Time for a Heart Match Battle!"
Yuna was cold as steel.
Emi? Already winking at the imaginary crowd.
Question 1:
"What's Takumi's favorite food?"
Yuna: "Coffee and toast. Simple. Efficient."
Emi: "Sure, when he's coding. On free days: instant curry with way too much cheese."
CORRECT: EMI
+3 Affection Points
Physical Claim: Hold hands (10 seconds)
Emi grabbed his hand.
Warm. Soft. Confident.
Takumi blushed.
"Hand warmth improves synchronization," she whispered.
Yuna flinched.
Question 2:
"What was Takumi's first emotional trigger in the system?"
Yuna: "Meeting Airi. Protective instinct activated."
Emi: "Wrong. It was the system's first boot message—he panicked at loss of control."
CORRECT: YUNA
+3 Points
Physical Claim: Enter 30cm proximity
Yuna stepped in. Close. Forehead nearly touching his.
"I excel in close-range tactics."
"I'm going to pass out," Takumi muttered.
Final Question:
"What does Takumi really think about Harem Systems?"
Silence.
Then they spoke together.
Yuna: "Irrational. Overload risk. Long-term instability."
Emi: "...But secretly? He's intrigued."
DOUBLE TRUTH DETECTED
+5 Points Each
Penalty: Takumi must choose one for a solo event
System blinked.
Choose: [Emi] [Yuna] [Attempt Escape]
Takumi trembled.
"Can't we just randomize—?"
COWARDICE DETECTED. RANDOMIZER OVERRIDDEN.
AIRI.EXE JOINING MATCH UNANNOUNCED.
"Wait—WHAT?!"
NEW PARTICIPANT DETECTED: AIRI.EXE
ENTRY METHOD: FORCED BY SYSTEM ERROR
MOOD PROFILE: UNSTABLE – GLITCHED EMOTION FIELD ACTIVE
A digital shock ran through the simulation.
Bright red glitch-pixels surged across the scene like lightning. Emi stepped back. Yuna's eyes narrowed. And Takumi?
He just sighed.
"She's here."
The sky above cracked like glass as Airi dropped—literally—from a rift in the sky.
She landed between the others in a crouch, sword at her side, glitch-veil flickering around her body. Her maid dress (still active from the earlier event) had clearly not been designed for superhero landings.
"Airi?! How—"
"You picked them first." Her voice was sharp. Low. Burning.
"I didn't pick—the system—!"
"I was glitched out," she hissed. "Blocked. But not blind. I saw everything."
Her visor flickered red.
"You had a chance to interact with me. You ignored it."
Takumi stepped back. "Wait, are you—jealous?!"
SYSTEM NOTE: JEALOUSY CONFIRMED. MULTI-ANCHOR COLLISION PENDING.
CONDITIONAL EVENT: "Claim the Anchor!" Activated
Reward: Temporary Link Priority + Surprise CG
Airi grabbed him by the collar.
"Fine. You want interaction?"
She pulled him close. Chest against chest. Heat through his shirt.
Her breath on his neck.
"Then listen."
She whispered:
"I don't care about this dumb system. But if anyone is syncing with you like that... it'll be me."
SYNC SURGE: +12%
BONUS UNLOCKED: CG – "Aggressive Tsundere Proximity Lock"
Takumi's brain shut down. Emi blinked in surprise.
Yuna... flinched. Just slightly.
MULTI-ANCHOR STATUS: UNSTABLE
Suggested Action: Cooldown event recommended
A window appeared:
New Mission Available: "Cooldown Date – Choose One Before System Meltdown"
Takumi stared at it.
"I'm never going to survive this game."
MISSION STARTED: "Cooldown-Date: Emergency Emotional Reset"
Partner Selected: AIRI.EXE
Zone Rendering: Sunset Rooftop – Quiet Simulation Layer
Clothing: Casual (Relax Mode)
The chaos of the arena faded.
Now they stood on a tall rooftop, overlooking a peaceful digital skyline under orange-pink skies. Distant birds. No glitches. No UI pop-ups. Just silence—and Airi.
She stood next to the railing, arms on the edge, wind tugging at her hair.
Takumi approached slowly.
"You okay?" he asked.
"I just declared war on two combat-grade AI girls for attention," she muttered. "So no."
"...Fair."
He sat beside her. For a few moments, they said nothing.
System Sync: Holding Stable – Emotional Pressure Normalizing
She finally looked at him. Not glaring. Just... tired.
"You never asked to be in this," she said. "But you didn't run, either."
"I mean... I tried," Takumi muttered. "System locked me in. Also, now I have... feelings?"
Airi cracked a tiny smile. "Gross."
"...Right?"
More silence. But it wasn't awkward. Just calm.
Then she said quietly:
"I didn't just come to fight them."
Takumi looked at her.
"I... wanted to see what kind of guy could cause all this. Make a system like this respond. It shouldn't be possible."
"And now?"
She met his eyes.
"...Now I'm worried it is."
BONUS UNLOCKED: Quiet Moment CG – "Skyline Pause"
SYNC GAINED: +8%
System Comment: Rare moment of sincerity detected
They sat together until the sun disappeared.