Sakura Emma, ​​I'm going to control you fiercely!

I always feel...

Something's strange?

Emma seems like a completely different person?

"Hey, Hiro-chan."

At that moment, Emma looked up at the blue sky and spoke.

She turned around.

Those mysterious, slightly resentful pink eyes glanced listlessly at Hero.

"Did you really... ever consider me a friend?"

"...Of course. I trusted you so much that I entrusted Xue to—"

Hero was halfway through his sentence when Emma interrupted him.

"Have you ever thought about the truth behind [Snow's] departure?"

Click on the emoji.

Emma's lips curled slightly.

"……What do you mean?"

"Hehe~ Who knows?"

Emma said nonchalantly.

In fact, she is the Riddler.

In the original work, Yuki Tsukishiro is the final boss, the "Great Witch".

Her death was not so simple.

Although we don't know what the open-world version of Judgment will be like, or what Yuki Tsukishiro's identity is.

But those who know, know; and for those who don't, I can't say much!

Ignoring everything else, Emma headed straight for the rooftop exit.

Sure enough, Hiro called out to her.

"Wait a minute! What exactly did you mean just now?!"

Emma stopped.

He slowly turned his head, deliberately focusing his gaze on the ruby ​​on Hero's chest.

"Hiro-chan. You already possess the power to uncover the truth, don't you?"

Her tone was as calm as if she were discussing tomorrow's weather, yet it made Hiro's heart skip a beat.

"What...do you know?"

Emma looked at the Soul Gem, which was the same as the one in Madoka Magica.

Keep smiling.

Keep the riddles.

"I hope that the day you learn the truth, you will still uphold what you consider right."

Without waiting for Hero's reply.

Emma said casually,

"This may be the last time we have such a conversation."

"at last……"

Hiro was stunned.

She looked up and met Emma's gaze.

Emma put her hands behind her back, leaned forward, and smiled sweetly at her.

But Hiro could clearly see that there was no smile in her eyes.

A stranger, aloof, a smile that seemed to see right through everything…

It's like looking down at a flying insect struggling in a spider web.

"Goodbye."

After saying that, Emma walked out of the iron gate without any hesitation.

Hero's murmurs remained alone.

"Snow, Emma, ​​and goodbye..."

She leaned against the iron railing on the rooftop, thinking of her departing friends and the completely different Emma.

Hiro looked up at the sky and took out the fountain pen that his friend had left him, which he always carried with him.

"What should I do, Xue..."

……

……

Even after stepping out of the iron gate, Emma's consciousness remained immersed in the conversation she had just had.

'Did I really say those words to Hero?'

Who is 【Snow】?

Emma's head started to ache as soon as she heard the name.

I dared not think about it any further.

But seeing Hiro's dejected expression, Emma felt a pang of heartache, and on the other hand...

She actually felt a little relieved, which made her nose feel a little sore.

It was as if the pent-up grievances had been released all at once.

Suddenly, Emma had a strange thought:

'Could it be that person is helping me get revenge?'

Her emotions told her it was impossible, but her reason was moving toward the truth.

'This is so difficult...'

Emma's lament.

Meanwhile, Yang Wen was eating instant noodles, planning to automatically lead the way to Hannah and see if he could still catch up with the main quest.

After reviewing the results from earlier:

[Detected Nikaido Hero...]

[Detected...]

[...A total of 15 units of pink filth were obtained.]

There are now a total of 22 units of pink filth.

Yang Wen opened the [Circle Record Book].

When Yang Wen said "goodbye" just now, he heard a crisp sound like an unlocking mechanism.

After opening the record book.

Sure enough, he found an unlocked CG:

Unlocked: [Parting Ways]

The CG scene shows Emma walking towards the rooftop exit, with her back to Hero.

Yang Wen didn't understand what this was for, so he simply clicked on the "Parting Ways" CG.

[Equipping this item grants the ability to transform into a magical girl.]

Yang Wen: "???"

His breathing quickened, and he finally understood the problem from before:

Why is there an equipment slot in the "Gallery"?

Are these CGs Emma's equipment?

Yang Wen couldn't help but feel curious:

What would happen if we obtained more CGs?

Currently, only one equipment slot is open, and only one CG can be equipped.

Without hesitation, he equipped the [Parting Ways] item.

At the same time, Emma felt as if something had been added to her palm.

Yang Wen pressed the shortcut key, raised his hand and looked:

A pink, pigeon-egg-shaped gemstone appeared in her palm.

[The Heart Gem is restoring its magic. 3 hours remaining.]

Emma: 'A gem? What's it for? But it's so pretty, sparkly! Hehe~'

Yang Wen understood:

Finally, there's a hint of a main storyline!

There are 3 hours left until I can transform into a magical girl and fight monsters.

I don't know what's wrong with it...

Taking advantage of the moment, Yang Wen continued to underline the [Circular Record Book].

"Hmm? That's strange..."

After scrolling down to the bottom, Yang Wen frowned.

He discovered that he had not only unlocked the "Parting Ways" CG, but also another one without his knowledge.

Unlocked: [Silent Withering]

Yang Wen remembered that he and Xi Luo had parted ways, right?

Nothing else was done.

He clicked on the CG image.

Then I gasped...

Silent Decline —

It's a death cutscene.

The death CG of [Hanna Tono] shortly after parting ways with Emma in the corridor.

Volume 1: Chapter 4 Loading the File

Yang Wen leaned his elbows on the table, adopting the same pensive posture as Gendo Ikari, his brows furrowed as he stared at the CG.

The background of the CG is under the beams of a dark, dusty attic.

She hung there like an abandoned teru teru bozu (a traditional Japanese doll), rough ropes twisting around her slender neck, her gorgeous green dress and long golden hair hanging limply. Her emerald eyes had lost their former light, filled with desolation.

The dust in the interior background creates a Live2D effect, swirling in the dim light. Several similarly hanged dolls surround her, like funerary objects.

Yang Wen stared at the CG for several seconds, still unable to understand why Hannah had died.

But he knew that the main quest for Tono Hannah's side would inevitably end with her death.

And in the future, it seems that CGs featuring the main character Hannah Tono will be completely unavailable.

Yang Wen thought of Tono Hannah's vibrant AI, which seemed to have a life of its own. This made him feel a pang of sadness.

Thankfully, there's a save/load feature.

Without hesitation, Yang Wen clicked on the "load data" button at the bottom of the screen and selected the latest save file.