The moment we snuck into the submarine, a loud "DOGON!!" engine roar echoed.
It seems the submarine had begun to sink. There was no turning back now.
"What is this place...?" Yukina gasped at the sight before her.
It was like a museum or an art gallery. A massive chandelier hung from the high ceiling, a full dinosaur skeleton towered on the floor, and taxidermied animals lined the walls.
The dimly lit rooms, filled with tanks of live coelacanths and tropical fish, were artistic and academic spaces that had no place in a nuclear submarine.
"This is the Professor's hobby. It's all real," Jugras said, clearly having seen it all before. He strode forward without a glance.
"First, we need to find Aria, right?"
"Yeah. We have to find her fast."
The world's largest submarine wasn't just for show; the number of rooms was staggering. Each one was a different gallery of art.
We opened doors at random, but she was nowhere to be found.
We ran through a variety of rooms, but there was still no sign of Aria.
Then, Coccolo spoke up.
"Oh? Master! The wind spirit I sent out has found a reaction!"
We followed Coccolo's lead and ran.
We arrived at a church. Stained glass windows shone brightly in the back. Whether it was original or another one of Sherlock's hobbies, the setup seemed far too elaborate for a church.
"Aria!!"
Aria was kneeling in prayer under the stained glass. She was wearing her usual bulletproof uniform. Coccolo's wind spirit danced around her.
"Shou... Yukina... Coccolo..."
Aria turned around.
We rushed toward her, but she took a step back.
"Go home."
"Huh...?"
"..."
Her words were cold. Yukina couldn't believe her ears. I had expected it and managed to remain calm.
"I'm going to live with my great-grandfather here."
"What are you talking about?!"
Yukina pressed forward, but Aria turned her back, refusing to face her.
"..."
I listened in silence.
"Yukina... a family is expected to fulfill its role correctly. Otherwise, they are not allowed to exist..." Aria said sadly about her family.
"I was called a defective product, looked down on, and ignored by everyone but my mom." Aria gripped her skirt tightly.
"I was treated as if I didn't belong in the Holmes family!! Since way back then!!" Aria screamed, tears streaming down her face. Her cry was filled with negative emotions like anger and sadness.
"Lady Aria..."
"The only reason I've made it this far is because my great-grandfather has been my emotional support. He's also the founder of the Butei. That's why I became a Butei." Aria stepped back further.
"My great-grandfather is like a god to me. He appeared before me and acknowledged me! He even called me his successor, me, the one called a defective product!"
"But that Sherlock guy framed Kanae!" Yukina retorted, but Aria shook her head.
"That can be solved now. My great-grandfather said he would give me I-U. So this case..."
"Are you going to become a part of a criminal organization...?"
"It's impossible to beat I-U otherwise! Not when my great-grandfather was the leader from the start!" Aria yelled. But then her voice dropped.
"You guys can't... can't beat... my great-grandfather..."
"It's okay about me, so please go home before you get hurt! It's sad that I can't say goodbye to everyone, but thank you for everything, Yukina. And Coccolo, too. I didn't get to talk to you much, but take care..."
Her words of farewell turned Yukina and Coccolo's faces pale. The fact that the usually stubborn Aria was saying such a sincere goodbye was proof that she was serious.
Yukina and Coccolo looked at me, pleading for me to say something.
"Aria..."
"Shou, you're an amazing person. You help and save so many people."
"Aria, you're one of them."
"It's okay about me now. You have many other girls you need to save, don't you? I can take care of myself... It's been that way from the start. I'm Aria, after all."
She's an "Aria" of a solo performance, huh?
Not all Butei are heartless. If Aria properly explained her situation, even with the difference in skill, some people would probably help her.
But the reason she was alone was because of her personality. Unless you knew her story from the start, like me, she was difficult to approach.
But since she became our comrade and joined our party, she shouldn't be a solo Aria anymore. And yet...
I closed my eyes.
"Even so, I can't go home either."
"Then there's only one way 'to do it'."
"Yeah."
As befitting a Butei, we'll listen to the 'stronger' one.
"Sorry, everyone. You came all this way, but..."
"I understand. I don't think it should be a one-on-one, either."
"Is that okay with you, Jugras?"
"I'll do what I want. For now, I'll be a good boy."
That's all I needed to hear.
I took a step forward.
Aria is strong, but she's no match for Ippatsu or Servant. With me now...
"Shou, are you thinking you can beat me easily?"
"...Aria?"
Something was off.
"You're certainly strong. No, you're getting stronger and stronger. But..."
Aria didn't reach for the holster under her skirt. What she took out from her pocket was...
"...I wouldn't accept a duel without any chance of winning, would I?"
<
"A Watch...!?"
Aria's body transformed into a monster's. Half green, half black.
"N-no, Lady Aria...!"
"Lady Aria, a monster...!?"
Aria had transformed into Another Double, out of nowhere.
"Why... did Sherlock give it to her...?"
I couldn't hide my shock at this completely unexpected turn of events.
"I'm serious. This is the last time. If you go home now, I'll ask my great-grandfather to let you return to Academy Island. So go home now. And swear that you won't lay a hand on my great-grandfather here."
Her consciousness was perfectly intact. Aria had transformed of her own free will.
Questions of "Why?" and "How?" were endless.
But...
<
"Transform...!"
<
For now, I have to fight.
"I can't do that."
"I see. That's a shame."
A tremendous impact hit the side of my head.
"Gah, ugh...?"
It was a kick wrapped in a gust of wind. An attack with no holds barred. By the time I realized it, I was already on the ground, unable to even brace for impact.
"Ugh...!!"
As I rolled, I aimed my Zikan Girade in gun mode and fired.
"That's nothing!!"
Another Double blocked the bullets with her fist and kicked them back. A few shots that missed pierced holes in the church's stained glass.
"Hah!!"
A wind-accelerated kick knocked the weapon from my hand.
It was then that I finally understood.
The thing in front of me wasn't a monstrous anomaly. It was a Rider. I wasn't fighting Aria; I was fighting a Rider.
And she wasn't like a rampaging Another OOO or a Rider with no combat experience like Professor Tearju-sensei with Build.
She might not have the power of Another OOO, but... it was like several people were using one belt.
I couldn't help but wonder how much stronger a Rider could be with a different user.
<
<
Half of Another Double's body changed color to a dull silver. Her signature weapon, the 'Metal Shaft,' materialized on her back.
It should have been a weapon she wasn't used to, but that didn't seem to matter to Aria.
She struck my body hard. I tried to defend myself, but I was helpless without a weapon.
<
<
Half of Another Double's body changed color again. The Metal Shaft disappeared, and a gun-type weapon, the 'Trigger Magnum,' appeared.
"Damn it...!!"
No cover!!
I started running. I had to keep moving.
Another Double held the gun sideways and started firing rapidly. Gunshots echoed through the serene church. Bullet holes quickly multiplied on the walls.
The good news was that the Cyclone-state Trigger Magnum wasn't very precise. But I was still being cornered.
Bullets mercilessly shattered the stained glass, and a rain of colorful glass shards fell.
I ran through the rain of glass, but I couldn't escape forever.
I stumbled from a shot that hit the ground at my feet. Another Double didn't miss the opportunity.
"You're mine."
"Gwaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh!!!!"
I was hit all over.
My transformation was canceled, and Another Double slowly approached me as I lay on the ground. She pointed the gun at my forehead.
"Checkmate, Shou."
"...Yeah, looks like it."
This was the price of underestimating Aria. I never thought I'd be fighting a Rider with power equal to my own.
"What's wrong? Aren't you going to shoot?"
"...Do you want me to?"
"Of course I don't want you to. But if you don't finish me off, I'm going to go fight Sherlock."
"...!!"
The Trigger Magnum was trembling.
"Aria, won't you come back?"
"Come back to what? I can't fight my great-grandfather. Besides, if I do what he says, I can save my mom."
"Even if you save your mom, it's meaningless if you become a criminal, Aria. Yukina and Coccolo will fight with us. Besides, I'm your partner, right? We'll defeat Sherlock together and-"
"...You still think of me as your partner?"
"Huh? Of course-"
I was about to say "yes," but...
"If you're my partner, then pay more attention to me!! All you ever do is care about other girls!!"
"W-well..."
I couldn't really deny that.
"You fought Vlad for Riko, solved that Overlord's daughter's problems, and decided to join Special Operations Division 6 all on your own! Just the other day, you fought the number one esper for a girl you barely know!! Without even consulting me!! What part of that makes us partners?!"
That's all true, but to hear it from Aria... it must be a result of her becoming softer from being with everyone.
"Hey. This feels like I just saw this happen a moment ago."
"...Yeah. I think it's about time we stop them."
"I agree."
I could hear Jugras, Yukina, and Coccolo talking behind me.
"Aria, have you calmed down?"
"Hmph, hmph!!... Haaaaaahhh."
Aria's form returned to normal.
"Yukina, Coccolo."
"I understand, Aria. Senpai goes off to fight without a care for our worries."
"Yes. I was just thinking the same thing."
You're right. I can't deny that either.
"But, I..."
"I know you can't fight Sherlock. I want you to leave that to me... 'us'."
Yukina corrected me, but I managed to finish my sentence.
"That's right, Lady Aria. Since your great-grandfather is doing bad things, we must be the ones to capture him."
"It's not just your problem anymore, Aria. Let's end the I-U case with our own hands."
"Coccolo, Yukina..."
Aria's eyes welled up.
"Shou."
Aria's right hand, holding the Another Watch, was placed on my right hand. The watch was handed to me. When Aria moved her arm away, there was the Double Watch.
It was proof that Aria had returned to us.
"So, when should I celebrate?"
"You, you'd better read the room this time... though, I do wonder if you can't fight without a lover's quarrel first."
Woz and Tsukasa were having a conversation.
---------
"Everyone, are you ready? My great-grandfather is ahead," Aria said, leading the way this time. We arrived at a plain, unadorned door. It was a stark contrast to the art-filled rooms we had been in.
We opened the door and proceeded.
We entered the widest space yet. There was not a single piece of art. It was a vast, open area with giant columns lined up in the back.
"ICBM...!?" Yukina gasped.
The columns were Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles. And there were so many of them. Depending on the warheads they carried, they could wipe out multiple countries.
"Why...!" Aria looked around.
"I've seen this room before...!"
"Huh? What do you mean?" Coccolo was confused, but I knew why.
"Is that true?"
"Yes, I'm sure of it. Not only that. I've seen all of you here, too..."
Just as Yukina was about to say something, music began to play. The unique noise indicated it was a record. The song was Mozart's 'The Magic Flute'.
"In the world of music, there is gentle harmony and sweet rapture," Sherlock appeared from behind the ICBMs to the music. His cane clicked against the floor as he approached.
"It depicts the chaos of our battles and a beautiful contrast." Sherlock stopped and smiled.
"By the time this record ends, the fighting will be over, too."
"Great-grandfather..."
Aria took a step forward.
"I respect you. So I can't point a gun at you." Aria's voice was small, but she faced Sherlock without averting her eyes.
"They are the precious people I finally found. So..."
"It's fine, Aria."
Sherlock was smiling.
"That's good. It's very good that they have become more important to you than I am. You all became more strongly connected just a moment ago."
I felt irritated by Sherlock's tone.
"Was it all according to your deductions, great detective?"
Sherlock's deductive reasoning was known as 'Clairvoyant Cognis,' a level of deduction so refined it was like precognition.
The battle we just had was all part of his plan, I thought.
"This is elementary deduction. People's feelings are a difficult thing to deduce, though."
Sherlock smiled as if he was toying with us. I could feel Yukina and Coccolo's temperatures rising next to me.
"Jugras, you came here as well. What you were looking for will be visible to you soon."
"...Tch! You're telling me...!"
Jugras coming here was also part of his deduction. No, it was probably so elementary that it didn't even require deduction.
It was as if we were all in the palm of Sherlock's hand.
"Did you give her the Watch?"
"That's right. Without it, it wouldn't have been a fair fight, would it?"
"You...! Who gave this to you?! This is-"
Something that shouldn't exist in this world. I stopped myself just in time, remembering that Aria was next to me.
"Something that shouldn't exist in this world. Is that what you were going to say?"
"Doesn't exist...?"
"Ah, I haven't explained it to you yet, have I, Aria?"
That zombie had met Sherlock. It wouldn't be strange for him to know our secret.
And I wouldn't stop Sherlock from talking about it.
"He is not from this world. His origin and his abilities are from a different world."
"...Is that true?"
"...Yeah. It's true."
I admitted it honestly. Was his not mentioning how I got the abilities his way of being merciful? Or did he deduce that Aria's knowledge (of sex) would prevent her from understanding it, and so he deliberately didn't mention it?
"I see... but that makes a lot of sense. Your strange abilities are from another world, then."
Aria surprisingly accepted it without a fuss.
"But I'm mad that you didn't tell me sooner!"
"You wouldn't have believed me if I did."
Behind me, Yukina and Coccolo breathed a sigh of relief. It was a sudden revelation, but they were probably just glad that it didn't turn into another fight like before.
And the great detective who had exposed my secret without permission said,
"Ah. That was also part of my deduction."
Something inside me snapped at that line.
Stop with your deductions already. Do you just want to show off your brilliant mind?!
"Sherlock, we're going to seriously take you down."
"Is that so?"
I glared at Sherlock, but his expression was relaxed.
"You have nothing to gain by fighting. My deduction says that you can't even scratch me."
"I'll break that pathetic deduction right now!!"
I, Yukina, Coccolo, and Jugras all readied our weapons.
The fight with Sherlock had begun.
--------------------------------------------
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