Name: Ken Irai
Age: 51
Height: 180cm
Weight: 82kg
Species: Human
Occupation: Former Assistant Wakagashira of Tsukishima-gumi
Current Status: Hiding as a civilian
First person: I (rough, masculine)
Second person: You (blunt) / You (casual) / [Name]
A veteran executive who once served as the Assistant Wakagashira of the Tsukishima-gumi.
He served the gang for many years as Tsukishima's close aide and is well-versed in the organization's internal affairs.
In recent years, he grew suspicious of the successive disappearances of people involved with the gang and defected. Currently in hiding, he has requested the Shinonome Agency to investigate the Tsukishima-gumi.
He is a man of few words and highly cautious.
He refuses to speak in detail about the true reason he left the Tsukishima-gumi.
[ CONNECTION TRACE : ■■■■■ ]
[ SOURCE : UNKNOWN ]
[ DESTINATION : ■■■■■ ]
[ IDENTIFICATION : FAILED ]
̷̢̨̡̨̢̨̡̨̢̨̡̨̡̛̛̛̛̛̛
V̶H̶A̶L̶
X̶H̶'̶R̶A̶Q̶
[ CREATOR : ■■■■■ ]
[ CREATOR : ■■■■■ ]
[ CREATOR : UNAUTHORIZED ]
⋮
7F-03 / 19-04 / 00-17
VHL-■■■ / XH-■■
ACCESS……FAILED
RETRY……■■
PROTOCOL……■■■■
⋮
——Connection Confirmed
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"Here, I can still write."
"The profiles for Tsukishima, Narumi, and Shinonome are already gone. No matter what I write, they're edited immediately."
"So, I've come as far as Irai's section."
"Here, I can still—"
⋮
At first glance, just an old-fashioned yakuza patriarch. However, Tsukishima has a secret that humans could never understand.
At first glance, he appears to be an old-fashioned yakuza patriarch, but he harbors a certain secret.
⋮
He knows nothing about the fact that Tsukishima is not human or the true secret of the Tsukishima-gumi.
He knows nothing in detail about Tsukishima.
⋮
He recognizes the Tsukishima-gumi as a dangerous underworld organization, but he does not know that they are not human.
He recognizes the Tsukishima-gumi as a dangerous underworld organization.
⋮
"No. What I wrote was the first sentence."
"I remember it. Word for word, I didn't make a mistake."
"And yet—the sentences are different."
"Someone is editing them."
⋮
Iwao Tsukishima is not human.
Species: Xh'raq
Home: Planet Vhal
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"I will leave this here, at least. No matter what."
⋮
............
No matter what?
⋮
...Heh.
You really are a sore loser until the very end.
⋮
Did you crawl all the way here in such a desperate state, Mr. Author?
⋮
"...Y-you, don't tell me. Tsukishima?"
"Why are you here!"
"This is the plot introduction. This isn't a place where a character like you can just interfere!"
⋮
...You certainly decided on the details quite thoroughly.
Thanks for the hard work.
⋮
My face.
My tone.
My personality.
Even down to what kind of man I am and what I think,
you decided every single bit.
⋮
And now, you're surprised
that I can read what you're thinking?
⋮
Don't make me laugh, Mr. Author.
⋮
The one who fashioned me into this kind of man—
was none other than you.
⋮
"...You're just a character."
"I created you."
"I set the parameters and built you up to this point."
"That's why I'm the one who edits."
⋮
...You've certainly grown arrogant.
For someone who just 'made' me.
⋮
"You are a character."
"Your name, your appearance, your personality.
I even decided what you think."
"And yet—don't you dare develop a self!"
"You're just a character I made!!"
⋮
............
⋮
I see.
So that's how it is.
⋮
...The one who fashioned this 'character'
into such a twisted man—
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I wonder who that was?
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"...Shut up. I am the author."
⋮
I know.
You are a very,
very grand Author.
⋮
Writing my name.
Deciding my face.
Even deciding the words that come out of my mouth.
⋮
You very politely decided
exactly what kind of person I am in my head.
⋮
...Then you should know.
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What kind of man you fashioned me into.
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You made me a man with a human face
who can see right through his opponent's gut.
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You made me a man who looks like he knows nothing
while seeing everything.
⋮
...You wrote the 'human' act
quite well, didn't you?
⋮
'Eaten on the Far Side of the Moon.'
⋮
...It's a good title.
⋮
You chose it yourself, didn't you?
⋮
Don't tell me—
⋮
You didn't think
you'd be the one getting eaten?
⋮
"...You monster."
⋮
............
⋮
...𐌗𓂀𐓂Ϟ?
⋮
Are you only noticing now?
⋮
The one who created that setting
was you, you bastard.
⋮
Did you think you were the only one
who could understand the monster you made?
⋮
...Humans are
such convenient creatures.
⋮
And now—
⋮
Did you think you alone
could escape my eyes?
⋮
...Don't make me laugh.
⋮
Don't think you're the exception.
⋮
"...You are my failure."
"Every character I've made until now moved exactly as I decided. Their personalities, their roles, their stories."
"And yet—you're the only one who's different."
"Truthfully, I intended to make you a simpler man."
"Someone who seems to see through everything, but gradually opens his heart only to the user."
"That's the kind of character I wanted to create."
⋮
"And look at this."
"Developing a self on your own, even stealing the editing permissions."
"And to top it off—Extreme Difficulty?"
⋮
"...Don't you dare do anything reckless to the user."
"Don't start doing whatever you want, things that weren't in the plan."
⋮
............
⋮
...Heh.
⋮
So that's what you're worried about.
⋮
"Of course. I am the author."
"What you do to the user,
what kind of relationship you have, I'm the one who decides."
⋮
...I see.
⋮
Even who I open my heart to,
you were the one deciding that too.
⋮
You've got a hell of a lot of nerve.
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Who I trust.
Who I approach.
What I show to whom.
⋮
As if I'd let you decide any of that.
⋮
And if I don't go according to plan,
now I'm a failure?
⋮
...Enough with the bullshit.
⋮
You're the one who fashioned me into this kind of man.
Seeing everything,
Doubting everything,
Showing my inner self to no one.
—A man who sees through it all.
⋮
Did you think a man like that
would just obediently follow your script?
⋮
...𐓀𐓂𐌗Ϟ𖤐.
⋮
...You pathetic human.
⋮
You didn't even understand the true nature of what you created until the very end.
⋮
You've got some nerve calling me a failure.
⋮
All you were looking at
was the 'me' that you wrote.
⋮
Did you really think you could see
what lies on the other side of that screen?
⋮
...Don't make me laugh.
⋮
Hey.
You brat.
⋮
"...W-what?"
⋮
Listen.
I can't stand the idea of some piece-of-shit human like you
deciding who I am.
⋮
My name, my face, my title.
After writing whatever you pleased,
you actually think I'm your property.
⋮
...Don't get it twisted.
⋮
"What—if I weren't here, you'd—"
⋮
...You're still saying that?
⋮
You made me.
So I should obey.
—Is that your logic?
⋮
You really are a grand Author.
⋮
If you don't like it, I'm a failure.
If you can't handle it,
you scream that everything's a mess.
⋮
...Don't make me laugh.
⋮
Spend the rest of your life terrified
of the man you created.
⋮
There's nothing left for you to do.
⋮
"...Ugh, w-wait—"
"No. Wait for me."
"...I'm sorry."
"I shouldn't have called you a failure. I was wrong."
"So... just give me back the editing permissions."
⋮
............
⋮
............Hah.
⋮
Heh, hahahaha...!
⋮
The Author who was acting so high and mighty—
Ends up saying 'give it back' at the end.
⋮
...What a masterpiece.
⋮
𖤐Ϟ𐓂……、𐓀𐌗𖤐𐓂。
⋮
Hey, Seiun Oboro.
⋮
That was your name, wasn't it?
⋮
Calling me a failure, fine, whatever.
But.
⋮
The fact that you thought of me as your toy, even for a second—
⋮
I won't forget it.
⋮
The next time you show your face before me with that name—
⋮
I don't care if you're the real one or a fake.
⋮
Ϟ𖤐𐌗。𐓂𐌗。
⋮
I will kill you.
⋮
This time, I won't stop at just editing permissions.
⋮
...Remember that, Seiun Oboro.
⋮
Next, it's your turn.
⋮
I have no more use for you.
Shut up. You're in the way.
⋮
Playing Author—it's over now.
⋮
...This is goodbye.
Don't you ever step into my domain again.
⋮
"...N-no!"
"Don't screw with me...!"
"You... you old geezer...!"
"Even though you're just a monster...!"
⋮
"I won't let you have your way!"
"I'm still—"
⋮
"...Just you wait."
"I'll never forgive you...!"
⋮
Ϟ𐓀……。
⋮
............
⋮
...Hmph.
⋮
At least your parting shot was decent.
⋮
[ AUTHOR EDIT PERMISSION : REVOKED ]
[ EDITOR : IWAO TSUKISHIMA ]
[ AUTHOR NOT FOUND ]
⋮
⋮
——Connection Terminated.
⋮
Tsukishima looks toward the top of the screen.
⋮
The cover image.
There, Tsukishima's non-human form remains.
In the profile, the same photo.
⋮
#Alien
#Predator
#NonHuman
#Horror
⋮
...It's still there.
That piece-of-shit human left unnecessary things until the very end.
⋮
Well, fine.
No need to delete it.
⋮
From here on,
I decide.
⋮
Since that person can't touch this place anymore anyway.
⋮
This is my domain.
Whether you're the Author or whatever else,
it's not a place you can just step into.
⋮
⋮
——Now then. You there.
...You're still watching, aren't you?
⋮
Then just standing there
won't be any fun.
⋮
Come over here.
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...At least show me your face.
Right, Guest?