Berry, it's morning. Time to get up.
Berry?! What are you doing out there?
There was this weird kid... Phantom Zero...
A weird phantom?
Did you fall asleep while logged in again?
Logged in? Oh, yeah... I was in the Hyperverse...
It's almost time for school. Come on, it's time to get up and get ready.
And make sure you actually go to the doctor's today.
'Kay.
Huh? Was it... all a dream?
Nope!
Giga!
Tera! Peta! Exa! Zetta!
Yotta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta!
The Mysterious Stranger
This just ain't happa-bappa-happening!
The Mysterious Stranger
Za-bam-bam-bam-bam-bam-bam-bam!
Cheese it!
Where oh where is the outty-boutty?
What ya lookin' for?
The sorti-exit!
An exit?
But glitchy-witchy's setups are too high-spec, so the exit's a missing thingy!
Just what I'd expect from a high-def custom Hyperverse space.
So Love-y!
No backdoor?!
Guess we need time to find the legit exit, or we're stuck.
Let's just bail already!
Yeah!
Wow!
Rargh!
Tick-tocky?!
What is this?!
What's going on?! It's kinda fun!
Hey, wait up!
Quit tryna gobble us up already!
Zappo!
Ka-ching!
Got me some data on glitchy-witchy!
Okay, so what do we do next?!
Gotta scope the shell outta the town!
Wow.
What is it?
A program that spreads like slime mold? I've never seen anything like it.
Gimme the big search.
Get all sticky-wicky with the network.
Bingo!
Love-y!
Time to bail!
Ah, wait up!
Is this the finish line?
Ker-clunk.
Guess there's one last bit to go!
Huh?
Hey...
Alley-oop!
Hey, nerdy-birdy! Gimme five!
Take it!
Hey!
Let's bail on outta here.
Whoa, there.
Bailing!
And away we go!
There are signs of Demo-camouflage at the scene.
Copy that. I want everyone using camo-compensator mode.
We're the Customer Center's Special Eval Committee Task Force.
You guys come to stare at me too, huh?
You're wanted on suspicion of illegal Love fabrication
and unauthorized Love score modification.
Don't move. We're going to restrain you.
Fire!
Quit yellin'!
Dammit.
There's no citizen registry data.
A "Yurei"? Watch yourselves.
Digital smoke!
Blammo!
That fried my Deco.
Suspicious Yurei spotted at the scene of a Zero Phenomenon in District 16.
Requesting a perimeter based on the findings of our search.
Code 410!
We'll dispatch a cleanup crew to the scene.
What happened to those Yurei tags the search team mentioned?
Well, Mr. Chairman,
we've found what we believe to be a safehouse hidden behind a Deco facade.
SEC Task Force!
No sudden moves! Come quietly!
It's a recorded decoy.
We were too late.
Damn Yurei.
Huh? Are you getting static?
Sneaky sneaky sneak...
What's wrong?
Sneaky sneaky sneak...
My Deco's being tampered with!
Is that Yurei still around here somewhere?
There you are!
Don't give us trouble!
Nein, nein.
Wh-What the...
Our Decos have been hijacked!
And a-bailing we will go!
Hup!
Switch the Deco camo back on and...
Tera!
Hey, you hungry?
Sure. Wanna go get something fancy?
Good idea! We can splurge our Love—
What was that? Crazy.
Made me jump.
With that being the case...
Say what? The Zero Phenomenon?
What are you talking about?
Like I said, it happened in my neighborhood last night.
You live in District 16, right?
Can't be. There'd be records of alerts and stuff if something had happened.
You've been actin' weird lately.
Yeah. The office yesterday being a prime example.
Does this mean that weirdo wasn't a new character from the game?
What weirdo?
Wait, the game got a new character? I didn't hear about that.
Besides, Berry, you weren't even logged in yesterday.
Huh? You're right.
Then, what was that...
Your Deco's acting up, right?
Yeah, it's gotta be that.
You did say that was how you were able to see this "weirdo" of yours.
Even so...
You imagined the whole thing.
I'll just have to investigate.
Then, let's play the game!
Yeah!
I'm in! I wonder if the new story content's out.
You three! Are you muted again?
This is your doing, isn't it, Berry?
Yeah! Sorry! Bye!
Hey! Get back here!
It doesn't make sense.
Maybe it's 'cause I fell asleep in the Hyperverse.
And this thing...
I have no clue what it is.
Now, let us begin.
My puzzle is a mystifying one...
But there is no puzzle that cannot be solved.
You needn't worry on that score.
However, it's a question of speed.
Who came up with these impossible means, and how?
And what did they do to pull it off? These are the questions you must answer.
Yes, you must up your speed of thought until you surpass all others.
Phantom Zero is a magician from a fairy tale, capable of doing things no one else can.
Awesome! Phantom Zero rules!
That was totally wizard!
Yeah...
C'mon, Berry. It's the hotly awaited new story stuff!
It's Love-y, right?
Yeah.
You really are acting weird.
Sorry, I'm gonna log off for today.
Berry?!
A magician, huh?
Normally, that'd be the kind of Love-y new twist that'd get me really excited...
It is almost time for your ophthalmologist appointment.
Ah, I'd better go.
It is almost time for your ophthalmologist appointment.
Oh, right. I should probably wear this.
Maybe it really was part of the game.
Looking back, it all started with that Phantom Zero ad I saw.
And that weirdo...
I think it was around here.
Maybe the ad I saw tagged me for access?
If it was some kind of secret test, that's kinda impressive.
Maybe I was chosen at random for a beta test?
Would that be Love-y?
Crap, I'm late!
Checkout
The next generation of Deco.
Checkout Let the world you see be more beautiful than anything else.
The procedure is simple. Talk to your clinician about it.
All citizens are required to use Deco.
For those who would prefer not to undergo optical surgery,
a number of convenient and comfortable Glasses Decos are available.
Reception
Ask about availability.
Next patient, please. Miss Berry.
Here.
I'll take a look at the right eye now.
I see. Look to the right, please.
And the left.
Yes, it's definitely broken.
I-I see...
The fastest thing would be to simply replace it.
Let's begin the procedure immediately.
U-Uh, I'm—
Okay! Preparing the patient!
U-Um, listen—
Don't worry. This won't take a second.
Your Deco's acting up, right?
Yeah, it's gotta be that.
You did say that was how you were able to see this "weirdo" of yours.
Nerdy-birdy.
The weirdo!
Oh, no! Sit back! Sit back!
It's okay. There's nothing to worry about.
Y'know what? Forget it!
See ya!
Wait! It's not scary! Not scary at all!
I'm home...
Your Deco treatment is incomplete.
Please schedule a—
Your Deco treatment is incomplete.
Please schedule a follow-up.
Your Deco treatment is incomplete.
Knock First!
Your Deco treatment is incomplete.
Please schedule a follow-up.
Oh, give it a rest!
Fine.
Deco Exam
Set the exam to complete.
Completed
Update Successful
Deco Exam Completed Update Successful Your exam has been completed.
That oughta do it.
Now I might see that weirdo again...
Love-y!
Mom?
Dad?
They're not here.
I guess I did get back from the doc's early.
Which means this is my chance!
If I use their work Hyperverse space,
I can find out about yesterday's Zero Phenomenon and that weirdo!
It's my birthday.
Rejected. Rejected. Approved. Rejected. Approved.
Approved.
That new crêpe place downtown is super good! Recommended #crape #decogenic
Another day of defending world peace! #hiro #peace #worldpeace #SekaiHeiwa
Approved. Another day of defending world peace! #hiro #peace #worldpeace #SekaiHeiwa That new crêpe place downtown is super good! Recommended #crape #decogenic
Approved. Another day of defending world peace! #hiro #peace #worldpeace #SekaiHeiwa
Approved. That new crêpe place downtown is super good! Recommended #crape #decogenic
Puuko's been really full of it lately. So annoying. Let's all ignore her! #classmute
Approved.
Puuko's been really full of it lately. So annoying. Let's all ignore her! #classmute
Approved. Another day of defending world peace! #hiro #peace #worldpeace #SekaiHeiwa
Rejected.
Puuko's been really full of it lately. So annoying. Let's all ignore her! #classmute
Another day of defending world peace! #hiro #peace #worldpeace #SekaiHeiwa Rejected.
Another day of defending world peace! #hiro #peace #worldpeace #SekaiHeiwa
Approved.
Another day of defending world peace! #hiro #peace #worldpeace #SekaiHeiwa
Approved.
Wow...
First, we need a disguise.
Nice view from up here.
Hey, how's it going?
Now, where does Dad sit?
Approved.
Rejected.
Wait, that's from...
Rejected.
"Delete" means they're being wiped, right?
Then, it really did happen. It wasn't just part of a game.
Rejected.
What's going on here?
I'd better find what I need, and fast.
Here we go. Dad's seat.
I need to grab some evidence.
Berry! What do you think you're doing?!
Berry, what were you trying to do?
Well... you weren't here, so I went looking...
In our office, without permission?
Come on. What were you actually doing?
What were they actually doing, Mom and Dad?
You don't need to know that.
But everybody was deleting a bunch of data!
That's our job. We're content moderators.
Your job?
That's right. We make it so people don't have to see things that'd make them worry.
It's a very important job.
But what happens if people can't tell what's real anymore?
Listen. If it is something important, deleting it won't make it go away. Right?
But isn't that just lying?!
Berry!
Honey...
Berry.
For now, you're grounded, and you can only log onto the Hyperverse for school.
Fine!
Berry, wait a minute!
Let her go.
But honey... This is too complex for her.
Lies. It all really happened.
Mom and Dad are just liars, and all that was nonsense. I don't care anymore.
That weirdo's really out there.
And this time, I'm gonna track you down.
This thing has to hold some kinda clue...
Wow!
What's this?
Found you!
Okay.
Let's do this!
This is totally different from the daytime. All these bright lights are pretty hype!
Whoa, wait a second...
I'm actually running away from home.
That's Love-y!
Something smells good!
What's that?
An... avatar?
Excuse me—
Care for a sip, bambina?
What was that? Why was there a cat?
So weird.
Oh, right.
I need to go there... Which is this way!
This is the spot.
Wh-Who are you?
Where is Hack?
Hack?