[System Reset complete.]
The same usual static pulse reverberated around Emilia before finding herself amidst the beeping sound of machines nearby.
To her surprise, she seemed to be in a hospital room, and the person who was lying in the patient's bed was none other than Asaru.
With an oxygen mask etched on his face and electrodes attached on his body, sending his vitals to the nearby screens, Asaru's fingers twitched as his eyes slowly opened up,,
"H-he's waking! Quick, somebody call the doctor!" said the nurse's voice as Asaru completely woke up, his blurry vision that gradually became clearer settling on the ceiling.
As the male doctor arrived, he first removed Asaru's mask and then started examining him, also questioning him in an attempt to check his mental state.
"No dilated eyes," said the doctor. "Look at me. Do you remember who you are, young man? Do you know what your name is?"
Emilia approached them, her eyes recording the scene with an unbreakable focus, still not noticing the silver-haired boy that observed them from a distance, crouched on the ground.
"A-Asaru… Takayoshi," replied Asaru, his voice barely a whisper.
"How old are you?" the doctor continued his interrogation.
"16."
"Your parents' name?"
"Rihan… and Mio… Takayoshi."
Confirming his memory, the doctor proceeded to making an evaluation.
"Good. Doesn't seem like he suffered any brain damage or memory loss."
"Do you remember what happened to you?" the doctor added.
"Uuuuh…" Asaru pondered.
"I took the bus and then, and... then… " his voice trailed off upon the final memory hit him hard—a flash of screeching tires, the sudden impact, then darkness. His heart pounded as he grappled with the dawning realization.
"I was in an accident."
"That's right. You were in a bus accident, and you got severely injured. You were unconscious for three days," the doctor explained.
'Three days? That's not right. I… I… Wha-what was I… I feel like a forgot something but… what was it?' his thoughts trailed off as he fell asleep.
"Doctor!" the nurse called out.
"Not to worry. He simply fell asleep. It's really a miracle that there were no casualties considering the damage."
With those words, the doctor stood up and went to check on other patients within the hospital, but in the meantime, Emilia couldn't help but wonder with astonishment.
'He… doesn't remember?' Emilia couldn't believe what she had just heard, a familiar question reappearing in her mind. 'Just what is really going on with you… Ace?'
While the question lingered in her mind, the silver-haired boy's dark gaze stayed fixed on the room, his eyes alternating between Emilia and Asaru until…
[Initiating System Reboot]
"Huh? System Reboot?" a window popped up, making Emilia wonder what was going to happen next.
[…]
[System Reboot complete.]
But what she was going to witness next, simply continued to solve the puzzle of who was really Ace, her mind entering a state of realization from everything she was reading.
'This…'
[Retrieving Backup Data from System Memory]
[…]
[Backup retrieval complete]
'This is…'
[Designation of Avatar: Ace as new subject initiated]
[…]
[Designation complete.]
[Character Synchronization of new subject with Backup Data Model: Asaru Takayoshi initiated.]
[…]
[Character Synchronization complete.]
[Initiating Main Scenario.]
'Is this the truth?' with one last pulse, Emilia found herself in a familiar white void.
"And so?" a voice, one Emilia had heard dozens of time but hadn't heard resurfaced for a long time cut in through the void.
As she shot back her head behind her, sitting cross-legged on the formless ground, was a barefooted, pale boy with silver-white hair dressed in a white shirt and white baggy pants. And in her eyes, his silhouette was close to when she had first met him.
"Ace? That's you, isn't it?" Emilia slowly took a step forward before…
"Stay back," Ace rose up from the ground, facing Emilia who gasped at the sight before her.
The dark and empty shadow in his eyes, the slight bags under them, and… the red stains and hole on his chest, as if his heart had been pulled out. The sight made Emilia question him immediately.
"What… what is that?" Emilia's answer came interrupted as window popped up in front of her.
[You have obtained the Item: Keys of the Truth (2/3)]
'Again with the Keys of the Truth? Exactly what are they?' she questioned as another very familiar voice rang out to both of them, attracting their attention.
"Nice to see you guys made it too!" It was Ryu, waving at them, but with his fox mask covering his face.
"Ryu?" Emilia called out in confusion. "What's going on?"
Call it instinct or a premonition, but every fiber of Emilia's being screamed at her that something was going to happen.
"All in due time," he replied evasively as his head turned towards Ace. "Yo! Wasn't last time enough already?"
"Every time that a Seal is released, you end up going bonkers. It's really annoying, you know," his words were directed at Ace. "Well, can't blame ya considering what you are."
"Did you come to laugh at me? Or did you decide to beat me up like last time?" Ace talked unemotionally.
"Huh? What do you―?" Emilia caught on to Ace's words before Ryu simply interrupted her.
"Nah~! Nothin' like that," he gestured nonchalantly. "I just didn't expect that releasing the Second Seal would cause this much damage. To think you'd just go and break into multiple fragments… Even I didn't expect that."
"And so? Why did you bring her here? And why did you show me that?" Ace questioned Ryu, the latter simply raising his index to his mouth… or at least where it would be located behind his mask. "Not telling."
"And frankly, you tell me. After all, we're inside your inner world right now. Shouldn't you know better than I d―!?"
"STOP IT!" Emilia cut through their exchange like a guillotine, their attention now on her. "I don't get it. What have you been talking about since earlier?"
Ace stayed silent as Ryu simply titled his head with a: "Sorry. Can't say."
"What?" Emilia couldn't believe her ears. "What do you…?"
"Ah. But don't get me wrong. I can't say anything because I'm bound to an unbreakable pact. And really, that's not the issue we're dealing with today. Today…"
He pointed his finger at Ace in a relaxed manner.
"We've simply come to take the True Ace back to reality. Nothing more, nothing less."