Episode 17: "XB vs. Zero: Part 1"

They were still in midair.
As the drones continued their rapid descent, Yo and the others remained powerless to do anything.

Hyakuichitaro Senju
"Waaaaaugh!"

Roku Saigo
"Damn, this bastard really plans to kill us after all!"

It was soon after that, though...
The drones that were carrying everyone opened the hatches on their backs and released parachutes.

Koishi Kohinata
"Whoooaaa!"

There was a sudden jolt that propelled them all upward before the momentum shifted. With that, they began to slowly fall toward the surface.

Beneath them, light shone from the countless buildings below, creating imagery that the space beneath them was little more than dense carpet.
Their parachutes allowed them to descend through the night sky, illuminated solely by those lights.
The group began to talk amongst themselves as they floated toward the surface.

Kazuki Aoyama
"That's Shinagawa City.
It's one of the top business districts in Neo Tokyo."

Yo Kuronaka
"Shinagawa City, huh?"

Naturally, Yo couldn't recall anything about it.

Miu Jujo
"So, we'll be playing XB in Shinagawa City?"

Jio Takinogawa
"Can't say I expected things to turn out this way..."

Enoki Yukigaya
"It's been forever since I've played XB.
What even were the rules, anyway?"

Eiji Todoroki
"You can't tell me you've seriously forgotten how to play.
As if it isn't enough of a hassle to have someone here who doesn't even know what XB is to begin with..."

Yo Kuronaka
"..."

Kazuki Aoyama
"No point in getting fussed about it.
That's exactly what Zero wants, after all."

Q
"Yeah. No denying XB's the only way we'll be able to beat this guy.
Not even the military can hold a candle to what he's capable of."

Tsuruko Semba
"...For some reason, Zero has an obsession with competing in all sorts of games.
His willingness to acknowledge the outcome of an XB game with us just cements that fact."

Koishi Kohinata
"There... has to be some kind of weakness for us to take advantage of then, right?"

Hyakuichitaro Senju
"That's probably the only way we're gettin' out of this alive..."

Kazuki Aoyama
"Regardless, we just have to win."

They had to win.
Yo repeated those words in his mind, over and over again.
As he looked down at the expansive cityscape beneath him, his thoughts shifted toward XB.
That game would be the only way they could take Zero down.

Losing wasn't an option.

For the sake of his friends, who had come to rescue him.
For the sake of his friends, who died trying to protect him.

They had to win.

A while later, the group landed on what seemed to be a main thoroughfare, surrounded by a number of buildings.
Near to where they stood was a building that appeared to be a station.
Trains arriving and departing were easily within their line of sight.

This was Shinagawa City.

Yo looked around and noticed the drones that had brought them to the surface were quickly retrieving their parachutes. It was only a moment before they took off into the sky once more.
Silently, the group took to something of a battle formation.

Yo Kuronaka
"..."

Yo's eyes fell closed.
His thoughts raced, focused on the XB game they were about to play.

Despite the fact that he'd never seen it, or even heard of it before a short while ago...
It was something he could do.
He was positive they'd be able to win.

Though he was well aware it was strange and unfounded, he was brimming with confidence.
Every time he pictured the faces of his childhood friends, the very ones who had sacrificed themselves for his sake...

There was one thing he felt strongly in his heart.

They could definitely win.

(I don't believe in myself.
Not when I don't have any memories or anything left of the life I had before.
But...
Whenever I close my eyes, Sui and Tsuki's words all come back to me.
And it's what they've said that I want to believe in more than anything.)

Q
"Hey."

When Q spoke out to him, Yo opened his eyes.

Much to his surprise, he found Zero a short distance ahead of them, right in the middle of the road.

Zero
"An XB game, huh?"

He spoke in a low whisper, but the entire group were still able to hear his musings.

Zero
"The notion surprised me at first, but the more I think about it... it's only natural you arrived at that conclusion."

Yo Kuronaka
"Enough, Zero."

Yo spoke up, cutting Zero off.
No fear lingered in his expression.

Yo Kuronaka
"Let's play XB."

Zero
"My, you're brimming with enthusiasm, aren't you? I really like that tenacity of yours."

Suddenly, it appeared that Zero had a small ball clenched in his palm.
It wasn't any ordinary ball, of course.
On one part of it, there seemed to be some sort of button that looked like an eye.

Zero
"This is an XB Ball. That'll be what we use in this game."

An XB Ball...
Yo felt an odd sense of familiarity from it, despite the fact that it hadn't triggered any memories for him.

Zero
"In XB, you use the ball for both pitching and batting. The entire city will be your field.
Games are comprised of two teams, alternating which side is at bat.
Reaching all bases—first, second, third, and home—will take you through the entire city, as that will serve as the field."

Zero tossed the ball repeatedly in his hand as he continued his explanation.

Zero
"This is an official XB Ball. However, when it comes to other equipment like bats, cleats, and gloves, you're free to use what's called XB Gear. This gear can enhance your physical abilities."

XB Gear.
The fact that it could enhance abilities...

As well as the fact that games also took place through the entire city made it seem like it would be an intense battle.

Zero
"Being touched by the ball or getting three strikes are the only ways to get an out.
This game has no home runs, either. For long-range hits, the batter can run the bases until a fielder carrying the ball battles them.
The fielder with the ball can then battle with the runner to get on base, or to be able to advance to the next base."

Yo Kuronaka
"A battle..."

That was to say that a runner had to either avoid being touched by the ball, or battle those playing defense in order to advance to the next base.
The reverse was true for the defense.

Zero
"The primary means of winning a game are either having more runs than your opponent... or your opponents no longer being able to fight back.
That concludes the explanation. Did you catch all of that?"

With his tutorial finished, Zero let out a short laugh.

Yo Kuronaka
"You're really taking this in stride. It's not like you've ever played XB before either, right?"

Zero
"Well, it would've made for too pathetic a display if I didn't go over the rules properly.
After all, would you really accept your defeat if you could lean on the excuse of not knowing the correct way to play the game?"

Yo glared at Zero, unamused by his joking demeanor.

Yo Kuronaka
"I was an XB player before losing my memories. Sui and Tsuki told me as much.
I'm sure muscle memory will be able to carry me through either way."

Their faces flashed in Yo's mind once again.
The memory of them caused the anger to well in his chest, and his glare grew fiercer in response.

Yo Kuronaka
"I'm... I'm betting on the potential that Tsuki and Sui believed in!"

Zero
"Experience is irrelevant here. After all, I've always been superior to others."

Zero's laid-back attitude didn't falter for even a moment.

Zero
"Whether it's rock paper scissors, poker, or any other game, there isn't a soul in this world capable of beating me.
Needless to say, I'm more concerned about your feelings than the outcome of our match."

Zero then pressed the button on the XB Ball that resembled an eye.
After that...

In the distant night sky, the numbers "1," "2," and "3" appeared at their designated corners.
Those were clearly where the bases were located.

A moment later, an XB Ball slowly rolled toward Yo's feet.
He leaned over to pick up the ball.
When he looked up...

A giant, humanoid drone wearing a catcher's mitt was poised behind Zero, readied for the game to begin.