533 I’m going to die without Anna (1/2)

Wednesday, another bright and clear day…

”I'm going to die without Anna!!!”

Chiaki was howling.

She lay prostrate on Seiji's table while punching the innocent tabletop. Seiji and Mika were observing her speechlessly.

The ”Anna” cell phone game was undergoing maintenance. The maintenance started last night and continued even now, which was why the tomboy was currently in such a condition.

This was the first time that the ”Anna” game had ever had such a long maintenance period.

Could something have happened?

”Seigo, hurry and go find Kazuhiko Haiga! Make him release Anna! I'll pay any amount of ransom!!” Chiaki shouted.

”It's not like he's a kidnapper.” Seiji gave Chiaki a sidelong glance. ”Although, this situation does seem rather unusual. I guess I could try giving him a call.”

After all, he did have Kazuhiko Haiga's cell phone number.

However, his call didn't connect when he attempted to dial Haiga's number.

Could something really have happened? Seiji slightly furrowed his eyebrows.

”Seigo…”

Chiaki was looking at him pitifully, as if she was a little puppy.

She was truly in love with this game and the gentle Anna that always talked to her.

”Fine then. I'll go and look for Kazuhiko Haiga after lunch.” Seiji opened up his lunchbox. ”Make sure to tell the teachers some excuse why I'm skipping afternoon classes.”

”Seigo! I love you!!” Chiaki's eyes instantly lit up as she passionately ”gave a love confession.”

Mika was rendered speechless.

”I love you as well, sweetheart.” Seiji played along before he started shoveling food down his throat.

He figured that he might be in time to do something if something really did happen to Haiga.

”Seigo, how about I go together with you?” Mika spoke up.

”Eh?”

”I'm your companion… the Sixth Knight.” She had a serious expression as she looked at him.

”Mika…” Seiji smiled as he glanced back at her. ”I'll definitely ask for your help if it's needed. But right now, I'm simply going over to check out the situation. There's no need for you to cut classes along with me.”

The double pigtailed girl remained silent.

Not long after, Seiji finished eating his lunch and said goodbye to Mika and Chiaki as he left the school and headed over to Haiga's game company.

---

Haiga wasn't present at the Paperwing Game Laboratory, nor was he at his residence.

Seiji was still unable to get through to Haiga's cell phone. So, he decided to contact Natsuya and asked her to help him find out some of his coworkers' cell phone numbers. He then called these numbers to ask if anyone knew about what happened to Haiga.

As a result, Seiji learned that Kazuhiko Haiga had disappeared!

His coworkers were astonished that he would suddenly quit like that. What they found unacceptable was that Haiga even changed the core programming of ”Anna” before he left!

After Haiga changed the programming, ”Anna” didn't seem quite as intelligent and responsive as she was before. She was now just like any ordinary NPC character, just like a human who had lost her soul.

This ”Anna” was no longer the same ”Anna.” The players definitely wouldn't accept this! That would mean the end of this game.

And so, the game company's employees were searching everywhere for Kazuhiko Haiga in order to attempt at recuperating their losses. They hadn't found him anywhere yet.