Today is the day Mayuri dies. In half an hour, Moeka and the rounders will come in to capture us, killing her in the process. I sit on the couch in the lab, patiently awaiting what fate has in store for us. Time convergence says I'll be captured. Why fight it?

BZZT

My…phone? I take it out and turn it on. It was from the year 2025. The address sent chills down my spine.

"fgl_epk jtk.93. "

No way…fgl? The Future Gadget Laboratory? From 2025? I open it.

"Utilize Reading Steiner to save Mayuri."

My eyes widen. This message is from me in 2025. The "me" from the future hasn't given up hope. Is there really a way to save Mayuri? And what does Reading Steiner have to do with any of it? It activates when I change worldlines… do I need to change the worldline with a dmail? What would I put in it? In any case, I don't have enough time to think about it right now, I should time leap into the past. I quickly turn towards Kurisu to talk to her.

"Kurisu. Prepare the time leap machine."

"Why? You've been quiet all this time and suddenly you want to time leap again?"

"I'll explain it to the "you" 48 hours ago, now hurry! We don't have much time befo-"

BAM

The door flew open and rounders flooded the room. I was too late. Moeka slowly walks into the room holding a gun.

"Okabe Rintaro. Hashida Itaru. Makise Kurisu. You will be coming with us to assist SERN in building a time machine. Shiina Mayuri is… unneeded!"

"S-Stop…DON'T SHOOT HER!"

I shouted, putting all my soul into it. Moeka still pulled the trigger. I saw Mayuri's head fly backwards, red beads hovering in the air before splattering on the ground. No. I cannot accept this. I will not accept this. A world where Mayuri isn't in… her laughter… her smile… is not the worldline the lab members were striving for. It isn't what we made all our sacrifices for. Faris sacrificed her dad. Rukako sacrificed her life as a woman. Suzuha sacrificed her experiences with her father. Daru never got to know about his daughter. I will not let their sacrifices go to waste! I start making a break for the time leap machine, just like all the times I leaped before. However, unlike those times, a rounder leapt on me, pinning me to the floor. I struggled desperately to break free of his iron grip. I look up at Moeka, cursing her repeatedly in my mind.

"MOEKA! If only….IF ONLY I DIDN'T MAKE YOU A LAB MEMBER! IF ONLY I DIDN'T MEET YOU ON THAT DAY! SERN WOULDN'T HAVE FOUND OUT ABOUT US… MAYURI WOULDN'T HAVE DIED… I WOULDN'T HAVE TO FORCE MY FRIENDS TO SACRIFICE THEIR DESIRES! WHY DID YOU HAVE TO BE HERE! WHY?!"

Moeka turns to face me. I expected her to have her usual stone expression. However, this time, I saw an expression of guilt, of regret, she was crying.

"I-I'm sorry… FB told me to…"

I didn't hear a single word she said, my anger overpowering all my senses. Why did it come to this? Finally, when I was given some hope, this had to happen. Now there's no chance of preventing SERN from taking over the world. At this point, one of the rounders got impatient and shouted "M3! We're taking them to HQ. The rest of you, collect the microwave, we're taking that back with us as well." As I was about to shout at them to stop it, I was hit in the back of the head and passed out.

Hey guys! I'm back with another chapter! Sorry it took so long, I'm quite busy with school and stuff. By the way, won't allow me to type in the full email address from the future and I don't know why but you guys should know what it is right? Anyways this chapter took inspiration from the re-awakening of Hououin Kyouma from the SG0 series. Speaking of, how did yall find the latest episode? I thought it was honestly pretty interesting as it diverged from the VN. Anyways, please leave constructive criticism in the comments below and see yall in the next chapter!