In a world where singing is power and idols are warriors, Hanashiro Haruka has finally found her stage. With her beloved comrades Tsumugi and Aino by her side, their first-anniversary live is a triumph—until a desperate, barefoot girl bursts through the crowd begging for help, and three armed pursuers follow.
They call her "vessel of the key." They want her. They're willing to kill for her.
Haruka has never drawn her blades against a living person before. But when the girl's plea echoes in her
Surreal Resonance: Duet of Song and Key - When song and sword overlap—together with an enemy who can never understand each other
The air in the drainage channel stayed lukewarm even after nightfall.
Hanashiro Haruka walked with one hand braced against the wall. The damp chill of the concrete seeped into her fingertips, a reminder of how far underground they were. Her flame-red twin tails brushed against the water dripping from the ceiling now and then, the golden tips glimmering faintly in the dark.
"...We can really get through this way, right?"
Haruka's voice echoed down the narrow passage.
"The old drainage network runs east to west beneath Naruse City. According to the structural maps, Eschel's base is past the reservoir up ahead."
Tsumugi answered with a thick notebook in one hand. Her ultramarine bob was plastered to her forehead. Behind her silver-rimmed glasses, her gray-blue eyes flicked between the map in her hand and the darkness ahead.
"Kinda feels like an old-fashioned expedition, doesn't it?"
Aino spoke while swaying her pale pink long hair. Her light purple eyes wavered with unease. Even so, she was trying to keep her voice as soft as always.
The one leading the way was Arso, a bow slung across his back.
"Quiet. We're almost at the base's outer wall."
Arso's voice was low and thick with caution. As a former member of Eschel, he knew this place's layout better than anyone. And that was exactly why his back radiated the resolve of a traitor returning to the fold.
Watching Arso's back, Haruka found herself thinking about last night.
Sabedo and Arso had shown up at the office and told them what Eschel was after. To nullify the law of song itself, and build a world for those who cannot sing. Clele was the key they needed for that.
(I think I really did understand, back then—that there are enemies you can reach an understanding with, and enemies you can't.)
Haruka tightened her grip on the sword hilt. Two blades pressed their weight against her left and right hips. The red cord wrapped around the hilts was damp with sweat.
(But which kind are Pikumi and Epefa?)
The answer had to lie ahead.
"Stop."
Arso raised one hand.
An iron door came into view at the end of the passage. Its rusted surface was gouged with countless scratches. A back entrance of sorts, leading into Eschel's underground base.
"Beyond this is the base's perimeter corridor. Few guards, but keep your noise down."
Arso put his hand on the door.
It creaked, softly.
"...Hey, Sabedo really isn't coming?"
Haruka asked, glancing back over her shoulder.
"Sabedo is watching the drainage exit above ground. He's one of the ones who can't sing—he can't fight alongside us inside a Resonance. He understands his role."
Haruka thought about Sabedo.
That swordsman was always quiet, but every word he spoke carried weight. Those sorrowful eyes of his when he'd said, "If we can talk it out, that's enough for me."
(He's carrying a lot too, I bet.)
Beyond the door, the space was vaster than she'd imagined.
A high-ceilinged corridor stretched on and on. Countless pipes ran along the walls, and somewhere far off came the groaning hum of machinery. The air was even colder than the drainage channel's, mixed with the smell of iron and oil.
"The deepest part of the base is the great hall beyond this point. Clele is most likely imprisoned there."
Arso's voice rang through the corridor.
"However, the path to the great hall is certain to be guarded. Combat is unavoidable."
"It's fine, I'm here! Let's go!"
Haruka drew both swords.
The rasp of metal sliced through the cold air.
"...Inefficient. Drawing your weapons when we don't even know if enemies are here yet."
Tsumugi pushed up her glasses.
"But we don't know when enemies'll show up! I'm not stopping until I save Clele—no way!"
Haruka's voice rang out through the corridor.
"Haruka-chan, you're too loud..."
Aino giggled softly.
"...Honestly. But with that spirit, I think we'll be fine."
Arso's lips curved, just slightly.
The four of them pressed deeper into the base.
Lamps glowed here and there along the corridor walls. The orange light stretched their shadows long. Their footsteps echoed in steady rhythm.
(Clele, hang on. I'm coming.)
Haruka repeated it in her heart, over and over.
That was when it happened.
"Stop. I sense something."
Arso raised his bow.
From around the corner ahead, two figures appeared.
One was a girl carrying a long spear over her shoulder. The other was a large man with a greatsword as tall as himself strapped to his back.
Pikumi and Epefa.
"Ahaha, you really came. I've been waiting, Haruka-chan."
Pikumi spun her long spear in a flourish. The motion was light, almost playful—and yet laced with killing intent.
"...Give Clele back."
Haruka leveled her two swords.
"Give her back? What are you talking about? Clele-chan is our precious key. No way we're giving her back."
Pikumi's smile was the same as it had always been. Cheerful, friendly, easy to like.
But deep in her eyes, there was no laughter at all.
"...You two were spies from the start, weren't you."
Haruka's voice trembled.
"Yep, that's right. From the very beginning. Every moment we spent with you guys was all for the mission."
Pikumi said it without a care in the world.
"...How can you say that so easily?"
Aino's voice was wet with tears.
"Easy? Of course it's easy. Because we're different from you. You guys get stronger through song—and we can't sing. We could never understand each other from the start."
Pikumi's words stabbed in like a cold blade.
"...Pikumi, that's enough. No more small talk."
Epefa silently drew his greatsword.
A heavy, sinking sound.
"Epefa...you too?"
Haruka looked at Epefa.
That taciturn greatsword wielder—who had still, sometimes, offered her kind words. He too had been a lie from the very beginning.
"...Sorry, Haruka. But this is my mission."
Epefa's voice sounded somehow pained.
"If you're sorry, then put your sword down!"
"...I can't."
Epefa readied his greatsword.
"Haruka, Aino, Tsumugi. There's no time. I'll hold them here. You three go on ahead."
Arso drew his bow.
"Why?! I'll fight too!"
"Saving Clele is the priority. Don't waste time here."
Arso's voice carried a force that brooked no argument.
"...Arso's right. Haruka, Aino, and I will head for the great hall. Arso, we're leaving this to you."
Tsumugi gave the orders, calm and precise.
"Yeah. I'll catch up soon."
Arso turned back to face Pikumi and Epefa.
"Oh my, oh my—Arso-senpai, a traitor? Well, we won't let you get in our way."
Pikumi's long spear howled as it closed in on Arso.
CLANG!!
Arso's bow caught the spear.
"Go!!"
At Arso's shout, Haruka and the others broke into a run.
Behind them, the sounds of fierce combat erupted. Metal clashing, feet kicking off the floor, short cries.
(Arso, I'm sorry. But I will save Clele—no matter what!)
Haruka ran, teeth gritted.
Around a corner, down a staircase, deeper still.
At last, a massive iron door appeared.
"The great hall is beyond this."
Tsumugi checked the structural map in her notebook.
"I'm opening it!"
Haruka put her hands on the iron door.
With a heavy groan, the door swung open.
The great hall had a soaring ceiling—a space like an underground temple. Countless pipes ran along the walls, and at its center sat a gigantic device. And in front of that device—
"Clele!!"
Haruka shouted.
A small girl was bound by chains connected to the device. Silver hair, pale skin, slender limbs. Clele had been hanging her head, but at Haruka's voice, she looked up.
"...Haruka...san."
Clele's voice was hoarse.
"Clele...! I'm getting you out of here right now!"
Haruka broke into a sprint.
"I've been waiting, Haruka-chan. But I won't let you get there that easily."
Pikumi stood at the entrance to the great hall. Long spear on her shoulder, smiling as if she were enjoying herself. Behind her, Epefa's massive frame came into view.
"What happened to Arso?!"
"He was pretty strong, but not against two of us. He's lying on the floor by now, I'd bet."
Rage surged in Haruka's chest.
"You...!"
"Don't be so angry. We just want to take Clele-chan with us."
Pikumi leveled her long spear.
"...Epefa, let's do this."
"Yeah."
The two moved at once.
Pikumi's spear thrust out sharp and fast. Haruka parried with both swords. CLANG! Sparks scattered.
"This won't stop me!"
Haruka launched her counterattack. Her dual blades assailed Pikumi in a relentless chain.
But Pikumi nimbly slipped away, keeping the spear's reach.
"Ahaha, still full of energy, huh. But without song, you guys are just ordinary girls."
Pikumi's words made Haruka catch her breath.
That's right. Without singing, Resonance wouldn't activate. Only when weapon and song overlapped did their power truly surge.
"...I'll sing."
Aino stepped forward.
"I'll sing. I'll be everyone's strength."
Aino closed her eyes.
"...Nnn..."
Aino's voice resonated through the underground space.
A soft, warm singing voice. A song that melted fear and granted strength.
"...I'll match you."
Tsumugi harmonized with Aino's voice. Her low, precise tone supported Aino's song.
Haruka layered her own voice over theirs.
"Here we go! Listen to our song!"
The instant the three voices overlapped—
The air burst.
The Resonance phenomenon. The universal law of this world: the moment voices overlap in song, the output of body and weapon surges.
Haruka's dual blades took on a glow. Tsumugi's scythe and Aino's long staff resonated and shone as well.
"What—what is this...?!"
The smile vanished from Pikumi's face.
"...The power of song."
Epefa readjusted his greatsword.
"This is our power! Here I come!"
Haruka slashed at Pikumi.
Her speed was different now. Every swing of her blades carried the power of song.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
Pikumi's spear desperately caught Haruka's strikes.
"Kuh...! Epefa!"
Epefa brought his greatsword down.
BOOOOM!!
The floor shattered. Haruka dodged by a hair's breadth.
"...Haruka, you okay?"
Tsumugi readied her scythe and stood before Epefa.
"I'm fine! More importantly—Clele!"
Haruka looked toward Clele.
Clele was still chained, trembling.
"...I'm scared. I'm so scared."
Clele's tiny voice reached Haruka's ears.
Then, Clele's body began to glow faintly.
"Clele?! What are you trying to do?!"
Clele's body was beginning to change into the shape of a key.
Clele's key-transformation ability. The power to turn her own body into a physical key—the very key to the item that could change the world.
"If I become the key...I can protect everyone..."
Clele's voice was shaking.
"No! You don't have to become a key!"
Haruka ran to Clele's side.
"Clele, take my hand. You don't have to become a key. Let's sing together—you and me."
Haruka grabbed Clele's hand.
A tiny hand. Cold, and trembling.
"...S-sing? Can I...sing...?"
Clele's eyes wavered with anxiety.
"Yeah! You can sing! Because you're one of us, Clele!"
Haruka held out one of her dual blades to Clele.
"Take this. It's my sword. Let's fight together."
Clele timidly accepted the sword.
The red cord wrapped around the hilt tangled around Clele's small hand.
"...It's heavy. But...it's warm."
Clele gripped the sword with both hands.
"If that sword and mine overlap through song, we'll definitely get stronger! Let's sing together, Clele!"
Haruka readied her remaining sword.
"...Okay. I'll sing. I'm scared, but I'll sing."
Clele began to sing, her voice trembling.
"...Nn...nnn..."
A small, fragile voice.
But it was unmistakably the first song Clele had ever sung of her own will.
"...!"
Haruka's remaining sword responded to Clele's song, taking on a glow.
The sword in Clele's hands began to shine the same way.
The two blades were resonating.
"Clele-chan, I'll sing with you too."
Aino's voice layered over Clele's song.
"...I'll match you as well."
Tsumugi's harmony joined in.
The instant all four voices fully overlapped in the underground space—
The air trembled.
The Resonan
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