Somewhere in the distance, far from the bamboo forest, one was sitting down with closed eyes. The breeze was refreshing and she decided to enjoy it for the time being. Of course, she had many ideas of what to do today but none of them seemed to grab her interest for now, it truly was laziness.

???: Hey, are you just going to sit there all day?

???: ...Just when I thought I could get a moment to relax.

The one on the floor groaned and reluctantly opened her eyes to greet the newcomer with a glare. Unfazed by her reaction, the second person stepped inside with her usual grin and sat down near the table.

???: Is that how you greet a guest Reimu, you sure are heartless.

Reimu: Says the one who always bring chaos, leave.

The shrine maiden in red sighed at the past catastrophes that occurred, a pain in the ass for her to deal with. Silently watching those painful memories once more, she recovered her annoyed glare from earlier. Not changing her attitude, she turned around and faced the wall.

Reimu: I'll leave... in 5 hours.

???: Come on, I found something interesting this time, I promise!

Reimu: Then go on your own, I need some sleep.

She slowly rolled around the floor and stared at the ceiling, ignoring the other person inside the room with her. Getting a little upset at her stubbornness, she slammed down her right hand on the table.

???: Plus, isn't it your duty to make sure youkais don't cause any trouble, this is clearly suspicious!

Reimu: ...What is it this time? It's probably not much anyway.

She moved to a sitting position and glanced at the paper left on the table. It was black with letters written on it with a golden color.

Reimu: What are you really aiming for Marisa?

She asked the witch who suddenly asked for her assistance for something that she didn't want to do. She shook her head and her blond hair fluttered in the air to accompany her movement.

Marisa: Nothing, I say that we should do what we usually do.

Reimu: ...

She grabbed what the girl in front of her left and began reading with a lack of passion, emotionless even.

"Marisa Kirisame, the witch in name and a demon deep inside. The one with the eyes of a true veteran when it comes to knowledge beyond your comprehension and a selfishness that many despise, unable to depart from your stolen possessions. The one wicked who tries to play the innocent card, sinner of knowledge.

You have received an opportunity to expand your desire to acquire the unknown. Your search for books will never be completed inside this small bubble known as Gensokyo and thus have been chosen to have the chance to gain anything. All can be given but all can be taken away from you.

Indeed, complete the test waiting for you in the caverns underground, go find a door into walls under the earth and receive what you desire or lose and become that very thing that people will desire. The outcome is in your hands, kill the opponents facing you and reach for the end.

...They may try to beg for their lives, they may try to make you feel sentimental and convince you that they are victims but none of them are human, kill them with no hesitation and show them that you truly deserve your reward. After all, you cannot get your reward if they remain alive."

Reimu: Where did you get that?

Marisa: No idea, I woke up and it was there?

Reimu: Well, it does sound pretty weird but why should I help you? As far as I know, it only concerns you.

Marisa: Even if possible money is involved?

The tone of the air changed drastically. The shrine maiden that looked at the invitation with a gloomy look was now beaming with excitement, her attention grabbed at the idea of getting money out of this.

Reimu: When are we leaving?

Marisa: I'll have a talk with Rinnosuke before, I'll be back.

Reimu: But how do you know for sure that there is any money?

Marisa: They must have a large amount of books in there, we can surely sell some of them for a great cost, if you get what I'm saying.

Of course, being the kleptomaniac that she is, the witch didn't want to lose the books but it was a necessary sacrifice to get the lazy shrine maiden to cooperate.

Reimu: ...

The girl with the red outfit widely grinned at the idea and placed her hands together like a supervillain, deeply gone into her greed. While she was doing so, the witch jumped on her broom and flew into the air with the invitation.

Marisa: This is gonna be so easy, gonna have to thank the ones who gave me this letter.

...

...

Y/N: Well, that was easier than I expected.

The man blurted that out while holding what they came there for. Followed by Koishi, he felt her presence bump into his back with violence. He turned around and saw her pouting with her arms crossed.

Y/N: ...Is something wrong?

Koishi: No.

Y/N: Alright then-

Koishi: Of course something's wrong!

Y/N: I knew it, what is it this time?

Koishi: You ignored me the whole time.

Y/N: Well, lady Eirin did have some interesting topics to talk about, something I could understand too.

Koishi: You asked her out for a drink too.

Y/N: And she refused, it's not that important.

Koishi: ...

Y/N: Are you angry because I wanted to drink with a woman? I don't even think you're legal anyway.

Koishi: Legal? I am, I think?

Y/N: ...I'm not taking any risk, wait until you grow taller.

Patting her head, he gave her a smile to make her calm down but it did the opposite. She looked away from him and stayed silent. Not understanding what was going on in her mind, he gave up and walked back to the bamboo forest.

Koishi: Shouldn't we wait for someone to bring us back?

Y/N: I know the way out.

Koishi: You do?

Y/N: I mean...

He slowly pointed down to the path and showed the girl that a line was drawn in the dirt, leading to where they were.

Y/N: Easy to do so if we follow the line I made.

Koishi: Were you doing that from the beginning?

Y/N: You said that anyone could easily wipe me out, why should I rely on my possible murderers?

Koishi: You really don't trust anyone...

Y/N: You said they all want to kill humans and they seem to consider me as one.

Koishi: Consider? But you are human, right?

Y/N: ...

Koishi: Mister Y/N? Are you human?

Y/N: Let's just move on, not like we can reason with beasts anyway.

He walked ahead and didn't answer her question. No, it would be more accurate to say that he didn't want to answer her question. She couldn't see his face but it was plastered with a ghastly expression, knowing a terrible truth that he didn't want to remember.

Koishi: ...Did I say something wrong?

She asked herself that question and silently followed his steps, starting to doubt herself as well. What if she was insulting him by calling him a human? Or maybe he doesn't like being called like that? Unlike her sister, she couldn't tell what was on his mind.

Y/N: Once we're out, we should return to the library and drop this there, no need to keep it with us.

Koishi: R-Right!

Y/N: ...Are you alright? You look troubled.

Koishi: I'm fine!

She flashed him one of her many smiles and wanted to see him turn his attention away from her. He nodded and looked back on the path ahead of them, leaving the youkai to fall down in her thoughts.

Koishi's mind: ...

When she looked back at what she did for him, she felt more like a nuisance than anything else. She forced him to fight her in a terrible condition, left him in that mountain to fight not only that Tengu but also the one that was trying to kill him and then forced him to stay awake just to keep her safe. Now? She didn't even remember the way through the bamboo forest and they had to rely on the one that attacked Y/N.

...Her shoulders dropped, she was useless to him and he definitely knew that. The question was why he was keeping her with him, he would have been fine by himself, she was more troublesome than anything else.

Y/N: Doubting yourself?

Koishi: ?

Returning to reality, she saw the man facing her. With not much to hide, she nodded back and waited for his usual comment telling her not to worry and all that.

Y/N: If you have doubts then you should try to be better, strive for the top to make those doubts disappear and if they don't, you just have to keep going. That's what my friends always told me, until the very end.

Koishi: Do you have many doubts?

Y/N: Of course I do, whether I should bring them back or not, I doubt the success of my plan too. In the end, I'm probably just like you, you seemed troubled because of the past and so I am. However, I already paid the price of my fears, unlike you.

He stepped closer and kneeled by her side.

Y/N: You only realize how much you have after you lose them. You have a sister that looks out for you and you seemed acquainted with many others, I say that you are the wealthiest between us. If you doubt yourself, you should seek for others to help you calm your mind.

Koishi: But you're trying to bring your friends back.

Y/N: Yes, trying, I am trying... Yet I still fear the day that I can see their faces again. Will they call me a coward? Will they greet me with a smile? I don't think I'm ready for the result.

Koishi: If they care about you, I know that they will welcome you.

Y/N: ...Let's hope they do care.

He stood up and pointed the way ahead of them, leading to the exit. They could see the Sun up in the sky along with the rest of Gensokyo.

Y/N: You were thinking about what we went through right?

Koishi: How did you know?

Y/N: You were... Well, you shouldn't look back at those events with negative emotions, you did your best while staying true to yourself, you can't ask for anything better.

Koishi: But I didn't help-

Y/N: You did warn the shrine ahead of me. Without them, I wouldn't have been able to fend off Mokou.

Koishi: I forced you to fight when you were barely standing.

Y/N: You stopped when you realized.

Koishi: I can't assist you-

Y/N: You told your sister about me, about my existence and because you believed in her, she was able to allow me to step outside of the library without dying instantly.

Koishi: ...

Y/N: I told you, don't look at those events with negative emotions, you will only see the negative side.

Koishi: I want to help.

Y/N: Then keep being you, isn't that a good start?

He asked her with a smile in the corner of his lips. He was asking her to keep being herself but it was impossible, her own self was partially sealed with her own eye, he never saw her true self and she doesn't even remember.

Koishi: ...

Y/N: Once this is over, I would like to introduce you to those who helped me so far. Surely, if you tell them about all we did to bring them back, they will accept you.

Koishi: Really?

Y/N: I don't doubt it.

He reassured her and witnessed her mood doing a full 180, now back to her usual. Recovering her happy-go-lucly mood, she flew ahead and landed right at the exit of the maze, patiently waiting for the man's arrival.

Koishi: We should hurry then!

Y/N: Yea, we should.

He stood up and hurried outside of the forest, joining the small girl waiting for him. The day was only beginning and they needed to hurry if they wanted a chance at reaching their goal. United through strange circumstances, they marched together in the direction where their journey started, back to the very start.

Koishi: I wonder what kind of expression they'll do when we bring them back.

Y/N: ...I do too.

He smiled while answering her, thinking about the future. It seemed so distant but, with many efforts, he could give them a second chance to fully experience life.

Koishi: How about we take a break once we go back?

Y/N: Hm? Why?

Koishi: Didn't you say that you need to rest? I can watch the library.

Y/N: I'll pass, I'm not worried about that.

Koishi: ...Won't you do it for me?

She asked with puppy eyes, trying to use her cuteness against the man. He laughed back and showed her a genuine smile that was ruined by the dead eyes that he was carrying.

Y/N: Good luck with that, one of my friends pulled that card too many times.

Koishi: ...Oh.

She dropped the act and returned to her usual self, swinging her arms back and forth in a cheerful manner. Seeing her do so left the man at ease, a sight that was comforting to him.

???: Come on Y/N, let's play!

Y/N: I can't, I have to keep watching the door.

???: But you always do that and the others are busy with each other!

Y/N: ...

???: Pleeeease.

Y/N: I... can't, I'm sorry.

Y/N: You will finally have someone to play with.

Koishi: Hm? Are you talking to me?

Y/N: Not really.

He could see his vision becoming blurry and wiped his eyes as a result. Feeling the liquid through the gloves, he blinked a few times to make the rest disappear. The walk was long but it was not boring.

Koishi: There's not many people today.

Y/N: Is there a special event?

Koishi: I don't know, they never invite me anyway.

Y/N: Why not?

Koishi: They forget.

Y/N: Then you should assert yourself more, it's not by playing the invisible card that people will know your existence.

Koishi: I will!

He could tell that she wasn't going to do that but he stopped himself from saying it, there was no point bringing that up right now. She would soon realize by herself so he wasn't afraid.

Y/N: Speaking of other people, your sister must be worried about you, you should give her a visit.

Koishi: Oh right but what about you?

Y/N: I'll be fine, I survived quite a lot of rough battles myself so I won't die that easily. Plus, that blessing will surely increase my performances.

Koishi: Then I'll be back as soon as possible.

Y/N: I'll be waiting.

They both slowly began their descent into the earth, taking the long path instead of the hole leading straight down. The air was much different than the surface but both of them were used to it at this point. That walk soon ended in front of the door, no apparent damage to it.

Y/N: That's where we part ways.

Koishi: Good luck!

Y/N: Good luck? We're not even done grabbing the materials.

A bead of sweat fell down from his face while speaking. She didn't answer back and flew deeper into the caverns. Left on his own, he pushed the door and it easily opened to welcome him back inside his cell.

Y/N: Hey guys... I'm back.

He greeted the deceased ones with a feeble tone, his left hand in the air to salute them. He was one step closer to his goal but it still felt painful to face the reality surrounding him. Knowing the way to his desk, he dragged himself there and dropped the medecine given to him by lady Eirin.

Y/N: A shame there's no phone here, I wouldn't mind giving mine to her.

Sighing at his lack of fortune, he could feel glares piercing him from all sides, jealousy over anything else.

Y/N: Sorry, sorry! I know that we said to not get involved with outsiders!

On the brink of insanity, he tried to calm the demons staring at him from their graves. It seemed to work and the glares turned into sad and cheerful gazes. The change of mood made the last librarian chuckle and join those laughing in his imagination.

Y/N: I'm making progress at least, I suppose I could rest for- No no no, don't get cocky, they're waiting for you to fall asleep and then take you out, stay strong Y/N!

Definitely starting to lose the few screws holding his mental health together, he forced himself to stay awake and even prepared the sword in case his brain tried to take the easy way out. After leaving the library for a whole day, he was still standing so it meant that he could still keep going.

...He'll stop when he drops down to the ground, no excuse otherwise.

Y/N: ...When did that get here?

He looked down and saw 2 books on the desk in front of him. He didn't remember seeing the both of them when he left so it must mean that the library wants him to see them. On top of one of them, a single order was given to him.

"A new group has decided to reach the library. Prepare as such, a total of 5 librarians, more and face the consequences."

Y/N: ...

He knew what it meant. 5 librarians was the synonym of an all-out war and a rare occasion, mostly staying solo and calling for his friends only when he knew that he couldn't take care of it himself, the emotional damage forcing his hand most of the time. If the library itself gave him the ability to have a group of 5, he couldn't take it on his own.

Y/N: *Whistle* What's next? I'm gonna get attacked by a goddamn train?

Nonetheless, he opened the book and took a deep breath, bracing for the impact that was coming his way. Just as he expected, a true maelstrom was coming their way and many fears emerged from the back of his mind.

[Reimu Hakurei]

[Level 20]

[HP: 307]

[Stun Resist: 98]

[Passives]

-Speed I: Can perform 1 additional attack per turn.

-Hakurei Shrine Maiden: Gains 200% power against all that are not human.

-Laziness: All attacks lose 30% power. This ability becomes inactive after dropping below 50% HP.

-Time to be Serious: All attacks gain 30% power. This ability is inactive if the person's HP is over 50%.

-Going with the Flow: If this person doesn't receive any damage during a turn, becomes untargetable next turn and uses a special type of attack that can only be countered by the opponent targeted by it. Cannot be redirected by other opponents.

-Barrier Mastery: While defending against an opponent during a clash, Defense/Evasion increase by 200% and reflect damage directly to the opponent's HP instead of Stun Resist if the power of the person's defense is higher than the opponent's attack.

-Unstable Manipulation: At the beginning of a turn, has a chance to increase strength by 10% at a 50% chance, lose 10% strength for the turn if it fails.

-Magic: This person is able to use magic.

-Danmaku Fighter: Increase Evasion/Stun Resist by 20% during battle.

-Flight: This person is capable of flying.

At a first glance, he could tell that this person was going to be a pain in the ass to deal with. Sure, they were on the same level but she clearly would have the advantage in a 1v1. Koishi was right, everything and everyone can easily murder him in this world.

[Marisa Kirisame]

[Level 20]

[HP: 181]

[Stun Resist: 120]

[Passives]

-Speed III: Can perform 3 additional attacks per turn.

-Toughness: Reduce all ranged damages received by 30%.

-Ranged Only: Can only use ranged attacks.

-Love Sign: Master Spark: After 6 turns, becomes immobilized for 1 turn and uses a Mass Attack that targets all opponents next turn(A Mass Attack targets all enemies, cannot be redirected and will be used before anything else. To cancel the Mass Attack, all opponents' attacks must equal the power of the Mass Attack or surpass it).

-Kleptomania: When attacking an enemy, if all hits successfully damage the target, a random attack from the opponent is stolen and used the next turn.

-Magic: This person is able to use magic.

-Danmaku Fighter: Increase Evasion/Stun Resist by 20% during battle.

Y/N: ...A little disappointing honestly. It would be fine without her Mass Attack.

With a simple glance, he knew who to prioritize and who to keep for last. Stalling for time wasn't the idea and the plan would be to quickly take out one of them. However, things are always easier said than done.

*Dong* *Dong* *Dong*

???: Intruders detected inside the facility. Presence unknown, proceed with caution.

Y/N: ...Crap.

He stood up and hurriedly called for the book of his former friends, ready to summon them once he arrives on the scene. Carrying his sword, he ran past the many bookshelves and entered the entrance area.