Chapter 2

Synopsis

Case 02, or Chapter 2, is the second episode in MINDHACK’s story. Before reporting to FORMAT in the Debug Room, Doctor reads about the religious cult known as the LAGOM House, a group known for their worship of storage and claims of a reappearance of the Class 0 Catastrophe-Level BUG, colloquially known as the “FATAL ERROR.”

In the hallway, Doctor briefly meets with Newbie Guard and Captain Rebecca, with their newly attained BUG beginning to influence their speech and behavior. In the Debug Room, they meet the days reformation target; Ivrig, otherwise known as Kosuke Yamamura, a university student brought in on accounts of the serial murder and mutilation of his upperclassmen. Ivrig proclaims his devotion to LAGOM and appraises himself and his actions as him being “The Hero,” the one who will defeat the FATAL ERROR.

During his Mindhack, Doctor uncovers the origin of his BUG; as Ivrig grew up being neglected and overshadowed by his younger sister Miki, he developed an inferiority complex and disdain for human emotion. Later, after being exploited by a scammer group, he was “saved” by becoming indoctrinated into the LAGOM House. However, believing that his superiors later became BUG-holders themselves, his own BUG compelled him to take their lives. Once the Mindhack nears completion, Doctor is overwhelmed with the urge to destroy the flower that encapsulates Yamamura’s reformed psyche. They rip out a large chunk of the flower’s petals, causing Yamamura’s mental structure to destabilize and leaving him in a prolonged state of shock.

Later on, Doctor meets with Captain again in the break room. She reminisces about something from her and Doctor’s past, which Doctor has no recollection of, before being called away by FORMAT to investigate an urgent matter.