Chapter 3

Synopsis

Case 03, or Chapter 3, is the third episode in MINDHACK’s story. Before reporting to FORMAT in the Debug Room, FORMAT reminisces about the day they first met; when Doctor was only 10 years old after winning the Kids Mindhacking Championship. Afterwards, they read about “Operation Class-0 BUG Sweep,” an extermination mission carried out 10 years ago by HOTFIX in order to exterminate the source of the FATAL ERROR.

Doctor briefly meets with Newbie Guard, now appointed as Unid’s supervisor. Unid, now reformed, is much more friendly and affectionate, much to Newbie’s chagrin. In the Debug Room, Newbie and Rebecca bring in a reader device and a floppy disk with the word “SINO” taped onto it. Captain explains that the disk contains a dangerous “BUG variant”, a manifested BUG that retained its previous owner’s will and consciousness. Now aware of their destructive behavior from the previous case, FORMAT instructs Doctor that they are not to reform this target, but to instead destroy it completely.

Once connected to the device, Doctor finds SINO, a sadistic BUG variant who claims they manifested as a result of their “Master”, the FATAL ERROR, creating them out of divine will. Doctor learns of SINO’s past; previously a member of HOTFIX’s scout unit, SINO joined the hunt for the FATAL ERROR in hopes of making money. Having grown up independent and impoverished following the deaths of their parents, SINO grew to despise what they described as “weak” humans, proclaiming them unworthy of life. However, following the manifestation of the FATAL ERROR, SINO was struck by the BUG and was gruesomely transformed into a variant. Thinking they were granted another chance at life for a divine purpose, they found sadistic joy in torturing other humans to death, believing they were a peon acting the FATAL ERROR’s will. They carried on their senseless killings before being decapitated and sealed away in a floppy disk by one they refer to as “the professor”.

After Doctor completes the hacking process, FORMAT orders them to destroy the variant. However, their attempt has no effect on SINO as they say their shared destructive impulses make them “the same”. SINO then shares with them some previously unknown information about the Class 0 BUG Sweep; that in reality, the FATAL ERROR was not eradicated and its second host, The Hero, remains alive in hiding somewhere. SINO then instructs Doctor to destroy them as thoroughly as they wish in order to channel the FATAL ERROR, however, they swiftly regret it as their body rapidly destabilizes and melts. Doctor completely destroys the flower encapsulating SINO’s mental structure, eradicating the BUG variant.

Back in the Debug Room, FORMAT imparts the news about The Hero’s status to Newbie and Captain, ordering them not to speak of it to anyone while she personally carries out investigations on their whereabouts. Later, they see Newbie bickering with Unid before Rebecca joins the both of them. When they leave, Rebecca thanks the doctor for returning from their session alive before she departs herself.