Saying good-bye to friends and Budapest

The next day, everyone finished packing their bags and headed off to the airport.

"It really does feel like we've been here for months, but it's only been about 15 days or so. Guess that is half a month, but still," Mimoko smiled.

"And thanks to that 6B actually awarding us the cash and points, you're likely to be able to gain the ability to warp to any secret puzzle cafe in the world," Daria nodded.

"I think I could do that right now, but maybe I'll do it at Lagoon Pathways. I want Himitsudono to be present to see it."

"Why him?"

"Well, I do feel like he's the kind of person I want to show my growth to. Not to mention, he did help us out countless times."

Daria simply smiled giddily without saying another word.

"Um, okaa-chan?"

"Oh, nothing, nothing."

While waiting for their flight, many of the friends and enemies everyone had made during their stay in Budapest came to say their good-byes.

"You've beaten me, so that means you're free to rematch me anytime, from any secret puzzle cafe where ever. Be sure to do that," Noa smiled as she embraced Mimoko in a hug.

"Of course I will."

"Don't think I'll tag along though so you have a chance at challenging me," Golda huffed, hiding her true feelings.

"You might have rematch rights, but don't think I want to see your face again if I don't have to," Xiu snickered.

"Don't worry, Mimo-chan's already kicked your ass, so he doesn't need to worry about you. But I guess you'd feel left out when Oki-kun calls the rest of your buddies over for Mimo-chan to fodderize, so I guess I'd be willing to fodderize you in the meantime," Iori snickered as she flicked her hair.

"I've been meaning to ask, is that a wig? It looks hideous."

"Nope, natural pink. I just haven't gotten the chance to dye it."

"Yeah right, you were completely bald at the awards ceremony- No wait, you would have access to that hair regrowth stuff."

Want some for that smooth scalp of yours?"

Xiu smirked as she squeaked her sneakers on the ground before rubbing her head and striking a cute pose. "Nah, I'm digging this enlightened look."

"Suit yourself, smoothie."

Okisato found himself surrounded by more hostile forces.

"You've got some nerve thinking you're the king simply because you got that gold through striking me down," Diederich sneered.

"I heard the maestros chatting. They said a match doesn't decide everything, a series does," Miralem grinned.

"And when will you compensate me for the horrific scar I now must live with!?" Jadwiga fumed.

"Huh? The hell are you? Oki's ex?"

"NAY! THAT BASTARD OF A MAN VIOLATED ME AGAINST MY CONSENT AND-"

"All I did was beat you in a chess game. But that's exactly why I have to disagree with the maestros. Sometimes, one chess game can decide everything," Okisato sighed as he strolled away.

Walking some distance, he found Skaberghast lazing around on some of the chairs.

"And you call me lazy. Who knew you had Capablanca's number, and that he would goad me into bringing Yuusuke back to existence. But you've still never beaten me."

"Your Muzio record is broken though."

"Technically it was from a while back. This isn't in my records for some reason, but when I first received the prototype for what became the DESPER, I lost an Armageddon match with the Muzio."

"That's news. Who was it to?"

"Don't know. Never gave her name. Just claimed she was Assïac. Even dressed like her too."

"'Assïac'? This is the first time you've ever blabbed like this."

"It's the first time you've managed to outwit me, and with Deep Blue now an open secret, I'm feeling a bit more disgruntled than usual."

"Even though you're with them?"

"That's your misconception. I teamed up with them, but I've never been a member. Doesn't stop Olavi from flooding my inbox with recruitment forms though."

"Anything else you wish to disclose?"

Skaberghast scowled and thought for a moment before replying that nothing else came to mind. And with that, Okisato let him be and headed back to the others.

"Finland's finally open again after all these years... I'm gonna have more headaches to deal with now," Skaberghast thought as he took a short nap.

Okisato returned to the others to find a fight had broken out between Iori and Ilmi.

"That's bullshit! I beat you, so why do I have to beat you again for all the goodies!?" Iori fumed.

"Because I wasn't a DSPCM yet when I beat you, stupid!" Ilmi shouted back.

"She does have a point, but... once we get back, I'll be calling her over to one of the local secret puzzle cafes for new DSPCM orientation training," Daria smirked.

"Ugh!"

And with the matter settled, the time for boarding soon arrived.

"Thanks for your tutoring! I'm gonna try n' become a DSPCM of San Marino!" Carla waved as team Japan boarded their flight.

"I hope Hobou-san will be able to come back soon," Mimoko frowned.

"I hear there is a doctor that could heal him instantly, though rumors say she's also a Desperado, so I imagine said healing method is more DESPER reliant than medical reliant," Okisato stated.

"I'm sure he'd be fine. He is one of our nation's top chess players and shogi dans, he'd be able to handle a challenge like that," Daria smiled.

The flight back was quiet and uneventful, though Yuusuke ended up having to sit between both Hagemi and Maida, making his experience all the more stressful. Once the plane finally landed back in Japan, everyone got off and basked in the air of their homeland.

"Feels good to be back! Hey, where'd the masked man go?" Iori asked.

Everyone looked around, but no sign or sight of the masked man anywhere.

"Oh don't worry, I'm sure he's just gone back to his day job," Daria smiled.

...

In the backroom of Lagoon Pathways secret puzzle cafe, the masked man warped in. After checking to make sure the coast was clear, he threw off his cloak and mask to reveal himself as... Himitsudono.

"Quite the outing that was. Perhaps I'll store this medal in the display case and pass it off as a display replica," he thought as he gazed at his gold medal.