Story Reader / Main Story / 27 Aeon Reforged / Story
Attention! Gestalt's core program has been tampered with. Execute Level 1 protocol!
Attention! Gestalt's core program has been tampered with. Execute Level 1 protocol!
The piercing alarm echoes throughout the underground space. Moments later, another alarm sounds and overlaps with it.
The Punishing concentration is skyrocketing. It is about to breach the warning line!
Don't panic!
Having experienced a failure before, Watanabe knows that panicking in such moments would lead to unsalvageable loss.
Nithart, what's the status of Gestalt?
10 minutes!
You can't handle the Punishing concentration in here. Evacuate immediately.
I'm the Chief's lieutenant. I won't leave.
(We must also greet them with victory.)
For the first time, the voice that has always remained calm in the face of Corrupted attacks sounds a bit anxious.
Alright, we'll buy you time!
All units, defense formation!
Aside from the annoying alarms, the auditory module picks up the sound of metal noises from the tunnels.
Corrupted from all directions are converging, aiming to devour the prey at the center of the web.
The sound of metal clashing pierces their ears.
!
Watanabe turns and throws his scimitar toward a hidden corner near the connecting pillar.
The scimitar deflects the bullet, swings back into Watanabe's hand, and the squad members immediately fire onto the exposed Corrupted.
They're here!
Exhaust pipes, wiring conduits, weighing columns... Corrupted are oozing out of every hidden corner like crimson sludge.
Open fire!
The island is beginning to resist the crashing waves.
(Why...?)
Nithart's fingers dance over the terminal, but she is still struggling to fend off the corruption of Gestalt by the unknown virus.
(I did exactly as the Chief instructed... Why is this still happening?)
24 hours earlier.
Chief, are you sure it's okay to leave Gestalt to me?
This is such an important task... Surely there are better candidates...
Every task is important. We believe you are the most suitable candidate.
Leaving me here means you likely won't be able to return from the Zero-point Reactor, right?
We don't plan missions based on sacrifice, but we also don't fear sacrifices during missions.
What's that?
If Gestalt goes haywire, connect it to this.
(Why isn't it working?)
She has already connected Dominik's data disk to Gestalt, but the firewall is still being breached layer by layer.
(Could the Chief be wrong?)
As the Chief's lieutenant, Nithart has unconditional faith in him.
We will definitely return.
Believing in those words, she gives up her insistence on following them into the No.1 Reactor contamination zone.
You are the most suitable candidate. You will complete the mission.
Believing in those words, she abandons her usual conservative methods and chooses the most aggressive approach.
If Gestalt goes haywire, connect it to this.
But she has done everything as instructed and still hasn't succeeded. Is the Chief wrong...
So... did we make a mistake from the very beginning when we sought Zero-point Energy...
A violent impact pulls Nithart back to reality.
Damn it!
The soldier was thrown to the side and broke his legs. Vital fluid is oozing from his wounds, but he still grips his gun tightly, firing bullets into the Corrupted.
Not far away, the other squad members also suffered varying degrees of injury and are surrounded by the remnants of the Corrupted.
This island is on the brink of being devoured by the waves.
Time... How much time do I have left?
13:42.2
She took way more time than she promised, yet no one mentioned it, doing their utmost to buy her more time.
Lastly, but most importantly.
Trust your comrades and trust yourself.
Just like... how they trust me!
She removes her earpiece and focuses all her energy on thinking.
She is more familiar with the inner workings of this machine than anyone else. She has iterated it hundreds of times and inspected it tens of thousands of times.
The code within this machine is essentially an extension of her brain. Now, she just needs to find the source of her headache.
The scene before her gradually disappears, transforming into a torrent of characters. It is as if each keystroke shatters a rogue serpent.
The serpents shatter into shards, falling into the depths of the darkness.
These... and these!
Nithart feels her thoughts racing through even faster, so fast they seem to break free from her body.
(The targets of these erroneous commands are... No!)
She finally discovers another threat hidden beneath the Gestalt crisis, sending a shiver down her spine...
It's targeting our greatest weakness...
Could these viruses be intelligent?
We have to stop them!
She "reaches out," grasping three delayed commands with her "hand."
Two more...
She stretches her hand "outward," not caring if it breaks.
Almost...
Nithart!
Watanabe pulls her away from a Corrupted just in time, just before she reaches into its hammering blade.
The Gestalt's broadcast is no longer repeating warnings, and the blinding red has turned into a serene azure.
The only remaining red at the scene is human blood seeping through the protective suits.
Did I... did I succeed?
Tell me... I can't see...
You did well...
Watanabe's blade severs a Corrupted lunging at them, and Watanabe kicks it into a pile of debris.
You've successfully restored Gestalt. Your job is done...
Gestalt... No!
Nithart tries to stand but quickly falls to the ground, making a noise that sounds like a water balloon hitting the floor.
She wants to walk, but her body feels like it is soaked in viscous fluid. It is actually her own blood and flesh.
She tries to crawl but realizes she has no strength left.
Hang in there. We'll break through together with you.
No... I can't leave yet. Restoring Gestalt is only one thing...
The targets of the erroneous commands are the troops in space!
What?!
Watanabe, report the situation immediately!
With the Gestalt chaos resolved, communication with the temporary command post seems to have been restored.
Gestalt is back to normal, but we're surrounded. Nithart is severely infected, with large areas of necrosis.
!
Backups, follow me!
Hold on, backups are on the way!
