Story Reader / Main Story / 27 Aeon Reforged / Story
A cool breeze awakes your slumbering mind.
You adjust your ill-fitting coat and focus.
Opening your terminal to check the time, you realize you have been asleep for half an hour.
You still have not found a way to disable tracking on the comms.
You throw the potentially dangerous terminal into the bottomless cliff and continue climbing the rugged mountain path.
You lost one of your oversized shoes back in the fight. Despite being careful, you still cut your bare left foot with a sharp rock.
You cover your wound with some dry moss, but this is only a temporary measure.
You acquire a few more wounds while searching for a stream. Fortunately, you have managed to find what you are looking for.
As you clean your injuries with the water from the stream, you finally get a clear look at your current state.
Your face has grown more angular from hunger, your eyes tired from lack of sleep. You are covered in bruises from your failed escape and scars from your fights with Corrupted...
Would they still recognize you when they see you again?
You cannot help but wonder.
It has been four days since you escaped from the underground laboratory. Apart from being sure you are no longer in the Clean Zone, you have no other clues about where you are.
But you cannot afford to ponder too long. Hunger and potential pursuers are urging you to act quickly.
Should you continue toward the mountaintop or follow the stream?
While you are thinking, you hear rustling behind you.
You grip the Construct pistol and point it at the sound.
Even though you might break your wrist firing it, it is better than surrendering.
Whoa! Don't shoot, Commandant!
It's me.
You did not expect to run into a familiar face.
...What are you doing here wearing someone else's jacket?
Zong keeps his hands up, his youthful face filled with confusion.
Are you hurt?
He tries to walk over.
Huh?!
Eh... Our first meeting... Wait! Don't aim at my head! I'm thinking!
Right! It was a crate of ingredients!
Apart from Watanabe and Gray Raven, there was also a kid from Akdilek with us back then. He was two heads shorter than me, and his name was... eh... Changyu!
The tension eases as you put the gun away.
Phew...
Why are you here anyway, Commandant? No, wait! I should bandage your wounds first!
He fumbles around to treat you. Seeing him like this, you feel the pressure from the past four days eases a little.
After using the basic supplies Zong has brought to treat your worsening injuries, you recount the events of the past few days.
Huh? You were kidnapped?
I thought Babylonia always arranged a flight to bring you back, no?
Well...
...Please follow me.
Looking at your bandaged left foot, he carefully proposes—
Should I carry you?
Don't be mad, Commandant! I didn't mean to look down on you!
Oh! Why don't you wear my shoes?
But he acts much faster than you can speak. That is when you notice something unusual.
Hehe... Not many people know about it... After all, I'm not as impressive as other Constructs...
He scratches his head embarrassedly and puts his shoes on you.
So I didn't really want others to find out...
Let's go, Commandant.
You follow Zong through the forest to a cave, and you find a battered figure there.
Yep. It's the Boss.
But he hasn't woken up since the attack.
I heard that a M.I.N.D. connection can fix almost anything with the M.I.N.D.
So use your connection to do something already, Commandant!
What?!
Isn't a M.I.N.D. connection just plug-and-play?
Uh... There weren't commandants yet when I became a Construct...
Zong explains, seeing how skeptical you are.
What should we do, then...?
Hmm... and it can't be too far.
As you ponder, the name of a place pops into your mind. With many Constructs living there, it would have the basic equipment you need.
New Oakley!
Zong and you say it out loud at the same time.
I escorted Jada there before. She'll know what to do.
You come at the right time. The Forsaken just left after ransacking the town.
Eh... Did you really have to let them know, Commandant?
Hah. Quite smart, aren't you?
Were you making sure that we weren't siding with them?
You should go hide in the basement of that abandoned tavern first.
I'll inform Jada.
I'm not an ungrateful person. New Oakley doesn't turn away its friends.
Everything you've done will not be in vain.
And just like that, you finally have a place to stay after months of hardship.
The long process of awakening comes afterward. During this time, you piece together the truth bit by bit from Zong's accounts and the information gathered from the outside world.
Let's get going too, Commandant.
Watanabe has driven away, heading to his battlefield.
And so you must fulfill your part of the deal too.
