Story Reader / Main Story / 30 Stars Ensnared / Story
Just as Luna predicted, while they carry out their operation, a dark figure stands in a corner of the ruins, withdrawing their gaze from the Inver-Hetero Tower.
Are you leaving, sir?
A young man walks over, cradling a small crimson doll wrapped in a blanket.
That's right.
After humans modified the tower's core, it became contaminated once again. While this is bad news for humanity, it's now back in a state where it can be entered once more.
There is only one "thing" capable of inducing such a change in the Hetero Tower.
Upon hearing these words, the doll in the young man's arms gently lifts her head, gazing toward the tower.
...
It appears Dominik has failed to find a successor.
We must advance our subsequent plans ahead of schedule.
When Vonnegut reaches out to take the doll from the young man's arms, she curls up defensively, as if recoiling from his hands in revulsion.
Take her with the blanket, Mister.
Lithos lifts the blanket and hands it to him, the doll still wrapped within.
Have you left everything else to Lilith?
Lilith remains unaware of how our source of power differs from Luna's. I've only provided her with what is necessary.
Next, you will take my place. Bring this gift to Luna and become an Ascendant under her command.
Only through Luna can you maintain your status as an Ascendant, and when necessary, intervene with Lilith's affairs.
...I understand.
I've already warned her of the potential dangers. As long as she doesn't team up with beings like Cradle for her own selfish reasons, there's no need for you to worry about her.
Cradle...
Is she the type of anomaly that you mentioned before, Mister?
That's right. Even if we kill her here, she will reappear with a new identity—if not as Cradle, then as another "character."
Until the "right" person takes this position.
Chaos lifts her head, casting an indifferent gaze toward the Red Tide.
How... did things come to this?
It's not just technology that was brought back from the future—the problems of that era came with it.
Vonnegut lowers his head, as if speaking to the doll in his arms.
...
Is it too late to stop this?
...Once it's released, whether through Luna, who failed the re-filtering, or through Cradle, its fusion with the Ascension Network is inevitable. The only question is who will take control.
Between the two, Cradle, in the form of a Hetero-Creature, poses a significantly lesser threat.
...At least, that's how things stand for now.
Several months ago, I spoke with Luna. She had already set her own plans in motion.
Go to Luna, Lithos. This is your final mission.
Once this mission is done, you're free to do as you please—seek your own death... or choose to live on.
Now that I've heard Rose might still be alive, I'll stay alive—at least until I can verify it myself.
Vonnegut pats Lithos' thin shoulders as a final farewell.
...Won't you say goodbye to me?
Haven't we said goodbye more than enough times already?
...
The young man lowers his head—he knows every "goodbye" marks yet another failure for the person standing before him. He's already tired of failure, and maybe it's time he accepts that.
Yes... we've had more than enough.
...The number of failures has been more than enough.
Yet even so, a tremor finds its way into his voice.
Whenever you suddenly change your orders or your attitude shifts, I know it only means one thing—you've just come back from another long journey.
I too hope this is the last time, so you can fulfill your wish sooner, but...
The man offers no response and shows no hesitation, simply turning toward the Inver-Hetero Tower with the crimson doll in tow.
...Mister!
The dark figure comes to a halt.
Since this is the last time... may I ask you a question?
His silence serves as permission.
Mister...
The person standing here before me... is not...
...Professor Kilgore Trout who saved me from the orphanage... right?
Luna and the others move through the deepening night, meeting Roland at the border between the Clean Zone and the Hetero Zone.
Miss Luna.
Seeing Luna's state, Roland's usual smile fades away.
Everything you asked for has been taken care of.
Perhaps, along with his smile, he holds back the worries he knows he shouldn't express.
Thank you for your efforts.
The agent, no longer able to float in the sky, gently lifts her head to look at Roland standing behind the crowd.
That frame of yours must be struggling to keep up with battles now.
If this journey goes well, I...
There's no need to worry about that yet, Miss Luna. For now, the priority is making sure this journey goes smoothly.
Luna withdraws her gaze from Roland and turns to face the Clean Zone.
There is only one mission left—lure the Gray Raven Commandant here.
And remember, don't alert anyone else.
Quite the challenging mission we have here. Looks like only Lamia is up for such a daunting task.
Lamia.
Wait, the security here is too tight. After what happened today, the guards inside are on high alert.
Even I've only been to the perimeter. Why would the commandant just happen to be there?
No time for a slow search. If communications are down, we'll capture someone with internal communications access.
But Miss Luna just told us not to alert anyone else.
Keeping the disturbance contained to one room should suffice. After all, Miss Luna's only concern is avoiding a war with humans at this moment.
If I remember correctly, you still maintain some underground contacts in Babylonia, don't you?
...
I'll follow behind you and draw enemy attention when necessary.
But is this really okay? Contacting the Gray Raven Commandant through kidnapping, it's just...
...Won't this make that person angry?
What we're about to discuss should stop the deterioration of the Clean Zone.
You wouldn't do anything as unforgivable as a massacre that Gray Raven couldn't overlook, especially not now, right?
...
She looks at Luna, then at Roland, who gestures that he'll come along, and finally at Alpha, whose gaze urges her forward. With no other choice, she nods reluctantly.
...Right.
The mermaid fades from sight, stepping into the Clean Zone that has lost its purity.
Wait for me here.
Alpha and Roland also vanish from her sight, leaving only the whispers of evening wind and distant murmurs of conversation.
...
How long has it been since she last saw the Gray Raven Commandant? She can barely remember anymore.
What kind of expression will that person have upon seeing an agent again? One of hatred? Fear? Or perhaps that person has been expecting her all along? But if that person is completely shocked...
That might be quite interesting...
...Won't this make that person angry?
Lamia's parting words echo once more in her mind.
...
With lingering uncertainty, Luna takes another step toward the Clean Zone.
The body feels unbearably heavy.
She hasn't walked in a very long time, let alone covered such a distance.
If Gray Raven sees her like this, they'll immediately notice something's wrong. They might strike before the crucial matters can be discussed.
She must return to her original state, even if controlling Punishing again will make her go haywire faster.
Luna raises her hand and, enveloped by the high concentration of the Punishing Virus in the Hetero Zone, reactivates the levitation module of her frame.
A familiar pain immediately shoots through her M.I.N.D.—she knows this sensation well, the stabbing agony of the Punishing Virus corruption, the price of trying to control something that defies control.
As the corruption worsens, she clutches her arm, barely keeping her frame stable as she rises into the air.
...
Though the intensifying pain threatens to shatter her resolve, Luna maintains her hover, only adjusting her position to better conceal herself behind the trees of the Hetero Zone.
—Someone's coming.
What are we supposed to do now? We finally had hope within our grasp, and now it's gone—after investing so many resources into this Clean Zone.
Grasped hope? Did we ever really have it at all?
The Inver-Hetero Tower appeared out of nowhere, and we've never understood it.
It was the same with the Ascendants before—we had neither the means to control them nor the chance to understand them.
We should capture those Ascendants again. Then we can improve the specialized frames too, just like—
Look, a shooting star.
Following their gaze, the girl lifts her head to see a shooting star streaking across the night sky.
When you see a shooting star, make a wish upon it.
But what about the shooting star itself?
Don't worry. It came down from the heavens just to make our wishes come true.
Dad said that because we look up to it, it bears the responsibility of our hopes.
...
All the wounded have been transported to the medical center by those stationed in the Clean Zone. We have fifty-seven minor injuries, including seven Constructs, and two severe cases. Thankfully, there were no fatalities.
We have adequate medical supplies... I'll stay at the medical center until the next mission, helping Lillian from Dark Aries tend to the wounded.
Hello... I'm sorry to keep Liv here, but I'm not very experienced with treating humans... We're already short on doctors, so...
Leave it to me, Commandant.
Actually, I just visited Commandant Simon. He asked me to send his regards to you as well.
Still patrolling and searching for clues in the surrounding area. Nothing unusual to report so far.
He nods and ends the communication.
...
From what we can tell, the situation will remain stable for now. You should get some rest, Commandant.
What's wrong?
Standing beneath the Inver-Hetero Tower, you run your hand over the blue crystals, staying silent for a long time.
What kind of dreams?
Commandant?
You lower your head, absently running your fingers across the data chip in hand.
On the day the Parliament passed their resolution, you found Dominik's message through the full-sensory simulation device Nanami had left behind.
Dominik said it was an invitation—a chance to take a test and have your data added to "Dominik".
This era needs all living beings who strive for "tomorrow," not some vague shadow of the past.
Haha... That's exactly the answer ■ expected.
Only with such resolve can one earn the right to open the invitation.
Perhaps... your choice... is the right one...
The dark world fell silent.
Even after everything that happened, refusing to become Dominik is still not something to regret.
An evening breeze carries the bitter chill of deep December.
It's increased by 0.012% since we arrived.
Commandant, I still recommend you get some rest. If you keep pushing yourself like this...
The terminal suddenly blares with an emergency channel alert.
Lucia, Ascendant Roland's been detected. Maximum alert status.
Continuous gunfire echoes through the communication channel, followed by the sound of Lee's footsteps as he leaps down from his vantage point and starts running.
I'll secure this position. How's Liv?!
Liv... did she run into Alpha?
An Ascendant mobilizing on this scale... now of all times?
Repeated calls to Liv over the comms receive only silence.
Wait!! Please, I'm begging you—come to the medical center and help the wounded first!
We've been taken hostage...!
There's no time to ask anything else—Lamia's face suddenly appears on Lillian's comms.
L-long time no see, G-Gray Raven Commandant...
This time, um, I'm not here to cause trouble. I've found... uh, a way to... solve the problems in the tower.
Since I c-couldn't connect through normal channels, this was the only way to reach you... S-so, I hope you can come to this location at the edge of the Clean Zone... I've sent you the coordinates.
A-and also, only Gray Raven should come. Don't alert anyone else, or these people will...
Eek!!
I'm telling the truth! I really found a way to fix the tower's anomaly!! What I'm doing now is the absolute last resort, the last of the last... Can't we avoid fighting? Let's just talk, please, just this once.
I wanted to come find you alone, and Miss Luna told me to do so too, but the security here was too tight, I had no choice but to...
Y-yes, the problems with this Inver-Hetero Tower are probably... connected to the Ascension-Network.
Meanwhile, Alpha's voice comes through Lillian's terminal.
Lamia, Liv has noticed your presence at the medical center. Withdraw now.
The mermaid nods to a figure off-screen, takes one last glance at the human silhouette in the video call, then hurriedly turns and leaves.
Commandant...!
I'm fine, and no one in the medical center was hurt!
Roland has retreated with them.
Quite a few patrolling Constructs in the Clean Zone have detected the Ascendant intrusion.
What's our next move?
Are we going alone as the Ascendants requested?
Roger!
