Story Reader / Collab / Blazing Simulacrum / Story
Are you still alive?
Damn it... Why in the world...
Why... have you all...
So... are you done talking?
I'm not gonna die here... No... I don't want to die, I don't want to die, I don't want to die...
Ouch—That hurts!
Enough, let me see your face.
Unable to stand the incessant babbling of the girl in the black robe, Alpha kicks her impatiently.
What... what do you mean?
You're not... going to kill me?
I will if you don't cut it out. Stand up now.
What... exactly...
The girl stands to her feet shakily and removes the windproof cloak as told.
What's your name?
Fida...
The girl reports her name honestly, while Alpha waits quietly for a while before continuing to speak.
...Bummer. I thought your name would be something more exciting.
Did you just say "bummer"?! You have no right to insult this name!
...Listen up, Fida. I just want to ask you a few questions, at least for now.
...
Those white-robed people who attacked you earlier, who are they? Do they have anything to do with that castle?
...Do you know anything about that castle?
I'm the one asking questions now.
I'm not entirely sure about the specifics... but they appeared after that castle showed up...
First, it was a bunch of monsters I'd never seen before, then them...
Damn it! Why did it turn out like this?! Why did they—
Get yourself together.
Who exactly are you... You're not one of those people with the white Mental Image... and you aren't going to kill me?
Why should I, though? Just curious.
You...
Go on.
Baffled but being held at knifepoint, Fida starts talking.
Corridor is made up of Mental Images. This much you know, right...?
But a Mental Image doesn't naturally die out... so it's only through human intervention that this process gets to speed up...
This world thrives on fights among Mental Images. When one dies and decomposes, it returns to Corridor, where it's reconstituted into a new Mental Image...
And so new Mental Images spark further conflicts... Essentially, this world is caught in a perpetual cycle of this process...
And as a result, the inhabitants of this world are predisposed to combat upon meeting, with no chance for mediation, until one side is completely wiped out...
Conflicts, huh... So, in a nutshell, it's a battle of wills seeking to annihilate one another?
In her world, fights among humans never ceased, driven by greed, emotions, ideologies, or beliefs.
The closer the two wills are, the more they tend to harm each other.
And in the world of Corridor, such contradictions are manifested in a surprisingly direct manner.
Alpha suddenly remembers what BLACK★ROCK SHOOTER said to her after that fight they had when she first got here.
All those "conflicts" you've been through have made you who you are today. I can just tell.
...You sure like yapping, huh?
Unfortunately... you're an "outsider" just like them, so I can't let you walk away a winner.
Corridor is a "mirror"...
Alpha is reminded of what the Craftsman said, realizing that the metaphor might have a deeper meaning.
You... how could you not know this?
It's simple. I don't belong here.
I'm an "outsider," and I'm not interested nor obligated to adhere to all the rules here.
An outsider...?
I think I've heard of "outsiders"... but this is my first time actually running into one...
Alright, you haven't answered the most important question.
That castle, how much do you know about it?
...
Fida doesn't answer the question. Her gaze quickly shifts away, her eyes heavy with urgency and worry.
I... can tell you that, but I need to make a trip back to the village first... There are some things I need to confirm.
The what?
The village. Wait, you've never heard this word?
...
I didn't mean to say you have no common sense! Don't get me wrong...
Alpha suppresses the urge to draw her blade and patiently continues to question Fida.
How exactly did Mental Images form alliances, then, based on what you said?
They couldn't at first, but now, although small in scale, some do...
Some Mental Images started to band together to be stronger and form small settlements... Usually, it's the Mental Images from different settlements that wage wars against one another—
I see. Show me the way, then.
Alpha cuts off Fida after hearing what she wanted to hear.
You... are you coming?
The information you have alone isn't enough.
If Fida can take her to a place where she can obtain more information, it would save Alpha a lot of time trying to verify the truth.
What's the matter? Worried I might hurt your friends?
No... well, if I don't take you there, you wouldn't let me go anyway...
After muttering to herself, Fida clenches her fist tightly before quickly releasing it.
As if to hide her emotions, she puts on her hood again and takes off in front of Alpha.
Unbeknownst to them, the sky of Corridor is tinged with a hint of red.
Upon closer inspection, countless red specks are floating beneath the clouds, weaving into an endless ribbon of light in one direction.
And this ribbon of light leads to that massive castle.
The deepest parts of the castle.
A pristine, secluded chamber with nothing but a narrow throne at its center.
The girl sitting upon it is known as the "King".
...
Countless red particles drift from the open windows down to the foot of the throne, slowly taking shape and eventually coalescing into white figures.
...
Pure white warriors kneel before her, awaiting her command.
Dismissed. Continue on with the final expedition.
The white Mental Images silently follow her command and exit the room. They will join the army of the castle, ready to march at once.
By destroying the Mental Images in this world with the Corrupted and Hetero-Creatures and interfering Corridor with the Ascension-Network, she was going to make it impossible for deceased Mental Images to be born again through Corridor.
She leveraged the collected Mental Images to create her own Army. They no longer adhere to Corridor's law of mutual slaughter and act like puppets, completely obedient to her commands.
Have you found them yet?
She asks a shadow behind a pillar in the room. A green-eyed girl takes two steps into the light and nonchalantly leans against the pillar.
I only ran into two of them. They should be hurrying over this way as we speak.
They don't matter. As for the remaining one... I noticed the "Rook" has disappeared, so she'll probably show up uninvited.
And your archenemy... she will be the greatest obstacle in my path.
We're one step away from transforming this world, and I hope to resolve it in the most "peaceful" manner possible.
I just don't get it... Why are you going through so much trouble?
Then why are you helping me?
I'm not helping you. I just think "that child" will definitely try to stop you, and I'd rather have another fight with her than join her.
I can only truly feel my worth through my battles with her. Beyond that, I'm not very interested.
...Humph, such a shallow and naive thought.
Well... I'm not sure if trying to conquer the world is any more interesting.
Conquer? No, it's "transform."
This world is too barbaric. Its "filtering" methods are too primitive. Endless conflict and plunder only breed a civilization filled with violence.
Since I<//ASCENSION-NETWORK> am here, I must end all this irrationality.
First, we must put an end to meaningless conflict and update the "filtering" rules, which will be the foundation for a perfect world.
Isn't that just repackaging "world conquest"? Well, no matter how noble your cause, it means nothing to me.
Suit yourself, but in the end, you, too, will be "filtered" by me<//ASCENSION-NETWORK>.
We don't need two sets of "rules" for one world.
Well, I'm seriously hoping it won't be too boring then.
