Story Reader / Floating Record / ER01 The Ark Beyond / Story
With a sharp and heavy thud, the thick door to the hall opens, letting a hint of light inside the dark chamber. Hurried footsteps follow.
Who... who's... here...
As metal clashes with the stone floor, everything returns to silence.
Wiped out?
I heard that we couldn't even fish out the remains of that team of "Gear"... Not even the Corrupted could escape from that flood of the Punishing Virus.
Standing next to Haicma is a beast mechanoid with the head of a hound and a humanoid body. He joined the Church of Machina not too long ago.
Despite being a new member, Spooner seems to prefer hanging with Haicma, the lone wolf. According to him, "you're not as mad as the rest of them. I've had my share of madmen."
He bends down, reaching out and touching a crimson crystal shooting up from underground.
It looks like... a plant.
How's "Lover" doing, Spooner?
How would I know? Madam Arcana is fixing her right now.
Didn't you check up on her before you left?
Hmph, I guess the infection wasn't as serious. Madam Arcana hooked up her memory shell with a music player. You can't imagine how funny it was with Zero screaming inside a CD player.
I've saved that video inside the central memory bank. I hope she'd reconsider the next time she's going to spill out nonsense.
I don't think that'll threaten her.
Data analysis of this area is complete. The composition is still unknown, but it contains a high concentration of the Punishing Virus.
Haicma lifts a finger. Her fingertip projects a waterfall of data as she transfers it to Spooner.
This level of concentration... It's going to instantly devour anyone trapped inside, no screw spared. It's not difficult to imagine how hard Zero's "Gear" got hit...
Haicma frowns slightly. Her system is retrieving the wireless signals that were sent and received nearby.
What this flood can do to humans and Constructs is catastrophic.
We should also stay away from it.
Haicma watches the scarlet stream flowing past the plateau they are standing on.
..."Red Tide".
Huh?
A fitting name.
Haicma turns around and looks Spooner in the eye.
Humans have named it Red Tide.
Objective updated. We are to investigate the "Red Tide" appearing around the Church of Machina, recording and analyzing its data, and determining its cause and threat level.
You take west; I'll take east. Let's get going.
Alright. Be careful.
