Story Reader / Main Story / 13 Fake Ascension / Story
Together, Martin and Rohacchi push the weighty hatch open. Dust and debris billow in the underground space.
As they settle, a terminal in the underground chamber can be seen faintly glowing in green.
You think this'll do?
I. Think. Worth. Trying.
Hearing Rohacchi's response, Martin motions Nanami over.
How's it going? Did you find a usable big ol' antenna?
I'm not sure, but Rohacchi says it might work.
Need. To. Try.
Rohacchi hops into the chamber and brushes the dust off the terminal.
Martin. Help.
Hearing Rohacchi, Martin also enters the chamber and joins in.
One end of a cable is thrown out of the chamber shortly.
?
Try connecting to it.
Need. Test. To. See. If. Work.
Nanami picks up the cable and is about to connect it to her nape port.
...Are you not concerned in the slightest?
Huh? You're Nanami's friends! Why do I have to be concerned?
Then. Let's. Go.
Space—the thought fluttered into Nanami's mind.
Looking downward, she sees a certain place in Babylonia.
I'm...
This is a virtual space weaved from the internal computational structure of the matrix.
Huh? Oh, you're... You look different again...
"My" external form does not matter.
Only the information matters... That's what you've always been saying.
The shell does not matter. "I" am the other Will, distinct from you, but we represent the same thing.
Yeah, I got the message. So what are you trying to tell me?
"I" am not trying to "tell" you something. Merely that there is information useful for the individual known as Nanami.
The individual Nanami can no longer simply be categorized as a human, a machine, a Construct, a Corrupted, or even an in-between.
The other Will wishes that the individual Nanami would realize the path that she should take.
...
"I" wish to know why the individual Nanami doubts.
...Do you know about Cardman Rider?
...Relevant information acquired. Cardman Rider is a media franchise consisting of books, visual programs, and toys that was popular in the Golden Age.
...Guess you don't.
"I" do not understand what you mean.
Okay. Cardman Rider is like, all about... ha—hmph—schween then transforming and going pew pew and boom fighting enemies and then a TAAA to finish the enemies and then turning around and—
Cardman Rider! Never! Looks at! Explosions! Haiya!
Posing along as she explains, Nanami excitedly demonstrates the various transform sequences and signature moves of different Cardman Riders.
...That's all stuff that humans came up with.
Do they really deserve to be washed out?
Huaxu has already completed the simulation for how human civilization ends. The other Will has also done so.
The result deviation is less than 0.001 percentage points.
That's not what I meant—I'm not talking about the simulations or whatnot. You know Nanami is not the sharpest tool in the shed...
But I really, really, REALLY like the stuff that humans make.
Things like George D. Toro's Oceanic Rim, there are like, six giant humanoid robots that are as tall as mountains in it!
And it's not just Cardman Riders, humans made a lot more other stuff too!
Like a giant metal fist that flies at supersonic speed! Or the undefeated—Sekiha Tenkyo Punch!
Even if what you said turns out to be true, even if humanity is destined to end...
I don't think their creations, and how they make them should be forgotten by us.
Is this why the individual Nanami is operating sub-optimally?
An almost audible silence fills the air, as if who Nanami has been talking to is struck with confusion.
The only solution to evolution has been found, but the individual Nanami is still obsessed over meaningless items.
Yeah yeah, I know. I'll do what you say.
But I still wanna see if humans can make more of them wapows and boombooms, you know!
So... I'd still like to give them a chance, just a teeny little one!
Incomprehensible. Even if they could, they will go extinct at the same rate.
Even if you can't understand, Nanami will still do so.
Because Nanami is different from you all! Not like you or Huaxu, or those Ascendant baddies.
Nanami... loves humans.
