Story Reader / Main Story / 18 Her Last Bow / Story
18-1 Journey
>It is... (Static)...
...The 261st day.
What will the world look like when humans are gone?
In a few decades, nature will gradually remove humanity's footprints.
Beasts will roam the decaying neighborhoods, and settlements where people once gathered will become unrecognizable ruins.
Within a century, most buildings will collapse as metals expand and contract due to the change in temperature and the overgrown vegetation.
10 thousand years from now, there will be no sign of human civilizations save for some lingering radiation.
And yet, 10 thousand years are but a drop in the ocean of the history of the 4.5-billion-year-old planet earth.
The blue planet will still spin without humans. Life existed before humanity, and it will continue afterward.
—I leave no trace of wings in the air, but I am glad I have had my flight.
Why?
This is the first thing Sniper-PK43 says after his power is rebooted.
Hmm? Why what?
An unfamiliar face blocks his vision. As the face pulls back, he finally catches a glimpse of the person before him—a young girl in a silver pilot suit is staring at him, her hands on her hips.
His memory data paused when his power was first cut. He soon realizes that the girl was the one who rebooted him.
The overly friendly girl wipes away the snow above him, circling him as if having discovered some treasure.
You're welcome, by the way! I always aim to help those in need! What should I call you, Snipey?
As she talks unprompted, Sniper-PK43 runs his self-diagnose program and finds everything functioning normally. However, unable to connect to the internet, he has no idea how long it has been since he was shut down.
I am a fully automated sniping platform, model Sniper-PK43. You show no sign of infection. What is your purpose?
Hm, you can call me Master Nanami, the Chosen One!
Nanami walked umpteen days before I found you, Snipey! You might sound like a weird middle-aged man, but you're the first person I can talk to, so I won't mind.
...My name is not "Snipey". If you must call me something, please call me by my designation "Sniper-PK43".
You got it, Snipey.
You have ignored my request and disregarded my question.
My purpose, is it? Well... Nanami isn't too sure, either!
I want to be your friend, though. I've traveled a long way, and I've seen nothing but snow without a single soul in sight. Nanami's so bored...
Sniper-PK43 pauses after hearing what Nanami says. For a second, there is only the sound of the howling wind on the small roof where they are.
Looking down from this height, he finds the swirling snow blocking the sky, concealing everything further than five meters away. All he can see is the vague shape of the city not far from here, buried in the snowstorm.
Not much has changed since I was shut down.
Sniper-PK43 offers his observation, piquing Nanami's interest.
Can you tell Nanami what happened?
...What happened?
As Sniper-PK43 contemplates, the girl extends her hand and gently touches the back of his head. Surprisingly, none of Sniper-PK43's programs find Nanami hostile.
And this familiar motion has jolted his memory.
He has no idea when the snow started.
The building he is in belongs to a conservation area, and he belongs to a human soldier.
The soldier is from Babylonia, so he is technically a Babylonia property as well. He is booted up for the first time on this very roof.
Aha, it's on... That's fantastic. I thought you were irreparable...
As his systems slowly activate and run, he finds himself being able to hear, then see.
He sees the soldier's hand on his head, patting him like a small animal.
M-T-0-8. Activation complete. Please—issue command—
Then he finds himself being able to speak.
Did you get that model number from the Sheriff series chip...? Regardless, it's great that you're running. It'll ease everyone's burden for a little bit.
The soldier mumbles to himself and retracts his hand, exhaling in the cold wind, his breath clearly visible. He puts on his thick gloves again.
We'll call you Sniper, yeah? (Exhales) Starting today, you and I are gonna keep our eyes on this area. Your job is to take down any Corrupted that cross this border, understood?
The world has always been an endless field of snow since the day he was activated.
Afterward, he replaces the soldier to keep watch on the roof, his duty non-stop.
Occasionally, the soldier will come up to perform maintenance on Sniper-PK43 while he talks to himself on topics unrelated to work.
He talks about Babylonia, a base in the sky where a senior he respects lives; how there used to be four seasons, but only winter remains; how there are fewer Corrupted now, probably since the Ever-Winter is spreading faster...
Can you see the Badlands, Sniper?
The soldier, sitting next to Sniper, points toward the distance in the night. His voice is trembling despite the bulky protection suit he is wearing.
I do not understand what "Badlands" means.
All Sniper-PK43 sees through the snowstorm is a city frozen in ice.
Haha, touche... It was quite a disaster, wasn't it? Any place that can offer a view of the Badlands is probably part of the Badlands now.
Badlands, "Ever-Winter", "war," and "seasons"... none of these concepts exist in Sniper-PK43's database. He can only piece together this fading story through snippets of the soldier's words.
Later, there is no more enemy apart from a few Corrupted that wander beyond the conservation area. His duty with the soldier grows laxer as if they are the only ones left in the world, and the world is but this roof.
The soldier disappears for a while. Sniper-PK43 still holds his position—without a new command, this is the only thing he can do.
It is once again nighttime when the soldier shows up. He climbs to the roof, the highest point of the city, panting and sitting next to Sniper.
Do you have a new command?
...What? Why?
You disappeared. I thought I would never see you again.
The soldier laughs. He spends some effort to remove his helmet and gloves before Sniper-PK43, exposing his face in the blizzard.
His skin begins to turn purple from the extreme cold. This is the first time Sniper-PK43 sees his face.
I'm sorry I left you here for so long.
Sniper-PK43 notices that the vapor on the soldier's face is slowly turning into a thin layer of frost.
I'm sorry... that I showed you the worst this world has offered.
Despite him talking to Sniper-PK43, his gaze lands somewhere in the distance. Sniper-PK43 wonders if he is actually talking to someone else behind.
The soldier stands up and pats Sniper-PK43 with his gloveless hand like the first time. Sniper-PK43 perceptively notices his irregular heartbeats and that he is shaking.
Did something happen? I can offer nighttime counseling if you need someone to talk to.
Surprisingly, the soldier does not laugh at Sniper-PK43's "joke." He just keeps on patting, whispering.
My senior is gone as well... None of us can hold on any longer. We'll probably abandon this place soon.
What a shame...
The soldier places his hand on Sniper-PK43's power button.
...I can't keep showing you all this despair...
I don't u-understand—
Sniper-PK43's voice begins to distort as his power goes out.
Goodbye, Sniper. Thank you for being by my side...
As the light on his power cable flickers, the blue lights of the hundreds of nodes on his body begin to dim. He is about to become a pile of useless parts.
The last thing he sees before his system shuts down is the soldier, facing away from him, standing under the crescent, crimson moon in the storm and, like an arctic bird, jumping off the roof.
—Why?
When Sniper-PK43 was rebooted, this was where his fragmented memories stopped.
So you don't know why either?
Nanami mutters to herself. That is when Sniper-PK43 realizes that she has just accessed his memories.
Who are you exactly?
Nanami is Nanami, duh.
Sniper-PK43 recognizes that the girl before him is no human, but he cannot deduce her true identity either. Before he can make any judgment, she continues the conversation.
But the place I came from looks nothing like this... I've never seen a blizzard this huge! Not even in the ARU! I've been building snowmen on the way, and I'm bored! There's no one to have a snowball fight with me!
Where did you come from?
I can't tell for sure. I was traveling around the globe before mecha babushka sent me here.
Anyway, you don't seem to have any clue either... In that case, Nanami's moving on to the next destination. Do you want to join me, Snipey?
Where is the next destination?
Nanami has no idea!
How are you expecting to convince me? I am not going anywhere. My mission is to station here. My maker gave me that command.
Nanami knows that you're hoping to see your maker, aren't you? Let's set our temporary co-op objective to finding your maker! With the two of us, I'm certain we can figure out where everyone went!
Nanami's voice is as light as a hummingbird, and the hope within her seems to have stirred up Sniper-PK43's static programming.
...Are you going to look for humans?
Nanami is going to figure out what's going on!
I recommend abandoning your objective. I have been here for a very long time, and I have not seen a single human.
How long is "very long"?
Just... very, very long...
But he wanted me to stay here to guard this city.
...None of us can hold on any longer. We'll probably abandon this place soon.
The soldier's words have Sniper-PK43 feeling a little hesitant.
...And why would you do that for me anyway?
Because Nanami has a secret identity... I'm the River God that grants lost souls wishes!
What is that...?
For the first time in his life, Sniper-PK43 wants to sigh like a human.
He activates the radiator at his base, immediately melting the snow that clogs his parts. He slowly lifts the folded arms under his base, and the snow piled on his body falls.
Whoa...! Nanami didn't realize she was powerful enough to make you stand without thinking!
I always have this function...
...Forget it. My maker's safety is my top priority. I shall travel with you, then.
Hearing that, Nanami opens her arms and jumps toward Sniper-PK43, her face sticking right next to his barrel.
Alright! Nanami and Snipey's journey begins!
It is as if a silver waterfowl stretches its wings in the wintry sky, scattering a layer of ivory dust, seeding a certain "inspiration" in the snow along her way.
