Story Reader / Main Story / 20 Across the Ruined Sea / Story
—The collapsed aquarium sinks to the bottom of the sea along with the bodies of those who had fallen.
Was it wrong for her to choose to save lives first?
If she could be more decisive... Will she be better off?
The other comrades who lost their lives, and those who failed to escape... Will they still be alive?
...
She cannot find an answer. Only the flow of water can be heard at the bottom of the sea.
Numerous Corrupted are moving in the surging Red Tide. They are about to break out from the water and turn into merciless slayers.
It is only a matter of time before Bianca dissolves in the crimson color and becomes a part of the billions of Corrupted, hosts and Red Tide Projections.
Before that happens... Should she kill herself with her weapon first?
Just hold on a little longer. Reinforcements are on their way.
They are already gone. The reinforcements can't do more than this dirty work that I'm already doing.
Is this chaos caused by the infection, or is she seeing flashbacks at her final moment?
Random, chaotic noises enter her M.I.N.D. with the Punishing Virus.
This is the duty of the Purifying Force.
To raise our weapons against former comrades.
To protect those still alive.
And to protect our bonds, though there isn't much left... Not everybody can take the lives of their closest friends.
People in the Task Force always respect and help one another. It's easy for them to build deep bonds.
Bonds or emotions are boring and will only hold you back. What's there to envy about?
Shall I envy those who have given up all bonds then...?
How useless. He couldn't even finish off a Corrupted. What a coward.
...They aren't just Corrupted. They were our comrades.
Look at the attitude of others. Do you think they would call us "comrades"?
Of course not. Nobody ever stays in the Purifying Force.
Who wants to get along with them anyway? Maybe tomorrow one of them will become a Corrupted.
Those with unstable M.I.N.D. always burst into tears when they had to kill. They only caused troubles for others... I've seen enough of that.
We must always prepare for death... That's why we would rather have never met...
A familiar voice is echoing at the bottom of the sea. Is that from her memory?
Yeah, that's what everybody thinks. They probably hold the same attitude toward you.
Whatever they call you, witch or fence sitter... I hope you don't mind. Oh... Actually, I rather you mind them and hate us.
Chiko gazes at her own future through the endless snowfield.
Because when I die... I don't want to see your tears, Captain.
Feel free to mock me if I become a Corrupted one day. Loudly.
Chiko...
Chiko should be the captain of the Purifying Force, not you! Unlike you, she never hesitates to make a decision!
...
I did receive complaints. They wanted Chiko to be the new captain, but I turned them down.
The Purifying Force needs a leader who can control their aggression and keep their sanity. You are the most suitable candidate.
Even if they despise your balance and call you a—
Fence sitter!
I have decided to let Palma leave the Purifying Force.
She's going to cross the line if she stays here.
I respect your decision.
Do you know how important Palma is to us?! How dare you send her away?!
She was pointing her blade at those who were still alive!
Alive? It wouldn't take long for them to be completely infected!
And how many would be attacked by those Corrupted who were still "alive"?
May as well finish them while they were still alive and could control themselves!
That bloody fence sitter...!
Fence sitter? Hah, you're but a hypocritical nun. Go back to your church and pray to your god, who does nothing but condemn us!
When I learned they called you "witch," I was hoping you could be a merciless leader who never hesitates... How laughable!
Chiko would never be like you!
In Bianca's remaining consciousness, she sees the Phantom Tracer glowing in the dark sea.
Infinite memories and information that do not belong to her seem to be trying to get into her M.I.N.D.
Why are you still in pain?
The voices of thousands of people merge into a hollow echo.
Come to us... And leave all your frailty, pain and confusion behind.
...Who's there?
I'm Chiko. Or, I am the individual that was once called "Chiko".
No, you are not her. This is just an illusion created by the Red Tide.
She's already...
Dead? No. She's still alive. Right here, next to you.
She has been protecting you all along. That's why you are still alive, isn't it?
I'm still alive.
Because Chiko is absorbing the Punishing Virus in the sea.
This sea was supposed to be her nutritional fluid.
In the Phantom Tracer's faint light, Bianca has seen the silhouette of Chiko in the water. "She" is rapidly expanding—it will not take long for her to become a colossal giant that destroys everything.
If only Grace or Cthylla is inside... Everything will be a lot easier.
The voices gradually fade out, replaced by a young girl's sigh.
But it's okay... Mister said this was only an experiment. He'd like to see more potential and deplete mankind's reserve.
Why would you do this...
She wouldn't be afraid of becoming a monster, if that could take her to the future.
Right, I heard the Task Force call me that.
One will turn into a real monster as long as they keep staying in the Purifying Force.
So what?
Monster and witch. They are a good match, aren't they?
Am I really a witch?
Is it because they call you a fence sitter?
I was going to say you didn't look like someone who would care about such words. Still, I understand your concern—no matter how strong you are, you are going to be shaken if they keep talking about it.
Some guys may look the same, but they have actually just shut themselves off. Inside, they are never the same people again.
What matters most is what you think.
What is the purpose of your mercy?
To protect those who were still alive. To solve problems.
Why did you kill the Father?
To protect those who were still alive. To solve problems.
What is the purpose of your ruthlessness?
...To solve more problems.
Are the problems solved then?
Maybe...
Are they solved?
They are, but only partially.
Do you like this? Killing your comrades?
No...
Then run away.
No.
If I run, they have to kill their comrades with their own hands and suffer the pain, just like when I killed Father.
Information rejected>>>
Retrying>>>>>
The Phantom Tracer is hacking back…
I... cannot control it...!
She sees flickering, dazzling scenes through the Phantom Tracer.
The first information captured by the Phantom Tracer is the fragments of consciousness and memories within the Red Tide.
It keeps decrypting and sending her the footage.
The infection then gathers something she cannot understand. It almost feels like...
These contents were recorded by Liv's Empyrea frame.
Is this... the future deduced by the Ascension-Network?
As the chaotic footage merges together, they become a collection of voices. Some are praying to the god, others cursing him.
Is she able to recognize the voices because she had heard numerous prayers as a Sister?
What is your wish?
I want to be free.
But my legs can't walk.
I want the bird in the cage to break free on behalf of me.
Fear not. You will be together.
Its wings will be weaved into you in the Red Tide.
What is your wish?
I want to be with her.
We split up for one mission, and I could never see her again.
The next time I saw her, I was already part of the Red Tide...
I pulled her back. I killed her.
We will be together forever.
What is your wish?
What are your wishes?
We want to live on. We don't want to be abandoned.
But our bodies are damaged... How come only monsters can survive in this world?
Then monsters we shall be.
Until...
Tell me what you want.
I want to save everybody.
...
When was that...?
It felt like a long, long time ago.
Why am I... still here?
They are already...
Tell me what you want.
Kill me, Mister. Correct my mistakes.
How many times have I been through this? I have lost count.
Why do I... have to do this?
Tell me what you want.
I don't need anything else...
If there is something else I can ask from you... Could you please... try not to find new Ascendants?
The fewer people trapped by the Ascension-Network, the better... I don't want anyone... to end up like me...
...Thank you...
A snowstorm is howling.
Why did you come here?
She lowers her head, repairing her hand with the gel that Bianca brought—10 minutes ago, Bianca's arrow shot her hand and knocked off the dagger that she was going to kill herself with.
To save people.
There's no way our squad would survive. Going out of your way to come here will only put yourself in danger.
But you survived. What about the others...?
I killed them.
...They had all turned into Corrupted.
...
I heard about your habit of protecting those around you. Never expected you to cross the snowfield alone though.
There are too many Corrupted around. Your action is not smart at all.
I know... But I also know this snowfield very well.
...This used to be my hometown.
...
Now that we are trapped here, let's talk.
I've been in the Purifying Force for a long time, but I never really knew you well.
Alright.
Do you like snow?
Yeah.
Do you think your hometown is a nice, warm place?
...Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Bianca... My child.
I was adopted by a kind Father in a church. It was just over there... not far away.
What happened to him?
...
...I killed him.
Do you want to meet him again?
What?
Do you want to meet him again?
Meet him...?
In the Red Tide... Everything will be...
No!
Wake up! Bianca!
The Phantom Tracer and you are our only hope for the future!
Future?
The future in the Red Tide.
The real future.
Why is she seeing this?
That kid also died.
This is the nameplate of the Gray Raven Commandant.
The snow has melted... Commandant, pear flowers are blooming on the surface.
Is this... the future?
The inevitable destruction that no one can avoid.
All that tremendous loss only yielded hallucinations.
The footage in the Phantom Tracer leads her to arrive at a painful conclusion.
I only want to leave something behind.
Instead of getting destroyed completely... I will revive them in the Red Tide.
I don't agree with that path.
Stitching up the consciousnesses to hurt others who are still alive... That's definitely not what they would have wanted, but a disaster brought by the Ascendants.
Can you kill Chiko?
...She's still alive.
The people in the Red Tide are still alive, just like everyone else you know and cherish... They are living happily right here, in a world weaved by the Red Tide.
In the memories left by your team members, you were a kind person who was willing to take risks to save anyone who still had a chance to live.
Yet... You are going to cruelly wipe out the consciousnesses that are still alive?
...They are hardly "alive"!
...You people always do this. As long as you tell yourself that they are already dead, you can kill them without hard feelings...
I'm looking for you.
Bianca, I'm looking for you.
Chiko?
Help me.
Kill me.
My friend...
The only one who understands me...
The only one who knows my weaknesses...
Together, we will...
Destroy this despairing world!
Restore this devastated world...
Conflicting words and broken thoughts are echoing in the Red Tide.
Which is the real Chiko?
They all are... Even the strongest person may have a weak side. There are times when they want to cry, to give up, or to ask for help...
What about you? A Sister, or a witch? Which one is the real you?
Your pain, your regrets.
Your happiness. The things you want to protect.
Balance. Fence sitter. Kindness. Frailty. Perseverance. Resolution. Witch.
Numerous fragments and characteristics are joined together through "me."
They all are.
The things we want and the things we hate are often just the same.
We are full of contradictions, greedy, and easily get bored.
Why?
Because we are imperfect.
Nobody is perfect. Nothing is perfect. We will never be perfect.
But when we all come together, perfect we can be.
...But why must we be perfect anyway?
If they are all part of me, I don't want to lose them to the Red Tide to stitch and weave.
I have always been looking up to you, Bianca.
You still have the courage to approach others, even when you know one day you have to say farewell to them.
It takes courage to let go.
Are you also envying me?
Yeah.
The Task Force has always feared my apathy, yet they always respect you.
...In contrast, the Purifying Force thinks my way of thinking is a fatal flaw, but they always respect you.
Nobody can be perfect.
Light and shadow have nothing alike, but they always come together.
We don't need to be perfect.
It takes great strength to walk in the darkness.
Being a fence sitter isn't too bad either. It means you have what it takes to become either a nun or a witch.
Good and bad. Sister and witch. Light and shadow... They all come in pairs. If this is an imperfection, I think mankind should stay this way. To me... It is the most beautiful sight.
...Have you made up your mind?
Not to stay in the Red Tide with those still alive?
Right.
Even if it means to kill those asking you for help?
Yes.
...Alright, Miss Witch.
Before I lose control and hurt you and others...
Please...
