Story Reader / Main Story / 21 Spiral of Chronos / Story
The gray starry skies and murky tides slowly fade away. The corrupted realm constructed by Tifa's thoughts starts to crumble, reverting to the original state of Lee's M.I.N.D.
The dark swamp returns to Tifa, whose body is already in pieces. With her mobility lost, she could only crawl on the ground with all that is left in her.
The disintegration of the data which composes her starts at her fingertips, slowly edging up her limbs, and dissipating into thin air.
It's over.
No... Not yet...
I can still...
...I've already destroyed your memory shell and core parts, the only thing that's left here is your memory data.
And now that is disappearing too. You can't control a frame that doesn't belong to you.
No... Haha... Looks like you still don't understand.
What was once Tifa's left eye is now just a bottomless pit of darkness. She starts to laugh madly, with a maniacal grin plastered on her face.
...I saw them here... Your memories.
You're also someone who's willing to do anything to achieve their goal, aren't you?
When you were in Kurono... and even before that... The blood... The bodies... The betrayals...
And now you're part of a weak little team like a normal person... Must be hard, isn't it? Rather than the Task Force, I think the Purifying Force is more your thing.
Since you're used to all of that already.
You...
I realized we were the same when I saw your memories... You cannot bear to lose someone dear to you... And for them, you're willing to perform worse deeds.
When you finally lose your dear family, friends, and commandant... You'll remember what I said today.
And then you'll...
Bang—
Lee raises his hand and puts a bullet through Tifa's head. All that is left of her data flickers twice, before exploding silently into nothingness.
That's enough.
Everything comes to a sudden stop like a movie on pause when the gunshot resonates in the realm.
...
(I didn't even notice she planted a control valve back then...)
Although he was not able to remove the effects of this control valve as soon as it was planted, he has now destroyed Tifa's M.I.N.D. shard, so at least he would not be under another "Tifa's" control.
If I hadn't noticed this, then I really would've injured my teammates...
That is something that he never wants to see happening.
As a precaution, I should leave a hidden command for anti-hacking in my M.I.N.D.
There... This should do it.
...
As Lee leaves the self-inspection mode, he finds himself already on the transport craft with his teammates' help.
And that vile woman from Cerberus, who is covered in wounds and sitting directly across from him, smirks at him.
Look at you, Lee, you've seen better days.
Uh-huh? Let me return the favor and tell you that you've seen far better days.
Forcing himself to sit up straight, Lee refuses to interact with the person in front of him anymore and looks over at the commandant, who is also on the transport craft and currently reporting back to HQ through an electronic screen.
When you finally lose your dear family, friends, and commandant... You'll remember what I said today.
(...)
He cannot ever let that happen. And because he does not know what dangers and battles the future may hold for them, he cannot let his guard down at all times.
(From now on, I'll have to thoroughly inspect all the weapons and equipment Gray Raven uses before battle...)
(And when we get back, I should make an emergency comms device for Commandant as soon as possible.)
(I can't let anything catch me by surprise... I need to be prepared for every possible scenario.)
As only basic treatment was performed on his injuries, he feels excruciating pain originating from his wounds as his sensations gradually return together with his consciousness. However, Lee's thoughts are still as sharp as ever, calculating all possibilities and formulating contingency plans.
He is a member of Gray Raven, he does not have to fight alone anymore.
