Story Reader / Main Story / 24 Chaos Unsnarled / Story
For days, the little wolf has been observing the lone wolf from a safe distance.
Despite her strong desire to learn how to survive on her own, she finds herself unable to suppress her curiosity.
Can a lone wolf really last on its own?
Adopting the hunting technique she learned from the lone wolf, she has successfully hunted for the first time, albeit capturing a mere vole that even managed to bite her paw during the encounter.
Learning from the lone wolf, she now knows to keep her ears alert, to sleep only lightly, and to conceal her traces when predators soar overhead.
She unilaterally sees the black lone wolf as a temporary instructor of sorts, even empathizing with it as it fights for its life against its prey.
Hidden within the bush, its foliage reaching higher than the fur on her ears, the little wolf ponders whether they can be regarded as companions of a peculiar kind.
Though she has not yet found an answer, she remains steadfast in her resolve to choose the pack if the option presents itself.
Suddenly, she hears the lone wolf erupting into a sprint, accompanied by the cacophony of countless wings fluttering high above.
Rather than immediately following the wolf, she lowers her body and conceals herself within the swaying grass.
If she were to emerge from the grass at this moment, she would undoubtedly be spotted.
The giant eagles soar in the direction where the lone wolf fled, seemingly having a clear target in their sights.
Nervousness grips the little wolf as she realizes that the lone wolf stands no chance against such a formidable number of enemies.
Once she is certain that the predators will not notice her, the scent of the lone wolf seems to have already drifted far, far away.
While still maintaining a cautious distance, the little wolf can't help but pray for the black wolf's safe escape.
After a short while, she senses that something is amiss.
—That familiar scent of blood once again wafts into her nostrils, steadily growing stronger.
The little wolf navigates through tree holes and dense bushes, carefully controlling her movements as she draws closer to the source of the scent.
Finally, before a curtain of grass, a veil of destiny, she comes to a halt and peeks out in the most discreet way—
The surrounding bushes are battered, with fragmented branches and scattered leaves strewn across the ground.
The black wolf lies silently on its side, its blood seeping into the soil beneath and staining it with the darkest hue.
Its two paws are absent, replaced by exposed broken bones and the remnants of torn fur.
Its scarred back has vanished entirely, only grey-white ribs jutting out from within its body to be seen instead.
The predators grip the wolf's body with a deadly ferocity, their hold as firm as when the wolf clenched the lifeless giant eagle. Without a shred of concern, they tear into its entrails and greedily devour its flesh.
During the frenzied feast, the still-steaming blood splatters everywhere, with some droplets even landing on the grass where the little wolf hides.
The little wolf's claws instinctively dig into the soil, her delicate paws encountering the unyielding touch of rocks, serving as a reminder for her to remain completely silent.
She cannot help but stare at the eyes that have been "accompanying" her all this time. The golden pupils are still open. They seem like a vortex that is about to pull her consciousness in.
This is the ending that a lone wolf cannot defy—a voice in her mind tells her.
This time, the voice seems to emanate from the very skull of the lone wolf, its eyes locked with those of the little wolf, not allowing her to take her eyes off.
//Look at it////
//Have you//thought about//why it failed//
The little wolf freezes in her position, interrogated by the dead wolf in her mind. She dares not shift her gaze away.
////Have you thought about//why it//could defeat/the wolfeater///
The wolfeater? That giant eagle chasing after her?
Because... it had great fighting skills?
/No//because that//wolfeater///deviated from its collective too//
///It staked all on one bet//choosing to monopolize/your flesh and blood///
So... its death was predestined...?
/Its death possibility was///raised much higher///without the collective/
...Part of//you/has been accepted//by a collective////
/In that case//you may///deserve/a fortuitous//invitation///
Will//you join///
///Join/the collective/
As the dead wolf's pupils twitch rapidly, the scene before the little wolf's eyes transitions back to the moment she first encountered the wolf pack.
/It was//in your mind///You want to be part of it////
The little wolf gives a nod with a blank look on her face. She has indeed held a strong longing for acceptance for a very long time, so potent that she was willing to tear her own stomach fur apart.
But why can she feel a hint of hesitation in her heart?
//Come over/The collective///will/accept you//
The little wolf gazes at the pack ahead, their carefree play a scene she has imagined many times.
Rubbing against each other, chasing after tails in the sunlight.
Slowly, she makes her first step.
The wolves notice the little wolf as she approaches.
However, contrary to her recollection, there is no sign of wariness or rejection from them. Two of the wolves rise to their feet, only driven by curiosity.
Joy washes over her, and she senses the warm rush of blood flowing through her limbs.
Then the little wolf resumes her walk, taking the second and third steps toward the wolf pack.
However, a pain etched deep within her bones starts to manifest itself as she moves closer.
She can feel something is changing in her body, as if a snake shedding its skin.
The little wolf recollects the pain she endured when she tore away her own fur. Yes, it feels the same this time, yet amplified to such an extent that it engulfs her entire being.
/Fret not//The collective will accept you///
Will she finally have the same scent as her companions?
///Yes/
Alright...
Finally, the thing she always longs for...
...Scent... The scent of companions...
The scent of... humans...
Who? No. 21? Hmm... A familiar designation...
Who's talking? Who's talking in my mind?
[player name]... I remember now... Gray Raven...
Where am I? Where's Captain... Enemies.
With her weapon raised, No. 21 emits a warning sound to the animal-like Hetero-Creatures, which watch her with a friendly gaze.
Don't know. I got here somehow.
You are///being/interfered with//
I'm not.
A black wolf, but it died once just now.
/You said//this is/what you want/
What I want is the scent of humans. You're enemies.
No//What you want////is/////the scent of////your kind//
What are you?
/////////////
She hears no answer, or rather, she cannot discern that answer. If she were to make a guess, it would be akin to attempting the nearly impossible.
...
///What you want/////is true companions//
//Right/
Captain...? No, you're not her.
A growl of rage comes from deep within her throat as her body is gradually filled with anger.
Will/Connect with you in//any/////situation///
Will///Accept////your//entire/being/
/Become a collective//like that/////
Every//individual////will sacrifice themselves//for the will of the collective
As//they////wanted//
///Become one/////with your kind//
As//you////wanted//
///Become one/////with your kind//
//No//more///thinking about//what you//are
I...
/You have witnessed///the death of/a lone being///
...
...
...
The fragmented illusions shift and transform before No. 21's eyes, morphing the black wolf into Vera, into Noctis, and then into the No. 20 etched in her memory.
Finally, it twists, taking the form of No. 21 herself.
/They///You////Lonely//Demise//End/
/Your////end/
///Make your//choice////You/can//come over//
/And//bring//them////over//
No. 21 remains unresponsive, the fluctuations in her M.I.N.D. mirroring the rhythm of a heartbeat, pulsating within her frame.
After a brief pause, she musters the strength to call out the name she believes she may depend on.
[player name].
It says that what I want is not the scent of humans but of my own kind. Actually... it's right.
No. 21 wants to have the same scent as everyone.
Captain, Noctis, [player name], and those who are afraid of me and want me to be discarded.
All of you are humans, so if I have the scent of humans...
The question posed by No. 21 is quite complex. If you had enough time, you would likely delve into a dozen philosophy books and conduct thorough research before having this discussion with her.
Purely rational analysis alone is insufficient to navigate the present circumstances. Your only hope is that No. 21 resists the tempting rhetoric of the enemy and refrains from granting them an opportunity to manipulate her.
But I'm going back to Captain.
She speaks with a resolute yet unemotional tone, her head held high.
If what you say is true, [player name], it's fine. I can learn from humans.
/Reject///
//Still chose that//path/
///Then//walk/down/that path//
/The other part of you///You will see/its choice next/
The other part of me? What do you mean?!
Bzz—
No response is received, only a piercing buzzing noise that echoes in the aftermath of the disconnection, reverberating within No. 21's M.I.N.D. Simultaneously, a searing pain flashes through your own consciousness.
Commandant, your nose is bleeding... Take this first. It'll make you feel better.
As you open your eyes, you find Liv standing before you, already holding the medicine. Your hand trembles as you take the pills and swiftly toss them into your mouth, swallowing them all at once.
You shake your head, declining the water that Liv offers, as you feel the urge to have your senses and nerves stimulated by the bitterness of the medicine.
Disconnected again? This is too unstable.
Commandant [player name], you should probably take a break first... No matter what, repeatedly attempting to connect and then getting disconnected can really take a toll on your body.
Huh...? Alright.
...As you request.
Has 21 lost it? Where's Vera? How's she not doing anything about it?
As the globular forest rapidly expanded, Noctis was helping the people from the conservation area by removing Hetero-Creatures that had accidentally wandered too close.
After safely evacuating everyone during the earthquake, he has been anxiously waiting for further instructions ever since.
Upon briefing him with the latest information, a rare seriousness settles upon his face. He rummages through his tactical bag and proceeds to load handfuls of compressed bombs from the ammo box.
Let's blow that wooden lump to pieces and dig those two out, eh? You got yourself the right person for the job.
Commandant, there's an aircraft coming our way, and judging from the insignia, it should be the Purifying Force.
Is there any tracking mission nearby?
I think Vera mentioned this earlier. The folks are probably here for an errand, delivering the supplies Vera asked from the higher-ups.
Commandant, shall we ask them?
They came from the southwest, and if they're heading north, they can't avoid that area. Direct contact could be risky, so it might be an option for them to move with us.
Moreover, they might be carrying more advanced communication devices, which would provide a safer means to contact Babylonia or Cerberus.
Lee gives you a nod before exiting the tent, prepared to discuss with the approaching Purifying Force members regarding the next course of action.
Through the gap of the raised tent flap, radiant golden sunlight streams inside. You peer out from the corner and behold the vast forest bathed in the warm light of the setting sun.
Beneath the dazzling glow, the forest appears as a majestic marvel of nature. However, it is not a craft of natural forces but rather of the tireless worker ants that seek to gnaw at the destiny of mankind.
"The will of the collective." Such words were also mentioned in the conversation between "it" and No. 21.
The individual plants merge seamlessly into a unified entity. It is their damaged roots that necessitate the exchange of life-sustaining fluids, weaving together the patched entirety.
Creating a collective is a means of survival, yet the distinct boundaries of each individual serve as the fundamental cause for the longevity of diverse beings, species, and even the entire world.
It is the presence of each individual that lends profound value to unity and collective contribution.
You can have your teammates address your doubt in that familiar lounge of yours, so make sure to come back safely, will you?
