Story Reader / Main Story / 26 Cradle Parade / Story
Lamia glances around, observing the Red Tide Projections murmuring like souls in the River Styx.
People with a stable M.I.N.D... they're scarce now, most of them already assigned...
Upon their broken voices, Lamia, out of curiosity, moves closer, only to barely make out the words uttered.
He and the agent behind him are clutching onto Fort Winter's data. If we don't find what he's searching for, we're toast.
Testing the stability of the M.I.N.D. is too risky. It could drive someone insane. Even the Science Council hasn't dared a major filtering for M.I.N.D. stability.
And now, they want us to conduct covert tests for M.I.N.D. stability? We don't have that capability.
We can only target those with existing records, like Gray Raven's Lucia.
No chance. You can only copy the original M.I.N.D.; she's already a clone. Doing it again would wipe out her self-consciousness.
Or are you suggesting taking her original self? Are you willing to risk that many lives?
What about Liv? Didn't we say to make a copy of her M.I.N.D. when they made the Empyrea frame?
We were blocked. They said it violated regulations. Now her M.I.N.D. is damaged, so copying it wouldn't meet the standard. We'll consider it if there's no other option.
That leaves Lee as the best option.
But it's all talk. Anyone fitting the criteria is with their own squad. We can't make a move.
What about the Gray Raven Commandant? No matter how powerful, the commandant is still human... The Ascendants have mentioned it several times.
Think carefully; once you do this, there's no turning back! Why are we cooperating with Lithos? To survive!
But continuing these unauthorized tests will eventually expose us.
So... Noan?
No one cares about him. His background's a mystery. It doesn't matter if he dies; it's one less problem for the higher-ups.
He's a member of a reserve elite squad, but you talk about him like he's desperate, like us.
He's undergone the M.I.N.D. stability test and served as a guinea pig for the experiment's improvements.
If this were anyone else, they'd be labeled "high risk." His cooperation shows he's been ignored and has no choice.
He wasn't driven mad by that test? Can he really be used?
It was done by the Science Council, so it's safer than ours.
But if he could be used... why didn't Lithos keep him?
When you clone a M.I.N.D., the clone's memories are stamped right there at the moment of duplication.
Lithos must've been tinkering with his memories, biding his time, you know. It's a real hassle, having to tweak them repeatedly, but...
Ugh, such a pain...
These Red Tide Projections are a whole new breed. They are more fleshed out, even engaging in basic conversations.
Is this the next step of their evolution, or did Lithos just stick his nose in this one aspect?
Protecting Fort Winter... desperate people...
Did these conversations take place before the appearance of that mysterious tower? The content seems similar to what Lillian had mentioned.
How does it tie into the whole re-filtering of the Ascension-Network?
Lamia extends her hands, aiming to suss out more from the projections, when a loud "click" comes from above.
A massive cage descends from the sky, trapping her before she can escape.
...Ah!
Is that Lithos? Has he found her?
H-hello... Lithos?
Lamia timidly pleads, rattling the cage bars.
L-Lithos... it's me, Lillian... I didn't mean to barge in, I... I just want out.
She rambles on to thin air until she catches distant footsteps drawing near.
Lillian, what brings you here? Was that racket your doing?
Lithos observes from a distance, icy demeanor intact.
I... had a mission that required getting close to your base, handed down by "them," but I ran into Loki who looked not like usual self and knocked me out.
I found myself here when I came to my senses. I didn't mean to barge in. Can you help me out?
Sorry, I can't do that anymore.
Looks like it's time to bid adieu, Lillian. Despite knowing you for ages, we've never really had a proper chat...
I...
Hey!
...
You've successfully reunited, again...
He eyes you next to Shorthalt and inches closer.
...
What's the call, Gray Raven Commandant?
Shorthalt heeds the call, seizing his weapon and lunging forth.
But just as he takes a step, the ground erupts beneath him, spewing forth a giant pool of Red Tide, morphing into an impassable toxic spring.
Shorthalt is about to strike again when "Paper Crane" morphs into a colossal mecha, emitting a deafening roar, swiftly ensnaring Shorthalt and pinning him down.
If you don't want the Red Tide showing beneath you, don't move.
Ah, I told you! I never got a fair go at Lithos, but you had me charge in.
How could I defy a superior's orders! Especially coming from the legendary commandant! Shape up!
Opportunities with folks like this are fleeting!
Precisely. If you don't want to find a Red Tide beneath you right now, stay still.
Lithos gently taps Paper Crane, letting it coil around Shorthalt.
It's not the floor that's gone, Red Tide; it's the protective barrier keeping you safe from it that's vanished. So... the Red Tide springs forth.
More than that. I've spent ages aiding Cthylla in crafting her "cradle."
Had you woken up a bit earlier, I'd happily explain where each item comes from, how it's assembled, and what it's for.
But now...
Lithos hurries over, handing a vintage revolver to you.
Just as your hand with the gun goes up, Lithos ducks behind you as if he's seen this coming.
He clasps your hand as if to soothe, gently caressing the back of your hand without touching the wound.
The smell of lilies mixed with a hint of blood wafts over you as Lithos draws closer.
These wounds aren't going to heal right in this brutal setting.
He speaks like he can't care less.
But... I can't just go easy on you because you're hurt. It's time for some payback.
Don't fret, I'm not going to lay a finger on you. Never would.
He steadies your hand, aiming the gun at Lillian stuck in that cage up ahead.
A game must have some challenge to it to be fun, you know. Too many companions just make it boring. So, take aim at the one who's least likely to help you break free.
H-hold up! Why is it gotta be like this?!
Wondering why she's here, huh? Because she's a defector.
We go way back, childhood buddies, back when Lillian lived over at the orphanage nearby.
No, it's just... I got caught up in all this!
Then, did you finish the job I gave you?
What?
...?
Ah, um, sorry, I've been under surveillance and couldn't slip away.
You see, she's just a defector, a liability to your cause. She won't be of any help in your getaway.
Amidst the clash between Lithos and Lillian, Shorthalt discreetly works his longsword into the joints of "Paper Crane", struggling to break free from its grip.
Catching your eye, he shakes his head, silently signaling he needs more time.
Come on, pull the trigger. Once she's out of the way, the gun's yours to keep. You'll need a weapon, won't you?
...!
You, being hailed as a hero by everyone, ought to value your own life more.
So, you're willing to risk yourself as the wager?
So, my words actually resonated with you.
He watches as your finger hovers over the trigger, a smirk tugging at his lips as he relaxes his grip on your wrist.
The close-quarters hold makes escape seem impossible, but his naturally nimble and slender body still manages to evade your fatal shot.
Bullets whiz toward Lithos in quick succession as he nurses the wound on his arm and swiftly retreats.
Countless Punishing Virus particles coalesce into sharp needles, tearing through your sleeve and grazing the skin underneath in a fleeting warning.
Just as he focuses all his attention on you, a solid kick from behind hits Lithos.
Paper Crane?!
Shorthalt leaves his longsword embedded in the joint of Paper Crane—it won't hold much longer.
You know what to do!
With mere seconds to spare, you seize upon Shorthalt's diversion to make a dash toward the cage ensnaring Lillian.
Ah, got it!
You aim at the lock of the cage, firing off the last two bullets.
Paper Crane, stop Lillian!
Enough already! A fine lady should know where to draw the line!
...?
Shorthalt's hefty sword once more collides with the metallic grin of Paper Crane, both sides stumbling back from the impact.
There's an exit over here!
Got it!
The three of you waste no time lingering for battle, darting through the door that mysteriously appeared at top speed.
...
After traversing the tunnel behind the door, taking a steep descent, and navigating through three areas, you squeeze into a narrow passageway.
Keep moving, don't stop for the rubble. I'll lead the way!
But I just came from there!
After numerous grueling skirmishes, the three of you finally slip into a corridor strewn with debris and discarded items.
I'm completely spent...
You three are utterly exhausted, collapsing to the ground.
I thought the fight would be easier with two more people on the team...
A commandant without bullets is one thing, but the human's injured. Why couldn't you handle a fight?
I... I'm just not cut out for combat. I'm a support-type Construct...
Due to the significant difference in physique between Lillian and Lamia, Lamia, taking on her appearance, can only manage basic movements, unable to match Lillian's agility.
After triple-checking your surroundings for safety, the group finally relaxes and brings up the temporarily shelved issues.
Eek—!
Ah, well, I-I just got startled, you know, since I was just being chased a moment ago.
No, I... I'm innocent.
Uh... well... that is...
It's all Kurono's fault!
They used Dark Aries as a threat, kidnapped Simon, and even wanted to kill him, demanding that I lure out Noan for a M.I.N.D. replica.
But I didn't... I didn't agree to their demand!
And I thought I'd sneak in to rescue Simon... uh, I mean, Commandant Simon... but I accidentally fell into their trap.
They threatened me... and, I do know Lithos, I was afraid it would come out.
But I've chosen a different path from him, it's just because of our past that he can still find me...
In tears, Lamia drew from her memories of Lillian's words, with half of her emotion stemming from genuine fear and the other half from acting.
These years, I've been trying to escape this relationship, but it's always been used against me as blackmail... I never intended to harm Commandant Simon... not even a bit...
That's why I find those who wouldn't draw the line so annoying.
Commandant Simon has been rescued, right...? I received a message from Palma before I passed out.
She wipes away her tears, clutching the hem of her garment, her replies muffled and unclear.
I'll explain the rest when we get back... who knows when Lithos might show up.
Hearing your words, Shorthalt ponders with a complex expression for a moment.
Well... I thought that was how Lithos preferred to be identified, given the way he presents himself, though he only dresses as a woman in memory of someone dear.
Even if he's an enemy, that's not where our conflict lies. It's not because he's a man that he's locked us up here.
But why did he ask you to draw out Noan from Dark Aries?
I heard it's to gather sufficiently stable M.I.N.D.s, which must be related to his plan.
Project Cthylla... This antique from the Golden Age is actually related to his pipe dream.
Project Cthylla?
You don't know?
Hmm... I've only heard a little about it from others.
The project began with the digitization of minds at a time when people were obsessed with uploading mind data, with technology advancing rapidly in this area.
Scientists weren't content with a digital world of nothingness. They wanted to provide a vessel for the mind data, achieving immortality for both body and mind.
I know. This was the prototype of the current M.I.N.D. and Construct Tech...
Correct. Project Cthylla predates Construct Tech, originating from "mind digitization" technology.
Back then, Construct Tech was still in its infancy, and most subjects placed in frames struggled to maintain stable consciousness, resulting in gruesome outcomes.
A small group of scientists involved in the mind digitalization experiment branched out to embark on new explorations.
Can a person turned into mind data ever revert to a flesh-and-blood human?
Can mind data technology overcome fatal injuries and incurable diseases?
Or—can it grant humans immortality through rebirth?
That's the goal of Project Cthylla, where scientists hoped to resurrect the dead in a Mother's womb through cloning and mind backups.
In the end, it remained a theoretically feasible but practically impossible fairy tale, until now...
The disaster-bringing twins, the Hetero-Humanoid Chiko, Hetero-Sapiens, hosts... and the Red Tide Projections bearing the dead's memories.
These Ascendants...
Shorthalt slams the wall in anger, startling "Lillian" into a shiver.
...
So, Lithos wants all those stable M.I.N.D.s to reshape those poor souls into monsters like the twins through Cthylla, huh?
The arrival of that thing could trigger severe disasters. We can't afford to lose the hope that tower has finally brought us.
(...Is Lithos' plan really just that? Would creating beings like the twins be enough to pass through the Ascension-Network's filtering?)
You three sit in a dimly lit room, exchanging silent glances.
What should we do now?
I think... maybe... we should... try to escape first.
Exactly. Although Lithos himself isn't much of a fighter, this is his turf, and everything here serves him.
Doesn't that make him even harder to beat? I... We're all injured.
Don't worry, there are three of us. With a well-planned strategy and coordination, we can win.
But this battle will be tough. We'll pay a heavy price, and we won't be able to handle more fights after.
There's only one chance. Fail and we die.
Right, almost forgot about that. That complicates things.
We only have one shot, but he can respawn.
But where exactly are Lithos' mind backups?
You three fall into silence once again.
I'm remembering something.
Shorthalt extends his hand, outlining a rough map on the floor.
There are some mechanisms hidden in the plaza with the carousel. I've seen Lithos sneak in there.
Yes, he was constantly on alert while entering. I think it's worth investigating. That place is very important, at least to him.
Yes. I saw many Red Tide Projections and buildings there. It's hard to tell if they're real or not. It was like a corridor crafted from memories.
As soon as I got there, my M.I.N.D. deviated, my head throbbed with pain, and hallucinations appeared.
Okay, but there's another problem.
The layout here is too complex. Every door leads to the unknown, like a virtual reality gaming center. If we're going, we must be prepared to get lost.
Make sure to pack enough supplies. It will take us at least 20 hours to find that place.
...Wha... T-there's no need. I'm not quite comfortable with it.
Lamia retreats in fear, worried that once the connection is established, the person in front of her will detect her real identity.
Y-yeah. I'm just not used to connecting with an unfamiliar commandant.
If I really can't hold on, I'll call out for help. Let's not do this for now.
Mm... Ok...
Alright. Have we rested enough? Let's start looking for stuff. You'll need weapons, and your injuries need wound gel. It'd be good to search for serums and food as well.
Your jacket?
Is there any way to identify it?
Tch. Even the jacket of the commandant of an elite squad is customized and has the team emblem on it.
Alright, let's get to work!
