Story Reader / Main Story / 33 Wither to Shine / Story
People are gathered around the camp, relaxing after work.
A middle-aged man stands by the vehicle, counting supplies and writing them down.
Have you finished counting everything... yet?
What are you doing? If you want to eat, just eat.
A young man squats on the ground, holding a few fruits and turning them over. He licks his lips, then puts them back.
No thanks, I'll wait for the rations.
We found these food, so we deserve a little something. Take one, and I won't count it in.
He crouches down, grabs the young man's arm, and puts the fruit back in his hands.
Things are way better now. At least we have a camp and don't have to wander anymore.
Go ahead and eat. Don't be shy—winter's almost over.
But I still feel like...
Stop worrying. He's right—don't be shy.
A cold voice comes from behind, startling the two. They turn around only to find three people appear out of nowhere.
Lady Vanessa!
L... Lady Vanessa.
I'm borrowing the vehicle. Tell the logistics guy later.
With that, they get in the vehicle.
The engine roars, and the vehicle shakes. Before they know it, something dark flies from the window at the young man.
Eat well, sleep well, and do your job. Don't be pretentious, and don't act like someone who worries about unnecessary things.
No need to worry about something you shouldn't.
O-okay... thank you, Lady Vanessa!
The young man catches what Vanessa throws. By the time he looks up to thank her, the vehicle's gone, leaving only dust.
Outside the camp, at the buffer zone's edge, the Red Tide—which should be far away—is surging, encircling the undulating mountain ridges.
The ground shakes, and the trees sway. A little bird loses its footing and falls into the Red Tide.
Poor thing...
Something lifts the bird and puts it in the pink-haired woman's hands.
Things changed too fast. You weren't ready either, were you?
Ishmael gently tends to the bird's wings, but her eyes drift to something nearby.
A white-haired girl, eyes closed, flickers in and out of view in the Red Tide...
...
Swirling snowflakes pass through the girl's body as if it were nothing but a shell. Chaos's legs, submerged in the Red Tide, are gradually disappearing.
Looks like this nice doll's about to vanish into the gray and red world.
How pathetic...
Finally getting a chance to come back, but something's getting in the way... Huh?
As if hearing something, Ishmael turns around, and the bird in her hand takes the chance to free itself and fly into the snow.
So it's started.
She extends her slender fingertips into the void, and a book quietly materializes, its pages slowly turning.
In the book's projection, an off-road vehicle's parked by an outpost.
I hope... you'll bring more possibilities to the story.
When they arrive, Discord takes them to the watchtower's duty room, turning on the equipment and explaining her report.
How's the Red Tide looking?
When I left, Marker Six was gone, and the tide was about a kilometer from Marker Five...
The duty room's only screen—a patchwork of parts of various models—slowly lights up, showing that most of the grid-divided surveillance feeds are down.
The working feeds show a creepy scene—snowflakes melting into the tide, turning into a horrifying red expanse.
Seeing your stunned faces, Discord quickly corrects herself.
Now, it's about a kilometer from Marker Four now.
It's moving that fast?
Can't say. We're stretched thin—this many markers are all we can handle.
Also, for some reason, the filters aren't protecting us from the Hetero-Creatures anymore. They're even attacking the filters that they used to avoid at all costs.
...
The only good news is we got the Central Purification Filter core for Marker Three back.
Tsk...
The small room feels tense. Vanessa makes a quick decision.
Discord, take [player name] back to camp. Tell Rosa what's happening and get them ready to move.
Yes, Madam!
What about you?
Something's causing the Red Tide to surge. I need samples.
We won't be safe anywhere if we don't know what's going on.
Vanessa explains while shutting down and taking apart the equipment.
Take this too. We're running low on supplies.
...Okay.
Discord leaves, carrying a monitor and tangled cables in her arms.
Was I unclear?
Everyone needs to do their job. I'm stronger than Discord here, so I'll take the risk.
Have you already forgotten what I said? Stop worrying. This isn't your business.
...
With that, you start a M.I.N.D. link with the Construct in front of you.
Vanesa wants to say something but halts. Eventually, she taps her earpiece.
Soon, engine sounds come from under the watchtower.
Happy now? Commandant.
Twenty minutes later, near Marker #4.
Tsk.
Barely dodging the attack of a Herero-Creature, Vanessa keeps backing away as vital fluid trickles down her wounds all over her body.
Just a few Hetero-Creatures...
The Red Tide's getting stronger, and these vermin are getting bolder...
Vanessa winces in pain as she raises her knife to block a Hetero-Creature attacking from the side.
The air's so thick with the Punishing Virus it's practically dripping. If this keeps up...
M.I.N.D. Deviation: 31.7%, 43.9%...
Shut it!
The Hetero-Creature's form multiplies into overlapping afterimages in her visual module, with one image after another relentlessly rushing toward her.
The feeble bullets barely scratch the creatures, just feeding them in an instant.
Squeak!
A piercing scream suddenly heads your way.
Get back—
Vanessa wipes the blood from her visual module, firing as she blocks the creature's claws behind her.
Infection Critical Warning
The monster opens its bloody jaws.
Deep M.I.N.D. connection established, maximizing Mind Beacon output power
Get away from me!
The blood mist in her M.I.N.D. clears, and she quickly slashes the creature.
After killing several, the rest retreat into the Red Tide.
Phew... finally got them.
Hey, if I knew the Deep M.I.N.D. connection helped this much, why didn't we do it sooner?
She turns to complain, then her eyes widen—
You have passed out behind her, slumping down behind the rocks.
Your mind goes fuzzy as something cold injects into your body...
You're awake?
Vanessa puts away the syringe.
You better not die, or this undiluted rare serum will be wasted.
She grabs water out of her bag and holds it to your lips.
The water helps clear your head.
And more than that.
She looks at your shabby combat suit.
This crap can't protect you from the Punishing Virus anymore... At the very least, it's useless against the Mutated Red Tide now.
The Punishing Virus concentration's up, and your suit can't handle this Mutated Red Tide. Even the diluted serums I gave you didn't help much.
Luckily, we kept some undiluted doses for patrols, or else...
Vanessa just grunts and says nothing.
Stable decline in progress.
I got the Red Tide samples from the center, but we're still stuck in this contaminated forest with no way to move.
The two of you are stuck in the Red Tide-contaminated forest, in dead silence.
Feeling better? We need to go. Your suit can't endure another attack.
Slowly, you get up and check if you can walk normally before heading back the way you came while avoiding the Mutated Red Tide.
As Rosa requested, Vanessa takes Red Tide samples from two more places. Strangely, she falls into silence, holding the translucent container.
We're pretty far from the center... but the Punishing Virus concentration's still the same.
A few words are enough to tell the dire situation.
She turns around silently, the translucent sampler in her hand revealing a terrifying sight.
The crimson liquid is eating the white buffer, turning it into food.
The red water shivers, as if it's reacting to something...
The red water suddenly shoots up, then disappears abruptly before Vanessa can react.
...
The waters slowly part, revealing a pale doll-like figure standing within the tide.
Leave...
As you utter your question, you try to make out Chaos's features—her body is gradually melting into the Red Tide, starting from her legs and creeping upward.
<color=#ff4e4eff><b>Leave...</b></color>
A consuming agony instantly crawls up your spine, as if you yourself were the one trapped within the Red Tide.
<color=#ff4e4eff><b>Leave...</b></color>
The doll mechanically repeats the same answer, as if another entirely different <phonetic=Agent Zero>"face"</phonetic> is gradually emerging within her.
Her shape starts to change, as if she can't hold back the Red Tide's power—
The Mutated Red Tide suddenly surges, its waves like a monster's open jaws, ready to swallow them both.
[player name]!!!
Vanessa tackles you with a leap, sending you both rolling toward the shore.
DON'T LOOK BACK—!
She practically yells in that direction.
You jump up, grabbing the sampling gear to shield yourselves, but it ends up in vain.
Even as Vanessa charges into the Red Tide, she looks no larger than a hummingbird before the towering waves.
The red blade falls, and death closes in—
But death does not come.
With your mind overwhelmed by the Punishing Virus, you see a small red wing appear between you and the surging Red Tide just before you pass out.
Luna.
