Story Reader / Main Story / 33 Wither to Shine / Story
Here, time becomes a blank void of insignificance. Alongside the dissolution of time's grasp, your mind has also shed its sense of self.
Bones dissolved, flesh corroded and torn apart, your body shatters then reconstructs. When the searing agony reaches its peak, it turns into a void within your mind.
Your thin silhouette drifts through the muddy Red Tide, like water dissolving into water.
Your senses chaotically converge and scatter. At that moment, you hear a voice calling out from somewhere nearby...
No... not yet...
The only response to the hoarse cries from your throat is the endless sound of the tide.
Cold wind.
Unnoticed, your senses begin to trickle back. A biting wind howls past you, grazing your bare skin, inflicting a dull, persistent ache.
...Skin?
Why can you still perceive this concept? No... why does this concept still exist...?
The confusion acts like a signal, and quickly, sensations both familiar and foreign wash over you all at once.
A sharp pain radiates from within your consciousness, burning fiercely through that void in your mind.
...
A soft sigh, accompanied by a peculiar fragrance, floods your senses.
...Take it easy.
Someone's hand gently yet firmly covers your eyes.
The snow's glare pierces through the gaps between those fingers and into your eyes. Despite the gentleness of the hands, the sharp pain remains unavoidable.
Humans... such a fragile life form. Even gazing directly at natural light can cause wounds that never fully heal.
Your body hasn't recovered yet. Snow blindness will hurt your eyes again.
Taking heed of the advice, you ease your movements. Waiting for the sting to fade, your vision slowly returns to your battered body.
This appears to be a mountain peak somewhere near Aerospace City, with a few canvas sheets forming a makeshift tent.
Outside the tent, wisps of warm steam swirl in with the chilly breeze. A pink-haired woman sits there, cradling a crude clay pot molded from earth.
Are you fully awake now?
The blur caused by mild snow blindness fades away from your retinas. The features of the pink-haired woman before you slowly sharpen into focus.
Sitting before you is none other than Ishmael, formerly of the Babylonia Control Court...
But... how did this person manage to bring you out of the Red Tide?
Ah... Even after all this time, you still remember me. I must say it's an honor, Gray Raven... Commandant?
Countless suspicions churn in your mind, causing your muscles to instinctively tense into a guarded stance.
...You're too tense.
She raises her head, her strange pupils glimmering with star-like radiance.
Power materializes from nowhere and, almost forcibly, compels your body to relax.
Shh...
Language is also a form of information. Do not use it carelessly.
I know what you're thinking, but regrettably, I am merely the "Gatekeeper", not one who "establishes the rules".
When she utters this term supposedly foreign to you, an unexpected sensation of familiarity washes over you, evoking countless memories.
The Gateway in the Hetero Tower serves as a shortcut to another Gate.
That lady once told me about another "Gate", behind which exists a civilization without life.
It's collecting civilizations that have mastered Zero-point Energy and testing them. Those whose development is deemed unbalanced or incorrect have their data harvested and brought back through the "Gate" to grow.
In terms you would understand, this place... is what lies beyond the "Gate".
This is the space that remains after the "Gateway" connected to the Hetero Tower was recycled.
This place is both a graveyard and birthplace of civilizations, where birth and annihilation coexist at every moment.
As memories flood your mind, you instinctively clutch your forehead and step back.
It was me.
Ishmael nods slightly, then pulls her hood back over her head.
Or perhaps... you're more familiar with this appearance of mine.
With her hood lowered and cloak opened again, the pink-haired Construct has taken a new form, wearing an ambiguous smile.
The dull sound of ocean waves floods your mind as a realization dawns upon you—the mysterious pink-haired figure who had "killed you" multiple times... is also Ishmael.
Don't you already know my name? I'm Ishmael.
Her hood sways gently, as if she's quietly laughing.
Though occasionally, some call me "the Merciful One".
Information always becomes distorted in the process of transmission.
"Gives one extra chance to whoever she deems suitable, regardless of whether they are good or evil, friend or foe"...
That's just a rumor that got out of hand. What I do is simply give people with unfinished business a chance when I happen to be in a good mood.
That assertion is inaccurate. There seems to be a misunderstanding. The Punishing Virus isn't a trial I introduced to human civilization.
I am merely the "Gatekeeper", an observer from somewhere far more distant, a...
Ishmael's fingertips wave gently as light and shadows formed from pure energy gather and disperse.
...projection.
She ascends upon unfamiliar stars with light at her back, accompanied by fragmented whispers echoing between the crevices of dreams.
Gray Raven Commandant... Who are you, exactly?
Can you see beyond the ordinary world, like me?
Is all that's left here just a projection, like me?
Somewhere near the city corrupted by the Mutated Red Tide, she appeared unnoticed.
Perhaps the "variable" you're hoping for is already taking notice of your wish.
Right?
She caught a glimpse of "you" sealed beyond time and space.
With this thought, she suddenly raises her head.
Ishmael smiles, offering no denial.
And her smile stirs up more scenes deeply buried within your memories.
Huh... So you're the one who's been crying out...
Do you want my help?
To wake you up when your decisions still matter, so that you can forge your own path and make your own choices.
In that case... [player name], I wish you... a journey with no regrets.
The echoes of the past reverberate in your ear, as long-forgotten details slowly come into focus, sending a shiver down your spine.
Understanding everything brings not enlightenment and joy, but vigilance and unease.
Ishmael offers a gentle smile as she pushes forward a clay cup brimming with steaming water and vibrant green herbs, a peculiar fragrance wafting through the air.
Have some tea. There's no need to be so tense. I have helped you before, if you still remember.
Not necessarily. The current world is still quite a journey away... from either of the two points.
It's just that the conditions have been met, so there's no more need to keep things from you. However, I still can't delve into all the details at this moment, because...
Cradling the cup, Ishmael gives a faint smile.
You're a quick learner. That's a good thing.
Each cryptic statement is a boundary line paid for with blood and tears. She, too, must abide by some kind of "rules", limited to speaking only this much and no further.
Somehow, this realization brings you a modicum of solace. Following a momentary silence, Ishmael resumes speaking.
What were you thinking when you chose this "ending" of yours?
Leaving the pain aside, you must've been aware before entering the Red Tide that there was no assurance that the "fruit" of Chaos remained effective, and your ability to contend with the newborn Agent Zero for authority was also uncertain.
Using your consciousness to obstruct the Red Tide is too naive a notion. Even if successful, the results would hardly be satisfactory.
Not to mention that the price of that attempt was your own life, yet you still made that choice.
Ishmael adjusts her posture slightly, scrutinizing you.
Was it an attempt made with certainty, or were you simply doing what you could in the face of an inevitable "ending", despite knowing it would prove futile?
Instead of directly answering Ishmael's questions, you shift the conversation toward this word that has been mentioned multiple times.
Being able to glimpse different perspectives, you must have seen those "endings" already.
In the past, during the simulations with Nanami... Didn't you already experience some of them?
I am not an omniscient god, merely someone who exists in a different dimension, so my perspective differs from yours.
Now...
She extends her hand slightly, and a heavy tome silently materializes upon her gesture.
The pages turn by themselves without any breeze, as crimson-gold text slowly traces itself across the paper.
Human civilization has reached its end.
I have seen many, many "endings", but in none of them do humans emerge unscathed from the Punishing Virus' "test".
Although... the "test" that has befallen humanity this time is not particularly fair.
She furrows her brow, looking somewhat troubled.
To put it simply...
Do you remember the dream of "Nemo" that you once witnessed?
"Nemo" and "Dominik" were from the same world... By the way, you can think of this "world" as another "universe", or "dimension", or... whatever other concept works for you.
In that "world", they invented the time travel capsule, and from within it, a substance called "Heteromer Crystal" was discovered.
Afterward, the mysterious crystal of unknown origin enveloped the entire time travel capsule...
Yes, you can think of it that way.
That was the "test" for their world, which they named "Chaos Contamination".
But unfortunately, their world did not pass the "test". The Heteromer Crystal completely enveloped the time travel capsule, transforming into a tower that reached the heavens, and then... the "vanguard team" set off.
She narrates these earth-shattering "feats" with complete nonchalance.
I won't elaborate further on the subsequent "story". You've already glimpsed it through those dreams.
Memories buried deep in your mind resurface one by one, and you recall your conversation with Vonnegut in that tattered room.
...Due to their carelessness in leaving a leak, the contaminating memetic followed their trail and entered this "world".
Otherwise... even though Zero-point Energy brought the Punishing Virus, the Hetero Tower shouldn't have emerged so early.
As if having confirmed a doubt, Ishmael closes her book.
As for what happened afterward, you already know all that.
Nemo... or rather, Vonnegut, and Dominik, they both tried in their own ways to save this civilization they had "contaminated".
Regrettably, neither of them succeeded.
Whether by trying to find a "successor" to seal it through their own sacrifice, or attempting to coexist with the Punishing Virus... neither approach could lead to the "ending" you all had hoped for.
She lets out a quiet sigh.
The Red Tide—the Punishing Virus—will never be satisfied.
Its only mission is "recycling". Even if Agent Zero's authority remains forever in the hands of a controllable consciousness, that "consciousness" is bound to be gradually replaced by a newborn one bred from the Red Tide.
Right.
Ishmael takes a small sip of tea from her cup and looks down the mountain.
The sinister Red Tide still winds its way just outside the perimeter of Aerospace City.
The newborn Agent Zero will gradually seize Chaos' consciousness and authority. When it's fully "hatched", Chaos will completely cease to exist.
This is a virtually unsolvable situation, so, can you answer my very first question now?
What were you thinking when you chose this "ending"?
Hearing your response, Ishmael slightly furrows her brow, her tone becoming somewhat distant.
...So you chose this course of action because of everything that happened along your journey?
You have caused all the variables so far, so you chose to enter the Red Tide with such blind faith, and my appearance has solidified this perception of yours?
As you savor the thoughts in your mind, figures flashing through your memories, you smile involuntarily.
It's just that... if you still have the power, why not act on it?
This isn't a choice, but a responsibility.
Then I'll fight for more possibilities for others to exist... whether by becoming a "cancer" within the Red Tide, or using myself as bait to lure out another entity.
Ishmael freezes momentarily, then softly sighs and shakes her head.
Ishmael's expression has already given the answer you want to hear.
A risky choice.
After pondering for a moment, Ishmael speaks softly.
In a sense, you have indeed made the right bet.
I can offer you another option besides merging with the Red Tide—
You can choose to "enter" the Hetero Tower.
The Hetero Tower has long been surrounded by the Mutated Red Tide. No one can get near it.
For ordinary people, yes, but as the Gatekeeper, I can naturally allow you to re-enter the Hetero Tower.
You no longer have the "key".
The "exit" can't be controlled, and the "key" is gone—in such circumstances, what could you possibly accomplish even if you were to return?
No, you're capable of far more than you imagine.
Ishmael's gentle voice seeps into your ears.
The concepts of "passing through the Gateway" and "entering the Hetero Tower" are not the same.
"Entering the Hetero Tower" only allows you to see chaotic space-time and uncontrollable fragments.
But "passing through the Gateway" means new power.
Not long ago, when the Hetero Tower first appeared, a Construct entered it specifically "as a Construct".
He successfully reached the summit, and... having overcome all the "trials", eventually arrived at the <phonetic=Gateway>"end"</phonetic>.
I extended an invitation to him, offering a ticket to cross the Gateway, but he refused me without hesitation.
Cradling the clay cup, Ishmael shakes her head in bewilderment.
He said... "There are still people waiting for me to go back".
There are still people waiting for me to go back.
Whatever the future holds, I'll find it together with them.
Of course, you will never forget that accidental disaster, that brutal battle.
After leaving the tower, he forgot everything he had seen and lost all the power he had gained.
I've never quite understood "human" thinking... Perhaps I've been drifting for too long, forgetting the emotions I once had.
Lowering her gaze, Ishmael doesn't appear troubled by this fact.
So, what will your choice be?
Will you choose to begin the trial of crossing the Gateway, or return to Aerospace City...
How cautious, Gray Raven...
She smiles faintly, not at all angered by your questioning.
If I were to gain anything, I suppose it would be... a new possibility?
The gentle steam from the herbal tea drifts before her eyes. Through the swirling mist, Ishmael seems to catch a glimpse of the cities of the past.
There are some things I cannot tell you until you truly pass through the Gateway.
But even I cannot confirm whether other "stories" truly exist...
Could there truly exist... another "<phonetic=ending>possibility</phonetic>"?
A possibility where everyone... could "survive"?
Whether this higher-dimensional being, who identifies herself as Ishmael, desires to witness a new puppet show unfold or is attempting to verify something through you...
Having one more possibility can't possibly make things worse.
She possesses absolute power—there's no reason for her to waste time deceiving you.
But remember, the Hetero Tower's collapse... has become... far too severe...
Chaos and I... will seal off... the entire tower... no matter what...
Unless you return with results... I will never... let you enter again...
Even if he's still inside the Hetero Tower, he has no authority to prevent a "trial" from beginning.
He has already merged with Chaos, and I haven't tracked their movements since.
Please.
She gestures kindly for you to continue speaking.
Lee once refused the invitation to pass through the Gateway without hesitation, suggesting that this action might not be the optimal choice.
"Passing through the Gateway" means new "power."
To put it another way, it means a new "power level", similar to the "Nanami" you once saw aboard that starship.
Recalling the power that the Nanami on that starship had—though it wasn't explicitly stated, she seemed able to send different messages to Earth across various timelines...
If you could wield that kind of power yourself...
Moreover, you have no other choice left, except for...
...What you did just now—merging with the Red Tide, gambling on that fraction of a percent chance to compete with Agent Zero for authorization.
On the surface now, no one remains who can stand against Agent Zero. If Chaos were still "complete", perhaps there would still be some capacity for resistance, but now...
Even Chaos' remaining power has been devoured by the new Agent Zero.
The current Hetero Tower was brought to this "world" by <phonetic=Agent Zero>Cradle</phonetic> of the past. Since Cradle's disappearance, the Hetero Tower has overlaid information flows from different "civilizations", breeding a new Agent Zero.
If no one stops it, once it completely masters the Hetero Tower, human civilization will be utterly harvested.
If... you can successfully pass the trial, perhaps you could truly seize control of the Hetero Tower.
To be honest... I'm not sure.
Only Agent Zero can fully control the Hetero Tower. According to previous patterns, only when Agent Zero completely perishes will all authority be transferred.
"Passing through the Gateway" is merely an "opportunity" I can offer you.
The reason you can have this opportunity is because your mind has become strong enough. You have earned the right to initiate the trial.
Whatever you say.
In any case, my appearance here is also because you have indeed reached the threshold to initiate the trial.
Perhaps?
She doesn't offer a direct confirmation.
As the Gatekeeper, the only backdoor I can open for you is letting you enter the tower directly without having to find a way past Agent Zero.
For everything else, you must forge ahead on your own.
Whether you take this "opportunity" or not...
She offers a slight smile and takes another sip from her cup.
That's your own choice to make.
