40-23 A Better Tomorrow
The moment the Ascendant falls, a dull boom suddenly resonates from below, and the entire research institute begins to violently shake.
The Golden Oak has collapsed, and this building won't hold! We need to get out now!
The ground heaved violently before splitting with a thunderous crack and opening up a bottomless chasm. Pipes burst throughout the facility, spewing years of accumulated waste like blood flowing from the dying structure.
Wait, Margaret...
Nirvatia comes to her senses and looks back, searching for her fallen friend's body.
Amid the collapsing building, she sees a spectral figure suddenly dart out from the dust cloud and snatches up Margaret's body.
Even though the Seedling is gone, this vessel is still infused with the Punishing Virus. It's still an invaluable incubator...
The Corrupted that you have previously disabled slowly straightens up, speaking with John Doe's voice as he stands triumphantly at the edge of the widening chasm.
He raises his arm high, firing a metal chain that hooks onto the rebars in the ceiling.
You may have won this brief and pitiful victory, but I... I have secured a future for "the master"!
Amid the thunderous collapse, the Ascendant's voice grows shriller and more fanatical.
Put her down!! You monster!!
****, you just wouldn't stay dead, would you?!
Seeing the fissures rapidly spreading beneath her feet, Jagienka pulls the trigger repeatedly.
In an instant, metal debris from across the ground suddenly rises, forming an iron wall that blocks the incoming bullets.
Heh, when "she" awakens on a new branch...
The ground on the other side of the chasm suddenly collapses. In the split second before falling, he yanks on the chain, sending his small, broken body soaring upward toward the surface.
—We will meet again, [player name]!
MARGARET——!!
Malevolent echoes linger amidst the rumbling as Nirvatia grips her weapon tightly and rushes forward, ignoring the crumbling ground beneath her feet.
You rush after her despite your injuries, grabbing Nirvatia firmly by the arm.
—!
Nirvatia snaps back to reality, staring down at the fissure beneath her feet. She has nearly plummeted into the bottomless abyss below.
[player name]...
...We've done it once, we can do it again.
Jagienka reaches out, placing her hand over yours, and together you pull Nirvatia back from the edge of the precipice.
If we keep smashing that monster to pieces, we'll eventually catch his true form.
...Yeah.
As the three of you support each other up the crumbling stairway, a sudden commotion of voices erupts from above.
—I found them! They're down here!
Over here! We need help!
As the last debris is lost amid the rumbling, Nirvatia and the rest of you manage to escape with the help of the Carthakians, reaching the surface before the research facility completely collapses.
The evening wind rushes against you, carrying dust and scorching heat. Helping each other, people stand and breathe heavily, their ears still ringing with the muffled sounds of the collapse and their pounding hearts.
Through the brief dizziness and ringing ears, someone looks up first and mutters.
Look at the sky...
The voice is soft, yet like a pebble dropped into a still lake, it causes everyone to involuntarily raise their heads.
On the horizon, countless specks of light that used to be the great tree detach and rise upward, resembling a golden blizzard in reverse and drifting toward the blood-red sky.
They dance and drift gracefully like a silent grand farewell. As if countless dormant souls are finally released, they return to the horizon, merging into the twilight.
The detector... the Punishing Virus concentration is dropping fast!
People cry out in astonishment, gazing at the mottled sky with bated breath.
The thick crimson that has once devoured the daylight is now dissipating. Like a bruise finally cleansed, it slowly dissolves into the clear wind.
The nightmare that has loomed over Carthaki for decades now shatters like countless burnt-out stars, fragmenting into brilliant, melancholic flakes of snow across the sky.
It's gone... the Red Mist is completely gone...
We did it...
Hope reflects on every face that is streaked with dirt and blood-tinged sweat. All their efforts, hardships, and loss, have finally transcended the boundaries of time and space and become the radiance now shining above.
...
A single "snowflake" silently falls into Nirvatia's palm. Feeling its faint warmth, she slowly closes her hand and presses it against her chest.
Margaret...
Jagienka closes her eyes and opens her arms as if embracing the sky itself. Standing amidst the ruins, she breathes in Carthaki's rejuvenating breeze and the fragrance of the wildflowers growing across the land.
Time passes silently. The sky where they once laughed together remains crystal clear, while new sprouts quietly break through the barren soil.
After enduring too many sacrifices and a bitter winter, Carthaki has finally emerged from darkness to welcome the dawn of rebirth.
They wander through the vast landscape, their eyes searching every corner, hoping to find what they had lost.
But what exactly have they lost? A childhood that should have been carefree and joyful? Or perhaps a proper, cathartic goodbye?
Time rushes by, but the land before them remains silent, never answering their questions.
The answer isn't on the path ahead.
Nirvatia! Jagienka!
Both of them freeze in surprise and slowly turn around.
At the forefront of those nearly vanished phantoms stands Margaret.
She wears the familiar school uniform they remember, her face bearing the warmest, most carefree smile from their memories, as if the twenty years of suffering have never happened.
She smiles and waves her arm, just as she has when they first met and when they parted.
As the gentle breeze blows, more familiar silhouettes slowly materialize behind her.
Gregory, Alyosha, Zhang... Countless familiar faces and souls they have never met... All of Carthaki's departed stand in the distance, smiling as they watch over those who remain.
We promised each other—
If you don't forget to look back, we'll always see each other again!
You all...
The crowd ahead turns back one by one, silently meeting the gaze of their family members, companions, and mentors.
Carthaki's future burns bright and vigorous, while its past remains forever here, eternally young.
It's our reunion, so don't look so serious!
Are we supposed to say something together for this?
...
Holding onto one another, the people gently smile.
Let's say... you know, that.
Now, together—
Looking back, they finally realize that the answers for the future have always been etched into the path paved by those who sacrificed themselves.
Together, they shout as one, declaring to this dim and cruel world—
For a better tomorrow!
For a better tomorrow. For the history of bygone glory and the future yet to come.
In the next moment, the phantoms of the past scatter like mist, transforming into warm particles of light that encircle everyone like fireflies, gently merging with the daylight and quietly returning to the heavens.
You were here all along...
She gazes up at the golden sky, feeling the fierce pounding in her chest.
Nirvatia suddenly remembers something she heard the day she met Margaret and Jagienka—
Only the damaged souls can truly comprehend the meaning of redemption...
My enemy was never the suffering I was born into, but my broken self.
Golden threads sway in the wind, gently entwining Nirvatia's fingertips, bidding her a tender farewell.
Thank you all. I've found a more peaceful path to follow now.
Broken bones grow back stronger, bleeding wounds form new flesh... Every moment of pain on this journey has a purpose.
Thank you for burning so brightly, for filling the broken, missing parts of me, for supporting me until today when we finally revealed this land's true past.
Thank you, thank you all...
Tears of acceptance slide down her smiling face, falling silently between heaven and earth.
All thoughts and memories transform into specks of starlight, illuminating the road ahead—
Goodbye...
We're setting off now.
Hmm... So the Carthaki Research Institute collapsed as the Golden Oak dissipated, and the Ascendant John Doe seized the chance to escape in the chaos, while your team managed to establish contact with the outside world.
The young inspector gently places the documents on the table, presses her clasped hands to her lips, and stares directly at you. She remains silent, as if savoring the lengthy tale she has just heard.
You recovered the original materials from the Carthaki Research Institute, but there was no information about the Golden Oak among them. Why did it appear directly above Reactor No. 4?
I did. She's waiting right outside.
Lesti shrugs lazily, casting a knowing glance toward the door.
Your answers are almost identical: what began as a routine mission coincidentally stirred up all the witnesses of the Great Akdilek Explosion from the Post-Pandemic Age.
Thanks to you all, the whole world now knows what really happened in Carthaki back then. The Executive Court is completely overwhelmed now, like a fleeing train in the desert...
Knock knock—someone knocks on the door.
Your scheduled meeting with the military is in five minutes, little raven.
Wait, wait, I'm almost finished...
My senior always dumps these impossible assignments on me...
Ahem. Getting back to these "coincidences," there are a few more things I'm particularly concerned about—
Her expression suddenly turns serious.
What was the Ascendant John Doe's objective?
What exactly motivated him to lure you all into the Carthaki radiation zone?
And the Construct "Margaret" you mentioned... how was she able to survive for so long in an environment with such high Punishing Virus concentration?
Hah...
Your answer seems to be exactly what she expected. She lets out a resigned sigh.
[player name], can you assure the Control Court that every statement you've made today serves the interests of humanity and Babylonia?
Your car is here, little raven.
How did it go? Did the Control Court give you a hard time?
Thanks to those brilliant minds on the Council, I deal with Ishmael quite frequently. Fresh summons land on my desk every day.
She gives a composed smile.
Now that the inquiry is over, I've decided how I'm going to "reward" you for your cooperation.
You glance warily at each corner of the elevator.
All the surveillance in here was installed with the Council's assistance, so don't worry. I'll make sure they very conveniently "close their eyes" for us.
It's simple. I don't trust the World Government.
After the recent fall, the Parliament suddenly approved my application to reopen the investigation on the Carthaki incident after rejecting it constantly for more than 20 years.
Meanwhile, the BCC urgently pumped massive funding into 16 previously frozen M.I.N.D.-related projects in Research Division One, declaring them all reactivated.
It's obvious: these old men don't need the truth when they're panicking. They need something to silence criticism and boost morale.
When a dying patient craves something desperately, it reveals what they've always lacked and feared the most.
And what Babylonia fears is the M.I.N.D. technology that was forcibly discontinued during the Post-Pandemic Age. Humanity's rudimentary understanding of the M.I.N.D. remains exactly where it was decades ago.
Although we've recovered the M.I.N.D. research data from the Golden Age, the true cause of the Great Akdilek Explosion remains a mystery because of the collapse that buried Reactor No. 4.
Why did Reactor No. 4, powered by M.I.N.D. technology, ultimately become the source of the Punishing Virus outbreak in Carthaki? And what connection does the Akdilek volcanic eruption have with this incident?
It's a long road ahead. There are too many secrets still unknown. We need time to fully unearth each truth, down to its very roots.
As for the Seedling, its origin remains unknown. It may be connected to the explosion, but more crucially, it's a new weapon against the Punishing Virus; its structure and function resemble Sefirah from the Phylotree of Ousia.
She shares the critical details about the Phylotree of Ousia with you without reservation.
The enemy still lurks in the shadows. Under these circumstances, the technology that safeguards our future must remain firmly in our own hands. That's the consensus between myself and the Chief Technician.
Perhaps it will become our trump card at a crucial moment in the future, and I'll identify that exact moment to secure the greatest advantage for humanity.
So, little raven, you need to be prepared...
Once we leave this room, we'll bear the weight of this truth together.
Thank you for your trust, little raven.
She smiles knowingly.
As for your "reward"... I've decided it'll be "the Security Director's unconditional trust and assistance." Any time, any place, just say the word.
How's that? Tempting enough for you, little raven?
As for any... additional terms... I suppose you'll have to come and ask me personally.
She leans in close and whispers in your ear.
Ding! With a melodious chime, the elevator doors slowly open as the two of you finally arrive at the transit hall of the Military Security Area.
—Dammit, Nirvatia, help me out here!
Citizen! Stop right there! Submit to our inspection!
Tch, these guys have been chasing me all over! Weren't diplomatic personnel supposed to be exempt from inspections?!
Well... it's a long story. In short, she's now a public representative from Carthaki, temporarily stationed on Babylonia to assist with the reopened investigation into the Great Akdilek Explosion.
After several negotiations, the Oasis and Babylonia have reached a temporary agreement. The Rangers will work with government forces to hunt down the Ascendant John Doe.
Once we've wrapped things up here, we'll track him down together and find Margaret.
He's coordinating recovery efforts in the radiation zone on the surface. The dark circles under his eyes have gotten even worse lately.
The World Government wanted to hold a commendation ceremony for him after the recent incident, but he declined.
According to Jagienka, he sold several vintage cars he dug up from his family home to the WGAA to help rebuild schools in the Satellite City.
I think for him right now, no medal can outweigh the mud-caked earth beneath his feet, no matter how bright and shiny it is.
Just then, Nirvatia notices three familiar figures slowly approaching behind you. She smiles and gives them a courteous nod.
It seems... we both have people we need to find.
Of course. See you later, little raven.
You wave to each other and turn away, each walking toward those who await you.
But before you can take more than a few steps, you both stop and look back as if sharing the same thought.
[player name]—
You both speak at once.
She smiles silently and places her hand over her heart.
There, she keeps a "secret" you have both witnessed and buried together.
You exchange smiles and turn away once more. Though you both know the road ahead is fraught with challenges, your steps remain resolute as you embark on paths weighted with truth.
As she takes her first step, Nirvatia recalls the moment when the Seedling pierced her chest—
In that instant, she saw a familiar yet distant blood-red sky.
It was the first and last memory she once lost.
...Katya, is this the child you had with that man?
The officer sat in the trench, wiping blood and grime from his face as he looked at his old friend, then at the purple-haired girl beside her.
Her name is Margaret.
The medics told me everything. Congenital heart defects, mutism, Fabry disease... We removed the shrapnel, but with her constitution, she'll suffer from permanent physical and mental damage.
I know.
...
Katya, you should have built a happier family, had a healthy child, and lived out your days surrounded by blessings, watching her inherit your legacy and become someone exceptional.
Instead, here you are—alone, constantly on the move, wasting your youth and energy on... a burden.
Mommy...
The girl nervously fidgeted with her fingers and lowered her head.
Katya, you're a world-renowned war correspondent...
You could have chosen a more extraordinary and meaningful life, so why...
Does a life need to be extraordinary to have meaning?
She looks up.
Once, I was told not to waste film on wounded soldiers who wouldn't survive another day, and to photograph grand victories instead.
But what about them? These lives that once existed... were they just wasted?
Margaret may not be extraordinary, but she comes into this world with courage, carrying her mother's love with her.
The mother smiles, gently stroking the girl's head.
To grow with resilience and leave your own mark on this world... Isn't that greatness enough?
Is that why you turned your back on fame and fortune for that ordinary, nameless man?
Perhaps. A camera shutter only faces forward. I've never had time to dwell on the scenery I've left behind.
...
The man stared blankly for a moment, then lifted his head to watch the battlefield below being torn apart by the artillery.
Three whistles. After three whistles, we'll launch our final charge against the Corrupted down the mountain, covering the civilians' evacuation.
All our tanks are destroyed. We might not be able to hold those monsters back, so... many of us won't survive.
...I understand. Thank you for your sacrifice, Pavlov.
What I mean is, if there's anything else you want to tell her... We don't have much time.
...
After a moment of silence, the mother slowly kneels before her daughter, smiling warmly, her eyes shining with pride and expectation.
She takes her daughter's hand, revealing a purple game console clutched tightly in the small, delicate palm.
Remember the game we've been playing together? What was the name of that goddess in it?
I remember... her name is Nirvatia (ν{206|173}κυια).
And what does Nirvatia say when darkness catches up to you?
K-keep... running...
The speechless girl clutches her hand tightly, struggling to remember those crucial words.
Keep running. Don't look back.
Keep running. Don't...
Repeat it with Mama once more: Keep running. Don't look back.
Keep running. Don't look back...
Three whistles pierce the air, and desperate battle cries erupt across the mountainside.
The girl, her hand in her mother's, runs forward in a dazed, bewildered state.
Keep running. Don't look back...
Over the hill.
Keep running. Don't look back...!
Across the plains.
Deafening explosions erupt overhead, the ground beneath her feet cracking and collapsing, as one life after another falls behind her.
She ran through the hail of bullets and shells, falling again and again, her feet bloodied and raw, yet each time she rose amid the artillery fire, silently repeating her mother's final words.
The stench of blood filled her nostrils, her lungs on the verge of collapse. As her body teetered on the brink of breakdown, she glimpsed tiny figures appearing on the horizon.
Countless brave and kind rescuers were rushing toward the lone girl with all their might.
...Are you alone?
...?
As if suddenly remembering something, the girl whirls around.
The desolate and boundless plains stretch before her, with nothing but howling wind. No one was there.
What has she forgotten?
...
It seems that from that day onward, Nirvatia began forgetting many things.
Yet perhaps she has never realized that some things have been etched into her very life from the beginning.
Keep running. Don't look back.
Keep running. Don't look back.
Keep running. Don't look back.
Keep running. Don't look back...
So much time has passed, after all.
I've come such a long way, haven't I?
All this time, whenever I was drowning in the pain of my past, you were there, reminding me to always keep running...
...Thank you, Mama.
Rest easy and watch over me. I'll be brave and kind just like you were, and carve out my own path in life.
I've met countless ordinary yet remarkable souls. From them, I've gathered what I needed to mend my wounds and piece together the answers I sought.
Now, like you, and them before me, I'm ready to sacrifice some of my own happiness to spread it to others instead.
For a righteous cause. For a better tomorrow.
—And now, I must continue on my way.
Perhaps one day, Nirvatia's memories will be consumed by the Seedling, causing her to forget her past once again.
But she will not be afraid of forgetting.
Because at this very moment, she is walking the path toward her future.
The immortal legends that echo through time persist not because heroes are born great, nor because their suffering is relatable.
They endure because those vibrant souls within the stories chose to swim against the current instead of turning back, standing firm in their beliefs and the paths they've chosen.
Humanity's history is such a legend. Tides rise and fall, oceans transform into fields, every light will dim, and every life will fade.
Yet remarkably, throughout the long years, humanity has neither been extinguished by any catastrophe nor cowered before any darkness.
Because humanity's courage, their faith, their very lives will always inspire the generations to come—
The dying night will always pass.
And when the sun rises, a better tomorrow will surely follow.
Control Court
Babylonia
Babylonia Control Court
In the dimly lit interrogation room, an irregular cube slowly illuminates.
All our leads have gone cold. I'm hoping you might have some good news for me.
Uh... I've got major bad news and minor bad news. Which would you like to hear first?
The good news.
Ishmael isn't here.
Cut the nonsense.
Fine, here's the deal: the Gray Raven Commandant and Nirvatia from the Science Council have formed an alliance. They've already recovered the research data from the Carthaki Research Institute.
If nothing goes wrong, the Science Council will likely catch up to Dominik-era M.I.N.D. research levels within a few months.
What happened to the artificial creation in Carthaki, the one that's similar to Sefirah?
During cross-examination, both [player name] and Nirvatia claimed they never saw anything like that.
Your assessment?
They're lying.
She answers without a moment's hesitation.
...Is there even worse news?
...Listen, senior, isn't it about time you tell me what this Sefirah actually is? We're supposed to be teammates, you know. In another day or two, even the Science Council will know more than I do.
Who knows? If you humor me, I might just share some actual "good news" with you!
...
According to Dominik's theory, the M.I.N.D. of all Constructs originates from a mother-data tide, which Dominik called the Phylotree.
Whoa... That's a massive info dump right from the start! Could this be the legendary collective unconscious?
The inherent instability of individual M.I.N.D.s makes Constructs highly susceptible to self-collapse and disintegration when facing chaotic information invasions like the Punishing Virus.
However, certain specialized frames can connect their M.I.N.D.s to the Phylotree through specific mediums, thereby gaining power to resist external data attacks.
This medium is the Sefirah you've been tasked to destroy.
Ohhh, I see!
...So what about that good news?
Our field operatives' informant reports that satellite imagery has captured the agent codenamed "Aisling" at a location called Ezette.
Ezette, the "Mobile Fortress"?
That's right! I've heard that Kamui from Strike Hawk appears to be the only survivor from that place.
So the agents have also become aware of Dominik's legacy... And you call this good news?
Lesti flicks her sunglasses and saunters out of the shadows with a cold smile on her face.
The fiercer the storm, the bigger the catch. The more chaos they stir up, the better our chances to make our move, senior.
