Chapter 70
『An emergency update will be executed in 20 minutes. Maintenance time is undetermined.』
In the midst of the notification, I land at the point where Kana must be fighting, from where I was battling Hiniru. I forcefully pry open the building wall with my blade. The wall was so hard that I had to put UK-12 in it to make cracks before I could do it. What’s going on with this wall?
「Ugh…」
In the direction indicated by the transmitter signal, a reddish-black liquid is splattered. I can’t proceed further as Apollyon, so I open the cockpit and get off, holding my 「Beast Slayer」. The disgusting sensation and stench at my feet engulf my body. I’ll definitely take a bath when I log out.
The interior is nothing more than an ordinary building after all. However, a strange sight could be seen through the open door.
Countless VR devices. Perhaps over 100? Around them lie destroyed weapons, corpses, chunks of flesh, and blood, a full set. Over 100 units, how luxurious, I look at them with an unconcerned eye, but then I notice a moving shadow among them.
「Is that you, Father…?」
Amidst the sea of blood, only that silver still retained its luster. Although, it’s a shine that will only last for a little while longer. Ironically, just like Reina in Ver 1.08, she has lost her left abdomen. As she is not a second-generation Beastkin, her appearance indicates the impending death. This is the fourth time I’ve seen this scene… No, the third time, as I don’t want to count Hiniru. As the vibration from the Strain attack intensifies, Kana and I face each other.
「Kana.」
「I did my best. The moment the reverse dive was lifted and they returned here, I sliced off their heads. They’re all monsters one way or another, so they dodged at the last second or simply multiple people returned. If I hadn’t shattered the weapons in advance, I would have died.」
Well, I’m going to die soon anyway, Kana sits down with a faint smile. So that’s why there were so many shattered guns and stuff. Not knowing what to say, I crouch down in front of Kana and pat her head. 「Mm,」 Kana narrows her eyes.
「More.」
「Won’t your head go bald if I keep doing this every time?」
「Before that, your hand will catch fire from the friction of over-petting, Father.」
「…Really?」
「Why are you seriously scared? Geez.」
As we talk nonsense, Kana taps the floor beside her. That part alone seems to have been wiped with something, leaving an unnatural absence of bloodstains. Thanking her, I sit down next to her as she takes out a monitor and a square device. The screen boots up, and seeing the device labeled 「PrayStation 8」, I immediately understand what it is.
「It’s currently stopped at 7, but 8 is coming out?」
Yes, it’s the famous game console. Reina nods as she connects the monitor with a cord and turns on the power. An unfamiliar startup sound plays as the revamped home screen boots up.
Even in the era dominated by VR, console gaming has survived. The main reason is the universally implemented anti-cheat system. This system, installed in each machine, has a terrifying mechanism where if a player uses cheats, all network functions become restricted. As a result, console gaming allows for relatively cheat-free enjoyment in multiplayer.
Well, given the future setting, it’s natural to have up to 8, I think, when Kana asks, 「Can I request a stream without audio?」 looking up at me. Well, I have no reason to refuse, so I start streaming after creating a 4th account to replace my banned previous one.
「My situation is different from Mother’s. So, shall we play for now?」
「So, the conversation doesn’t connect. I mean, I’m curious about 8 and want to play, but…」
I point the camera at the screen and search for the built-in games, but there’s only one software. Kana launches it without confirming with me, but it happens to be a game I’m intensely interested in.
『Super Mecha Battle 4』
It’s a quite rare genre of software, a 2D fighting game between robots. However, with its exhilarating feel and pleasantly rough balance, it has achieved over 1 million sales and is a somewhat well-known game. It doesn’t seem like a game one would choose right before dying, though.
I’ve played up to 3, so I mostly understand the controls. The blue protagonist machine is the character I used to play, and without hesitation, I select it when we reach the versus screen. Kana’s machine is a white speed-type. Admiring the significantly improved graphics compared to the previous game, I shout involuntarily as Kana spams projectiles as soon as the game starts.
「Hey, let me check the control changes!」
「Now’s my chance. Missiles, missiles, missiles, missiles, machine gun.」
「Sneaky, sneaky, sneaky! And that machine gun is a projectile but hits low?!」
The somber atmosphere from earlier is gone, replaced by two ordinary gamers. I get easily killed without understanding and express my anger with a 「hmph」, while Kana giggles beside me.
Giggling while shedding tears.
「…Was it like this before too?」
「Yes. Father and I often played Super Mecha Battle together. The first time I was entrusted to you, it was 2. Inside the Ark, it was 4. Typically, I would try to one-sidedly defeat you with my quick reflexes, while you would counter with first-timer-killer techniques, Father. Like trapping me with the machine gun.」
「That was in 2. Let’s see, if Kana was retrieved during the ‘Scorch War’, around what age? It should continue until 2050, so under 18, a minor. The setup is a man in his 30s unleashing trapping techniques on a child. The worst.」
「No, that’s about the previous Ver, so it’s a bit different. Well, Father getting serious against little me was very cute. Especially when I completely sealed the little techniques you proudly showed off.」
I offer a prayer to my pitiful self in 「HAO」. Whether it’s Reina or Kana, maybe there’s a flag where they become allies if you beat them in a game, I suddenly think.
「Don’t do squats just because you’re frustrated.」
「I was doing that!? To a child a decade younger than me!?」
And my foolishness level rises further. What kind of idiot would taunt his stepdaughter with squats? That’s why you raise a daughter who tries to make her stepfather crossdress in the future. Have a little more self-control.
The stream seems to be gradually gathering viewers. Although the growth is lower than last time, the comment section appears to be lively. However, I have to ignore it as I’ll lose the game if I look that way. Or rather, I’ve been continuously killed by projectiles for a while now. Your bad personality is showing, Kana.
『Is this Orange’s stream? He’s just been gaming the whole time.』
『Nice bait.』
『A sponsored stream for the latest Super Mecha Battle?』
『No, what’s with this quality? The attention to detail is crazy.』
『Umm, I see viscera in the background.』
『Is that rumor about the future true? What’s with a live stream of an unreleased game???』
On-screen, my machine is being mercilessly and one-sidedly crushed. Kana laughs as she continues to fire missiles within the game.
「When Father didn’t know how to deal with me, he chose this game as a way to communicate.」
「That’s not something you should say while beating me up.」
「The first time I became interested was about 30 minutes after we started when Father started losing and getting irritated. This is about Ver 2.00, but I, who had been emotionless even after leaving the research lab, honestly thought I wanted to see more of your cute, frustrated face.」
「Even if you try to make it sound like a good story, it’s… And weren’t there other things that moved your emotions?」
「There were people who provided for me. I was grateful, but that was all. So, if there’s a difference with Father, it might be whether it clicked with my fetish or not. The prophet who will save the world, the leader of a major national-level force, is losing to a child in a game and looking very frustrated, you know?」
「Is that the fetish of all Beastkin!?」
「Since I have half of Mother’s genes synthesized in me, maybe the other daughters are the same too.」
She then spoke about how they were able to go beyond the relationship of simply entrusting and being entrusted, and become like a real family. Not just one-sidedly providing, but mutually taking interest in and supporting each other. She said she chose to utilize her abilities as a Beastkin and become a member of the 「Order」 to support me in 『HAO』.
Kana coughs up blood from her mouth. The bleeding from her abdomen won’t stop, and her movements on the screen are sluggish. Still, she doesn’t stop playing as if clinging to something.
「Are you okay?」
「It’s been 5 years, so I wanted to… ugh… enjoy it a bit more. My role is over. I’ve already sent the necessary information to Kōmitsu, stopped this plan, and completed the ‘synchronization’. Once the update conditions are met, this place will soon be referenced.」
「You don’t need to disclose anything this time? I have the impression that an update occurs when you stream some incomprehensible text.」
「If anything, it might be the fact that we’re making this game public. I’m sorry for making you put up with an incompetent daughter like me. If I had done a better job, I might have been able to stop the ‘Reformist’ plan in the previous Ver.」
「Don’t say stupid things.」
I place my hand on her head again. Her entire body, losing strength, leans against me. Feeling the heat starting to leave her body, I turn my eyes to Kana. What does she need to apologize for? Where is there any dissatisfaction with her who fought with her stomach pierced? Kana delivers her final words as if squeezing them out.
「I thought you’d say that. …The next me will do a better job. I will be of use to you, Father.」
「Why are you so determined to go that far?」
「…Unexpectedly simple and pure-hearted. I just want to protect the people important to me, that’s all. …Farewell, see you next week.」
「…Yeah, see you.」
Her cheeks turned red as she closes her eyes. Unable to suppress the vibration any longer, I quietly wait for the end with my daughter’s head on my lap in the collapsing building.
◇◇◇
And one week later.
Exasperated by 『HAO』 entering another long-term maintenance, I work on my class assignments. As I had been too absorbed in 『HAO』 recently, assignments had piled up. As I fiddle with my computer, the doorbell rings. With no scheduled visitors, it must be Reina for sure. The heartless one who said she had something to do yesterday and didn’t show up until night. Teach me the answers to the assignment!
「Welcome-!?」
I’m astonished as I open the door. First, Reina. Her outfit should be the same as always, but she looks somewhat tired. And at her feet is the little girl who is probably the source of that fatigue. A white-haired, blue-eyed girl. Although not wearing a hat, the top of her head shows slight bulges resembling ears. Her eyes are intellectual, yet hold a bewitching light unsuitable for her age. Even though she’s just an elementary school student around 8 years old. Reina speaks to me with a tired expression.
「Due to various circumstances, I have to take care of a kid, but I thought I should at least introduce her to you.」
Come to think of it, the Ver 2.01 character possessed the knowledge from Ver 2.00. But how did she obtain that information? What if it wasn’t acquired directly, but instead, the information was overwritten once in 2040? If 『HAO』 adopts a singular timeline rather than a parallel world theory, there’s no other possible method. In fact, that’s how it usually works in most science fiction; they bring something from the future to the present to alter events.
『HAO』 is a game. It’s supposed to be just that, only causing viral marketings and incomprehensible events. Games are not reality. Still, at this moment, the thought of 『what if』is born within me.
So for now, I think I’ll recommend Super Mecha Battle 2 to this girl who suddenly drops a bombshell statement, while feeling a strange sense of joy from her all-too-familiar appearance, aura, and words.
「Nice to meet you, Father. I’m Mishima Kana.」
『The 78th Beastkin Utilization Plan』
A plan to grant Beastkin supernatural powers. Although it mainly consists of medication and body modification, for the rare successful subject, Test Subject 0542, various stress-inducing experiments were conducted, such as expanding passive precognitive abilities through sensory deprivation. On April 14, 2040, it was annihilated by an unidentified force, and this fact was confirmed along with Ver 3.00. It was also confirmed that Test Subject 0542 had performed 「synchronization」 late the previous night, just before the incident.
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