Chapter 46
The place is a room in a commercial district, one of the bases owned by Kōmitsu… or so it seems. It seems that way because the facilities have far more holes than imagined. It’s probably truly one of the bases, a place meant to be disposable. But considering the level of favoritism from my sponsor, wouldn’t it have been fine to come to the headquarters? Well, I suppose it’s only natural since there are outsiders, the upperclassmen, present.
「For now, the disguise is complete with this.」
Kana nods satisfactorily in front of me. But there was a reason I couldn’t help but object. Even though it was practically our first meeting, I shouted at Kana.
「Then why did you make me crossdress?!」
Black hair, black eyes. The hair is short but beautifully done, making it impossible to tell it’s a wig. The facial features also make me realize the terrifying power of makeup, with the chin and nose clearly different from my original appearance. It wasn’t like this at first, but this is the result of Urairo, who got impatient with the makeup-inexperienced Kana, taking charge.
「But Father, you didn’t resist, did you?」
「I was just absorbed in designing, not accepting it!」
「Since Aika seems to be having fun, let’s just go with it.」
「Ugh… I got carried away in the moment… I was supposed to be the one guiding things…」
If you heard from the side that I was moved somewhere without noticing and made to crossdress, it wouldn’t make sense. As for the clothes, the work clothes I was wearing over them have changed to plain-colored women’s clothing similar to what Urairo is equipped with. Fortunately, it seems the underwear area wasn’t tampered with, but it’s still way too embarrassing. Rather, I’m surprised I didn’t notice.
I also notice I’ve been made to wear gloves on my hands, and the clothing is designed to hide my shoulder width. It’s true that I’ve heard the term 「gender-free」 has spread considerably compared to the past, and technology has advanced to make it easier for men to wear women’s clothes and women to wear men’s clothes, but to this extent? I drop my shoulders.
Kana firmly raises a finger at me like that. No, what kind of story twist is having a daughter make her father crossdress?! I don’t know how to interact with you anymore.
「I have certainly received the order for the parts. In 3 days, I will deliver them combined with the specified parts.」
「This is a mistake, it should be a design job, not a production job. By the way, where does Kana belong?」
「The ‘Order’. There is no actual contract with Kōmitsu. Incidentally, the current top is Uncle Tanaka.」
「The usual old man, huh.」
Well, it’s as expected. Now then, I look around. Actually, time has gotten pretty late. It’s already 11 PM, and considering I have a physical exam at university tomorrow, it’s time I need to sleep. However, on the other hand, it’s quite bad to end it like this.
The reason is debt. Since it increases in real-time conversion, if I wait 3 days, I’ll already be bankrupt by calculation. In other words, what I should do is find a way to earn money within 3 days.
Of course, it would be good to rely on glasses upperclassman or my daughter. But my honest feeling is that I’ve relied on them too much. I mean, both of them have been so kind to me even though it hasn’t even been half a day since we met. Any more than this would be pushing my luck.
So while I was thinking about what to do, I heard a sound from beyond the door, from the main street. It’s probably an advertisement, but it’s noisy nonetheless.
「Participate in the hunt for false prophets! Do not forgive those who impersonate our symbol!」
「What symbol? He was just conveniently used as a dead soldier in 2055.」
Kana grimaces and spits venom. But I opened my eyes wide and stood up at the words that followed.
「Those who participate will first receive 1 million yen, and an additional 1 million yen per day as a daily allowance. If you defeat them, there will be further bonuses.」
「Please let me participate in the false prophet hunt!」
「Father?!」
「Mishima?!」
「!!!!!!!!!」
Money is the best after all!!! False prophets are bad guys, they should be defeated!!!
April 6th, 12 AM. Sighing deeply, the bespectacled man, Nakamoto Tsuyoshi, detaches his body from the VR machine.
「Did you meet the prophet…?」
Nakamoto smiles wryly, recalling Orange, his junior, who puts on an act dozens of times more absurd than he imagined. To think he would voluntarily sign up for a quest to hunt himself. It is said that prophets can see the future beyond the future, but to Nakamoto, it just seemed like thoughtlessness.
In fact, Nakamoto hasn’t been watching Orange act as a prophet for that long. That’s because he hasn’t been able to make prophecies since 2040. It is said that activating his ability from an unstable footing within a 「fixed」 future would shake the very foundation of the 「fixation」. It’s on a different level from abilities like Nakamoto’s future foresight, which is only said to be able to see the present at best. The year 2040 being 2060 is not an ability that can be imitated even by machines that utilize that fact.
Well, looking at that figure, he may have just been an overrated boy, but even so, Nakamoto respected Mishima Kanji.
Because he didn’t have a login restriction even in Ver1.07. With his connections, Mishima Kanji could have survived without fighting. Nevertheless, he challenged the battle in 2055 and died in action. This story is something he heard from his fellow observers, so there’s no mistake.
And Nakamoto Tsuyoshi had login restrictions from the very beginning. In that state, he continued to miserably survive without confronting the Machine Beasts. That was the same in both Ver1.07 and Ver1.08.
He kept running away from destruction without fighting.
But after seeing that Strain subjugation battle. Realizing how miserable his synchronized losing-dog self was, he stood up like this. When he learned that he was evaluated as the 「world’s strongest Apollyon user」 in the future of Ver2.00, he remembers being dumbfounded for a moment and then feeling a deep joy welling up from within.
The headaches still persist. Not only the effects of 「synchronization」 at the Ver1.08 stage, but also the damage from the current Ver2.00 continues to linger. Mishima Kanji is probably experiencing even worse effects, yet he continues his activities without showing such signs. No, perhaps it’s manifesting in a different form.
He looks up at the night sky. The only thing that exists for the current Nakamoto Tsuyoshi is the technology inherited from his losing-dog self. He merely transferred the knowledge of his 2060 self, who survived by using 「passive future foresight ability,」 with no effort on his part. The undeserved evaluation obtained through trickery is far too unfit for himself.
But he has no choice but to struggle. He cannot tolerate being such a miserable self. Therefore, even if it’s beyond his station, he has no choice but to keep running.
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