Chapter 60
It’s April 13th, and classes have already started at the university. But it’s the first day of classes, so it’s mainly just overviews and small talk. After all, most people haven’t even bought their textbooks yet. And above all, the fact that it’s online has completely erased any sense of excitement I had.
It just feels too much like a continuation of how things were before. I still haven’t felt a big change in my friendships, yet the status of being a university student is chasing after me. Well, on the flip side, it’s also hard for drastic changes in environment to occur, so in that sense it’s easy to handle. It depends on the person, but I didn’t dislike this situation.
Because hey, I don’t have to wake up early.
So I leisurely got up at 10am, ate my usual breakfast while listening to the recorded lecture, and took one of the pills that was sent to me at the same time.
According to that female doctor I don’t really understand, there’s an issue with my nervous system and we should treat it before symptoms develop that I’m unaware of. Apparently if treated in the early stages, it can be completely cured in a few months. I’m not fully convinced yet, but for now I diligently took the medicine.
『Regarding Representative Tanaka Lightsword who turned himself in the other day, the released evidence has confirmed that what he posted on social media was true. As for his reason for turning himself in, he cited online streaming–』
『The return of the Orange Book!』
『The CEO, who hinted at a lawsuit against Orange in a press conference, calling it a fabricated article–』
『The new luxury cruise ship, announced to have a 1 km radius, is facing doubts about its feasibility and safety. Especially with part of tax money being used as a subsidy–』
Without even looking at the news appearing on the browser’s home page, I connected to the university’s site, leaned back to relax, and started listening to the recorded lecture.
The first one I chose was calculus. I thought to myself that I picked something heavy first thing in the morning, but as I listened, I felt something odd.
I just couldn’t focus, somehow.
I hadn’t noticed it much recently since I hadn’t been learning new, difficult, uninteresting subjects, but something felt off.
However, that thought quickly vanished and I continued listening to the lecture despite not really getting it. Oh well, it’s probably just my imagination and things will work out tomorrow, I thought.
But that notion completely disappeared as soon as the morning classes ended. Because the words 「HAO Update Complete」 finally appeared.
The maintenance that lasted several days was finally over and the game was starting. Come on, that’s way too long, finish it in half a day.
Thinking that, I put off listening to the afternoon lectures, connected the VR device, and put it on my head. In hindsight, this action was the optimal solution.
◇
At the same time.
「’Fixation’ and synchronization via HAO confirmed!」
「Apostle login detected! Estimated 10 minutes to reach this location, and an additional 4 hours for data transfer.」
「Tch, they’re being too secretive about the ‘Fixation’ and other information. Because information sharing is limited to screenshots, the handover takes this long.」
Greg muttered irritably. At the same time, the ground shook again. It was clear to anyone that this place, no, the entire Ark, would be destroyed in less than half a day.
That’s why they needed to act now. Numerous 『observer units』 could be seen below. They had all been stolen in an assault on Hereafter. And next to them lay several old VR devices.
Greg took a breath and looked back. Standing there were 146 artificial humans who had faced death together with him. Lifeforms created in 2040 solely for the purpose of reverse-diving from HAO, something that doesn’t exist then.
Moving faster than sound to deliver kicks that penetrate tanks; melting everything with heat ray emission; specialized in underwater combat and destroying numerous warships.
Even the six most elite artificial humans, who initially existed, had already lost two members. But even so, the 「Reformists」 were able to maintain this much fighting power. Greg shouted:
「We will vanish. Becoming citation data, we will disappear into the flow of time along with the world, as scum that aren’t human. We have no tomorrow, nor a past.」
Silence fell. The people here had witnessed the Scorch War of 2045. The first thing they saw was humanity engaging in infighting, crushing its own possibilities. And a future that never existed from the start. They had no choice but to accept the premise that they would disappear if the 「Fixation」 was undone.
「That’s why we leave a scar here! To show that we existed! That someone who contributed to humanity’s victory was here!」
Therefore, that was the only way for them to leave proof that they had lived. Along with Greg’s voice, everyone silently saluted. By assassinating the three factors that would bring chaos to Japan – two politicians and Orange – they would suppress the Scorch War.
And there was one more mission.
「I’m counting on the Espers to defend until the handover is complete.」
By handing over all of Hereafter’s information to the 「Reformists」 of 2040, they would prevent monopolization and use it to their own advantage. This would put an end to the abnormal situation where a single company monopolizes information from the future and makes it available to civilians.
「Urairo.」
「…I know.」
A red-haired woman leaning in the corner muttered gloomily. She had dark circles under her eyes, and a distorted light glowed strongly. Her age was unknown due to anti-aging technology, but her attire was youthful, capturing the fashion trends of 2040. Receiving Urairo Aika’s response, Greg spread his hands.
「Artificial humans, commence login!」
With those words, the short speech was cut off, and the artificial humans entrusted themselves to the VR devices one after another. At the same time, a change occurred on the monitor. It showed an ordinary back alley in 2040. Some kind of corpse flesh and metal fragments were scattered there. But the next moment, those undulating things began to move rapidly like a liquid. After just 10 seconds, the corpse flesh and metal fragments were gone, and in their place stood a single artificial human.
「Initiating 『Inverse Dive Citation Information Project』.」
56 minutes until contact with assassination target Orange.
◇
The VR device can control the five senses. This became an issue for a time but was tacitly accepted as a form of entertainment. That’s why it’s impossible to obtain external information while connected to a VR device.
Therefore, on April 13, 2040, there was no way for the girl playing 「HAO」 in her room to detect it.
「…Enemies?」
Putting that aside, Shiroinu Reina removed the device from her head while still logged into 「HAO」.
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