Story Reader / Main Story / 31 Shaper's Ripples / Story
>>Requesting data resynchronization
>>Searching for records related to <color=#ff4e4eff>Project String</color>:
Success_
Some data has been deleted by a secondary authority and is unreadable. Proceed with synchronization from this point anyway?
Confirm_
The human vanguard team completed the simulation tests for <color=#ff4e4eff>Project String</color> and officially entered the Hetero Tower carrying the "Key".
The "Key" possessed by the vanguard team is divided into an input end and a receiving end.
The input end is held by team member No. 7, Nemo, who is designated for sacrifice, while the receiving end is held by Dominik.
A vulnerability has been detected in the "Key" possessed by the humans.
This could be our chance.
The core itself is part of the Hetero Tower. Its mere removal would open the Gateway.
Their flawed "Key" will serve perfectly to expand the Gateway's range.
Next, I will exploit the "Key's" vulnerability to open the Gateway and push Dominik and the entire vanguard team into the Fog behind the Gate.
For those who dare toy with time, there is no more fitting end than to be devoured by the Fog, a place where time itself no longer exists.
Humans... No, eliminating Dominik alone will leave humanity helpless. The others are merely collateral casualties.
The moment you grasp that false hope, I shall bestow upon you true despair.
>>>>>Hacking into the receiving end of the "Key"
>>Traction module preload completed
>>Countdown... 3...
>>Countdown... 2...
>>Countdown... 1...
The Gateway has opened. Dominik has been successfully cast into the Fog, with no means of return.
...
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Log Update: The Hetero Tower's core has been melted down.
All members of the human vanguard team have fallen into the Fog.
Once again, Cradle approaches the Hetero Tower's core, a sight she hasn't seen in a very long time.
Directly ahead, Vonnegut's gaze fixes upon her.
We meet again, Mr. Vonnegut.
The girl curtsies with a lift of her dress, yet the agent remains unresponsive—opting instead to smooth out the creases in his gloves.
A pristine blue light shimmers silently behind Vonnegut, and the radiance emanating from the Hetero Tower's core elicits unmistakable displeasure in Cradle's heart.
By human custom, I should first express my full respects to you, but unfortunately...
I'm rather pressed for time now, thanks to your schemes.
In a flash, the scythe blade cuts through the lingering echo and flies toward the Hetero Tower's core. A fierce red light streaks forward, only to collide with a wall of brilliant blue.
The thunderous collision heralds the beginning of their battle. Vonnegut remains perfectly still, merely turning his wrist to reposition the force field, once again intercepting Cradle's assault.
Sparks burst forth where blade meets shield, their flashing light reflecting in those eyes of deep gold and bright crimson.
It's about time you tell me who you really are! How do you know my Hetero Tower so well?
Vonnegut remains silent.
The Hetero Tower's core continuously absorbs the Punishing Virus that fuels their actions—this deadlock only serves to drain both sides' energy needlessly.
Moreover, the man before her shows no signs of fatigue. Only the Punishing concentration surrounding him has slightly decreased from its previous levels.
Upon this realization, Cradle relinquishes her power and pulls back, steadying her scythe against the ground to pause her assault.
Just before the girl can steady herself, the agent gives a slight shake of his head.
This subtle gesture sends countless possibilities racing through Cradle's mind, but before she can speak with composure, her body trembles upon an instinctive warning of danger.
？！
She immediately looks down, only to find her own wide-eyed reflection staring back from the blade protruding through her chest.
The blade, thrusted into her back, pierces straight through her chest.
Before Cradle can even react, the assassin behind her twists the blade and violently wrenches it sideways through her body.
Watching as the blade threatens to slice her body apart, Cradle has no choice but to grab the edge with her bare hands—Red Tide seeps from her wound, washing over her deathly pale knuckles.
—SNAP!
The assassin's weapon shatters, its broken surface reflecting the girl's rare expression of gravity.
Cradle realizes her strength is draining away far too quickly.
Yet, that gravity soon gives way to her usual demeanor as Cradle turns around with a smile, her blood-soaked fingers idly toying with the broken blade.
You've finally shown yourself, Chaos.
Cradle extends both arms towards Chaos—an invitation presented as an embrace.
Chaos tosses aside the remaining half of the blade, using her small frame to slip past Cradle's interception and swiftly retreat behind the force field.
Only now does Cradle notice that Chaos' body has grown considerably since their last encounter.
Last time we met, you could barely walk on your own. Now look at you—no longer a doll but something more human.
This seems quite unusual. Perhaps her own abnormality and the gradually haywire Red Tide have something to do with Chaos?
As these thoughts cross her mind, Cradle dispels her scythe. The Red Tide, having come along with her, swirls around her legs, and from its roiling waters emerge numerous Hetero-Creatures, their nascent forms taking first strides.
No, I've been like this for a while now.
...!
The girl waits no longer, striking the newly manifested harp in her arms.
The Hetero Tower yields to its original master as the Red Tide surges forth. Countless red butterflies and Hetero-Creatures answer her call, once again surrounding the blue core.
Meanwhile, the girl's eyes bore into Chaos like a curse, an unrelenting gaze that refuses to let go.
You can erase my memories?
No... You've consumed too much that's hard to "digest." The chaos in your memories is just a side effect.
...So it's that commandant?
She can afford no further delay.
The Hetero-Creatures unleash another barrage of attacks, masking a fatal blow within their assault.
Even a barrier of such formidable strength cannot withstand <phonetic=Agent Zero's>Cradle's</phonetic> full power unleashed within the Hetero Tower.
Chaos swiftly glides behind Vonnegut, using his body as an impromptu shield.
...!
The steadfast barrier erected by the agent's hands remains resolute against the fierce onslaught.
As the crimson light from the impact still lingers, Chaos leaps into the air, her fingertips pressed against Cradle's chest. The touch freezes Cradle in place, rendering her unable to move even half a step.
—That is precisely where the <phonetic=her consciousness>"fruit"</phonetic> has taken its deepest root
You piece of...!
Chaos' lifeless eyes reflect Cradle's fury born of humiliation, a rather unusual sight.
Her body rebels against her will, refusing to move. Cradle's eyes remain fixed on Chaos, who has already raised her other arm high above.
The target is clear—Cradle's head.
Enough! Let go of Cradle!
Chaos' movement freezes at those words.
...Ha...
—This isn't the first time. Just as before, Vonnegut abruptly halts the attack once more.
You weren't ready last time, so it's still the same case now?
Well, then...
Even with her body immobilized, she can still broadcast commands as Agent Zero to the unrestrained Hetero-Creatures.
...Kill her!
The girl stands before the azure light she despises, her deafening command to her creations reverberating through the air.
Chaos.
The agent points to the evacuation tunnel constructed with the force field. His usually unshakeable composure shows its first crack in the face of Chaos' reckless actions.
—So, now is the time.
Cradle sits steady amidst a swarm of crimson butterflies, letting them carry her aloft. She soars past Vonnegut, who holds back the tide of Hetero-Creatures, as she launches herself toward the massive blue core.
Gotcha. This is my real target all along.
...!
All rationality vanishes as her figure leaps toward the core.
Chaos charges through the surging enemies, springing forward and leaping across countless heads to reach Cradle above.
The blue core sets both figures ablaze as they draw near. While Cradle remains protected by her butterflies, Chaos' body begins to dissolve piece by piece.
Yet she shows no intention of retreating. Instead, she uses her dissolving body as a barrier, desperately trying to keep Cradle from reaching the core.
Not bad.
Under the dazzling blue light, the girl breaks into a radiant smile, but when her curved eyes widen, they reveal nothing but coldness.
At last, I've caught you, Chaos...!
Cradle opens her arms and holds Chaos tight, turning a tender embrace into an instrument of murder.
As if reuniting with a long-lost family member, the girl tightens her hold until it becomes a cage. She buries her face in the doll's neck, crushing what should have been a space for tender intimacy.
Let me have a taste of you.
Her lips curl up as the Red Tide's crimson hue seeps between her teeth.
Then, the girl sinks her teeth into the doll's neck, relishing and devouring the desire she has craved for so long.
Pressing her pierced chest against the culprit's, Cradle focuses her entire being on reclaiming the "control" that rightfully belongs to her from Chaos' body.
Countless fragments of information, along with Chaos' "flesh and blood," flood into Cradle's consciousness.
Some are memories from before the "birth" of the doll.
Some are stories from her "present" existence.
Deep within these fragments, a fleeting image surfaces of Vonnegut conversing with Chaos, sending an unsettling wave of familiarity through every fiber of Cradle's being.
A face both foreign and familiar materializes before her eyes, and she hears her trembling voice asking a question—whether from her own lips or Agent Zero's, she cannot tell.
...Dominik...?
This is the final step.
Sheltered behind layers of force fields, the human leader held up an inscrutable device and handed it to the vanguard team member No. 7 standing before him.
But will this really work? Can this "Key" made from Hetero crystals truly melt down the Hetero Tower's core?
If we gain nothing from this, and we lose another team member...
Keep your chin up. The simulation test was successful.
...Nemo...
The vanguard team member No. 7, known as "Nemo", pat his teammate's shoulder as a final gesture of comfort.
But Dominik said even simulation tests can't provide absolute certainty.
This is our only option left. We have to try it, whether it succeeds or not.
Whether it succeeds or not, you'll...
Nemo waved his hand, unwilling to discuss it any further.
I'll get going, then.
With a heart long since dead, the young man strode towards the core.
The moment Dominik sent the signal to act, he immediately inserted the connected "Key".
Just as everyone had anticipated, a red light instantly engulfed the entire space as the Hetero Tower's core gradually melted down.
What ensued was a boundless white that filled their vision...
...
Something unexpected happened. This "whiteness" neither receded nor consumed Nemo alone, but instead devoured the entire Hetero Tower.
When the Hetero Tower's core melted down, everyone fell into the Fog, without a single soul spared.
The young man, ready to meet his own demise, now found himself trapped in the Fog, seeking the release that was meant to be his salvation within this limitless prison.
Even Agent Zero was inevitably caught in the fall—no wonder all memories related to her vanished at that moment.
Cradle continues to tear and devour Chaos' flesh, both craving more memories and depriving the doll of her full mobility.
Emerging from the tumultuous waves of Hetero-Creatures, Vonnegut finally joins the battle. Somehow, his figure blends seamlessly into the unfolding scene.
...The core... The key has seized the Hetero Tower's core...
The young man clutched an eerie cube in his hands—the original form of Agent Zero, the crystallized remains of the Hetero Tower's core after the meltdown.
Like a seed within a fruit, it stood ready to sprout into a new Hetero Tower at any moment.
Nemo knew with certainty—if there was a way to analyze and harness this "seed"... humanity would draw closer to the vast starry sky, and to the Gate itself.
This was Dominik's plan all along.
This is our only hope... I must at least send it back before I die.
Chaos, don't waste the "fruit's" connection. Keep your consciousness stable.
The doll, on the verge of dissolving into the blue core, heeds these words and desperately grasps Cradle's shoulder.
Control her for five seconds.
...We're back! We made it out of the Fog!!
Wait... Dominik... Where's Dominik?!
Nemo! What happened to Dominik?!
...
Before he could offer any explanation, the young man collapsed from exhaustion.
Hey!
...Let him rest. We made it back from that place thanks to him and the "Key" he carries.
Four.
The force field completely envelops Chaos, slowing down the Hetero Tower's core from devouring her.
The doll silently clutches at everything within her reach, her silhouette gradually fading into a blur beneath the radiant light.
Let's move out. Good luck to us all.
As the next memory fragment unfolds before her eyes, Cradle sees the vanguard members with new frames, their capabilities matching those of "Lee's".
This is no picnic. What's there to be excited about?
I'm not excited. But this is our last hope. If we can pass through the Gate, we might still have a chance to make things right.
...The Gate...
Last hope, hah. We said the same thing last time.
We made the "Key", took the core, and got people to study it... But now, Dominik's nowhere to be found.
We've been going in circles... Even with the "Key" to disrupt the Hetero Tower's rules, we haven't made any progress. We've even had to rely on a kid like you to lead the way through the Gate.
...
Nemo, what's wrong?
...It's nothing. I'm just tired.
...
...I'm tired too, Nemo.
But soon, there won't be any living humans left in this world.
These replicated "Keys" are our last hope, and you, who understand this technology better than any of us, are even more crucial.
So this time, let us take the lead.
We will definitely pass through the Gate.
...
...Yup.
Three.
Seizing back the control, Chaos pierces through Cradle's body once again.
Yet the girl shows no fear at this assault. Instead, she looks past the doll, fixing her deeply playful gaze upon the agent.
<b>Thank you for coming to collect my belongings. There's a candy in the red box. I hope it helps sweeten the bitterness.</b>
<b>Feel free to take a short break here, but it's not time yet to stop.</b>
<b>Nemo.</b>
<b>Go find Dominik.</b>
<b>Go find our hero.</b>
<b>Go find the last hope.</b>
...
The young man clenches his fist and raises it high, but as he brings it down, all his strength fades away.
Humanity is almost gone from this world... Why do we keep choosing to march towards our deaths?
Why, again and again... do we search for a hope that has long become hollow?
Two.
The core of the Hetero Tower trembles, emanating an even more brilliant light.
The young man closed his eyes, trying to shut out the countless scenes of utter defeat and despair.
Then, slowly, he opened his eyes again, gazing at the destination of this long journey.
A string of distorted text emerged into the center of his vision.
He recognized this handwriting—it belonged to the vanguard team member No. 4.
<b>"Like everyone else, I rewrote the rules of the Hetero Tower and became a part of it..."</b>
You really did it...
Indeed... They crossed the impossible river on the sacrifices of their companions, stepped through the impassable gate over countless corpses, and now...
One.
<b>"We're close to having our own secret tunnel... When that time comes, take everything we've left behind and go to Dominik's era."</b>
...
The solitary young man collapsed to his knees before the message, curling up in agony as if his very soul had been torn away.
His tumultuous emotions twisted his body into knots, causing his already exhausted consciousness to quiver and shake.
The sound that emerged from his throat began as an infant's cry before bursting into hysterical wails.
No one to comfort him, no one to hear him. Only countless ghostly eyes watch him in silence.
Cry as he should, until both his voice and tears were exhausted.
Only then would his crying stop.
Through the bloodstained edge, Cradle sees the final line of the message.
<b>"Oh, by the way, I want to name this tunnel extending from the Hetero Tower 'the Bridge Across Dreams'... Doesn't it sound nice?"</b>
And so, crimson consumes all.
