Conference Room
Babylonia
Babylonia, Conference Room.
And that concludes the data report transmitted back by Chrome.
The screen freezes on a pool of thick, crimson liquid, its surface twisting—the original form now barely recognizable.
Fragmented metallic limbs of fallen Constructs protrude from the morass, clotted with malformed chunks of flesh...
And faces.
Amid the undulating mass, several disturbingly serene faces rise to the surface.
Rargh... Squeak... Rargh...
They murmur in indistinct whispers, their voices weaving a haunting, almost cheerful melody beyond comprehension.
...
At the end of the report, the Gray Raven Commandant left a message, saying that they were about to head to the lower second level of the aquarium.
The Punishing Virus concentration is higher there, so they were concerned about potential delays in transmitting future reports. As a precaution, they relayed this information ahead of time.
The Science Council's takeaway is that... the Red Tide is mutating.
From Corrupted to the Red Tide.
From the Red Tide to those...
If those...
She deliberates for a long moment, unable to find more suitable words to describe that grotesque mass of flesh.
Those "Hetero-Creatures" in the Red Tide... If they were not illusions created by the Ascendants, then...
Then what the Gray Raven Commandant saw in the vision—that "Lithos is accelerating the evolution of Hetero-Creatures through the Red Tide"—would be an established fact.
The projected screen displays a series of images, clearly illustrating this fact.
We've got to put a stop to this. Those Omega Weapons...
No, that's not going to cut it. These are just "predictions," and they won't be enough to get Parliament to sign off on using the Omega Weapons we salvaged from the moon.
Right now, the moon is the only place where we can even make Omega Weapons. For a lot of people, these weapons mean their best hope of taking back Earth.
He can practically hear the arguments now:
"Producing Omega Weapons requires zero-point energy. Right now, the only place in our controlled territories with zero-point reactors is the lunar base."
"We can't throw away our long-term future for a quick win."
The mere fact that the Purifying Force Captain and Vice-Captain are lost to the aquarium won't be enough to sway those councilors. Even the Red Tide Influx alone won't make them abandon their hopes for the zero-point reactors.
Unless...
Unless a greater threat emerges—something that puts the surface itself at risk, threatens Babylonia, and puts... their "interests" on the line.
Celica, mark the Red Tide Influx's entry point. Based on its spread rate, pinpoint all nearby conservation areas that'll be impacted.
...
President, once the Red Tide spreads, it'll impact a total of 13 conservation areas and multiple plantations in the surrounding areas... Here's all of them.
Hah. Just like you to do that.
Well, everyone's got something they care about.
Speaking of which... how's the lunar base inspection shaping up?
15.21% done. Hauling the engineering gear takes ages. It'll be at least another four or five days till it's wrapped up.
The meeting room goes absolutely quiet. A faint sound comes from outside the door—it's Asimov.
President Hassen, Commander Nikola, we've processed the data report you just sent over. The analytical and simulation results are ready.
And the conclusion?
Our findings confirm that the Ascendants are mass-breeding the Red Tide under the aquarium. The Punishing Virus in the Red Tide is already showing signs of mutation.
I advise immediate intervention. Otherwise, the Red Tide Influx will trigger widespread Hetero-Creature spawning, placing all coastal surface strongholds at risk of total collapse.
...So, if the Omega Weapons are a no-go, is there any chance we could use the Longinus Arsenal?
I'm afraid not.
The Longinus Arsenal can only hit the Red Tide on the surface. The Red Tide in the aquarium is three floors down, underground.
By the time it even gets close to the underground Red Tide, the Longinus Arsenal would lose 60% of its punch, making any direct impact impossible...
Mid-conversation, Asimov's terminal chimes abruptly.
He silences it with a frown, but seconds later, the sharp ringtone pierces the quiet again.
Nikola gives him a look, and Asimov, clearly annoyed, answers the call. A pale woman's face pops up on the screen.
Where's Stigmata?
None of your business, Vesalius.
None of my business?
Asimov, that frame was Kurono's solo project, just loaned to Babylonia as a courtesy. I've got every right to know where she is.
She's on a classified mission; the details are under wraps...
...Spare me the bureaucratic evasion, Commander Nikola. Kurono handed over the Stigmata frame to the military for free. As its creator, I'm entitled to answers.
...
Stigmata's last transmitted M.I.N.D. data was a mess, full of interference. The frame might already be rife with the Punishing Virus.
She was never the primary compatible user to begin with. Keep this up, and without a commandant to stabilize her M.I.N.D.? That frame's gonna be scrap at the bottom of the sea.
...
What about the Phantom Tracer?
Equipping the Phantom Tracer would cause severe deviation in Bianca's M.I.N.D., and its operational performance is far from ideal.
That's Stigmata's own lookout, not the Phantom Tracer's fault.
Can't accept herself, can't even accept what she's become... Pathetic.
It's no wonder she's frying her own M.I.N.D. in that frame with that attitude.
The pale woman's lips curl into a mocking smile.
...Whatever. Do what you want with the Hetero-Hive Mother's tissue in the Phantom Tracer, but you'd better find a way to drag Stigmata back.
Or trust me, you really won't like seeing the bill for her frame development.
That's not your concern.
It better be. I'd hate to see my life's work just become disposable junk.
With those cold words, Vesalius simply vanishes from the projection.
Bianca's frame...
The situation is undeniably dire. The Science Council has just received Stigmata's latest M.I.N.D. synchronization data...
The terminal's screen glows with stark red data streams.
Bianca is exhibiting severe M.I.N.D. deviation. And we've had no mission updates for far too long.
Given their current progress, they should be on the lower second or third level by now. The high concentration of Punishing there is probably messing with their comms.
...
Bianca... if I remember right, the Science Council's been working on a new frame customized just for her?
Yeah, though progress has been consistently slow.
Asimov sighs faintly at the mention of it.
The Science Council isn't just looking to churn out another frame that can only lug around the Omega Weapon. We've been trying to build this frame's capabilities from a completely different angle.
I remember this frame's core ability is... purification?
Given the current circumstances... "compression" would be a more accurate term than purification.
Take the Phantom Tracer, for instance—its primary function is data acquisition on the Punishing Virus. By scrambling the viral information structures, this frame can essentially "thin out" its concentration.
It's like dropping ink into a stream—it doesn't truly "purify" them in any real sense.
...Can the Hetero-Hive Mother's tissue brought back from Kurono be put to use?
It can be.
After getting my hands on the tissue, I managed to simulate a "Phantom Tracer reversal" effect using external equipment. It's enough to sustain this frame's combat operations—but only for a limited time.
At maximum, we're looking at five hours of runtime. After that, the frame's energy depletes, and the system will force a shutdown.
...That should be enough for now.
Worst-case scenario, we might have to roll out this frame sooner than planned.
Alright. I'll make sure this frame is deployed with the team transporting the Omega Weapons. Asimov, could you handle the prep work for its deployment?
No problem.
Hassen and Nikola stay behind, still trying to get Parliament on board with using the Omega Weapons. Asimov, meanwhile, turns and exits the meeting room.
Bianca's... new frame.
Back at the Science Council, Asimov breezes past multiple layers of security until he reaches the classified laboratory.
Before the frame storage chamber, he stands motionless, his eyes fixed on the scrolling data of a virtual screen beside him. His mind races.
The Phantom Tracer can extract information from the Punishing Virus—but this capability isn't solely due to Kurono's technology. The true source is the Hetero-Hive Mother's tissue embedded within it. Thanks to Commander Nikola's arrangements, this invaluable specimen now resides securely within the Science Council.
Its potential should far exceed mere "decrypting" or "compressing" the information carried within Punishing.
It's as if a locked door looms before him, intangible yet undeniable. All he needs now... is the key.
A key that can really "dissect" the very essence of the Punishing Virus.
