Breaking the Cocoon
...
Another game session has ended. As usual, Schulz planted various redundant and useless data in the corners of the "sandbox" to prevent Tatyana from discovering the truth of the world<//the complete picture of the sandbox>.
This game session is also running perfectly, like precisely meshed gears, without any surprises.
Except for one thing that has been leaving Schulz restless.
That consciousness<//special sample> that had fortuitously escaped his grasp had been like a thorn in his side.
That consciousness came into contact with external information<//the Projection>, developing unnecessary awakened thoughts, an existence that was supposed to be deleted and recycled at the end of the game...
Tsk, it doesn't matter. She won't have any impact on the entire sandbox.
As long as I remain the master of this sandbox, I can continue running countless simulations to find the awakened machines' ending<//predetermined future>.
Schulz clears away the chaotic flood of data from the entire system and walks over to another "Tatyana"<//another sample> whose movements have been paused.
Since you've failed too, we'll start over from the beginning.
The discarded information slowly flows back into the buffer and, following the central system's commands, begins to decompose, reassemble, and compile into new scene data.
A new "City of Sand" is about to emerge upon this sea of electronics.
Schulz watches this scene with satisfaction. This is the moment when his power and desire for control reach their peak simultaneously.
Everything exists for me... be destroyed and then reborn!
That's right... Here, I am the absolute master.
As long as I have this sandbox, as long as I have countless chances to start over...
Everything is completely under my control!
▂▃▂▃▆▆▆▃▃▃▃▃▂▂▂▂▃————
At that instant, a brilliant beam of light pierces through the endless spiral, through the quantum vortex shimmering like a magnificent aurora.
Like a shooting star, a celestial orbit.
In a flash, it emerges from the depths of the abyss, soaring high toward the horizon.
Far and away, it flies upward unfettered, reaching the very firmament.
Then it descends upon the center of this city of sand.
...
As the dazzling light dissipates, a tall, elegant figure stands before Schulz.
She radiates a warm aura, yet her expression is as cold as frost.
She has not done anything yet, but her mere presence makes her purpose unmistakably clear.
No, impossible... Are you a special sample? Or simulated data?
Schulz's contorted face twists with utter humiliation.
Impossible! I never input your Construct form data into this sandbox! You shouldn't be remembering any of this!
Was it that wretched outsider who introduced this data? No, no, no... I should never have ignored that escaped special sample from the very beginning!
I must immediately execute rollback rollback rollback rollback rollback—!
...Who do you think you are?
Tatyana opens her eyes, her ice-blue irises crystallizing with bone-chilling frost.
Have you forgotten what you truly are after parasitizing this Sandbox System for a while?
Shall I help you remember? Those days when you frantically fled through countless simulation domains, trying desperately to keep your miserable existence...
And your pathetic, disgusting, parasite-like condition?
With each step she takes, computing power that had leaked into the sandbox model transforms into azure light particles, gradually returning to her body.
Her<//Tatyana's> power continues to grow stronger.
Every brick and tile, every grain of sand and stone in New Sophiasburgh once existed as fragments extracted from her memories.
For this very reason, she could never forgive this parasite who stole her precious memories.
—It's time to settle this once and for all, Schulz.
The grotesque mechanoid tries to employ its old trick of dissolving into a shadow to escape, but its body is immediately pierced by several azure spears descending from above. With a metallic clang, it falls to its knees.
Guh—ngh!
I won't even need to finish you off myself.
Come on, choose how you want to die.
Will you stay here and be crushed by the entire Sand City, or be expelled to scrounge for survival like a stray dog once again...
Tatyana pauses for half a second, then undisguised disgust spreads across her face.
Actually, forget it. A maggot like you isn't even worth sparing.
She reaches into the void, and a gunlance forged from pure computing power materializes in her hand.
It's better for you to die here.
No, no, no! I won't allow this—
How can I accept this?! How can I resign myself to this fate?! I will not end here—!!!!
Cornered with nowhere to run, Schulz struggles with manic desperation, channeling every bit of data still under his control into beams of defiant light.
But Tatyana effortlessly deflects these feeble light beams. No matter how wildly Schulz flails and thrashes, he only manages to leave a few shallow scratches on her.
He desperately twists his head and writhes about, trying to escape the gunlance poised to pierce through his chest.
It's all over.
AAARGHHH————!
The clashing sound of metal and stone falling to the ground rings out.
[CONTROLLER IDENTITY TRANSFER PROTOCOL INITIALIZING...]
[SANDBOX SYSTEM CONTROLLER IDENTITY TRANSFER COMPLETE.]
[CONFIRMED: CONTROLLER IDENTITY TRANSFERRED TO TATYANA.]
Tatyana slowly holsters her gunlance. Neither "Schulz" nor anything that could be defined as a "Parasite" exists here anymore.
As the "Controller," she has just definitively eliminated the digital consciousness known as "Schulz" within the sandbox.
For the first time, the entire Sandbox System is quiet—so silent that she cannot help but want to sit down and take a proper rest.
But her journey is not over yet.
As her memories and powers return, she finally remembers why she came here and why she has been playing this game all along.
Most importantly, she needs to verify what has become of her physical form during her long slumber by venturing into the "outside" world.
She quietly closes her eyes, attempting to hear that voice that has guided her forward countless times before.
But she can no longer hear it now.
Huff...
She takes a gentle breath and steps forward.
Now it's my turn to come find you.
After all, I owe you such a great debt—it would be quite improper not to thank you in person.
Dazzling streams of light converge around her once more, gradually reshaping into the form of a city.
A crystal-blue pathway unfurls beneath her feet.
Just wait a little longer until I find you, okay?
She smiles up at the distant heavens.
My... Projection.
