Across the wasteland, a Construct squad from Babylonia pushes forward against the billowing sands.
This is the barren outskirts of Las Prados.
Step four, five, six, seven... We're here. Gray Mako, halt.
Captain Mako-1 raises their combat terminal. The previously functional device suddenly displays nothing but static interference.
Signal interruption begins exactly seven standard steps from the "red line"—the rumors from Babylonia were actually true.
The Ferret fire team's signal also vanished at this point... Did they cross the red line?
The mission "red line" represents the strict operational boundary everyone must adhere to during ground missions. Babylonia explicitly forbids crossing this line, and according to legend, not a single rule-breaker has ever returned successfully.
Theories abound, but the most credible explanation currently accepted is that beyond the red line lies an extremely high concentration of Punishing, and any Construct that crosses over is deeply infected.
Captain, what lies beyond the sandstorm?
Mako-3, positioned at the rear of the formation, removes his mask. The windblown sand immediately sweeps across his face, tangling with his gray hair.
Everyone tacitly acknowledges that Mako-3 is "special," yet in this moment, he stares at the desolate wasteland with the same bewilderment as any standard-issue Construct.
I don't know.
The captain lowers his head and begins taking inventory of their equipment. For all the fire teams of Babylonia, what lies ahead represents the ultimate unknown, a veil they've yearned to lift for years.
Their "Gray Mako" fire team is no different—but their curiosity remains purely theoretical, with no record of having ever crossed the red line.
Something feels off to me. "Ferret" has never been one to take risks, so why would they suddenly cross the boundary now?
Give us your orders, Captain. What should we do? Stay within the safety of the red line and wait for them to return from the sandstorm? Or...
Mako-2 boldly voices the daring alternative that Mako-3 had left unspoken.
You're thinking about going after them, aren't you? I'm all for it!
...I haven't even said anything yet.
Don't take risks. Do you two want your memory data completely wiped again, then get new names and be thrown into different teams?
Okay, okay, okay, I'll shut up. I just want to stay in Gray Mako and keep being Mako-2.
Mako-2 covers their mouth with one hand while elbowing the ever-silent Mako-3, whispering conspiratorially.
<size=30>(Hey, Lloyd, perfect timing—convince the captain while you can.)</size>
—Ow! Tch...
The captain delivers a swift karate chop to Mako-2's head.
I'm warning you, don't try to drag Lloyd into this either.
I think... maybe it's about that "competition"? Is the competition still on?
The quiet team member suddenly speaks up.
What competition?
The other two team members turn their heads toward Mako-3. Though their faces are hidden behind masks, their voices share the same confusion.
...You've forgotten again.
After every ground mission, someone inspects our memory data and erases any "inappropriate" content.
Which means we involuntarily forget anything that crosses a certain red line... No, I should say "you" forget. I don't.
He brushes aside his messy gray hair and looks at his teammates.
I've had this issue from the very beginning, haven't I?
...
All members of the fire support teams had their memories of being human erased when they were converted into Constructs. Each Construct is assigned a code designation, like Mako-1 and Mako-2.
But Mako-3—Lloyd—is special. He still vaguely remembers his real name:
"Lloyd"
However, his memories of "Lloyd's" past are also quite hazy. He vaguely recalls opulent entertainment venues, nights when stars couldn't be seen in the sky, and the sound of alarms during the Punishing outbreak.
Mako-3 doesn't really care about any of it.
He doesn't even care about the residual data left after each memory purge. Like the "competition" he arranged with the Ferret fire team—he only just remembered it.
What kind of competition did you arrange with them?
"A race to see who could reach the edge of the sandstorm."
I agreed to race with them to see what lies beyond the sandstorm—whether it's the old world destroyed by Punishing, or a hidden new world they're keeping from us. Whoever arrived first would discover the truth.
...You're not usually one to take risks. Why would you agree to such a foolish competition?
I thought they were joking, so I agreed.
But now their signals have gone dark right here.
Mako-3 gazes impassively toward the distant sandstorm. He's simply stating the facts without expressing any opinion.
...That's enough. The tracking stops here. The mission is complete.
Hey, Captain...
Once we've confirmed the Ferret fire team's signal disappeared at the edge of the red line, we can abandon the search and classify them as missing. Fall back.
Wait, Captain! If even Lloyd admitted it, something must be wrong!
Sure, the guys from Ferret team can be jokers, but they've never messed up a mission and they've always looked after us! According to Lloyd's memory shards, we must have had deeper interactions with them!
...
...Why the silence again? Why is everyone afraid to say it—don't we already know something's being hidden from us? It's like this sandstorm, blinding us all, yet no one is willing to tear through it!
How many fire teams have disappeared at the red line's edge now? Our memory data was wiped clean, but Lloyd still remembers! Why is everyone turning a blind eye?
Mako-2 grabs Lloyd's arm.
Lloyd, you understand me, right? Help me convince the Captain. If Ferret just... just... No, we can still make it if we go in now. What if they haven't gone too deep yet?
I am Mako-3 first and Lloyd second. My only duty is to raise my concerns, and I will absolutely follow the Gray Mako Captain's orders.
With an almost indifferent demeanor, Mako-3 packs up his equipment and prepares to fasten his helmet back on, ready to leave the edge of Las Prados behind.
That's how it should be. He only needs to fulfill his duties as a Babylonia Construct and complete his missions properly. As for his friendly comrades from other fire teams, and those so-called companions...
Here... I'm here! Help me!
...!!!
A gut-wrenching scream cuts through the swirling sand and pierces Mako-3's audio module, shattering his train of thought.
Everyone from Gray Mako turns to look, only to see a stumbling figure lunging toward them.
Right beyond here... there's a new world!
It's someone from Ferret! Someone is still alive!
Mako-2 rushes forward to support the severely injured Construct.
Identity verification complete—it's the Ferret Leader! He's... the first person to return from beyond the red line! Are you okay? Can you speak?!
He's not going to make it.
What?
Following Mako-3's gaze downward reveals a shocking, massive hole in the Construct's abdomen.
Horrifying mechanical innards are exposed, with barely any vital fluid left to leak out. Only a spine-like mechanical skeleton supports the upper body of this frame, somehow preventing it from completely breaking apart.
...Th...
Hey... Ferret guy... What did you say when you were approaching us? You mentioned "outside," right?
The rumors were true... This world isn't all there is... Outside, there's...
...a new world.
The severely wounded Construct sinks to his knees in the sand, swallows hard, then suddenly becomes emotionally distraught. He grabs someone's hand with desperate strength and rushes to speak his remaining words in one breath.
Constructs are just test subjects, disposable resources! Every time we deploy for ground combat, Babylonia confines us to this specific area—they're actually testing us with gradually increasing Punishing concentrations...!
We must cross the red line... go outside! There's a new world out there! We need to escape Babylonia, break free from their control...
What's the price for crossing that boundary? How did you get a wound like this?
It's—it's...
Faced with Mako-3's rational questioning, his voice gradually weakens.
Yes... we can't escape...
Finally, he lowers his head and sinks sorrowfully into the sea of sand.
What about you all...
Lloyd—! He's dead!
Holding the Construct who just died, Mako-2 painfully questions his teammate's "coldness."
...I'm sorry, Mako-2. Given his condition, we really couldn't have saved him. Your anger right now is probably because... Ugh!
Mako-2 yanks Mako-3 down onto the sandy ground.
What if we had crossed that line earlier to find them? We could have saved their entire squad! You just had to waste our time with your useless questions! We might have missed crucial information because of that! Don't you understand?!!
I'm seriously questioning if you're really a Construct converted from a human! Are you just a robot, or did they scramble your brain during the conversion?
His mask flies off to the ground as Mako-3's bionic skin scrapes against the gravel, forming small abrasions. Yet he calmly maintains his grip on Mako-2's hand.
You're the ones with "scrambled" brains. Even if the Ferret squad managed to transmit information back, as soon as we return for maintenance, Babylonia will automatically wipe our memory data.
In the end, I'll be the only one who remembers.
Then will you voluntarily tell us what happened today? Will you tell us the real reason behind the "Ferret fire team's" complete disappearance?
As long as you don't ask, I won't say more than necessary.
Mako-2's anger freezes in place, gradually transforming into a bitter smile on the verge of tears.
...Hah... you really are something... even at a time like this, you still talk that way.
If we return, will the Ferret team have died for nothing?
He releases his grip, and Mako-3 falls to the ground.
I'm leaving right now.
Lloyd, I'm done with you. Captain, you don't have to...
...No, we can't be hasty. Someday, we'll all see that new world he spoke of.
The leader of Gray Mako is still struggling to maintain his composure. He grabs the agitated Mako-2 while helping Mako-3 up from the ground.
Let's first organize what we already know.
I remember we've previously taken missions at the edge of Las Prados, but those memories were erased under the pretext of "trauma prevention."
Lloyd, tell me right now, how many teams have been "sacrificed" this way?
I've witnessed four teams with my own eyes.
Mako-3 thinks for a moment, then decides to elaborate further.
To be more precise, we're the "specialists" who handle these situations—that's exactly why we're here today.
...I understand now. Since we're the only ones who received the Ferret Squad's message, if we get ourselves killed here too, that would truly make their sacrifice meaningless.
We should return, wait for a better opportunity, wait for greater strength.
But after our memory data is wiped, do you really believe Lloyd will tell us the truth next time?
Then we make Lloyd follow orders—
Lloyd, this is my order: No matter what happens in the future, every time our Gray Mako Fire Team "awakens," you must tell us the truth about the world as we know it.
Do you understand? Repeat.
Mako-3 stands at attention and salutes.
I will inform you in detail of all known information, such as the Ferret Fire Team that died here, such as what he called "the new world outside."
Good, consider this a secret mission I'm assigning to you.
Mission codename?
The captain stands at the edge of a non-existent "red line," watching as sand buries the remains of the Constructs.
Perhaps beneath the wasteland, there are more Constructs who died in pursuit of the truth.
"New World."
The Punishing Virus has broken out, and we refuse to accept the status quo, to cower in space like this!
We must take the first step out of Babylonia! We fight to reclaim Earth!
Become a Construct warrior, fight for your family, fight for your friends!
During that period when Babylonia actively urged civilians to volunteer for conversion into Constructs, a person named "Lloyd" heard the call.
Perhaps he was tired of the monotonous wartime life in Babylonia.
Perhaps his eyes were tired of the San Lorenzo facility in Babylonia's lower levels, no longer willing to witness the decadent luxury... and the unbearable corruption.
Or perhaps, he simply wanted freedom. The ground is a far more vast place than Babylonia.
And so he stepped forward, accepting the Construct modification surgery.
To prevent psychological trauma from excessive pain, the staff kindly helped by erasing all memories of the Construct modification process, then assigned new digital designations based on the new Construct groupings, like Mako-1, Mako-2, Mako-3.
Thus, Mako-3's anomaly was apparent from the very moment he opened his eyes.
He remembered "Lloyd's" original aspiration.
Lloyd?
!
Here we are.
The Leader reminds Mako-3, indicating they are about to leave the "safety" of Babylonia.
Many years have quietly passed since the annihilation of the Ferret Squad. Today, the Gray Mako Squad prepares to deploy on another mission.
The Gray Mako Fire Team exits the ascending elevator one by one, arriving at the maintenance deck to receive their "routine maintenance" before departure.
Seeing the Gray Mako Fire Team about to depart, the Constructs on the maintenance deck cast glances their way, but quickly look away, collectively guarding some unspoken secret.
Mako-3 meets their gazes as well.
Let's go, the staff should be waiting for us.
Wait, Lloyd. I need to speak with you.
Just like before, after our memory data is wiped, you'll tell us everything we should know, and then we'll do what needs to be done together.
One hundred and three times. This will be the Gray Mako Squad's 103rd mission to the edges of Las Prados on the surface.
It's also their 103rd attempt to probe toward the edge of the "world." Fortunately, no one has discovered they're using their missions as cover to search for the truth.
Mako-3 nods.
You're the same as always, reminding me every time we return. I'll complete the mission, Captain, don't worry.
By the time of Gray Mako's 103rd pioneering exploration, "New World" had evolved from a secret mission codename given to Lloyd by Mako-1 into a term known by many Constructs.
Attracted by the freedom and hope emanating from this term, Constructs have begun to gather around the Gray Mako Fire Team, also attempting to search for unusual clues during surface missions.
But the conditions on the surface are worsening, as the density of Punishing rapidly rises. Each time they descend, they feel the strain on their frames' built-in shielding systems growing more intense than the last mission. Many Constructs now face the risk of infection the moment they touch the ground.
Time is running out for everyone, but the "New World" has yet to appear before their eyes.
I heard a fire team couldn't keep their patience. Unlike us, they didn't have the advantage of authorized missions, yet they ventured beyond the "red line" on their own. The entire team disappeared and was declared traitors.
An internal bulletin warned about this incident, indicating that someone has noticed the recent surge in anomalies. Our memory data purges might become more thorough in the future—report complete.
Hey, Lloyd, will you still remember everything?
As his teammate asks this question, gazes from across the deck continue to converge on Mako-3, who acknowledges the onlookers with a slight nod.
He commits these faces to memory, wondering how many will remain after the next mission.
Yes. I'll remember everything. I'll remember all of you.
Mako-2 smiles slightly.
That's enough, then.
This marks the Grey Mako Fire Team's 103rd deployment. Secured in the transport aircraft's cabin, they experience the <b>exact same</b> bumps and vibrations as every previous mission before once again reaching the edge of Las Prados.
They exit the transport and once again step onto the familiar wasteland, pushing forward against the howling sand and wind.
The success of their previous 102 border recovery missions has earned this team complete trust in their capabilities.
During operations, they're briefly permitted to cross the red line. Once the mission ends, a memory data purge takes care of the rest.
Despite having 102 perfect opportunities to uncover the truth, they never acted rashly, only venturing slightly deeper into the sandstorm with each mission.
Like ants cautiously moving forward, tiny steps accumulate into great distances. Just as they quietly spread ideas of a "New World" throughout Babylonia, the seeds of doubt within each Construct's heart await the day they'll gather into a mighty current.
But Mako-3 is suddenly struck by a powerful premonition that this mission will be different.
Unable to contain himself as they advance, he asks the fundamental question:
Captain, what lies beyond the sandstorm?
I don't know.
The Captain's answer is identical to the one given on the day they discovered the remains of Ferret.
—But I feel that this time we'll discover the truth. I believe all those "disappearances" won't be in vain, they'll finally be explained today.
All their "sacrifices" won't be in vain... will they?
Yes, and no one will forget everything you've done.
The Captain at the front turns back to look at Mako-3, his voice deadly serious.
The souls of Babylonia, whether they be dormant Constructs or frozen humans, all close their eyes to the truth.
And you, Lloyd, are the only soul with open eyes.
In each "cycle," you choose to awaken us. You say it was an order I gave you before a memory wipe, but I know it means far more to you than just an order.
You also want to see the new world beyond the sandstorm, to escape the stagnant waters of Babylonia, don't you?
You are Lloyd now. You must be Lloyd.
Lloyd, continue to guide us with your memories of getting closer each time. Tell us, where should we go next?
...
After a brief silence, Lloyd moves past his teammates and takes position at the front of the group.
Follow me. I remember all the routes.
The small band of Constructs follows Lloyd into the sea of sand.
What happened after that?
Did they see the "New World"?
...3... red...
A blurry light seems to sway before my eyes, as if someone is examining my visual module with a flashlight.
Mako-3, repeat after me.
I... don't remember...
WHY CAN'T I REMEMBER?
He should have been Lloyd, the only one who remembered everything. He should have been the backbone of the New World operation.
...the Grey Mako squad, all traitors... eliminated at the edge of Las Prados... shattered...
What betrayal? What was eliminated? What was shattered?
What... was shattered?
！！！
Captain! There's also—
Lloyd's eyes snap open. He finds himself "kneeling" on the examination table—he's lost both of his lower legs. Hours ago, a massive weapon at the edge of Las Prados had left horrific wounds across his lower body.
The memory data purge he just experienced was more intense than any before, yet it only left him momentarily disoriented. Soon, his memory data comes flooding back, as if responding to a summons.
He had learned before that this was likely some kind of M.I.N.D. disorder, but it was also the very thing that allowed him to maintain his identity as Lloyd.
I am...
He stares blankly at his battle-scarred hands, watching tiny grains of sand caught between the joints of his mechanical structure slide free with each movement.
Mako-3 awakened!
A cold, indifferent call pulls him back to that windswept desert, making him feel as if he's standing there once again.
He remembers now.
Boom—
Heavy defense facilities, utterly out of place in the wasteland, tower above the ground, unleashing merciless strikes against them.
During the Gray Mako Fire Team's 103rd exploration beyond the red line, they finally reached this place—the very edge of Las Prados.
Watch out!!
The instant before blinding light would have struck Lloyd, Mako-2 lunged forward.
The next moment, shattered fragments of the Construct drift slowly past Lloyd's face, as if in slow motion.
...
Mako-2 was instantly shattered, destroyed beyond any possibility of recycling.
He barely manages to reach out and grasp a shard, a piece of Mako-2's shoulder plate.
...Mako-2, he...
Get up! Lloyd! You absolutely cannot fall!
This heavy firepower we're facing means this must be the final exit!
Just get over this dune, and we'll definitely see the new—
The captain couldn't finish speaking as another explosion roared.
...
Bright red vital fluid showers Lloyd's face, falling like rain over the barren desert.
...get up... I must run! Get over this sand dune!
Lloyd fights to stay conscious through excruciating pain, rising to his feet and running forward like a madman while clutching his comrade's shard.
Sand grinds between the mechanical seams, wearing down his joints. No pillar of cloud or fire guides their way, no one parts the Red Sea for them—the Constructs cannot escape this windswept desert. Lloyd must forge his own path.
BOOM!
After the third soul-crushing explosion, Lloyd collapses to his knees. The remnant shards he had been clutching tumble from his arms, scattering across the ground.
He can't feel his lower legs anymore.
Legs... gone...
He examines his lower limbs, and after confirming he can no longer stand, immediately grabs the rocks ahead and begins to crawl desperately forward.
Heavy weapons need time to charge. The intervals between those three shots were consistent... which means I have...
32 seconds!
30 seconds—
Sharp rock cut into the bionic skin of his palms as numbness spreads throughout his body. His "life" is perhaps rapidly draining away through the many wounds across his frame.
15 seconds—
The excruciating pain from his severed legs finally floods his M.I.N.D., overwhelming the numbness and causing him to "spasm" in agony. But he can now see the edge of the dune. He's about to become the Construct who has come closest to the "new world."
5 seconds—
He crests the dune with one final, desperate heave, then tumbles down the other side as momentum takes over his body.
He forces his eyes wide open, determined to see this "new world" beyond.
There's nothing. Only the same endless wasteland stretching to the horizon.
—But suddenly, the Punishing shielding system in his body inexplicably relaxes.
Instinctively, he checks the Punishing concentration detector on his wrist. Sure enough, the numbers are plummeting like they've fallen off a cliff, dropping into the safe range in mere seconds.
This is...
With unprecedented clarity in his M.I.N.D., he finally grasps what the "new world" really means.
The high concentration of Punishing... only exists within that area?
Las Prados... could it be nothing more than... an "experimental cage" created just for us?
0 seconds.
The defense facility completes its charge. After one final thunderous roar, the wasteland returns to its original state, with nothing but howling wind and sand.
