Chapter 117 - Giving Spoilers
「What is it?」
After Kazane asked「So Ojii-chan is a devil user?」the old man in front of her didn't answer her question, but instead seemed befuddled as he looked at her. Kazane was barely able to endure that state of affairs and became uncomfortable enough to say「What is it?」just now.
「Ah, it's nothing. It was that word Ojii-chan. It reminded me of my grandchild.」
The old man broke into a nostalgic smile as he answered her question while remembering the past, and his expression looked just like any ordinary senior citizen.
The old man wiped away the tears that were welling up and said「Excuse me.」
(Mm. He seems like an ordinary Ojii-chan)
The old man's current appearance was such an anticlimax that it was hard to believe he was the same person that gave off the dangerous impression she had seen from him until now.
「Well, it has already been two years since I saw her. It's the same with my wife.」
「Is that so? That's difficult....isn't it.」
Kazane understood that feeling. She was able to meet her younger brother, but she hadn't contacted her parents yet. She wanted to inform them of her safety if she could.
「So Ojii-chan is also looking for a way to go home?」
Thinking it might result in something good with the old man, Kazane then took the opportunity to talk about the method of return.
「Yes, of course.」
The old man straightforwardly responded.
「I want to immediately return from this farce of a good-for-nothing world. Aren't you the same?」
The old man's words were scathing, and Kazane reflexively frowned.
「For me ... I don't think it's like that?」
Then Kazane shook her head and spoke her feelings honestly. Kazane at least felt like she was more alive now than when she was in the original world. She certainly still wanted to meet people like her parents, but she didn't think she wanted to abandon this world to return.
The old man didn't reject Kazane's words. He simply said「Is that so?」
「Well, you seem to possess special power as a player. You appear to be having some success, so it might not be strange to think so.」
The old man himself had the same feelings just after he arrived in this world. However, there were no fragments of those feelings remaining in the old man, and he quietly continued to speak.
「But I can't put up with it anymore.」
The old man's face was the face of an exhausted man.
「People are calmly walking around while other people are being devoured by harmful beasts, and more than that, fellow human beings are killing each other; death is an everyday thing in this world. I can't approve of the moral values that can calmly sell weapons to old people and children alike.」
That was probably a normal thing to think for an elderly person from their original world. Perhaps a different answer would come back from Yohan Simpson, who was not Japanese.
「Guild cards, magic, skills, they're all the ideas of a child, along with increases in power being easy to understand. I can't wipe away the sense of discomfort from this ridiculous world's imitation of a game.」
Kazane couldn't agree with the old man's words.
「……It's different.」
Kazane muttered. In the first place, the old man's feeling about the『increases in power being easy to understand』was strongly dependent on the Window, which only players could use. That displayed the world in a simple way. The rules were different in this world, but the magic and skills that they were easily using were created and accumulated technology for everyone else.
「Ojii-chan's feelings are because of the Window, which only we can use. From the beginning we've possessed power that breaks the rules, so I think saying the world is simple because of that is disconnected from the reality.」
Kazane firmly objected. Kazane thought the old man's outlook was too narrow. But the old man continued to speak.
「That certainly seems to be part of it. But what about the dungeon system? If you descend far enough there are connections to unknown worlds, and their structures are also created to be like mazes. Why are there trapped treasure chests in the hidden rooms? Why are they so artificial, just like they were made by cutting them directly out of a game?」
To those words Kazane replied「Well, I also think the same thing.」There were no objections there.
Even Kazane had a strong sense of discomfort about the existence of dungeons. They were natural for the people in this world who had lived with them from the beginning, but they were obviously unusual. Kazane considered them the same kind of existences as the first Signa Ruins and the Window.
「Of course that's how they seem. Yes, of course. They are obviously man-made. Don't you think so? Rather, I've thought about it, and don't you think the easiest way to understand them is that we are imprisoned in a virtual game world?」
However, Kazane shook her head to the old man's abrupt conclusion.
「That's not it. You said you thought about it, but this world is beyond anything that can be done with a game.」
Kazane concluded. She couldn't believe that the world in front of her was a counterfeit world made by someone. Although that seemed to be an emotional response, she had experienced many bodily sensations while living in this world.
Actually, when Kazane first came to this world she was checking for that. She wondered if there were any flaws. Could any polygons be seen? Were there any misaligned textures? If she broke rocks were their cross sections identical, or did they crumble in a standardized way? Fire and ice effects ... and so on. But there were no such flaws. Everybody they met was a person, not an AI, or at least the AI were so similar to people that they would be treated as such in their original world.
But ... the old man spoke.
「How about this? I've been thinking. Don't you think the creators of Zexiaharts imprisoned us in the game using some means? Those guys would want to make us firmly believe this is reality. Is it really impossible to believe that they force us to feel that sense of reality as a trap?」
The old man's eyes didn't allow refutation as he spoke his own ideas.
(I guess I can understand the desire to think so, but...)
In the past Kazane had read many novels with the setting of being confined to a game world. VRMMOs, or death games where players would die in real life if they died in the game. It was a novel genre.
However, the Zexiaharts that Kazane and the others actually played was an ordinary consumer game. It was certainly possible to play it using a virtual reality head mounted display, but naturally there were not dangerous things like connecting directly to the brain and feeding back sensations. Although it became possible to have battles with a few thousand units, it was an ordinary game where if the servers were in a bad condition there would be lag.
Kazane's imagination was stuck on how to give a virtual experience and force someone into a game world with a game that was normally played on a television screen in the first place.
Kazane was pondering such a thing when the old man once again opened his mouth.
「You've probably already realized this. Right now our real bodies might be sleeping in a hospital. It has already been two years since I came here.」
Kazane also frowned at those words.
She felt that the gap in time was the biggest problem. Players came to this world with time differences of months, years, decades, hundreds of years. If everyone was trapped in a virtual game world that couldn't be explained. In the first place this body was not one she created with character creation. It was herself, and it was so obvious she was convinced it was the real thing. But the old man didn't mention that. The old man couldn't see what was inconvenient to him anymore. He continued his monologue.
「That's right. Surely that's right. It has already been two years. My wife is sick. She already can't get out of bed by herself. After all, Airi only just entered elementary school.」
Kazane's heart squeezed, and she felt like she had to say something.
「Is... that so.」
Kazane couldn't say she knew how he felt. Her parents were healthy, both sets of grandparents were going strong, and Kazane had never dealt with anything like that while living over there.
「Yet I am stuck here. They are definitely waiting for me to return. It is hard for a family with only three people. They might be crying their eyes out. When I think about that I feel like I'm going to go mad.」
The old man spit out those words with crazy eyes.
「Every day I think about how I might wake up and return to reality if I just let myself die here.」
His voice was wrung out. They were words that could only be produced by someone who has continuously suffered with worry.
「......If only that were true.」
After listening to him Kazane opened her mouth to talk to the old man. There was a way if he wanted to return. Kazane heard it from Yuuko-nee. The method to return.
「If that's the case why not return with us, together?」
「Together?」
Kazane nodded after the old man's question.
「The method to return to the original world. We found it.」
The old man suddenly looked at Kazane. Then he bent forward excitedly and asked Kazane.
「Return method?」
Kazane nodded to the old man's words. But the next question was unexpected.
「It isn't about『the deepest floor of the dungeon,』is it?
「Eh, yeah. That's right, but...」
Kazane looked at the old man with a「You know of it?」expression, but the old man's face completely reversed to a depressed expression. He cast his eyes downward with a dejected expression and informed Kazane.
「Ah, that's『useless.』That place is different.」
Kazane stared in wonder at the old man's unilateral denial. But a guess crossed her mind from that reaction.
「Maybe ... you saw it?」
Kazane timidly asked, and the old man nodded.
「Yes, I descended to the deepest floor. With the sacrifice of the companions I had been together with for a year. I was too impatient in those days. But, I arrived.」
The old man's voice was trembling.
「However. That was different!」
He declared.
「That scenery was certainly Tokyo. But, I saw a mountain of rubble! A broken Tokyo Tower! Mountains of dead bodies piled up on the edges of the streets!」
Kazane's face paled as she considered the significance of the old man's words.
(Did something happen?)
Was it related to why they came here? Kazane's mind was discomposed.
「There couldn't have been an earthquake? Illness? Or was there a war?」
Whichever it was, Kazane was worried about her parents. Even if she returned, those two people may no longer be there. However, the old man didn't have a clear answer.
「I don't know.」
He only said that brief comment.
「I only caught a fragmentary glimpse of the situation. But, such a world, such a thing, it's impossible that was our world.」
The old man's continuing words echoed like a curse.
「I hope it will always be unknown to you.」
The old man faced Kazane with a sorrowful expression.
「My companion Jesso was still young. Up until he died the only thing he wanted was to see his wife.」
The old man was remembering his companions.
「Rucci was always talking about meeting his grandchild. He was always smiling as he looked forward to it.」
He was talking about the memories of his companions who fought and died.
「Shake was a minstrel. He was eager to listen to J-pop again. He promised to go to the amusement park with Baharo and Wool. He emphasized that it would be his treat.」
Kazane's expression stiffened as he squeezed out the words. The old man was going to return to the original world with his companions. However, it seemed they died on the way. Naturally, that was also a future that could happen to Kazane.
「To that group. What would I say if I could speak to them. That their sacrifice to reach the original world was in vain? Or were they impostors? Was I only made to believe they weren't NPCs? Were they only made to continue deceiving me?」
Kazane was speechless as she listened, and her brain was in chaos.
(Tokyo in ruins? Mountains of dead bodies?)
The information given exceeded Kazane's limits. It was incomprehensible.
「Besides. There was no Sky Tree, either.」
Then the weight abruptly disappeared from the old man's words.
「It was only partially, but there was a subtle sense of discomfort. The dead bodies were holding old discontinued cell phones. There were posters of an unknown singer. I read the fallen newspapers. The prime minister was the same, but other government officials were different. Something was out of sync. The details were subtly different from reality. So I understood. So I noticed. That world was still a virtual world 」
Why did it end up at that? Then Kazane asked with a bitter expression.
「Why did you reach that conclusion?」
Even if the words of the old man in front of her were correct, this old man was still crazy. He was possessed by a firm delusion and couldn't see anything else.
「What I saw was like the real world, but it was still a virtual world.」
However, he didn't respond to Kazane's words, but only continued dumping out his own thoughts.
「In the end, we are only being rolled around in the palms of those guys' hands. The 『Administrators.』」
「Administrators?」
It was the first time that word appeared in their discussion up until now. Kazane's gaze was suspicious, but the old man was further agitated as he spoke.
「Are you aware that there are gods in this world?」
「Yeah. Though I've only heard about it.」
Kazane heard that gods really existed during the Dullahan subjugation.
「They are the Administrators. They come down to this world, they called us to this world so they could spectate, so they could watch and laugh.」
The old man said while grinding his teeth. His eyes were burning with hatred.
「And one god also comes to the Grand Tournament. An Administrator named Norman, the guardian deity of this place.」
Kazane was sensing that this old man was already broken. The process of reaching his conclusions was too imprudent. And he didn't look like he would reconsider. He was just displaying his own thoughts. But no way to deny the old man's words came to mind.
「You're saying you're going to kill him?」
「That's right. Just like he has until now, he's going to come for an inspection to laugh at us. I'll hew down that god, punish him, and make him spit out the way to return from this world. I took over this devil to prepare for it, and have continued capturing more.」
The katana rang out to match the old man's words.
Minaka's devil resided in a dagger. So Kazane guessed that the devil's power lived in that katana. That was only half correct. The devil was already eaten by the old man. What was once inside that blade was now part of the old man. But isn't the old man in front of me still a person? Or should I already be calling him a devil ... Kazane didn't understand.
「Collect devils and eat them. Eat them to poison myself, then finally turn myself into a curse and drag down the gods. It will work!」
Then he slowly turned to look at Kazane with his eyes possessed by delusion.
「But for that I can't let you know about what I'm saying now.」
「But killing intention ... there isn't any?」
Kazane asked while wary of the madness in those eyes. But『Intuition』did not give any warnings about her own death.
「Ah, but」
So saying the old man's eyes glittered. Kazane noticed it, but it was already too late.
「Let's take those memories.」
Kazane already looked directly at the old man's eyes, so she crumbled while saying「Ah.」
「Sealing technique『Memory Blockade.』I'm a little sorry about this, but your memories since a while ago will be sealed.」
If it were an illusion it could have been prevented by the Circlet of Wisdom. However, this technique was only a technique to isolate some memories. The secret technique of the Japanese Ninja that only warps, and doesn't deceive. Therefore, it affected Kazane. While Kazane was distracted by the crammed information she couldn't prevent it.
「It seems that it's working.」
While saying that, the old man lifted the unconscious Kazane.
「I thought I would get agreement, but it was still difficult?」
The old man that could no longer consider anything inconvenient spoke regretfully.
「But if this is successful you will return to your family. Even if you like this world it is a fabrication, after all.」
The old man said, but he couldn't do anything about his companions. So he added more.
「Until I settle everything I want you to do as you like. At least you will able to enjoy this transient dream until the end.」
The old man said while he brushed back Kazane's hair. The girl in front of him was bigger than his grandchild, but they looked similar. Tears overflowed from the nostalgic view.
「Airi, Aiko ..... Ojii-chan will be returning soon.」
So saying the old man embraced Kazane with crying. The emotions stockpiled over two years burst out. But, he would meet his real grandchild soon. It had already been two years. She would surely be larger than he remembered, but he would soon see her.
Then the old man reconfirmed his strong determination and walked away. Just a little more time until his dream came true. This old man didn't doubt it at all.
A few dozen minutes later Kazane woke up on the lawn of a park near the warehouse district.
「...Eh? Why am I sleeping here?」
She couldn't remember. Kazane had lost her memory of coming here.
「Ah, that's right.」
But she remembered what had happened a little further back.
「I had to tell Louise-san.」
She had to tell Louise about the guys who were pursuing Minaka. After Kazane remembered that she headed for the Adventurers Guild office.
On the way she heard that the final qualifying match was over and that the bracket for the main event was finalized.
(The matches start tomorrow? If those guys don't do anything it's fine, but...)
While thinking so, Kazane hurried to Louise. Kazane didn't know that it was now too late.
Name: Yuihama Kazane
Occupation: Magic Swordswoman
Title: Ogre Killer, Dragon Slayer
Equipment: Staff 『White Blaze』, Two Handed Sword『Black Fang』, Adhesion Sword『Gum』, Spell Dagger, Dragonscale Breastplate, Drake Gauntlets, Silver Sheep Clothes, Sylphyn Skirt, Plasma Pants, Dragon Ogre Greaves, Indestructible Cloak, Mysterious Pouch, Crimson Saint Coffin, Heroic Spirit Summoning Ring, Circlet of Wisdom, Magic Accumulator, White Magic Accumulator
Level : 29
Health: 101
Magic Power: 170+420
Strength: 49+10
Agility: 40+4
Endurance: 29
Wisdom : 55
Dexterity : 33
Spell : 『Fly』 『Torch』 『Fire』 『Heal』『Firestorm』『Healer Ray』『High Heal』
Skill : 『Warrior's Memory』 『Night Vision』 『Crushing Blow』 『Dog’s Sense of Smell』 『Golem Maker: Lv2』 『Rush』 『Fire Principle: Third Chapter』 『Healing Principle: Fourth Chapter』 『Air Jump: Lv2』 『Killing Leg: Lv2』 『Fear Voice』 『Invisible』 『Tiger Eye』 『Wall Walking』 『Intuition』 『Cheat Death』 『Nimble』『Charge』『Material Shield』『Information Link』『Optical Camouflage』『Dash』『Bloodsucking Blade』『Dragonization』『Regenerate』『Rear Presence』『Stealthy Placement』『Thunder Chariot』
Kazane:「Mm, it feels like I forgot something important.」
Yumika:「Kazane, please wash the leaked underwear properly.」
Kazane:「Ah, that's it. It was still in my laundry bag.」
「What is it?」
After Kazane asked「So Ojii-chan is a devil user?」the old man in front of her didn't answer her question, but instead seemed befuddled as he looked at her. Kazane was barely able to endure that state of affairs and became uncomfortable enough to say「What is it?」just now.
「Ah, it's nothing. It was that word Ojii-chan. It reminded me of my grandchild.」
The old man broke into a nostalgic smile as he answered her question while remembering the past, and his expression looked just like any ordinary senior citizen.
The old man wiped away the tears that were welling up and said「Excuse me.」
(Mm. He seems like an ordinary Ojii-chan)
The old man's current appearance was such an anticlimax that it was hard to believe he was the same person that gave off the dangerous impression she had seen from him until now.
「Well, it has already been two years since I saw her. It's the same with my wife.」
「Is that so? That's difficult....isn't it.」
Kazane understood that feeling. She was able to meet her younger brother, but she hadn't contacted her parents yet. She wanted to inform them of her safety if she could.
「So Ojii-chan is also looking for a way to go home?」
Thinking it might result in something good with the old man, Kazane then took the opportunity to talk about the method of return.
「Yes, of course.」
The old man straightforwardly responded.
「I want to immediately return from this farce of a good-for-nothing world. Aren't you the same?」
The old man's words were scathing, and Kazane reflexively frowned.
「For me ... I don't think it's like that?」
Then Kazane shook her head and spoke her feelings honestly. Kazane at least felt like she was more alive now than when she was in the original world. She certainly still wanted to meet people like her parents, but she didn't think she wanted to abandon this world to return.
The old man didn't reject Kazane's words. He simply said「Is that so?」
「Well, you seem to possess special power as a player. You appear to be having some success, so it might not be strange to think so.」
The old man himself had the same feelings just after he arrived in this world. However, there were no fragments of those feelings remaining in the old man, and he quietly continued to speak.
「But I can't put up with it anymore.」
The old man's face was the face of an exhausted man.
「People are calmly walking around while other people are being devoured by harmful beasts, and more than that, fellow human beings are killing each other; death is an everyday thing in this world. I can't approve of the moral values that can calmly sell weapons to old people and children alike.」
That was probably a normal thing to think for an elderly person from their original world. Perhaps a different answer would come back from Yohan Simpson, who was not Japanese.
「Guild cards, magic, skills, they're all the ideas of a child, along with increases in power being easy to understand. I can't wipe away the sense of discomfort from this ridiculous world's imitation of a game.」
Kazane couldn't agree with the old man's words.
「……It's different.」
Kazane muttered. In the first place, the old man's feeling about the『increases in power being easy to understand』was strongly dependent on the Window, which only players could use. That displayed the world in a simple way. The rules were different in this world, but the magic and skills that they were easily using were created and accumulated technology for everyone else.
「Ojii-chan's feelings are because of the Window, which only we can use. From the beginning we've possessed power that breaks the rules, so I think saying the world is simple because of that is disconnected from the reality.」
Kazane firmly objected. Kazane thought the old man's outlook was too narrow. But the old man continued to speak.
「That certainly seems to be part of it. But what about the dungeon system? If you descend far enough there are connections to unknown worlds, and their structures are also created to be like mazes. Why are there trapped treasure chests in the hidden rooms? Why are they so artificial, just like they were made by cutting them directly out of a game?」
To those words Kazane replied「Well, I also think the same thing.」There were no objections there.
Even Kazane had a strong sense of discomfort about the existence of dungeons. They were natural for the people in this world who had lived with them from the beginning, but they were obviously unusual. Kazane considered them the same kind of existences as the first Signa Ruins and the Window.
「Of course that's how they seem. Yes, of course. They are obviously man-made. Don't you think so? Rather, I've thought about it, and don't you think the easiest way to understand them is that we are imprisoned in a virtual game world?」
However, Kazane shook her head to the old man's abrupt conclusion.
「That's not it. You said you thought about it, but this world is beyond anything that can be done with a game.」
Kazane concluded. She couldn't believe that the world in front of her was a counterfeit world made by someone. Although that seemed to be an emotional response, she had experienced many bodily sensations while living in this world.
Actually, when Kazane first came to this world she was checking for that. She wondered if there were any flaws. Could any polygons be seen? Were there any misaligned textures? If she broke rocks were their cross sections identical, or did they crumble in a standardized way? Fire and ice effects ... and so on. But there were no such flaws. Everybody they met was a person, not an AI, or at least the AI were so similar to people that they would be treated as such in their original world.
But ... the old man spoke.
「How about this? I've been thinking. Don't you think the creators of Zexiaharts imprisoned us in the game using some means? Those guys would want to make us firmly believe this is reality. Is it really impossible to believe that they force us to feel that sense of reality as a trap?」
The old man's eyes didn't allow refutation as he spoke his own ideas.
(I guess I can understand the desire to think so, but...)
In the past Kazane had read many novels with the setting of being confined to a game world. VRMMOs, or death games where players would die in real life if they died in the game. It was a novel genre.
However, the Zexiaharts that Kazane and the others actually played was an ordinary consumer game. It was certainly possible to play it using a virtual reality head mounted display, but naturally there were not dangerous things like connecting directly to the brain and feeding back sensations. Although it became possible to have battles with a few thousand units, it was an ordinary game where if the servers were in a bad condition there would be lag.
Kazane's imagination was stuck on how to give a virtual experience and force someone into a game world with a game that was normally played on a television screen in the first place.
Kazane was pondering such a thing when the old man once again opened his mouth.
「You've probably already realized this. Right now our real bodies might be sleeping in a hospital. It has already been two years since I came here.」
Kazane also frowned at those words.
She felt that the gap in time was the biggest problem. Players came to this world with time differences of months, years, decades, hundreds of years. If everyone was trapped in a virtual game world that couldn't be explained. In the first place this body was not one she created with character creation. It was herself, and it was so obvious she was convinced it was the real thing. But the old man didn't mention that. The old man couldn't see what was inconvenient to him anymore. He continued his monologue.
「That's right. Surely that's right. It has already been two years. My wife is sick. She already can't get out of bed by herself. After all, Airi only just entered elementary school.」
Kazane's heart squeezed, and she felt like she had to say something.
「Is... that so.」
Kazane couldn't say she knew how he felt. Her parents were healthy, both sets of grandparents were going strong, and Kazane had never dealt with anything like that while living over there.
「Yet I am stuck here. They are definitely waiting for me to return. It is hard for a family with only three people. They might be crying their eyes out. When I think about that I feel like I'm going to go mad.」
The old man spit out those words with crazy eyes.
「Every day I think about how I might wake up and return to reality if I just let myself die here.」
His voice was wrung out. They were words that could only be produced by someone who has continuously suffered with worry.
「......If only that were true.」
After listening to him Kazane opened her mouth to talk to the old man. There was a way if he wanted to return. Kazane heard it from Yuuko-nee. The method to return.
「If that's the case why not return with us, together?」
「Together?」
Kazane nodded after the old man's question.
「The method to return to the original world. We found it.」
The old man suddenly looked at Kazane. Then he bent forward excitedly and asked Kazane.
「Return method?」
Kazane nodded to the old man's words. But the next question was unexpected.
「It isn't about『the deepest floor of the dungeon,』is it?
「Eh, yeah. That's right, but...」
Kazane looked at the old man with a「You know of it?」expression, but the old man's face completely reversed to a depressed expression. He cast his eyes downward with a dejected expression and informed Kazane.
「Ah, that's『useless.』That place is different.」
Kazane stared in wonder at the old man's unilateral denial. But a guess crossed her mind from that reaction.
「Maybe ... you saw it?」
Kazane timidly asked, and the old man nodded.
「Yes, I descended to the deepest floor. With the sacrifice of the companions I had been together with for a year. I was too impatient in those days. But, I arrived.」
The old man's voice was trembling.
「However. That was different!」
He declared.
「That scenery was certainly Tokyo. But, I saw a mountain of rubble! A broken Tokyo Tower! Mountains of dead bodies piled up on the edges of the streets!」
Kazane's face paled as she considered the significance of the old man's words.
(Did something happen?)
Was it related to why they came here? Kazane's mind was discomposed.
「There couldn't have been an earthquake? Illness? Or was there a war?」
Whichever it was, Kazane was worried about her parents. Even if she returned, those two people may no longer be there. However, the old man didn't have a clear answer.
「I don't know.」
He only said that brief comment.
「I only caught a fragmentary glimpse of the situation. But, such a world, such a thing, it's impossible that was our world.」
The old man's continuing words echoed like a curse.
「I hope it will always be unknown to you.」
The old man faced Kazane with a sorrowful expression.
「My companion Jesso was still young. Up until he died the only thing he wanted was to see his wife.」
The old man was remembering his companions.
「Rucci was always talking about meeting his grandchild. He was always smiling as he looked forward to it.」
He was talking about the memories of his companions who fought and died.
「Shake was a minstrel. He was eager to listen to J-pop again. He promised to go to the amusement park with Baharo and Wool. He emphasized that it would be his treat.」
Kazane's expression stiffened as he squeezed out the words. The old man was going to return to the original world with his companions. However, it seemed they died on the way. Naturally, that was also a future that could happen to Kazane.
「To that group. What would I say if I could speak to them. That their sacrifice to reach the original world was in vain? Or were they impostors? Was I only made to believe they weren't NPCs? Were they only made to continue deceiving me?」
Kazane was speechless as she listened, and her brain was in chaos.
(Tokyo in ruins? Mountains of dead bodies?)
The information given exceeded Kazane's limits. It was incomprehensible.
「Besides. There was no Sky Tree, either.」
Then the weight abruptly disappeared from the old man's words.
「It was only partially, but there was a subtle sense of discomfort. The dead bodies were holding old discontinued cell phones. There were posters of an unknown singer. I read the fallen newspapers. The prime minister was the same, but other government officials were different. Something was out of sync. The details were subtly different from reality. So I understood. So I noticed. That world was still a virtual world 」
Why did it end up at that? Then Kazane asked with a bitter expression.
「Why did you reach that conclusion?」
Even if the words of the old man in front of her were correct, this old man was still crazy. He was possessed by a firm delusion and couldn't see anything else.
「What I saw was like the real world, but it was still a virtual world.」
However, he didn't respond to Kazane's words, but only continued dumping out his own thoughts.
「In the end, we are only being rolled around in the palms of those guys' hands. The 『Administrators.』」
「Administrators?」
It was the first time that word appeared in their discussion up until now. Kazane's gaze was suspicious, but the old man was further agitated as he spoke.
「Are you aware that there are gods in this world?」
「Yeah. Though I've only heard about it.」
Kazane heard that gods really existed during the Dullahan subjugation.
「They are the Administrators. They come down to this world, they called us to this world so they could spectate, so they could watch and laugh.」
The old man said while grinding his teeth. His eyes were burning with hatred.
「And one god also comes to the Grand Tournament. An Administrator named Norman, the guardian deity of this place.」
Kazane was sensing that this old man was already broken. The process of reaching his conclusions was too imprudent. And he didn't look like he would reconsider. He was just displaying his own thoughts. But no way to deny the old man's words came to mind.
「You're saying you're going to kill him?」
「That's right. Just like he has until now, he's going to come for an inspection to laugh at us. I'll hew down that god, punish him, and make him spit out the way to return from this world. I took over this devil to prepare for it, and have continued capturing more.」
The katana rang out to match the old man's words.
Minaka's devil resided in a dagger. So Kazane guessed that the devil's power lived in that katana. That was only half correct. The devil was already eaten by the old man. What was once inside that blade was now part of the old man. But isn't the old man in front of me still a person? Or should I already be calling him a devil ... Kazane didn't understand.
「Collect devils and eat them. Eat them to poison myself, then finally turn myself into a curse and drag down the gods. It will work!」
Then he slowly turned to look at Kazane with his eyes possessed by delusion.
「But for that I can't let you know about what I'm saying now.」
「But killing intention ... there isn't any?」
Kazane asked while wary of the madness in those eyes. But『Intuition』did not give any warnings about her own death.
「Ah, but」
So saying the old man's eyes glittered. Kazane noticed it, but it was already too late.
「Let's take those memories.」
Kazane already looked directly at the old man's eyes, so she crumbled while saying「Ah.」
「Sealing technique『Memory Blockade.』I'm a little sorry about this, but your memories since a while ago will be sealed.」
If it were an illusion it could have been prevented by the Circlet of Wisdom. However, this technique was only a technique to isolate some memories. The secret technique of the Japanese Ninja that only warps, and doesn't deceive. Therefore, it affected Kazane. While Kazane was distracted by the crammed information she couldn't prevent it.
「It seems that it's working.」
While saying that, the old man lifted the unconscious Kazane.
「I thought I would get agreement, but it was still difficult?」
The old man that could no longer consider anything inconvenient spoke regretfully.
「But if this is successful you will return to your family. Even if you like this world it is a fabrication, after all.」
The old man said, but he couldn't do anything about his companions. So he added more.
「Until I settle everything I want you to do as you like. At least you will able to enjoy this transient dream until the end.」
The old man said while he brushed back Kazane's hair. The girl in front of him was bigger than his grandchild, but they looked similar. Tears overflowed from the nostalgic view.
「Airi, Aiko ..... Ojii-chan will be returning soon.」
So saying the old man embraced Kazane with crying. The emotions stockpiled over two years burst out. But, he would meet his real grandchild soon. It had already been two years. She would surely be larger than he remembered, but he would soon see her.
Then the old man reconfirmed his strong determination and walked away. Just a little more time until his dream came true. This old man didn't doubt it at all.
A few dozen minutes later Kazane woke up on the lawn of a park near the warehouse district.
「...Eh? Why am I sleeping here?」
She couldn't remember. Kazane had lost her memory of coming here.
「Ah, that's right.」
But she remembered what had happened a little further back.
「I had to tell Louise-san.」
She had to tell Louise about the guys who were pursuing Minaka. After Kazane remembered that she headed for the Adventurers Guild office.
On the way she heard that the final qualifying match was over and that the bracket for the main event was finalized.
(The matches start tomorrow? If those guys don't do anything it's fine, but...)
While thinking so, Kazane hurried to Louise. Kazane didn't know that it was now too late.
Name: Yuihama Kazane
Occupation: Magic Swordswoman
Title: Ogre Killer, Dragon Slayer
Equipment: Staff 『White Blaze』, Two Handed Sword『Black Fang』, Adhesion Sword『Gum』, Spell Dagger, Dragonscale Breastplate, Drake Gauntlets, Silver Sheep Clothes, Sylphyn Skirt, Plasma Pants, Dragon Ogre Greaves, Indestructible Cloak, Mysterious Pouch, Crimson Saint Coffin, Heroic Spirit Summoning Ring, Circlet of Wisdom, Magic Accumulator, White Magic Accumulator
Level : 29
Health: 101
Magic Power: 170+420
Strength: 49+10
Agility: 40+4
Endurance: 29
Wisdom : 55
Dexterity : 33
Spell : 『Fly』 『Torch』 『Fire』 『Heal』『Firestorm』『Healer Ray』『High Heal』
Skill : 『Warrior's Memory』 『Night Vision』 『Crushing Blow』 『Dog’s Sense of Smell』 『Golem Maker: Lv2』 『Rush』 『Fire Principle: Third Chapter』 『Healing Principle: Fourth Chapter』 『Air Jump: Lv2』 『Killing Leg: Lv2』 『Fear Voice』 『Invisible』 『Tiger Eye』 『Wall Walking』 『Intuition』 『Cheat Death』 『Nimble』『Charge』『Material Shield』『Information Link』『Optical Camouflage』『Dash』『Bloodsucking Blade』『Dragonization』『Regenerate』『Rear Presence』『Stealthy Placement』『Thunder Chariot』
Kazane:「Mm, it feels like I forgot something important.」
Yumika:「Kazane, please wash the leaked underwear properly.」
Kazane:「Ah, that's it. It was still in my laundry bag.」
thanks for the new chapter~
ReplyDeleteuwaah, giving spoiler and then erasing her memories...
I get why he did that, but did he ever entertain the idea of the large time difference discrepancy of Kazane’s group (though he most likely doesn’t know of it). It goes to a length of centuries past even thou they all departed within a small period of time.
ReplyDeleteOr this could be a parallel world summon, so this realm acts like its nexus, with holes to different realities of those that have been brought there.
I doubt it would help even if he learned it. His mind has already broken down and created a fixed 'story' that he believes and nothing will bend it at this point.
Deleteif he knows the truth and what he believes is proven wrong, his mind will completely break for sure like mindless demon lords in desumachi series
DeleteThanks for the chapter
ReplyDeleteI really like this novel, but the hole mind wipe feels kinda I don't irritating?
Well if it is resolved in a few chaps then i can live with it, if not I might stop reading...
It wasn't a Memory Wipe, it was a Memory Blockage, like temporary amnesia so the memory will come back in time. Most likely so the guy can talk and complete his plan with a weight off his chest then the memory comes back after his fight with the admin (win or loss). I give the memory block 3 days, tops. (idk how many chapters that will be, cause his talk seems more like an info drop)
Deleteknowing it's memory block not erase, I believe kazane's memory of that information will come back
DeleteThanks for the new chapter!
ReplyDelete