72. A: Promotion And Map

Is it an ancient but undeniable instinct?... Maybe a cruel but alluring aesthetic? I...

I don’t know... even after years of thinking about it, I still couldn’t find an answer and so... I don’t know, nor do I understand the reason why...

Why is it beautiful? That crimson rain of blood, splashing around... Why is it fascinating? That dance of black steel, tearing flesh apart... And also why... just why is it delightful, that song... of incomprehensible words ringing in my ears, as I stand in such scenery... just why is it delightful? and just why is it... Incomplete? Still... speaking of incomplete things...

“Even this recording is incomplete...”

Saying that and tapping the interface in front of me, I look at it and what I saw there was a girl... Wearing a blood-covered shirt and casually moving through the horde of beasts was a silver-haired girl with a pair of shining crimson eyes, simply put... it’s me...

Knowing that and suppressing my smile, I calmly move my hand and then pausing the video, I once again check it from beginning to end, but...

Sigh. As expected, the early parts are not there. Thinking that and then checking multiple scenes of the video and from multiple angles while at it, I... I calm down my thoughts and then push my video aside as I look at the other video next to it, and then turn to Shy-kyun floating next to me, but...

“Just to make sure, but you said the drive temporarily had trouble functioning, right?”

“Un."

“After that, there was a strong interference and some kind of jamming?”

“Right.”

“And then when it finally stopped, I told you to reboot?”

“Yes.”

Nodding her head and saying so, Shy-Kyun answer and then with an expectant gaze look at me. Nevertheless tilting my head and ignoring her, I...

“I don’t understand.”

And no, I am not talking about how the drive had trouble functioning or how some weird jamming affected it, after all... it pretty much broke multiple times when drowning in Oblivion’s curse, and so I guess Shy-Kyun's words are probably related to that... probably? Well, that part is not really important. I can just check the data saved in the drive later, and I am sure I will find some answers, but anyway... as I was saying, what I don’t understand is not the drive’s situation instead it’s the black obelisk...

“... Or the absence of it, actually.”

After all, when Shy-Kyun rebooted and finally isolated the game’s app, what she found was... This drive is currently out of that obelisk’s ‘service zone???’ and instead what I am currently connected to is...

“A peach tree?”

Saying so and tilting my head with confusion, I stare at the interface in front of me, and what I saw there was a tree... On top of a peaceful hill was a picturesque, tall peach tree... Ah, and it’s covered in pink flowers too... Yeah, those pink flowers...

Thinking so and feeling my mouth twitch, I silently watch the live feed in front of me and then moving my attention from the tree, I glance at the two things around it... First is the 3 meters black pillar behind it, pulsing with blue lines and the second is...

-Trial Boss-

-Ulye: The Tree Of Infectious Jealously-

The second is red phrases floating atop the said tree. And so, I guess it’s not the tree then? Instead...

“The proxy server I am allocated to, is it that pillar?”

“I am not sure, account.”

Saying that and looking confused, Shy-Kyun look at me for a moment, and then slowly lowering her gaze and staring at my wrist, she once again turned and pointed to the interface behind her.

“After all, those two are connected.”

Lowly muttering such and tilting her head, Sh-...

!!!?!...

“W-whaat the...?”

“Account?”

It’s... c-cold? Questioning so and leaking a surprised yelp, I suddenly stop all my thoughts, and then while shivering I touch my nape. Still, is this...

“The rain?”

It’s started? Thinking such and then looking up, I... I annoyedly blink my eye, feeling a cold droplet of water falling right in it, and then I once again look up. At that subtle wave spreading through the cloudy sky, I look up, when... Drop by drop, freezing cold tears fell from that twisted heaven above, and absentmindedly gazing at that, I...

“S-shit.”

I loudly curse, only to then hug my body and shiver. After all, my clothes are already wet and torn, add to that observer’s sensory enhancement, and... Yeah, it’s cold.

Ssshhhh.

Heavy rain sound.

“... S-super cold, actually.”

Saying so and feeling my body slowly getting used to the cold rain, I raise my hand and curiously stare at the abnormally cold droplet of water falling on it for a while, before then sighing, and slowly washing my hands and then my face. Nevertheless, connected, ha?

That pillar thing and the weird tree, hmmm... Add to that the fact that not only the tree is alive and somewhat intelligent, but its mental structure is probably alien too, considering the earlier samples. So yeah... Waiting and giving Shy-Kyun time is useless...

More precisely, me depending on something like the SR drive is useless. After all, this thing... Beyond synchronization, resonance, and some light tampering, I don’t think this toy can do much... or does it?

Hmmm, I guess it will depend on whether Celis did some additional modification or whether it’s really ‘Leo’ but...

“Connection, ha?”

Saying so and fixing my hair, I look at the curious Shy-kyun in front of me, and then I ask.

“So? What about My connection request?”

Questioning that and slowly moving my gaze from Shy-Kyun, I once again look at the interface in front of me as I then snap my finger, when suddenly Ulye’s live feed disappears, only for it then to be replaced by...

“A proper channel was secured.”

Cutting my thoughts and frustratedly muttering so, Shy-kyun lowers her head and pouts. Still, ignoring her for now, I instead keep my gaze on it in front of me, a map.

More precisely, it’s a map of ‘A2- Outer Layer: T12’... Whatever that means.

But anyway, staring at that gray undetailed map in front of me, I unconsciously stare not at that red or yellow dots, instead, I curiously look at the blue one, before then exiting the map and staring at the menu appearing. Starting from the top where ‘Access Level: 2!?’ is glitching, to the thing below it like ‘Accounts’, ‘Camera’, and even to the bottom where ‘Log Out’ and ‘Exit’ are, nevertheless it’s not like everything is available and so... Yeah, let’s quickly end this for now.

Thinking that and looking up, I feel the cold droplets of water on my face and then I... I sigh, before then slowly turning to the side, and...

“Congratulation, Shy-Kyun. You have been promoted.”

“Promoted? R-really, account?”

Asking that and smiling surprised, Shy-Kyun look at me expectantly. And feeling her gaze on me, I quickly clap my hand to pull her attention, then hitting my chest, I...

“Of course, I don’t lie.”

Hitting my chest, I lie.

“Yay, I am... Promoted? Then, account... what shou-...”

“it’s simple. Sh-... No, I shall cal you Navigator-Kyun from now on.”

“Navig-...”

“Anyway...”

Saying that and cutting the AI’s meaningless questions, I look at her face and then speak.

“All you have to do now, is access both the camera and my sensory perception, then in case of a nearby threat, notify me, ok?”

“B-but, ac-”

“I grant permission.”

“U-understood.”

Replying like that and cutely saluting me, Sh-... No, Navi happily stared at me. Then understanding her gaze, I... I quickly lower my hand and then move it up, as suddenly following my movement...

Fuuuush.

The flow of curse around me twisted. And then along with a veil of black mist engulfing me, and an unknown force pulling up, I calmly closed my eyes and...

“Connect”

... And spoke a word.