Chapter 350

The days of wandering aimlessly continue. Staying in one place might be safer. Travel is always accompanied by the danger of encountering unknown threats. Even so, he still pinned a glimmer of hope on finding clues to escape this continent.

One day, he discovered ruins in the forest. This was the first trace left by intelligent life.

Looking from afar, the exterior appeared to be made of metal. More importantly, I wouldn't know until I got closer. However, this also looked like a suspicious place. An unknown ruin, suddenly appearing in the depths of a dense forest. Stepping into it without thinking is risky.

However, this is a man-made change I finally discovered after traveling so far in an undeveloped and unexplored area. Whether it was actually made by humans is still a bit in doubt, but it is possible to obtain some information about this continent. I decided to explore.

Sure enough, rushing in without any measures is reckless; the main body waits in a safe place. Only Quinn will be infiltrated. Using Quinn as bait is heartbreaking, but you cannot replace it with your own life. If anything, this strategy is a primitive use of Hatsu.

Transfer Aura to the limit that Quinn can store. If the main body is not nearby, no additional Aura can be provided. If nothing happened, I gave him an amount that could last for a few days, but that was just wishful thinking. Without the backup of the main body, Quinn cannot fight a decent battle. The start of a battle equals death.

Infiltration is the top priority, and Quinn is always in a state of Absolute. Anyway, if the enemy discovers me, I would be killed instantly even if I used my Aura for defense, so I didn't intend to fight from the beginning. In any case, at least focus on collecting information.

Quinn, feeling a heavier body than usual, was sent into the ruins after completely cutting off Enhancement. As you get closer, its appearance becomes more obvious.

The shape of the ruins is like countless metal pipes. Many machine-like objects are embedded inside. Clearly, someone did this on purpose. Perhaps there is someone inside. If it is someone I can talk to, that would be great.

It could be a trap. I feel the possibility is overwhelmingly high, but I have no intention of turning back. I want to do as much as I can. Holding my breath, I sneak in.

The outer walls are weathered and rusted, but the interior does not seem to have deteriorated over time. Furthermore, the traps do not seem to be working. There are holes everywhere in the ceiling, and it is a bit dark, but visibility is guaranteed. I cannot say for sure because I cannot detect it with "Together," but I don't feel any signs of enemies right now.

The interior is also full of mysterious machines and pipes. I don't know what this equipment is used for. I wonder how they secured the power supply for such large equipment. There are many broken pipes along the way. All the broken cuts are growing from the walls of the passage toward this direction. It feels like a gun is pointed at me, and I am worried that something might appear, but this did not cause any problems.

A few minutes after entering the door, I arrived at what seemed to be the central area without hesitation. There was a small spring there. In the hollow where iron pipes were tangled like spaghetti, clear water was bubbling. There were no signs of living things.

This is a very unnatural sight. First of all, it is strange that no living things can be seen at the water's edge. Water is the source of life. Moisture is essential for life, but there are limited ways to obtain moisture in nature. Always arguing over a little bit of water. That is to say, the closer you get to the water, the stronger the enemy.

In this area, even muddy water is precious, yet such abundant and clean water has not been affected. I can't help but think that there is something behind this. Carefully explore the area around the fountain.

On the way, I found a machine with a familiar shape. It should be a Computer. The monitor was cracked and stuck in a crack in the iron pipe. It was broken without being checked. It is impossible to judge when it came. It's just that this computer-like device is different from other machines, and I'm a bit worried.

As I looked around, I found a briefcase. I pulled it out of a crack in the wall. The exterior had deteriorated severely, and although there was a key, it was already tattered. I managed to open it without much effort. Inside were several documents. The paper had also deteriorated, but the original shape was still there. However, I don't know what it is about. I can read these letters myself, but I don't understand the meaning of the documents. A storm of proper nouns and jargon.

Among these documents, I found something that looked like a map. I pinned high hopes on this. I couldn't decipher the content of the letters written as usual, but there was a clear picture that looked like terrain, and compared to the previous documents, there was quite a bit of understandable information. Let's take it home and think about it.

Then there were some test tubes. There were some things inside that I didn't quite understand, such as colored liquids, dead plants, and dead insects. Finally, a small notebook appeared.

Ruan Almeza

Is this a person's name? It was written in small letters at the bottom of the cover. Looking inside, it seemed to be a diary.

――――

June 15, 1958

The third expedition departed from Sahelta. Anxiety and anticipation were mixed together. I feel like I am the only one among the elites, but let's do our best.

――――

This seems to be a memoir of a research team sent by a human nation to visit the Dark Continent. This is good news I didn't expect. I didn't expect to have the chance to retrace the footprints left by humans so soon. Flip through the pages and take a quick look inside.

The content is very brief, similar to a memo. There are also descriptions of the "Gatekeepers" who act as a bridge between the human world and the Dark Continent, and the "Guide" summoned by the Gatekeepers, but there is no detailed understanding. It seems that without them, one cannot even enter the Dark Continent, but what the specific procedure is, is unknown. Do I need their help when I leave the Dark Continent?

Shortly after landing, the survey team seemed to have received a Baptism of the law. It is said that the upper body of one of the members was swallowed whole by a giant Snake, but that was a huge building. It wouldn't die even if cut off, and the arms of other members seemed to have come into contact with the poison secreted by its body.

The number of casualties is increasing day by day. At first, it was just a simple description of the characteristics of the monsters encountered, but later it only wrote one sentence about who died. Even the letters that were written beautifully were in a mess. The pages were also dirty.

It seems that all members of the research group were skilled Nen users. However, even first-class users are not enough to survive on this continent. What you need is not combat power, but the ability to avoid combat. They seemed to continue their investigation while hiding themselves in Absolute. My current situation is the same as mine.

The increasing number of casualties is not limited to those who unfortunately lost their lives. He used himself as bait to let his companions move on. For some monsters, sometimes you cannot pass without doing so. I know, because I let Quinn do the same.

For a while, the diary continued to write only the names of the dead, but the last date was different.

――――――

June 27

Discovery of return!

Driven away by a group of gnome-like monsters, escaped

For some reason, the enemy will not approach this place

Deep in the forest, I found a water source, which seems to be a reflux in a structure that looks like a tangle of metal pipes.

A spring that can fully restore Aura with just one drop.

Taking back results of this level cannot convince the superiors, but it is also difficult to continue the investigation.

If you continue your research in your homeland,

――――――

I couldn't read the text near the end because it was messy. The pages after that are blank. The diary ends here. Is it the spring they risked their lives to get?

In search of resources lurking in the Dark Continent, humans have challenged this undeveloped land many times. These resources are described as Disaster (return) in the journey. Infinite stones that generates a large amount of electrical energy in water, herbs that cure various diseases, Nitro Rice as the ultimate longevity food, Sanken Water that can become the source of all liquids, and the alchemical plant Metalion. They all hide value sufficient to bring innovation to human development.

"Water that fully restores Aura" gives a rather poor impression compared to the returns mentioned above. Of course, it's great, but it's not exactly groundbreaking. I wanted to drink a little, but decided not to. Even if Quinn, who cannot produce Aura, drinks it, it may not work, and there is no need to drink the mysterious water to recover now.

What worries me more than that is why this diary is still left here. Documents considered research materials were also put together. Isn't it important to carry this luggage with you?

Perhaps there was a problem that forced them to leave, or the return itself was impossible. Hope (return) is accompanied by Disaster (risk). In my memory, the two are inseparable. Humans aimed at the Dark Continent, seeking countless returns, but what they actually encountered were just as many risks.

The human-beast Pap, the weapon Ging that guards ancient ruins, the two-tailed giant Snake Hellbell, the gaseous life form Ai, and the immortal disease Zobae Disease. These are called the "Five Calamities" and were brought back from this continent. This seems to be a threat that has the potential to destroy humanity with just one person. It is certain that the danger level is likely B or higher.

Even if these threats turn their fangs, humans have no effective countermeasures. Even if there are countermeasures, it costs a lot of money to implement them, and there is no guarantee of complete eradication. At the very least, a national response is needed.

By the way, the danger level of the sub-human Chimera Ant is B. I think it is unexpectedly high, but for one person, the danger level is C. You can see how big the class difference is. Moreover, as far as I am concerned, I am not a sub-human, so the danger level will be lower.

This index is an evaluation of the danger level to humans and does not necessarily represent the strength of the creature. But that doesn't mean it should be taken lightly. I don't know the specific danger of the Five Calamities, but in any case, I should avoid encountering them.

In this sense, the ruins where I am now cannot be said to be safe. Disaster (risk) may not always be accompanied by return, but staying vigilant is enough. I hurriedly packed my things. I don't know if this is a return or what, but this is something I don't need right now. As long as I have this briefcase, this place is useless to me. Let's go home.

Putu

Just as I was about to carry the luggage and leave, a faint sound suddenly came. Look back. Where I was before. A damaged Computer is starting up.

The cracked monitor emits a faint light. A phenomenon that cannot be considered a Coincidence. There is something in this space that "is." Aware of my existence.

My heart is pounding. What is the best way? Are you going to continue like this? It is also possible that he is not yet fully aware of his existence. Now, if Absolute is solved, it will definitely be exposed.

But if they already know where I am, that's not good. Now, Quinn has a lot of information, and he must take it out anyway. There may not be another chance. It might be better to turn all the Aura into Enhancement and run away with all my might.

I don't know. I look at my computer. What else is displayed on the screen?

――――――

June 28

Seven members of the Sahelta United States Special Forces Third Research Group died.

Cause of death: contact with danger.

Estimated risk: a.

Unknown disease.

Using the name of the discoverer, he named it "almeizamachine".

――――――

Take a deep breath. Clearly, it seems necessary to assume the worst-case scenario and act accordingly.

Judging by the words "strange disease," it is very likely some kind of pathogen. In that case, letting Quinn join the main body is dangerous. This time, let's take it seriously and give up. Leave the briefcase here. Instead, I will now burn the contents of the map into my memory.

Evacuating the main body is the right thing to do. It is a pity that I cannot take the Material with me, but there is nothing I can do about it. I am glad I was able to avoid the danger. For now, use "co-" to confirm if there are any other dangers. Just then, his face deformed with a crackling sound. The eyeballs popped out as if they were about to go upward. The left and right fields of vision displayed different scenes. The arms bent into a circle as if an extra joint had been added, and the bones protruded. It wrapped around itself as if embracing it. The skin turned into steel plates, the bones into shafts, the joints into cranks, the eyes into sights, the heart into an engine, the lungs into fans, the voice into beeps, and the intestines into iron pipes.

＊＊＊

What was that just now?

Quinn's reaction disappeared. I will lose my egg (life) because of the vow, but I don't care. Is this a Disaster-class threat? They are of a different level; no, they are of a different quality. An existence that deviates from the orthodox definition of biology. It is as ominous as if the Creator had put all of his Malice into it.

Up until now, I have managed to survive. I am very proud of my strength. Most importantly, I believe in the defensive power of the main body. None of the enemies I have fought have damaged this aura-enhanced exoskeleton. Of course, I try to avoid fighting and choose opponents based on ability, but this is still the armor I am proud of.

However, if attacked by a threat like Quinn, is the armor on my body useful? Among the enemies I have avoided so far, there may be Disaster-class threats. If I encounter one due to some mistake, I believe I will lose my life. I felt it again. I just happened to be alive.

Anyway, let's leave here immediately. Retreat at full speed using Grasshopper Jump. Because of fear, my legs cannot move. Stumble and fall.

Look at your legs; mainsprings and springs pop out from between the joints. The Antenna turned into wires and terminals. One eye turned into a lamp. Flashing red. My line of sight was blocked by the flashing red light. The exoskeleton began to deform, making a crackling sound. This is a lie. I should keep my distance. There are signs of other animals around me. Why only me?

I don't understand what this means. It's just confusing. What should I do? How can I help? Even if the consciousness tries to split the mental work, the answer does not come out.

The condensed consciousness disperses. They are separated one by one. Depending on the number of times I lose consciousness, my stomach swells. The abdomen enlarges abnormally. The internal organs soaked in the blood hole full of internal pressure are crushed, and oil seeps into the brain and heart.

One

＊＊＊

When I woke up, I was in a room I had seen before.

In the dim room, there were faintly glowing capsules all around. Also came to this place.

I check myself. No mistake. Normal person. Silver-haired girl.

I had a nightmare. The tooth roots didn't fit, and the trembling of my body wouldn't stop. I hugged my knees and sat down. When I closed my eyes, I couldn't even blink because I felt that scene would appear behind my eyelids.

It's the same as usual here. My inner world. I ask the capsules the usual questions. "Who are you?" "When?"

"You are me," they answered in unison. Responding as usual. This is an Exchange that has been repeated tens of thousands of times. Relieved.

Immediately after, a capsule suddenly cracked. A humanoid thing came out from inside.

"Congratulations. I was born."

It looks very similar to mine. The silver-haired girl's body was invaded by machinery. There is a hole in the abdomen, and the mechanism inside is visible. The skin has been roughly repaired with tin, and the base protrudes from the cracked skull. Every time I open my mouth, I am spitting out bolts and nuts.

Irregular. This kind of messy thing happens from time to time. Eliminate as usual. I started to process it.

Hit. Destroy it completely until it becomes scrap, until it stops talking. I have always done this. So it should be impossible.

However, the inferior product in front of me did not break. My hand was broken. Every time I touched the Hard tin can, it would bleed, making my nails crack and my bones creak.

"Who are you?"

"You are me."

The most terrifying thing is its Transparent answer. I can't feel any noise. An existence completely different from me is sitting there impersonating me. So, although it should be irregular, her consciousness has a shocking identity.

Do not let this go. It is becoming irreversible. I slammed my fist with all my heart. I don't care if my hand is broken. Enduring the pain, I continued to hit.

After tossing and turning for a long time, I finally succeeded in destroying the inferior product. I saved the world; that's what I thought.

"Congratulations. I was born."

"Congratulations. I got me."

"Congratulations. I named myself Quinn."

I couldn't protect anything. Everything is crazy. Inferior products are endless. Breaking through the capsules, girls fused with trash appeared. How much more trash should I throw away?

Carefully, clean them up one by one. The room is full of inferior products waiting to be processed. Normal consciousness bodies continue to decrease as if they were being eliminated.

As I was doing the destruction work, a large pile of machines fell from the top of the room. There was no ceiling, and a giant arm slowly descended from the Pitch Darkness that I didn't know how long it would last. An arm with a suspension cable grabbed one of the bastards.

"Thank you."

That arm climbed up again, still holding the bastard. Disappeared into the Pitch Darkness. Honestly, this troublesome person was easily eliminated, and I'm really not happy. I have a terrible feeling that something is happening.

The arm then began to frequently take away inferior products. I want to scream every time. They all said thank you and left. This is too scary.

The number of inferior products decreased steadily. However, it never disappeared from the room. I heard something moving behind the room. When I went there, a machine I didn't know had been installed without me knowing.

It was a huge box-like device that operated with flashing red and blue lights. The Needle of the instrument I didn't understand was swinging left and right. Inferior products were flowing one after another on the installed conveyor belt. It is in production.

Destroying the equipment is impossible. I can't cause any scratches. This is out of my reach. In the end, all I can do is destroy the bad products that are created.

In an automated world, I am an unnecessary existence. It is even harmful. Why am I still here? What are you opposing? Does this have any meaning?

After a while, the pain in my hands disappeared. Two tattered and injured hands have been repaired in multiple layers with tinplate. Where does your body start and where does it begin? The seams disappeared. However, he didn't think about anything and continued to wave his blunt fists.

"Congratulations. The ideal me."

My hand stopped. The arm was about to take away the inferior product that could be destroyed in one go. I watched it silently.

However, when I looked closely, the arm aimed at me and descended. Falling from above me, slowly.

What will happen if you don't avoid this?

Finally, this is the end. When I thought so, my heart was filled with a certain feeling. Relaxation, comfort, release.

Thank you.

"Ah, Riga..."

"Um, sorry, I'm busy! I'm very sorry, could you give me a moment?"

Voice............?

"Can you hear me? Just a little bit is fine, I won't take up your time, yes. So, could you open up here for a minute?"

There is a door on the wall of the room. Along with the sound of knocking, I heard a person's voice on the other side.

The door opened, and someone came in.

"No, thank you very much."

A chubby middle-aged man wearing glasses. I don't remember. I gave you a card or something. It was a business card. It had his title and name on it.

Sahelta Special Forces, USA

Dark Continent Expedition Team 3

Information Management Group Leader

Ruan Almeza

Well, it's been a while since I've talked to someone, sorry I'm so excited. Let's skip the self-introduction... you wouldn't want to know the profile of an old man like this. Hmm, although I'm in the investigation group, my combat power isn't very good; I'm mainly responsible for information processing. I am also support personnel for that system of Nen. As an engineer, you might be a well-known person, but have you heard of him? Almeza.... Ah, I don't know...

Anyway, let's get straight to the point, shall we? If I had to use one word to describe the disaster you are currently fighting, it would be "a viral nanobot, filled with Life Energy." First, let me explain what it really means.

This virus spreads through contact infection. To be precise, if the virus touches the Life Energy covering the surface of an organism, it's out. There is no cure. There is an incubation period of six months to one year after infection. During this period, there are no subjective symptoms at all, so it is difficult to Discovery.

When you get it, your body will quickly become a mess. As I said before, this is actually a nanobot, not a virus. This is an intentional weapon. I can only say the developer is crazy.

The appearance of the disease varies from person to person, but a common feature is that they are equipped with an Emission launcher for cysts. That's it. It's like an iron pipe. Imagine the cyst as a Bullet filled with compressed, dormant viruses.

After entering the final stage of infection, the outbreak organism loses its sanity. At first, it barely retains its original form as a living thing, but it gradually transforms into a compact house. It will be used as a factory to effectively increase the number of viruses. Then, it lets it produce cysts in its body until it exhausts its Life Force, and it fires Bullets at other creatures like a Demon shooting randomly. Creatures hit by it will, of course, be infected. If the wound is deep, it will erupt on the spot, instantly transforming into a desperate situation.

The terrifying thing about this virus is its infectivity. Life Energy is something all living things possess. In other words, it can infect any organism. If this were true, it wouldn't be strange for all living things on Earth to be ruled by this virus, but if that's not the case, I think there is some limiting factor preventing it from reproducing infinitely.

However, if brought into the human realm, it will surely cause unprecedented havoc. Once it spreads, it is difficult to determine the route of infection. As a countermeasure, there is no choice but to isolate individuals with outbreak symptoms. If it is in the incubation period, there is no way to judge whether you are infected or not, so there is nothing that can be done.

Eh? Even if I wasn't hit by a Bullet, don't I have an outbreak disease without an incubation period? Yes, that's where it gets tricky again. Nen users are the only exception, erupting immediately after infection.

The Aura used by Nen users is like a mass of Life Energy, so it is the perfect bait for this virus. Apparently, if the Shoko is open, that's not good. From there, it immediately invades the body and falls into a desperate situation.

In the case of Nen users, it not only comes into direct contact with the Aura, but also happens when the object embodied by Nen or a carefully handled item is touched. No matter how far away you are. It will immediately move to the Nen user who is the source of the thought. I think this is a Demon.

But there is only one method of prevention; if you are in the "Absolute" state where the Shoko are completely closed and the Aura on the body surface is Extinguished, you can prevent infection. Ordinary people cannot use this method because they are always in a state of Aura Flow. In the past, I classified this disaster as danger level A, but I think it is B+ because if you are careful, it is possible to deal with it.

The biggest feature of this virus is that it can use the host's Life Energy for self-Copy. The metal parts that look like trash produced from the infected person's body are all collections of nanobots.

It doesn't take over cells and grow like a normal virus, but directly converts Life Energy into metallic substances. Excessive technology is not a story of one level. After all, how much scientific civilization is there on this continent?

Ah, come to think of it, you seem to call the group of Lobo around the fountain "ruins," but that is not a trace of civilization left by the ancients. It's like a junkyard for outbreak-infected people.

I wrote in my diary that the spring has the effect of restoring Aura, but besides that, it can also activate the energy in the body, increase its sustained recovery, and in rare cases, it can even heal the Shoko of creatures other than humans. It seems to have an opening effect. In other words, it is a suitable environment to become a hotbed for nanobots. I call this water "Konpaku Water."

People who drink Konpaku Water will temporarily gain powerful Life Force and will not die in a short or gentle way. Even the soul is strengthened, and consciousness remains clear. Coupled with the outbreak caused by the viral infection, it forms the worst combination; even if the body is made into a machine, it is not allowed to die.

No matter how disaster-level the virus-like nanobots are, once the host dies, they cannot act and stop running. In other words, we are like livestock, our Life Energy is being used instead of being given Konpaku Water, without letting them survive or killing them.

The same goes for me here now. It is almost dead now, but it is still a "residual thought." You opened the Computer at the fountain, right? I did. I really wanted to tell you about this danger.

... Well, I'm sorry. I wish I could have told you about the more specific dangers there, but I didn't have time. All I could do was display the contents of the diary recorded in the past. Even so, did you try hard?

It's not that kind of atonement, but let me tell you a good thing.

You are different from us residual thoughts. We haven't fully controlled the virus yet.

One of the reasons is your constitution. Although you are an animal, you have the characteristics of a plant. This virus does not infect plants. The surroundings, the forest, the grass and trees are all normal, right? Perhaps because of this, even if you have an outbreak, the progression of symptoms is greatly alleviated.

In addition, you possess the characteristics of metal. It feeds on non-living metal and lays eggs; it is a very special existence among Chimera Ants, capable of foraging and mating. Just as your ancestors ate Red Plants to gain resistance to deadly Poison, now you are desperately eating nanobots to pass virus resistance to the next generation.

Well, the results are visible. At this rate, you will lose. If there were a few thousand more people with the same characteristics as you, maybe one person would gain resistance in the next generation, but you are already on the verge of being ruled.

But you cannot give up. Understand. I am the same.

In this way, you conveniently appear in your world of consciousness, saying whatever you want, but reality is not like hell at all. If I let my guard down, I feel like I will go crazy and lose myself. I want to die every day. I want to live like this. That's why it's painful. If I let my thoughts fall into a deep sleep like my companions, it would be much easier.

To put it bluntly, as a researcher, there is still a little bit of pride. I don't know who would lose to these metal scraps. I will definitely expose their weaknesses. Find prevention, identification, cure, and leave my name in human history! For this kind of stupid desire to show off, I continue to observe and study.

Well, that's impossible. The more I know about it, the more I realize that humans are powerless against it. All I know is the surface principles of their behavior. How Life Energy is metalized, its essential mechanism remains unknown. There is no room to enter that realm.

I was about to give up. In fact, before you came, I was almost asleep. But since then, the situation has changed dramatically.

You are desperately eating the virus, but the virus is also trying to take you in and become a person. Because you can feed and mate with metal, you created a child with nanobots, and nanobots are nothing more than metal particles called weapons and machines.

A living machine is about to be born. A nanobot that possesses its own Life Force and is capable of true self-proliferation. What kind of destruction this chemical reaction, which can only be described as a prank by a god, will bring is unpredictable.

But ironically, this evolution has given them an opportunity to exploit. By becoming a life form that gains life from a mere inorganic machine, we have a common denominator called a "soul." As a residual thought, I have also integrated into a part of their soul. This is why we succeeded in observing it from the inside for the first time.

I was able to see some of their programs. Complex is not the word to describe it. First of all, information is not managed by language or symbols. It has a way of transmitting information that deviates significantly from our feelings. I agree that you cannot decipher it just by looking at it from the outside.

They have a program pre-installed internally to suppress their own activities. It is a weapon, so it is natural to make it so that the user can control it. If you can run this program, you can stop them.

But I don't have this permission. This is a job that only you can do. As the "mother" of the virus, perhaps you can do it.

To do this, you must correctly understand the program. It's a pity I don't have time to explain it here, and I can't express it in words. I will pass this on. Do you know how to use it? With the ability of a Chimera Ant, even if you don't understand, it is possible for your child to inherit that memory (data).

Please leave here. And break everything. Please let the souls of my comrades rest in peace soon... I beg you.

... Then, I apologize in advance.

in my hand, there is something

Ichino, Chuck

I am alone

Kander, Kander, Kander

Kinda Nomi

I can't see anything. I am trapped in a narrow spherical space. I realize I am in an egg. I break my shell.

The thin metal shell is torn open, revealing everything happening outside. This is a large group of eggs planted in a huge ant nest to fill the floor. I was born from one of them.

Looking around, the soldier ants are busy coming and going. The red ant is about 20 cm long. It has six legs, but its movements are sluggish. The exoskeleton is in a linear form, looking more like a Lobo designed based on it than an insect. A notable feature is the long and large ovipositor. A tube extending from near the anus curls like a scorpion's tail and rests on its back. It's like a missile launcher.

I look the same.

It moved along the pipes extending around the nest to a point that seemed to be the center of the nest. There was a small spring, surrounded by a cluster of eggs. As I looked at the bottom of the spring, I saw a broken briefcase lying open.

I took a sip of the water. I could feel the fullness of the Aura within my body. With this, I think I don't have to worry about consumption for the time being.

I climbed into the massive nest. On the way, I saw a device running, making a loud noise. A large box-shaped apparatus flashed with red and blue lights, and an unknown meter was running. And on the installed conveyor belt, they were producing new eggs one after another.

This is the "Ant Queen" of this nest. I sent a radio communication.

"Stop."

The lights extinguished. The egg production line stopped. Taking a look at the situation, I aimed for the top and climbed up the nest again.

I climbed up the Wall made of tangled iron pipes and exited through a gap. There was the top of a twisted tower made of scrap metal. It was the summit of a bloated mountain of trash.

"Idolatry"

Quinn appeared before me. As I saw that pure silver girl standing just as I had hoped, I realized I had finally returned home.

However, there was work to be done before he left. First, grasping the situation with "Goo." No abnormalities. No one was approaching this plague-ridden tower.

Quinn grabbed the corpse. Concentrating offensive and defensive power into the legs, he reinforced them with "Heavy." The power stored in Quinn's legs, even just in the aftermath, caused the air to vibrate slightly. Although the power had not yet been released, the iron pipes of the scaffolding emitted a harsh sound.

The Aura was activated by the influence of the soul water. The energy, increased beyond the usual, eroded Quinn's legs. Compressing the power to the limit while forcibly repairing the collapsed muscles. Hatsu.

An explosive Leap caused the scaffolding to collapse. Quinn's legs also lost their original shape in an instant. But these were all minor issues. The Aura was abundant. Quinn broke through the Wind and flew high into the sky. He supported the main unit with both hands and held it face down.

The iron tower visible directly below was the cage that held me. It must be completely destroyed. For the reborn me, for the me who sank into the past, for renewal, farewells, and promises.

Within range. Now, let us salute with full concentration.

"Sacrificial Cradle"