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Chapter 180: Second Instance
🕑 Added 2025-01-20 13:54:39 +0000 UTCNever had Yoshino experienced such a long dream. One moment, she was fighting against the AST. The next moment, she found herself under Nightmare’s grasp. She could not even react when the gunshot rang in her ears.
Before falling asleep, she vaguely saw a familiar figure appearing out of nowhere. Her memories had long been tampered with. Only when she came in contact with Nightmare did she have these strange memories flash on her mind.
‘It’s… soft?’
Yoshino opened her eyes. She was surprised to find herself laying on a sofa. Its softness was on a whole another level, something she had not experienced during her time in Japan.
Her head moved left and right to know where she was. Yoshino tried to ‘enter’ the ‘Neighboring Realm’ (or so it was called by the others), but to no avail. It was as if her power wasn’t there in the first place.
Two minutes later, she began to calm down. It was also at this moment that two familiar figures appeared in her sight.
Tokisaki Kurumi, Nightmare… as well as the boy she met eight months ago.
His appearance was abrupt. He popped out of nowhere, defeated those AST mech in a second, and asked for Nightmare’s information. When he knew he couldn’t meet her, he left behind a pile of torn notes to Yoshino. She learned from these notes that he was Nightmare's childhood friend; that he came from another world and had to tell some important matters to Nightmare.
Looking at their closeness and intimacy now, she realized it wasn’t as simple as a childhood friend. Up until they sat on the sofa opposite Yoshino's, Kurumi was holding his pinky finger.
“I’m sorry for waking you up like this, Himekawa-san.”
His deep voice woke Yoshino from her stupor. Her bright blue pupils curiously examined him.
“When did you grow bigger, Aleph-san?” She asked after a while.
He paused what he was about to say.
‘Out of all questions…’
Aleph did not know how to comment on it. Only Kurumi, who was beside him, laughed at him.
“This is his true appearance, Hermit.”
“...Nightmare-san.” Yoshino directed her gaze to Kurumi and nodded. “Where am I?”
It was Aleph who answered her question this time.
“You are in a different world.”
“...Ah?”
“The one who gave you power planned to do something bad to the Spirits she gave them to. Remember the monsters you fought in the past?” Kurumi interjected. “They were once Spirits like us.”
“Ah..?”
For a while, Yoshino could not react to the knowledge she received. It took them half an hour just to explain everything to her.
Fortunately, she wasn’t just a small kid. Her true age was only a bit lower than Kurumi’s, hence she was one of the veteran Spirits. Though her experiences couldn’t change her fundamental personality, she did not have much trouble reading the atmosphere.
Of course, she was more likely to express her opinions through Yoshinon.
“Hm. Do you need our help, Aleph-san?”
The puppet Yoshinon on her right hand spoke.
“Yes. We need more helping hands as of the moment.”
“Okay. We agree.”
With these words, Aleph gained another trusted helper.
*****
“Ugh…”
A pang of severe headache assaulted the red-haired woman. She tried to stand up from her hospital bed, but to no avail.
Just then, bits of memories began returning to her mind.
“Ah… Ah..?!”
The endless sea of flames.
The wails of countless people.
The vanity and pleasure she derived from causing such destruction.
All of them crashed into her mind in one go. It caused her mind to blank out. Tears began falling from her eyes.
“I… I…”
The girl was none other than the vessel chosen for the Gem of Haste. She, Agatha, was supposed to be a senior researcher at Fire MOTH. One day, she was ‘ambushed’ by someone and was knocked unconscious.
When she woke up, she found herself in the same place she was knocked out. Moreover, there weren’t any visible signs of injuries on her. Even the honkai detectors did not see anything wrong with her.
She was completely unaware of the ‘Gem’ inside her until it broke out at the eve of Eden’s concert.
“I…”
She was in a severe state of shock that she did not notice the gray-haired woman beside her.
“Please calm down for a while, Doctor Agatha.”
“Ah..?”
Major Anna wore the traditional Fire MOTH combat uniform. She was the one assigned here to guard the former Herrscher.
Agatha was half-crying while being confused. Her sobs turned silent after a few minutes.
Looking at the confused girl, Anna recalled her previous self.
‘I didn’t expect it’d be my turn to console others…’
Back then, it was Aleph who did that. He, along with the others, guided her to control her Herrscher powers. In particular, Elysia helped her numerous times. It was through their guidance was she able to slowly regain her confidence and self-worth.
‘Hmph. You think this was enough?’
A voice similar to hers, but with a harsher tone, spoke inside her mind.
‘No. I didn’t say it would be. But, a single step is better than none, no?’
‘...’
Her ‘Herrscher Ego’ did not disappear. Rather, she has always been fighting her other self. Evidently, Anna was able to gain the upper hand.
Even if the bomb on her chest disappears, her alter ego won’t be able to take control of her body.
Seeing she did not say anything else, Anna focused towards Agatha.
“You are currently…”
*****
One month later.
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
Within the brightly-lit underground base, there was a person. The pressure he emitted was enough to crumble everyone to his knees. If it weren’t for the fact that he was utilizing cursed energy and not honkai energy, his mere presence was enough to turn several cities into a place of honkai radiation.
“One month…”
Aleph hissed at this result.
For One month, the majority of Great Sage’s resources was focused towards the ‘modern magic system’ from the Third High’s virtual library. Aleph had already finished reading all of the books inside the tablet.
It was only two days ago he was able to find an alternative to Psion—honkai energy.
Based on the results inside the training space…
“How novel.”
Though most of the modern magic inside the library was public access—that is, only the general and unrestricted knowledge—it was more than enough for him. With the proper foundation and the likes, he could derive newer things from it.
[Cursed Energy (Converted): 21,009]
“That pricking sensation…”
Aleph frowned as he touched the back of his neck. Every now and then, the pricking sensation became very noticeable, to the point he had an ominous feeling about it.
“Is it preparing to deal with me completely..?”
For One month, the world became eerily peaceful. There weren’t any major honkai eruptions. The strongest that occurred was less than 800 HW.
It was precisely due to this ‘peace’ that he became more vigilant.
“I can’t delay this any longer, then.”
He sat on the chair as he took out a black glove. When he wore it, the back of his right hand was exposed.
Out of nowhere, a symbol of a nine-petaled flower appeared. It started to emit a dim glow.
“I’m heading out.”
“Um.”
The girl behind his back, Kurumi, nodded. She already heard about this from him before. She saw the pressure on Aleph steadily increasing. The best way she thought to deal with it was in bed.
For one month, Kurumi took the lead. Mei and Mobius could not do it due to their busy work. Although Aleph was similarly busy, she managed to find enough time to do just that.
Seeing Aleph fall unconscious, her thoughts wandered between personal and world-threatening problems.
