19 19 301 AniZhuanchangEnd Chrome's field of vision gradually returns amid the frenzy of alarms. He suddenly finds himself before a red warning screen.
20 20 301 It is not so much fear as it is disgust engraved in his memories.
21 21 301 John "Smith" had long been perfected. I brought you back as my son to make you a Smith and become the perfect "me."
22 22 301 Chrome No... It's not like that...
23 23 301 John Langston, as my son, you know what to do. Don't you?
24 24 301 Chrome I've already broken free from my shackles.
25 25 301 ??? You are a failure. Nothing you have ever done has surmounted to anything. It's always been like that.
26 26 301 Chrome No, I've already gotten what matters the most...
27 27 301 ??? The agent will crush your teammates one by one... Those you respect will be framed and put to death... And you are powerless...
28 28 301 Ignoring the ear-piercing noise, Chrome quietly grabs his weapon.
29 29 301 ??? You want to protect them? You want to protect those who are doomed to abandon you?
30 30 301 ??? Constructs are only seen as a convenient tool. You saw for yourself...
31 31 301 ??? The moment you became a Construct, you became a loser.
32 32 301 ??? You'll never be the Chief. You'll never be a true commandant. Now, you are only... a tool.
33 33 301 Doubt, undeniable doubt. This doubt has persisted in his heart over countless missions and battles, like a cobweb forming in the corner of a wall. Now, this doubt has become amplified and restless by some unknown power.
34 34 301 A bolt of lightning carrying Chrome's conviction, shatters the darkness before him, silencing the cacophony. Slowly, his M.I.N.D. begins to stabilize—
35 35 301 —Only for warning alerts to immediately start buzzing again. Chrome's field of vision fills with contorted streaks of vibrant red.
36 36 301 A familiar pain bites at his nerves, rippling throughout his entire body.
38 38 301 ??? You are worthless. You failed to live up to your father's expectations. How dare you even call him "Dad"?
39 39 301 Chrome waves his scythe at the shapeless onslaught of noise once more.
40 40 301 Firm denial, unbearable pain. Everything seems to be ridiculing his choices again and again.
41 41 301 The detestable but all too familiar memories stab at his fingertips. All of the nerve endings in his entire body begin to fire in rhythm. Each breath feels as if knives are carving out his bones.
42 42 301 ??? There is nothing at the end of the road you have chosen.
43 43 301 RImgBg1Shake DialogDisable —With an agonizing breath, another bolt of lightning shatters the darkness and steels his conviction.
49 49 301 The ground begins to rumble slightly as if someone is laughing nearby.
50 50 301 Chrome As long as I disable my visual and audio modules, there's no way for you to hack me.
51 51 301 Even though intuition is guiding his judgement, Chrome is resolute in his decision.
52 52 301 ??? ...
53 53 301 The ground begins to rumble again as if the person laughing had taken a few steps closer.
54 54 301 An invisible coercive force quickly approaches from the left. As for what the force is, it is the gust of wind from a blade.
55 55 301 —CLANG!
56 56 301 Chrome's scythe collides with metal. The violent impact sends vibrations through his palms, numbing his knuckles.
57 57 301 With his usual resilience, Chrome would typically be unfazed by the pain from such intense vibrations.
58 58 301 However, with his visual and audio modules disabled, there was only one method to maintain his agility in combat—
59 59 301 —Improve the sensitivity of all modules in his perception cluster, even if it will cause severe pain. No... Pain is necessary to maintain M.I.N.D. stability with his visual and audio modules disabled.
60 60 301 Gusts of frigid wind attack from the left and right. Chrome turns to dodge the attack from the left while using his scythe to block the blade approaching from the right.
61 61 301 Chrome ...Got you!
62 62 301 Right as Chrome finds an opening, he charges his scythe with lightning and strikes in the direction of the wind.
63 63 301 Chrome Bullseye!
64 64 301 Even though he has clearly landed a blow, there is no sense of struggle or pain typical of being stabbed. Instead, the enemy remains motionless like a stalwart wall.
65 65 301 Chrome A wall? Is this... a defense barrier?!
66 66 301 ??? ...
67 67 301 Someone answers from the point of impact. Despite being unable to hear what is said, he can sense the subtle vibration from the sound.
68 68 301 He wants to retreat, but his weapon is held in place by a mysterious force. Suddenly, Chrome feels the crushing sensation of being choked.
69 69 301 He feels as if his body is being corrupted by the Punishing Virus, which intensifies the magnitude of pain as if he is being skinned alive.
70 70 301 Still, Chrome continues to struggle alone in the darkness.
71 71 301 Chrome ...I can't...
72 72 301 He grips his weapon tightly. Even though he feels the searing pain of his broken knuckles, he has lost all perception of his hands.
73 73 301 Regaining control of his weapon, Chrome unleashes an all-out attack at the enemy choking him!
74 74 301 Right as the blade connects with the enemy, the figure releases Chrome and takes several steps back.
75 75 301 Although he escapes the enemy's vice grip, Chrome is temporarily stunlocked due to the agonizing pain and corruption.
76 76 301 Just before he senses the subtle vibration of the opponent's footsteps approaching again, someone with high Punishing corruption quickly ambushes the enemy from behind.
77 77 301 Giving himself no time to catch his breath, Chrome uses this opportunity to turn and search for his teammates.
78 78 301 Chrome Kamui... Wanshi...
79 79 301 He still remembers their general position before blacking out. After fumbling along his memory for a few steps, a quivering breath brushes against his broken fingertips on the left.
80 80 301 ?? ...
81 81 301 Chrome Who's there...? Wanshi...?
82 82 301 Feeling his face, Chrome is vaguely able to recognize the contour of Wanshi's face.
83 83 301 Chrome grabs his shoulders and senses Wanshi trying to open the buttoned-up pocket of his tactical bag.
84 84 301 ...What is Wanshi seeing?
85 85 301 Drowning in the hallucination, Chrome no longer is able to exert control over his body. Still, he struggles to take out the contents of his carrying bag. Perhaps, it will be of some use to Wanshi.
86 86 301 Chrome fumbles to help him open the intricate series of buttons on his carrying bag.
87 87 301 ...If they get out of here alive, Chrome is going to request an easier bag to open for Wanshi first thing.
88 88 301 Just as this trivial thought comes to mind, the vibrations from the two people fighting gradually disappear. Instead, they are replaced by an earthquake-like rumble from underneath the lift.
89 89 301 The individual who had ambushed the enemy from behind approaches him, then stops nearby.
90 90 301 Chrome ...Camu?
91 91 301 ?? ...
92 92 301 The rumbling from below grows in intensity. Even if there is still risk of being hacked, Chrome does not hesitate to activate the previously disabled modules.
97 97 301 With vision and hearing gradually restored, Chrome looks around to see Kamui, who normally has a sunny disposition, wearing a look of agonizing pain.
98 98 301 Kamui Koya... Koya!!
99 99 201 1 500175 5
100 100 301 1 Camu Kamui, you damn troglodyte! Wake the hell up! 1
101 101 301 RImgBg1Shake Seeing that Kamui is still unconscious, Camu slams his fists on his chest. Still not fully awake, Camu gives him a swift kick in the pants.
102 102 301 Just now waking up, Wanshi sits up feebly and looks at Kamui anxiously. He is still grasping an empty syringe with trembling hands, which he had just taken out of the open carrying bag.
103 103 201 1 500273 7
104 104 301 1 Wanshi ...Does he have any painful memories? 1
105 105 201 1 500175 5
106 106 301 1 Camu Wake up, damn it! 1
107 107 202 1 1
108 108 301 Kamui is shaken awake by Camu. He rubs his dizzy eyes, leaving traces of pain on his face.
109 109 201 1 1081001 17
110 110 301 1 Kamui ...Koya... 1
111 111 202 1 1
112 112 301 Seeing the dark waterway in front of him, Kamui realizes that he was hallucinating just now. He stands up and gives a cheery, untimely smile to Camu, who returns the look with a grimace.
113 113 201 1 1081001 2
114 114 301 1 Kamui When did you get here? 1
115 115 203 1 0.25 -450
116 116 201 2 500175 450
117 117 301 1 Camu Just now. You and Wanshi were lying on the ground. 2
118 118 301 Kamui Oh... I don't know why, but I found myself trapped playing a level I was stuck on for a month. 1
119 119 202 1 2 1
120 120 201 1 500273
121 121 301 1 Wanshi ... 1
122 122 201 1 1081001 2
123 123 301 1 Kamui Is that what happened to you guys, too? 1
124 124 203 1 0.25 450
125 125 201 2 500155 -450
126 126 301 1 Chrome The agent hacked our audio and visual modules. 2
127 127 301 Kamui Phew... At least that wasn't real! 1
128 2001 204 1
129 128 301 Kamui ... 1
130 129 301 But after reflecting on his hallucination, his smile quickly fades.
131 130 301 Kamui No... It was... 1
132 131 301 Seeing Kamui wake up, Chrome breathes a heavy sigh of relief, then adjusts the sensitivity of his perception module back to normal. Even still, the trauma and pain he experienced in the dark had far exceeded the limit of what most people could endure.
133 132 301 Kamui ...Wait, where is that guy? 1
134 133 202 1 2 1
135 134 301 They look around to see no sign of Vonnegut. Beneath the floor, the sound of rumbling is like a countdown to impending death.
136 135 301 Suddenly, immense pressure causes a crack to form in the floor as the Red Tide spews out from within!
137 136 201 1 500273 4
138 137 301 1 Wanshi ...Looks like that wasn't the last of the Red Tide! 1
139 138 301 Wanshi It's more diluted than before, but there's still a ton of it! 1
140 139 201 1 500155
141 140 301 1 Chrome We need to get out of here! 1
142 141 202 1 1
143 142 301 The four of them quickly run to the exit, but at this speed, sooner or later, they will be surrounded by the Red Tide and the Hetero-Creatures occupying the waterway.
144 143 201 1 500155
145 144 301 1 Chrome Camu, get Wanshi and Kamui out of here! 1
146 145 201 1 500175
147 146 301 1 Camu What's the big idea? 1
148 147 201 1 500155
149 148 301 1 Chrome I'll try and hold off the Red Tide to buy you all some time! 1
150 149 201 1 500175
151 150 301 1 Camu ...Let me help you. Not like the Red Tide will do anything to me. 1
152 151 301 Camu On the way here, I found some switches that opened up some secret passages. It'll be easier if I just show you. 1
153 152 201 1 1081001
154 153 301 1 Kamui Captain! 1
155 154 301 Kamui Forget it. You won't listen anyway. Wanshi! Let's go clear the way. 1
156 155 201 1 500155
157 156 301 1 Chrome ...Alright. But don't wait up for us. 1
158 157 202 1 1
159 158 201 1 1081001 -450
160 159 201 2 500273 450
161 160 301 1 Kamui Relax! Wanshi, let's go! 1
162 161 301 1 AniZhuanchangBegin Wanshi ...Alright. Be sure to come back in one piece. 2
