"I thought I might find some nukes here for self-defense."
After thoroughly exploring the submarine, Daniel Davis sighed softly. From his investigation, it was evident that this was a nuclear submarine. However, all its nuclear warheads had been consumed by the strange creatures that Clark and Yuli had described. According to the two of them, these peculiar beings could devour bullets, energy sources, and similar materials.
While Daniel did have small-yield nukes he had bought from black markets, he lacked access to true high-powered nuclear warheads. Although it wouldn't be difficult for someone with his abilities to obtain them, he chose not to, so as to avoid unnecessary trouble.
"What an impressive wind farm."
Next to the submarine lay an expansive wind farm stretching across a vast area. Wind energy is a highly sustainable and eco-friendly way to produce power, and many nations in the Marvel Universe had heavily invested in this technology. Yet, none could compare to the scale of what Daniel was now witnessing.
However, despite its grandeur, it was all useless now. The equipment, though operational, no longer produced energy. Likely, due to the lack of maintenance over many years, the systems had begun to fail.
Still, Daniel decided to examine the site to study its advanced technological designs. Certain aspects of this world's technology were worth learning from.
"Looks like I'll need to bring along some vehicles next time—motorcycles, for instance."
As the trio continued their journey, they encountered areas where the Quinjet couldn't be used to fly over. Daniel brought out a hoverboard, but Yuli's playful nature and Clark's fear of heights made him secure them firmly to the board, lest they accidentally fall off.
"He's gone... and the fish is gone too."
They arrived at the place where Clark and Yuli had once seen the last surviving fish in this world. Here, a robot had been taking care of what was likely the world's final fish. Now, however, the robot lay collapsed on one side, and the fish floated lifelessly in the tank.
Clark fell into a heavy silence. That robot and the fish had been like friends to the two of them.
"Can we eat it?" Yuli asked casually, showing little emotional attachment to the fish. Her desire for fish remained unwavering.
"No," Clark immediately rejected Yuli's suggestion.
"It's out of power."
While Clark and Yuli debated about the fish, Daniel checked on the robot. This place appeared to have been a food production base, or more accurately, a food production city. Its purpose was to manufacture, store, and distribute food to other cities. But now, due to the energy crisis, all the facilities had ceased functioning.
"This world has achieved a remarkable level of automation."
The trio then visited several other places Clark and Yuli had memories of, eventually arriving at the military base where their journey had begun. Sadly, the base was now nothing more than a massive crater—likely the result of a powerful missile strike.
Throughout their journey, they encountered no signs of life. Even when they went to the location where Clark remembered Ishii had fallen after an airplane crash, there was no trace of him. Too much time had passed.
Daniel eventually piloted the Quinjet around the entire world to survey it. The result was the same—no sign of any other humans. In a few cities, some energy sources still remained, but they, too, were running out.
"There are plenty of weapons here. Let's collect some to make use of."
Returning to the room Clark and Yuli had once dreamed of living in, the trio temporarily settled down. While teaching the girls about human history and basic knowledge from other worlds, Daniel sent out shadow clones to gather supplies.
Thanks to the strange creatures that had consumed most high-powered weapons, only conventional firearms and ammunition were left intact. But there was still an abundance of them—plenty for Daniel to use in the pirate world.
With these resources, Daniel wouldn't need to buy ammunition for a long time. Even though his strength had long surpassed the need for firearms, he still occasionally practiced shooting as a form of relaxation.
"Just these resources alone could make a fortune."
Beyond weapons, Daniel also collected large quantities of gold, gemstones, steel, and other materials. He even dismantled airplanes, tanks, and buildings with alchemy, breaking them down into raw steel.
After all, this world was doomed. Leaving these things here would only allow them to decay with time. Daniel thought it better to take them and use them to benefit others.
The spoils of this apocalyptic world, even though Daniel couldn't possibly take everything, were enough to nearly double his current assets. Of course, this was only theoretical—flooding the market with gold and gems would certainly cause their value to plummet.
In this world, such treasures were utterly worthless. Clark and Yuli only carried two things with them on their journey: food and fuel.
"I'm doing this for their future," Daniel told himself, offering this justification as comfort. While these resources were useless in a world like this, they were vital in normal human societies.
"So this is how the world ended."
During his resource collection, Daniel uncovered the truth behind this world's downfall. While war was a major factor, it wasn't the root cause. The ultimate reason lay in humanity's overreliance on technology, which disrupted the natural ecological balance. More precisely, humanity used technology to construct what they believed was a "perfect ecological balance."
Initially, this artificial balance brought prosperity. People lived happily, free from natural disasters. Most work was handled by intelligent robots, and even those who didn't work could live comfortably.
However, humans had clearly overestimated their technological prowess. Unlike the natural ecosystem, which has robust self-regulating mechanisms, humanity's "perfect balance" lacked such resilience. Over time, their system collapsed, and humanity paid the price.
As the ecological balance disintegrated, nations turned to war in a desperate bid for survival, fighting over dwindling resources. This conflict persisted even as humanity approached extinction, with no one willing to stop.
Ironically, in the end, none of them survived.
Faced with this truth, Daniel could only shake his head in resignation. He chose not to dwell on it further. Despite the apocalyptic state of this world, as long as the planet itself remained, the ecosystem would eventually recover over millennia. Perhaps one day, humans would reappear.
"Where should I take them? Perhaps to Asuna's world."
After a brief moment of consideration, Daniel decided on a destination for Clark and Yuli. While they could survive in any human world, he wanted to give them the safest environment possible. Among all the worlds Daniel had visited, the Sword Art Online world was the safest for ordinary people. This would also give him an excuse to visit Asuna.
"Get some sleep. When you wake up, you'll see the new world."
After putting the two girls to sleep, Daniel ascended into the sky, taking one last look at the desolate world below. With a deep sigh, he left, knowing he would never return.
"A world with people... it's wonderful."
Standing outside his villa in the Sword Art Online world, Daniel sensed the lively surroundings and couldn't help but feel relieved. The apocalyptic world had been far too oppressive.
"I'm back," he sent Asuna a message, then woke up Clark and Yuli.
"So many people!"
In a secluded corner of a park, Daniel, Asuna, Clark, and Yuli sat on the grass. Yuli was brimming with excitement as she watched people in the distance.
After Asuna returned, Daniel brought the group here. Seeing a world filled with life excited Yuli to no end. Even Clark, though more reserved, couldn't hide her enthusiasm.
Many things Clark had only read about in books were now tangible and real before her eyes.
"An apocalypse, huh?"
After hearing Daniel's account of Clark and Yuli's experiences, Asuna's perspective on them changed completely. Initially, she had been wary of the two girls, possibly suspecting some complicated relationship with Daniel.
But now, Asuna not only sympathized with them but also took charge of helping them adjust to this new world. She started teaching them all sorts of things and even took responsibility for their future arrangements, sparing Daniel the effort.
As it was summer vacation, Asuna decided to guide them throughout the break and then enroll them in school afterward. Based on their age, they would end up in the same grade as Asuna.
As for their education, there was no need to worry. The resources Daniel had brought from their old world were more than enough to sustain them. Moreover, their survival up to this point demonstrated their unique strengths.
Attending school wasn't just about learning or making friends—it was a way to integrate them into society.
"So many new games have appeared."
With the public release of the virtual reality gaming framework, VR games had sprung up like mushrooms after the rain. Virtual reality had quickly become the dominant form of gaming, with traditional games retaining only a niche market among casual gamers. Developers who didn't adapt either switched to VR or went out of business.
Among the surge of VR games, many were of outstanding quality, rivaling even Daniel's productions. Nevertheless, Fairy Dance remained the top-ranked VR game, followed by Naruto in second place.
Daniel's company dominated several spots in the top ten, not including niche titles like Resident Evil. If not for its horror theme, Resident Evil might have also secured a place in the top rankings.
"The Death Gun incident, huh? Aincrad really left a lasting impact. Could it be that guy again?"
The idea of using the network to kill people was an unsettling legacy left by Akihiko Kayaba. Even though the Laughing Coffin guild had been wiped out, it had planted seeds of similar thoughts
in others. With the capability and motivation, new perpetrators were bound to emerge.
This time, the "Death Gun" incident appeared to involve someone different, although Daniel suspected that one of Shino's classmates might be involved. Considering the poison capable of killing players in real life, it was likely someone with access to medical supplies. Shino's classmate's family ran a hospital, making it easy to obtain such substances. Additionally, his brother had been a member of the Laughing Coffin guild in Aincrad. All these factors pointed toward the possibility of a repeated tragedy.
"Shinkawa Kyouji, huh."
Using records from the remnants of the Laughing Coffin guild, Daniel quickly identified Shinkawa Kyouji. Despite his privileged upbringing—his family owned a hospital—both Kyouji and his brother exhibited disturbingly warped psychology.
The Death Gun killings occurred in a modern, post-apocalyptic VR game similar to GGO. Daniel suspected the game had been heavily inspired by his versions of GGO and Resident Evil. It featured mutated creatures, zombies, and other monstrosities.
Ironically, the pirated GGO had outperformed Daniel's official version. Its ability to exchange in-game currency for real-world money was a game-changer. This single feature was why the original GGO had lost its competitive edge.
If Daniel had to choose, even he might prefer the pirated version. After all, even ordinary players had the chance to strike it rich by acquiring rare items. Top players, like Shino (the Ice Sniper), could earn far more than the average white-collar worker. Even in the pirated GGO, Shino had maintained her reputation as a cold and skilled sniper.
"I'll need to investigate further. And I'll need to find the person Shino saved."
Although Shinkawa Kyouji was highly suspicious, there wasn't enough evidence yet. To help Shino overcome her trauma, certain preparations were necessary. As for Shino's safety, Daniel wasn't concerned—he had plans to ensure her protection.
"It's been a while."
At Agil's café and bar, Daniel and Asuna met with Lizbeth, Kirito, Yuuki (the Absolute Sword), Suguha, and others for their weekly gathering—a tradition none of them usually missed.
"Still as popular as ever, I see."
Kirito had achieved balance in his life, excelling in academics, work, and relationships. His job as a game tester wasn't exclusive to Daniel's company; he also worked with official organizations, thanks to his close ties with Kikuoka Seijirou.
With Lizbeth, Suguha, and Silica often by his side, Kirito's life seemed enviable to someone like Klein, who could only look on with jealousy.
"Have you heard about the Death Gun incident?" Kirito brought up the topic after they split into separate groups for conversation.
"I've heard a bit. What about it? Have you been asked to investigate it?"
"Yes. I wanted to hear your thoughts. Do you think it's possible to kill someone through the network?"
Despite telling Kikuoka he didn't believe it was possible, Kirito harbored lingering doubts deep down.
"Of course not." Daniel replied firmly.
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Fairy Tail: Igneel's Eldest Son (Chapter 256)
I Am Thalos, Odin's Older Brother (Chapter 336)
Reborn in America's Anti-Terror Unit (Chapter 542)
Solomon in Marvel (Chapter 924)
Becoming the Wealthiest Tycoon on the Planet (Chapter 1284)
Surgical Fruit in the American Comics Universe (Chapter 1289)
American Detective: From TV Rookie to Seasoned Cop (Chapter 1316)
American TV Writer (Chapter 1402)
I Am Hades, The Supreme GOD of the Underworld! (Chapter 570)
Reborn as Humanity's Emperor Across the Multiverse (Chapter 660)
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