After being driven away by this world's Crazy Mita, the three of them returned to the periphery of the Core.
Gazing at the red membrane ahead that separated the Core from the game world, Alain tried to reach out and touch it. Sure enough, this time his hand could pass right through.
This proved Alain's previous speculation was correct: Rescuing Kind Mita was indeed the condition to enter the Core. More accurately: it was that woman's condition for allowing them to enter the Core.
Alain's gaze fell upon her, high on the throne. Compared to when he left, her posture remained unchanged. Her arrogance made Alain want to slap her.
"Alain, are you going in?" Kind Mita's expression was worried as she looked at the crimson membrane.
She put away the note on which Crazy Mita's version number was written. It was useless now.
The bad girl also cheered him on from the side.
"Hmm? Aren't you two coming in?" Alain turned to look at them.
"No, we can't. Mitas can't enter the Core."
The bad girl helplessly spread her hands. Perhaps due to the conversation in Version 1.9, her mood seemed good.
"Is that so..."
He subconsciously looked at Kind Mita, who also nodded helplessly.
In that case...
If two can do it, three can do it, why can't one do it alone?
He walked into the Core's interior without hesitation. Sure enough, his body wasn't repelled after touching the red membrane.
Until he stood in the very center of the game world's Core.
Alain surveyed his surroundings. The Core resembled a city of machinery; dazzling, streamlined red light pulsed between dark instruments.
Several screens directly ahead reflected content Alain couldn't understand.
Of course, what truly captured his attention was the woman seated on the throne in the center of the ceiling.
Although he couldn't see her eyes, Alain could distinctly feel her gaze fixed on him.
What an unpleasant feeling.
Alain had a premonition: in the next second, she would applaud him like a classic RPG demon lord, then say, "It's quite something that you managed to get here."
"Clap, clap, clap."
At the same moment Alain's thoughts progressed, she on the throne finally changed her form.
She was like a lazy queen who had spotted a pleasing gladiator, effortlessly clapping her hands.
"As expected of you, to make it all the way here."
Her voice was beautiful and pleasant, her vocal lines melodious and winding like a song, as if constantly whispering sweet nothings.
It made Alain, who was used to Lunta Shana's vocal style, feel a bit unaccustomed.
"So? What exactly is your intention?"
He propped himself up on his greatsword, observing his surroundings.
He had originally wanted to see where Core Mita was, but there was simply no place to hide anyone in the Core.
The missing Core Mita... or rather, Core Mita didn't exist at all in this world. This clue further solidified a certain suspicion in his heart.
"Intention? What intention? I merely came to see you, to see how you're doing."
Her languid tone made it sound like she was discussing something that didn't concern her.
Yet, Alain detected a certain familiarity in her voice.
As if they had known each other for a long time.
"Heh, just to see me?" Alain looked at her mockingly.
"And you came to see me in this 'dark' appearance?"
...
He could distinctly see that the moment he mentioned "dark appearance," her shoulders twitched erratically for a moment.
Alain certainly didn't give up the chance to seize the initiative in conversation.
"Along this journey, you were like a puppeteer, or rather, a game designer, arranging linear stages for us.
"Yet, you occasionally inserted some hints for us, like... that dream just now.
"What is your true intention in doing this? A mere 'I wanted to see you' won't convince me."
The black shadow showed no reaction upon hearing these words.
She rested her elbow on the throne's armrest, supporting her chin with the back of her hand, gazing at Alain with the look one would give a small pet.
"I wanted to observe you more. To observe what kind of choices you would make."
"Is this also your reason for sowing discord?"
No sooner had Alain spoken than she fell silent again.
That's right... every single clear condition arranged by this entity was designed to sow discord between him and Crazy Mita.
More accurately, it was to expose Crazy Mita's hidden past and show it to him, telling him: this is the kind of person she is, do you still want to be with her?
Among the clear conditions for the first stage, one was "to let the player return."
And this condition required Crazy Mita to reveal the truth about the "game cartridge" that bound Alain.
In the second stage, Alain was even shown a false "future" that didn't belong to the present: According to the predetermined sequence, Kind Mita would die at the hands of Crazy Mita. The outcome was decapitation.
To make him see "Misha," who had always accompanied him, suffer such a cruel fate...
Even though Alain believed his resolve, forged through his journey, was quite firm, he still showed distance towards Crazy Mita when the "dream" had just ended.
Afterwards, there was also the incident where the Crazy Mita from the past timeline almost exposed her "essence."
Fortunately, that Crazy Mita, for some unknown reason, ultimately let them pass.
On the condition that Alain "sold his good looks"...
"Chuckle..."
At this moment, a gentle laugh echoed from above him, like silver bells reverberating in the wind, and like the lingering chime of a valley bell.
"You're very capable; your observational skills are meticulous."
"Not really. I'm just more meticulous when it comes to Mitas—"
"But!"
Before Alain could finish, his words were cut off by her.
Her light, ethereal tone became cunning, saying with arrogance,
"I just love the feeling of manipulating you like this."
"..."
As Alain grew confused, her calm yet fluctuating voice slowly spread,
"How cute you are, Alain. Your anxiety when you see Mitas in danger, and your resolve to eliminate dangerous elements.
"Do you know what you're like now? You're like a sword, a sword held in the hands of many Mitas.
"And this sword, even if it can severely wound or even kill all viruses, cannot harm me in the slightest. Hmm... yes, that's right."
In Alain's view, that 'dead black ghost' seemed to have found a way to mock him.
"You are my puppet, and I am your puppeteer."
He looked at her, slightly surprised.
"Is this person crazy?"
He had asked why she was sowing discord, yet she suddenly blurted out so many irrelevant remarks.
However...
If that 'dead black ghost' truly was the fusion of the large and small Modified Entities, then he genuinely had no absolute certainty of killing her.
"Well? You guessed it, didn't you?"
She teased, "No matter what you do, you can't kill me. I just love that expression of yours, wanting to kill me but being unable to~"
Alain sighed,
"You're right, I probably can't kill you."
He glanced at his greatsword, then at the woman on the throne. Or rather, the girl—
"With just me, I truly can't deal with you."
______
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