The moment the blood-red energy shattered around them, the peaceful grassy plains vanished instantly.
Yuuki and Rapi suddenly found themselves standing within a dim orphanage hallway filled with silence so oppressive it almost hurt. Cold fluorescent lights flickered overhead while rows of children sat quietly at tables, eating in near silence.
Yet among all of them—
One girl sat completely alone.
Young Anis.
Yuuki immediately noticed the loneliness in her eyes before anything else.
Even as a child, she constantly tried smiling.
Tried talking.
Tried fitting in.
But nobody truly stayed beside her for long.
The memories moved rapidly afterward.
Housing facilities changed one after another while Anis continued getting transferred repeatedly throughout her childhood. Some caretakers ignored her completely while others barely remembered her existence.
Yet despite everything—
She still kept trying.
Then finally, luck seemed to favor her briefly.
A charity program accepted her, giving her food, education, and proper housing for the first time in years. Young Anis looked genuinely hopeful entering school afterward, her eyes carrying excitement as she tried introducing herself to classmates.
"She really tried…" Yuuki whispered quietly.
Rapi nodded beside him.
The memories continued.
Anis became more social.
More energetic.
She constantly approached classmates, joined conversations, and tried desperately to become someone people wanted around.
At first, things seemed to improve.
Then slowly—
Everything began falling apart again.
Every interaction eventually ended awkwardly.
Some classmates ignored her entirely.
Others avoided her.
Some openly mocked her attempts to socialize.
And sometimes…
The memories turned violent.
Yuuki watched helplessly as arguments escalated into physical altercations. Anis constantly smiled afterward like nothing happened, but the loneliness inside her only kept growing deeper.
"She wanted validation," Rapi whispered softly. "She wanted someone to genuinely accept her."
The memories darkened further.
Eventually, Yuuki found himself standing atop a tall building beneath the artificial lights of the Ark.
Young Anis stood near the edge of the rooftop alone.
The despair surrounding her felt suffocating.
"I'm tired…" her younger self whispered shakily.
Yuuki visibly stiffened.
"She almost ended her life that night," Rapi quietly explained beside him.
Young Anis slowly stepped closer toward the edge.
Then suddenly—
Music filled the Ark.
Bright.
Warm.
Hopeful.
A famous Nikke idol's voice echoed throughout the city below, reaching the rooftop just before Anis took her final step.
Yuuki watched young Anis freeze completely.
Then slowly—
She stepped back.
Tears fell from her eyes while she listened silently to the music that had unknowingly saved her life.
"That singer was Pretty," Rapi explained softly.
The memories shifted again afterward.
From that moment onward, Anis became obsessed with Pretty's music. She watched every concert she could. Memorized dance routines. Talked endlessly about her idol whenever possible.
And strangely enough…
People finally started interacting with her again.
Classmates who once ignored her suddenly began approaching her because of their shared interest in Pretty. Someone even gifted her a concert ticket.
For the first time in years—
Anis genuinely felt hopeful again.
Then came the night she met Pretty herself.
Yuuki watched the young girl excitedly rambling to the celebrity Nikke while nervously showing her dance moves. Pretty laughed warmly while encouraging her kindly, treating Anis with a sincerity she rarely received from others.
That moment clearly meant everything to her.
Then the memories darkened again.
The Arkrian Hall concert.
Crowds packed tightly together while Pretty performed on stage beneath overwhelming cheers from both humans and Nikkes alike.
Young Anis looked happier than Yuuki had seen her yet.
Then suddenly—
Three suspicious figures appeared within the crowd.
Anis noticed them immediately.
She tried forcing her way toward them.
But the crowd was too dense.
Too slow.
Gunshots rang out.
Pretty collapsed dead on stage.
The entire concert erupted into panic instantly.
Yuuki felt Anis's horror as though it were his own.
The girl desperately tried stopping the assassins afterward despite the chaos surrounding her. One of the attackers pistol-whipped her violently before the panicking crowd trampled over her fallen body.
The memories slowed afterward.
Yuuki watched young Anis lying motionless beneath the feet of terrified people desperately trying to escape.
And just like that—
She died.
Silence filled the memory briefly.
Then the next scene appeared.
A sterile laboratory.
Rows of newly awakened Nikkes.
Anis slowly opened her eyes again.
But no longer as a human.
The deceased victims of the concert attack had been converted into Nikkes by Tetra Line.
That was where she met Hanson, Pretty's former manager.
Because of Anis's connection to Pretty, Hanson chose her to become part of a new idol project.
T.T. Star.
The memories brightened briefly afterward.
Yuuki watched Anis performing on stage alongside Mint and Prika, smiling brightly beneath stage lights while cheering crowds filled concert halls.
For a short time—
She truly looked happy.
Then the cycle repeated again.
Controversies.
Public harassment.
Sabotage.
Online hatred.
Obsessive fans.
Cruel rumors.
Every success eventually twisted into pain.
Yuuki watched Anis endure constant ridicule despite desperately trying to keep smiling for others. Her manager, Riss—who also happened to be her former classmate—tried supporting her through everything.
Until even that ended in tragedy.
Riss eventually committed suicide under overwhelming pressure and public backlash.
And afterward—
People blamed Anis for it.
The memories spiraled darker from there.
The final breaking point came at Arkrian Hall once again.
Another confrontation.
Another betrayal.
Another public humiliation.
This time, Anis completely snapped.
Yuuki watched her brutally assault Yoyo in front of crowds and cameras after being emotionally manipulated regarding Riss's death.
That moment destroyed everything remaining of her idol career.
Even though Hanson—now Mustang—wanted to help rebuild T.T. Star's reputation afterward…
Anis gave up completely.
She abandoned the stage.
Abandoned fame.
Abandoned the hope of being loved publicly.
Instead, she requested transfer into combat squads on the surface.
The memories shifted rapidly afterward.
Battlefields.
Gunfire.
Dead commanders.
Failed missions.
Yuuki watched Anis gradually become colder and more rebellious over time. She openly mocked incompetent commanders. Ignored orders she considered suicidal. Treated authority with complete disrespect.
Because deep down—
She had stopped believing humanity deserved her loyalty.
"She became known as a black sheep," Rapi quietly explained beside him.
Yuuki slowly looked toward the final image lingering within the memory.
Anis standing alone beneath the artificial lights of the Ark while forcing a smile onto her face despite looking completely exhausted inside.
Then he finally understood something.
Anis joked constantly.
Teased constantly.
Acted carefree constantly.
Because if she stopped smiling—
The loneliness underneath would consume her again.
Yuuki slowly turned around after the memories faded.
==========================
Anis stood several meters away from them within the endless grassy plains of the Nikke Void World, her usual confident grin completely gone. Tears quietly streamed down her face while her golden eyes trembled with embarrassment and vulnerability.
"Oh…"
She laughed weakly through her tears.
"…So you saw all of that."
The playful sarcasm she normally used to protect herself sounded painfully fragile now.
Yuuki's chest tightened slightly.
"Anis…"
She immediately wiped at her eyes aggressively while trying to force her usual expression back onto her face.
"I know, okay?" she muttered shakily. "I know I joke around too much."
Her voice cracked slightly afterward.
"But…"
For the first time since he met her—
Anis looked genuinely small.
"I just wanted people to accept me."
The words came out quietly.
Honestly.
Without her usual teasing or deflection.
The endless grassy field around them swayed softly beneath the wind while Anis struggled to keep herself together.
"I'm sorry…"
Her shoulders trembled slightly.
"I'm really sorry you had to see all that."
The shame in her voice hurt far more than the memories themselves.
Because Anis genuinely hated showing weakness.
She preferred being loud.
Annoying.
Funny.
Anything except vulnerable.
Before Yuuki could step forward—
Rapi moved first.
Without hesitation, she walked directly toward Anis and wrapped her in a tight embrace.
Anis froze completely.
Rapi held her quietly.
"You don't need to apologize," she whispered softly.
That alone nearly broke Anis instantly.
Yuuki watched silently as Anis slowly grabbed onto Rapi's clothes with trembling hands, her emotions finally spilling out after being buried for so long.
"I tried so hard…" Anis whispered weakly. "Every single time…"
Rapi gently stroked her hair while listening quietly.
"I tried being friendly."
"I tried fitting in."
"I tried making people smile."
Tears continued falling freely down her cheeks now.
"But no matter what I did…"
Her voice shook badly.
"…people always left."
The pain hidden beneath all her teasing finally surfaced completely.
Yuuki slowly approached afterward before kneeling down slightly in front of her.
Anis immediately looked away in embarrassment.
"This is seriously lame…"
Yuuki gently reached over and flicked her forehead lightly.
"Ow!"
"There's nothing lame about wanting to be loved."
Anis visibly froze.
Yuuki's expression softened deeply.
"You spent your whole life trying to make other people smile even while you were hurting yourself."
The wind moved quietly through the endless grassy plains around them.
"That's not weakness."
Anis's lips trembled faintly.
"That's kindness."
Her breathing became uneven afterward.
Yuuki smiled softly.
"And honestly?"
Anis slowly looked toward him again.
"You're already accepted."
Her eyes widened slightly.
"By Rapi."
Yuuki pointed toward himself afterward.
"By me."
Then toward the others in the distance beyond the memories.
"And by the rest of the girls too. There are other shipgirls like you. Plus, GDI faced the same thing as you."
Anis could only stare at him in silence.
Yuuki's voice remained calm, but there was a heaviness behind it that made every word feel older than it should have been.
"We were called heroes once," he said quietly. "Saviors. Protectors of humanity. Every nation praised us while the war was raging. They celebrated every victory we gave them."
He let out a dry laugh.
"But the moment the war ended… GDI became something the world feared."
His eyes darkened slightly.
"We were too strong. Too advanced. Every country wanted a piece of us — our weapons, our reactors, our Chrono technology, our research. They smiled at us publicly while tearing us apart behind closed doors."
Anis remained speechless as he continued.
"So they did what people always do when they fear something they can't control. They painted us as monsters. War criminals. A threat to world peace."
Yuuki leaned back, his gaze distant, as if he was seeing another world entirely.
"And then the same nations we saved declared war on us."
The room fell silent.
"We didn't surrender."
There was no pride in his voice. Only exhaustion.
"We spearheaded assault after assault just to survive. Every GDI base was Chronolifted or Chronoshifted before they could capture it. Every server wiped clean. Every weapon, every vehicle, every blueprint — taken with us so nothing would fall into their hands."
His fingers tightened slightly.
"And when they finally cornered us…"
A faint bitterness crossed his face.
"We overloaded the Threshold Tower."
Anis' eyes widened.
"The explosion wiped out entire armies. Their fleets, their forces… gone in an instant." He paused. "And while the old world burned behind us… our mothership left."
Yuuki looked toward the ceiling for a moment.
"We abandoned Earth."
The words hit harder than any shout could.
"We crossed into another reality. Another world. A clean slate." A faint smile appeared on his lips, though it carried little warmth. "Earth 2.0, I guess."
He looked back at Anis.
"No one knew who we were there. No politics. No governments trying to chain us down. For the first time… we were finally able to become what the Global Defense Initiative was supposed to be."
Then his expression softened.
"Yeah… people can be assholes like that. Now, you girls realize why I refused to fight for humanity of this planet. They turned on you when they started to see what you can do. So yeah..."
Anis blinked.
"You become their hero, their idol… but somewhere out there, someone will always hate you for shining brighter than them."
Yuuki gave her a small, understanding smile.
"So don't let it get to you, Anis. I understand what you're going through."
Yuuki chuckled quietly afterward.
"You really think we would willingly put up with your nonstop teasing if they didn't care about you?"
That finally caused a small laugh to escape her through her tears.
"…You're seriously unfair sometimes."
"I've been told that a lot tonight."
Anis weakly laughed again before finally lowering her head slightly.
Then quietly—
"…Thank you."
Not joking.
Not teasing.
Just sincere.
And for perhaps the first time in many years—
Anis no longer felt like she needed to force herself to smile just to keep people from leaving her behind.
Yuuki stared at Anis for several seconds before sighing dramatically.
"So all it took to get you emotionally honest was one flick to the forehead?"
Anis immediately pointed at him in outrage.
"Rude!"
The sheer speed of her recovery immediately made Yuuki grin.
Then suddenly—
A soft giggle escaped from beside them.
Both Yuuki and Anis froze.
Rapi herself looked mildly shocked after realizing what she had just done.
Anis slowly turned toward her with visible disbelief.
"…Wait."
Her eyes widened dramatically.
"Did you just giggle?"
Rapi immediately looked away.
"…No."
"That was absolutely a giggle!"
Yuuki nearly laughed watching Anis react more dramatically to Rapi giggling than to her own emotional breakdown moments earlier.
"Commander!" Anis pointed accusingly toward Rapi. "She's broken!"
Rapi sighed softly afterward, though a faint smile still lingered on her face now.
"It's called being relaxed."
"That sounds fake coming from you."
Yuuki chuckled quietly before gently patting Anis on the head.
The sudden gesture immediately made her freeze again.
"You really don't need the entire world to accept you, you know."
Anis quietly blinked.
Yuuki smiled softly afterward.
"You've already got people who care about you."
He gestured calmly around them.
"Me."
Then toward Rapi.
"Rapi."
Then farther into the endless grassy plains beyond.
"Neon. Ade. Soda."
His expression became warmer afterward.
"And eventually the shipgirls too."
Anis looked slightly unconvinced at first.
Yuuki laughed softly.
"Though honestly…"
He scratched his cheek.
"…Belfast might smack you with a broom if you tease people too much."
Anis immediately grinned.
Yuuki sighed.
"You're going to target Enterprise too, aren't you?"
"The serious ones are the easiest targets."
Rapi quietly nodded in agreement.
Yuuki looked betrayed.
"You too?!"
Rapi calmly looked away.
"…I understand her logic."
"That's terrifying."
Anis actually laughed properly this time, the heaviness in her expression finally beginning to fade.
Then Yuuki folded his arms thoughtfully.
"Honestly, there are probably several shipgirls you'd get along with immediately."
Anis tilted her head slightly.
"Like who?"
"Yorktown and Enterprise's sister, Hornet."
Yuuki immediately pictured the chaotic carrier mentally.
"She's loud, energetic, and causes emotional damage professionally."
Anis immediately approved.
"Oh, I like her already."
Yuuki continued afterward.
"There's also Konigsberg from Iron Blood."
Rapi blinked slightly.
"She's… surprisingly patient with chaotic personalities."
Then Yuuki thought for another moment.
"Hiyou from the Sakura Empire too."
"And Repulse from the Royal Navy."
Anis slowly crossed her arms while imagining all of them together.
"…They sound loud and obnoxious."
Yuuki nodded immediately.
"They absolutely are."
Then Anis slowly smiled afterward.
"…Yeah."
Her voice softened slightly.
"I think I could be friends with people like that."
The wind quietly swept through the endless grassy plains while the heaviness surrounding her memories gradually faded away.
Then Anis looked toward Yuuki again.
"…And I guess…"
Her cheeks became faintly pink.
"…I can tolerate you too."
Yuuki dramatically placed a hand over his chest.
"What a heartfelt confession."
"Shut up."
Rapi quietly giggled again.
Anis immediately pointed at her once more.
"She did it again!"
Rapi turned away entirely this time.
Yuuki laughed softly before Anis suddenly looked back toward him with a teasing smile slowly returning to her face.
"Ehee…"
Her eyes narrowed mischievously.
"At this rate, Commander…"
She lightly poked his chest.
"…I might actually fall for you eventually."
Yuuki immediately groaned.
"I've already survived enough confessions tonight."
Anis grinned proudly afterward.
"Too bad."
Then more softly—
"You're kind of hard not to like."
Yuuki immediately pinched Anis's cheeks the moment she finished teasing him.
"Mmff?!"
Anis puffed up instantly while trying to pry his hand away.
"Rude!"
Yuuki only grinned shamelessly before finally releasing her and patting her head afterward.
Unlike earlier, Anis didn't pull away this time.
Instead, she quietly accepted the gesture while her expression softened slightly beneath all the teasing.
"…Thanks though," she muttered quietly.
Yuuki blinked.
"For freeing me."
Her golden eyes lowered briefly afterward.
"…And Rapi too."
The playful atmosphere around them became gentler again while the endless grassy plains swayed softly beneath the wind.
Yuuki smiled faintly.
"You girls are my Nikkes now."
Both Anis and Rapi looked toward him immediately.
"So naturally," Yuuki continued calmly, "I'm going to free you."
Then his eyes softened.
"I want all of you to become the best versions of yourselves."
For several moments, neither Nikke spoke.
Then Anis slowly narrowed her eyes playfully.
"Your Nikkes, huh…"
A teasing grin spread across her face again.
"Commander's really out here making ownership claims already."
Yuuki crossed his arms proudly.
"Hey, I'm making a statement."
Anis laughed softly afterward.
"Sly fox."
Rapi quietly watched the exchange beside them before speaking in a softer voice than usual.
"…You really are difficult to dislike, Commander."
Yuuki looked genuinely suspicious afterward.
"Is this another confession attempt?"
"No," Rapi answered immediately.
Then after a pause—
"…Probably."
Anis burst out laughing while Yuuki held his forehead helplessly.
"You even managed to make Rapi smile and giggle," Anis added afterward. "That alone should qualify you as some kind of miracle worker."
Rapi immediately looked away again.
"I only laughed twice."
"That's already historic."
Yuuki chuckled quietly before finally exhaling softly.
"Honestly, I'm not really doing anything special."
Both girls looked at him like he was insane.
Yuuki shrugged.
"I'm just accepting your pasts instead of condemning them."
His expression softened afterward.
"You girls already suffered enough because people refused to understand you."
The wind swept gently through the grassy fields around them.
"So if I can help heal some of that pain…"
A faint grin appeared on his face.
"…then I guess I'll keep doing it."
Anis stared at him for several seconds before suddenly laughing again.
"What?"
"You seriously sound like one of those protagonists who defeats people using speeches instead of violence."
Yuuki blinked.
Then sighed dramatically.
"…I'm starting to feel like I'm winning everything through Talk no Jutsu."
That immediately caused both Rapi and Anis to laugh properly this time.
And hearing those genuine laughs echo peacefully across the endless grassy plains—
Yuuki quietly realized something.
For the first time in what felt like forever, both Rapi and Anis laughed without fear hiding underneath their smiles.
No pressure.
No survival instinct.
No fear of abandonment.
Just peace.
The endless grassy plains around them slowly brightened afterward as the lingering dark-red energy surrounding Anis's memories finally began dispersing into the wind. The heavy emotional weight lingering within the Void World gradually faded, leaving behind only calm skies and swaying fields beneath the warm sunlight.
Then Anis suddenly paused.
Her expression shifted slightly.
"…Heh."
Yuuki blinked.
"What?"
Anis looked toward him strangely afterward.
"Your heart really does feel peaceful."
Yuuki visibly froze.
Then realization struck him immediately.
"Oh."
He pointed between himself and the two girls.
"…We're connected now, aren't we?"
Rapi quietly nodded beside him.
"…Yeah."
Her cheeks turned faintly red afterward.
Now that the synchronization had stabilized, both girls could vaguely feel fragments of Yuuki's emotional state flowing through the connection.
And surprisingly—
It really was peaceful.
Not empty.
Not cold.
Just calm.
A quiet warmth that somehow made the endless anxiety and chaos within their own hearts settle naturally.
Anis looked genuinely confused by it.
"How are you mentally stable with a heart like this?"
Yuuki shrugged.
"Professionally trained emotional suppression."
"That sounds unhealthy."
"It absolutely is."
Rapi quietly smiled at the exchange while Anis shook her head afterward.
"Huh… well."
She stretched lazily.
"All's well that ends well."
Then she immediately pointed dramatically toward the horizon.
"Now come on! Let's go rescue Neon from whatever emotional disaster she's currently trapped in."
Yuuki was about to move before suddenly stopping.
"Wait."
Both girls looked toward him.
Yuuki pointed toward Rapi carefully.
"Can you still transform?"
Rapi blinked softly.
Yuuki crossed his arms thoughtfully.
"You returned to normal completely after leaving your memories."
Rapi slowly looked down at her hands afterward.
"…I'm not sure."
The fear and instability normally associated with Red Hood's transformation were gone now. The oppressive pressure from the second core no longer felt overwhelming inside her mind.
Still uncertain, Rapi slowly closed her eyes.
Then—
Crimson energy erupted gently around her.
Her hair shifted into vivid red while her eyes glowed brilliantly beneath the sunlight. The familiar aura of Red Hood emerged once more, yet this time it felt completely different from before.
Stable.
Calm.
Controlled.
Yuuki's eyes widened slightly.
"…Wow."
Even Rapi herself looked surprised.
There were no whispers.
No violent impulses.
No burning instability trying to consume her consciousness.
Only power remained.
Anis immediately stared in amazement.
"Whoa…"
Her eyes sparkled dramatically.
"The Red Hood form actually looks insanely cool."
Rapi slowly flexed her hand while observing the stabilized energy surrounding her.
"…It feels different now."
Yuuki smiled faintly.
"Because now it belongs to you completely."
Rapi quietly looked toward him afterward.
No longer Red Hood's lingering influence.
No longer borrowed power threatening to overwrite her existence.
Now it was simply Rapi's strength.
Anis crossed her arms dramatically afterward.
"Man, I wish I could do that."
Rapi immediately shook her head.
"Most Nikkes avoid merging cores."
Her expression became slightly serious again.
"Conflicting personalities usually destroy mental stability."
Then she paused.
"…Or worse."
Yuuki suddenly blinked thoughtfully.
"…Actually."
Both girls looked toward him.
Yuuki rubbed his chin slightly.
"If my blood can remove conflicting personalities and stabilize the synchronization…"
Anis's eyes slowly widened.
"…Wait."
Yuuki looked directly at her afterward.
"Then theoretically, you could probably merge with another Nikke core too."
Anis visibly froze.
"I could?!"
Yuuki nodded slowly.
"In theory, yes."
Then he immediately added:
"Though finding a compatible core is probably going to be extremely difficult."
Anis stared at him for several seconds.
Then slowly—
A mischievous grin spread across her face again.
"You can find one for me, Commander~"
Yuuki immediately narrowed his eyes.
"…Why do I feel like I just accidentally accepted another responsibility?"
Anis proudly pointed at him.
"Because you absolutely did."
Rapi quietly sighed beside them.
"…She recovered far too quickly."
"Adaptability," Anis corrected shamelessly.
Yuuki shook his head while laughing softly.
"Well, at least now you can properly practice those kinds of abilities without Red Hood trying to hijack Rapi's mind every five minutes."
Rapi quietly nodded beside him while looking down at her hands.
The Red Hood transformation still lingered faintly around her body, but now it felt stable. Calm. The overwhelming pressure and violent impulses that once accompanied the form were completely gone.
"It really feels different," she admitted quietly. "Before, every transformation felt like I was fighting someone inside my own head."
Her crimson eyes softened afterward.
"Now… it just feels like my own power."
Yuuki smiled faintly.
"Good."
Then suddenly, a thoughtful expression crossed his face.
"…Actually."
Both girls looked toward him immediately.
Yuuki rubbed his chin while thinking aloud.
"Maybe one day we can use a Bastion Cube to extract the remaining data from your core."
Rapi blinked softly.
"What for?"
Yuuki casually answered:
"To revive Red Hood."
Both girls froze instantly.
"…What?"
Yuuki shrugged.
"If her consciousness data still exists inside your merged core, then theoretically we should be able to isolate and reconstruct it."
Anis stared at him in disbelief.
"You can actually do that?!"
Yuuki lifted a finger carefully.
"In theory."
Then immediately afterward—
"Don't expect miracles until we properly understand how Nikkes work first."
Rapi still looked stunned.
"But… Red Hood is dead."
Yuuki shook his head.
"Dead physically, maybe."
Then he pointed toward her chest.
"But data like that usually isn't erased completely."
His expression became more analytical afterward.
"The Goddess Squad sounds far too valuable historically and militarily for humanity to simply delete all records related to them."
Rapi quietly processed his words.
"You don't destroy your greatest assets," Yuuki continued calmly. "You archive them somewhere."
Anis folded her arms afterward.
"…That sounds suspiciously evil when you say it like that."
"I learned from governments."
"That explains everything."
Yuuki ignored her entirely.
"If we can find backup data, neural archives, combat records, or dormant consciousness fragments…"
His eyes narrowed thoughtfully.
"…then rebuilding Red Hood as an independent individual should theoretically be possible."
Rapi still looked uncertain.
"You're talking about recreating a Nikke…"
Yuuki immediately noticed the discomfort in her expression.
Without hesitation, he gently patted her head.
"Nah. Not like the Ark does it."
Rapi slowly looked at him again.
"I'm not using human brains."
That immediately caught both girls' attention.
"…You can make Nikkes without them?" Anis asked carefully.
Yuuki nodded.
"In my world, the Brotherhood of Nod developed artificial human brain systems decades ago."
Rapi blinked softly.
"Artificial brains?"
"Yup."
Yuuki casually continued explaining while the three walked peacefully through the endless grassy plains.
"They originally developed them to power advanced cyborg units."
Then his expression became slightly more serious.
"Later versions became sophisticated enough to support CABAL systems."
Anis immediately looked lost.
"…What's a CABAL?"
"Computer Assisted Biological Augmented Lifeform."
Both girls stared blankly.
Yuuki sighed.
"Basically extremely advanced combat AI cores. We fought one during Firestorm Crisis. That thing's too powerful and took combined effort of GDI and Nod to beat it."
Then he continued.
"A single CABAL core could process the equivalent workload of twenty-five human brains simultaneously."
Anis visibly choked.
"TWENTY-FIVE?!"
Yuuki nodded casually.
"Later they developed a thirty-brain variation to support next-generation combat AIs called Legion."
Rapi looked genuinely disturbed now.
"…That sounds terrifying."
"It absolutely was."
Then Yuuki added even more casually:
"They also designed a fifty-brain variation afterward."
Both girls immediately stopped walking.
"…Fifty?"
Yuuki nodded again.
"Never deployed though."
Anis stared at him like he personally invented nightmares.
"And you're casually saying this while walking through flower fields."
Yuuki pointed proudly at himself.
"Emotional balance."
"That's not balance. That's psychological warfare."
Rapi quietly sighed beside them.
"…Commander's world was horrifying."
Yuuki looked mildly offended.
"We also had good food."
"That does not help."
Then Yuuki returned to the original topic.
"Anyway, giving something like a fifty-core processor to a Nikke would be catastrophically dangerous."
Rapi nodded immediately.
"The processing overload alone could destabilize personalities."
"Exactly."
Yuuki pointed toward her afterward.
"That's why I'd only use a single artificial brain core equivalent to a single human brain."
Then calmly—
"Upload Red Hood's recovered consciousness into it."
Rapi visibly froze again.
"Place the completed consciousness core into a Bastion Cube."
Then he pointed toward the horizon dramatically.
"And rebuild the body afterward."
Anis slowly blinked.
"You say all this like it's easy."
Yuuki immediately shrugged.
"It absolutely is not."
Then he sighed.
"I still don't even fully understand how Nikkes are constructed yet."
His expression became thoughtful again afterward.
"What were the companies involved again?"
Rapi answered immediately.
"Elysion."
"Missilis Industry."
"Tetra Line."
Then more quietly—
"Pilgrim."
Yuuki nodded slowly.
"And Red Hood belonged to Pilgrim?"
Rapi nodded.
"Originally, yes."
Yuuki crossed his arms thoughtfully.
"Hm."
Anis immediately narrowed her eyes.
"…You're thinking about infiltrating them already, aren't you?"
Yuuki grinned shamelessly.
"Maybe someday."
Rapi looked mildly alarmed now.
"You're seriously considering raiding Nikke corporations?"
"Research acquisition."
"That sounds even worse."
Yuuki laughed softly.
"Relax. If the data exists anywhere, it'll be buried inside one of their archives."
Then his expression softened slightly.
"And honestly…"
He looked toward Rapi.
"If someone like Red Hood fought that hard to protect people…"
His voice became quieter.
"…then she deserves the chance to live as herself too."
Rapi fell silent afterward.
Because deep down—
She wanted that too.
Then Anis suddenly grinned mischievously again.
"Ohhh, I get it now."
Yuuki immediately looked suspicious.
"You just want to revive the entire Goddess Squad so you can add legendary Nikkes to your growing harem."
"Hey!"
Rapi actually laughed softly at that while Yuuki pointed accusingly toward Anis.
"That is slander."
"Commander, you literally collected confessions from shipgirls like rare SSR units tonight."
"That is ALSO slander."
Anis grinned proudly.
"Too late. Your reputation's already doomed."
Yuuki groaned dramatically while the three of them continued walking together peacefully toward the remaining unstable energies waiting further within the endless plains of the Nikke Void World.
============
The moment Yuuki and the others touched the next floating mass of blood-red energy, the peaceful plains around them distorted once again.
Warm sunlight disappeared.
The scent of grass faded.
Then—
Rain.
Cold rain poured endlessly beneath the dim artificial lights of the Ark while distant crowds hurried through crowded alleyways without paying attention to anything around them.
Yuuki immediately frowned.
"This place…"
Rapi quietly looked around.
"…The lower districts."
The atmosphere alone felt painfully different from Anis's memories. There were no schools, concerts, or hopeful beginnings here.
Only survival.
The memory slowly moved forward.
A small food stall stood near the corner of a crowded street while exhausted workers lined up silently for cheap meals. Steam rose from old cooking pots while neon advertisements flickered weakly overhead.
Then—
A crying sound echoed softly beneath the rain.
Yuuki turned toward it immediately.
Behind the stall, wrapped in old cloth beside stacked crates and leaking pipes…
Was a baby.
Tiny.
Shivering.
Completely abandoned.
"…Neon," Rapi whispered softly.
Yuuki's chest tightened instantly.
The baby continued crying weakly while countless people walked past without stopping. Some glanced briefly toward the sound before immediately looking away again.
Nobody wanted responsibility.
Nobody cared enough to intervene.
Then eventually—
An old woman running the food stall finally noticed the child.
Yuuki watched silently as the exhausted woman approached carefully before slowly lifting the crying infant into her arms.
"…Who leaves a child here?" the woman whispered shakily.
No answer came.
Because whoever abandoned Neon never returned.
The memories shifted afterward.
Years passed quickly beneath the flickering lights of the small food stall. Neon grew up surrounded by cheap meals, crowded streets, and the constant noise of lower Ark districts filled with people struggling to survive.
The old woman who found her became the closest thing Neon ever had to family.
Yet even then—
There was always distance.
Yuuki quietly noticed how customers constantly treated Neon strangely while she grew older.
"Found behind a food stall."
"Probably unwanted."
"Another abandoned brat."
The words followed her constantly.
Still—
Neon smiled.
Always smiled.
Even as a child, she laughed loudly, acted energetic, and constantly tried making others laugh around her.
Because deep down—
She was terrified people would leave her too if she stopped smiling.
"She's like Anis…" Yuuki whispered quietly.
Rapi nodded softly.
"She hides loneliness differently."
The memories continued.
Young Neon eventually began helping around the stall herself. She carried food, memorized orders, joked with customers, and pretended not to notice the pity some people showed her.
Then one night—
Everything changed.
The lower districts erupted into chaos after a Rapture breach occurred near the Ark's outer sectors. Panic spread rapidly while evacuation alarms blared endlessly through the streets.
Yuuki immediately noticed the fear in young Neon's eyes.
The old woman tried protecting her.
Tried shielding her inside the stall while crowds stampeded desperately through the district.
But the defenses failed.
Raptures broke through.
The memories became chaotic afterward.
Gunfire.
Explosions.
Screaming.
Yuuki watched the old woman desperately pushing Neon toward evacuation routes while the district collapsed around them.
Then—
A Rapture blast struck nearby.
The entire food stall exploded.
Neon screamed while trying to crawl toward the old woman trapped beneath burning debris.
But it was too late.
The woman who raised her died smiling at her one final time.
"Run…"
That single word echoed painfully through the memory.
The scene darkened afterward.
Then Yuuki saw Neon again.
Older now.
Alone.
Sitting silently in a sterile room while Ark officials discussed her fate around her like she wasn't even present.
"No surviving relatives."
"Low economic value."
"Conversion candidate approved."
Yuuki immediately clenched his fists slightly.
Neon quietly sat there smiling weakly while listening to people decide her future for her.
Then—
Darkness.
The next memory appeared inside a Nikke production facility.
Neon opened her eyes again.
No longer human.
No longer the abandoned child behind a food stall.
Now—
A Nikke.
Yet the first thing she did after awakening…
Was smile.
Even while trembling.
Even while afraid.
She smiled.
Because somewhere deep inside, Neon believed if she stopped smiling—
People would eventually throw her away too.
The memories shifted rapidly afterward.
Training.
Combat simulations.
Commanders.
Squads.
Yet unlike Rapi or Anis, Neon desperately tried making herself useful to everyone around her constantly.
She acted energetic.
Loud.
Obsessed with firepower.
Funny.
Chaotic.
Anything to avoid becoming unwanted again.
Yuuki slowly understood.
Neon's obsession with "firepower" was not merely a joke.
Strength meant value.
Value meant people kept you around.
And deep down—
Neon feared abandonment more than death itself.
Then finally—
The memories faded.
The rain stopped.
And within the endless grassy plains once more—
Neon stood there silently.
Still smiling.
But tears quietly streamed down her face anyway.
"Sorry…"
The soft voice behind them immediately caused Yuuki, Rapi, and Anis to turn around.
Neon stood several meters away within the endless grassy plains, her usual bright smile trembling badly while tears continued running down her cheeks. Even now, she was trying to smile through it.
But this time—
It hurt to watch.
"Neon…" Rapi whispered softly.
Neon laughed weakly while wiping her eyes, though her hands were visibly shaking.
"I…"
Her voice cracked slightly.
"I asked them to erase those memories."
Silence filled the plains afterward.
Yuuki quietly stared at her while she struggled to continue.
"When I agreed to become a Nikke…"
Her gaze lowered toward the grass beneath her feet.
"…I made one request."
The wind gently swept across the endless fields.
"I wanted that memory gone."
Anis's expression immediately softened.
Neon hugged herself slightly while speaking.
"It hurt too much."
The cheerful energy she normally carried was completely absent now, leaving behind only the frightened girl hidden underneath all the smiles and jokes.
"Watching mother die like that…"
Her voice trembled heavily.
"I couldn't handle it."
Yuuki slowly realized something.
The old woman from the food stall was probably the only person who ever truly loved Neon unconditionally.
And she lost her too.
Neon weakly laughed afterward.
"So they removed it."
She touched the side of her head lightly.
"All the files."
"All the records."
"No one remembered anything about me anymore."
Her eyes slowly filled with tears again.
"Not even me."
The loneliness hidden behind those words hit harder than the tragedy itself.
Because Neon had not only lost her family—
She erased the proof they ever existed together.
"I didn't want anyone remembering that version of me," she whispered quietly. "I thought if I forgot it…"
Her lips trembled faintly.
"…then maybe it wouldn't hurt anymore."
Before Yuuki could say anything—
Rapi suddenly walked forward and hugged her tightly.
Anis immediately joined in as well without hesitation.
Neon froze completely between them.
"You idiot…" Anis muttered softly while holding her close. "You seriously carried all this by yourself?"
Neon's composure immediately began breaking apart.
"I didn't want anyone feeling bad for me…"
Rapi gently stroked her hair.
"You don't need to hide it from us anymore."
The moment those words reached her—
Neon finally broke down completely.
Tears poured endlessly from her eyes while she clung tightly to both of them.
"I miss her…"
Her voice sounded painfully small now.
"I still remember how warm her hands felt…"
Yuuki quietly watched while the three girls embraced each other tightly beneath the calm skies of the Void World.
"She wasn't even my real mother…"
Neon cried softly.
"But she still raised me…"
The guilt hidden within her words finally surfaced.
"And I erased her…"
Yuuki slowly stepped forward afterward.
Then gently—
He placed a hand on her head.
Neon slowly looked toward him through tear-filled eyes.
"You didn't erase her."
She froze.
Yuuki's expression softened deeply.
"You remembered her warmth."
Then more quietly—
"You remembered her kindness."
The wind moved softly around them.
"That means she's still alive inside your heart."
Neon's breathing trembled again.
Yuuki smiled faintly afterward.
"And honestly?"
Neon blinked weakly.
"She'd probably be happy seeing how you turned out."
That immediately caused fresh tears to spill down Neon's face.
"Even after everything you lost…"
Yuuki gently patted her head again.
"…you still became someone who tries to make everyone around you smile."
Neon weakly laughed through her tears.
"Commander…"
Yuuki smiled softly.
"I think that old woman would've been really proud of you."
For several long moments, Neon simply cried while holding onto Rapi and Anis tightly, finally allowing herself to mourn something she had forced herself to forget for so many years.
And for the first time since her memories were erased—
Neon finally remembered her mother not with pain alone…
But with love.
The painful memories around them slowly began crumbling apart afterward.
Rain faded into mist.
Burning streets dissolved into light.
The ruined lower districts disappeared piece by piece until only the peaceful grassy plains remained once more beneath calm blue skies and warm sunlight.
The contrast felt almost unreal.
Neon stood silently in the middle of the endless fields while tears still lingered on her face. Her breathing remained uneven as the emotions she had buried for so many years continued surfacing inside her.
Yuuki slowly stepped closer toward her.
"You can't erase memories like those forever, Neon."
His voice remained gentle.
"They were probably sealed away by your NIMPH all this time."
Neon quietly looked toward him.
"Without the NIMPH restricting them anymore…"
Yuuki lightly tapped the side of his head.
"…those memories naturally returned to you."
Neon lowered her gaze slightly afterward.
The pain was still there.
The grief.
The loneliness.
The guilt.
All of it now existed clearly within her heart again.
Yuuki smiled softly afterward.
"But now you have a choice."
Neon blinked faintly.
"You can keep running from those memories."
The wind swept gently through the endless grasslands.
"Or…"
His expression softened deeply.
"…you can finally accept them."
Neon's lips trembled slightly.
Yuuki chuckled quietly afterward.
"You spent years hiding behind smiles."
Then he gently flicked her forehead.
"Ow…"
"But now," he continued warmly, "accept those memories with a smile instead."
Neon quietly stared at him while tears slowly formed again within her eyes.
"Yes, they hurt."
Yuuki's voice remained calm.
"Yes, they're painful."
Then he gestured toward Rapi and Anis standing beside her.
"But at least now…"
A faint smile crossed his face.
"…you're not carrying them alone anymore."
The words struck her deeply.
Because for the first time—
Someone had seen the memories she hated most…
And still stayed beside her afterward.
Rapi gently held her hand.
Anis leaned comfortably against her shoulder.
And Yuuki looked at her not with pity…
But acceptance.
Neon slowly wiped her tears afterward.
Then finally—
A small smile appeared on her face again.
This time, however—
It was not a smile hiding pain.
It was a smile accepting it.
"…You really are unfair, Commander."
Yuuki proudly crossed his arms.
"I'm emotionally overpowered."
"That sounds stupid."
"It absolutely does," Anis agreed immediately.
Rapi quietly sighed beside them.
"…Yet somehow accurate."
Neon laughed softly through the last of her tears while the endless grassy plains around them remained peaceful and calm.
For the first time in years—
The smiling girl no longer needed to hide behind the smile anymore.
Yuuki crossed his arms dramatically while staring at Neon's still teary face.
"Hey."
Neon blinked softly.
"Where's the firepower gremlin from my Counter Squad?"
Anis immediately snorted beside her.
"Firepower gremlin is honestly accurate."
Yuuki pointed directly at Neon afterward.
"If you keep crying like this, I'm not showing you all the ridiculous weapons I still have stored away."
That immediately caused Neon to freeze.
"…Weapons?"
Yuuki nodded proudly.
"Oh yes."
Rapi immediately narrowed her eyes slightly.
"That expression means Commander is about to start nerding out."
"You say that like it's a bad thing."
Then Yuuki grinned toward Neon.
"Want to see weapons reverse-engineered from Scrin and Ceph technology?"
Neon visibly tilted forward.
"…Scrin?"
"…Cephs?" Rapi added cautiously.
Yuuki waved his hand casually.
"Alien factions that invaded Earth 1.0 during the Tiberium Wars."
The girls immediately stared at him.
Anis looked horrified.
"You're saying that like it's a normal Tuesday."
Yuuki shrugged shamelessly.
"We'll talk about intergalactic wars later."
Then his grin widened further.
"But let's just say humanity got really creative after reverse-engineering alien weapons."
Neon's tears were already drying at dangerous speeds now.
Yuuki immediately noticed.
"Ah."
He pointed accusingly.
"There she is."
Neon slowly stepped closer.
"…What kind of weapons?"
Yuuki's eyes gleamed proudly.
"The Volt Auto Rifle you held back at the hospital?"
Neon immediately nodded rapidly.
"That thing was AWESOME."
"Reverse-engineered from Scrin energy systems."
Neon's jaw dropped instantly.
"You're kidding."
Yuuki proudly placed his hands on his hips.
"The ability to discharge stable lightning rounds came from adapting alien plasma conductivity technology."
Anis looked completely done already.
"I have absolutely no idea what that means."
"It means use a triple AAA battery to discharged a lightning bolt capable of destroying a tank."
"Oh okay."
Then Yuuki leaned closer toward Neon conspiratorially.
"That's not even the fun part."
Neon's eyes sparkled dangerously now.
Yuuki began counting proudly on his fingers.
"(TAC)tical nuclear rifles."
"…What?"
"Handheld (TAC)tical nuclear cannons."
"…WHAT?"
"Plasma Accumulator X systems capable of vaporizing entire Rapture formations in one shot."
Neon physically grabbed him by the shoulders.
"COMMANDER."
Yuuki immediately started laughing.
"You finally stopped crying."
"I DON'T CARE ABOUT THAT ANYMORE."
Anis nearly collapsed laughing while Rapi quietly covered part of her face in defeat.
Neon's eyes looked ready to ascend beyond mortal understanding now.
"You have portable nuclear weapons?!"
Yuuki nodded proudly.
"Miniaturized tactical yield systems. A tactical nuke with a size of small grenade."
"That sounds EXTREMELY ILLEGAL."
"It was only illegal if we lost."
Rapi sighed deeply.
"…That statement explains far too much about the GDI."
Yuuki ignored her completely.
"We also have rail cannons, anti-orbital particle lances, Chrono-based artillery platforms—"
Neon suddenly grabbed both of his hands dramatically.
"Commander."
Yuuki blinked.
Her eyes were glowing with pure devotion now.
"Please marry me immediately."
The entire grassy plain immediately fell silent afterward.
Yuuki stared at her.
Anis stared at her.
Even Rapi looked mildly stunned.
Then Anis burst out laughing first.
"OH MY GOD."
Yuuki pointed accusingly at Neon.
"You can't propose over portable nuclear weaponry!"
Neon looked completely serious.
"You underestimate my dedication to firepower."
"That is NOT how romance works!"
Rapi quietly sighed beside them.
"…Actually, for Neon, this may genuinely qualify."
Neon immediately nodded proudly.
"He understands me."
Yuuki held his forehead helplessly.
"I created another one…"
Anis wiped tears from her eyes while laughing uncontrollably.
"You literally conquered her with weapons."
Yuuki looked betrayed.
"I was trying to emotionally comfort her!"
"You accidentally activated her marriage protocols instead."
Neon proudly hugged one of Yuuki's arms afterward.
"Commander understands the true beauty of overwhelming firepower."
Yuuki sighed dramatically while Rapi quietly smiled beside them.
Yet despite all the chaos and ridiculousness—
The sadness within Neon's eyes had finally disappeared completely.
And somehow…
That alone made all of this worth it.
Neon proudly clung to Yuuki's arm while puffing her chest dramatically.
"Plus, I understand his heart now!"
Yuuki immediately looked suspicious.
"…Do you though?"
Neon nodded with absolute confidence.
"Yes!"
Then she pointed proudly toward herself.
"I understand it as much as I understand firepower!"
A heavy silence immediately followed.
Anis slowly turned toward Rapi.
"…That somehow sounds incredibly concerning."
Rapi quietly sighed.
"…Yet strangely believable."
Yuuki stared at Neon for several seconds before finally laughing softly under his breath.
"Yeah."
He gently patted her head afterward.
"That's definitely the Neon we know."
Neon immediately grinned brightly again, the emotional heaviness from earlier now replaced by her usual energetic chaos.
But this time—
The smile no longer looked forced.
There was warmth behind it now.
Real warmth.
Yuuki quietly noticed it immediately.
Then he slowly looked toward the remaining floating energies waiting further across the endless grassy plains.
"Come on."
His voice softened slightly.
"We still need to recover Ade and Soda."
The atmosphere became calmer again afterward.
Rapi quietly walked beside him while Anis stretched lazily behind them. Neon remained attached to Yuuki's arm proudly as though she had already claimed permanent ownership rights after learning about portable nuclear weaponry.
Yuuki decided not to question it anymore for the sake of his sanity.
Then, after walking several more moments beneath the peaceful skies, he glanced toward the three girls beside him.
A faint smile slowly appeared on his face.
"…Glad to have my Counter Squad back."
The words immediately caused all three Nikkes to pause slightly.
Because for the first time—
Those words genuinely felt real.
Not as soldiers.
Not as disposable Nikkes.
Not as weapons.
But as a squad.
His squad.
Anis quietly smiled afterward.
"…Yeah."
Rapi's expression softened deeply.
"We're glad too, Commander."
Neon immediately raised a fist dramatically.
"Counter Squad officially upgraded!"
Yuuki blinked.
"…Into what?"
Neon grinned proudly.
"The Commander Protection Association."
"That sounds horrifying."
"It absolutely is," Anis agreed immediately.
Rapi quietly looked toward Yuuki afterward.
But this time, there was no hidden fear or hesitation within her gaze anymore.
Only trust.
And somewhere deep within the connection now linking all four of them—
Yuuki could feel it clearly.
Their hearts had finally become free.
The moment Yuuki, Rapi, Anis, and Neon touched the next floating blood-red energy, the peaceful grassy plains shattered once more.
Cold air immediately swept across them.
Snow.
Endless snow.
=============================
Yuuki slowly opened his eyes to find himself standing within a ruined city buried beneath a violent winter storm. Buildings were half-frozen beneath layers of ice while dim Ark floodlights barely illuminated the blizzard consuming everything around them.
"…Cold," Neon muttered while shivering instinctively.
Rapi quietly looked around.
"This memory…"
Then she noticed the banners hanging from nearby structures.
"…Outer refugee sectors."
The atmosphere immediately felt different from the others.
Lonelier.
Quieter.
The sound of coughing echoed faintly somewhere nearby.
Yuuki followed it instinctively.
Inside a crumbling shelter packed with refugees, he finally saw her.
Young Ade.
Small.
Thin.
Wrapped in oversized blankets while carefully handing bowls of soup to exhausted people around her.
Even as a child—
She was taking care of others.
Yuuki quietly watched her smiling gently toward frightened children while reassuring elderly refugees despite barely having enough food herself.
"She was always like this…" Rapi whispered softly. "Even before becoming a Nikke."
The memories slowly unfolded afterward.
Ade had been born within refugee districts outside the Ark's safer zones during one of the major resource crises caused by the Surface wars. Her parents worked tirelessly just to survive, often sacrificing their own meals so their daughter could eat instead.
Yet despite the harsh environment—
Ade grew up kind.
Painfully kind.
She constantly helped others inside the shelters, assisted medical workers, cooked for refugees, and comforted children terrified by the freezing nights outside.
"She wanted to become a nurse originally," Rapi quietly explained.
Yuuki nodded silently while watching young Ade carefully bandaging another child's injured hand despite her own fingers trembling from the cold.
Then the memories darkened.
Food shortages worsened.
Heating systems began failing throughout the refugee sectors.
People started dying during the winter.
One night, emergency announcements echoed through the district.
A disease outbreak had spread through the shelters.
The memories accelerated afterward.
Yuuki watched Ade desperately helping medical workers care for infected refugees despite lacking proper medicine or equipment. Her parents eventually fell ill as well, yet Ade still continued helping others even while exhaustion overtook her completely.
"She refused to leave anyone behind," Rapi whispered softly.
Then came the night everything collapsed.
The quarantine zones failed.
Panic spread.
The Ark government sealed entire refugee blocks to prevent contamination from reaching the inner districts.
Including Ade's sector.
Yuuki's expression immediately darkened.
"They locked them in?" Neon whispered quietly.
Rapi nodded.
The memories became suffocating afterward.
People screamed for help while security forces abandoned the quarantined districts entirely. Heating systems shut down. Medical support vanished. Supplies stopped arriving.
The Ark sacrificed the outer sectors to save itself.
And still—
Ade continued caring for others.
Yuuki watched her comforting dying children while quietly suppressing her own fear. She cooked the last remaining food for others instead of herself. She stayed beside frightened refugees until the very end while the temperature kept dropping lower and lower.
Eventually—
Her parents died from the disease.
Yet even after losing them—
Ade still kept smiling gently toward everyone else.
The sight nearly hurt more than the deaths themselves.
Then came the final night.
The storm outside intensified violently while temperatures plunged beyond survivable levels. The remaining refugees huddled together desperately inside the failing shelter while frost slowly spread across the walls.
Young Ade quietly sat beside a freezing child while wrapping her final blanket around them.
Yuuki slowly clenched his fists.
"She gave away the last warm blanket…" Neon whispered softly.
Ade's body trembled violently from the cold afterward.
Yet she still smiled softly toward the child resting against her shoulder.
"It'll be okay."
Her lips had already turned blue while saying it.
Then slowly—
The little girl beside her stopped breathing.
Ade quietly held the child closer while tears streamed silently down her face.
But even then—
She stayed.
Alone inside the freezing shelter filled with bodies she couldn't save.
Eventually, her own body finally gave out as well.
The last thing she saw before losing consciousness completely—
Were Ark drones arriving too late.
The next memory appeared immediately afterward.
A sterile laboratory.
Bright white lights.
Cold mechanical sounds.
Ade slowly opened her eyes again.
No longer human.
Now a Nikke.
Yuuki quietly watched while scientists discussed her conversion casually around her.
"Support-model compatibility successful."
"Behavioral profile ideal for domestic assistance."
"She displays unusually high empathy stability."
Ade sat there silently listening to strangers define her entire existence.
Then one of the scientists smiled faintly.
"She'll make an excellent maid-model Nikke."
The memories shifted rapidly afterward.
Training.
Service work.
Endless caretaking.
Ade smiled constantly while helping others despite carrying deep loneliness inside herself. She cooked for people, cleaned for them, comforted them, and supported them emotionally.
Yet almost nobody ever asked how she felt.
Because everyone naturally assumed the kind girl taking care of others would always endure quietly.
Yuuki slowly understood something painful then.
Ade became indispensable to everyone around her.
Yet deep down—
Nobody truly took care of Ade herself.
=====================
The snowy refugee memories slowly faded afterward.
Cold winds disappeared.
The freezing shelters dissolved into light.
Then the Void World shifted once more.
This time, the atmosphere became warmer.
Softer.
Yuuki found himself standing inside a beautiful maid café filled with warm lights, cheerful decorations, and the scent of fresh pastries. Customers laughed happily while elegant music played softly in the background.
At the center of it all—
Ade smiled gently while carrying trays alongside Soda and Cocoa.
"…A maid café?" Neon blinked in surprise.
Rapi quietly nodded.
"This was probably her happiest period."
Yuuki silently watched Ade moving gracefully between customers while Soda energetically greeted everyone around her. Cocoa looked smaller than the others but equally happy while helping manage the café.
For the first time within Ade's memories—
She genuinely looked at peace.
"She finally built something herself," Rapi whispered softly.
The café was not luxurious.
Not famous.
But it was warm.
A place where people smiled because of her efforts.
A home.
Yuuki quietly noticed how Ade constantly watched over both Soda and Cocoa like an older sister. Even while exhausted, she still smiled warmly whenever customers praised their café.
Then the memories darkened again.
A rival café chain targeted them aggressively afterward. False rumors spread online. Suppliers cut support. Financial pressure mounted endlessly until eventually—
The café collapsed.
Declared bankrupt.
Yuuki quietly watched Ade standing silently inside the empty café afterward while staring at the tables she once cleaned so lovingly.
Yet even then—
She smiled softly toward Soda and Cocoa.
"It'll be alright."
The same words she once spoke inside freezing refugee shelters.
The memories shifted again.
Unable to remain in the Ark, the three escaped toward the surface and eventually settled upon a small isolated island far away from major conflict zones.
For a while—
They finally found peace again.
Ade cooked.
Soda cleaned happily beside her.
Cocoa laughed constantly.
The small island home they built together felt warm despite its simplicity.
Then—
Sirens attacked.
The peaceful island erupted into chaos beneath bombardments and mechanical screams. Yuuki watched the three desperately trying to escape while flames consumed the small home they had painstakingly built together.
They survived the attack.
But not the aftermath.
The memories became darker afterward.
While fleeing through Aqua territories, Ade and Soda were captured by Aqua men who immediately became obsessed with their beauty and elegance. Unlike ordinary humans, Nikkes required no biological modifications to survive within Aqua's underwater environments.
That alone made them valuable.
Dangerously valuable.
Cocoa barely managed to escape alone.
But Ade and Soda—
Were sold.
Yuuki's expression hardened immediately.
The memories shifted toward Neopolis, the capital city of the Atlantic Federation.
A city of luxury hiding unimaginable cruelty beneath its beauty.
Magnifico purchased them as trophy maids.
And from that point onward—
Their lives became hell.
Yuuki silently watched Ade enduring endless humiliation and abuse while still trying to protect Soda emotionally beside her. They were treated less like living beings and more like expensive decorations to be displayed, controlled, and punished whenever their owner desired.
Beatings.
Isolation.
Captivity.
Two full years trapped within golden cages beneath the oceans of Aqua.
Yet even through all of it—
Ade continued smiling gently toward Soda.
Continued comforting her.
Continued acting strong.
Because that was the only role she believed she still had left.
Yuuki slowly realized something painful.
Ade never learned how to ask others to protect her.
She only knew how to endure quietly while protecting everyone else.
Then the memories faded.
The luxurious underwater prison dissolved slowly into particles of light until the peaceful grassy plains returned once more beneath calm blue skies.