kscans

Chapter 410 - Time for Analysis

"—Alright, the continuation of yesterday's discussion."

"Straight to business with no pity or comfort...?"

The party was in full swing, with no end in sight... having finished one event, the venue was livelier than ever.

After being subjected to the punishment of 'Dignity Destruction (Twintails)' under the pretext of Purification Part 2, the duo who had been conspicuously on the sidelines came to find me, a pitiful wretch who had been cast aside.

Lifting my head from where it was slumped on the table at the sound of Ashe's voice from above, I saw the silver-blue and indigo girls standing side-by-side, looking at me.

First, a word for the indigo girl who had just given me a prayer of abandonment.

"You heartless fiend."

"W-W-Wait a minute! It would've just made things worse if I had stepped in to help!"

That's true. I just had to vent my frustrations a little or I wouldn't have been able to take it. Seeing her flustered face was enough to call it even.

The rankers had all gone upstairs to join in the fun... or rather, to make a ruckus together, with karaoke and other things kicking off in the spacious first-floor area.

Whether we were left behind—or perhaps left behind out of some misplaced consideration—was unclear, but only the three of us remained.

As for Sora-san, she had been whisked away by Lux and was now surrounded by players with adoring looks on their faces, flustered beyond belief.

Our predecessors are a bunch of gentlemen, so I don't think I need to worry... but even if some scoundrel were to appear, Hinayo-san, standing by her side, would probably incinerate them.

Sora herself seemed embarrassed, but not particularly displeased. It looked like I didn't need to play the overprotective guardian and keep a watchful eye on her.

"...So, what's this about yesterday's discussion?"

With that settled, I steered the conversation back to Ashe's remark as she nonchalantly sat down next to me and started nibbling on a mini tart. As for Nia, who sat on my other side and started fiddling with my hair... I guess I'm just used to people touching my hair now.

She probably wouldn't stop even if I complained, so I'll just let her be.

"I've put together my thoughts on the `White Throne` subjugation."

"Ah... you were saying something like, 'Maybe it never had HP to begin with.'"

And then I was left hanging. This was the promised analysis from the [Sword Queen] herself.

It goes without saying at this point, but Ashe's creativity and mental agility are on a completely different level from my own. If she went so far as to say she'd 'put it together,' then this wasn't something I could dismiss as a mere personal opinion.

I was actually looking forward to it a bit, including comparing it with my own thoughts.

"First, my conclusion. The 'Colored Monsters'... the 'Five-Colored Pillars'... there's a possibility that all of them, as of now, are 'corpses.'"

The 'Five-Colored Pillars'—the official (?) name used by NPCs for monsters like the `White Throne` and `Red Circle`. 'Colored Monster' was originally a term players came up with, likening them to 'Named Monsters.'

"Corpses... You mean all of them? Not just the 'White' and 'Red'?"

"Yes. The remaining 'Green,' 'Blue,' and 'Black' as well. They may already be... at least, physically dead. There are two reasons I think this."

That was quite the bombshell right off the bat. As I gave a dumbfounded reaction, not expecting such a deep analysis from the get-go, Ashe continued speaking.

"First, their raid design is exceptionally unique even in this world of Arcadia. To put it simply, they are far too 'game-like'—in other words, I can't feel any will or intent from them."

"Ahh..."

On that point, I had a vague feeling of the same thing while fighting the `White Throne`.

Monsters in this virtual world always exhibit movements that make you feel some degree of 'emotion' or 'will.' It's possible to analyze their action patterns and attack methods to formulate a strategy, but those are, at best, 'quirks.'

Even [Angalta, the God-Wedge Sword-King], who I'd say was the most 'inorganic' enemy I've faced, had a certain set of regular actions that felt more like a 'form' than a mere string of programming. In short, all of them were 'alive.'

But as for that `Tsarkalv of the White Throne`—

"Yeah, it definitely felt like it was just 'moving.'"

"Right. And each of its mechanics felt less like something born from its will or nature and more..."

"'Game-like,' or rather, mechanical. Like it was just trying to 'process' us? Its fundamental specs were so absurd that every phase felt like a grand spectacle to us on the receiving end, but..."

The main body dutifully intercepting attacking players, the automated turrets locking onto anyone nearby, the timed activation of its Authority mechanics... looking back on it, it certainly had a rigid 'game-like' quality uncharacteristic of Arcadia's enemies.

I mean, it is a game, but still.

"In addition to that, the final phase we entered... no, I'm not even sure if that was truly a 'combat phase.'"

She must be talking about what happened after Sora, Ashe, and I jumped into the 'great chasm.' She slowly closed her eyes, as if recalling the majesty of that white dragon... then opened them again and said,

"I felt that that was the true 'White Throne.'"

"..................Well, yeah."

On that point, I agreed with her.

"—That thing was alive."

"...Mm."

Ashe nodded, but then shook her head.

It was definitely 'alive,' but at the same time, it wasn't. That's probably what she meant.

"I think it might have been something like another dimension... a mental world. The true body was the will-less 'White' that existed in that crater. And that 'White Dragon' was..."

—Its heart, or perhaps its soul.

"What was on the surface was a corpse, or a hollow shell that had lost its heart. Assuming that, then `Liertaheria of the Red Circle`, which I fought in the past, was the 'same.'"

I couldn't say anything about that since I wasn't there, but if she... the [Sword Queen] who had personally taken its head, said so, then it must be true.

"That's one reason. The other is—"

"The 'laying to rest,' huh."

Again, Ashe nodded.

"The announcement was deliberately separated from 'Vanquished.' On its own, that would be a stretch, but after seeing both the 'White' and the 'White Dragon,' it allows for a different interpretation."

Listening to her, all I could do was think, 'Damn, she's amazing.'

It wasn't just her starting point for the analysis, but the way she connected one 'what if' to the next 'then' was always brilliant.

Even more, as she spoke, she skillfully optimized her explanation by adding or omitting words depending on my level of understanding.

It felt like I could almost convince myself I'd arrived at the answer on my own just by listening. And yet, I hadn't even come close to thinking about this on my own.

"Simply destroying the 'body' on the surface only results in 'Vanquished.' By doing something about the 'consciousness' in the other dimension, we can probably achieve the true victory condition, 'Laid to Rest.'"

"'Doing something about it,' huh."

I had a feeling I knew why Ashe didn't say 'destroy' the 'consciousness' as well. That's because I didn't think we had 'defeated' that 'White Dragon' either.

—I mean, come on, right?

"That bastard looked so damn satisfied..."

In that final moment, as it threw its white lightning... I'll never forget the face of that dragon as it narrowed its golden eyes.

"I'm sure you were the 'key' to this raid. I think you were able to deliver what the 'White Throne'... what that dragon 'wanted.'"

This was likely the end of this part of the discussion. Ashe took a sip from her glass, marking a pause and concluding one part of her analysis.

"I believe all of us unleashed our best techniques, but... the idea that we delivered what it wanted is more convincing than the possibility that we depleted the 'last phase's' HP."

"...If that's the case, then he was a real boy. He went out satisfied after a battle of ultimate moves."

"..., ............Hehe, perhaps so."

Man, if Ashe's analysis is correct—

"...Somehow, it feels like he won by getting away with the last laugh. It's kind of annoying."

Not that I really mind, though.

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The indigo-haired girl messing with his hair: (What are they talking about...?)
This will continue for just a little longer.