DISCLAIMER: Hyperdimension Neptunia belongs to Compile Heart and Idea Factory.
I hope everyone stay safe in this epidemic. Remember to wash your hands properly, do physical distancing, pray, and eat nutritious foods
I hope you enjoy.
Chapter 22
"Too... Late..." Ganache said as he pressed his thumb into the button of the trigger that would activate the entire army of machines.
Click
As Ganache's thumb fully pressed the button of the trigger in his hand, the party cringed and closed their eyes shut, preparing for the worse to happen.
Seconds passed, which turned into minutes. Nothing happened.
The party slowly opened their eyes, looking at their surroundings, nothing's happened.
"What?!" Surprised at the turns of event, Ganache pushed the trigger for the second time, nothing happen, and then the third time, again, nothing is happening. "What the hell is going o-"
Using this opportunity, Neptune quickly lunge forward, got in front of him, and...
*Smack!*
Ganache loudly cried out in pain as he put his hand on his thighs, trying to ease out the pain after getting kicked real hard by Neptune on his crotch.
Yep, real hard.
As he fell into the floor, whining, the Sanctuary people entered the room, and after some brief explanation by IF, they quickly restraint Ganache and handcuffed him.
Picking up the trigger from the ground, IF inspected the the item closely. "It looks like this thing is broken. Thank goodness for that." IF said, sighing in relief.
"Y-Yeah." Compa agreed with a nod. "I thought we were done for." she also sighed in relief.
Walking out of the room, Neptune approached the ralings and looked down. "I think we should check the army down there." Neptune said as she leaned on the railings of the second floor, viewing the massive army of machines below. "We have to make sure if that remote doesn't turn anything on."
"Yes." Both IF and Compa who followed her, nodded in unison.
Before they could do anything, the Sanctuary group leader approached them.
"Great job ladies. With this massive army of machines here, and with the Solicitor has been captured, we have more than enough proof to accuse Avenir. On the behalf of the Sanctuary, we would like to say, thank you, we will forever on your debt." The leader said while bowing down in respect.
"Yeah, yeah, whatever." Neptune said with a smile. "But we better check those machines quickly, the Expo is about to start in three minutes." Neptune noted, pointing at the ground floor.
"Right, you girls go ahead to the Expo, we will take care the rest in here." The leader said before he and his men goes downstairs to investigate.
"Okay then, let's go everyone." Compa and Iffy nodded, the three turned and prepared to go to the Expo.
"If... If you think... this is over yet, you had another thing coming." a voice from their left said.
Neptune stopped in her tracks when she heard that, she turned her head to the left and saw Ganache was chained to a pipe on the nearby wall.
"And what do you mean by that?" Neptune asked carefully approaching the chained man.
"Nep, we don't have time for this! The Expo is gonna start." IF protested, crossing her arms.
"Actually, the thing that I'm about to tell you is concerning both the Expo and you." Ganache said, his face are facing downwards.
"What is it? Tell me!" Neptune demanded, glaring intensely at the man.
Sighing, Ganache shook his head slowly. "Did you forgot what I've said about the weapon that I made just to kill you?" Ganache asked, looking up, staring at Neptune's eyes.
Confused, Neptune tilted her head a little. "A weapon that you made just to kill me?" putting her hand on her chin, Neptune thought for a second. "You... did." and then, something snapped in her mind, she looked at Ganache in shock. "Wait, don't tell me-"
"That's right." Ganached answered with a nod. "That weapon is what await you at the Expo. I was originally planned to have it elimate you first, before I released the army, but now that my grand plan is ruined. This is my last and only chance to defeat you." he smiled sinisterly. "Several days ago when I realized that Avenir is done, and I don't need it anymore, I secretly sabotaged the weaponry that we made, programming it to set you as it's main target when you're around." he explained while looking at Neprune. "When you're not around, while it was activated however, it will simply gone berserk."
"Does that mean...?"
"Yes." Ganache nodded. "The machine will not obey anyone, not even the president, Singe. Once he activated it at the Expo, it will automatically kill him and the people around him. Unless if you hurry up and get there, that will happen." he with an evil smirk.
"You bastard!"
Ganache only chuckled as a respons. "Oh yes, there will be blood!" he said with a sinister grin.
Before he could say any more words, he gets a pretty powerful punch in the face from Neptune, snapping his glasses in half and render him unconcsious.
"Nep! You've gone too far!" IF protested, glaring at Neptune sharply.
"There's no time for argument, millions of people are in great danger if we're not hurry! Come on!" Neptune retorted before running away into the secret passage.
IF growled at her friend's anticts, but decide to ignore it for now, since she was right about people in danger. "Let's go Compa!" Compa nodded and the two followed Neptune throughout the building and into the opening.
They could only hope they would arrive before something bad happen.
~o~0~o~
"There it is, that's the stadium!" Neptune said between pant, running as fast as she could. Her friends following behind her.
As they got in front of the front door, they took several seconds to catch up their breath.
"Iffy... are you... already contacted Chian?" Compa asked between pant.
"Yeah... I ask her to meet us here." IF answered.
"Guys!" the party turned to see Chian approaching them. "Where did you girls go? The exhibition match between Passe and Avenir is just about to start."
"The Expo wasn't really important, there is far more important things you need to know!" Neptune answered with a serious tone.
"What? What is it?" Chian asked curiously.
The party then proceed to explain the army of machines that they found at Avenir's headquarters to Chian.
"This is unbelievable! I can't believe he's been plotting this behind us all this time." Chian said in surprise.
"That's not all, the solicitor was also sabotaged the machine that Avenir will showcast today. We have to destroy it imediately, once Singe activate the robot, it will automatically targets everyone around it and kill them, including himself." Neptune explained in a very serious tone.
Chian eyes widened when she heard what Neptune just said. "That's so horrible. Singe is going to use it in the match against my weapon." she said.
"We better prepared then." Neptune said, with both Compa and IF nodded in unison.
Pushing the door open, and entered the stadium, the party saw at the end of the stadium that Singe was on the top of a stage, standing behind a podium, delivering a speech to the crowd of people in front of him.
"Man-made products sometimes provoke unexpected, unfortunate incidents. I've gone throught it personally." Singe said, looking at the crowd in front of him.
"Whoa, look at that robot! Is that what Avenir prepared for the expo...?" Compa asked, pointing at the strong looking robot behind singe.
The said giant robot has a humanoid body with thin legs but a very large pair of thighs, thin waist and a large chest. It shoulders are rounded so big that it could be mistaken as it was it's heads. It's forearms have blades attached to them. It has a ridiculously small body and giant wings on it's back. And lastly, on it's chest, there was a container that contains something that glows brightly with rainbow color.
As she stared at the distinctive feature of the machine, for some reason Neptune felt there was a burning sensation on her chest, like there was something that made her attracted to the thing on the container. Neptune shook her head, deciding to ignore the sensation for now.
"It's main purpose is to take down Neptune." IF muttered as she observed the machine. "It looks like it's only function is to destroy."
"I do not wish to make the same mistake. That's why I'm replacing all of humanity with machinery!" Singe continued. "These precise machines, made fron the imprecise hands of humans!"
"I don't get it." Neptune said in confusion. "He hate humans and totally dig machines, so... does that mean he'd prefer dating a buncha tools?" She asked, Compa and IF just smirked at the question.
"He... He can't trust any products he makes himself." Chian answered with a sigh.
When they heard that, everyone turned to looked at her.
Chian closed her eyes. "He's deathly afraid of hurting someone with a product he created and he's shouldering everyone else with that fear." Chian explained, before opened her eyes and pulled out a mechanical weapon's hilt that was looking far more advanced than the last one.
Turning to Neptune, Chian handed her the mechanical hilt.
"Use my weapon to show him how trustworthy a man-made, future-proof product can be! And take down Avenir along with that robot over there."
Neptune smiled and nodded. "Heck yeah! I'll strike Avenir's robot in its weak point for some crazy damage!" Neptune said, taking the weapon's hilt and looked at the distinctive feature of her oponent. 'Which I'm guessing was that container.'
"It's not quite our original plan, but this should be the most impressive demonstration ever!" Chian said with a smile. "I'm counting on you."
Nodding, Neptune looked at her companions and gestured her head towards the stage. "Let's rumble."
The crowd stepped aside, creating a way for the party to walk. As they approach the stage Neptune tapped IF's shoulder for several times before whispered something to the brunette's ear.
"Remember Iffy, this thing are made to kill me, let me take the lead, you and Compa back me up." Neptune whispered.
IF nodded. "Yeah, I know, but please be careful."
"I will."
They climbed up the stairs and got in front of the robot. "Now that I looked closely, it really is looking very advanced." Compa muttered.
"Are both of the participants ready?" the announcer asked, and both the party and Singe nodded.
"I hope you programed your toy to know how to fight, Singe. Because he doesn't know what he was up against." Neptune said while possitioning herself.
"This machine is perfect! Too perfect to defeat all of you in one single swing!"
"Oh yeah? Then I better make sure that once we're through with him, he will become nothing more than a mere can opener." Neptune said, igniting the mechanical hilt, a purple beam saber erupted from it's end.
Once everyone pulled out their respective weapons, Singe pulled out a remote, and with it he activated the robot.
The robot wake up with a start, it's eyes glowing, and electric sparks could be seen inside the container that housed the rainbow colored glowing item. Neptune felt the same burning sensation on her chest coming back, and it makes her distracted. 'I have to see what was in there.' she thought, as she glared at it.
"And now, let the Exhibition Match begin!" the announcer said while throwing his hand into the air.
The crowd of people slowly backs off, creating enough distance for the battle to not hurt any spectators in there.
The robot moves, it approach the party at high speed despite it's ginormous size. It's eyes focus solely on Neptune. Every steps it took, the stage shook. It raise it's weapon which attached to it's forearms, then brings it down on her.
The party dodge it by rolling to the side, letting the weapon hit the stage floor instead, the attack leave a giant crater on the floor.
"Looks like this guy is no joke." Neptune muttered, standing up she rushed towards the robot.
She tried to attack it's leg, but the robot blocked it with it's hand. The robot then tried to use it's other hand to grab Neptune, but it was stopped when Compa used her magic attacks to launch a giant pink heart towards the hand, cancelling it's attack.
Rolling through between the robot's legs. Neptune pulled out her handgun and used it to shoot the container, once the robot turned around to face her. However, despite it's appearance, the container was far more powerful than she imagine. The bullets were all simply bounce away once they hit the glass wall of the container, not even leaving a single scratch.
Suddenly, several canons emerges from the robot's legs, each of them fires laser beams, unprepared for this, Neptune got blasted away by the attack, sending her crashing against the wall.
Before she could get back to her feet, the robot was already in front her. It raised it's weapon and bring it down to her.
However, before the robot could kill her, Compa used her Arcane shell ability to create a ball of energy that she launched to the ceiling. As the ball fires multiple energy beams to the robot, Neptune used the opportunity to get away to safety. The ball of energy then shoots a massive beam that hit the robot directly at it's head. Finally, the energy ball turned into multiple of smaller energy balls that hit the robot in various place.
After the attack ended, the robot was still standing, but with several parts of it's body starting to crack.
"Man, he's really tough!" IF muttered as she rolled to the side to avoid an attack from the robot. Standing up, she extended her hand towards the robot. "Demonic Inferno!" several explosion appeared around the robot before a giant flame erupted from the ground, engulfing the robot with fire.
However, that's still not enough. As the battle continues on, the party starting to get tired, while their opponents shows no sign of near being defeated.
"Apocalypse Nova!" IF screamed as she jumped high into the air, firing several energy needles that pinned down the robot in place. She then launch herself towards the robot, then used her katars to slash it right on it's head, a small explosion then erupted on the place where she hit it.
Looking back at her opponent, the robot's head cracked, and the crack quickly spread through the head before eventually, the head shattered into pieces that fell into the floor, revealing that there was another head inside of it.
"So that head that Iffy destroyed, was a mask, and this head was it's true head." Neptune muttered.
"Then it's our chance! We just have to destroy that head to defeat him!" Compa said, glad that the battle is almost over.
"But how are we gonna do that?" Neptune asked.
"Simple." IF replied looking at Compa. "Are you ready Compa?"
"Anytime!" Compa Nodded
As the robot coming at them with high speed, both Compa and IF rolled to the left and right side, as they got to the robot sides, each of the pointed their respective weapon towards the robot's head.
"Heart Force!" the two yelled in unison.
Compa shoots a ginormous heart from her syringe, which five times bigger from the pink heart she used before. While IF shoots a dark beam from her katars. The two attacks sandwiched the robot's head, completely blasting it off from it's place.
After losing it's head, the robot's movement become unstable, it aimlessly walking around the stages before eventually collapse into the floor.
With the winner and the loser is clear, the jury raise his hand. "And the winner is... Passe!" as she said this, the crowd all cheered and clapped their hands.
"We did it!" Compa cheered hapilly.
"Yeah, we did." IF nodded with a smile.
"And with this, Avenir will come to an end." Neptune continued. She tilt her head to the side, and saw Singe was approaching his collapsed creation, Chian was behind him.
"...How? How could an impercise ape girl's machine take down Lastation's most advanced technology?!" Singe asked to no one in particular, looking at the downed robot with the mixture of confusion, sadness, and surprise expression.
"I donno how you two became rivals, but I betcha I know why we won." Neptune said as she and her companions approaching them. "Chian's weapons are warm. Yours are cold." Neptune answered, Singe just looked at her in confusion.
"That's right." Chian nodded, Singe turned his head towards her. "I used everything you tossed away to make my weapons, including the human heart!"
As the three continued to talk, IF just crossed her arms and sighed. "Hmm. This is touching, but I wish we could've had a good closing comment, too." she said, closing her eyes.
"Chian and Nep-Nep did a good job for us, though." Compa said, looking at the three.
~o~0~o~
"Very disappointing..."
A mysterious figure, dressed in a cloak that covered their entire body except for their mouth and it's surroundings, said in disgust.
"This is what you called a grand plan? Only to get failed after years of preparement?"
The figure, who was on top of the stadium, watching the entire fight through the windows on the ceiling, asked to no one in particular.
"Hmph. I guess in the end, it's still up to me to take care of things."
The person raised their hand, and a dark energy formed on their palm.
Grinning evily, the person sends the dark energy into the collapsed robot bellow without anyone noticing.
After they're done fully sending the dark energy. They turned around and walked away, before disappear in a flash of light.
~o~0~o~
"I don't understand... what... was wrong with this?" Singe muttered softly.
"The point is you-"
Before Chian could finish her sentence, everyone was surprised when the fallen machine suddenly jerked by itself. Electric sparks starting to appear throughout it's body.
"Wh-What is going on?" IF asked in surprise and confusion, when the robot starting to move by itself.
Neptune then noticed that the container on the robot's chest are no longer emits a rainbow light, instead, the item inside of it was now emitting a dark light.
As the headless robot slowly stands up. Singe pulled out a remote and tapped several buttons in it.
"What is happening? I can't control it!" Singe said, not knowing that the robot was glaring at him, even though it was no longer have it's head. The headless robot raised it's weapon and swung it towards Singe.
"Look out!" Neptune yelled as she leaped into the air and tackled Singe into the ground, taking the attack instead. Neptune cried out in pain as the robot's sword slashed across her back, blood slowly coming out from her wounds.
"Nep-Nep!" Compa screamed, she approached her friend and used healing magic to recover her wounds.
While she was busy treating Neptune's wound. The headless robot has gone crazy, it aimlessly running around the stadium, swinging it's hand like it was attacking something. The robot was not only destroyed everything in the stadium, but it also bashing itself to the wall, making the enttire stadium shook.
People are screaming in terror, they ran to the exit as quickly as possible, however, as the headless robot continues to bash itself to the walls, the ceiling collapse, and the rubble blocked the exit, trapping hundreds of people that's still in there.
"Oh no... what've I done?" Singe asked himself, slumping to his knees in despair. "It shouldn't have end like this..."
"We have to stop that thing, but we also have to rescue the people." Compa muttered, looking at the scene in concern. "What should we do?"
As she watched the robot aimlesly running around the stadium, attacking several people in process. Neptune felt the burning sensation again, and this time, she didn't ignore it. She closed her eyes, and think.
After several seconds of thinking, she opened her eyes. "I know what we have to do." everyone looked at her. "I want all of you help the people find a way out of this place, while I distracted the monster." Neptune answered, making everyone gasped.
"You can't be serious, Nep!" IF yelled grabbing Neptune by the collar. "Who the hell do you think you are? A hero? A savior? If you're going to take that beast down, we have to do it together!" IF complained, while Compa was merely nodded.
"I was the reason Avenir was created!" Neptune retorted, with both Singe and Chian looking at her in surprise and confusion. "You heard what that solicitor and stalker said, I was the enemy of Lastation, that wretched evil company are created merely as a way to elimimate me." Neptune said. "I was nothing more than a girl who lost her memory..." she muttered softly. "If only for that sole reason, I wouldn't want to save the world..." she then looked at IF. "But at least..." she then looked at the people who getting attacked by the headless machine. "Let me save them... let me save those people... please..." she said, a single tear dropped from her eyes.
IF was speechless, she couldn't stand seeing the purplenette's cry. The sight of Neptune's crying are too much for anyone to handle.
Slowly, she let go of Neptune. Taking a deep breath, she nodded. "Okay, but please, be carefull, and come back alive."
Neptune smiled. "Don't worry, I will."
Igniting her sword, Neptune run towards the headless robot, distracting it long enough for IF, Compa, Chian, and Singe to get everyone out.
"Hey, no head! I'm down here!" Neptune yelled while waving her hands, trying to get the robot's attention.
Sure enough, the robot turned around to the general direction where Neptune's voice came, then it begin to aimlessly attacking her. Neptune was able to dodge most of it's attacks, but when the time continues, the attacks become more and more intense, not to mention that she was not yet recovered from the last battle and the attack on her back.
Meanwhile, Compa and IF, followed by Chian and Singe, had gathered all of the people around the stadium, and together, they slowly cleared out the rubles that blocked the exit.
Neptune was almost at her limits, her legs was numb and almost refused to move, her eyes are blurry due to exhaustion, and her breath was ragged.
"Ooorraaaa!" With a yell, IF used all of her might to punch through the rubbles, successfully cleared out the exit for everyone.
Once the exit was cleared, the people quickly exited the building. Unfortunately, IF and Compa was getting dragged by waves of people, and was unable to move but getting dragged out the stadium.
"NEP!" IF screamed loudly, watching helplessly as she watched the tired Neptune still fighting the robot.
Hearing IF's scream, Neptune turned her head to the left and saw the last crowd of people successfully exited the building.
"We did it..." she said between pant.
She ran as fast as possible towards the exit, but her numb legs are at their limits.
Outside, once the two of them finally out of the people grasp, IF and Compa quickly headed back to the stadium entrance to help their friend.
However, something unexpected happened.
Multiple cannons emerges from the headless robot's body, all of it fires laser beams in all different direction. One of the beams, hit Neptune on her back, sending her fall to the floor face first. Another beam, hit the walls above the entrance, making it collapse and blocked the exit with more rubbles.
Both IF and Compa's eyes widened in shock at the turn of events.
"No..." IF whispered. "No... God, No! No! No! No! No!" IF screamed in frustration hitting the boulder that blocked the entrance everytime she said the word.
But she was run out of power, so does Compa, they couldn't do anything now besides hoping that miracle would happen.
Putting her head against the boulder, IF gritted her teeth, and screw her eyes shut.
"Please... please... I beg of you... please be okay... Nep..." she muttered, her voice was broken.
Compa was also hoping the same thing.
~o~0~o~
Inside the stadium...
Neptune was laying down on the floor, not moving at all. Meanwhile in front of her, there was a crazy headless robot that keep attacking the walls, not caring if she was there or not.
Neptune's eyes were half closed, multiple thoughts were crossing her mind.
'Who I am?'
"That was unfortunately cannot be answered."
'Why I forgot everything?'
"You don't remember? then that means, maybe you suffering from amnesia."
'Why I care for people...'
"By saving me, you're not only will receive the truth about yourself, but also saving countless of life all across the world, isn't that what you always wanted?"
'When they hate me?'
"This entire landmass will eventually assault Neptune. Don't ever forget that!"
Neptune slowly closed her eyes, ready to accept her fate.
"You are the only one who can save Gamindustri."
Neptune's eyes snapped open as that thought crossed her mind.
"You dare to face all of the monsters, just because of your will to protect the others from danger."
"Please, please... release this seal and save me!"
"If I remembered correctly, A faint memory of mine telling me that someone that I don't know, told me... I'm the only one who can save the world. I can save it."
"A beautiful princess named Histy is locked away in like a huge castle prison somewhere. She's waiting for us to save her as we speak. How can I ignore her?"
"All I wanted is a world of peace, where's there's no wars, no pain, no suffering. I want everyone to be happy, because their happiness is also my happiness."
With all of these thought crossed her mind, Neptune put her hand on the floor, then pushed up, slowly standing up despite her injuries.
As she successfully standing, she glared at the crazy machine in front of her. She ignites her sword, holding the hilt with both of her hands.
"That's right, I am Neptune, the main protagonist of this story. And as the main protagonist, I would not let myself ended pathetically in this time and place. Because I will save the world!"
With a yell, Neptune charged towards the robot. Each steps that she tooks, a purple particles appeared around her, and the burning sensation in her chest become more instense.
Eventually, the purple particles turned into a purple light that engulfed Neptune's entire body.
~o~0~o~
"What's this?"
A voice that came out of a book on top of an altar, asked to no one in particular.
"Why my surroundings starting to get warm?"
And then, a small ball of purple light came out of the book, and it flies through the ceiling of the room where the book was.
"Ah! where are you going?!"
~o~0~o~
Outside the stadium...
Both IF and Compa are praying for Neptune's safety, followed by both Chian and Singe.
"Please... let a miracle happen..."
Almost like a reaction for her wish. Everyone in Lastation soon watched in awe as suddenly a pillar of light errupted from inside the stadium and into the sky through the hole on the stadium ceiling.
The pillar of light makes the noon sky even brigter, it split the clouds and caused them to twist and spiral as the result.
"What is happening in there?" Chian asked in total confusion.
After the light fade, the sound of a robot bashing itself to the walls, suddenly stopped. Instead, it was replaced by a sound of someone that rips metals appart, then tears it, then destroyed in into tiny pieces.
Their confusion then grew even more, when the headless robot suddenly got thrown into the sky, followed by a purple blur that chased after it.
After the headless machine reached the height of one kilometers, the purple blur that comes after it brings the two of them fall towards the stadium with the speed of a meteor.
When they touched the ground, a burst of purple energy errupted to the sky, allowing everyone outside of their house to see it.
Everyone outside the stadium, covered their eyes with their hands as a wave of wind washed throughout the entire Landmass.
After the wind stopped blowing. IF slowly opened her eyes, and gasped in happiness when she found the entrance was no longer blocked by the stupid boulder. She quickly went inside, followed by Compa, Chian, and Singe.
They walked through the smoke of dust that covered the entire stadium, and as they walked further, they noticed that they're no longer walked on the stadium floor, instead they're walking on scraps of metals.
After several minutes of searching, they finally found what they're looking for.
"Nep!"
"Nep-Nep!"
Neptune was unconsciousness, she was laying on top of a mountain of metal scraps that come from the now completely destroyed robots.
Compa put her hand on Neptune's neck, and sighed in relief. "She's still alive, I'm glad." Compa said, wiping some tears from her eyes.
"Let's take her back to the hotel. We need to treat her injuries." IF said, and Compa nodded.
The two put Neptune's hands on their shoulders, and they carried her to out of the stadium. However...
"Huh, so it turns out it you girls that caused the commotion I heard." a certain long white-haired lady was standing in the entrance.
Both Compa and IF's eyes widened upon seeing who was in front of them.
"Of all frickin' times, why do it have to be now!" IF growled in frustration.
"Whoa, what are you doing here?" Compa asked, pulling out her syringe. "We already extremely worn out by beating up the bad robot! If you think you can have our Nep-Nep, you'll have to stepped over my dead body!" IF merely nodded and pulled out her katars.
"It looks like you're misunderstand my precence here." the white-haired woman said. "I'm not here to fight, I came just because of the commotion I heard." she explained.
"And why should we trust you?" IF asked, glared sharply at the woman.
"Trust me, I won't do anything." She replied. "I was here because people telling me there's a giant robot went berserk and attack everybody." she answered. "I was planning to beat that robot myself. But you guys already done the job, so... well... thanks, I guess."
"This is weird, the last time we saw you, you were a vengeful, creepy stalker. What gives?" IF asked suspiciously.
"Just get your friend to safety, and treat her wounds, don't bother me." the stalker said before using her six wings to take off into the air.
As the two watched the mysterious woman flies away, their attention brought to Neptune when they heard the purplenette grunted.
"Let's just do what she said Iffy." Compa said, and IF nodded.
And so, the two carried Neptune's unconsciousness body back to the hotel.
To be Continued...
Would you believe me if I said that I get very stressfully confused at writing this chapter to the point that I had a nightmare about people complaining to me to update the story?
Yeah, it's very bizarre.