"Get back!"

Asuna shouted to warn Yui as a giant cleaver came swinging down like a guillotine where she stood. Currently partaking in an Ordinal Scale raid, the two of them were enjoying the last local event they would have before the game was officially shutting down while transferring ownership.

They knew where ownership was moving to, and they were asked to accompany her to the office where the transfer was taking place, since she hadn't been to Japan physically yet.

With Yui and Asuna safe from the attack of the raid monster, a giant minotaur, Asuna motioned for their present friend group including Eiji, Rika and Sachi to attack the side of the cleaver and the coordinated attack destroyed the cleaver. From there, Eiji took the front like he learned from his many lessons on melee combat from Ela and drew its attention, slicing at the exposed neck and drawing digital blood. He turned the minotaur away from the group to where there was nobody in combat behind him. He dodged smoothly, until a movement from the minotaur couldn't be predicted. He had to parry the veritable tree trunk in size handle the minotaur was left with after the blade was shattered. It was stressful being unable to predict every move, and worry about being thrown back or hurt immensely from the collisions of the handle against his short sword.

Yui used magic and a short sword, based on Kazu's fighting style to slice wind into the open wounds of the minotaur and rip them further open, and carve even further with her own sword. It was a brutally efficient method of wearing away layers of defense in the minotaur's natural armour. Eventually she and Asuna were able to blow off its wielding arm and the leg on the same side. The raid party took the massive opening to hit the minotaur in the neck and head regions of the body, dropping the hit points to zero in seconds.

Victory music played and signaled everyone received rewards based on their involvement in the raid. Nobody there really cared about the rewards since the system was widespread known to be shutting down and changing before being re released.

A clapping sound rang through the air as the cavern-like environment faded and returned the surroundings to a park.

"Congratulations on clearing the final raid of Ordinal Scale's operation as it currently exists. And now...it's shut down. Everyone who participated in this raid will receive a memento when the game is re released in two weeks. I thank you for giving this game as much attention as you have."

Ela had an incredibly unique appearance, when considering that she was actually there physically. Her new body gave the impression of having come from a fantasy world. Those who knew her body underneath the skin was robotic were still in awe at the very human but not entirely appearance she had.

She wore a set of casual clothes, having a business suit packed in a suitcase she held at her side. Her casual clothes showed a significant portion of her legs and arms, being a lightly loose sleeveless dress-tunic, sneakers and short shorts. It was very warm weather attire, even though it was cold in Japan. It just went to show that she had two conditions on her side. She was used to colder weather, having come from a deep snowed part of Canada to a warmer part of the world, and the fact that she had a robotic body and she could just turn off thermal sensory.

The crowd of participants in the raid thinned, happy smiles on the faces of those who were still on their battle high from winning the battle.

"So it's really you, Ela?"

Ela nodded in response to Rika's question. She didn't look exactly like her virtual avatar, instead having a slightly non human set of features. Her skin was the most pale of anyone there, with a scaly complexion. Her entire body as far as they knew, had a scale-skin. She had glowing ice blue and harlequin green eyes, and her ears reached out into a point, making her seem from those details alone, a mix of elf and some kind of lizard. She also had a tail wrapping around her waist, showing as a belt for her tunic, and hair as pure white as possible. Her appearance unsettled almost everyone present, because of being able to sense she was really there, physically present, while looking like she belonged on another world. Her clothes were the closest thing to belonging in the world and felt like she was trying to fit in with her unique fashion sense. The unsettling feeling everyone from the Alt guild felt about her appearance was sure to fade with time, since she would always appear like that in the future.

"Indeed it is me. It's a pleasure to meet you in person finally. I'm in Japan for some work with Kikuoka-san's new research division in the Japanese government and for officially putting Ordinal Scale under my management. I need to close up all security gaps in Ordinal Scale and get rid of the dangerous mechanics before re releasing it so it doesn't cause any further people injury. I'm also putting a warning system into it so it warns people of danger and not to proceed, even though that's already a mechanic within the AR...I really wish people would stop turning off safety mechanisms in this. I'm going to be locking the safety for AR users unless approved as well. I have a lot of work ahead of me in re coding several things, as well as a new upcoming project which Kikuoka wants Kazu on."

She sighed, and it registered in her mind as a useless action, only making her new body do something unnecessarily natural to express her frustration. Her new body didn't need to eat, sleep, breathe, or use a washroom. She could wash it, but that was all. She would be able to experience human things in virtual terms, using data to fill the human shaped void left in her.

"Kazu? Isn't she already incredibly busy with all the work she currently has and studies?"

Ela nodded and the frustrated expression showed on her face. It was surprising to see the recognizable emotions on her new face, but it further showed that she had masterfully crafted her new body.

"Yes, in fact I want to tell Seijirou to stuff his stupid project and- never mind. I'll do what I can, but I'll probably have to pull some of her studies away if his project is that important. Maybe I'll have her pulled out of her work with the medicuboid research team, although she has been enjoying that work...considering she has almost finished the final touches it needs for the time being. In the future we'll need to tune the medicuboid more for further issues it will need to be used for treating, but for the time being, it can be used to treat and cure several forms of cancer without risk to the patient, and it can cure terminal diseases such as AIDS. Any other less threatening medical issue it could cure in the span of 6 hours at most. Oh, and it can detect the presence of any threatening illness in a person within a span of ten minutes. A very useful invention, if I may say so. A culmination of several hundred years worth of medical knowledge and technology put into one machine, and she helped me finish its current state."

She wore a proud expression by the time she finished talking. Asuna and Yui also wore prideful expressions, proud of the person who was so important in their lives.

"Oh, has Yuuki-chan been released from the hospital yet?"

Ela shook her head but a grin was on her face.

"She's going to be doing physical rehabilitation for a week or two longer, but she's no longer bound to the medicuboid as a way to keep her alive. She still uses it to monitor her progress, but her AIDS is gone and her body is otherwise healthy. She just needs to regain the physical strength and constitution to return to a normally physical life."

Asuna and Yui hugged and smiled at each other, both happy about the good news.

"That's...incredible!"

Eiji's response was to stare dumbfounded at Ela. He shouldn't be surprised anymore by her, he thought. But she gave him reasons one after another that she just never might have been human in the first place. Something a little more than.

"Is the medicuboid going to be mass produced now since you have a finished current model? It would be great if the medical situation around the world could improve in countries with bad health care."

Sachi's question caught the rest of the group off guard.

"Yes, I've had the order relayed to my most trusted production team. The best thing about production of the medicuboid as it currently is, won't cost much resource to mass produce. If there's two per hospital around the world as it currently stands, the production team could churn out enough medicuboids to every hospital in the world in just over three months. But as it stands currently the United States government is refusing to cooperate, saying they can't afford it when I've expressly stated the machine is free. Apparently their government just wants to continue their horrible treatment of their citizens and having the excuse that they can't keep up with the health care needs of their citizens. The only way those buffoons will cooperate with me is if I become an American citizen and sell the machine for billions of dollars per. I didn't invest in the project to bleed the world economy dry. I invested in the medicuboid project to save lives."

The mood plummeted and some of them wondered why anyone still insisted on living in America when the situation there was absolutely horrendous. The health care system there was now the worst in the world, and would only further plummet as long as the government continued to prioritize their failure of an economy instead of supporting the people living there. It wasn't a surprise people were leaving the country by the hundreds over the last decade.

"Anyways, I need to get changed, so give me a minute please."

She knelt down, placed her suitcase on the ground and opened it up. Sachi, Asuna and Eiji all panicked and turned away while Yui just shrugged as she saw the suitcase throw up curtains as it fully unfolded. It was a fairly large suitcase. It wasn't a large space to change, but Ela was in and out from the curtains in a few seconds, dressed in her business suit. With a pastel pink turtleneck dress-tunic, black thigh high stockings and a warm looking pair of pastel pink knee high boots, she looked ready to go in for a high society job at any moment. It was more strange to see on her than the casual clothes considering her very fantasy appearance otherwise. She was still binding her hair back into pastel pink clasps which made it seem like she would use her extremely long hair as a weapon in emergency situations when Eiji and Asuna turned around. Rika was watching the whole time with Yui enthralled by the swift change to Ela's appearance.

"It feels so nice to feel like I'm in my prime again. Physically I haven't been in my prime in over 15 years."

Everything about her after the change of clothes was captivating. The well expressed figure she had not hidden at all by her clothes, the scale-skin which only became more a point of focus, and the very expressive facial structure which had a smile that could make any person think twice about questioning her scales. She was beautiful.

"Well, time to head on to Kikuoka-san's office. Asuna and Yui were to accompany me there. Take care on your way home, everyone."

Ela waved lightly and walked over to her vehicle. Yet another wonder. It was how she flew to Japan, and it was how she drove on Japan's roads. It was a car in size, but it was also not on wheels. It was also not making contact with the ground at all. And it didn't use fuel. And it looked like it belonged in a sci-fi movie estimating a hundred years into the future at the very least. Smooth, sleek, and had a chrome coloured exterior which reflected much of its outside as accurately as a mirror. Inside, it had soft fabric cushion seating, an interface and steering mechanism which resembled an airplane, but was infinitely less complicated than an airplane. And there were enough seats for six slim adults a little larger than her at most, including herself so a total capacity of seven people.

Asuna and Yui got in from the other side of the vehicle and she started the vehicle up.

"Haaah~ nice and warm."

Asuna's expression made Eiji, Sachi and Rika jealous.

"C-could...you take us home?"

Ela smiled.

"Sure, just send me coordinates. I still have about twenty minutes to get to Kikuoka-san's office. I just had a force of habit want me to be there a fair margin earlier than scheduled. A habit from back when I worked a normal job in customer service."

She received the coordinates almost immediately and heard the back doors of the vehicle open. The shuffling sound of the rest of the passengers settling into their seats and clicking in their seat belts made her feel relieved and she had already finished charting her course for getting them home in the most optimal route. The elated expressions they wore after they got out at their homes was priceless to her. They were warm, comfortable, and they were home fast and safe. She left the ground, flying over the roads to optimize the time spent getting from place to place. Seeing where they lived from above must have been special for them, considering the awe-struck sounds they made when they experienced one thing after another.

"Five...five minutes to fly them all home from near mine...and it's the most smooth experience I've ever had in a vehicle. You achieved this vehicle as well?"

Ela nodded and flashed Asuna a confident grin.

"Insomnia was my greatest ally and enemy back when I was your age. I had a lot of time I could put into research and putting effort into inventing everything I had in my mind. This vehicle was denied by the international invention control board twelve years ago, because it only needs minor maintenance and is a one time expense since this vehicle uses an engine which can self sustain. It could literally run forever so long as you don't get it filthy. Yes, this vehicle has existed for over twelve years and I've taken very good care of it."

Asuna gave her a baffled expression.

"So why...?"

"Because economy, and gas, and oil, and capitalism got in my way. Same with a lot of things. If it's a one time expense and only requires very minor maintenance from lack of care, then governments which care more about their economy than their people will do everything they can to deny scientists their greatest world saving achievements."

Asuna was angry by the time Ela finished explaining why it wasn't everyone's mode of transportation.

"What is wrong with those people?! Seriously, those kinds of people shouldn't be in charge of the world. We have to live in the world they're leaving behind, and they're making it more and more impossible to save!"

Ela nodded.

"Indeed...I hope that we can still end up changing the world. If I get around the issues by signing to a national invention control board here in Japan, then maybe the world can be changed still, just slower. I've been trying for years but the US and Canada kept getting in my way."

Asuna was practically steaming from her anger when she pointed out the building she knew belonged to Seijiro's team, Rath.

Ela nodded and lowered them down smoothly and parked the vehicle in one of the car parking spaces in the parking lot. It was seemless. Effortless. The floor of the vehicle itself became a temporary screen so she could land perfectly into the space.

"I may never get over hearing about this...why are such corrupt people in power?"

Ela sighed and explained it in a short few words.

"Money is their power."

Yui took Asuna's hand in hers and the three of them walked in through the entrance doors, greeted by a receptionist none recognized at first glance. Asuna had a feeling in the back of her mind she was familiar but couldn't place where from.

"Hello, welcome to Ra- Ela-san! We've been expecting you!"

She startled them with her sudden shift from bored to excited.

"Did I get the time wrong? I believe I'm still fifteen minutes early for my meeting."

The receptionist shook her head and smiled.

"I just knew it was you because Sei-senpai said you wouldn't look quite human. It's very nice to meet you in person for the first time. It's truly an honor to meet such a wonderful inventor. Could I get an autograph?"

She fished a notebook out of her purse which had dozens of autographs shown among its pages as she flipped to a clean one without any signatures on it.

"How should I sign? In Japanese or in English? Or both?"

"Both please~"

Ela nodded and signed her name in small, elegant writing.

"Haaah~ even your signature is beautiful! A true reflection of how you've made your appearance. As delicately written as if in soft fresh snow, and as characterized by your little flourishes to show your creativity and your passion for what you put your effort into. Definitely someone who honed their crafts for many years. Can I call you Ela-senpai?"

Ela giggled while covering her mouth and nodded.

"If you want to, of course. I'm sorry to dampen the mood, but I do have social anxiety, so is there somewhere I can sit down until the meeting?"

She nodded and pointed to an open door which held a small dining room and kitchen, very homely.

"Thank you, please let us know when Seijirou is ready to see us."

With another nod, Ela turned and headed into the room, Asuna and Yui following closely behind.

"She was really energetic and eccentric. I bet it's hard for her to sit still at that desk."

Ela observed the front a little longer and noticed her doing a funny dance from an mmo she had played a lot when she needed to wind down from all her gaming. A celebratory dance which was characterized by a comedy based character who had just been pulled to another dimension within his story at the time by a weapon collecting warrior with several arms.

"As expected. Must be nice having such an energetic kouhai."

Ela smiled and leaned back in the chair.

"She really surprised me. I wonder since she calls Kikuoka-san her senpai, if she does a lot of work besides secretarial behind that desk, or if she goes back into an office."

Ela nodded.

"She has a project up on her screen, going over information for a less complex robotic body than I'm currently wearing. It's impressive, but for its purposes, lacking."

Asuna shrugged.

"I guess to be expected considering your physical situation. I shouldn't be surprised anymore when you say an invention is lacking."

"I call my own inventions lacking. This body I'm wearing was supposed to be able to maintain itself and therefore be future proof, but it isn't. So my prototype is also lacking. I need to advance a few things so it can regulate internal lubricant and keep itself moving like a natural human body. Otherwise, it'll get stiff and need maintenance once a week."

Asuna nodded slowly, wondering just how something like that could be managed. Would it be like blood being carried through veins? She couldn't imagine how Ela would fix her one issue with her current body. The luxuries of being able to eat, sleep and breathe with it didn't seem like such a bad thing not to have. She could experience it through virtual means, so it wasn't all lost on her.

"Welcome. Hopefully you got here without any issues."

Seijirou was at the door, had a hand raised in greeting and a cheerful smile on his face. Ela stood up and found herself delightfully shorter than him. She thought he had been feigning his height through virtual means since she hadn't been able to accurately measure his height compared to hers so far, but she was happy that he hadn't been faking his height. She liked being shorter than men.

"We got here quite smoothly, thank you. Since you're going to be my channel through which I release my inventions, you might as well come outside and see my vehicle."

His smile widened.

"I hoped you would bring that up! Your vehicle is quite the marvel! I spotted it in the security camera and wanted to take a closer look immediately. You flew in, floated down. It was all so smooth."

Ela followed him as he headed out the building and stopped in front of her vehicle. He crouched down to see that indeed it was still floating a good foot off of the ground. He whistled seeing that it was as impressive as he had imagined. He went the whole way around it and she unlocked the doors so he could see inside more clearly. He nodded and smiled more and more, whistling whenever he saw something impressive.

"I want one. How much would you sell this vehicle for?"

She shrugged.

"I got the materials for mine from a scrap yard for free, but I'm sure your team will come up with a decently affordable international price. But remember I'm not in this for the money. I'm only trying to improve the global situation with my inventions. It was also for my personal sake, so just let me have one of whatever I invent. Except for the AI. I'm happy with the family I have."

He laughed and nodded enthusiastically.

"I understand your meaning. You just don't want to say anything in front of Asuna-?"

She shook her head and gave him a stern look.

"I meant what I said. I have nothing to hide from Asuna because I don't have any selfish intentions. I actively despise the capitalist systems of our world. I am willing to work with you so long as you have good intentions. And you had better represent me well with your higher-ups. That means that using my AI development for weapon development is strictly forbidden. There are hundreds of productive uses by having an AI system support daily life."

He sighed.

"That was the original pitch we were going to go for. Sorry for not telling you everything from the start."

Ela shook her head and shrugged.

"I expected as much, but now that I'm here and have so many prospects just by being here, your higher-ups won't want to let go of me. So they're more likely to make do with my demands than to turn me away or silence me forever. Not that they will be able to silence me since my existence doesn't require this body to live."

He blinked a few times.

"What...do you mean?"

"My soul in essence is stored in a totally locked off private server. I will not be revealing that weakness to you. By the way, I assume Akihiko did the same thing. After all, he is definitely not gone."

Seijirou stared in disbelief.

"So he's actually alive...and you were going to take advantage of us regardless of our intentions. If I wasn't so massively impressed by you I would be scared out of my wits. I'm impressed that you were so thoroughly ready to bring us over to your cause. And your intentions are all good. As much as the higher-ups want power through the military, power through pleasure and convenience and technological advancement would probably win them over rather quickly."

He nodded and hummed happily.

"It's technically not a loss on my end either, since I was designated to head a new technology focused division. I might be unable to contribute anything, but sometimes projects need a leader with military and political influence."

Ela shrugged and headed back into the building.

"Well, let's get the meeting started with your higher-ups. We're going to make the fixes to Ordinal Scale as soon as possible and while I work on that I'll go over your AI development."

In agreement, the group went inside and struck a deal in no time with Seijirou's higher-ups. Her method of convincing was very thorough and they had nothing to lose by accepting her conditions. Asuna noticed something about the receptionist that was even more familiar as they passed her again. A familiar cat eared set of headphones.