Chapter – 24
Painful truth - SAO Integral Fragments
Previously on SAO Integral fragments
Lueur: Dear me, sir hero?
You: Huh?
Lueur: in spite of all adversities, you brought this tale to a bloodless end yet again. You continue to live up to all my expectations… hero.
You: Lueur? Where the heck have you been? I thought you wanted to help out on this quest.
Lueur: Please understand dear hero, we merely wanted to watch how you handled this situation.
You: Situation? You say it like as if you knew this was gonna happen. And I thought I told you to leave me alone, I already have too much on my mind…
Lueur: I am sorry, I really am… but I cannot do that…
You: Huh?
Lueur: you see, it is our job to observe the actions of this world's trickster. Since we are approaching the climax of this bloodless conclusion, we need to be very observant of the next steps you take.
You: What? What are you even talking about?
Lueur: answer me this, dear hero… remember when you told me that both humans and players are both equally alive in this world? Well guess what? I agree with you. One hundred percent. In fact, would you say the same if your life vestiges of former players? Copies of personality data, in other words? Memories and personalities of players… or rather people, whose time passed. Special AI's, a kind of copied soul… what if that were you?
You: Wh-what?!
Lueur: with your fluctlight, who is to say that you are not one of them…? One of us? *he says with a smirk*
You: Wh-what are you even talking about?
Lueur: in all these years, you seriously haven't figured it out yet? How is it that your body is… almost immune to a lot of damage? Like that accident you stumbled upon the day you arrived at japan.
I couldn't even begin to understand what was going on, how did he know so much about my past and present? I never even told him or any of his other comrades.
You: how do you—?
Lueur: the heart you possess (You) Takayama is not a proper heart… (You) Takayama… or would you preferred if I called you… Elias Canongo?
You: UH!
Elias Canongo… that was my real name… my forgotten name… the name I decided to long forget about… how did he know…? How did he know?
You: H-How… *I grip my first* how…?
Lueur: Yes?
You: *I hold him near a tree* how do you know that name? *I say in anger* how do you know anything about this?!
Lueur: Dear me, did I hit a nerve? I deeply apologize, I didn't mean to offend you in any way, I merely—
You: Cut the crap! Enough of this weirdo persona mask, who are you?! who are those others who are around with you as well?! Who are you and what do you want from me?!
Lueur: its quite simple really. What we want—
?: Lueur!
Just then, Mater arrives, pushes me to the side as Stilla and Typhoon begin to drag him away through a corridor crystal.
You: H-Hey! I am not done with you! who are you all?! What do you want from me?!
Mater stops in her tracks and looks back at me with soulless eyes… eyes I have only seen in myself way back then…
Mater: what we want… is the same thing you want… as well as her. *she leaps into the corridor*
They're gone… and I am left speechless… alone in the woods… thinking about what just happened… I needed answers, and I needed them now. I grabbed the phone and made a phone call…
"Ring… Ring"
Kikuoka: Hello?
You: Kikuoka…
Kikuoka: Oh hello, (You). What brings this unexpected call?
You: Speak the truth… am I actually human?
Kikuoka: Mm…
Kikuoka paused for a few seconds, and then responded with a serious voice.
Kikuoka: guess the jig is up, alright… I will tell you everything when I arrive. Please wait for me at the inn you usually visit with your friends. You can call them as well, it will be your choice. *he hangs up*
You: W-Wait, I… at the usual inn? Does he mean… Agils shop?
Now on SAO Integral fragments, somewhere around Aincrad
Yuuki: HREAAAAAAAAA! *she stabs a tree*
"Kuuurr….POOOOOOW!"
Yuuki: "pant" "pant" … *she loses strength in her legs* "Cough" "Cough"… man… looks like its almost time, huh… Hehehe… *she smiles weakly*
Some other area in SAO
Strea: *she hums happily* ~Darling, my darling, what oh what is on the menu for today? ~ I wonder how long it will take for everyone to come back from the boss raid, I can't wait to see my darling again and surprise him with a big feast I prepared for him, he might even die of joy from the first bite! *she says smiling* Hmm…? *she stops on her tracks* Igh… ow… my head…
Strea hold her head for a moment but then manages to compose herself.
Strea: What was that just now? My head just started hurting for some reason… eh, must be nothing. *she continues walking*
In another area in SAO
Eydis: "Pant"… "Pant"… Alice… Kirito… I… I gotta…
Eydis was walking alone through the fields of SAO, hurt and exhausted.
Eydis: (You)… I must warn you… Augh…
?: Sis! Big sis! Let's take a bath together! Hey sis, look, I finally was able to make you breakfast all by myself! Hahaha!
Eydis: Augh! My head… my eye! *her eye turns red* Ghigh! AAAAAAGH! Ghhhrrr…! *she composes herself* No… not yet… I must… reach (You)… she is coming…
Present location
I didn't know what to expect. After hearing what Lueur had to say and seeing Maters eyes a few hours ago… I am afraid to know what comes next. I don't even know what is what anymore, all I knew, if that if someone had answers to the questions I had, it was this man called Kikuoka… but I had a feeling, that I might not like the answers. They say that the truth can be painful… as painful as it may be, I need to know the truth.
You: "Tap" "Tap" "Tap" "Tap"
I tapped my finger on the table as everyone waited patiently in the tables in Agil's shop. It was an awkward silence, but I couldn't bring myself to speak, all I did was faced the other way, avoiding the stares everyone was giving me.
Klein: Sooo… is anyone going to say anything?
Sanya: I'd say its about time you tell us why exactly you have called us here (You).
Philia: Yeah, one thing I was doing was exploring the deeper parts of the hollow area and the next thing I knew, a message popped in front of me saying to meet everyone here.
Philia and I met a few days ago before we cleared the 81st floor boss. She said that she found a hidden area underneath the administration area in the hollow area. Some sort of secret garden, a place where powerful sword skills might be hidden but in order to get them, we had to defeat a powerful boss lurking at the end of the area.
Koharu: (You)… whats going on?
You: *I sigh deeply* Everyone… you all have done so much for me ever since I met you all… I need you all to be honest with me… would you all still be able to accept me if I wasn't human?
Everyone: Huh?
Kirito: what do you mean by that?
You: Lueur… he said something interesting that caught my attention…
Lueur memory voice: answer me this, dear hero… remember when you told me that both humans and players are both equally alive in this world? Well guess what? I agree with you. One hundred percent. In fact, would you say the same if your life vestiges of former players? Copies of personality data, in other words? Memories and personalities of players… or rather people, whose time passed. Special AI's, a kind of copied soul… what if that were you?
You: Something tells me that the reason I have been able to overcome so many things up until now… is because maybe I am not human at all. What if… what if I am just an NPC?
Klein: Whaaat? That's ridiculous. I mean, you came from the real world, right? You have memories, you can think and feel, I'd say you are more human than any NPC's we have met so far.
You: I was only human back then, because my fluctlight wasn't affecting me, now that it has, it changed so much in my life in just a few months.
Koharu: I think… I think Lueur is just trying to get to your head (You). You know how he can be, maybe he was just making something up to get you more fired up for the next floor.
You: Nuh-uh, no way.
Koharu: why is that?
You: Mm…
Lueur memory voice: the heart you possess (You) Takayama is not a proper heart… (You) Takayama… or would you preferred if I called you… Elias Canongo?
You: He knew an important detail of my life… something I have never told anyone, not even you guys.
Asuna: what is it?
You: My first name… the birth name I was given by my first family. The name I have left behind in the past, the name I swore to forget and leave behind. I don't know how he knew but he did. Lueur and his gang of friends know something about me that I don't know. Kikuoka said that he is coming over to talk to us. How? I don't know…
"Ring-Ring"
The bell of the door rings and a man with a starter adventurer vest enters the shop.
Kikuoka: simple really. By using a home fabricating headset and using the open server provided by the seed, I can enter SAO freely.
Everyone: Uh…
Kikuoka: allow me to introduce myself. I am Kikuoka Seijirou, I am a Lieutenant Colonel of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force and also a member of the Sword Art Online Case Victims Rescue Force.
You: That's an awful lot of sensitive information to tell a group of kids, don't you think?
Kikuoka: Maybe so, but it's important that you know so that you can trust me with what I have to say.
Argo: A member of the SAO victims rescue force… I think I might have heard of that.
Kikuoka: we were a group of volunteers that banded together when the Sword Art Online incident began in order to help move the 10,000 players trapped in the game to local hospitals.
Asuna: Oh, so you are one of the members who moved our bodies to local hospitals?
Kikuoka: Indeed. We tried many ways to figure out a way to get you guys safely logged out from SAO but any attempts we made came at serious costs. Worst case scenario, your brains would get fried not enough to kill you but not be able to function properly. You'd all be living as mindless breathing vegetables for the rest of your lives. All we could do was hope you'd reach the hundredth floor with very less casualties as possible since we had no way of getting into SAO and gather information… that is until (You) gave us an opening.
You: Me?
Kikuoka: Yes. When you first entered SAO, the energy you inflicted upon the system was minimal, but when the update surged through SAO and the full game was available, the energy you inflected on the system was big if not massive. The more you stayed in SAO, the more the energy you inflected got stronger. It of course made changes within the system and world. I am sure you must have seen it.
Looking back, I remember all those changes... when NPCs started behaving according to themselves instead of the cardinal systems command, the world started to have more life than it originally seemed, the massive glitch attacks that SAO had when my flutclight was waking up.
You: Yeah, I think I would recall something like that.
Kikuoka: Well, this is all due to the second soul you possess (You). A soul that has been living inside your heart for the last eleven years. Normally something like this should be impossible because after all, the human body can only possess one soul... that is, of course, if the human body you possess was actually manufactured rather than breaded.
You: What? What does that mean?
Kikuoka then gets up from his seat and then stares outside through the window.
Kikuoka: Your father… was a genius man. He was a genius anatomist who we hired in order to research the capacity of human bodies in order to give them a soul. The souls we got came from the STL's, Soul translator for short. There were a total of five test subject who Mr. Alsevir recruited, four of them failed but one was successful… just not a hundred percent.
Asuna: what happened to them? *she says worriedly*
Kikuoka: No clue. After they resulted in a failure state, Mr. Alsevir took matter into his own hands and decided they're fate. I for one, thought he get rid of them so I insisted on him telling their families and also be taking responsibility for recruiting them. As far as I could tell, the subject who proved to be successful managed to get a copy of the flutclight but it's logic circuits were so faint, we couldn't use it in our research.
You: what research are you talking about?
Kikuoka: …*he smiles* to create a bottom up, multipurpose artificial intelligence.
Everyone: Uh!
Kikuoka: the soul translators made the purpose to copy human soul by allowing them to enter a virtual world that is incredibly lifelike. You enter that world, you can breathe normally, you can eat normally, feel, see, touch everything accordingly. You see, the human brain is an organ composed millions and billions of cells connected in intricate ways, the idea of "Bottom up" is to recreate the brain electronically and recreating true intelligence in it.
Asuna: but that should be impossible…
Kikuoka: your right and up until now it was… but with the soul translator we can scan a human soul. Or specially, the quantum cells and fields of light we call a fluctlight. We then created the light quantum gate crystal. The one (You) possesses at the moment.
You: Huh? *I grab the cube* you mean this?
Kikuoka: that's right. Using the Nervegear and artificial compressors in our facility, we were able to create a data saver through the Nervegear platform of (You's) headset and make it visible like the light cube in your hand. Right now, as you collect the pieces, the data is stored inside the cube within your Nervegear, which is why the cube you own looks like the one you would see in real life. Although it may look like a proper light cube, it is actually a visible storage where you keep your fluctlight.
Argo: Theoretically, you could copy a soul IRL.
Kikuoka: Yes, but its no theory… we've already copied a human soul.
Everyone: Uh?!
You: Okay… but then why did you experiment on those five people my father recruited, shouldn't it have been possible to copy a soul with just any random member in staff and still been safe?
Kikuoka: you misunderstand. We've already achieved the copy of the soul well before then, what we needed was to copy a human soul within a vessel.
Everyone: What?!
Kikuoka: Mr. Alsevir discovered something interesting. Human bodies move accordingly throughout our brains function, which means that even after death, the human body is still functional. Mr. Alsevir was getting close to something never before seen… he created his own sets of body tissues.
You: what…?
Kikuoka: As far as his researched went, he was able to recreate human bodies, from young to old. They all behaved accordingly as the human body would, but there was still one problem… the bodies he made, while although were moving and reacting, weren't behaving or thinking. Why is that? They were missing a soul…
You: so… the test subject my father recruited were for…
Kikuoka: that's right... they were for his own research of transporting a human soul to a different body... that was his experiment... creating copies of human bodies and giving them a soul.
You: Uh…?! Ghrr… but then, why not just use the copies of souls you already had? Why use real living human beings for such experiments?!
Kikuoka: Because like idiots, we missed something… the human soul is complex, there is a wide gap between it, a body and a true AI. We copied a dozen of other souls including mine. They behave fine at first but then their logic system go haywire and they collapse. Since mature flutclights don't work, the other solution would be to erase they're memories or raise one from scratch.
You: Uh! Is that why…?
Kikuoka: Yes, that's why your father chose you. His own son for experimenting. You were a bit too young when he decided to take you in, your brain and soul wouldn't have reacted accordingly to the data he needed in order to convert it to a body fabricated by hand. So he decided to wait until you were five, old enough to walk, think and behave.
Asuna: Wait, but even if (You's) soul was essentially copied it was still human. Even if his soul was successfully copied and brought into the light cube, his soul would still need to be raised if you say that you needed it from scratch, not in a void but in an actual world.
Kikuoka: that's right but it's impossible. So we decided to look for a different alternative and researched online and found a solution.
Asuna: VRMMO's.
Kikuoka: Wow, what a sharp young lady you are. A few years ago, before (You) was born. We received a unanimous tip from an unknown source. Whoever this person sent this file, gave us access to the network where we could create our own virtual world. Using that, we created our own world, with small villages and terrain, and converted it into mnemonic images for the STL. That's where (You) arrived. When he was finally ready for a full dive, we entered him into the village along with a few other members of our staff. The older members acted as parents to sixteen AI Infants or soul architects, and raised them until the age of eighteen. (You) however had a different purpose for his father, to react accordingly throughout the world and get closer to the architects of the soul we created. The impact it had on them was greater than we could have imagined. While the other members of our staff made the AI babies grow and behave accordingly, (You) not only managed to raise the people he interacted with, but also grew them in a different multi-layered dimension within their brains and, as a result, made them more self-aware. More human like to be precise.
You: Someone gave you access to the VR worlds? Who was it?
Kikuoka: We do not know. It arrived as a code in our system. After cracking it, we realized it had an archive with the name "Seed" written in it. At first we didn't take it seriously but after downloading all its properties, we realized that it had the software we needed in order to create Underworld.
You: ("Seed"… could he be talking about the same seed that weird shadow figure was talking about?)
Remember on the eighth chapter?
Weird figure: The world seed. This small archive was developed by Akihiko Kayaba to create a large variety of MMORPG's. An acquaintance of mine is taking care of all its properties and is beginning to modify the program.
/
You: By any chance, could this "Seed" you are talking about haft to do with anything these other VRMMO worlds we are exploring haft to do with it?
Kikuoka: Yes. Exactly. (You), you are currently located within the base your parents took you when they were researching your fluctlights properties. Right now we have you monitored in a high tech research lab to not only keep your health but to also view the state of your fluctlight. At some point, the energy you were producing proved to be to great for the servers of SAO to handle, if we hadn't intervened and stop your fluctlight from overpowering, not only could you have suffered a fatal heart attack, your soul would have been fused within the cardinal system itself and then you'd probably be living as a ghost within the VR worlds for the rest of your times or perhaps even worse.
You: O-Okay, I am not exactly sure I understand what you're saying.
Kikuoka: Yes, I believe so. I don't understand what I am saying either, this is all quite new to me.
You: But even so, how is it that my fluctlight is able to cause these… unnatural phenomenon's?
Kikuoka: We believe that it has something to do with it living inside you.
You: Huh?
Kikuoka: it is extremely rare for a human to possess a second soul. Especially when that second soul is yours to begin with. Even though your fluctlight was not living amongst the collections of our own, yours has been both living and learning from within yourself. The second soul you possess already passed our expectations, it already knows that it is a copied soul and it already knows what it must do, it is just trying to figure out a way to get out of you.
You: Wh-what? How does that make any sense? How do you even know that?
Kikuoka: Because I already spoke with it.
Everyone: Huh?
Kikuoka: You see, after adjusting your body and heart to our monitors, we linked your fluctlights energy into our system, from there we were able to make a connection and were able to talk to your second soul. We were amazed with everything it knew, we ask it if he remembered what happpend and what it was and he gave the answers that we knew were right. It was a copy, its real self is in danger, it knows what it haves, yada-yada.
You: W-Wait, but who was this you spoke to?
Kikuoka: you really don't know…? *he looked at me with his glasses blinded by the light* it was yourself.
You: Huh?
Kikuoka: You see, your fluctlight is the copy of your soul, which means it was another version of you. The version your parents sent to Underworld for research. Not only was it smart, but it also knew what was going on and asked us for help. After learning about your situation, we decided to help you from outside SAO. Your Fluctlight gave us the suggestion to split it into multiple parts across different worlds so that it could not only make things more difficult for the organization to locate it, but also make your will stronger ( you).
You: My will? For what?
Kikuoka: I am sure you must have noticed by now that the energy you are unleashing from your fluctlight is the same energy you unleashed when you are facing up the world. The determination you gave when you decided to stud up for yourself from your family… that very will is the strength you need to get a hold of your fluctlight.
You: But… even if it is possible, why are you doing this? I doubt you are doing this just to "Merely" help me, the son of your former colleague… am I right?
Kikuoka: Hmm… *his smile goes away*
Sanya: you aren't, aren't you?
Sinon: what is it you desire to gain from this? *she says demandingly*
Kikuoka: as I stated before. We needed a soul that could react and behave accordingly through pure intelligence. (You's) fluctlight proved to be perfect for that.
Everyone: Uh!
Klein: Hang on! *he slams his fist on the table* what the hell man?! You're telling us that you are using him just for your research to create artificial intelligence?! Are you saying that once (You) has his fluctlight together your just gonna up and take it?!
Kikuoka: (You's) flutclight not only contains the properties we need in order to create a bottom up multiporpuse artificial intelligence, it also contains the reaserch needed to create human bodies. Specifiacly speaking, the research Mr. Alsevir, (You's) father… or more apropietly… Elias's father.
Klein: Huh? Who's Elias's?
You: GHIRR!
Everyone sees my shocked and irritated behavior...
You: Igh… listen… don't ever call me or bring that name ever again…
Kikuoka: Elias, I—
You: EVER!
…
…
Awkward silence filled the room… I couldn't help but just feel angry at the thought of that name…
You: in case your all wondering… that was the name I was given from my parents… that was my birth name… *I say quietly*
Kirito: Why does it make you—?
You: isn't it obvious?! Because I left that name behind. I am not that weak scared kid anymore. I am (You) Takayama, the name I was given by my real mother here in Japan. That's it, I am not Elias Canongo anymore, I don't care if it was my broth name, a noble name or whatever, that name is dead to me… and it will always be…
Kikuoka: Hmm… alright then. I am sorry if I hit a nerve but even so, your fluctlight needs to get back into one because we need—
You: You need it for what? You answer me that first. Why do you even need to create an artificial intelligence from MY soul? Shouldn't the souls your staff raised be good enough since they were raised by birth?
Kikuoka: well… there lies another problem. You see, when the young souls were mature enough to have kids of their own, our staff was out of the VR world and left the kids they raised to be parents of they're own. We then accelerated time by five thousand and soon had multiple generations. After three weeks have passed in our world, three hundred has passed in theirs. (You) was actually a witness to these multiple line of generations and made amazing accomplishments within the world that impacted the state of the outside villages within the capital. Now, they have a fully functioning society with a population of over 80 thousand people.
Asuna: so basically… you simulated an entire civilization?
Kikuoka: exactly. As far as our math tells, four hundred and eighty years have passed there. The capital "Centoria" has over twenty thousand citizens living in it. It was at this point that we were ready to get to the next phase of research and were stoked about it… but we noticed a major issue… the governing state they're created a set of laws called the taboo index. It contains laws like one forbidding murder, just like we have. And of course, if you see what happened both here in the VR world and the real world, it is hard for humans to obey those laws… but the artificial fluctlights obey all the laws to the letter. None of them oppose it.
Sinon: But, shouldn't that be a good thing?
You: Not for what he is searching… if I am not mistaking, you want the opposite of that… you need a soul that can actually commit crimes, right?
Everyone: …
Kikuoka: three years ago, when the Nervegear was first announced, I had an idea. Although it was meant for gaming, this technology had the potential to change how wars were fought. When this SAO Incident happened, I asked to be transferred to the ministry and join the task force there. It was all I needed to get this project off the ground.
You: so you want to create an AI not just for intelligence… you want it to fight wars.
Everyone: Uh!
You: you really think that by creating a robot or human with a proper soul and fighting spirit is all it will take to be your toys for war? They are still human souls, they would be scared to death if they were to ever be placed like that!
Kikuoka: I understand what you are saying but your fathers research and my research are both separate. I am not looking to create artificial bodies… I am looking for the bottom up multipurpose artificial intelligence. And your fluctlight is the key for that. Your soul was copied and transported over to Underworld. It was not affected by the taboo index and it is aware of its situation and was also raised for the past generations in underworld and ten years here on earth… and two years in the virtual reality world.
You: Uh…
Kikuoka: that's why I need your flutclight (You). It could be the last piece I need in order to complete my research.
You: You really think I will help you…
Kikuoka: Hm…
You: Never… *I stand up* I will never help you.
I stand up and prepare to leave when Kikuoka stopped me with a set of words that got me worried.
Kikuoka: you need to get it together before the organization does.
You: *I stop* what organization?
Kikuoka: A private army held in the United States. They know about your father's research and want to use it to create an endless sea of soldiers for their war efforts. With your father's research, they could create their own set soldiers, train them, and create more and more whenever they please. Since they have no soul, they do not need to feel or think. Just react and behave. Your father's research is sealed within your fluctlight (You). This is not just about you (You). If they also steal my research on the innovative Bottom-Up Artificial Intelligence… we could be headed for a World War III massacre or worse.
You: Hrrmm…
Kikuoka: not only that. But you also need to do it for your own life.
You: what do you mean?
Kikuoka: I am very sorry to say this… but the body you possess right now in the real world… is actually fabricated.
You: UH?!
Everyone: HUH?!
Kikuoka: You see... when you returned from the STL as a child, your parents noticed that the body you possessed didn't seem capable of containing your secondary soul inside, so instead, they made an exact replica of your body using its DNA and body tissues and created a sustainable body to contain your secondary soul. With that, they fused your soul into the new body they made and you have been living inside it for the past twelve years.
You: is… is that what he meant… when I said I was just a copy… from a past self…
Koharu: (You)… I… are you okay?
You: am I… even a human?
Kikuoka: More human than an artificial intelligence would. As to what happened to your original body, well… I have no idea, your parents took measure in that. But you should know, you are running on time here. The body you possessed no longer seems stable to live in anymore.
You: what do you mean…? *I say in a dead tone*
Kikuoka: You see, our research found out that as your body behaved accordingly to (You's) fluctlight, it also became source of life for it's heart. Since (You's) fluctlight was forcibly removed from his heart and body, we realized that his body became unsustainable. Any fabricated Heterotrophic Eukaryote cells will eventually suffer a form of apoptosis. Autotrophic cells will endure slightly longer, but not by much.
Klein: Uh yeah… what does that mean?
Asuna: it means… that (You's) body will disintegrate. Nothing but a pile of ash will be left from his body. *she says horrified* How long does he have?
Kikuoka: Uh... one to two years, give or take. The problem is, to create a sustainable body that (You) can live in without his fluctlight, we need the research it contains. Without it, we can't do anything to help (You). And if the organization gets a hold of (You's) flutclight, we will no longer be able to help him and all of our research will be in the hands to create a massive war in the real world.
You: Hmm…
Kikuoka: So… what do you say (You)? Will you help us?
I couldn't face anyone... all I could do was hold back all the answers I was desperate to get hit me from the inside. I knew I wasn't going to like the answers... but I didn't think they would hurt so much... am I still human? I wondered. What did my parents do when I was a child? What did they do to my body? How did my soul and fluctlight transfer to the body I originally possess?
You: *I sigh deeply* give me time… I need to let this sink in… *I leave the shop*
…
Kikuoka: I guess this was all too much for him.
Kirito: too much? *he stands up angrily* are you insane?! You just destroyed him, he no longer even thinks he is alive! How would you even behave?! Do you even care about other people's souls and feelings?! *he leaves the shop*
Twilight: *she gets up* if you'll excuse me… I haft to go see my brother *she leaves angrily*
Koharu: I… *she gets up* I haft to go… *she follows twilight*
Everyone: Hmm…
Eventually, everyone began to leave the shop quietly, leaving Kikuoka alone in the semi-dark room that was filled with people… now empty and quite.
Kikuoka: I'm sorry everyone... but for his sake and that of many others, he, along with all of you, needed to know the truth. The only thing I can hope... is that his friends can help him recover, since they all know, they can help him. Although, for me, telling a group of children classified information from the military, I would say that it is quite bold and crazy... but things must be as they should be, they still have a long way to go. After all…
Things are just beginning to happen…
To be continued…