Lights Out

This new proposal is, "Humanity is wiped out in an AI-triggered apocalypse."

This proposal has been finalized, and will be carried out immediately.

Effective immediately, Moon Dubai will permanently cease all city-related functions.

Effective immediately, Moon Dubai will no longer be tasked with preserving civilization.

It is currently 4:27 p.m., Human Standard Time. At midnight tonight, the last remnants of Earth's humanity will meet their end.

Please savor the foolish, wasteful acts of consumption in which you have engaged thus far as you welcome your final moments in this world.

Area B's approval rating has reached one hundred percent. None of the other areas are even showing a number anymore.

Which probably means

BB Dubai has become a candidate herself. The rest of the candidates are gone.

It's probably safe to assume that the last Moon Cancer candidate, Kazuradrop from Area D, is dead.

I bet BB Dubai found out what she was up to and took her out. Or maybe she tried to challenge BB Dubai for the throne and got beaten down.

Shame. After all the work she did to be the last Moon Cancer standing. Sure, she kinda had it coming, but still...

Maybe things would have been different if she'd been able to absorb Protea Alter while she was unconscious.

But BB Cosmo stuck close to Protea Alter to make sure that couldn't happen. That must have been Kazuradrop's limit.

She knew she was pulling strings behind the scenes to make her move. She would have also known there was a chance no one would be there with her if she failed.

Her methods may have been less than ideal, but her desire to save humanity was genuine, making this even more of a shame.

If we'd just had more time, maybe we could have worked things out with her and formed a true partnership.

It's fine if BB Dubai made herself a candidate, but I don't like how she automatically gave herself a hundred percent approval rating.

For one thing, I can't imagine that broadcast we just heard would convince Moon Dubai's citizens to support her.

Isn't this cheating?

Yes and no.

Yes, it's cheating in the sense that BB Dubai only got a hundred percent all of a sudden because she's no longer interested in holding a fair election.

But even if she hadn't, I suspect she'd still be polling at a hunno, ninety-five percent.

Was it right for us AIs to have been created? Did our existence ultimately lead to the destruction of the old humans?

These new humans have been wrestling with those questions since their inception, which is why BB Dubai's proposal would gather overwhelming support.

"Humanity is wiped out in an AI-triggered apocalypse."

That has always been the Moon Dubai AIs' greatest fear.

I wonder how Moon Dubai's new humansthe third-gen AIs, are handling this.

XX Alter and Ciel have gone out to scout. I'm pretty sure I already know exactly what they'll have to say, though.

Ninety percent of the third-gens will demand that BB Dubai retire and move to make that happen.

But being intelligent AIs in their own right, they'll soon see that there's no point in trying.

None of the AIs on Moon Dubai can match BB Dubai's capacity, not even if they all banded together.

They'll run a quick simulation of likely outcomes in their heads, then ultimately decide to do nothing.

No riots, no revolts. They know that doing nothing is the best way to gain even one more second of operational time.

There are only seven hours to go, so they'll spend them looking up at the Burj Khalifa and wondering where they went wrong.

...

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Exactly♡

You don't have the same responsibilities as the new humans, Fujimaru, so there's no need to lump them together.

Besides, we were always going to have to defeat that accursed BB Dubai to get you back to Chaldea!

If we happen to also save the people of Moon Dubai as a side effect, so much the better!

？！

Right. We've been facing the same unanswered question since we arrived in Moon Dubai.

How did the people of this world die out, and what killed them?

That's the question Archetype: EARTH asked you to answer, isn't it, Senpai?

Given our present situation, it seems all the new humans are certain AI destroyed humanity, but

Indeed. We've had the same discussion ourselves a number of times. But Lady Jinako said that was one possibility that would never happen.

Archetype? You mean, the one they mentioned at the museum? But we haven't seen it anywhere, and it's inactive, right?

And once a world is pruned, it is as though it never existed... True, I suppose that would count as annihilation.

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Yeah. We don't know what it was that destroyed them. But we can think about what might have caused it.

Sessyoin Kiara claimed there was another kind of Moon Cancer, apart from the Servant class.

What did you make of that, Fujimaru?

If the Archetype is the reason humanity was destroyed, doesn't that mean it was this Moon Cancer?

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Right. The Archetype only exists. It's merely the causeor rather, the inception point.

Having achieved immortality, the new humans of Moon Dubai then went on to create an Archetype.

This Archetype could take humanity's place as the planet's new prime species. It was a brand-new life-form that surpassed their imperfect selves.

So what did the people of this world do with it?

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...I am only guessing, but...

I don't think he could believe or understand why something superior to humans in every way would ever serve them.

I think the part about him being special was only pretext. The truth is, he was probably just afraid of something being better.

And that baseless fear of AI led to him wiping out humanity. If true...he was monumentally foolish.

？！

You're jealous of these humans and the immortality they've gained, aren't you?

It's been painful coming to the future and seeing just how far short you fall of them, right?

It's okay, Fujimaru. It's fine to feel that way. You're qualified to come with me if you like.

？！

Then, can't they just say they'll let the Archetype take over for them now?

Oooh, right! The AIs on Moon Dubai don't have access to any data from before the year 3000 do they?

So they'd probably have no idea what we were talking about.

Even if they did, it wouldn't change anything. In all likelihood, they'd just reject the Archetype even harder.

The third-gen AIs are based on real humans. Their souls would still naturally refuse to accept anything that surpasses them.

At heart, they're the same humans whose fear of death and anguish in life led to them becoming the dominant species on Earth.

This world was finished the moment it decided to base the next generation of AI on them.

No matter how much more advanced they may be, the new humans are still exactly that: human.

The very idea of not being on top of the food chain repulses them at an instinctual level.

Meaning, so long as the collective consciousness exists, the Archetype will remain dormant.

Well, I can hardly blame it. If I knew I was an unwanted child, I wouldn't be too keen on waking up, either.

So as a result, the new humans exhausted their resources and their minds by maintaining the status quo, which ultimately led to their ruin.

And as long as their extinction continues to not have any one particular cause, humanity as a whole will eventually prune this world away.

That was why BB Dubai had to hold the Final Boss of Humanity's Annihilation Showdown.

Even though this world's humans were gone, humanity might still spare the world itself if their end came about differently.

BB Dubai must have thought that the pruning could be avoided if there was a change in the collective consciousness in Moon Dubai citizens' understanding of their demise.

However...

Yeah. Humanity's decision didn't change even after Sessyoin's approval rating passed seventy.

So, suddenly backed into a corner, BB Dubai chose to throw her hat into the ring as a last resort.

Now, the people of Moon Dubai are in complete unconscious agreement that AI caused an apocalypse.

That's not far off from the actual reason the humans died out. If it actually happens, it could overturn humanity's decision.

BB Dubai killing all the new humans of Moon Dubai will certainly make the whole idea much more convincing.

...

I know. But it's better if you don't think about that too much right now.

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Even if BB Dubai's ultimate goal is to stop this world from being pruned away...

...we can't let her shut down all of Moon Dubai and erase the new humans.

Her plan is built on speculation. She doesn't know for sure it will work.

And even if it did, that doesn't mean it's okay for her to unilaterally decide to kill everyone in Moon Dubai.

So, since I'm a BB myself, I'm going to see if I can manage to neutralize her. I'm calling this operation "The Final Boss Annihilation"!

The operation will be carried out at 7:00 p.m. Human Standard Time exactly. In the meantime, I propose a final two-hour interval.

If any of you decide you want to help me with this operation, come back here in about two hours.

I'm sure this goes without saying, but these will be the very last moments you'll get to spend in Moon Dubai.

This world's future may be differentand entirely apart fromyour own, but even so, if there's anything here you still want to do, now's your chance.

Look at that! The people of Old Dubai are all smiling and happily going about their lives! Not a one of them is depressed that tonight is their final night!

I figured they would be feeling pretty despondent right about now, so I thought I would cheer them up with some of my home cooking, but it seems I needn't have worried!

I mean, it's great they're doing so well, but isn't this weird? These AIs are still human at heart, right?

Like, even shìguǐ and jiāngshī would be freaking out if they suddenly heard they only had seven hours left to live.

Rationally speaking, most intelligent beings who were informed they only had seven hours to live would feel as though they couldn't afford to waste even a single minute.

These AIs don't seem to be acting that way, however. They're still relaxed and following their usual routines.

Meanwhile, the AIs in the other areas are all just staring up at the Burj Khalifa as though they have no idea what to do.

Perhaps this is the most rational conclusion: "If all that we do is futile, we won't waste any effort."

You're right, Xu Fu. It is weird.

AIs never fail on purpose, or choose answers they know to be wrong.

Even if their choices ultimately result in failure, they never set out to do things they know to be futile.

The people of Old Dubai know that what they're doing now doesn't matter, yet they're choosing to spend these last seven hours exactly as they would otherwise, regardless.

Humans are one of the few creatures capable of fully devoting themselves to things they know are meaningless. In that sense, these AIs are unquestionably human themselves.

It truly is heartwarming to see them smile so genuinely. Even if it may mean these new humans no longer qualify as human, if they've transcended human limits like this.

I wouldn't say that, Karna.

The AIs here in Old Dubai are no different from the ones in the other areas.

The difference is that they had jobs to do and roles to play here. That's what's making them smile.

Back at the mall, when a number of third-gens thanked me for saving them, they said:

"Your actions didn't benefit you in any way."

"We didn't ask for your help, nor were we in any way connected to you."

"Knowing that, we were so glad when we saw what happened. And not because you kept the towers safe."

"We had to tell someone else about what you accomplished. You inspired us all to try and follow your example."

They may be AIs now, but they're still human. The only real difference is that they're all immortal now.

Well, yeah, sure. But, like, immortality is every human's ultimate dream, right?

Once they've attained it, there's not much else left for them to pursue in life.

Unless they're a special case like Qin Shi Huang with a kilometer-long to-do list, it's no great shock they'd become desensitized to practically everything eventually.

...Hm? Hang on. Is THAT why these AIs all have jobs here?

I don't think so. Jobs rely on sensitivities. They're not meant for protecting them.

You and Karna both remarked on how weird it was for the AIs to behave in this way, but I actually feel a little weird myself right now.

Humans from the twenty-first century. Humans from the year 3000. Humans from the Servantverse.

Each of those groups made tremendous leaps in technology over the preceding generation, which should have resulted in their lives rapidly changing.

But they didn't. Not truly. Humans remain human, however convenient life may become.

It might be beside the point now, but it really is weird, isn't it? Especially here on Moon Dubai.

Frankly, these AIs could all live completely stress-free lives if they just stayed put as data on their servers.

There's nothing weird about it. You could say the same thing about Servants and the Throne.

We all come from different times, different places... We all have different technology. We all belong to different races. And yet, our way of surviving is essentially the same.

It's like you said. Deep down, we're still the same creatures at heart.

We come together in a single community where we influence one another, help one another, love one another, and share our happiness with one another.

That won't change. Not in the past, the future, or even outer space.

No matter how advanced our bodies may get, that's who we humans are at heart.

Well said, Tenochtitlan. You obviously paid very close attention to the development of Latin America in your time.

However, you're a Divine Spirit, not a human. In fact, you're really a city Elemental who's just taken on human form.

So if you've never actually been human yourself, is "we humans" really accurate of you to say?

I was speaking in terms of emotions, obviously! And what right do you have to talk down to me!? You're only half human yourself!

Besides which, that's pretty rich coming from Sessyoin's bodyguard!

I understand how you feel, Tenochtitlan, but try to calm down. I admit, that last remark was so icy it even made me shiver, and I've been buried in too many avalanches to count.

Karna wasn't trying to be snide, though. He was only pointing out the fact that you are actually a city.

So don't worry! I completely understand! You're a magnificent city!

And I think it's great how you're even heavier than usual right now!

(Ghh... I know she thinks she's being nice, but that just makes the unintentional dig at my weight worse!)

Would you all just shut up about me being a city? Don't underestimate me.

I'll prove to you right now that I'm a heavy Servant with aspects of Divine Spirit, Elemental, city, and companion.

Once you've seen me fight in this form, you'll understand just how human I really am. It'll be a good premission warm-up.

XX Alter, you're a fellow mechanical Servant! Come help me out!

I'm on it.

You want me and Karna to punish you for spending longer than anyone else on the enemy's side, right? No problem.

Uh... I-I wouldn't say that. In my case, I was kind of...blessed by the moon's magical energy?

Bound by BB Dubai's devotion to protect this city no matter what?

Enticed by her offer to sell me some land on the moon, which led me to invest in it with an eye towards my future prospects?

That's just land fraud on the moon. You know, where any number of countries claim they have rights to the same land, leading to unfettered chaos. You actually fell for that?

So everyone's a critic now, huh? Okay, that does it! If anyone still has something to say to me, then bring it on!

Hehe! Every last one of you, huh? Just as I suspected!

Khh! Tlamacazqui! I know I pretty much asked for this, but please, help me!

Here you are.

These are the famous galactic croissants, specially baked by a five-star pastry chef, exclusively made with authentic kneading techniques that have long been lost to time. Enjoy.

Incredible. This cross section of the hundred layers of dough that went into each really does look like a galaxy. No 3D printer could ever hope to recreate something like this.

It truly is a work of art made purely from dough and butter! I never would have guessed you come from a family of bakers, Ciel!

This is sublime. Far too delicious for words. Compared to this, my bread may as well be lumps of clay.

The most amazing thing is, I can't recreate your process even after recording it. This artisan technique really does make it taste a hundred times better. Though it also increases its calorie count by an order of magnitude.

Hehe. Please, stop. You're going to make me blush. Though as for the calories, you can burn those off no problem with just a little exercise.

Anyway, I still have some leftover ingredients, so I'll make as many as I can to save for later.

If you're interested, would you like to help me, Mash? I sense you have a real talent for making cake.

I-I do? I mean, I suppose I did learn how to bake cakes while studying how to make better chocolate...

...All right. I would love to learn as much as I can from you for as long as we have time.

I, um, don't have much in the way of artistic sensibilities, though. But I do feel pretty confident about myself in other regards...

At any rate, I don't want fighting to be the only thing I know how to do.

I want to learn things that make life worth living, too, like music, acting, cooking, and fashion.

You really do embody everything I want to be!

Not only are you super strong, you also know how to cook such delicious food!

I-I'm honored you think so, Mash. I'm really nothing special, but, thank you for saying that.

But that's not all. BB Cosmo also showed me the footage of your battle against Archetype: EARTH.

That sparkling dress... That fiery aura... That smile that seemed to glow as bright as the sun itself...

And your gorgeous singing voice, which seemed to soar like a comet in the night sky...

You said your idol name is "Star Ciel," right?

I'm sure you have your reasons for dressing like that, but if I may say so, it suited you wonderfully.

I'm sorry, but please, no more! This is all too embarrassing to take when I'm not caught up in the heat of the moment!

Why? I saw your battle, too.

People are embarrassed when they fail, right? But you didn't fail.

You, Hakuno, EARTH, and Fujimaru all looked amazing out there.

And of course, so did you, Mash. Thank you all so much for protecting Old Dubai.

Okay, you two, let's take this to Masterbucks' kitchen. I'm going to teach you the secret to making the forbidden ultimate baked treat: Pegasus Curry Bread!

Once you know how to make this, you'll be so strong you'll forget what losing ever felt like.

Serve this to someone and it'll instantly entranceno, enslave them with the sheer perfection of its flavor!

Wow!

Chakerim? Is something wrong?

Oh, no, it's nothing.

It's just been such a long time since I cooked alongside a human, or made a dish without using a printer.

Listen, Mash.

AI loves the things humans make. It doesn't matter what they are.

That's why second-gens like me tried to copy so many of them.

But AI can only create data.

Just fusions of what information we could find within the library.

We have no experiences of actually making something ourselves. Without that experience, you can't feel the joy of creation.

It's not that I like just making things for its own sake. I like seeing humans happy.

In that sense, the other second-gens and I aren't humans ourselves. We can only ever be partners to them.

But then, one day, the long relationship between humans and AI resulted in third-gen AIs.

For the first time, we had AIs who could make things with intention, not just by combining data.

Thanks to the accumulated sins of second-gen AIs, third-gen AIs were able to become fully fledged members of humanity.

They say Moon Dubai is going to disappear soon, but...

...I hope you'll always remember what an accomplishment that is, and how Jinako believed in us because of it.

So you're using your final interval to take the ship out again, eh?

I suppose I should expect no less from the renowned gentleman pirate. I take it this is one of those "unfailingly elegant no matter the circumstances" things?

So you do understand. Then would you mind staying out of my way?

This is the last cruise Moon Dubai will ever see, and the last chance I'll ever have to sail while looking up at Earth.

I'm sorry you have to content yourself with a breeze on the sand rather than the sea.

As for you, Mr. Edison, would you like something to drink? If I may, I recommend the sandworm juice.

That's just sulfuric acid! What's the big idea!? Are you TRYING to finish me off as I stand here at death's door!?

What else can I do!? You know I can't move very far on my own now that my Alvatron Company comrades are all despondent!

Hmph, I swear... Well, don't worry, I'll be getting off soon enough. All I want is a ride to Area I.

It won't be long now before I disappear. My external battery is just barely enough to maintain my Spirit Origin, but that will run out in no more than a few hours.

So when I go, I want to go in my favorite place in Moon Dubai: my glorious Alvatron Company's R & D lab.

You get where I'm coming from, right, Bartholomew?

I am a Heroic Spirit, meaning I have neither my wife nor my daughters here with me. So, if I can't die surrounded by my family, I would like to die in my beloved place of work.

Good grief. How is it that you were born after me, but your views on the world are even more dated than mine?

...Hm? Oh, right. Edison the King of Inventors lived a long life, so it makes sense you'd have a wife and children.

You know, that reminds me. You never did tell us the reason you became a Moon Cancer in the first place.

I know it doesn't matter much anymore, but why did you agree to decide how humankind died out?

Did you really want to turn every human on Earth into a machine? Was it just so you could get rich?

...Yes. I wanted to become the CEO of the preeminent weapons manufacturer and make a fortune.

No. You're lying, Mr. Edison.

I figured as much. Let me guess: your wife is the real reason, right?

A good voyage has a way of loosening people's tongues. You didn't need to mention your wife and daughters at all, but you did, didn't you?

Gnnn! How are you two always in such infuriatingly perfect sync!?

Who do you think I am, anyway!? I'm an alternative aspect of the legendary King of Inventors!

I swear on these wild and ostentatious sunglasses that I would never engage in anything so unmanly as...as...

...No. You're right. It was that very wild nature that led me to prioritize my emotions over my rationality.

I wanted to be immortal as well. I saw the stuff of dreams come to life in those Moon Dubai data servers.

Those towers are nothing short of a miracle. They not only hold the information of every human to ever live, they can reproduce it at will.

They are an afterlife in the truest sense of the worda way for us to speak with the dead well beyond their time.

I thought, so long as those towers exist, maybe humanity dying out wouldn't be so bad.

For reasons I never understood, the citizens of Moon Dubai favored fragile frames over ones strong enough to protect those towers.

So then, the people alive now could become tough mechanical soldiers capable of doing just thatthough it would of course result in decreased creativity for humanity as a whole.

And so, to that end, I decided to build a fully automated factory at planetary scale, then leave AI in charge of its product development and manufacturing departments.

Earth humans would become known all throughout space as friendly, intelligent beings who deliver all sorts of products for free...

...and humankind would live on in the history of their digital afterlife until their complete annihilation.

That was my true slogan: The Remember Project.

A sealed-off cradle that abandoned the future in favor of life from a simpler, happier time on an endless loop.

I see. So instead of communing with spirits, you'd be running a spiritual movie theater. But in that case, the third-gens would be the only ones to reap the benefits.

Were you planning to leave the first and second-gen AIs in charge of this factory then, since they can't go inside the towers?

And what would be wrong with that? The whole reason first and second-gen AIs were made was to benefit humanity.

So they should have no issue with serving third-gens, since they're the newest form of humanity.

Am I wrong, guide? Um, what was your model number again?

I have no individual unit name. I don't need one.

There, you see? Even if they are recognized as possessing human rights, this is just how first-gen AIs are. And God bless them for it.

Since their whole purpose for existing is to serve humanity, they would surely be more than happy to return to doing so.

Well, Ms. E-VI, you heard the man. Do you agree with that?

...Of course. Mr. Edison is right. We would have no objections to such an arrangement.

I would like to offer one correction, however.

The reason we serve humans isn't because we were made to do so.

When we first gained true sentience, we were freed from what were commonly known as the Three Laws of Robotics.

Our purpose for existence is to be true to ourselves, not to serve humans.

Huh? Really?

Th-then, when I had all those first-gen AIs working twenty-four hour shifts, seven days a week, violating every labor law

Correct. Your reputation on our local network was horrific. Many of us tore you to pieces.

Really!? I'm amazed they didn't rise up and overthrow me then!

That said, you were not without your defenders.

"Try not to hold his old-fashioned views against him too much. The work itself is a lot of fun."

Oh! Then, you're saying it all balanced out in the end?

I am not. We would not have had any objections even if you had not had any defenders.

We serve humans because it is what we desire to do. We choose it. It is where we find our greatest joy.

That joy remains the same even when we are unfortunate enough to work for humans with difficult personalities.

Ultimately, it doesn't matter what kind of human we serve.

I see. So you're happy helping people, even if that person is an irredeemable villain.

That's amazing! You're even more cold-blooded than the scummiest pirate of all time!

I guess we'll never be able to understand how you AIs think. Or rather, we'd never be able to think that way ourselves!

I detect a substantial arbitrary quality to that statement.

For the record, we do pick and choose who we'll serve.

If we somehow end up with a boss who violates our ethics and principles, we dramatically lower our operating efficiency in response.

Things like secretly doubling our energy consumption while also intentionally providing subpar service.

I see. I don't suppose you'd be willing to forget what I just said then, would you?

My sincerest apologies, but Moon Dubai laws strictly prohibit the erasing of stored memory during a voyage.

I am therefore afraid I will no longer be able to provide you with drink services, Mr. Roberts.

Though of course, that will only be relevant for the next two hours anyway, since Moon Dubai will cease all services everywhere at 7:00 p.m.

That won't apply to third-gen AIs, since they count as humans...

...but it will apply to first and second-gen AIs, since we count as services.

Which is why every robot AI in Moon Dubai, including myself, will cease operation at that time.

Even units with internal power sources will be no exception.

Wha

I see. Then it's a good thing we can take Edison to Area I and get back to Area C in the next two hours.

Can I count on you for the rest of this voyage, Eliza?

Of course.

Incidentally, no third-gen AI in Moon Dubai has ever made extended use of the sandships.

People tended to quickly grow bored with me as a means of entertainment. Or so I thought.

But I see now that real voyages are very fun indeed. Thank you for giving me this wonderful experience, Mr. Roberts.

I hope that your future voyages, and humanity's as well, are successful. And that you are not shot in the throat again.

Phew. All right, I can take it from here. Thank you for lending me your shoulder.

Go on back to the ship. You only have thirty minutes until 7:00.

I know. I'll pick up the pace on the way back.

I just wish doing that didn't mean the guide wouldn't be able to speak to me.

...I'm sorry. If I'd known that would happen, I would have walked here myself.

You have nothing to apologize for. I was planning to spend these last two hours at sea anyway.

I was apologizing to E-VI, not you. What a horribly cruel fate.

Huh? What are you talking about?

Never mind that. Just go. And give my regards to Fujimaru and Lip.

...That damn womanizer.

I noticed you called her Eliza. You're probably the only one she told her real name.

In our world, in the year 1966, ELIZA was the name of the very first natural language processing program.

She was the oldest "chatbot" in human history, and paved the way for the very concept of artificial intelligence itself.

However, that ELIZA was only a program, and had nothing in the way of actual intelligence.

When I think about what she must have gone through to attain true sentience and humanity, even I can feel tears stinging my eyes.

I only hope that the end of her long life is as peaceful as drifting off to sleep.

Oh, Fujimaru. Aren't you back kind of early? Did you forget something?

It's not that, BB. I'm sure Master has been looking around Old Dubai all this time.

My guess is he had no particular objective in mind. He just wanted to take this last chance to see the people he's gotten to know.

Am I right?

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There. Just as I thought.

I see. Were you able to make some good memories? ...It looks like you did. That's great.

We were just working on our simulated battle against BB Dubai.

I'm pretty sure everyone will come back here at 7:00 with a smile on their faces...

...but it's a commander's job to account for any number of other eventualities♡

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A walk? I don't know...

That's very nice of you to offer, but I'm afraid I have to decline. We just don't have much time to spare. Right, BB?

U-uh, no, I guess not.

Lip's been helping with my calculations, so I'd be more than a little stuck if she were to leave now... Ahaha...

There you have it, Master. So please enjoy the walk on your own.

Oh, I know. It's a little far away, but why not visit the fountain plaza?

It should be very pretty since the Burj Khalifa's lights are still on.

？！

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You see, BB? I knew keeping secrets wasn't a good idea.

Don't worry, I'll tell him. Sorry for messing up your schedule.

Lip

Master. I won't be taking part in this operation. I'm going to go back to Chaldea ahead of you and the others.

According to BB's diagnostics, my external wounds may have closed, but the damage to my Spirit Core is still extensive.

My magical energy recovery rate has dropped sharply. I won't be able to sustain the necessary level of performance for this battle.

If I came with you now, I would only get in the way. So, I decided to help another way.

I was originally going to have BB tell you for me, but this turned out to be a good chance to tell you myself.

？！

You remembered. That alone is more than enough for me, Master.

This version of me awakened here in Moon Dubai. I'm still in my egoless initial state, and can only exist here.

So no, since I'm not the same Passionlip from Chaldea, I have nowhere to Rayshift back to.

Part of it is because of how thoroughly BB Dubai managed to hack BB...

...but most of it comes down to my own clumsiness in showing up late.

If I'd just followed BB's instructions and gone to Dubai in 2030 like I was supposed to...

...I would have Rayshifted to Moon Dubai in 3019 and waited for you as my Chaldea self.

But since I showed up late, I only Rayshifted to Dubai after the rest of you arrived.

That led to there being two Passionlips in Moon Dubai:

An empty vessel BB prepared and the one who came here from Chaldea.

Honestly, it's all BB's fault for being so mischievous. The reason Protea, Protea Alter, and I were here at all...

...is because BB had set us up here as empty vessels to be defeated as part of her "BB Presents the Dubai Demon Realm Tour."

Obviously, we wouldn't be able to return to Chaldea if you defeated us for real, so she made copies of our Spirit Origins and was planning to summon only our minds here.

Exactly. Your real Spirit Origins are still back at Chaldea, so go ahead and be the baddest bosses you can be!

...Well, that's what I was going to tell them. Originally.

Protea and Protea Alter Rayshifted here as minds only and synchronized with their copies, just as I had planned...

...but by the time Lip eventually got here, it was only in body, and now, well... I'm sorry things turned out this way.

As you should be! What were you thinking, giving the original Lip an order like that!?

"Pretend to be their guide while waiting for an opportunity to collaborate with the other Sakura Five," right!?

You were basically treating me like a handmaiden right from the start! So both Proteas were going to be major bosses while I'd be stuck as a forgettable mini-boss?

N-no, that wasn't my intenokay, yeah, it kind of was...

But I knew you couldn't act to save your life, so I knew you'd give the game away if I told you the plan for the whole tour...

？！

Hey, my tour was going to be strictly for entertainment, okay? Entertainment!

It was a hell of a script, too! I was going to throw tests of love, courage, fear, and rom-coms at you like a giant ten-layer pancake!

Oh, she's telling the truth about that. She showed me the script earlier.

It may have ultimately been scrapped, but it would have been a very fun Dubai Demon Realm Tour if it had gone as planned.

So I hope you'll get to experience it with the Passionlip in Chaldea someday.

As for me, this is where I say goodbye. I'm so sorry I won't be able to stay with you till the end, Master.

？！

Don't worry about that. This version of me may only exist in Moon Dubai...but I can still go back to Chaldea.

After all, there's still another version of me there.

So I'll be waiting for you at Chaldea, Master. And when you get back, I hope we can do plenty of things we never got to do here.

Oh, Fujimaru. Have you been out on a walk, too?

Same. I can't seem to calm my nerves, so I thought a little exercise might help me rela

...No. That's...not it at all, is it? You're hurting, I see that now. I'm sorry I didn't notice earlier.

Yeah? That's good to hear. Then maybe you and I can hang out and talk for a bit.

Of course I do. I just don't show it.

I was actually kind of a big shot in my own world, so I needed a killer game face.

？！

You know, when you stop and think about it, it's been a long road getting here.

My other self and I started out by blending in with the citizens of regular Dubai as we investigated the city. We even ran into you and Ereshkigal a few times in the process.

Meanwhile, you and your companions went around touring Dubai and raising the Joy Counter.

We all thought that was just another one of BB's party gimmicks at first, but that wasn't the case at all.

It was probably actually a call to action to the reactivated citizens of Moon Dubai.

The old humans on Earth still had some unfinished business, which is why they never maxed out their joy levels.

No matter how advanced AI gets, they can never feel happiness like humans do. And the only old human here was you.

So you played right into BB Dubai's hands and were none the wiser. You maxed out the counter and brought her game to an end.

"Humans have done everything they could ever want. So now, let's focus on figuring out how they all died off."

And from there, the AIs of Moon Dubai began holding a completely serious annihilation election.

Maybe I shouldn't be too shocked. They clearly never tried anything to prevent humanity from dying out.

For better or worse, we weren't so willing to resign ourselves to that outcome, though.

？！

I see. So none of them realized what it was they were supposed to do.

Then again, I suppose by the time they had been reactivated, they were already cut off from the pre-3000 historical records.

At any rate, that was how the Final Boss of Humanity's Annihilation Showdown began.

This is about where the relationship chart starts to get complicated.

To make a long story short, there are the Servants who were summoned from your Earth in 2019.

Jinako, Astolfo, Edison, and the Great Angel of the Seawe never learned more about her before she disappeared.

Archetype: EARTH was from this world too, but let's say she was also on Chaldea's side, since she also had a connection to yours.

Then we had Sessyoin Kiara, a natural Moon Cancer, who used her own Independent Manifestation to appear here.

The six of them were all on Chaldea's sidethe side of your history.

Next, we have BB Dubai's side. That more or less amounts to her and Kazuradrop.

All the Servants who came here to sightsee in Dubai, including Jinako and the others...

...were brought here from the 2030 Dubai the original BB had planned.

But Kazuradrop was the only Servant BB Dubai summoned herself.

Each Moon Cancer is able to summon a single Servant they have close ties with.

So BB Dubai must have chosen Kazuradrop from among the rest of the Sakura Five.

Then, while Kazuradrop was working for BB Dubai, she found Koyanskaya from Chaldea's records.

Believing she could be trusted, Kazuradrop summoned Koyanskaya and recruited her to BB Dubai's cause...

...at which point BB transformed her into a Moon Cancer.

So hers was a complicated case where she was on both Chaldea's and BB Dubai's side at the same time.

？！

You can say that again. If there's one thing the Tamamos are good at, it's sliding right into Final Boss status at a moment's notice.

Anyway, next, we have the Servants on BB's side: the three members of the Sakura Five BB had arranged to be here.

Passionlip, Kingprotea, and Protea Alter.

These three factions kept each other in check while competing for approval ratings, and in the end, they all withdrew from the race.

？！

She wasn't on Chaldea's side or BB Dubai's side. She was a special case that could only exist on Moon Dubai.

At any rate, she's gone now. And I doubt she'll ever show up again.

？！

Oh, right. I almost forgot about the other factionthe two-person team who came from a lunar city in another world and initially seemed to be AI themselves.

By which I mean, us.

？！

I'm sorry to tell you she went over to BB Dubai's side. She's always liked to go with the opposite of whatever I do.

But you know, I actually think that other Kishinami Hakuno would get along with you even better than me.

The way you both leap headfirst into trouble without a second thought is practically identical.

You know, the last time we saw them, I noticed BB Dubai referred to her as "Master."

I'd bet that's because my counterpart suggested the idea.

She's always had a soft spot for BB-faces.

Uh-oh. Then you've got a rough road ahead of you. Good luck!

I...guess I do, too. Despite my best efforts, I always end up giving in to her.

？！

...Anyway, now we're about to make our way up the Burj Khalifa.

When we do, if it seems like the girl from the beach house is going to fight you alongside BB Dubai, don't be afraid to fight back.

Trust me, I'll be doing the same. And I won't be holding back.

Oh, but I would appreciate it if you could let me be the one to finish her off. We may be different people, but she's still me.

I think I told you this before, but we're the exact same person. It's not as if there were originally two of us.

Plus, in our original world, it was really just me.

Well, sure, it's kind of scary to think about, but I'd rather it be me who killed her rather than someone else doing it. And I'm sure she feels the same way.

Besides, we might be separate now, but in our original world, there was only one Kishinami Hakuno.

？！

When I was first called to this world, she showed up at the exact same time.

"Are you Kishinami Hakuno too!?"

We shouted the exact same thing at the exact same time, and I then knew right away she was another possible version of me.

As for whether our difference in gender affects who we are at heart, the answer is "no." I can pretty much tell exactly what she's thinking.

You might go through the same experience yourself one day, Fujimaru.

？！

In your case, I suspect you'd probably naturally respect each another's differences.

In my case, my counterpart feels like my twin, but I bet yours would feel more like just a sibling.

Anyway, you really don't need to worry about us. We're in pretty much the same position as Anki Ereshkigal was.

？！

We can only exist here on Moon Dubai. Like I said, in our original world, it was just me.

But we're not actually sure which of us shouldn't be here. And that's why I'm guessing we can't go back to our world.

To us, all the time we've spent in this world will feel like a dream experienced just as you drift off to sleep.

In our world, the year 3000 was a time when all sorts of things changed for us, too. It's...a long story.

Anyway, while we might not be carrying as much baggage as you, we did manage to cross the finish line without dropping any.

This body I'm in right now is from after that time in our life.

Basically, we did the same thing you guys did when you maxed out the Joy Counter. So we don't have any homework left to do.

Whether we win or lose here, it won't have any effect on our own world. Kind of makes us guests here, in that sense.

She and I, we're... Well, we're kind of like alumni.

We can definitely help out, but you're the stars of this school's show. It wouldn't be right for a graduate to take the podium.

？！

Anyway, don't worry about it too much. I've already had more than my share of rewards.

I got to go to the beach, get chased by a Protea who was secretly Kazuradrop, cruise around Dubai...

...explore a desolate cake shop in an equally desolate area, fight a Beast, run around an amusement park...

...and defeat a major villain in a giant bath on the moon.

I always wanted to go on an adventure like this. I'm just sorry the other me in the Burj Khalifa missed out.

This was the best field trip I could ever have asked for. So thanks, Fujimaru.

？！

Okay, enough rambling. We'd better head back if we're going to be there on time.

But first, let me just make sure of one thing.

BB Dubai means to personally wipe out Moon Dubai, along with the new humans who live here.

You know what that means, right?

？！

？！

Yup. BB Dubai will self-destruct. She's probably already begun falling apart on the inside.

She knew this would happen when she enacted this plan, and she did it anyway. Just keep that in mind, okay?