Chapter 6: Pilgrim

Ah hah!

So that's the problem.

What happened?

The security system is still up and running. No way we're getting in.

What? How come?

That I don't know.

We can still get in with a card.

I was too busy hightailing my way out of there to grab one though.

Please don't worry.

I'll knock that door over like it's nothing.

I seriously doubt that. That 'door' is a 40-centimeter thick iron alloy plate.

You're gonna need something with some more kick in order to get through it.

But I thought my weapons had plenty of kick already... I guess I was wrong...

... Huh?

Take this pass.

However, this pass is, shall we say... particulier.

If you do the same, you too can activate this pass.

This pass is the crowning achievement of mon entreprise, Tetra Line!

Um... but...

Rapi, Anis, am I weird?

Weird in what way?

What do you mean?

I feel embarrassed.

Oh... well that makes sense.

...

I get it! Is it a victory dance for the goddess?

Then I'll dance with you! Come on, my Queen!

Sure, why not?

You sure know how to bust a move!

I've never seen this kind of dance before!

We appreciate your sacrifice, Commander.

Fortunately, they've left this place untouched.

Check out the terminal over there, and I'll tell you which directory the information is stored in.

Why? Did you plant some kind of booby trap?

What do you mean?

Why do we have to go first? Why don't you do it?

Fine, I'll show you.

Is that your superpower?

Happy now? Any machine I touch gets fried.

I operate all the machines at home.

Really? Do you have any idea why that is?

Not a clue.

... Well, whatever.

It's only safe if I touch something that's already been destroyed.

It says we need a password.

The password is

WonderLand.

Capital W and L, then all lowercase.

OK, then click there.

Now open that file.

No, not that one. That's a game. Digital Cop, ever heard of it? It's a classic.

The file next to it. Yes, that one. Now you'll have to enter another password.

The password is SuperUltraNikke.

...

Project that picture onto the screen.

It's a map covering the entire northern region.

It also shows everywhere the Pilgrims have been spotted.

Spotted?

I've only seen them from a distance. I've never actually interacted with them up close.

This map also shows

the dates that we saw them.

It looks like they're on some kind of patrol route.

Yes, the Pilgrims seem to be searching for something.

And with astonishing regularity.

According to this pattern, they should be appearing sometime soon.

If we're lucky, we may run into them.

The Codename is Snow White.

That should be enough to find who you're looking for.

Commander, I suggest we rest for a bit and set out afterwards.

Follow me.

There's no ceiling here. It's not a good place to rest.

Rest in here.

Do you really want to know?

Two reasons.

One, I'd rather not say.

Two, I just feel like this is something I should do.

I'll tell you more when we get to know each other better.

Alice.

Yes, my Queen?

Come here and help our servant.

Would you like me to keep them warm?

Yes.

Is that a heating suit?

No, it's a cooling suit.

Alice's body temperature is abnormally high. This suit helps suppress it.

If you spread yourself too thin, you won't get a wink of sleep. Alice should be able to help you with that.

Does that feel warm, Rabbity?

Don't worry, I'll be right here.

Sleep well.

About time you woke up!

How are you feeling?

Then let's go.

Where was I... Oh yeah, so you still can't reach the Ark?

No. I don't know why. The concentration of Alva Particles here should be very low.

This kind of thing happens all the time in the north. Maybe something is interfering with communications.

There are all sorts of stories about monsters lurking under the ice, stuff like that.

Could be.

Oh my goodness!

What is it?

We need to check on the sleeping princesses.

... How about we do that later?

This can't wait! We haven't seen them for a long time!

They may have woken up!

... Sleeping princesses?

...

We must leave at once!

... Okay, let's go.

This is it! This is where the princesses are sleeping!

... These are?

Let me introduce you.

This is Princess Blue Hair!

!!

What...!

Ahh...!

This is Princess Yellow Eye!

These are the sleeping princesses.

We are going to wake them up and go to Elysium together!

Sometimes we all have milk and cookies together!

Alice.

Yes! My Queen!

Now that you mention it, I could go for a glass of milk.

Right away, my Queen!

...

Are these the Nikkes on the surface you "rescued"?

Yes.

Aren't they all dead? Why did you collect the bodies?

They're not dead yet.

They're completely missing a brain!

...

I've been helping Nikkes for a long time, and you know what I come across the most? Missing brains.

You know what that means?

If a Nikke's brain dies, there's no hope of ever bringing her back.

So, they've taken their own brains and kept them in a safe place, hoping for a miracle.

That miracle being for someone else to come around and return their brains to them.

...

And that's exactly what we do here at Unlimited.

You've found their brains?

Of course. We've saved dozens of Nikkes this way.

Unfortunately, since their brains have been separated from their bodies for so long, we've seen a few instances of asynchronization.

We've seen mental breakdowns and amnesia as well.

But they all survived in the end.

They survived.

And that's good enough for me.

You've been through a lot.

It's worth it.

But I didn't originally intend on showing you all of this.

Seeing the worst-case scenario is sure to make you uneasy about the future.

I'm sorry to have let you see something you shouldn't have seen.

No.

I respect what you're doing here.

Me, too.

Same here.

Thank you.

But there's something more deserving of your attention.

It's becoming more difficult to find Nikkes who are lost or are willing to be rescued.

Any guesses as to why?

We don't know. We've seen a sharp decline on our end over the past few years,

but the survival rate inside the Ark hasn't changed. It's intriguing, that's for sure.

My Queen! My Queen!

We're all out of milk!

Alice... is that milk I see on your lips?

Eeep!

All right, that's it.

We'll stay here. Best of luck to you.

You're not coming?

This is as far as we can go. Sorry, but there's nothing I can do about it.

We find lost Nikkes.

Our paths do not cross.

Any Nikke who has lost their way may head north.

Now that we have found our home, we must continue fulfilling our duty.

... And the sleeping princesses need us, as well.

I had you all wrong. You're a good egg.

It's just that I know how to distinguish between what I should do and what I want to do.

Alice,

my servant and companions will be taking their leave to continue on their journey.

I trust that you're fine with that?

No problem! I'll wait for you!

Hopefully, we'll meet again. I'd like to see how this story of yours ends.

You should get going then.

Servant.

One more thing.

Encountering something unfamiliar can feel like two worlds colliding.

They seem utterly alien to you, and with that comes a fear of the unknown.

But you must never destroy each other. No matter how insurmountable your differences may seem.

No matter how much it seems your fear will consume you.

You must learn to appreciate the world of others, even if you have to give up a piece of your own.

What you must never do is destroy someone's world, for all of them are precious,

as all of them are someone's home.

Do you understand what I'm trying to tell you?

Very well.

Good luck.

Let's go!

Arrived at the checkpoint.

According to Ludmilla's intel, we've got a good chance of coming across them today.

I suggest we lie lo...

Guys.

Look over there.

You're the first to come in contact with the Pilgrims and the Heretics.

It certainly looks like her.

Did we just luck out, or...

Try calling out to her.

Right?

Do you want to call her?

No.

Commander, permission to open fire?

So you've finally come over to the dark side, Rapi! Happy to have you.

However, we shouldn't fire at someone indiscriminately. The true path of firepower is...

No tracks.

Um... Yes, I suppose there aren't any tracks on the path to firepower...

I mean there aren't any footprints, despite the fact she's all the way over there.

Eeek! A ghost?

How can there be ghosts in broad daylight?!

Who says ghosts can't appear during the daytime?!

...

I guess you're right.

It is a bit unsettling.

It's quite possible.

We need to scope out the situation before going in guns blazing.

Aah!

This is...!

Commander! Give me your hand!

Run!

What is this, avalanche central?

It's all right! We can avoid it this time!

Commander, hold on to me!

I won't abandon you this time.

Commander!!

Chatterbox!!

Nice to see you again.

It's too bad really. Had you found out it was a trap, you would have at least stood a chance of besting me.

But hindsight is 20/20 I suppose.

Plenty.

...

Ha ha ha ha!

Excellent, that works out perfectly! I despise humans as well!

I have a few questions for you.

I hope you answer honestly.

Have the impostors working with you been enhanced in any way?

I believe I said I wanted honest answers only. It's just you and me. No one's coming to save you.

Let's try this again. Have the impostors working with you been enhanced in any way?

Where are you from?

Were you ever sick as a child?

...

Ha ha, I see. Much better.

All right, human, come with me.

You don't need to know.

What I will say is buckle your seatbelt. It's gonna be a bumpy ride.

What a nosy human you are.

Bother me again, and I'll start putting my knowledge in anatomy to good use.

Blow yourself up?

Ha ha, you're a human, not an android.

...

You're bluffing.

Very bold of you indeed. Willing to gamble with your life like this.

I have my ways of ensuring you won't be able to harm yourself. You won't be able to do it.

...

... Fine. One question, and one question only.

... Fine, okay!

Yes.

I knew what you were up to from the very beginning.

You were like a fish just waiting to land on my hook.

To be honest, I feel a bit disappointed. You all fell for it hook, line and sinker! Ha ha ha.

Yes.

Now now, didn't we agree to two questions only? We're done here.

Stop.

You can't hide anything from me. It's written all over your face.

Unfortunately for you, no reinforcements are coming. No fake-human can track me.

Give it up. Go ahead, blow yourself up. See if I care.

The only way this all ends is with the extermination of all humans. Surely even you must understand this.

...

You just don't give up...

!!

Don't you ever die?

A Pilgrim?!

I'm not letting you get away this time.

Urrrghh...

Are you all right?

...

It's been a long time since someone called me that.

Do you need help?

OK, I'll help you.

But you have to forget what you are about to see.

The world cannot know of us until we have completed our mission.

Damn Pilgrims! Bunch of obsolete relics!

Begone, you blasphemous creature.

You do not belong here.

Encounter.

Enemy neutralized.

...

Human, step down.

I have to have a word with my friend over here.

I finally caught you. I've got a lot of questions for you.

Spare me...

Are you begging for your life?

Spare me your crocodile tears, pitiful creature. What sinful force brought you into this world?

Please... spare... me...

Disgusting.

My... Queen...

!!

How pitiful you are, Chatterbox.

Don't worry, I'll save you.

Are you the one who injured my companion?

... The Heretics.

It's you, the one who answers to the Queen!

A traitor who sold out all of mankind!

A Nikke who chose to join the Raptures!

Modernia will do just fine, if you don't mind.

I'm in luck.

I've gotten one step closer to the Queen.

I ought to kill you where you stand,

but for the sake of my friend, we'll have to stop here for today.

I won't forget your face.

I won't let you get away.

You will not be facing me.

Have at it, boys.

Out of my way!!