WISDOM SPRING

Commander!

Are you feeling okay?

Are you okay, Commander?

Take a deep breath.

Now, slowly exhale.

Are you feeling better now?

The M.M.R. research lab.

Don't you remember?

What's wrong, Commander?

You look rather bemused.

What is it?

M.M.R.?

Why would they do that out of the blue?

Isn't this a good thing?

It's a chance for us to enhance our firepower!

And an opportunity to use a cutting-edge weapon developed by M.M.R.!

Let's go right away!

What the...?! How come?

You're practically superhuman at this point!

What are you blathering about now?

I'm simply saying that Master has ascended to the realm of a Divine Master, beyond human.

Don't you ever feel that

there are times when Master doesn't feel human?

I wish I could say otherwise, but...

there have been times when I thought the Commander recovered unusually fast from injuries.

You're right... but surely it's better than taking ages to recover from injuries?

No problem.

Darn... that's a bummer.

Still,

you getting one is better than nothing.

While I agree that this sounds like a wonderful development,

it does all feel rather sudden.

That's true.

Plus, we are talking about the M.M.R. research lab. There are all sorts of unsavory rumors about that place.

Hmm... should I check in with some other squads

and see if they've heard anything?

Fair point.

It's not like Mana to lie about something.

Understood.

Master!

If you encounter a solid weapon meant for us Nikkes while you're at it, could you...

You idiot, what is the chance of that happening?

Ignore her, Commander.

Be careful, and if anything happens, call us.

We'll be standing by, so you can contact us anytime.

All right. You'll be inside the Ark, after all, so what could go wrong?

Make sure to bring back a lot of good stuff, Commander!

Safe travels.

Take care, Master!

No. 7?

Fancy meeting you here.

What are you doing around these parts?

Are you finally ready to hop on my experimentation table?

Mana?

Why?

Really?

This is the first I've heard of it.

Of course not.

That's how it is being an employee at M.M.R.

I'm already overworked as is with my own workload,

so I'm in the dark as to what the other teams are up to.

It's not like you know what the other Commanders are up to either, right?

You see? This is how the world works.

If it's not your personal job, you resign yourself to not knowing anything about it.

Actually,

I think I do.

I believe I heard her said something about going to the Deep Sector earlier.

She also mentioned that she'd be out of contact for a while, so if anything crops up, they'd have to handle it themselves.

Again though, I'm not 100% sure if that's the case.

If she went to the Deep Sector,

then no.

Once you head inside, you're forbidden from communicating with anyone outside.

That goes even for researchers like myself.

What sort of plans did you and Mana have, anyway?

Did you arrange to meet at a specific time?

That's not like Mana.

Maybe she thought she'd be back soon.

Hmm...

Would you like to go and meet her?

Yes.

You're a busy man, so I presume you can't afford to stand around waiting too long.

What's the worst that could happen?

Let's go.

I'll take you there.

Why do you look so skeptical?

Do you think I'm only pretending to take you to Mana,

but instead, I'll drag you to my lab for some experiments?

Of course not!

I'm a busy woman.

If I wanted to conduct experiments on you, I wouldn't go through all that rigamarole.

You trust me?

I thought you'd be a little suspicious that I was willing to show you the way personally.

Oh no, of course not.

Despite being as busy as I am,

I'm generous enough to devote my precious time to helping you out.

You ought to be grateful.

Let's go.

*Sigh*... The elevator is so far away.

Can't they do something about this?

It's so annoying having to walk this far every time.

The Deep Sector.

It's also referred to as the Level E Zone,

but to keep things simple, we typically call it the Deep Sector.

Somewhat frustratingly, it's divided into two separate sections. That's how big it is.

Yes. Deep underground.

All the labs at M.M.R. are subterranean,

but the Deep Sector is particularly far down.

You can only get there using a special elevator,

which means we have to schlep all the way over here every single time. It's such a pain.

Don't you remember?

You came to my lab last time because you caught something while on the surface.

You don't remember?

Well, I guess that's not entirely unreasonable.

When people catch a disease from the surface, they need to come to the M.M.R. labs for treatment.

Last time, you caught something like a cold on the surface, and I treated you.

That was all done in one of our underground labs.

You have a good memory.

Thank goodness. I was feeling too lazy to explain everything in detail.

Anyway, you caught something like a cold, and I treated you at my lab, which is in fact underground.

I realize how strange this all sounds. The Ark is already underground, and now we're talking about more things under that.

Because this way,

the test subjects won't be able to escape.

Relax. That was a joke.

The answer should be obvious. It's because what we do is highly secretive.

There's a reason people always talk about secrets being buried underground.

The M.M.R. research lab is a prime example of that.

All of the Ark's secrets are sealed away, buried deep under the surface.

Correct.

That place is full of top-secret stuff.

You never know when or how a secret might leak,

so any and all communications are restricted while inside the Deep Sector.

That's why Mana is currently incommunicado.

Sure, why not?

Your reputation precedes you. You've encountered everything from Pilgrims to Heretics.

Besides, it's not like you're going to be running around opening all the lab doors. It'll be fine.

So you don't want to meet Mana?

We don't have to if you don't want to.

Don't worry, and just stay close to me.

You'll get lost if you space out while we're in there.

Here we are.

This elevator will take us straight to the Deep Sector.

You get in first.

You see that slot by the door?

Could you insert this access card?

Good. Looks like the approval hasn't expired yet.

That's a guest pass I got approval for a while back,

which can be used in lieu of a researcher's card.

It's a royal pain getting approval every individual time.

I find it easier to just get things approved whenever I can.

All right, all you have to do is press "Level E", and you'll go down.

Whatever you do, don't press "Level P", okay?

That leads to the furthest recesses of the Deep Sector.

That's off-limits even to someone of your caliber.

Not to mention that that card wouldn't give you access to that area anyway.

I can't.

One card per person is the rule.

I have a researcher's access card,

and I haven't been approved at the moment, so I can't use it.

It's like I told you earlier; the security there is incredibly stringent.

Even researchers like me need to submit a formal request beforehand.

It would take forever and a day for me to submit the paperwork and go through the process, so you go ahead on your own.

You want me to go find Mana myself?

That's hardly convenient for me, you know.

Atta boy.

That's more like it.

What is it? Feeling sad that we have to part ways?

Or are you nervous?

Harsh.

Still, you seem a bit more relaxed now,

so buck up

and head down to meet Mana.

Have fun down there.

Commander?

What are you doing h...

Hmm?

You were looking for me?

Why would you do that?

More importantly, how did you get in here?

She did?

That's just a guest pass.

Why isn't Ether with you?

Huh?

If she couldn't come with you, why did you come here on your own?

I did?

... I did?

...

No.

I've been here in the Deep Sector since yesterday,

and I'm scheduled to be here until tomorrow morning.

...

Could you show me that message?

...

It's definitely been sent from my profile,

but I never sent this.

Not only that, M.M.R. doesn't produce new weapons for Commanders in the first place.

I've never heard of such a project.

Well...

I can't say for sure,

but it seems that someone wanted to lure you to M.M.R.

Given that they used my name to mislead you,

I highly doubt that their intentions were noble.

...

Commander, what kind of place do you think M.M.R. is?

That's right.

Everything from Nikke bodies to the Ark's basic infrastructure.

M.M.R. handles every aspect of the technology present in the Ark.

That's a rather unexpected answer... but you're not incorrect.

Did anyone tell you that, by any chance?

I see. Makes sense.

Well, she's right.

M.M.R. safeguards all of the Ark's technological secrets.

That's why everyone who comes here first has to

be granted authorization in the form of an access card.

Here in the Deep Sector, where we are now, the security is particularly tight.

Not necessarily. You do have an access card, after all.

However, if you were to encounter any other researchers

and they wanted to know your reason for being here, you might be in a bit of a bind.

There's no way we can know for certain.

One thing that is certain, however, is that staying here for too long will be dangerous for you.

All right, I'll lead the way.

I think...

the card's expired.

... You can't leave.

... Yes.

The code you just saw appears when an expired access card is used.

I'm scheduled to be here until tomorrow morning.

It's nearly impossible to alter the time period which you've been approved,

unless there are truly exceptional circumstances.

... Yes, they do.

Researchers must obtain approval to enter the Deep Sector

and must adhere precisely to the authorized time frame.

Those are the rules.

For a very simple reason.

This place contains many secrets.

Missilis doesn't give free rein to anyone who works down here.

No.

The company trusts no one.

That's probably the reason why they prefer Nikke researchers whenever possible.

...

Not all of them, but most.

Did you know that Ether and I are both Nikkes?

It's understandable that you didn't.

You have a good memory.

That's right.

Ether and I are Nikkes.

In addition to being researchers at M.M.R., we're also members of the M.M.R. squad.

When humanity migrated to the Ark, do you know what non-combat Nikkes were initially created for?

Preserving technology and art.

To ensure that humanity's knowledge and creativity wouldn't vanish underground,

it was embedded into the Nikkes themselves.

By transforming exceptionally gifted artists and engineers into Nikkes.

This way, their skills and knowledge could survive

without the human limitation of time.

Scientists were no different.

Nikkes were considered a premium storage device of sorts for scientific knowledge,

and so many scientists were turned into Nikkes as well.

That's not the only advantage that Nikkes have.

It's difficult to hide secrets inside a Nikke's brain.

Since humanity moved to the Ark,

brain-scanning technology has improved by leaps and bounds.

Unless extreme measures like neural shielding or black boxing are employed,

most Nikkes are incapable of concealing any information from humans.

That's not the only reason.

It's easy to store information in Nikkes and it's difficult for them to hide anything.

That's why the majority of M.M.R. researchers are Nikkes.

Of course, not everyone was forced into it.

Some volunteered to become Nikkes, hoping to complete their research without being limited by a human lifespan.

I've gotten sidetracked.

To summarize, Missilis doesn't even trust its own researchers.

Therefore, curtailing the time period for which I was authorized would be difficult.

Thank you for understanding.

We've spent too much time talking.

It's not prudent to stay here long.

Let's look for another lab where we might get a signal.

Commander, would you come here?

Of course. The Deep Sector is a vast place.

It would be difficult working with only one operating elevator.

I believe there should be an emergency contact device inside this elevator.

Nothing.

It seems the rumors were unfounded.

Let's go somewhere else.

A prayer room.

Yes. A space for religious worship.

The organization which preceded M.M.R has religious ties, so they created this space.

It's rarely used now, though.

That might explain the dust.

Hmm...

Nothing here either.

Let's keep moving.

There should be an emergency communication device hidden here somewhere.

Just a moment.

Nothing.

It's either already been discovered, or it's more unfounded rumors.

...

Not a thing.

It seems so. This is the first time I've gotten definitive confirmation of that.

Are you all right, Commander?

Come to think of it, you've looked a bit pale for a while now.

Is something wrong?

...

That's true, but...

Should I ask another lab...?

!!

There is one place we haven't checked yet.

If they haven't removed all the equipment,

there might still be a communication device there.

Follow me.

Come in.

Yes?

A lab that's fallen into disuse.

Someone I knew used to work here.

Knowing her, she may have left behind a communication device to contact the upper levels.

You know her...

!!

Commander, are you okay?

You look worse than before.

Are you sure it's just exhaustion?

Don't lie to me.

You're sweating bullets. Be honest with me.

When did it start?

That was a long time ago!

Why didn't you tell me earlier?

This particular lab, you mean?

...

Déjà vu?

Here?

!!

Rest here for a moment.

I'll look for the communication device myself.

Enhancing the human body through technological advancement...

A new... purpose...!

!!

Subject is moving.

Hmm?

Is he one of the subjects for the project?

Yes.

Ether.

Will you have the results for this subject soon?

Most likely.

The deadline is approaching.

Do you think it will succeed this time?

Hmm...

...

Not sure.

None of the past cases have been successful.

If this one fails too, the project might be terminated, won't it?

For someone who isn't part of the project, you remember an awful lot.

Thanks to this new and improved body, I remember everything.

Haha, fair point.

Since becoming Nikkes, neither of us has forgotten anything important.

...

Don't look so grim.

This is just a hunch,

but I feel like this attempt will be a success.

A hunch?

That's rather unscientific of you to say.

Achieving success in your research doesn't always depend on science alone.

It's just hope on my end.

I've grown far more invested in this than I thought I would.

My only hope is...

...

that we don't have to terminate.

Commander?

Commander!

Are you feeling okay?

Are you okay, Commander?

Take a deep breath.

Now slowly exhale.

Are you feeling better now?

The M.M.R. research lab.

Don't you remember?

Are you feeling calmer now?

Sorry?

Bubbles?

Did you dream about drowning?

Me and Ether?

Maybe you dreamt that because you want to leave this place.

... Sorry?

!!

Commander.

I think it'd be good for you to stop thinking so much. Get some rest, then try and move around.

You're sweating like crazy.

Why don't you try getting up first?

The floor is too cold. It'd be best to move somewhere warmer.

Let me help y...

Yes?

What do you mean? I don't understand.

That can't be.

How can a dream be real?

You probably feel that way since you're unwell.

First off, let's get out of here.

It would be best to head outside before trying to process all of this.

Why don't you rest in the prayer room? I'll search on my own for some way to reach the outside.

Don't you ever feel that

there are times when Master doesn't feel human?

I wish I could say otherwise, but...

there have been times when I thought the Commander recovered unusually fast from injuries.

You're right... but surely it's better than taking ages to recover from injuries?

Commander? Is something wrong?

There was.

But why...

Sorry?

...

!!

How do you know that name?

...

...

Well... you might simply be stronger than most people.

Maybe you just have a faster recovery rate than normal.

...

...

... I see.

You're right. It's certainly unusual.

But it's not out of the realm of possibility for

there to be someone in this world

naturally born with exceptional strength or healing abilities.

Things are only strange if you think they are.

If you view things as normal, then they're not so strange anymore.

So, don't think of it as anything unusual.

Sorry?

...

...

I'm sorry.

You can ask me all the questions you want, but I can't answer any of them.

No.

I can't tell you anything.

So...

Please, stop.

Yes?

!!

...

That...

Sssh.

That's enough questions.

That was too close for comfort, Mana.

You nearly let the cat out of the bag.

You should know better than that.

!!

You know as well as I do that there are dark forces deep in the Ark.

They're watching us, always and everywhere.

If you catch their attention, you're in for a world of hurt.

Those of us residing in the abyss should be especially careful, isn't that right?

... Yes. I know that.

Thank you for stopping me.

No need to thank me.

If you want to repay me,

you can help me the next time I do something good.

Got it?

... Yes.

Such a sweet girl.

Now then,

I presume this young man is the celebrated "No. 7" I've heard so much about?

My goodness, he looks even more handsome in person.

You've grown up splendidly.

Me?

Goodness gracious, would you look at me? I didn't even introduce myself.

Ah, the perils of old age.

I'm Jien. The pleasure's all mine.

I believe this is our first time meeting, yes?

Hm.

I heard you've been helping my sister out quite a lot.

That must have been tough for you.

Really?

How can that be possible?

... Most interesting.

Hehe, well I suppose it's not entirely outside the realm of possibility.

You are quite deeply connected with my sister, so you must have heard of me at some point.

Half sister would be more correct.

But what am I saying? We're working here.

As such, I should instead say that I'm an employee working under the esteemed president of Missilis.

I'll make it simple for you.

Just think of me as one of the researchers at M.M.R.

Oh? It seems you're partial to that appellation.

I suppose it makes sense. After all, many of the most riveting stories concern themselves with love triangles.

Incorporating Missilis into a tale of romantic entanglements is surely the most entertaining option, no?

Wow, cutting straight to the chase.

I see you're not one for formalities.

So harsh!

How could I ever impugn

our good friend Enikk in such a way,

when she works tirelessly on humanity's behalf?

The dark forces that I speak of is the Ark itself.

The very thing that feeds, shelters,

and protects us.

That's all you need to know for now.

It'd be dangerous for you to know any more than that.

You hardly want to spend your existence trapped underground, do you?

You're still young, and you must have a lot you still want to do.

You should be running freely above ground.

That's right.

That's because you are...

Oh boy, I nearly spilled the beans!

You're quite mesmerizing, you know? The more we talk, the more I want to tell you everything.

Is this why all the Nikkes are so obsessed with you?

Perhaps it's because you're so handsome.

Or perhaps it's because you're No. 7.

Jien. That's enough.

All right, I'll stop teasing him.

Anyway, I simply stopped by to give a short introduction.

Here you are.

That's right. It's an access card.

Since you're finished with your business here, it's time for you to leave.

Why do you have this?

I'm not entirely bereft of a conscience, you know. Since I'm the one who brought you here, I should be the one to get you out.

You mean you...

Yes, I'm the one who made the oh-so-handsome No. 7 come here.

What?

I wanted to see you.

I have a lot of interest in you for many reasons.

Syuen and all the other Nikkes have gotten to see you,

and I was upset that I hadn't had the privilege of seeing you in person.

With my current situation,

I'm in no position to be going outside and attracting unwanted attention.

So I thought it would be good if you came to me instead.

Oh, come now. You could have never come here alone.

You would have arrived surrounded by your precious Nikkes,

weapons in hand.

It would have been liable to cause a scene,

and I certainly don't want that.

Don't be upset.

That access card will ensure you leave this place unharmed.

And besides,

even though you felt a little dizzy and had a nasty headache,

it's not like you're leaving empty-handed.

You learned a few more things about the Ark, and yourself.

Now then, Mana.

Could you please use this card to escort the ever-so-dashing No. 7 out safely?

He seems rather shaken up by today's events, so be sure to calm him down before he leaves.

... Yes. Understood.

I had fun today, No. 7.

See you around.

Let's get out of here, Commander.

You're awake.

How are you feeling?

Shortly after taking the elevator up to Level D, you collapsed.

A quick examination was conducted.

The results showed excessive stress and fatigue leading to severe exhaustion.

In short... you were tired.

...

For what?

You collapsed right in front of me. It's only natural that I'd tend to you.

Besides...

I'm a big part of why you're in this state.

Pardon?

...

Your questions were entirely reasonable.

Anyone would react that way

when doubt is being cast on their very identity.

...

Commander.

I can't answer any of the questions you asked.

M.M.R. is a fountain of knowledge, yet it also holds many secrets.

One of the cardinal rules is to never share those secrets.

But what I can say is this:

Regardless of your identity, or what secrets you carry...

The reason you've earned the trust and love

of so many Nikkes,

including me,

has nothing to do with how you were created.

Instead, it has everything to do with how you've lived.

That, above all, is your true identity, Commander.

So don't fret anymore, and rest up.

In the meantime, I'll protect you.

Not as a researcher with any ulterior motives, but simply as a Nikke.

Good night, Commander.

Mana!

Yes?

I wanted to speak to you about No. 7's examination.

I don't know what you're talking about.

Yes, you do.

The examination you conducted when he collapsed shortly before returning to Level D.

...

Now do you know what I'm talking about?

... Yes.

Show me the results.

I can't.

Why not?

I promised.

I promised the Commander that he could rest, and I would tend to him without any ulterior motives.

I can't hand over the results.

If I do that, all the tender care I gave him will be tainted and end up becoming cold, hard research data.

Come now, don't be so hard on me.

I have no intention of using your findings as research material.

I don't believe you.

Honestly, I won't.

...

You really are going to refuse, aren't you?

My goodness, it seems you've gotten quite close to No. 7.

A promise is a promise.

Fine. Okay.

Then at least tell me one thing about No. 7's condition.

I already told you I ca...

If you grant me this request, I'll let you ask me one thing in return, no strings attached.

!!

Anything you want.

Don't you think that's a fine compromise on my part?

... Let me hear your question first.

Very well.

Then...

Is No. 7 healthy?

Sorry?

Is he in good health?

Is he suffering from any illnesses, injuries, or is in any other way unwell?

All his metrics were normal.

His collapse was stress-induced. All the tension from that day was more than he could bear.

Oh?

That's good.

Is that all you wanted to ask?

Yes. So long as No. 7 is healthy, that's all that matters.

... Ether.

Why did you make the Commander come to M.M.R.'s Deep Sector?

Me? That was Jien's doing.

Jien must have been the one who suggested it to you,

but you were the one who set up a false account and sent that message to the Commander, posing as me.

...

How did you know?

You left a few breadcrumbs here and there.

Almost as if you wanted me to notice.

You're quite smart.

Why did you do that?

Is that the question you wish to ask me?

Yes.

Well well, No. 7 really has gotten a hold over you.

An M.M.R. researcher suppressing their thirst for knowledge and instead asking a question for someone else's sake.

...

At any rate, No. 7 has been coming back with rather grievous injuries, particularly concerning his stomach.

I wanted to get him on the examination table for a proper health check,

but he is rather wary of me.

He would never agree to such a proposal.

So I was thinking of a way to get him here,

and that's when Jien happened to contact me.

She said she wanted to see No. 7 for herself,

and asked me to bring him here.

Jien...

If someone higher up gives me an order, what's an employee like me do?

If she wants me to summon him, then summon him I must.

I happened to want to see him too, so I thought it would work out nicely.

I didn't expect him to have such a hard time.

... When the Commander collapsed while still in the Deep Sector, he said he had a dream.

He said that you and I were observing him while he was suspended in a tank,

and he heard discussions about the project and its success or failure.

Really?

He dreamt about the past?

Interesting.

Ether...

Are you trying to reveal the truth to the Commander?

I don't have any plans to, no.

Then why do you call him No. 7?

What about it?

You could attract "their" attention.

You know as well as I do that

they don't want the world to know that this project ever existed.

...

That's why they've kept it a secret, even from the deputy commanders and the three CEOs.

They've carried everything out in complete secrecy within the darkest recesses of M.M.R., with approval coming only from them and the commander-in-chief.

I know all of this.

Then why...

Because that's who he is. He's No. 7.

Not 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6.

He is not a failure, nor an escapee, but the sole successful creation.

With such a precious title, how could I call him by any other name?

Still, that's too dangerous...

They likely understand the affection I have for the term, which is why they're letting me get away with it.

They've got eyes and ears everywhere in the Ark,

so there's no way they aren't aware of me calling him that.

If there was going to be trouble, it would have happened already.

...

Don't worry too much. I'm a professional. I know how to walk the line.

*Sigh*... Okay, fine. Do as you wish.

I will.

But if you aren't trying to reveal the truth, then it couldn't have been you who left the tablet.

Tablet?

Never mind.

All this talk makes me want to see No. 7 again.

I understand that you miss him,

but please refrain from summoning the Commander to the Deep Sector again.

Doing that may put him in serious danger.

Hmm... we'll see.

*Sigh*...