＜Infinite Dendrogram＞

□ [Holy Knight] Ray Sterling

After buying the information from Marie, Luke and I promised to see each other again later. I'm just Nemesis and I. It was (...) coming to the place.

"Wow, this is..."

Through the north castle gate there was a wasteland.

There was only wasteland.

The forest that should have been there has disappeared and the carburized trees are rolling.

It's amazing how one player changes the map so far.

Plus the smell of these bullet marks, rupture marks, and the gunpowder that still remains.

It is unclear whether [Embrio] of [Destroyer King] is really a battleship, but at least he will use heavy firearms, just like our brother... or a weapon-type Embrio.

But the other three were attacking by identifying the PK, while [Destroyer King] apparently destroyed (Destroyed) every map indiscriminately.

[Destroyer King] is a great place to start, but annoyance is also a good place to go.

< Noz Forest > will no longer function as a hunting ground if it becomes like this, nor can it be called a forest.

If this < Infinite Dendrogram > is an urban prosperity SLG, it will be worth the architecture. The impact of the landing makes me want a bulldozer to tidy up because the irregularities are too intense.

Well, < Infinite Dendrogram > is an RPG as a classification, so it's a nonsense.

I don't know his name or his face [Destroyer King], it would be too much though to defeat PK.

Isn't this like cutting off a sick finger from arm to arm?

"... I don't care what you think, it's going to hurt you in the future."

"Nah. Damage to the map, but this tragedy has worsened the brain drain."

This is not about Tian.

Yesterday's shelling terrorized the King's capital.

I was wondering if it was an ambush by the Drife Army, and they said the Knights had also moved out of the North Gate.

But by then, the shelling was over, and later only the burning Noz Forest remained.

Wonder and there was no sign of extending the burn to the King's Capital, but you can't even leave it alone. The Knights hung from there overnight to extinguish the fire, and have since been pursued for processing, which is now apparently exhausting.

This information came from Liliana, by the way.

I just happened to see her on the road. She was also making bears under her eyes. "If Mr. Ray has also become a [Holy Knight], please help me a little..." she also cried.

"We were in the basement when the shelling happened, but we didn't really notice."

"Because I had zombie panic sequelae and I wasn't there. Your Lord is tired and dull."

So, this one incident, which was burned overnight by the familiar Noz Forest of Wang Du residents, was just enough to disrupt the nervous city well.

Today, at dawn of the night, the King's escape is accelerating.

This sudden move is one reason why the PK on each side was driven away.

PK's main aim was < master >, but Tian also risked being attacked depending on his opponent, and the traffic was stopped because of it.

Because it opened up suddenly today, people moved all at once.

Apparently PK was also a fearful opponent for Tian.

Come to think of it, there is no distinction between < master > and Tian when viewed from Tian.

Because even if they are immortal using Embrio, they must be "just like themselves” living people.

In other words, PK would be like a killer from Tian's point of view.

Especially if it's someone Tian doesn't mind.

"But when this happens, it's a long and short time to solve the PK problem."

"One whole hunting ground is gone, too.... Was the fear experience in the Gravemark Labyrinth wasted?"

I don't know because it ended up being an overnight advantage even though I had a lot of expenses.

Although I was lucky enough to get to know Mr. Figaro.

"But he... ran away from the attack like the forest was gone."

"If you're sure about the Black Glass Sun story."

Black Glass Sun...... It's called my brother Kumanisan, Nemesis sometimes calls me weird.

Now, Marie told me about the PK in Noz Forest, but whoever the source of that information was was herself.

She said she was late in yesterday's incident but headed to the scene for coverage.

At that time, she says, she managed to escape from a firestorm that burned down a forest.

"I don't know because he used cover-up skills or something, but it's definitely based on the characteristics of the Embrio he was using!" That's right.

When I asked him, he said, "A pistol-shaped < Embrio > firing a bullet monster". Fits.

Apparently, < Super Killer > was offsetting a series of bullet monster fire - some of them even homing - that would fly to him.

That's how Super Killer escaped into the Wang capital.

[Destroyer King] who created all this misery, but he couldn't bomb it all the way to the king's capital, and he missed it.

Thinking about it like this, "The retreat from character" … i.e. the battle on the same terms defeated me and I can also say that he won.

I hope they didn't take the Revenge opponent from the side to the [Destroyer King], but it feels complicated.

"Suppose it's time to go back. I have an appointment with Luke."

"Is that right... hmm?

Trying to get back inside the Wang capital, he is watching one point of the scenery as Nemesis noticed something.

"What's up?

"What do you think that is?

Nemesis says so and points, but I don't see anything in that direction.

"You don't look like me, but you got something?

"It's not even hot, but I have pneumonia. No, is that... space distortion (...)?

That's what Nemesis said and walked to the one he pointed to - disappeared.

"... ugh!? Nemesis!"

I ran out to where Nemesis disappeared... diving through the "invisible curtains”.

I felt like a curtain because it seemed to block but the resistance was very soft.

I really made it through that with as much force as diving a curtain I...

……!?

It was thrown out into an incredible space that was neither bright nor dark, let alone up or down.

There were countless blue and transparent windows floating in that space, and there were "two” people in that window who looked confused.

"Master, this is..."

One of you will look back at me safely, Nemesis.

The other one... No, the "one” one.

"... uh? Why would a player come in here?

The cat that was cleverly moving both hands and operating the window - Chesha, the management AI I met when I started < Infinite Dendrogram >, was there.

◇

A few minutes after diving invisible curtains and entering a mysterious space.

Me and Nemesis were sitting in a chair served by Chesha and drinking Chesha's brewed tea.

We didn't know what was going on, and Chesha prepared it by saying, "Explain it, but stand talk-"

This space, which should have had nothing but windows, but Chesha was taking chairs and tables and tea sets and tea contracts out of her pockets so that it was nothing.

The look was like some kind of ultra-long-life cat-type robotic cartoon I've seen since childhood. Chesha has ears, though.

That pocket is probably the same principle item box as the bag I have too. The pocket shape seems more compact and convenient than the bag type.

"Pocket shapes are popular. A lot of kids say they want a pocket-shaped box because of the influence of Dra-O-Mon. Adults only."

I knew you were conscious, Dra O-Mon.

Well, that's one of my kids' dreams.

I have no difficulty in himitsu tools, but I wanted a take-o puter.

My brother said he wanted a box. "If you say" the world with all the himitsu tools "in the box, you can take it all together."

gossip.

"Seriously though, what was the admin AI doing here?

"Prepare under environmental improvement. This task is Nos. 3 and 5… It's the role of the management AI in charge of monsters and the environment. This space is like an impromptu working room."

Is it like a prefab to be built on the site during construction?

"Normally I can't see anything but us and I can't get in. But you look like Maiden, and I wonder if that happens. Ray-kun was pulled by you."

"What difference does it make if it's Maiden?

"It's because we're so close. ■ ■ ■ Functions still exist."

Hmm?

"What did I just say?

"Oh, you. It was information that could not be translated into language over here. It's no big deal, forget it."

Are you answering my question or not?

It was an obscure answer, but it could be caught up in the confidentiality of the operation or something. It's still like watching behind the scenes.

There's something else I'd like to ask you, and that's it for this story.

"That's right, this area, you fix it. I was wondering if you would give real life priority and not fix it."

In fact, the < Old Orchard > etc. occupied by insect monsters remained intact.

But Chesha shook her head, wondering if Noz Forest, a novice hunting ground, was the exception...

"I won't fix it. I will not directly regenerate the lost Noz Forest in this case. But we can distribute factors so that similar environments can easily form. My job is to prepare for that."

Chesha separates the words, sips a sip of tea, and then continues the words.

I don't care, but he's not a cat tongue.

"Because this world is free. Whether players, tians or monsters, management AI will not unwind against the consequences of the freedom they have done to this world. Whatever happens as a result of freedom, we don't know.... but I wonder if there are occasional exceptions. There's also penal control AI."

"Penalties? If you don't blame PK either, for what?

"Hmm, I wonder when they arranged a nomination from the state. Look, most countries in this world have laws, but even if they get caught, players can log out, go back to death, and get out of the house. Because we don't have the police or the Knights to log out players, or the technology to prevent them from going back to death. So the player jailer, commonly known as" prison, "is managed by the AI. I don't even have to deal with savepoints becoming unavailable when a nomination is made from a country."

... I see, because no matter how many times you get caught, you can repeat the crime if you have no disadvantages other than a death penalty.

"By the way, this is included in the settings of this world." Sinned and defeated without being able to return to the savepoint, "he said. So you should sign up for savepoints in as many countries as possible."

'Cause I'm not gonna imitate anything that's gonna be nominated before then, am I?

But “prison”... really, let's be careful not to take care of him.

"That might be good, too. Ma, if they arrange a nomination, they won't send it unless they knock it down."

... that strong criminals won't let go wild.

"Hmm, when there's even a penalty-specific management AI... what's the cat in charge of?

"I'm the chore manager among the management AI."

Miscellaneous?

"The AI is not suitable either. I'm not good at system management. Especially not the environmental system."

"Is the work we're doing different now?

"This is only for preparation downstairs. I'm just putting the object down. If it's a full-scale environmental simulation, we have to control even the entropy of cloud particles."

…………

In human arithmetic ability, I get a headache just thinking about it. But I guess the presence that can do that is the management AI.

I don't think I can do this chesha.

"I don't know if I'm a tutorial guide when I say what I do best. Because that's the job of the management AI, which has a vacancy in the arithmetic resources. I was the receptionist for half the players who come here."

Half is quite a few, isn't it?

"Oh, by the way, I'm still doing some proper tutorial work. Like this."

With that said, Chesha split into five pieces.

All five speak while manipulating kachakacha and windows.

"Like this."

"But it doesn't make sense to split up here."

"No change in working speed even if there are five of us -"

"The arithmetic capacity I use to work here remains the same."

"It's a little late for more computational work."

That said, the five returned to one.

"What to say..."

It's been a long time since I've remembered that this place is in the game server with all the arithmetic stories.

I may have seen the cyber-technology part for the first time.

"I'm better at this kind of splitting process, so I get turned around for chores."

"I see. By the way, that means half is in charge, and the other half is accepted by another AI, right?

"That's right. Sometimes the AI can afford the arithmetic. It's in charge. Some AIs are heartless and won't let me start over once I make up my mind with a character makeup or something?

Let him start over.

Speaking of which, my brother was screwing up his character makeup, but after a moment, he probably hit that management AI.

◇

We had a public talk with Chesha about 20 minutes of tea and tea treats, and we decided to have some free time.

"It's been a long time since I've seen people outside of reception like this. I'd like to give you a souvenir. Because if the operation does that, it's going to be out on eco-hike."

"Nothing's fine. Tea and sweets are enough. Thanks."

"Hmm. It was delicious."

It was strangely delicious and... I'm heartbroken that Nemesis was already out because he was eating like a mountain.

"No, it's worth it when you say so."

Was it handmade, that cookie? Surprised.

... No, wait. How did you make cookies with that cat hand?

"I wonder if that cookie could be commercially available."

"Think about it. Oh, yeah, yeah. Is Ray-kun going to Gideon now?

I talked a little bit about that when I was having tea.

"Oh, yeah, but"

"…" I'm not careful. ""

Deep down, Chesha said so.

What a pity that sounds and the atmosphere I just think some kind of flag has started to come up.

"Hey, you got something?

"If I say I do..."

Sounds kind of spicy. Is it some kind of eco-hike and out when I say it?

"Then I'll say it as far as I can,“ the ghost's heart is in his stomach. "

"Just that. Not necessarily."

Cheshire gave me a hint, or a hint of a mystery novel.

Does it make any sense, let's just describe it in the notes window and remember.

"I don't know if I'll get a chance to see you then, but if I get lucky again..."

"Oh, see you later."

We took Chesha's exit and returned to the original map.

◇

Through the exit, it was the site of the former Noz Forest. Ask Nemesis, he doesn't see any more traces of the entrance to Chesha's office right now.

Seems like there's nothing like different flow of time inside and outside that space when you look at time, and now it's just after 3pm.

The scheduled rendezvous time with Luke is four o'clock, so you'll make it.

Me and Nemesis headed to the Adventurer's Guild, the facility we designated as the rendezvous point.

To be continued