＜Infinite Dendrogram＞

□ Past Lucius Holmes

I logged into Infinite Dendrogram from my father's study, and somehow I was in the study again.

This study is somewhat more obsolete than my father's.

In one way or another, it resembled an old mansion study where my great-grandfather lived.

"Yes, welcome aboard -"

There was a talking cat in the study.

"It's Chesha from Management AI. Yo... what's up -?

I looked at the cat - Chesha - and felt a blatant unnaturalness.

As a result of my parents' education, my world looked different to both normal people and my parents.

If we observe people, we can see through both the truth in our hearts and the secrets we hide behind our words.

I can also see what the person in front of me is thinking behind the words he puts on the table.

Although we need some face-to-face to read accurately, I am confident in its accuracy.

A familiar opponent can read thoughts ninety-nine times out of a hundred times.

Even the first person or animal you meet, it is possible to perceive some feelings.

But I can't read it from Chesha in front of me.

That's a pre-person or cat problem.

I got that impression, as if something that wasn't even biological - something that wasn't intelligent (...) was pretending to be a cat.

"... but when it comes to management AI, is that normal?

"Uh, what's going on?

"I'm fine. I'm Lucius Holmes. Nice to meet you."

I got a tutorial from Cheshire.

That's how I became a character making step......,

"Your name remains Lucius Holmes -?

"Can't you?

"Possible but not recommended -"

Then thinking of other names as… caught my eye for something that was placed in the study.

That's a chessboard.

There was only one pawn on the board that was checked, as if the competitor had disappeared on the way to hitting it.

That was the pawn of Castle Soldier (Luke).

"Well, then, at Luke Holmes"

Chess is a memory with my father.

If you're going to get a name from that, I thought it wasn't a bad idea.

"Yes, sir. Then look next."

I left my appearance intact.

I have been trained to assume that it moves with this look for years, so I feel uncomfortable changing it.

However, only the color of my hair changed from my father's conceded blonde hair to the same silver color as my mother's.

That's how I start the game. [M]

Chesha finally said I was free in this world. [M] He said he was free to do anything.

Do you reveal the truth about this game, or steal secrets?

Or do you just play or live?

I thought that was a good practice for choosing life.

◇

The first day into < Infinite Dendrogram >.

An implanted embryo hatched into my left arm, and Babi was born.

"Yay. Nice to meet you. - Luku."

Babi was just like he is now from the beginning.

However, one question I had was that Babi was born as my Embrio.

Depending on my personality and experience, I heard that Embrio was born and changed.

The question had arisen at the very beginning as to why the result of being born that way was babi and there was still no answer.

◇

Day two into < Infinite Dendrogram >.

I realized there was something about skills.

I still don't have skills in this world. [M]

However, the technologies that I carry together in real life and use all the time can be used without skills in the < Infinite Dendrogram > world.

Although I learned later, my skills include "psychoanalysis" and other taste skills.

But those taste skills seem inferior to those of "people who really have that skill in real life”.

Whatever, < Infinite Dendrogram > can tell the same thing.

This Infinite Dendrogram avatar is my technology, not an off-screen game.

So as in reality, we can judge people by this.

I use this technology to observe and decide whether or not to trust people.

Face on the table and behind the mind.

Many people are dark behind their hearts, even if they are showing it bright with their faces on the table.

That's good.

It's natural to differ between the table and the back.

Except for those who are malicious in the back while favoring the table.

On rare occasions, some people are trying to put me in a trap.

In order not to trust someone like that, it was my usual practice to judge people by technology first.

So when I first met Mr. Ray, I was honestly surprised.

Beginning with Mr. Ray's tsuji heel.

At the time, I went in without knowing the rules of < Infinite Dendrogram >, and I was struggling without a job.

But thanks to Mr. Ray, I was saved.

When I was talking to Mr. Ray after the fight, I couldn't get it out on the table, but I was actually very surprised.

Mr. Ray had no difference between the table and the back (...).

That's strange, he said.

Because there is no difference between the face (avatar) on the table and the back of the mind (player) in this Infinite Dendrogram.

Because this < Infinite Dendrogram > is a game premise.

There is a natural difference between the avatar you play and the player you move.

Yet there was no such thing as trying to make yourself look good, playing a character, or hiding a real complex for Mr. Ray.

At first, I even thought that my technology had fallen under the influence of being in Infinite Dendrogram.

So I... wanted to solve the mystery of Mr. Ray.

But the mystery was solved quickly.

Talk to Mr. Ray, reunite, and fight with him.

I already figured it out when I fought a group of [goblins] and [Gardranda].

Mr. Ray, it was Mr. Ray.

Straight, no back, no surface.

I don't distinguish this one from that other, between the two worlds in the back of my mind.

The determination shown when fighting [Goblin] herds and [Gardranda] is real.

The grief and grief when we talked about a child who was being sacrificed in the fight against the Gozmaids Bandits is also real.

And the anger you would have on Franklin right now...... real.

Mr. Ray isn't role-playing "Ray Sterling" in the game.

Mr. Ray is here as Mr. Ray... and he's bumping into you with his whole body.

At that time, on the spot, I choose what I need to be and stand up to it.

No matter how distressing, no matter how unlikely.

Straighter than anyone, more serious than anyone... that guy is alive.

Unlike me who gets lost, Mr. Ray was always straight to the answer to his own heart.

- 'Cause you have a bad aftertaste.

I have always chosen and kept moving to not regret it.

I want to support Ray like that.

I can't even choose my future, but my heart complains that I want to support that guy in the face of difficulty with all of my heart...

Yes, now...... I want to fight with Ray in this < Infinite Dendrogram > for Ray.

So......

◇ ◇ ◇

□ [Woman] Luke Holmes

"You are here... I will take you down"

The recap that flowed through the back of my brain while I blinked is over.

At this time I woke myself up from the collapsed outer wall and proclaimed to the < Maggie > in front of me - Hugo Receps and his < Embrio > Coquitos.

'... [Woman] is only sturdy for me. I didn't expect you to be satisfied with that blow. "

Right.

I calculated my chances of living at 30%, but I still didn't expect to do much damage so far.

The cause is probably... the right arm of that.

You'll see. The inner frame of the ice armor is distorted.

That was damaged by Ray's Revenge Is On Me.

The damage I suffered was diminishing due to the effect of the loss of its original power.

"... you can't lose"

"Huh, I'm lucky enough to outdo the integration, but there's no next. And... '

Yeah, I know.

The [frozen] case has already reached my shoulder.

You're lucky you didn't crush it with your current blow.

"Hell Gate is surely eroding itself."

"Right. I can tell you that your skills are" checked "."

That's how you cut the words and breathe.

"I've also defeated some humans with PK defeat in Central Square."

I say one end of the answer. [M]

'... what are you talking about?

Just a few moments left in between Hugo's response... so my reasoning was just a factual confirmation.

"That's kind of the skill, isn't it?

Yes, fact-checking.

I open the menu and check with Hugo. [M]

This "Hellgate" skill… the screen that forms the backbone of it.

"War History Screen Additional Matters, Crusade Count by Race. Hell Gate is a skill that fluctuates effects according to the" same race count as yourself "?

Crusade count by race.

There are race names such as "undead," "warcraft," "freaky bird," "dragon," "demon," "elementary," "ghost," and "human" and… the number that has defeated them so far.

"The number of people who defeated the same race as themselves… that is the“ betrayal ”your Iced Hell (Coquitos) shows and who is what is ruling the power of your" Hellgate ""

…………

"The number of people I crusaded was“ 7. "I see,“ 7. "Yeah, my body freezes about“ 7 "% at a time."

Audrey's race crusade count can also be seen in my war history.

Audrey is a "freaky bird," but has defeated a fair number of "freaky birds" as well in yesterday's hunt.

That number is “58," which is also convincing that it froze more than half at a time.

We've never fought a "demon" or a "dragon" before, so Babi and Marilyn have a "0” … naturally the freezing range is “0%".

And......

- Because it goes in for what I defeated within the boundaries of a dueling city like here.

- If you're a regular here, you've killed hundreds.

It is believed that all the skilled < masters > who would have gathered in this dueling city of Gideon and continued to defeat the "human" despite being within the boundaries of the arena every day were over “100”.

"Adding, it's the same decision that happens every 13 seconds, right?

Sometimes I freeze and I don't freeze.

The others are completely frozen in the first one.

"The Hellgate skill description

"Every 13 seconds, there is a X % chance to freeze the selected subject's flesh by X %.

X is the value of the same race as the subject for effect in the subject's race specific crusade count '

Something like that?

In other words, in my case, there is a 7% chance that 7% of my body will [freeze] every 13 seconds.

If the count of defeating the same race exceeds “100” … 100% chance of [freezing] the whole body.

More importantly...... you must also ignore to some extent the resistance they have.

Because no one or he would have taken care of the [frozen] condition anomaly.

After a moment, you may freeze even if your whole body is in flames.

"Because that's the kind of skill... you've been entrusted with the gatekeeper here. Most of the kingdoms in this dueling city of Gideon are for the Arena. Your skills are nothing but natural enemies to them like that. I'm also convinced it's on the escape route."

No matter how strong you are or how much experience you've had fighting many opponents...... they become enemies and icy.

Frozen “traitor", frozen hell.

'... big reasoning, but we only have circumstantial evidence. Sometimes the conditions just seem to overlap?

"Hahaha, it's confirmed by your voice. You suck at lying and deluding."

So much so that you can understand even if you can't see your face.

That's why I hate you.

I make it, I think so.

'You said that. But what does “so” mean? What makes me a bad liar and deluder? You like someone who's a good liar?

"... hu"

I exhale unexpectedly.

I don't know yet.

No, you know that.

"I don't like people who are good at lying... but I don't like people like you whose inner strays and deceptions are exposed to the surface"

'... what?

What shall I do? Shall I say it?

Too provocative gives me time... No, I'd rather say it's somewhat spicy and long.

Maybe because you're the type to get angry after you hear it.

"You would be the same mouth as Mr. Ray who sees“ this world ”not as a game, but as" this world. "Yet the behavior... oh, depressing"

"... depressing?

I speak with a little depression in my heart that I had against them.

"In addition to this Franklin game, take on one stick of tragedy...... then the delusion of 'I have no choice', 'This is the only way' is overflowing from voice and attitude and depressing. It's depressing that I'm even excusing myself for self-defense by prejudging 'what a terrible guy I am' while pinching the reason I have to do it and defending myself. Besides, I just had an exchange with Mr. Ray. It's depressing to pull Mr. Ray's leg, even though he remains lost without knowing for himself. I've been annoyed by guilt since I did it myself, but it's also depressing to be drunk like 'it's my sin too'. When it comes to getting drunk, it's also depressing to get drunk on yourself and overact dialogue turns. Oh, already, depressing."

I started talking and I realized that you were more upset than I thought, me.

Water on the stand, I couldn't stop talking.

"I'm delighted with the church-like design -! It's over!

"Ki, Sa...!

"Koko... Koko..."

... Well, you're “done”.

That's enough, then. That's one last push.

"Totally no more... lost where I was going, deluded, intoxicated by my tragic self... I really hate the depressing attitude that made" myself (someone else) "even more intoxicating"

When you poke it out, you tell them...... what I want to say to her (...) is this:

I'm too drunk, ma'am.

――――

My words trigger the outburst of pale. [M]

Run through the momentum and you'll see me in the range of the blade.

I guess I'll just swing it down to smash the blade on the left as it is.

In an estimated three seconds I will be two straight from my brain.

It wouldn't be the power to overpower Liz in his defense, and he might not dodge it in time.

I don't even need to dodge it.

“Charge” is already over (...).

"Union Jack."

You don't need two seconds to say that word.

To be continued