Vestige of Corruption

...Did it escape?

The others are no longer reviving either...

Looks like the Immortal System Core was successfully destroyed.

What remains now... is something the rookie must overcome herself.

Otherwise... there will be no future this time either.

You've become quite the saint while I was away, Hilde.

Is it because everyone worships you as their mentor...? It suits you surprisingly well.

Of course, that's only because none of them are aware of your true nature.

I was wondering when you'd make your entrance. Took you long enough to get up and join in.

No? I haven't gotten up yet. I am still seated, you know.

If you want me off my seat, you'll have to try harder, Hilde.

To be honest, I've been watching for a while now...

Seeing you struggle against that defective toy was rather entertaining.

It was almost painful, watching a once-beloved star fade away.

Had you gone all out, something like the Immortal System Core wouldn't have regenerated so easily...

The causal backlash would've gone past the terminal and hit the core itself too. Am I wrong?

...And why would I do that for anyone's sake?

Haha. Fair enough.

If the Qliphoth Factor had reached the point to make you push you that far, all the Demon Lords of Qliphoth would have awakened by now.

...So who has awakened this time?

Who knows? Me... and perhaps the False Savior.

There might be one or two more as well... I cannot say for certain.

Ah, but do not worry too much.

They may have awakened, but their power is still lacking.

For the time being, they'll keep quiet and lie low.

As for when we will meet again...

...Hmm?

Is that... a quantum tunnel?

Why is it here?

Where am I...?

What the—? Why are you here, Commander?

I should be asking you that, rookie.

I sent you to destroy the core of System Terraside.

How did you make it back from there?

Make it back? I was just fighting alongside Shiyoon earlier!

Then we followed the Replacer King into something called a quantum tunnel, and...

Hmm...

It was not yet fated for the young Wolf to meet me.

Ah, I see...

This could be interesting in its own way.

Who's that...? She's floating in the air?

Commander, who's that supposed to be?

...Still lingering around, Asmodeus?

Fall back, rookie. You're not ready for this opponent yet.

My, my. You should not coddle her so much, Hilde.

How will the pup grow into a proper wolf if you shelter her like that?

Ngh...?!

W-what...?! This heat...!

Consider it an honor, young Wolf.

I shall indulge your whims for a little while.

Commander! A massive unidentified energy signature has appeared at your current location!

According to thermal readings...!

I-It's immeasurable...?

That's impossible...! At this rate, the space at the current coordinates will collapse!

Asmodeus! What are you planning to do?

Do you intend to settle this here and now?

You are slow to catch on, my Hilde.

Or is it because your seal was only just broken?

Then allow me to teach you.

Starting now...

It's time for a little improvisation.

Damn it...!

Rosaria, stop!

—It's too late, Hilde.

Only you and Asherah were invited?

That's so unfair! The rest of us also took part in the [Journey] too.

It is possible Luna was penalized for her lack of diligence.

However, excluding me is illogical. Objective evaluation criteria to be required.

The letter only mentioned an invitation. It didn't explain why.

Oh! Maybe she's giving us a prize for working so hard?

I can't imagine Asherah receiving an award or anything like that...

A disciplinary lecture is a plausible outcome.

Ah! That's gotta be it!

Seriously?!

I've been waiting for you, Captain. Asherah.

Oh? It seems someone else has joined you.

Ack! You caught Omega!

Omega?!

Ahem. That won't do, Omega. You shouldn't sneak after us without saying anything.

Mm... Omega's sorry... But Omega just wanted to come with you...

Even so, rules are rules. You're putting Lady Alicia on the spot.

It's all right, Asherah.

I expected Omega would come along.

What? Really?

Then it's okay if Omega stays?

Thank you! You're such a nice lady!

Fufu. Lively children are always the best.

I've been informed about the progress of your Journey. You've been doing well.

We're doing our best. This wasn't an opportunity easily earned.

So please keep watching over us!

Of course. I will be looking forward to it.

You'll have to keep up as well, Captain. Your member seems to be quite motivated.

Fufu. How modest of you.

So what should Mister and Asherah do now? And Omega?

Good question. The invitation didn't even mention why we were invited.

And Lady Alicia wouldn't have called us just to encourage us...

Yes. In truth, I have a favor to ask of you.

W-what? How's that even possible?

That is a [scar].

In the distant past, there was a great crisis that nearly consumed this world.

As always, there were those who stood against it...

And after countless trials and hardships, they won.

But that battle left a deep wound upon this world.

Under normal circumstances, it causes no issues...

But when the world experiences a major shock, that wound can sometimes appear again.

That is what we call the [scar].

It is also known as a [Corruption disaster].

I-I don't understand any of this!

Mm...

Omega kinda gets it!

Oh? You do?

Yep! Omega read about it in the database a loooong time ago while she was waiting!

[Human will can shape the world]!

What does that mean?

Well! So basically, it means...

Actually, Omega isn't sure!

The powerful wills, regrets, and obsessions left behind by those who once threatened or protected the world...

Those forces create new rules and possibilities, disrupting the world itself.

If the wound continues to grow, it might overwrite our world entirely.

For example, a world where Asherah never met the Captain could come to pass.

What?! No! I can't let that happen!

Don't worry. It's only a hypothetical possibility.

The likelihood of something that severe happening is quite low.

However, no matter how slim, the [possibility of catastrophe] does exist.

Precisely. That is an excellent analogy, Captain.

Ooh, I see...

Then Omega would be the nurse?

And Mister and Asherah are the doctors!

You understood perfectly.

Like an illness, once it's too late, it becomes untreatable.

If left as it is, the [possibility of catastrophe] will manifest even in Lavistar.

I came here casually... but this turned out to be a serious matter.

The entity that caused the [possibility of catastrophe]... let's call it the [Corruption Core] for now.

You must go there yourselves and defeat the [Corruption Core].

Go there?

But it's super high up... Even a hundred ladders wouldn't reach it...

Fufu. You don't need to climb up there.

It appears as a wound in space, but in truth, it is in fact a timeline where a certain possibility became reality.

Don't worry.

There will be people in that timeline resisting catastrophe as well.

Just like you, they too will be trying to destroy the [Corruption Core].

If you join forces with them, it should be more than enough.

Unfortunately, given NOA's current capabilities, you three are our best choice.

Interfering with another timeline would greatly affect causality.

I don't really know what causality is, but it means only the three of us can go, right?

Rest assured, Lady Alicia! We'll stich up that wound and come back!

Thank you, Asherah.

We've spent enough time talking. I shall begin with the transfer.

Yeah! I guess this is also a quest we're taking on as a Savior Party. Let's pull this off and make it back!

*Sniff* *Sniff...* It smells kinda familiar...