Chapter 40

In the midst of ImmuneWire HQ turning into a battlefield, the Saint Legion command center was experiencing a moment of extreme tension.

"It's finally here."

The communications sub-officer pressed the arrived file on the screen with trembling hands. At that instant, the entire command center turned their eyes toward his hand. He immediately copied the file and sent it to all legion members.

"The video's up!!!"

The file's contents were a video of Neige at the graduation ceremony. With a single gesture from the communications sub-officer, the atmosphere in the barracks erupted into cheers.

To those who revered Chairman Cashian as the Messiah, the video of Neige—their Mary—was a holy relic. Or, to put it differently, it held the status of merchandise created for their "faith activities," which could be called intense fandom.

This antisocial group that deified a person was filling ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠their daily dopamine hit today with footage of Neige's everyday life.

This particular video was especially stimulating for them. It felt like watching the highlight episode of a favorite comic or drama. The day their "Mary" turned nineteen—a full adult—and declared her goals to the world.

As soon as the video arrived, every legion member without exception poured all their attention into the graduation footage.

"Whoa, did you hear? She's gonna make a new era."

"The Messiah protected humanity, so Lady Mary will lead us to paradise."

"You've all felt it working with her, right? She's a sage sent from heaven."

"She truly wrought miracles..."

This bizarre daily routine and mindset was no different for their leader, Alpha.

"Heh heh heh, I am the first servant of such a being. Alpha..."

Drunk on the idea of being himself, the servant of Lady Mary, he sat in the command chair savoring his dopamine rush.

After the wave reminiscent of digital drugs passed, and the entire barracks basked in the afterglow, one command staffer asked Alpha.

"Legion Commander, are we sending no one to the graduation?"

"Of course not."

"Why is that obvious?"

Alpha slammed his fist down on the command desk. The sturdy desk withstood the giant's blow admirably.

"Because after the graduation ends, Lady Mary will come here herself with the Apostles."

"Ooooooh!"

It was hard to believe these people were the command staff of one of the world's elite legions. But those far from the average in one way tend to be far from it in others.

"The hover rigs should be taking off soon..."

Alpha muttered with a beaming smile. Lady Mary especially loved hover rigs. She'd probably pilot one herself this time too, putting on a little air show. Just thinking about it made his heart pound with anticipation.

"Contact HQ and see where they are now."

"Yes sir! We'll receive them with joy."

The communications officers grinned as they grabbed their comms gear. But soon their expressions flipped.

"...Legion Commander, wireless network lead here. No connection to HQ."

"Wired network?"

"Transmission's impossible. Seems cut off."

The group of uncles and aunts who had just been fawning over their idol Neige transformed in an instant into a serious military unit.

They responded immediately to each of Alpha's questions.

"Radio observation system?"

"Confirmed. Someone's erected a jamming barrier around HQ."

"Any visible attack traces outside HQ?"

"None."

"Radar?"

"Massive numbers of vehicles and aircraft approaching HQ."

Something was wrong at HQ. It had been fine just one or two hours ago.

"...Which process lines can launch all hover rigs right now?"

"Depending on maintenance cycles, Process Lines 1, 4, and 7 are fully operational."

"Dispatch 7th Process Line to HQ for recon."

"Yes, relaying to 7th Process Line."

Alpha turned to the command center screen. Combat hover rigs were lifting off and speeding toward HQ at full throttle.

"Hope this is the right call."

Alpha muttered as he watched the process line's rear view fade.

"Ha... I surrender."

The Archduchess faction's systems had never been hacked before. Because they'd never let even one bitmancer through.

I'd implanted neutralization code into those who'd surrendered. They'd be unconscious for about 24 hours. Considering the coup's 12-hour limit, they were effectively out of this incident.

Most enemies had abandoned full-scale combat with me. Those still willing to fight seemed to have given up offense for passive defense.

I scanned cyberspace, turning my head. Destroyed data from fierce battles littered the floor, and those who'd surrendered and received neutralization code lay like corpses, unconscious.

In the midst of that battlefield, me, V, and Z stood back-to-back. Control of cyberspace was ours. Which meant the Archduchess faction's advance would be smooth.

Blockades, cut-off paths, hidden traps and turrets. The victorious side in electronic warfare wouldn't be hindered by such things.

"Keep pushing! Advance!"

The main force under Svetlana's command had reached the underground threshold. Erebus lay ahead.

"Never thought this would actually ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠work..."

"You didn't think it would?"

"It was all or nothing anyway."

The combatants exchanged such talk as they regrouped.

"Will you infiltrate first, miss?"

In that brief lull, Svetlana asked me. I eyed the electronic warfare defenses laid across the underground.

The enemies had placed their systems right on top of Erebus, making it hard for me to rampage. Who'd have thought these lunatics would use Erebus as a shield?

Gambling with humanity's lifeline?

"The enemies are using Erebus as a shield."

"Understood."

In this situation, we ultimately needed real-world forces. But we had advantages. Thanks to the mosaic veil, they couldn't see us, but we could monitor them. We'd confirmed Cashian was alive and located him.

But breaching the underground facility couldn't be overturned with this level of superiority. The key to this battle was who controlled Erebus.

Faithful to that, Klaus had deployed nearly all his forces to the underground. Could the main force break through alone?

"...Neige, I've got a good idea."

Then Clea, rifle in hand, proposed a stratagem.

After hearing Clea's plan, I shook my head.

"Too dangerous."

"Neige, espionage is the essence of an agent."

But Clea's resolve was firm.

"Then... have another secretary who's better than you do it?"

I said cautiously, glancing around. Asking someone else to take the risk instead of my precious friend.

I shouldn't let emotions sway me like this. Then Svetlana spoke softly.

"Thank you for trusting the secretaries, Neige. But we don't have much time to explain. In these cases, the one who came up with the idea is always best to execute it."

Svetlana removed her suit jacket and draped it over Clea.

"Trust Clea this once. I vouch for her competence as an agent. I'll attach two departments under me for support."

I knew we didn't have time to deliberate. But asking a friend to go into danger was naturally agonizing.

"Neige, don't be a coward."

As if reading my heart, Clea said.

"It's not friendship if only you rush into the jaws of death. I don't want to use you as a sacrificial lamb for my life. This time, I'll be your tool."

"...Got it, Clea."

I trusted ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Clea's talent—the only one who'd pushed me in a mock battle when I was twelve.

Klaus sat in the Erebus facility, biting his lower lip. Did this make sense? ImmuneWire's defensive line crumbling helplessly to a mere 200-strong combat unit.

Because of that core figure among the 200: "Neige."

Secretary Office 1 wiped out in minutes. Hundreds of ImmuneWire's electronic warfare agents annihilated by that one.

And what was that mosaic over there? A hacking tech even ImmuneWire didn't possess.

He couldn't see what was happening on the other side. But they could plainly see here.

He knew that woman "Neige" was a genius. But how could this be the same as a human? Something only AIs could...

...AI?

In that instant, an uneasy thought flashed through Klaus's mind. The secret research the chairman and archduchess had hidden so desperately... was it an AI?

"No, it can't be."

If true, and that was the result. If Neige abandoned her humanity, she could kill everyone here.

That wasn't a path to Klaus's victory. So discard it.

"...It's fine."

No matter how skilled, if the enemy was human like them, she couldn't hack those connected to the Erebus system without going mad. Without electronic warfare support, 200 couldn't breach the underground.

Come and try.

At that moment, several data forms crossed the mosaic veil. One was all too familiar to Klaus.

"...Svetlana."

In response, the soldiers building defenses underground and Klaus's secretaries moved there en masse.

The wall exploded and crumbled, enemies emerging from within to start firefights.

"Get down! Heavy weapons!"

As if anticipating fierce resistance, they unleashed grenade launchers, small missiles, and more, drawing eyes everywhere. The explosions shook the entire underground facility.

But in that moment, Klaus felt doubt.

"...?"

Not Svetlana's build he knew. Bust, shoulders, height, waistline—all off. Intuitively, lacking cyberware.

Unlike Klaus's suspicion, most forces were already converging there.

"A decoy?"

The moment Klaus realized, the underground ceiling collapsed, and about 100 combat troops rappelled down simultaneously.

It was Klaus's command room—the chairman's room.

"Chairman visually confirmed."

The real Svetlana appeared there.

This strategy was possible only with electronic warfare superiority.

Disguise Clea's data as Svetlana, send her in first with secretaries as decoy. The real main force breaches the floor into the underground and rescues the chairman immediately.

Couldn't hack Erebus, but exploit info superiority to maintain electronic warfare gains.

"Chairman...!"

Amid bullets flying everywhere, combatants quickly secured Cashian from the bed.

"At my age, smelling gunpowder like this..."

"We'll escort you."

Even in the dire chaos, one man watched us with eyes wide open: Chief Secretary Klaus.

Gazing at the diligently commanding Svetlana, he said.

"...The chairman picked up a gutter bitch like you, and this is how you repay him. Svetlana."

Hearing that, Svetlana sneered.

"Why did you, with a human face, betray the chairman?"

Klaus unhesitatingly aimed his gun, and Svetlana did the same. They fired at each other, bullets ricocheting off chitin cyberware, but the impact made both drop their weapons simultaneously.

"..."

"..."

While they dueled, I was busy too. Reaching the rear of the formation, Saints plugged a line into the chairman's neck. It was a cable from my mobile deep dive chair.

Ah, it's long after all. Just call it a fridge.

The chairman entered cyberspace immediately and saw me.

"So you came to save me."

"Yeah, Dad. Here to rescue you!"

"What did you just call me...?"

We're foster daughter and father. Gee, no fun.

"We'll escape the building like this. With your authority, you can shut down the building's defenses temporarily, right?"

"So that's why you came for me."

The chairman sent me data right away.

"You're an adult now... and with me facing a coup, it's time."

"Time for what?"

"For you to become ImmuneWire's emperor."

"...We'll talk about that after."

I downloaded the data from Cashian.

'Shut down all defense systems.'

"Done. Time to escape..."

Then one data caught my eye in cyberspace. I relayed to reality immediately.

"Saints, check that out!"

"Huh?"

Saints activated his cyberspace view and looked at the same spot.

"USB connected to the computer."

"Grab it! Important."

"Got it!"

Saints dashed in boldly, yanked the USB, and plugged it into the fridge upon return.

"Good. Sis, let's exfil!"

Hearing me, Svetlana—still facing off with Klaus—shouted.

"Unit, withdraw!"

On command, not just the decoy Clea team but all forces began evacuating.

"Pursue! Don't let them escape!"

Klaus's unit followed immediately; now it was a chase.

Rear became front, front became rear. Elite rearguards blocked pursuers, vanguard sprinted to exit the building.

"Head straight for the main gate. Faster that way."

"Roger!"

At my advice, the lead group changed course.

"Clea, you good there?"

I monitored the main force's movements while chatting with Clea. Couldn't skip fighting enemies attempting electronic warfare in cyberspace.

But next moment, Clea commed again.

"What? No, too dangerous!"

"Clea? What's happening?"

No reply for a while. Should I turn back for her now? As I agonized with a trembling heart.

They were ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the ones handling the chairman's rest area, detached from the start.

"...Yes!"

Reliable people with Clea. I confidently turned to the enemies in cyberspace.

"To chase us, you'll have to leave Erebus..."

I ramped up computation power threateningly.

"Come at me if you're confident."

Did the threat land? The enemies poised for electronic attack halted.

Meanwhile, main force kept running.

"Main gate!"

Main force including me, and Clea too, emerged waving happily.

But enemy pursuit kept appearing. Time for me to clean up—

Then massive firepower rained from the sky, crushing or routing our pursuers.

Everyone looked up simultaneously.

"Saint Legion markings."

Svetlana smiled.

Armed hover rigs kept machine-gunning, suppressing the main gate. I linked with them in cyberspace immediately.

"Saint Legion?"

"Lady Mary! What in the world?!"

The apparent commander responded instantly.

"Klaus staged a coup."

"...What?!"

No time to explain.

"Rescued the chairman with trusted people. Load everyone and head to Saint Legion."

"Everyone..."

The process line commander looked troubled briefly.

"If HQ defenses activate, we're all dead."

"Trust me. It won't activate."

"..."

The commander nodded.

"We trust Lady Mary."

Hover rigs landed one by one, loading people. Some covering, some boarding—the transport op succeeded without a single straggler.

In each hover rig, they handled wounded care, casualty checks, and follow-ups.

Our transport process line raced full speed to Saint Legion command.

Meanwhile, I analyzed the USB from Klaus's command room.

If I wasn't mistaken...

Sure enough.

'Open it. I need to see for myself.'

I read the research directly. The preface went like this:

Not a once-in-an-era superhuman.

Erebus for all humanity.

Humanity will protect itself through collective power, not individuals.

Technical details on the research followed.

"I'll look too."

The chairman cooperated despite looking weary. His expert opinion on Erebus was crucial.

'Erebus must never waver. It requires clear commands always.'

'Key for multiple bitmancers: operate as one body.'

'Propose integration module to unify selves of Erebus personnel.'

Whose selves to merge?

'Via collective intelligence, recreate intellects like Cashian's for Erebus operation.'

'On CPU rest, split selves again.'

'Achieve our goals this way.'

Merge five into one to mimic Cashian...? Split after 12 hours?

Possible? As I eyed the dangerous content, Chairman Cashian spoke.

"...Klaus had a major failure long ago. Since then, he's blindly pursued collective power."

Those chasing collectives sometimes forget individuals. Hence this idea.

"Parallel processing is trained personnel with safeguards. Selves mustn't mix. But here, they intend to mix deliberately."

Theory wasn't wrong. If as stated, impossible? No.

'Experiments preserved subjects' personality data at 100% integrity.'

"Klaus tested it, but..."

"Different on Erebus-scale."

No system like Erebus anywhere. By human tech, it's a spec-breaking monster.

Can it work? Personalities for fusion, Erebus-scale system.

'V, Z.'

They were in my brain.

"Chairman, got a moment now? Wanna experiment?"

Until Erebus collapse begins.

8 hours, 48 minutes, 4 seconds.