Chapter 99: O-Rank Participation Record - 『Terminal Plague』 (4)
Chapter 99: O-Rank Participation Record - 『Terminal Plague』 (4)
【Is that truly what you desire?】
My senses begin to stretch thin.
Just before my body hits the earth, a voice reaches me. I see Uncle’s face before my eyes, his hand outstretched, trying to catch me.
It is a sad face, so different from the one that was always smiling. A look of bitter grief I have never seen before.
【Will you die without ever knowing happiness?】
The voice calls out.
I have never... been happy. But if I can save the others.
【Do you not wish to live?】
It’s okay. If I can save them.
【Do you truly not wish to live?】
I see Uncle’s face.
We only met a short while ago. An Uncle just a bit bigger than me. Why was he able to smile? Why did he smile?
If I keep living, will I be able to understand?
【That is only possible if you live.】
I don’t want this anymore.
"I want... to live..."
Just. One sentence. I don’t want to die.
Emotions overflow.
But it is already too late.
Crunch.
I heard the sound of myself shattering against the ground.
* * *
"Do you truly desire that?"
"Who... are you?"
"That question holds no value as information. What value is there for me to speak to a being who cannot remember?"
"I asked who you are!"
"Hmm. Too young, after all. Even with talent, what meaning is there in giving power to one incapable of self-awareness?"
"..."
"Well, I shall answer. For us, time is infinite anyway, and it is always merely late. I am Ji. I pray that the next time we meet, your name will have value."
"I don't understand what you're saying."
"I cannot fathom Geuk’s thoughts. No, was it Ma who created this disease? A pointless endeavor. A violation of the pact."
"..."
"I shall overlook such things. You have reached our periphery. However, this is a future different from our foresight."
"Excuse me... please explain more..."
"If you were your original self, you would not have such a power. You would have obtained a power that transcends life and death, one that cares for and heals others—one that could even resurrect the dead. Because that is the seed you are, and that is your nature."
"I thought so too... but..."
"Indeed. The moment you experienced such a tragedy, you could not have envisioned such a merciful image. Was that Ma’s goal?"
"Did I... do something wrong again? Like I always have until now?"
"No. In all the world's affairs, there is no 'wrong.' Everything has value and meaning. Walk the path you wish to walk. Even if you cannot remember this answer. You possess the potential to reach The End."
"...It's not my fault."
"It is no one's fault. Now go, our child who shall be born anew. Give my regards to Rupture."
* * *
I am alive.
I don’t know why, but the moment I realized I hadn't died, something surfaced in my mind. Words I didn't know, and all the powers and methods of use that flowed from them.
'Operating Room.'
The moment I whispered it in my heart.
With the sensation of something draining away, a white shadow spread from my body.
The white shadow covered everything.
The gray sight.
The gray buildings.
The gray sky.
The gray skin.
The gray emotions.
The gray soul.
The gray screams.
The black dreams.
Everything was blanketed in white.
The people who had been hurling accusations at me fell silent as the world turned white.
With dazed expressions, they all slowly sank to their knees toward the ground.
No sound of impact was heard. It was a fall so natural. As if they were simply lying down in bed.
The white earth where the people had collapsed warped like a soft blanket, embracing everyone, and the people slowly closed their eyes.
The sound of breathing spreads. Quiet breathing. Peaceful, rhythmic, and steady.
The sound of breath that had regained peace filled the open space, creating a flow.
A peaceful, tranquil flow.
Everyone fell asleep.
Forgetting the pain.
Just like the people I had saved, like those who had lost all their worries, like those who had finally fallen into a slumber once the fear of death vanished and they could finally feel their fatigue.
But these people are different from them. People who are not cured, but simply will not die. These people will not be able to wake from their sleep.
Because I have taken hold of a new dream.
Because I could not heal them.
"...An S-Rank?"
"It seems so."
In that space where so many people slept as if dead, two people with color walked toward me and spoke.
"What is this?"
"An Operating Room."
I didn't know the exact meaning, but I knew how to pronounce it, so I let the words out to tell them.
"...An existing technique?"
"No. I thought of it just before I died."
"Tsk. Definitely an S-Rank."
Uncle clicked his tongue loudly enough for me to hear, then met my eyes with a wrinkled face that looked annoyed by the situation.
"Why did you jump?"
A low yet firm voice, as if pointing out my mistake, struck my ears. Was I wrong, after all?
"...My blood has the effect of healing others."
"What does that have to do with anything? You wanted people to drink your blood?"
It’s not like that. I am a sacrifice.
"If I die, it has the effect of healing those around me. As my blood scatters and mixes with the air..."
Through my death, people are saved.
"Ah, so if you died, all those people were going to be cured?"
"Yes..."
"A brat spouting nonsense about dying... the world really has gone to shit."
"Hasn't the world been broken for a long time? It's meaningless to say that now."
"Like I'd know. There were no kids on the battlefield. But seeing this after a while, it's quite a sight."
The two continued their conversation in sharp, high-pitched tones, unlike their usual selves. An argument that sounded almost like a fight.
Feeling like I had done something wrong, I lowered my head and stared at the white ground.
"So what about now? You said the name of this technique is Operating Room? The problem is what its effect is."
"...When a target I don't want to die is in a situation where they would die, it puts them in a state of suspended animation so they don't die... Forever..."
Additionally, I can never die inside the Operating Room. No matter what I do, no matter what is done to me. But to me, it is a power that is ultimately meaningless. Even if I don't die, I will only suffer.
Because I have no power at all.
"Forever, huh. What are the conditions to break it?"
"When that person is no longer in danger of dying."
I know it's strange myself. When a person who is going to die is no longer dying.
"...Then these hundreds of thousands will just keep sleeping. Tsk. We're screwed."
Uncle clicked his tongue again. How many times has it been? Ever since I opened my eyes again, Uncle has seemed to be in a bad mood. Is it because of me, after all?
I must have done something wrong. I should have died there and healed everyone.
Because that was what I was supposed to do. Because I was an Awakened meant to save people.
Recalling that, I lowered my head even further. Now I couldn't even see Uncle’s face. Only the white ground was visible.
Why did I think I wanted to live?
Everything about me is wrong.
Thump.
I felt an impact on top of my head.
An impact like someone tapping my head. But it didn't hurt. It was as if a hand had simply been placed there.
"Well, you did good. It's enough that you didn't die. No one died, and the plague has stopped. Not bad."
Surprised by those words, I lifted my head. Uncle had his hand on my head, ruffling my hair.
"Did I... do well?"
"Persuading the people and treating them there would have been best, but what can you do? How could you have solved that?"
I... didn't do anything wrong?
You're not... angry?
"So, you did well. You endured well."
Words I was hearing for the first... no, words I had heard yesterday as well. That I did well.
That it wasn't my fault, and that I had done a good job. That’s what Uncle said.
Over and over, and over again.
That is why I wanted to live.
At the very last moment, I didn't want to die.
I chose the path where no one dies.
I hugged the Uncle in front of me.
Uncle hugged me back.
The tears wouldn't stop.
* * *
"What are we supposed to say about this? That since people aren't dead, we should just leave them be?"
"Can't we just insist there are no casualties?"
"As if that'll work."
"If an S-Rank Awakened has been added to the roster, the higher-ups will probably stay calm."
"Hey. You want to report her as an Awakened? She gained an S-Rank Technique, but it doesn't seem related to combat at all."
"If the soldiers don't die, there are plenty of ways to save them. Maintaining the front line will become easier."
"Cut the crap, and don't say things you don't mean. You want a brat to roll around on the battlefield? Let's leave her out of the report and act like she doesn't exist. Let's just insist some strange phenomenon happened. It's not like that hasn't happened once or twice."
"I think... it would be better to let that child choose."
"Choose what?"
"Whether she will fight as an Awakened."
"Her? There's no way she'd fight again after seeing that mess. I can't let her retire as an Awakened since the story has stalled, but tell her to live in peace."
"Ask her yourself. There's a possibility her thoughts are different from yours, isn't there?"
"What are you talking about? Fine, I'll ask."
"Hey. You want to roll around on the battlefield with us? There's absolutely nothing good there, you know? If it's now, I can just send you to the rear..."
I look forward to working with you. Uncle.
* * *
Management Bureau Grade 5 Classified Information.
Oxymoron - Terminal Plague Incident Record.
Upon viewing the following information, a permanent record of access to the Management Bureau database will remain. An access record will remain even if you do not have authorization. If you agree to this, please enter your unique registration number, password, and fingerprint.
Verified. Korea Branch Manager Park Hyun-seok. There are 44 years and 11 months remaining until declassification. Please take note.
Incident Record Report No. 10-O-003.
Report Author: Yellow King.
6 years since the incident. Written to leave accurate information regarding the incident where information control occurred following the reports of Crimson★Hammer, Calavera, and Oxymoron at the time. The Yellow King’s Play was used for this, but recording the details of its use is refused.
Regarding Oxymoron, who caused the incident, information control was attempted considering her young age and the events she experienced, but she joined the front lines according to her own strong will. Subsequently, for her protection, all personal details were reset, and a new Awakened registration number was issued. Record 05-253-P was discarded. 10-1432-P was assigned.
... ... ... ... ...
The Czechoslovakia area is currently designated as a no-entry zone, but in reality, it is sealed by Oxymoron’s Operating Room. Officially marked as a Contaminated Zone, but healing professionals and researchers who are aware of the situation are dispatched. The phenomenon is maintained.
... ... ... ... ...
-The following materials are to be discarded upon declassification in accordance with the Management Bureau Agreement.
Regarding the Terminal Plague, additional details have been revealed that differ from the reports provided by Crimson★Hammer, Calavera, and Oxymoron, who handled the incident at the time.
This was confirmed through experiments conducted in the so-called 『Underground』. There was an error in the assumption that Awakened are immune to the disease. This simply occurred because Awakened are more mentally and emotionally numb than ordinary people. In reality, Awakened can also be sufficiently infected.
In addition to this, it is estimated that a significant portion of humanity has already been infected with the Terminal Plague. Infection through contact with the infected or ash only manifested that way because people believed it to be so. The actual route of infection lay in relationships.
In other words, it is transmitted through people one believes to have a relationship with the infected, and the moment one believes they have been infected with the Terminal Plague in any way, symptoms begin.
The fortunate thing is that since it is a disease that acts on the mind, a large-scale pandemic like the one in Czechoslovakia will not occur unless one believes they have a terminal illness.
As there is currently no way to completely cure this disease, it is treated as a simple illness upon onset. Subsequently, a 10mg tablet of Oxymoron’s blood, the only current treatment, is prescribed.
To this end, all medical databases must be under the control of the Management Bureau, and all information related to the disease is strictly controlled. This is handled primarily by Yellow King, who has become immune to the Terminal Plague by becoming biologically non-human...
... ... ... ... ...
Management Bureau executives handling the above materials must regularly take the medication...
Beep.
I took out a pill and tossed it into my mouth.
There was no way I could taste it, but somehow... it felt salty and bitter.