"The big bug—I prefer to call it the Complete Devouring Entity. It possesses a massive body and powerful self-healing abilities. If you can't kill it in one shot, it becomes a troublesome war of attrition."
Alain explained to everyone, inevitably getting lost in past memories.
The big bug's combat power wasn't strong on its own; its self-healing ability was the main problem. At that time, he had to rely on the mechanics of a Modified Entity to successfully defeat it.
But it had to be said, for the current group, the Devouring Entity was also a tricky enemy.
With the demeanor of a teacher holding nothing back, she asked faintly,
"By the way, Alain… I've been wanting to ask." The high-ponytail girl recalled how he had repeatedly given the 'correct answers' about the viruses along the way. "Why do you know so much about those things?"
"Want to know?" Alain said, feigning a profound look at the sky, while glancing at Cool Mita out of the corner of his eye.
The latter seemed to have actually been taken in by his act. She nodded seriously, and Alain immediately began to speak.
"I, too... have a very deep story."
"I-I see…" Cool Mita fell for it completely and couldn't help but start imagining the details:
Alain is a player, yet he knows so much about electronic viruses. Maybe... he's a member of some real-world research institution?
That would explain his level of understanding of electronic viruses.
But the institution wanted to develop an electronic virus capable of destroying the world, and Alain's conscience wouldn't allow it. So, he resigned in anger.
After that, he fell into a slump. He was constantly thinking about where he truly belonged. With the viruses and the research institute, or with the happiness of humanity?
Until, in his confusion, he encountered 'Mita,' and from then on, there was no turning back. But the good times didn't last… Inside Mita, the research institute's viruses actually appeared!
When the 'Demon King' appears, a 'Hero' will always stand up. Alain believed he was that hero.
"'I want to help them.' And so, he embarked on a journey to defeat the viruses…"
"!" Cool Mita's imagination reached this point, and her eyes began to shine as she looked at him. So, so cool! This player!
"…" Alain naturally noticed Cool Mita's strange gaze. He didn't understand what she was thinking, only feeling a chill run down his spine.
Under the girl's gaze, he pointed to Cute Mita, who was staring blankly off to the side. "Don't you have a lot of questions you want to ask her?"
"Oh, oh… right, my apologies." The girl nodded slightly and immediately walked toward Cute Mita.
Alain's presence in her mind was incredibly strong. They had a lot in common, and could talk about anything. As she kept talking, she almost forgot that she had already been reunited with her friend.
"!" Realizing this, her steps toward Cute Mita became lighter, almost breaking into a jog.
Until she stood before the dazed, twin-tailed girl.
"Cute Mita, are you hurt?"
At her lively words, the entranced Cute Mita's gaze focused on her face, and she smiled, saying,
"Of course I'm fine!" the girl replied, striking a flashy pose.
"I haven't become an idol yet, so how could anything happen to me!"
"An... an idol…" Cool Mita's mouth twitched. "It's a wonder your interests still haven't changed."
She sighed in relief, as if exhaling all her burdens, and fell lightly against Cute Mita's body.
"Oh?" Cute Mita was slightly surprised, but before she could finish speaking, Cool Mita hugged her, her shoulders trembling slightly.
"N-Next time, don't ever do something so dangerous… okay?"
"…Okay," Cute Mita said.
Alain watched the girls' tender moment with emotion, then tapped on Tiny Mita in his pocket, who was wiping her running nose with a handkerchief and letting out little 'squeaks',
"If I were to leave you like that, would you react this way for me?"
"Huh?! What are you suddenly talking about? Is that my persona?" Tiny Mita almost threw the handkerchief in his face. But then she saw the serious look on Alain's face…
She hesitated, then nodded. "After all, you're my player… You've been with me for a very long time."
Her words appeared before Alain, soft and faint,
"In the days you were gone, I was always thinking of you."
"Yeah." Alain said no more to her.
To be honest, he had only asked casually, not expecting to receive what was almost a confession. He couldn't bring himself to say it was just a joke anymore.
"By the way, Cute Mita. How did you get to this version?" Meanwhile, the topic of the two girls' conversation also caught Alain's interest.
He had always had a question: How exactly did Cute Mita break through the virus encirclement to reach the Forgotten Place?
According to Cool Mita, after Cute Mita reached the exit of the sci-fi version, the viruses didn't even attack her; they just let her pass.
Connecting this with the button that Alain didn't press… he wondered if there was a connection.
"Next to the exit of the previous version, isn't there a button?" Cute Mita's face still wore a bright smile. "I just pressed that, and that's how I arrived here safely."
"Oh… I see. That's good… as long as you're okay." Cool Mita was not suspicious.
But Alain detected a bug:
He vaguely remembered that the button was submerged within a swarm of viruses. Without clearing the viruses, forget about getting close; it was difficult to even [see] it.
That swarm of viruses seemed to be guarding not only the door, but also that button.
Therefore, the prerequisite for pressing the button had to be breaking through the heavy encirclement of viruses to get next to it.
But according to Cute Mita: the button's function was to make the viruses lose their aggressiveness…
He looked at the two girls exchanging pleasantries and spoke, "Cute Mita."
"Hmm What is it, my Prince"
"Oh…"
"…" Alain was silent for two seconds. What the hell kind of title was that? But whatever…
Here, there was a contradiction:
The button that makes the viruses lose their aggressiveness was being guarded by the viruses—to press this button, one must break through the viruses' assault. So, if one already has the ability to break through the viruses' assault, is there any need to press that button?
Alain crossed his arms, observing Cute Mita. In the end, was this really Cute Mita?
His enemy—Monika—was skilled in disguise. If she could disguise herself as a real person, why couldn't she pretend to be a Mita?
So, was this person Monika?
Alain chose not to expose her directly, deciding to test the waters first.
"Cool Mita mentioned before that you found some information, which is why you decided to advance to 'The Forgotten Jigsaw Puzzle,' right?"
He stared into her eyes. "So, what did you find?"
___
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