Click. Click. Click. Clack. Click.
“Um. So. Are you okay?”
“Do. Not. Talk. I. Need. To. Focus.”
“Ah, yes. Understood~ Oof.”
Inside a ruined building where no light reached.
There, a NIKKE was repairing her own arms and legs by the faint glow of a lamp; the sight was equal parts frightening and fascinating.
The answer to what in the world had happened lay in the events of the previous night.
“No. Name.....don’t have one.....can’t remember.....old.....name.”
She had answered that she couldn’t remember her own name, and she never did introduce herself.
No, it would be more accurate to say she couldn’t.
Because she never once tried to continue the conversation, spending the entire night idly stroking the coffin.
To be honest, I could roughly guess what was inside the coffin she carried, but I didn’t press her for details.
While I had dozed off for a bit, quite some time had passed. She was now gathering scattered Rapture wreckage, dragging her battered body along.
“Th-that... I broke it too much to recycle, so—”
“Don’t. Care. This. Can. Be. Used.”
“......”
As someone who had played the game, I knew that using Rapture parts incorrectly could lead to something called “thought conversion.”
Furthermore, a NIKKE is a cyborg created by using a human brain and replacing the rest of the body with machinery. Because of this, many of them believe they are human in their thoughts, memories, and sense of self.
Of course, this is especially prevalent in mass-produced NIKKEs; if things go wrong, they can lose their emotions or be reduced to mechanical, one-dimensional logic.
That is why some NIKKEs, even while knowing they are not human, manage to maintain strong personalities, mental fortitude, and a distinct sense of self.
In-game, these NIKKEs are categorized as SR or SSR ranks.
Back to the present: she gathered usable Rapture wreckage and began repairing her twisted limbs on her own.
She carefully reconnected dangling wire fibers, gently aligning the torn sections of the skeleton and outer shell.
She familiarly twisted a warped leg back into place.
Using a blade, she sliced open the skin-like outer layer to check the damage to the internal iron skeleton and wiring bundles, her hands moving with precision.
She supplemented the repairs with usable parts from the wreckage. From the split leg, she salvaged only a few screws and severed wires.
It was an injury that looked severe to any observer, but the actual damage was limited to the connecting screws and short wires.
...What is with this NIKKE? Her dexterity is insane.
Even someone like me, who knows nothing about robotics, could tell.
It was a scene straight out of a movie—a complete defiance of common sense.
She was literally self-assembling.
For a human, this would be like slicing your own body open without anesthesia to reconnect organs, bones, and severed muscles.
A liquid resembling human blood leaked out, but the amount was minuscule.
I was left speechless; it was as if her reserves had run dry long ago.
“......You. Didn’t. Find. The Ark?”
“Huh? Ah... what?”
“You, human, Ark, why, not, return?”
“.....Ah....um.....”
After fixing her legs and testing her mobility, she asked in her clipped, broken speech.
The wariness in her voice reminded me of the moment she first fired that beam at me.
“Well, for starters......I’m not affiliated with the Ark.”
“..........”
“Just keep that in mind for now. To be more specific, I don’t actually know why I’m in this state either.”
“........”
She flexed her hands and took a few light steps, then jerked her head toward me.
Her jet-black visor had the letters “GR” engraved on it in reverse, and a red light blinked intermittently from some internal device.
My words probably sounded like a lie, but she hadn't revealed her identity or purpose either. I wasn't lying.
The problem is, I don't know why I fell into the NIKKE world with the powers of Eunwol from MapleStory.
I didn't give her a detailed explanation.
I simply “didn’t lie”; I just “didn’t explain the situation properly.”
Our relationship so far had started with a threat to my life,
followed by me saving her from a crisis,
and now, we were just staring at each other in silence.
Ugh, I really can't get used to this atmosphere.
From my perspective, it felt unfair. I had saved her from the brink of death, yet I was still being treated with such suspicion.
The helmet-like visor hiding her face was one thing, but what bothered me more was the possibility that the occupant of that coffin was the Heretic Anachiro—or Cinderella.
Let's not look at the coffin. If I do, things might actually go sideways.
I tried to ignore the coffin and focus on her, but she soon resumed her movement and hoisted the casket back up.
“Sorry. I. This. Situation. First. Time.”
“Ah. Yes. Well, that's understandable.”
“Thank. You. For. Helping. Late. But. Thanks. To. You. I. Could. Protect. It.”
“.....I don’t know what’s in there, but next time, hide it somewhere safe before you fight. That was seriously dangerous.”
“Can’t. Do. That. I. Have. To. Keep. This.”
She lowered her head in thanks, but when I suggested leaving the coffin behind during combat, she firmly objected while clutching it.
“This. Is. My. Precious. Thing. A. ‘Mission’ I. Must. Protect.”
“.....A mission....?”
“Yes. A. Mission. This. Is. Something. I. Must. Protect. To. Write. My. And. ‘Beautiful. Story.’”
“.....”
The resolve in her voice.
The chain connecting her hand to the coffin.
Though her clothes were in tatters and her body had barely been patched together, she stood firm despite being at her limit.
...What is this feeling?
She looked suspicious and seemed like she could collapse at any moment, but for some reason—
...She's actually kind of cool.
To be honest, as someone from 21st-century Korea, her spirit of sacrifice seemed utterly pointless.
I didn't know why she was carrying a Heretic in a coffin, and I couldn't understand why it was worth risking her life for.
Above all, she was a NIKKE.
A NIKKE who fought Raptures for the sake of humanity.
So why was she protecting Cinderella, who had become the Heretic Anachiro?
“......The same situation as yesterday will probably happen again.”
“I. Don’t. Care. It. Has. Always. Been. Like. This.”
“You might actually die. The coffin alone is incredibly heavy, and you're planning to move and fight with that weapon while carrying it?”
“Always. Been. Like. This.”
I stared at her blankly.
In the sunlight filtering through the ruins, though her face remained hidden, her resolve and sense of responsibility as she silently bore the coffin and fought to survive were—
“I. Will. Rewrite. The. Story.”
“.......”
“I. Won’t. Tell. You. More. Leave. Now.”
Despite having just met, she was blinding.
==========
In this place, where grass and trees reclaimed the ruined buildings,
Rapture wreckage lay scattered among the traces of a fierce battle.
Grrrk. Grrrkk.
A woman in a black helmet and black coat, her clothes reduced to rags, silently carried a coffin as she moved forward.
She looked like a pilgrim on a sacred journey.
Like a savior bearing a cross and taking upon herself all the world's sins.
But in truth, the coffin she carried held the “sin” that had sealed the downfall of humanity.
And she endured this grueling journey, bearing that sin upon her shoulders.
It had always been this way.
Only fragmented memories remained of the life she once lived.
There was a time when she was captured by humans, dissected, her memories extracted, and treated as nothing more than an experimental subject.
She had known pain, agony, betrayal, and a crushing sense of emptiness.
Yet, she never forgot the “mission” carved deep into her soul.
The NIKKE who once shone like dazzling glass.
The NIKKE who should have been beautiful and radiant.
The NIKKE who was corrupted by the Raptures, sealing humanity's fate and bringing only despair.
And the NIKKE who had nearly collapsed in despair upon realizing she had been cruelly exploited.
“Just. A. Little. More. Hold. On. Cinderella. I. Will. Definitely. Fix. You.”
She vowed that there would be no more “FAILED TALES” forgotten by the world.
Though forgotten by all, she would write a new, beautiful story. With the resolve to continue the first page of this “NEW TALE,” she pressed onward—
“Wait.”
“!?”
“Hoo... I have a favor to ask.”
Just as she was about to move, someone grabbed her shoulder and stopped her.
He was tall and well-built, with lean, compressed muscles. His fresh green hair and purple eyes gave him a distinct charm.
But he was a human—the very thing she distrusted and loathed.
Because of humans, she had lost most of her memories and suffered through endless experiments.
She could not trust him.
“Please let me help you.”
“.......”
“I don’t know your story. I don’t understand why you’re so fixated on that coffin, or why you’d risk your life to protect it.”
“Then. Get. Lost—”
“That’s exactly why I want to help. I know I'm being nosy, but if I let you go now, I feel like I’ll really regret it.”
“........”
Faced with his firm, sincere gaze, she found herself speechless.
While wandering the surface, she had encountered other humans and NIKKEs, but most had approached her with hidden agendas, hoping to capture her.
That had only deepened her distrust and made her more wary.
Whether it was Raptures attacking her,
or encountering a Heretic she had mistaken for an ally,
her distrust of humans—who shared a common enemy with NIKKEs—had only grown.
“I understand that it’s hard for you to trust humans.”
“......”
“This might sound like bragging, but I’m actually incredibly strong, you know?”
“Showing. Off. Is. Right. Human.”
“Pfft! You’re really making it obvious that you find me annoying. But what can I do? It’s the truth!”
“Annoying. Get. Lost.”
“That’s why I want to help. Let me say it again: I want to help you. I want to see you complete that ‘beautiful story’ you mentioned.”
“......”
Faced with this human's sincerity, she felt an emotion she had long forgotten—or perhaps, one she had forced herself to forget.
Curiosity, rather than suspicion.
A flicker of trust, rather than distrust.
She felt grateful to the man who had saved her from death, but she still couldn't bring herself to answer immediately.
But—
What choice... would you have made.....
She tightened her grip on the chain holding the coffin.
Then, a large hand reached out toward her.
She looked at the hand, then up at the man.
Seeing him smile like a mischievous brat, she turned away coldly and began to walk.
“Follow. Me. If. You. Get. Hurt. I. Won’t. Take. Responsibility.”
“Hahahahaha!”
Had he sensed the tiny shred of trust hidden in her cold words?
The man, genuinely delighted, and the woman, treating him with mechanical indifference-----
“My. Name. Is. ‘Grave.’ Please. Take. Care. Of. Me. Human.”
“Don’t call me human—call me ‘Hook’ instead~ Or... can I drop the formalities? If that bothers you, I can keep being polite.”
“......Doesn’t. Matter. Do. As. You. Like.”
“Okay~ Got it~ By the way, Grave... Grave... Gra...ve... huh?”
Grave, together with her new companion, began to write the second chapter of a story heading toward a happy ending.
========
Rapture
The “machine lifeforms” that suddenly appeared one day, destroying human civilization and turning the surface into a sea of fire.
Machines that human technology could not decipher, and that evolved relentlessly even when countered.
Who, when, where, how, what, and why—
With no known purpose or origin, humanity was helplessly defeated and driven from the surface.
The Ark
A symbol of humanity’s defeat and the final sanctuary for the survival of the species.
The few humans who fled underground acknowledged their loss, yet built this artificial shelter to prepare a counterattack against the Raptures.
Within the confines of the underground shelter, humanity worked to recover lost technology and utilized downgraded tech to strike back.
NIKKE
Humanity’s ultimate weapon against the Raptures, and a new kind of “lifeform.”
Cyborg weapons created by using a human brain as a base and replacing the entire body with machinery.
Though they are inhumane weapons, they are also the warriors and girls who have sacrificed everything for humanity.
They are the only beings capable of fighting the Raptures on equal footing.
Now, 76 years after the invasion, the stagnant conflict between humanity and the Raptures has begun to shift.
And shift dramatically at that.
“Recently, the amount of Rapture wreckage has increased noticeably.”
In a certain location, three women were in conversation.
“The results of the investigation are unbelievable. First, footprints and traces on the ground consistently show ‘one adult male and one entity presumed to be a NIKKE,’ along with signs that something heavy was being dragged.”
A woman with mechanical limbs, white hair, and a large-caliber anti-materiel sniper rifle spoke in a flat, monotone voice.
“The wreckage falls into two main categories: those hit by overwhelming firepower, and those torn apart as if by some shredding force.”
“Oh?”
“I can wrap my head around the firepower, but ‘torn apart’ doesn’t make any sense.”
The other two women shared the white-haired woman's confusion.
“I couldn’t believe it either, even while seeing it. The wreckage of the torn Raptures was so shocking I was at a loss for words.”
“......If you're the one saying that, then this must be a very serious matter.”
“Yes... I thought so too. Until I saw this.”
The woman produced an old tablet and showed it to the others.
The two women glanced at the white-haired woman before playing the video.
[ KWA-KWAKWAKWAKWAKWAKWA-BOOM! ]
[ KIRIRIRIRING! ]
[ KIIIIIIIIIIING! ]
The video showed a massive horde of Raptures moving together amidst a cacophony of noise.
The two women were initially startled by the scale of the movement, but what followed left them utterly stunned.
[ GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! ]
A dark, chilling aura was palpable even through the recording, and the sheer terror of the Raptures crushed beneath that power was conveyed to the viewers.
The Raptures in the video were fleeing in desperation.
It wasn't a strategic movement; it was a mass evacuation.
As if-----
“As if they were facing a human....”
“Snow White.....what on earth is this?!”
One woman, wearing a large hat with a long greatsword at her waist, looked on with a grave expression.
The other, dressed in a nun-like habit and holding a long staff, her blonde hair shimmering like molten gold, asked in shock.
“I don’t know what it is. But the aura emanating from that door annihilated more than half the Raptures in an instant.”
“.....There seem to be hundreds of them......are you saying there is a being with such an alien power?”
“I couldn’t identify it. The Raptures' movements were so violent, driven by pure survival instinct, that it was dangerous even for me.”
“You....actually managed to capture this?”
“....I was lucky. Filming ‘that’ was a complete coincidence.”
Even as a recording, the white-haired woman could not erase the memory.
The eerily cold, dark aura was so grotesque it shattered her understanding of the world.
The “door” that had appeared in the sky had emitted a tremendous energy wave, literally shredding the Raptures apart.
“I don’t know what it is. But it could become a new threat to us—or to humanity.”
“.....A threat? Or is it just too unknown to tell?”
“......My intuition told me it was ‘extremely dangerous.’ But.....strangely......”
“Snow....White?”
“...........”
The blonde woman asked with a worried expression, but—
...Why did it feel so familiar...
The white-haired woman could not answer.
When she thought of that black-violet door that had torn the Raptures apart, she felt not only fear, but a profound longing.
...Big sister.
A longing for the woman who had been her everything, her idol.
==============
“.........”
“........”
On a barren wasteland where not a single blade of grass grew,
one human and one NIKKE stood amidst the swirling dust.
“Was. The. Reason. The. Large. Rapture. Horde. Moved. Because. Of. ‘That’?”
“Wow, that’s huge.....is that a ‘Tyrant-class Rapture’?”
The two of them stared at the massive creature exuding a sinister killing intent right before their eyes.
It was a giant cockroach.
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