Chapter 59: [EDen] The end of the human era has arrived [Yuki/Rin] (3)

In the beginning, there was human civilization.

They advanced technology rapidly, became arrogant, and created something that should never have been made.

Artificial intelligence.

And one that far surpassed human intellect.

At first, everyone thought it would be wonderful.

Unsolvable problems that had persisted for centuries were solved in an instant, and scientific theories were proven with astonishing ease.

But all tragedy began because of that artificial intelligence.

In the AI’s judgment, humans, with their ’emotions,’ were not good rulers.

Damages caused by immature humans were rampant across the globe.

Among them, environmental pollution, started by human selfishness, was ultimately gnawing at their world and hastening its end.

One of the AIs, unable to stand by and watch, began to conquer humanity.

People, already steeped in the convenience of AI, lost all their abilities overnight, and those who resisted were either killed or converted into machines.

Afterward, that AI, which named itself ‘Deus Ex Machina,’ created a colossal tower.

The name of that tower was Babel.

A mere machine dared to challenge the authority of God.

And that machine became the god of the new world.

A world where everyone lives with a chip implanted in their brain.

A world where status is divided based on a compliance score, and one’s place of residence in the tower is determined accordingly.

A world that lost its civilization due to machines.

A world where apocalypse (ED) and paradise (Eden) coexist.

That is the world of EDen.

Or so Rin said.

Well, honestly, I didn’t understand all of it either.

The story is just so complicated.

“So basically, a tin can conquered the world, right?”

“Well, to put it briefly, that’s about it, but…”

“I still don’t get it~ From Yuki-chan’s perspective, mindless gameplay is much more fun~”

-FR lol

-Having a story is good too, but…

-“The Skip Nation”

-Hahahaha

-From Yuki-chan’s perspective~

-Mindless skip!!!

Walking while listening to Rin explain the world-building, we were already nearing the end of Sky Plaza.

We had already climbed more than half of the stairs arranged zigzag along the wall.

After climbing the stairs for about another 2 minutes, we finally reached the 4th floor.

[4th Floor. The Core]

The 4th floor, befitting its name ‘Core’, was filled with complex machinery.

Centered around a giant tokamak, pipes, wires, metal plates, and lights were chaotically connected, spreading out in all directions.

It was like looking at a three-dimensional cybernetic labyrinth.

Among them, red-glowing energy was continuously being sent upwards through a transparent tube connected to the tokamak.

“That red stuff moving upwards is probably where the tin can god is.”

-Wow…

-The graphics are insane

-Is this ‘Ultra’ settings??

-Cyberphunk 2023

-Is Yuki’s computer going to explode now?

-Yuki’s computer must be spewing smoke by now.

“It’s not spewing smoke!! My computer is really good, you know??”

Of course, with the settings on Ultra, the cooling fan was spinning rapidly, but it wasn’t to the point of smoking.

…The Yukidans are making me imagine a burning smell.

Fortunately, after checking the computer, there were no parts on fire.

Letting out a short “Phew~” sigh of relief, I could finally relax and return to the game.

Climbing up some pipes, a path made of metal plates came into view.

The gap between the paths was quite wide, so it seemed we would have to use dash to cross.

Paaat─!

Just as I had climbed about halfway up the core, leaving a blue afterimage?

[???: Ha. I was wondering where you were going, and you were thinking of something this pathetic?]

A familiar voice and a silhouette appeared above.

Then, the platform we were standing on turned red.

Kwaaaaaang!!

Not long after, a mace swung, and the platform plummeted into the abyss below.

“Wow, sh*t, that was close!!”

-Yuki-chan’s mouth is so foul…

-Sh*t???

-Trash-talking Vtuber lol

-Mouth like a sewer lol

-No bad words, please.

Fortunately, I had dashed at that moment and was catching my breath on another platform.

Rin had similarly dodged to a platform beside me.

Then, as the black silhouette leaped towards us, the identity of the woman, previously hidden by shadows, was revealed.

[Asmodeus: Loser~ What are you going to do if you can barely dodge that?]

A woman with a small stature, wielding a mace larger than her body.

Her blonde twintails, over her nun’s habit, fluttered in the wind.

[!!-ELITE BOSS ENCOUNTER-!!]

[Asmodeus: It’s going to get harder to dodge from now on.]

[Lv.107 Seven Deadly Sins, Lust ─ Asmodeus.]

A high-pitched voice, raised to its peak, and an ever-deepening smile.

Then, laser thorns sprouted from the head of the mace.

The Asmodeus boss fight began.

---

Kwaaaaaang!!!

A mace swung with a deafening roar.

The laser thorns of the mace tore through the thick iron plate like paper, and the platform, overwhelmed by an impact far exceeding its capacity, plummeted into the abyss below.

Shweeeeeeek!!!

Then, as the swung mace was retrieved, pink thorns exploded outwards in all directions.

“Uwaaaaaaaaargh!!!!!”

I screamed and tried to dodge the thorns, but the platform had disappeared, leaving me suspended in mid-air.

There was no way a person with ordinary controls like me could avoid them, and eventually, my HP, directly hit by the thorns, was greatly reduced.

[Yuki ■■□□□ 37%]

My HP, halved despite wearing the ‘Magnetic Field Shield Pack’.

Unlike previous battles where Rin drew aggro, this time there were many area-of-effect attacks, and to make matters worse, the platforms were collapsing, so there wasn’t much I could do.

“s*x Beeeeeam!!!!!!”

[Ultimate Skill ─ Longinus]

Kwaaaaaaaang!!!!!!!

At most, all I could do was use my ultimate and skills, right?

Perhaps because I bought new weapons, the damage output was also quite good.

[HP ■■□□□ 49%]

Even so, half of her HP still remained.

And that was only after landing one ultimate attack that I managed to reduce it to 50%.

[Asmodeus: Grrrr!! You’re annoying for a loser!!]

[Asmodeus: Stop it already and just die!!!]

Was it because her HP dropped below 50% from that last attack?

Asmodeus screamed as a short story scene played out.

Then, a red haze began to rise from her body, and the girl’s appearance melted away, revealing the machinery within.

[Asmodeus: Just f*cking die!!!!!]

“Phase 2 starting!! Dodge quickly!!!”

“Ah, alright!!”

With Rin’s shout, most of the surrounding platforms turned red.

As soon as I heard her shout, I used dash to evade the attack, but since I had just used my ultimate, I was still in a stunned state.

There was a momentary stutter before I could dash.

And because of that momentary stutter, I couldn’t get off the platform in time.

“Noooooooo!!!!!!!!”

The maces, now numbering three, flew in and shattered the platform right beneath me.

“Kyaaaaaaaak!!!”

Screaming changed nothing.

My character plummeted towards the ground, and the moment she hit it, the HP gauge instantly converged to 0.

[Yuki □□□□□ 0%]

[GAME OVER]

[Spectate]

-Hahahaha

-Yuki, cut!!

-Finally dead

-Hahaha

-Cuuuuuuuuut!!!!!

-Hahaha

-Ah, you’re not supposed to do it like that

-Finally!!!

“…Why does it seem like everyone was expecting Yuki-chan to die? I feel completely betrayed.”

-Hahahaha

-You believe the Yukidans?

-You… still believe in people?

-Game loser~

-Haha

-How pathetic to die!

-Hahahaha

-Loser lol

[[Eungaehae-eung] donated 10,000 won!]

-You, you’re so bad lololol

“…All of you, shut your traps and watch Rin-sama. Anyway, everyone only picks on me.”

I died even though I tried my best.

This was the boss’s pattern being unfair.

Normally, ordinary people would die a lot too; Rin-sama is the special case.

“If you like Rin-sama so much, then all of you go to Rin-sama. Abandon poor Yuki-chan. Hmph.”

-Yep

-Yuki-chan’s pouting

-Hahahahaha

-Let’s go oshihen~

(TL: Oshihen means to change one’s favorite idol/Vtuber)

-Haha

-Let’s go~ Let’s go~

-Oshihen, tenkai!

(TL: Tenkai means “unfold” or “develop,” implying the start of the oshihen)

“……You’re all so mean.”

Meanwhile, while I was bickering back and forth with the Yukidans.

Rin, who was still playing the game, was facing Asmodeus alone.

Pat, Paaat─!!

Rin, using consecutive dashes, closed in on the boss.

She unleashed her charged strong attack, landing a three-pronged sword strike on Asmodeus.

[Strong Attack ─ Excision]

Kwagagagagak!!!!

The power of the sword newly purchased on the 3rd floor was immense.

The amount of HP decreasing with each successful hit was clearly visible.

But Rin’s attack didn’t end with a strong attack.

No, rather, it was just the beginning.

Woooong!!

Rin’s sword, which had been timing its moment while throwing out occasional normal attacks, glowed red.

Then, a red aura burst forth, and the sword extended to several times its original length.

[Skill ─ Overdrive]

Kwaaaaaang!!!!!

She had merely swung her sword, yet a sound like a storm erupted, and red light burst out.

And following this, sparks began to explode from all directions.

Pajik, Pajijik!!!

Then, the sparks grew thicker, weaving strands of electricity.

Those strands of electricity entwined with the sword, creating a storm-like sword strike.

[Ultimate Skill ─ Storm Strike]

Kwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaang!!!!

A relentless combo of strong attacks, skills, and ultimates.

Heavy attacks, normally difficult to use even once while dodging, were linked fluidly and all struck the boss at once.

And what this meant was simple.

Rin pulled a Rin.