There was a condition called anaphylactic shock. Simply put, it meant that the immune system was going berserk against foreign substances.
It was ironic that a function meant to help with survival could be a cause of death, but people’s lives were made up of inconsistencies like these.
It was anaphylactic shock that was gnawing at Ina’s consciousness.
The 5D printer made cells, internal parts, flesh to cover them, and the blood that was beginning to circulate. But her immune system was overreacting to it all.
Qualia was aware that executing Infinity Recovery on someone else and implanting cells would lead to this. That was why he took great care in learning her body.
“Analyzing situation… Rate of immunity abnormality greatly exceeds prediction.”
But still, a person’s body was something that was not known to Shutdown.
Learning it in one pass would not lay all the genetic information bare, for example.
“U… ah…”
“Ina, Ina. Please respond. Ina.”
“…Ah… Ah…”
There was clearly no sign that Ina would respond to Ace. Life was not returning to her half open eyes. She was not focusing, and seemed to only stare at nothing.
Her lips and face were turning blue. There were somewhat strange sounds in her newly regained breathing, and it seemed not enough air was circulating.
There were spasms from time to time, and a bad sweat seeping from her whole body.
And despite everything, her consciousness was still not returning.
There was a disturbance of consciousness.
And he could see glimpses of her skin turning pink, starting from the left side of her chest.
It continued to spread, as if feeding on her vital energy.
Qualia learned all of this through his five senses and a scan executed with his 5D printer.
“Analyzing situation. Feedback complete. Executing re-composition of the left side of the chest through the 5D printer.”
The light of the 5D printer shined on the affected parts of Ina’s body, turning them into cells that would not be abnormal for Ina, and matched her genes as closely as possible.
He used biotechnology to its fullest, and tried with all he had to push Ina back from going to that eternal other side.
“Qualia, when will Ina recover?”
“Analyzing situation… Error. The value you seek has no answer.”
When would the anaphylactic shock end?
When would he stop going around in circles?
When would Ina’s vitals reach a safe zone?
Qualia did not know when Ina’s stamina would overcome the reaction eating away her body, or perish to it. Life could not be quantified like this.
All he could do was use his biotechnology to its fullest until Ina woke up.
“Ah, ah, ah…”
He peeked at her frail face. Again and again.
It was scary when he felt as though she had stopped breathing again. But even during that time, her slender body continued to be eaten away.
Her heart continued to stop.
But still, he saw the beats that meant she wanted to live, so if nothing else, letting her die would be wrong.
“Your face is better suited for ‘tasty’.”
And so, as Qualia conquered the static that was this fear, as he kept trying until Ina was breathing properly.
Even in this time that seemed like an eternity, he calculated optimal solutions, and Ina’s treatment.
“Analyzing situation. Feedback complete. Composing blood with 5D printer again…”
Suddenly, it was on both sides of Qualia and Ace.
The flow of the air seemed abnormal, and there were echoes of magic energy gushing.
A large scythe fell from above.
“Gaia.”
Ace stood up, with the magic stone in her chest shining.
“Reverse.”
As the green light expanded, a large arc formed around them.
Qualia laid on Ina to cover her, as Ace used her Gaia skill further to block the destroyed pieces of the arc.
“Suspicious humans detected from Three o’clock, and four o’clock, and nine o’clock and ten o’clock.”
“You are wrong. From the flow of the air and presence of magic energy, it is assumed there are five more.”
In the directions described by Ace, there were men wearing black coats and black hats. One had wind magic energy imbued on his sword, meaning he was likely the one who fired the large scythe.
And one spoke, with his lips curled up into a smile.
“So this is a magic doll? Interesting.”
“Perceiving threat.”
Qualia independently labeled them a threat.
He passed this judgment quicker than usual, because Ina was on the verge of death, as he covered her.
But it was a correct judgment. After all, they were Zero Division, a group of Troy that prided themselves on being assassination experts.
They were a group of killers, and the kind of people he should be most wary of.
“Gaia skill… I heard it was an excellent piece of work, even among magic dolls.”
“But fighting while protecting something is too naive.”
Ace glared at Zero Division, as she asked an obvious question.
“Who are you? Why do you seek to harm us?”
“We are not ones to name ourselves, or take the time. Unlike the beast person from before, we value results. Your lives are ours.”
“Your continued existence is inconvenient for us.”
A man of Zero Division smiled boldly as he looked down and his thin blade shined.
“Death is simple to understand. Pass a blade through one’s internal organs, cut their head… That beast girl is the former. Internal organs… Her lungs are shot. Trying to bring her back to life is illogical. Are you fighting the order of nature?”
As Qualia felt he was showing contempt for his attempt to bring Ina back to life, he argued back without thinking.
“You are wrong. There is value in maintaining Ina’s vital activities. If you deny that…”
Through the calculations that were duller due to anger, he calculated the optimal solution.
And the threat was very close.
“Perceiving threat. Type SWORD.”
Someone stepped close. For Qualia, who could read any sneak attack ahead of time, this was a first.
Qualia noticed the man just as he was swinging his sharp blade.
But still, Qualia completed his predictions while dodging, and made a photon weapon appear in his right hand.
And then, he swung it in a straight line from left to right.
Blood sprayed from the man’s chest as he crumpled.
He wore the same uniform and held the same weapon as the rest of Zero Division.
“So you can even take down one of Zero Division. Despite you clearly being shaken, you won’t allow a sudden checkmate…”
“But are you sure about this? If you only mind us, that thing you were holding will gradually die.”
It went without saying. Qualia had learned the worsening of Ina’s condition.
He pulled her slender body close, and it fell back limply, before spasming again.
The anaphylactic shock was invading her brain.
Her consciousness was shallow, and at that rate, her heart would stop again.
Qualia had to focus on her treatment, but that would mean letting Zero Division do as they pleased, and be killed.
He would have to fight with a photon weapon in hand. Battle while treating Ina.
Even if he learned the movements of Zero Division, he could not complete the optimal solution unless he had two bodies.
And as she saw Qualia’s feelings and Ina on the border between life and death, Ace jumped in front of them.
“Qualia, request that you take shelter with Ina, and continue her treatment.”
“Ace, that carries a big risk that your vital activities will be terminated.”
Even Ace would be at a disadvantage against people trained for assassination that could sneak up on them without them noticing. Unlike Qualia, she could not detect enemies based on very subtle flow of magic energy, and more importantly, she was not great at fighting at close range.
Staying there alone was a very risky bet.
“I will stay, and keep in mind the continuation of my vital activities.”
Said Ace, as she continued and pointed something out.
“I was made to make a promise with Ina in the ‘bath’ yesterday. But in the same way, I strongly think about wanting to maintain her vital activities.”
Ace showed no fear as Zero Division slowly drew closer, but she worried about Ina dying.
Like Qualia, she wanted to avoid that future at all cost. That was why she stayed close to Ina’s silent body.
“I should perform my role as a guardian knight of Hello World.”
Qualia performed calculations even as he looked at her back.
He looked for the optimal solution to save Ace while saving Ina.
His heart beat, and he remembered.
He had the mechanism to return to Shutdown near his heart.
If he pressed it, he could save both. And as he thought that, he moved his hand close to his heart…
An impact ran through the air.
It was as though something fell a hundred thousand meters from the sky, next to Qualia.
Qualia turned to the side, and among the dust, he saw a raincoat that did not seem suitable for that clear weather. But it did protect its owner from the splashing blood, as he crushed the skull of the member of Zero Division as he landed.
The face hidden by a fox mask then turned to Zero Division.
“Who are you?”
Zero Division was in a state of confusion, but Ace contrasted what she saw with her memories.
“Recognized. Anonymous.”
“Dragon.”
From the gaps of the hands open in prayer, appeared a clear pterodactyl.
And as Anonymous held on to its back, he silently prepared to activate a skill.
“Reverse.”
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