The atmosphere was so awkward; the Goddess Squad, guardians of the Ark, and the new Commander, who named himself “Ark—All Are Rapture,” met in this manner.
“Are you truly a Commander from the Ark?
How could your name be this—” Dorothy broke the silence, incredulous.
Would the Ark really permit a Commander to have such a name?
Snow White also looked at the Commander before him with curiosity.
Although she had forgotten many memories after her thought process change, she was absolutely certain—she had never seen such, how should one put it, arrogant!
She had never seen such an arrogant Commander.
Their Goddess Squad was the only unit capable of defeating the Rapture.
The government had once said they would assign the Goddess Squad their most outstanding Commander, but for some unknown reason, it later fell through.
Kai found it difficult to explain.
He had played the international version of Nikke, so he generally understood the later plot.
He felt that the Ark was not worthy of his Nikkes, so he casually picked this name when the domestic server launched.
If he had known he would transmigrate, he would have been more low-key.
As things stood, bribery was the first step.
Kai reached into the plastic bag, preparing to take out two oranges to change the subject.
Dorothy loved oranges the most, so Dorothy probably wouldn’t dislike them, right?
As for Snow White, she was a foodie; one orange would definitely win her over.
However, before he could act, a Mass-Produced Nikke seemed to have finally found her target.
She first looked at Kai with confusion but said nothing, then walked up to Snow White.
“Snow White, we have completed our farewells.”
“My companions greatly admire you!
She said to be able to be in your—” She lowered her head, unable to speak the rest of the sentence.
“Hmm!
I understand, Pinne.” Snow White was momentarily stunned, then followed Pinne back to the outpost.
“—” Dorothy was visibly downcast but quickly recovered.
“Commander, you should come along too.”
“A Nikke fighting for humanity, it’s not bad to have a human witness in her final moments.”
Signaling Kai to follow, Dorothy led him to the cemetery where their companions were buried.
After entering the outpost, Dorothy sealed the heavy door and walked towards a nearby area where the other Nikkes were gathered.
Slowly approaching, Kai saw the other members of the Goddess Squad.
The Commander’s good brother—Rapunzel, and the new Commander’s god—Scarlet.
The other personnel included more than ten Mass-Produced Nikkes, but they all looked similar in their uniform, so Kai didn’t even recognize Pinne, whom he had just met.
The atmosphere was somber, so the Nikkes only looked at Kai curiously for a few moments, and no one spoke.
After stopping, Dorothy stood to the side, lowering her head.
Today, they would lose another companion.
Kai stood among the Nikkes, feeling very uncomfortable.
It was his first time being surrounded by so many girls.
Then he saw Snow White pull out her gun, pointing the muzzle at the head of a Mass-Produced Nikke leaning against a blank tombstone in front of her.
What was happening?!
Unlike the other Nikkes, the Nikke pointed at by Snow White’s gun smiled and said something.
“Hey!
Wait, wait!
Snow White, what are you doing?” Kai saw Snow White about to pull the trigger and immediately snapped out of his dazed state, going up to stop Snow White.
At this, all the Nikkes turned their attention to Kai.
Did he not see the obvious situation?
Snow White’s hand was held by Kai, and he moved her finger off the trigger.
Of course, this was because Snow White did not resist; the strength of a Nikke was incomparable to that of an ordinary human, let alone one of the strongest Pilgrims among Nikkes.
Snow White said quizzically, “What do they teach at your Commander Academy?
I am currently executing an infested Nikke according to military orders.
Or do you wish to execute her yourself?!”
Her eyes stared intently at Kai.
How did such a rookie get here?
She would absolutely not allow an amateur to meddle!
“Infestation?
It’s already here!
Oh, right, it’s all because of the birth of Red Hood—” Seeing Kai stunned, the atmosphere grew increasingly serious.
Just as Dorothy was about to try and ease the tension, she saw Kai smile?
“Infestation is when a Nikke’s NIMPH is invaded and her thought patterns are forcibly rewritten, turning her into a Nikke who protects the Rapture.”
(NIMPH is roughly a type of nanomachine that controls a Nikke’s thoughts, capable of backing up memories, eliminating fear, etc., and also guarantees humanity’s control over Nikkes.)
“To cure infestation, a Nikke’s NIMPH must be cleared, which requires an antidote!”
“Hahaha!
I have a way!” Kai laughed loudly, “Dorothy!
Where is your Commander?
Even if you don’t have one now, you must have had one before!”
Dorothy, suppressing her anger, replied, “I already told you!
We have!
Never!
Had a Commander!
You are the first Commander we have ever encountered!”
Impossible!
This shouldn’t be!
The plot I know isn’t like this!
Kai had previously thought that the Goddess Squad’s Commander was just currently in the Ark, but the current situation was different from the plot he knew.
So, would the future plot he knew still be useful?
Could his butterfly effect even influence past events?
That’s right!
I am the first Commander!
Dorothy’s mysterious gift!
Could it be?
“Scarlet!
Lend me your sword!
Or you can do it, just make an incision in my palm!” Kai ran up to Scarlet and said this.
Currently, only Scarlet used a melee weapon, and he couldn’t possibly use a gun to bleed himself; that would be too foolish.
Scarlet pressed her treasured sword, Fleetly Fading, and refused, “Allow me to decline!
We Nikkes cannot harm humans.”
“Then I’ll do it myself!
Pull out your sword!
I can cure the infestation!
I definitely can, Dorothy will definitely not disappoint me!” Kai shouted.
“!!!”
Such words were undoubtedly a fantasy.
The Nikkes present all wondered if this human had been scared witless by the Rapture on the Surface, experiencing a thought process change just like them?
Scarlet looked at Dorothy hesitantly.
Seeing Dorothy nod slightly, did they have any other choice?
Even if hope was incredibly slim, what if?
“Clang!” Scarlet decisively drew her sword, handing it to Kai with one hand.
“Be careful, do not assume that merely gripping the hilt allows you to wield this sword.”
Her treasured sword, Fleetly Fading, was entirely white and looked delicate.
Unexpectedly, Kai stumbled after taking it; it was so heavy!
Never mind, whatever!
Kai placed the blade on the ground, edge facing up, put the plastic bag on the ground with his left hand, and then forcefully wiped his hand across the blade!
Hiss!
It really hurt!
Kai was, after all, a pampered modern man from the Dragon Kingdom not long ago, but with so many Nikkes watching him now, he could only act tough.
He walked to the Mass-Produced Nikke lying by her tombstone.
Her eyes were clearly red, a sign that she was about to be completely infested.
“Don’t move, drink this!” Kai placed his left hand on the Nikke’s lips, feeding her his blood.
“Let me bandage you.” His good brother, Rapunzel, voluntarily stepped forward.
Although she didn’t know if Kai’s actions would be effective, it was her first time seeing a human who cared so much about Nikkes, a human who didn’t treat Nikkes as expendable tools.
While Rapunzel was bandaging Kai, he murmured, “It must work!
If I am the protagonist, if I am that Commander!
My blood must have an effect!”