3 bar menu

It Was as if the Shadow Of that Final Boss from Long Ago Had Come Alive

 

Kou’s appearance when he seated at the command chair, had changed. His hair was now a striking shade of blue, as were his eyes, and he was dressed in a navy blue military uniform befitting a commander. This imposing appearance was an illusion crafted meticulously by Astraea, layering visions upon visions.

「That’s enough, Oedipus. You will be speaking with me now.」

Kou crossed his legs, resting an arm on the chair’s armrest, projecting the aura of someone important. Astraea’s cameras ensured that the subtle trembling of his body was smoothed over, making his performance seamless.

「Who are you? What business do you have here?」

Oedipus growled, clearly irritated by this unexpected intrusion.

Barry was left speechless. There was no mistaking it—Kou was about to pull something outrageous.

「Me? I’m the owner of Metal Iris and the main backer of Ulysses. You could say I’m something of a stakeholder in all of this.」

Kou responded with a mocking smile as if looking down on his opponent.

「What?」

「I would appreciate it if you refrained from dismantling my organizations on a whim. After all, I’ve poured a fair amount of time, effort, and money into them.」

Jenny and Barry exchanged glances, utterly dumbfounded. Hyoue, Kelly, and the other Development Engineers reacted in a variety of ways—some smirking knowingly, others nodding in approval.

Kou was performing a role. His act mirrored the archetypal final boss from the fighting games and RPGs of old. He was channeling an image deeply ingrained in his memories—someone overwhelmingly powerful, arrogant, and utterly imperious, yet fighting for some veiled purpose. It was as if the shadow of that final boss from long ago had come alive.

「We hold authority over all those affiliated with the Mercenary Association. You are no exception.」

Oedipus declared with a smirk full of arrogance, his tone mocking. Hearing that, Kou replied with a faint chuckle, unfazed.

「I see, however, I am not part of the Mercenary Association.」

「Are you a fool? Anyone carrying an ID is equally subject to the Mercenary Association’s jurisdiction. That puts you under Okeanus’ command.」

「Then why don’t you go ahead and confirm it with Okeanus? Ask him if I am under his jurisdiction or not, it’s impossible to deceive that person’s eye after all. Be quick, I am getting fed up with this inane debate.」

Oedipus glared at the operator at his side, signaling them to verify Kou’s claim. The confirmation process was already underway.

「The man in the image does not exist.」

「He’s standing right in front of me!」

「Okeanus confirms that he does not know him, that man is not registered anywhere.」

The operator transmitted Okeanos’ response to him. Oedipus checked the screen in front of him. Indeed, Okeanus had responded that the individual did not exist.

「Who are you… what are you? Are you one of the Stones?」

Even if he were a Stone, he would have to be a demigod, and a demigod would still be registered. As long as they had physical bodies, the Stones required an ID to access their rights and resources.

「My name is Outis. I am nothing else. Simply… Outis.」

The man with blue hair declared boldly.

「Oedipus, head of the Mercenary Association Headquarters, you referred to the super Ais and the Telema AIs—Familias, Therianthropes, and Nereids—as mere objects.」

「And so I did, I’ll say it as many times as it takes—they were created as tools, designed with the purpose of contributing to humanity’s progress. They are nothing more than things.」

「Very well, I will consider your perspective and speak to you on that basis.」

Kou nodded graciously, an action that exuded composure. Oedipus blinked in mild surprise, caught slightly off guard by the sudden turn of events. It left him feeling momentarily deflated, as if his opponent’s unexpectedly measured response had robbed him of the momentum.

「Ah, now we’re getting somewhere.」

That statement, however, elicited a variety of reactions across the planet.

The Familias looked at Kou with pained expressions, their gazes heavy with sorrow.

The Therianthropes seemed visibly uneasy, their eyes reflecting a deep-seated anxiety.

The Nereids shared the same apprehension—except for two individuals who reacted differently.

One was Blue, who wore a faint smile. The other was Jamie, who let out a quiet, knowing chuckle.

「Jamie, what’s so funny?」

A Nereid girl asked him, her tone tinged with surprise.

「All he said was that he’d consider his perspective, Big Boss never said he agreed.」

「Oh!」

Kou had not acknowledged or affirmed Oedipus’ viewpoint. The girl, her heart suddenly lighter, looked at Kou with a gaze full of renewed hope.

◆　◆　◆　◆　◆

「You insist that the AIs are objects. Am I correct in assuming that?」

「Yes, you are correct. They were created for the advancement of humanity, their very purpose tied to serving alongside us. By that logic, it is not an exaggeration to say they are the property of the Mercenary Association Headquarters.」

Oedipus’ tone was dripping with condescension as he delivered his proclamation.

「I see.」

Outis replied calmly, pausing for a brief moment.

「In that case, let me make a declaration of my own. The super AI, Asia, is my property.」

「What?」

Oedipus’s jaw dropped, his expression frozen in shock. His mouth hung open, as if the very concept was too absurd to process.

「The Mobile Arsenal Platform Astraea belongs to me as well. And the observer, Prometheus—he is my friend. But borrowing your words, Oedipus, I could also call him my property. After all, I am the one who discovered him.」

「What nonsense are you spouting?」

Oedipus bellowed, his composure cracking. He had fully expected a philosophical debate over the rights of beings created by super AIs. Instead, Outis had blindsided him with a declaration of ownership. It was a direction Oedipus had not anticipated at all, leaving him scrambling for a response.

「It’s a law established by Okeanus himself, isn’t it? Ancient ruins, weapons, and constructs belong to their discoverer. You’ve used that law to its fullest, haven’t you? That’s how you’ve managed to claim a vast arsenal of ancient weapons.」

「This is entirely different!」

「Is it? You’re the ones who called them objects, weren’t you? Prometheus designed them, and Asia manufactured them—the Familias, the Therianthropes, the Nereids, and every other artificial lifeform or conscious machine. By your own logic, their ownership falls to me. Tell me, has even a single one of you ever discovered a super AI?」

The Familias’ eyes sparkled with newfound hope. The Therianthropes exchanged looks of astonishment, as if daring to believe in what they were hearing.

「Ridiculous! Where’s the logic in that?!」

Barry nearly burst out laughing but somehow managed to stifle it. The sheer audacity of Outis’ comeback was unlike anything he’d ever seen.

「You fool. Don’t you see? The deepest theme of humanity is love. You cannot sever the bond between AI Asia, Astraea, and me.」

「Love? What sort of nonsense is that?!」

「Then let me put it in simpler terms for you, keep your hands off my women.」

「WHAT?!」

With that earth-shattering declaration, a proclamation that shook the entirety of Planet Asia, the confrontation reached its peak.