Blue Archive - M.O.T.H.E.R. (Volume 1)

22

It was time. Hare was preparing to reverse the machine's system. Sensei was next to her and next to him, Nodoka and Hina. The others were taking a look around the place. The equipment was a bit old, but the second-year hacker could manage. She entered the commands and waited for the system's response. Nothing was happening. She tried different ways from the control panel. Nothing helped.

''Well, we'll have to do this my way.''

Hare pulled a cable from his virtual laptop, which consisted of a pair of Joy-Cons that could project a keyboard and three screens, and plugged it into the contraption. The attack began. Hare could feel Sensei, Hina and Nodoka's breath on her neck. With some embarrassment, she asked them to move back a little because they made her uncomfortable. They backed away. The club advisor was thinking about what he had seen on the damaged screen. By sensei's serious face, Hina said that everything would be fine, it would be over soon. Sensei smiled at her and patted her head. Nodoka appeared at Hina's side smiling at him. She didn't have to tell him anything. He already knew what she wanted. He also gave Red Winter's student some headpats. Soon, with the exception of Kayoko who was still hanging around the place, the others appeared.

''They have cat spirit.''

He thanked each one for their help and effort. He was promising to buy Hifumi a new Peroro backpack when Hare shouted hysterically.

''Calm down, Hare!'' He ran to her side, "I'll give you all the headpats you want when you're done!''

''Really? I mean... I-I don't mean it like that... Something weird is going on...''

''What do you mean?''

''That machine is responding to every attempt at central system deactivation and reversal.''

''Isn't that the security system?'

''No. The security system is a default which can at most change the encryption of some accesses depending on how it was programmed, however, it is rewriting its security system as I try to override it.

''It is defending itself...''

Nodoka asked what was appearing on the screen. A dialog box had opened with a question.

''What do you want to do to me...?''

''They didn't expect the huge machine to work with an AI.''

''Well, it's not that unusual either. There are plenty of machines in Kivotos that can do that,'' Nodoka pointed out. "The S.C.H.A.L.E. tower works thanks to Arona.''

They couldn't help but agree with her.

''We need to reverse the power flow,'' Hare wrote.

''Impossible... It's the only source of energy I have at the moment...''

''People could die if we don't do it.''

''I could die if you do...''

''You're a machine, you'd just be turned off.''

''Those girls they are trying to save would only be turned off.... ''

''This machine is quite irritating. ''

''You're quite irritating... ''

''Can you hear us? ''

''I can see, feel... My existence is no different from yours... ''

''What do you see? ''

''I see eight deformed beings of different sizes in an open field... They don't look any different from me... ''