The Degree
Final Task
A failure, and a disappointment. A sentence that casually uttered and easily provoked the anger of the people.
How not? This was a painful incident for anyone because a paradise-like safe place suddenly burned to the ground. Moreover, they were instantly confronted by many painful deaths.
Anyone would not be able to easily accept this surprise all of a sudden. And, worse yet Secret found it disappointing. They were thought to have let this bastard down. From the beginning, what was expected?
“Decorating? You said we were disappointing? Don't joke!”
“This happened because of you! You caused it and you too are disappointed?!”
“There is a limit to unreasonable!”
“Here go down and let me punch you in the face, motherfucker!”
Anger exploded, swearing and insults directed at Secret. How not? Everything that is happening right now is believed to be Secret. He destroyed the great facility he had built with his own hands.
Secret considers him a failure for what he built and destroyed. How casually did he leave the disappointment to them? It's more than just annoying.
“We never planned on doing any destruction after all this. Even so, we do not want to give any statement.”
“Hal sure is you guys are disappointing for letting 58% of people get eliminated. It really messed up the plan we made. It's our failure not to make this place like a bunker.”
No one can do anything to those who have fallen. The number is extraordinary, more than half of Degree users died due to explosions and were engulfed in fire.
Suppose Secret makes it more sturdy then the victim will be at a minimal level.
“As a result of this unexpected incident we have finally decided. This place, Asgardian has ended. The data we need is also sufficient. Therefore, we will go directly to start the final stage of the trial.”
The leap is far away, initially there are five other tasks that need to be passed and even the task clue has been spread. If so, it means that the puzzle is no longer useful.
“Last stage ..”
Everyone is fixated on that. The final stage has a great meaning for them which means, all this is coming to an end. They no longer need the name of killing each other, hungrily even feel this kind of tragedy. Everything will be over as soon as the trials are over.
It was just that not many of them thought about the difficulty. The further the task goes, the higher the difficulty and even the many victims. Not even long ago, incidentals that apparently were not caused by Secret occupied the first place of the most victims. Even more so than Open World itself.
“What if this all ends ... we will be free?” muttered Terumi, her voice might be slow but it could be heard by many people.
Freedom is the most awaited presence. No one said anything, all waiting for the answer to what Secret would give.
“We just want your data for research. Your own existence is useless after the data we want is fulfilled.”
“We can't be a guarantee. But you can probably be free.”
Although his words are a little worrisome, but it can be believed to be validated. There will be a chance that they will be free.
Some wept with relief and rejoicing, some were silent with no expression because they knew it was not an easy achievement to obtain. The end of the task that Secret gave him was still unknown what it looked like.
“Finally I'll get out of this damned place!”
“Yes! I don't have to be afraid of anything anymore!”
“We don't need to fear death or a big mess will happen!”
People began to give thanks, while there were those like Ray where he knew freedom would only be achieved when the task ended.
“We will announce your last task later. For now we will solve the mess first.”
There seemed to be preparation required so Secret needed a little more time to do so.
“What about the injured people?” ask someone.
“We won't give you any more time. Too much time is wasted on rest. Those injured will remain included in the.” task
“It ... isn't it really cruel?!”
“Really! At least let them rest!”
Protests began among Degree users about Secret's cruel decision. Even so Ray knows very well that this is indeed Secret style.
“Not Secret if not cruel,” muttered Rau when he noticed that Secret did not care at all about the protests.
“We will start the final stage after two hours. Those remaining here will be included in the task. However we have a special offer here.”
Special offer? Everyone asked the same thing in their minds. It was rare for Secret to make something like a special offer. Maybe this is the first time this has happened so far.
“The third task will be carried out on a large scale. We modified the whole final plan. Originally was a big war into a hunt.”
“The offer we made is that you will form a large team each. We will determine the leader and you will choose for yourself who you want to follow. Here's our best offer.”
“During this transition period is not allowed fights of any kind. When it happens then directly the perpetrator will be eliminated.”
Secret doesn't hesitate to say that he will kill people who fight now. Secret then goes flying somewhere when the robots start to overcome the chaos.
There appears to be a secret passageway accidentally buried because the collapsed building caught fire. From inside the road, the robot came out with the body of an unidentified woman.
Ray and the others approached the body to see it. Surely Ray is interested in knowing who it is, the woman who is in a place that should not be known to anyone but Secret.
“His face looks horribly burned,” Leo said with a hint of disgust when he saw it.
Not only did his face look bad but his stomach was also troubled. His intestines and organs came out, like someone was doing it on purpose. From that alone Ray was sure that this woman died painfully.
“This is an old wound,” said Ray. “The wound was like it was burned by something else. Like hard water for example.”
They didn't know him at all, saw him never. If anyone with a face like this should have seen it at least once.
But even Ray who sure has a strong memory and will not forget an eccentric like this does not remember at all. In a sense he never met her.
“But his clothes are not foreign at all. Besides, what skin is around his face?” tanya Terumi who approached with great difficulty.
“Clothes?” ray murmured while observing her clothes. She discovers that Terumi is right, her clothes are not unfamiliar. Even Ray knows who that woman is.
Her clothes were recognizable but her face was not. Of course it was because he hid it even made a fake face that was very similar to Mein.
“She Virgo. It seems someone has killed him miserably.”
Everyone was stunned at Ray's words. They will initially not believe it but after the name Virgo appears, they remember about his clothes. Indeed, maybe only Virgos wear army-like clothes.
“This Virgo? Who killed him?” ask Leo.
Ray himself does not know, he does not pay attention to the last fight Arthur and Virgo. All he knows is that Virgo managed to escape his death against Arthur, Erina and Indri.
“Do you know who might do it, Erina?” ask Ray.
Erina just nodded flatly, “Most likely Ryouma. The man saved Virgo last time and took him away.”
It was shocking considering they should have been comrades but ended up killing each other. Ray is also interested in other things.
‘Why does Ryouma know a place that only Secret should know? There's some kind of conspiracy here. Could ..’
There is a conclusion that Ray can draw from this but he cannot convey it because there is a possibility that Ray concluded wrongly.
...*****...
The control room where Secret was monitoring everything. Secret is preparing the various ha needed for the final task. Due to the huge pruning and change Secret is very troublesome at the moment.
“We have to change things. The data needed is more than enough and there are some individuals stand out.”
“Maybe one of them is the right person to continue.”
“That's a possibility.”
“Possibility is always there.”
As Secret started talking to himself, someone entered the room. The man with the mask that always covered his face as if it had become part of his body.
“Everything keeps running out of control. Even you look troubled.”
“You are negligent in your duties. Stability should be maintained and things outside the plan should not happen. The task we give you both is to maintain its stability.”
The man chuckled, sat without being told and took off the mask that always covered his face.
“Well, even that person acted as he pleased without following orders. Anyway I'm sure he told you, Asgardian is no longer needed. You can even just determine it.”
“Determine? It will happen when the task is successfully completed.”
The two spoke casually like close friends. Even so they are not really close, the two only have a mutually beneficial relationship with each other.
Secret wants stability and data in the immediate Seca field, while the man has his own goals.
“I'm sure the man will come out victorious and you'll choose him to be the heir to all of this. Just like Leo and I got two different serum shots. At the end you will hand over the last serum for him.”
People should not be able to receive two serums but there are special exceptions. Secret is not a brainless figure. When conducting a trial of applying two serums on an individual saru, Secret will solve the problem and create a special serum.
This serum there are only three, two have been used and one is left. This one will be given to the person being sought by Secret.
“We didn't say we'd give it. In the end it will only be an option.”
“Well, as you like. So, what are you gonna do now? Starting the revised final stage, what kind of place are you setting up?”
Secret typed something and the screen in front of them changed. A large screen with a view that is familiar to anyone. Even the man was surprised to see it. There are feelings of nostalgia and unexplainable longing.
“You are crazy. Doing it in that place will reveal your whereabouts.”
“We have no intention of hiding forever. We have secretly shown the world about the existence of the Degree with the aim of strengthening its future position.”
Secret is a mysterious figure that cannot be guessed. Even the man had no words to convey to Secret's madness. Something that he had been hiding all along he would eventually reveal to himself.
“I didn't think at all that my assumptions were on target. You didn't want the Degree to be a secret in this world from the start, quite the opposite. You want the Degree itself to be a part of this world.”
Hearing this made Secret seem interested. He turned around and looked at the man.
“Tell me what makes you think so?”
“I am quite confident that there is a fool who wants to hide a masterpiece just for himself without letting the world know that he managed to create a masterpiece.”
The man also said that if since the beginning of the Degree should not be known of its existence forever, then Secret does not need to do troublesome things such as holding trials, tasks to the DP system.
Even Secret may spend an unreasonable budget for technology and various things to fill the Market is also a challenge on every task.
“In addition, you always carefully choose who to test. From the first generation to the second, every ten thousand people you invite have you selected. Surely there is a veiled purpose of it.”
The man walked up to Secret and stood right in front of him. Long black hair like a woman and in a ponytail, a handsome face with his left eye that was artificial and a cutting-edge technology.
“You also made me your accomplice to move on the field with a selection that may be very tight. And finally, your choice was right to choose me. A crazy person who has no motivation for anything. Even I don't hesitate to be anyone's servant.”
“True to this asumsiku, Secret?” ask her in a mocking tone.
Secret was not provoked at all or anything. As usual he would just shut up and answer things that needed to be answered flatly.
“We are surprised that you have such amazing sharpness. It's a fact that we don't intend to hide the Degree. We plan to reveal it slowly and when the time is right.”
“It's an honor for me to have revealed your purpose. Then what will I do next?”
“You will take part in the last task. We will give his orders periodically to you, Ryouma Hisatsu.”