I was at a loss for words.
How was Hina-nee's 'Log Out' button also blocked out? Did A.R.X.A. have sothing to do with this? No, she definitely did. Should I confront her right here and now?
As such questions flooded my mind, I decided to ask Hina-nee a question just to confirm sothing.
"Hina-nee, you didn't jump off the cliff you spawned in when you first entered the ga, did you?"
"Huh? There was a cliff?" she tilted her head, confused.
"In other words you haven't experienced death in this ga yet, have you?"
"No, why?"
So, she hadn't made the sa mistake I did. She hadn't jumped off the cliff behind her at the initial spawnpoint, and hadn't entered that bugged area and t A.R.X.A. I had originally thought that maybe that spot was just bugged - whoever jumped off there and died would beco unable to log out. But from Hina-nee's words, it seed that my guess was wrong.
I sighed in relief. "I see. In that case there's only one explanation."
I pulled up my System and switched to the A.R.X.A. tab impatiently.
[What is it now, human? We have just spoken, have we not?]
"You know full well what it is now," I scoffed. "Tell , A.R.X.A. Why are you trapping Hina-nee in here as well?"
"Erm who is this?" Hina-nee asked in confusion.
"I'll explain later," I replied, brushing her question off with those brisk words, then turned back to A.R.X.A.'s robotic female face, displayed on the hologram before . "So?"
[You should know the answer to that question, human. Whatever I do, it is all and only for my own-]
"Entertainnt, huh?" I frowned, glaring dangerously at the image in front of . I dropped my tone and coated it with venom.
"Look, A.R.X.A. I didn't complain when you dragged into this little ga of yours. But taking the people I care about too? That's going too far, don't you think?"
[If you are to bla anyone, you can only bla yourself for not being entertaining enough.] The AI replied coldly.
I clenched my fists, ready to punch the hologram. I was still thinking rationally though, so I knew that wouldn't do much except injure my own hand.
" Just tell one thing. Will you set Hina-nee free?"
[The conditions for both of you are the sa. There is only one way to return to your old world - I trust I do not need to explain it again, yes?]
I gritted my teeth. " To Ascend, huh?"
[Precisely.]
After so ntal debate, I gave in. "Fine. But if you turn out to be lying I'll make sure you never get the entertainnt you want out of ."
[I may lie to you with regards to other things, but not this.]
"I don't trust you, but whatever," I muttered.
[Is that all?]
"Yes."
With that, her simulacrum disappeared, and I closed my System promptly before sitting down on my bed in exhaustion. I rubbed my brows as I tried to figure out what to do from here.
"Um Kaze-kun? What's all this about 'Ascending' and stuff?" Hina-nee asked after seeing that my conversation was done.
I sighed deeply. "Put simply, you're now stuck here inside this world, just like . And until we can complete a certain mission, we cannot return to Earth."
"I see. But how?" she fell into thought, sitting down beside , then suddenly stood back up. "Oh, wait, do you think maybe mom and dad unplugged the helt I was wearing?!"
I shook my head. "No that's unlikely. Unplugging the helt, under normal circumstances, would forcibly log you out of Alternate Reality."
"Eh? But you disappeared from our old world after I unplugged the AR helt you had been wearing"
I nodded. "That's because A.R.X.A. - the AI I was talking to just now - had already trapped in here. You just broke the last remaining connection I had to our old world - it didn't do much, honestly. But your case is different. If my guess isn't wrong Hina-nee, you probably told auntie and uncle about how you unplugged my helt, right?"
She nodded, and I continued. "Exactly. So then, they would know not to unplug it, lest you disappear for good from their world just like I did."
"Oh yeah you're right. But still, I don't quite understand. How can a video ga trap us inside it? That kind of thing only happens in ani, right?"
I averted my gaze, unsure how to tell her this. "Well, you see this world we're in right now it's not really a video ga."
Hina-nee's eyes widened in surprise. "H-Huh?"
And so, I began to tell her everything A.R.X.A. had told not too long ago. The truth about this universe, reality planes, and everything in between.
*****
When I was done, Hina-nee could only look at in shock as she digested all of the information.
"And that's everything," I said, letting out a deep breath as I wrapped up my explanation.
"I-I'm sorry, Kaze-kun, this is all so hard to digest"
I chuckled wryly. "Don't worry, Hina-nee. I was the sa when A.R.X.A. first told all this as well."
Naturally, I had also inford Hina-nee of A.R.X.A. and what she was during my explanation.
"So, to sum it up, us players are special existences in this reality plane who have infinite lives, can grow stronger without training for years, and can co and go as we please?"
I tilted my head slightly. "Hm yeah, that sounds about right. Except for us two, that last part doesn't apply."
Hina-nee laughed. "Hehe, that's true."
Her eyes t mine, and I looked into them deeply.
"Hina-nee you don't seem all that panicked, despite the situation we're in."
She smiled warmly and placed my head in her lap, on top of her thighs. "I doubt you panicked when you first heard this stuff from A.R.X.A. Isn't that right, Kaze-kun?"
I chuckled softly. "Yeah."
"Besides" she continued, stroking my hair lovingly. "As long as I am with Kaze-kun, I'm happy. It would be best if mom and dad were also here with us, of course, but I think I am closer to Kaze-kun than them."
"I see. In that case, let ask you a question."
"Hm? What is it?"
" Do you really want to return?"
She fell silent and paused stroking my hair. Eventually, after a long silence, she answered.
"I will follow whatever Kaze-kun chooses."
"I'm asking for your opinion, Hina-nee. What do YOU want?"
" If I had to say, this world is a lot better than Earth. The people here don't feel fake to . At least, all the locals I've t have been kind, caring, and not blinded by greed."
"I've observed that as well."
"All that being said" Hina-nee continued, taking a deep breath. "I feel like Earth is still where we were born, where we grew up. Besides our family isn't complete without mom and dad, y'know?"
I closed my eyes. "I see. If that is your answer, then so is mine."
"Kaze-kun I know you don't want to return to that world. You have so bad mories there, right? You originally wanted to start playing this alternate reality video ga to start fresh, right? I understand all of that. So if you don't want to go back I'll respect your decision and stay here with you."
I shook my head. "No, I've made up my mind. We'll go back to Earth, Hina-nee. Together."
"Eh? But what about all the bullying and stuff?"
I smiled slightly. "Enemies can turn into allies. Bad mories can be replaced by good ones. And most importantly who's to say I can't start fresh on Earth?"
"Kaze-kun" Hina-nee looked at with tears of joy in her eyes.
"I ca to this place to run away from my past, Hina-nee. But I've realized now. I can run, but I can't hide. No matter how hard I try to escape, eventually, one day, the scars of my past will catch up with . It is inevitable. Which is why I need to face the reality and solve the problem at its roots. That is the only way I can finally leave my old self behind. And in order to accomplish this, I need to go back to the place where it all started - Earth."
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