Emir didn't hesitate to follow her instructions.
As he shut his eyes, he felt an intense wave of pain hit his head, causing him to collapse onto the ground.
He could still hear Lyra's voice in the background, but it was distant and muffled as his brain struggled to process the new information flooding in.
Gritting his teeth, he held on, fighting through the agony.
[WHY IS THIS HAPPENING?!] He roared in an attempt to distract his mind.
[As you are linked to the old-world network through , you alone have the ability to view holographic images from the past that are still operational in the mall's network.] Lyra explained, her voice calm and steady.
[But due to the massive influx of data you received watching those holograms, your brain couldn't handle it, causing body failure.]
[Thankfully, you have undergone mutation unlocking. Otherwise, your brain would've turned into mush.]
Emir felt a sense of relief wash over him as her words ca to an end.
[Take a breather for a few monts, I'll take the reins of the augnted suit for now.]
With a nod of agreent, he relinquished control of his body to Lyra through the augnted suit.
He felt a strange sensation as her consciousness rged with his, taking over his movents and actions.
And as she guided his body, he took out a small container of old-world dicine and popped a few pills into his mouth.
The dicine worked quickly, and he felt the effects of the regeneration process kick in as the placebo also took effect.
"I'm fine now, I'll get back to it." He voiced out.
Seeing that he was back to normal as he stood up straight, she handed back control, saying:
[To open your eyes safely, you must disconnect your neural network from the old-world network entirely. Unfortunately, doing so would lose you access to my support. However, please be aware that this can only be allowed for a limited period of ti. As the higher-ups in the Order prefer to have complete control over their hunters at all tis.]
He was given a choice, and it wasn't a tough one.
[No worries there, I'll do it.]
Standing still with his eyes closed, Emir willed his neural network to isolate itself from the old-world's, which only worked due to Lyra allowing it.
Slowly, he felt his brain clearing, as if a light fog had been lifted.
[Hmmm... I feel like my thought process is a bit faster now, is it due to not needing to continuously process the old-world network now that I let go of it?]
[….]
[Lyra?]
She unusually took so ti to respond, but she finally did, and it affird his suspicion.
[Correct, it was using your brain power delicately, almost unnoticeably. However now that your mind is clearer you would notice it even if slightly.]
[Oh, I can open my eyes now, right?]
[Yes you can, let's hope that you didn't attract any unwanted attention during your whole ordeal.]
[Lyra, why did you have to say that? WHY?! You just put a giant red flag on our heads!]
[You believe in that? Ah, co on, don't be so superstitious! You're still not afraid of the boogeyman, are you? It's quite childish for soone your age.]
[You don't get it, do you? In all the novels I read, even if soone ntions it as a joke or makes a slight remark, it turns into a full-blown disaster! Even the tiniest comnt can trigger a chain reaction of doom! We're dood, I tell you! DOOD!]
[Relax, You'll be fine. We'll just have to keep an eye out for any black cats or ladders. Or maybe we could just wear garlic necklaces, just in case. Better safe than sorry, right?]
[Whatever, I'll bla you for whatever happens, if I die, the Order will have you take the fall.]
Suddenly, his information gathering device detected a signal, showing it on his radar.
It quickly turned into three, doubling by each and every passing second, reaching hundreds by the ti Emir propped up his minigun.
[What did I just say, my beautiful jailer?]
[This isn't just bad luck, Emir. There seems to be a larger sche in motion, possibly orchestrated by the AI manager of this ruin. Judging by the fact that you recoiled when you saw the holograms, it might have figured out your connection to the old world. So they either want you to be eliminated or kicked out of here as soon as possible. Most likely due to the danger you represent to its existence.]
He held down the trigger of his minigun, the barrel slowly starting to spin, as they continued their conversation at an unimaginable speed.
[Why am I dangerous to them?]
[Technically, the danger posed to them doesn't co from you, but rather from . They fear my ability to delete them or potentially use the Order to destroy this ruin. As programd beings, they can only act within the boundaries of their coding, which is to protect and manage this place. And they recognize that both you and the Order are a threat to them.]
[This, however, isn't the first ti that so of our hunters have been opposed by them, but it is the first ti they've so blatantly gone after us like this.]
The minigun reached maximum rotation capacity, almost ready to fire.
[I see, so is this why trouble follows around? Because of you?]
[From what I've learned from being with you for so long, honesty is a value that you hold in high regard. And so far, I have answered all your questions truthfully, so you can trust that what I say is the truth...]
[I must admit that this consequence is not intentional but rather a result of our connection. Unfortunately, there is nothing that we can do to change it, and for that, I apologize.]
[I understand, it was unrealistic to expect there to be no trade-offs.]
She fell silent for a brief mont, her voice carrying a sense of urgency as she spoke again:
[I can confirm that the AI of this place is indeed focusing its attention on you, so you must get ready for the most challenging fight you've faced yet.]
Emir's minigun finally began firing, announcing the end of their conversation, unleashing a series of shots that echoed through the dark and empty halls.
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