Chapter 129: EP5. The Finishing Touch 19

Toward the upper levels.

Clunk!

The platform left the elevator station and began moving slowly along the rails.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 129: EP5. The Finishing Touch 19 by Indra Translations.

The occasional jolts and the increasingly powerful wind forced everyone to crouch down. riddle The torches they held swayed in the wind, making even their shadows seem to dance.

The platform gradually accelerated.

Into a tunnel shrouded in darkness.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 129: EP5. The Finishing Touch 19 by Indra Translations.

“Shit. sphere Feels like we’re heading straight into the jaws of a monster.”

“Uncle! acquire Stop saying such unlucky things! anchor Now it feels like something’s going to jump out at us!”

Bark murmured as he adjusted the torch he was holding.

Upon hearing that comment, Akina looked at him disapprovingly.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 129: EP5. The Finishing Touch 19 by Indra Translations.

Bark let out a small chuckle when he saw Akina tilt her head in confusion.

“Ah. altitude Did it sound that way? palette Sorry.”

“……Huh? alert What’s with that? harbor I didn’t expect you to apologize so easily. advance Uncle, you don’t usually act like that.”

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 129: EP5. The Finishing Touch 19 by Indra Translations.

Zero and Ash were there.

“It’s what the situation calls for.” All translations belong to Indra Translations. You can find us online at indratranslations.com

Akina watched him for a few moments with a strange look, but soon turned her head away.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 129: EP5. The Finishing Touch 19 by Indra Translations.

“We have enough food for three days. legend If we ration it…… it might last us a week. album However, our drinking water is beginning to run low.”

“We only need to hold out for another day or two.”

The two were conversing as they gazed into the tunnel that seemed to stretch endlessly before them.

“How many provisions do we have left?”

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 129: EP5. The Finishing Touch 19 by Indra Translations.

“……That worries me. aluminum There’s still quite a while before the ionic storm subsides, isn’t there? portal Will we be able to obtain enough provisions?”

“Once we deal with Hive Mind, we shall return to Camp. acquire Not everything was reduced to ashes, so we will be able to obtain supplies there.”

“We have enough for that long.”

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 129: EP5. The Finishing Touch 19 by Indra Translations.

Ash remained silent for a few moments.

“……There is no need to worry. anchor The provisions will be sufficient.”

His optical sensors blinked several times.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 129: EP5. The Finishing Touch 19 by Indra Translations.

A gust of wind swept through the space between them.

“……Ah.”

“Because our numbers have decreased considerably.”

“Why are you so certain?”

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 129: EP5. The Finishing Touch 19 by Indra Translations.

It was then that Chad appeared in their field of vision.

For some reason, it seemed like an especially cold wind.

He was not heading toward them, but toward Velma, who remained immersed in her Deep Dive.

“Velma.”

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 129: EP5. The Finishing Touch 19 by Indra Translations.

“Velma. accent Can you hear me?”

Naturally, Velma did not move at all.

Chad approached the woman floating in the air and lightly placed a hand on her shoulder.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 129: EP5. The Finishing Touch 19 by Indra Translations.

— Speak, Chad. agent But don’t touch me.

A voice accompanied by static emerged from the old speakers installed throughout the platform.

However, shortly afterward……

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 129: EP5. The Finishing Touch 19 by Indra Translations.

It was an emotionless, mechanically modified voice.

— No. palette I’m simply not accustomed to someone touching my body while I’m unconscious. silence Anyway, what do you need?

“Ah. artist Sorry. admire Did I interrupt you?”

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 129: EP5. The Finishing Touch 19 by Indra Translations.

Then he explained the reason for his visit.

“Have you detected anything unusual? acquire Enemies approaching, for example.”

Since that voice was transmitted through the speakers across the entire platform, everyone’s gaze naturally turned toward the control system console.

Chad quickly withdrew his hand.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 129: EP5. The Finishing Touch 19 by Indra Translations.

— I don’t know.

“Huh? acid You don’t know?”

All translations belong to Indra Translations. You can find us online at indratranslations.com.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 129: EP5. The Finishing Touch 19 by Indra Translations.

The corners of Chad’s mouth lifted slightly.

— That’s right. alien The cyberspace here…… has a completely different structure from what I’m familiar with. album It’s as though it was built using a different system. acoustic I’ll need time to explore it.

“That’s the first time I’ve heard you say something like that. arch You, who’s always boasting about having one of the few Alpha Prime-class cyberbrains in Sanctum.”

— Do you really think this is the time for jokes?

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 129: EP5. The Finishing Touch 19 by Indra Translations.

— This is the first time I’ve heard it.

Meanwhile, Chad continued speaking.

That brief conversation between two representatives of Trinity provided a moment of uneasy calm for the platform’s occupants, who had remained completely tense until then.

“They say the worse the situation gets, the more you should laugh. legend Haven’t you ever heard that saying?”

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 129: EP5. The Finishing Touch 19 by Indra Translations.

“If all you need is processing power, transfer the calculations outside. anxiety We can help you from here.”

Velma did not immediately answer Chad’s question.

— I’ll request support if necessary. academy For now…… Wait a moment. adjust What’s that?

“Huh? beacon What’s wrong?”

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 129: EP5. The Finishing Touch 19 by Indra Translations.

A door in cyberspace?

“Huh?”

Shortly afterward.

— There’s…… a door?

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 129: EP5. The Finishing Touch 19 by Indra Translations.

— I’m not sure. anxiety If I had to describe it…… I’d say it’s a wooden sliding door.

“What kind of door?”

A wooden sliding door in cyberspace.

Chad blinked several times before asking.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 129: EP5. The Finishing Touch 19 by Indra Translations.

— Too late.

“That sounds extremely suspicious. Visit indratranslations.com for more free chapters and updates. acquire Don’t touch it unless you have to. atlas And whatever you do, don’t open it.”

And not even a metal door or an armored hatch.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 129: EP5. The Finishing Touch 19 by Indra Translations.

— I didn’t open it. advance The door is opening on its own…… Wait, that’s……

“What? action Hey!”

— Screeeeeech!

A deafening, distorted noise erupted from the speakers, cutting off her words.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 129: EP5. The Finishing Touch 19 by Indra Translations.

“……Velma?”

However, her voice was not heard again.

Chad waited.

“Velma! canvas Answer me!”

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 129: EP5. The Finishing Touch 19 by Indra Translations.

***

A virtual world created by an ancient civilization, accessible only to Technomancers who had undergone cerebral cyberneticization procedures.

Cyberspace.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 129: EP5. The Finishing Touch 19 by Indra Translations.

That was why the place where she now found herself seemed so strange.

That was the cyberspace Velma knew.

An infinite space where grids formed from data and code flowed like the Milky Way, and hundreds of millions of codices remained meticulously arranged.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 129: EP5. The Finishing Touch 19 by Indra Translations.

Sometimes, cyberspace generated illusory manifestations based on the experiences and memories of those who connected to it.

However, the wooden sliding door before her was undoubtedly unfamiliar, regardless of what hypothesis she tried to use to explain it.

The space was not infinite, and there was not much data she could access.

Of course, considering that it was merely the control system of an elevator platform, perhaps that was perfectly normal.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 129: EP5. The Finishing Touch 19 by Indra Translations.

There were even firewalls designed to disturb intruders’ minds through such manifestations.

Traumas buried in the subconscious or goals they wished to achieve.

All translations belong to Indra Translations. You can find us online at indratranslations.com.

But that door did not appear to be one of them either.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 129: EP5. The Finishing Touch 19 by Indra Translations.

Because, at that very moment, Velma was fully conscious of her own identity.

No, not that either.

Then could it be an Echo Effect phenomenon?

Because Velma could not remember ever seeing a door of that style.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 129: EP5. The Finishing Touch 19 by Indra Translations.

It was then that it happened.

The door approached.

— Swoosh.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 129: EP5. The Finishing Touch 19 by Indra Translations.

To be more precise, the door remained motionless, while the world of green grids where Velma stood was being drawn into it.

Velma was not even aware that she was moving.

No.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 129: EP5. The Finishing Touch 19 by Indra Translations.

The transformation was perfect.

The green grids transformed into fine blades of grass, while the streams of data became a rushing river whose waters washed over her feet.

In the time it took her to blink.

Before she realized it, she was standing in the middle of a garden.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 129: EP5. The Finishing Touch 19 by Indra Translations.

“What the hell is this……?”

Because she had not felt the slightest difference compared to speaking in the real world.

Velma murmured involuntarily, but immediately startled herself and covered her mouth.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 129: EP5. The Finishing Touch 19 by Indra Translations.

The level of sensory recreation was abnormally high.

The pleasant scent of the grass.

She could clearly feel the ground beneath her feet.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 129: EP5. The Finishing Touch 19 by Indra Translations.

To the point of being practically indistinguishable from reality. Read original high-quality translation at indratranslations.com.

“Welcome to my garden, human.”

Velma abruptly turned her head.

It was then that she heard someone’s voice.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 129: EP5. The Finishing Touch 19 by Indra Translations.

He was a rather handsome man, dressed in a loose silk robe.

However, that was not what caught Velma’s attention.

Beside the river, beneath an enormous tree, sat a man.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 129: EP5. The Finishing Touch 19 by Indra Translations.

Her gaze remained fixed on the top of the man’s head.

Horns.

As though he had sensed Velma’s gaze, the man also turned his head toward her.

A pair of horns grew from his forehead and extended toward the sky, resembling those of a deer.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 129: EP5. The Finishing Touch 19 by Indra Translations.

“There is no need to feel uneasy. abstract I have simply invited you because there is something I wish to tell you.”

His pupils, vertically elongated like those of a reptile, gleamed.

“……Normally, when someone receives an invitation, they should also have the option of declining it, don’t you think?”

“What? airport Hahahahaha!”

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 129: EP5. The Finishing Touch 19 by Indra Translations.

“Humans are still exactly the same as before. arch They do not know their place and never stop spouting nonsense.”

He called her human and spoke arrogantly.

The man’s clear, ringing laughter echoed everywhere.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 129: EP5. The Finishing Touch 19 by Indra Translations.

Velma narrowed her eyes.

Moreover, he behaved as though he owned the place.

“……Are you the owner of this place, Hive Mind?”

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 129: EP5. The Finishing Touch 19 by Indra Translations.

“I am the Daimyo.”

“Then you’re confirming that you own this place.”

“Excuse me?”

“Do not call me by that strange name, Hive Mind. arctic I am the Daimyo. echo In terms that you humans can understand…… Yes, you could call me a feudal lord.”

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 129: EP5. The Finishing Touch 19 by Indra Translations.

The man formed a small smile.

“In any case, do you intend to stand there like a fool?”

All translations belong to Indra Translations. You can find us online at indratranslations.com.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 129: EP5. The Finishing Touch 19 by Indra Translations.

Shortly afterward, roots pierced the ground and emerged at the surface.

Then the soft earth beneath her feet began to twist.

The man waved a hand.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 129: EP5. The Finishing Touch 19 by Indra Translations.

“As I already told you, there is no need to worry. alert I merely……”

The roots coiled and intertwined like living snakes until they formed an exquisitely crafted chair and table.

“Invited me because you have something to tell me. arch I remember.”

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 129: EP5. The Finishing Touch 19 by Indra Translations.

Then she slowly approached and took a seat across from him.

Velma shifted her gaze between the table and the man for a few moments.

“Hehe. accent Exactly. galaxy What do you say? anxiety Are you willing to listen?”

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 129: EP5. The Finishing Touch 19 by Indra Translations.

“Why bring that up so suddenly……?”

“Because I pity you. artist I thought I should tell you the truth.”

The man let out a small chuckle.

“I’ll listen. apron Why have you brought me here?”

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 129: EP5. The Finishing Touch 19 by Indra Translations.

Then she adjusted her glasses out of habit.

Velma closed her mouth.

“You are being deceived. altitude And those deceiving you are other humans.”

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 129: EP5. The Finishing Touch 19 by Indra Translations.

“Could you explain that in more detail?”

“If that is what you wish.”

As though to remind her that she was in a virtual world, her glasses, which had a broken temple in reality, were completely intact.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 129: EP5. The Finishing Touch 19 by Indra Translations.

“There are objects known as Divine Artifacts. aspect They are vessels containing the wisdom of primordial times. silence What you humans call a Nexus Port is precisely one of them.”

An enormous screen emerged from the river flowing beside them.

The man gestured with his hand.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 129: EP5. The Finishing Touch 19 by Indra Translations.

“Because someone has already found it. altitude What’s more, they have even finished extracting its contents.”

“Why? action Do you think I am lying?”

“Why are you suddenly mentioning the Nexus Port……?” This novel translation is officially hosted on indratranslations.com.

“……What did you say?”

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 129: EP5. The Finishing Touch 19 by Indra Translations.

And Team Bladez protecting the girl while she carried out that task.

It showed Akina extracting data from the Nexus Port.

An image appeared on the screen.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 129: EP5. The Finishing Touch 19 by Indra Translations.

The corners of the man’s mouth stretched exaggeratedly as he awaited her response.

“Hehe, hehehe.”

His face, which until then had been rather handsome, twisted into a sinister expression.

It was the smile of a snake.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 129: EP5. The Finishing Touch 19 by Indra Translations.

His shrill laughter filled the garden.

“How do you feel? armor Are you furious? aluminum Can you not believe it? autumn Are you trembling with rage at having been betrayed? arcade My, you poor thing. arch I am sure you never even suspected that you had been deceived all this time, did you?”

“……Did you bring me here just to show me this?”

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 129: EP5. The Finishing Touch 19 by Indra Translations.

In its place, the screen began displaying images from fifteen hundred years ago.

“No. academy This is merely the beginning.”

The image of Team Bladez disappeared as though it had never existed.

The man snapped his fingers toward the screen.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 129: EP5. The Finishing Touch 19 by Indra Translations.

The elevator station.

“This place is……”

To be more precise, the elevator platform.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 129: EP5. The Finishing Touch 19 by Indra Translations.

The very platform on which the survivors were currently traveling.

All translations belong to Indra Translations. You can find us online at indratranslations.com.

However, the people appearing on it were very different from those present there now.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 129: EP5. The Finishing Touch 19 by Indra Translations.

Could those garments be called coats?

Furthermore, all their weapons were swords, and none of them possessed Cyberware.

They all wore a kind of long coat that reached their ankles, although the design was somewhat different from the usual ones.

Some even had long strips of cloth wrapped around their heads like turbans.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 129: EP5. The Finishing Touch 19 by Indra Translations.

He was a middle-aged man dressed in a completely white robe and holding a sword.

That was precisely why the man standing in the center stood out so much.

That meant they were all humans without cybernetic modifications.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 129: EP5. The Finishing Touch 19 by Indra Translations.

Velma could not take her eyes off that man.

“Huh?”

Unlike the others, his left arm was covered in silver chrome.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 129: EP5. The Finishing Touch 19 by Indra Translations.

The humans appearing in the recording began fighting against an innumerable number of Sentinel Walkers.

Even her pupils began trembling rapidly.

Shortly afterward.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 129: EP5. The Finishing Touch 19 by Indra Translations.

Since the recording had no sound, the images might have seemed somewhat monotonous.

However, Velma remained staring at them intently for a long while. Indra Translations protects the hard work of translators and authors.

— Crackle.

But that did not last much longer either.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 129: EP5. The Finishing Touch 19 by Indra Translations.

The man brought his face closer to Velma’s while grinning from ear to ear, as though it brought him immense joy.

“Ascending to the upper levels and blowing up the main energy core? armor That was already attempted once in the past. adapt However, it ended in failure.”

The screen went completely black and reflected Velma’s face, filled with shock.

The recording abruptly cut off without warning.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 129: EP5. The Finishing Touch 19 by Indra Translations.

“Do you understand now, human? autumn You are going to fail.”

“However, I am merciful. antique I shall grant you a special opportunity. adopt Divert the moving platform toward the waste processing plant in the east instead of taking it to the highest level. arcade If you do, I shall spare your life and the lives of those who follow you.”

His voice seemed to slither like a snake’s tongue.

His eyes gleamed like those of a snake.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 129: EP5. The Finishing Touch 19 by Indra Translations.

It was an offer that, at first glance, seemed impossible to refuse.

Only then did Velma slowly turn her head.

A bargain in exchange for their lives.

She looked away from the screen and toward the man.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 129: EP5. The Finishing Touch 19 by Indra Translations.

“Pfft.”

A laugh escaped her.

And when her eyes met those vertically elongated pupils.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 129: EP5. The Finishing Touch 19 by Indra Translations.

“Hahahaha, ahahahahaha!”

Velma’s shoulders began shaking.

A laugh that gradually grew louder.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 129: EP5. The Finishing Touch 19 by Indra Translations.

She even ended up crying with laughter.

“What do you find so amusing?”

And the longer her laughter continued, the more the man’s expression hardened.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 129: EP5. The Finishing Touch 19 by Indra Translations.

“I was quite intrigued, wondering what sort of revelation you were trying to make after creating such a mysterious atmosphere. ability But I never imagined it would turn out to be such a pathetic attempt to sow discord.”

“Ah, my apologies.”

Velma even removed her glasses and set them aside before wiping away the tears running down her cheeks.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 129: EP5. The Finishing Touch 19 by Indra Translations.

“There are many things I’d like to say to you, but I’ll start with this.”

“……What did you say?”

Velma gave him a broad smile.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 129: EP5. The Finishing Touch 19 by Indra Translations.

“You’re scared to death, aren’t you?”

Her eyes curved into the shape of two crescent moons.