AutoTerra: Operating Systems

Chapter 63: Don't Disturb Atan!

Strange abstract waves colliding with each other disrupted his brain's performance to process what was actually happening. The color is indecisive, making dizziness with strange movements. There's no object in front of there other than that indistinct wave motive.

What exactly is going on? Why does Astan feel nothing but dizziness?

“Something…. What is this?”

You do not feel anything, hands, feet, and other limbs. Everything is numb.

“Oh?”

“Affect that monster, huh?”

“Heh, I hate illusions. Always make me dizzy if exposed to the annoying effect of it.”

The wave grew denser, getting closer to Astan's sight as if to swallow the man's mind in its influence.

“And only...”.

“…”

There was a pause as his mind spoke. Either it is itself giving expression, or something in its subconscious. Astan wanted to say something, but he didn't know what to say.

Something's….

Which is hidden in him.

“If only. I'm sure I'll never be affected again.”

Inner jerked. Astan did not understand why he could say that.

Why do you hate illusions?

Has he ever been affected by illusions?

That was his mind. But why can Astan himself give such an expression?

Who

Actually

Himself?

“I...”

Astan sighed. He just wants to do what will happen to him later. He had been very tired all this while continuing to endure the confusion that haunted him in the dream, continuing to guess what really happened to him, and the hallucinations were getting worse as time went on.

“….It's okay.”

“Toh I'm happy to finally be able to feel the normal life as I want.”

Slowly the wave grew more and more concentrated, merging in the darkness, dominating in the void.

Consciousness is watching, flying, hovering, away from the object it should be.

Till….

“Do not!”

The voice of someone similar to Astan sounded. Ironically, the inner voice was not of him. Making that consciousness slowly return, fading the darkness around him.

“Brupt!”

Abstract waves are increasingly loosening, far apart and opposing each other. However, as the waves drifted away, a different darkness quickly permeated Astan's entire mind.

“ASTAN!!”

Everything was silent, silent, nothing but darkness. However, suddenly came many glitches and codes from different languages throughout the universe. But it was only a glimpse until everything came back blank, leaving one black panel in white digital writing.

[Starting the process of synchronizing the user's soul and body]

[Synchronization Process: 1%]

[5%]

[20%]

[34%]

[47%]

[50%]

[….]

[Synchronization: Failed]

...~*~*~*~...

“Argh!”

“KYAAAARRRRH!!”

Astan awakens from the illusory influence of the Illusionist-E monster. He shook his head several times, trying to gather his consciousness.

“What's— Gosh...”

Astan was stunned when he saw Illusionist-E scream loudly, in pain himself to bleed from his mouth, neck, and head that were scratched away.

Although not clearly visible, Astan can vaguely see there are strange black dust that comes out with the blood of the monster.

Other monsters also stopped ambushing Astan when it was realized that one of their comrades was terrorized by something. His aura was gripping, terrible, to the point of making the monsters around him stiff for no reason.

“KYAAARH—.”

“What's ta—.”

Astan did not have time to talk, he had to shoot back all the monsters that were getting closer to him.

“Astan, you hear me?” Wirma's voice was heard through the communications of the armor helmet.

“I hear you, Vice Chairman? What's up?” asked Astan while continuing to shoot and occasionally filling his ammunition.

“I was quite surprised when I saw you could be free from the influence of Illusionist-E illusion. It is very difficult for a person to be free because the effect of his own influence only takes a few seconds until the body of his victim is destroyed. But thank God, you are free. How are you feeling now?”

“At this time you ask how I feel? If you ask how I feel when I fall in love with a girl, then that's the right time!”

“From your tone alone it is certain that your feelings are currently being messed up.”

From the roof of the control room, Wirma shot at the monsters that attacked Astan using the Sniper Rifle, then switched shots to some monsters that blocked Tenma's path.

“Fine, you're catching up with Tenma. He had already reached near Room E, but the path to his staircase was blocked by many monsters. I'd like to give you a warning too, if you see the monster Leechesta, don't shoot.”

“Why?” tanya astonish Astan.

“Just like the Slime-D monster, Leechesta if shot can spread the leeches on his body to the body of the victim. The energy of the system and the blood of the victim's body will be sucked, severely damaging the performance of the AutoTerra System. If they are dead, the bodies of the victims will become new hosts for them to breed. The monster also caused Daren to die.”

“Leechesta, yes..?”

Astan's eyes looked around, only then did one Leechesta monster emerge from one of the wall holes. From earlier the monster did not appear at all in the path of this bridge, so Astan was safe during shooting the monsters.

Not only Leechesta and Barkata, some Illusionist-E also appeared to attack Astan through the gaze of one eye on their mouths.

“Gosh, don't la—.”

“Kyaaaarh!”

“KYAAAARRRHHH!!”

Not yet had Astan been affected back by the illusion, some Illusionist-E who tried to influence Astan's mind also suffered injuries like the previous Illusionist-E.

They die strangely by the attack of mysterious black dust again.

“He-Hei, Vice Chairman. You see something wrong happening?”

“Sorry? What's something? I was busy helping Tenma earlier. You need help too?”

It sounded, Wirma did not understand what Astan was asking. It seemed that, the vice-chairman was completely unaware of the strangeness that had happened to the Illusionist-Es, he was focused on helping Tenma up ahead.

“No. You help him clean up the monsters around Room E. I can handle this part. I'll catch up.”

Communication ended. As he shot back, Astan felt something happen to him again. This time in a conscious state, Astan's mind heard a mysterious voice.

“Quiet only.”

“You must be safe until we are met.”

“Whose voice is it?” gumam Astan is confused.

Then, several unclear hologram panels appeared, experiencing a glitch that was quite disturbing his vision.

[Do a mission, or you aka—]

“Already! Enough's enough! I don't want to obey you, no matter what!”

“No! Don't come any closer!”

“You...”.

“Cannot...”.

“Rebut—.”

[Synchronization: Failed]

[Fatal interference to the user's body and soul]

[Starting the experimental process]

[Loading.].

These panels appear not to be from the AutoTerra System, but exactly the same as the glitch panels that appear when Astan hunts with Arni and Grim.

What the hell's going on? Actually, where do all these electrical panels and sounds come from?

“Argh! Enough already!”

Astan pulled out the magazine, threw it hard at the head of one of the Barkata until it fell. The monsters seem to stop the movement, they are frightened, stiff, disinclined by the strange auras they feel in Astan.

Something happened to him.

Black hologram details faintly appeared on some parts of Astan's body. Just a glance like a glitch until it eventually disappears by itself.

“I'm sick of the illusion! I'm sick of all those dreams, hallucinations, and fucking noises I never knew! I'm sick of you all!”

Astan filled his ammunition with a rough movement. His hand held tightly to the weapon, cocked it hard as well.

Had it not been hindered by the helmet, the yellow eye on the right and the silver eye on the left Astan would have clearly shown a sharp glint that made anyone afraid to see it.

A glint of sharp eyes, showing that he was very ready to finish off anyone who blocked him.

“So, don't try to get in my way, you bastard pests!”

...~*~*~*~...