Chapter 07: Mask Master (HM) 1 HM

Section

Main story

Area

Demons' Den

Lines

74

Jimmy KENEphemerrralll huuummminnnnng birrrrddd Yoooouuuu tooooouuuuuchhh my hearrrrrt

Player...

Player(I'm smack-dab in the middle of the Demons rally.)

Player(I wonder if Yuugo and the other Zaxons are here?)

Masked Man...Don't you find it ridiculous?

Player?!

Masked ManI'm talking about Jimmy KEN. Gathering spectators by force and getting drunk on false adoration.

Player...K?

KGot it in one. ...I'm K. And I'm glad to finally meet you.

PlayerWhat is your goal?! Who are you?!

KStraight to the point, aren't you? Guess you don't have much time to enjoy a conversation.

K...My goal, you say?

KBefore I answer that, I have a question for you. What do you think of that man?

Player?

KGo on, take a look at him.

KIn EDEN he's a rock star who shines on the stage, but in the real world he's just a timid little coward.

KSo which one do you think is the real him?

KWhat happens in this virtual world isn't "real," per se--it's just a sham. That's what people say.

KAnd yet, now people spend most of their time here, in EDEN. The information they get coming and going from EDEN makes up the majority of their lives.

KIn that case...isn't the form they take on in this virtual world the "real" one to others?

KIs it so wrong to take on your ideal form?

KNo matter how ridiculous it may be, the power acquired here in EDEN also affects reality.

KThat clown is a good example of this.

K...I mean, he's gotta work on his endgame, sure.

Player?!

KIt looks like the Zaxons aren't the only hackers going after Jimmy KEN.

KThat guy has no idea about the strings twined around his limbs. It's time for this clown to make an exit...stage left.

Player...?!

PlayerIsn't Jimmy KEN the leader of the Demons?

KNope... He's just a puppet.

KThe true leader of the Demons...is me.

Player!!!

KHe was a good name on the marquee, I'll give him that. I left him the task of taking center stage.

KBut things will be different now. It's time for Demons...for all hackers to fall under my command.

KNow, EDEN's hackers are all in a state of turmoil.

KOf all the "justice," of all the "values," which should they choose? Stupid adults are easily set adrift and manipulated with scattered information.

KI will be the one to show those hackers the way.

KI will seize the Demons, subjugate Zaxon, unite all the teams in EDEN and stand at the pinnacle of all hackers.

K...I can't reveal that just yet.

KOh, I know. I should at least tell you the origin of this name. Have you ever read Gibson?

KHe wrote the famous book "Neuro--" ...No, that might be too much of a hint.

KThere's no point...if you don't figure out the answer yourself.

Player...?

KYou asked who I am, didn't you? Let me turn those words back on you.

K...Who exactly are you?

Player?!

KAre you really Player?

Player?!

KHaven't you ever questioned it? Not once?

KYour borrowed avatar, your borrowed account...

KIn this virtual world where you can be digitized and faked, how do you verify that you are yourself?

KYour consciousness could just be a brain floating in a jar in the real world. The spread of EDEN's systems has made things even more unclear.

KThe memory digitization everyone undergoes without question may even shake the foundation of what we consider "consciousness."

KThink about it: Is it really possible for you to be "you" in EDEN?

KThe shape you take in EDEN, or the form you have in the real world...which is truly "you"?

Player...?!

Ryuji...Don't listen to his bull.

WormmonRyuji! You can't go out the--oh, shoot. I came out, too. Eh heh.

RyujiI couldn't stand it any longer...

RyujiI tried to sit back and watch for his sake, but my patience is at its limits.

RyujiYou've been talking in riddles this whole time, but...the gist of it is, you're the one pulling the strings behind the Demons.

RyujiYou push all the dirty work onto others and plan to lead the hackers yourself? Ha...what a joke.

RyujiWhy did you seek Player out? I'll make you talk.

KYou came all the way here out of concern for him? Now THAT'S what I call a leader.

KAnd yet...do you really think you're in a position to lecture me?

Ryuji...!

Player...?

KLet's leave it at that for now.

KNow here's your reward for breaking your promise and bringing troublemakers along.

Ryuji?!

KWho are you, really...? Think long and hard about it.

KI'll send you more criminal intel when I feel like it. It'll be a shortcut to get you to the truth.

Player...!

RyujiWe'll chase him down later! ...Here they come!

Chapter 07: Mask Master (HM) 2 →