“Heh…… So this is the «Fourth Generation FullDive Experimental Machine».”
I muttered while looking up at the huge enshrined hexahedron in front of me.
The bare aluminum surface was shining dully, with growling sounds from several of the large cooling fans that were lined up . One side of it was linked to the gel bed, the headrest was covered by a protruding crude helmet-based interface.
“So huge, weren’t the machines used in the early days of the amusement parks smaller than this, Higa-san?”
I turned around and said to the man at the control console. The operator raised his face, shrugged and replied,
“Even so, Kirigaya-kun, this is already compact compared to the original estimate. Besides, the specs of the first generation at the olden days’ game centers weren’t much different from Mega Drive or Dream Cast.”
“……I never saw either of the real machines though……”
“Well, then let’s have life songs! This time at my apartment, it’ll be a strictly reggae camp……”
And the man who blurted out strange things was —— Higa Takeru, the researcher responsible for the development of the world’s state-of-the-art VR machine. Looking at him from the outside, it would be hard to believe, as his hairstyle stuck out thinly like a pin holder, he wore big rounded glasses, and his T-shirt had a game character printed on it. It would be hundred times more matching for him to be in the vicinity of the shops in Akihabara than this gloomy hi-tech room.
But even though I say that, I was still in uniform after school time too.
Why was I —— Kirigaya Kazuto, here at the harbor ward in Roppongi, in the laboratory of a certain venture company? The reason was simple, it was just a part-time job.
From the first-generation of the large scale amusement machine, to the second generation NerveGear or AmuSphere, then to the third generation medical equipment, the FullDive machines have evolved. Of course, anyone can use it, but there were some with a certain degree of adaptability. That is, their brains could connect to the machine with a high efficiency rate. And in addition to the innate aptitude, the experience could be improved during a long Dive.
Then in Japan, no, the entire world, the group of people who held the longest Dive time was without a doubt, the «Survivors» from «SAO incident» which concluded one and a half years ago.
This fourth generation machine has been developed under the leadership of Higa Takeru, the level of connection precision was overwhelming compared to the machines up until now. That high specs led to the unexpected problem. Because the amount of information that had to be exchanged with the brain was too great, even with all the staff including Higa-san himself, they were unable to collect data from the test Dive to a satisfactory level due to the «VR Sickness» —— was what he said.
At that point, Higa-san used a certain connection to request one of the «Survivors», me, to be a test Diver as a part-time job, I came here to Roppongi after I confirmed the daily wages, and that was it.
“——Anyway, I am to FullDive with this, then once in there I just move here and there, right?”
I asked for affirmation while stroking the chilled aluminum exterior, Higa-san nodded in consent.
“Oh, I need to warn you that I can see the graphics inside just as you do, like a voyeur. As I’m still developing the mechanism to adjust the connection depth in accordance to a Diver’s ability, someone has to dive, or else I can’t get the data, hahaha.”
“…………Well, because I get paid, doing anything is fine……but before that, I need affirmation for one thing please.”
I glanced at the strong headgear interface and continued,
“Erm, there won’t be any danger during the Dive…… Is that right?”
“Of course of course of course!”
Higa-san nodded deeply after saying that three times.
“Kirigaya-kun is an SAO survivor, I understand your feelings. It’s alright, danger from the machine developed by me, there’s only a little!”
“Is that so, I’m relieved to hear tha…”
Swallowing the words I was about to say, I looked at Higa-san again.
“……«there’s only a little»?”
“Nonono, It’s alright It’s alright It’s alright!”
After saying that three times each, Higa-san continued in a rapid whisper.
“……Just that, if the power dropped during the Dive, then ‘that’ for a moment……”
“What is ‘that’……?”
“Nono, no problem! We have two support power sources, and an emergency battery is already equipped too!”
“Please explain ‘that’ instead……”
“Nonono, no problem! There’s no real harm! It just, erm, a bit, how to say it……”
Higa-san rolled his eyes behind the rounded glasses while stepped closer, my glance was fixed on him.
“…………How to say it, well, it might appear, just that.”
“…………What will appear?”
“Hahaha, it’s not good Kirigaya-kun. There are things we must not talk about, like bonuses or toilets. In a place like this, the thing that will appear is of course ‘that’, hahaha.”
After saying that, Higa-san hung both hands loosely in front of his chest. That behavior finally let my brain realize what ‘that’ means.
“Hah……? G..Ghost……?”
What is this person saying?, I thought while still staring at Higa-san, who shook his head again and said,
“It’s real, very real, Kirigaya-kun! I actually saw it! ……Well, as you can see, this experimental unit is still the only machine in the world, so there is only a single person during the Dive. But…… the staff saw a silhouette of a person on the grass many times during the test field dive.”
Higa-san said with an expression that should have the thin vertical lines over his forehead if this was a manga.
I had a serious look for a moment, then it was replaced by a bitter smile. I shrugged my shoulders.
“It must be because of the VR sickness, probably the illusions from light effect? Or it could be a bug in the shader program.”
“No―! There is no way such a bug could appear in the program this genius Higa had participated in creating!”
For some reason, his tone suddenly changed to be like a foreigner’s, but I ignored it and moved my shoulders again.
“Still, the ghost didn’t even come out to this room…… About ghosts appearing in the VR world, while in Aincrad when I heard rumors and went to check, it was just an NPC anyway.”
That of course, was about the existence of the top-down AI «Yui» who was my and Asuna’s «Daughter». She would get angry if I tell her that I was searching for a ghost at first.
“……In other words, everything seen in the other side is all digital code, the existence must be written somewhere in the memory address. By examining the log of the corresponding test Diving time, you can see what the Diver saw……”
After I said that, Higa-san made a pointed mouth like a child.
“Of course I checked it, but there was nothing in the log. Which means, it was certainly not an object from the main program of the experimental machine. Then it was really a ghost, or……”
“……Or?”
“………..Err, this talk is at the level Kirigaya-kun is not supposed to know, so don’t let anyone know you heard it, alright?”
With a strict preface, Higa-san continued,
“At the heart of this experimental machine is «Quantum Operation Circuit», the so-called quantum computer.”
“……That was also Higa-san’s creation?”
“Oh yea, was what I wanted to say, but its basic foundation was actually what Kayaba-senpai left behind. Well anyway, it is possible that the quantum computer could interfere with a parallel world , well…… the Sci-Fi world.”
“…………That..is really true?”
The tone in my question had changed, Higa-san, half agreeing and half disagreeing, shook his head.
“I hope I know that for certain too, but if it’s true, then it would explain the ghost phenomenon. That is, this experimental machine, for some reason……, interfered with the same kind of the machine in the past or the future from a different time flow, then it could be possible to see the shadow of another Diver……”
“…………Somehow this is very different from a real ghost, isn’t it”
I shrugged my shoulder again, then glanced at the clock at the wall.
“Appearing or not, we will only know during the Dive anyway. ……Today my little sister will make something, I will be in trouble if I came back after dinner time. So let’s start……”
“Heh, Kirigaya-kun has little sisters!? How many!?”
Higa-san’s reaction made me feel a strange sense of déjà vu, I ignored the question and sat on the bed of the experimental machine. I lay my body to fit its recesses then slid my head inside the headgear.
“OK, I’m ready.”
I said to Higa-san, whose face still showed lingering disappointment. Closing my eyes, the sound of a motor could be heard, the final explanation reached my ears,
“……Then, commencing connection. Avatar will be Kirigaya-kun’s «Self-image» that is automatically generated, so it won’t cause discomfort.”
“Understood.”
I raised my left thumb in response. At the same time, a low growl could be heard from the back of the experimental machine.
* * *
————Again.
Feeling strange fluctuations in his field of vision, Arita Haruyuki narrowed the eyes of his pink pig avatar.
«Burst Link» command allows one to enter the world dyed in transparent blue, the basic accelerated space «Blue World».
Equipped in Haruyuki’s neck was the quantum communication device «Neuro Linker». And installed even deeper inside was the mystery application «Brain Burst». When FullDiving in this transparent blue field, the BB program accelerates Haruyuki’s command reactions one thousand fold.
The basic accelerated space was for searching the matching list to find opponents, or to start external applications to do various work, the reason for Haruyuki being «Accelerated» was for the latter. That was —— for the submission of today’s homework, to be more precise, the postponed time left was fifteen real life minutes. The Japanese history class during the fifth period had
“Heh…… So this is the «Fourth Generation FullDive Experimental Machine».”
I muttered while looking up at the huge enshrined hexahedron in front of me.
The bare aluminum surface was shining dully, with growling sounds from several of the large cooling fans that were lined up . One side of it was linked to the gel bed, the headrest was covered by a protruding crude helmet-based interface.
“So huge, weren’t the machines used in the early days of the amusement parks smaller than this, Higa-san?”
I turned around and said to the man at the control console. The operator raised his face, shrugged and replied,
“Even so, Kirigaya-kun, this is already compact compared to the original estimate. Besides, the specs of the first generation at the olden days’ game centers weren’t much different from Mega Drive or Dream Cast.”
“……I never saw either of the real machines though……”
“Well, then let’s have life songs! This time at my apartment, it’ll be a strictly reggae camp……”
And the man who blurted out strange things was —— Higa Takeru, the researcher responsible for the development of the world’s state-of-the-art VR machine. Looking at him from the outside, it would be hard to believe, as his hairstyle stuck out thinly like a pin holder, he wore big rounded glasses, and his T-shirt had a game character printed on it. It would be hundred times more matching for him to be in the vicinity of the shops in Akihabara than this gloomy hi-tech room.
But even though I say that, I was still in uniform after school time too.
Why was I —— Kirigaya Kazuto, here at the harbor ward in Roppongi, in the laboratory of a certain venture company? The reason was simple, it was just a part-time job.
From the first-generation of the large scale amusement machine, to the second generation NerveGear or AmuSphere, then to the third generation medical equipment, the FullDive machines have evolved. Of course, anyone can use it, but there were some with a certain degree of adaptability. That is, their brains could connect to the machine with a high efficiency rate. And in addition to the innate aptitude, the experience could be improved during a long Dive.
Then in Japan, no, the entire world, the group of people who held the longest Dive time was without a doubt, the «Survivors» from «SAO incident» which concluded one and a half years ago.
This fourth generation machine has been developed under the leadership of Higa Takeru, the level of connection precision was overwhelming compared to the machines up until now. That high specs led to the unexpected problem. Because the amount of information that had to be exchanged with the brain was too great, even with all the staff including Higa-san himself, they were unable to collect data from the test Dive to a satisfactory level due to the «VR Sickness» —— was what he said.
At that point, Higa-san used a certain connection to request one of the «Survivors», me, to be a test Diver as a part-time job, I came here to Roppongi after I confirmed the daily wages, and that was it.
“——Anyway, I am to FullDive with this, then once in there I just move here and there, right?”
I asked for affirmation while stroking the chilled aluminum exterior, Higa-san nodded in consent.
“Oh, I need to warn you that I can see the graphics inside just as you do, like a voyeur. As I’m still developing the mechanism to adjust the connection depth in accordance to a Diver’s ability, someone has to dive, or else I can’t get the data, hahaha.”
“…………Well, because I get paid, doing anything is fine……but before that, I need affirmation for one thing please.”
I glanced at the strong headgear interface and continued,
“Erm, there won’t be any danger during the Dive…… Is that right?”
“Of course of course of course!”
Higa-san nodded deeply after saying that three times.
“Kirigaya-kun is an SAO survivor, I understand your feelings. It’s alright, danger from the machine developed by me, there’s only a little!”
“Is that so, I’m relieved to hear tha…”
Swallowing the words I was about to say, I looked at Higa-san again.
“……«there’s only a little»?”
“Nonono, It’s alright It’s alright It’s alright!”
After saying that three times each, Higa-san continued in a rapid whisper.
“……Just that, if the power dropped during the Dive, then ‘that’ for a moment……”
“What is ‘that’……?”
“Nono, no problem! We have two support power sources, and an emergency battery is already equipped too!”
“Please explain ‘that’ instead……”
“Nonono, no problem! There’s no real harm! It just, erm, a bit, how to say it……”
Higa-san rolled his eyes behind the rounded glasses while stepped closer, my glance was fixed on him.
“…………How to say it, well, it might appear, just that.”
“…………What will appear?”
“Hahaha, it’s not good Kirigaya-kun. There are things we must not talk about, like bonuses or toilets. In a place like this, the thing that will appear is of course ‘that’, hahaha.”
After saying that, Higa-san hung both hands loosely in front of his chest. That behavior finally let my brain realize what ‘that’ means.
“Hah……? G..Ghost……?”
What is this person saying?, I thought while still staring at Higa-san, who shook his head again and said,
“It’s real, very real, Kirigaya-kun! I actually saw it! ……Well, as you can see, this experimental unit is still the only machine in the world, so there is only a single person during the Dive. But…… the staff saw a silhouette of a person on the grass many times during the test field dive.”
Higa-san said with an expression that should have the thin vertical lines over his forehead if this was a manga.
I had a serious look for a moment, then it was replaced by a bitter smile. I shrugged my shoulders.
“It must be because of the VR sickness, probably the illusions from light effect? Or it could be a bug in the shader program.”
“No―! There is no way such a bug could appear in the program this genius Higa had participated in creating!”
For some reason, his tone suddenly changed to be like a foreigner’s, but I ignored it and moved my shoulders again.
“Still, the ghost didn’t even come out to this room…… About ghosts appearing in the VR world, while in Aincrad when I heard rumors and went to check, it was just an NPC anyway.”
That of course, was about the existence of the top-down AI «Yui» who was my and Asuna’s «Daughter». She would get angry if I tell her that I was searching for a ghost at first.
“……In other words, everything seen in the other side is all digital code, the existence must be written somewhere in the memory address. By examining the log of the corresponding test Diving time, you can see what the Diver saw……”
After I said that, Higa-san made a pointed mouth like a child.
“Of course I checked it, but there was nothing in the log. Which means, it was certainly not an object from the main program of the experimental machine. Then it was really a ghost, or……”
“……Or?”
“………..Err, this talk is at the level Kirigaya-kun is not supposed to know, so don’t let anyone know you heard it, alright?”
With a strict preface, Higa-san continued,
“At the heart of this experimental machine is «Quantum Operation Circuit», the so-called quantum computer.”
“……That was also Higa-san’s creation?”
“Oh yea, was what I wanted to say, but its basic foundation was actually what Kayaba-senpai left behind. Well anyway, it is possible that the quantum computer could interfere with a parallel world , well…… the Sci-Fi world.”
“…………That..is really true?”
The tone in my question had changed, Higa-san, half agreeing and half disagreeing, shook his head.
“I hope I know that for certain too, but if it’s true, then it would explain the ghost phenomenon. That is, this experimental machine, for some reason……, interfered with the same kind of the machine in the past or the future from a different time flow, then it could be possible to see the shadow of another Diver……”
“…………Somehow this is very different from a real ghost, isn’t it”
I shrugged my shoulder again, then glanced at the clock at the wall.
“Appearing or not, we will only know during the Dive anyway. ……Today my little sister will make something, I will be in trouble if I came back after dinner time. So let’s start……”
“Heh, Kirigaya-kun has little sisters!? How many!?”
Higa-san’s reaction made me feel a strange sense of déjà vu, I ignored the question and sat on the bed of the experimental machine. I lay my body to fit its recesses then slid my head inside the headgear.
“OK, I’m ready.”
I said to Higa-san, whose face still showed lingering disappointment. Closing my eyes, the sound of a motor could be heard, the final explanation reached my ears,
“……Then, commencing connection. Avatar will be Kirigaya-kun’s «Self-image» that is automatically generated, so it won’t cause discomfort.”
“Understood.”
I raised my left thumb in response. At the same time, a low growl could be heard from the back of the experimental machine.
* * *
————Again.
Feeling strange fluctuations in his field of vision, Arita Haruyuki narrowed the eyes of his pink pig avatar.
«Burst Link» command allows one to enter the world dyed in transparent blue, the basic accelerated space «Blue World».
Equipped in Haruyuki’s neck was the quantum communication device «Neuro Linker». And installed even deeper inside was the mystery application «Brain Burst». When FullDiving in this transparent blue field, the BB program accelerates Haruyuki’s command reactions one thousand fold.
The basic accelerated space was for searching the matching list to find opponents, or to start external applications to do various work, the reason for Haruyuki being «Accelerated» was for the latter. That was —— for the submission of today’s homework, to be more precise, the postponed time left was fifteen real life minutes. The Japanese history class during the fifth period had
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