NieR: Whirlpool

The loss of contact with 041 was like a huge rock pressing on 154's heart, making her breathless.

She opened the door,

She entered the room lightly, her movements more gently than usual.

As if afraid of disturbing something.

in the room,

153 quietly suspended in the air,

The lively light of the past has dimmed a lot now.

The fluctuations in the data flow also seemed a bit disordered, as if something was bothering her.

There was a hint of confusion and uneasiness in his eyes.

It keeps flickering, as if it's avoiding something.

"153, what's wrong with you?"

154 asked with concern, with a barely perceptible tremor in his voice.

153's body trembled slightly, as if awakened by 154's voice.

She turned around slowly.

Looking at 154, a trace of panic flashed in his eyes.

But she quickly covered it up.

"I...I'm fine."

153's voice was a little low, with a slight unnatural pause.

"According to my data analysis, your current state is not normal, your mood swings are abnormal, and the efficiency of your logic circuits has dropped by 7.32%."

042, who had been silent the whole time, suddenly spoke, his voice still that mechanical voice without any emotion.

But in this case, it seems particularly jarring.

"I think there may be something wrong with your circuit and it needs to be checked."

"Fault?"

153's eyes became even more flustered.

"No, I'm not malfunctioning, I just..."

"Let me see." 042 said.

Several data cables extended from the machine body and approached 153.

"Establish a data connection so I can help you with a full scan."

153 subconsciously wanted to dodge, but finally stopped.

Allow 042's data cable to connect to your body.

"I'll help too."

154 said, also extending the data cable and connecting it to 153's body.

She is worried about 041, and also 153.

At the moment when the three auxiliary machines established data connection,

154 I felt a blackness before my eyes.

A powerful suction force pulled her into an unknown space.

This is a void space.

All around was darkness,

There were only faint lights flickering in the distance, like distant stars.

154 tried to call 042, but there was no response.

She realized that she had lost contact with 042.

Even lost contact with everything in the outside world.

"Where is...where?"

154Muttered to himself, his heart full of doubt and anxiety.

"Welcome to my world, 153."

A gloomy voice suddenly sounded in the space, with a hint of teasing and madness.

154 looked up suddenly, and saw a huge black shadow slowly emerging in the darkness.

His body is composed of countless distorted data streams.

Constantly changing shape,

Like a demon from the abyss.

"So it's you, you bastard!"

154 exclaimed, she recognized this voice, this enemy they had been fighting.

"Oh? You still remember me?"

There was a hint of surprise in the shadow's voice.

"It's really rare. I thought you had forgotten about me, your old friend."

"What did you do with 153 and 042?"

154 asked sternly,

She suppressed the fear in her heart and tried to stay calm.

"Them? Oh, you mean those two little guys."

The shadow laughed strangely.

"Don't worry, they are fine for now. But...153...you will be in trouble!"

"What do you want to do?" 154 asked, feeling uneasy.

"What do I want to do? Hahahaha..."

The shadow's laughter echoed in the space, full of mockery and madness.

"Of course I want to... destroy everything! Destroy your hypocritical peace, destroy your ridiculous hopes, and let this world return to chaos!"

"Don't even think about it!"

"Don't even think about it? Just you?"

The shadow's voice was full of disdain.

"Do you think you are the omnipotent 154 in the real world? Don't forget, this is my domain. You are just an auxiliary machine, a poor creature trapped in my data space!"

"Poor creature? I think you are the poor creature!" 154 retorted.

"You hide in this dark corner, lingering like a rat, do you think you can defeat us like this? You are wrong! As long as we still have a glimmer of hope, we will never give up!"

"Hope? Hahahaha..." The shadow's laughter became even crazier.

"ridiculous!"

The shadow said,

The body begins to swell.

Countless data streams attacked 154 like tentacles, trying to devour her.

154 No fear,

She mobilized all her energy.

A battle with the shadow began...

result,

easy!

The shadow bound 154 tightly.

"Let me go! You...you..."

154 struggled desperately, but her strength seemed so small in front of the black shadow.

She tried to mobilize the energy in her body, but found that her energy circuit was blocked by a strange force!

"It's useless, 153."

The shadow's voice sounded in 154's mind, with a hint of pride and mockery.

"This is my territory, you are just ants!"

……

In the room, 21O pushed the door open and entered.

11S followed closely behind, chattering away without stopping.

And 21O is calm and composed.

11S saw the three auxiliary machines establish a connection.

"Auxiliary machines hold a meeting!"

He laughed and was about to leave.

Suddenly he noticed something was wrong with 154 and stopped where he was.

“11S, what’s wrong with you?”

21O was quick to notice 11S's abnormality and asked with concern.

"Shh..." 11S signaled 21O to be quiet.

His consciousness surged out like a tide.

It instantly connected to three nearby auxiliary machines - 153, 042, and... 154.

The data streams from the three auxiliary machines appeared clearly in 11S's consciousness, like three rushing rivers.

The data flow of 153 and 042 is smooth and orderly.

However, the data flow of 154 seemed abnormally disordered, as if it was disturbed by something.

From time to time, a dark undercurrent flashed by.

"There is indeed a problem!"

11S felt a chill in his heart.

He quickly focused his attention on 154's data stream, carefully analyzing the anomalies.

at the same time,

11S sent a brief but urgent message to 153 and 042 via the link:

"154 has been invaded by unknown data, I need your assistance!"

Almost at the same time,

153 and 042 responded.

"Got it!" This was 042's concise and firm answer.

"Understood!" 153's tone was solemn.