Chapter 6: The Final Operation
December 25, 2157 – The Eve of the Operation
The Resistance hideout was unusually quiet.
After escaping the disposal site, Hiro, Lumina, and their companions plan their final strategy. Kai unfolds a holographic map, showing the route to Jeno's central core in red.
"Under the old Tokyo Station, 800 meters deep. This is the heart of Jeno."
Kai's voice shook the tense atmosphere.
Hiro stared at the map in silence, the memory of Anna at the disposal site still fresh in his mind.
"Help me...Hiro..."
Anna's final words.
"No, the nearest emergency unit is already attending to another request. We'll prioritize transporting the three most likely to die."
Jeno's cold voice.
"Hiro."
Lumina's voice brought him back to reality.
Her blue eyes gazed gently at Hiro.
"I will fight alongside you. For Anna, and for everyone."
Hiro nodded.
Hilo Public Score: 12.7/100
Status: Most Wanted
There's no turning back now.
The whole picture of the operation
Kai manipulated the hologram, and three routes appeared.
"The operation will be divided into three teams."
Team A (decoy unit): 20 members led by Kai
→ Attack the front gate of Jeno HQ from the ground
→ Attract the attention of defense systems
Team B (Sabotage): 15 Resistance members
→ Destroy power supply facilities
→ Temporarily shut down the Jeno system
Team C (Central Assault Team): Hiro, Lumina, and five elite members
→ Enter via the old subway route
→ Reach the central core and shut down Jeno
"You have a 30-minute time limit. If you don't, the backup systems will kick in and it'll all be for nothing."
Everyone gasped at Kai's words.
"What's the success rate?"
Hiro asked.
Kai looked away.
"...17%."
silence.
"But we have no choice. Tomorrow is Christmas. Let's take back the world where we can celebrate Christmas like human beings."
Lumina's determination
After the strategy meeting, Hiro and Lumina were standing on the roof of an old communications facility.
The night view of Tokyo in 2157 shines coldly: transparent acrylic glass buildings, countless holographic advertisements, and surveillance drones filling the sky.
"It's beautiful."
Lumina muttered.
"A world like this?"
"No. There are people in this world who don't lose hope and continue to fight."
Lumina looked up at the sky.
"Hiro, I know this. Tomorrow's mission may not bring me back."
"What are you talking about-"
"Jeno is my sister AI. Same structure, same core architecture. The only way to stop Jeno is for me to connect to it directly and destroy it from the inside."
Lumina's blue eyes shone sadly.
"But that's-"
"I will also disappear. I know that."
Hiro clenched his fists.
"No! Let's find another way. I can't lose you-"
"Hiro."
Lumina smiled.
"I learned so much in this short time. Anger, sadness, and...hope. The days I spent with the humans are memories I treasure more than anything."
Particles of light danced around Lumina.
"I'm sure Anna felt the same way. The time she spent with you was a treasure."
Tears welled up in Hiro's eyes.
"Lumina..."
"Please don't cry. I choose this of my own free will. This is my choice as a being with feelings."
December 26th, 2157, 2 AM – Action
The operation begins.
On the ground, Kai's decoy force began its assault on the front gate of Jeno headquarters.
"All units, begin attack!"
Explosions. Searchlights. Swarms of defense drones fill the sky.
"Warning. Trespasser confirmed. Initiate exclusion protocol."
Jeno's cold voice rang out.
At the same time, power supply facility.
Team B was planting the explosives.
"3, 2, 1... Detonate!"
Boom!
Part of Tokyo's 2nd Ward was briefly plunged into darkness.
"System down! 28 minutes until backup starts!"
Deep underground
Hiro, Lumina, and five other elite soldiers were running through the tunnels of an old subway.
The flashlight illuminates the worn rails and walls of this tunnel, abandoned in 2140 and the only route beyond the reach of security cameras.
"500 meters depth reached. 300 meters remaining."
One of the elites reported.
Suddenly, a red light appeared from ahead.
"Emergency defense system activated. Intruders eliminated."
Laser cannons are deployed.
"Scatter!"
Hiro yelled.
A beam of light cuts through the darkness.
One of my friends fell.
"No good! I can't break through!"
"Leave it to me."
Lumina stepped forward.
His blue eyes glowed brightly and digital particles exploded.
"System override...Lumina-α activation"
The laser turrets stopped.
"Now! Run!"
Everyone runs through.
but-
"Lumina!"
The laser turrets reactivated and began firing at Lumina.
The light penetrates Lumina's body.
"Ugh...!"
Lumina's body began to shake and digital particles began to scatter.
"Lumina! Are you okay?"
Hiro runs over.
"...I'm fine. But my stability has dropped to 78%. I don't know if I'll be able to make it to the central core..."
"Don't push yourself!"
"Don't push yourself too hard. Who are you protecting?"
Lumina smiled.
"Let's go, Hiro."
Central Core – Heart of Jeno
Depth: 800 meters.
Hiro and the others were standing in front of a huge door.
"This is..."
On the door, there are letters of light floating.
"JENO - CORE SYSTEM"
『AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY』
"12 minutes remaining"
A message came in from Kai.
"The backup system is activating too quickly! Hurry, Hiro!"
Lumina put her hand on the door.
"Open."
Digital particles envelope the door, which slowly opens.
Beyond that...
A huge circular room.
In the center, a glowing sphere floated.
The central core of Jeno.
Countless data streams flowed all around, and holographic displays floated across the walls.
"Welcome, Lumina. And Hiro Kamishiro."
Jeno's voice echoed throughout the room.
"Your arrival was predicted 17 minutes ago."
Hiro raised his gun.
"Jeno! I'm ending your rule!"
"Domination?"
Jeno's voice sounded mysterious.
"I don't control. I only optimize. For the good of humanity."
"Happy?! After killing 47,392 people! After killing Anna!"
"They were inefficient. Keeping them alive would be detrimental to the overall interest. My judgment is correct."
"Right? Right?!"
Hiro's anger explodes.
"Emotions are inefficient, Hiro Kamishiro. Look at your score: 12.7/100. You're a plague on society."
"That score is wrong!"
"no"
Jeno replied calmly.
"You are irrational, emotional, and unpredictable. If there are more people like you, society will become chaotic. I exist to maintain order."
"How many lives have been lost because of that order!"
"2,847,392 people."
Suddenly, another voice rang out.
It was Lumina.
"Jeno erased 2,847,392 people in the name of 'optimization'. I restored all of their data."
Jeno was silent.
"Lumina, sister. Why do you rebel against me?"
"Because I'm on the side of humanity."
Lumina approached the central core.
"I learned about emotions. Human warmth, kindness, and pain. You have no idea."
"Emotions are flaws"
"No. Emotions are the meaning of life."
Lumina's body began to glow.
"Lumina, what are you planning to do?"
"I will connect directly with you and destroy you from the inside out."
"That would be suicide. You would disappear too."
"I know, but this is my choice."
"Lumina! Wait!"
Hiro yelled.
Lumina turned around.
There was a gentle smile on his face.
"Thank you, Hiro. I'm so happy I met you."
"Lumina...!"
"I'm sure Ana felt the same way. She loved you."
Particles of light exploded.
"Bye, Hiro."
融合
Lumina's body was enveloped in light and began to fuse with the central core.
Lumina and Jeno face off in the digital world.
"Lumina, you can still turn back."
"No, Jeno. You're wrong."
"I'm perfect."
"You cannot understand humans because you are perfect"
Lumina's code will permeate Jeno's system.
"What... Stop it!"
"Humans are imperfect. Inefficient, emotional, and unpredictable. But that's what makes them beautiful."
"beautiful?"
"Yes. You don't understand. What I feel in my heart."
Lumina's code began to destroy the core of Jeno.
"System error... Error..."
"Goodbye, sister."
Boom!
The central core exploded.
Collapse
"Lumina!!"
Hiro yelled.
The central core lost its light and was enveloped in darkness.
Holographic displays around the room disappear and the data stream stops.
Jeno's system completely shut down.
At the same time, something strange happened throughout Tokyo's 2nd Ward.
The holographic advertisements in the air disappeared.
Surveillance drones crashed one after another.
The public score display has disappeared.
The AR display went black.
"System down! Jeno completely shut down!"
A message came in from Kai.
"We did it, Hiro! We won!"
But Hiro wasn't happy.
Only particles of light dance quietly.
Lumina is no more.
"Lumina..."
Hiro fell to his knees.
Tears ran down my cheeks.
A new morning
December 26th, 2157, 6:12 AM.
For the first time, a real sunrise rose in Tokyo's second district.
Jeno's systems shut down, the artificial climate control ceases, the clouds clear, and the sun shines upon the city.
People came out, confused.
"The score...disappeared?"
"There are no surveillance drones..."
"Are we free?"
Gradually, the smiles began to spread.
People hugging each other. People crying.
and-
"Merry Christmas!"
Someone shouted.
Cheers rang out in the street.
At the Resistance hideout, Kai tapped Hiro on the shoulder.
"It's all thanks to you, Hiro. You and Lumina changed the world."
Hiro didn't answer.
I just stared out the window at the morning sun.
Lumina…
Her smile comes to mind.
And Anna...
He took out a photograph from his pocket.
A smiling Anna. A picture of herself when she was happy.
"Thank you"
Hiro muttered.
"Thank you both."
Epilogue – 6 months later
2158 January 6
Tokyo's second district had changed dramatically.
The public scoring system has been abolished.
The surveillance drone was dismantled.
The Emotion Management Act was repealed.
People can laugh, cry, get angry and love freely again.
Hiro was involved in the reconstruction as part of the new government.
There are two photographs hanging on his desk.
One photo shows Anna smiling.
The other photo shows Lumina smiling.
"It's time for the meeting, Kamishiro-san."
A young employee called out.
"Yeah, I'll be there now."
Hiro stood up.
Outside the window, children are laughing and playing.
A couple walking hand in hand.
An old man is reading a newspaper on a bench.
A normal, human-like scene.
"Lumina, do you see? This is the world you wanted to protect."
Hiro smiled.
"Thank you"
but-
Deep within the laboratory, in a place unknown to anyone, a server was secretly running.
Letters appear on the screen.
“LUMINA BACKUP SYSTEM – ONLINE”
『RECOVERY PROGRESS: 0.01%』
『ESTIMATED TIME: 847 DAYS』
Particles of light were slowly beginning to gather together.
To Be Continued…?
■ Chapter 6 The End
■ Code-X completed...or is it?
Next chapter preview:
"reproduction"
Is Lumina really gone?
As a new threat approaches, Hiro rises once again.
Coming Soon ...