On how PhDs become human evil

Turning her head to look at Bai Jie, Aiba Asagi placed her hand on Bai Jie's face: "Hey, Ashiya, I'm asking you something serious—"

"If you were to ask me if I've ever liked you, I could only answer NO." Bai Jie spoke first, "It's not that I hate you. I personally have a pretty good impression of you, but when it comes to romance, that's a different story. I don't have those kinds of feelings for you."

"So, it's fine to just be friends."

My friend, this is the biggest concession Bai Jie can make. Given his circumstances, he should at most be an observer, drifting on the edge of this world's vortex, observing its direction. That's what he should be doing. But Dan Kuroto has arbitrarily placed him in the center of the vortex.

This world is virtual. After four more months, when Bai Jie has fulfilled his one-year stay period, he will leave this world. This world will also undergo a major adjustment, no less than a reset, based on the data fed back to Dan Kuroto. At that time, the existence of Ashiya Doryu will completely disappear, and his relationship with Aiba Asagi and others will be completely erased.

If a relationship is destined to be erased, why bother establishing it in the first place?

Upon hearing Bai Jie's answer, Lan Yu Qiancong silently lowered her head, her hand sliding down to Bai Jie's collar, before she abruptly lowered her head again—

"Well?"

The touch on his lips made Bai Jie reflexively want to push Lan Yu Qiancong away, but Lan Yu Qiancong's hand was tightly gripping his collar, so Bai Jie was unable to push her away immediately.

The kiss didn't last long. Although Lan Yu Qian Cong usually acted like a gyaru (a Japanese term for a sexy woman), she was still quite reserved in this regard. After a light, fleeting kiss, Lan Yu Qian Cong looked at Bai Jie with teary eyes and said, "I don't want that. Just friends... I don't want that! I can't throw away my feelings for you!"

"Blue Feather..."

"Call me Asagi!" Aiba Asagi suddenly shouted, "Stop using such an unfamiliar way of addressing me, can't you just say my name once?"

Although they could be with Bai Jie every day and were inseparable friends, Lan Yuqian always felt that there was an unbridgeable gap between them and Bai Jie, as if Bai Jie was intentionally keeping his distance from them. The most obvious evidence was that Bai Jie had never properly called them by their names, and always only called them by their surnames.

"No matter what you say, my thoughts will not change."

Bai Jie's words were like a cold December wind blowing into Lan Yuqiancong's heart. The firmness in his words made Lan Yuqiancong feel dizzy—Bai Jie was still rejecting her.

"It's enough that we're just friends, and we'll only ever be friends. That's all, Asagi."

The change in address made Asagi Aoi shudder. She stood up from Bai Jie's bed, wiped away the tears in her eyes, and said with her back to Bai Jie, "I understand. See you tonight, Doryu."

----------------------

Thirty minutes after Aiba Asagi left, Himeragi Yukina appeared in Hakuge's room.

Looking at Bai Jie, who was still lying in bed, Himeragi Yukina sighed: "Senpai, it's time to get up and have lunch. You've been lying in bed until noon."

"Sorry, I was thinking about something for a moment, I'll get up right away."

"...Is it about Senior Lan Yu?"

Himeragi Yukina's words made Bai Jie pause for a moment, but the next second Bai Jie continued to put on his clothes as if nothing had happened: "Well, I guess so. There are a few other things too. A lot has happened recently."

"...Senior, is your opinion of me the same as Senior Lan Yu's?"

After a moment of silence, Himeragi Yukina mustered up her courage and asked Hakujie.

Bai Jie turned his head and saw Himeragi Yukina, wearing a kitchen apron, leaning against the door. Her face was unusually etched with worry, and her eyes had lost their usual sharpness, like a camera that had lost focus.

Why is everyone like this today? — This thought arose in Bai Jie's mind. He never expected that Dan Lidou's emotional program would be so effective, even to the point of leading to the current situation.

How long has it been since he was troubled by relationship problems?

"Ring ring!"

Just as Bai Jie was about to answer, the phone rang at an inopportune moment. In this apartment, only one person would call—Dan Lidou.

"I go..."

"Hime, you should rest for a while. You've been busy all morning. I'll go answer the phone."

After putting on a coat, Bai Jie left the room without waiting for Himeragi Yukina's reply and went to the entrance to pick up the constantly ringing telephone.

Section 389, Chapter 24: Going to great lengths for friends

"It's been a while since we last contacted each other, Doctor."

As soon as the call connected, Bai Jie caught Dan Lidou's voice. Leaning against the wall, Bai Jie said with a hint of dissatisfaction, "It's been a while, hasn't it? Are you enjoying watching the show from the outside world?"

Everything that happens in this virtual world is a live drama for Dan Kuroto. Even now, while he's having a fairy tale with Bai Jie, Dan Kuroto is observing everything in this world. To this world, Dan Kuroto is a true god.

Sensing the sarcasm in Bai Jie's words, Dan Lidou responded with a wry smile: "This is not something I manipulated, Doctor. This is the result of the program developing Ali on its own. So far, my only interference in this virtual world has been loading programs. Apart from that, all I've done is observe, just like you did before."

Dan Kuroto was undoubtedly referring to the time when Bai Jie was still a Kamen Rider. He only acted as a Kamen Rider for the first two years. After that, he watched the actions and growth of his juniors as a senior and an observer, only intervening when absolutely necessary.

Dan Kuroto's attitude toward this world is the same as Bai Jie's back then. He does nothing except load the program, letting the virtual world run on its own.

"You mean I brought this situation upon myself?"

"Theoretically speaking, that's correct."

Bai Jie felt like the world was really playing a joke on him. You're telling me that this situation, similar to those in light novels about factional strife, was something he created himself? When did Bai Jie become that kind of lovable, gentle protagonist?

"Haa...."

With a long sigh, Bai Jie leaned against the wall, feeling utterly exhausted.

"So why did you call me? It's not like you came to comfort me because you saw I was in trouble."

“While that’s part of the reason, there’s something else I need to tell you.” Dan Kuroto paused. “However, the person who needs to tell you this isn’t me, but someone else. I’ll leave the rest to you, Dr. Kal’tsit.”

The name that came out of Dan Kuroto's mouth was Bai Jie's wife's name, and the next moment Bai Jie heard Kal'tsit's voice.

"Can you hear me, Bai Jie?"

"What's wrong, Kal'tsit? Did something happen at home?"

Kal'tsit is a very cautious person and can handle most things on her own. Since she called Bai Jie, it means that there is something at home that she cannot solve by herself.

“There are things, but they are still within my control, so you don’t need to worry about them. It’s just that Cecilia and the others are a little worried because you haven’t been home for so long, so they asked me to come and check on you.”

"Really... I'm sorry, I came here without discussing it with you."

“It’s alright, it’s your choice, and as your wives, we naturally have no reason to object.” Kal’tsit paused here, “But there’s something I need to tell you. Talulah seems to be quite interested in this virtual world, and she’s started using full stealth now.”

“…Huh?” Bai Jie was stunned. “You mean…Talulah has come to my world too?”

"Yes."

Gan!

Bai Jie had only one thought in his mind: Why did Talulah come too?

Among Bai Jie's wives, Skadi is the strongest. Like Chen, she follows a pure power path and has reached the so-called level of "one force can break all laws". If she were in the world of High School DxD, Shiva's position as the world's second strongest would definitely change hands.

While Talulah's strength is not as great as Skadi's, her abilities are the most ruthless. The power of the King of Calamity allows her to go further down the path of destruction than Bai Jie. Although Bai Jie also started down that path, he has already transformed halfway through into a magician who has exhausted the limits of magic. Talulah, on the other hand, has truly gone all the way down that path.

If Talulah were to come to this world, who knows what kind of damage her uncontrollable destructive aura would cause! If she couldn't control it, this world would be doomed!

Rubbing his aching temples, Bai Jie spoke into the microphone, "Kal'tsit, can you confirm Talulah's situation in this world? I'll go and bring her back right away."

“I know what you’re worried about. Don’t worry, she entered that world through an NPC character designed by Dan Kuroto, just like you. The NPC character’s name is [La Furia Livahain], and her identity is that of a princess.”

Is it possible to enter this world using a character from within a program?!

However, now that we know Talulah's identity in this world, dealing with her will be much simpler. Judging from her name, she should be from Europe. Asking Vatora or Nagisa should solve the problem.

"That's all I wanted to say. Dan Kuroto said you don't have much time left in that world, so come back soon. — Dan Kuroto, it's your turn."

After Kal'tsit finished speaking, she handed the phone back to Dan Kuroto.

"Let me make this clear first, Doctor, I did it under Talulah's threat, so please don't hold a grudge."

"Don't worry, I'll borrow the invincible cartridge from Emu Hosho and give you another beating." Bai Jie said calmly, making Dan Kuroto's expression change drastically. "So, is there anything else? If not, I'm hanging up."

"Hmm, it's nothing... wait, something's happened now." Dan Kuroto changed the subject. "Doctor, the second chapter of the story has reached its final stage. Aiba Asagi was just kidnapped by terrorists. Their goal is to help them decipher the control commands of the God Weapon Narakvira. If things continue like this, Itogami Island will be demolished."

"...I said this is an island you built yourself, so why do you keep wanting to tear it down? The same thing happened with that bald church monk last time. If you want to tear it down, just tell me and I'll tear it down right now."

"Don't say that. It's necessary for the plot. Anyway, Doctor, please go there quickly and save Itogami Island. This is your mission as the protagonist."

"Didn't you just dump this mission on me? Speaking of which, isn't Akatsuki Kojou the main character? You just ruined the setting of the world's strongest vampire like this?"

"So now I'm figuring out how to apply that setting to you."

"...I'm hanging up."

Without hesitation, Bai Jie hung up the phone and rubbed his forehead. Not long ago, he had said that Lan Yuqian was just a friend of his, but now he was going to the battlefield for her sake. Was he changing his mind too quickly?

but--

"Even if they are friends, they are still my friends. They are not people that just anyone can bully."

Section 390, Chapter 25: So poor they could only afford steamed buns for three meals a day.

Itogami Island is made up of four super-large floating structures in the east, west, south, and north. However, there are actually many other fragmented additions around the island.

For example, offshore cargo holds for storing crude oil and other materials, floating docks for ship repair, or waste disposal tanks built simply to cramm non-combustible waste into them are all included there. The artificial island to be added at Itogamijima No. 12 is one of these types of landfill facilities currently under construction.

Emerging from the dragon vein and gazing at the artificial island in the distance, Himeragi Yukina exclaimed in surprise, "To think I traversed such a vast distance in an instant! Is this the [Yu Step]?"

"Because of what happened before, Itogami Island has become much stricter about the use of the Dragon Vein, and all those strange spells in the Dragon Vein are gone. Otherwise, we wouldn't be able to come so quickly."

After saying these words, Bai Jie closed his eyes, opened his spiritual vision, and the scene on artificial island number twelve was immediately reflected in his brain.

The fan-shaped steel area was completely covered by the war. The special zone's garrison and fully armed orcs were constantly exchanging fire on the artificial island from their makeshift strongholds. Smoke and fire flashed all over the artificial island, and many armed helicopters were circling in the sky, seemingly preparing to carry out an air strike.

Although they were heavily armed terrorists, the orcs were far inferior to the Special Zone Guard in terms of both equipment and tactics. They were already showing signs of being suppressed. Even if Bai Jie hadn't come, it was only a matter of time before the orcs were suppressed.

"They've arrived..."

With his eyes closed, Bai Jie suddenly uttered two words. Before Himeragi Yukina could understand the meaning of those two words, a roar resounded across the artificial island.

"Boom—!"

The deep red light, like the blades of a sweeping electric fan, or like a high-temperature flamethrower melting steel, sliced ​​through the armored vehicle of the Special Administrative Region's security force, shattering it into pieces amidst astonishing flames.

The scorched earth revealed trenches of lava, from which scalding heat rose, forming thick smoke. From within the smoke emerged several enormous figures.

It was a black robot reminiscent of a spider robot, with eight long, slender mechanical supports acting as its legs, supporting the central part that resembled a cockpit. Several pitch-black cannons rotated constantly like hunting rifles searching for prey; presumably, the crimson flash from earlier was fired from it.

Narakvira, a weapon created by the gods, is a biological weapon unearthed from some ruins at the end of the 20th century. From a modern point of view, it might seem similar to an unmanned combat aircraft.

It is speculated that it possessed numerous weapons and flight capabilities, and that the 'flying chariot' in Indian mythology and the 'Nezha Prince', the god of war worshipped in Taoism, were both based on it.

—The above is from Dan Kuroto's character design collection.

Although Bai Jie didn't believe that the real Nezha Prince would be that kind of dark, bulky mecha, there was no doubt that these Narakviras possessed extremely formidable combat capabilities. The Special Zone Guard, which had originally been able to suppress the orcs, began to crumble after facing just one Narakvira.