Kayaba Akihiko Appears / Kayaba Akihiko Is About to Blow Up the Oasis ...
If they ultimately acquire ownership of the Oasis, Shirou doesn't intend to own it entirely. Instead, he seeks to find the most suitable development path for all players through consultation and discussion.
However, Shirou, Asuna, Kiriko, and the others never expected to find such a scene when they logged in. The girls realized something was wrong as soon as they logged in! They quickly contacted each other and gathered in the plaza outside.
Meanwhile, the media in the Oasis World were closely following Shirou and his companions' every move. As soon as Shirou appeared, they turned their cameras on them and broadcast the entire event live to the world.
"Shirou! Everyone! Gone? Gone?" Silica ran over in a panic, shouting.
"Silica too!" Lizbeth said.
"How could this be!?" Asuna exclaimed in astonishment and anger.
"Mine is too..." Shino said.
"My... my sword?!" Kiriko was devastated to see her beloved sword gone, and covered her head in grief.
"That's not what's surprising right now!" Lizbeth retorted.
Not only Kiriko's sword, but also Shino's limited-edition heavy sniper rifle and all of Shirou's forged magical items have disappeared. Shirou and the girls' accounts have all been hacked, and their gold coins and everything in their inventory have been wiped out. Luckily, they logged off in the same place yesterday, otherwise, even their teleportation and flight items would be gone, leaving them penniless and unable to even pay for teleportation. They might not even be able to meet up now.
"Bina ~!" Silica exclaimed in alarm, activating her skill and summoning her pet.
Fortunately, at that moment, the white feathered dragon flew out from the summoning space.
"Great! Bina, you're still here!" Silica hugged her beloved pet tightly.
"Ah~!" Bina rubbed against the girl's face, but its equipment had now been completely cleared away.
Shirou quickly realized that things weren't so simple. Things that couldn't be destroyed, like the semi-permanent tickets for the Oasis Flying Train and items that could be preserved from story missions, had also disappeared.
The players and viewers outside, who were eagerly anticipating Shirou and the others' next big move, also sensed something was amiss. The boys and girls in the video were all standing there, stunned, looking as if they had seen a ghost.
Several girls were on the verge of tears. The camera then shifted, and the players and viewers saw that Shirou and the girls had empty inventory slots, and even their equipment was gone. Upon closer inspection, it was discovered that Shirou and the girls were all wearing the same short-sleeved shirts and shorts, a sight that would only occur when they had no equipment.
"Something's not right. What's going on with them?" a random player asked, puzzled.
"Did Emiya and the others get their accounts hacked? It seems like all their gear is gone," a friend nearby speculated.
"No way? Emiya's equipment is priceless right now. Besides Emiya, Asuna and Kiriko are also top-tier players in Oasis, and their equipment is worth at least several million US dollars. It's said that Kiriko also has a large collection of sword-type artifacts. It's not impossible that they're being targeted." A knowledgeable player said in surprise.
"But can Oasis accounts be hacked? I've encountered robberies, pyramid schemes, scammers, and strange religions before. But who has the power to hack accounts in Oasis, which is said to be more advanced than a nuclear weapon system? If they had that ability, why wouldn't they just change their bank account information?"
"Wait! Look up at the sky!" someone suddenly shouted, pointing to the sky.
At this moment, a massive vortex appeared in the sky above this world, with winds and clouds shifting and the entire sky transforming into a screen. This is a global broadcast used by the Oasis World's official media to announce major news. The last time this was used was when the Creator God died, and announced it to the world via a recorded video.
Immediately afterwards, Boss Ma emerged from the sky. In the eyes of the vast number of players, Boss Ma transformed into a giant holding the solar system in his hands, and made his declaration to the Oasis players all over the world.
"Today is a great day for Penguin Company, and a great day for Oasis World! Because thanks to Penguin Company's tireless efforts, the method to unlock the treasure of the Creator God has finally been found."
On behalf of all players, I hereby announce that Penguin Company has obtained seven fragments of the Holy Sword, the key to unlocking the treasure of the Creator God! The event will officially begin at 12:00 PM Beijing time. The entire event will be broadcast live on Penguin Live, so please join Penguin Company on the big screen to witness this momentous occasion!
"How could this be! Why are Emiya and Asuna's fragments at Penguin Company?"
"Damn it! (Japanese!) Emiya and his Penguin Company! They've fooled the whole world!" someone suddenly burst out, shouting.
"Oh, I know~, after all, it's Penguin Company. It was probably a deal reached last night, and they've been dragging it out until now, waiting for the right price. Maybe they got hundreds of millions in compensation." someone said.
"Hmph, then who are they putting on this show for?" someone said sarcastically.
"Tch, don't you know the saying 'don't flaunt your wealth'? You've already taken hundreds of millions, what games are you playing? Even lottery winners know to wear masks when claiming their prizes. Look at them pretending to be innocent up there, they're really good at it." Someone said sarcastically.
"No way? Emiya! I even idolized him for fighting penguins! What a disappointment." Some people even looked heartbroken.
Suddenly, many people on the internet came out and condemned Shirou, Asuna, and the others.
"Something's not right," said Ye Zhi Qiu, along with Cheng Hui and other advanced players, who fell into deep thought upon seeing the situation.
Boss Ma smiled inwardly. He wouldn't pay these clueless brats who brought him shame a single penny, but that didn't stop him from having his online army guide the narrative. Soon, the whole world would know that Emiya and the others had betrayed all the free players and sold the fragments to Penguin Company for their own benefit.
Even if it was actually him who secretly tampered with Oasis Corporation's control panel last night, allowing hackers to transfer the fragments from Shirou and the girls' accounts and delete everything from their accounts.
Someone as tenacious as Emiya certainly won't give up easily, but by the time they figure out what's going on, the Oasis World will probably already be in his hands.
Boss Ma smiled, turned around, and walked out of the broadcasting room. He still had important business to attend to. To realize his ambition, he had to go and claim the treasure that was destined to be his.
Chapter 675 Kayaba Akihiko Appears
Penguin Company has announced that they have found the seventh fragment, which will soon open the door to inheriting the legacy of the Creator God. The clue to the opening of the seventh fragment is to lead the hero who obtains the Holy Sword to the legendary island of Avalon.
The coordinates of this place are exactly a blue lake, but strangely, there is nothing there at all.
Not far from the azure lake, a clattering sound could be heard. A powerful, nine-headed dragon was pulling a huge black, gold-trimmed carriage forward. A red flag hung above the carriage, and inside was a black and white penguin. Sitting in this luxurious carriage pulled by the nine-headed dragon was Boss Ma.
He arrived at the location where the seven fragments were combined. In the woods by the lake, there was a stone platform with a slot for a sword on it.
"Give it to me!" Boss Ma ordered.
"Yes, sir!" The subordinate opened seven clear cans.
Boss Ma bought the canned goods and then fused them in his inventory.
The seven fragments floated up from Boss Ma's hand once again, piecing themselves together in the air. Six fragments formed the sword blade, and the last fragment served as the hilt. The sword shone with golden light, and the cracks on the holy sword were continuously repaired within the golden light, eventually merging perfectly into one.
When the seven fragments were pieced together to form a sword, suddenly the heavens and earth resounded, and a light emanated from the stone platform, which vibrated slightly, as if sensing something and calling upon something important.
Boss Ma raised the Caliburn, walked over, and inserted it into the slot on Caliburn stone platform. Suddenly, the golden light on the stone platform shone brightly, forming a huge pillar of light that spread outwards, illuminating the entire lake surface in a golden hue.
With a rumble, the water level slowly receded, and a stone path appeared on the golden lake surface, connecting a stone platform on one side and leading to the center of the lake on the other. The lake surface was churning, and suddenly a golden island rose from the center.
"I've finally found it! Avalon Island!" Boss Ma looked at the land that had appeared, spread his arms wide, and laughed heartily.
An island appeared in the very center of the enormous lake. All players' world map functions lit up, and when they opened them, the map automatically switched to a new place name— Avalon Island! Golden flames were burning on it.
Without a doubt, the treasure of the Creator God must be on this island.
It was a little past 10 a. m. Beijing time, less than two hours before the time the penguins were supposed to open the gates!
However, Boss Ma wasn't going to wait any longer and headed straight inside. He wanted to announce to the world today that Oasis World was his property!
Before entering Avalon, Boss Ma turned to the game department manager and instructed, "Is the outer defense set up? I don't want to see anything that might hinder our plan this time; ideally, there shouldn't be a single sound!"
The manager confidently declared, "Don't worry, boss! This time it's absolutely foolproof. I've assembled tens of thousands of Penguin Group members, using the most advanced weapons in the Oasis World, along with powerful pets. We also have a heavy infantry force forming an iron curtain with massive shields, True Magic have set up an anti-air zone, completely surrounding Avalon Island. Anything on land can't get in, and anything flying will crash halfway there."
"Very good." Boss Ma pulled back the curtain of the car and looked outside.
Outside the azure lake, around the island of Avalon, rows of people stood in neat rows. From a distance, their heads formed long lines that stretched as far as the eye could see from the left and from the right.
At this moment, these troops formed a formidable force, leaving only a narrow path just wide enough for the dragon carriage to pass through, allowing it to carry Boss Ma towards Avalon Island.
The Penguin Group at the front consisted of warriors clad in high-tech humanoid armor reminiscent of Mass Effect, wielding laser guns. Behind them lay a horde of alien beasts, some crawling, some standing, resembling Lickers from Resident Evil, as well as Xenomorphs and Zerg from Starship Troopers.
Behind them was a heavily armored legion composed of heavy mechs. Each mech was three meters tall and incredibly strong. They held black shields as big as their mechs and were placed on the ground, forming a square formation outside Avalon Island, like a seamless city.
Within the heavily armored legion, there was a group of red-robed mages, each holding aloft a staff engulfed in flames—an essential artifact for the Five Fireballs technique. In their other hands, they held a blue gem staff, a buff item that restored mana.
Further inside, a group of black-robed sorcerers stood at intervals within the ranks, in groups of four. Floating in the center was a black sphere emitting a ghostly blue gas, from which a transparent wall of gas rose dozens of meters into the air, forming an inverted bowl-shaped True Magic shield.
Wild birds flew overhead, then suddenly startled and plummeted to the ground. Even their frantic flapping of wings couldn't change their fate, for this place had become a complete no-fly zone. As long as the black-robed sorcerer continued to supply magic, this place remained forbidden territory for flying creatures.
Shirou, Asuna, and the others have made a decision!
"Hmph, so you've finally decided to take action." At that moment, a cold laugh came from behind the boys and girls.
"Who?!" Shino set up her sniper rifle and pointed it in that direction.
Shirou and the others turned around and saw a figure floating in the air, wearing a black cloak that completely covered every inch of his skin.
"A ghost!" Shirou exclaimed in surprise.
"Heh heh heh... You've really decided to try and shake a tree like ants, to fight against the Penguin Company, which has already taken control of Oasis World?"
Shirou looked seriously at the man in black opposite him and asked, "So, that feeling of unease was indeed correct. Helping us in that situation, what exactly are you up to? Creator God?"
"Hmph! You guessed my identity after all." The man in black moved his hand slightly, and his black clothes disappeared, revealing a man wearing a white lab coat.
"Kayaba Akihiko!" Kiriko, who had been following the game development team, immediately recognized the man and exclaimed his name in surprise.
"The Creator God?!" Silica was so frightened that she opened her mouth wider than ever before, putting her hand between her mouth as if she wanted to swallow her fist.
Chapter 676 Kayaba Akihiko is going to blow up the oasis
Appearing before Shirou and the others was a man in his thirties, thin and with eyes that seemed to see through everything, cold and devoid of emotion, as if nothing in this world could move him.
His expression was rigid, carrying a cold indifference that kept strangers away. He had a simple, neat short haircut, wore a Western-style shirt with a tie, and a long white coat over it. He also wore dress pants and leather shoes.
He looks like a typical STEM guy, the kind who's unremarkable and hard to approach.
However, for players of the Oasis World, this person's face is exceptionally familiar, with some even revering him as a god and considering him their life's pursuit. This is because he is the father of Oasis, the person who created the best social networking game for over a billion players worldwide.
"Liar! Aren't you dead?" Lizbeth exclaimed.
Kayaba Akihiko said, "Hmph, in that other world, my life has indeed come to an end, and my physical body has been cremated. However, I still exist in the oasis. But now I can no longer return to the world you live in, so to you, I am indeed dead."
"So you call yourself a 'ghost'...?" Asuna asked in surprise.
Kayaba Akihiko truly deserves to be called a genius among geniuses. As the saying goes, being half a step ahead makes you a genius, being a full step ahead makes you a madman. The line between those geniuses who change the world and madmen is very thin.
A genius's understanding of the world and their views on human relationships are completely different from those of ordinary people. Standing at a higher perspective, they also become more lonely. Seeing things too clearly and too thoroughly, they seem to be able to deal with everything calmly and rationally, and their emotions become less rich.
Others also find it difficult to understand the thinking of a genius, and only think that the other person is a weirdo with high IQ but low EQ, so they will gradually distance themselves and become lonely in interpersonal relationships.
Kayaba Akihiko was like that. For him, his physical body became a constraint. He had to eat, sleep, and excrete, otherwise he would get sick or even die. If he didn't exercise, his body would deteriorate, and even if he exercised, his body would still gradually age. In order to survive, people spend at least half of their short twenty-four hours each day on trivial matters.
Kayaba Akihiko lives only for his childhood dream: to live in a world like the floating city of Aincrad. So he studies related knowledge, enters the top universities in related fields, and conducts his own research.
Through his ingenuity, he developed a fully immersive device. In this world, he obtained funding from the United States and created the fully immersive social networking game, Oasis World.
However, this was not enough for him. In order to achieve spiritual freedom, although it is unknown how he did it, he did succeed in the end. He retained his memories and digitized his spirit. Even though he lost his physical body, he still survived in the Oasis World, freed from all the constraints of the material world, and achieved a kind of evolution.
"Is the Holy Grail among the treasures you left behind?" Shirou asked Kayaba Akihiko. He acknowledged that the other was an absolutely remarkable genius, but in this Oasis World, there were clearly other powerful factors besides the genius scientist.
"You guessed right, Emiya! Or rather, Shirou! Inside is the Holy Grail, filled with the power of the world, a wish-granting machine that can also Soul Materialization. It is because of this treasure that I was able to fulfill my wish so quickly." Kayaba Akihiko opened his arms, and a phantom appeared in front of him, within which the image of a golden Holy Grail emerged.
"Now that your wish has been granted, what brings you here?" Shirou asked.
Kayaba Akihiko said, "Indeed, I have fulfilled my wish and obtained everything I wanted. But in return, this world has become my place of life. Although I have let go of everything in the real world, the Oasis World is still a place connected to me, so I still hope to have a successor who satisfies me."
"So you became a 'ghost'?" Asuna interjected.
"Yes, it was just a small setup. I knew about it from the beginning, so I assumed the identity of an assassin, thinking it might come in handy sometime," Kayaba Akihiko said calmly.
"Mr. Kayaba, are you going to help us fight against Penguin Company?" Kiriko asked, looking at the man.
"No, confrontation and such are meaningless to me now that I've lived in the electronic world. Those things are for you 'players' who live in the outside world. My presence on the field before was merely to buy some time. Now that I can secure my own place to live, it doesn't really matter to me which side inherits the Oasis World," Kayaba Akihiko shook his head and calmly agreed.
Shirou sensed a hidden meaning in the man's words and looked at him, asking, "If the Oasis World fell into the hands of the penguins, what would you do?"
Kayaba Akihiko watched as Shirou pulled out a device with a red button and asked, "Do you know what this is?"
"Hmm..." Shirou looked at the red button in surprise and noticed that there was a fork-shaped skull on the button.
"Huh? Looking at this development... could it be the 'bang!' kind?" Lizbeth said, taking a step back.
"I have a feeling it's some kind of bomb or something?" Silica said, sounding a little scared.
"Well, to put it simply, it's a device that will format the entire Oasis World if you press it. After all, the highest level of authority I personally possess is actually the right to format and shut down the Oasis World," Kayaba Akihiko said expressionlessly.
"Hey! Since it's such a dangerous thing! Don't take it out so casually!" Kiriko couldn't help but shout.
"Mr. Kayaba! Are you planning to ignore the feelings of over a billion players and shut down Oasis?" Asuna asked the cold-faced man.
"The thoughts of other players have nothing to do with me, and the operation of the Oasis World has nothing to do with me anymore." Kayaba Akihiko calmly stated his inner thoughts. The lives of strangers were of no concern to him. Whether others lived or died, or what they thought or felt, he genuinely felt it was insignificant.
Chapter 677 The New Power Shirou and the Girls Gain
"If the oasis is gone, your beloved floating city will disappear too," Kiriko said, looking at Kayaba Akihiko.
"There's no need to worry about that anymore. I've already created the seeds for the Floating City in the past few days. I just need to transfer them to other electronic spaces so that I can continue to create it. So even if the Oasis World is gone, I can still continue to live," Kayaba Akihiko said.
"Damn it! If that's the case, then hurry up and disappear! Stop getting in the way! We'll figure out how to fight those penguin bastards ourselves!" Shino shouted angrily at Kayaba Akihiko.
"Calm down, Shino." Shirou stopped Shino and looked at the man, saying, "You're here so we can stop Penguin Company, aren't you?"
"..." Kayaba Akihiko hesitated for a rare moment, a hint of confusion in his eyes, before finally speaking, "Ah, although I don't quite understand why I would still have lingering feelings for this when I'm already dead in the material world, you're right."
I do still have some affection for this Oasis World, and I truly don't want it to disappear. But if Penguin Company wants to use its own methods to tamper with the world I created, that's something I absolutely cannot accept, so I will still delete everything."
"How could this be..." Silica bit her lip, saying with great resentment. Even though she hadn't been in the Oasis World for long, she had many unforgettable memories and a deep affection for this place.
"Then it seems we have to stop Penguin Company." Shirou and the girls exchanged glances, confirming each other's determination.
"But now we have nothing left, how are we going to fight against Penguin Company?" Lizbeth looked at herself in a short-sleeved shirt and shorts. Luckily, she was in the warm city. If it were in the freezing cold, even with the fully synchronized motion sensing in the game, she would be freezing.
"That's right, at least give me a gun! They even emptied my inventory of the permanent beginner gun the system gave me! Those bastards, they really did that." Shino said helplessly, but unfortunately she was penniless now, both her inventory and storage box were completely emptied.
Just as Shirou understood, Kayaba Akihiko was a genius, a rational monster who would stop at nothing to achieve his goals. But on the other hand, he was also a very purposeful person. Ordinary people wasting time and acting on a whim is perhaps the most common thing.
However, this is something that is unlikely to happen to Kayaba Akihiko; everything he does is not entirely meaningless.