The Ghost's Past

Bzz—

When Mo Bai connected his shadow to the residual frequencies here, projections of the past appeared before him, Rover, and Aemeath.

"Aemeath! You were amazing! If you hadn't led us, those Tunneler Swarm Creatures might have wiped us all out!"

The scene showed a group of students thanking Aemeath, who wore an old-style student uniform.

"Come on, Aemeath isn't just physically strong. We've both seen her research report. It was practically a model paper!"

In the projections, the two classmates facing Aemeath clearly held her in great respect.

Bzz—

When the projection faded, Mo Bai glanced at Rover beside him and Aemeath behind them, then headed toward the next location.

He needed to walk ahead and give Rover and Aemeath some time alone.

To Rover's surprise, when she looked back, Aemeath did not seem especially sad.

Rover knew these glimpses of the past must be precious memories to the girl who had become a Digital Ghost.

Yet Aemeath was smiling.

"Rover, you know that when a life is swallowed by a Voidmatter Magnetic Storm, even the memory of that person disappears from everyone else's mind. It's as if they... never existed."

Only then did a trace of loneliness enter Aemeath's eyes.

Rover had rarely seen the cheerful Digital Ghost look like this.

And seeing that expression on her face...

For some reason, Rover's heart ached.

She also knew what Aemeath meant. All the companions who had worked with her on the Icefield had been swallowed by a Voidmatter Magnetic Storm...

"That's why I'm happy right now. I get to see them again with my own eyes."

As Aemeath spoke, her smile returned.

"These projections aren't here to tell me they're dead. They're reminding me that even though Void Matter swallowed them, they really did exist."

Looking at the girl's