Jayr POV - Nasuverse, Moon, Far Side, Sakura Labyrinth - 2030 AD
An hour has passed since the Sakura Labyrinth announced Biol's elimination.
The atmosphere within the Sanctuary Floor is calm on the surface, yet beneath it lingers a faint, persistent tension. The kind that refuses to fade, no matter how quiet things become.
A Champion has fallen, and that fact alone is enough to keep everyone on edge.
I gather everyone shortly after the announcement, and we discuss the situation.
The conclusion comes pretty quickly. Biol was a Champion. Which means only one of two people could have eliminated him.
Kang Yaling or Age Svenson.
Just thinking about it makes me frown slightly.
Ledram crosses his arms, leaning against the wall with a thoughtful expression, while Sara stands quietly beside him before he says, "Either way, whoever did it is a very powerful being."
I nod. There's no disagreement from anyone.
If someone could eliminate a Champion like Biol, someone wield the power of the Omnitrix, then they are unquestionably among the most dangerous beings currently active in this war, possibly even more dangerous than Ledram at full power.
After reaching that conclusion, the decision is simple.
We stay as there is no reason to take unnecessary risks now. The remaining time inside the Sakura Labyrinth is limited, and the likelihood of another Master invading my territory at this stage is extremely low.
So we wait.
With nothing pressing to do, I turn my attention inward, toward my Soulbound Territory.
The moment my awareness enters it, I immediately notice the sheer volume of foreign items now present.
In an instant, I realise that those things are Ledram's belongings.
Everything that once existed within his Soulbound Territory has been transferred here after his defeat in the Champions Challenge.
For a brief moment, I simply observe, then my mind begins working.
With Absolute Mind and Living Database now active, the process feels strangely effortless.
Information flows. Objects categorise themselves. Spatial distribution optimises automatically.
It takes only a fraction of a second to organise everything.
Then I create a spatial storage bag, embedding multiple layers of compression and stability within it, and begin transferring everything inside.
Weapons. artifacts. materials. personal belongings. Nothing is lost, and nothing is misplaced.
Once I'm done, I pull out the now-ready spatial storage bag from my Soulbound Territory and toss it lightly toward Ledram.
He catches it with ease while I say, "That should be everything."
He raises an eyebrow, opening the bag slightly before letting out a low whistle and comments, "Damn… that was fast."
He glances at me, then snorts and says, "Still annoying though. Losing the Soulbound Territory and everything in it like that."
But then he shrugs and adds, "But it is better than permanently losing everything, I guess."
I nod, casually replying, "That's one way to look at it. Especially considering that some Champions lose a lot more than their belongings."
Before fully relaxing, I deploy my Funnels to once again check the floors around my territory.
They scatter silently across the connected floors, moving through corridors and spaces beyond my immediate perception, the factory floors belonging to the Master of Avicebron and Ledram's now-abandoned set of floors.
Information flows back instantly.
No hostile presence. No strange movement. No invasion attempts. Everything is quiet.
Satisfied with that, I finally allow myself to relax.
The next hour passes peacefully. Surprisingly so.
At some point, I find myself sitting on the floor with Ledram, Patamon, and Sara Connor, a controller in my hands.
A game loads on the screen. It is Super Smash Bros Ultimate.
Ledram smirks, "Don't go easy on me. I'm pretty good."
Hearing that, I smile and ask, "When you say that, you mean casual good or very good?"
Ledram tilts his head in clear confusion, "Huh?"
My smile grows a little wry as I explain, "Aletha, Crateris, and the Zenos taught me that there is a clear difference. Casual good is when you're playing against your friends, and they have to gang up on you because you're better than them."
Ledram nods and says, "Yup, seems fair. But in my case, I still win because I'm that good."
I then continue, "Maybe, but it is more likely that they don't know what they are doing."
A bit unsure, Ledram replies, "Yeah... They do..."
At this point, I ask, "Do you have items on?"
He replies without hesitation, "Yes, of course."
Then I continue by asking, "What stage do you pick?"
Again, he replies without thinking, "I just select 'random' and have whatever comes up."
Hearing that, I immediately understand, shake my head, and declare, "Yup, you're not very good."
Almost offended, Ledram exclaims, "Yes, I am!"
I sigh and say, "Okay, let's play then."
Soon, we start to play as Patamon cheers enthusiastically from the side.
Sara watches quietly at first, though I catch the faint hint of curiosity in her expression.
The battle doesn't last long as I easily defeat Ledram, making him try to defend himself, "That's just luck man. I'm not playing who I normally play as."
Hearing that, a wry smile forms on my face as I ask, "Is that so? So who is your main?"
In response, Ledram tilts his head and asks, "My what?"
I hold back from sighing out loud and calmly explain, "The character you normally use to play?"
Ledram understand what I mean and replies, "Oh, that... I usually play as Sora."
I shake my head and say, "Okay, let's do it again then."
A few moments later, I once again easily win, making Ledram exclaim, "HOW DID YOU NOT DIE!? I hit you under the stage! It should have sent you flying!"
In response to his outburst, I calmly say, "I tech it."
Once again confused by the term, Ledram asks, "You what?"
Without losing patience, I explain, "I hit the shield button at roughly 11–20 frames just before falling off the stage and flying off, allowing me to recover."
For a brief moment, Ledram simply looks at me in silence before I ask, "Did you understand any of that?"
Then, Ledram looks at the controller with genuine surprise as he exclaims, "There is a shield button!?"
Shortly after that, Patamon and Sara join us, and we all start to enjoy a few chaotic rounds of Super Smash Bros.
Elsewhere, everyone is doing their own thing.
Rani remains inside her laboratory, completely absorbed in her work.
Tsubaki Shinra, Kitani Reika, and Aika Kiryuu are sitting together, reading.
Aika, notably, is reading something of questionable nature with a lewd smile on her face.
Mirko and Chun-Li spar lightly nearby, their movements controlled but precise.
Inside my Soulbound Territory, in the Village of Beginning, Sara Pezzini and the Sailor Guardians are surrounded by Baby Digimon, laughter echoing through the area as V-mon and Wormmon help take care of them.
And not far from me, Nero and Nobunaga sit across from each other, a shogi board between them.
Nero moves a piece and declares proudly, "Umu! Another flawless move!"
In response, Nobunaga snorts, "Flawless? Please. You're way too predictable."
Their banter continues without pause, but still it's peaceful, almost too peaceful.
Before long, the hour comes to an end, and the Sakura Labyrinth's mechanical voice is heard as it announces:
[Seven hours have passed. Surviving Masters are now free to leave.]
Following the announcement, a new staircase manifests at the centre of the Sanctuary Floor.
Without hesitation, we put away our entertainment, gather up and move before we ascend, one by one.
And just like that, we leave the Sakura Labyrinth behind and return to my instance of Tsukumihara Academy.
Waiting for us just a few meters away from the Sakura Tree are Aletha and Marie Antoinette.
The moment Aletha sees Ledram standing beside me, understanding flashes across her face instantly.
A wide grin spreads across her lips before she says, crossing her arms, "Well, well. Looks like you actually did it."
Her eyes gleam with amusement as she adds, "Glad you kicked his ass. You avenged me so quickly. You're a true friend, Jayr."
Ledram chuckles, completely unbothered, "Yeah, yeah. He did. In more ways than one."
Then he smirks slightly, "But let's not forget I kicked yours first."
Aletha narrows her eyes, and soon they stare at each other for a moment, but then both burst into laughter.
Marie Antoinette steps forward gracefully, smiling warmly, "Welcome back, everyone. And welcome to the team."
After that, we head inside the school building, making our way toward the student council room on the third floor, which has been fully converted into a larger copy of our Private Room.
As we walk, Aletha glances around at the group, then she sighs and comments, "... We're going to need a bigger space."
I grin, "Leave it to me. The foundation is already there. All I need to do is expand it a little bit more and add a few more rooms."
Once inside, I get to work.
For a brief moment, I simply stand still at the centre of the room, closing my eyes as I extend my awareness outward. The space responds immediately, as if it has been waiting for my command.
Then it begins, and under my command, the room expands.
At first, it's subtle. The walls tremble almost imperceptibly, the edges of the room blurring as if reality itself is losing focus. Then the shift becomes unmistakable.
Walls slide outward without a sound, stretching far beyond their original limits. The floor ripples beneath our feet like the surface of water, stabilising almost instantly as new sections form and lock into place. The ceiling rises higher, layers unfolding one after another, revealing a broader, more open space above.
Space folds in on itself in a controlled, deliberate manner. Distances compress and expand simultaneously, corridors forming where none existed before. Doorways appear mid-wall, seamlessly integrating as if they had always been part of the structure.
Ledram lets out a low whistle, "Okay... that's not something you see every day."
Sara glances around, her posture tensing slightly at first before she relaxes, curiosity overtaking caution. Her eyes track the shifting geometry, trying to follow the impossible angles as they settle into something stable, then she murmurs, almost to herself. "It's... clean. There's no instability at all."
I don't respond. My focus remains on the structure.
Dimensions stretch further.
Rooms branch out from the main living area, each one forming with a clear purpose. Living quarters take shape first, their layouts subtly adjusting based on the presence and nature of their future occupants. Larger spaces for those who need more breathing room, more compact but efficient rooms for those who prefer simplicity.
Furniture manifests alongside the architecture. Beds, tables, storage units, all materialised using my Spiral Cosmo as a foundation and my will as glue, refined and positioned with precision.
Common areas widen next.
The living room expands into a much broader space, enough to comfortably hold everyone without feeling crowded. The walls shift again, opening into adjacent recreational areas. A lounge forms to one side, while another section develops into a training space, its structure reinforced to handle high-impact activity.
Hallways extend outward, connecting everything in a logical, flowing layout. There's no confusion, no maze-like design. Every path feels natural, intuitive, as if the building itself understands how it should be navigated.
Aletha watches the process with narrowed eyes, then smirks slightly, "You're showing off now."
I let out a quiet breath, "Not really."
But she replies immediately, though there's no real bite to it, "Yeah, you are.
Nearby, Marie Antoinette clasps her hands together, clearly impressed, "It is quite marvellous. To reshape an entire living space so effortlessly... it feels almost like watching a miracle unfold."
Patamon floats in place, spinning slightly as he looks around with wide eyes, "Whoa… it just keeps getting bigger!"
Ledram steps forward, testing the ground with his foot before glancing down one of the newly formed hallways, and he asks, "And this is all stable?"
I answer simply, "It is."
In truth, the process is completely effortless.
With Absolute Mind and Living Database active, every variable is accounted for before it even becomes a problem. Structural integrity, spatial balance, energy distribution, all of it is calculated and corrected in real time.
And with the Blessing enhancing my control, the strain that should come with this level of manipulation is practically nonexistent. Before, I needed to at least focus while doing this; now, I can casually chat and even move around without any issue.
The entire structure adjusts one final time.
There's a soft, almost inaudible shift, like a lock clicking into place.
Then everything stops.
Silence settles over the room.
What was once a single, limited space is now a fully expanded living environment, seamlessly integrated and perfectly stable. Every section flows into the next, every detail aligned with purpose.
It doesn't take long.
In fact, from an outside perspective, it's over in just a few instants.
But the result is unmistakable.
A space that now comfortably accommodates everyone, as if it had always been meant to.
Shortly after the expansion of the Private Room is complete, we gather in the living room.
The atmosphere is relaxed, but focused.
Ledram and I explain everything that happened inside the Sakura Labyrinth.
Our experiences with the other Masters and their Servants, their set of floors, the many eliminations, the battle with Rani, the removal of the inactive floors, the Champions Challenge, Ledram's defeat, and Biol's elimination.
Aletha listens carefully, not interrupting but simply humming in understanding from time to time.
When we finish, she leans back slightly, eyes narrowed in thought before she reaches the same conclusion that Ledram and I reached before, "... Someone is manipulating this war."
Her voice is calm, but certain as she continues, "They're accelerating everything. Forcing confrontations. Reducing all possible variables."
She exhales slowly, and then she says, "And that's not all, whoever they are, they're trying to gain some kind of advantage."
The room falls silent as Ledram and I nod in agreement with Aletha's reasoning.
For a brief moment, no one speaks.
The weight of the conclusion settles over everyone. Not just the idea that someone is manipulating the war, but the implications behind it. Someone with enough control to alter the system itself. Someone operating beyond what any of us should reasonably be able to interfere with, I already have a suspicion of who it may be, but nothing is yet confirmed.
And then I feel it.
It's subtle, so subtle that, under normal circumstances, it might have gone completely unnoticed.
A faint disturbance at the edge of the space, it isn't physical and not even purely digital.
Something slipping through layers it shouldn't be able to access.
My thoughts sharpen instantly.
Absolute Mind activates without conscious input, isolating the anomaly in less than a fraction of a second. Data begins to flow, patterns forming as the Living Database cross-references the intrusion against everything I know about this environment, 'It doesn't match anything within this instance. Which means... External access.'
Aletha shifts slightly, her eyes narrowing as she whispers, "Did you feel..."
I answer before she can finish, "Yes."
Aletha's expression hardens immediately, "Something's trying to get in."
Not trying, already inside.
The realisation comes just as quickly, 'Whatever this is, it didn't force its way through. It bypassed the structure entirely, slipping in through the underlying system as it belongs there. Or like it owns it. Could it be her...?'
For a brief moment, I consider shutting it down. I can do it, quite easily at that.
The pathways are already mapped. The point of intrusion was identified. With a single action, I could isolate the connection, sever it, reinforce the surrounding layers and lock this space down completely.
No interference. No risk. Clean and safe.
My gaze lingers on the screen across the room, then I stop because if I do that, we learn nothing.
A presence capable of this level of access doesn't reveal itself often. And when it does, it's not by accident.
Information like this isn't something I can afford to ignore.
Aletha glances at me, clearly reading the shift in my focus, "Jayr?"
I don't look away from the screen but whisper, "I can block it. Right now."
Ledram raises an eyebrow, "And?"
A brief pause, then I shake my head slightly and say, "...I'm not going to."
Aletha frowns, "You're letting it in?"
I correct, "I'm letting it continue."
There's a difference.
I adjust the structure of the room, not to block, but to contain. Invisible layers shift into place, isolating the intrusion point without interfering with its function. Monitoring threads branch out, tracking every fragment of incoming data, every fluctuation in signal.
If this thing wants to talk, then I'll listen.
But on my terms.
Sara exhales slowly, though her posture remains tense, "This better be worth it."
I reply, "It will be, but play the part well. Look surprised, agitated, shocked, not too much but enough to look true."
The disturbance stabilises, the signal strengthens, and then the screen nearby starts to flicker.
Once. Twice. Before lines of code flash across it rapidly.
Then a laugh is heard from the speakers. Light. Playful. Mocking.
"Hehe~"
A young woman's voice echoes through the room, "Well, well~! Someone finally figured it out!"
Aletha's eyes widen as she stands up and exclaims, "That's... That's impossible."
She steps forward immediately as she checks the surroundings and says, "This space is completely isolated. Nothing should be able to connect from the outside."
The voice giggles, "Ara~ that's adorable."
There's a brief distortion on the screen before the voice explains, "You're not wrong. Normally, you'd be perfectly safe in there. However, the Far Side of the Moon is in the SE.RA.PH., which is a cloud platform where the Moon Cell performs the basic computing. As long as you function through a network, no perfect security will ever exist. That's why... I can come along and do something like this!"
There is a brief pause before the code on the screen shifts rapidly, and the voice says, "Okay~" Are you all ready to applaud~? I'm going to take all you good and bad kids, wrap you up into little candies, and re-ship you off~! BB Channel, start!"
The screen glitches once more, then stabilises, and a familiar figure appears on the screen in what looks like some kind of talk show set.
The woman has a resemblance to Sakura Matou with her long purple hair that reaches her ankle and purple eyes.
She wears a long black coat with a matching mini skirt that exposes her white panties and wears a white shirt that emphasises her large breasts and a red bowtie.
She also wears white gloves, black floral-patterned thigh-high stockings, and low-heeled shoes.
Like Sakura, this woman has a red ribbon tied to her hair on the left side of her head.
She is BB, likely the most fearsome entity within the Moon Cell, ignoring the Champions.
(Image Here - BB)
She bows lightly, in a very proper pose as she says, "To everyone in front of the monitor... Good evening. It's time for the Moon Cell's most highly viewed and popular content: BB Channel."
Then she holds her hands and brings them in front of her chest while cutely tilting her head and saying, "The host is everyone's antagonist imp: BB-Chan."
BB then makes a single twirl and continues with this absurd introduction, "The viewers are all of the sad little sheep shut inside the old school."
Then, as if she suddenly notices something, she brings out a teacher's pointer and says, "Ah, you over there. Uh... You there, with the luscious black hair and brooding attitude. Nothing will come of glaring at me with such intense killing intent, you know~?"
After that, the camera changes angle, showing that she is standing in an empty cubic space with only a wooden backdrop.
BB follows the camera as she says, "This program is brought to you all by hacking your surroundings~"
At this point, she holds her teacher's pointer as she adds, "You can't turn off the TV. You can't unplug it. This is a brain-shaking nightmare liable to snatch you away from reality. That's right! Once it starts, you have to watch until the end: a roller coaster movie~!"
In the end, she smiles widely and says, "Hehe. I'm so eager to please that it makes me blush, if I say so myself~!"
Her gaze drifts lazily before she focuses and seems to settle on me as she says, "Now then. In today's BB Channel, I'll be updating you all on the events that took place in the Sakura Labyrinth."
She smiles widely as she continues, "Honestly, I was starting to get bored waiting for you to catch up. Seven hours is such a long time, you know~? But now it's done, and only seven Masters remain standing~! Isn't this such a perfect number~? The same as the original Holy Grail War, it's so romantic~!"
After that, she takes an almost mournful pose, but her tone is as cheerful as ever while she says, "8 pairs of Masters and Servants have already left us~! This Holy Grail War is quickly approaching its climax, and it is already clear who the favourites for the final victory will be. But who among them will take the prize~? This is so exciting~!"
Something about her tone feels off. It isn't threatening, nor is it serious, just entertaining.
With that realisation, I narrow my eyes slightly while thinking, 'At first I suspected that she was the one behind the changes... But this isn't the behaviour of someone at the centre of everything. She's enjoying this too much. Watching. Observing. Almost like... A spectator with special privileges.'
BB giggles again, almost as if she is guessing what I'm thinking, something that isn't all that impossible considering the computational power at her disposal, before she says, "Don't look at me like that~ I only helped a little bit."
She winks and declares, "Think of me as someone who… improved and tweaked the system to bring out the maximum excitement~."
She takes a brief pause, then, almost absentmindedly, she adds, "After all, it would be such a waste if everything that gets deleted just disappeared forever, right~?"
Silence fills the room while my eyes sharpen slightly as I realise, 'So that's how it is... There's something else, someone else. And BB… Isn't hiding it. She's pointing at it. Just enough for those paying attention. And those deleted Masters and Servant... They may have become some kind of resource for the one behind this. Since BB isn't the true mastermind... Could it be that the one behind is Age Svenson? But he doesn't seem to be the type... However, he did feel different...'
Her smile widens, as if she can see the realisation forming, "Ara~ looks like you're starting to understand."
The screen flickers softly, and BB's eyes gleam with quiet amusement, "Good. Because things are only going to get more interesting from here on~"
She pauses just long enough for the silence in the room to settle, then suddenly claps her hands together, her expression brightening as if she had just remembered something important, "Anyway~!"
Her tone shifts, light and cheerful, almost sing-song, "Now that everyone has experienced what a true Holy Grail War is like... You all know what you have to do, right?"
She leans forward slightly, resting her chin on her hands as her smile widens, "Eliminate all the competitors~!"
No one in the room responds, but the tension sharpens instantly.
BB hums, clearly pleased with the reaction, before continuing as if she were explaining the rules of a harmless game, "Take as much time as you need. After all, this is the Far Side of the Moon."
She twirls lazily in place, her coat and skirt following the motion with unnatural smoothness, "In exchange for dropping out of that boring, restrictive imitation of a Holy Grail War, you've all been granted something special~"
She raises a finger, pointing upward dramatically, "Freedom."
Her smile softens, almost gentle, "I am the one with compassion deeper than an ocean, after all. BB-Chan~"
Aletha clicks her tongue under her breath, "Yeah. Right."
BB either ignores her or simply doesn't care, so she continues, "As long as you stay within the school, I'll leave you all alone. No interruptions, no forced interventions."
Her eyes narrow slightly, amusement returning, "Well… mostly."
A faint ripple passes through the screen before she adds casually, as if mentioning the weather, "I can't guarantee your civil rights, but I will acknowledge your freedom as it is."
She spreads her arms wide, "You're each free to chase whatever dreams or delusions you please."
For a moment, her tone becomes almost analytical, "Your intracerebral simulators run on rather... embarrassing energy sources. A uniquely human characteristic."
Her lips curl into a teasing smile, "So please, keep discharging those youthful desires, everyone~"
Sara stiffens slightly at that. Ledram lets out a quiet, awkward cough. Rani tilts her head, clearly not fully understanding but sensing the strange shift in mood.
Then BB's expression changes, nothing too dramatic, but enough.
Her smile sharpens, her eyes darken, and flicker in a red light for just a fraction of a second as she says, "Ah… but do be careful, okay?"
Her voice lowers, losing its playful lilt, "Fundamentally... I loathe every single one of you."
The room goes still, even the air feels heavier as she continues softly, almost whispering now, "I'm always there inside that Labyrinth... waiting... and waiting..."
Her tongue briefly traces her lower lip, the gesture slow and deliberate, "Thinking about the moment I get to kill you all."
A quiet giggle escapes her, "Licking my lips, just like this... see~?"
No one speaks. No one moves.
Then, just as suddenly as it shifted, her expression brightens again, snapping back into that cheerful, mocking persona, "Well then~!"
She straightens, smoothing out her coat before giving a perfectly elegant bow, "That's all for today's BB Channel. I hope you continue to entertain me."
The screen glitches. Once. Twice. Then it cuts to black.
Silence lingers in the room long after she's gone.