Project Bunny successfully connected to ME Corp's system, but its battered frame was no longer sufficient to provide enough computing power to invade and rewrite ME Corp's system.
The intrusion failed, but if it didn't succeed, the three of them would only end up dead in this control room.
Therefore, to ensure a successful intrusion, Bronya resolutely chose to use Project Bunny to transfer her consciousness into the data stream and invade from the inside.
The moment her consciousness was uploaded, Bronya and Project Bunny appeared in the data space of ME Corp's system in the form of data bodies.
Conventional network defense measures seemed rather trivial to a data lifeform. Bronya led Project Bunny on a path of physically breaking through the defense network, smashing everything that stood in their way to pieces.
But when they finally reached the hidden area, what Bronya saw inside made her stop her cracking actions.
"Kagome, Kagome, when will the bird in the cage come out?"
A small girl in an oversized kimono was singing softly, alone in the data space. Sensing someone approaching, the girl stopped singing and turned to look at Bronya.
And when the girl turned around, Bronya saw her face clearly. At that moment, Bronya couldn't help but be lost in a daze.
"Big Sis Mei...?"
"Father?"
The artificial intelligence controlling all of ME Corp—Young Mei—blinked her big eyes, looking quizzically at the unfamiliar girl before her.
Because usually only Raiden Ryoma would come to this deep part of the data space, Young Mei subconsciously mistook Bronya for Raiden Ryoma.
Obviously, Bronya was not Raiden Ryoma, so Young Mei turned and ran.
"Big Sis! Wait for me!"
Seeing Mei run away, Bronya decisively gave chase.
But while the two were chasing each other, Himeko and Seele outside were in trouble.
Young Mei, the master of ME Corp's system, had been awakened. Though the massive ME Corp currently had no employees, all its programs began to run.
「Warning! Honkai energy reaction detected! Locking down area! All non-combat personnel, please evacuate immediately! Combat mechs en route to location!」
The alarm blared, and at the same time, the gate to the safe room began to open automatically, uncontrollably.
Himeko's expression was grave as she scanned the new humanoid combat mechs that had appeared outside through the gate's safety window. The weapons and armor on them were on a completely different level from the previous defense mechs.
"Dammit, the paralyzed defense system has been activated. Looks like Bronya's run into trouble."
"Big Sis..." Seele also knew the situation was serious. She glanced worriedly at Bronya a few times, then said to Himeko, "Himeko, we have to hold the gate! We can't let these mecha weapons in!"
"Pray that Bronya succeeds. If she fails, we'll be trapped like rats in a cage, dead for sure."
"I believe in Big Sis, she will definitely succeed..."
"Shut up! The only one you can believe in is yourself!"
Himeko gripped her greatsword in a reverse hold. Taking advantage of the fact that the gate wasn't fully open, she thrust her sword out and fired a blast of flame, launching a preemptive strike on the combat mechs outside. Then, she engaged in a fierce battle with them.
——————————————
In the data space, Bronya chased Young Mei to a... home?
Bronya slowly came to a halt. She remembered this place... she had seen this scene in Mei's dream. This was once Mei's happiest time...
The virtual space constructed from data was chaotic and messy, but this area was perfectly preserved. There was also that data entity that looked just like Big Sis Mei as a child. The person who created this space must have loved her very much to preserve Big Sis Mei's data so carefully.
"To be able to see Big Sis Mei's smile here... is wonderful..." Bronya couldn't help but smile happily.
"But unfortunately, I can't stay here for long. I still have to go disable the security system..."
Bronya turned to leave, to return to the previous place and deactivate the security measures, otherwise Himeko and Seele would be in danger.
But just then, Young Mei, who had been hiding from Bronya, reached out a small hand and grabbed her.
"Sister Bronya, please don't go..." Young Mei looked at Bronya with pleading eyes, holding her hand, not wanting her to leave.
Because it was all data, Young Mei easily figured out Bronya's identity, but did that matter? Young Mei had been alone in this space for who knows how long. She just wanted someone to keep her company...
"Sister Bronya, let's play hide-and-seek, okay?" Mei smiled happily, inviting Bronya.
Seeing Mei smile, Bronya couldn't help but smile too. Bronya patted her head and said regretfully, "Sorry... I can't play with you. I have more important things to do."
"Doesn't Sister Bronya want to be with Mei? Do you... hate Mei?" Young Mei thought Bronya disliked her and began to sob sadly.
"No! That's not it! I like Big Sis Mei..."
As soon as she heard Mei say that, Bronya immediately explained loudly and firmly.
"But there are other important people waiting for me. I promised them I would go back."
"Go back?" Young Mei tilted her head in confusion. "Go back where? Hasn't the outside world already been destroyed? Where is there to go back to?"
"The place to go back to..."
Bronya's eyes dimmed. That's right... the world was destroyed, so where could she go back to...
The image of Seele's smile, and everyone at the base, surfaced in her mind... Light returned to Bronya's eyes.
"The place to go back to... is the one Seele and I built together. It's our important home, it's Fire Moth..."
"But isn't Sister Bronya's wish to be with Mei?" Young Mei hugged Bronya, gently resting her head on her chest, listening to the sound of Bronya's heartbeat.
"Sister Bronya~ Father, and Mei, the three of us living happily here forever... isn't this the home that Sister Bronya always wished for?"
"The home I wished for... to be with Big Sis Mei..." The light in Bronya's eyes gradually faded.
Project Bunny hurriedly issued a warning, trying to alert Bronya, but Young Mei severed the connection between them.
"That's right, this is our home~"
Young Mei smiled happily, bit by bit using Bronya's longing for Raiden Mei to lure her into her own world.
"Bronya... wants to be with Big Sis Mei forever..."
"Yes, yes, yes~ Sister Bronya will be with me forever~
Just like this, fall asleep with Mei..."