Infinite Dendrogram_Volume 1

by Sakon Kaidou

  “...The end of the road, huh?” I muttered.

  The “newbie killer,” Old Reve Orchard, I thought. It looks like I’ll also experience my first death here.

  But...

  “W-Waaah...” Milianne was crying in my arms.

  She’s an NPC... a tian. Unlike me, if she dies, she won’t come back. The thought left me unsettled. Bro said that even the king died. I’m sure there aren’t any special circumstances just for her. In this world, she’ll die just like anybody else.

  “...Like I said, that’d leave a bad taste in my mouth!” I took off the Lifesaving Brooch and equipped it to Milianne. “Milia, can you run to the entrance from here by yourself?”

  “...What?” She looked up at me with unease.

  “I have to go and beat up this damn centipede for a bit,” I said.

  Right after I said this, the Demi-Dragon Worm charged at us. I pushed Milianne away, and like getting hit by a truck, I flew into the air.

  “Gah... hah...”

  It was a powerful impact, even worse than when I had collided with Liliana back in the town.

  However, the damage had been 93. My remaining HP was 5... I’m still alive.

  One of the four Dragonscale Wards I had equipped had broken and disappeared. I’d survived thanks to its ability to reduce the damage of the attack by 90%.

  I forced my numb body to move and drank a Healing Potion from the item menu. My HP was fully restored.

  I can still move.

  As I turned around, I saw that Milianne was still standing there.

  “Go! I’ll take care of this guy!” I shouted.

  It was a big lie; there was nothing I could do. However, I could at least buy some time. If she could run away during that time, that was all that mattered.

  Milianne stood up and ran for the exit.

  If she can get to the exit and return to the field, there should be other players and tians there. This is for the best, I thought, and was then immediately flung into the air again.

  It was my second cycle of near-death, the Dragonscale breaking, healing with a potion, and then recovery.

  “Hah! If you include the death penalty, I can take another three of your hits, you damn centipede!” I shouted.

  The third attack came, but this time I avoided it. Even at default stats, if I move, I can dodge it.

  However...

  “What?!” I was caught by its tail and knocked aside.

  The damage was nearly the same. My HP was dangerously low again, and another Dragonscale broke.

  “Damn... it.”

  Only one more left.

  Milianne still hadn’t made it to the exit.

  At the very least, I have to bide my time until then, I told myself. As I thought this, the Demi-Dragon Worm changed its focus of attack.

  “GYUUUUEAAAA!” It twisted its large body around and laid its sights on Milianne.

  “Hey, you bastard! What are you looking at?” I shouted.

  It ignored me and charged after her.

  “Waaaiiiitttt!”

  I chased after it, but I couldn’t catch up with it at my speed. The large Demi-Dragon Worm struck Milianne, sending her small body floating upward into the air like a leaf. The basket she had been holding so dearly was forced from her hands, and tumbled to the ground.

  “Aaaaahhh!” I dived headfirst and caught her falling body. There was a large impact as I caught her, and the last Dragonscale shattered.

  That’s not the real issue right now.

  I was frightened to do it, but I looked at Milianne’s face. A pain different from physical pain was stinging at my heart.

  She was unconscious... but unhurt. In exchange, the Lifesaving Brooch I had placed on her had shattered.

  It apparently works even when equipped to Milianne, I thought, relieved. However, now that the brooch is broken, there won’t be a next time.

  My last Dragonscale was also gone. We no longer had any means to withstand the Demi-Dragon Worm’s attack.

  Liliana’s still fighting, I thought. Bro still hasn’t come back since disappearing into the ground... I’m all out of options.

  “GYUUUUAAAAAAAA!” The monster in front of me had become irritated at its tough prey, but it now appeared to be shaking in joy at finally being able to finish things.

  In a last-ditch effort, I tried drawing the knife I had received with my starting equipment. However, after removing the knife from its sheath, I discovered that its blade was broken. Before I could even use it, it seemed the repeated collisions had caused the knife to break.

  The chances for us to survive were now at zero.

  I looked at the unconscious girl in my arms.

  Her weight, her warmth, her breathing, and the emotions she had showed me — they were no different from real life. She was alive, so realistically alive.

  And like death in the real world, that life was about to be lost.

  “...Damn it.” I couldn’t give up.

  For me, this world was a game. It wasn’t a problem if I died.

  But even if I know this world is a game, it’d leave a bad taste in my mouth if this girl were to disappear from it forever. I clenched my fist in frustration.

  On the back of that hand... was my Embryo in its egg-like zeroth form.

  “Hey...”

  I...

  “If they say an Embryo is supposed to offer a player... If you’re supposed to offer me infinite possibility...” I pleaded, “...then give me that possibility.”

  The monster in front of me raised its head to deliver the final blow.

  “Give me the possibility for a happy ending, the possibility to save this girl!” I cried.

  To my left hand I pleaded. To the incarnation of this world of possibilities known as Infinite Dendrogram, I pleaded from the bottom of my heart.

  “Wake up already and give me even 1% of a possibility!” I cried.

  The Demi-Dragon Worm launched its last attack.

  “You’re an unexpectedly overbearing Master, aren’t you?” said a voice. “However, I am one that is born from you. I don’t dislike that part about you.”

  In an instant, the fatal charge was blocked by someone.

  “...Huh?”

  Just like when my brother had disappeared into the ground, I couldn’t process what was happening before my eyes.

  I couldn’t understand why in front of me was not the tragedy that should have taken place, but instead, a miracle that shouldn’t have occurred.

  The Demi-Dragon Worm that was supposed to kill us had been repelled by a wall of light and was bent over backwards.

  My Embryo had vanished from the back of my left hand, and in its place was a glowing, blue crest.

  Between the Demi-Dragon Worm and us now stood a girl I didn’t know. Her jet black hair waved in the wind, and her skin glistened like white porcelain. She swung her gothic skirt made of black fabric and white frills as she turned to look at me. Her eyes were made of the black of night and a white that reminded me of the stars.

  “Morning,” was the first thing she said.

  I couldn’t say anything.

  “Hm, you seem out of it,” she said. “Good grief, aren’t you something? I forced myself to wake up because you told me to, and yet...”

  The way she spoke almost made the mystique she had disappear, but her words made me think of something.

  “Are you my...” I began. ...Embryo?

  “Of course,” she said. “Well then, Master, that damn centipede is still in good health. To cheer things up in celebration of my birthday, what do you say we finish it off in style?”

  “How?” I burst out.

  Before I could even finish asking this, the girl had disappeared. She lost her human form and turned into a swarm of black, shining lights that enveloped my right arm, and then transformed into a black greatsword. It was organic and sinister looking, but in some way, still beautiful.

  “I’ll leave the timing to you,” she said, her voice coming from
the sword. “Swing down when the damn centipede comes charging at us. We’re all going to die if you screw up, got it?”

  It felt like she was telling me, “I gave you your chance, now the rest is up to you.”

  “...Got it.” I was aware there were things that needed to be done before asking any questions.

  The Demi-Dragon Worm seemed to be furious as it charged at us faster than it ever had before. It was a straight shot at a speed I was able to see, but not avoid.

  However, I still had time to swing my sword.

  “The three times Master almost died, and the one attack I absorbed... The four attacks you made with everything you had...”

  Right before the jaws of the Demi-Dragon Worm could reach me...

  “I’ll double them and pay you back,” said the girl as I swung down the black greatsword.

  “Vengeance is Mine!” she shouted.

  There was an impact the moment the greatsword made contact.

  Then a moment of stillness.

  Right after, the Demi-Dragon Worm, almost as if it had been crushed by a monster several times its size, shattered into pieces starting with its head.

  Just exactly how many times today am I going to see something I struggle to understand? I wondered.

  While I was thinking this, I looked at what was in front of me. The Demi-Dragon Worm’s large body was gradually breaking into pieces that turned into light and vanished.

  Behind me was Milianne, still unconscious, and beside me was the girl. She had changed back from the black sword.

  “Success, success,” she said happily. “Isn’t that great, Master? You grabbed hold of the possibility you’d hoped for.”

  “You really are my Embryo, aren’t you?” I asked.

  The girl lightly lifted her frilled skirt and bowed with contrived respect. “I’m Nemesis, a Type Maiden with Arms Embryo. I was born from your heart, body, and soul.” The girl — Nemesis — introduced herself like that and grinned broadly. “It’s nice to meet you, Master.”

  Chapter Two: Dinner and Intentions

  Outside Old Reve Orchard — Ray Starling

  After I defeated the Demi-Dragon Worm, I picked up its drop item, a Demi-Dragon Worm Treasure Coffer, and escaped from Old Reve Orchard while carrying Milianne.

  I didn’t think about going to aid Liliana.

  On the window screen displaying our party members’ status, I could see that she was doing fine. Moreover, there was no way that a miracle like what had just happened would occur a second or third time. I had the feeling that if I were to get full of myself now, then it would definitely ruin things.

  “Withdrawing is the right choice.” Nemesis, who was apparently my Embryo, explained the battle situation like so. “That tian girl won’t die. She’s the stronger of the two, so even if it takes some time, she’ll win for sure against that damn centipede.”

  “Even though you were just born, you seem to be more informed about this world than I am,” I said.

  It appears she even knows about Liliana, so maybe she has memories from before she hatched.

  “That’s because even if I take the form of a human, I’m not one,” she said. “Mysterious things like that exist. More importantly, Master, if you possess a thing called curiosity, then isn’t it about time you had something to ask me?”

  Nothing sprang to mind. I didn’t respond.

  I’m starting to get a handle on it, but Nemesis seems to be the type that likes to speak in a roundabout way, I thought. Well, I guess I’m not one to talk, since I’m able to understand her.

  In other words, she was saying, “Hurry up and check out my abilities on the status screen.”

  I looked at the status screen and saw that a category for Embryo had been added. I clicked on it right away and a window appeared displaying Nemesis and her parameters. Displayed on the window was the name “Maiden of Vengeance Nemesis,” and “Type Maiden with Arms.”

  Additionally, there were ATK and DEF stats listed, as well as modifiers for each stat. The ATK and DEF stats applied when equipping Nemesis as a weapon.

  So this is the same as normal weapons and armor.

  The stat modifiers, however, appeared to always be in effect just by having Nemesis around, and they apparently weren’t just a set value boost to my stats. When leveling up, increases in my stats would also take these modifiers into account.

  As an overall evaluation, her stats weren’t that strong. The modifier for HP was a bit high, but the rest were low. The ATK stat for equipping Nemesis was only about 50.

  It’s strange to compare this with Bro Bear’s costume, but even after taking that into account, my stats themselves don’t seem like they’ve gone up that much, I thought. Well, I guess that goes without saying since Nemesis was only just born as an Embryo. But in that case, how was I able to defeat the Demi-Dragon Worm?

  As I pondered this, I found the section for skills. Listed there were the two skills “Counter Absorption” and “Vengeance is Mine.”

  The Counter Absorption skill was the wall of light that Nemesis had used. It had a max stock of two uses, and with each use, a wall of light could be created to nullify attacks. It replenished one of its stock every 24 hours.

  And then there was the skill that had defeated the Demi-Dragon Worm, Vengeance is Mine.

  This skill took the total damage received from an enemy within 24 hours, doubled it, and then unleashed that damage as an attack that ignored all defense. Even damage that had been reduced by other skills and items, or nullified by Counter Absorption, was added to the total.

  But once the skill is used, it looks like the damage counter is reset for that enemy, I noticed.

  “Okay, I get it now,” I said. “So that’s how I was able to defeat that Demi-Dragon Worm.”

  Although the damage was reduced by the Dragonscale Wards, I did take three of its hits, I thought. On top of that, Nemesis nullified one attack with her other skill, Counter Absorption. So that’s four in total, and the damage would come out to roughly 3,600. Plus, the ability for Vengeance is Mine then doubled this to around 7,200.

  I don’t know how much life that Demi-Dragon Worm had, but this must mean that it wasn’t more than 7,200 HP. Or maybe its head was a weak spot, and landing a direct hit on it had some effect.

  “...Even if I know how the trick worked, it’s still a miracle,” I thought aloud.

  The one-hit killer move had only worked because I had been weak, and my opponent had been strong. What had also played a big role was that I had overcome several near deaths thanks to the items my brother had given me. But more than anything, Nemesis’s skills had been a perfect match for the situation.

  “The end result sure seems convenient,” I said to myself.

  Embryos are supposed to be unique and based on things like one’s personality, biorhythm, and attributes, right? I thought. Looking at the results this time, it almost seems like it was set up. Also, a skill that gets stronger the more damage I take... I feel as if I’m getting treated like a huge masochist.

  “A masochist, huh... I’ll have you know, this is the result of my having observed you, Master. There were no mistakes,” said Nemesis, seemingly offended.

  Wait, can she hear my thoughts?

  “But anyway, you said ‘observed’?” I asked.

  “The zeroth form is a time period for Embryos to observe their Masters,” she said. “After observing their psychology and behavior, an Embryo’s first form is then born based on this.”

  I see, I thought. So in other words, my experiences since starting have more or less been factored in.

  ...Now that I think about it, I collided with Liliana right after I started, and then I also fought a Demi-Dragon Worm. I feel like I’ve been taking a lot of near-fatal damage. So I guess these skills are the end result of all of that, huh?

  “Well,” continued Nemesis, “even if the experiences and behaviors are the same, there will be differences in an Embryo’s form and skills based on each Master. Also..
. I think Counter Absorption was derived from your personality.”

  “Hm?” I asked. I wonder what she means by that.

  “Oh, and another thing,” she went on. “I’ll go ahead and say this myself, but a Type Maiden Embryo is quite rare, you know? You should be grateful to me and reflect upon how blessed you are.”

  Oh yeah, that’s right, I realized. Maiden wasn’t one of the normal categories Cheshire mentioned. She seems to be a rare type, and it’s a big help that she’s explaining various things to me, but it’s still somewhat of an iffy feeling having a girl come out of an Embryo that’s based on me.

  “Iffy? Did you say ‘iffy?’” she asked huffily.

  Ah, that’s right. She can hear my thoughts.

  “I can hear them!” she shouted. “Iffy? What do you mean by ‘iffy?’ You hit the jackpot with me! This beauty! This rarity! What could there be to complain about?”

  “No I didn’t mean that you were iffy, Nemesis, but the fact that you emerged from me, you see...”

  As we went back and forth, Liliana appeared from the exit of Old Reve Orchard. The armor she was clad in was dirty with mud and dust, but Liliana herself seemed to be unharmed.

  “Milia!” Finding us, Liliana quickly ran to our side, and after looking at her sister’s sleeping face, she let out a sigh of relief.

  “Thank you very much... for protecting my sister... Truly, thank you!” Liliana burst out as tears fell from her eyes.

  “Um, yeah...” I said. This is troubling. I don’t know how to respond.

  “That’s right,” said Nemesis. “You should be grateful to my Master, and even more so to me.”

  And that’s Nemesis for you...

  “Is she your...?” asked Liliana.

  “Yeah, umm... my Embryo.”

  Liliana looked at Nemesis, slightly surprised. “I see. So, after all, as his brother, you’re also a Master chosen by an Embryo. But a Maiden, it’s almost like that...”

  Just as she was about to say something...

  “All right! I’ve escaped from the bearied underground world!” Bro Bear jumped out from the ground together with a loud sound effect.