Kain was not particularly curious or surprised by the electronic world.
When he had nearly become a god in the Warp, and when he had erased Hojo, he had already understood what this was like. After all, Hojo had uploaded part of himself into the network as well.
But knowing what something was and knowing how to operate it were two different things.
Right now, Kain was no longer in that state. Naturally, he did not know how to control it, so he needed Kaname Chidori to personally teach him.
Following Chidori's guidance, Kain sensed a new body.
This warship.
Since it was still only half-finished, some of its systems could not be activated recklessly. Those would have to wait until the ship was fully completed before testing could proceed.
In his current state, Kain could also sense A2, 2B, and the others "inside" his body. With some androids, he could communicate directly on a mental level. He even felt that he could invade their minds and directly control them.
But A2, 2B, 6O, Commander White, and a few others seemed to have an invisible wall blocking him, making them difficult to invade.
That was probably the software system 9S had extracted from the technology Kain brought over and installed on them, meant to prevent intrusion by machine lifeforms.
And it was not just software. There were hardware safeguards as well, forming a double layer of protection.
After Chidori finished guiding him through the operation of every function on the warship, the λ-DRIVER system shut down, and their minds returned to their bodies.
That meant Chidori was about to go back to normal.
Given her ultra-tsundere personality, which was all sharp words and hidden feelings, Kain could already more or less guess what would—
Hm?
Kain opened his eyes in surprise and found himself staring at a face so close it was pressed against his. More precisely, her lips were pressed firmly against his.
"Did you predict wrong? Did you think the ultra-tsundere me would suddenly start shouting, kick you out, or tell you not to open your eyes?"
After saying that, Chidori licked her lips. There was a faint taste of his blood there.
That was right. She had forcibly kissed him and even bitten him.
Just as he could sense her thoughts, when they had activated the λ-DRIVER system and she had led him through the warship, she had also been able to sense his.
This guy really was awful. He had actually assumed she would do something like that.
Well, fine. It did suit the classic tsundere script.
But precisely because that "provocation" had irritated Chidori, she had instead found the courage to throw caution away and do something completely outside his expectations.
"Oh? This thing really is trouble."
As she said that, she reached out and seized the proof of his reaction.
A reaction like this meant she was attractive too.
"Beg me. If you beg me, then aside from the one final line I won't cross, I can help you calm down in any other way."
She said it with a teasing tone.
After thinking for a moment, Chidori added a condition. Otherwise, this would be too easy. It would be practically giving it away for free.
"Say, 'Goddess Kaname Chidori, please…' and keep going from there. If the words, tone, and attitude all satisfy me, then I'll allow it."
She wanted him to beg exactly as she instructed him. It was a spineless plea, full of praise for her, so embarrassingly sweet it was almost unbearable.
For a grown man, saying something like that would be humiliating.
"Hmph."
He wouldn't dare, right? How useless.
"Goddess Kaname Chidori, please…"
Huh?
He really said it according to her script, and his tone was actually perfect.
Th-this really made her panic a little.
"…Your Divine Ladyship, please face my wish directly!"
He said every word without missing a single syllable, then stared straight at her, leaving her completely at a loss.
"I made my request. You're not dissatisfied, are you? Or is Miss Chidori planning to go back on her word?"
"I-I-I'm not going back on anything! Also, you really have no backbone. Do you have no masculine pride at all?"
"Can pride be eaten? At least if I follow your requirements, I get to taste 'beauty.'"
Those words made Chidori's heart pound violently.
"Of course, if you want to go back on your word, that's fine too. I'll just treat it as a joke."
"Wh-who said I was joking? State your request!"
"Good. You said it yourself."
Since she had delivered herself right to him, there was no way a certain someone would let the prize at his lips slip away.
He liked taiji, and he also liked a pair of Arabic numerals that happened to form the shape of taiji together.
Then taiji it was.
What followed became a private bargain between the two of them, sealed away from every camera, sensor, and onlooker.
...
The world of Full Metal Panic!
A secret base on an island somewhere in the Pacific.
Nearly a full day had passed since Kaname Chidori left.
Logically speaking, Chidori should have been safe over there, but Tessa gradually became restless.
It was not because she was worried about Chidori. After all, Miss A2 had livestreamed earlier, and Tessa had seen her installing the system without any personal danger.
That lasted until the moment the installation succeeded and A2 and the others were asked to leave. At that point, Tessa realized something.
As one of the creators of the λ-DRIVER equipment, she understood that one method for quickly teaching someone to comprehend a warship was direct, hands-on instruction.
That meant the two of them would be in extremely close contact, and in a state of complete honesty without any barriers.
Could something serious have happened by accident?
Hm?
Tessa, who had been seated, immediately stood up.
In an empty area of the sealed room, light suddenly shimmered and formed a screen. A figure walked out from within it.
It was Kaname Chidori.
"Did the adjustment go well?"
"Yes. It's adjusted."
"Did anything happen?"
"Huh? No problem. There weren't any malfunctions during the adjustment."
"That's not what I mean."
"What are you talking about, then?"
Tessa did not continue asking. Instead, she stared straight at Chidori.
Under that gaze, Chidori's face gradually grew guilty, then slowly flushed red.
"Confess on your own. Otherwise, I won't let you watch the livestream anymore."
Tessa used that as a threat because Chidori could resonate with her mentally and peek at the livestream through her.
"Ugh. That threat is too underhanded!"
"You have to explain clearly. Also, we'll connect mentally while you explain."
"Ugh!"
Chidori's expression stiffened even more. In that state, there was no way she could lie.
But asking her to admit to something that embarrassing made her want to faint. That guy was a pervert too, making such a request.
And she must have lost her mind as well, since she had actually agreed.
But if she did not talk, Tessa would not let her peek at the livestream.
"I-I know…"
She had no choice but to compromise.
...
The world of Sword Art Online.
After Asuna, vice commander of the Knights of the Blood, returned to her room, she threw herself onto the soft bed like a wrapped-up package.
Today, they had successfully conquered another floor and opened the gate to the next one.
But during today's operation, people had still died.
She closed her eyes and logged into the Superdimensional Channel.
Hm?
Someone contacted her as soon as she logged in. From the look of it, he had been waiting for her to come online. That made Asuna both excited and nervous.
Because the person looking for her was Mr. Kain, whose ID was "Golden Toilet."
After he told her why he had contacted her, Asuna became even more excited.
At last, it was her turn.
(End of Chapter)
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