Chapter 74

AN: For those people who already have some knowledge about the future plot, can you keep it down a little? Yes, it's re-written, no sht. Doesn't give you any right to spoil it tho.

Grow some sense.

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"... Unknown?"

[ Yes. The description of this Place does not exist within my database so... I am sorry, I cannot give you any answer. ]

Hearing what Alexa told him, Raizel's hope- which was ignited momentarily, died immediately.

Well, he kinda expected this kind of answer already, but he was quite hopeful that he would be given any hint at the very least by this masterpiece of a system.

Not just a simple "No" for an answer.

[ I compared the surroundings to the places that are saved in my Database but none of them have matched. ]

"Yeah yeah, I get it. I appreciate your help."

[ But I could start a mapping sequence if you would like. It seems to me that this unknown land would be a great addition to my information database. ]

"... Wait? Mapping sequence? Can you explain to me how that works?" Raizel asked, though he has a vague idea of what this does, he still wants the exact details about it.

[ The Mapping sequence is a protocol that allows the system to gather information about the surrounding lands without the need to be present in the said lands. Using this, we can quickly gather information about the lands around us. ]

"Hoo, that's amazing. I didn't know that you could do that."

[ Well, you didn't ask. ]

"..."

[ Should I start the mapping sequence? ]

"You take after your creator."

[ Thank you. ]

"That wasn't a compliment."

[ Should I start the mapping sequence now? ]

"... Hah! Yeah, whatever, go ahead!"

[ Mapping sequence has been initiated... How far should I go? ]

"Doesn't matter... Go all the way. Map as much as you can."

[ Understood. ]

After that, Raizel then sighed. He then laughed a little bit while thinking of the fact that Alexa had some pretty annoying traits in her, which heavily resembled his friend. 

Well, surprisingly, even though annoyed by it, he doesn't seem to mind it. Well, at the very least, he would probably prefer this compared to a bland AI.

"... Alright, lemme see the map. Can you bring it up for me?" Raizel said and immediately after this, a system window appeared in the corner of his vision.

In that window, a map-like feature is displayed.

However, in that said map, he can see nothing but darkness. "... Wow, right now, this map is so useless."

Since Alexa has no data about the place he's in, his map is obviously blank. Other than the spot where he's standing, it displays nothing. But Raizel knows that the current pitiful state of his map wouldn't stay that long since... a minute later, the vision that his map covers, started growing at a massive rate.

Suddenly, his map started to brighten as new places started appearing out of nowhere.

"Seems the map sequencing is working alright," Raizel commented as he closed the map.

The area that his map covers is starting to get bigger, but there's no reason for him to look at it, especially at the current moment. Besides, if Alexa detected something, since the map-sequencing profiles anything it passes through as well, from living beings to structures, he would surely be notified.

"Alexa, I know this question is nuts given that you just started a few minutes ago, but is there a way that you... can give me an estimated time of when will this mapping end?"

[ Well, I can. ]

"... Damn really?"

[ Yes. In what format would like me to detail it?]

"Uuh, hours will do."

[ Understood... Then, my estimated time of completion is around, thirteen thousand one hundred forty-nine hours.]

"..."

[ I strongly recommend that you shouldn't wait for the completion before making a move. According to my calculations, it's a bad idea. ]

After hearing Alexa's sarcastic remarks, Raizel snorted.

"YEAH YOU THINK? WHY IS IT THAT LONG? T- that's like..." Raizel then started computing, converting the hours that Alexa gave him into a year format.

But before he could even do that, Alexa butted in...

[ Exactly one and a half years. ]

"Y- Yeah, that. Why does it take that long." Raizel said in a demanding manner.

[ Well, based on the information data I have been receiving so far, this is the time that I came up with. Given the speed of the mapping, and how the current world we are in is structured. ]

"Still, isn't that too..." Raizel was about to complain but he immediately realized that doing that would change nothing.

"Alright, whatever. Just give me the information you have gathered so far about this world, cause it seems that you already have it."

[ Understood. According to my analysis so far. This world seems to be a round planet, because as we scan and cover further lands, there seems to be a very slight curve in the overall structure of the lands, and by going deeper inside the planet, according to the very very slight increase in temperature, a core must be existing in the very center. Hinting that this planet is structured just like Earth... ]

As Alexa stated this, Raizel immediately fell into his own thoughts while listening to her...

'How did she know that? There's no way Satoshi would add a piece of information that's so useless as that. Wait, can she read the contents inside my mind? Is that... the database she's talking about?'

[ ... may I add that this world in comparison to Earth, is larger by at least 30 times. That's because the land we have scanned so far is already as big as a continent- by Earth standards, yet we can't picture at least 1/4 of the planet yet... ]

'... yep, she can definitely read my mind.'

[ ... when it comes to the weather, on the other hand, this world seems to be in a state of eternal winter. I can't make any assumptions as to why it is like that, because an unknown force seems to be involved in that matter. ]

"I see. It's fine, never mind that. Instead, tell me about the living creatures you have scanned so far." Raizel said in a plain tone. Though he might seem too relaxed outside, inside his mind, he's quite serious as he's starting to piece together all the information he's getting from Alexa.

'... I just need to confirm one more thing to finalize my information about this world.'

[ If it's the living creatures... I managed to profile everything I had scanned so far and put it in the Beastiary. ]

"Really? Alright, bring it up."

After this, a holographic screen appeared in front of Raizel.

Inside that screen, appeared a list of different kinds of creatures, ranging from animals, plants, insects, etc.

"..."

Raizel didn't speak for a whole minute or two as he continued doing nothing but scrolling and looking at the list that Alexa gave him. Though at first glance, everything seems random, in Raizel's eyes, they're not.

Actually, while looking at the list, a knowing smile appeared on his face.

"I knew it," Raizel muttered while still looking at the list.

"... I'm in Niflheim."

Every bit of information he had gathered so far solidated that fact for him.

At first, he's not quite sure of it.

Well, the moment he arrived here, everywhere he looked screamed of nothing but Niflheim. He knew it, of course, it was quite obvious, but he wanted to make sure of it first. He doesn't want to just jump to a conclusion right off the bat.

But now, after seeing the familiar structures of this world, the things that live here that can only be seen on the Niflheim he knows, and the "Eternal Winter"- and the force that's keeping it, especially the connection he's been feeling since earlier, he's sure of it now. One hundred percent.

He's in his home.

"... Still, I don't understand why I'm here. This is the confusing part. Why here and not in the New World?" Raizel asked himself as he started pondering hard. "and the big question is... where's New World?"

This is the big question that Raizel has no answer to at the moment. He's afraid that even Alexa might not be able to help him in this matter as well.

Now he's frustrated again.

He was happy a while ago since he confirmed that his guess is correct that he's in Niflheim, but he immediately realized that other than that, he got nothing yet.

It's like putting the very first piece of the puzzle in its right place... now only a thousand more are left.

"Damn my life."

Although Raizel was not feeling tired physically, he sat down on the icy and snowy ground with a worn-out expression.

"I wonder, when will I get my well-deserved rest?" Raizel said in a low voice. "I thought that the New World would give me that..."

Now, while looking at the setting giant sun from afar, he started laughing weakly at the thoughts lingering in his head. 

He then continued laughing for a couple more seconds, and after all that, Raizel abruptly stopped. He then looked down at the ground and then sighed heavily.

"Truly... how naive."

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