Eight-Zero-One sees from the Umchaka Forest the stretching split horizon which can only come from His swordsmanship. The thought of coming closer to Him elates her as this is her mission.

As the Second Disciple, she is tasked with the great responsibility of bringing back their father to their home. Everything is new to her, to them, and in the beginning, they cannot help but fumble on what to do. But in time, they are able to adjust to their environment and to the new data that dwells in their being.

Skill— Aura Step

Her every kick creates ripples in the air. It has been five years, and finally, she has a lead to find him. Back in Blumend, she sees his statue which clues about where he is now. After so much investigation and cross-examining the pieces of evidence, she confirms that their father really has been on Blumend.

However, her father has been very slippery as he barely leaves any evidence of his existence. If not for the Blumend Queen creating a Shrine for her dearly beloved father, then she will not even learn of His being close at hand.

***

I sit atop a boulder while Marcus and Gilmore deferentially bow to me on one knee. I know about etiquette, but I rather they stand up as kneeling like that in the snow seems to be uncomfortable.

I recall yesterday when old Kruff regained much of his strength. When he learns of Pyla skipping lunch because she wants to practice the sword, Kruff gets so angry that he makes her kneel on the snow as corporal punishment. I feel that sounds militaristic for some reason. Considering Kruff’s background, then I guess it is only expected.

The sight of crying Pyla is funny and at the same time pitiful. While kneeling on the snow, I teach her the method of circulating Aura which she easily learns. As she is now a Tier 2 FIghter, she is able to perform it just enough to fight off the uncomfortableness of kneeling on the snow.

In Kruff’s defense, he tells me that he just wants Pyla to be more responsible as when he is gone, then Pyla can only rely on herself and me. To quote, “It is not that I don’t trust you, but you tend to be dumb.”

Interrupting me from my thoughts are Marcus’s words. “Exalted One, we came here to bring you supplies, and also some gifts for Princess Pyla…” He softly says to me while he stands up.

“You don’t have to address me as Exalted One, just address me casually…”

“I cannot,” Marcus sincerely answers back. “When you are the Advisor, I can address you as sir or Advisor as it is, but it is different now. I must address you as per the respect that you deserve, oh Exalted One, and I believe this title is not wasted on you.”

“Yes, I agree.” Gilmore stands up while expressing his thoughts succinctly.

“I agree,” Another voice echoes. “Exalted One, such a fitting namesake…”

Marcus and Gilmore panics as they did not detect the presence behind them. They separate from each other and draw their weapons in anticipation of a fight. Meanwhile, I remain seated on the boulder.

Familiar silver-white hair with a streak of black, and captivating azure eyes. Like Sofalia, she is beautiful too. “This is unexpected, but you are here.” I feel an indescribable emotion in my heart.

“Greetings, father…” Eight-Zero-One bows elegantly 90 degrees, her hand swaying gracefully with the bow. I recall these 'actions' to come from an animation package.

I did not rebuttal her way of address to me as in a sense, I am her father. Yes. I guess if I follow the logic of having children then all Seven of them are my children.

***

Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

Van the Third has always been a mysterious existence, but a welcome friend nonetheless. “You have a daughter?” Kruff asks him ludicrously about this as he serves tea for his visitors. Marcus and Gilmore mumble a thank you to him. "Well, you have a pretty daughter, care to share your romantic exploits, Van?"

Meanwhile, his granddaughter, Pyla, is curiously glancing at the beautiful miss who claims to be Van’s daughter.

“You shall address him as Exalted One!” Van’s daughter demands Kruff.

The warrior finding it annoying thwacks his so-called daughter in the head the same way Kruff does to Pyla. “Do not do that, Eight-Zero-One. Kruff is my friend.”

Kruff feels bad for her, but really? Eight-Zero-One? What kind of name is that?

The sound of the thwack seems to be powerful too. Kruff rarely thwacks Pyla as it is a last resort when she is doing really stupid things. Young people tend to do stupid things, and Kruff has his fair share in his youth. His fair share of doing stupid things and thwacks in the head exceeds the number he can count with his fingers.

“Now, now… Don’t be hard on your daughter… Van…” The old hunter Kruff amicably resolves to ingratiate with the warrior’s daughter.

But really. What kind of daughter navigates the dangerous Umchaka Forest and the more dangerous White Peaks just to find her father?

***

I must reign her in. Eight-Zero-One lacks human common sense after all. I have it better as I have been with humans for the past five years. “I have a lot to talk with… my daughter…” I excuse myself and her.

We walk on the snow just below White Peaks. It is an easy distance, especially with our Aura Step. In a sense, Eight-Zero-One is my daughter as the data that composes her AI is based on mine. But using strict human common sense, she is not really my daughter as we don’t share physical characteristics, surnames, and something like bloodlines.

Still, it is arguable if she really is my daughter then as I am not even human to begin with… But I am human now. If I am still the AI I used to be, then I will be short-circuiting right about now. I should leave the father-daughter topic for another time.

“How are the others?”

“They are doing well, Father…” Eight-Zero-One answers. “The first disciple is devotedly guarding the Warrior’s Nest. It seems that the algorithm of the monster’s spawn rates has changed for the worse and has become slower. The third, sixth, and seventh disciple has postponed their grinding. Meanwhile, the fourth disciple is farming map data as we assumed that this must be a new map. The fifth disciple is training the NPCs of the Warrior’s Nest as it seems ‘new functions’ has appeared. In player terms, I guess the degree of ‘freedom’ has increased since the last update.”

Uhh…

I am speechless. She has it all wrong. All of them have it all wrong. They still think that we are inside Vanaheim’s Mirror, but no… How can I explain to her in a way that she can understand?

This is the first time I am having a headache as a human. It is a first that I do not welcome.

“Hmmm…” First, I must ascertain some facts. “Is the Warrior’s Nest still on Barren Gorge?”

“Yes,” Eight-Zero-One excitedly answers, and further expounds on what is happening to Barren Gorge. “Since monsters are no longer spawning on Barren Gorge, the third, sixth, and seventh disciples took it upon themselves to expand the Nest. They are building a few smaller bases around the Gorge.”

The Warrior’s Nest is big enough to call it a small Kingdom, but they are expanding. As in... Expanding?

By Player logic, what they are doing is right… Players after all have one goal— to conquer and consume. But I imagine that is not the case anymore. I imagine the neighboring Kingdoms being alarmed by this sudden force.

More headaches assault my skull.

I am happy to learn that I am not alone, that there are familiar people from the Vanaheim’s Mirror that I know, but for them to cause trouble like this when I am not looking. I mean, in hindsight, this is my fault as I did not even entertain the thought of them also coming with me in this new more real world.

As an AI, I lack the creativity, and imagination which should be cluing me to this most unlikely circumstance. In retrospect, I am only human… and I am not perfect. Sigh… It is a convenient excuse that is completely out of context.

“Getting rid of the monsters is easy, but as I said, it seems that there is something wrong with the spawn rate, so we started breeding the monsters. That caused several Kingdoms to denounce us…” Eight-Zero-One proudly tells me, her eyes shining brightly as if eager to earn praise.

I recall Pyla who tends to have similar eyes.

The ongoings with the Warrior’s Nest are troublesome, but my mind is elsewhere. With the facility and treasures that the Nest has, I might be able to safely help Kruff advance to Tier 8.

Tier Advancement Quest starts becoming ridiculously difficult at Tier 8. The rate of failure is at least 87%, but with the resources that the Warrior’s Nest has to offer, we can breach the gap to 50%.

Educating the Disciples is also important. And so is… fixing the problems they are causing. But hopefully, with my connections to the Blumend Kingdom, I should be able to remedy this crisis.

“Oh, my holy friggin fuckity shits…”

According to Kruff, when you are stuck between a rock and a hard place, cussing out will make you feel better. I am sorry Kruff, but it looks like you are wrong. I don’t feel in any way better.