MHGA Chapter 177 – David's Descent into the Abyss
"Then… what about me?"
Himmel spoke, his tone calm and gentle.
"Though my youth was full of grand tales, I've already walked my path to its end. There probably isn't anything left for me to change." He continued peacefully, "As the protagonist of my story, there shouldn't be anything left for me to rewrite…"
"Ah, actually—"
Kairo Retsu scratched his head. "Aside from me and a bunch of alternate-world versions of protagonist Shirou Emiya, you're the only Hunter in the Gathering Hub who isn't a protagonist."
"…Huh?" Elderly Himmel froze. "I'm not the protagonist?"
Kairo nodded and turned to count them off:
Kazuma, Naofumi Iwatani, Joseph, Tanjiro, Laios, Rakuro Hizutome, David…
All protagonists.
Even Shirou Emiya—though this version was from Fate/kaleid liner Prisma☆Illya and not technically the main character, he was still Shirou.
"So… Frieren's the protagonist?" Himmel asked, suddenly concerned. "Don't tell me…"
"Bingo!" Kairo beamed. "The story starts after your death! Frieren: Beyond Journey's End!"
"I… was the protagonist?"
David finally calmed down completely, eyes lighting with hope. "If I'm the protagonist, then… my mom should be okay, right?"
Kairo looked into David's hopeful eyes and fell silent for a moment, then said, "You're in luck, David. You arrived at just the right time—there's still time to change everything."
A glance at David's minor injuries made it clear—his car crash had only just occurred. His mom had probably only just been admitted to one of Maelstrom's underground clinics.
Everything could still be changed. That alone was a blessing.
"I don't think words alone are enough to prove anything."
Kairo continued, "If you all agree, I'd like to show you your stories right here. It'll take a while—probably an entire day of watching while eating Felyne Meals."
"Time in your original worlds won't advance while you're here. There's still time to do everything." Kairo's voice was as gentle as possible, careful not to agitate David. "Let's get to know each other better."
With everyone's consent, Kairo led the Felynes in setting up a large screen in the dining hall, then began searching—
Effortlessly navigating to a pirated site, Kairo queued up the new Hunters' stories. Though two of them weren't the protagonists of their respective series, both Himmel and Shirou Emiya were eager to watch Frieren and Illya's stories unfold.
Rakuro's story was a VR MMO—not bad, but still grounded in everyday life.
[Shangri-La Frontier]
Himmel smiled as he watched Frieren recall their travels together, reminiscing over her memories of him.
[Frieren: Beyond Journey's End]
Shirou had assumed Magical Girl Illya would be a lighthearted kids' show… but the more he watched, the more he realized something felt off. Illya and the other girls were way too close…
[Fate/kaleid liner Prisma☆Illya]
"OHHHHHH—!!"
Kairo and Kazuma cheered loudly as they watched the screen. "This is exactly what we wanted to see!"
And then came…
[Cyberpunk: Edgerunners]
Kairo gave a brief disclaimer about the darker tone of the show before starting the playback.
David's life began spiraling from the moment of the shootout and car crash.
After his mother's death, he installed the military-grade Sandevistan cyberware, met Lucy, joined a cyberpunk crew, and formed bonds with each member.
But as things progressed, one by one, his friends died.
David became the core of the team. Lucy, trying to protect him, was targeted by Arasaka.
In the final act, David installed the massive "cyber skeleton" and faced off against Adam Smasher… all for Lucy.
Everyone except Lucy—whom David entrusted to Falco—died.
Even David was killed by Adam Smasher's arm cannon.
The gentler atmosphere established by the previous three shows was shattered by the tragedy of Edgerunners.
That plummeting descent into a bottomless abyss wrapped itself around the viewers' throats like a noose, leaving them breathless.
At the very end, Kairo pulled up a screenshot from Cyberpunk 2077—a cocktail available in-game since launch.
The name: "David Martinez."
The description:
"Shot of vodka on the rocks, splash of NiCola. Live fast, die glorious."
Everyone fell silent in the wake of David's story.
Then Kairo clapped his hands together. "Alright then!"
"David!"
Kairo smiled at David and said, "There's still time. Our next Hunter mission… will take place in your world."
"There's only one thing I need to know."
Kairo stood, walked over to David, and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Do you want to change things? How much?"
"The strength of your resolve… will determine how much the Gathering Hub can help you." Kairo boldly declared, "As long as you have the will!"
"I…"
David opened his mouth, but his face twisted in conflict and hesitation. Finally, he deflated and said, "I need to think about it. This is all way too sudden… My mom… and then Lucy, Rebecca, everyone who dies afterward…"
His face was filled with turmoil.
Just ten or twenty minutes had revealed his entire future. He couldn't help but feel like he was still trapped in a dream.
"Then think on it carefully—before our next hunt," Kairo said, encouragingly patting David's shoulder. "But no matter what… we will save your mom!"
"Th-thanks…" David lowered his head. "I… I need to think things through."
With that, he stumbled out of the dining hall—just barely missing Granny Felyne, who had come in with freshly made meals.
"He's very lost, huh?" Granny Felyne murmured. "He's been here so long and hasn't eaten a single bite… and I made those Felyne Meals specially for him…"
"No choice. We'll just have the Felynes deliver it to him." Kairo sighed. "It's a lot to take in all at once. He needs time."
"Now then… what about you three?" Kairo turned to Rakuro, Shirou Emiya, and Himmel. "You don't have any urgent matters back in your worlds, right? Want to head back first and check?"
"I gotta put my energy drinks away!" Rakuro grinned. "Hunting with different weapon types sounds fun!"
"I need to go home and cook for my family… but I'll be back. I still want to learn more—about the other Shirous, and Illya's future." Shirou's tone betrayed concern.
"Hmm… I should return too." Himmel stroked his beard. "My body feels surprisingly strong. I might even be able to challenge the Demon King again."
"I need to check how long I've actually been dead…"
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