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Internet article translations
Asakura's Report -
Chapter 3
Translated by: Sweiled
1. Please DO NOT take my translations and
use them for whatever reason, without my permission.
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(click
here for Chapter 1)
(click here for Chapter
2)
The Non-Human Beings
Even
then, I still couldn’t distinguish between right and wrong with
respect to “things” and “people”, and I couldn’t even understand
the meaning of my own existence. I was invited to join a company
to study Robotics Engineering, and travelled from the capital
of Tokyo to Germany. Surrounded by the forefronts
of science and technology, I thought that I alone could live
on blissfully in this unparalleled happiness, immersing myself
in research with all thoughts of war put aside.
But the ideal world that I had envisioned was different in reality. Scheming
to conquer the world, (it was) the very center of evil that
had no fear of even God himself. In the middle of it all, I
worked on an important project that was of paramount importance
(to the scheme). I had to worry about my own life on top of
that. A life of fear. As long as
I could be saved – I clung on to that one desire.
I betrayed my only best friend, my closest companion, and to top it all,
my days were filled with keeping his maintenance after he had
been turned into a cyborg as my top priority. I could not even
convey my feelings to the only woman I loved and (spent my days)
creating programs that issued commands to my old friend.
In truth, I’m the one who is “not human”, I’m the true “God of Death from
hell”… No longer sure of what was correct and what was not at
that time, all I can say is that my will and hopes were (as
insignificant as) the breath of a worm
in this war that was either God’s great trial (for mankind)
or the devil’s idea of a game.
I desperately tried, on my own, to understand everything about this top
secret project while working on it. A fusion of the world’s
most advanced medical technology and robot technology. A
weapon (made from) a reconstructed human body. It is
an undeniable fact that in terms of science, physics, medical science,
medical technology and all other genres, this (technology) far
exceeds all other countries in the world by 50 years. (But)
it was an unknown product derived from a series of high-level
coincidences. And it’s something
that is way beyond the knowledge level of this scientist from
a tiny island [1]. I investigated it all. No matter how trivial
the information was. Probably because of my own character and disposition. I couldn’t
help worrying if I didn’t have all the facts that would allow
me to judge a situation accurately.
As I was investigating, I found amongst a huge pile of data something like
a diary that was left behind by a scientist who used to work
there. Most likely he was killed because of some failure in
the project or because he was forced to take the blame for some
other man’s mistake. He suddenly disappeared in the middle of
the research and the huge amount of materials he left behind
was handed over to me. In that diary he left behind was an account
concerning the birth of Humanoid Assault Weapon (Zwei).
One could tell that he had already lost his mind from the scribbled words
he wrote. Rows of words that made one feel (his) insanity. Here
and there were words written erratically, and halfway through
you could sense the fear and sadness that seemed to pour out
of those scrawls. Disturbingly, a full account of the immoral
(acts) he saw was locked up in that diary.
On it was written, “It was raining heavily that day…”
“…… Rain… Nothing special about it…
But tonight, the cold
rain combined with the crashing thunder seems to forbode
the future… the future of mankind, and are on a rampage…
But those worries will fade away soon… We have stepped into
the territories of God…
No, WE ARE GOD… The day
when people call us God will soon come!!!
At last… At last the
result of our research will see the light of day.
All the tests have been cleared…
No other data looks more
promising...
Up till now… Up till now there have been too many unfortunate
incidents…
Those people whose (experiments) ended in terrible failures
because the “parts” did not fit,
(their sacrifices) will be rewarded
too, I’m sure…
With this, the victory
of our Third Reich lies within sight!!!
The only subject left, No.4…
I have no doubt that (we will be able) to activate him as the
perfect Type 2 (Zwei).”
The plan to turn living human beings into cyborgs,
the “ЯR Project”, was carried out in absolute secrecy
by the most advanced technology research team led by M.D. Domino
[2] Hallemeier. Most of the experimental subjects, which we
called “the materials”, were volunteer soldiers from Azerbaijan
and Turkmenistan,
and draftees from occupied territories. But one by one, this
experiment of remodeling the human body, what you can call God’s
great achievement, ended in failure.
The team had probably anticipated that… Many subjects died of shock from
their body’s adverse reaction to the “parts” that did not fit.
Some successfully adapted (to the “parts”), but a malfunction
caused them to stop functioning suddenly and drop dead.
And there were those who went on a rampage and were shot to
death. There were even subjects who went mad and committed suicide.
Of all these, the only subject left was Number 4. This experimental subject
known as Number 4 adapted itself successfully to all parts and
showed numerical (data) that were not humanly possible. This
subject was a military officer who had been involved in the
“ЯR Project” from its earliest stages.
Number 4 was the only surviving subject and was named PROTO as he was the
origin of Zwei. The
Humanoid Assault Weapon Type 2 (Zwei)
and its strongest soldier PROTO. Thus it was that the
man who was of human form and yet not human, the man who was
later called the “Nibelungen Demon”
and feared (by everyone), was born.
At the same time, it was also the beginning of a foolish story that set
off a chain reaction of tragedy (lit. sadness).
[1] This most likely refers to Asakura himself, the “tiny island” being Japan. It could also be that he’s
referring to the whole project in general and all the scientists
involved. But if so, the “tiny island” part doesn’t make sense
at all, unless the laboratory was not in Germany
but in some remote island, which is even more unlikely.
[2] ドミノ I’m pretty sure that this
is supposed to be read Domino, but there is a name in the RUR
novel that I mentioned in Chapter 1 called Domin.
He’s supposed to be the general manager of R.U.R.
The truth behind PROTO’s disappearance – The
main factor
The group that managed and maintained PROTO after he was created was the
Hallemeier Institute, a science medical institution under the
corporation led by M.D Domino Hallemeier. Officially, it was
known as a corporation, but it was in fact the most advanced
research facility (in the country) that took on the development
of the military’s weapons and was under the jurisdiction of
the army. In the last stages of the war, this institution carried
out and managed several of the military’s top secret projects.
I too ended up working in this institution and was ordered to
join the project and supervise Zero.
After PROTO was deployed, he joined
the battle as the commander of the 4th Independent
Tactical Guerrilla Force, with a few human subordinates placed
under him. The team was assigned independent, special missions
and was permitted to make their own independent judgment. He
was promoted by two ranks from Lieutenant when he was still
human to Captain.
(But) the few soldiers that were placed under this team were given another
mission. On top of the usual duties of “supporting and assisting”
PROTO in battle, they were asked to “monitor” him, and if the
need ever arose, to “destroy and annihilate” him as well. (Of
their duties,) the last two were the ones regarded as most important.
Why did they think it was necessary to give such an order?
It seemed that during normal times when he was not in battle, surprisingly
human-like emotions and actions could be seen in PROTO. First
they argued over whether it was because they did not do a thorough
job with the brainwashing, but in the end it was concluded that
it was an instinctive act that men possess from birth, or something
like a habit that is done subconsciously. But what was the real
cause…? So far, we have not received any reports from the team
of any strange behaviors. I hoped my fears would prove groundless
because failures were not permitted in this project.
After reading the records left behind by the previous scientist, instinctively
I knew that the behaviors seen in PROTO would also appear in
Zero and the other Zweis right from
the beginning. That’s because I interpreted such off-duty actions
and emotions as having been inherited, the instincts and habits
that were deeply ingrained within them when they were human.
As for the Zweis that I was in-charge of, they
had already possessed human-like actions and words from when
they were first created. If anything was lacking in them as
a “human”, it was only the blank “memory” and “consciousness”
that had been overwritten. I believed that PROTO’s data was used as a base, and by introducing each individual’s own information and experience as feedback, new characters were developed. Exactly like
the way innocent children grow up, by having their characters
formed by the experiences they accumulate.
But actually, at that moment, I suddenly knew
what would happen in the near future. Because in the account
left by the previous scientist was written his predictions relating
to PROTO’s (imminent) failure.
“I knew it. It cannot be denied that it is imperfect……
But most of the plan… 99% of
it is supposed to have gone well!!!
Other than that 1% element…
PROTO himself wants to remain
a human… Is that what he desired strongly in his heart???
The element that makes one a human has grown (in him)…
Could that be the reason…
From the report of the remaining officers,
“Occasionally, there were times when, like an empty shell,
he would think about something else before the mission started”
“Elena, a female name… More than a few have heard (him say)
it”
Elena… Who is she……?”
The awakening memory
July 1944.
In northwestern France,
during the Battle for Caen [1], the Combat Support Force -
the 4th Independent Tactical Guerrilla Force, which
belonged to the 2nd SS Panzer Divison Das Reich,
was annihilated. Other than one low-ranking officer, all the
soldiers in the unit were declared as
missing in action, including PROTO. Proclaiming it “Missing
in Action” was a convenient way to handle the problem, (for)
underneath it were hidden the words “though unconfirmed”.
The previous scientist had even done an investigation on the woman “Elena”.
Not to satisfy his curiosity, but to save his own life. If PROTO
ever ran away, if he ever regained his past memories, he would
probably go to where she is. Based on that deduction, he did
an investigation on all the relevant facts related to PROTO
and Elena.
PROTO was a young aspiring pianist from Salzburg, Austria
who was studying music at a university. Elena was his girlfriend then. But
the university was closed down when the war started and he signed
up voluntarily for a cadet school. He graduated top of the class
from the school and became a soldier, participating in numerous
battles.
He was transferred to the 2nd SS Panzer Divison
Das Reich from Heer (German land
forces [army]). He was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant and
joined the military’s top secret “ЯR Project” at the same
time. He entered the army out of a single-minded desire to protect
Elena, but she was shot in front of his eyes by the enemy’s
spy plane and died. In
order to forget his sorrow and avenge her death, he gave up
(lit. stop) being human and erased his memories and consciousness,
choosing to become a cyborg.
What triggered fragments of his memories to piece (themselves) togetheras probably something surprisingly trivial.
Like collecting the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle one by one, PROTO
probably started gathering up everything
in his sad past that he had forgotten… no,
that he had wanted to forget.
He wished to forget it all. Even though he had thrown away everything,
(finding) life in this world meaningless now that the person
he loved had gone, something inside him still refused to let
him do that and was trying to (make him) regain his old memories.
Thus, PROTO regained his human self once more. And that was
probably more painful than when he was human (and had lost Elena).
He knew better than anyone else that Elena’s gentle eyes and warmth had
already gone from this world, and that he wouldn’t even be able
to feel her presence around anymore. After he had regained his
memories, he probably could not bring himself to forgive his
own existence – that of being the mass-killing machine known
as the Nibelungen Demon in this
foolish act called war – and would want to erase himself from
existence.
And so he disappeared. For he was someone who should
not exist in this world.
Since then I had had a premonition. That Zero would eventually walk down
the same path PROTO did.
Among the 4th Independent Tactical Guerrilla Force, only Zero
was installed with more data and a stronger program (lit. data)
than PROTO that would force him to obey the command system.
Zero was PROTO himself. And the factors that caused PROTO’s
failure could also be found within every single member of Zwei.
No doubt they will regain their memories someday. Like time
bombs that have been set to detonate.
[1] A battle between Allied and German forces during the Battle of Normandy
from June to August 1944. While the 2nd SS Panzer
Divison Das Reich and various corps under participated in
the Battle for Caen and the Battle of Normandy, and suffered
heavy losses. Under Das Reich, the LXXXIV infantry corps, the
5th Panzer army, and the II SS Panzer Corps were
sent to Normandy
along with others on July 1944.
Within Maria
To be honest, when I heard that Maria had received a letter from him, I
didn’t think it was a big deal. It had to be a letter that he
had sent to her from some place before he became Zwei
and that had gotten lost until it finally reached her that day…
that was what I thought.
He is not here in this world anymore. That’s why I still thought then,
still believed then that no matter what happened,
I was the only one who had the right to be by her side. Time
will fill the gap between the two of us in the end and there
was no need for me to rush – so I selfishly theorized.
But that letter was not written by the old him… it was a letter from Zero.
A letter sent from him as he was marching towards the battle
in Hungary.
“A letter that could not have existed”
A letter that must not exist. After he joined
the project and became Zero, I continued biding my time for
a while. And when some time had passed, I myself went to tell
Maria that “He has died in battle”.
Her image as she silently collapsed into tears was burnt so brightly in
my mind that I can still remember it now. And I realized how
much she loved him from the way she took the news. But he no
longer exists in this world. He does not exist as a human. He
has neither memory nor consciousness. It is not allowed, it
is not even possible for a letter to come from such a man.
The maintenance was impeccable. I had carefully
kept them in good repair as
if they were my own children, these time bombs that can go off
at any moment. There shouldn’t be any problem. There were no
signs from Zero or the other Zweis
to suggest (otherwise). It was impossible for a Humanoid Assault
Weapon to write letters to the women they were in love with.
There were no such programs, needless to say. Obviously he had
awakened, he had regained his memories. That was what I believed.
I was in quite a panic then… No, not panic, but I think I showed Maria
the ugliness of my face, twisted in bitterness and frustration.
What was written in that letter? Most likely the whole
story. I was worried that she had discovered my ugly
lies and even my (evil) designs. Of course, I did not have the
right to ask her to show me the letter. I was in no position
to read her letter. Especially if it was
a letter from him.
Maria’s face was clear and filled with kindness and tenderness. That pierced
my heart more painfully than anything else. It was worse than
if she had called me names. And she conveyed to me her thoughts
that I was sure will never change.
“He isn’t dead… He knows that the pain of living is stronger than death. Kind and more delicate than anyone else, he possesses
the strong heart needed to live like a human, stronger than
anyone else. I have to live strongly too. Or he will laugh at
me, won’t he? Ryuuichi… you too
mustn’t lose and live on strong.”
I see it clearly now. That the two of them had always been connected to each other.
That a person’s memory and consciousness are what makes him
a person. And that they will live on forever.
I was always alone in the past. But I had long forgotten the coldness of
being alone and the pain of loneliness. Maria’s and his… from
that day I felt other people’s warmth. But it was gone. I didn’t
want to return to that cold, dark world of loneliness from (this)
world of warmth. For the first time in my life, I began to realize
that I had lost the thing(s) I held dear.
For days and days… I thought hard and desperately
to find a way to somehow win her warmth back. Finally I gathered
my courage and went to see her. Little did I expect that this
would be the trigger that destroys everything…
And then, he made his move.
Source: gackt.com
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