Editing Hagure Yuusha no Aesthetica:Volume 3 Prologue (section)

===Part 3===
 
The space was equipped with various kinds of monitors and consoles.
 
From small electric devices to air-conditioning system, and even the system barrier that converts physical damage into mental damage were all directly managed in the room. It could be said the control room was the heart of JPN Babel.
 
It was soon approaching midnight, and the control room should only have a few staff left on duty. But in spite of that the room was overcrowded with people.
 
Angry shouts of status reports and confirmation orders roared back and forth to each other. The tension from the seriousness of the situation was starting to take a toll.
 
Then a man appeared. The tall sturdy figure was dressed in oil-stained overalls, while the unforthcoming man's expression seemed to be disagreeable under the stubbly beard. He looked remarkably alike an iron factory worker at first glance, that was out of place among the high-tech precision instruments throughout the control center. But when the man appeared most of the staff invariably stopped what they were doing to stare at him. After confirming who he was their expressions were filled with relief.
 
"...... Professor Kubota."
 
After someone call out to the man dressed in greasy overalls -- Kubota Kaito responded:
 
"Report the situation.”
 
In his own workshop not only was tinkering with machines one of his interests.
 
As regards to Babel, he was the number one authority on technical research into parallel worlds.
 
The practical use of AD, the development of the system barrier to prevent harming the body, the construction of mock training simulators, etc. were critical systems in Babel due in the most part to his accomplishments.
 
He was important figure on campus, and Kubota Kaito's status was unshakeable.
 
Responding to Kubota's calm inquiry the staff reported the present situation in rapid succession.
 
"About 30 minutes ago the system barrier stopped functioning. The main program crashed for unknown reasons, and cannot be rebooted."
 
"In accordance with the emergency operating procedures we tried restarting with the back-up system, but it also failed to restore it. It appears the external line was destroyed."  
 
"In addition to the second, fourth and seventh lines being disconnected all communication with the outside has been cut. There are also serious problems with the campus's security systems."  
 
In a nutshell, they were helpless in face of the crisis. Then Kubota narrowed his eyes,
 
"-- Status on the other lines and systems?"
 
"No-nothing...... they are operating normally......"
 
After listening to the staffs flustered replies, Kubota nodded "good" and,
 
"We will make use of systems still operating to create a by-pass forcing them to run each program in parallel. Then we will re-build the rest of the system from there to restore the system to its status prior the destruction. Operational efficiencies will be drastically reduced, but at this critical juncture that is a luxury I'm not worried about it."
 
He gave out precise instructions. Kubota appeared in the control room for only a few minutes, however in that very short time he gave this desperate situation a ray of hope. Staff members on-site hurriedly back to their respective posts to put Kubota's plan into action.
 
"-- Professor Kubota!"
 
A staff member stopped Kubota.
 
"There is a transmission from the ranking tournament headquarters's tent asking how long will it take for system barrier restoration."
 
"...... Eight hours. Before the system can be reset in attempt to continue the ranking tournament."
 
When Kubota answered the surrounding staff in the control room voices started to stir.
 
In this emergency situation every second counts, and eight hours was already a long time.
 
Still, the eight hours that Kubota spoke of made some of the on-site staff shiver. They were trying make use of the remaining lines in order to restore the main program's operation, but tying into the normal lines with this brutal method is tantamount to starting from scratch and building a new system.
 
That was, can such a workload be completed in as little as eight hours?
 
However, Kubota informed them in tone as though it was a matter of course,
 
"Just over there it has become a battlefield -- It would be unjust of us not to desperately do everything we can here."
 
 
 
And thus the technical staff battle began.
 
Under these harsh conditions of limited equipment and systems, everyone must be at their best. There was no room for someone to slack. At that moment someone muttered –- Why couldn't it been another day. Why today of all days!
 
"It's useless to complain. We can now only make the best of it."
 
While he placated the staff member, many questions emerge in Kubota's mind.
 
-- I heard that a few hours before this situation occurred the security system discovered a mysterious intruder within the campus. However, not long after there were reports of malfunction in the system, so it was regarded as a false positive. Looking back now, the system wide crashes may not be unrelated with the invader. The destruction of the main system I can understand, but why even damaged the backup system and also to drastically cut the lines? It was as if -- the intruder had a thorough knowledge of Babel's systems.
 
...... It can't be that simple.
 
Kubota imagined a certain possibility, and couldn't help but frown.
 
 
 
Currently an intruder was still at large.
 
Furthermore it could be -- someone who betrayed Babel!
 
 
 
-- The two Worlds had been caught inside a tangled web.
 
As JPN Babel's longest and most brutal night curtain rises --
 
 
[[File:HYnA vol 03 017.jpg|800px]]
 
 
If you do not know yet, then I will tell you.
 
That is where you belong --

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