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A ghost that has already turned into a phenomenon.
Hating conflict, a fragment that was pushed onto the role a messiah.
“This future is wrong, someone must do it over again.”
This is the conclusion that the ghost of Pieceman drew about the overall theme of EXTRA, “Confronting Stagnation.”
This is a fight against stagnation and the evil nature of humans.
Will you advance by shedding blood?
Will you advance by joining hands with others in partnership?
After falling into despair, will you deny (break through) this?
After falling into despair, will you affirm (resolve) this?
Asks the ghost of Pieceman, inquiring about what’s right or wrong.
He is one who is responsible, born in the past, but reflected in the present.
“The world is at an impasse.
This future is already heading for a dead end.
Humanity will end in an unsightly half-baked manner, producing no meaningful result.”
Humanity has already been at its end for a long time.
This stagnation is proof.
Rin thought that this situation was born from the rule of West Europe Plutocrats.
She thought that Leo and the Plutocracy were just controlling the progress of technology and the ups and downs of emotions for their own convenience.
Leo was also aware that the Plutocrats were controlling the world in this manner.
However, Leo never told Rin until the end.
The West Europe Plutocrats manipulated the world so that society would stagnate, but even now no alternative option has come to light.
“Stagnation of the world and society occurred because you people desired it.”
Nobody desires the future. Nobody has any interest in the future.
It is far more comfortable to stand still than to try and push forward.
Humans are more or less happy enough as it is.
People conciously decided that any more progress than this, would be unnecessary.
“How absurd. If that’s the case, then there’s no meaning to this. If being human was just about wishing to be happy, we would have been better off if we remained as animals from the start.
The people, all of us who desired something more than just happiness, have shed much blood in its pursuit.”
The ghost of Pieceman is enraged by their weakness.
Why are people, who can be that strong, also so weak?
Is the end they are headed for really worth 2000 years?
“Humans who have forgotten what conflict is will meet with but one end; they will disappear. The struggle for survival is a fundamental part of life. In the true sense of the words, struggling in a world of survival of the fittest is indeed a key component of the ability to continue to survive.”
Yes. Conflict is the path leading to evolution and progress.
Kill. Clear the way. To contest. Flourish.
If you suck this planet dry, then leave this planet behind and reach for the stars.
That is the bare minimum of human responsibility.
“You yourself are the crystallization of this philosophy.
Just look at your extraordinary growth. Conflict nurtured your growth. Adversity changed your flesh and blood into steel. It even let you surpass first-rate hackers. Yet you, who knows the true value of conflict, will reject it?”
In Moon Cell’ core.
Before the eye of the Moon, two ghosts confront each other.
They are both humans who lived in the past.
They are two of the few people who can express their impressions of the future in an objective manner.
The King of Conflict rejects this future.
However, you do not share a similar perspective.
“Even if you can’t find any value in this era.
Even if this future is all someone else’s problem.
Even if the future that we dreamed about is a foolish dead end. I cannot reject the life of the people that live here now.”
“You… approve of this future?”
“No, like you, I cannot accept it… However, I still can’t bring myself to hate it either.”
Moon Cell; the observation device that became the stage for the Holy Grail War.
The reason why its cyber world has the appearance of an ocean.
If the basis of life is conflict, then the basis of the eye of the moon is to watch over.
That way of existing was unconsciously understood by the Masters who arrived at the Moon.
But only he who reached the core faster than anyone else, failed to understand the strength of that way of existing.
“…even so. Stagnation is our reality.”
The tragedies we caused cannot be changed.
The responsibility we stole must be carried out.
While accepting the premonition of his defeat, the fragment of a messiah, not ready to give up on his personal theory, takes up his sword.
“If you think about it, humanity is already passed its maturity.
Until the year 1900, humanity was in its growth period.
But after that, what was supposed to come after adolescent; the golden age that was finally supposed to arrive after immaturity, did not arrive.
As if it were rotten fruit.
It fell during its most rich and prosperous stage.
How incredibly sinful.
If we don’t produce results that match up to the things we sacrificed, and to the costs we fostered, then everything will be no more than a lie.
This future is wrong. Humanity has to start over from scratch again. Small-scale conflict is no good. Unless there’s a struggle for survival that can involved anyone and everyone, our eyes, our consciousness, will not grow.”
Hating war, he cannot accept doing nothing over the anger that comes from having these things taken away.
Humans are more amazing than that.
Life; humanity, must go to a place that the people of the past cannot even imagine.
The idea that man is innately good pushed this ghost to become a messiah.
Although his views are elitist, they are also correct.
Indeed, the humans of this era are tired.
They are losing interest. They are giving up. They have long forgotten what it is to dream about the future.
But—
“The people who live in each era are responsible for choosing the path they take.
Twice H. Pieceman.
The era which you were supposed to protect, ended long ago.”
With these parting words the curtain of battle was raised.
The final battle that overcame the seven seas.
Only Moon Cell and the player know its ending.
Translator’s Notes
- ^ Twice H. Pieceman appears as two separate entries (character and concept) in the glossary.