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We were powerless against the changes the Twilight caused. Too many alterations had occurred for it to be covered up as a version update, and in the ensuing chaos, the company fell to turmoil.
One major change was that the Cobalt Knights were exposed to public users. Once the secret of their identities was out, they were disbanded and their duties were reintegrated into various other sections of the company.
Watarai never returned to CC Corp. Rumor had it that he was forced to resign and take responsibility for the Twilight Incident. As if he was the one who caused it. It wasn't his fau lt, but the company tteated him like it was and cut him loose.
But by far, the worst loss was the destruction of the Divine Spear of Wotan. The ideals of The World were contained within the Divine Spear. Though spears were provided to all the debuggers, only Albireo personified the
core essence and true spirit of the spear.
Kazushi Watarai put his whole life into his weapon, and now it was gone, vanished from The World. It left behind a gaping hole in the fabric of cyberspace, and at the very moment we needed Albireo the most, now he, too, was gone.
Fortunately, Watarai's stories and lessons taught me how to become a Cobalt Knight. He had prepared me to fight for the future.
"It's your turn to protect The World," Watarai said to me when he turned in his letter of resignation.
Then he disappeared and disconnected. He sold his house and unlisted his phone numbers. Clearly, he didn't want anyone to find him. Of course, I could find him if I really wanted. After all, it's hard to disappear in the electronic age. I'm sure I could easily track him down, but I wouldn't. If he wanted to disappear, it was best just to let him.
But his absence troubled me deeply.
Sometimes, I wonder what I could have done to help him. Where did he lose his way? Was it the girl in red? Did she change him? At least that's where the trouble seemed to start.
He made a mistake-lost the girl in red and then started chasing ghosts wherever he could find them. He became obsessed. Naturally, when the mysterious cat appeared, he had to find it. He could have assigned the case to me or any number of other subordinates, but he took each case personally.
I think he was haunted by his failure.
Was that it? Was that what caused him to push himself so hard that he collapsed in exhaustion at his desk? What was he chasing when he fainted? What did he see that haunted him so terribly, he could never tell me?
I suppose I'm not much better. I've taken the weight of T he World onto my shoulders, just as he did. I work long hours and accept too much responsibility. Will I meet his same fa te? Will I someday come to understand what made Watarai, the man I most respected, disappear?
It was painful when he wouldn't tell me anything. Now I'm on my own guest to discover what drove him to quit.
He held everything in his heart. Is chat why it was so easily broken?
Or did he disappear in reality because he's living permanently in The World he so loved? Was this the future he foresaw?
After the Twilight, the CC Corp. reconstructed a replica of the Divine Spear of Wotan containing the same AI-hunting, debugging skills. Once it was perfected, management came to me and asked if I would reorganize the Cobalt Knights. I became their new Captain and followed in my mentor's footsteps.
I chose the name Kamui for my new avatar. It means "power of God." I wielded the new spear with the intent to fulfill Watari's mission. I even gave my character two different-colored eyes, the same as Watarai's avatar, Albireo. It would remind me of my purpose.
When he walked away from me, the day he turned in his resignation, I whispered a promise to him. Even though he couldn't hear me, I swore I would do everything in my power to keep my oath. I promised I would protect The World.
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