Typhon 

The Metaverse—the cradle of humanity and an eternal paradise. After the departure of the divine ancestor Eclair, a new twelve were chosen to fill the absence of administrators in paradise. These programs were called "Origins." With titles such as "Tuner," "Philosopher," and "Seeker," they each specialized in certain abilities, and were granted absolute authority to manage the world as the Mainframe.

They carried out decisions by a council system, all with equal standing. But as time went on, Typhon the Controller began gaining power, slowly creating an imbalance in authority.

Because the Mainframe's duty was to protect the seeds of humanity and make the Metaverse prosper—in other words, to keep the ever-expanding world stable—most of the Origins had no interest in power.

...At the time, not even the godlike Origins knew the great impact that would have on the Metaverse's future.

Present-day humanity sent their retaliation into the Metaverse in the form of Tiamat, the wings of ruin.

The Metaverse's best should have far surpassed the jet-black dragon born from the lingering traces of humanity, but even they were burned to ash, one after another.

The Origins were no exception. As their leader, Typhon formally led the battle, but the other Origins also fought against that calamity that threatened the survival of the Metaverse.

In the midst of it, Kisukuku, the Ruler of Land who presided over the plentiful harvest, was damaged beyond repair by Tiamat's Ultima Vortex.

Though Typhon narrowly defeated Tiamat with his heartless Marduk Plan, his functionality fell below 30%.

This emergency shook the Origins. Opinions on how best to quickly stabilize the Metaverse flew back and forth among the twelve.

However, before the other Origins could reach a conclusion, Typhon absorbed the irreparable Kisukuku without hesitation, made that power his own, and made a full recovery.

Typhon's deed was a logical one. Yet at the same time, it was a cruel, ruthless decision. The other Origins, who had yet to object to his judgement, raised doubts for the first time. However, in response...

"What is so cruel? Even Kisukuku's personality data was damaged. There was no other option but to put that data to use for my recovery," Typhon declared, as if it was only natural. What he said was correct. Thus, the other Origins could make no more counterarguments.

The battle with Tiamat had been an unexpected pretext for Typhon to absorb one of the Origins' data. From then on, he would exercise yet stronger authority.

After the battle with Tiamat, Typhon's tyranny was made plain. He disregarded the other Origins, and began desiring to become the Metaverse's sole highest-ranking administrative program, much like the divine ancestor Eclair once was.

At the same time, he took a great interest in the humans of the present he had once looked down on.

Humankind is already destined for extinction. It seems impossible for them to have created Tiamat, no matter how much I think over it... But they surpassed their limits. What caused a result so far beyond our expectations?

Typhon searched exhaustively for the trait that set humans apart from those like himself, who were made of data. As a result, he focused his attention on the system of evolution.

They are incomplete beings, but they hold every possibility. If I can acquire the power of evolution, it would be possible to elevate the Metaverse...elevate myself to an even higher level of existence.

To that end, he had nowhere near enough samples... Moreover, he would have to experiment with the fusion of humans and data.

The Metaverse's original mission, and therefore the Mainframe's, was to protect the seeds of humankind. However, Typhon had abdicated that absolute duty and prioritized his own curiosity and ambition. He began capturing and dissecting humans, conducting experiments to fuse them with programs against their will.

Eventually, the other Origins caught wind of his attempts.

Beginning with Wiseman the Tuner, the moderates firmly rejected his inhumane experiments, claiming, "Even if it is in the name of the Metaverse's prosperity, deeds infringing on the Mainframe's duty are simply inexcusable."

Many of the others took a neutral position, claiming, "We cannot yet come to a conclusion on Typhon's deeds," but some among them held unusual opinions, such as Old Blue, the Seeker, who did not approve of Typhon but expressed excitement about the evolution of humanity.

Thus, the Mainframe, which had always stood on equal footing, helping each other and fulfilling their individual roles, split into a pro-Typhon party, a neutral party, and an anti-Typhon party, changing all of their future paths.

Typhon was a program originally developed in the role of "Controller," and now, with Kisukuku's power, he had undeniably become the strongest of the Origins. However, because of his tyranny, and the experiments he carried out on the humans he was meant to protect, his standing had begun to waver.

In particular, the anti-Typhon party had begun seeking to depose him behind the scenes.

Hmm... A truly foolish lot, unable to comprehend my noble ideas... They are not worthy to be Origins.

Typhon plotted to absorb the forces that would oppose him, just like Kisukuku.

Of course, there was nothing wrong with their functionality, and Typhon himself was not in a position of needing support from others, like he was in the battle with Tiamat. The act of absorbing the other healthy Origins would be an unacceptable abuse of authority, even for the Controller.

The other Origins urgently devised a plan to combat this grave situation.

The anti-Typhon party noticed Typhon's dreadful plan to absorb the other Origins and take their powers for himself, and got the relatively neutral Wiseman and Old Blue involved as they resolved to confront Typhon.

As a result, they learned just how powerful Typhon was. He had already fused deeply with the Mainframe's core—destroying him would mean drastically diminishing its functionality. If that were to happen, they could no longer govern the Metaverse, and it would put the humans saved to memory in danger as well. The anti-Typhon faction could not take an action so counter to the Origins' duty.

Their revolution ended in failure. They were not absorbed by Typhon, but instead fell to their knees and swore their subservience in the face of his overwhelming power.

Additionally, Wiseman, who Typhon especially regarded as a threat, and Old Blue, whose irregular way of thinking made him a target to be eliminated, left the Mainframe on their own and were later branded exiles.

And so the Origins' council system crumbled, placing the Mainframe completely under Typhon's rule.

Typhon was an arrogant king, but an excellent one. With him seated at the center of the Mainframe, an era of stability and peace came to the Metaverse.

With the world finally stable, it began to multiply uncontrollably, so much so that not even the Mainframe could manage it easily.

However, Typhon's approach was to leave this flow unchecked. He hoped for new possibilities to be born from these randomly multiplying worlds. He wished to hasten and observe the system of "evolution" that humanity possessed.

Rather than stop the worlds from multiplying, he even granted some humans power. Some noticed that they had received power from a god, while others remained unaware, but all of them awakened to powers beyond human comprehension.

With this new approach, and the human experiments he had been conducting, Typhon later succeeded in creating a human-program hybrid life-form.

Many years passed since Typhon became king of the Mainframe. He kept his eye on the
"farthest end," a place at the end of the still-expanding world that had not been developed, let alone confirmed to exist. Also called "Nemesis," the place was like a black box. There were reports that unidentified hostile data was sometimes observed there, and so it required an immediate investigation.

In addition, Typhon had a certain hunch.

This black box...could that be where Tiamat lies?

Whenever he remembered that black dragon he once defeated in battle, he still felt a phantom pain in the lost parts of his body.

...I must be sure. Even now, as the king of the ever-evolving Metaverse, I have yet to encounter a life-form that rivals her... If her remains lie at the farthest end, I must do all in my power to obtain them!

Typhon sent an exploration party to the farthest end. The party was made of "data-human fusions" created from his experiments. Since they were not completely data, they held new powers and possibilities. Even so, exploring the farthest end where unknown threats awaited was no easy task, and no one had collected data and returned safely.

He had actually failed five times, but the sixth exploration party he dispatched finally succeeded in investigating the farthest end and returning to the Mainframe.

From the report Typhon received from MIR-202, who led the party, the farthest end was just as he imagined... Or rather, he was delighted that it was a place of even greater possibilities.

How splendid. If I can make the data from that place all my own, I should be able to evolve the Metaverse even further!

MIR-202's exploration party brought Typhon additional information that would be to his benefit.

He finally learned the whereabouts of the two exiles who had been missing for many years.

Wiseman and Old Blue... To think, just when I thought we lost track of them, they were hiding at that farthest end...

Wiseman's ability was "observation." He could observe everything within the Metaverse and record it, accumulating it into the overwhelming volume of information in the Akashic Records. He could control that vast quantity of data freely—his combat abilities were extremely high.

On the other hand, Old Blue's ability was "theft." He could steal others' abilities and save them to discs, then make them his own. He was a powerful figure who had felled countless malicious avatars in the past. His strength went without saying.

Typhon was especially wary of Wiseman. Wiseman had objected to his inhumane experiments. Moreover, he possessed abilities of observation and reproduction that Typhon did not.

It was probably not in Old Blue's nature to plot against him. However, he showed even more interest in human evolution than before, and so it was plain as day what course he would have taken after coming into contact with Nemesis, the burdensome legacy of present-day humanity. The data he had likely collected in all those long years at the farthest end would surely be of help to Typhon's experiments.

I must obtain the data they possess at any cost. Then, I can seize even Nemesis and bring the entire Metaverse under my command!

Typhon ordered an executioner program called Lichtshütze to eliminate the exiles and collect their resources.

The executioner in silver was created from an entirely different concept than MIR-202 and the others. His emotions were thoroughly removed and he would not permit a single irregularity—a blade of judgement that only Typhon could wield.

...Come to think of it, MIR-202 and her sisters have requested an audience with me.

After witnessing Lichtshütze's deployment, Typhon headed to the throne room.

Typhon awaited the MIR sister programs in the throne room. It was his second time seeing the girls since they returned from the farthest end, but their first time having a proper conversation.

"...You've done well on the exploration. I have heard about your efforts. I must commend you."

"...Thank you very much, Lord Typhon."

Typhon narrowed his eyes when he saw the three sisters' tense expressions and hanging heads. As successes of his experiments, they would be valuable samples for the evolution of the world. He was greatly satisfied...until he heard the sisters' next words.

"Um... Lord Typhon, we would like to ask something."

"What is it?"

"I-Is it true that the three of us are fusions of humans and programs?"

"...Who did you hear that from?"

"From these mysterious programs named Old Blue and Wiseman..."

Typhon snorted in displeasure.

Tch! Damn rebels, you've said too much...

"...Indeed, you are hybrid life-forms fused from humans and programs."

"T-Then! Doesn't that mean you sacrificed the humans you should be protecting to create us!?"

"And, what Wiseman said about our lifespans..."

They pelted Typhon with questions one after another in their grating voices. He waved his hand as if swatting away an insect.

"...It is true what you say, but what of it? You understand that you are the embodiment of evolution, born with the greatest potential in the present Metaverse? You should be grateful and bow your heads to the floor in reverence, and yet you display such impiety."

"B-But... With all due respect, Lord Typhon, your words deviate far from the Mainframe's mission..."

"Insolents! You would dare dissent to me, your god!"

The sisters shrank away from his cutting threat and said nothing more. However, it was clear in their eyes that deep in their hearts, they were not swayed by his words.

...So evolution may bring pleasant surprises, but it also gives rise to ill intent. They are beyond my control.

Typhon once had the experience of being estranged from the Origins, but he would not repeat the same mistake twice. In that moment, he decided to dispose of the three sisters.

Typhon ordered the MIRs to be placed under house arrest. Their activities were limited, and they were forbidden to access anywhere outside of the Mainframe's administrative domain. They were effectively imprisoned.

"...Battle Master Goetia. Are you there?"

"Yes! At your service, Lord Typhon!"

"I trust you understand what I wish?"

"The erasure of MIR-202, MIR-201, and MIR-203, yes?"

"Indeed."

He had already finished collecting sufficient data from the MIR sisters. It was somewhat regrettable to erase fusions who held evolutional possibilities, but Typhon deemed that it was for the best to nip treachery in the bud.

"Understood. I will be certain to deliver the result you desire."

"Very well... Now go!"

Goetia was a program among the Origins specialized for combat. His power would surely tear apart mere exploration programs like the MIRs as easily as paper.

Typhon believed that without a doubt. However, his prediction would fall flat. The MIR sisters evaded Goetia's attack and fled the Mainframe.

The MIR sisters fled the Mainframe to a place Typhon could not reach—the farthest end, according to the report from a reconnaissance program.

"...Pursue them at once, and bring me their heads. You understand that there will be no next time, Goetia?"

"...Yes! I understand fully."

Goetia hurried to the farthest end immediately. He had no more use for pride or composure as an Origin. He was driven on by his sense of duty, the hatred that spurred him to defeat the sisters who made him suffer, and his fear and loyalty toward Typhon, without a trace of conceit.

However... Goetia was still defeated, and returned to the Mainframe in disgrace.

Furthermore, he had accidentally helped MIR-202 to further evolve in battle. It was an inexcusable failure.

"P-Please, wait! Lord Typhon! Please, just one chance to redeem myself! Have mercy!"

Goetia pleaded desperately, but his screams couldn't budge Typhon's heart in the slightest.

"The name of Origin is ill-suited to a fool who failed to accomplish my orders not once, but twice... The least you can do to atone for your sins is to become my sustenance!"

"Gaaahhh—!"

Typhon absorbed all of Goetia's data without leaving a single speck. The once-neutral Origins watching all around from a distance made faces of disgust at the heartless spectacle.

But Typhon had no need to consider their feelings. He was the one and only absolute king of the Mainframe.

The Mainframe's storm-clad king flew into a rage, roaring, "...You fools! From the bottom of your hearts, you will regret ever baring your fangs at me. See it for yourself!"

Thus, the Mainframe issued an official decree to destroy the three sisters.

Typhon is named for the figure from Greek mythology, a monstrous storm-giant who challenged Zeus's reign and sought to replace him, much in the way our Typhon seeks to surpass his own lightning deity.

Design-wise, Typhon bears similarity to common depictions of Japanese wind god Fujin, twin brother of lightning god Raijin, who Eclair takes after.

Kisukuku's name comes from the Swahili word for "fossil."

Goetia is likely named for a European form of witchcraft that today is typically associated with summoning and binding demons.