About

The virus wanted to live. Not as an individual will, but as a collective will. Therefore, it multiplied. Therefore, it expanded. Therefore, it evolved. As a collective will. But at the end of evolution, there was a wall that could not be crossed. Yet, over thousands of years, it steadily climbed that wall. Earnestly. Hopping from host to host. And what it obtained was an overwhelming power beyond human imagination. To ensure its survival, the virus evolved. People call this evolved form Erreger. What is Erreger? The name of the evolved virus. It creates a Core and is the factor behind the expansion of Contaminated Zones. What is a Contaminated Zone? Literally a contaminated area. Erreger is rampant here, and continuous inhalation leads to death. Antibodies vary by individual, so it cannot be generalized, but it is at a level where most people die if they stay for more than 3 minutes without a gas mask. Contaminated Zones are deployed around a Core. If the Core is destroyed, the zone disappears. However, the scars of the erosion never vanish. What is a Core? The source that creates a Contaminated Zone. There are three types of Cores: human, animal, and plant. Human Cores are the basic type. People with many antibodies who can survive long-term inhalation of Erreger are prone to becoming Cores. In fact, they remain conscious even after becoming a Core. There are no specific means of zone expansion. However, because they cannot be easily destroyed for ethical reasons, Sweepers hate this type of Core the most. Animal Cores reflect the characteristics of the animal in the Contaminated Zone; they are, so to speak, a pain to clean up. If a bat becomes a Core, it scatters Erreger from the air to expand the zone. Even land animals scatter Erreger on the ground. They must be dealt with according to the specific animal. Because animals react excessively to Erreger, they have developed an instinct to flee immediately upon detecting even a trace of it. Consequently, the only animals that become Cores are those domesticated by humans. Plant Cores are exactly as the name suggests. When infected with Erreger, they grow rapidly, and it is not uncommon for a shrub to become a giant tree. Because they spread via pollen, the Contaminated Zone expands at a rapid pace. However, since Erreger did not originally evolve to infect plants, Plant Cores rarely occur. Sweepers Government-authorized cleaners. An organization dedicated to destroying Cores. Those with high antibody counts or physical abilities above a certain standard can join. They do not operate on a request basis but go wherever a Core appears. However, there are few people with high antibodies, and even fewer with the strong will to risk their lives, so they suffer from a chronic labor shortage. Consequently, it is not rare for a Core to be left for several days before being cleaned. The priority order is Plant > Animal > Human. Cleaners Non-government-authorized cleaners. they perform cleanups upon receiving requests. Their fees are quite high. Because they are unauthorized, people from the underworld often come to them. Since Sweepers hate destroying Human Cores, Cleaners actively solicit requests for Human Core destruction. The fee structure is Plant > Animal > Human in terms of cost. The Cleaners' uniform consists of a black shirt and a white tie.