Cosmos in the Lostbelt 1: Permafrost Empire - Anastasia
Outro 1
Narration:
...And so, our history came to an end.
It's been ninety days since the invasion from space began. In that time, the entire planet has been wiped clean.
We've been fighting back for three months. Three long, arduous months.
Every single attempt ended in failure. Of course they did.
We had all kinds of security measures in place to deal with other countries...but we were completely unprepared for an invasion from outer space.
The United States fought hard to the last man,but even so, they only lasted a matter of days.
With no other options left to them, all the few remaining humans could do was stand by and stare around, dumbfounded, at the endless stretch of nothingness.
Everyone resigned themselves to the fact that each passing day could well and truly be their last.
...But not me. I just couldn't let it end like this.
So I turned my back on the campsite and walked away like a petulant child, casting a deaf ear to the people offering up their final prayers.
Before me, I saw a vast wasteland of endless white. Any trace of humanity had been erased.
We no longer had any hope for survival, let alone of turning the tide. Nothing we tried had even the slightest effect.
In this wasteland, I searched through old records like a raccoon pawing through garbage.
I managed to find an old motorcycle, with barely enough fuel for a one-way trip, and began riding across the blinding white wasteland.
It's just...nothing about this makes sense. There are so many unanswered questions. If I'm going to die, I at least want to know why.
I can accept an alien invasion. I can even accept the end of the world.
But I can't accept not knowing WHY they invaded us, or HOW.
The invasion lasted a good ninety days. There must have been SOME sign leading up to it. Someone must have seen this coming.
Or, maybe...someone knew this was coming,and decided to LET it happen.
How did the invaders first make their way to Earth to begin with?
Someone needs to figure at least that much out,or humanity will never be able to rest in peace.
So I'll keep exploring until I find a lead–some sort of clue that could lead me to the answers I seek.
This recording might just be me talking to myself...but still, there's every chance that this is the last document remaining on Earth.
My name is David. David Bluebook.
I'm an oddball setting off on the last trip of his life, searching for answers in a world where I'll be lucky to see tomorrow.
Researcher's Log, 2018:
Eighteen hours have passed since the events we observed in New Mexico. At last, Subject E has been relocated to this base.
Honestly, I can barely contain my excitement. This is the biggest thing to happen since the Roswell UFO incident in 1947.
I have no idea how it ended up making an emergency landing on this planet, and I don't care.
What I do know is that our...visitor is at death's door and needs our help if it's going to survive.
I also know that it is an intelligent life-form,and is nothing like us humans.
Its form beggars belief. Thank goodness for the boundless capacity of the human imagination.
This visitor from a distant world looks exactly like the sort of thing one would see in a horror movie.
My orders are to perform surgery on this new friend from beyond the stars to save its life and hopefully establish communication.
I'm literally trembling with excitement. My entire staff and I are eager to begin our work.
This will be a difficult operation, but we WILL save it. This will be, by far, the most fulfilling work I've ever done. How could I not see that it succeeds?
...My only regret is that I won't be able to share these discoveries with the outside world.
This project is as classified as they come, and who knows if it will ever be disclosed to the public.
Until then, we must continue to nurse it back to health in secret, here in this underground facility.
It is here that I must study this strange new life-form. These...tree roots come to life.
Intro 1
Kirschtaria:
It has been ninety days...three full months since the Tree of Emptiness took root.
Kirschtaria:
The world has been successfully rewritten with the Lostbelts. The Felling Theoretical Phenomenon is complete.
Kirschtaria:
Let us take a moment to celebrate this milestone. None of this would have been possible without each of your devoted efforts.
Beryl:
Psh, you're giving us waaay too much credit, Kirschtaria. None of us has done anything worth celebrating yet.
Beryl:
The Foreign God did all the work, invading and rewriting history and the world and all that.
Beryl:
All we've done is keep our Lostbelt kings in good spirits. The real work's only just starting, yeah?
Ophelia:
...You don't get it, Beryl. Stabilizing the Lostbelts and growing the tree are one and the same.
Ophelia:
Lord Kirschtaria is telling us to devote ourselves to maintaining our contracts with the Lostbelts' Servants.
Ophelia:
Particularly Masters like you,who treat this as some kind of game.
Beryl:
Whoa, whoa, easy there, Ophelia. Looks really CAN kill when you're the one giving them.
Beryl:
...That aside, “Lord” Kirschtaria, huh? Changed a bit since you woke up, haven't you?
Beryl:
Ah, don't worry. I won't give you TOO much shit about that. I get why you'd wanna cling to someone under the circumstances. Heh.
Beryl:
But as long as we're on the subject, lemme make something clear here: I've never been more serious in my life.
Beryl:
We already died once. Think I don't know better than to treat this like a game?
Beryl:
This Foreign God person might've resuscitated us this time, but I don't see that happening a second time.
Beryl:
So you better believe that I wanna get things taken care of while I'm still kicking.
Beryl:
After all, can only enjoy stealing and killing while you're alive. Don't you agree, Daybit?
Daybit:
Indeed. You cannot experience the sensation that accompanies methodical killing from the confines of the Coffin.
Daybit:
Happily, our respective regions are quite primitive, so we are afforded plenty of opportunities for that experience now.
Beryl:
You said it. They keep coming at us, practically begging us to kill them. Not a lotta time to screw around, huh?
Ophelia:
...I see. I feel sorry for your Lostbelts.
Kadoc:
...
Peperoncino:
Hmm? What's the matter, Kadoc. Beryl is his usual self, but you seem a bit off. What's bothering you?
Peperoncino:
You look just dreadful! Oh my, those bags under your eyes! Have you not been sleeping? Or is it just that you're under a lot of stress?
Kadoc:
...Both. Never mind me. I'm doing what I'm supposed to.
Peperoncino:
I'm sorry, you know I can't do that, Kadoc. If you really want me to leave you be, then at the very least, I need to see a smile from you!
Peperoncino:
How could I not be sad,seeing a friend so down in the dumps?
Peperoncino:
I can't help worrying about you,whatever you might think on the subject!
Peperoncino:
Understand? If you really want to be alone,you need to be strong enough to handle it.
Peperoncino:
And if you're letting your stress show like that, then you clearly aren't. Why not try relieving a bit of that stress with a bit of fun?
Peperoncino:
Hmmm, this suggestion won't win points for originality, but how about some tea? I found some great tea leaves here in my own Lostbelt.
Peperoncino:
I'd be happy to let you have some. I bet the Grand Duchess would be delighted as well.
Kadoc:
...None of your business. I swear, you just don't change no matter what happens, do you, Pepe?
Peperoncino:
Ooh, flattery will get you everywhere! I must say, that wasn't bad, Kadoc!
Kadoc:
I'm not praising you. That was an insult.
Kadoc:
...Sheesh. How come you're not telling THIS guy not to treat this like a game, Ophelia?
Ophelia:
I...P-Peperoncino's different. He's always like this.
Beryl:
Exactly. He doesn't listen to what people tell him. Just think about that weird nickname he picked for himself.
Beryl:
He's a dyed-in-the-wool optimist, or maybe a natural-born outlaw. Either way, you don't wanna see him get serious, y'know?
Beryl:
He'd only ever show his true colors if the shit REALLY hit the fan. Like, the apocalypse or something.
Beryl:
...Actually, scratch that. Maybe not even then!
Akuta Hinako:
...No more wasting our time. Kirschtaria, what did you want to talk about?
Akuta Hinako:
We've already reported in about our Lostbelts.
Akuta Hinako:
Mine isn't fit for territory expansion, and I have no intention of competing with the rest of you.
Akuta Hinako:
If you want to fight over who gets to rule this planet, knock yourselves out. Did I not already tell you all this?
Kadoc:
...You think we buy that? You can't just shut yourself away and sit this one out, Akuta.
Kadoc:
In the end, we're going to have to choose a single Lostbelt.
Kadoc:
If you give up on expanding your Lostbelt's territory, it'll just be a matter of time until another Lostbelt invades it.
Kadoc:
You really want to just lose by default? You're okay with that?
Akuta Hinako:
...Yes, I am. And if my Lostbelt ends up disappearing, I'm fine with that too.
Akuta Hinako:
This time, I just want to stay there right up to the end. As long as I'm satisfied, I'll go along with the rest of the Crypters.
Beryl:
So you don't give a shit about this power struggle thing, huh? Eh, can't blame you. We all know who's gonna win anyway.
Beryl:
Kirschtaria's could beat all of ours put together with one hand tied behind its back. This whole game to figure out who's gonna be the king of the earth has been rigged from the start.
Beryl:
I mean, you should see how bad mine and Daybit's Lostbelts are. There's just no way these are possibilities for how humanity would turn out.
Beryl:
But there's not a damn thing wrong with Kirschtaria's Lostbelt. Hell, things might even be better there than in Proper Human History!
Beryl:
No fair, right? I swear, he was already the favorite to win before we even got started. No accounting for the luck of a born nobleman, huh?
Kirschtaria:
...
Ophelia:
Beryl! Hold your tongue. Lord Kirschtaria conquered that city entirely on his own merits!
Ophelia:
Why else do you think he has no fewer than three Divine Spirits–
Kirschtaria:
You will hold your tongue as well, Ophelia. Beryl is not incorrect.
Ophelia:
But...!
Kirschtaria:
It's all right. It is plain to all that I will emerge the victor. No comments about how I go about claiming my inevitable victory will change that.
Kirschtaria:
Now then. Hologram or not, I did not call you all here today to go over your Lostbelts' growth.
Kirschtaria:
An hour ago, one of my Servants foretold the appearance of a Spirit Origin graph and a Round Circle.
Kirschtaria:
The Spirit Origin graph belongs to Chaldea, while the Round Circle no doubt refers to Mash Kyrielight's shield.
Kirschtaria:
This means they are finally about to re-emerge from Void Space following their escape from Antarctica.
Ophelia:
...So, they're still alive. Even after three whole months spent wandering Void Space...
Peperoncino:
I see. And after Koyanskaya went to all that trouble to have the Mage's Association appoint a new director who should have been easy to manipulate.
Peperoncino:
Perhaps you made the wrong choice, Wodime? MY Servant could have destroyed the entire base, you know.
Kadoc:
...
Kirschtaria:
No, our plan was the best option available. Chaldea's defenses may not have been airtight, but they WERE formidable nonetheless.
Kirschtaria:
In order for us to take control, it was necessary to convince Chaldea to let us in willingly–by disguising ourselves as staff–and then shut down Chaldeas from within.
Kirschtaria:
Had we done things differently, the Chaldeans would simply have Rayshifted away and stopped us.
Kirschtaria:
Koyanskaya's plan was well-conceived.
Kirschtaria:
With the benefit of hindsight, the only issue is the fact that a certain Servant did not act of their own accord. But that is hardly Kadoc's fault.
Kirschtaria:
After all, of the three Servants who served as the Foreign God's envoys...
Kirschtaria:
...neither the priest nor Koyanskaya were our own.
Kadoc:
...So? Do you know where the Chaldeans are going to show up?
Kirschtaria:
Lamentably, my Servant's predictions did not reach that far into the future. All I know is that they will emerge in a matter of hours.
Beryl:
That's it? So what, we're just supposed to get back to our posts and each keep an eye out for–
Daybit:
They'll emerge in Russia. Inside the Lostbelt.
Akuta Hinako:
...How do you know that?
Daybit:
Simple logic. How else?
Daybit:
The only thing they know about Earth as it is now is the identities of the Servants who attacked Chaldea.
Daybit:
That's their only possible connection for emerging from Void Space. For them, the Oprichniki are both a threat and a means to determine their destination.
Kadoc:
...Hmph. So it all comes down to retribution, huh.
Kadoc:
We got them good, so now they wanna get us back. Which means they'll be gunning for me first and foremost.
Akuta Hinako:
...Perhaps. Anyway, if they ARE the kind of people to seek revenge, that will make them easier to deal with.
Beryl:
Out for vengeance, huh? Man, that's rough! I doubt you'll be able to talk your way out of that one!
Beryl:
I know! How 'bout I help you out, Kadoc?
Beryl:
You don't really go in for all that rough-and-tumble stuff, do you? If you want, I can play teacher for you. Show you how it's done.
Kadoc:
Hard pass. Stick to your own Lostbelt. I get enough faux big brother shit from Pepe.
Beryl:
Aw, come on. I really am concerned for you, you know. Besides, Peperoncino's more like our old man than our big bro.
Beryl:
But fine, fine. If you're set on doing this yourself, I can respect that.
Beryl:
Good luck handling this yourself, Kadoc. Go show the Grand Duchess what you're made of.
Beryl:
Just don't push yourself too hard, all right? If things start looking dicey, don't be afraid to bail.
Beryl:
We're just competing. We're not enemies. But we got no use for a Crypter who's lost their Lostbelt.
Beryl:
If you just wanna live out your life in peace, nobody's gonna stop you. Right, Wodime?
Kirschtaria:
...
Kirschtaria:
...Kadoc. As you know, we have all consented to a nonaggression pact.
Kirschtaria:
As Crypters, our goal is to expand our respective Lostbelts' territories.
Kirschtaria:
Eventually, our Lostbelts' borders will clash,and one will inevitably be consumed.
Kirschtaria:
Thus will the Lostbelt with the strongest Foundation of Humanity feed upon the weaker ones.
Kirschtaria:
But it is in that clash, and ONLY in that clash, that a Crypter may interfere with another Crypter's Lostbelt.
Kirschtaria:
If Chaldea does appear in Russia, then it falls to the king of Russia's Lostbelt to deal with them.
Kirschtaria:
Our duty is the Reconstruction of Humanity within our Lostbelts, to build a world where humans and gods can once more coexist in harmony.
Kirschtaria:
Now that the Foreign God's invasion has ended, the task of disposing of Chaldea is extraneous at best. It is, at this stage, nothing more than a chore.
Kirschtaria:
...Still, I suppose I must admit that they remain a hindrance. They DO have a great deal of experience overturning worlds.
Kirschtaria:
...Kadoc. I look forward to seeing what you are capable of.
Kirschtaria:
Eliminate this nuisance and grow Russia's tree as quickly as you can. Succeeding in the latter should make the former markedly easier.
Kirschtaria:
For my part, I would like to see all the Lostbelts realize their full potential, for each is the potential of humanity itself.
Kirschtaria:
It would be a travesty for one of them to end before its history has had a chance to flourish.
Kadoc:
...You don't have to tell me. I'm here to win as much as any of you.
Kadoc:
...This is where I sign off. If Chaldea's coming for me, I'll be there to greet them.
Akuta Hinako:
I'm going to head back to the throne as well. My king's thirst for exploration and conquest is insatiable.
Akuta Hinako:
There's no telling what sort of trouble he might get into if I leave him alone for too long.
Beryl:
Right, then. I'll be off as well. Let me know if Russia sends out an SOS.
Peperoncino:
All right. I must say though, you certainly seem happy about this, Beryl. You must get off on seeing Kadoc struggling.
Beryl:
Now, now. What sort of heartless bastard do you take me for, Peperoncino?
Beryl:
I'm actually worried about him, you know.
Beryl:
I was an only child, so I like to think of him as the little brother I never had.
Beryl:
Why would I wanna see him die? I just wanna be a good big brother and look out for him.
Beryl:
Besides...I'm thrilled to hear that...is still alive.
Beryl:
I haven't been this happy since I first broke into their ICU.
Beryl:
Dr. Roman kicked me out before we could have a bit of fun together back then, but now there's no one left to get in the way.
Peperoncino:
...Goodness me, I don't know what we're going to do about him. Anyway, I'd best be signing off too. Something doesn't seem right on my end either.
Peperoncino:
But while you're here, Daybit, there's something I'd like to ask you about regarding my report. What do you think about the “cube” in my Lostbelt?
Daybit:
I have little information to go on. Do you still want my thoughts?
Peperoncino:
Of course. I would so love to hear your assessment.
Daybit:
I think that thing is your Achilles' heel. The weakest of weak points for you AND your Lostbelt.
Daybit:
If Wodime or I had your Lostbelt,it'd be the first thing we got rid of.
Daybit:
But, in your particular case, Peperoncino,I would leave it alone. That's just who you are.
Peperoncino:
I see. Then maybe I'll wait and see how it goes. Though personally, I'd love to cut it out now...
Daybit:
All right, I'm signing off. Our next meeting's a month from now, yes? See you then.
Ophelia:
...Each of the other Crypters has returned to their posts. Are you sure this is for the best, Lord Kirschtaria?
Ophelia:
Truthfully, I doubt Kadoc is up to the task of maintaining Russia's Lostbelt.
Ophelia:
The Russian King's Spirit Origin strength is on par with a Divine Spirit Servant.
Ophelia:
You may be able to control him, Lord Kirschtaria,but there is no way Kadoc can.
Ophelia:
And if the remnants of Chaldea show up there and start making trouble, there's no telling what might happen to Russia's Lostbelt...
Kirschtaria:
...Hmm. Are you worried Kadoc's Lostbelt may be destroyed before it can become food for the others, Ophelia?
Ophelia:
N-no, it's not that...! It's just...the way he was behaving left me with a bad feeling...
Ophelia:
And there are times when he prioritizes the Grand Duchess's wishes over our objective.
Kirschtaria:
...So, his rather ordinary nature has backfired. Very well. You do have a point.
Kirschtaria:
...Caenis. It is time to make use of your sea-crossing Authority.
Kirschtaria:
You will head for Russia and observe Kadoc's actions. If he has indeed turned his back on our mission, you will see to his punishment.
Caenis:
Are you kidding me, Master? You're really sending me,the great Caenis, out to do your housekeeping?
Caenis:
And all 'cause this woman won't leave you alone? What sort of Heroic Spirit do you take me for?
Kirschtaria:
A trustworthy one, naturally. You may be coarse, but that is only your pride.
Kirschtaria:
And since I have bested you in combat fair and square,I know you will not renege on your promise to me.
Kirschtaria:
Nor will you renounce your previous statements depending on the situation, unlike the gods. Unless I am mistaken, and you are, in fact, just as fickle as they are?
Caenis:
Hmph. Always got something to say, don't you, human? What a pompous, weak-kneed, pretentious scumbag!
Caenis:
Fine, I'll be your little lapdog. But if you think I'm gonna forget about this humiliation, you got another thing coming!
Caenis:
My luck–no, the gods' luck must've run out the day I lost to you! You want me to babysit the situation with humans struggling to fight back? Fine, I will!
Ophelia:
I can't believe you're using Caenis,the Divine Spirit, as nothing more than an envoy...
Ophelia:
Are you sure about sending Caenis away like this,Lord Kirschtaria? Isn't he–er, she your bodyguard?
Kirschtaria:
It is of no consequence. This is why I made a contract with Caenis in the first place.
Kirschtaria:
I trust him to be my eyes.
Kirschtaria:
From here on, I will be having him monitor the continent. I will also have him stop by your Lostbelt as well.
Kirschtaria:
I advise you to take caution when he does. As you know, he is not overly fond of women like yourself.
Kirschtaria:
If you offend him, he may just end up erasing your Lostbelt, king and all.
Ophelia:
...I'm not so sure about that.
Ophelia:
My Lostbelt's king is certainly a deal more subdued than Russia's, yes.
Ophelia:
However, her power is easily a match for a Divine Spirit's. On top of that, I have the strongest knight ever to live in my charge.
Ophelia:
I can't imagine either of them having anything to fear, even from the Divine Spirit Caenis.
Kirschtaria:
I see. Then I suppose I need say nothing more.
Kirschtaria:
The fate of your Lostbelt will have an impact on mine as well.
Kirschtaria:
If possible, I would prefer that our respective Lostbelts be the last two remaining in our competition.
Kirschtaria:
Our victory may be inevitable, but some manners of winning are better than others. And my victory must want for nothing.
Kirschtaria:
I expect great things from you, Ophelia. I need as many capable compatriots as possible.
Ophelia:
Yes...Yes, Lord Kirschtaria! I promise, I won't let you down...!
Kirschtaria:
...The roots of cosmic fantasy have descended upon us. The advent of the Foreign God is at hand.
Kirschtaria:
After three months, the Lostbelts have finished their rewrites. Both this planet, and the next generation of human history, now belong to us.
Kirschtaria:
...But that is not enough. I will not be satisfied with that alone.
Kirschtaria:
The sages from Proper Human History abandoned humans in their naivete. He who called himself the King of Mages first pitied humanity, but soon washed his hands of them.
Kirschtaria:
But not me. I will never relax my grip.
Kirschtaria:
It has been two thousand years since Mystics disappeared, when the foundations of the world were passed on to mankind...
Kirschtaria:
Now, I will attempt to reach a world that no sage ever could. I will attempt to enact an idea that no mage has ever before conceived.
Kirschtaria:
Just you watch, Marisbury Animusphere. Watch as I achieve what you only ever dared dream of.
Section 1: Empire of Beasts
???:
...There we go.
???:
...Damn, it's really getting bad out here. But I can still smell three of 'em.
???:
If I don't take 'em out now, I'll starve to death this winter for sure. Guess I'll just have to hang in there a little longer...
???:
...!
???:
Damn, it's a Krichat'!
???:
Dammit! You little...!
???:
Die! Die! Go to...hell!
???:
(Huff, huff, huff...)Dammit, what a waste!
???:
(Sigh...) Damn, now its brains are leaking out...Guess it's time to pack it in...
???:
...Dammit, I'm so hungry...I really...don't wanna starve to death.
???:
...Whoa! Was that an earthquake!?
???:
Was that one of the big guys? If it was, I guess I won't have to worry about starving to death...
???:
Goddammit! It's so cold! It's never this cold!
???:
And I can't tell if the Oprichniki are listening or not, as usual...
???:
Looks like...it's gonna be an especially harsh winter...
???:
On a different note, what the hell's up with that tree? It almost looks like...a giant tower...
--SECTION BREAK--
...In this version of history, Demonic Beasts have been present since the very beginning.
Humanity here evolved along a particularly unique route in order to combat both the beasts and the perpetual blizzard that shrouded the land.
In this world, there is nothing worse than weakness. To die is to admit defeat. Here, strength is justice, and justice, strength.
It is a world of permafrost, where the notion of “might makes right” has been taken to its logical conclusion.
And now, Fujimaru and [♂ his /♀ her] companions are about to set foot in this alternate history...
Fou:
Fou?
Fou:
Fou!
Fujimaru 1:
Morning, Fou...
Fou:
Fou. Fou, fooou.
Fujimaru 1:
It's been a week since all that went down...
Fujimaru 2:
I think I'm finally getting used to my room here...
Fou:
Fou? Fou.
Mash:
...Good morning, Senpai. Are you awake?
Fujimaru 1:
Of course I am.
Mash:
Oh good. Then I hope you don't mind if I come in. I brought you some breakfast.
Mash:
Of course, we still only have rations...and only enough for another six days, too...
Fujimaru 1:
...It's a lot better than nothing. Thanks, Mash.
Mash:
We're still continuing our Zero Sail. It's been about a week since we embarked.
Mash:
Fortunately, the enemy organization that took over Chaldea doesn't seem to have followed us here...
Mash:
...but I wish I knew how long this was going to continue.
Mash:
Time is one of the fundaments of our universe.
Mash:
But time doesn't intrinsically have a past or a future. Those are just axes we came up with to help us keep track of it.
Mash:
As long as time goes on, a little shake-up before or after won't make any difference.
Mash:
But...here in Void Space, time DOESN'T go on.
Mash:
We won't suffer the effects of age as long as we stay here, but we also don't know what will happen once we emerge into normal space.
Mash:
We might return at exactly the instant we left, or we might find that we've been gone for hundreds of years.
Mash:
I wouldn't be surprised if we just aged instantly as soon as we exit Void Space, like when Urashima Tarou opened the Tamatebako.
Fujimaru 1:
That's...unsettling.
Mash:
Yes, it is.
Mash:
Still, Da Vinci says she's been working on correcting the disparity between us and the outside so that that won't happen...
Mash:
...Hmm. Maybe it would be best if you talked to her yourself, Senpai. Why don't we go to the cockpit?
Fujimaru 2:
So we're not going to surface?
Mash:
...No, we will. But we first need to ensure it'll be safe to do so.
Mash:
That's not stopping Director Goredolf from demanding to surface at seven o'clock every morning, but still...
Mash:
In fact, it's about that time right now. Shall we go to the cockpit, Senpai?
Fou:
Fou, fooou!
Mash:
I must say, I was relieved to find out the Shadow Border's interior is more spacious than it looks from the outside.
Mash:
Da Vinci says she managed to give it twice as much room by warping its internal space.
Mash:
Thanks to that, we have just enough living facilities to cover the bare necessities. I do feel a little bad that all four staff members have to share one room, though...
Fou:
Fou, fooou...?
Mash:
Thank you for your concern, Fou.
Mash:
I have special needs as a Demi-Servant,so I'm staying in the treatment room by myself.
Mash:
As for the other private rooms...Oh, yes, Director Goredolf is staying in the captain's quarters.
Mash:
Da Vinci has her capsule in the computer room,and Holmes seems to be sleeping in the workshop.
Fou:
Kyu. Fooou!
Mash:
We also have air-conditioning, a storage room, and an armory, although the new director has prohibited us from going in there.
Mash:
And since we have two large cruisers' worth of space, Da Vinci and Holmes were even able to make the cockpit-slash-bridge several meters wide.
Mash:
All right, let's head to the cockpit now.
Goredolf:
Enough of this nonsense, you flimsy excuse for a detective! Why do you insist on keeping us here!? We MUST be in a safe zone by now!
Holmes:
It is, as I have said, a more difficult question than you seem to realize. We must first discuss how we might even define a “safe zone. ”
Holmes:
For example, can we say that we are safe here in Void Space thanks to a lack of enemies in our vicinity? I'm afraid the answer is a resounding “no. ”
Holmes:
For that matter, there ARE no enemies to be found in Void Space. Consequently, we need not concern ourselves with attempts at pursuit.
Holmes:
No, what we must concern ourselves with is a threat far greater, one that quite literally surrounds us.
Holmes:
In other words, my good Musik, the question is not one of WHEN we should emerge, but of HOW.
Goredolf:
Y-you mean to tell me it's not even possible for us to leave...!?
Goredolf:
H-h-how can you be so blasé about such a nightmarish prospect!?
Mash:
(It looks like Holmes and the new director are getting along nicely, Senpai. I'm almost sorry to interrupt them...)
Mash:
Good morning, everyone.
Mash:
Fujimaru and Mash Kyrielight,reporting in for the latest status update.
Fujimaru 1:
Good morning.
Holmes:
Ah, good morning, you two. Have you already had breakfast?
Mash:
Yes, thank you. I had an Italian cuisine ration myself, and Senpai is just about to have [♂ his /♀ hers].
Goredolf:
Oho. So you lower-level employees are stuck with rations, eh? How sad.
Goredolf:
I had a plate of warm French toast and tea with extra milk myself.
Goredolf:
It is, of course, important to my role as captain. The captain needs a lot of calories to have enough energy to keep the crew together.
Meunière:
...I swear. Who do you think you are, hogging all the halfway decent nonperishables for yourself...
Holmes:
Hahaha, nothing wrong with that. The quality of one's diet has a pronounced effect on one's mental state, after all.
Holmes:
Those who are unwilling to endure discomfort should make every effort to eat well on a daily basis.
Holmes:
Besides, a hot cup of tea is a small price to pay if it helps eliminate the greatest source of disorder in our little community. Don't you agree, Mr. Meunière?
Meunière:
Hmm...Well, I can't argue with that. Especially when the guy who's less willing to deal with discomfort than anyone is actually managing it...
Holmes:
Hahaha, you mean me? Not to worry, I still have a store of my own little remedy to fall back on!
Holmes:
If the time ever comes when I need to calm my nerves, it should do the trick nicely! Why, I can keep going like this for a month!
Fou:
Fooou...
Goredolf:
Oh, never mind how strong your willpower is! You still haven't answered my question, Holmes!
Goredolf:
You just told me it isn't that you REFUSE to emerge,but that we CAN'T emerge.
Goredolf:
What did you mean by that? And remember, I have appointed you Chaldea's new administrative advisor.
Goredolf:
How about you show a little gratitude for the appointment. Now, tell me EXACTLY what is going on.
Holmes:
Hmm...I'm not normally particularly concerned with titles, but I must say, being an administrative advisor has been a novel experience.
Holmes:
To be honest, I'm rather excited to be exercising my own untapped talents to meet this job's demands.
Mash:
(...Um, how did that end up happening? Does Director Goredolf have a death wish or something? )
Meunière:
(Well, he's already got Da Vinci serving as his technical advisor, right? He probably just appointed Holmes to administrative stuff because he doesn't have any other managers to help him right now. )
Goredolf:
I can hear you, you know!
Goredolf:
Now come on, Holmes, out with it! Are we going to survive, or aren't we!?
Holmes:
I'm afraid “survive” is too broad a term for me to provide a satisfactory answer. But I can at least outline the possible results of our emergence.
Holmes:
Strictly speaking, it's not that we CANNOT emerge. Rather, we have nowhere to emerge TO.
Holmes:
At the present moment, we are voyaging across the Void Space–a world existing on a negative vector, to put it another way.
Holmes:
So in order to return to reality,we need a connection to it.
Holmes:
An anchor, if you will.
Holmes:
Fortunately, anything should be able to serve as an anchor as long as it exists in reality.
Holmes:
So as long as someone here has such a connection,we should be able to escape from this Void Space.
Holmes:
However, we are unable to do so at this time. Which means...
Holmes:
...the world itself has been utterly wiped clean.
Goredolf:
Hahaha, that's ridiculous. What do you mean“wiped clean”? That there's nothing left anywhere?
Goredolf:
I am certainly willing to admit that it was terrifying seeing those...ah, meteoroids, I suppose they were...falling to Earth while we were in Antarctica.
Goredolf:
Given their size, the impacts must have been absolutely devastating. No doubt the destruction was many times worse than the Tunguska event.
Goredolf:
Terrible as that may be, there is simply no way that could have been a cataclysm capable of wiping every nation off the face of the earth.
Goredolf:
And of course, let us not forget the Clock Tower! London's Clock Tower has been around for millennia!
Goredolf:
It is the greatest bastion of magecraft in existence, guarded by hundreds of defense mechanisms! There's no possible way it could be destroyed!
Fujimaru 1:
(...I guess no one ever told him about the Mist City. )
Fujimaru 2:
(...Did he just not believe what happened with the Mist City? )
Fou:
Fou. Fou.
Holmes:
With all due respect, Goredolf, I'm afraid the Mage's Association in London has been destroyed as well.
Holmes:
Every. Single. Nation. All destroyed. With the exception of those of us here, the entirety of humanity has been wiped from existence.
Holmes:
Or at least, so Kirschtaria Wodime believes. Otherwise, he would never have made that proclamation.
Goredolf:
Th-that's impossible. The world couldn't possibly be destroyed so easily. It couldn't possibly...
Goredolf:
...Right? Y-you all agree, don't you?
Mash:
...
Meunière:
...
Goredolf:
Why are you looking so glum!? Stop that!
Goredolf:
Fujimaru! Fujimaru!
Goredolf:
You may be a cheeky little [♂ bastard /♀ thing], but I can tell you have sensibilities much more in line with my own.
Goredolf:
Go on then, YOU tell them! Tell them Holmes is making this all up, or wrong, or something!
Fujimaru 1:
This isn't the first time this sort of thing has happened.
Fujimaru 2:
Goredolf, you need to face the facts.
Goredolf:
Huh? Don't tell me you're serious about this too? Aren't you like me?
Fou:
Fou.
Goredolf:
It can't be...Then, there really is nothing at all left on Earth...?
Goredolf:
Not even my beloved Hawaii? Or the Monaco Grand Prix? Or the racetrack I always dreamed of visiting one day? The Suzuka Circuit!?
Goredolf:
This...This is terrible......But, then again...
Goredolf:
This could be our chance to create a brand-new organization for magecraft from scratch! What do you all think? When life gives you lemons...right?
Meunière:
And how would we do that when all the rest of humanity's been wiped out? But hey, if you wanna make an association of one, go nuts, old man.
Goredolf:
I am not old! I may have a year or two on you, but I'm still a dashing specimen in the prime of my youth!
Holmes:
All that said, we do have one possible exit point.
Holmes:
There is something on Earth to which we both have a connection, AND that has a solid chance of existing.
Holmes:
The Oprichniki. The black-garbed army that attacked Chaldea.
Holmes:
We know of them, and they know of us.
Holmes:
And that makes an almost complete connection between our two groups.
Holmes:
If we were to emerge now, we would most likely do so wherever they currently are.
Mash:
...You mean...
Fujimaru 1:
We'd end up at their HQ...
Goredolf:
I-I see. Right into the heart of enemy territory, eh...That would certainly be extremely dangerous...
Mash:
...Yes, it would. But we can't stay here in Void Space forever.
Mash:
The Shadow Border's reserves are running low. We're almost out of food, water, and power...
Holmes:
Indeed. We will need to emerge soon no matter what. But I WOULD like to do so at the best possible time.
Holmes:
Fortunately, we have the Paper Moon, a compass capable of measuring standard space and Void Space simultaneously.
Holmes:
We have been using it all this time to look for a comparatively safe location wherever we emerge, which is to say an area devoid of hostiles.
Holmes:
Isn't that right, Da Vinci? I take it you're about done by now?
D：Da Vinci:
Gooooood morning, everyone! It's me, Da Vinci!
D：Da Vinci:
No need to fill me in. I've been listening along this whole time!
D：Da Vinci:
In fact, whenever I'm acting as the computer room's bio unit, I can see eeeverything that happens inside the Shadow Border☆
D：Da Vinci:
So don't go thinking you can keep any secrets from me, Goredolf. That goes for you too, Holmes.
Da Vinci:
Now then, I've already got my eye on an area crawling with Oprichniki.
Da Vinci:
I've also gone ahead and plotted a course to emerge there. As luck would have it, we're even nearing a current that should do the trick nicely.
Da Vinci:
If we head that way now, we could hitch a ride and be carried along that course in about five minutes. If we miss this wave, we'll have to wait ten days for the next one.
Da Vinci:
By that time, the Shadow Border will be almost completely out of power. So what I'm getting at is–
Fujimaru 1:
If we're going to emerge, it's now or never!?
Da Vinci:
You got it! That's what I like to hear, Fujimaru!
Da Vinci:
Make sure to stop by and thank me for being so amazing later!
Da Vinci:
Incidentally, according to the Paper Moon, this wave will bring us back to standard space approximately ninety days after we left.
Da Vinci:
Sooo, that means we'll be emerging around early April in the year 2020.
Da Vinci:
Man, we really lucked out. One wrong move, and we could've ended up on a wave that would've taken us there a hundred years later.
Da Vinci:
If we'd emerged into standard space then,it'd probably be waaay too late to do anything☆
Goredolf:
S-slow down! Slow down!!!
Goredolf:
You mean a few days' difference can affect our exit time THAT much? Is that normal for Zero Sail travel!?
Goredolf:
I-if we emerged a hundred years later...the Musik residence would be no more than a ruin! You can't do that! That's MY house!
Meunière:
...Notice how much quicker he is to grasp stuff when it affects him directly...
Holmes:
Try to remember that everything on Earth has already been destroyed.
Holmes:
Now then, it seems we are faced with a decision. The perfect wave on which we can ride to reenter reality is nearly upon us. Are you all prepared to take it?
Holmes:
There is no telling what the world will look like when we get there.
Holmes:
All we can say for certain at this point is that we will be emerging on the Oprichniki's home turf.
Holmes:
We are very likely to be attacked the moment we appear. Even so...
Fujimaru 1:
...We'll just have to take that chance.
Goredolf:
What are you, some sort of adventure-crazed nut!?
Fujimaru 2:
L-let's just stay the course!
Goredolf:
Couldn't agree more! I KNEW I saw potential in you!
Mash:
Huh!? What was that, Mr. Meunière!?
Meunière:
I don't know! We collided with something,and now the left screw has shut down!
Meunière:
We've found the Void Space's border wall! The collision has damaged our armor. Part of the Logic Formula is missing!
Goredolf:
Wh-wh-what did you say!? The armor's been damaged!?
Goredolf:
Why did you impoverished fools use such cheap materials!? If I still had my fortune, money would have been no object!
Holmes:
(Hmm. He must have spent all his money acquiring Chaldea. )
Da Vinci:
Hmm, well this certainly isn't good. We can't maintain the vehicle's balance anymore! Looks like this is it for our maiden Zero Sail!
Da Vinci:
At least we should still be able to raise the bow and reenter standard space, but after that, I think we'll need to step outside to make repairs.
Fujimaru 1:
Holmes...!
Holmes:
Quite so. Given the circumstances, our hands are tied. This is indeed the end for our maiden Zero Sail. All hands, prepare to emerge!
Fujimaru 2:
Director Goredolf...!
Goredolf:
N-n-no, you can't! We'll just end up surrounded by Oprichniki again!
Goredolf:
If those are our choices, better to just stay here! The next wave will be here soon, then we–
Holmes:
No, it won't. If we stay here, we'll end up starving to death. I believe you would find that a far more painful end than dying in battle.
Goredolf:
...Grrr...You there, Demi-Servant! What do YOU think!?
Mash:
Me!? W-well, I...
Mash:
I-I'll go along with whatever Master decides! If we end up surrounded by enemy forces, we can cross that bridge when we come to it!
Goredolf:
Aaargh, not you too! You were supposed to be the meek little girl who would quietly agree with authority! Are ALL you Chaldeans adventure-crazed nuts!?
Da Vinci:
All done talking? Then let's go catch ourselves a wave!
Goredolf:
I-I didn't agree to that! W-wait, let me get my seat belt on!
Goredolf:
All hands, take your seats! You are NOT to get incapacitated under any circumstances! That goes for you too, Fujimaru!
Goredolf:
As long as you're strapped in, you won't suffer any serious injuries! Trust me, I speak from experience!
P. A. System
Activating Paper Moon. Initiating planet navigational chart plus/minus convergence. Commencing Shadow Border's docking sequence into reality boundary.
P. A. System
Firing existence verification tether into Reality Space. Oprichniki anchor point confirmed.
Fujimaru 1:
What's going to happen...!?
Holmes:
Nobody knows. Nobody can even guess. So we must be prepared for anything.
Holmes:
The only way we will learn what awaits us when we emerge...is to see it for ourselves.
P. A. System
Emerging from Void Space. Thirty seconds until arrival in Reality Space.
P. A. System
Zero Sail, complete. Emerging into Reality Space.
--ARROW--
P. A. System
Reality Space anchor attached. Reality verification complete.
P. A. System
Establishing Shadow Border's existence. Zero Sail return successful.
Goredolf:
I...I say...! I'm alive...I'm alive!
Goredolf:
My limbs have never felt so solid! It's like I've gained several kilograms since we were in Void Space!
P. A. System
Attention. An armor plate came loose during reentry. Further Zero Sails currently impossible.
P. A. System
Please replenish materials and food supplies and perform regular repairs and tune-ups on the Shadow Border to ensure future safe travels.
Holmes:
I see. It's a wonder the Shadow Border held up this well, given the less than ideal circumstances in which we–Hm?
Chaldea Staff A:
We did it! We're back on Earth! We can go outside! Fresh air at last!
Chaldea Staff B:
I know! I wonder what it's like outside now! We're not bobbing around, so we're probably on land!
Chaldea Staff C:
Quit shoving! I know how you feel,but I can't unlock the door until you settle down!
Chaldea Staff C:
Let's see, first we release this bolt...
Holmes:
...Well now. I suppose I ought to have expected this. Who wouldn't be curious about the state of the world now, given the circumstances?
Holmes:
It is, after all, our home; we have fought so hard to protect it. The miracle of our return from such a perilous voyage no doubt pales in comparison.
Holmes:
...Indeed, I would expect nothing less from Chaldea's staff. Though I must say, it's a tad too dazzling for me to view directly.
Mash:
Everyone's rushing toward the cockpit's emergency exit. Are you sure you don't want to join them, Senpai?
Fujimaru 1:
You better believe I'm gonna go check it out right away!
Meunière:
Not you too, Fujimaru! Dammit, what about me!?
Meunière:
Is it okay if I leave the monitor for a little, Holmes!? I want to see what it's like out there with my own two eyes!
Holmes:
I'm sorry, Mr. Meunière, but someone has to stay here and keep an eye on the monitor.
Holmes:
After all, I too have been waiting with bated breath to see what lies on the other side of that door.
Meunière:
Oh, is that so. Fine, what do I care? I'm just a sad, lonely geek anyway. Meunière always gets the shaft, so why should things change now?
Mash:
The emergency exit is opening! Senpai, we're finally going to have some natural light...
Mash:
Light...?
Chaldea Staff A:
It's...
Chaldea Staff B:
It's...
Goredolf:
It's...
Fujimaru 1:
FREEZING!
Holmes:
H-h-how very cold it is! My COAT is frosting over! Quick, close the door!
Chaldea Staff A:
Y-yes, sir!
Goredolf:
Phew, I thought I was done for. But, that snowfield we saw for a brief moment...
Da Vinci:
Man, that was a close one! Good thing I cranked up the heat.
Da Vinci:
(Sigh) Is everyone okay? You should know better than to just open the door the moment we stop in some strange part of the world.
Da Vinci:
I trust you've all learned your lesson, yes? No more going outside after a Zero Sail until we finish checking the conditions around the anchor point.
Da Vinci:
Failing to follow that protocol could be hazardous to your health. Now, are you all ready to hear my report?
Mash:
Yes. I'm terribly sorry for acting carelessly. So, what's going on with that blizzard?
Da Vinci:
It's a perfectly ordinary blizzard, just like the ones we're all well acquainted with by this point. There's no atmospheric pollution, and no hostiles in the area.
Da Vinci:
Presently, the Shadow Border is smack-dab in the middle of the blizzard. The odd bit is that it's a hundred degrees below zero out there.
Da Vinci:
So if you plan to go outside and want to live more than a couple minutes, you'll need some serious cold protection.
Da Vinci:
And if that wasn't enough...Take a look at this footage.
Goredolf:
What...IS this? Is that an aurora...and a storm? It looks like a massive supercell...
Goredolf:
Rrgh, how am I supposed to figure out the scale here with no frame of reference!? It does look like it's rather big, but–
Da Vinci:
Oh it's big all right. Ready to have your minds blown? This storm is LITERALLY endless.
Da Vinci:
It covers every inch of Russia,like a wall around the entire world.
Da Vinci:
And the aurora blocks all kinds of electromagnetic waves, so it's completely impossible to break through.
Da Vinci:
I can tell some of you want to write it off as just a storm, but you really shouldn't.
Da Vinci:
This storm can tear steel apart, level entire cities, even destroy the world as we know it. No wonder people thought of it as a god during the Age of Gods.
Da Vinci:
Remember, storms are THE single most powerful source of naturally produced energy on the planet.
Da Vinci:
And one this massive is bound to be raging around with all the energy of a nuclear bomb. It stretches as far as the eye can see.
Da Vinci:
Humanity has yet to invent anything in the way of a vehicle capable of breaking through a storm like this.
Da Vinci:
Nothing could get through this storm. No weapon. No vehicle. Nothing.
Da Vinci:
Which means...
Holmes:
...Which means that even once we get the Shadow Border up and running, we won't be able to leave this place.
Holmes:
In short, we are trapped in a world about which we know nothing.
Holmes:
Now, now, Goredolf. At least we are no longer in any immediate danger.
Holmes:
For that matter, the Zero Sail was incredibly dangerous in its own right, since it inverted our very existence into the negative zone.
Holmes:
I believe it would benefit our chances of survival tremendously if we were to regroup here.
Goredolf:
H-hmm...
Goredolf:
Well, it IS certainly an emergency...And we DO need to regroup...Hmm...
Holmes:
Da Vinci, does the Shadow Border possess the ability to camouflage itself?
Da Vinci:
Of course it does! This vessel's designed to handle the Void! It's got tons of features! In fact, it has optical AND conceptual camouflage. It messes with ALL the observer's perceptions and senses!
Holmes:
Then for the moment, we needn't worry about danger finding us from the outside. That, of course, does not account for possible problems from the inside.
Goredolf:
Grr, why do we only have one blanket per person!? And why are you being so stingy with the heat!?
Goredolf:
Don't you realize it's getting colder in here by the minute!? Do you WANT us to freeze to death!?
Da Vinci:
What other choice do we have, Goredolf? We've gotta save all the power we can right now. Deal with it.
Da Vinci:
Besides, the way things are going, we'll probably starve to death before we freeze to death, since I don't see us finding more food in this mess.
Fujimaru 1:
Hey, if it comes to that, I bet the new director outlives us all!
Goredolf:
Oho, so you can tell how resilient I am, eh? Hehe, flattery will get you nowhere, young [♂ man /♀ lady].
Goredolf:
Still, I commend your keen eye. Indeed, I am Musik the Phoenix. It will take more than a little hunger to bring ME down.
Goredolf:
I am possessed of an indomitable fighting spirit, overwhelming bravery, and tenacity for days!
Goredolf:
With such qualities at my command, I too have no doubt that I would survive the longest of anyone here!
Mash:
I believe Senpai was alluding to your excess,um...energy reserves.
Fujimaru 2:
So, we don't have anything left to eat?
Da Vinci:
Don't worry, we still have a little bit left. I'm just saying we need to find more food, and soon.
Holmes:
Indeed, food is but one of several problems we face. Let us take stock of our current situation.
Chaldea Staff:
I've got a reading on the temperature out there. It's exactly what Technical Advisor Da Vinci said it was: one hundred degrees below zero.
Chaldea Staff:
No human being could survive in this...As for our position, it looks like we're somewhere in Russia.
Goredolf:
Russia...Damn! So Holmes was right. We have literally fallen right into the Oprichniki's laps!
Goredolf:
But, hang on, how is that possible? I know we were adrift for some time, but how could we reach Russia from Antarctica?
Goredolf:
We would have had to sail halfway across the world for that to happen...Did Void Space make that possible?
Da Vinci:
More or less. In Void Space, real-world distances have no meaning.
Da Vinci:
Instead, the distance we can travel corresponds exactly to the time it takes to calculate coordinates and verify our existence.
Da Vinci:
Now, take a look at the Paper Moon!
Mash:
That's...a two-dimensional world map.
Mash:
I can see seven locations that seem to be layered differently than the rest of the map...
Goredolf:
S-so they are. I didn't notice at first since this thing loops around on itself, but you're right.
Holmes:
It reminds me of the seven Singularities that caused the Incineration of Humanity. Though of course, the current circumstances differ substantially.
Holmes:
The seven Singularities existed at different points in time...A vertical axis.
Holmes:
But in this time period, these seven abnormal regions exist simultaneously.
Holmes:
And Russia–where we are now–is one such region.
Fujimaru 1:
...Are they Singularities?
Holmes:
It's too early to tell.
Holmes:
Given what Kirschtaria said during his transmission,I believe these regions are not the past, but–Hm?
Chaldea Staff:
Gaaah, so cold! But I finished looking over the Shadow Border!
Da Vinci:
Nice work. You MUST have been freezing, even in just the few short minutes you were out there. So? How's my baby holding up?
Chaldea Staff:
W-well, frankly, it won't be possible to make repairs.
Chaldea Staff:
For starters, we don't have a Logic Formula to let us withstand Void Space, nor do we have the armor plating we would need to carve the Formula into...
Chaldea Staff:
And, well, the engine's not in great shape after we overtaxed it.
Chaldea Staff:
We'll need at least a little time to get it back up and running...
Chaldea Staff:
Brrr...It's so cold. But at least it's not AS bad now.
Chaldea Staff:
It should warm up a little once it gets to midday. As long as we avoid working at night, we should be able to get by with just our snowsuits.
Da Vinci:
Glad to hear it. Make sure you grab a hot shower before you catch cold or anything.
Da Vinci:
This is the one time you'll get to rest up as much as you want. In fact, maybe you'd prefer a hot bath?
Chaldea Staff:
No, thank you. A hot towel will do. We really have to conserve electricity now, after all.
Holmes:
Good. Let us take matters one problem at a time.
Holmes:
At the moment, our most pressing concern is this Singularity-esque location.
Holmes:
I trust our new director has no issue with us investigating this land and correcting the problem?
Goredolf:
New director...N-no, not at all.
Goredolf:
As a devoted magecraft practitioner myself, I cannot turn a blind eye to this matter. If there is a Singularity to be corrected, we must do so simply as a matter of course.
Holmes:
Furthermore, the Shadow Border's armor is damaged,and we are unable to move from our current location.
Holmes:
In which case...
Holmes:
...one of us must venture out and find someone with whom we can barter or negotiate, and arrange for a suitable replacement for our missing armor plate...
Holmes:
...and fix the Singularity while they are at it.
Fujimaru 1:
...I'll go!
Goredolf:
Hm...Yes, yes.
Goredolf:
You ARE the only one here with nothing better to do.
Fujimaru 2:
I've got this!
Holmes:
I see you are quite eager to help,[♂ Mr. /♀ Ms. ] Fujimaru. Perhaps even recklessly so. But for the moment, I will spare you the lecture.
Holmes:
You may not currently have any Servants capable of aiding you in battle, but you are still a Master.
Holmes:
Furthermore, you are far and away the most experienced fighter out of everyone here.
Holmes:
At this point, you are the only one we can send to investigate this area.
Holmes:
It will be extremely dangerous. As the administrative advisor, I'm ashamed I must ask this of you.
Mash:
...Then, will you be escorting Senpai as [♂ his /♀ her] bodyguard, Holmes?
Mash:
......
Holmes:
Naturally. I will do so to the best of my ability. Fieldwork is, of course, one of my many specialties.
Holmes:
Now, regarding your Mystic Code–
Goredolf:
Wait! That won't do at all!
Mash:
Director Goredolf...?
Goredolf:
Holmes, you're one of our precious few fighters.
Goredolf:
As the only Servant capable of handling this situation,I forbid you from leaving this vehicle!
Goredolf:
This armored car is the last bastion of humanity itself. There MUST be a combat-ready Servant here to defend it.
Goredolf:
So you are to stay here and do exactly that, Holmes. Understand? That is a direct order from your commander.
Da Vinci:
Oh? If it's just a Servant you need,there's another one right here, you know.
Da Vinci:
Or have you already forgotten about me and my genius?
Goredolf:
You're not a real Servant. You're just an imitation who's lost any combat ability you may have once had.
Goredolf:
Holmes is the only real fighter we have, and we can't afford to send him out into a dangerous area we still know nothing about.
Goredolf:
Fujimaru. During our investigation,you adamantly refused to cooperate with us, correct?
Goredolf:
Each and every time we asked you if a certain report was all made up, and insisted that you lot never actually saved the world...
Goredolf:
...all you said was,“Chaldea fulfilled its mission admirably. ”
Goredolf:
Heh. Not bad for a youngster like yourself. Indeed, I commend your attitude.
Goredolf:
As such, I see no problem whatsoever with my plan. You're a proven warrior, as you demonstrated by repairing the past Singularities.
Goredolf:
What sort of director would I be if I didn't trust a proven Master? A poor excuse for one, that's what. And so, I am placing my implicit trust in you.
Goredolf:
So listen up. You are to go on this expedition alone. The rest of us will relay instructions to you from this operations room.
Mash:
What!? You can't make Senpai handle this alone!
Goredolf:
...Does that mean you are withdrawing the testimony you provided to the inquiry board?
Goredolf:
Were your claims that Chaldea had not been sitting around merely twiddling its thumbs for the last year no more than lies?
Fujimaru 1:
...No.
Fujimaru 2:
...I'll go. Of course I'll go.
Holmes:
...Indeed. Both [♂ Mr. /♀ Ms. ] Fujimaru and the new director are correct.
Holmes:
The Shadow Border's destruction would mean the end of humanity itself.
Holmes:
It is indeed important that we investigate this area, but we must concentrate the bulk of our efforts on keeping the Shadow Border and the Paper Moon safe.
Holmes:
Therefore, I will remain to guard the Shadow Border, and do whatever I can to aid the expedition from here.
Holmes:
All that said, the fact remains that it would also be reckless to send [♂ Mr. /♀ Ms. ] Fujimaru out on [♂ his /♀ her] own.
Holmes:
It is a hundred degrees below zero outside, and there is no telling what else may be lying in wait.
Goredolf:
I-I know that! I won't send [♂ him /♀ her] off without a buddy!
Goredolf:
Let's see, one of you called me an old man. What was his name again? Sauté? Piccata?
Meunière:
(Oh craaap! )
Fujimaru 1:
...
Fujimaru 2:
It's the cooking method that uses butter and lemon juice.
Meunière:
Bwa!? Et tu, Fujimaru!?
Goredolf:
That's it! Meunière. MEUNIÈRE!
Goredolf:
Get your armaments in order! You will be joining Fujimaru on [♂ his /♀ her] expedition!
Meunière:
Gaaah, I knew it! Why me!?
Goredolf:
Hmph. You're an operator. Your job is to man the controls and keep an eye on the monitors.
Goredolf:
Now that the Border is parked, this is simply the best way for you to make yourself useful!
Goredolf:
Besides, if worse comes to worst, I know someone who can fill in as the driver. Hehe. Hehehe. Hehehehe!
Meunière:
I mean, you're not wrong, but...! Dammit, guess I've got no choice...!
Mash:
Wait!
Mash:
I...I'll go with Senpai! I believe that would be the best possible option!
Mash:
For one thing, I have even fewer ways to be useful here than Mr. Meunière does...
Mash:
...and I can also fight for brief periods,just like I did at Chaldea!
Fujimaru 1:
I guess that's true, but...
Fujimaru 2:
I don't know...
Holmes:
...I am afraid that is a course of action I cannot support. What about you, Da Vinci?
Da Vinci:
Hmm. I hate to say it, but I DO think Fujimaru will need a companion. And Mash IS an old hand when it comes to investigating unexplored areas by now.
Da Vinci:
As long as she agrees not to engage in combat as a Servant unless absolutely necessary, and to focus solely on providing support...
Da Vinci:
...she's the best partner Fujimaru could ask for. It's not my place to try to stop her.
Fujimaru 1:
Hey, Mash.
Mash:
...Yes, Senpai?
Fujimaru 1:
Let's go explore this place together!
Mash:
...Of course, Master! I'd be happy to accompany you on this expedition!
Da Vinci:
Good, good. Fortunately, I expected something like this might happen one day, so I suppose this is as good a time as any to show you the Mystic Code I made for exploring polar regions!
Da Vinci:
Here you go, Fujimaru. And Mash, here's a snowsuit I made just for you.
Goredolf:
Excellent. Then be off with you.
Goredolf:
And whatever you do, do not throw your lives away, understand? If you must die, make sure that you find a valuable lead before you do so.
Da Vinci:
Seriously? You really need to work on your goodbyes.
Goredolf:
Hm? What was wrong with that? I thought it was quite the encouraging speech.
Da Vinci:
Wow, you ARE serious. You're a noble through and through, aren't you?
Da Vinci:
I'm amazed you managed to survive this long without dying in solitude. Did you just luck out and get a really good maid or something?
Goredolf:
I-I'll have you know I have never experienced solitude once in all my life! My tutor, Toole IV, was so strict, she would barely leave me alone!
Goredolf:
Grr, what an impudent little familiar! If only you acted as cute as you look!
--ARROW--
Meunière:
There we go...
Meunière:
It can't hurt to wear a snowsuit over your arctic Mystic Code. Not that it's likely to do much good when it's a freakin' hundred degrees below out there.
Meunière:
Listen. I know what Goredolf said, but make sure you don't go taking any unnecessary risks.
Meunière:
Just take it easy, and focus on staying alive first and foremost.
Fujimaru 1:
Don't worry about that.
Meunière:
Good. Glad to hear it.
Fujimaru 2:
It'd be a helluva waste if I died now, after all.
Meunière:
Right? There's all sorts of fun things out there just waiting for you to experience. I knew you had potential,Fujimaru.
Meunière:
Once this is all taken care of,you'll have to come check out my hometown sometime.
Meunière:
You haven't lived until you've seen France, you know.
Meunière:
Oh, and Mash? I don't want you overdoing it either, got it?
Meunière:
I, uh, I know that you really helped us out back at Chaldea...
Meunière:
...but the fact is, you've got serious limits as a Demi-Servant. So if you encounter any hostiles, you just focus on keeping your distance.
Meunière:
All the more so if Fujimaru's in a tight spot. Whatever it takes, you two better make it back here alive.
A：Mash:
We will. Thank you, Mr. Meunière.
Meunière:
Oh, and Fujimaru, you take this.
Fujimaru 1:
This is...
Meunière:
Listen up. We're going to investigate the surrounding area first. Once we find something of interest, we'll let you know and tell you where to go.
Meunière:
If you can manage to secure a leyline, you should be able to summon Servants again.
Meunière:
As for power...You'll just have to make do somehow. Maybe take advantage of a natural phenomenon.
A：Mash:
A natural phenomenon...?
Meunière:
I bet Da Vinci and Holmes'll figure something out.
Meunière:
You're the one who took care of all those Singularities. I don't have to tell you what an accomplishment that is.
Meunière:
You've met at least one or two Servants who're crazy enough to answer a summon, no matter the circumstance.
Meunière:
So as long as you can get the bare minimum of energy into that Spirit Origin graph, you oughta be able to summon at least one Servant.
Meunière:
You probably won't be able to get a really strong one, though. Our magical energy supply here doesn't hold a candle to Chaldea's.
Meunière:
But even so, any Heroic Spirit you can get to help you would be a godsend at this point. So do what you gotta to make that happen.
Fujimaru 1:
...Got it.
Meunière:
Honestly, I have no idea what's coming. The Doctor is gone, and so's more than half our staff.
Meunière:
I never thought things could get even worse than they were back in Orleans.
Meunière:
But here we are, and just like back then,you're our only hope, Fujimaru. Good luck.
Fujimaru 1:
You can count on me!
Meunière:
I know we can. Oh, and if it's not asking too much, try to find some fish. Do that, and I'll treat you to some of the best home cooking you've ever had.
Mash:
I'm all set too, Master.
Mash:
Let's go!
Fujimaru 1:
Man, what a blizzard...
Fou:
Fou...
Mash:
Fou! Are you going to be okay in this cold!?
Fujimaru 1:
He's burrowed into my coat.
Fujimaru 2:
I think he'll probably be fine.
Fou:
Fou, fooou...
Da Vinci:
Testing, testing...Hello? Can you guys hear me? You can?
Da Vinci:
Great, looks like we've got comms working. Not sure what kind of range we'll get in this storm, though.
Da Vinci:
Now then, the first order of business will be to look for a leyline.
Da Vinci:
Here's what I'm thinking: start by heading north, then turn east.
Da Vinci:
If you still haven't found a leyline after a while, then you can continue west.
Da Vinci:
Once that's done, come back to the Shadow Border before you check out the south.
Da Vinci:
What do you think of that? Any thoughts to share? Am I doing a better job than, uh, me?
Fujimaru 1:
No objections here!
Fujimaru 2:
You're the same dependable Da Vinci you always were.
Da Vinci:
Great! Glad to hear it!
Da Vinci:
All right, I'll be checking in every five minutes, so if you stop hearing from me, that's your cue to turn around and head back.
Da Vinci:
Got that, you two?
Fujimaru 1:
Got it!
Mash:
Understood, Da Vinci!
Goredolf:
Oh, and let me be clear about one more thing: if you encounter any locals, leave the negotiations to us.
Goredolf:
Even over comms, I can cast a simple charm spell to win over any ordinary person you run into.
Holmes:
Maybe we should only use that as a last resort, Director?
Holmes:
Charm spells do work quickly, but their effects also wear off rapidly as well. There would be no way of knowing when our unwitting collaborator might return to their senses.
Holmes:
As such, I believe it would be both safer and wiser for you to employ your natural charms here.
Holmes:
Should we encounter any locals, I believe the best thing to do would be for [♂ Mr. /♀ Ms. ] Fujimaru to initiate the negotiations.
Holmes:
Once both parties have reached a mutual understanding, we can then have them come to the Border.
Goredolf:
H-hm, I see...Indeed, my own natural charisma would be the surest way to succeed...
Goredolf:
Very well, we shall use your plan, then. Da Vinci, is there any pomade to be found in this car?
Goredolf:
I'll need to make sure my hair is perfect for the occasion. First impressions are everything, after all!
Da Vinci:
Sure. I can whip something up that'll do the trick. (Damn, Holmes. You played him like a fiddle. )
Holmes:
(Well, I AM the world's greatest detective. Besides, I wasn't being entirely untruthful. )
Holmes:
(Goredolf DOES have a certain dignity...The sort that comes from being raised in a distinguished noble family. )
Holmes:
(And that is something that [♂ Mr. /♀ Ms. ] Fujimaru can and should do without. )
Fou:
Fou, fooou!
Mash:
Okay, Master. Let's start heading north.
Mash:
This blizzard really does go as far as the eye can see...And it seems the temperature has dropped even lower since we left.
Fujimaru 1:
Yeah, it's...really cold...
Da Vinci:
Only cold, eh? You have my amazing Mystic Code to thank for that!
Da Vinci:
The temperatures you're experiencing right now can freeze hot water, or turn a banana hard enough to use as a hammer.
Da Vinci:
Okay, that's enough heading north. Now try going east.
Mash:
Understood. Okay, Master, let's head east.
Mash:
Master...! Take a look at that!
Fujimaru 1:
At what, exactly?
Fujimaru 2:
All I can see is snow...
Mash:
...That doesn't look like the bands of light we saw in the Singularities. What could it be...?
Mash:
A skyscraper...? A tower...?
Fujimaru 1:
Maybe...it's a tree?
Mash:
Whatever it is, it's certainly enormous...
Mash:
What was that noise...? Da Vinci!
Da Vinci:
Yep, I'm detecting a hostile from here. Looks like a low-rank Phantasmal...Maybe a Demonic Beast?
Da Vinci:
Just one of them, but it's headed your way from the east...and it looks to be spoiling for a fight.
Fujimaru 1:
Got it. Let's get out of here, Mash!
Mash:
Yes, Master! Let's head south...
Fou:
...Fou!
Da Vinci:
What was that roar...!?
E：Chaldea Staff:
I'm picking up new hostiles at Fujimaru's twelve and nine o'clock!
E：Chaldea Staff:
...And another one at [♂ his /♀ her] six! They're surrounded!
E：Chaldea Staff:
...!
E：Chaldea Staff:
Oh God, now there's six more!
E：Chaldea Staff:
That cry earlier must have signaled others. They just keep coming!
Holmes:
So, they know to surround their prey...These creatures would appear to understand how to hunt.
Holmes:
Which means there is an established ecosystem, even in this frigid world.
Holmes:
But that is a matter for later.
Holmes:
[♂ Mr. /♀ Ms. ] Fujimaru, Da Vinci. I'm sorry to ask you to break the rules right off the bat.
Holmes:
Ms. Kyrielight, I trust you know what to do? Make your way through the Demonic Beasts to the south and return here at once.
Goredolf:
Wait! What's going to happen if you lead a huge pack of Demonic Beasts here!?
Goredolf:
Remember, the Shadow Border is the very last bastion of humanity!
G：Mash:
...!
G：Mash:
A-at any rate, I'll find the weakest link in their formation and try to break through!
G：Mash:
Master, your orders, please!
Fujimaru 1:
I know. But, Mash...
Fujimaru 2:
All right. Just don't push yourself too hard...
G：Mash:
...Yes, Master!
--BATTLE--
Mash:
Khh...! Ar...gh...!
Fujimaru 1:
Thanks, Mash! Now let's get out of here!
Fujimaru 2:
Come on Mash, follow me!
Mash:
Y-yes, Master. We need to make our escape...while we can...!
Mash:
...Ah...!
Fujimaru 1:
Mash!?
Goredolf:
A gun!?
Holmes:
A rifle, in point of fact, judging by the sound. One wielded, it would seem, by a skilled marksman, considering they incapacitated the beast with a single shot to the head.
Holmes:
Well done!
E：???:
...Take this!
E：???:
Are you guys nuts!?
E：???:
What were you thinking,running right into the middle of a Krichat' pack!
Mash:
Huh...!?
E：???:
I'm guessing you guys came from the capital looking for something to eat, but you're not gonna have much more luck out here in the boonies eith–
E：???:
...What the?
Fujimaru 1:
A wolfman...?
Fujimaru 2:
A werewolf...?
E：???:
Wh-what the hell ARE you guys!? Why's your skin so smooth!?
Mash:
Wait! Please, wait!
Fujimaru 1:
We just want to talk!
Fujimaru 2:
Please calm down!
E：???:
...Wait a second. Are you guys...mages?
Mash:
Huh...!?
E：???:
Dammit...C'mon, follow me!
E：???:
Krichat' are cowards, but if you stick around too long, they'll call more friends and overwhelm you!
Mash:
(He just hefted that huge Demonic Beast like it was nothing...! )
E：???:
Come on, move it!
Fujimaru 1:
Let's go along with him, Mash!
Mash:
R-right. I'll bring up the rear, Master!
E：???:
Dammit, the Krichat' are restless today! What'd you guys do to get them so worked up?
Fujimaru 1:
I don't know!
E：???:
Come on, keep moving!
E：???:
Otherwise, the Krichat'll have you for dinner. Unless their noise attracts a D'yavol Tron first!
Mash:
I-I'm sorry, what's a D'yavol Tron?
E：???:
A giant serpent with multiple heads that can wipe out an entire village easy as you like! Don't you guys know ANYTHING!?
E：???:
Okay, we're here...
E：???:
...Dammit, the Oprichniki are on patrol! They'll collect my kill as taxes.
E：???:
Listen up. Don't let any other Yaga see you.
E：???:
They're always looking for more sacrifices for the Oprichniki!
Mash:
Oprichniki...!
Fujimaru 1:
Oh crap, oh crap!
Fujimaru 2:
We've gotta find somewhere to hide!
E：???:
Huh? What's with you guys?
E：???:
...Aha, I see how it is. The Oprichniki are after you guys?
E：???:
Come with me. Any enemy of the Oprichniki is a friend of mine.
E：???:
I think I can help you out,if you have something to offer in return.
Mash:
Master...?
Fujimaru 1:
Let's go with him.
Mash:
...All right. We'll accompany you!
E：???:
Good. Come on, you Koldun.
Fujimaru 2:
Let's ask for his help.
E：???:
Hmm.
E：???:
You Koldun have less pride than I thought.
E：???:
...Well, whatever. Let's just take it nice and easy...
H：???:
Hey, if it isn't Patxi.
E：???:
...Try to stay out of sight.
H：???:
Huh. Do you smell that weird scent too?
H：???:
Is it coming from those two?
Mash:
...!
E：???:
It's coming from this Demonic Beast, obviously. Didn't bleed it out properly.
H：???:
No leisure for the poor, huh. You sure you're gonna make it through the winter like that?
E：???:
Guess you're not worried about yourself, huh?
H：???:
Hahahaha, nope. I've got plenty stored away.
H：???:
If you ever find yourself running low on food,how 'bout I sell you some on the cheap?
H：???:
But you WILL have to tell me where your best hunting grounds are.
E：???:
...I'll think about it. See you around.
H：???:
Hey, your little friends there wouldn't be with the rebel army, would they?
H：???:
Cause if they are, you know I've gotta report them to the Oprichniki. Tsar's decree and all.
E：???:
If these guys turn out to be with the rebel army...
E：???:
...I'm gonna tell the Oprichniki you and I are the best of friends.
H：???:
!
H：???:
C'mon, cut that out. We're not friends. We barely know each other!
E：???:
You sure about that?
E：???:
'Cause we've been having a good,long talk for a while now.
E：???:
Can't you feel everyone else watching us?
H：???:
Dammit...!
E：???:
All right, let's hurry up and get to my house before anyone else comes sniffing around.
E：???:
...Good. The Oprichniki still don't know you're here.
Fujimaru 1:
Thank you so much.
E：???:
Don't need your thanks. Just give me something as compensation.
E：???:
It's all about bartering, right?
Mash:
“Something,” huh...What should we do, Senpai?
Holmes:
Would information suffice?
E：???:
Aah! Wh-what the hell IS that!?
Holmes:
Magecraft-based communication.
Holmes:
Since you realized those two are mages, I assumed your kind would possess a deep knowledge of magecraft...
Holmes:
...but judging from your response, it appears that your kind have only ever HEARD of magecraft. Am I correct?
E：???:
Oh...So it's not actually real.
Holmes:
I assure you, it is. I am speaking to you in person, albeit from a great distance.
Holmes:
Now, as I was saying, if we possess any information that may be of use to you, we are happy to provide it.
E：???:
...Don't suppose you know of any good hunting grounds, do you?
Holmes:
If the location of a Krichat' nest would suffice, then yes, we have found a number of them.
E：???:
Krichat' nests, huh. Nice. Those things are pushovers.
Mash:
Pushovers? THOSE...?
E：???:
Well yeah. You can actually kill them, as long as you shoot them or hit them hard enough. Waaay better than the Demonic Beasts who just won't die.
Holmes:
Very well, I'm prepared to share the locations of these Krichat' nests.
Holmes:
So first, I would appreciate you telling us everything you know about this place.
Fujimaru 1:
Whoa, wait. Introductions first. What's your name?
Fujimaru 2:
Can you tell us your name?
E：???:
...My name, huh.
E：???:
They say that if you ever tell a Koldun your name, you'll be cursed.
Mash:
Excuse me, but what are these “Koldun”? I can tell you mean us, but beyond that...
E：???:
It means “mage. ”
E：???:
I've never seen one myself before, but there's a whole bunch of them in the imperial family, right?
E：???:
Then again, Koldun or not, you don't seem like much of a threat. I doubt you could curse anyone if you tried.
Fujimaru 1:
True, I've never been very good at curses.
Fujimaru 2:
I can't curse anyone.
E：???:
...All right. My name's Patxi.
Patxi:
Now, who're you guys?
Mash:
I'm Mash Kyrielight.
Holmes:
Sherlock Holmes.
Fujimaru 1:
And I'm Fujimaru.
Patxi:
Hmm. Mash, Sherlock, and Fujimaru, huh.
Patxi:
All right, now WHAT are you guys?
Patxi:
If the Oprichniki are after you,does that mean you're with the rebel army?
Mash:
Rebel army? Hang on. We're not–
Fujimaru 1:
(Where do I begin...)
Holmes:
Now, now, calm yourself, my dear Watson. Allow me to do the explaining.
Fujimaru 2:
(Maybe I should try asking some questions...)
Patxi:
...Well? Are you, or aren't you?
Holmes:
First, we have a few questions of our own.
Patxi:
I don't think so. First, you need to answer my–
Holmes:
What year is it right now?
Patxi:
Huh?
Mash:
(...Holmes is right. That's the first thing we need to confirm. )
Mash:
(It is abnormally cold, even for Russia. )
Mash:
(It can't possibly be the Russia we know. That could mean we're in a different time period, just like the Singularities–)
Patxi:
...I don't know why you're asking such a stupid question, but fine. It's 2020. What about it?
Holmes:
I see. What about that enormous storm? It appears to be nothing so much as a solid wall composed of incredibly powerful wind. Is that normal?
Patxi:
Hell no it's not. Been living here in Russia for twenty years, and I've never seen anything like it before.
Patxi:
...Is it true what they say about the world getting closed off?
Holmes:
It would seem that it is. As of right now, the only place we can confirm actually exists is Russia.
Holmes:
We came here from beyond Russia,to see if we can't do something about it.
Patxi:
Beyond...? You mean from outside Russia...?
Patxi:
(...I don't know what they're talking about. What could he mean, outside Russia? )
Patxi:
(There IS nothing outside Russia. Any land people could've lived on should be long gone by now. )
Patxi:
(I guess they could be from the boonies...but then again, they're not Yaga either. Maybe...maybe there really are still other nations out there? )
Patxi:
...All right. I can tell you got your own stuff you're dealing with.
Patxi:
But I'm not gonna pry. Not looking for friends.
Patxi:
So then, why's a bunch of outsiders like you on the outs with the Oprichniki?
Holmes:
Unfortunately, your guess is as good as ours. We still don't even know what they really are.
Holmes:
...That being the case, we would tremendously appreciate if you could tell us. What ARE the Oprichniki?
Patxi:
You're kidding me. How did you survive this long without knowing even that?
Patxi:
The Oprichniki are brutal hunters. Ivan the Terrible's personal bodyguards.
Mash:
Ivan...the Terrible...!
Fujimaru 1:
Wasn't he a Russian tsar...?
Holmes:
Yes, he was. If you know that much,then more detailed explanations can wait.
Fujimaru 2:
Who?
Holmes:
I'm afraid the detailed explanation will have to wait. For the moment, I will simply say this:
Holmes:
Ivan the Terrible was the Tsar and Grand Duke of All Russia.
Holmes:
He was also the greatest monster of the sixteenth century. An orator and a tyrant, his greatest talent–and passion–lay in torture.
Mash:
Wait a moment. Patxi just told us that this is still the year 2020.
Mash:
If it is, why would Ivan the Terrible's bodyguards still be around?
Fujimaru 1:
Maybe he's a Servant...?
Patxi:
Huh? A Servant? ...You guys have some pretty bizarre questions...
Patxi:
Ivan the Terrible's alive and well. He's been around for almost five hundred years, so he's the oldest Yaga of all.
Mash:
Wha...
Holmes:
...I take it the Yaga are your kind?
Patxi:
That's right. Jeez, you outsiders really don't know ANYTHING, do you?
Patxi:
How the hell'd you all survive this long being this ignorant? You been living under a rock the last few hundred years or something?
Patxi:
Then again, they DO say this kind of ignorance is common for mages...
Fujimaru 1:
Would you...tell us about your history?
Patxi:
I can only give you a real brief overview.
Fujimaru 2:
It's kinda true. We don't know much.
Patxi:
...So you really HAVE been living under a rock all this time. Explains why you look like the old species.
Patxi:
You do know about the Great Cold Wave that happened four hundred and fifty years ago, right? The new ice age they say happened after a meteor struck the planet?
Patxi:
Once that hit, Earth turned into an ice planet. It got so cold that the old species, the...uh, humans...couldn't survive here anymore.
Patxi:
They say that none of the other countries were able to handle the cold, so their populations died out.
Patxi:
But Russians have always dealt with the cold,so we had it better here.
Patxi:
Even so, we still lost about ninety percent of our population. Hell, we nearly lost the whole damn country.
Patxi:
So before that could happen, Ivan the Terrible and a mage developed a plan. We, the Yaga, are the result.
Da Vinci:
Hmm. Does that mean you're a mixture of Demonic Beast and human?
Patxi:
What the...!? Who're YOU!? And why're you so tiny!?
Da Vinci:
Oh, don't mind me. I'm just a passing genius, doing as geniuses do☆
Da Vinci:
So, the people of Russia were combined with Demonic Beasts via some kind of magecraft.
Da Vinci:
Do I have that right?
Patxi:
Yeah. Got it in one. Not that I remember any of it myself, though.
Patxi:
I've been a Yaga my whole life. This is my first time ever seeing the old human species.
Holmes:
I see. That explains quite a lot. Thank you, Patxi.
Patxi:
Now, who're you guys, anyway?
Fujimaru 1:
We're with Chaldea.
Patxi:
Chaldea...?
Holmes:
An organization tasked with the preservation of humanity and saving the world.
Fujimaru 2:
I'm .
Mash:
We're members of the Chaldea Security Organization. It's our job to ensure the preservation of humanity.
Patxi:
...Now I have even more questions.
Fujimaru 1:
Basically...we're here to save the world?
Patxi:
Huh, well ain't that something.... So are you like, a bunch of idiots, then?
Holmes:
I understand how fantastical that must sound,but I assure you, we are deadly serious.
Patxi:
......Well, whatever.
Patxi:
Whatever nutty plan you guys got up your sleeve, if it'll shake things up around here, I'm all for it.
Patxi:
After all, you're the first outsiders I've ever seen in my life.
Patxi:
Anyway, I'll do you a favor and forget I ever heard your nonsense. Just hurry it up with the hunting grounds info.
Holmes:
Very well, then. Show me a map and I will tell you where to go.
Patxi:
You better not be pulling my tail about this...
Patxi:
All right, this is our town here.
Holmes:
Hmm, so this is Yaga Smolensk. And this city far up to the northeast must be Yaga Moscow.
Holmes:
In that case...
Holmes:
This spot here is one of the hunting grounds I discovered earlier.
Patxi:
Just so you guys know, I may hate the Oprichniki,but I hate liars even more.
Patxi:
Now stay put until I get back. Got it?
Fujimaru 1:
We're not going anywhere.
Patxi:
...If those hunting grounds turn out to be a sham,I'll hunt YOU to the ends of the earth.
Fujimaru 2:
Don't worry, we'll hold down the fort while you're gone.
Patxi:
Good. But don't go touching my food.
Patxi:
I'm saving it all to make it through the winter.
Da Vinci:
Looks like he's gone to check out those hunting grounds. By the way, Holmes, can I pick your brain for a moment?
Goredolf:
What...What IS this place? Why have humans been combined with Demonic Beasts?
Goredolf:
That violates one of magecraft's strictest taboos! Is this what all Singularities are like?
Holmes:
It would hardly be unusual for one. What is abundantly clear is that this is not our own history.
Fujimaru 1:
Still...
Mash:
What is it, Master?
Fujimaru 1:
Something seems different about this Singularity.
Holmes:
...Regardless, we now know that the opponent you two must face is Ivan the Terrible. A version of him who has somehow managed to survive for approximately five hundred years, strange as that may sound.
Holmes:
The Oprichniki were indeed Ivan the Terrible's personal bodyguards. Now then, Goredolf, allow me to ask you something.
Goredolf:
Y-yes? What is it, Holmes?
Holmes:
Are you certain the Oprichnik you defeated was not, in fact, human?
Goredolf:
Oh, yes, absolutely. He dissolved into nothing once I socked him with a good Gof Punch. From the look of it,I would guess he was a familiar of some sort.
Holmes:
I concur. I too sensed nothing human about them during my own skirmishes.
Holmes:
Originally, the Oprichniki were a corps of soldiers established by Ivan the Terrible himself.
Holmes:
It is said they dressed completely in black, carried around dog heads and whips made from bristling animal pelts, and only rode black horses.
Holmes:
Their job was to eradicate the Tsar's enemies. It is said they would set upon their opponents like dogs, and clean them out as swiftly as a broom gathering dust.
Holmes:
They swore absolute loyalty to the Tsar, and committed all manner of unspeakable atrocities in his name.
Holmes:
But none of them became Heroic Spirits.
Holmes:
As Goredolf surmised, they are familiars belonging to Ivan the Terrible.
Fujimaru 1:
Did he make them with his Noble Phantasm?
Fujimaru 2:
Did he make them with some sort of skill?
Holmes:
Those are certainly the two most likely possibilities. The terror the Oprichniki wrought swept throughout all of Russia, after all.
Holmes:
It is quite possible that creating them could have become a skill or even Noble Phantasm he possesses.
Holmes:
And if the Oprichniki are still terrorizing all of Russia–
Mash:
Does that mean Ivan the Terrible is the Servant responsible for the attack on Chaldea?
Mash:
Oh, right, he ISN'T a Servant. He's flesh and blood, just like Nero was...
Holmes:
Nonetheless, we have far too few options available to us at this point. As such, our first order of business should be securing a leyline.
Da Vinci:
Well, as luck would have it, I detected something that looked an awful lot like a leyline back when Fujimaru and Mash were making their escape with Patxi.
Da Vinci:
Unfortunately, it is quite a ways from your current position. It'd be extremely risky for the two of you to head there alone.
Goredolf:
Well, then just have that furred freak take you there.
Fujimaru 1:
He's already done so much for us...
Goredolf:
Then we use magecraft to charm him! Must I think of EVERYTHING around here!?
Holmes:
Not so fast, Goredolf. Remember, the Yaga are part Demonic Beast.
Holmes:
That most likely means they possess a strong innate resistance to magecraft. I doubt that a charm cast over a transmission would have much effect.
Fujimaru 2:
There has to be something in it for Patxi...
Goredolf:
We don't have time to think about what that...that THING may stand to gain.
Goredolf:
The moment these creatures combined themselves with Demonic Beasts, they ceased to be human.
Mash:
Either way, we should wait for Patxi to come back.
Mash:
We may not be able to convince him to take us, but maybe he'll at least tell us about a safe path.
Narration:
...Looks like I found myself a real bunch of weirdos.
Narration:
I'd only ever heard about the old species in legends.
Narration:
Seeing how weak they are in person,it's a wonder they survived as long as they did.
Narration:
...I guess, technically, they're our ancestors. Maybe that's why I never thought to eat them.
Narration:
I can always leave them to fend for themselves if they don't have anything to offer, but it looks like they know a whole bunch of good hunting grounds.
Narration:
And more than anything, they're new. I've never seen anything like them before in my life.
Narration:
Most Yaga wouldn't be comfortable with that,but oddly enough, it doesn't bother me at all.
Narration:
I know it's things like that that put me at odds with the other Yaga.
Narration:
Oftentimes, I'll find myself thinking. Asking myself questions like...
Narration:
“Why do we have to be strong? ” “Why is it wrong to be weak? ” “And why...why are we always starving for something, never feeling satisfied? ”
Narration:
Whenever anyone hears me, they just laugh. They tell me I'm a fool and ask why I would waste my time thinking about meaningless crap.
Narration:
...I know it's meaningless just as much as anyone.
Narration:
I wish I could stop myself from thinking about these things too. But...
H：Yaga Citizen:
Patxi. Hey, Patxi.
Patxi:
...What is it?
H：Yaga Citizen:
Are you going hunting?
Patxi:
So what if I am?
H：Yaga Citizen:
Sorry, but those hunting grounds belong to the town.
Patxi:
Why do you think I only hunt the strays?
H：Yaga Citizen:
Those stray Demonic Beasts belong to the town too.
H：Yaga Citizen:
...Not that any are straying off anyway,since that spot's been closed down!
Patxi:
...Is that so? Fine, I'll just have to find somewhere else to hunt, won't I?
Narration:
I glared at the jackass as I turned around and headed off in the opposite direction from the sealed-off hunting grounds.
Narration:
It's not just him. The other Yaga are all keeping their eyes on me too, making sure I don't go messing up their territory.
Narration:
...Some Demonic Beasts are easier to hunt than others.
Narration:
The Krichat' tend to be on the harder side, since they'll keep calling in reinforcements until you're overwhelmed, but there are some places it's manageable.
Narration:
Like, say, a ravine that leads to a dead end.
Narration:
Somewhere the other Krichat' can't hear their pack mate's cries for help.
Narration:
Yaga have taken advantage of that and set up hunting grounds that make it easy to harvest Demonic Beasts.
Narration:
It may not compare to what I hear the old times were like, when they used to breed enough domesticated beasts on farms for everyone to eat...
Narration:
...but nowadays, hunting grounds like that, where you can hunt in safety and rest easy knowing the beasts will multiply again over time, are lifelines for us.
Narration:
Which is why it only takes getting labeled as a weakling once for everything to go south.
Narration:
It doesn't take long for a Yaga to die if we don't get enough to eat.... And this town is ruthless about seeing the runt of the litter cut loose.
Narration:
The whole town makes it a point to eliminate nearby villages, curry favor with the Tsar, and kowtow to the Oprichniki.
Narration:
They know about the Yaga's ironclad law–that only the strong may eat–and maliciously use it against us.
Narration:
I know I'm skating on thin ice myself. But there's nothing I can do about it.
Narration:
I can't defy the Tsar. I've got no choice but to run from the Oprichniki.
Narration:
...But if these humans I've met really are mages,and they really do end up saving the world...
Narration:
...maybe that'll help this constant ache in my chest go away, even a little.
Patxi:
'Course, I still don't know if I can even trust them...
Narration:
...Well I'll be damned.
Patxi:
I can't remember the last time I killed this many. With a haul like this, I could still scrape by even after they pick me clean for taxes...
H：Yaga Citizen:
Patxi!
E：Patxi:
...What is it?
H：Yaga Citizen:
You're looking flush today, aren't you?
E：Patxi:
...This is about my taxes, right? Here, take it.
H：Yaga Citizen:
Yup, that takes care of you. But what about your mother's taxes?
E：Patxi:
...
H：Yaga Citizen:
Hey, it's no fur off my snout. Your old lady's not pulling her weight anymore anyway.
H：Yaga Citizen:
And you know as well as I do that this town doesn't need any Yaga who can't hunt.
H：Yaga Citizen:
Honestly, I don't even know why you bother paying her share.
H：Yaga Citizen:
It doesn't make a damn lick of sense.
E：Patxi:
None of your business.... Here, there's my mother's share.
Narration:
...This town has no use for my mother anymore.
Narration:
She's well aware of that, so all she does now is wait around to die.
Narration:
Waiting for the time when she finally starves to death.
???:
Who is it?
Patxi:
...Here's some meat. I'll just leave it here.
???:
Oh, thank you. I don't know how I can...repay you...
Patxi:
Don't worry about it.
???:
My husband and son will be home soon. Why don't you stay and eat with us?
Patxi:
...No thanks.
Narration:
...She doesn't even recognize my face anymore.
Narration:
They say it happens a lot once a Yaga gets up there in years.
Narration:
They say their memories get fuzzy, so they start clinging to them more and more until they end up living the rest of their lives in a fantasy world.
Narration:
There's no point in keeping my mom alive anymore. I should just let her die and become one with the earth.
Narration:
It's not like she'll be any help to me while she's still kicking.
Narration:
Only the strong have a right to eat. And she hasn't been strong for a long time.
Narration:
...So then, why do I keep helping her like this...?
Patxi:
I'm back.... Your info was good. Brought in my biggest haul in ages.
Patxi:
Hard to believe there was that good a hunting spot right near the town that nobody ever noticed before.
Patxi:
Thanks to your tip, I've still got a bunch left over even after paying my taxes.
Patxi:
Though I did get a few snide remarks about my haul.
Fujimaru 1:
Snide remarks?
Patxi:
...Eh, it's a long story. Never mind that. What other hunting grounds've you got for me?
Patxi:
Hurry up and tell me so I can go check it out. Gotta hunt while I've still got the energy.
Holmes:
Of course, of course. Very well then, I imagine you may not have much of a response to this next question, but I must ask nonetheless.
Holmes:
...What can you tell us about that mysterious tree?
Patxi:
If anything, I was hoping you guys could tell me that. What the hell IS that thing?
Holmes:
Do you remember when it first appeared?
Patxi:
...About three months ago, I'd say.
Patxi:
Everyone was all excited when it first showed up, saying it was a miracle the Tsar performed for us...but it never actually gave us anything useful.
Patxi:
The Oprichniki don't react to it either, so all I really know is that it's just a big damn tree.
Patxi:
Are we done now? 'Cause I want to check out those other hunting grounds while–
Holmes:
Just a moment. Now that we know the full extent of the situation, I'm afraid that information was insufficient.
Patxi:
Ah c'mon. I don't have anything else I can trade you.
Patxi:
Unless you're after my gun,and you can have THAT over my dead body.
Holmes:
No, it's not that. We want a kite.
Patxi:
A kite...?
Holmes:
All you have to do is collect some materials. I can tell you what we need right now if you like.
Holmes:
Now that I have a clearer picture of your people's technological and cultural progress, I am quite certain you should have little trouble finding them.
Patxi:
...All right. As long as I don't have to leave town.
Holmes:
Thank you. I commend your decisiveness. Good show, Patxi!
Meunière:
What do you want with a kite, Holmes? Shouldn't we have traded for food first?
Goredolf:
The pudgy one is right. It's been too long since I've had a decent cut of roast beef.
Da Vinci:
Not at all. Food's crucial too, of course, but as they say, “safety first. ” That IS what you're going for, right, Holmes?
Holmes:
Indeed. It will require a bit of brute strength, but we will be taking a page from Benjamin Franklin's book.
Da Vinci:
I see where you're going with this. So you want to connect it to the briefcase?
Holmes:
I do.
Fujimaru 1:
What're you guys talking about?
Holmes:
I'm going to use lightning to secure the power you need to summon Servants.
Fujimaru 2:
Wait. Are you trying to generate power?
Holmes:
Precisely!
Holmes:
If you are to summon Servants again, you will need that Spirit Origin briefcase, power, and a leyline.
Goredolf:
That's barbaric. Why, it's downright primitive!
Holmes:
Not at all. That briefcase was originally designed to be usable even in eras without electricity.
Holmes:
All Fujimaru need do to make use of it is draw a summoning circle on a leyline and wait for a single bolt of lightning to strike.
Da Vinci:
Man, I really AM a genius, aren't I!?
Da Vinci:
I doubt there's anyone else in all of history who could've made the summoning system this streamlined!
Da Vinci:
Ah, being me is so awesome.
Goredolf:
...All right, so when is the next thunderstorm?
Holmes:
Our forecast says tomorrow. Suffice to say that time is not on our side.
Holmes:
I'm afraid we must get this kite ready to fly before the end of the day.
Holmes:
Now then, [♂ Mr. /♀ Ms. ] Fujimaru,have you ever made a kite before?
Fujimaru 1:
Yes, technically.
Holmes:
Excellent. Now is the time to put that knowledge to use.
Fujimaru 2:
Not even once.
Holmes:
I suspected as much. That you did not secretly while away the hours making kites was not a difficult deduction to make.
Holmes:
But not to worry. Da Vinci and I are both here to help.
Holmes:
If our interests hadn't led us elsewhere, we could easily have been professional toymakers in our own right!
Patxi:
Here you go. They were all real easy to find.
Patxi:
Now are you gonna tell me about those other hunting grounds?
Holmes:
Of course. I am pleased to make an equitable trade.
Patxi:
Hmm, this one's far...Probably take me a day to get there. All right, you guys stay put. Don't go outside, and don't eat anything besides the food I gave you.
Fujimaru 1:
See you later, Patxi.
Fujimaru 2:
Good luck!
Patxi:
...Man, it feels weird getting a send-off...
Holmes:
All right then, now it's time for arts and crafts.
Holmes:
Remember, without this kite, you will not be able to summon Servants. It is no exaggeration to say that the very fate of the world hinges upon this kite!
Holmes:
This may be the most important arts and crafts project in the history of mankind! No pressure!
Da Vinci:
No, no, not that one! THAT one! Yes, you're supposed to cut that one! No, not THERE! Ugh, this is so FRUSTRATING!
Mash:
I'm sorry, Da Vinci, but it's not always easy to understand what you mean!
Goredolf:
No, not there! How is the kite supposed to fly if you cut that!?
Holmes:
No, that's correct. The next cut needs to be on the opposite side.
Goredolf:
Really? ...I never knew there was so much to kite-making. I always thought you just stuck some poles to fabric like a tent, and the whole thing just flies...
Mash:
Here's some water, Senpai. Just relax and take it nice and easy.
Mash:
I have to say, though...This is kind of fun. I only hope it ends up flying well.
Mash:
I can bend the wire we're using for the kite's frame, Senpai. I am a Demi-Servant, after all.
Da Vinci:
Don't be silly. In your normal form, you're even weaker than Fujimaru is!
Mash:
Oh, right.
Mash:
Th-that took a lot longer than I thought it would...
Holmes:
...Well, this is an unfortunate turn of events. I can already hear the rumble of thunder nearby!
Holmes:
The kite's design should be fine, but we still don't know whether it will fly in this world.
Holmes:
The world IS enveloped by a raging storm, after all. There is no telling how violently the winds may be blowing at high altitudes.
Holmes:
Nonetheless, the kite's frame should be sturdy enough to accommodate extreme conditions. At this point, we have done all we can.
Da Vinci:
Great, that was the last part! It might've been a long and winding road to get here, but at least we got here!
Da Vinci:
...Now for the most important touch. What sort of picture should we draw on it?
Fujimaru 1:
Uh...how about none?
Fujimaru 2:
Dammit Da Vinci, I'm a Master, not an artist!
Da Vinci:
What!? But I was all set to paint a Vitruvian good enough to put on the Voyager!
Goredolf:
Stop that! You'll frighten the locals half to death!
Goredolf:
Just scribble some ASCII expression on it and be done with it!
Holmes:
Well now, I'm impressed you know about that. True, it IS important to retain one's sense of playfulness.
Holmes:
Ms. Kyrielight, would you do the honors of drawing something?
Mash:
Of course! Art design is one of my specialties.
Mash:
Don't worry, Master. I'll make sure it's a glamorous kite that will make everyone sit up and take notice!
Fujimaru 1:
Well, it's certainly...one of a kind.
Mash:
...I'm sorry. I did my best to convert your face into a Euclidean plane, Senpai, but I'm afraid it didn't go so well...
Holmes:
I like it. It has a unique charm about it,AND it should serve to ward off evil spirits.
Holmes:
Now, you'd best be on your way. I'm afraid we don't have time to wait for Patxi to return.
Mash:
I'll leave him a note letting him know where we are. Okay Master, let's sneak out of here!
Mash:
...There are a lot more people...I mean,Yaga here than I thought there'd be.
Mash:
Huh? ...What was that sound?
B：???:
Anastasia...Where are you...Anastasia...?
Grand Duchess:
I am here, my tsar.
B：???:
Ahh, my empress. My beloved wife. Tell me...Is Russia at peace?
Grand Duchess:
Of course it is, my tsar.
Grand Duchess:
The Oprichniki are fighting hard all throughout the land in order to spread your glory far and wide.
Grand Duchess:
Please, rest and do not be troubled.
B：???:
I see. So Russia is at peace...
B：???:
That makes two hundred years of peace in Russia...What about the outside?
B：???:
I must spread my glory beyond Russia's borders. I must share it with those from other lands who can only shiver in the cold, waiting for their ends.
B：???:
...Tell me, how fares Europe, and the Far East?
Grand Duchess:
...They too are at peace, my tsar.
Grand Duchess:
Europe has bowed to your will, and negotiations in the Far East are proceeding apace.
Grand Duchess:
The war is over,and Russia will have their allegiance soon.
B：???:
I see...That is good...
B：???:
...No...That is not good at all...
B：???:
Peace alone is not enough. I must press onward with renewed vigor and expand my domain!
B：???:
I must unite the world and ensure its happiness...!
Grand Duchess:
...Amadeus.
Amadeus Alter:
...Very well.
B：???:
...So sleepy...Am I...dreaming...?
Grand Duchess:
Good night, my tsar. May your repose be blessed with sweet dreams.
Kadoc:
Did you get Ivan's attack under control?
Grand Duchess:
Yes. He is sleeping soundly now,thanks to Mozart's piano.
Grand Duchess:
Even though the Tsar is from a Lostbelt, the musical arts seem to have an oddly powerful effect over him.
Grand Duchess:
...I'm even feeling a bit sleepy myself now.
Kadoc:
Good. We need him to stay asleep for the time being.
Kadoc:
...We can't have him finding out what's really going on and heading out on a campaign. That'd be the worst possible scenario.
Kadoc:
We must first be certain that his rule extends throughout the Lostbelt before we do anything else.
Grand Duchess:
Then I will entrust him to Amadeus for a while and deal with the rebels myself.
Grand Duchess:
...The mere thought that there is a rebellion taking place fills me with revulsion.
Kadoc:
No. Not an option.
Kadoc:
There's no way Amadeus alone can keep the Tsar pacified. If he starts really acting up, even I couldn't say what might happen.
Kadoc:
And...I can't stand that.
Kadoc:
As much as is possible, I want to eliminate any chance of surprise from my plan.
Kadoc:
When I need your help, I'll make sure to call for you AFTER the Tsar has been safely secured.
Grand Duchess:
...As you wish. You are my Master, and I am your Servant.
Grand Duchess:
I will trust in your judgment.
Kadoc:
Thanks. That'll be a big help.
D：Priest:
Pardon me. I hope I'm not interrupting your pillow talk.
Grand Duchess:
...I'd watch your tongue if I were you, Metropolitan Macarius.
Grand Duchess:
You may be the Tsar's mentor, but I am still a member of the imperial family, and I will not tolerate such uncouth remarks.
Priest:
You wound me, Grand Duchess. I have nothing but the highest respect for every member of the Russian imperial family.
Priest:
No matter what sort of family they may be,or what sort of end the Grand Duchess may have met.
Grand Duchess:
...How dare you.
Kadoc:
Wait. Both of you, stand down. I don't want to see any infighting. We don't have time for it anyway.
Kadoc:
Father. Your job is to placate the Tsar, right? Then quit following the Grand Duchess around and hurry up with the repairs to the cathedral.
Kadoc:
Or do you have something urgent to tell us? Did something happen with one of the other Lostbelts?
Priest:
Of course. This is very urgent, Crypter Number 1.
Priest:
...Today is your lucky day. You finally have a chance to prove yourself in battle.
Kadoc:
...You're kidding me. They already showed up?
Priest:
They have. There's been a disturbance on the outskirts. Their Shadow Border has emerged here in our own Russia.
Priest:
We haven't pinpointed their exact location yet, though. Still, this is their first Lostbelt.
Priest:
It will take them at least several days to fully comprehend how this world works. I believe now would be the perfect time to eliminate them, while they are still regaining their balance.
Kadoc:
...Hmph.
Kadoc:
I don't want to leave the Tsar's side right now. I'll let the Oprichniki handle them.
Kadoc:
Besides, Koyanskaya's the one who let them get away in the first place. Why not make her take care of them?
Kadoc:
Or are you gonna do it yourself? That might give you a chance to be useful for a change.
Priest:
Oh no, I couldn't. Unfortunately, the Tsar's condition worries me as well, so I would much rather not stray too far from Yaga Moscow.
Priest:
As for Ms. Koyanskaya, she may well be to blame for this little predicament, but she too is quite hard at work at the moment.
Priest:
I believe her work is of a rather private nature;it is very much in line with her hobbies.
Kadoc:
Hobbies? She's supposed to be leading the Oprichniki. What else could she be up to?
Grand Duchess:
...Kadoc. I'm told that woman has been going around distributing food to the Yaga...at exorbitant prices.
Grand Duchess:
So exorbitant that they're forced to rob their neighbors of everything they have to even have a hope of purchasing it.
Kadoc:
...I can't believe her. We come all this way,and she's still going around picking on the weak?
Kadoc:
Father, I don't like you, but I can understand you. I believe you are genuinely dedicated to keeping Russia safe from harm.
Kadoc:
But Koyanskaya...I can't make heads or tails of what she's thinking, or what she really wants to do.
Kadoc:
I mean, unlike you, she can come and go between Lostbelts whenever she pleases, right?
Kadoc:
Then why can't we make her go to one that's a little more civilized? She doesn't need to stick around a destitute world like this one.
Priest:
I'm afraid not. She's not one to change her behavior,no matter where she finds herself.
Priest:
In one sense, her actions stem from a love for humanity. That includes driving the weak into tight spots, sneering at them, and stepping on them.
Priest:
She will never oppose us, or the Crypters. It's best to think of her as a difficult mercenary who will get the job done as long as you can pay for her services.
Priest:
...All that said, I do agree that she has been acting a little TOO freely.
Priest:
Very well then. I will speak to her and tell her to restrain herself while she is here in Russia.
Priest:
That should ensure she follows your commands as well. Does that suit you, Master of the Grand Duchess?
Kadoc:
...Fine with me. If she's gonna call herself a mercenary,I won't hesitate to use her like one.
Kadoc:
The Oprichniki aren't gonna die as long as Ivan keeps dreaming.
Kadoc:
Tell Koyanskaya to make sure she finishes off Chaldea's leftovers for good this time.
Kadoc:
They're only human, so they're bound to stop by a town sooner or later. Have her keep an eye on the major ones, and take them out as soon as she finds them.
Priest:
Understood. I really must point out, though, how terrible a thing that is for you to say of your former comrades, Kadoc Zemlupus.
Priest:
And here I thought you were a kinder soul than that. Have these last few months been hard for you?
Priest:
Perhaps you should follow the Tsar's example and get some sleep yourself.
Kadoc:
...I'll admit I've been pushing myself past my limits. But I'm still the same guy I always was.
Kadoc:
Like you said, Chaldea's people are my former comrades. Emphasis on “former. ”
Kadoc:
Now, as the only Master in Russia–in this Lostbelt,my goal is to ensure it comes out on top.
Kadoc:
I'm gonna pull off something a Master from Proper Human History never could.
Kadoc:
I HAVE to.
Priest:
Well, it's good to see you're in such high spirits. Pushing oneself too hard is a privilege afforded only to the young, after all.
Priest:
Rest assured, you have my full support.
Priest:
Kadoc Zemlupus. I have nothing but respect for your aspirations, and for your determination.
Priest:
But I will offer one piece of advice: he who does not love himself can never save the world.
Priest:
If I were you, I would think long and hard about where that hostility of yours comes from.
Kadoc:
...Hostility, huh. So he's basically telling me to get over myself and accept that they're my rivals.
Kadoc:
...Hmph. The hell they are. They just got lucky, that's–
Grand Duchess:
You mustn't say things you don't really mean, Kadoc. Even if you are only bluffing, lies like that will only eat away at you.
Kadoc:
...
Grand Duchess:
Kadoc. You WEREN'T able to save the world. That is simply a fact, and one you must accept.
Grand Duchess:
They accomplished something you could not.
Grand Duchess:
That is why you must take advantage of this new opportunity to show everyone what you can really do.
Grand Duchess:
This is your opportunity to show them how strong you truly are. To demonstrate why you are a Crypter...why you are one of those who were originally meant to save the world.
Kadoc:
......I know. Believe me, I know.
Section 2: Yaga
Mash:
...There are a lot more people...I mean, Yaga here than I thought there'd be.
Mash:
Huh? ...What was that sound?
Fujimaru 1:
Let's go check it out.
Mash:
Understood. Let's try to keep out of sight.
Goredolf:
Hold it! What do you think you're doing!? There is no possible way anything good can come of this...!
Goredolf:
Holmes! Da Vinci! Are you completely oblivious to the concept of risk management!?
Da Vinci:
What's the matter? According to the memories I possess, this is how they always do things. It's like they say, knowing the right thing to do and actually doing it are two different things☆
Fujimaru 2:
Maybe we should just stay put...
Mash:
True, we probably should, but...
Mash:
...what if we just got close enough to see what's going on, while making sure to stay out of sight?
Mash:
Now then. Then let's keep our heads low and sneak over.
Mash:
It looks like...someone's handing out food? They're certainly all lining up for something...
Koyanskaya:
Hello again, my little Yaga! Congratulations on making it through another day in your miserable lives♡
Koyanskaya:
It's so sad, isn't it? No matter how hard you work, you can never save enough to live on, or hope to move up in the world.
Koyanskaya:
But don't worry! Your cute little guardian angel is here to help you all survive this horribly dark, dreadful blizzard☆
Koyanskaya:
Don't be shy! Come on up and take a gander at my goods.
Koyanskaya:
There's nothing NFF Services can't provide, whether it's food, medical equipment, or even prohibited goods like alcohol♡
Mash:
That's...!
Goredolf:
Hm!?
Goredolf:
That voice...! The one positively dripping with honey atop ice cream atop even more honey...!
Goredolf:
Both of you, HIDE! Watch from as far away as possible!
Goredolf:
Do NOT approach under any circumstances! Not unless you want to get ensnared in a honey trap like I was!
Fujimaru 1:
You got it.
Fujimaru 2:
(...That's the most convincing thing he's ever said...)
Koyanskaya:
Welcome to T. V. Koyanskaya's Honey Kitchen, now open for business!
Koyanskaya:
Hello and good day, all. It's a cruel little establishment I've got going here, but of course you all know that♡
Koyanskaya:
Oh yes, I know all about how hard it is being a Yaga. You have very hardy bodies! So hardy, in fact, that you're practically immortal!
Koyanskaya:
But the trade-off is that you burn through calories at a tremendous rate. Really, you all die so comically quickly if you aren't eating about ten times the food a good, old-fashioned human would!
Koyanskaya:
You might say that Yaga traded the ability to survive extreme cold for truly shoddy energy efficiency!
Koyanskaya:
At any rate, if you don't get enough calories here in Russia, you'll soon end up a Yaga-sicle...
Koyanskaya:
But fortunately, I've come aaall the way from Yaga Moscow to help you survive.
Koyanskaya:
Now come on, don't be shy. Empty your wallets and prostate yourselves before your goddess of salvation♡
E：Yaga Citizen A:
...So the human's back again, huh...Dammit...How dare she mock us like that...
F：Yaga Citizen B:
Hey, shut your damn mouth...! Do you want her to start making us jump through impossible hoops again!? At least pretend like you're grateful to her...!
G：Yaga Citizen C:
...Yeah. Her methods aside, at least she's helping us...
G：Yaga Citizen C:
...H-hi, Ms. Koyanskaya. I'd like to buy some food, please...
Koyanskaya:
...
G：Yaga Citizen C:
I, um...Is everything okay, Ms. Koyanskaya?
Koyanskaya:
...How sad. How truly, truly sad. You Yaga must have pirozhki for brains.
Koyanskaya:
How could you possibly forget the proper way to address your owner? It's "Mistress Koyanskaya," peons!
Koyanskaya:
I swear, your minds are as frail as your bodies are ugly. You're completely lacking in tact, and have not a shred of decorum...
Koyanskaya:
What an achingly dull history you ended up in.
Koyanskaya:
I don't know what your leader was thinking, combining humans with animals. Now you've lost the innocence of the latter AND the brains of the former.
Koyanskaya:
Somehow you managed to cancel out all the good bits of humanity and animal kind! And you call yourself a new species just because you can survive a liiiittle better in this climate? What a joke.
E：Yaga Citizen B:
What was that...?
E：Yaga Citizen B:
Hey, you. I don't care if you're one of the Tsar's personal guard. Nobody talks about us like that and gets away with it.
E：Yaga Citizen B:
The Tsar himself came up with our Demonic Beast Transformation policy. The only ones who would criticize it are traitorous rebel–Gah!
E：Yaga Citizen B:
Huh...? No...way...
E：Yaga Citizen A:
Wha...!?
Koyanskaya:
See what happens when you oppose me? Tee-hee♡
Koyanskaya:
So sorry about that, my little Yaga. My Oprichniki are special, you see.
Koyanskaya:
They're an elite type that reacts instantly if I get just the teeensiest bit upset, so make sure you watch your language!
E：Yaga Citizen C:
B-but, Ms. Koyanskaya...just now, you were the one who was–
Koyanskaya:
Oh? Do my ears deceive me, or are you the second brave moron with a death wish today? Is life down here really that hard?
E：Yaga Citizen C:
N-no, not at all! Forgive me, Mistress Koyanskaya...!
Koyanskaya:
Theeere we go. I knew you could do it♡Now, let's get down to business!
Koyanskaya:
Since your food shortage problem keeps getting worse, I made sure to bring twice as much as last time.
Koyanskaya:
Go ahead and load up on anything you like. There's plenty to go around♡
E：Yaga Citizen A:
...A-all right. As long as we can get more foo...foo...Huh!? What's with these prices!?
Koyanskaya:
Ah yes, one cut of Krichat' shoulder meat? That'll be five hundred thousand rubles, please♡
E：Yaga Citizen C:
That's three times more expensive than last time! And we couldn't even afford the prices back THEN!
E：Yaga Citizen C:
This isn't helping us at all! It used to be as long as we obeyed the Tsar's laws, he'd provide us with the minimum amount of food we needed to get by.
E：Yaga Citizen C:
But now we have to trade everything we've got, down to our furniture! And if that wasn't bad enough, the prices keep going up every damn time!
E：Yaga Citizen C:
You're bleeding us dry for everything we've got! Why're you torturing us like this!?
Koyanskaya:
Oh my, I don't like the sound of that. Tee-hee, is that an incipient riot I smell?
Koyanskaya:
Well, as the Tsar's personal guard, I guess I'd better do something about that, hadn't I? Perhaps we can try another way of resolving the food shortages, then!
E：Yaga Citizen A:
W-wait, please! We're not looking for trouble! It's just, with prices like these, you might as well be telling us to die.
E：Yaga Citizen A:
Could you at least put them back to what they were last time? That way, we should just be able to pay...Please, Mistress Koyanskaya, I'm begging you.
Koyanskaya:
Hmm...I wish I could help you, now that you're finally wising up a bit...
Koyanskaya:
...buuut I can't. Sorry♡What you see is what you get♡
Koyanskaya:
Prices may go up, but they never go down. That's NFF Services' most sacred rule.
Koyanskaya:
Besides...you aren't REALLY incapable of paying, right? I know you've still got room to fall back on.
E：Yaga Citizen C:
Room to...? I-I promise you, we don't. This is all we–
Koyanskaya:
Don't be silly. You've still got pleeenty to work with.
Koyanskaya:
You've stamina to waste arguing with me. You've got plenty of nerve, letting the rebels remain at large.
Koyanskaya:
And you've got a friend right there next to you. One with just as much money to spare.
Koyanskaya:
Isn't it the Yaga way to take from the weak? Besides, I said it myself earlier.
Koyanskaya:
There's more than one way to resolve a food shortage.
E：Yaga Citizen C:
Huh?
F：Yaga Citizen A:
...
F：Yaga Citizen A:
...Now I see. So that's the way it is, huh. Since you're telling us this, and you're one of the Tsar's personal guard, I can assume that if I go along with this, I won't get in trouble?
Koyanskaya:
Nope! I couldn't care less about silly ethical concerns you pathetic little things might have☆
E：Yaga Citizen C:
Huh? Hey, don't tell me you're just giving up? Come on, give her a piece of your–
F：Yaga Citizen A:
Don't worry, I'm not. Let's go get us some food together. You, me...and your money.
Fujimaru 1:
...
Fujimaru 2:
(I don't...Why would they do something like that...? )
Mash:
...At least we've avoided being spotted. Koyanskaya just left with the wagon.
Mash:
Along with the Yaga who collapsed when their friends struck them in the head...
Goredolf:
Mash, Fujimaru, neither of you looks or sounds particularly happy about that.
Goredolf:
Tell me what happened, as briefly as possible. Broad strokes will suffice.
Mash:
...Koyanskaya...The woman who attacked Chaldea...
Mash:
...was distributing food to the townspeople.
Mash:
But it looked like she was charging them prices high enough that she was really just extorting them.
Mash:
Eventually, the Yaga started arguing with her about the prices...and then...
Mash:
...a fight broke out among them...and only half of the Yaga there ended up receiving food.
Mash:
I think the other half were probably...
Goredolf:
Killed? By their friends? Do you mean the ones who acquired food did so by stealing their friends' money?
Mash:
...
Holmes:
...Hmm. Even if she was attempting to reduce their numbers, that is a needlessly cruel way to do so.
Holmes:
I suppose culling half their population WILL help the remaining Yaga survive now that there are fewer mouths to feed, but...
Goredolf:
Hey! Spare me your cold-blooded analysis! The point is that Koyanskaya is a demon dressed as a woman!
Goredolf:
Fujimaru, as of right now, you have no means of fighting back. Had Koyanskaya seen you just now, you would be dead, just like I would be.
Goredolf:
Of course, in my case, I turned a few of the Oprichniki into goo with my Gof Punch magecraft...
Goredolf:
...but a third-rate–no, a pale imitation of a mage like yourself would have no chance. Lucky for you, you had some shadows to cower in. That suited you far better than a mage's outfit.
Goredolf:
In that sense, you did quite well. I understand how you must feel, so you did well to stay out of sight regardless.
Mash:
Director Goredolf...
Goredolf:
Still...What a wretched stroke of luck to learn that Koyanskaya is here in Russia as well...
Da Vinci:
I'll say. And on top of that, she's a Servant. These magical energy readings don't lie.
Da Vinci:
She must have been concealing that in Chaldea, but she obviously isn't bothering to here.
Da Vinci:
She must be working for Kirschtaria–for the Crypters.
Holmes:
So that priest is most likely a Servant as well, since he was clearly there as Koyanskaya's equal.
Holmes:
Nonetheless...
Mash:
What is it, Mr. Holmes?
Mash:
Are you concerned by the astounding lack of judgment that Mr. Goredolf showed by unwittingly bringing both Koyanskaya and Father Kotomine to Chaldea?
Goredolf:
I-I'll have you know I'M the greatest victim in all this! Have you not a shred of consideration!?
Goredolf:
Fujimaru, what have you been teaching your charge that makes her think it's okay to talk to her superiors like that!?
Goredolf:
That she said it with such a straight face only makes it all the more painful.
Holmes:
Hmm. In Koyanskaya's case, you're quite right, Ms. Kyrielight.
Holmes:
Goredolf was undoubtedly lax in his vetting, but so too was Koyanskaya's disguise immaculate.
Holmes:
But the same cannot be said for Father Kotomine. He was a genuine clergyman, sent in official capacity by the Holy Church.
Holmes:
As such, Goredolf had no advance contact with him, and thus cannot be held liable.
Holmes:
I believe Father Kotomine and Koyanskaya must have first met in person, on the boat to Chaldea in the Antarctic. Isn't that right, Director?
Goredolf:
Y-yes, that's right. I'm quite certain he was absent for most of my meetings.
Holmes:
...In which case, they must have executed their plan via a network we had no means of learning about.
Holmes:
And if we are to be investigating that soon, well...something bears mentioning.
Holmes:
Da Vinci, [♂ Mr. /♀ Ms. ] Fujimaru, although it's a bit untimely, there is something else I must tell you. There is no man by the name of Kotomine Kirei employed by the Holy Church.
Holmes:
Or at least, there was no one by that name on the 2019 list of the Church's clergy.
Mash:
Really...? Then, does that mean the name Kotomine Kirei is made up?
Holmes:
...No. Someone by that name did in fact exist at one time.
Holmes:
However, according to Chaldea's records, Kotomine Kirei died in Japan in 2004.
Da Vinci:
Hm? So basically, he's a zombie? Has that sucker punching backstabber actually been a Pseudo-Servant all this time?
Da Vinci:
Or maybe he's a Servant that's basically a Heroic Spirit possessing a dead body? Err...well, is that sort of thing even possible?
Holmes:
...I wish I could say no. That no Heroic Spirit would ever be content with using a dead body as its host.
Holmes:
But there may indeed be very particular exceptions: those who are summonable as Pseudo-Servants precisely BECAUSE of said hosts.
Holmes:
However, this bit of information can at least lay that theory to rest. The Holy Church's report says the following:
Holmes:
Kotomine Kirei's body was completely incinerated at the time of his death, making recovery impossible.
Holmes:
In other words, Father Kotomine's body no longer exists. At least, not in our world.
Fujimaru 1:
Then, does that mean...
Fujimaru 2:
Maybe he actually came here from this Russia...?
Holmes:
...That is a possibility, but at this point, that is all it is. We still have far too little information to theorize any further.
D：???:
Well, well, I THOUGHT I smelled something delicious. Do I detect some adooorable little rats hiding out in this back alley?
D：???:
I DO wish I could let you get away, but now that I've found you, I certainly can't do that, now can I?
D：???:
Espeeecially not after Kotomine just told me to squash any repulsive insects I happened to find.
Koyanskaya:
Hellooo, my little Chaldeans. Congratulations on making it back alive♡ I do have to applaud your good luck and sheer tenacity.
Fujimaru 1:
Koyanskaya...!
Mash:
Master, get back...!
Koyanskaya:
Aww, look at you, bravely trying to keep your Master safe. But you really should know better, Mash.
Koyanskaya:
If you're going to act like you can fight, you'd better be ready for your enemy to call your bluff!
Koyanskaya:
Consider your current situation, your abilities, your position. You may be okay with dying yourself, but what about the [♂ boy /♀ girl] behind you?
Koyanskaya:
At times like this, the best thing you can do is throw away your pride and roll over like the dog you are.
Fujimaru 1:
We'll never roll over for you...!
Fujimaru 2:
Come on Mash, let's take her together...!
Koyanskaya:
...Hehe. Hehehe. Hehehehehehehe!
Koyanskaya:
Juuust kidding! Ahahaha, it's hilarious seeing you flailing about so desperately, Fujimaru♡
Koyanskaya:
Luckily for you, I'm still not done with my work for today. And I like to do one job at a time.
Koyanskaya:
So I won't come looking for you until tomorrow. Killing you now would go against my principles.
Koyanskaya:
So for today, I'll be generous and let you go off on your merry way. Besides, I expect that'll make things more interesting down the road.
Koyanskaya:
After all, it's not fair for Kadoc to have all the advantage. We should give you at least SOMETHING of a fighting chance.
Mash:
...First you destroy Chaldea...and now you want to pit Senpai against Kadoc and the others!?
Fujimaru 1:
...Calm down, Mash.
Mash:
But...!
Fou:
(Fou, fooou! )
Koyanskaya:
That's right. I'm going to have you and the Crypters kill each other, Fujimaru.
Koyanskaya:
That's what we've been working towards all this time. It would be a huuuge disappointment if all that buildup were to fizzle out at the very first Crypter.
Koyanskaya:
...Good grief. I trust you're listening in, Sherlock Holmes?
Koyanskaya:
How could you let them go out without any protection whatsoever? Shouldn't you be way more cautious?
Koyanskaya:
If any other Servants had been assigned to Russia instead of me, your little journey would be over now.
Holmes:
I never thought I would see an enemy Servant be concerned for her opposition. Although...The other Servants, you say?
Holmes:
Would you mind giving us any more hints while you're at it? What is your True Name? Who is your Master? How many of you are there? And furthermore...
Holmes:
...what is this Singularity really called?
Koyanskaya:
Hmph. That's more like it. It's not worth crushing you unless you put up a decent fight.
Koyanskaya:
You did put one over on me back at Chaldea, after all. I'll have to pay you back double when I finally get to meet you in person.
Koyanskaya:
Oh, and unfortunately for you, I won't be offering up any more hints♡ I've been working my fingers to the bone over the past year to get everything ready.
Koyanskaya:
You'll just have to figure out whatever you don't yet know for yourselves.
Koyanskaya:
Such is the wish of our leader, 
, who has come from far, far away...and yet who still remains shrouded in shadow.
Fujimaru 1:
...Why did you torment the Yaga?
Fujimaru 2:
...Aren't you a Russian Servant?
Koyanskaya:
Oh, that? You mean you can't tell?
Koyanskaya:
Just because I'm your enemy doesn't mean I'm an ally to Russia–to Kadoc Zemlupus.
Koyanskaya:
In the end, the Yaga are another branch of human evolution. That makes them very much an object of hatred for me.
Koyanskaya:
So I exploit them as brutally and thoroughly as I can. It's my life's work. I enjoy it AND take it seriously.
Koyanskaya:
Besides, the whole notion of a societal structure that exploits the poor was something you humans came up with, wasn't it?
Koyanskaya:
Oh, but violence is bad. We don't want that now, do we?
Koyanskaya:
I may have made use of military force back at Chaldea, but only because I had no other choice. Normally, I wouldn't resort to such barbarism.
Koyanskaya:
If the takeover had lasted a year or so, I would have made sure you all ended up killing each other MUCH more peacefully.
Koyanskaya:
Resorting to something as brutish as violence to destroy what you detest is the HEIGHT of human folly.
Koyanskaya:
Your kind brought destruction down upon your own heads. I have no plans to stoop to your level.
Koyanskaya:
...So, there you have it. I won't lay a finger on you.
Koyanskaya:
I've already fulfilled His Imperial Majesty, Ivan the Terrible's request to eliminate the biggest threat, Chaldeas.
Koyanskaya:
Controlling the Oprichniki now is just a bit of after-sales service.
Koyanskaya:
If you're going to fight this Crypter, I'll let him command the Oprichniki instead.
Mash:
...So, you're saying you have no intention of fighting us here...because we're completely powerless?
Mash:
That you're going to let us go, because we're not worth your time...!?
Koyanskaya:
That's right. Nice to see you finally understand, Mash. I'm impressed you were able to face the facts you really, reeeally didn't want to♡
Koyanskaya:
So I'll tell you what. In honor of that show of earnestness and loyalty, I really WILL let you off the hook this time.
Koyanskaya:
Hehehe. Truth be told, I was planning to gobble you both up right after you'd let your guard down.
Mash:
Wai......Khh...!
D：Koyanskaya:
Thaaat's it. That's the way, Mash, Fujimaru.
D：Koyanskaya:
Don't fight an opponent you can't beat. That's the first law of the jungle.
D：Koyanskaya:
Since you're such smart [♂ boys and girls /♀ girls], I'll go ahead and make you a promise.
D：Koyanskaya:
If you manage to survive Russia, I'll be sure to come see you again. When I do, we can hash things out, woman to [♂ man /♀ woman].
D：Koyanskaya:
Keep on scurrying around like the little rats you are until then, okay?
D：Koyanskaya:
I'm an advisor to the Crypters, you see. As long as you keep on your little journey, we WILL meet again.
Mash:
...Enemy Servant...Is this really the energy signature of a Servant?
Mash:
At any rate, I've lost that wicked magical energy signature.... I'm sorry, Master.
Mash:
I wanted to do something about her, but...I couldn't...
Fujimaru 1:
...It's okay, Mash. I couldn't do anything either.
Fujimaru 2:
...We just have to bear with it for now, Mash. Just for now.
Mash:
...I know. But, well...
Mash:
Now that I've calmed down, I have so many questions. Why did she reveal herself to us?
Fujimaru 1:
It's probably how she gets her kicks...
Fujimaru 2:
Maybe it was a warning...?
Mash:
!
Mash:
What was that scream...?
Holmes:
...This is very bad.
Holmes:
I understand how angry you both must be on seeing Chaldea's destructor, but I need you both calm.
Holmes:
It seems things have taken a turn for the worse in that town. Make your way back to Patxi's house immediately, and mind your surroundings.
Mash:
...Understood. Okay, Master, let's keep out of sight.
F：Yaga Citizen:
Please forgive me! Please forgive me! O light of the Tsar!
F：Yaga Citizen:
Everyone in this town is a good, upstanding Yaga who loves and worships the Tsar. Nobody here would ever think of defying him!
F：Yaga Citizen:
...I admit that my brother tried to join the rebel army, and you Oprichniki executed him for that!
F：Yaga Citizen:
But that has nothing to do with me! And I don't know anything about any mage!
G：Oprichnik:
Glory to the Tsar. Glory to the Tsar.
G：Oprichnik:
We seek out the seeds of the rebellion, and crush them.
G：Oprichnik:
We have confiscated your belongings, and disposed of your dwelling. This is the fate of all who would oppose the emergency authority.
F：Yaga Citizen:
You...You can't be serious...?
G：Oprichnik:
We will ask the questions. Where is the mage?
F：Yaga Citizen:
I told you, I don't know any mage...!
G：Oprichnik:
...That is proof you do not fully understand the glory of the Tsar.
G：Oprichnik:
Break him–kill him.
F：Yaga Citizen:
Ah...Ahh...No...Please! I'm begging yo–
Mash:
(Master...! )
F：Yaga Citizen:
Wait! I know someone!
F：Yaga Citizen:
I know someone who defies the Tsar!
F：Yaga Citizen:
His name is...Patxi!
Mash:
!
Fujimaru 1:
Patxi...!?
Holmes:
Come to think of it, they did seem to be treating him a bit strangely.
F：Yaga Citizen:
There's something shady about him! And his father was killed for defying you guys!
F：Yaga Citizen:
He's been real flush lately, too...He must be selling information to the rebel army!
F：Yaga Citizen:
HE'S the one with the traitorous rebel army!
Patxi:
Hey! Are you freakin' kidding me!?
Mash:
(Patxi...! )
Fujimaru 1:
Why'd he have to show up NOW!?
Patxi:
Who're you calling a traitor!?
F：Yaga Citizen:
You! Everyone knows you're with the rebel army! Right, guys!?
Patxi:
You bastard...!
F：Yaga Citizen:
Then how do you explain that haul!?
Patxi:
!
F：Yaga Citizen:
All the town's hunting grounds are sealed off, but you managed to pay your taxes and STILL had food to spare!
F：Yaga Citizen:
That's all the proof we need!
Patxi:
I...
G：Oprichnik:
......
F：Yaga Citizen:
A-all right, I did my part! So long, Patxi!
G：Oprichnik:
...You are a member of the rebel army.
G：Oprichnik:
You stand in defiance of the Tsar. You lack respect for the Tsar.
G：Oprichnik:
Those who turn their backs on the glory of the Tsar shall be tortured for their sins, then executed.
G：Oprichnik:
Do not resist.
Patxi:
......
Patxi:
Oh yeah? Watch me...!
F：Yaga Citizen:
He shot him...Patxi just openly defied the Tsar!
Patxi:
Aw shit...!
G：Oprichnik:
Treasonous action confirmed. Normally you would be eliminated...
Goredolf:
Hmph. See that? That is what happens when you go flying off the handle without thinking ahead.
Goredolf:
Still, I must commend him for his timing! This will be an excellent distraction!
Goredolf:
Now then, Fujimaru, I trust you know what to do next?
Goredolf:
Head to the leyline while the Oprichniki are preoccupied with that beast!
Mash:
I'm ready, Master!
Fujimaru 1:
Let's do this!
Fujimaru 2:
Let's go save Patxi!
Mash:
Right!
Goredolf:
Huh? Why would you do that?
Holmes:
I understand your confusion, Goredolf, but this is simply how Chaldea...ah, rolls, as they say. I do hope you will learn to accept it.
Holmes:
Rest assured that endeavors like this are far from fruitless. They may be fraught with risk, but their returns more than make up for it.
Da Vinci:
That's right. This is the ship we're all on. Besides, this'll also help save his life.
Da Vinci:
All right, Fujimaru, grab Patxi and get out of there!
Da Vinci:
If you don't do something, he's gonna keep fighting the Oprichniki until they kill him!
Mash:
I think so too...! If it comes down to it, then I'll–!
Fujimaru 1:
Absolutely not.
Fujimaru 2:
It's not gonna come down to that, Mash.
G：Oprichnik:
Treasonous action confirmed. Normally you would be eliminated...
G：Oprichnik:
However, Captain Koyanskaya is currently in charge of our actions, protocol, and recompense.
G：Oprichnik:
We shall not execute without approval. Therefore, you shall be neutralized. Moving to crush appendages.
Fujimaru 1:
Patxi!
Patxi:
Huh!? What're you guys doing here...!?
Mash:
We'll explain later...!
Mash:
Please, follow us! We know a surefire escape route!
F：Yaga Citizen:
Wh-what's with her!? She doesn't have any fur, just like Mistress Koyanskaya!
F：Yaga Citizen:
Is that the Koldun mage everyone's been talking about...!?
Patxi:
What are you–
G：Oprichnik:
Rebels have no right to speak. Silence.
Patxi:
Damn it all...!
Fujimaru 1:
Let's go! There's too many of them!
Patxi:
You think I don't know–Wait. You guys've fought the Oprichniki before, haven't you...!?
Mash:
Yes, we have! So we know full well how quickly they move! Don't worry, I know we can get away!
Holmes:
Indeed. However, be aware that if you follow our suggestion, you will no longer be able to return to this town.
Holmes:
If that is acceptable to you, you will have our full support in making your escape. How about it?
Goredolf:
Why would that matter to him!? You saw how the other creatures ratted on him!
Goredolf:
You there, you've been on the outs with this town for some time now, haven't you? Surely you can't possibly have any lingering attachments!
Patxi:
I...Even still, I–
Oprichnik:
Colluders detected. Contact the captain. Requesting authorization for execution.
Patxi:
Dammit...! All right, all right, I'll come with you!
Patxi:
Now hurry up and lead the way, Fujimaru! You don't wanna get shot in the back, do you!?
Fou:
Fou fou!
Holmes:
Good, you managed to escape the town. I'm glad to see no one was hurt.
Fujimaru 1:
We made it...!
Mash:
Yes. Senpai's plan to knock things over in the alley to slow their pursuit worked wonders.
Meunière:
Yeah, it was like a famous scene out of an old Japanese samurai movie.
Meunière:
The kind where the hero makes his escape while periodically stopping to cut down one of the bad guys. Though of course, you see that kind of thing in the London slums all the time, too!
Da Vinci:
Good thing the Oprichniki never tried to shoot you. You probably wouldn't have made it out otherwise.
Da Vinci:
I don't know what happened, but I guess there must've been some sort of mistake in the chain of command.
Holmes:
Indeed. We should all be grateful for this stroke of good luck. For now, I'm afraid you must keep moving.
Holmes:
I've put up a beacon at your destination. Ms. Kyrielight, would you mind showing Patxi?
Mash:
Of course. Here, Patxi.
Patxi:
I-I see.... So it's a top-down map of a mountain?
Patxi:
It's tough to tell what's what with all these bumps...Oh, I get it. It's showing the elevation changes in this area. I could really use one of these...
Holmes:
That red light is your destination. Once you arrive at the mountain path, I would like you to lead the way.
Holmes:
A map can only tell you so much, after all. As you are a local, we will have to place our trust in your knowledge of the region.
Holmes:
Naturally, I would like you to avoid any areas where Demonic Beasts are known to appear. And do remember that we are under pursuit.
Patxi:
Yeah, I got it. Come on, Fujimaru, Mash, let's get going!
Patxi:
Although, now that I stop and think about it, I get the feeling you guys've been pulling my strings this whole time!
Patxi:
A lot of people really hate your guts, don't they!?
Holmes:
Hahaha, that they do! Especially good, honest people like yourself!
--ARROW--
Patxi:
...I don't feel anyone staring daggers into my back anymore...
Patxi:
Looks like we finally lost the Oprichniki......Dammit, why'd this have to happen to me...?
Mash:
...I'm so sorry.
Mash:
This is all our fault. We didn't know anything about this place, but we still had you take us to your house...
Patxi:
...Knock it off. Just forget about that. I wasn't thinking straight either.
Patxi:
This is what I get for jumping at a chance to strike it rich without thinking it through. It's my fault as much as yours, so that makes us even.
Patxi:
...There's one thing I still don't get. Why didn't you use me as a decoy and run off when you had the chance?
Fujimaru 1:
We still haven't returned the favor you did us.
Patxi:
...Are all humans as stupid as you guys?
Fujimaru 2:
We couldn't just abandon you.
Mash:
No, we couldn't.
Mash:
Both Master and I wanted to help you.
Patxi:
...Times like that,you're supposed to let the other guy take the fall.
Patxi:
But you guys just couldn't keep your noses out of it, huh?
Patxi:
I mean, it's not like me dying's gonna make any difference to YOUR survival.
Goredolf:
Indeed, the Beastman is exactly right!
Goredolf:
You're nothing but a defective Demi-Servant and a useless, third-rate Master. That's why I told you to stay out of sight instead of getting into fights you can't win.
Fujimaru 1:
Sorry for...everything.
Patxi:
You're a weird one, aren't you. Or is that just how all mages are?
Fujimaru 2:
My body just moved on its own.
Patxi:
...I don't get it. Why would you do that? There was nothing in it for you.
Patxi:
I only saved you people because I had something to gain from doing it.
Patxi:
The Yaga way of life is simple: only the strong get to eat.
Holmes:
Oh? But surely the weak serve a purpose as well, by providing meat for the strong to consume? That IS typically the law of the jungle, after all.
Patxi:
Not for us. For us, the weak aren't even worth eating.
Patxi:
Every Yaga knows that.... Man, you mages really throw me off my game.
Holmes:
I assure you, most mages would make the same choice you would under those circumstances. The one there with you now is the odd [♂ man /♀ woman] out.
Holmes:
[♂ He /♀ She] is motivated primarily by [♂ his /♀ her] emotions, rather than what [♂ he /♀ she] stands to gain or lose.
Patxi:
...Ugh, goddammit.
Patxi:
Guess I'll just have to lay low in some other town until the Oprichniki forget about me...
Patxi:
Hell, at this point,maybe I really WILL join the rebel army.
Holmes:
The rebel army, hm? I remember hearing them mentioned before. I presume they are a group who takes issue with Ivan the Terrible's reign?
Patxi:
That's right. Word has it they've been around in some form or another for the last four hundred and fifty years.
Patxi:
Sometimes it was nobles fighting, sometimes it was normal folk who'd run out of food.
Patxi:
But whoever it is, it almost always ends with the Oprichniki slaughtering them. Though nowadays it sounds like they're still putting up a good fight.
Patxi:
I also heard a strange rumor about them...Yeah, I remember now.
Patxi:
They say their leader's a lady archer who still looks like one of the old humans, before Ivan's reign began.
Mash:
...!
Fujimaru 1:
Maybe she's a Servant?
Patxi:
Servant...? Who'd she be serving if she's the leader?
Fujimaru 2:
An Archer-class Servant...?
Patxi:
I don't much care for bows myself. Though I guess they CAN work decently against some of the larger Demonic Beasts.
Da Vinci:
If she really is a Servant, we definitely need to meet her and see if she can help us.
Da Vinci:
At the very least, she's already fighting Ivan the Terrible, so it's safe to assume that our goals are already closely aligned.
Da Vinci:
And if she's a Rogue Servant, so much the better.
Da Vinci:
Servants can't reach their full potential without a Master, after all. If you tempt her with a contract, she might even offer to join us of her own accord.
Holmes:
(So, there's been a Servant summoned here...but it would not seem to be a counterreaction on the part of a Holy Grail. )
Holmes:
(Perhaps this Servant was summoned in consequence of our arrival with the Proper Human History Spirit Origin graph. Or perhaps...)
Holmes:
(...she is the last bit of resistance this land–no, human history itself–had to offer? )
Da Vinci:
Holmes? Something on your mind?
Holmes:
Of course. There is never a moment when my mind is not occupied.
Holmes:
And in order for us to truly be able to act here, we must ensure the Servant summoning is successful.
Holmes:
You should be seeing an area well-suited to summoning about now. A cave, to be precise.
Mash:
I see it. It's hard to see in this blizzard,but I think I can make out the cave now.
Mash:
I also hear thunder overhead.
Mash:
...I understand it's statistically very unlikely, but I AM a bit concerned about us getting struck by lightning.
Da Vinci:
Sorry about that. But I'm glad you made it there in time. That thunder is the mark of some extremely precious energy, after all.
Da Vinci:
Okay, Fujimaru, it's time to fly that kite! Go on, help [♂ him /♀ her], Mash.
Mash:
A-all right...! Leave the flying to me, Master...!
Mash:
By the way, Da Vinci, it IS safe to fly a kite in a storm like this, right? You're sure I'm not going to be electrocuted or anything, right?
Da Vinci:
...Oh.
Mash:
...That is not a reassuring respo–
Da Vinci:
Hmm, this is why you really shouldn't work on such short notice. It's way too easy to forget about little details like that☆
Da Vinci:
But never mind that now! Come on, get that kite up in the air! Chop-chop!
Fujimaru 1:
Hold up a minute!
Fujimaru 2:
You never answered the question!!!
Da Vinci:
Look, Benjamin Franklin did an experiment veeery similar to this, and he came out of it juuust fiiine!
Holmes:
Weeell, some of the people who tried to replicate his results weren't so lucky. But, you can't do science without breaking a few scientis–er, eggs...?
Goredolf:
What sort of monstrous Servants are you!? I've never SEEN such a hostile working environment!
Goredolf:
Wait, that's it! I've just had a flash of inspiration! Fujimaru, use your head!
Goredolf:
If there's a dangerous job to be done, delegate it to someone else! Say, that Yaga there with you! Perhaps his kind don't mind being zapped with lightning!
Patxi:
Are you nuts!? I wouldn't last two seconds!
Patxi:
Lightning's one of the Tsar's most powerful weapons! It'd fry me like a piece of Krichat' bacon!
Goredolf:
Grr, how dare you question my intelligence, Beastman! Think! You've already revolted against that Tsar of yours, haven't you!?
Goredolf:
There's no turning tail and running away now! You need to face reality!
Patxi:
Reality? That's rich, coming from a furless bunch of pink-skinned humans from some fairy-tale paradise!
Holmes:
It would seem that the lightning here is strong enough to discourage even young Patxi. Alas, we have no alternative.
Holmes:
Ms. Kyrielight, please connect the wire to the Spirit Origin briefcase. Once that is done, I want you to run as fast as you can while holding the kite horizontally.
Mash:
Understood! I'll make sure the kite gets airborne!
Mash:
Here goooes!
Meunière:
The kite has reached the center of the thunderclouds! Activating conversion spell...NOW! Way to go, Mash!
Holmes:
Good. Continue to keep an eye on the kite, Ms. Kyrielight.
Holmes:
[♂ Mr. /♀ Ms. ] Fujimaru, remain on standby near the Spirit Origin briefcase.
Holmes:
It is crucial for the summon that you be there.
Holmes:
This is a forced summon. Once one of the Heroic Spirits you have bonded with has been summoned, they will convert the lightning into magical energy and use it to form a Spirit Origin.
Holmes:
But that alone will not keep them here for very long.
Holmes:
If a Servant summoned via human magecraft is to remain in this world, they will need an attractor...A Master that can serve as their anchor.
Holmes:
Your job is to converse with the Servant that appears, and form a contract with them immediately.
Fujimaru 1:
Got it...!
Fujimaru 2:
(I wonder who it's gonna be...!? )
Patxi:
What's all this about? ...Man, that thing's really up there...
Patxi:
I swear, I have no idea what these humans are thinking...!
Goredolf:
Hold it, Holmes. Just because this isn't the Russia we know doesn't mean we can let some commoner witness magecraft being performed.
Goredolf:
Can't you get that wolfman to go off somewhere else? Surely you don't want to ruin his life by showing him things he's better off not knowing?
Holmes:
Hmm. I suppose you do have a point...
Holmes:
Very well then. I will speak with him.
Holmes:
Patxi, I'm terribly sorry to ask this of you, but we are about to perform a highly secret ritual here.
Holmes:
Would you mind waiting outside the cave until it is complete? Again, I do apologize.
Patxi:
Wait...what!?
Patxi:
...
Patxi:
...
Patxi:
...So I'm not good enough to see their secret little ritual, huh?
Patxi:
Dammit, they wouldn't even BE here now if I hadn't shown them the way! What do I care about rituals!?
Patxi:
...I can smell them. So they're over here, huh.
Narration:
...Most Yaga go their whole lives without even hearing about mages, let alone meeting one.
Narration:
I know that mages worked with Ivan the Terrible to perform the spell that combined humans and Demonic Beasts...The one that created us–the Yaga.
Narration:
And I know that if they hadn't turned us into Yaga, we'd probably never have survived the Great Cold Wave.
Narration:
They say that mages are still at work trying all sorts of spells in the hopes that one of them can save the world...
Narration:
'Course, they also say that all the mages were killed when they got on Ivan the Terrible's bad side.
Narration:
All the rumors are so vague as to be damn near worthless.
Narration:
I know that mages exist,but I've no idea what they actually do.
Narration:
I figured that, being a mage and all, they'd have so much magical energy that even a Yaga like me could sense it...
Narration:
...but as far as I can tell, that Fujimaru [♂ guy /♀ girl] isn't anything special.
Narration:
If [♂ he /♀ she] were a Yaga, [♂ he'd /♀ she'd] have been too weak to survive more than a day after being born.
Narration:
I have no idea why the Oprichniki would care about [♂ him /♀ her], or any of them.
Narration:
Still...I can't help but think...
Narration:
...maybe [♂ he /♀ she] really will end up saving this world.
Narration:
Which is why I can't stand them keeping this ritual thing a secret from me. Not after they've gone and gotten my hopes up like that.
Narration:
I can sense those two humans now. Along with a ton of magical energy.
Narration:
...All right then, let's see what this secret ritual's all about.
Patxi:
...What...IS that...?
Narration:
...It was an intricately designed symbol of magecraft, one meant to make miracles possible.
Mash:
Everything's in place, Master.
Mash:
The Spirit Origin briefcase now has enough charge for a single summon!
The [♂ boy /♀ girl] extended [♂ his /♀ her] right hand,and called out loud and clear:
Fujimaru:
My will creates your body, and your sword creates my destiny. If you heed the Grail's call, and abide by this will and reason, then answer me.
Fujimaru:
I hereby swear.
Fujimaru:
I embody all that is good in the world. I shall defeat all that is evil in the world.
Fujimaru:
Seventh Heaven clad in the three words of power! Come forth from the circle of binding, Guardian of the Scales!
Patxi:
Wha...!?
Those words bring about genuine miracles.
They are an incantation spun in search of bravery and wisdom, all in the service of overcoming any difficulties that may stand in the way.
The Fate system. A secret ritual for summoning Heroic Spirits.
???:
My name is Avicebron. I am a Caster.
Avicebron:
I come in response to your summon...It would seem, though, that the circumstances are somewhat...unusual.
Avicebron:
And you, over there. Are you an enemy?
Patxi:
Aah!
Mash:
Patxi!
Holmes:
Hm. I thought this might happen.
Goredolf:
You saw the secret summoning ritual!? Cursed fool of a beast! How dare you trample all over my kindness!?
Goredolf:
Fujimaru! Order that Servant of yours to dispose of the witness!
Holmes:
Hahaha, now, now, calm yourself, Goredolf. Surely there is no need in a world with no Mage's Association.
Holmes:
For that matter, even if we weren't able to keep the summoning ritual perfectly secret, I doubt there is anyone in this Russia who could decipher it.
Holmes:
Besides, I believe Patxi understanding our power would, in fact, be to our benefit.
Patxi:
Th-that guy just...appeared...out of nowhere...
Patxi:
H-hey, you...Are you...human...?
Avicebron:
I am not.
Avicebron:
I am a Servant. One who long ago made his mark on history.
Avicebron:
Thanks to my accomplishments, I ascended to the Throne as a Heroic Spirit. Now, I serve this [♂ man /♀ woman], for [♂ he /♀ she] is my Master.
Patxi:
Heroic Spirit...
Patxi:
Then, does that mean...you're like Ivan the Terrible...?
Avicebron:
Oho, so our enemy is Ivan the Terrible, eh? That's going to be difficult.
Fujimaru 1:
(I've never seen this Heroic Spirit before...)
Fujimaru 2:
(Looks like we got an intellectual sort...)
Avicebron:
As a result of my summoning,I know all the information my Master possesses.
Avicebron:
That said, it seems there are still many things we have yet to learn about this strange land.
Avicebron:
Now then, where to begin...Before we discuss matters further, why don't I show you what I am capable of?
Patxi:
...Demonic Beasts! Dammit, I didn't even notice them following me here...!
Avicebron:
A word of warning before I fight: my body is frail and weak.
Avicebron:
I may be the least useful out of all the classes,in the sense that I cannot do anything by myself.
Avicebron:
But, I am also a miracle worker. So to begin, I would like to show you what manner of miracles I am capable of performing.
Avicebron:
...Now, let us do battle.
--BATTLE--
Patxi:
Th-that was incredible...
Patxi:
Those stones...they just...flattened those Krichat' like it was nothing...
Avicebron:
These are my golems. I'm too weak to fight myself,so my only option is to have them do so on my behalf.
Avicebron:
Now, Master, we can talk more later. First, I'm going to make this cave into my workshop.
Avicebron:
That should strengthen our ability to summon, which will in turn allow you to make use of your Spirit Origin graph.
Avicebron:
That way, you may call upon the shadows of the Servants registered within that briefcase whenever you like.
Avicebron:
You will, of course, only be able to do so in combat,as this power is sadly quite limited in its scope.
Avicebron:
Now then...I think I shall rest until the workshop is complete.
Avicebron:
Master Fujimaru. Mash Kyrielight.
Avicebron:
And...Patxi the Yaga, was it?
Avicebron:
Allow me to introduce myself again. My True Name is Avicebron.
Avicebron:
As you can see, I am a Caster. Just a humble maker of golems.
Avicebron:
But, given the circumstances, it would nonetheless seem that I am just the Servant for the job.
Holmes:
So, you weren't part of the Spirit Origin graph? [♂ Mr. /♀ Ms. ] Fujimaru has never met you before, eh?
Holmes:
Then it must have been the land itself crying out for help that brought you here, rather than a bond with [♂ him /♀ her].
Holmes:
It would seem that the existing Heroic Spirits cannot easily materialize in this world.
Da Vinci:
Nope. Just one more thing that sets this place apart from a Singularity.
Da Vinci:
...I guess this is what that magecraft theory was talking about...
Da Vinci:
But that can wait. For now, I'm just glad we have a new ally! And one who seems likely to be very helpful at that!
Da Vinci:
Avicebron, given your particular expertise, do you think you might be able to repair the Shadow Border's armor?
Avicebron:
Let me see the data.
Da Vinci:
By all means. Go on, give it to me straight.
Avicebron:
Hmm.... We'll first need to find the right materials.
Avicebron:
I should be able to craft a suitable armor plate as long as we have quality ore imbued with magical energy.
Avicebron:
Ordinarily, such ore is only traded among mages...
Avicebron:
...but I believe we should be able to find some here.
Da Vinci:
Good answer. Just what I'd expect to hear from the forefather of all golems. Mind if I leave him in charge of fixing the Shadow Border's armor, Holmes?
Holmes:
Not at all. That would certainly be a great help.
Holmes:
Now then. [♂ Mr. /♀ Ms. ] Fujimaru, Ms. Kyrielight, Patxi.
Holmes:
I believe we should decide on our next course of action. Assuming that's all right with you, Goredolf?
Goredolf:
O-of course. I WILL have the final say, yes?
Holmes:
Naturally.
Holmes:
Da Vinci, I would ask you to continue learning everything you can regarding the materials.
Holmes:
For the other matter we discussed, that is.
Da Vinci:
Okay, I'm on it.
Holmes:
Right...In brief, I believe our next move should be to rendezvous with this rebel army.
Holmes:
We now know that its leader is a Servant.
Holmes:
Moreover, there is a strong chance they will elect to join us, given that they oppose Ivan the Terrible.
Fujimaru 1:
But, we don't know where the rebel army is...
Holmes:
I believe Patxi can be of assistance there.
Holmes:
You do know where they are, don't you?
Patxi:
Not exactly...but I do know of a few villages that're rumored to have ties to them.
Patxi:
Word has it they provide them with food, hide them from the Oprichniki...That sort of thing.
Holmes:
Then that is where we will go. I trust that's all right with you, Director?
Goredolf:
Hmm...A village where rebels gather? I don't much care for the notion, but then again, I won't have to be the one going there anyway.
Goredolf:
Very well then, be off with you, Fujimaru. I await good news and a much overdue supply of food.
Goredolf:
The Shadow Border's reserves are nearly empty, and the state of one's belly has a direct effect on morale.
Goredolf:
I'm sure you are well aware of this, but the Border's staff are mentally exhausted as well.
Goredolf:
They have been battling hunger, the cold, and cabin fever for some time now. At least YOU'VE been able to walk around outside.
Da Vinci:
Oh, right, I almost forgot about that little problem. But, are we sure we can even eat Krichat' meat?
Goredolf:
We had better be able to eat it! Forget the roast beef now. I'd be happy with a side of bacon!
Goredolf:
The Musik family has been practicing alchemy for generations. Even if the meat DOES contain toxins, rest assured that I can make it edible!
Goredolf:
I've been stranded and alone in snowy mountains countless times before, so I've invented my own spells to turn bad meat good!
Goredolf:
I can even transform spoiled meat into sirloin! Why else do you think I'm known as Musik the Phoenix!?
Da Vinci:
Wow, what a useless–er, totally useful spell! It's definitely a narrow niche, but it's just the one we need right now!
Fujimaru 1:
Understood!
Holmes:
Good. Once the Shadow Border is working again, we should be able to support you in a much more active capacity.
Fujimaru 2:
I'll do my best!
Goredolf:
I don't want your best! I want results! My future is resting on your shoulders, after all!
Fujimaru 1:
...Y-yes, sir.
Fujimaru 2:
I'll, uh, do my best.
Goredolf:
NOW you're buckling under the pressure!?
Section 3: Golem Master
Avicebron:
Very well then, let us be on our way, Master.
Avicebron:
I have sealed off and hidden this workshop with boulders. It shall be our secret hideout.
Mash:
It's very well hidden. I can't see it at all anymore. But, how are we going to find it again ourselves...?
Avicebron:
Not to worry. I've set a golem to sense when we draw near and guide us in.
Fujimaru 1:
Wow, let's hear it for golems!
Avicebron:
It's nothing special for a golem keeper like me. Although as a mage, I am merely second-rate.
Avicebron:
Now then, let us head for one of the villages said to be aiding the rebel army.
Holmes:
If I may, do be as quick about this as you can.
Patxi:
I know. Anyway, we'll have to pass through another village to get to the one we want.
Patxi:
Make sure you stay out of trouble there. It's mostly neutral, but it does lean pro-Ivan.
Patxi:
...All right, let's get in and get out quickly,before anyone notices how much you guys stand out.
Yaga:
...Hold it!
Patxi:
What do you want?
Yaga:
...You've got to pay the toll. If you mean to use our village as a shortcut, it's only fair.
Patxi:
That's ridiculous. I'm not paying that.
Yaga:
You're off to join the rebel army, right? You can pay the toll, or I can capture and report you. Either way, it's no fur off my snout.
Avicebron:
Regrettably, we don't have a single ruble to our name at the moment.
Avicebron:
And I do not wish to cause you injury if I can help it. However, if we cannot settle this peacefully...
Avicebron:
Well, Master? What would you have us do?
Fujimaru 1:
Let's make a break for it.
Patxi:
...Tch, guess that's the only choice we got. C'mon, Fujimaru!
Avicebron:
If you wish to run away,then I shall have my golems form a protective wall.
Avicebron:
Mash, you get on top of the getaway golem.
Mash:
R-right!
Fujimaru 2:
Let's try to persuade them.
Patxi:
Persuade them, huh. I don't know...
Avicebron:
Tell me, are your labor needs being sufficiently met?
Yaga:
Take a look around. What do YOU think?
Avicebron:
Then allow me to present you with this.
Yaga:
Aah! What IS that!?
Avicebron:
A moving statue of sorts, powered by magecraft. It's not the most nimble thing, but it can quite capably handle any hard labor you wish to throw at it.
Yaga:
...A-and you're just giving it to us? For free?
Avicebron:
Of course not. In exchange, you will pretend you never saw us, and let us be on our way.
Avicebron:
That way, we can reach our destination unimpeded, and all of you will gain an endless source of free labor.
Avicebron:
...So, do we have a deal?
Avicebron:
...My my, that certainly took a while.
Goredolf:
...I see that village is incapable of picking a side.
Patxi:
I'm surprised you could tell, human. Yeah, that's right.
Patxi:
That village is full of Yaga who can't make up their minds.
Mash:
...What do you mean?
Goredolf:
They continue to support Ivan the Terrible, while also making deals that obviously help the rebel army.
Goredolf:
Places like that are inevitably seen as enemies by both sides. They end up destroyed when one invades.
Holmes:
Still, given their location, it is likely they are left with no other choice. They are situated far from the capital, and close to the rebel army, after all.
Holmes:
Can we truly blame them for living their lives the best they can with the meager options available to them?
Goredolf:
Hmph. The trick to living a life with one foot in two camps is to throw away all you hold dear and compromise every step of the way.
Goredolf:
While you may never enjoy a better tomorrow, at least you have the solace of knowing yesterday wasn't too bad.
Goredolf:
If you cannot do that, but instead constantly flit back and forth, you doom yourself to destruction.
Goredolf:
I saw it happen to my own family back when the political infighting grew especially fierce!
Goredolf:
...Uh oh. Just thinking about it is making me nauseous...
Fujimaru 1:
Please try to calm down.
Mash:
...I don't know too much about it myself, but I've heard that, for a mage, there are few things worse than having their family fall to ruin...
Patxi:
...You hit the nail on the head. That village IS flitting back and forth.
Patxi:
They're scrambling around trying to make ends meet and getting nowhere fast.
Mash:
All that aside...
Mash:
That village seemed very different from the town where you lived, Patxi.
Mash:
It almost felt like something out of the Middle Ages...
Holmes:
True, Yaga Smolensk's buildings did appear to be a bit more modern.
Patxi:
That's 'cause they were made back in human times.
Mash:
Then, those buildings are all over four hundred years old?
Patxi:
That's right. They've been patched up over the years,but no one knows how to build like that anymore.
Patxi:
The best we can do now is fill in any holes that show up.
Patxi:
...If we ever had a major earthquake, everything'd probably come tumbling down like a house of cards.
Avicebron:
Much as I would be interested to learn more about the Yaga's civilization, I believe we should set that aside for the moment.
Avicebron:
Right now, our most pressing concern is finding a way to make contact with the rebel army.
Mash:
You're right, Avicebron. Let's see...
Mash:
What if we start casually dropping words like “Servant,” “Master,” and “Singularity” when we talk to other Yaga!?
Fujimaru 1:
I've always wanted to be a secret agent!
Mash:
Right!?
Avicebron:
...Unfortunately, I don't believe it will be that easy.
Avicebron:
The rank-and-file soldiers have most likely never heard of those things.
Avicebron:
We must also not forget that there are Servants on the enemy's side as well as our own.
Avicebron:
Merely revealing ourselves as Master and Servant may not be enough to convince the rebels of our intentions.
Holmes:
Quite right.
Holmes:
As such, we should keep things simple and merely do what we can to demonstrate our desire to join.
Holmes:
Tell me, Patxi, do you have any interest in joining the rebel army?
Patxi:
...Ivan the Terrible's been ruling this land with his Oprichniki for four hundred and fifty years now.
Patxi:
He's the great Tsar! He's freakin' IMMORTAL. We've been living in fear of his regime all our lives, but...
Patxi:
...if my only choices now are to curl up and die, or to go down fighting...I'll choose the latter. Proudly.
Holmes:
Hmm, I see.
Holmes:
Personally, I would have been satisfied if you were merely willing to pretend to join them, but this should suffice just as well.
Patxi:
Hey, you're the guys who got me mixed up in all this in the first place.
Holmes:
Ah, you have me there.
Fujimaru 1:
I'm sorry.
Patxi:
Don't worry about it.
Patxi:
Truth to tell, I've been pissed off for a while about how I've had to just sit back and take all this shit.
Fujimaru 2:
Are you sure about this?
Patxi:
Yeah, I'm sure.
Patxi:
You guys're strong, and there's one of these Servant people in the rebel army too, right?
Patxi:
So...we might just have a fighting chance against the Tsar.
Holmes:
...I suppose the right thing to do here would be to honor your wishes.
Goredolf:
How much longer are you going to drag this interminable conversation out? If he wants to do it, let him do it.
Goredolf:
We need to hurry and repair the Shadow Border.
Goredolf:
The Oprichniki could be looking for us even as we speak!
Avicebron:
In that case, why don't we let Patxi go into the village first, and meet back up with him later?
Patxi:
Sounds great to me. Don't worry, I'll make sure to introduce you guys.
Patxi:
After all, you're all I've got to hang my hat on.
Patxi:
Okay, just sit tight.
Fujimaru 1:
...
Avicebron:
Is something bothering you, Master?
Avicebron:
Do you regret involving Patxi in this ordeal?
Fujimaru 1:
A little...
Avicebron:
...This may sound harsh, but if you truly regret that decision, I believe you should have gone your separate ways back when you first met him.
Avicebron:
But do keep in mind that, now that things have come to this, he is making decisions for himself.
Avicebron:
If you wish to respect those decisions,then silence, as they say, is golden.
Fujimaru 2:
I do want to respect his wishes, but...
Avicebron:
There is nothing more you can do now.
Avicebron:
Sometimes, we decide our own fate,and sometimes, others decide it for us.
Avicebron:
Now, we must be patient. Rome was not built in a day, correct?
Avicebron:
This is true for golems as well.
Da Vinci:
Uh, really? 'Cause you sure seem to have been throwing them together by the score in, like, seconds.
Avicebron:
That is simply the nature of my magecraft.
Avicebron:
And trust me, I did not reach this point in a day.
Mash:
...It's starting to get dark.
Mash:
What should we do? It MUST be okay to enter the village now, right?
Avicebron:
Wait. Someone's coming.
Fujimaru 1:
May I ask who you are?
Yaga:
You the ones Patxi was talking about?
Fujimaru 1:
That's us.
Yaga:
Can you take your hoods off so I can see your faces?
Yaga:
...I'll be damned. Guess he was telling the truth.
Avicebron:
Indeed he was. Incidentally, I will tell you now that I have no intention of removing my mask.
Avicebron:
...Now, may we ask you something?
Avicebron:
We have proven to you that we are not Yaga. So why are your comrades still training their firearms on us?
Yaga:
Easy. There's been some rumors going around lately, you see...
Yaga:
...and they say that Ivan the Terrible's working with a human mage now. One with a human-bodied Servant in tow!
Yaga:
Sorry pal, but you're not getting any mercy from us!
Avicebron:
...Well, Master, what would you have us do?
Fujimaru 1:
Please don't kill them.
Avicebron:
Hmm. If that is your command, then that is what I shall do. Is that your wish as well, Mash?
Mash:
...Yes. They're just trying to protect themselves, so...
Avicebron:
I see. Then I shall instruct my golems not to kill.
Fujimaru 2:
Just hit them with the back of your sword, please.
Avicebron:
That will be difficult,as my golems do not have swords, Master.
Avicebron:
...I jest. I understand your meaning, of course,so I shall do my best to honor your request.
Avicebron:
Now, let me show you the most well-kept secret among the golems I command.
Avicebron:
My fair Yaga, while I pledge to do my utmost to restrain myself, I am afraid that I cannot be held responsible should one of my golems strike you in a particularly vulnerable place.
Avicebron:
Say your prayers.
--BATTLE--
Yaga:
Ghh...
???:
Stop!
Avicebron:
...Hello there. I take it you are the leader?
???:
I am...and now I have seen your power for myself. You say you are here to join the rebel army?
Fujimaru 1:
Yes, that's right.
???:
I see. But I cannot trust you.
???:
You all look like humans.
Fujimaru 2:
If it's okay with you.
???:
Of course. I would be glad to welcome you...were you not human.
???:
In this world, there are only two kinds of people who look like humans: mages and Servants.
???:
And that means you are our enemy.
Mash:
Huh!? Please, I promise you we're–
???:
Are you with the Tsar, or are you not?
???:
The answer to that lies in whether you are merciful as well as strong.
???:
...And so I shall make you a grossly unfair proposal: fight us without killing us, even as we do our best to kill you.
Avicebron:
...I see. Well, that is certainly as unfair as you say.
???:
If you have strength enough to kill us all, then you are no spy. There would be no point in spying on us if you could simply kill us at your leisure, after all.
???:
But, if you are strong enough to kill us AND choose to spare our lives...
???:
...that would prove you are merciful, and that is a kindness only humans possess. That is my offer. You may take it or leave it!
Avicebron:
Well, Master, now what would you have us do? I will abide by whatever you decide.
Fujimaru 1:
We're going to do exactly what she says.
Avicebron:
Understood.
Fujimaru 2:
We're going to fight, and we're going to win. Without killing them.
Avicebron:
As you wish.
Avicebron:
This will certainly be difficult, but not impossible.
Avicebron:
Very well then, let us show her exactly why we were chosen as Heroic Spirits.
--BATTLE--
???:
Can you go on?
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
...No. I'm sorry. I can't move anymore...
Avicebron:
I believe he should be all right after a few days' rest.
C：???:
It would seem we have been thoroughly defeated. Very well, we surrender.
C：???:
If you truly had been sent by Ivan the Terrible,we would clearly have no chance of victory.
???:
...But fortunately,it seems you are not with him after all.
Fujimaru 1:
Say, your name wouldn't happen to be–
C：???:
Ah, do excuse me.
Atalante Alter:
My name is Atalante. I wield the power of the Demonic Beast known as the Calydonian Boar.
Avicebron:
...I see. So you are an Alter.
Atalante Alter:
Essentially. But it's not so bad as you might think.
Atalante Alter:
I'm guessing my Spirit Origin always had an affinity for this Demonic Beast.
Atalante Alter:
This made it easy to convince the Yaga that I was on their side.
Yaga:
Boss...
Mash:
Um...Atalante, do you...not remember us?
Atalante Alter:
......No, I do not.
Atalante Alter:
The first thing I remember is finding myself in this land. I believe it was the death throes of this very world that called me here.
Atalante Alter:
The real Russia–the one from our world–has been overwritten by a Russia from a different history.
Atalante Alter:
It has been three months since I was summoned, which is as far back as my memories go...In fact, there is something I would like to ask you as well.
Mash:
What is it?
Atalante Alter:
...Am I doing the right thing?
Atalante Alter:
Am I behaving the way a Heroic Spirit should?
Avicebron:
That is hard to answer. I am afraid I am not at all familiar with the no doubt myriad extenuating circumstances surrounding this particular conflict.
Avicebron:
What I can say with confidence is that, compared Russia as we know it, Ivan the Terrible seems to be a most tyrannical leader indeed.
Avicebron:
And as such, I believe that in standing up to him,you are doing exactly what a Heroic Spirit should.
Atalante Alter:
...Right. Good point. I pray that you are right.
Atalante Alter:
Anyway, let's return to our stronghold. You can all treat your wounds there.
Atalante Alter:
You three can come too. I'll show you the way.
Fujimaru 1:
Where's Patxi...?
Atalante Alter:
Patxi...Ah, that Yaga. I had him restrained for the time being. So he really is with you?
Atalante Alter:
Very well. We will bring him along too.
Fujimaru 2:
There's actually four of us!
Atalante Alter:
Four...?
D：Yaga:
[♂ He /♀ She] must be talking about that Yaga, Patxi.
Atalante Alter:
Ah, I see...Very well, bring him along too.
Mash:
I hope Patxi's all right...
Patxi:
I thought I was gonna die. I thought I was gonna die.
Fujimaru 1:
Snap out of it, Patxi!
Atalante Alter:
Luck is on your side today, Yaga.
Patxi:
...! H-hey...I'm alive...
Patxi:
Looks like you guys're okay too. Man, that was too close for comfort...
Atalante Alter:
All right, we are off to the stronghold. Stay alert for shadows and familiars.
Avicebron:
Not to worry. I'll have one of my drone golems keep watch.
Atalante Alter:
Good. Now get on your bicorns and we'll be on our way!
Avicebron:
I'll ride on one of my golems. Would you and Mash like to do the same?
Fujimaru 1:
Hell yes!
Patxi:
...I don't suppose I could ride on one too, could I?
Avicebron:
By all means. It's no more trouble to make three than it is to make two.
Section 4: Rebels
Atalante Alter:
Cerumo, how were things in the village?
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
Not good, I'm afraid.
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
They've always been treated very badly there,thanks to their connections to us.
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
We've done what we can to help each other out till now, but now things are getting worse.
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
On top of that, the Oprichniki have been even more violent lately.
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
Rumor has it they even burned some other village to the ground after there was a revolt there.
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
The people there had no choice but to give up that place and move on.
Atalante Alter:
Well, I can't blame them for that...That village only ever existed to serve as a decoy.
Atalante Alter:
Still, leaving, hm...A bold decision. I would be surprised if thirty...even twenty percent of them survived the journey.
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
Maybe not, but twenty percent surviving is still better than all of them getting massacred by the Oprichniki.
Patxi:
...Hey. How do you guys sleep at night?
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
Huh?
Patxi:
Don't you feel the least bit guilty about these villagers giving up their lives for you guys?
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
Aha, you're from one of those villages too, huh. Don't worry, so am I.
Patxi:
Answer the damn question!
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
...Sure we feel bad about it. But what are we supposed to do?
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
We're fighting a war against Ivan the Terrible here.
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
The immortal tsar who's been alive for the last four hundred and fifty years.
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
Who knows how many villages have been sacrificed over the years, or how many innocent Yaga, children included, have lost their lives.
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
But what other choice do we have?
Atalante Alter:
......
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
I know we're all gonna go to hell for this. And once we get there, Viy's gonna look at us with those Mystic Eyes and see every awful thing we've ever done...
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
But before that happens, I want to defeat Ivan the Terrible once and for all, so that my kid can at least grow up in a world without him.
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
And now that the boss...Lady Atalante's joined us, this is the best chance we might ever have to make that happen.
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
We're gonna spark a revolution, right here in Russia!
Avicebron:
...Hmm. Revolution is all well and good, but I believe we will need to do something about these Demonic Beasts first.
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
Tch...!
Atalante Alter:
Looks that way. All hands, ready your weapons!
Atalante Alter:
All right, Master of Chaldea, Caster Servant.
Atalante Alter:
Let's see what you're really capable of. Surely you're not going to let Demonic Beasts like this get the better of you?
Avicebron:
Of course not. Master, I await your orders.
--BATTLE--
Patxi:
Hey. I finished skinning them.
Avicebron:
Well done, Patxi. You can let the packgolems carry them now.
Avicebron:
By the way, Atalante,there is something I wished to ask you.
Atalante Alter:
What is it?
Avicebron:
If there are any Demonic Beast materials at the rebel army stronghold, I was hoping you could let us have them.
Atalante Alter:
Of course we have a fair amount stocked up. I will consider rewarding you with them, depending on how well you work.
Atalante Alter:
...Okay. We're almost at the hidden tunnel.
Atalante Alter:
We still need to pass through it before we arrive at our stronghold, so I am afraid you will need to bear with us a little longer.
Atalante Alter:
What about the cold? I am a Servant, and they are Yaga, so we have no issue handling it, but the same cannot be true of you.
Mash:
Oh, we're okay. Master has a Mystic Code designed for extremely cold environments.
Atalante Alter:
Good.
Fujimaru 1:
Thank you for your concern.
Atalante Alter:
...It's not that. I just found it strange that you could endure it, as no ordinary humans could survive this cold.
Atalante Alter:
When you get right down to it, I am but one rather atypical aspect of Atalante, manifesting as a Servant.
Atalante Alter:
I am afraid I do not have much in the way of common sense.
Atalante Alter:
Anyway, the tunnel is crawling with Demonic Beasts,but they are weak, hiding here for shelter.
Atalante Alter:
We can simply cut our way through them without issue.
Mash:
...Master, we seem to be out of the Border's comms range.
Atalante Alter:
Comms? Is that a method of using magecraft to see things that are far away?
Atalante Alter:
The tunnel must be affecting it. These comms of yours should be fixed once we get out. Just forget about them in the meantime.
Mash:
On a different subject, we've seen a lot of Demonic Beasts, but I'm surprised we haven't seen any normal animals yet...
Patxi:
Normal animals? Those all went extinct ages ago.
Mash:
E-extinct...!?
Avicebron:
...That certainly makes sense if you think about it. There are simply no ordinary animals that could survive such a harsh environment.
Avicebron:
Add an overwhelmingly dominant species to the mix, and it's little wonder the other animals went extinct.
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
I've heard there used to be much smaller animals centuries ago. They were called, uh...cats and dogs,I think?
Atalante Alter:
...Cats. Perhaps it has something to do with this form I've been summoned in, but my memories of cats and dogs are all...hazy.
Fou:
Fou...
Mash:
You're all right, Fou.
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
...Boss, I can smell blood. Something's eating a Demonic Beast...and whatever it is, it's really big. This is bad.
Atalante Alter:
All non-Servants, stay back! ...That is the scent of a Demon Boar.
Atalante Alter:
Tch...It seems we can ill afford to linger here.
Atalante Alter:
We must kill it quickly. Is that clear?
Fujimaru 1:
Got it!
Atalante Alter:
Good. This will be another chance to show me what you are capable of, Fujimaru!
--BATTLE--
Atalante Alter:
It seems we find ourselves in possession of an unexpectedly large quantity of meat. Everyone, take as much as you can carry.
Avicebron:
I think I'll take some of this earth while I'm at it. This cave is rather a lucky find.
Avicebron:
All the Demonic Beasts that inhabit it must have affected the earth's properties.
Avicebron:
I should be able to make some excellent golems with this.
Patxi:
It kind of looks like you're tilling a field...
Avicebron:
I would say it is closer to pottery.
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
This is great. Now my kid won't have to go hungry.
Fujimaru 1:
Kid?
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
Yeah, my child. What, did you think I was single? ...Well, I'm not.
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
I know we call ourselves the rebel army, but there's a lot of Yaga who came here with their families after having their villages razed 'cause they had nowhere else to go.
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
I'm one of them.
Patxi:
Your villages were burned down, huh...
Mash:
You mean, by the Oprichniki?
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
That's right. Hell, that's how most of us rebel soldiers ended up joining.
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
I'm one of the lucky ones. My whole family made it out alive. Some of the kids here saw their parents murdered right in front of them.
Mash:
That's horrible...
Atalante Alter:
We don't have time for idle chatter. Let's go.
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
Right, sorry, Boss. Come on guys, let's get a move on!
Atalante Alter:
Okay, we're here.
Avicebron:
For the record, I didn't see anything that looked like it might be tracking us.
Avicebron:
But just to be safe, I will set out a few hidden security golems to keep watch.
Fujimaru 1:
That'd be great, thanks.
Holmes:
Ah, it would seem we're back online.
Goredolf:
Report! Gimme a goddamn report, RIGHT NOW! Why'd you go silent for so long? Just what the hell're you doing!?
Mash:
Yes, sir. I'll do my best.
Mash:
Master, myself, Avicebron, and Patxi are all currently accompanying the rebel army. We're just outside their hideout right now.
Mash:
We'll use this opportunity to regroup, and to see if we can acquire the parts we need to repair the Border.
Mash:
We'll also see if we can replenish our food stores, too. Assuming that's possible, anyway...
Da Vinci:
A hidden stronghold, huh? I'm not super familiar with fortress engineering, but I have to say that they seem to have done a good job with this one.
Da Vinci:
It's surrounded by cliffs, making it impossible to invade from the flank or rear, and its gates are equipped with ballistae to handle frontal assaults.
Da Vinci:
They've even got a barricade in place to defend against the Oprichniki's cavalry.
Da Vinci:
There's no way any enemies could take this place down without significant casualties. I guess they don't call themselves the rebel “army” for nothing.
Atalante Alter:
Open the gate! Open the gate now!
B：Yaga Rebel Soldier:
Hey, it's the boss! The boss is back! Open the gate!
C：Yaga Rebel Soldier:
Welcome back, Boss! ...Uh, is it just me, or are there more of you now?
Atalante Alter:
Yes, there are. I'll explain about them later!
Atalante Alter:
We brought back plenty of meat. Enough for everyone to eat their fill!
Yaga (Child):
Hooraaay! We've got meat!
Yaga (Child):
Thank you, Boss!
Atalante Alter:
...Once you have eaten up,assemble the commanders for a meeting!
Atalante Alter:
I'm sorry, Master and company, but I'm afraid I must ask you to wait in the corner until then.
Fujimaru 1:
Actually...We could really use some food too...
Atalante Alter:
Hm? Are you sure humans can eat Demonic Beast meat? ...I suppose you must have a highly skilled cook.
Atalante Alter:
Very well, it would be a shame to let the excess go to waste. I'll have three kilograms set aside for you.
Mash:
Thank you so much. This is great, Senpai! Everyone will be so happy to hear we have food!
Avicebron:
...I would rather not draw too much attention if I can help it, so I would be happy to wait in the corner.
Fujimaru 1:
I'm happy to wait around for a while too.
Mash:
Me too. Okay, Master, why don't we all take a little break?
Section 5: Quest: Manifesto
Mash:
It looks like the Yaga haven't had a chance to eat their fill like this for some time. I'm glad they were willing to share some of this meat with us, too.
Mash:
I followed Director Goredolf's advice on how to remove the toxins. Hopefully it turned out okay...
Mash:
How is it, Master?
Fujimaru 1:
Not bad. Not bad at all.
Avicebron:
You certainly are made of stern stuff, Master.
Fujimaru 2:
It's a little gamy...
Mash:
True, it does have a rather strong smell. Maybe it's because all we did was fillet it and use a little salt.
Mash:
Still, it's the first fresh food we've had since we came to this world. We can't let it go to waste.
Patxi:
Huh, you guys are picky, aren't you? Me, I don't care what I eat as long as it fills me up.
Yaga (Child):
......
Patxi:
What is it, kid?
Yaga (Child):
Who's that hairless Yaga?
Fujimaru 1:
...You mean me?
Yaga (Child):
Uh-huh!
Yaga (Child):
Are you a ghost? Doesn't it hurt your face not having fur on it?
Fujimaru 1:
All the time. But I don't let it bother me.
Yaga (Child):
Wow!
Fujimaru 2:
It's truuue, I'm a ghooost!
Yaga (Child):
Eee!
Patxi:
Come on, kid, get outta here.... Gotta say, though,I was expecting the rebel army to be more...armyish?
Patxi:
Between all the kids and old folks here,it seems more like a refugee camp than anything.
Avicebron:
Right you are, Patxi.
Avicebron:
So far as I can tell, only sixty percent of these Yaga are fit for combat, at most.
Avicebron:
The most we could hope for from the remaining is backup, and even that is, at best, a faint hope.
Atalante Alter:
...There you are, Fujimaru. I see the applicant is here too.
Atalante Alter:
Let us be perfectly clear about one thing: yes, our goals are aligned in that we both desire to overthrow Ivan the Terrible.
Atalante Alter:
But that does not mean that we will be taking orders from you.
Fujimaru 1:
Don't worry. I wouldn't expect you to either.
Atalante Alter:
For one thing, we can't hope to take on the Oprichniki with our respective abilities getting in each other's way.
Atalante Alter:
To fight them is to fight a force of nature.
Atalante Alter:
However, you are genuinely powerful, and so I would hate to lose that power for our side.
Atalante Alter:
...So to start, I would like to see how you do as a reserve corps, as a way of determining your utility.
Atalante Alter:
In particular, I have missions which I have been putting off for a long time that require a small, elite team.
Atalante Alter:
So far, I have been going out on my own and managing the best I can, but I am also this army's leader.
Atalante Alter:
I don't fear death, but I can't have the entire army shutting down while they wait for me to return.
Atalante Alter:
...Would you undertake these missions in my stead?
Holmes:
Pardon me, Ms. Atalante. My apologies for interrupting you, and remotely at that. I believe you have heard about us from [♂ Mr. /♀ Ms. ] Fujimaru and Ms. Kyrielight, but please allow us to introduce ourselves properly.
Holmes:
My name is Sherlock Holmes. I am a Servant, just like you. And this is–
Da Vinci:
Hi there! I'm Leonardo da Vinci. I have my reasons for my Spirit Origin being in low power mode, but we'll just skip all that for now if you don't mind.
Da Vinci:
Atalante, I'm a Servant from Proper Human History, just like you. Also, I'm a genius, so don't be afraid to ask for help if you've got a tricky problem.
Da Vinci:
That said, there's still a lot we don't know,since we only just came to this world.
Da Vinci:
Do you mind if I ask you a question?
Atalante Alter:
A...child hero? Are you altered too?
Atalante Alter:
...Well, no matter. It would be wrong to refuse a request from a child. What is it you wish to know?
Da Vinci:
What can you tell us about that huge tree? From what we've been told, it sounds like it's a fairly recent development.
Da Vinci:
You wouldn't happen to know what it is, would you?
Atalante Alter:
...You mean the tree so large it appears to support the entire world. There is a tree like that in my own mythology, but...
Atalante Alter:
No, I doubt that tree and this one have anything to do with one another. I am sorry to say that I do not know what it is, either.
Atalante Alter:
However, my spy in Yaga Moscow did tell me one thing.
Holmes:
Oh? What is it?
Atalante Alter:
Hmm...I suppose it would be wrong to withhold this until you have completed your end of the deal I wish to make.
Atalante Alter:
Doing so would only raise your hopes to an unreasonable degree. All we have is a name.
Mash:
A name...?
Atalante Alter:
Yes. It is called the “Tree of Emptiness. ”
Atalante Alter:
I'm told the human-looking court mage was muttering it to himself during a walk around the city.
Atalante Alter:
Apparently he said,“The Tree of Emptiness still hasn't taken root. ”
Holmes:
Hmm. The Tree of Emptiness, eh. It shrouds itself with clouds in lieu of leaves–a cloud tree, if you will.
Holmes:
For the time being, I will see what I can find out about this Tree of Emptiness from our database.
Holmes:
I doubt my search will prove fruitful, though.
Atalante Alter:
Do what you wish. Now, what about you?
Atalante Alter:
Will you undertake this mission for me?
Fujimaru 1:
You bet!
Atalante Alter:
Thank you.
Fujimaru 2:
If I can, I will.
Atalante Alter:
I would never give you an order I believed to be impossible.
Atalante Alter:
Patxi. You will go with them,as they are still unfamiliar with this land.
Atalante Alter:
Since you are a hunter,I trust you know how to use a gun?
Patxi:
Does that mean you're gonna let me join?
Atalante Alter:
If that is what you want.
Patxi:
...Well, I do have my own grudge against the Oprichniki.
Atalante Alter:
A grudge, hm...That alone will not see you to the end of this battle.
Atalante Alter:
You must make a choice,and hold to it with all your conviction.
Atalante Alter:
Otherwise, this Russian blizzard will swallow you up in an instant.
Patxi:
...I know that.
Atalante Alter:
Then here is your first mission: I want you to journey to the nearby village and pass out our manifesto.
Fujimaru 1:
Manifesto?
Atalante Alter:
We want other Yaga to know that the rebel army exists, and that our goal is to overthrow Ivan the Terrible and wipe out the Oprichniki.
Atalante Alter:
And, if possible, we would like their help in procuring food and medicine.
Patxi:
You got any idea how risky that is? What're you gonna do if one of these Yaga squeals on us?
Atalante Alter:
Should that happen, I want you to handle it however you feel is necessary.
Avicebron:
Not the most comprehensive of plans, hm?
Avicebron:
Still, we WILL need assistance from other villages if we are to campaign in such a vast land.
Holmes:
Now, we would like to make a request of our own. Do you think you can help us procure these?
Atalante Alter:
...I can get you the Demonic Beast fangs and golem cores now.
Atalante Alter:
Here is what we have from those we killed earlier. You may have them now, as an advance for this mission.
Goredolf:
What about the rest!?
Atalante Alter:
Who do you think we are? We are the rebel army. We never have enough supplies to go around.
Atalante Alter:
I can only give you the fangs and cores because we have little need for them.
Atalante Alter:
As for the rest, well...There are cities that have sworn total allegiance to Ivan the Terrible. I would like to capture a number of them at some point.
Atalante Alter:
If you can help me do that, I'll consider helping you find the rest. How does that sound?
Fujimaru 1:
What do you say, Director?
Goredolf:
H-hmm...
Atalante Alter:
It's all right if you refuse. Do so, and we will simply kick you out of here.
Goredolf:
Grrr......Oh, very well.
Goredolf:
Fujimaru, Mash, handle this errand ASAP!
Fujimaru 2:
Sounds good to me. Let's go with that.
Goredolf:
I'M the one calling the shots around here, thank you!
Goredolf:
EVERYTHING goes through ME first! You do not make decisions for yourself in the field! Understand!?
Atalante Alter:
Well? What is your answer?
Goredolf:
Hmm.
Goredolf:
...I suppose that is acceptable. See that it is done, Fujimaru.
Patxi:
All that fuss for nothing...
Atalante Alter:
...Good. Now, I have marked the villages I want you to go to on this map. Make sure you visit all of them.
Holmes:
I'll check into the shortest routes to each from here.
Mash:
Thank you, Holmes.
Holmes:
(Good, we're finally finding our footing. Now we can start moving forward. )
Holmes:
(Do you think you can stop by the Shadow Border first? We would like you to bring back the food you just acquired. )
Holmes:
(I'm also told there is something else that needs to be done before we can begin the repairs. )
Mash:
Come on, Master. Let's get going!
Patxi:
H-how's it moving so faaast!?
Avicebron:
I optimized the golems for speed. I certainly hope that they could move at least this fast.
Patxi:
So this is what real magecraft is like, huh...Dammit, I should've been a mage myself!
Mash:
I'm afraid it's not that simple, Patxi.
Mash:
Avicebron is one of the most famous Kabbalists in history.
Mash:
It would take at least ten generations for an ordinary mage to reach this level of magecraft...
Avicebron:
Thank you, Mash, but all I did was attempt many different casting experiments to find what I was looking for...
Fujimaru 1:
What WERE you looking for?
Avicebron:
My final goal was to create a golem that would be known as the Primordial Man.
Avicebron:
A golem that could guide my people in their time of suffering, and help them to build a new Eden.
Avicebron:
Regrettably, I did not live long enough to see that wish fulfilled.
Avicebron:
...Still, I am glad that the knowledge I gained along the way is serving to protect humanity now.
Patxi:
Okay, we're coming up on a village. We better get off these things, or they might spark a riot.
Avicebron:
A good point. Very well then, I'll disable them for now.
Section 6: Those from Chaldea
Patxi:
This is the first village on our list. Get your hoods on and follow me, just like we discussed.
Mash:
Understood. We're counting on you, Patxi.
Patxi:
Depending on how this manifesto goes over,we might need to make a hasty escape...
Yaga:
Halt! Who goes there!?
Patxi:
Uh...We are the army who will bring the tyrannical Ivan IV to justice!
Patxi:
We're here to deliver a manifesto to you from our leader! We ask that you read it, and give us your response to its call to action!
Yaga:
...You're with the rebel army...!
Yaga:
Okay, come on in!
Patxi:
...Huh. That was easy. I'm actually kinda worried now.
Mash:
Everything seems to be all right, at least for now. Let's see what they have to say.
Patxi:
...So that's why we're hoping you can help us out with any food and medical supplies you can spare.
Yaga Chief:
Maybe it's because he's grown old, or because someone's talked him into it...or because there's something strange going on in Russia right now...
Yaga Chief:
...but all I know for sure is that the Tsar hasn't said one thing for the past three months, and the Oprichniki have cracked down on us harder than ever.
Yaga Chief:
The only reason this village has escaped their wrath is because we're located far away from the closest highway, and because of how poor we are.
Yaga Chief:
All that said, young ones, the Tsar is still the Tsar.
Yaga Chief:
We Yaga must never forget what he has done for Russia, and for us.
Yaga Chief:
If he hadn't come up with a way to combine us with Demonic Beasts, and turn us into Yaga...we would have died out long ago.
Yaga Chief:
It's only by his grace that we are alive at all. So we cannot lend our aid to the rebel army.
Patxi:
...I see. Then I guess we're done here.
Patxi:
Come on, Fujimaru.
Yaga Chief:
Let me finish.
Yaga Chief:
...That said, the Oprichniki have been out of control. They are neither Yaga, nor the old humans.
Yaga Chief:
If the Tsar refuses to keep them in check,we have no choice but to defend ourselves.
Yaga Chief:
So the question is,are you strong enough to take them on?
Yaga Chief:
That is what I would like you to show me.
Patxi:
...You heard the man.
Fujimaru 1:
How can we do that?
Yaga Chief:
Oh, that's easy.
Yaga Chief:
We have a number of strong Yaga here in our village,as well as some domesticated Demonic Beasts.
Yaga Chief:
What do you say to a battle against them? Not to the death, but anything else goes.
Patxi:
...Doesn't seem like we have much choice.
Fujimaru 1:
We accept your challenge.
Yaga Chief:
Very well. Then please step outside.
Fujimaru 2:
We'll fight them, AND we'll beat them.
Yaga Chief:
Oho, interesting.
Yaga Chief:
...I don't know who you are, but small as you appear, that seems a rather difficult task.
Avicebron:
I can't say I care to demonstrate my strength in this way...
Avicebron:
...but I suppose we have no other choice. Very well, then. Let's give them a good show.
Mash:
...
Mash:
...I don't get it...Why must everything in this world be decided by strength alone...?
Fujimaru 1:
Mash?
Mash:
I-I'm sorry, it's nothing.
Mash:
Okay, Master, please go ahead and give Avicebron your orders!
--BATTLE--
Avicebron:
That should do it. As you can see, they are still very much alive.
Yaga Chief:
You mean, you really didn't kill a single one...? Are you...a Servant...?
Avicebron:
Why, yes, I am.
Yaga Chief:
I see...
Yaga Chief:
We have heard of Servants before.
Yaga Chief:
They say you are monsters from another world, and that you are terribly powerful, despite looking like humans.
Yaga Chief:
I've even heard that some Servants possess power great enough to rival the Tsar...
Yaga Chief:
...Are you one of them?
Avicebron:
No, there is nothing particularly special about me.
Avicebron:
I am just a simple scholar and golem keeper. A perfectly ordinary human, as you might find anywhere in the world.
Yaga Chief:
...On behalf of our village, I promise to offer our full support to the rebel army.
Yaga Chief:
Though I'm afraid we can only spare a little in the way of food and medical supplies...
Patxi:
That's okay. Even a little bit goes a long way.
Yaga Chief:
By the way, I trust you'll be delivering your manifesto to the two neighboring villages as well?
Yaga Chief:
Let me write you a letter of recommendation. It should help things go more smoothly when you visit them.
Fujimaru 1:
Thank you so much!
Yaga Chief:
...Although, I'm afraid we've lost contact with the other two villages recently. They may have been overrun by bandits, or Demonic Beasts.
Yaga Chief:
If they have, could I ask you to give them a proper burial?
Fujimaru 1:
Okay. We will.
Avicebron:
Please store any food or medicine you can spare in this carrier golem, if you don't mind.
Avicebron:
Now then, let us head to the next village.
--ARROW--
Mash:
This is terrible...!
Patxi:
Damn, this is definitely a no-go...Let's head to the next village.
Mash:
...Um, shouldn't we look for survivors?
Patxi:
Don't bother. There aren't any.
Fujimaru 1:
Hellooo!? Is anyone theeere!?
Avicebron:
Hello, Shadow Border crew? Are you able to scan the area for signs of life?
Goredolf:
We're tuning our equipment to make it capable of scanning for this world's life-forms, using that Yaga's life signs as a base...
Goredolf:
...but the Shadow Border's scanner is an older model, so I'm told it will take time to enter the parameters and cross-reference it with the approximation data.
Goredolf:
Suffice to say, it will go faster if you just look around, Avicebron.
Avicebron:
...Understood.
Fujimaru 1:
Heeey! Anybooody!
Yaga:
Gh...O-over here...
Mash:
Master!
Fujimaru 1:
Are you all right!?
Yaga:
Yeah...I was just knocked out for a while there...
Patxi:
What happened here?
Yaga:
Bandits...We fought them off as best we could,but we only lasted four days before they...
Yaga:
...Dammit. Are there any other survivors?
Avicebron:
I'm afraid not.
Yaga:
Dammit!
Patxi:
Where'd these bandits run off to?
Yaga:
I don't know for sure, but...probably one of the neighboring villages.
Mash:
We were just at one of those villages ourselves,so they must have gone to the other one.
Patxi:
I've got a map here. Come on!
Avicebron:
I'm afraid we can't take you with us. But I can leave this food and some medical supplies with you.
Yaga:
Thanks. I think I'll be okay once I rest up. As for food, well...I'll figure something out.
Yaga:
If you're gonna go help the other village,then hurry, before they end up like ours.
Yaga:
...Then again, I guess you can't really call this a village anymore...
Fujimaru 1:
Sorry to leave you, but we've gotta go!
Avicebron:
Please take one of my golems so we can hurry there, Master.... I would hate for us to arrive too late.
Avicebron:
...Master, the golem I sent on ahead has found the village.
Fujimaru 1:
How's it looking?
Avicebron:
Not good. They have lit a red signal fire.
Patxi:
Oh crap...That's a distress signal!
Fujimaru 1:
There might still be time!
Mash:
I see shadows in front of us. They're Yaga!
Yaga Bandit:
Aaaah! Aaaah!
Yaga Bandit:
Outta our way! Outta our waaay!
Yaga Bandit:
Move aside, or we'll kill ya dead!
Avicebron:
It would seem they are not interested in a peaceful discussion. I believe things will go faster if I simply knock them aside.
Mash:
Right! Please hurry!
--BATTLE--
Avicebron:
There they go. It would seem there is no need to follow them.
Patxi:
Guess they weren't actually trying to attack us.
Mash:
...Right. If anything, it looked more like they were running away.
Mash:
Some of them even broke away during the fight...
Avicebron:
I am sure there are any number of reasons why they may have done so, but for the moment, perhaps our time might be better spent making haste to our goal?
Holmes:
...Hm?
Avicebron:
What is it, Holmes?
Holmes:
It took some time to register the Yaga biosignals,but I've managed by using Patxi's as a base.
Holmes:
That said, at this point all I can do is use this data to determine if any Yaga are in the direction you're headed.
Holmes:
For example, at this moment, I can tell you that there are several hundred Yaga along your current path.
Holmes:
I rather doubt they are all bandits, so it would seem that there is still an opportunity to stop those who are.
Patxi:
Come on, Fujimaru, let's hurry!
--ARROW--
Mash:
What...What's going on...?
Yaga Chief:
Oh, hello there.
Yaga Chief:
Are you the people from Chaldea?
Fujimaru 1:
Huh!?
Mash:
Did you say Chaldea...!?
Yaga Chief:
Is that a no?
Mash:
N-no–I mean yes, we ARE from Chaldea, but...
Yaga Chief:
Ahh, thank you so much for all your help. I'm so sorry I couldn't thank you properly back then.
Yaga Chief:
Oh, I didn't realize we'd left the distress signal burning. Hey, somebody put that fire out!
Fujimaru 1:
I-I'm sorry, but...huh!?
Fujimaru 2:
Err...tell us what's going on?
Yaga Chief:
What do you mean? Aren't you the ones who picked up our signal?
Patxi:
Sorry. We don't know what you're talking about.
Patxi:
How about you begin at the beginning, Gramps?
Yaga Chief:
Yes, yes, of course. It was the second day of the bandits' attack.
Yaga Chief:
We erected a barricade and did our best to hold them off from within the village, but none of us here are strong enough to defeat even a lowly foot soldier.
Yaga Chief:
Nor, unfortunately, were the bandits.
Yaga Chief:
Things may actually have been better had they clearly outmatched us.
Yaga Chief:
Had they done that, they likely would have just made off with our possessions and spared our lives.
Yaga Chief:
But unfortunately,they were just as desperate as we were.
Yaga Chief:
A number of them were injured. I imagine they must have run into some fierce resistance at the last village they attacked.
Yaga Chief:
So for them, things had reached a point where it was either kill or be killed.
Yaga Chief:
Of course we lit a distress signal soon after the attack began, but we didn't actually expect anyone to respond.
Yaga Chief:
The Oprichniki certainly wouldn't. They only exist to serve the Tsar, after all.
Yaga Chief:
At best, we held out a sliver of hope that one of the nearby villages might send someone to help.
Fujimaru 1:
But then, help really did arrive?
Fujimaru 2:
And that's when someone from Chaldea came?
Yaga Chief:
Exactly.
Yaga Chief:
...They were human, just like you,so at first, I thought they were a mage.
Yaga Chief:
...I was certain we were holed up safely, with no way for anyone to get in. But suddenly, without any warning at all, they were just...here.
Yaga Chief:
Then they approached the bandits, and asked them why they were doing something so foolish.
Yaga Chief:
That enraged the bandits, so they turned their fury on the human, but whoever the human was, they defeated all of the bandits at once!
Yaga Chief:
Though they were completely surrounded, the human used some kind of weapon–a thin sword or something–to cut off a few of the bandits' limbs.
Yaga Chief:
I couldn't tell if it was magecraft, or a trick you might see from a street performer in a big city.
Yaga Chief:
And then, there was that frightening bloodlust.
Yaga Chief:
It was like an immense...pressure emanating from this human. I think even a Krichat' would turn tail and run from it.
Yaga Chief:
The bandits were clearly shocked. They must have realized they were facing an opponent they couldn't possibly defeat.
Yaga Chief:
The ones who remained began to panic, scrambling to get away. They fled in the direction you came from.
Yaga Chief:
We were still dumbfounded by what we'd just seen when the human audibly sighed and said:
Yaga Chief:
“...What a headache. Once again, I have cut something worthless. ”
Yaga Chief:
To me, their sigh sounded more than a little weary,but also...kind, and comforting.
Yaga Chief:
Then, after treating the injured Yaga's wounds,they headed off into the mountains.
Yaga Chief:
By this point, I had relaxed a bit, so I called out to them and asked their name. Their only reply was...
???:
“...I'm from Chaldea. ”
Yaga Chief:
Then they clicked their tongue and went on their way.
Fujimaru 1:
...Thank you for telling us.
Mash:
...May I ask you a question?
Mash:
Can you tell us what this person who claimed to be from Chaldea looked like?
Fujimaru 2:
What did this person look like?
Yaga Chief:
Well, strangely enough...nobody can seem to remember them clearly.
Yaga Chief:
We do know their clothes were worn and they looked like they had been wandering for a long time.
Yaga Chief:
And while their face was covered up by a hood...
Yaga Chief:
...I distinctly remember they didn't have any fur,just like you, so I knew they weren't Yaga.
Mash:
Then, there's another human here besides us...? Or maybe another Servant...?
Goredolf:
Hmm. If this person is claiming to be from Chaldea,they must be an acquaintance of yours.
Goredolf:
They may be one of the Heroic Spirits in Chaldea's records, like Atalante.
Goredolf:
At any rate, the important thing is that they're not our enemy. In fact, they even seem to be improving our reputation.
Da Vinci:
...What do you make of this, Holmes?
Holmes:
Had [♂ Mr. /♀ Ms. ] Fujimaru summoned this Servant–assuming that is what they are–it would make sense for them to say they are from Chaldea.
Holmes:
But the only Servant we have summoned here is Avicebron.
Holmes:
...Another possibility is that it's a Servant summoned here by the land itself, like Ms. Atalante, but that too seems highly unlikely.
Holmes:
In which case...it may truly be another survivor from Chaldea.
Holmes:
One who simply happened to wander into this frozen version of Russia, much like us.
Fujimaru 1:
(...I wonder who it could be...)
Fujimaru 2:
(...Someone who wanders into other worlds...? )
Patxi:
Oh, I almost forgot. This is the rebel army's manifesto. Mind taking a look at it?
Yaga Chief:
Ah, now I see. So Chaldea is allied with the rebel army...
Yaga Chief:
Well, I certainly can't refuse after you've saved our lives. We will gladly support you in any way we can.
Patxi:
Great. That's two out of the three villages on our side. Not bad.
Patxi:
There's nothing we can do about the one that was wiped out before we got here, though...
Patxi:
Oh, right.
Patxi:
There was a single survivor at the village that got wiped out. Can you send someone there to pick him up?
Patxi:
If you can, it'd be nice for you to give him some work here. I'm sure he wasn't hurt too badly.
Yaga Chief:
Well now, a survivor, you say...All right, I'll send someone out right away.
Patxi:
Great! Then that takes care of our mission.
Avicebron:
Excellent. Now then, Patxi.
Avicebron:
There is one more place we need to stop, so here is where we must part ways, though temporarily.
Patxi:
Huh? You want me to go back by myself?
Holmes:
Wouldn't it be quicker for you to return without us,since we won't be slowing you down?
Patxi:
Are you kidding? Avicebron's golems move way faster than I can.
Patxi:
...But, okay. I'll ask the village chief to help me snag a bicorn.
Patxi:
All right, I'll give our report to Atalante. Just make sure you get back to the stronghold as soon as you can.
Fujimaru 1:
Take care out there.
Patxi:
...Man, it still feels weird,having people being so kind like this.
Fujimaru 2:
Roger that!
Patxi:
Great. Well, guess this is goodbye for now.
Patxi:
Anyway, I doubt you guys're gonna betray us or get cold feet all of a sudden, but don't take too long coming back, you hear?
Section 7: Lamenting at Night, Crying at Dawn
Fujimaru 1:
Fujimaru, returning to base.
Mash:
Mash Kyrielight, returning to base.
Da Vinci:
Welcome back, you two! Nice to meet you in person, Avicebron!
Da Vinci:
It's an honor to meet such a distinguished golem master! No matter how bad things may get, the artist in me will never stop appreciating fine art☆
Avicebron:
You are too kind, Leonardo da Vinci. I am the one who should be honored to meet you.
Avicebron:
Truth be told, I am somewhat embarrassed to be greeted so kindly by such a renowned genius.
Avicebron:
Now then...I take it you called us here to do more than merely deliver a report.
Da Vinci:
Yup, I did. Come on, Mash, you're overdue for a checkup.
Mash:
Oh...R-right! I'm sorry, I completely forgot...!
Da Vinci:
I figured as much. Emergency or not,you still transformed again, didn't you?
Da Vinci:
Normally, I'd want to examine you immediately, but of course, circumstances aren't exactly ideal here.
Da Vinci:
All right, off to the exam room with you. Take care of Fujimaru for me, will you, Holmes?
Holmes:
Certainly. Very well then, Goredolf.
Holmes:
Now that we have the information [♂ Mr. /♀ Ms. ] Fujimaru acquired for us, what say we use it to plan our next move?
Goredolf:
Uh, y-yes, of course.... So, what DO we do next?
Holmes:
Well, to begin...
Da Vinci:
Okay, you're all done☆Doesn't look like anything major's messed up.
Da Vinci:
Your Servant Spirit Origin is still too unstable to rely on, but physically, you're totally healthy. BETTER than healthy, even.
Da Vinci:
Back at Chaldea, your human body and Servant Spirit Origin failed to work together, causing your body to attack itself in the form of autointoxication...
Da Vinci:
...but it looks like that disappeared during our voyage in Void Space. I really AM a genius, aren't I? Even my medical care is flawless!
Mash:
...Um, Technical Advisor Da Vinci.
Mash:
Could I talk to you about something?
Da Vinci:
Oh? This sounds serious. Lemme just grab myself a seat here.
Da Vinci:
Right then! What's up? Hopefully it's something I can help you with.
Mash:
...
Mash:
...Be honest with me. How many more times can I fight as a Servant?
Mash:
I know I've reached my limit as a Demi-Servant.
Mash:
But this is all too big for me to just sit on the sidelines and do nothing. I need to be able to fight beside Master again, even if it's unsafe...
Mash:
...Da Vinci?
Da Vinci:
Hmm...Hmmm...
Da Vinci:
Hmmm, mmm!
Da Vinci:
Nnn...Oh, forget it! No more cagey answers, and no more keeping secrets!
Da Vinci:
It's really not a question of “how many” at this point. You're perfectly capable of fighting plenty now.
Da Vinci:
Remember, you awoke the Spirit Origin that had been dormant in you for the last year.
Da Vinci:
You might not be quite as strong as you once were, what with the extreme cold and all, but it's not as if fighting is causing you a lot of pain, right?
Da Vinci:
And THAT is because your body has acclimated to being a Demi-Servant again.
Da Vinci:
At this point, it's actually all just a mental thing. Of course, that's really the biggest challenge of all!
Mash:
R-really...? But, I thought...
Mash:
...I thought Galahad was gone,that he decided I wasn't worthy...
Da Vinci:
Yup. I bet he did, the jerk. I'm pretty annoyed about that myself.
Da Vinci:
It's been a year since the battle at the Temple of Time. After handling your medical care during that whole time, there's one thing I can say for sure.
Da Vinci:
Galahad isn't helping you anymore. That so-called“Holy Knight” abandoned his responsibility to you.
Da Vinci:
He might as well have written you a Dear John letter to say he wasn't going to help anymore and you'll just have to take care of yourself from now on.
Da Vinci:
So, yeah...he's bailed on you,and he isn't coming back. Ever.
Mash:
...B-but then, how was I able to transform...?
Da Vinci:
Simple. You and Galahad are different people. He only really allowed you to give form to his power...You were borrowing it from him.
Da Vinci:
And thanks to your experience in battle,you grew into your own as a Knight of the Shield.
Da Vinci:
The person you were when you fused with that Heroic Spirit and the person you are now are pretty much completely different people at this point.
Da Vinci:
Galahad may be gone, but YOU are a full-fledged Demi-Servant in your own right, now.
Da Vinci:
Get it? The harm transforming has been doing to you, and the fact that your Spirit Origin seems weaker...none of that has to do with Galahad.
Da Vinci:
It's all you. Your body. Your mind.
Da Vinci:
Your weakness is just the state your body is in, and your inability to transform as completely as you'd like is just a matter of your own mind holding you back.
Mash:
...C-can you be more specific?
Mash:
Does that mean if I can resolve those two problems,I can be useful to everyone again...!?
Da Vinci:
Well, with Galahad gone, your Spirit Origin dropped pretty sharply. You've lost more than half your power.
Da Vinci:
It's no wonder you're not as strong as you used to be. So that's the plain old physical problem.
Da Vinci:
It also means you've lost the skills, gifts,and protection that came from his legend.
Da Vinci:
From here on, you'll need to develop and hone your own way of fighting.
Da Vinci:
Of course, we can help you with that. We just have to get back to the original plan.
Mash:
The original plan...You mean, Project Ortinax?
Da Vinci:
Oh, you know about that? Did Romani tell you?
Mash:
Oh, um...Actually, I heard about it from Director Marisbury. He said Heroic Spirits would probably reject a Demi-Servant...
Mash:
...so Project Ortinax would make up for any difficulty I might have in functioning properly as a Servant...
Da Vinci:
...(Sigh) I can't believe he had that much foresight and still didn't think to stop the Demi-Servant experiments...
Da Vinci:
Just what did he think Heroic Spirit bodies are, anyway? He should be ashamed of himself, letting them degrade just so he could accomplish his goal.
Da Vinci:
Well, not that I've been overly picky about my own methods. Me standing here now talking to you is proof enough, I suppose!
Da Vinci:
Aaanywho, your physical strength issue should take care of itself over time. We can talk more about that later.
Da Vinci:
So that leaves the mental aspect, Mash.
Da Vinci:
Right now, you're scared to transform. Your body refuses to make the Servant transformation because you are so riddled with doubts.
Mash:
Doubts...? I am?
Da Vinci:
Yes, and I don't mean our last conversation about how being a Servant could harm you.
Mash:
I...Okay. So...you're saying there's a different problem?
Da Vinci:
Yup. This time, you don't REALLY want to fight. Of course, that may have been true for all the other times as well.
Da Vinci:
But when we were fighting to save humanity, it was obvious we were doing the right thing. So, because of that, you were able to fight in spite of your fear.
Da Vinci:
But that's not true anymore. We aren't facing that kind of threat this time around.
Da Vinci:
You can sense it. And I'm sure Fujimaru can too.
Da Vinci:
And that makes this an even bigger problem than Galahad being gone OR the harmful side effects of your transformation into a Servant.
Da Vinci:
Mash Kyrielight.
Da Vinci:
Can you fight for what you believe is right, even against your fellow man...Even when that enemy hasn't done anything wrong?
Goredolf:
...Well? How was this even helpful!?
Goredolf:
All we've learned is that Russia has been overrun by a bunch of beastly barbarians!
Holmes:
Goredolf, they are not beasts. They are Yaga.
Goredolf:
Isn't that just what they've DECIDED to call themselves?
Holmes:
Not at all. The Kabbalah and alchemy may both be magecraft, but they are also quite different.
Holmes:
Their magecraft base and their spells may both differ greatly...
Holmes:
...but both are part of a system of knowledge and mechanics that is collectively known as magecraft.
Holmes:
Beastmen and Yaga may appear the same to you,but I assure you they are entirely different.
Holmes:
The creatures you refer to, Goredolf, are werewolves, lycanthropes, and the like.
Holmes:
They are Demonic Beasts who are awakened to their true nature by blood.
Holmes:
However, Yaga are a fusion of Demonic Beast and human.
Holmes:
As such, their closest approximation would be combined Phantasmals, such as Chimeras.
Goredolf:
Hmm, I see. So Yaga and Beastmen have different origins, eh...
Holmes:
Correct. However, the fundamental issue lies elsewhere.
Goredolf:
Oh?
Holmes:
Listen closely. The Yaga...have formed a country. They have their own culture, their own way of life.
Goredolf:
...And is that in some way different from the Singularities you CLAIM to have resolved?
Holmes:
Yes. Very much so.
Holmes:
The Singularities we resolved created hypothetical versions of history at different points in time.
Holmes:
Think of each as something of a diversion from the main track of history.
Holmes:
Chaldea resolved these Singularities by Rayshifting to those points in time and setting history back on its proper course.
Holmes:
This is different, though. The divergent point in history seems to be four hundred and fifty years ago.
Holmes:
Most likely, it occurred at the moment that the Great Cold Wave hit and Ivan the Terrible merged with Demonic Beasts to become a Yaga.
Goredolf:
Then this world's Singularity occurred in the past? It's over?
Holmes:
Precisely.
Holmes:
In other words, the hypothetical history this Singularity created has continued into the present.
Holmes:
Take Patxi's scoped bolt-action hunting rifle, for example. It is very similar to a modern-day gun.
Holmes:
But it is still far from cutting-edge technology. I believe it is made with engineering that, from our standpoint, would be half a century out-of-date.
Holmes:
But that sort of firearm WAS cutting edge back when it was introduced in Ivan the Terrible's era.
Holmes:
Furthermore, this one has a major trait that sets it apart even from our own modern-day weaponry.
Holmes:
It is specifically designed to kill Demonic Beasts.
Goredolf:
Ah, yes. I noticed that as well. I have a similar magical gun myself, you see.
Goredolf:
When he fired his gun, a spell was activated,though it was a primitive one.
Holmes:
I believe that weapon was made with the intention to be used by the Yaga.
Holmes:
Most likely, it uses magical energy instead of additional gunpowder to increase its muzzle velocity, thereby increasing its rounds' penetrative power.
Holmes:
Patxi seemed perfectly comfortable with it,as did the other Yaga.
Holmes:
And from that we can deduce that this world is entirely separate from our own; it followed an entirely different track of history than ours did.
Holmes:
As such, it would be inappropriate to call it a Singularity.
Goredolf:
...I don't care WHAT you call it. We have a much more important question that needs answering:
Goredolf:
Will overthrowing Ivan the Terrible actually solve the problem here?
Holmes:
...Given the nature of our enemy, I do think defeating him would have SOME effect on this world.
Goredolf:
Come now, aren't you the world's greatest detective? Aren't you supposed to have brilliant flashes of insight or something?
Holmes:
I'm afraid there is very little to work with, even in the way of circumstantial evidence. Besides...
Fujimaru 1:
Besides?
Fujimaru 2:
(Oh, for...Here we go...)
Holmes:
...now is not the time!
Goredolf:
Ugh! He actually said it!
Fujimaru 1:
That's the great detective for you...
Holmes:
Hahaha. That said, we may not yet know the full extent of the situation, but the problem isn't especially complex.
Holmes:
After all, we know exactly who our enemy is: a version of Ivan the Terrible who has been ruling Russia for roughly five hundred years.
Holmes:
That is the single largest point of differentiation between our Russia's history and this one. There can be no doubt that he is key to this world.
Holmes:
For the moment, our interests would best be served by continuing to aid the rebel army, as that is sure to lead us to Ivan the Terrible in due time.
Goredolf:
...So what you're saying is that we've got a long road ahead, full of twists and turns. Dammit!
Fujimaru 1:
That's not all.
Fujimaru 2:
There's something else we should discuss too.
Holmes:
Indeed. The human mage serving Ivan the Terrible,and their human-looking Servant.
Holmes:
The latter is most likely the woman we saw at Chaldea. Of course, it could also be Koyanskaya or the priest.
Goredolf:
Just thinking about them gives me chills.... Well, me and my bank account, in Koyanskaya's case.
Holmes:
The most pressing problem is the mage...
Holmes:
Kirschtaria called himself a Crypter.
Holmes:
He also said that there were seven of them...which corresponds to the number of mages from Team A who disappeared from their Coffins.
Holmes:
It follows, then, that one of those seven mages is now serving Ivan the Terrible.
Holmes:
Assuming we wish to take Koyanskaya at her word,the mage is Kadoc Zemlupus...
Holmes:
...Of course, we cannot be certain that is the case at this stage.
Holmes:
But if it is, then we must ask ourselves what measures he is likely to take to deal with us...
--SECTION BREAK--
Narration:
Ordinary people are scorned, and strong people envied.
Narration:
Those fancy mages from noble families,competing on skill? What a joke.
Narration:
As if they've ever won anything with their own two hands.
Narration:
Me, I WORKED to get where I was. I poured everything I had into it.
Narration:
Sometimes I'd cry like a baby about how meaningless it all felt, but I'd always dry my tears and keep on going.
Narration:
And the ones who were born with money and power hated me for it.
Narration:
They called me a worthless dog. They said I wasn't even human, that I was nothing more than livestock.
Narration:
But when seven people were assembled to serve as humanity's first line of defense...it was different.
Narration:
I was chosen to be one of them. And not for political reasons.
Narration:
They chose me on my own merits, nothing more.
Narration:
But then, it was all over before it even began. I never had a chance.
Narration:
That's right. We were done, and there was nothing we could do about it.
Grand Duchess:
You have the most frightful expression on your face, Kadoc. Are you all right?
Kadoc:
Huh!?
Kadoc:
...Oh. Sorry. Nothing to worry about, I promise.
Grand Duchess:
Why are you always so quick to apologize? Do you still feel inferior?
Kadoc:
Sorr–Dammit. Look, I can't really help being a walking inferiority complex.
Grand Duchess:
You still feel that way even though you were able to summon me? Luxury, jewelry, sell-off.
Kadoc:
...Sometimes, I have no idea what you're saying.
Kadoc:
So...uhh...being able to summon you is a luxury, like jewelry...and if I have a problem with that, you're gonna sell me off? Is that right?
Grand Duchess:
Yes, that is perfect. Well done.
Kadoc:
...I guess you're right.
Kadoc:
I'm a first-class Master,which is why you're a first-class Servant.
Grand Duchess:
But aren't you worried about how much magical energy you have?
Kadoc:
...You know that's a sore spot for me.
Kadoc:
It's a good thing that Casters don't need much magical energy from their Masters, but it still takes a hell of a lot to make a workshop and power a Noble Phantasm.
Grand Duchess:
Don't worry about that. My darling Viy will handle it.
Kadoc:
...Uh, in Proper Human History, Viy was supposed to be some unimaginably horrific monster.
Grand Duchess:
Oh, he is. Nikolai Gogol came up with him. He's a monster with very heavy eyelids.
Grand Duchess:
But Gogol didn't come up with him out of nowhere. He drew inspiration from the fearsome Balor of Irish myth.
Grand Duchess:
And there were other sources of inspiration, like Solodiviy Bunio, whose fiery gaze could reduce entire towns to ash, and Boniak, who is said to have killed no fewer than forty thousand people.
Grand Duchess:
Viy is the Romanovs' little Easter egg–our secret weapon.
Kadoc:
Maybe he wandered into Proper Human History from the Lostbelt...Viy's power always was...abnormal, even in his own time.
Kadoc:
Well, for my part, I was also surprised to find you were a mage, in the true sense of the word.
Grand Duchess:
...I suppose. Now that I've been redefined as a Heroic Spirit, I've become a mage representing the version of Russia we are in now.
Grand Duchess:
I may have been a pathetic failure in Proper Human History, but in this Lostbelt, I've become a Grand Duchess of Ice.
Grand Duchess:
...And it's all thanks to you, Kadoc Zemlupus.
Kadoc:
...I'm sorry for the twisted way I summoned you. It's just, that was the only way I could make sure you'd be a powerful Heroic Spirit.
Grand Duchess:
Ah, was what I said unclear? I was thanking you, in my own way.
Grand Duchess:
I don't mind that I am irregular. Thanks to that,I cannot even remember my family's faces clearly.
Grand Duchess:
I may look like a human on the outside,but inside, I'm much more Yaga.
Grand Duchess:
And because you summoned me to this Lostbelt,where even historical records are muddled...
Grand Duchess:
...all I can remember is that I'm Anastasia, the Grand Duchess...
Grand Duchess:
...and a shaman who made a pact with Viy.
Grand Duchess:
Either way, I have no attachment whatsoever to Proper Human History. I'm happy to be a Lostbelt Servant.
Grand Duchess:
You don't have to worry about anything. You are free to make use of me however you see fit.
Kadoc:
I know. Believe me, I have every intention of taking advantage of that power of yours.
Grand Duchess:
It is thanks to this power that I am able to kill.
Grand Duchess:
I will kill Chaldea, so that they no longer get in our way. I will kill the rebel army, who would defy the tsardom even in this Lostbelt Russia.
Grand Duchess:
And then–
Kadoc:
Whoa there. That's far enough, Grand Duchess.... Remember, he's only sleeping.
Kadoc:
You've gotta keep a lid on that magical energy of yours, too. At least while you're here.
Kadoc:
He's gonna keep on sleeping like a baby. That's how it has to be for the time being.
Grand Duchess:
...You're not much fun, are you?
Kadoc:
Oh come off it. You think I don't know that?
Kadoc:
...But I can't afford to lose again. Not this time. I'm gonna see this through to the end, no matter what.
Kadoc:
If I don't, that's it, I'm dead.
Grand Duchess:
I see. Then I hope you'll do your best to keep fighting, my Master.
Kadoc:
I will.
Grand Duchess:
Okay, that's enough narrow-mindedness for one day. I'm going to work on my dress.
Kadoc:
...Wait, hold up. Why would you even need that!?
Grand Duchess:
Why, for the ball, of course.
Kadoc:
There aren't any balls here!
Grand Duchess:
Then I'll throw one myself.
Kadoc:
You think anyone here still knows how to dance? You're gonna have to trust me on this: they don't.
Kadoc:
Not in this world!
Grand Duchess:
......
Kadoc:
...Oh crap. You're not planning to dance with ME, are you!?
Grand Duchess:
Of course not. Don't worry, I'm only joking. I would never put on a ball.
Grand Duchess:
And stop looking at me as though I were some sort of monster.
Grand Duchess:
The next time you do that, I'll freeze your feet to the floor and make you sleep in the hallway standing up.
Kadoc:
......
Grand Duchess:
There. That's exactly what I'm talking about, Master.
Grand Duchess:
You need to handle my charming insistence that I have my own way much better than you have been.
Kadoc:
This is exhausting...
Da Vinci:
Morning, Fujimaru! Did you get a good night's sleep?
Da Vinci:
I know a four-hour nap isn't much, but I bet it's a lot better than sleeping outside!
Da Vinci:
Now, here's some coffee and a plate of hard-boiled eggs...or at least, rations that kinda resemble them.
Da Vinci:
We ran out of eggs WAY back, sadly. Still, doesn't this make it feel like a typical morning inside a cramped submarine?
Fujimaru 1:
Thanks, Da Vinci.
Da Vinci:
No problem. Anyway, now that you're awake,there's something important we have to discuss.
Fujimaru 1:
Hey, where's Mash...?
Da Vinci:
Yeah, that's what I wanted to talk about. I've put her back on navigation duty.
Fujimaru 2:
...Is this about Mash?
Da Vinci:
Nice to see you're still quick on the uptake! And thanks for worrying about her; that's kind of you.
Da Vinci:
I've put Mash back in her old role as navigator.
Da Vinci:
She's on board, naturally.
Da Vinci:
Your Heroic Spirit summoning went great. Avicebron is proving to be a very dependable Servant.
Da Vinci:
He's probably the best one we could've hoped for in this frozen wasteland. You can't fight the cold with combat prowess alone now, can you?
Da Vinci:
Even Napoleon ended up losing to Russia's cold,and that was PROPER Human History, to boot!
Da Vinci:
But Avicebron's golems can serve as walls AND labor. Hell, they're fixing the Border even as we speak.
Da Vinci:
And of course, they make great soldiers too.
Da Vinci:
So since Mash can't fight, there's no reason for her to accompany you, or for you to have to keep her safe.
Fujimaru 1:
...I understand. I'm fine with that.
Da Vinci:
Great. Glad to hear it.
Fujimaru 2:
Good. I don't want to add to her burden.
Da Vinci:
Oh? Burden, huh? Well, in that regard, you'll just have to wait a little longer.
Mash:
Master!
Fujimaru 1:
Hi Mash.
Fujimaru 2:
Good morning.
Mash:
...Good morning.
Mash:
......
Fujimaru 1:
...
Fujimaru 2:
...
Mash:
...I'm so sorry, Master. I won't be able to help you on the front line anymore...
Fujimaru 1:
It's okay. I'll be fine.
Mash:
......I...
Fujimaru 2:
It's for the best, Mash. I'm worried about you.
Mash:
But...
Mash:
I'm fine. Really. There's nothing wrong with me physically. It's just...
Fujimaru 1:
We'll still be fighting together. Just in different places.
Mash:
...Right...
Fujimaru 2:
I know you'll do a great job guiding me again!
Mash:
...Master.
Mash:
Yes! I will!
Mash:
I promise I'll do my very best as your navigator.
Holmes:
Good morning, [♂ Mr. /♀ Ms. ] Fujimaru.
Holmes:
I'm sorry we couldn't let you rest longer. I do hope you made the most of your warm blanket while you had the opportunity.
Holmes:
Now then, back to the task at hand.
Holmes:
Our goal remains the same: find out what has happened here. Thanks to your previous efforts, we now know several things:
Holmes:
There is a new race of people called Yaga. Ivan the Terrible lives, and has ruled for the past five hundred years. An endless storm rages at the fringes of this world. And there is the mysterious tree...
Holmes:
I believe unraveling the mysteries of each of these points will determine our future course of action.
Holmes:
To begin, we need more information on Ivan the Terrible. Fortunately, we have the rebel army's trust.
Holmes:
At present, we plan to continue working with them in an effort to make our way to him.
Holmes:
If at all possible, I would like to help the rebel army with their aims as well.
Holmes:
Helping them to reach a point where they can defeat the Oprichniki would be ideal.
Avicebron:
Atalante may be a famous hunter in Greek myth...but I fear she would have a hard time facing Ivan the Terrible.
Goredolf:
Can't you summon a more powerful Servant? You know, like the King of Heroes, or the King of Conquerors, or the King of Knights?
Holmes:
I am afraid that, in that particular regard,our prospects are rather dim at the present moment.
Holmes:
Summoning such a powerful Servant here would be sure to spark all manner of rumors.
Holmes:
If the rebel army hasn't heard any such rumors, then it is safe to assume there is no Heroic Spirit in this world who could save it single-handedly.
Holmes:
Of course...there is always the possibility that they HAVE heard such rumors, and simply haven't yet told us.
Goredolf:
Grrr...I suppose that WOULD be too much to hope for.
Holmes:
This is not an ideal time for a bold, daring plan. At the moment, we need to focus on laying foundations.
Da Vinci:
You said it. Okay, Goredolf, time for you to go back to checking tomorrow's weather forecast.
Goredolf:
Anyone could tell you what tomorrow's weather will be here! Blizzard, blizzard, and MORE blizzard!
Fujimaru 1:
All right. See you later, Mash!
Da Vinci:
See you soon!
Mash:
Right! Good luck, Master!
Section 8: Vodka
Mash:
...It's just around midday now,but this blizzard isn't letting up at all...
Mash:
I placed a waypoint marking the location of the rebel army's hideout. Please take care not to get turned around on your way there.
Avicebron:
...! Stop, Fujimaru.
Mash:
Avicebron?
Avicebron:
Shh...
Mash:
What was that sound...?
Fujimaru 1:
It sounds like something is...crawling.
Avicebron:
Something quite large, at that...
Avicebron:
You know, I've heard rumors that giants used to walk the earth back in the Age of Gods...
Mash:
...I wonder if that's what Patxi was talking about.
Fujimaru 1:
You mean the D'yavol Tron?
Mash:
Right. The Demonic Beast that can destroy a whole village on its own.
Mash:
Looking at it now,it seems that was no exaggeration...
Avicebron:
It appears to resemble a large hydra...Well, Master? What would you have us do?
Avicebron:
Shall we fight it, or avoid it? I believe there is no wrong answer here.
Avicebron:
...I will go along with whatever you decide.
Fujimaru 1:
Let's get out of here before it sees us.
Mash:
I think that's a smart choice. All right, I'll guide you on a detour.
Avicebron:
Wait. I can see a number of Krichat'.
Mash:
...They must be waiting to pick off the D'yavol Tron's leftovers.
Avicebron:
It doesn't seem like that serpent has noticed them. I believe we should take them down quickly and quietly.
Fujimaru 2:
It might attack a village if we don't take it down.
Avicebron:
As you wish.
Avicebron:
We will certainly need to face this enemy sooner or later if we are to survive here in this Russia.
Avicebron:
I will begin by slowing it down with my golems. Mash Kyrielight, would you mind analyzing it for us?
Mash:
Right! I'll do everything I can to compile as much data about it as possible!
--BATTLE--
Avicebron:
It seems we were successful in disposing of the Krichat' before they could alert the D'yavol Tron to our presence.
Avicebron:
Now, let us move on before it spots us. I must say, I am quite pleased with how this turned out.
Mash:
You did it! I've confirmed the D'yavol Tron's vital signs have disappeared!
Mash:
I think I was able to run a fairly thorough analysis on it, too. It looks like its body produces alcohol.
Goredolf:
Oh? You don't mean...vodka!?
Mash:
Huh? Uh, no, it isn't distilled liquor. If anything, it looks like it's closer to the fermented kind...
Goredolf:
Fermented!? That peasant swill!? Ugh, never mind!
Goredolf:
Fujimaru, hurry up and get yourself back to the rebel army's hideout!
Goredolf:
Any decent Russian military installation should have SOME vodka lying around! Make sure to bring back anything you can get them to share!
Avicebron:
I only hope the Yaga are still able to afford such luxuries. Come, Fujimaru, let us hurry on.
Section 9: Birth of a Yaga
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
Halt!
Avicebron:
This is Fujimaru, and I am Avicebron. We are members of the rebel army. Please open the gate.
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
Oh, it's you guys. Perfect timing!
Mash:
What do you mean...?
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
The boss has another favor to ask you.
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
She wants your help hashing things out with other Servants!
Mash:
...!
Patxi:
Hey there.
Patxi:
...Hm? Where's the other one?
Patxi:
Where'd Mash go?
Mash:
Hello, Patxi. I hope you don't mind my cutting in remotely like this.
Mash:
I, uh, I was reassigned to the rear guard.
Mash:
Avicebron is here now,and I can only be so much help in battle...
Mash:
So for the time being,I'll be supporting you all as a navigator.
Patxi:
Oh, huh. All right.
Patxi:
...Anyway, you looked pretty tough to me,but I guess I was wrong.
Mash:
I...
Atalante Alter:
So, you have returned.
Atalante Alter:
Patxi told me everything that happened. You did well, convincing two out of the three villages to help us.
Atalante Alter:
It is a shame the third village was destroyed,but there's nothing we can do about that now.
Atalante Alter:
...I take it Mash has bowed out?
Mash:
...Yes. I'm so sorry.
Atalante Alter:
It is fine. You must have your reasons, so I will not pry.
Atalante Alter:
If you have determined you are unable to fight, then removing yourself from the battlefield is the only sensible decision.
Atalante Alter:
...Now then.
Atalante Alter:
While you were visiting those two villages,we learned about another possible ally.
Atalante Alter:
While it's safe to say that most of the frontier area's population is on our side...
Atalante Alter:
...we still have precious few actual soldiers who are able to fight.
Avicebron:
Understandable, given that most of them are mere villagers.
Atalante Alter:
You see, there's actually another faction here in Russia, in addition to the Tsar's Oprichniki and our rebel army.
Atalante Alter:
Our numbers are primarily composed of farmers,but theirs are deserters and former nobility.
Atalante Alter:
...The problem is that this faction is also being led by a Servant.
Mash:
...!
Avicebron:
Do you know who they are?
Atalante Alter:
I've met him once.
Atalante Alter:
I still know little about him,but I believe he was of a class similar to my own.
Atalante Alter:
He also...
Atalante Alter:
...Ahem. He also, um...wasn't wearing any clothes.
Fujimaru 1:
Was it...Roland?
Atalante Alter:
I am afraid I did not get his name.
Fujimaru 2:
You mean...full frontal!?
Atalante Alter:
O-of course not! H-his lower half was completely covered!
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
That would never fly among us either.
Atalante Alter:
At any rate, given that their leader is also a Servant, it falls to me to meet with him.
Atalante Alter:
Avicebron, I would like you to keep an eye on our base while I am gone. Would you mind?
Avicebron:
What say you, Master?
Fujimaru 1:
Do it.
Avicebron:
Very well, your wish is my command. I will leave your golem as it is then.
Avicebron:
Atalante, would you like a golem as well?
Atalante Alter:
No, thank you. I have no need for any vehicle. My name is famous for a reason.
Avicebron:
...Ah, yes. As I recall, you were the fastest runner in all of Greek myth.
Atalante Alter:
Patxi, I want you to come with us too.
Atalante Alter:
They're sure to get suspicious if we come without at least one Yaga.
Atalante Alter:
Furthermore, I am told you are a hunter, so I would like you to kill and dress any beasts we find along the way.
Atalante Alter:
I could do that as well,but I doubt the same is true for the Chaldean.
Patxi:
Got it. I can do that.
Patxi:
Well, Fujimaru, looks like you and I are heading out together again.
Fujimaru 1:
I'm glad to have you with us, Patxi.
Fujimaru 2:
I just hope I can be useful.
Patxi:
Well then, you can help me collect herbs to get rid of the meat's gamy scent.
Atalante Alter:
...Then it looks like we're good to go.
Atalante Alter:
Oh, right. Patxi, would you tell Yashkia to come here?
Patxi:
You got it.
Yaga (Child):
Nyaooo!
Yaga (Child):
Ahahaha!
Patxi:
...Tch.
Narration:
Looking around here, I see kids playing, old folks relaxing comfortably, and farmers tilling their fields like they don't have a care in the world.
Narration:
For some reason, it makes me sick.
Narration:
...I'd had such a clear image of what the rebel army's life must be like.
Narration:
I imagined brave soldiers, proudly risking their lives to defeat Ivan the Terrible.
Narration:
But now here I am, and I see it for what it is: a bunch of weakling Yaga with nowhere else to go.
Narration:
Kids, the elderly, farmers...This is their refuge.
Narration:
And that human-looking monster is the only thing keeping them safe.
Patxi:
Hey. You're Yashkia, right?
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
Huh? Yeah, that's me...
Patxi:
The boss wants to see you. Some kind of message before we head out.
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
Got it. I'll be right there.
Patxi:
...?
Patxi:
...This is a map. And it's not of this area;the topography's too different.
Patxi:
Are they planning on relocating the stronghold?
Patxi:
...Eh, whatever.
Atalante Alter:
All right, everyone,take care of things while I am gone.
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
It's in good hands, Boss.
Yaga (Child):
Are you leaving, Boss?
Atalante Alter:
Yes. But do not worry. I promise to return.
Yaga (Child):
Okay!
Atalante Alter:
...All right now.
Atalante Alter:
We'll start with a cave at the halfway point. Patxi, you'll obtain and dress some meat before we get there.
Patxi:
Got it. All right, might as well get going.
Atalante Alter:
The weather is nice today. The blizzard has died down considerably.
Fujimaru 1:
It's still just as cold as ever, though...
Atalante Alter:
That is one of the worst things about this world. I am afraid this is as close as it gets to a bright and sunny day here.
Fujimaru 2:
So, our choices are big blizzard or slightly smaller blizzard?
Patxi:
Yup. Any day where the storm weakens is a lucky day.
Patxi:
We almost never get weather like this, after all...
Patxi:
...Wait. Is your world a lot brighter than this, Fujimaru?
Mash:
Yes, it is.
Mash:
It depends on where you go, but I would certainly say blue sky is much more common in our world.
Mash:
Though, honestly I haven't seen much of it myself, so it's a little silly for me to speak of it like I'm an expert...
Patxi:
Blue sky, huh...For us, this is about as blue as it gets.
Patxi:
...Hey, when you say blue, you mean BLUE blue, right? Do you really get clear skies like that?
Fujimaru 1:
Sure do.
Patxi:
I see...What a weird color for the sky...
Atalante Alter:
Not at all.
Atalante Alter:
A clear blue sky brings peace of mind to all manner of people.
Atalante Alter:
...Of course, different people do prefer different colors of sky. That's just as true for Yaga too.
Atalante Alter:
...Still, for us old-fashioned humans, it is depressing seeing the sky so stormy all the time.
Atalante Alter:
Anyway, I can smell Demonic Beasts nearby. Let's go hunting, Fujimaru.
--BATTLE--
Patxi:
Man, I'm still super impressed with you guys...
Patxi:
Hm? What's that scent?
Atalante Alter:
...That is no Demonic Beast. It smells like Yaga blood. It is likely too late to help, but we should go check it out nonetheless.
Patxi:
Hey, I found them. Although...
Fujimaru 1:
What's up?
Atalante Alter:
I see...
Mash:
They're dead. I suppose they had an unlucky encounter with Demonic Beasts.
Atalante Alter:
No, it's not that. They were killed by a weapon...and a frighteningly sharp one at that.
Atalante Alter:
...No Yaga sword or hatchet would make a cut so clean.
Atalante Alter:
Their skin is much tougher than any human's, so the only way to cut through them like this is with a very sharp weapon and a truly powerful blow.
Mash:
Could it be a Yaga hunting other Yaga with a blade? Or maybe there's a Demonic Beast with blades like this?
Patxi:
I've never heard of anything like that. And then there's these footprints...
Patxi:
These are no Yaga prints. These are human prints, like yours.
Mash:
Like ours...?
Mash:
Come to think of it, we did hear about someone who protected a Yaga village from bandits...
Holmes:
Ah yes, the one who supposedly sliced off the bandits' arms in an instant. This may indeed be our swordsman, but there is too little evidence to be certain.
Holmes:
It could also be another Servant we know nothing about, after all.
Atalante Alter:
We shall have to keep all that in mind. Now come on, the sun is going to set soon.
Atalante Alter:
We can rest in the cave up ahead. Patxi, will you drain our prey's blood?
Fujimaru 1:
Urp...
Patxi:
Guess this stench WOULD be a lot for a human to take.
Patxi:
Just sit tight. You can make most of it go away by draining the blood and letting it sit in water mixed with salt and herbs for a while.
Patxi:
I'll put the entrails aside, too. If you boil them and keep them in a leather pouch, that can work as a lure for Demonic Beasts.
Patxi:
If things get bad, you can just toss it and the things'll go running after it.
Atalante Alter:
Are the entrails inedible?
Patxi:
Hmm, technically no, but they don't exactly taste great. Plus, they're real poisonous.
Mash:
Then they must contain a lot of toxins. It'd be safer to just avoid them, then.
Patxi:
Yup. But the back meat's safe. Here, I just finished cooking some. Go on, eat up.
Fujimaru 1:
Pretty, uh, wild flavor...
Patxi:
Right?
Fujimaru 2:
It reminds me a lot of bear meat.
Patxi:
Bear, huh? What sort of creature is that? Is it weak? Does it taste good? Is it filling?
Fou:
Fom fom.
Patxi:
You know, the more I look at that thing,the stranger it seems...
Atalante Alter:
From our perspective, it is you Yaga who are the real wonder. I still cannot fathom how your kind has managed to survive in this frigid world.
Mash:
It DOES regularly fall below minus one hundred degrees at night and on particularly cold days. I don't see how even merging with Demonic Beasts let you survive...
Patxi:
...Don't go around asking other Yaga about that. It's considered a serious taboo.
Atalante Alter:
...?
Patxi:
There was a time...back before we had guns that could kill Demonic Beasts...when we used to eat weak Yaga.
All:
!!!
Patxi:
Well...you know how people used to breed livestock, right? Artificial selection, I think they called it?
Patxi:
That's how we survived this long, too.
Patxi:
The weak were weeded out. The strong and weak were analyzed to see what separated them, and the strong were prized above all else.
Patxi:
After we merged with Demonic Beasts, we ate those who were swallowed up by their power, or couldn't handle it, or couldn't ever see themselves going on like this.
Patxi:
Next, we fed on the young and sickly,followed by those who were just straight-up weak.
Patxi:
After all that, we stopped just being a combination of Demonic Beast and human, and started being Yaga.
Patxi:
My old man told me where our name came from a long time ago. It was something like “Baba Yaga” I think.
Mash:
Baba Yaga...That's a figure from Slavic folklore. I believe she was a man-eating witch.
Patxi:
They say that's where we got the idea to start calling ourselves “Yaga”.
Patxi:
That's what we started calling ourselves to set us apart from the old, frail humans.
Patxi:
Or maybe because we were willing to kill and eat our own kind.
Patxi:
...Anyway, now you know why we're called that. It reminds us, so we never forget what we did.
Patxi:
Somebody named us Yaga for a reason. So when you get right down to it, we really aren't like you guys.
Mash:
...No, maybe not.
Mash:
We ARE weak and frail,which is why we banded together.
Atalante Alter:
...To be honest, I feel rather at home among this Yaga society...except when it comes to the children.
Atalante Alter:
I have no problem with grown-ups fighting and eating each other, but children...
Fujimaru 1:
You always did like kids.
Fujimaru 2:
I see you're still you, Alter or not.
Atalante Alter:
...That is none of your business.
Patxi:
...Maybe that's why the other Yaga accepted you as their boss.
Narration:
...A new blizzard began at nightfall, and it never stopped. We ended up waiting in the cave overnight.
Narration:
Even when morning came, it was only marginally brighter out than it had been at night...
Narration:
But for a Yaga like me,that light was more than enough.
Narration:
After all, I could still clearly make out Fujimaru as [♂ he /♀ she] was sleeping in this dimly lit cave.
Narration:
[♂ He /♀ She] still had [♂ his /♀ her] eyes closed, but [♂ he /♀ she] was quietly talking to Mash's projection.
Narration:
...Even I didn't feel right listening in on that.
Narration:
Besides, I could tell from [♂ his /♀ her] expression that they weren't talking about anything important, let alone me.
Narration:
Atalante, though...She had her eyes closed,but I was pretty sure she wasn't actually sleeping.
Narration:
Just turning and looking at her for a bit made her furrow her brow. I turned away pretty quickly.
Narration:
If I'd kept looking at her for just one more second,I'm sure she'd have opened her eyes.
Narration:
Atalante's no Yaga, but she looks more like one of us than she does humans.
Narration:
That's probably why the Yaga trust her;she's only a little different from us.
Narration:
...That's not true for Fujimaru, though. It isn't just the way [♂ he /♀ she] looks. There's something fundamentally different about [♂ him /♀ her].
Narration:
A long, long time ago, I left something behind that I just couldn't take anymore.
Narration:
It nags at me now, just a little bit, like a tiny thorn jabbing me in the chest.
Narration:
...Nevertheless, I decided to just put it out of my mind.
Narration:
To close my eyes, fall asleep,and not think about anything.
--ARROW--
Patxi:
According to the map, there's nothing but ruined old villages up ahead. You sure we're going the right way?
Atalante Alter:
I am!
Mash:
The blizzard seems even stronger than usual today...Maybe that's why our comms keep cutting out.
Mash:
At Chaldea, we could stay in contact no matter how far apart in time and space we might be, but now...
Mash:
Are you all right, Master?
Fujimaru 1:
I can feel my breath turning into ice!
Mash:
Normally that would be fatal. But it looks like your special Mystic Code is doing its job!
Fujimaru 2:
I'm managing!
Patxi:
Damn, I'm impressed. This is rough, even for a Yaga like me.
Atalante Alter:
!
Patxi:
Huh!?
Atalante Alter:
Who goes there!?
D：???:
That's what I wanna know!
D：???:
What're you lot doing in a dilapidated old frontier town like this?
D：???:
I'm afraid with a storm like this going on,I've got no choice but to take a few potshots!
Mash:
...I could have sworn he was aiming directly at us just now!
Atalante Alter:
I am Atalante, hunter of Greece! I wish to speak to your leader!
D：???:
I ain't got a damn thing to talk about with you!
Atalante Alter:
Well we do!
Atalante Alter:
And we are coming your way,whether you like it or not!
D：???:
...Fine then! You wanna come over here, be my guest! But I'm gonna see what you're made of, first!
Billy:
Let me introduce myself right proper! Name's Billy the Kid!
Billy:
Get past me if you can!
--BATTLE--
Billy:
Whoa there. Hold your horses a moment.
Atalante Alter:
Good grief. He certainly does not lack for energy.
Fujimaru 1:
Billy!
Fujimaru 2:
It looks like he doesn't know about Chaldea...?
Billy:
Chaldea? What's that? Ain't never heard of that before.
Billy:
What do y'all even know about me anyways?
Billy:
Just been one damn mess after another since we got summoned here.
Billy:
We ain't got a scintilla of an idea what we oughta be doin' or how to go about it!
Mash:
...Master. This Billy doesn't match the record in the Spirit Origin graph.
Mash:
He doesn't appear to be the same Billy we got to know back in North America...
Holmes:
This world must have summoned him, then. I'm surprised there was enough magical energy for that, given the lack of a Holy Gra–
Holmes:
(No, wait. There is no reason to assume there is no Holy Grail here. That would be nonsensical. )
Holmes:
(The very fact that there are Servants without a Master proves that there must be a Holy Grail here, or something equivalent to one. )
Holmes:
(If a Holy Grail does not fall into human hands, it acts as a neutral source of magical energy, one that simply reacts to the world it finds itself in. )
Holmes:
(In which case, it would be perfectly sensible for it to respond to humanity's death throes by summoning Servants to counter the source of that trouble...)
Fujimaru 1:
I haven't met YOU before, but...
Fujimaru 2:
A different Billy the Kid helped me out before.
Billy:
...Hm. That so. Well, 'fraid I'm the only me I know of.
Billy:
Now then...Hey, Berserker! That hunter lady's here!
Billy:
And she's got a human and some other Servants with her!
E：???:
Ah, she's finally here, huh. All right, me and you'll do this together!
Beowulf:
...Hey there. Didn't know we were back on speaking terms.
Mash:
Beowulf...!
Beowulf:
Hm? Who're you? ...A human? No, you must be a Servant.
Beowulf:
And you...You must be a mage...So you're the Master, huh?
Beowulf:
...So're you the mage working for Ivan the Terrible?
Fujimaru 1:
No way.
Fujimaru 2:
I'm the Master of Chaldea.
Beowulf:
Chaldea...As in, the stargazers...? Seems to ring a bell...Maybe, maybe not...
Beowulf:
Dammit, my memory's been messed up ever since I got summoned. Can't even remember anything about myself!
Fujimaru 1:
We met in America!
Beowulf:
America...? Nope, sorry, I can't remember. And that means I can't trust you.
Beowulf:
Still, if you've come all the way out here, you must've known what you were getting yourself into.
Beowulf:
First we fight, then we talk. In Russia, you gotta be strong to survive.
Beowulf:
Prove to me that you're the strongest there is.
Atalante Alter:
...I see. All right. Let us do battle.
Fujimaru 1:
Atalante?
Atalante Alter:
(Trust me on this, Master, Mash. He's no ordinary warmonger. )
Atalante Alter:
(I am certain there is a method to his madness. )
Fujimaru 1:
...Got it!
Beowulf:
Good. Now, since you've got two on your side...Oi, Billy!
Billy:
All right, all right. If we're doin' this, I ain't gonna hold nothin' back. You wanna earn our trust?
Billy:
Then my six-shooter'll determine whether you're worthy!
Atalante Alter:
Here they come, Fujimaru! I trust you are ready to meet them!
--BATTLE--
Beowulf:
...There we go. That oughta do it.
Billy:
Phew. You guys are good.
Beowulf:
...You see, Yaga? These guys' strength is the real deal!
Beowulf:
Anyone got a problem with 'em!?
C：Yaga:
Nope!
D：Yaga:
Not here!
E：Yaga:
Not at all!
Beowulf:
Great, now we should be all set! Welcome to the Thug's Village!
Billy:
Come on, we'll show you the way.
Atalante Alter:
...Good grief. So that is what that was all about.
--ARROW--
Beowulf:
...Sorry about that,Master of Chaldea or whatever it was.
Beowulf:
How 'bout we start over? I'm Beowulf, and that's Billy.
Beowulf:
We're just a coupla wandering bastards who got summoned here about three months ago.
Beowulf:
We didn't have a Master, or even the faintest idea what the hell was going on besides the fact that it's ungodly cold here.
Beowulf:
After wandering around aimlessly for a while, one thing led to another, and we ended up becoming guards for this village...well, leaders, really.
Mash:
...I can't believe that two Rogue Servants survived out here for three whole months...
Mash:
Still, you both appear to be from Proper Human History. Why did you challenge us to a fight?
Patxi:
We had to prove that we were strong,or the Yaga outside would never have accepted us.
Fujimaru 1:
Even with their boss vouching for us?
Beowulf:
Trust me, they're stubborn as hell. They wouldn't have believed it if they hadn't seen it for themselves.
Billy:
Here, have some coffee.... Or, well, it's broth made from beans that look a mite like coffee, at least.
Billy:
I added a bit of sugar so it'll taste better'n it looks. Just a little somethin' in the way of an apology for that testing business out there.
Billy:
Reckon we got a little carried away, seeing other humans–well, Servants and a mage, besides us.
Beowulf:
Yup. Hell, I was downright euphoric. Sorry about that, lady.
Atalante Alter:
Do not trouble yourself about it. In truth, I am positively elated that I was not the only one the land called here.
Atalante Alter:
I cannot believe you made coffee here,eith–What a peculiar taste...
Atalante Alter:
It tastes like spiced apple, and yet there is still a distinct coffee flavor to it...
Fujimaru 1:
This hits the spot.
Patxi:
I'm surprised you guys have it in you to drink this stuff.
Billy:
Well, we got a fair number of descendants of former noble folk here. They got recipes for all manner of things, turns out.
Billy:
Handful of these Yaga got a talent for magecraft,so we can even grow vegetables in a greenhouse.
Fujimaru 2:
Ahh, I feel so much warmer.
Billy:
Ain't that the truth! Seems these Yaga are just as keen to eat a good meal as any of us humans.
Atalante Alter:
That, I am afraid, is a luxury our rebel army cannot afford.
Billy:
Whoops, sorry about that.
Atalante Alter:
...Allow me to introduce myself again.
Atalante Alter:
My name is Atalante.
Atalante Alter:
I am the Servant leading the rebel army against Ivan the Terrible.
Atalante Alter:
The last time we met, we did little more than glare at one another from across the snowy plains without revealing our True Names.
Atalante Alter:
I am pleased we have had the chance to sit face-to-face and speak with each other.
Beowulf:
Same here. I'm glad you stopped by. The Yaga here can be a little weird at times.
Beowulf:
'Course, that's probably why they didn't have a place under Ivan's regime.
Atalante Alter:
For our part, the rebel army decided to revolt because they were too weak to survive under Ivan's rule.
Atalante Alter:
...I know our groups possess very different temperaments, but would it be possible for us to join forces nonetheless?
Billy:
Hmm. Well, speakin' for ourselves,we ain't got no quarrel with the notion, but...
Beowulf:
...I don't see our people going for it.... For the moment, I'd have to say no.
Atalante Alter:
That hardly comes as a surprise.
Atalante Alter:
The Yaga in the rebel army had no issue with my being a woman.
Atalante Alter:
But given how the others were looking at me earlier...
Beowulf:
Yup.
Beowulf:
For these Yaga,male chauvinism's the order of the day.
Beowulf:
There's no strong female Yaga. Or at least, there weren't any that were able to prove their strength.
Beowulf:
So this lot's gone and decided that all females are weak everywhere.
Atalante Alter:
...What drivel. Both men and women are equally capable fighters, so long as they are well trained.
Atalante Alter:
Yaga may not die from extreme temperatures or excessive blood loss like humans do, but they are just as vulnerable to having their brains or hearts destroyed as we are–male OR female.
Fujimaru 1:
You wouldn't die from losing a lot of blood, Patxi?
Patxi:
Hm? Oh, right. I guess you humans CAN die that way, huh?
Patxi:
If you sever a Yaga's artery or the like, our blood vessels just reconnect themselves. If we're losing blood, we just produce more automatically.
Patxi:
So you humans die if one of your arteries gets severed, huh? Sounds rough...
Atalante Alter:
...That reminds me.
Atalante Alter:
On our way here, we saw some Yaga who had been cut to pieces.
Atalante Alter:
Was that your doing, Beowulf?
Beowulf:
Cut to pieces...? I don't remember killing any Yaga recently.
Beowulf:
Besides, my sword's practically a club, really. Better for pounding than slashing.
Billy:
The Yaga have been passing 'round a story about a human killer. Sounds similar, you ask me.
Fujimaru 1:
Killer...?
Beowulf:
Right...There was an urban legend of sorts going around some time after we were summoned here.
Beowulf:
Says there's someone going around cutting down Oprichniki and Yaga alike.
Beowulf:
Whoever it is happened to save one of our guys at one point, and he said they claimed to be from Chaldea.
Atalante Alter:
Chaldea...That is your organization, is it not, Fujimaru? Do you have any idea who this person might be?
Fujimaru 1:
Not a clue!
Atalante Alter:
...Well, they may not be our ally, but if they are killing Oprichniki, they are no friend of the Tsar either.
Beowulf:
Anyway, getting back on track.
Beowulf:
One of the problems is that these Yaga put too much importance on being strong, but that's not by any means the only problem.
Beowulf:
They think it's only proper for the weak to serve the strong, or for those who're big and tall to look down on those who aren't, so to speak.
Billy:
Been tellin' them that ain't the case, but callin' them slow learners is givin' them too much credit.
Billy:
I've been ambushed more times'n I care to count.
Billy:
'Course, a few rounds to the knees and bellies settled them down.
Billy:
See, Yaga're more than a bit tough to kill.
Beowulf:
The whole reason these Yaga have come to accept us as their leaders is because we've kept beating them in one-on-one duels.
Beowulf:
And since you guys held your own against us, they'll accept you too.
Billy:
Truly, we'd love to get the hell outta this place ourselves.
Beowulf:
...But we can't. We know what would happen if we did.
Atalante Alter:
...I see. These Yaga would turn to banditry...
Beowulf:
THAT'S the big problem. You guys must've run into bandits a few times by now, right?
Beowulf:
Well, they used to be part of our group.
Beowulf:
And there's bound to be some Yaga here who aren't gonna be happy about you killing their friends.
Atalante Alter:
You mean you knew your Yaga had turned to banditry,and did nothing to stop them?
Billy:
No, no. That ain't the way of it.
Billy:
When Beowulf and I took over things here,some of the Yaga got it into their heads to defect.
Billy:
Said they wouldn't let no humans lead them,and they'd rather join up with the rebel army.
Billy:
Never entered our minds they'd set upon other settlements and steal food. We're awful sorry.
Atalante Alter:
They must have changed their minds after seeing us. They probably wrote us off as just a group of weak, disenfranchised Yaga, led by a human female.
Beowulf:
It's my fault for not stopping them. I'm sorry.
Atalante Alter:
...What is done is done. I cannot expect you to keep track of those who have defected from your command.
Atalante Alter:
Still, given everything you have told us, it does seem that joining forces would be fraught with risk.
Atalante Alter:
My settlement is home not only to women who have never seen combat, but also children, the elderly, and those suffering various illnesses.
Atalante Alter:
There would inevitably be a great deal of discord between the two sides.
Beowulf:
Exactly. So how about this?
Beowulf:
...Instead of joining forces, we forge an alliance. That way, there shouldn't be any problem.
Atalante Alter:
Hmm. So we would each carry out our own tasks separately, but work toward the same goal?
Atalante Alter:
...Yes, that WOULD be better. We may not be able to coordinate our plans of attack, but we could at least avoid getting in each other's way.
Atalante Alter:
How would we communicate?
Billy:
Well, what about that lovely girl of yours who pops up and chimes in every now 'n then?
Billy:
Can't you people at Chaldea or whatever it was do somethin' to keep us in touch.
Mash:
I'm sorry...Right now, the Shadow Border is only capable of communicating with Master.
Mash:
What do you think, Da Vinci?
Da Vinci:
Let's seeeeee...Looks like we had some comm devices back in America. Oh, I even made a note saying how much easier they made things.
Da Vinci:
We don't have anything like that right now, nor the materials to make them. PLUS this world doesn't really work by the rules we're used to.
Da Vinci:
Unlike Proper Human History, it's just too stagnant here for magical energy to reach around the world so readily.
Da Vinci:
It's safe to communicate with Fujimaru, since [♂ he's /♀ she's] a Chaldean Master...
Da Vinci:
...but any other transmissions could end up getting intercepted. Sorry, but no dice.
Billy:
Gotcha. Well, that's a right shame. Suppose we can always use the Demonic Beast we domesticated.
Mash:
You mean you've domesticated a Demonic Beast here too?
Billy:
'Course. Well, wasn't my doin' so much as a mage's. But y'all get the idea. You got any Casters workin' for you?
Fujimaru 1:
Two, and they're both awesome.
Goredolf:
Hm? Avicebron has certainly proven most dependable,but who's the other one you're talking ab–OW!
Fujimaru 2:
Da Vinci!
Da Vinci:
Hey there! I'm Leonardo da Vinci, Caster extraordinaire!
Beowulf:
...Well this is a surprise. For some reason, I already know your name...
Beowulf:
...but I didn't really expect the prime of your life to have been at...such a young age.
Da Vinci:
Is it so strange?
Beowulf:
Uh, yeah. Looking at you now, you look almost like a child.
Beowulf:
Guess it's true what they say about artists and writers hitting their peak at different ages.
Goredolf:
What are you saying? Don't be fooled! She may look young, but she's just as old and cranky on the inside as–YEOWCH!
Da Vinci:
Anyway, can I see this Demonic Beast of yours?
Billy:
Sure. Here he is.
Goredolf:
I-it certainly is an unusual-looking creature...Even I've never seen its like before.
Da Vinci:
He could be a species that went extinct in our world. That aside, he's certainly...
Fujimaru 1:
Indescribably cute.
Fujimaru 2:
Obscenely adorable.
Beowulf:
Right? He's a real cutie.
Atalante Alter:
...Hmm. Does he have a name?
Beowulf:
Sure he does. This is Shanshan.
Mash:
What a lovely name...
Billy:
This little fella here can sniff out Beowulf or me purely from our magical energy.
Da Vinci:
Hmm, interesting. But I'm afraid I don't see how he could follow magical energy through a comms device.
Atalante Alter:
Hmm. Then I will have him learn my scent.
Atalante Alter:
Here, Shanshan. It is all right.
Patxi:
...Is it just me, or is he really,REALLY afraid of you?
Atalante Alter:
......
Atalante Alter:
...Well, I suppose these things happen...
Fujimaru 1:
(She's really taking this hard...)
Mash:
(She DID grow up in the forest among all sorts of different beasts, after all...)
Fujimaru 2:
(Come on, Shanshan! Work with us here! )
Mash:
(I don't think that's going to work...)
Atalante Alter:
Well, I HAVE killed many of his fellow Demonic Beasts. I suppose it is no wonder he is frightened of me...
Fujimaru 1:
What about me...?
Billy:
Well now, he certainly seems fine with the Master here.
Beowulf:
Shanshan, I want you to remember [♂ his /♀ her] scent. Can you do that?
Mash:
He's shaking his head...
Beowulf:
Aha, I see. Okay, I understand.
Beowulf:
...Atalante, he can't learn your scent because you're too similar to Demonic Beasts.
Beowulf:
As far as Shanshan's concerned,you're more of a predator than a friend.
Atalante Alter:
I see. Well, if that is how it is,then there is nothing I can do!
Beowulf:
As for you, Master of Chaldea...
Beowulf:
That Mystic Code of yours seems to be masking any magical energy he might use to track you.
Beowulf:
But of course, you probably can't survive here without it. And since Shanshan can't track Yaga scents...
Patxi:
Yeah, yeah, that rules me out too.
Billy:
...Hmm, I suppose that doesn't leave us much choice. Well, then, I've come to a decision!
Billy:
I'll go with them!
Beowulf:
...So what, you're just gonna pawn these guys off on me?
Billy:
Puttin' down roots ain't really in the cards for outlaws like me. 'Sides, you're a king.
Billy:
The heart of it is that I got a feelin' we Servants were summoned here to fight this Ivan the Terrible.
Billy:
'Course that's true of you as well, Beo,but you got other things to keep you here.
Billy:
But that ain't the case for me. Honestly, I–
Beowulf:
Whoa there, Billy. You don't need to say anything more. Go on then, get outta here.
Billy:
...I surely will. Sorry to be leavin'you behind with all the tough work.
Beowulf:
Ah, well, what can you do. That's just how it is for kings.
Billy:
Thanks, Beo. You take care of these folks while I'm away.
Beowulf:
Don't worry, they'll be in good hands.... There you have it, Atalante. Billy's gonna be tagging along with you now.
Atalante Alter:
I would ask if you will be able to keep these Yaga in line on your own...but I suppose that would be unbecoming.
Beowulf:
Damn straight it would. I'm Beowulf, remember?
Beowulf:
As long as this Spirit Origin body of mine remembers I'm a king...I'll make a fair, just government and save the people of this land.
Patxi:
...A fair and just government...
Fujimaru 1:
Thanks, Your Majesty.
Beowulf:
...Honestly, I'm not really cut out for this stuff.
Fujimaru 2:
This really isn't your kinda thing, is it?
Beowulf:
Hell no it's not! I didn't think the short end of the stick could ever be THIS short!
Beowulf:
So, there you have it, Atalante.
Beowulf:
From now on, me and all these other outlaw Yaga'll be helping the rebel army out.
Beowulf:
As for you, Master of Chaldea, you have my word that I'll support you guys however I can.
Atalante Alter:
Thank you, Beowulf. I am finally beginning to see a path to defeating Ivan the Terrible.
Beowulf:
Just be careful.
Beowulf:
Ivan the Terrible's seriously bad news. I've never seen him in person, but I can tell he's like a bomb waiting to go off.
Atalante Alter:
...I know. That is the one thing I have been certain of since I was summoned here.
Atalante Alter:
He has lived for over four hundred and fifty years. He is likely to be as powerful as a Phantasmal from the Age of Gods, potentially even at the level of a Divine Beast.
Atalante Alter:
Compared to that, my Calydonian Boar was merely a common Demonic Beast.
Beowulf:
The Oprichniki are a real pain too, since they're as strong as a Servant in their own right...
Atalante Alter:
What did you say?
Goredolf:
Hold it, hold it. As strong as a Servant?
Goredolf:
I was able to defeat one of them myself! A Servant should have no trouble with them!
Beowulf:
Hm...? Ah, right. The Oprichniki in the capital are a lot stronger than the ones around the frontier.
Mash:
Really...!?
Beowulf:
The closer you get to the capital,the stronger they get.
Beowulf:
I'm guessing it's something to do with their faith in the Tsar.
Beowulf:
The more the Oprichniki believe in him,the more it manifests as increased strength.
Patxi:
You're kidding me...
Mash:
This is awful...
Fujimaru 1:
It's okay. We've got strength to spare on our side too.
Atalante Alter:
Thank you. Your words are most reassuring.
Fujimaru 2:
They've got nothing on us.
Mash:
I'm sorry for getting flustered. You're right. I know we can take them.
Holmes:
Pardon my intrusion, but there's one last thing I would like to ask you.
Holmes:
Are you familiar with that giant tree? The one supposedly called the Tree of Emptiness?
Beowulf:
Of course. Didn't know that was its name, though.
Holmes:
Is there anything you can tell us about it? Anything at all?
Beowulf:
Hmm...I think I might've heard something before...
Billy:
Hey, wasn't Zhdanov talkin' about it not too long ago?
Billy:
Remember? Back when he was still in Yaga Moscow. Said he and some friends of his went to get a look at it.
Beowulf:
That's it. And I think he said...there was nothing there.
Holmes:
Nothing?
Beowulf:
Yeah. Just a plain old giant tree.
Holmes:
So it is nothing but an ordinary, if giant, tree, is it?
Holmes:
Hmm...Hmmhmm. Fascinating. The more I hear,the more intriguing this becomes...
Billy:
Really? A plain old tree, fascinating?
Holmes:
Absolutely. I would like to go see it for myself, but–
Beowulf:
I definitely wouldn't do that if I were you. That thing's right near Yaga Moscow. Not the kind of place you just wander into for a bit of sightseeing.
Holmes:
Naturally.
Beowulf:
...All right, now that that's settled, I think it's time we got started. First off, we need to talk about our plan of action.
Beowulf:
We'll wait for the right time to make a move, then we'll go around stirring up trouble near the capital.
Atalante Alter:
And you would do this as a diversionary action,in order to draw out the capital's Oprichniki?
Beowulf:
Right. They don't care what we get up to here on the frontier, but they're not gonna take anything that disturbs their Tsar's glory lying down.
Beowulf:
So they'll definitely send out the Oprichniki in droves to deal with us.
Beowulf:
I'm sure they'll summon more Oprichniki afterward,but it's not gonna happen right away.
Beowulf:
Which means this'd give you rebel guys a chance to attack the capital while it's relatively unguarded.
Beowulf:
...How's that sound?
Atalante Alter:
That sounds ideal to me as well. What do you think, Master?
Fujimaru 1:
I'm concerned about the other Servants.
Atalante Alter:
...Right. You did say there were at least three Servants on the enemy side, correct?
Goredolf:
Koyanskaya, Father Kotomine...and that girl with the ice-cold eyes.
Goredolf:
Her ice spells were like nothing I've ever seen. Given her appearance, I think...
Fujimaru 2:
There's still the priest, Koyanskaya, and one more...
Mash:
You mean the three Servants who attacked Chaldea.
Mash:
Given that the Oprichniki helped them, and that this is Russia, I think that girl's True Name might be...
Da Vinci:
Yeah, I'd give it even odds that she's the Grand Duchess.
Da Vinci:
I don't know what she's doing on Ivan's side, but given that she is, I think our only option is to face them all head-on.
Atalante Alter:
My contact in the capital HAS reported seeing a young woman there.
Atalante Alter:
He said she's called the Grand Duchess...and that she commands the highest respect from the Oprichniki despite appearing human.
--SECTION BREAK--
Narration:
(...Ah. Gotcha. This's your dream, eh. )
Section 10: Eyes of a Monster
Narration:
(...Ah. Gotcha. This's your dream, eh. )
Narration:
Pain that grows more terrible with each passing moment. Unfathomable bewilderment. Fear that threatens to swallow you whole.
Narration:
And above all, complete and utter loathing for the soldiers who look down at you in scorn.
Narration:
In an instant, my pain turned to pleasure,and I vowed I would kill them all myself.
Narration:
Yes...There was never a time I did not hear this voice.
Narration:
Not that Olga, Tatiana, Maria,Alexei, Papa, or Mama ever noticed.
Narration:
I could always hear this voice, whether I was playing a prank or climbing a tree.
Narration:
...But I also knew it wasn't anything like a guardian angel.
Narration:
If it was...I wouldn't be dead right now.
Narration:
Even when I only had seconds left to live,all he did was stare at me.
Narration:
He was a creature of fantasy, summoned by my desire to kill those who had wronged me.
Narration:
A monster with Mystic Eyes who only appears to Romanovs who were born with the ability to see him.
Narration:
The soldiers hacked my body to pieces. Then they burned me, and buried my ashes.
Narration:
Even as my clothes were stripped off, my body chopped to pieces, and my ashen remains planted in the ground...
Narration:
...I was still conscious enough to understand what was happening.
Narration:
And that is why I made certain those soldiers would never again enjoy a moment of peace.
Narration:
“Death is too good for you. No, you're going to live in fear for the rest of your lives. I, Viy, will always be watching you. ”
Narration:
“I will forever pass judgment on your sins. I will forever see to your punishment. I will always, always be watching...until the day you die. ”
Narration:
“Always, always, alwaaays!!! ”
Narration:
(...Ugh, dammit. Gray skies. A world without light. I've never known anything else...)
--SECTION BREAK--
Grand Duchess:
...Did I wake you?
Kadoc:
I wasn't sleeping. I was just dreaming.
Grand Duchess:
...Is there a difference?
Kadoc:
Huge. It's the difference between your mind being shut off and your mind changing gears.
Kadoc:
Dreams have long since abandoned my sleep,and now, I no longer need sleep.
Grand Duchess:
That sounds just like it is with Servants.
Kadoc:
...So what's the occasion? Did something happen?
Grand Duchess:
We received a report from the Oprichniki we sent out to the frontier. It didn't have much to say, but...
Grand Duchess:
...it did mention that they had burned down one of the rebel army's storehouses.
Kadoc:
That should make things more difficult for them.
Grand Duchess:
And then there's the Servants who aren't with the rebels. We should figure out what to do about them soon, before they think to challenge the Tsar's glory.
Kadoc:
We should be able to handle them together. The metropolitan can take care of things here in the meantime.
Grand Duchess:
...Then it's a date. I'll go get ready.
Kadoc:
What do you need to get ready for? Just go like that.
Grand Duchess:
You really don't know how to treat your Servants,do you? You're supposed to send me off with a smile.
Kadoc:
Lay off. I'm all about efficiency.
Kadoc:
There's no other way an ordinary guy like me could ever catch up to a genius.
Kadoc:
The only way to beat someone who understands efficiency at a practical level is to dream up something even more efficient.
Grand Duchess:
...I see. In that case, come help me get ready. That will be more efficient than simply waiting around.
Kadoc:
...Yeah, yeah.
Grand Duchess:
And stop answering me like some lazy soldier. It makes me feel like cursing you.
Kadoc:
All right, Anastasia. So what is it you want my help with?
Grand Duchess:
I want you to help me choose which coat I should wear.
Kadoc:
...(Sigh)...
Koyanskaya:
What an innocent, heartwarming sight.
Koyanskaya:
It was like watching them dance a waltz on top of the thinnest of ice, where one crack could send them tumbling into the abyss.
Koyanskaya:
Hehe. I guess it just goes to show that the Grand Duchess is a good match for our timid Kadoc.
Priest:
A boy weakened by his reluctance to give up on anything, and a girl empowered after giving up everything, huh?
Priest:
They are quite the pair. Each makes up for the other's shortcomings.
Priest:
Even I can't think of a Servant and Master that are better suited to each other.
Priest:
Which is why you really should stop stirring them up just for your amusement, Koyanskaya. As the Tsar's aide, I can't overlook this any longer.
Koyanskaya:
Oh my, I didn't know you were so patriotic. Does it pain you to see your beloved homeland so messed up?
Koyanskaya:
Well, lucky for you, I was just thinking it's time I was on my merry little way anyway.
Koyanskaya:
I've already said hello to the Chaldeans, and I've confirmed that the Tsar is coming along nicely.
Koyanskaya:
So since there's no work left for me to do here,I'll be moving on to my next assigned destination.
Koyanskaya:
Especially since Lord Wodime has apparently gone and sent out Ms. High and Mighty Caenis too.
Priest:
By all means.
Priest:
Your preferred forms of entertainment are nowhere to be found in Russia anyway.
Priest:
There are no humans desperately fighting for their survival here. Not a single person you would enjoy trampling all over.
Priest:
No matter how you look at it, this Lostbelt is utterly devoid of hope for the future.
Koyanskaya:
...Yes, so it would seem. That's the one part that's truly a shame.
Koyanskaya:
Well, I'd best be on my way. No point sticking around a barren land with no money to be made, after all♡
D：Priest:
I see you travel light. Oh yes, would you like me to pray for your safe travels?
Koyanskaya:
No, thank you. I have a feeling your prayers would only bring about the opposite of what they sought.
Koyanskaya:
Well, here's to doing business again.
Koyanskaya:
Remember, when you want to get rich at others' expense, or want to be happy no matter who else it might hurt...
Koyanskaya:
...make sure to call on NFF Services! We make all those sorts of dreams come true♡
D：Priest:
...Heh. Rats, I believe she called them? It takes one to know one, as the saying goes.
D：Priest:
You should learn to be mindful of the dangers that line your path, Koyanskaya. As things stand now, you may as well be a rat fleeing a sinking ship.
--ARROW--
Beowulf:
Well that was a productive chat. Nice to get some good news for a change.
Beowulf:
All right, Billy. You take it from here.
Billy:
Sure thing, Beo. Hope we meet again down the road!
Yaga:
Where're you off to, Billy?
Billy:
Oh, I'll be riding with them. Beowulf will be running this show from now on.
Yaga:
What? You're joining the rebel army...!?
Billy:
Sure am. I know you don't hold humans in high esteem,but there's heaps more to 'em than you think.
Billy:
Servant or no, I'm still just a good, old-fashioned human. Suits me just fine to rebel with the rest.
Yaga:
......
Billy:
See you around!
--SECTION BREAK--
Two days after setting off on their journey...
Billy:
...Huh?
Billy:
Shanshan's trying to tell us something.
Atalante Alter:
...It seems there are Demonic Beasts nearby. Are you ready, Patxi?
Patxi:
Yeah, yeah, I know the deal. Time for some fresh meat.
Fujimaru 1:
Hey, that could be your catchphrase!
Patxi:
...Sometimes, I have no idea what you're talking about...
Billy:
Well, they ain't exactly delicious, but there's plenty of meat on them. All right, what say we rustle up some grub for the rebel army?
--BATTLE--
Patxi:
All right, we got meat!
Patxi:
You guys're all gonna have some too, right?
Billy:
Well, Servants ain't really gotta eat, but if there's enough to go around, I'll have myself a bite.
Billy:
But the REAL silver dollar is the alcohol you have with stewed meat.
Atalante Alter:
...I know how you feel. I would love some cider myself...
Billy:
Cider, huh? I'm partial to bourbon myself. Tequila ain't bad either.
Billy:
'Course, back in that village,I'd brew just about anything I had on hand.
Patxi:
...I've heard there's different kinds of alcohol, but I've only ever had the one kind. What do the others taste like?
Billy:
Ah, right. Most of what y'all got to drink's just straight vodka with no kinda flavor to it, yeah?
Billy:
I've still got a bit of the last batch I distilled. Care for a nip?
Patxi:
Sure, I'll give it a shot.
Patxi:
...That's good. Really good.... Though it DOES taste a little weak.
Billy:
Actually, this here's about as strong as it gets back home. Guess you Yaga really can hold your drink.
Patxi:
A little TOO well, if you ask me.
Mash:
We should be there soon.
Atalante Alter:
No signal fire. It seems things kept running fine even though we were gone for quite a while.
Atalante Alter:
We're back! Open the gate!
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
Welcome back, Boss.
Avicebron:
...I see you've returned.
Atalante Alter:
I have some good news. Another Servant by the name of Billy the Kid has agreed to join us.
Billy:
Howdy. You must be Avicebron. Billy the Kid. Nice to meetcha.
Avicebron:
The pleasure is all mine.
Avicebron:
Unfortunately, I'm afraid I must greet you with some bad news.
Mash:
Oh? What is it?
Avicebron:
...We are on the verge of running out of food altogether.
Section 11: Becoming Those Who Pilfer
Atalante Alter:
This area stopped receiving food from the capital a long time ago. The capital also lays first claim to any Demonic Beasts the hunters catch here.
Atalante Alter:
That is why these Yaga had no choice but to revolt. It was the only choice if they wished to survive.
Atalante Alter:
Securing a food supply was our most important order of business as well. It was simply not possible to grow enough grain to feed everyone.
Atalante Alter:
So we worked together with other villages to hunt Demonic Beasts and share their meat. That was enough to get by...at least, until now...
Mash:
Why did the food supply suddenly run out?
Atalante Alter:
The rebel army simply grew faster than we expected. There are more mouths to feed now.
Atalante Alter:
We have no right to turn anyone away, after all.
Billy:
...Lotta youngsters 'round here. Ever occur to you to turn them away, Atalante?
Atalante Alter:
No. Their mothers and fathers have all vowed to fight to ensure their children do not go hungry.
Atalante Alter:
...That system, where the weak are left behind to die, is precisely what they wish to fight against.
Atalante Alter:
As such, the rebel army is honor bound to keep children alive.
Billy:
Can't say you're bein' exactly objective about all this, are ya?
Atalante Alter:
No.
Billy:
...Hell yeah! That's great! Sure am glad I decided to sign on with y'all.
Atalante Alter:
......That aside...
Atalante Alter:
Even as matters stand, our food reserves should have been sufficient to keep us fed for some time.
Avicebron:
Ah, you mean that storehouse.
Mash:
Storehouse...?
Atalante Alter:
...It should be all right to tell you now. We had a hidden storehouse that only a select few of our members knew about.
Billy:
You're speakin' in the past tense. I'm gonna venture a guess that it ain't around no more.
Atalante Alter:
That's right.
Atalante Alter:
We were storing roughly thirty percent of all of our food there.
Atalante Alter:
When our stronghold's reserves fell low enough, we would restock them from the storehouse, but now...
Billy:
Now that storehouse is gone, huh?
Avicebron:
Indeed. I am told the Oprichniki found our Yaga as they were carrying food out.
Avicebron:
They then burned down the storehouse and killed everyone there.
Mash:
Th-they burned it down!?
Atalante Alter:
The Oprichniki have no need for food.
Atalante Alter:
No matter how much the rest of the country is starving, they will always favor the Tsar's glory above all else.
Avicebron:
...I see. Then they are almost certainly Ivan the Terrible's Noble Phantasm, as we suspected.
Avicebron:
But then, how could he maintain his Noble Phantasm for all hours of the day like this? To do so would consume an incredible amount of magical energy.
Avicebron:
...No, that can't be right. The law of equivalent exchange simply wouldn't allow for that.
Fujimaru 1:
Avicebron?
Avicebron:
Ah, my apologies. First, we need to resolve our food supply problem, don't we?
Atalante Alter:
Right. This may be difficult for a human like you to understand, Fujimaru, but Yaga require a tremendous amount of food and can starve very quickly.
Atalante Alter:
On average, a human can go as many as seven days without food as long as they have access to water...
Atalante Alter:
...but a Yaga can only last without food for three days before they die of starvation.
Atalante Alter:
On top of that, the average Yaga requires several times the calories per day as the average human.
Atalante Alter:
That is the plight every Yaga faces. If they are to survive in this frozen tundra, they must consume vast quantities of food.
Avicebron:
...I see. That does make sense.
Avicebron:
I apologize for this example,but it reminds me of a certain species of rat.
Avicebron:
This rat would need to eat constantly, or it would burn too many calories and die on the spot.
Atalante Alter:
Is that really the best example you could come up with...?
Avicebron:
At any rate, with so many Yaga, we could dedicate all of our resources to hunting, and still not have enough food to feed them all.
Avicebron:
And we have precious little food left before we run out entirely...All right, how do we resolve this?
Atalante Alter:
I had hoped it would not come to this,but under the circumstances...
Atalante Alter:
...we have no choice but to steal food from the pro-Tsar city of Yaga Smolensk.
Atalante Alter:
Yaga Smolensk is situated some distance away from both the frontier and the capital and has relatively few Oprichniki guarding it.
Mash:
You...you want to steal food...!?
Patxi:
And from my town...!?
Avicebron:
...I see no alternative, though I agree that it is a most distasteful move.
Atalante Alter:
I know that!
Atalante Alter:
But we must consider the children and elderly who cannot long survive without food.
Atalante Alter:
Even then, it is a catch-22. Should we devote all our food to THEM, our soldiers on the front lines will find themselves too weak to fight.
Atalante Alter:
Please understand, I know that this is one of the worst moves the rebel army could make.
Atalante Alter:
That is why I have chosen one of the cities most loyal to the Tsar. Further, we will not be taking ALL of their food.
Atalante Alter:
We will send as many soldiers as we are able,and attempt to negotiate to secure food.
Atalante Alter:
However, this time we will not give them the option of refusal. We WILL leave with the supplies we require, whether they agree or not.
Atalante Alter:
I only hope we can take just enough so that neither we nor they end up starving...
Yaga Rebel Soldier (Male):
That's gonna be tough. I mean, they've already got heaps of food stored away, but...
Yaga Rebel Soldier (Female):
Yeah, they've also got a bunch of secret Demonic Beast hunting grounds they keep to themselves.
Yaga Rebel Soldier (Male):
That's how they do things there. They don't just make sure they've got enough to eat. They always make a bundle by selling off the excess.
Yaga Rebel Soldier (Female):
No wonder they have no problem sucking up to the Oprichniki. They never have to worry about starving!
Yaga Rebel Soldier (Male):
They've got it made there,just as much as they do up in Yaga Moscow.
Yaga Rebel Soldier (Female):
Some Yaga they are. They should be ashamed of themselves.
Patxi:
......Hey.
Patxi:
...You don't think you guys would do the same thing if you were in their position?
Patxi:
None of them asked to be in that situation, and it still took everyone who lives there everything they had to build that city.
Patxi:
It's not like they're all living it up, either. Some of them couldn't hunt and ended up starving to death.
Patxi:
Still, even having said all that, I bet it DOES sound like they've got it made compared to life in a village.
Patxi:
But that doesn't mean they're bad guys,or that it's okay to do whatever you want to them.
Yaga Rebel Soldier (Male):
You from there or something?
Patxi:
...I was. Before they kicked me out.
Patxi:
I'm not gonna defend them,and I'm not against stealing their food, either.
Patxi:
But they're still Yaga, just like you and me. Don't forget that.
Atalante Alter:
...Patxi is right. I will not have any harm come to the city's residents.
Atalante Alter:
That was always the plan, but make doubly sure that all the soldiers know that.
Atalante Alter:
If any one of you so much as touches a hair on a child's head, I will fill you with so many arrows you will wonder when you became a hedgehog.
Yaga Rebel Soldier (Female):
What's a hedgehog? Some kind of Demonic Beast?
Atalante Alter:
...Right. I forgot who I was talking to for a moment...
Atalante Alter:
At any rate, we will take what we need to survive. No more. If they think us evil for doing so, let them!
Atalante Alter:
Our goal is to defeat Ivan the Terrible,and to purge the Oprichniki from this world!
Atalante Alter:
Once we do that, this frozen empire will finally see dawn. The tides of history will once again begin to move!
Atalante Alter:
Soldiers, take up your arms!
Patxi:
......(Sigh)
Holmes:
Good grief. So they're left with no choice but to stage an uprising...
Goredolf:
Better than letting some of them starve to death. Besides, isn't this a welcome turn of events for us?
Holmes:
Guerilla warfare is one thing, but we still have far too few soldiers to think about fighting the Oprichniki head-on.
Holmes:
As of now, the resistance movement consists of us, the rebel army, Avicebron, Ms. Atalante, Billy, and Beowulf.
Holmes:
Avicebron's golems may be something of an equalizing factor, but we still need at least one more capable ally.
Mash:
...
Mash:
Um, Patxi? Are you okay with this? Yaga Smolensk is your hometown, right...?
Patxi:
No, I'm fine with that. I'd already given up on it anyway.
Patxi:
Besides, it sounds like the leader's gonna make sure our soldiers take it easy on them.
Avicebron:
...I don't know if it will be that simple.
Patxi:
Why not, Avicebron?
Avicebron:
I am a Servant. I still have my memories from my old life.
Avicebron:
I believe I know a little something about Proper Human History, as well as the history of this world.
Avicebron:
And the way I see it...
Avicebron:
...I'm afraid there are very, very few instances in all of time, past and present, where plundering of this sort went off without a hitch.
Avicebron:
At worst, a squabble could lead to a full-blown massacre.
Fujimaru 1:
A massacre...!?
Mash:
But, that's–
Billy:
Oh, it's perfectly likely, Mash.
Billy:
Even Proper Human History's chock fulla people who were smarter'n me and more powerful'n me, and heaps of them did miles worse than anything I ever even dreamed up.
Billy:
And I think you know that just as well as I do.
Billy:
And I know to a certainty that if I'd had that kinda power, I'da done the same terrible things.
Mash:
......
Avicebron:
Good intentions notwithstanding,massacres can still occur.
Avicebron:
And this particular situation will be especially fraught with danger.
Avicebron:
First of all, the Yaga in Patxi's hometown, and the Yaga in the rebel army, do not enjoy the same quality of life.
Avicebron:
And, as we saw earlier, the rebel Yaga resent them for choosing stability, and for swearing fealty to the Tsar and his Oprichniki.
Avicebron:
We cannot be certain that this resentment will not transform this small raid into a massacre.
Patxi:
I...I won't let that happen.
Avicebron:
I am afraid that is a promise you cannot keep.
Patxi:
What was that!?
Avicebron:
A massacre is not always some sinister thing arranged by evil men who seek to murder the innocent.
Avicebron:
They are like brush fires,sparking and spreading out of control.
Avicebron:
Hoaxes, history, hatred, misinformation, suspicion, racial discrimination, disparity of wealth, pride, panic, propaganda...
Avicebron:
All of these things mix together into a nightmare slurry.
Avicebron:
What is more, these things do not happen gradually,as in the proverbial slippery slope.
Avicebron:
What happens is that frustration and discontent continue to build to a breaking point until the tiniest spark causes a tremendous explosion.
Avicebron:
If we were on the defending side, it would simply be a matter of keeping the would-be victims safe, but as we are on the aggressors' side, that is not an option.
Mash:
Then, there's nothing we can do...?
Patxi:
...Dammit.
Fujimaru 1:
...I at least want to keep the damage to a minimum.
Avicebron:
Then we should focus all our efforts on defeating the Oprichniki as swiftly as possible.
Avicebron:
The worst possible scenario would be if the Oprichniki and the rebel army were to wage battle in the city with the residents caught in the cross fire.
Avicebron:
The rebels would assume the city's residents side with the Oprichniki, and the Oprichniki would think nothing of slaughtering residents to get to the rebels.
Avicebron:
That would leave no one willing or able to rescue the residents. Therefore, we must eliminate any factor that might lead to a massacre before it has a chance to cause the situation to escalate.
Avicebron:
...Would that be acceptable, Master?
Fujimaru 1:
Sounds good to me. Let's do it.
Avicebron:
Understood. In that case, I have a request to make.
Avicebron:
The rebel army still needs some time to prepare before leaving for the city.
Avicebron:
During that time, I would like to gather as many materials as possible in order to build a wall.
Mash:
...A...wall?
Avicebron:
Indeed. A wall of golems.
--BATTLE--
Patxi:
(Huff, huff, huff...) I got the golem cores!
Billy:
Damn, but I'm beat.
Avicebron:
Excellent. It seems this version of Russia is well-suited to golem-making.
Fujimaru 1:
Sorry about this, Patxi.
Patxi:
You should be! It was damn tough, even WITH the pickax!
Fujimaru 2:
I wish I could help too.
Patxi:
Those arms of yours are so scrawny,I can't imagine you doing anything with them!
Patxi:
All right, I got a little meat. Not much, but it's better than not eating.
Avicebron:
Very well, I will keep working to make as many golems as I can in the time we have. Let me know when the rebel army is about to move out.
Billy:
Got it. Shanshan, c'mon over and learn this fella's scent.
Avicebron:
...Are you sure he can?
Billy:
Good point. You seem like you ain't got much of an odor to you. How 'bout he learns the smell of the earth makin' up these golems instead?
Avicebron:
That does seem like it would work better. All right, I will await your message.
Billy:
Got it. Okay, let's head back then.
Patxi:
Man, you could almost cut the tension with a knife...
Atalante Alter:
Of course. This excursion will be nothing like the small-scale skirmishes we have been waging thus far.
Atalante Alter:
Not to mention there is a very real risk that we may have to deal with a large number of Oprichniki.
Fujimaru 1:
Atalante!
Atalante Alter:
What is it, Chaldeans? Is something on your mind?
Mash:
Yes, as a matter of fact...
Atalante Alter:
A massacre, huh...
Atalante Alter:
...True. It would be dishonest of me to say that the possibility never crossed my mind.
Atalante Alter:
But what of it? I have a duty to keep these rebels safe.
Atalante Alter:
It falls to me to save the parents attempting to atone for their children's deaths with their own lives.
Atalante Alter:
I understand that this is not the sort of majestic act that will stop this nightmarish chain of events.
Atalante Alter:
However, so long as a massacre remains only a possibility and not a certainty...I cannot concern myself with it.
Atalante Alter:
...Do you know what it feels like to be a soldier given food meant for starving children, just so you do not collapse from hunger on the battlefield?
Atalante Alter:
Perhaps the truly contemptible thing is neither the Tsar, nor the Oprichniki...
Atalante Alter:
...but this very world,for making it nearly impossible to grow grain here.
Patxi:
The world itself, huh...
Atalante Alter:
At any rate, there is still some time before we depart. I will pass on your concerns to the soldiers myself.
Mash:
Thank you, Atalante!
Atalante Alter:
...It is almost more than I can bear, Fujimaru.
Atalante Alter:
Like Billy and Beowulf,I have no memory of fighting to restore humanity.
Atalante Alter:
But, is fighting–saving the world,supposed to be this painful?
Atalante Alter:
I...cannot tell any longer.
Grand Duchess:
...Metropolitan Macarius. The Tsar wishes to see you.
Priest:
Does he now? How unusual for him to wake up at this time of day.
Priest:
He must have had a bad dream. Very well, I'll be right there.
Grand Duchess:
...Do hurry, please. If you upset him, even you may not survive his ire.
Priest:
That could be difficult. It is my job to sway the Tsar's decisions. I cannot simply tell him what he wishes to hear to the exclusion of all else.
Priest:
I must be frank, even if he may not like what I have to say. Isn't that the role of Metropolitan Macarius?
Grand Duchess:
...“Metropolitan Macarius”, huh?
Grand Duchess:
May I ask you something...Father?
Priest:
Of course.
Grand Duchess:
I can't tell what it is you want. I can't tell what your ultimate goal is.
Grand Duchess:
...And I can't tell what you really think.
Priest:
I desire what you desire, Grand Duchess. You and I wish for the same things.
Priest:
I promise you, that much is true. If I were asked to choose a side, I would absolutely choose yours.
Grand Duchess:
Huh?
Priest:
...Heh. Forgive me, that joke was in poor taste. Just the improper remarks of a certain foolish man.
Priest:
To you, that must have sounded downright abusive. Please, forget I said anything.
Priest:
I am here to do my job, nothing more. Even if I must reduce myself to a pawn in the process.
Priest:
I am here to sing the praises of survival, to offer condolences upon death, to confer blessings upon all manner of life...
Priest:
...and to bring salvation to the forlorn souls of this eternal tundra. Right now, that is all I am concerned with, Your Imperial Highness.
Grand Duchess:
...I see. Go on, you shouldn't keep the Tsar waiting.
Kadoc:
Good, he's gone. I still have no idea what that guy's really thinking.
Grand Duchess:
It's strange. I don't distrust him as much as you do.
Kadoc:
You're kidding me. He's one of the Servants that not even Wodime can control.
Kadoc:
You know, the guys Wodime calls the Disciples of the Foreign God? In some ways, they're even more trouble than Chaldea...
Grand Duchess:
...That's true. And I know we shouldn't trust them,just like we shouldn't trust Koyanskaya.
Grand Duchess:
But, for some reason...
Grand Duchess:
...I really do feel like Father Macarius is going to stick with us to the end, no matter what.
Kadoc:
...?
Priest:
I know you're there, Gottlieb.
D：Amadeus Alter:
...Are you here to anger the Tsar, Macarius? He's dreaming peacefully now. Don't wake him.
B：Priest:
It's my duty as the Metropolitan of Moscow to inform the Tsar how his campaigns are faring. Don't worry, I won't make an ordeal out of it.
B：Priest:
The Tsar allowed his anger to get the better of him not too long ago, and ended up wiping an entire village off the map.
B：Priest:
He feels very bad about that, you see, so I imagine he will devote himself to prayer for some time as penance.
D：Amadeus Alter:
Is that all?
D：Amadeus Alter:
If you have nothing to say to the Tsar, then I assume you have something to say to me. What is it?
Priest:
I was just curious how you are feeling,now that you have materialized as a Servant.
Priest:
After all, you and I are much alike.
Priest:
Neither of us would generally be expected to become a Heroic Spirit. It's only thanks to finding a suitable human body that we were able to become Servants.
Priest:
And it IS nice, being a Servant. No need to worry about wasted time on sleep or meals.
Priest:
But of course, just because it's possible to do so doesn't mean it's pleasant.
Priest:
Gottlieb, you must be tired of doing nothing but playing the piano all day.
Priest:
Now is your chance to fulfill your true purpose as a Servant. You are to leave for Yaga Kazan.
Priest:
A band of rebels comprised of ex-nobility has taken the city over. Go there with the Oprichniki and wipe them all out as quickly as possible.
D：Amadeus Alter:
You want me to leave my piano? ...What are you thinking?
Priest:
Worry not, I will handle your duties in your absence. They were mine before you were summoned, after all.
Priest:
Rest assured that the Tsar will be duly pacified while you are gone.
D：Amadeus Alter:
...Very well.
Priest:
Make sure you do a good job, Maestro. If you don't, this Lostbelt will be subjected to an even more torturous hell.
D：Amadeus Alter:
Was I not summoned to ensure that hell endures?
D：Amadeus Alter:
...Fine then, I will kill them all. Make sure the Oprichniki can keep up with me.
D：Amadeus Alter:
Somebody, fetch me a Bicorn!
Priest:
I wish you luck, Gottlieb.
Priest:
Or would you prefer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart?
Amadeus Alter:
...Thank you. I shall ensure those who defy the Tsar meet with swift and terrible death.
Amadeus Alter:
Just as surely as my own death was arranged by the Man in Grey.
A：Ivan the Terrible:
Ah, Father Macarius...My beloved wife, Anastasia,has informed me of what has been happening.
A：Ivan the Terrible:
She tells me you have been traveling the land, spreading peace, and preaching my gospel in my stead.
Priest:
It is a pleasure to see you again, Your Imperial Majesty. It fills my heart with joy to see you doing so well today.
Priest:
If the people living on the frontier of Russia are ignorant of your glory, then I must head there at once to enlighten them.
Priest:
But as you can see, I too am old and frail. I'm afraid I can only serve in your stead for so long.
Priest:
My deepest wish is that your wounds will soon heal, so that you may reassure your subjects in person.
A：Ivan the Terrible:
Yes...Yes, you're right...You must be the only one who dares to reprimand or criticize me...
A：Ivan the Terrible:
It is like a dream...Yes, just like a dream...It is like...like my Russia, as it once was...
A：Ivan the Terrible:
I seek peace, all for the sake of love...Anastasia...Anastasia, light of my life...
A：Ivan the Terrible:
I will never lose you again...Russia must remain forevermore...
A：Ivan the Terrible:
Macarius, you are the one man worthy of my trust. Tell me, is the frontier still a lawless, forsaken land?
B：Priest:
Not at all, tsar. The Yaga there know of you, and have nothing but respect and admiration for you.
B：Priest:
This is thanks entirely to your guards patrolling the land to maintain peace and order. The only problem is that there are not quite enough of them.
A：Ivan the Terrible:
...I see. Then I shall bolster the Oprichniki's numbers.
A：Ivan the Terrible:
I shall send them even to the cities in the farthest reaches of the land. Will that do, Macarius?
Priest:
Indeed it will. That is just what is needed. Do that, and all the Yaga will surely be able to receive your grace.
A：Ivan the Terrible:
......Forgive me, Macarius.
A：Ivan the Terrible:
I have become something dreadful.
B：Priest:
What do you mean, my tsar?
A：Ivan the Terrible:
I have been alive for four hundred and fifty years,and I will surely continue to live forever.
A：Ivan the Terrible:
But I am still not strong enough. My glory as tsar is...lacking.
A：Ivan the Terrible:
I must bring light to all reaches of the world. I must bring love capable of withstanding this blizzard to all the Yaga.
A：Ivan the Terrible:
And to do that...I must eliminate all those with evil in their hearts.
A：Ivan the Terrible:
I have received a revelation from a god. Though it may be a god from a distant land, it is still very much like the God we know.
A：Ivan the Terrible:
This god told me to spread the glory of Russia far and wide, and to condemn those worlds that did not end up like our own.
A：Ivan the Terrible:
They told me to wipe out the so-called proper humanity who did not see fit to save us, to eliminate the cursed stargazers of Chaldea!
A：Ivan the Terrible:
...But alas, I cannot take action against them myself. I have already made the mistake of acting in anger.
A：Ivan the Terrible:
And in consequence, an entire village is gone.
B：Priest:
Those Yaga had abandoned their faith,and neglected to pay you homage, tsar.
B：Priest:
It was only a matter of time until they gave in to the temptations of evil, and fell prey to the blizzard. You need not pity them.
A：Ivan the Terrible:
You may be right...And yet...if only I were stronger, this could all have been avoided...
A：Ivan the Terrible:
The Foreign God brought salvation upon this land. It gave us the Tree of Emptiness...the power with which to fight the other Lostbelts.
A：Ivan the Terrible:
Thanks to the Foreign God's blessing, the entire world will one day be just like this Russia...
A：Ivan the Terrible:
...I...I do not care for that power...
A：Ivan the Terrible:
I may be the rightful ruler of the world...but what would I rule if the entire world were frozen solid?
A：Ivan the Terrible:
I am the great Tsar...The Tsar cannot make mistakes, the Tsar can never err...
A：Ivan the Terrible:
This time...This time, the glory of my great Russia will know no bounds. I will make sure of it.
A：Ivan the Terrible:
And to do that, I will need the Oprichniki...My faithful hunting dogs who will lay the groundwork to make my dream possible...
A：Ivan the Terrible:
Macarius...I AM doing the right thing, aren't I? I must not...stop now...surely...?
B：Priest:
Of course you are, and of course you must not, tsar. But the time is not yet right for you to awaken.
B：Priest:
You must let your wounds heal and wait for the day when your eyes will truly open.
B：Priest:
That will be a day of feasting and celebration. The day when a new Russia finally blooms.
B：Priest:
But for now, you must rest and recuperate. You must sleep.
A：Ivan the Terrible:
Yes...Yes...I cannot hear the piano any longer, but...Ah, Macarius...If that is what you say, then that is what I shall do...
Priest:
...The Tsar has gone back to sleep. Russia will once again know peace, albeit temporarily.
Priest:
Now we no longer need to worry about the Tsar knocking down the Tree of Emptiness. Will this do, O Foreign Priestess?
???:
...
Priest:
Heh. I can't tell if she's happy or upset.
Priest:
Even if I can't understand her language, I should at least learn to read her expressions, or I'll never be able to listen to her confessions.
Section 12: Imminent Slaughter
Atalante Alter:
Ready to go, Fujimaru? I have already sent soldiers on ahead to take up positions around the city.
Atalante Alter:
We will begin by eliminating the Oprichniki occupying the city, then we may start negotiations with the mayor.
Atalante Alter:
He will likely grow more unwilling to negotiate if the battle drags on, so we must attack swiftly and decisively to break their resolve.
Atalante Alter:
...All right, let's go!
--BATTLE--
Atalante Alter:
Ha!
Oprichnik:
...!
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
Boss took out the last of the Oprichniki!
Yaga Mayor:
Wh-who are you peo–
Atalante Alter:
We are those who have sworn to defy Ivan the Terrible and the Oprichniki's oppressive regime!
Yaga Citizen:
I-it's the rebel army...!
Atalante Alter:
You all knew about the Yaga suffering in the frontier, yet you still kowtowed to the Oprichniki and told them about the Yaga who had fled.
Atalante Alter:
I understand it is the Yaga way to submit to the strong, and that it is what you must do to survive.
Atalante Alter:
But there is a price for the choices you have made, and now it is time to pay that price. Bring us sixty percent of the food you have stored.
Yaga Mayor:
Over half our stock...? You can't be serious! We'll all starve to death!
Atalante Alter:
...Hmph, I know a lie when I smell one. You could hand over seventy percent and still be just fine.
Yaga Mayor:
What!? That's absurd...!
Atalante Alter:
As long as you lot do not eat greedily, that is.
Yaga Mayor:
...!
Atalante Alter:
Did you really think you could fool me!?
Atalante Alter:
I have heard all about how some Yaga communities have essentially separated into nobility and commoners!
Atalante Alter:
How foolish. In this frigid tundra, any Yaga who does not receive a fair share of food cannot hope to survive!
Atalante Alter:
Did you honestly think you could form a nobility caste whose only role is to sit around and grow fat!?
Yaga Mayor:
Y-you misunderstand! We would never think to establish a nobility not sanctioned by the Tsar! All we did was divide our roles.
Yaga Mayor:
Weaklings like the old, the sick, and orphans are weeded out, leaving the warriors to protect the city, and the rest of us to keep it running.
Yaga Mayor:
That's how we've kept this city safe all these years!
Atalante Alter:
Warriors, keeping the city safe? The only thing they're keeping safe is the Demonic Beast colonies!
Atalante Alter:
I also know how they have been shooting Yaga from other villages who happened across their path!
Yaga Mayor:
That's...I...!
Yaga Citizen:
Shut your mouth, you furless freak! Those Demonic Beasts are OUR quarry!
Atalante Alter:
...!
Yaga Citizen:
Eep...!
Atalante Alter:
I am speaking to your mayor! Stay out of this!
Yaga Mayor:
...W-wait, please. You win. We'll bring you the food.
Yaga Mayor:
But please, at least take no more than thirty–no, forty percent...
Atalante Alter:
Fifty percent. Give us half your food,and we will leave your city in peace.
Atalante Alter:
I assure you, this will not be a regular occurrence. Our current circumstances are unusually dire.
Atalante Alter:
I hope you can understand, Mayor.
Yaga Mayor:
...Very...well...
Holmes:
...Hmm.
Holmes:
I understand Atalante went on the offensive to discourage them from resisting, but she may have gone a bit too far.
Fujimaru 1:
Holmes?
Holmes:
Hostility is running high in the rebel army right now. You can see it in their eyes.
Goredolf:
Oh yes, I can tell. I know that glare all too well. I have seen it aimed my way many a time.
Fujimaru 1:
And yet, you're still standing.
Goredolf:
Indeed. They used to call me the Indomitable Gordy, just like my father...
Fujimaru 2:
It must have been hard for you...
Goredolf:
Don't you pity ME! Being ENVIED is the mark of a successful man! It wasn't hard for me at all!
Fou:
Fou FIGHT! Fou!
Mash:
Fou wishes you luck.
Goredolf:
Don't you tell me that! Cursed little monster. This is the thanks I get for sharing my bacon with you every morning!?
Holmes:
So, for the moment, this hostility remains relegated to tongue-clicking and spitting in disgust.
Holmes:
However, it will take but a single spark to ignite a conflagration. Be careful, [♂ Mr. /♀ Ms. ] Fujimaru.
???:
Aaaaaah!
Mash:
!
Mash:
Master!
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
Shut up! I barely bumped into him!
Yaga Citizen:
How can you say that? He's only a child...!
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
We're in a hurry here! I don't have time for this shit!
Billy:
BOTH of you, just settle down.
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
Tch...
Yaga Citizen:
How dare you all revolt like this!? It was the Tsar who made it possible for us to survive this world!
Yaga Citizen:
You wouldn't even BE here if it wasn't for him, you ingrates!
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
Shut up! Do you know what it's like, having to watch the Oprichniki murder your little sister?
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
They trampled her with their black horses until her body was just a red smear on the ground!
Yaga Citizen:
Only because she was weak and deserved to die!
Fujimaru 1:
Both of you, stop it!
Billy:
Enough!
Billy:
This conversation is OVER. Get back! Yeah, I mean you, too!
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
...Dammit!
Yaga Citizen:
Hmph!
Mash:
...(Sigh)...
Fujimaru 1:
Are you okay, Mash?
Mash:
Y-yes, I'm all right. I'm only watching from a distance, after all...
Mash:
It's just...This must be so hard.
Mash:
There aren't clearly defined lines between the two sides...Both have their own justifiable reasons for the choices they've made...
Fujimaru 1:
Yeah...
B：Yaga Citizen:
It's the Oprichnikiii! The Oprichniki are heeere!
Mash:
Huh...!?
Atalante Alter:
Reinforcements...!?
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
E-everyone, get your rifles ready! Prepare for combat!
Atalante Alter:
I give the orders here! Your rifles stay where they are! Now hurry and get the food out of here!
Yaga Mayor:
Th-thank goodness...! I knew the Tsar hadn't forsaken us!
Yaga Mayor:
This is the end for you, traitorous rebels! Tremble in fear! The Oprichniki will wipe out every last one of you!
Atalante Alter:
Are you an idiot!? What do you think is going to happen here!?
Atalante Alter:
Your people will be caught in the cross fire!
Yaga Mayor:
...Huh?
Holmes:
...This couldn't have happened at a worse time.
Holmes:
There WILL be a massacre, just as Avicebron feared.
Holmes:
We were hoping to minimize losses on both sides,but now, it seems the opposite will be accomplished.
Mash:
...!
Fujimaru 1:
What do we do!?
Holmes:
Our only option is to head out as quickly as possible and face the Oprichniki far away from the townspeople.
Holmes:
But even then, I'm afraid it will be fiendishly difficult to stop them completely.
Holmes:
I only hope Avicebron makes it here in time.
Fujimaru 1:
Billy!
Fujimaru 2:
I'm counting on you!
Billy:
Guess we're just gonna have to do what we can to stop 'em! Let's go!
Mash:
Here come the Oprichniki, Master! Please be careful...!
Oprichnik:
Hostile rebels spotted defying the Tsar.
Oprichnik:
We will mow them down and return them all to dust.
Billy:
...Let's do this, Fujimaru! I'll hold 'em off just as long as I can!
--BATTLE--
Billy:
Gotta reload! Gimme a bit of cover!
Fujimaru 1:
I can't keep this up anymore. Let's fall back.
Billy:
...You got it, partner!
Fujimaru 2:
I'll heal you!
Billy:
That'd be just capital, thanks!
Holmes:
...It's no use. I'm afraid it's already begun.
Mash:
Huh...!?
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
Guh!
B：Yaga Rebel Soldier:
Aaah!
Oprichnik:
......
Yaga Mayor:
H-haha. They did it...they did it...!
Yaga Mayor:
Take that, you damn traitors! This is MY town, you–
Yaga Mayor:
Huh?
Yaga Mayor:
What...the...? Why...my tsar...?
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
Goddamn Oprichniki!
Oprichnik:
......
Yaga Citizen:
Argh!
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
Dammit...! Die! Die already!
Oprichnik:
...Death to all who resist the Tsar. Rest in peace.
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
Gaaah!
Patxi:
...You bastard!
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
Dammit! This thing packs enough power to stop a Demonic Beast dead, but these Oprichniki just won't go down!
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
They're much stronger than the ones from before!
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
...Take this!
Yaga Citizen:
Aaagh!
Patxi:
What do you think you're doing!? That was a civilian!
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
What are you, nuts!? He had a weapon on him!
Patxi:
Look closer, you idiot! That was a BROOM!
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
Ah...
Yaga Citizen:
Fire! Fire! Fiiire! FIIIRE!!!
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
Kill them! Kill them all!
Patxi:
Dammit...!
Yaga Citizen:
Aagh!
Yaga Citizen:
M-my arm...!
Atalante Alter:
Do NOT open fire on civilians!
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
But Boss, they've got guns too...!
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
And the Oprichniki are all mixed in among them! We can't just ignore them!
Atalante Alter:
Khh...Aim for the Oprichniki only!
Atalante Alter:
That is all I can say!
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
R-right!
Atalante Alter:
(I cannot believe I am tolerating collateral damage...! )
Patxi:
(Huff, huff, huff...)Dammit...
Patxi:
(Where's Mom...? Is she all right? She hasn't come outside, has she? )
Patxi:
(No, she's fine. There's nothing happening near her house...)
Patxi:
What the!?
G：Yaga Citizen:
Th-that was a bomb...! The rebel army's bombing us!
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
The Oprichniki're bombing us!
Patxi:
Wha...What's going on...!? Dammit, now there's a fire...!
Yaga Citizen:
Fire! My house is on fire!
Mash:
This is awful...! What do we do...!?
Fujimaru 1:
How can we save everyone...!?
Mash:
We don't know who started that fire,but if it spreads to the rest of the city...!
D：???:
I believe it was a dust explosion. It was most likely caused by that group who attacked the grain storehouse earlier.
D：???:
From there, the resulting fire must have reached the warehouse that was filled with oil barrels.
D：???:
But worry not. The blizzard is picking up, so to speak. The fire should go out before it can spread.
Mash:
...Avicebron!
Avicebron:
My apologies for being tardy, Master. But with the extra time I took, I will now be able to properly contain the situation.
Fujimaru 1:
R-really? Are you sure?
Avicebron:
I am. Everything is in place.
Avicebron:
Now, let's turn this mess around, shall we?
Avicebron:
Golems, activate. Chokhmah Bell Infinite.
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
Why you...Huh...?
G：Yaga Citizen:
Now you've done...Huh?
Oprichnik:
?
Oprichnik:
!?
G：Yaga Citizen:
A-aaaaaah!
Avicebron:
They have two orders.
Avicebron:
Gather up all weapons. Crush the Oprichniki.
Avicebron:
The golems I embedded throughout the city are already on the move, thanks to the cores I set in place and the buildings I'm using for material.
Avicebron:
Fortunately, this city...No, in fact, every stone wall in this world is imbued with magical energy.
Avicebron:
In consequence, it is all especially well-suited to making golems.
Avicebron:
Of course, doing so does end up destroying a large number of stone walls and buildings in the process, but I hope you will agree that it is much better to lose buildings than to lose lives.
Avicebron:
While I'm on the subject, I should also mention that I was able to keep the fire from spreading by having my golems destroy the surrounding buildings.
Mash:
I-I had no idea you could use golems like this...No wonder it took you so long to get ready...
Avicebron:
I do apologize for that. I only wish I had begun setting the cores a little sooner.
Avicebron:
Is there anything else you would like me to do, Master?
Fujimaru 1:
N-no, I think...that about covers it...
Avicebron:
I'm glad to hear it. That makes all my hard work worthwhile.
Fujimaru 2:
We should get out while the getting's good...
Avicebron:
True, this IS the front line, isn't it? It would certainly be in our best interests to make our retreat.
Avicebron:
But there is something we must do first. It is time to hold the ones responsible for this mess accountable.
--BATTLE--
Avicebron:
...Very well, that should do it. Now then, let us make a cautious retreat.
Avicebron:
I've placed golems all throughout the city. I can't promise there will be no more injuries, but at least there should not be further deaths.
Yaga Citizen:
Eep...!
Yaga Citizen:
A-aaaaaah! Please don't kill...Huh?
E：Yaga Rebel Soldier:
H-hey! That's MY weapon!
E：Yaga Rebel Soldier:
C-come back with that...
Atalante Alter:
...Good! How is the food coming along!?
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
We're almost done, thanks to the golems' help!
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
Although we've lost almost a third of what we had originally meant to take.
Atalante Alter:
...It will have to be enough. Rebel army, it is time to make our retreat!
Mash:
...! That's the signal to retreat, Master!
Avicebron:
Good, the Oprichniki should prioritize the golems over us. Let us take this opportunity to retreat as well.
Patxi:
(Gasp, gasp, gasp...! )
Patxi:
(It'll be okay, it'll be fine...Ugh, what the hell am I saying? So what if it IS fine? )
Patxi:
(I can't visit her now. I already gave up on this town. I abandoned it. )
Patxi:
(...Besides, that last bit of food I left her has gotta be gone by now...)
F：Yaga Citizen:
Aah! Aaah...!
Patxi:
Hey! You!
F：Yaga Citizen:
P-Patxi!? You traitor! I knew you'd joined the rebel ar–
Patxi:
Forget about that! What about my mom!? Is she okay!?
F：Yaga Citizen:
Your mother!?
F：Yaga Citizen:
Heh, hehehe...hehehe! What are you, stupid!?
F：Yaga Citizen:
Your mother's dead! All because YOU joined the rebel army!
F：Yaga Citizen:
We gathered as many rocks as we could and stoned her to death ourselves!
F：Yaga Citizen:
I-it's all your fault! It would never've happened if you hadn't been so weak!
F：Yaga Citizen:
Now it's YOUR turn to die, you piece of–
F：Yaga Citizen:
Gurk...
Patxi:
That...can't be...No...You're lying...You're...
Narration:
...No. I know he wasn't lying.
Narration:
I should have known all along. I should've known this city would never let a traitor's family go unpunished.
Narration:
Of COURSE they were gonna kill my mother when I gave up on this place...!
Patxi:
(No! No, no, no! This is NOT my fault! It's NOT! )
Patxi:
(The rebellion is in the right! These Yaga are all sinners! We should never have lived in this city! )
Patxi:
(This place always scared me, ever since I was a kid! They've always been so ruthless with the weak! )
Patxi:
(Dad used to be the captain of the city's guards...but when he petitioned the Oprichniki for more food on the city's behalf, they killed him on the spot! )
Patxi:
(This city is trash! Worse than trash! Why couldn't Mom just leave...!? )
Patxi:
(It's...It's my fault she's...No...No, it's not! It's not! )
Patxi:
Dammit...I...
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
Patxi, what're you doing!? Come on, we're leaving!
Patxi:
......Huh?
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
Shit, there's still some Oprichniki left! Go on and bring up the rear! Hurry!
Patxi:
......
Patxi:
...I'm sorry.
Fujimaru 1:
Patxi?
Patxi:
I...I...!
Mash:
Where's he going...!?
Avicebron:
...Let's go, Master. It seems Patxi is going his own way now.
Mash:
What happened...!?
Fujimaru 1:
Patxi...
Kadoc:
...I feel like I'm gonna suffocate.
Grand Duchess:
What's wrong?
Kadoc:
It's almost time for our inspection.
Grand Duchess:
Oh, yes, what's his name. Um...Kir...Kirschtaria...
Kadoc:
Wodime.
Grand Duchess:
Wodime. That's it. I'm told he's a mage from a very old, distinguished family.
Kadoc:
There's plenty of mages from old families. That's nothing special.
Kadoc:
Wodime's the real deal. He's got the lineage,the skill...and the confidence.
Kadoc:
...I hate to admit it,but there's no better choice for leader than him.
Kadoc:
The Crypters are supposed to be competing to see which Lostbelt comes out on top...
Kadoc:
...but we pretty much all know that he's gonna end up winning.
Grand Duchess:
You mean, at this point in time?
Kadoc:
Yeah. At this point in time.
???:
...Good. I'm glad to see you've still got some fight left in you.
Both:
!
Caenis:
For a while there,I thought we'd scared you off for good!
Grand Duchess:
...Stand down, Oprichniki. She is our guest.
Grand Duchess:
She is no threat to the Tsar.
Caenis:
Heh. I might be, depending on what you guys have been up to.
Caenis:
If your king turns out to be a useless, third-rate weakling, I'm taking him AND this whole Lostbelt down!
Kadoc:
Please stop trying to provoke us. I respect the effort it must have taken to cross the sea and storms just to pay us a visit.
Kadoc:
But I can't say I approve of you trying to stir up unnecessary trouble. Fighting now benefits no one.
Kadoc:
Besides...I'd hate to have to cut the number of Wodime's precious Divine Spirit Servants from three to two.
Caenis:
...Well, well, listen to you. And here I thought you were just another weakling.
Caenis:
Hey, Grand Duchess. Is he just acting tough 'cause you're here?
Caenis:
Or has he just been keeping his fangs hidden all this time?
Grand Duchess:
Do you really need to ask, Caenis? It's both.
Caenis:
I see. So he's scared AND foolhardy, huh? I like that. It means he's still got plenty of room to grow.
Kadoc:
...What do you want? We don't have anything noteworthy to report.
Kadoc:
Everything's going fine.
Caenis:
You call this “fine”? Yours is the only Lostbelt where the Tree of Emptiness hasn't taken root.
Caenis:
Hell, yours hasn't even sprouted yet. No wonder my Master's concerned.
Caenis:
Why do you think he sent me here? He was worried a weakling like you wouldn't be up to the challenge!
Kadoc:
...I'm doing great. Might be a slow start,but that's not exactly anything new for me.
Kadoc:
My Caster and I are gonna be the last ones standing when this is all over. That won't change.
Kadoc:
I know the Tree of Emptiness hasn't taken root. That's 'cause the Tsar doesn't get why he needs it yet.
Kadoc:
But it's only a matter of time until he does.
Kadoc:
In the meantime, I'm gonna keep laying my groundwork. Ever played reversi? ...No, I guess you wouldn't have.
Kadoc:
Well, let's just say I'm playing the long game. Things'll switch up down the line.
Caenis:
You've got harsh eyes. I can see your ambitions in them. So you're sucking up to your king while waiting for your chance to turn the tables on him, huh?
Caenis:
...Fine then. If you can actually put one over on Wodime, that'll make for one hell of a show!
Caenis:
All right, I'll tell him there's no problem in Russia.
Caenis:
This Lostbelt's foundations might suck,but its king is as monstrous as they come.
Caenis:
...Yup. I took a peek at him, and he's quite a beast. I don't even think our own demiurge could take him.
Caenis:
Make sure you get a good jump on the other Crypters, Kadoc Zemlupus. You wanna look good for your woman, don't you?
Caenis:
I think it's sweet,a Master and a Servant being a couple!
Caenis:
Once you've made it official, I'll pop over and make her MY woman, right in front of you!
Grand Duchess:
...How vulgar. Uncultured boor. I despise your kind.
Caenis:
Well ain't that a coincidence. I can't stand a woman who can't do a damn thing for herself getting fawned over all the time.
Grand Duchess:
...
Kadoc:
Are you lonely or something, Caenis? Do you need someone to talk to? If it's a tea party you're looking for, I'll grab you a chair right now.
Caenis:
Sure thing. I'll be glad to take you up on that when Little Miss Grand Duchess ain't around.
Caenis:
And hey, listen to that biting wit of yours! How come you keep that under wraps most of the time?
Kadoc:
Let's just say I know there is a time and a place for everything. Now, is that all you have to say?
Caenis:
Yeah, that's it. Oh, hey, one more thing: Are those Proper Human History guys still here?
Caenis:
I'm pretty sure Daybit said they'd be showing up here in Russia.
Kadoc:
...I'm handling them as we speak. They'll be out of the picture soon enough.
Caenis:
The hell? You mean you STILL haven't killed them? Tell you what, I'll do you a favor while I'm here and take care of them for you.
Kadoc:
I don't think so. This is MY Lostbelt they came to.
Kadoc:
That makes them MY quarry,MINE to deal with as I see fit.
Caenis:
...Is that so? You sure are pushing your luck, aren't you, human? Almost like looking at myself back when I was still living.
Caenis:
Fine, Kadoc, I'll see how far that arrogance of yours carries you. You're right, Russia IS your game board, after all.
Caenis:
You just do your best to get first place. But be careful you don't get taken by surprise.
Caenis:
If you pull it off, maybe then I'll join you for your little tea party.
Grand Duchess:
...What an obnoxious Servant.
Grand Duchess:
If you hadn't been here to stop me,I would have ended up killing Caenis myself.
Kadoc:
We don't need any more trouble right now. And we don't want to bother the Tsar either.
Grand Duchess:
I wonder if all heroes from the Age of Gods are as rude as she is.
Grand Duchess:
...I can't stand how she looks down on us, either.
Kadoc:
Yeah, yeah. I know, it's all my fault.
Grand Duchess:
Yes, it is. And when something reflects poorly on you, it reflects poorly on me as well.
Grand Duchess:
I understand why that is,but it only makes me angrier.
Kadoc:
...I still have some tea leaves Pepe gave me.
Kadoc:
I know you Servants don't need that sort of thing,but I hope it'll at least put you in a better mood.
Grand Duchess:
...That will depend on how it tastes.
Kadoc:
Sheesh...
Section 13: The Man in Grey
Atalante Alter:
Get the provisions to the storehouse. Quickly!
Atalante Alter:
After that, I want you to sort them into perishables and nonperishables, and give the perishables to the children and elderly!
Atalante Alter:
Noncombatants, boil some water and prepare to treat the wounded! I want the wounded in a single-file line!
Avicebron:
I'm afraid I get a bit queasy at the sight of blood,so I think I'll go repair my golems instead.
Avicebron:
I will also have some of my golems keep watch. I believe it would be best for all the Yaga to get some rest now.
Atalante Alter:
Thank you, Avicebron. I appreciate that.
Avicebron:
Think nothing of it.... I must say though,it is rather odd, hearing you thank me.
Atalante Alter:
What do you mean?
Avicebron:
It's nothing. Let's just say I sensed fate at work.
Atalante Alter:
...I do not understand that man.
Yaga (Child):
I'm hungry...
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
Don't worry, I'll have some meat for you in no time! That'll make you feel better...!
Fujimaru 1:
Patxi...
Mash:
Master...
Goredolf:
What are you muttering about!?
Goredolf:
He ran away, and we didn't go after him! That's all there is to it!
Goredolf:
Besides, any mage worth their salt should be used to betrayal! Don't be sad about that mutt running away!
Goredolf:
Be sad you've lost your guide in this land,and how hard it'll be to replace him!
Meunière:
Yeah...but I don't think it's really that Fujimaru is sad necessarily. I think [♂ he's /♀ she's] just trying to understand why he left more than anything.
Holmes:
I imagine he had his reasons. And of course, we owe him a debt for involving him in all this to begin with.
Holmes:
We will just have to hope that he is all right. There is nothing else we can do for him right now.
Holmes:
Now, what say we switch gears, [♂ Mr. /♀ Ms. ] Fujimaru?
Holmes:
It seems you have finished unloading the food. Perhaps you should inform Ms. Atalante?
Fujimaru 1:
All the food's put away.
Atalante Alter:
Good. Thank you, Fujimaru. I cannot tell you how much I appreciate your help.
Atalante Alter:
If it weren't for you and Avicebron,the rebel army would have been wiped out today.
Atalante Alter:
...Or, barring that, we may have ended up massacring those townspeople...and we could never have hoped to atone for such a sin.
Atalante Alter:
Thankfully, our own losses were minimal. At least, that is what I will tell myself to keep despair at bay.
Atalante Alter:
At any rate, I am sorry to ask this of you so soon after getting back, but...I have another mission.
Atalante Alter:
We learned something in our intelligence gathering for this operation. It did not pertain to the operation, but it is nonetheless very important.
Atalante Alter:
It concerns the town of Yaga Tula...
Atalante Alter:
Do you remember what I told you before, about the soldiers who came to join us and soon ended up leaving again?
Atalante Alter:
I'm told that they made their way into Yaga Tula, ingratiated themselves with the local authorities, and now essentially run the town as their own.
Atalante Alter:
Although they've been careful not to do anything that would incur Ivan the Terrible's wrath...
Atalante Alter:
...unfortunately, it would seem the imperial court's mage, priest, or some such caught wind of those Yaga.
Atalante Alter:
We have word that the Oprichniki and a Servant have been sent to deal with them, which has thrown the whole town into chaos.
Atalante Alter:
...But this also puts one of our enemy's stronger operatives alone and unguarded in the field, not counting the Oprichniki, of course.
Atalante Alter:
This represents an excellent opportunity to eliminate the Servant. Unfortunately, Yaga Tula is too far away to send a large force without it being obvious.
Atalante Alter:
I am certain one of Avicebron's golems could cross that distance in no time...
Atalante Alter:
...but if he goes with you, I'm afraid that would leave the golems here inoperable.
Avicebron:
In that case, I will set them to obey your commands, Atalante.
Avicebron:
I'm afraid they won't be able to handle complex instructions, but you should have no trouble telling them who to attack or what to carry.
Atalante Alter:
That would be more than sufficient.
Atalante Alter:
The rebel army should not be going anywhere for the time being. We will remain here to tend to our injured and continue our training.
Fujimaru 1:
By the way, about Patxi...
Atalante Alter:
Yes, I heard the report.... That sort of thing happens all the time.
Atalante Alter:
Though it may have been a poor choice on his part to run away in Yaga Smolensk, of all places.
Atalante Alter:
I only hope the Oprichniki have not killed him...
Fujimaru 1:
Anyway, I'll head off to Yaga Tula.
Atalante Alter:
With all the traveling you are doing, you will soon know this land just as well as any Yaga.
Fujimaru 2:
I'll get ready to leave right away.
Avicebron:
I believe it would be in your best interests to rest for a while, but...if that is your wish, I will not stand in your way.
Billy:
Well, since you look to be goin' against another Servant, I reckon I'll tag along.
Billy:
Atalante, you got any notion of who this Servant may be?
Atalante Alter:
Yes. It seems he has not been at all shy about announcing his name.
Atalante Alter:
He is called...Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
Mash:
Huh...!?
Fujimaru 1:
Amadeus...?
Yaga Bandit:
(Huff, huff, huff...)
Yaga Bandit:
Dammit, what IS that thing!? I'd rather fight the Oprichniki any day of the week!
Amadeus Alter:
Fear me. My shriek shall shatter your eardrums and my claws shall slice the very darkness itself!
Amadeus Alter:
I shall execute you all, and see that your sins are punished! There is no refuge for evil in this world!
Yaga Bandit:
Gh...aaaaaah!
Amadeus Alter:
Another wrong made right.
Amadeus Alter:
It is unclear whether there is meaning to this justice, but as I am a Servant, this is how things must be.
Amadeus Alter:
Repent for your misdeeds, and rest in peace.
Amadeus Alter:
In this Lostbelt, death is the closest you will come to salvation.
Yaga Bandit:
Th-there he is! It's the Servant! Come on, shoot him! Quickly!
Amadeus Alter:
...!
Yaga Bandit:
Dammit, he's gone! Where is he!? Where'd he go!?
D：Yaga Bandit:
Maybe if we follow his scen–
Amadeus Alter:
What do you imagine that will accomplish?
D：Yaga Bandit:
Ga...!
Amadeus Alter:
You Yaga certainly are resilient. Even I cannot kill you unless I cut off your heads.
Oprichnik:
I caught one.
Yaga Bandit:
Dammit, let me go!
Amadeus Alter:
Do not fret. I will. Just as soon as you tell me what I need to know.
Amadeus Alter:
Are you part of the rebel army?
Yaga Bandit:
Hell no we're not! Don't go lumping us in with those sissies!
Amadeus Alter:
As you are the ones who have ended up captured, I have to believe that they are the more capable bunch.
Yaga Bandit:
Shut up! Rrgh...Hand over...your food...!
Yaga Bandit:
If...if we don't eat...we're gonna starve to death...! Ghhh...!
Amadeus Alter:
...Tell me, have you ever heard anyone play the piano?
Yaga Bandit:
Huh? Piano...? What's that...?
Amadeus Alter:
...Put him out of his misery, Oprichnik. Those of his profession do not deserve such a grand reward.
Yaga Bandit:
H-hey, stop that! Get away from–
Amadeus Alter:
Why...Why is there no music to be found here?
Amadeus Alter:
Why does no one even attempt to open their mind and lend an ear to the arts? To the poetry of sound? To the whispers of the heavens?
Amadeus Alter:
I suppose everyone who lives in this chilling hellscape is far too preoccupied with survival to appreciate the finer things in life.
Oprichnik:
......What are your orders?
Amadeus Alter:
...Are there any bandits still alive?
Oprichnik:
Yes. One.
Amadeus Alter:
Torture him as you desire, then release him.
Oprichnik:
Release an enemy of the Tsar?
Amadeus Alter:
You heard me. Release him, and he shall make his way to those with power.
Amadeus Alter:
...He will run to the rebel army for help,and thus lead us right to them.
Amadeus Alter:
I would ask why you couldn't think of something so simple...but I suppose that would be too much to expect of denizens of dreams such as yourselves.
Amadeus Alter:
Nonetheless, I know of what I speak when I say that letting this one go will help us eliminate the Tsar's enemies. Resist the urge to slaughter him now.
Amadeus Alter:
...Ahh, this blizzard batters my cranium. Why am I here? What purpose am I meant to serve...?
Fujimaru 1:
Okay, see you later.
Atalante Alter:
Right. Be careful.
Atalante Alter:
Oh, while you're out there, I would appreciate it if you could also deliver our manifesto to the villages you find along the way. Could I ask that of you?
Atalante Alter:
The sooner we have enough power to attack the capital,the sooner we can be free of the Tsar's tyranny...
Atalante Alter:
At the moment, though, we still have a great deal to do before we are able to free this world.
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
Hey, guess we won't be seeing you around for a while. You guys really saved our Krichat' bacon back there.
Yaga (Child):
Bye-bye, [♂ Mr. /♀ Ms. ] Weakling!
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
Hey! Don't be rude to Fujimaru.
Yaga (Child):
But, [♂ he's /♀ she's] human, right? Aren't humans weak?
Yaga (Child):
I heard that's why they all died out a long time ago,so I'm real surprised to see some now!
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
Don't be stupid! These humans are here BECAUSE they're strong.
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
So strong, they'll kill you if you keep mouthing off to them like that!
Yaga (Child):
Okay. Sorry!
Fujimaru 1:
Don't worry, we're not going to kill you.
Yaga (Child):
Yay! Thank you!
Fujimaru 2:
Why did you say we would kill her?
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
For us, the idea that the strong get to eat is absolutely everything. It affects every aspect of our lives.
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
I've had that idea imprinted on me ever since I was a pup myself, and I still basically agree with it.
Yaga (Child):
See you later! Bring me back a souvenir!
Fujimaru 1:
I don't know if there'll be any souvenirs, but I'll try...
Avicebron:
I've finished making adjustments to your golem, Master. Thankfully, the blizzard is rather mild today, at least by this world's standards.
Avicebron:
I believe it would be best to take advantage of that and make as much progress as you can.
Mash:
And then there are the manifestos Atalante asked you to deliver.
Mash:
Please make sure you're well prepared before you head out, Master. Don't forget to check your arctic Mystic Code!
Avicebron:
Indeed. This cold is so severe that any slit in your Mystic Code could quickly lead to frostbite and necrosis on the affected body part.
Avicebron:
Even with your magecraft protection,I do hope you will be careful out there, Master.
Fujimaru 1:
All right, I'm heading out!
Atalante Alter:
...My goal was always to unite all the Servants summoned to this land and overthrow Ivan the Terrible alongside the rebel army...
Atalante Alter:
And now, thanks to the Master of Chaldea, that goal actually seems attainable, rather than a pipe dream.
Atalante Alter:
...
Atalante Alter:
...My head is killing me. I suppose even Servants cannot always get what they want.
Atalante Alter:
When my pipe dream becomes reality,I wonder if...I will wake from this dream, too.
Patxi:
Let me go, dammit...!
Priest:
Hmm. So you are a survivor from the rebel army. Unfortunately, you were the only one I was able to capture.
Priest:
The Oprichniki have a terrible time exercising control at times like this, you see.
Priest:
In that sense, you should count yourself lucky. I hope you understand that much.
Patxi:
...Tch...
Patxi:
Just so you know, I'm only a new recruit. I don't remember anything.
Priest:
I see. So you lack confidence in your memory, eh? I appreciate you telling me that before we begin.
Priest:
Your kind are quite durable indeed. We could be out here all day if we take things one question at a time.
Patxi:
What was that...?
Priest:
I said you Yaga have a high tolerance for pain, thanks to your dull sense of it. All the more so if you're prepared to give up your lives.
Priest:
In my experience, you cannot make a Yaga talk whether you rip out his claws, break his limbs, or even toss him in a dark hole for a month.
Priest:
The Oprichniki's methods of torture only ever end up killing you. It's a tremendous waste of time.
Patxi:
Is that so? If you're gonna kill me, then kill me already!
Priest:
I can't do that, my young Yaga. As you can see,I am a man of the cloth, here to spread God's word.
Priest:
I would like to avoid taking life unless strictly necessary. Besides...I have something else in mind.
Priest:
There's a test of sorts I've been meaning to try out. Oprichniki, we will be taking this Yaga with us. Do be careful with him.
Oprichnik:
Yes, sir.
Patxi:
...What're you planning to make me do...?
Priest:
I believe you said you lacked confidence in your memories? Then you have cause to rejoice.
Priest:
I'm going to give you the shock of a lifetime.
--ARROW--
Mash:
——
Mash:
—□*#>"#$—
Mash:
...Sorry, we're back online!
Mash:
I'm afraid our transmission is cutting in and out. It might be because of how fast you're moving.
Avicebron:
Can't you track Master even without communicating with [♂ him /♀ her]?
Mash:
Yes, of course. I'm monitoring [♂ him /♀ her] right now.
Avicebron:
Perhaps we should slow down for a while and take a moment to make a report. Why don't we take a break, or even set up camp for the night?
Billy:
Well that sounds like a fine idea. I confess, I'm about ridden down.
Mash:
What do you think, Master? You must be tired as well, no?
Fujimaru 1:
You bet I am! Woohoo, break time!
Mash:
Right! Okay everyone, please start getting ready to make camp.
Avicebron:
...Incidentally, I believe we should begin by eliminating the nearby Demonic Beasts and securing the area.
Avicebron:
We certainly wouldn't want them attacking us while we are asleep.
Fujimaru 2:
Well, before we do...
Avicebron:
Hm? ...Ah, I see. There are Demonic Beasts nearby.
Avicebron:
Then let us take care of them first.
Billy:
All right then, it's huntin' time!
--BATTLE--
Mash:
Are you all right, Master? You're not too cold, are you?
Fujimaru 1:
I'm fine, thanks to the wall of golems.
Fujimaru 2:
It's actually pretty warm in here.
Billy:
Seems you can make golems outta just about anything, huh, Avicebron?
Billy:
Stones, trees, metal...You can just use all kindsa stuff, can't you?
Avicebron:
You are correct, for the most part.
Billy:
Well, there's no shortage of snow 'round here. Could you make a golem outta that?
Avicebron:
...Snow golems, eh...Hmm...
Avicebron:
Leaving aside what to use as a core, I imagine it would be rather difficult to accumulate and maintain the material.
Avicebron:
Although, they would have an advantage in that they would be difficult to physically destroy, as they could always just reassemble themselves from all the snow around them.
Avicebron:
...But no, it just wouldn't work. No matter how I run the numbers, the average core just would not be capable of accumulating sufficient quantities of snow.
Avicebron:
Using more valuable materials for the core would only result in golems that, while nigh impossible to destroy, are otherwise exceptionally weak.
Avicebron:
What do you think, Master?
Fujimaru 1:
All this magecraft stuff's a little over my head...
Avicebron:
Ah yes, I forgot that magecraft isn't your strong suit.
Fujimaru 2:
What if you froze them?
Avicebron:
True, this temperature is low enough to freeze almost anything instantly. The resulting golems would still have limited capabilities, but that would be a better trade-off, yes.
Mash:
You really do love golems, don't you, Avicebron?
Avicebron:
Oh, I wouldn't say that. I simply dislike humans.
Mash:
Huh?
Fujimaru 1:
Say what?
Avicebron:
...Oh, I don't mean that I DESPISE them. My apologies. I should have chosen my words more carefully.
Avicebron:
I only meant that I find interacting with humans troublesome, and tend to avoid it as much as possible.
Avicebron:
That is just the sort of person I am.
Fujimaru 1:
So then, why are you okay talking like this...?
Avicebron:
Since becoming a Servant,I realized the error of my ways. At least in part.
Avicebron:
So I decided I should continue to talk to others,no matter how reluctant I may be to do so.
Mash:
Oh, if you find it unpleasant,we would be happy to keep quiet...
Avicebron:
No, that would not do. That would not do at all, Mash.
Avicebron:
While it is fair to say that I do not like humans,I did try to save them to the best of my ability.
Avicebron:
I did so in life, and I continue to do so in death...But I'm still not sure WHY, and that troubles me.
Avicebron:
Giants are supposed to be immortal; they must not be allowed to die. If they do, that will be my fault.
Mash:
Avicebron?
Avicebron:
...Apologies. I didn't mean to lose my composure.
Avicebron:
At any rate, I feel as though I'm very close to a breakthrough. And if I'm to find it, I need to continue talking with all of you.
Avicebron:
So don't worry how I feel about it. I WANT us to continue to talk freely amongst ourselves.
Fujimaru 1:
You know, I can't help thinking...
Avicebron:
Yes?
Fujimaru 1:
You kind of just made it harder for us to talk freely.
Fujimaru 2:
If you hadn't said that, this wouldn't be an issue now.
Avicebron:
...That's true. You make an excellent point.
Mash:
Maybe so, but I'm still glad you told us. I think it was very important that you did.
Mash:
Heroic Spirits may exist to protect humanity, but that doesn't mean they all feel the same way about it.
Mash:
Some used to be human, some are descended from gods, some were never human at all...
Fujimaru 1:
But whoever they used to be, we're all allies now.
Avicebron:
Hmm, true. This may sound impertinent, but the fact is that we are indeed allies now. We are our own community.
Fujimaru 2:
Maybe, but we're not going to argue about this now.
Mash:
That's true, Master. Now is not a good time to argue.
Billy:
Ah, that reminds me...Holmes? You around?
Holmes:
Yes, I'm here. What is it?
Billy:
I'm just a mite curious about what's goin' on outside Russia right now.
Billy:
How's it lookin' out there?
Holmes:
I'm afraid we are not in a position to find that out just yet. There is an enormous storm wall that surrounds all of Russia, you see.
Holmes:
That said, the Paper Moon did show us what Earth currently looks like when we emerged here.
Holmes:
It's become a smooth, perfectly round planet. Not a single sign of nature exists to be found, to say nothing of civilization.
Holmes:
There may be some slight variations in elevation, but there are no mountains surpassing a thousand meters that we have seen.
Holmes:
The only things remaining on this now empty world are seven abnormal regions, each of roughly the same scale as this version of Russia.
Holmes:
I'm afraid that's all we know right now.
Billy:
Well ain't that just perfect. Guess Russia ain't the only place that's changed more'n a bit.
Billy:
My memories are all still a blur,but there's one thing I know to a certainty.
Billy:
I'm damn sure the place I lived my life was a nice, easygoin' world, where there weren't no trouble that couldn't be solved with a bullet!
Avicebron:
Now then, before we continue on our way tomorrow, I believe we should stop at the nearby village and hand out the manifesto.
Yaga Chief:
Go away, Servants. Leave now, and don't come back.
Avicebron:
...Oh? May I ask why?
Avicebron:
If you know that we are Servants rather than humans,then why do you speak to us like that?
Yaga Chief:
I know that you Servants are inhuman monsters. That's why I want you to go away.
Yaga Chief:
If that still isn't enough for you,then go ahead and kill me first.
Billy:
Are you that scared of Ivan the Terrible?
Yaga Chief:
You lot see our neighbor village on that map of yours?
Fujimaru 1:
Yeah, I see it...Why do you ask?
Yaga Chief:
Go there, and you will see a sign of the Tsar's power. Then I'm sure you'll understand.
Yaga Chief:
...So long as that reminder is there,we could never even dream of defying him.
Avicebron:
...Well, that was certainly not the warmest of welcomes. Nonetheless, I am curious about this sign of the Tsar.
Avicebron:
I suggest we head there now,and see what we can learn from it.
Fujimaru 1:
Okay, let's do that.
Avicebron:
Very well then. I wonder what we shall find...
Fujimaru 2:
What do you think, Billy?
Billy:
...Well, I suppose it's all right with me, but I gotta tell you, I got a real bad feeling about this. But sometimes you gotta just charge into the lion's den.
Billy:
I ain't too keen on stickin' around this village any longer than we gotta. Let's get a move on.
Fujimaru 1:
What...HAPPENED here...?
Billy:
Did an earthquake hit here? Maybe a twister...?
Avicebron:
How terrible...What a horrible disaster this must have been...
Billy:
This is downright awful.
Goredolf:
What is it? We can't see anything on our end.
Fujimaru 1:
Maybe the comms are acting up?
Goredolf:
Very well, I'll try to fix them.
Meunière:
Are you TRYING to break our equipment, old man!? Looking for an excuse to replace it or something?
Meunière:
In case you somehow FORGOT, we can't just go buy a new one here. If you break it, I'm bringing a replacement from YOUR quarters.
Goredolf:
You dare talk to your commander like that!? Mash! Use your Demi powers to give Meunière the spanking of his life!
Goredolf:
Weakened or not, you ARE still a Servant, aren't you? Then get in there and shatter his coccyx.
Mash:
I-I'm sorry, Director,but I can't follow an order like that!
Meunière:
(...How...WHY would you ever even think to do something like that...? )
Holmes:
Very well, if you would be so kind as to describe the scene for us, I should have no difficulty piecing together what happened.
Billy:
...I ain't rightly sure, Holmes. Not a lot to describe. Can't say much more than the place's been just about completely obliterated.
Avicebron:
There are, of course, no survivors to be found.
Holmes:
Does it appear to have been burned to the ground?
Avicebron:
What do you think, Billy?
Billy:
Hmm. Don't look that way, no. No scorch marks on what's left of the houses or anything like that.
Billy:
'Sides, I got a feelin' fire don't take well to the conditions around here. Don't see much burnin'.
Holmes:
True. Likely not the work of the Oprichniki, either–they would have no need to destroy these homes.
Holmes:
...Tell me, [♂ Mr. /♀ Ms. ] Fujimaru, is there anything that strikes you about this scene? Anything at all?
Fujimaru 1:
I feel like...I've seen this before...
Holmes:
Hmm. Given that this is a scene of horrendous destruction...
Holmes:
...you have almost certainly seen its like on your travels to prevent the Incineration of Humanity.
Holmes:
Why don't we briefly recall each of your destinations?
Holmes:
Fuyuki...Orleans...Rome...Okeanos...London...America...Camelot...
Holmes:
Camelot? Aha, now I see. Perhaps this puts you in mind of a Holy Selection crater?
Fujimaru 2:
It kind of reminds me of the aftermath of the Tunguska event.
Holmes:
The great midair explosion said to be observable all the way from London?
Holmes:
I believe that was caused by a comet or asteroid......Hmm.
Billy:
Y'know, now you mention it, it DOES look like somethin' crushed those houses from above.
Billy:
But it still somehow wasn't enough, so we got a crater here. Well? What're we dealin' with here? Some kinda space rock, or somethin' else entirely?
Avicebron:
Whatever the case, this is the power we face by opposing Ivan the Terrible. The Yaga here all died instantly, without even a moment to be frightened.
Avicebron:
No wonder that other village was so terrified.... It would seem there is little to be gained by handing out the manifesto here.
Billy:
Yeah. S'pose we might as well just head straight for our destination then.
Billy:
Well, no time like the present.
Billy:
Let's go find out if this Mozart fella is the sorta monster we can beat, or the sort we can befriend.
Billy:
However the chips fall,my six-shooter'll help see us through!
--ARROW--
Avicebron:
...Here we are.
Avicebron:
Fujimaru, would you mind pulling your hood lower to hide your face? One cannot be too careful, after all.
Billy:
I'll just go ahead and use my spirit form, then.
Avicebron:
It does seem lively here, despite the late hour.
Avicebron:
It would be much easier to acquire information if Patxi were still here with us...
Avicebron:
...but since he isn't, the best we can hope to do is eavesdrop. Wait just a moment, please.
Mash:
Oh, sure.... Um, may I ask why you're putting your hand up to the wall?
Avicebron:
Why, to eavesdrop, of course.
???:
The Tsar's–
???:
Long live the Tsar!
???:
The Oprichniki killed–
???:
Not enough Demonic Beast leather–
???:
There's a monster–
???:
I've been hearing strange sounds lately–
???:
Speaking of sounds, the Tsar–
???:
...not joking! He said he saw an old-fashioned human with his own eyes!
Avicebron:
(...Ah. Here we are. )
A：Yaga Citizen:
Said they were at the old church! You know, the one up north!
A：Yaga Citizen:
If we beat them, we've still got a shot at winning...!
F：Yaga Citizen:
Don't be stupid. Even if that's true, we're talking about someone the Oprichniki take orders from!
F：Yaga Citizen:
We can't possibly beat someone like that! Nothing good can come from defying the Tsar!
A：Yaga Citizen:
Don't give me that crap now! I'm sick of the damn Tsar!
A：Yaga Citizen:
He pawns everything off on the Oprichniki, and when HE goes out on his own, all he does is wipe another village or town off the map!
A：Yaga Citizen:
And when he's not doing that, he doesn't even TRY to help us! WE'RE the ones who built this city! The Tsar didn't do shit!
A：Yaga Citizen:
Yeah, but so what? You know how strong the Tsar is!
A：Yaga Citizen:
...!
F：Yaga Citizen:
...That's what it all comes down to in the end. We know that in our bones.
F：Yaga Citizen:
There's not a single thing we can do in the face of such monstrous power...
F：Yaga Citizen:
...The only hope we've got is that he doesn't wake up.
F：Yaga Citizen:
As long as he stays asleep, we can manage to get by.
A：Yaga Citizen:
...Damn the Oprichniki. They're nothing but the Tsar's dogs!
A：Yaga Citizen:
Do we have no choice...but to kowtow to them...?
Avicebron:
...There we go.
Avicebron:
I just learned that a mysterious Servant is supposedly staying at an old church.
Fujimaru 1:
Th-that's amazing.
Fujimaru 2:
...Is there anything you CAN'T do?
Avicebron:
All I did was apply my golem spell in a different manner.
Avicebron:
In truth, the technique does not lend itself very well to finding specific information. It was simply good fortune that I happened to find what we sought.
Avicebron:
That alone demonstrates how many Yaga are talking about this. In any case, shall we pay this church a visit?
Mash:
...So this is the church. I don't detect any movement around there...
Avicebron:
Indeed. Nor do I see anything out of place that a Servant might have left behind.
Mash:
Same here. It just looks like an ordinary neglected church.
Avicebron:
What do you think, Holmes? I imagine a detective of your caliber may find something we cannot.
Holmes:
Well, it's a bit difficult to get a clear picture over the monitor, but...
Holmes:
...yes, I do see signs that a Servant was here.
Holmes:
It seems the Servant in question used this church as a base of operations.
Holmes:
I believe this place served a similar function to a Caster's workshop. He must have felt very much at home.
Billy:
Well ain't that something. You really are a great detective.
P. A. System:
That was MY analysis at work, thank you very much! All Holmes did was look at the summary!
Fujimaru 1:
Come on, Holmes, you're better than that!
Holmes:
Drat. I've been found out. I suppose I got a bit carried away.
Holmes:
I'm afraid I've been under a great deal of stress lately, since I haven't been able to make many biting deductions. Hahaha, I do apologize.
Goredolf:
Hmph, that's rich coming from you, Detective Happy-Go-Lucky. As if you've ever had a stressful day in your life.
Holmes:
You wound me, Goredolf.
Holmes:
There are some mysteries that simply cannot be solved. That alone is a great source of stress for me.
Avicebron:
Very well then, if the Servant is staying here,why don't we wait for him to return?
Mash:
I agree with Avicebron, Master. It must have been exhausting, coming all this way in only two days.
Mash:
This seems like a good opportunity to rest up, and I urge you to take it.
Avicebron:
These benches may not make for the most comfortable of beds, but I suspect they will be considerably better than simply sitting down.
Fujimaru 1:
Good point. And it IS nice and warm in here.
Avicebron:
Then by all means, get as much rest as you can.
Fujimaru 2:
Okay, I'll get some sleep. Good night, Mash, and thank you.
Mash:
Of course, Master. I'll wake you up if anything happens.
Koyanskaya:
No way. You really have NO idea? Never mind their magecraft alignments! You don't even know their NAMES?
Koyanskaya:
You're kidding! I didn't know you were so coldhearted, Fujimaru!
Koyanskaya:
In that case, you really can't blame them if they wake up pissed off at you, can you? After all...
Koyanskaya:
...you stole everything from them. Their jobs...their purpose...even their place at Chaldea.
Priest:
Come now. You really don't know?
Priest:
All the miracles you performed are about to be destroyed at the hands of the very paragon of mediocrity.
Mash:
...ster! Master!
Mash:
Are you all right, Master? You looked like you were having a nightmare...
Fujimaru 1:
I-I'm fine. It's nothing.
Mash:
Thank goodness. For a moment, I was afraid one of your dreams had taken you to another world again.
Avicebron:
Has that really happened before?
Mash:
Yes, several times. At any rate...Avicebron.
Avicebron:
I know.... He's here.
Billy:
Well then, time to answer that age-old question:
Billy:
To pull the trigger, or not to pull the trigger?
Fujimaru 1:
Is it the Servant?
Mash:
Yes, it is.
Mash:
The Servant we believe to be Amadeus is standing in front of the church.
Mash:
He appears to be keeping his magical energy restrained.
Mash:
...But he's also not moving from his position.
Billy:
Guess he's callin' us out.
Mash:
What will you do, Master?
Fujimaru 1:
Let's go out and try talking to him first.
Mash:
Understood!
Fujimaru 2:
Let's do this thing!
Avicebron:
You certainly like to go with the flow,as they say, at times, don't you?
Mash:
Watch out! Above you!
Avicebron:
Whoa there.
Avicebron:
Well that was a rather rude way to introduce oneself.
Mash:
Is that...Amadeus...!?
Amadeus Alter:
Well, well. Here I am, waiting for more filthy rebel soldiers to show up, and who should I meet but the Chaldeans!
Amadeus Alter:
There is no place for you in this Lostbelt, Chaldeans. Your only escape now is death at my hands.
Holmes:
(Lostbelt...Is that what he just said? ...Aha, that's it! )
Holmes:
(And if this land's textures have been overwritten,that WOULD make this a belt! )
Holmes:
(Ah! This is the final piece of the puzzle I needed to complete my hypothesis! )
Billy:
Whooee, look at you, all duded up. That some kinda suit, or would you call it armor?
Billy:
You tellin' me THAT'S Amadeus?
Mash:
...I can't get a good reading on his Spirit Origin!
Mash:
He could be Amadeus,but he could also be someone else!
Avicebron:
Regardless of who he is, the spirits seem to agree on one thing: he is very much a harbinger of death.
Amadeus Alter:
God's love is nowhere to be found here.... There is only the hunt.
Amadeus Alter:
As I am no longer human,I shall grant you the gift of death!
Fujimaru 1:
Snap out of it, Amadeus!
Amadeus Alter:
...Ah, aah, aaah!
Amadeus Alter:
Don't you DARE say that name!!!
Fujimaru 2:
Are you really Amadeus?
Amadeus Alter:
...Silence! Silence, silence, silence! My name IS Amadeus!
Amadeus Alter:
It must be or else...God will never forgive me!
--BATTLE--
???:
Hey, ■■■■■■■. Don't take this the wrong way, but...
???:
...What is it?
???:
Did you really kill him? I mean, I'm sure you didn't kill him directly.
???:
But come on, you know...there's all sorts of indirect ways to kill someone, right?
???:
...You think I killed him? Don't be stupid.
???:
R-right, of course...I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that.
???:
No, I really mean it. Don't be stupid–of COURSE I killed him.
???:
Yes, I killed Amadeus myself. I am the one who requested the Requiem in D minor.
???:
It was I! I am the reason the great prodigy is dead!
???:
...Preposterous. How fortunate I would be if only that were true.
???:
I COULDN'T kill him. I just couldn't.
???:
Not because we were good friends, or even acquaintances, but because I couldn't bring myself to snuff out the life of one with such God-given talent.
???:
That is who Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was.
???:
And yet, the world, myself included, cannot but seek someone to blame for the death of one such as he.
???:
So we told ourselves that some fool must have driven him to the depths of hell, all because they envied his divine symphonies!
???:
And all so that we could avoid facing the most hellish truth ourselves: that even a composer of his incredible talent could die as easily as anyone else!
???:
That is how I was remade. Yes, remade!
???:
But that's okay! That's how it should be!
???:
I loved him. I envied him. I yearned for him. I respected him, admired him, looked up to him...
???:
So...to bear the honor of being the one to kill that great prodigy, I could ask no greater gift of God!
???:
Still, that said...
???:
...I feel like...he once told me something...Something...much more important...
Fujimaru 1:
Please, just listen to me!
Amadeus Alter:
There is nothing for us to discuss...!
Billy:
...Gotcha, you masked bastard!
Amadeus Alter:
Gah...! Dammit...!
Mash:
...It's not him!
Mash:
That's...That's not Amadeus at all! He doesn't look anything like him, and his Spirit Origin is different!
Mash:
Not even being an Alter could explain this much difference!
Mash:
Who are you, really...!?
Amadeus Alter:
I...I'm...
Amadeus Alter:
I'm...not Amadeus...! Dammit...I'm...NOT Amadeus...!
Holmes:
!
Holmes:
[♂ Mr. /♀ Ms. ] Fujimaru, look out! It's an ambush!
???:
You guys must be working with old-fashioned radar. That explains why it was so easy to sneak up on you.
Mash:
Huh!? That voice...!
???:
Stand by, Oprichniki. This is the one I've been waiting for.
???:
Hmm...Looks like the court musician isn't doing so hot. Well, that's okay. I wasn't gonna need him much longer anyway.
???:
Goodbye, Salieri.
Holmes:
Salieri...So that was Antonio Salieri.
Mash:
Kadoc...? Is that you...!?
Kadoc:
Mash Kyrielight...? Oh, you're just on comms.
Kadoc:
...Now then.
Kadoc:
I know it's kind of clichéd,but some things just gotta be said, you know?
Kadoc:
We meet at last, last Master of humanity.
Kadoc:
My name's Kadoc Zemlupus. I'm the Crypter in charge of this Lostbelt.
Section 14: Lostbelt
Fujimaru 1:
Kadoc? Where have I heard that name before...?
Mash:
...If I may, Senpai.
Mash:
Kadoc Zemlupus is a member of Team A.
Mash:
He possesses an exemplary aptitude for Rayshifting, and I believe–
Kadoc:
Don't bother. I don't care if [♂ he /♀ she] remembers me or not.
Kadoc:
Besides, Wodime already told you who we are. I'm one of the seven Crypters, and we helped bring about the end of the world.
Kadoc:
That should be enough for you.
Mash:
Wait! Please...!
Mash:
Then...does that mean that you, and Kirschtaria,and everyone else on Team A are really...!?
Kadoc:
You sure talk a lot more now, don't you? Back then,you just parroted whatever anyone told you.
Kadoc:
...But that doesn't matter. Stay out of this, Kyrielight.
Kadoc:
You were nothing more than a tool to us–a device we planned to bring along to help us summon Servants after we'd Rayshifted.
Kadoc:
We never cared about your opinions. You were just supposed to keep your mouth shut and help us out however we needed.
Kadoc:
So don't bother worrying about infringing on our rights, or what we're like as people. We never bothered to do that for you, after all.
Mash:
...That's...That's not...
Mash:
...No, that doesn't matter anymore. Now, you're an enemy of Chaldea, aren't you, Kadoc?
Kadoc:
That's right. I'm glad you're not a complete idiot. That saves a lot of time.
Kadoc:
We've already made our declaration of war.
Kadoc:
Our goal is to grow our Lostbelts and bring about an end to Proper Human History.
Kadoc:
I guess we've already pretty much taken care of that last bit.
Mash:
Lostbelt...Is that what this Singularity is called?
Kadoc:
No. A Singularity's just a single point in time. This is a belt. The point when everything changed in this world happened long ago and now it has its own history.
Kadoc:
...It sucks there's no more rock music anymore,but the Demonic Beast howls can get pretty close.
Fujimaru 1:
Why would you do this?
Kadoc:
I don't have to tell you shit.... But I guess we can talk a bit before I kill you.
Kadoc:
Tell me, Fujimaru. Why didn't you die instead of us?
Mash:
Huh...?
Fujimaru 1:
Instead of you...?
Kadoc:
You heard me. There would've been way fewer losses that way.
Fujimaru 2:
I'm not sure how to respond to that...
Kadoc:
Hmm, I guess it is a lot to ask.
Kadoc:
We all know what you achieved. Gotta admit, it freakin' sucked to have that be one of the first things we heard about after we woke up.
Kadoc:
And now that we know,I can say this with total certainty:
Kadoc:
If it had been me, or even better,anyone else on Team A, especially Wodime...
Kadoc:
...I bet there'd have been way fewer dead. And we wouldn't have taken a whole damn year, either.
Fujimaru 1:
I just happened to be the only Master left.
Kadoc:
...Exactly. You just HAPPENED to be there,so you just happened to get chosen.
Kadoc:
And thanks to that, a ton of people died in the Incineration of Humanity. Congratulations! You racked up the highest casualty count imaginable!
Mash:
That's enough, Kadoc. Remember, I'm Fujimaru's Servant now.
Mash:
I'm not about to let you insult my Master,no matter what the circumstance.
Kadoc:
You can't fool me, Kyrielight. Don't tell me the thought never crossed your mind! Everyone on Team A was chosen for a reason.
Kadoc:
Wodime, Ophelia, Pepe, Daybit...
Kadoc:
Any one of them would've done a better job than Fujimaru there, and you know it.
Mash:
...You may be right. But there's no point in thinking about that now.
Mash:
The fact is, none of you were there. We all did the best we could under the circumstances.
Mash:
We didn't have time to even consider hypotheticals during the year it took us for the Restoration of Humanity.
Mash:
But I can tell you there is one thing I'M certain of after what you've said, Kadoc.
Kadoc:
Oh? And what's that?
Mash:
I would never have lived to see how things turned out if anyone from Team A had been the one to handle it.
Mash:
If it wasn't for Master Fujimaru,I wouldn't even be here right now!
Kadoc:
...Well, I guess you've got me there.
Kadoc:
Any one of us would've probably abandoned you without a second thought at some point.
Mash:
So if you're in charge of Russia, Kadoc, I take it the others are all in charge of these other Lostbelts?
Kadoc:
That's right. Not that knowing that's gonna do you much good.
Fujimaru 1:
I still don't get what your goal is.
Kadoc:
We're Crypters. We're wiping Earth's slate clean and giving it the gift of true humanity.
Kadoc:
That's our goal.
Fujimaru 2:
Why would you destroy the world?
Kadoc:
We're not destroying the world. All we're destroying is Proper Human History.
Kadoc:
Then again, we're all going to pit our Lostbelts against each other too, so I guess those'll be going away as well.
Kadoc:
By the way...who're those Servants you've got with you?
Avicebron:
I do not feel any particular obligation to divulge my identity to a spoiled child of an enemy such as you.
Billy:
Same here! Not that I expect I'm foolin' anyone.
Kadoc:
...Tch.
Kadoc:
Well, whatever. It never hurts to be cautious,but I'll be getting rid of you all anyway.
Kadoc:
Oprichniki, kill them.
Mash:
Master, the Oprichniki are about to attack! Please prepare for battle!
Fujimaru 1:
On it!
Fujimaru 2:
Let's do this, you two!
--BATTLE--
Avicebron:
My, my. Looks like I'll have to make another one.
Kadoc:
A Kabbalist...
Kadoc:
Are you Solomon ibn Gabirol, aka Avicebron,the golem master?
Avicebron:
I suppose using so many golems does make it obvious, even with the mask.
Avicebron:
You are indeed correct.
Kadoc:
I don't even need to bother asking about you.
Kadoc:
Well, I can't tell if you're Billy the Kid or Buffalo Bill, but that really doesn't much matter.
Billy:
The hell it doesn't! I'm Billy! Ain't gonna tolerate bein' confused for no prairie lover!
Kadoc:
Anyway, this works out nicely.
Kadoc:
You've got your Servants, and I've got mine.
Kadoc:
Let's find out which of them is stronger.
Kadoc:
Caster!
Mash:
Oh no...!
Caster:
...Was it worth coming out all this way then,Master?
Kadoc:
I hate letting wild cards run around,so yeah, I feel a lot better now.
Mash:
That's the woman who destroyed Chaldea...!
Mash:
Then she WAS a Servant who hails from this version of Russia! I knew it...!
Caster:
Avicebron seems like he would be rather useful.
Kadoc:
So what, you want me to change out your contract? I mean, I COULD do that, but...
Kadoc:
Hmm...
Kadoc:
All right. It might not be the easiest fight for you, but I'm sure you can pull this off.
Caster:
Oh yes. That much is certain.
Anastasia:
Bow down before the glory of the Tsar, fiends of Proper Human History. My name is Anastasia.
Anastasia:
I am the daughter of this land's undying dynasty,now and forevermore.
Goredolf:
I knew it! You're Grand Duchess Anastasia of the Romanov Dynasty! But, how is that possible!?
Goredolf:
You're a tragic figure, not a valiant one! Nothing you did should have let you become a Heroic Spirit...!
Anastasia:
Yes, you're right. I have no barbaric tales of heroism to my name, nor any stories of royalty gone mad.
Anastasia:
But I do have Viy.
Anastasia:
I am a Servant of this Lostbelt,and as such, I shall eliminate you all.
Anastasia:
...Come, Viy, let's kill them together.
Anastasia:
Hear my command and obey:
Anastasia:
You are to become sculptures of snow and ice, writhing in agony in this world of permafrost for all eternity.
--BATTLE--
Billy:
Khh...!
Anastasia:
Viy, Viy, Viy! Let your gaze unfurl even more!
Anastasia:
Let your wicked eye expose the truth behind all things!
Avicebron:
Mystic Eyes...!
Avicebron:
So that Demonic Beast is what's been turning my golems to dust in an instant...!?
Anastasia:
How rude. Viy is no Demonic Beast. He's my most trusted Elemental.
Anastasia:
He has been an ally to the Romanov Dynasty for generations.
Avicebron:
That doesn't make him any less of a monster.... I suppose I was a bit late coming up with an anti-Mystic Eye strategy...
Kadoc:
...!
Kadoc:
Anastasia, look out! Salieri's woken up!
Anastasia:
...!
Salieri:
Cursed dogs of the Tsar!
Anastasia:
Viy!
Salieri:
Behold my Noble Phantasm!
Salieri:
Our Lord in heaven, have pity on me! Dio Santissimo Misericordia de Mi!
Anastasia:
Viy Viy Viy!
Kadoc:
...!
Mash:
Th-this is...!
Fujimaru 1:
It's going to hit us too!
Avicebron:
It would seem Salieri's Noble Phantasm activates without regard for friend or foe.
Avicebron:
...Unfortunately for him, it has also resulted in his defeat.
Fujimaru 2:
He doesn't care WHO he hits!
Kadoc:
Can't believe that was the first thing he pulled after getting his memories back. What a whack job. Still, looks like that was all he had.
Salieri:
Khh...!
Anastasia:
Oh my, you certainly startled me.
Anastasia:
I must be the only member of the Romanov Dynasty who's ever been attacked from above by the court musician.
Anastasia:
...Not that it matters now.
Salieri:
You...How dare you brainwash me...twist me into doing your dirty work...!?
Kadoc:
You're nuts. I didn't twist you into anything. All I did was put you to work in an effective way.
Kadoc:
Anyway, I can't have you running around on your own anymore, no matter how weak you might be.
Kadoc:
Anastasia, crush his legs.
Avicebron:
Got you.
Avicebron:
Golems, activate. Mine hand is a spear of azure ice...Chesed Sefirot!
Kadoc:
Did he just turn snow into golems...!?
Anastasia:
...!
Kadoc:
Anastasia!
Anastasia:
...Since when do Masters go around shielding their Servants?
Kadoc:
It's no big deal. I just did it 'cause I thought I could.
Kadoc:
And I was right. Neither of us is hurt, are we?
Mash:
...Kadoc...
Avicebron:
Very well then, I believe that is our cue to escape.
Salieri:
Hrghh...!
Avicebron:
I trust we will be taking him with us?
Fujimaru 1:
Of course!
Fujimaru 2:
You read my mind!
Avicebron:
I see. So this is what it means for one's Master to rub off on you...I will have to bear this in mind for future reference.
Kadoc:
Follow them.
Oprichnik:
Understood.
Anastasia:
Would it be any consolation if I said we at least avoided the worst possible outcome?
Kadoc:
I suppose. It would've been best if we could've crushed them here, but we didn't have the priest or enough Oprichniki to make it happen.
Kadoc:
If we can take them all together, so much the better.
Kadoc:
...Besides, thanks to you, I got an idea.
Anastasia:
What is it?
Kadoc:
If it works, it might be just what we need to bring down the big mountain all at once.
Anastasia:
...I see. I thought a plan would take a little longer to come to fruition.
Kadoc:
It all depends on how well we negotiate. If I can offer him something he wants, he's bound to give in.
Kadoc:
That's the sort of Servant he is.
Oprichnik:
......
Kadoc:
All right then, let's start spreading the Tsar's glory to this part of the frontier.
Kadoc:
Oprichniki, this place was harboring traitorous rebels.
Kadoc:
I take it you know what to do?
Oprichnik:
Yes. Everything shall burn. Everyone shall die.
Kadoc:
That's right. You're all to crush this town with your own hands.
Anastasia:
...That must have been what they were like back when they were alive too. Just like the ones who killed me.
Kadoc:
Keep that to yourself, Anastasia,or you'll end up disrespecting the Tsar.
Anastasia:
Master, don't you preach to me about disrespect.
Kadoc:
...Right. Sorry about that. Anyway, they should be done at the palace at this point.
Anastasia:
That's true. We should hurry back, then.
Anastasia:
The Tsar must be looking for me by now,even if he still hasn't fully awakened.
Section 15: Grand Duchess Anastasia
Narration:
...It was, I remember, such a beautiful,peaceful day.
Narration:
The flowers that bloomed here were so beautiful...so strong.
???:
Look at this. These must be the hardiest flowers in the world.
Narration:
Then you too are a flower. A flower blooming strong here in the confines of the palace.
Narration:
That's what I wanted to say. Maybe I actually did. Or maybe I was never able to summon up the courage.
Narration:
Either way, I grieved for the flowers.
Narration:
...And yet, now I can no longer even remember what they looked like.
???:
...Why do you look so sad?
Narration:
I feel like I'm having a bad dream.
Narration:
Why would I feel this way,when everything I see is so beautiful...?
???:
You must be tired. Come, lay your head on my lap and rest.
???:
It is the least I could do for you,my beloved Tsar...my beloved husband.
--SECTION BREAK--
Patxi:
Dad? Why do Yaga have to be strong?
Father:
Well, the way I see it, we Yaga made a mistake.
Patxi:
A mistake?
Father:
We mistook how the world works...or maybe how we chose it? Whatever it was, we made a mistake, and the world left us behind.
Father:
Still, while we may have made a mistake,that doesn't mean we were in the wrong.
Father:
We're still here. We're still alive. So as long as that's the case, we'll keep on fighting until the world ends once and for all.
Patxi:
Okay.
--SECTION BREAK--
Narration:
...I still remember that conversation.
Narration:
This world is always beset by blizzards. It's rare that we ever see the sun's light directly.
Narration:
It's not just in my head. Surviving here really does take a lot out of you.
Narration:
I think I get what my old man meant now.
Narration:
No matter how hard it gets, we will keep on surviving...until there's no more world left to us.
Patxi:
(So this is the capital, Yaga Moscow...)
D：Yaga Citizen:
Goodness, I can't believe he defied the Tsar...
C：Yaga Citizen:
Worthless Yaga. Hell's too good for him.
Patxi:
...Dammit.
Oprichnik:
Move.
Patxi:
Shut up!
Yaga (Child):
Did that Yaga do something bad?
C：Yaga Citizen:
He's an incorrigible Yaga who forgot the debt of gratitude we owe to the Tsar. Now he's suffering the consequences for incurring the Tsar's wrath, and rightly so.
C：Yaga Citizen:
Make sure you don't ever end up like him.
C：Yaga Citizen:
I don't know what he was thinking, defying the strongest being in existence. We all need to stick together if we're going to survive in this world.
Narration:
...Stick together, he says? What a laugh. It's so funny it makes me want to scream.
Narration:
All we do is abandon our weak–we cut them out like Krichat' entrails. In consequence, our numbers are always dwindling. That's who we Yaga are.
Narration:
We just keep dying, and killing. We live without hope.
Narration:
We're just waiting for our inevitable doom,without even trying to fight back against it.
Priest:
...You must be the first rebel to ever make it this far, Patxi.
Patxi:
......
G：Priest:
By the way, there's still something I don't quite understand. After your rebel friends retreated, why did you continue to wander around the town alone?
G：Priest:
Surely you weren't just bringing up the rear.
Patxi:
...Shut up.
G：Priest:
Hmm. Very well then, let's change the subject. Would you mind telling me where the rebel army base is located? It can be our little secret.
G：Priest:
I'm afraid I've been so concerned about it that it's been keeping me up at night, just like Kadoc.
G：Priest:
If you could help me with my insomnia,you have my word that I will let you go in return.
Patxi:
You really think I'd ever tell you that!?
G：Priest:
Hahaha.
Patxi:
...What's so funny? What's with the creepy laugh?
G：Priest:
Easy, young Patxi. Relax. I know you're just an ordinary Yaga.
G：Priest:
As I said before, I also know that even ordinary Yaga are highly resilient creatures. Physically, that is.
G：Priest:
Conversely, they are mentally fragile and quite easily broken, especially in the face of someone stronger than they are. Perhaps it's their bestial instincts at work? Who could say?
Patxi:
...What're you talking about? What're you getting at, you evil bastard?
G：Priest:
Oh, that should become clear shortly. This will be a test of sorts for myself as well as for you.
Mash:
What is this place...?
Avicebron:
It would seem to be a village that the Oprichniki razed to the ground. Unfortunately, none survived.
Avicebron:
Though it pains me to say this, I believe we should set up camp here. We need to take advantage of everything we can, after all.
Goredolf:
How could you lose so miserably!? You had two Servants to their one!
Billy:
Sure did. Mighty sorry about that.
Avicebron:
I have no excuse.
Fujimaru 1:
We've still got plenty of fight left!
Goredolf:
Ha! If that pathetic display was the best you could do, you'll just get your asses handed to you again!
Billy:
Care to repeat that for me, fella?
Goredolf:
Hmph! It's true! Deep down, you know I'm right!
Billy:
Well...Hmm...
Holmes:
I believe what Goredolf is trying to say is, that Servant is a fearsome opponent. As such, you could use all the help you can get.
Holmes:
So why not have Antonio Salieri there join our side?
Salieri:
...Who are you lot?
Mash:
We're the Chaldea Security Organization. We came here from a place outside of Russia.
Mash:
...Though I'm afraid we've lost the building that used to be our headquarters.
Mash:
At any rate, the person there with you is Fujimaru, Chaldea's last remaining Master.
Mash:
There's also–
Avicebron:
I'm Avicebron. I take it you are THE Salieri?
Salieri:
...Perhaps not quite in the way you imply, but yes. I will admit to being THAT Salieri.
Mash:
...What do you mean?
Avicebron:
The name “Salieri” is synonymous with one thing.
Fujimaru 1:
What's that?
Avicebron:
The composer who is most famous for allegedly murdering Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
Fujimaru 2:
Wasn't Amadeus, um...
Salieri:
No need to dance around it. You have heard I am responsible for Amadeus's death, have you not?
Salieri:
...I am the embodiment of that reputation.
Salieri:
Give me a moment while I remove this Mystic Code.
Mash:
Mystic Code...?
Salieri:
Phew.
Salieri:
...This is who I truly am. Take a look at my Servant power for yourselves.
Mash:
O-oh...
Avicebron:
Hmm. You're quite weak.
Avicebron:
I didn't think there were any other Servants in this world with lower stats than Shakespeare or myself.
Avicebron:
It would seem you even give Andersen a good run for his money.
Salieri:
Of course. I'm just an ordinary composer. I never wrote any symphonies that left a mark on history.
Salieri:
At best, I am a mediocrity of a man. But no matter.
Salieri:
The sole reason I exist on the Throne of Heroes at all...
Salieri:
...is because I am said to have killed Amadeus.
Salieri:
Whether or not I actually did kill him is completely irrelevant.
Salieri:
People were convinced that I did, and so, here I am.
Avicebron:
Then, one might say you are affected by the Innocent Monster skill.
Salieri:
...I believe so.
Holmes:
True, Salieri was indeed suspected of killing Amadeus even when he was still alive.
Mash:
Right. They even made a movie about it.
Fujimaru 1:
Okay, so why were you on Ivan the Terrible's side then?
Avicebron:
I would like to know that as well. Are you originally a Servant from this Lostbelt?
Avicebron:
I believe the Crypter...that boy,Kadoc, called this place a Lostbelt.
Salieri:
So you know of that name.... First, let me answer your question with one of my own.
Salieri:
Tell me, humans of Chaldea: What do you know about the Lostbelts?
Mash:
Well, uh...Only that they're abnormal zones that somewhat resemble Singularities...
Holmes:
If you don't mind, Ms. Kyrielight, I'll field that one. First, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Mr. Salieri.
Holmes:
I'm Sherlock Holmes, Chaldea's administrative advisor. I became a Servant through unusual means, just like you.
Holmes:
We have been investigating this peculiar version of Russia, where history is so unlike our own.
Holmes:
I have a number of hypotheses, but had been unable to find a critical element to tie everything together...
Holmes:
...until you first mentioned that word.
Holmes:
Lostbelt. A chronological table detailing an alternate path taken by human history. An unbroken strip that continues onward to the present day, rather than occupying a single point in time.
Holmes:
...No wonder it isn't like a Singularity. A Singularity is one point in time where history as it should be went awry, after all.
Holmes:
That is not the case here in Russia. In this world, everything is as it should be. Nothing has gone awry.
Holmes:
It has history quite separate from our own Proper Human History, even though it is not a world gone completely mad like the Singularities.
Holmes:
No doubt the branching point was the Great Cold Wave that struck four hundred and fifty years ago, when Earth was thrown into a new ice age.
Holmes:
And Russia as we see it now is the product of history moving forward from that point.
Mash:
So...you're saying this is an ongoing deviation from human history? Is that anything like a parallel world?
Da Vinci:
Nope, it's not that. These Lostbelts are something altogether different.
Da Vinci:
If we assume that parallel worlds exist, then their civilization and lifestyle should also be fundamentally the same.
Da Vinci:
By definition, they're closely tied to a well-defined base world. In other words, the base world and its parallel worlds are all following the same course.
Da Vinci:
But let's say there is a world where history diverges radically, going completely off the rails.
Da Vinci:
Say, at one point, something changes irrevocably...it could be a huge natural disaster, or a major technological breakthrough...
Da Vinci:
...and the world that's gone off the rails is effectively erased from this universe, deemed to be something that doesn't belong.
Da Vinci:
Once that happens, its destruction is all but assured. No matter how developed it might be, its evolution just ends.
Da Vinci:
For better or worse, this universe just isn't willing to tolerate worlds whose future prospects are plain to see.
Da Vinci:
You know how you prune unnecessary branches when you're trying to grow a tree? Same thing here.
Da Vinci:
If a world, even a utopia, strays too far from its base axis, it gets the clippers, so to speak.
Da Vinci:
In the magecraft world,it's called the Pruning Theoretical Phenomenon...
Da Vinci:
...and it's what allows our universe to keep expanding unimpeded. That's the Mage's Association stance, anyway.
Mash:
The Pruning Theoretical Phenomenon...Then, Russia didn't end up as a frozen wasteland because of a plot, like what happened with the King of Mages...
Holmes:
Correct. Its climate has always been like this, and it is in fact that very climate that led to the changes in human history.
Holmes:
This is a world where history continued on past the hundred year marker, long after it would ordinarily have been pruned away.
Holmes:
In essence, this history lost to Proper Human History. But now it has appeared in our own world.
Da Vinci:
Right. It looks like strong alternative histories,or Lostbelts, which we know almost nothing about...
Da Vinci:
...are being wielded as weapons to invade and destroy Proper Human History.
Da Vinci:
The Incineration of Humanity was an attack on human history orchestrated by Goetia, a singular entity.
Da Vinci:
But now, these Lostbelts are attacking the very world itself.
Da Vinci:
...If I were to give this a name, I think I might call it the Felling Theoretical Phenomenon. Hmm. Yeah, I think I like the sound of that. Let's go with it.
Fujimaru 1:
...Lostbelts...
Fujimaru 2:
History that lost to other history...
Meunière:
Are you serious...? Then what, you're telling us this Russia is going to become the de facto way of life for the entire planet!?
Holmes:
If it continues on this path, yes. But of course, we won't let it come to that.
Holmes:
Now then! That went on quite a bit longer than I had anticipated, but that is our current theory.
Holmes:
Tell me, Mr. Salieri,are we more or less on the mark?
Salieri:
...Yes, you're spot-on. I'm impressed you managed to arrive at that conclusion without being from a Lostbelt yourselves.
Salieri:
There is nothing more I can tell you beyond what you've figured out. Now that you have the facts, what you do with them is up to you.
Salieri:
As for your original question...You wished to know if I originate from this Lostbelt, and whether I serve that Crypter?
Salieri:
My answer, of course, is no. This Russia has not known music for some time.
Salieri:
My story is the same as that gunslinger's.
Salieri:
I am a Rogue Servant, summoned by the death throes of this land's true form before the Lostbelt overwrote it.
Salieri:
My memories of Proper Human History are now vague, and have been conflated with my memories of this Lostbelt.
Salieri:
I cannot say if it was that Master or that priest,but one of them did something to my head.
Salieri:
Even as we speak,I remain unsure if I am on the right side.
Mash:
......
Avicebron:
We will simply have to trust that you are. If nothing else, we know you are not a Yaga.
Salieri:
Yes, that's true. That is very true...
Salieri:
Above all, this world is utterly devoid of music.... It seems I have no choice but to join your side.
Holmes:
Thank you. We are grateful for your assistance. To begin, we could use any information you have.
Holmes:
What can you tell us about the Servants in Yaga Moscow?
Salieri:
...I am the court musician. Nothing less, and nothing more.
Salieri:
I had no contact with the outside world. The only one who ever spoke to me was Metropolitan Macarius.
Holmes:
Metropolitan Macarius...That was the only man Ivan the Terrible looked up to as a mentor.
Holmes:
Is he a Yaga too?
Salieri:
No, he's a Servant.
Salieri:
He does look human, but I doubt he is the same man.
Salieri:
...He's probably Japanese...and a Pseudo-Servant.
Mash:
A Japanese priest...and a Pseudo-Servant...!?
Fujimaru 1:
That must be Father Kotomine...!
Salieri:
I don't know anything about any others. The only people I've met are the Oprichniki, and that Master and Servant pair we just fought earlier.
Holmes:
...I see. Well that's disappointing. Very well then, what do you know about that endless storm wall? Or perhaps the Tree of Emptiness?
Salieri:
I know nothing about either. Although...
Salieri:
...I did hear Metropolitan Macarius say that that tree is the cornerstone of this Lostbelt.
Salieri:
He also said that without the Tree of Emptiness,it would be impossible to mount an attack on reality.
Fujimaru 1:
So then, that tree really IS the cause of all this...?
Da Vinci:
That would definitely seem to make the most sense. For one thing, it's smack-dab in the middle of this Lostbelt.
Da Vinci:
And for another, it's a foreign entity that's not even showing up on the Paper Moon's compass.
Da Vinci:
This is the same Paper Moon that's been observing this Lostbelt Russia as an ordinary part of the earth's topography, and the only thing it can figure out to do with that tree is exclude it.
Da Vinci:
So for the moment...it would seem safe to assume that that tree is the source of this Felling Theoretical Phenomenon.
Goredolf:
Then, if we do something about that tree,Russia will return to the way it was?
Salieri:
...Easier said than done. The Tree of Emptiness lies with the Tsar himself.
Salieri:
To reach it, you'll have to face him.
Holmes:
I see. Then it seems we will have to do just that at some point. What about the Oprichniki? How many of them are stationed in the capital?
Salieri:
No less than a small army.
Holmes:
A small army! Just like what we saw in Antarctica! Hahaha, that's going to be quite the obstacle!
Goredolf:
This is no laughing matter, Holmes! I fail to see what you find so funny!
Fujimaru 1:
Is that Mystic Code you were wearing an Innocent Monster too?
Salieri:
That's right.
Salieri:
I am the Man in Grey, the one who drove Mozart to his death.
Salieri:
Salieri is no more than an avatar I wear,so to speak, out of convenience.
Avicebron:
I have one last question: What do you think of this Lostbelt?
Salieri:
...I think it needs to be fixed. Isn't that what you people are attempting to do?
Mash:
...Yes. That is certainly one of our goals.
Salieri:
......
Salieri:
Fujimaru, was it? I can see you are the conductor of this little orchestra.
Goredolf:
Are you mad!? I'M the commander around here! [♂ He's /♀ She's] nothing more than...than...an occasionally useful trombone!
Holmes:
I suppose that would make me the violin. Da Vinci, how do you feel about being the flute?
Salieri:
...Good grief. You all certainly do love your digressions, don't you? You remind me of Amadeus and his unshakable high spirits.
Salieri:
Fujimaru. I would like to speak with Sherlock Holmes.
Salieri:
Alone, if possible.
Fujimaru 1:
You sure? Holmes can go on for days, you know.
Fujimaru 2:
So you just want me to excuse myself for a bit? Okay.
Salieri:
My apologies. I hope this won't take too long.
Billy:
Mighty curious to know what that Salieri fella wants to talk to Holmes about.
Fujimaru 1:
Maybe music and stuff?
Billy:
S'pose he IS a musician, ain't he?
Avicebron:
I rather doubt that's what it is...Oh well, I suppose it doesn't matter.
Fujimaru 2:
...This Lostbelt, maybe?
Avicebron:
That would be my guess.
Avicebron:
Salieri has been here longer than any of us. I expect he has his own sense of things.
Salieri:
...Thank you for your patience. Allow me to come to the point.
Salieri:
I have decided to join you, though conditionally. You may employ my power however you see fit.
Fujimaru 1:
That's great! Thank you!
Mash:
Thank you, Salieri!
Avicebron:
So what is this condition?
Fujimaru 2:
What's the condition?
Salieri:
Simple.
Salieri:
Should we encounter Amadeus,you will let me focus on him first and foremost.
Mash:
Wait, what? Does that mean...you're going to kill him?
Salieri:
Of course.
Salieri:
I am the the Man in Grey. The Innocent Monster known as Salieri.
Salieri:
If we were to meet,I would have no choice but to kill him.
Mash:
...I can't accept that.
Mash:
If Amadeus has been summoned here, he's sure to be a Servant from Proper Human History.
Salieri:
If I had been summoned as an Anti-Hero, so tortured by malice that I was constantly writhing in agony...
Salieri:
...I would be so at odds with all of you that we would not even be able to have this conversation.
Salieri:
I admit that earlier, I was so overcome by a Berserker-like madness that I simply went around mercilessly slaughtering any Yaga I encountered.
Salieri:
But now, I have regained my senses and my sanity alike.
Salieri:
Even picturing Amadeus's smug, pear-shaped face does little more than make my skin crawl.
Salieri:
In other words...
Avicebron:
I see. Like Master, like Servant.
Avicebron:
That means the Amadeus who is here is evil now.
Avicebron:
I suppose it is the fate of every Servant to be influenced by their Master's personality.
Salieri:
That is why I will kill Amadeus. I MUST kill him.
Salieri:
It is my destiny, my fate.
Fujimaru 1:
But what if he ISN'T evil?
Salieri:
...It would be impossible for that to be the case. But even if he is not, it would be of no consequence.
Fujimaru 2:
What if Amadeus turns out to be on our side?
Salieri:
If he is, then I will become your enemy once more.
Salieri:
My purpose in life is to kill Amadeus. That will never change.
Salieri:
...Now then, that's enough chitchat. We are returning to the rebel army's stronghold tomorrow, are we not?
Salieri:
You should rest up while you can, Master. Now, if you will excuse me.
Mash:
So...Amadeus is our enemy now...
Mash:
I know we've fought former allies before,like Cú Chulainn, but...
Fujimaru 1:
It never gets any easier.
Avicebron:
I wouldn't worry about it if I were you. This friend-turned-enemy Servant would be unaware of his betrayal.
Avicebron:
Take the heroes of myth. They have always been much more willing to accept shifting allegiances among both their friends and foes.
Avicebron:
It was their belief that they would all meet again in Eden, so they had no difficulty taking it in their stride when friend became foe or vice versa.
Avicebron:
Above all, there is nothing you could do now that would undo the encouragement he once offered you.
Avicebron:
Rest assured that he spoke truly,sincerely, and from the heart.
Mash:
...That's a good point. Thank you, Avicebron.
Fujimaru 1:
You sounded like a school teacher or something.
Avicebron:
Teacher...A school teacher, hmm? Thank you,but I am very much unfit to be a school teacher.
Fujimaru 2:
Can I call you “Professor” from now on?
Avicebron:
Uh...Please don't. That would be rather painful for me.
Mash:
Painful?
Avicebron:
I have no right to be anyone's teacher.
Avicebron:
I've long since abandoned any qualifications I may have had.
Holmes:
Moving on, we need to discuss Kadoc's Servant.
Holmes:
I believe she is to him what Ms. Kyrielight is to Fujimaru: his personal, exclusive Servant.
Holmes:
She is also, of course, the monster who encased all of Chaldea in solid ice.
Mash:
Right. I remember Kadoc called her by her True Name at one point: Anastasia.
Fujimaru 1:
Anastasia...?
Holmes:
If my theory is correct, she is a descendant of the Romanov Dynasty. She is a grand duchess who came to a most tragic end.
Mash:
There's another famous figure by that name, too...
Mash:
Ivan the Terrible's first wife, the first tsaritza,whom he loved with all his heart.
Fujimaru 2:
Where have I heard that name before...
Holmes:
There are two famous figures by that name. One was Ivan the Terrible's tsaritza and first wife, Anastasia Romanovna Zakharyina-Yurieva, who supported his reign from the shadows all her life.
Holmes:
The other was a descendant of the Romanov Dynasty: Anastasia Nikolaevna Romanova, a young girl whose passing was mourned by all in the tsardom.
Holmes:
So, which Anastasia are we dealing with here...?
Holmes:
I am afraid there need be no suspense about this. She is unquestionably the Romanov descendant.
Billy:
How can you be so sure? Since Ivan the Terrible's here, couldn't she be his tsaritza?
Holmes:
I've looked into Tsaritza Anastasia's history, and she is clearly not the type to relish the spotlight.
Holmes:
She became tsaritza at the age of seventeen,and passed away only thirteen years later.
Holmes:
Ivan the Terrible took several more wives following her death, but he never opened up to anyone else.
Holmes:
Generally speaking, one would indeed expect to find her with him, but it is highly improbable that she would be summoned as a Servant.
Holmes:
Of course, she could still have been an inhabitant of THIS world, just like Ivan the Terrible, which would have made her summoning possible...
Holmes:
...but given that she is human in appearance,that seems altogether improbable as well.
Fujimaru 1:
So then, she's the Romanov Dynasty one?
Fujimaru 2:
That would mean she's the other Anastasia then?
Holmes:
Precisely. Anastasia Nikolaevna Romanova.
Holmes:
She is the Grand Duchess of Ice, a young girl who bore the brunt of Russia's darkness.
Holmes:
...Now then, allow me to share an abridged version of Anastasia's background, and some of the secrets I managed to dig out from Chaldea's library.
Mash:
Chaldea's library...? Wasn't that destroyed in the attack?
Holmes:
I anticipated certain emergencies may arise eventually, so I took the liberty of collecting as much useful data from it as I could.
Holmes:
Anastasia Nikolaevna Romanova.
Holmes:
She is the fourth daughter of the last Romanovs ever to hold the tsardom: Nikolai II, and his wife, Alexandra.
Holmes:
In the years before her death, famine plagued all of Russia as a result of the ongoing First World War.
Holmes:
In 1917, frustrations reached a breaking point. Efforts to quell a protest left some people dead.
Holmes:
Some of Russia's soldiers banded together in revolt against the tsardom. Moscow declared martial law in response, but by then, the imperial guards had chosen to side with the rebels.
Holmes:
After a tremendous uproar, the Tsar abdicated. The Romanov imperial family fell into disarray, and were essentially confined to house arrest.
Holmes:
The historical records described Nikolai as a good husband and father...
Holmes:
...but in light of these events, it would seem he was ill-equipped to handle the threat to his reign.
Holmes:
Alternatively, he may have been perfectly well-equipped, but the times may have simply been too dire for anyone in his position to overcome.
Holmes:
In the wake of these events, Russia would end up split into several different factions, eventually uniting as a single nation known as the Soviet Union...but that bit of history can wait for another time.
Holmes:
For the moment, let us focus our attention on Nikolai II's family.
Holmes:
Having been confined to their home, their lavish lifestyle evaporated practically overnight, and they were seldom heard from again.
Holmes:
Although records do say that they continued to employ servants and cooks.
Holmes:
...At any rate, the situation grew more dire the following year, in April of 1918.
Holmes:
The new Leninist administration feared that the Czechoslovak Legion or White Army would try to reinstate the Tsar's family by force, and decided to have them executed.
Holmes:
Ideally, they would have preferred to do so following a trial, in order to create an official record...
Holmes:
...but the threat the Tsar's reinstatement posed to their administration forced their hand.
Holmes:
Being the cousin of the German kaiser, Anastasia's mother, Alexandra, still had some value as a bargaining chip...
Holmes:
...but that value evaporated the instant the German ambassador was assassinated by extremists.
Holmes:
In essence, everything about Anastasia's family–their bloodline, their presence, their very existence–was seen as a hindrance.
Holmes:
This led the powers that be to refrain from making the Romanovs' sentence public, and so instead they determined to do away with them in secret.
Mash:
......
Holmes:
So they were executed. At least, that is how those in power would like it described. Those who were present said it was, in truth, no more than a massacre.
Holmes:
Some believed that Anastasia managed to survive her family's execution...but that theory was thoroughly disproven several decades later thanks to DNA testing.
Holmes:
There is simply no denying that this innocent young girl had her life ripped from her simply because she was born to the wrong family at the wrong time.
Holmes:
Anastasia's story is indeed one of tragedy. She is one of many sacrificed on the altar of history.
Holmes:
However, although her story in Proper Human History ends there, it continues in the history of magecraft.
Mash:
The history of magecraft...? Does that mean the Romanov family was involved in magecraft?
Holmes:
I'm afraid the answer to that question remains unclear. They may have had some secret involvement in it, or they may merely have known of its existence.
Holmes:
All we know for certain is that a number of lost Fabergé eggs made their way into the world of magecraft.
Holmes:
...From that, we learned that each generation's tsar had formed a contract of sorts with a certain Phantasmal.
Holmes:
However, as this rumored Phantasmal did not see fit to save Tsar Nikolai II's life, the notion was dismissed as false...
Holmes:
...but after seeing Anastasia fight, I have determined that there is another possibility.
Holmes:
She is a shaman, a spirit keeper.
Holmes:
In other words, it was neither her father, Nikolai, nor her brother, Alexei, who was the heir to the Romanov magecraft. It was indeed Anastasia herself.
Billy:
So she's the heir to an imperial family who've been rulin' over a land of ice and snow for more than three hundred years, huh?
Billy:
Ain't quite as bad as Ivan the Terrible,but still pretty goddamn intimidatin'.
Mash:
But here in this Lostbelt, Ivan the Terrible's tsardom has continued unabated for the past four hundred and fifty years...
Billy:
Lotta difference 'twixt Yaga history and ours.
Billy:
Humans seem more'n a mite frail in comparison, but we got all manner of knowledge and wisdom over the years that let us take down even our toughest enemies.
Billy:
So runnin' a place like this for three hundred years is damned impressive, no two ways about it.
Holmes:
...Unfortunately, while I have learned a great deal about the threat she poses, I'm afraid I have nothing to offer in the way of strategy against her.
Fujimaru 1:
I see...
Mash:
......
Billy:
Well, times like that, the simpler, the better. I say we hit her hard and fast! Bushwhack her!
Billy:
Not much you can't kill if you keep on pluggin' at it till it stops movin'. If it bleeds, you can kill it!
Holmes:
Hmm...Perhaps the simple solution WOULD be best in this case.
Holmes:
For the moment, I suggest we try Billy's plan of action, such as it is, when next we see her.
Goredolf:
What about summoning a new Servant to serve as a shield?
Goredolf:
Naturally, their one job would be to keep me nice and safe.
Holmes:
There you have it, everyone! In the end, you will just have to do the best you can with what you have!
Mash:
Good morning, Master.
Fujimaru 1:
Morning, Mash.
Fujimaru 2:
Let's get going.
Billy:
You heard the [♂ man /♀ lady]!
Avicebron:
...Hm? Golems, halt.
Mash:
Is something wrong, Avicebron?
Salieri:
...That's a D'yavol Tron.
Mash:
It's surrounded by a large number of smaller Demonic Beasts. You could go around them...
Avicebron:
...This is still an unproven hypothesis, but...
Mash:
Yes?
Avicebron:
I believe that a D'yavol Tron would, well...
Fujimaru 1:
Make for good golem materials?
Avicebron:
......Yes.
Salieri:
Well, I suppose I'll just have to help you out. This will be quite a foe for our first battle together.
Salieri:
Come then!
--BATTLE--
Salieri:
How was I to command, Master?
Fujimaru 1:
I'm afraid I couldn't use you in that battle...
Salieri:
......Well, I suppose these things happen.
Salieri:
Just try to do better next time.
Fujimaru 2:
You looked awesome out there!
Salieri:
...Hmm. Hmm hmm hmm.
Salieri:
I see. So you have taken a liking to this Mystic Code of mine. I knew it...I knew it...
Mash:
We're almost to the rebel army stronghold now, Salieri. Soon we'll be able to introduce you to everyone else.
Salieri:
Wait a moment. If you lot are on the side of Proper Human History...I don't suppose you have a piano at this stronghold, do you?
Mash:
I, uh...No, I'm afraid not.
Salieri:
I see...Well then, I shall just have to make my own musical instrument when I have a spare moment.
Billy:
Just speakin' for myself, but I think I'd rather you find the time to actually fight first.
Salieri:
A most reasonable request, but I know the truth.
Salieri:
Admit it, Avicebron. You prefer making golems over fighting, don't you?
Avicebron:
That is true.
Avicebron:
...Even so, I must put combat first. I would never while away my time fiddling with instruments.
Salieri:
Nor would I. I am a Servant first and a musician second.
Salieri:
Naturally, I too would put combat first.
Holmes:
Hahaha, you two certainly do enjoy your hobbies.
Avicebron:
You're–
Salieri:
–one to talk.
Holmes:
Well that's strange.
Holmes:
Here I was under the impression that I was fully devoting myself to helping Master restore humanity.
Goredolf:
They said it because you act like your hobbies are the only thing you care about.
Holmes:
I see...So that's how I come across, is it...
Da Vinci:
Anyone who likes to spend their time making things comes across as a slacker hobbyist. I swear, they're all a bunch of useless good-for-nothings.
Fujimaru 1:
...Uh, but aren't you basically the queen of slacker hobbyists?
Da Vinci:
Hey, I do NOT slack off when it comes to work, thank you very much!
Fujimaru 2:
You're one to
Da Vinci:
Hmm? One to what?
Da Vinci:
Another word, and you'll need to make a DC 19 spell save to surviiive♪
Fujimaru 1:
Fujimaru, reporting in.
Fujimaru 2:
We're back!
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
Hey, they're back! Open the gate!
Yaga (Child):
Welcome back!
Yaga (Child):
Mr. Golem, can you make a golem for us too? Pleeease!
Avicebron:
Normally, I would encourage you to learn the value of hard work while you were young...but I suppose your lives here are hard enough as it is.
Avicebron:
Here you are, a mini golem. It should be able to help you with your chores.
Yaga (Child):
Yaaay! I'm gonna work it like a slave!
Avicebron:
That is not its intended use...
Atalante Alter:
Good, you have returned.... Are you a Servant as well?
Salieri:
I am. My name is Salieri. It's quite all right if you haven't heard of me; my name is of little consequence.
Atalante Alter:
Ah yes, Mozart's...er...well...At any rate, um, why are you wearing that outfit?
Salieri:
Innocent Monster. I am the Man in Grey. I am the one destined to kill Amadeus.
Salieri:
I only go by “Salieri” as a matter of convenience,but you may call me that if you like.
Atalante Alter:
...Well, I suppose stories like yours are not too uncommon in this world. The circumstances of my own summoning were not exactly normal.
Atalante Alter:
Now then, Fujimaru. There's something we need to discuss.
Atalante Alter:
Remember the ore you once asked us about? The one that can be used to engrave magecraft spells?
Atalante Alter:
At the time, I believe you also mentioned a jewel that could be used to control golems? Well, I managed to track down a lead on both.
Avicebron:
Oho, you don't say?
Goredolf:
Where are they!?
Atalante Alter:
...Not so fast. I would like to make a deal before I share my information.
Goredolf:
Not again!
Atalante Alter:
Yes, again. I cannot afford to lose your combat prowess.
Atalante Alter:
I trust Fujimaru and Mash, but...
Atalante Alter:
...once your ship is repaired,you may end up leaving this world behind, right?
Mash:
Absolutely not. The problems here are our problems as well. We're not going anywhere until we've solved this crisis. You can count on that.
Mash:
Isn't that right, Director Goredolf?
Goredolf:
H-huh? Er, um, y-yes, of course.
Goredolf:
Mash is quite right. This land's problems are our problems, and we won't run from them at the first sign of trouble.
Goredolf:
That said...we grown-ups do have extenuating circumstances to deal with, and they won't wait around forever, so...
Atalante Alter:
...What are you trying to say?
Goredolf:
I'm, um, trying to say that...well...we can't say anything for sure until we see what's actually going to happen...
Fujimaru 1:
Is that yellow I see on your protruding gut?
Fujimaru 2:
Are you gutless or something!?
Goredolf:
Don't you talk about my belly! And no, I DON'T have any guts!
Goredolf:
I'm not like Holmes. I can't talk my enemies into giving themselves up! When the going gets tough, Goredolf gets going...in the other direction!
Atalante Alter:
My condolences that you are forced to deal with this man as your superior. Now, can I ask for your assistance in exchange for my information?
Mash:
All right...What sort of deal did you have in mind?
Atalante Alter:
I will come right to the point: I want your help building a new stronghold.
Mash:
A new stronghold...
Da Vinci:
Well, that sounds right up Avicebron's alley.
Atalante Alter:
No...I think it would be too dangerous to rely exclusively on him.
Fujimaru 1:
Dangerous...?
Atalante Alter:
His power is not limitless in scope...nor is it a permanent solution.
Atalante Alter:
After all, these Yaga need to know how to fend for themselves, even after we disappear.
Holmes:
But doesn't that plan of action harbor a different sort of danger?
Holmes:
Granted, learning new things always brings with it that possibility, but nonetheless...
Atalante Alter:
I understand your point.
Atalante Alter:
And yes, it is certainly possible that they could misuse this knowledge and power for their own ends.
Atalante Alter:
But even so, I believe it is a good thing for them to learn how to survive.
Goredolf:
Haha, why should it make a difference? It's their choice whether they spend their lives working honestly or decide to turn to banditry.
Goredolf:
It's no concern of yours what they do after you're gone.
Goredolf:
Besides, it's human nature to be obsessed with keeping up with the Joneses.
Goredolf:
If anything, it seems to me as though providing them with supportive technology will only make their futures brighter.
Fujimaru 1:
...You do make a solid point, Director...
Atalante Alter:
...Yes, I suppose you are right.
Atalante Alter:
It IS the Yaga's choice whether to be weak and be eaten, or to be strong and do the eating.
Atalante Alter:
...Or even to find a new path altogether.
Holmes:
By the way, may I ask if you have a particular location in mind for this new stronghold?
Atalante Alter:
I do.
Atalante Alter:
There is a ravine right at the midpoint between here and the capital.
Atalante Alter:
It is protected by a large forest inhabited by vicious Demonic Beasts, which would make it difficult for the Oprichniki from the capital to attack it.
Atalante Alter:
Whereas there are no mountains between here and the ravine to block OUR path.
Holmes:
I see.
Holmes:
But in that case, wouldn't its natural defenses also make it difficult for you to attack the capital?
Atalante Alter:
Yes, I have considered that, which is why I have not moved there thus far...but now, scouts have discovered a tunnel that safely cuts through the woods.
Atalante Alter:
At the moment, this tunnel is still only partially hollowed out.
Atalante Alter:
But once it is complete, we could reach Yaga Moscow in a single day. It would let us attack it with the element of surprise.
Atalante Alter:
What's more, this tunnel is an excellent place to find the sort of ore you seek.
Mash:
So you want us to help you build this new stronghold,and to finish digging this tunnel, right?
Atalante Alter:
I've already put together a team of my own Yaga. We will set out once you are all ready.
Section 16: Deforestation, Mining, and Construction
Atalante Alter:
I asked Billy to hold down the fort while we were gone. It should be safe with him there.
Salieri:
I would have enjoyed that particular assignment as well...But, oh well.
Salieri:
...Hm? I hear something growling.
Salieri:
There is a pack of Demonic Beasts nearby.
Atalante Alter:
Impressive, musician. I guess that refined hearing of yours comes in handy for more than just composing symphonies.... Judging from their scent, the beasts must be in the marsh just ahead.
Atalante Alter:
If at all possible, I prefer not to allow them to escape. We could very much use their meat to bolster our reserves.
Fujimaru 1:
That's your cue, Avicebron.
Avicebron:
Understood. I'll have some golems surround them.
Fujimaru 2:
You're up, golem master!
Avicebron:
Hmm, very well. Just leave everything to me.
Atalante Alter:
Good. Then let the hunt begin!
--BATTLE--
Atalante Alter:
Did you get them?
Avicebron:
I did. My golems caught the stragglers when they tried to escape.
Atalante Alter:
...Your golems really are a terrifying force in large numbers.
Avicebron:
I suppose so.
Avicebron:
I can make as many as I want as long as my magical energy holds out.
Atalante Alter:
True, yes, but what I find most unnerving about them is the sheer speed with which you make them.
Atalante Alter:
It is as though you carry a small army you can produce almost instantly wherever you go.
Atalante Alter:
I shudder to think what could happen if you had gone into the military, rather than philosophy...
Atalante Alter:
...though I imagine those you count as your enemies would be shuddering all the more.
Avicebron:
I'm afraid I never had any interest in pursuing glory on the battlefield. That is, perhaps, for the best.
Avicebron:
But never mind that. I believe we should be reaching this ravine you mentioned soon.
Atalante Alter:
Indeed.
--ARROW--
Atalante Alter:
As you can see,we are still in the construction phase.
Atalante Alter:
I will begin by dividing our forces into two groups.
Atalante Alter:
One group will cut down trees and gather lumber,while the other will dig out the tunnel.
Atalante Alter:
...Fujimaru, I would like you and your Servants to keep the Yaga in one of these groups safe.
Atalante Alter:
Both groups are certain to encounter Demonic Beasts, whether they are procuring lumber or digging.
Atalante Alter:
We will begin work once you have made your decision. Which group will you help?
Choice: Helping Lumberjacks
Fujimaru 1:
We'll help the lumberjacks.
Atalante Alter:
I see.
Atalante Alter:
Very well then, Avicebron and I will help with the excavation.
Atalante Alter:
I would like you to give the Yaga orders in my absence.
Fujimaru 1:
Got it!
Fujimaru 2:
You take care out there too.
Atalante Alter:
I will.
Avicebron:
I'll leave a number of defensive golems here with you. Good luck.
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
Thanks for helping us, human.
Fujimaru 1:
Just call me Fujimaru.
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
Yes [♂ sir /♀ ma'am].
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
We're just about to head into the forest and begin chopping down trees now. We'll be counting on you to keep us safe while we work...
Salieri:
How long do you expect the work to last?
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
Hmm. Well, a fortress of that size...
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
...I'd say it'll probably take a day to build the outer walls, another day to reinforce them, and two more days to build the inner structure.
Salieri:
Very well.
Salieri:
Ordinarily, this sort of job would fall well outside the purview of a court musician, but such is a Servant's fate.
Salieri:
I would be honored to accept this task.
Mash:
We've only gone a little way into the forest,and things already feel completely different...
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
According to the local villagers...
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
...if you go too deep into these woods, a pack of D'yavol Tron will rip you to shreds and devour you before you can so much as blink.
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
We ARE encroaching on their territory pretty solidly right now, so we're counting on you to keep us alive!
Salieri:
...Hmm.
Mash:
How are you doing, Salieri?
Salieri:
I'm terribly sorry, but I'm afraid I'm finding it difficult to concentrate with all this noise.
Salieri:
Would you mind not contacting me for a while,barring an emergency?
Mash:
Oh, right. I'm sorry.
Mash:
(I have to say though, Master,I can't believe how quickly the Yaga are working. )
Fujimaru 1:
(You'd think they were using chainsaws or something. )
Mash:
(I know. Their stamina is incredible.... Although, when you think about it another way...)
Mash:
(...they HAVE to be this strong just to survive in this world. There's no other choice. )
Mash:
(If they had been humans in our own world,they might have already gone extinct. )
Salieri:
...Stop!
Salieri:
I hear a faint rumbling in the ground. There are very large Demonic Beasts nearby...
Salieri:
It's a D'yavol Tron!
Mash:
Tell everyone to fall back!
Salieri:
Come, Master.
Salieri:
We must help the Yaga evacuate, then defeat the D'yavol Tron!
Salieri:
Unfortunately, is quite a powerful foe, so I will need to...what is the phrase? Psych myself up.
Fujimaru 1:
...Psych yourself up?
Salieri:
That is Mozart...The very man himself...That is indeed Mozart...I knew it...I knew it...There you are, Mozart...!
Mash:
I'm...not sure how I feel about this.
Salieri:
MOZART!!! Your foul mouth has made its last filthy joke. I shall rip out your tongue myself!
Choice: Tunnel Excavation
Fujimaru 1:
We'll help with the tunnel excavation.
Atalante Alter:
Understood. Then Salieri and I will take the forest.
Avicebron:
That leaves the tunnel for me. Master, we must head for the cave in the mountain range outside the forest.
Avicebron:
Let's take golems, so that we can get there as quickly as possible. Come, there's not a moment to waste.
Fujimaru 1:
You're really fired up about this, aren't you?
Avicebron:
...Is that how I seem to you?
Avicebron:
...If so, then I suppose I must be a bit more excited than I thought at the prospect of creating new golems.
Avicebron:
There are bound to be crystals in the area that should make excellent cores as well.
Fujimaru 2:
What's with you, Avicebron?
Avicebron:
...Hm? What do you mean?
Mash:
Master, I think...!
Mash:
I think Avicebron is just excited!
Fujimaru 1:
That's it!
Fujimaru 2:
You're totally pumped!
Avicebron:
Truly?
Avicebron:
...I suppose I am, to employ the modern parlance. So this is what it is to be “pumped. ”
Avicebron:
All the more reason for us to hurry to the cave at once.
Avicebron:
Let's do this!
Mash:
W-wait! Slow down! Come on, Master,we need to go after him before he gets lost!
Avicebron:
This will be my new workshop!
Mash:
Avicebron!?
Da Vinci:
It's no use. He's so pumped at seeing all these materials that he's completely lost it!
Goredolf:
So, um, do you think you might be able to do something about the Shadow Border's armor with these?
Avicebron:
Something!?
Goredolf:
Er, uh, yes! If it's not too much trouble!
Avicebron:
Of course I can!
Avicebron:
I'll start loading up golems with materials right away. There's so much to move, we have no time to waste.
Avicebron:
Oh, yes, I almost forgot. Would you all mind taking care of those Giant Demon Boars?
Mash:
...Why didn't you mention them sooner!?
Fujimaru 1:
Come on Avicebron, we need your help too!
Avicebron:
......Oh, all right.
Mash:
(I've never heard him so petulant before, Senpai...! )
Avicebron:
Very well, let's hurry up and get this over with.
Avicebron:
Then I can get back to making new golems, and maybe use them to excavate the tunnel if time permits.
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
Um, the tunnel's the main reason we're here, Mr. Mask.
Mash:
Here come the Demon Boars!
Mash:
Avicebron, please hurry and summon some combat golems!
--BATTLE--
Mash:
You've defeated the Demonic Beasts!
Fujimaru 1:
All's well that ends well.
Mash:
It appears we will be making a number of trips between here and the new stronghold for a time...
Atalante Alter:
I cannot say for sure with that mask of his, but...Avicebron seems quite happy.
Atalante Alter:
He has been making golems from the various ores that the team comes across while excavating the tunnels, then uses those golems to carry stuff out of the tunnels.
Atalante Alter:
...For the time being, I think we should focus on building the new stronghold and digging out the tunnel.
Avicebron:
Now then, I think I shall use these Demon Boar bones to make golems as well. Or perhaps I should call them Dragon Tooth Warriors in that case?
Mash:
That's amazing.
Mash:
I never thought the day would come when I'd hear you make a joke, Avicebron.
Avicebron:
...I do apologize for that. Thankfully, I've come to my senses, so I'm quite all right now.
Da Vinci:
So, how about the Shadow Border's armor? See anything that could be used to fix it?
Avicebron:
I can only make an educated guess based on the damage I saw on the hull...
Avicebron:
...but I believe this material should suffice to prevent further damage to the body in future Zero Sail excursions.
Avicebron:
We should even have enough to create a spare set of armor. Though of course, it will take some time to excavate all the materials.
Goredolf:
Wonderful! Then let's get it fixed up and take our leave of this godforsaken frontier already!
Da Vinci:
And how are we supposed to fix this whole ordeal if we just run away from it!?
Holmes:
Well, it seems Ms. Atalante's suspicions were more than justified.
Holmes:
At any rate, we all have a lot of work to do.
Holmes:
No time like the present to get started!
Atalante Alter:
Good. Both our new stronghold and the tunnel are complete.
Atalante Alter:
...We still have some leftover material lying about, but we can leave it be. We'll only be staying at this stronghold for a short while.
Atalante Alter:
We have camouflaged the other end of the tunnel. Our advance to the capital should begin in about three days.
Atalante Alter:
...The next step is to contact Beowulf,and have him and his Yaga create a diversion.
Fujimaru 1:
Then, that means...
Atalante Alter:
Yes. It is finally time.
Atalante Alter:
We will liberate the Yaga of this world from the Tsar and his Oprichniki's reign of terror.
Atalante Alter:
We're going to make our way into Yaga Moscow itself and defeat Ivan the Terrible!
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
A-are you sure about this, Boss? Do you really think we can do it?
Atalante Alter:
...Honestly, I do not know.
Atalante Alter:
The vast numbers of Oprichniki have prevented us from so much as catching a glimpse of the Tsar.
Atalante Alter:
But, we do know that he's in the capital, and that we have no hope of winning a battle of attrition.
Atalante Alter:
If we are to win, we must act immediately,while we are strong and have a powerful ally.
Atalante Alter:
...We cannot afford to wait any longer. If you want to survive, now is the time to fight!
Atalante Alter:
If you want your descendants to know peace and prosperity, then you must act now to defeat Ivan the Terrible!
Atalante Alter:
This will be the most important battle of your lives. If you wish to know peace and freedom, then fight! Fight with all the strength you possess!
Atalante Alter:
Now is the time to wipe the slate clean, and change the course of history for the first time in four hundred and fifty years!
Atalante Alter:
...Well, I guess this is really it.
Atalante Alter:
The die is cast. We cannot turn back now. Although I hope that did not sound too much like Caesar.
Mash:
All right, we're going to take our leave for the moment to repair the Shadow Border's armor.
Atalante Alter:
Understood.
Atalante Alter:
Just remember, we need your help now more than ever if we're going to overthrow the capital.
Atalante Alter:
So whatever you do, you had better not run off on us.
Atalante Alter:
If you do...I will hunt you down, even if I have to search all of Russia to do it.
Fujimaru 1:
Don't worry. We're not going anywhere.
Atalante Alter:
Very well then...I trust you. You have proven yourself to be an honest [♂ man /♀ woman].
Atalante Alter:
If you say you will not run away,then I believe you.
Fujimaru 2:
We need to make sure Ivan the Terrible is defeated too.
Atalante Alter:
...I see. That is good to hear.
Atalante Alter:
You are not the sort to change your mind once it is made up.
Atalante Alter:
I am told you overcame all manner of terrible challenges and visited a great many different time periods in your travels.
Atalante Alter:
If those stories are true, then I hope your good fortune brings us luck here as well.
Atalante Alter:
Very well, I will meet you back here at the stronghold.
Billy:
All right, Shanshan, time to hit the trail. You head straight to Salieri when you come back, all right?
Billy:
You got his scent, don'tcha?
Salieri:
So I will be holding down the fort this time, hm. Well, I suppose I have no choice.
Salieri:
There is no piano to be found in the Shadow Border, correct? Then I have no interest in it whatsoever.
Billy:
I ain't particularly interested either. Why d'you reckon Da Vinci wanted me to come along, anyways?
Billy:
Ah well. Ain't no sense worryin' over it. Go on, Shanshan! Git!
Billy:
So, you given any consideration to what y'all will do if Beowulf crawfishes on his offer to help?
Atalante Alter:
Not at all.
Atalante Alter:
I trust him and his combat prowess as much as I do Fujimaru's.
Atalante Alter:
I am certain he will not hesitate to help us. All right, I will be waiting!
Section 17: No Longer of the Lightning
Avicebron:
We don't seem to be moving as quickly as usual. Perhaps it's all the materials the golems are carrying...
Avicebron:
...Of course we run into a host of Demonic Beasts now. Let's take care of them quickly, Master.
--BATTLE--
Avicebron:
How unfortunate that we were waylaid by no fewer than THREE battles on our way here.
Billy:
Hmm...I'm takin' a shinin' to these golems. Still prefer a real horse, mind. 'Course, this Easy Wild Rider getup ain't half bad neither.
Avicebron:
I could make a horse-shaped golem, if you like. Though it would take some time to put together.
Avicebron:
Hmm, you know what, I think I would like to try my hand at that. Let's stop for a bit and I will see what I can do, shall I?
Billy:
Whoa there! Don't worry none. Ain't gotta go outta your way for me!
Billy:
Let's just keep on the trail to the Shadow Border.
Avicebron:
I see. Hm...A pity.
Goredolf:
This is why I always get nervous around artisan Servants...
Goredolf:
There's something about that one in particular that makes my hair stand on end whenever I look at him...
Da Vinci:
Hahaha, maybe he's got some bad blood with your family or something.
Avicebron:
None that I can recall.
Fujimaru 1:
I'm betting it's all in your head.
Da Vinci:
Good, I'm picking all of you up on our radar.
Da Vinci:
Okay Avicebron, what say you and I get these Shadow Border repairs underway?
Da Vinci:
With my genius on the case, we should be done in no time! Just sit back and–
Da Vinci:
Gah! Too cold! WAY too cold! Forget it! Da Vinci, out!
Holmes:
Hahaha, I suppose that body just isn't at all suited to hard work. Avicebron, allow me to assist in her stead.
Avicebron:
My thanks, Great Detective.... Shall we add a drill while we're at it?
Holmes:
No, no need for that. You can leave the paint as it is too.
Avicebron:
...What if we made the front into a fork shape...?
Holmes:
Absolutely not.
Avicebron:
I see...Hmm.
Mash:
Welcome back, Master!
Fujimaru 1:
It's good to be back, Mash.
Fujimaru 2:
Thanks, Mash.
Mash:
Of course!
Mash:
It looks like we'll need to set up a golem perimeter around the Shadow Border before we can start welding.
Mash:
It's going to take a while,so you should rest up in the meantime, Master.
Billy:
Well, here I am. So, what'd you wanna talk to me about, Da Vinci?
Da Vinci:
Oh, right. Let's go somewhere a little more private!
Mash:
I wonder what it is she wants to discuss, too.
Fou:
Fou fou.
Meunière:
Here you go. One cup of coffee, with plenty of milk and sugar.
Fujimaru 1:
Perfect! Thank you!
Meunière:
Sure thing. I know you've got your Mystic Code keeping you safe, but we're still talking about it being a hundred, a hundred and twenty below out there!
Meunière:
If it got damaged and stopped working,you'd freeze to death in an instant.
Fujimaru 1:
Thanks...for that...
Fujimaru 2:
You're kind of freaking me out...!
Meunière:
Well, don't worry. That's why we're going to tune it up and make sure it's in good shape.
Meunière:
It doesn't look like it's damaged, but we should still give it a thorough check to make sure everything's in good working order.
Meunière:
Just hang out here for a bit. I won't be long.
Fujimaru 1:
Sounds great, thanks!
Mash:
Well, Senpai, this is your chance to rest up for a while. Why don't you take a nap in a nice, warm room?
Fujimaru 1:
Yes, that. That. Sounds. Awesome.
Mash:
Understood. I think I'll take a little break myself, once I finish my own coffee.
Fujimaru 2:
Don't have to tell me twice. Good night!
Mash:
Sleep well, Senpai.
Mash:
I'm so glad to see you relaxed for the first time in a while.
Fujimaru 1:
Guess that coffee's not going to keep me up this time...
Fujimaru 2:
I can barely keep my eyes open...
Atalante Alter:
...Hm? What is it, Salieri?
Salieri:
Would you mind dealing with these children?
Salieri:
I don't do well with children, and it would use up far too much magical energy to hide away in my Mystic Code.
Atalante Alter:
Were you not a teacher of some renown?
Salieri:
The children I taught who wished to become composers tended to be prodigies, idiots, or failures.
Salieri:
I have no experience with...ordinary children.
Atalante Alter:
I would tell you to just play them something on the piano...but then, we do not have a piano here, do we?
Salieri:
No, we don't.
Salieri:
...Atalante. There is something bothering me.
Atalante Alter:
What is it?
Salieri:
...How much do you know?
Atalante Alter:
...What do you mean?
Salieri:
I promised Fujimaru that I would fight for Proper Human History.
Salieri:
What will you do, Atalante?
Salieri:
Surely you've already realized just what these Lostbelts really are...
Salieri:
...and which side is,from this world's perspective, evil.
Atalante Alter:
...I...
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
Enemy attack! Enemy attack!
Atalante Alter:
What!?
Salieri:
...!
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
Aaagh!
Yaga (Child):
Daaad!
Oprichnik:
Glory to the Tsar. All who would defy him shall be purged.
Atalante Alter:
Get back! Stay behind the adults!
Atalante Alter:
How is this happening? How did they find us? How did they manage to make their way inside?
Atalante Alter:
We have not even seen any Oprichniki in the surrounding area!
Priest:
True. You chose your hiding spot for this fortress very well indeed.
Atalante Alter:
...!
Priest:
The only way for us to reach it would be to cut a path through a forest teeming with Demonic Beasts...
Priest:
...and, even were we to do so,you could simply hole up in your fortress.
Priest:
I commend your efforts to turn the tide of battle in your favor, however fruitless they have proved.
Atalante Alter:
You're...Metropolitan Macarius!
Priest:
Yes, that is what they call me here.
Priest:
Unfortunately for you,you have overlooked two crucial details.
Priest:
First, you assumed we would never go through the forest, knowing that doing so would cost us the bulk of our forces...but you forgot we can simply make more.
Priest:
Second...Did you really believe a fortress like this could stand up to a Servant?
Atalante Alter:
...If you had an Anti-Fortress Noble Phantasm, we would have seen signs of its deployment. And I knew the Demonic Beast forest could handle any Anti-Personnel or Anti-Army Noble Phantasm you might throw at us.
Atalante Alter:
It's made up of living spirit trees over four hundred years old. They're harder than metal, and they even have wills of their own!
Priest:
Yes, but wood from four-hundred-year-old spirit trees can't hope to defend against a Noble Phantasm with an even longer history.
Priest:
Speaking of which...Come on out, Noble Phantasm bearer.
Atalante Alter:
...!
Atalante Alter:
(...What is that...? Some sort of cave...? )
Atalante Alter:
(...No! It couldn't be! )
F：Priest:
...Your information was invaluable, Patxi.
F：Priest:
The Tsar will be most pleased with your contributions.
Fujimaru 1:
...Something doesn't seem right.
Fujimaru 2:
I feel like...I just had a really bad dream...
Mash:
Did you have a good nap, Senpai? You look pale...Are you okay?
Mash:
You're sure? Thank goodness.
Mash:
Your Mystic Code is all ready.
Mash:
It did turn out to have a little damage,so Da Vinci repaired it when she had a spare moment.
Fujimaru 1:
She has nothing BUT spare moments!
Billy:
Howdy, Master. Looks like the Shadow Border's all fixed up like new.
Holmes:
Indeed. We've also replenished its magical energy using the land's natural magic, and we're all set on fuel as well. The Shadow Border should be ready to go now.
Holmes:
Theoretically, we could make another Zero Sail excursion...but for the time being, we have determined to take that option off the table.
Holmes:
Even if we were to escape from Russia now,we would be left aimless and directionless.
Holmes:
Our first order of business must be to shed some light upon the mysteries here. The storm wall that envelops this world...The Tree of Emptiness...
Holmes:
And of course, we still need to face the Crypter, Kadoc.
Holmes:
As the sole remaining defenders of humanity, we cannot permit the Crypters to continue to do as they please, given that they hold the keys to this whole debacle.
Holmes:
To that end, we must capture and question him. To do that, we have no choice but to infiltrate Yaga Moscow.
Holmes:
Our enemy is Kadoc Zemlupus...his Servant, Grand Duchess Anastasia...
Holmes:
...and the king of this Lostbelt, Ivan the Terrible,who still has yet to show himself.
Holmes:
Very well then, back to our quest. Go, enjoy your adventure in this bone-chillingly frigid world!
Avicebron:
Let's be on our way.
Mash:
Master...
Fujimaru 1:
Take care of things while I'm gone.
Mash:
......I...
Fujimaru 2:
See you later!
Mash:
...Yes, Master. Please, stay safe...!
Mash:
...? What was that cry...?
Billy:
Shanshan!? Huh? What's going on?
Billy:
Didn't I tell you to head for Salieri on your way back?
Billy:
You got word for us, boy?
Shanshan:
......
Shanshan:
...Enemy ambush. Requesting immediate aid.
Fujimaru 1:
That voice...
Fujimaru 2:
Was that Salieri?
Billy:
An ambush, huh...That don't sound good. Let's get a move on!
Avicebron:
Normally, I would make high-mobility golems for all of us...but it would seem we don't have time for that.
Avicebron:
I'm afraid it will be a bit crowded,but I would ask that you all ride on my own golem.
Avicebron:
I'm the only one who can make it run at full speed, after all.
Billy:
All right. Let's get to it!
Avicebron:
...Here goes.
Fujimaru 1:
...!
Fujimaru 2:
...!?
Mash:
Whatever you do, Master, don't say anything!
Mash:
At this speed, the sound produced from one wrong word could end up piercing your Mystic Code's defensive spells and tearing through your skin!
Holmes:
I can see white smoke coming from the direction of the rebel army's stronghold.
Holmes:
Even at full speed,I'm afraid...we may be too late...
Mash:
!
Fujimaru 1:
(Come on, let's hurry! )
Mash:
Oh no...!
Fujimaru 1:
This is horrific...!
Avicebron:
It's been completely obliterated. Did the Oprichniki do this...?
Fujimaru 2:
We need to look for survivors!
Holmes:
We'll do the same on our end. Let us know if you find anything.
Fujimaru 1:
Is anyone here!?
Billy:
Heeey! Anyone still kickin' heeere!?
E：???:
Ngh...Nnngh...
Mash:
Did you hear that...!?
Fujimaru 1:
Found 'em!
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
Ah...Aah...
Mash:
Are you okay!? Hold on, I'll prepare a healing scroll right away...!
Holmes:
I'm afraid there would be no point. It would be most difficult to rebuild his body with a healing spell now.
Holmes:
He's been broken apart,and quite methodically at that.
Avicebron:
...Master, do you know any magecraft for relieving pain?
Avicebron:
I'm only versed in the Kabbalah art of golem creation, and know nothing in the way of healing.
Fujimaru 1:
...I'm sorry.
Fujimaru 2:
I...I don't know any magecraft...
Avicebron:
...My apologies. I didn't mean to put you on the spot.
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
I...It's you guys...They got us good...
Billy:
What happened to Atalante and everyone else?
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
The first thing I heard...were the screams...
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
The Oprichniki showed up here before we could even sound the alarm...
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
After that, I got knocked flying,and...I don't remember anything else...
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
I don't get it...How did this happen...
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
Why...why did we...have to die...?
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
No...I don't...I don't want to die! I...
Mash:
...
Fujimaru 1:
...
Avicebron:
Master, may I say something?
Avicebron:
I sent out golems to search the stronghold. They tell me the number of dead bodies and the number of Yaga who were here before we left don't match.
Avicebron:
Had they all been killed, there would be more corpses here for us to find.
Fujimaru 1:
Then, that means...
Avicebron:
Indeed. Over half of the rebel army is likely still alive.
Avicebron:
They must have been taken captive after they were defeated.
Holmes:
Hold on, just give me a moment...There! I've found a group of Oprichniki next to a pair of Servant readings!
Holmes:
They're closer than I expected. Be on your guard!
???:
Don't tell me you're surprised? You shouldn't be. This is the great Tsar's Noble Phantasm at work.
???:
It's called “Chyornyj Oprichniki” or“Black dogs, come forth into my dreams. ”
???:
There are a number of Noble Phantasms which can be used to summon soldiers, but I doubt there are any others that can do so endlessly.
???:
...It comes with a peculiar condition for its use: Ivan the Terrible must remain stationary.
Mash:
That voice...!
Fujimaru 1:
Father Kotomine!
Mash:
I'd already assumed that would be the case...but it looks like he really is one of the Servants who's allied with the Tsar.
Priest:
...Heh.
Priest:
Since it has been so long since we last saw each other, people of Chaldea, allow me to introduce myself again.
Priest:
My True Name is Macarius. As a Servant, it is my job to watch over Russia.
Fujimaru 1:
I knew it! You ARE a Pseudo-Servant...!
F：Priest:
So you know of others like me. Good, that spares me the trouble of explaining.
F：Priest:
This body most likely belongs to one of the participants in a Holy Grail War. I borrowed his power in order to manifest.
Avicebron:
Macarius...He was, as I recall, Ivan the Terrible's mentor.
Avicebron:
The one who molded him into a mighty tsar, who taught him of the sacred power that comes with that title, who made certain he would not be just another grand duke like those who came before him.
Avicebron:
Yes, I see. I suppose it does make a kind of sense that you would take on the appearance of a priest.
Holmes:
...He may look like one,but he is far from a true man of the cloth.
Holmes:
May I ask you something, Metropolitan Macarius?
F：Priest:
Anything you like.
Holmes:
I assume you were the one who captured the rebel army.
F：Priest:
Indeed, I am.
Holmes:
We found dead children among the bodies. The Oprichniki's doing, obviously.
F：Priest:
Obviously.
Holmes:
...So you, a servant of God,were just willing to accept that?
F：Priest:
Hmm. “Accept,” you say? An interesting choice of words.
F：Priest:
What choice would I have but to accept it? The Oprichniki are the hands of the Tsar, and by extension, God Himself.
F：Priest:
It would hardly make a good example if they were to show leniency, now would it?
Avicebron:
Hmm, I see.
Avicebron:
Then you are clearly not a servant of God at all, inside OR outside.
F：Priest:
...Oh, I don't know about that.
F：Priest:
I have offered this body of mine,completely and sincerely, to God.
F：Priest:
Whatever I use it for, I am merely fulfilling the role I have been given.
Billy:
I got a question to put to you, too, and you're damn well gonna give me a straight answer.
Billy:
...Who ratted us out?
F：Priest:
That would be Patxi. I thought that would have been obvious to you by now.
Fujimaru 1:
...Patxi...
Avicebron:
They must have tortured it out of him. It's not his fault.
F：Priest:
Oh, I am afraid you are mistaken there. I didn't so much as lay a finger on him.
F：Priest:
No, he simply surrendered when faced with the Tsar's supremacy, with his unbridled glory.
F：Priest:
I do wish I could let you all witness that glory for yourselves, but unfortunately, the Tsar is exhausted, and in no state to welcome visitors from another land.
F：Priest:
And so I am afraid I must kill you all here and now.
F：Priest:
...Come forth, Lostbelt Servant,and put these people in their proper place.
???:
GRRR...RRR...
C：???:
KILL...I'LL KILL YOU...RRR...RRRRRR...
C：???:
I'LL KILL YOU...AND...EAT YOU...!!!
Billy:
Just who the hell's that?
Mash:
...It's you.
Fujimaru 1:
Asterios...!
Avicebron:
You know him?
F：Priest:
It must have been nice growing up in peaceful Proper Human History, if you were able to summon him by his throwaway name.
F：Priest:
His True Name is Minotaur. He is a monster who dwells in a labyrinth and eats all who wander in.
F：Priest:
...Did you think much of the rebel army had survived the attack because you didn't find enough bodies to account for them all?
F：Priest:
I'm afraid we only took about a fifth of them captive. Minotaur ate the rest.
F：Priest:
It's quite nice, having such a big eater around at times like this. It keeps the corpses from rotting and becoming home to maggots.
F：Priest:
The flies in this Lostbelt are quite vicious, you see. They could not be otherwise, having managed to survive in this harsh climate for so long.
F：Priest:
Whenever they catch so much as a glimpse of flesh,they latch on tight and refuse to let go.
C：Minotaur:
I'LL...KILL YOOOU!
Mash:
Oh no...!
Avicebron:
It's the Minotaur's labyrinth...! Oh no! He's trying to...separate us...!
Fujimaru 1:
Avicebron!
C：Minotaur:
ENDLESS DEATH. NEVER-ENDING DEATH.
C：Minotaur:
I'LL KILL YOU...I'LL KILL YOOOURRRRRRAAAHHH!
Billy:
Here he comes, Master...!
--BATTLE--
Billy:
Dammit, what the hell's goin' on here?
Billy:
Feels like I'm runnin' in place, even if I'm stock-still! Like...somethin's shakin' my head!
Billy:
Hate to say it, but one more push and I'm done in.
Billy:
...Dammit! I'm sorry, Master...!
Minotaur:
......
Fujimaru 1:
...Khh...!
Minotaur:
AHH...I KNEW IT.
Minotaur:
...I CAN'T EAT ANOTHER BITE. I'LL SAVE THIS ONE FOR TOMORROW.
Billy:
Crap...!
Fujimaru 1:
We're trapped in here!
Billy:
...If I remember my myth, and I sure hope I do, Theseus defeated the Minotaur and escaped by followin' the thread Ariadne laid out for him in the Labyrinth...
Billy:
...but since we just got tossed in here all surprise-like, I don't see that bein' an option for us.
Billy:
...Hm? Hey, where's Avicebron?
Avicebron:
...Why did you isolate me from the others?
Kadoc:
I want to make a deal with you.
Avicebron:
...I see.
Kadoc:
Let me introduce myself again. My name's Kadoc Zemlupus. I know who you are, and I know what you've accomplished.
Kadoc:
You're Avicebron,the greatest golem master who ever lived.
Kadoc:
I have the utmost respect for you.
Kadoc:
I also know what it is you desire.
Avicebron:
......
Avicebron:
Are my Master and the others safe?
Priest:
I can assure you that they are. At least, for the duration of this conversation.
Priest:
If nothing else, I will make sure that that monster takes his leave.
Avicebron:
...Hmm. All right, then I'll hear you out.
Avicebron:
...Tell me then, what is it I desire?
Kadoc:
I not only know what it is...I can also make it a reality.
Fujimaru 1:
Looks like we've been separated...
Billy:
Don't s'pose we can still contact that Shadow Border of yours?
Fujimaru 2:
Did we just get lost?
Billy:
...Ain't no “just” 'bout it in here, I'd bet. How 'bout the Shadow Border? Don't s'pose you can get in touch?
Mash:
Master...Thank goodness!
Mash:
It's all right. We can still read your presence.
Mash:
...I'm afraid we can't determine your location,though. It's all we can do just to contact you...
Mash:
At least we can still communicate by voice, and we can still send you video from our end, but we can't seem to learn anything about your surroundings.
Mash:
We can't even track the magical energy connection between you and Avicebron...
Billy:
I'm willin' to bet they did somethin' to cut Fujimaru off from Avicebron on purpose.
Billy:
Hmm...Maybe they reckoned we could use his golems to bust our way outta here?
Fujimaru 1:
Three words: golem wave attack!
Billy:
Swarmin' the place with a buncha golems insteada people? Yeah, I bet that'd do the job.
Fujimaru 2:
True, if we just had enough of them...
Billy:
Yep, I 'spect you get enough golems together and ain't no labyrinth that could stand up to that.
Billy:
For now, looks like it's just us two, though...
Fujimaru 1:
Don't forget Asterios...
Billy:
...Oh, right. Y'all know him?
Billy:
Well, hang tough. That's about all I can say.
Fujimaru 2:
Minotaur...
Mash:
I know, Master.... That wasn't the Asterios we know.
Mash:
There wasn't a hint of the easygoing,gentle man and his kind smile that we remember.
Billy:
...Looks like we all got full plates just now. Anyways,looks like we got no choice but to keep on movin'.
Mash:
...It's no use. I'm afraid you keep returning to the same coordinates.
Billy:
Too bad my six-shooters ain't much use here. I'd give my eyeteeth for a way outta this.
Fujimaru 1:
If we're going to find one, we'll just have to keep moving.
Fujimaru 2:
We just have to keep putting one foot in front of the other!
Billy:
Well you sure got some pep, don'tcha?
Mash:
Of course! [♂ He's /♀ She's] not my Master for nothing!
Billy:
...Hold up. Someone's here.
Billy:
The Minotaur? ...No, ain't a Servant. Maybe a Demonic Beast got lost down here?
G：???:
Hey...it's you guys...
Mash:
Patxi...
Billy:
Why, howdy, Patxi. Long time no see.
Patxi:
...What's with the look?
Mash:
Never mind that for now. Patxi, um...
Billy:
Master, mind just backin' up a hair for me?
Fujimaru 1:
But...
Billy:
Just do it!
Patxi:
...Hmph.
Billy:
I'll make this reeeal easy.
Billy:
You rat us out? You turn yellow and tell them where the rebel army's hideout was?
Patxi:
......
Patxi:
Yeah, I did.... I told them everything.
Patxi:
I didn't know about this stronghold,but I remembered seeing a map.
Patxi:
It's a real good thing I did.
Mash:
Why would you do such a thing...!?
Patxi:
...I don't wanna tell you. If you're gonna kill me, then kill me. I won't make it easy for you, though I doubt it'll make a difference.
Patxi:
I'm not strong like you guys are. If you wanna kill me, there's nothing I can do about it. So go on, do it!
Fujimaru 1:
Patxi!
Patxi:
Don't say my name!
Fujimaru 2:
Why did you do that...?
Patxi:
...I'm no good to anyone anymore.
Patxi:
I...I saw him. I saw the Tsar for myself.
Mash:
!
Section 18: A Steady Journey to Hell
Patxi:
...What is this place? Why'd you bring me here?
Priest:
We no longer have a court jester, you see, so I thought you would make a good show in his absence.
Patxi:
What was that...!?
Priest:
You're a perfectly ordinary Yaga, aren't you?
Priest:
You abandoned your parents when they grew weak, yet aren't yourself strong enough to take what you want.
Priest:
The only thing you ever have a chance to think about is how to make it to the next day.
Priest:
And that is precisely why I want you to meet the Tsar.
Patxi:
...What're you talking about? I don't understand.
Priest:
Do hold on to your gun. This is, after all, your once-in-a-lifetime shot at assassinating the Tsar.
Patxi:
......
Priest:
You don't believe me? Here, let me see it.
Patxi:
What the!?
Priest:
You see? It works just fine.
Oprichnik:
......We heard a gunshot.
Priest:
It's quite all right, Oprichniki. A weapon like this could never hope to hurt the Tsar.
Oprichnik:
......
Patxi:
...The hell? Are you crazy or something?
Priest:
One must not succumb to madness, young Yaga. Now, the time is nearly at hand. Are you ready?
Patxi:
......What is that?
Patxi:
...No, wait. It can't be...
Ivan the Terrible:
...Who is...that Yaga...there...?
Patxi:
Aah...!!!
Priest:
He is one of your subjects from the frontier, Your Imperial Majesty.
Priest:
He came all this way on a pilgrimage, just so he could bow down before your glory in person.
Ivan the Terrible:
I see...How pious of you...
Patxi:
I-I-I-I...
Narration:
...What is this thing?
Narration:
It's not human. It's not Yaga.
Narration:
It's not even alive. It's so absurd...just the sight of it burns my mind.
Narration:
I feel like I shouldn't even look its way. I'm getting mixed up in things no one ever should.
Narration:
It's not blasphemous. It's not obscene.
Narration:
It might be...sublime. But...
Narration:
...this thing shouldn't even have a mind! It's not right!
Narration:
I think I must have screamed...
Narration:
The priest didn't even bat an eye. That was the strangest part of the whole thing.
Patxi:
Wha...what the hell are you?
Priest:
The Tsar is a great man, a being to be held in fear and awe. He is the ultimate Yaga. He is the one who saved this nation from disaster.
Narration:
I don't understand what this priest is saying. And I don't want to.
Priest:
Of course, the Tsar has feelings of his own.
Narration:
What?
Priest:
But right now, he is far, far away, dreaming,even as he continues to govern this nation.
Priest:
Yet as far off as he is,we know his dream must be a happy one.
Priest:
Our Tsar dreams of merriment. Of a peaceful, beautiful nation, unspoiled by strife, unease, or despair.
Priest:
...That is why he sleeps so soundly.
Priest:
But...let us say...
Priest:
...that he were, hypothetically, to learn of a rebellion brewing...Well, that would not be pretty.
Priest:
Our great Tsar would lead the attack himself,and he would crush the rebels. Utterly.
Narration:
...We can't let that happen.
Narration:
We can't let him wake up. We can't ever let him wake up.
Narration:
This creature is despair incarnate.
Priest:
Ah, yes. Another hypothetical...
Priest:
Were the rebel army to be swiftly eradicated, you would never need to bear witness to the Tsar's glory ever again, so long as you live.
Patxi:
...!
Patxi:
I...
Narration:
...Betray them.
Narration:
I only joined the rebel army on a whim. I'm not proud to be a rebel; it's not my mission in life.
Narration:
...No, that's not it. It's worse. I understand now. My spirit is broken.
Narration:
I would do anything...anything if it meant I'd never have to see the Tsar again.
Patxi:
The...the rebel army's base is...
Priest:
I already know about that one. But surely, you must have an inkling of where their other hideout might be located?
Patxi:
......I do.
Narration:
I will not be called a coward for this. Anyone would have done the same if they'd seen what I have.
Narration:
That's right. Every last damn Yaga in this world would do the same. So I...
Patxi:
...Then that Macarius guy took me away and threw me in here.
Patxi:
...Haha, you guys were fighting that monster not too long ago, right?
Patxi:
If you're gonna go up against it again,then I'll help.
Patxi:
I'll take that monster over the Tsar any day of the week.
Billy:
...You bein' straight with us, Patxi?
Patxi:
No, I'm not. Of course I don't wanna fight a monster like that if I can help it.
Patxi:
...But every word I said about the Tsar was true. Nobody should even think about messing with him.
Patxi:
I just wanted you to understand that.
Billy:
Sounds like a buncha excuses to me.
Patxi:
I don't care what you think! If you're gonna kill me, then kill me!
Mash:
...
Patxi:
Trust me, you'd do the same if you'd seen that...thing for yourself!
Mash:
Was this Ivan the Terrible really that frightening to look at?
Patxi:
...Stop it. Don't make me remember him. Just thinking about him gives me a splitting headache.
Fujimaru 1:
Maybe it's some sort of skill that made you feel this way...?
Mash:
That's possible. This IS Ivan the Terrible we're talking about.
Mash:
It wouldn't be at all surprising if he had an ability to invoke fear in anyone who looked at him.
Fujimaru 2:
It might've been a Noble Phantasm that made you feel this way.
Mash:
Yes, that's definitely possible. Ivan the Terrible's name is synonymous with fear, after all.
Mash:
...At any rate.
Mash:
No matter how fearsome Ivan the Terrible may be,we can't just run from him.
Mash:
I know you won't want to hear this,Patxi, but we need to face him...
Mash:
...and we need to examine the Tree of Emptiness he's guarding.
Billy:
Well, we ain't gonna find anythin' just jawin' around here. All we're doin' is wanderin' in circles.
Patxi:
Do you guys have any food?
Mash:
...No, we don't.
Fou:
Fou!
Billy:
Well hey, I bet this little critter here would make a nice stew to get us through the night, yeah? (Yoink)
Billy:
You ain't gonna put up no fuss about givin' up a little meat for your Master, right, Fou? C'mon, what do you say, li'l fella?
Fou:
Fou, fou, fou!
Fujimaru 1:
It's okay, no one's going to eat you.
Fujimaru 2:
Easy, Fou. Just calm down.
Patxi:
...I've got some jerky left over if you want it.
Mash:
That would be a big help, Patxi. Billy will be all right, but for Master, it's a matter of life and death.
Billy:
...I don't getcha.
Billy:
First you go turncoat on the rebel army,and now you're offerin' us jerky?
Billy:
You'd give a damned wind sock a run for its money with all the blowin' in the direction of whatever breeze takes you.
Patxi:
You guys are strong enough that you could just take it from me anyway.
Patxi:
No point in fighting a battle I know I can't win.
Fujimaru 1:
You could've just not told us about it.
Patxi:
...I just didn't want to think about what might happen if I didn't tell you and you found out about it later.
Billy:
That so?
Fujimaru 2:
We're not the type to resort to stealing.
Patxi:
You expect me to believe that?
Billy:
Man, you ain't got the least bit of trust in you, do you?
Mash:
...Patxi, I know I speak for Master when I say this:
Mash:
None of us has any intention of hurting you.
Mash:
Besides, we're the reason you got caught up in this in the first place...
Mash:
...and we can't expect anyone to hold out in the face of pain and suffering.
Mash:
So I don't think we can decide whether or not you deserve forgiveness.
Patxi:
......What the hell are you people?
Patxi:
I don't get it. None of this makes sense!
Billy:
We're from Proper Human History. We lived in a whole different kinda world than you Yaga.
Mash:
...That's true. I'm sorry we didn't say anything about it sooner.
Mash:
In our history, the Great Cold Wave that took place four hundred and fifty years ago never happened.
Mash:
We didn't just come here from another country. We came here from another world...from Proper Human History.
Mash:
From a world that enjoyed a history at least a little more peaceful than this one.
Patxi:
...A peaceful history...? What the hell're you talking about? Now I'm even more confused...
Billy:
Means our Russia had a whole different history than this one. And it weren't nearly so damn cold!
Patxi:
...I guess that makes sense. A lot more than you living under a rock all this time.
Patxi:
...Now I get it. So that's why you guys didn't have to become Yaga to survive.
Patxi:
Then, in your world, is Ivan the Terrible...
Billy:
Naw, he's been dead for ages. Been boots-up since he was about fifty years old.
Patxi:
He actually died!?
Billy:
'Course he did. He was just a man.
Patxi:
But then, how...I see.... Proper Human History, huh...
Patxi:
...So if the Great Cold Wave never happened,does that mean it's actually warm there?
Fujimaru 1:
I don't know. I think Russia must still be pretty cold?
Mash:
Well, I would still say that Russia in Proper Human History is much warmer than it is here, Master.
Fujimaru 2:
More than here, anyway...
Patxi:
Makes sense...
Mash:
There aren't any Demonic Beasts, either. Though we do have cute animals, like Fou.
Fou:
Fou, fou fou.
Patxi:
...What a weird world...
Billy:
...This mean you're startin' to get an interest in Proper Human History now?
Patxi:
...I don't know about that, but the idea of a world where even weaklings like Fujimaru can survive sounds pretty interesting.
Patxi:
I can kind of tell that Mash is strong. And I've got no doubt about your strength, gunslinger.
Patxi:
But, I can't make heads or tails of you, Fujimaru.
Patxi:
At first I thought you were a mage, but it turns out you can't even do anything special.
Fujimaru 1:
Well excuse the hell out of me!
Billy:
Now, now, easy does it.
Mash:
Master–Senpai has accomplished incredible things!
Mash:
I insist you take that back!
Patxi:
Ugh, lay off me!
Fujimaru 2:
I admit I'm not strong, but...
Patxi:
I knew it.
Billy:
...There's a hell of a lot more to strength than what you're talkin' about. If you ain't got it in you to see that, then you're still just a kid yourself.
Billy:
Not that I'm one to talk, of course!
Patxi:
...Let me ask you another question, Fujimaru.
Patxi:
What's your everyday life like? Are you not constantly worried about dying, like we are?
Mash:
I'd like to know that too, Senpai.
Mash:
I always enjoy your stories about your life before you came to Chaldea!
Fujimaru 1:
It's really nothing special, honestly.
Billy:
Oh well ain't that just perfect. Been meanin' to take a break.
Billy:
How about we all have a sit-down, a bite of jerky, and Master can talk about [♂ his /♀ her] daily life a spell.
Patxi:
...So you even have hot days in your world, huh. How do you manage with those? Do you just take off all your clothes, or what?
Mash:
School...That's right.
Mash:
Learning with other people the same age as you really does sound wonderful.
Mash:
Honestly, I'd love to try going there myself.
Patxi:
I don't get it. Why would you all waste your time on something so meaningless? Literacy rate? Societal institutions?
Patxi:
Hmm. Nope, I just don't get it.
Patxi:
...Back up. You're not considered a legal adult until you're HOW old!? That's ridiculous!
Patxi:
So no alcohol before a certain age? No riding a bicorn either?
Patxi:
Oh, wait, you said you use cars there, didn't you.
Patxi:
(Sigh)...Then again, I guess it doesn't make much difference if you're not allowed to ride one either way.
Mash:
It's true. Each country has its own set of laws and regulations...
Mash:
...but I believe it's common for them to limit the drinking and driving age of their citizens until they've reached a certain age.
Patxi:
So then, what do you do when it gets cold? How do the kids survive without a swig of vodka?
Patxi:
...Or would vodka actually mess up their chances of surviving?
Billy:
...S'pose y'all either ain't learned this or just forgot it, but drinkin' alcohol actually ends up lowerin' your body temperature.
Patxi:
Huh, really? It's never felt that way to me.
Mash:
Maybe because you have a fur coat?
Patxi:
Yeah, that's true. Honestly, seeing you humans and your super smooth skin is kind of, well...
Patxi:
...gross.
Mash:
Huh!?
Fujimaru 1:
Honestly, I kind of wish I had a fur coat too.
Fujimaru 2:
That fur DOES look nice and warm...
Patxi:
...Well, guess the fact that you don't have fur coats just goes to show it's not so dangerous that you need them.
Mash:
...Come to think of it, we do know ONE person with a fur coat in our world.
Mysterious Inventor:
Hahahahaha!
Mysterious Inventor:
Thomas here! The only thing I truly dislike is static electricity...of the AC variety!
Patxi:
Huh, so you DO have Yaga in your world.
Patxi:
...He's a collection of different presidents? What's a president?
Patxi:
Is it like the Tsar of your world?
Patxi:
You know, I still kind of find it hard to believe that a human could really be stronger than a Yaga just because you're a Servant.
Billy:
Don't think I'm tough enough to cut it out here, huh, Patxi? Be happy to prove it to you, if you like.
Billy:
How 'bout I put five straight shots right between your eyes? Bet even a Yaga'd die from that.
Patxi:
...All right, I'm sorry.
Patxi:
Say, where's Avicebron, anyway?
Mash:
We actually got separated from him right before we ran into you...
Mash:
He was right here with us before we ended up fighting Ast–the Minotaur in this labyrinth.
Fujimaru 1:
I'm sure he's still alive...At least, I think so.
Fujimaru 1:
I'm sure he's still alive...At least, I think so.
Mash:
I think so too.
Patxi:
...Aha. Now I get it.
Billy:
Get what?
Patxi:
Oh, nothing. Don't worry about it.
Narration:
...There's still a lot I don't get about all this, but one thing, I do.
Narration:
Why did I go along with these guys? Why did I end up siding with the rebel army?
Narration:
Because I found Fujimaru and Mash fascinating.
Narration:
I mean, they're both weak. Hopelessly weak.
Narration:
I saw Mash fight a Krichat' once,and she was easily as strong as Billy back then.
Narration:
...But she doesn't have the mind for fighting. She can't kick someone while they're down to get ahead.
Narration:
And...Well, that's doubly true for Fujimaru.
Narration:
For Yaga, the weak aren't even worth eating.
Narration:
But these humans...these weaklings who would've been abandoned long ago had they been Yaga...They say they're here to fix humanity, whatever that means.
Narration:
It sounds like the kind of job reserved for great heroes. How could these weaklings ever pull that off?
Narration:
...This world is wrong.
Narration:
I think back on what my dad used to say, and try to picture the world Fujimaru and Mash came from...what it represents.
Narration:
We Yaga survive by abandoning anyone and everyone who threatens to hold us back. Friends, family, comrades...It doesn't matter.
Narration:
...Is that really for the best? Is that really the only way?
Narration:
...These two don't seem to think so. They never give up on the weak. Instead, they do everything they possibly can to help them.
Narration:
That's why I'm not scared of them. It feels nice.
Narration:
...They're so beautiful it makes me green with envy. So cheerful it makes me want to kill them.
Mash:
...xi.
Mash:
...Patxi? What's wrong?
Fujimaru 1:
Are you okay?
Patxi:
...I'm fine. It's nothing. Let's just get back on track.
Patxi:
So you're not planning to kill me,even though I betrayed you all?
Mash:
...That's right.
Billy:
Don't look at me. I'm just goin' along with Master here.
Fujimaru 1:
We're not going to hurt you.
Fujimaru 2:
I don't blame you for what you did.
Patxi:
Then, if we manage to make it out of here...
Patxi:
...would it be okay if I stuck with you again?
Patxi:
Don't worry, I'll make myself scarce if we run into the rebel army again.
Patxi:
I'm a traitor. It's my fault so many were wiped out.
Mash:
Patxi...
Billy:
(Ahh, got it. So this is how he's tryin'to make up for the wrong he done. )
Billy:
(Still...Ain't none of the rebels gonna be happy to see him. Too dangerous to keep him with us. )
Patxi:
I know I can't show my face around them...but I'd still like to stick with you guys again until then.
Patxi:
...Ugh, dammit. This is so hard to put into words.
Patxi:
I guess it's 'cause I don't really understand it all that well myself.
Billy:
I'm votin' no on this one, Master. He's turned on us once. Wouldn't be prudent to give him a chance to do it again.
Billy:
Bringin' him along's a bad idea. At least, that's MY two bits.
Billy:
But I can already see from the way you're lookin' at me that you ain't havin' that.
Fujimaru 1:
You're welcome to come with us, Patxi.
Patxi:
...Thank you.
Patxi:
I doubt I'll be much help...but if there's anything I can do to be useful, just let me know.
Billy:
......
Mash:
Billy.
Billy:
Don't worry none. I got it. If that's what Master wants, that's what Master'll get.
Patxi:
......
Fujimaru 1:
I get why you're concerned, but...
Billy:
...Guess I sounded off kinda harsh, there.
Billy:
Don't pay me no mind, Patxi. I ain't like these two. I can be a downright asshole as often as not.
Patxi:
Fine with me. Frankly, I'm glad there's someone like you around.
Patxi:
I can be kind of an asshole sometimes too.
Billy:
...Damned if you didn't center-shoot the bull's-eye on that one.
Billy:
I'm sensin' a whole passel of 'em!
Billy:
Patxi, watch my back! We don't want 'em surrounding us!
Patxi:
...I know this metallic scent...It's the Oprichniki!
Billy:
Looks like we found ourselves some stragglers!
Billy:
I'm guessing they got lost in here too...but I got a feelin' they ain't lookin to cooperate!
Mash:
Please make sure you defeat at least one of the groups before they corner you in a pincer formation!
Fujimaru 1:
I'll take the front group!
Fujimaru 2:
I'll take the rear group!
Billy:
All right, let's get a move on, Master!
--BATTLE--
Mash:
I'm picking up even more Oprichniki readings...! They're still coming, Master...!
Patxi:
Dammit, I'm gonna run out of ammo...!
Billy:
Damn misfire...Sorry, gimme a bit of cover!
Billy:
We got him...but he's not going down! Hittin' them in the heart won't do it! Gotta aim for the head!
Mash:
The Oprichniki are charging! Get out of there, Master...!
Fujimaru 1:
(Oh crap...! )
Fujimaru 1:
I'm...okay?
Fujimaru 2:
Nothing happened...?
???:
Halt, scoundrels! How dare you point your weapons at an innocent young [♂ man /♀ woman]!?
???:
I may not know my right hand from my left in these foreign lands, but I still know a villain when I see one!
???:
Touch one hair on [♂ his /♀ her] beautiful head,and I will cut you down where you stand!
???:
Heaven's vengeance may be slow, but this wandering swordmaster will make sure nothing slips by! If you fear not my blades, then have at you!
Fujimaru 1:
(That voice...! )
Fujimaru 2:
(No way...! )
Musashi:
Hi there, Fujimaru! Long time no see! I KNEW I'd run into you again someday!
--ARROW--
Mash:
I-I'm picking up an unidentified Servant reading! Did someone just appear out of nowhere, Master!?
Musashi:
Hahaha. Hahahahaha!
Musashi:
Sorry if I surprised you! Showing up outta nowhere, being all out of place, and causing trouble is kinda my thing.
Musashi:
Call it the mark of a natural-born wanderer, I guess? Anyway, I hope you don't mind TOO much!
Fujimaru 1:
That confident bluster...That lightning-fast swordplay...
Fujimaru 2:
You're Miyamoto Musashi, Niten Ichiryu and all!
Musashi:
Yep! I'm Musashi! Anyway...
Musashi:
I was doing my usual wandering thing when a blizzard struck outta nowhere, and I ended up Rayshifting again thanks to the Buddha's guidance!
Musashi:
Then I ran into a one-eyed swordsman turned Japanese agent, and he convinced me to head north.
Musashi:
At first I was just fighting off Russian Yagyu assassins...
Musashi:
...but I guess at one point, I got so turned around that I ended up running into Ivan the Terrible's Oprichniki!
Musashi:
I guess this is what I get for going along with Jubei!
Fujimaru 1:
Russian Yagyu?
Fujimaru 2:
Russian Yagyu!?
Musashi:
Yeah, Russian Yagyu! I can't believe they're still around in this day and age!
Musashi:
I swear, no sooner do I get to Russia and go for a little skiing than they just show up and attack me!
Musashi:
They ruined my skiwear! I JUST got it! Now all I've got left is my plain old kimono.
Fujimaru 1:
I don't even know where to begin with this!
Fou:
Fooou. Feeel.
Billy:
Dang, I can't believe Master's friends with yet ANOTHER sword-totin' hero.
Patxi:
...Do Servants just not feel cold or something?
Billy:
They OUGHTA. At least a little.
Musashi:
Oh, hey! It's a Yaga.
Musashi:
Man, I know they all have this going on,but I LOVE how soft their fur looks...!
Musashi:
And that gunslinger...
Musashi:
......Oh he is SO my type!
Billy:
Hahaha, damn glad for my gun about now! I wanna keep pleeenty of space between her and me!
Mash:
...Incredible.
Mash:
She keeps cutting down Oprichniki one after the other,all without missing a beat in her chitchat...!
Mash:
So this is the Saber that Master met in that Singularity...Shinmen Musashi-no-Kami Fujiwara-no-Harunobu!
Musashi:
Aw, thanks, disembodied voice! I know that's SUPER long though, so you can just call me Musashi!
Musashi:
Aaanywho, that oughta do it for introductions! Now we just gotta cut down the bad guys that're still left!
Musashi:
Go nuts, gunslinger guy! You won't have to worry about any of them comin' up behind you anymore!
Musashi:
Oh, and don't worry about me. I'll just dodge any stray bullets that happen to come my way!
Billy:
So I ain't gotta keep her outta my line of fire, huh? Gotta say, that lady's one helluva bandit!
Billy:
Damn glad she's with us! All right, Master, let's mow these guys down!
--BATTLE--
Billy:
Fire!
Musashi:
All right, that's that!
Fujimaru 1:
Musashi!
Fujimaru 1:
Musashi!
Musashi:
Yup, that's me! And look at YOU! You've grown up so much since I last saw you.
Musashi:
I'm glad you're doing so well. And that you're still fighting the good fight, just like I thought you'd be.
Musashi:
And that means I bet I can help you out! Don't worry about all the gory details; I've got a pretty good idea of what's going on!
Musashi:
So from now on, I'll be your personal bodyguard! Let's get that formal contract stuff over with real quick♪
Mash:
I-I can't believe how fast that was. She just...took Master's hand and forged a simple contract right on the spot, almost instantly.
Fujimaru 1:
That's all it took...!?
Fujimaru 2:
(I've never had a Servant make the connection before...)
Musashi:
Yay! Now I can fight at full strength ALL the time! Oh, for payment, I'll accept ten gold coins and one bowl of udon a day, please. Thank yooou!
Billy:
Now she wants food and money!? You ain't from the Wild West yourself, are you, Ms. Samurai?
Musashi:
Oh yeah, the Wild West was great. There were duels to be fought every day, so I never went hungry.
Musashi:
By the way, uh...Billy, was it? What is this place?
Musashi:
I thought this was the hideout for the bandits some Yaga hired me to take care of, but I'm not so sure anymore.
Billy:
This is the Minotaur's labyrinth.
Musashi:
The Minotaur? ...Oh, you mean the monster from Greek mythology!? Well damn, no wonder I got lost.
Musashi:
That's what I get for just charging headlong into the entrance of some weird labyrinth that springs up outta nowhere...
Fujimaru 1:
Uh-huh...
Mash:
...Master told me about what happened in Shimousa...
Mash:
...but I don't think I could really picture how it all went until now...
Patxi:
Wow, she's even more reckless than Fujimaru. I didn't think that was possible.
Musashi:
Wait. Yaga! Let me see your face for a second!
Patxi:
Aah! What're you doing!? And how're you so strong!?
Musashi:
Hmm, it looks like you don't have any of the features in the bandits' descriptions...Okay, you're clear.
Musashi:
Sorry about that, but a job's a job, you know? I'm afraid I still have trouble telling Yaga apart.
Musashi:
Plus, they kept attacking me ever since I wandered into this world...
Musashi:
I only recently got to a point where we could do the whole “you scratch my back, I scratch yours” thing!
Billy:
Aha! So YOU'RE the killer those Yaga were talking about!
Musashi:
Huh? Killer?
Musashi:
...Oh, right. Yup, that was me.
Musashi:
But I swear on my honor, I only went around killing bandits and Oprichniki, okay?
Fujimaru 1:
How come you said you were from Chaldea?
Musashi:
Oh yeah, I almost forgot about that. At one point, I ran into a Yaga having some trouble with a Krichat'.
Musashi:
For a race that's all about survival of the fittest, they're weirdly grateful when you save their lives, and this one insisted that I tell him my name.
Musashi:
So I thought I'd play it cool and be all “I am the finest swordmaster in all of Chaldea! ” Um...sorry!
Patxi:
Let go of me already! What the hell's your deal, anyway!?
Billy:
That...is a damn good question.
Holmes:
(Miyamoto Musashi...The stranger Fujimaru encountered in Shimousa...)
Holmes:
(As I recall, she possesses the unusual ability to travel between parallel worlds without Rayshifting. )
Holmes:
(She must have ended up in here right as the base world's surface was wiped clean. )
Holmes:
(That would explain why she wasn't swallowed up by the abnormality...)
Mash:
Holmes? Is something wrong?
Holmes:
I was just admiring [♂ Mr. /♀ Ms. ] Fujimaru's extraordinary good fortune...or perhaps I should say, [♂ his /♀ her] talent for making connections.
Holmes:
Ms. Miyamoto, rest assured that we have no issue with your willingness to cooperate with Chaldea. You've already been a great help to us in the past.
Holmes:
In fact, your carelessness has already been helpful. I never would have guessed that your unique temperament held such significance.
Holmes:
Here in this Lostbelt, the entire world is against us, and there was no one we could trust...until we ran into you.
Holmes:
You have been to many different worlds,yet retain your sense of right and wrong.
Holmes:
[♂ Mr. /♀ Ms. ] Fujimaru could not ask for a better assistant.
Musashi:
What do you mean, carelessness!? It's not like I ASKED to go flitting around from world to–
Musashi:
Oh. My. BUDDHA! I've never seen such a beautiful man! He might be a little past his prime, but I could still stare at that face for days!
Holmes:
Th-thank you. I must say, I'm used to being complimented, but I've never had someone be quite so...effusive.
Da Vinci:
Okay, Holmes, put the pocket mirror down. So we can just call you Musashi, right? You're clearly a Saber, that much is obvious.
Musashi:
(ANOTHER supercute girl!? )
Da Vinci:
I'm Leonardo da Vinci. But please, just call me Da Vinci.
Da Vinci:
You said you came into this labyrinth from the entrance, right? Do you remember how to get back?
Musashi:
Ahahaha.
Musashi:
Sorry! Not a clue!
Patxi:
...Yeah, that's about what I expected. Guess we're right back to square one then.
Holmes:
At least we now have a significant addition to our fighting force.
Holmes:
In the meantime, I will keep track of your coordinate data and attempt to make a map of the place.
Holmes:
However, by their nature, labyrinths are designed to be impenetrable from the outside.
Holmes:
So I'm afraid you'll need to keep doing your best to make it out of there on your own.
Billy:
Well, we'd best get movin' then. No sense just standin' around.
Billy:
Fujimaru, you and Musashi are old friends, right? How 'bout we all walk while we talk so you two can share what you've learned so far?
Musashi:
Well, my side won't take long. I've been here for three months so far, and I've learned one thing: Russia is cold.
Musashi:
But knowing you, Fujimaru, I bet you've already got this whole situation all figured out.
Musashi:
And I know you won't mind filling ME in! I love that about you!
Fujimaru 1:
Of course!
Fujimaru 2:
It's good to see you again, Musashi.
Section 19: Patxi's Decision
Musashi:
So THAT'S what's going on here.
Musashi:
This place is a Lostbelt...A different world where the Pruning Theoretical Phenomenon is still taking place.
Musashi:
So now, you're after the bad guys–Crypters,you called 'em? –who ruined the world.
Musashi:
And on top of THAT, the hot gunslinger you've got with you is Billy the Kid!
Musashi:
I hoped that might be the case when I heard you call him Billy, and I was totally right!
Musashi:
This is great. This is so great! (Squee)
Musashi:
......
Fujimaru 1:
No rattling your sword at Billy.
Musashi:
Whoa, how did you know?
Fujimaru 2:
No dueling our allies.
Billy:
Aw, really? And here I was all locked and loaded.
Musashi:
Sorry. Old habits and all that. Besides, a quick-draw battle between a gunslinger and a swordsman?
Musashi:
How could I NOT want to see which of us would win?
Musashi:
Granted, I've already won a number of quick-draw battles with other gunslingers, but Billy the Kid's GOT to be on a whole other level.
Musashi:
Is it true you can fire off three rounds between a man's eyes before he's even had time to blink? You ARE supposed to be faster than lightning, right?
Billy:
'Course I am. Plenty of folks've come to see if those rumors were true, and they've gotten more'n two or three rounds between the eyes for their trouble!
Billy:
This ain't really the place, though. Too closed in. You're plannin' to deflect anythin' I fire and rush me for the kill, ain'tcha?
Billy:
Probably cap the whole thing off by sayin' somethin' 'bout how you was only lookin' to see who's faster, then just mosey along.
Musashi:
Ahaha, saw right through me, huh? Guess you and I are BOTH outlaws through and through!
Patxi:
...So you guys size each other up even when you're joking around? You really are incorrigible.
Patxi:
Seems like a big waste of ammo to me.
Billy:
Hey, I keep the rules of engagement as much as the next outlaw. Ain't my fault this little lady's a ruthless savage!
Musashi:
I mind my manners too, you know. I just happen to enjoy life-and-death duels as much as I do testing my skills.
Billy:
That so? 'Cause it sure looks to me like the only thing that you're worried about with your swordplay is stayin' alive, no matter what.
Musashi&Billy:
Hahahaha!
Mash:
I'm glad to see them hitting it off so well, Senpai.
Billy:
Anyways, I think we'd better put the duelin' off while we're here.
Billy:
I noticed durin' that last scrap that my gunshots sure make a helluva lotta noise here, so...
Billy:
Wait. That's it.
Mash:
Billy...?
Billy:
Yep. There. We can use the ringin' of my gunshots to help figure out how to get around in here.
Billy:
I doubt it'll give us a straight shot to the exit,but it oughta at least give us an idea where to go.
Billy:
Only thing is that I ain't really got the ear to figure out the change in the sound. Keen hearin' ain't really my strong suit.
Billy:
I bet the musician could pull it off,but 'course, he ain't here right now.
Billy:
How 'bout you, Ms. Samurai? Think you could do it?
Musashi:
Hm? I don't have to. We've got someone else with excellent hearing right here.
Mash:
Patxi!
Patxi:
Wait...
Patxi:
You want me to figure out the differences in the acoustics of Billy's gunshots?
Patxi:
...Well, I HAVE done that before. It's a handy trick to figure out how many Demonic Beasts there are in a pack.
Patxi:
But figuring out this labyrinth's layout? I don't know...
Billy:
You got it.
Billy:
Patxi, we're bettin' on those Yaga ears of yours. I'm sure they can pull us through this.
Billy:
What do you say? Will you give it a shot?
Patxi:
...A-all right. Guess that's our only option...!
Fujimaru 1:
We're counting on you!
Patxi:
Don't worry. These ears of ours aren't just for show!
Patxi:
The front path leads to a dead end, and the left side takes us back to where we were. There's a staircase leading up if we go diagonally.
Patxi:
No, this isn't it. Every path here leads to a dead end.
Patxi:
We'll have to go back and try another one.
Patxi:
...Hang on...There's a path that doesn't ricochet at all!
Fujimaru 1:
Then, that means...
Fujimaru 2:
You found the exit!
Mash:
Let's go, Master!
Patxi:
Hold on! There's something there!
Mash:
Oh no. Is it the Minotaur...!?
Patxi:
...Doesn't look like it. They're just regular beasts here to guard the exit.
Billy:
Aw, that all? Shouldn't be any kinda trouble for us, then.
Musashi:
In that case, let's wrap this up nice and quick.
Musashi:
I had to save bits and pieces of these creatures to eat so I could keep a minimum of magical energy going when I was on my own, but now that I've got a Master, the sky's the limit.
Musashi:
No more worrying about keeping the tasty bits intact. Time to show these things what I can really do!
--BATTLE--
Billy:
Hm, how to wrap this up? Maybe a good,old-fashioned “See you in hell” or somethin'...?
Billy:
Then again, this place is hellish enough as it is!
Patxi:
That's it. Now it's just a straight shot to get outside.
Fujimaru 1:
Great. Let's go!
Mash:
There! You made it out!
Patxi:
...So I wasn't dreaming after all. I should've known...
Billy:
C'mon now, you been pissin' in our ears about your regrets awhile now. Save the grievin' for later.
Mash:
Well done, everyone. Now that you're out of there,all our monitoring functions are back online.
Mash:
It looks like...the Oprichniki and Metropolitan Macarius are both gone...
Goredolf:
Phew. It's about time you got to a point where we can monitor you again!
Goredolf:
How could you let your guard down like that, you fools!? What were you thinking, getting lost in a place where we can't track you!?
Billy:
Whoa there, partner. The point of havin' an ace up your sleeve like that is that the other guy can't see it. So what's your damn problem?
Holmes:
Billy is right, Goredolf. The fact that they made it back alive is a victory in its own right.
Holmes:
Asterios's Noble Phantasm is one of the few man-eater traps ever to exist, even in the Grecian world.
Holmes:
Not only did Fujimaru's team manage to escape it,they even acquired a powerful new ally in Ms. Miyamoto. If that is not a victory, I don't–Hm?
Holmes:
Ms. Miyamoto, am I mistaken, or are you floating?
Musashi:
Why yes. Yes I am. Nice to know your eyes are as sharp as your good looks are devastating.
Mash:
Floating...?
Fujimaru 1:
What's going on?
Holmes:
I'm afraid Ms. Miyamoto does not have firm roots in this Lostbelt.
Holmes:
Her existence here is inherently unstable, even after forming a connection with [♂ Mr. /♀ Ms. ] Fujimaru earlier.
Holmes:
Now I see. So this is the downside to being able to Rayshift on one's own power.
Holmes:
Bluntly, she is not altogether different from a ghost.
Holmes:
She has no place in ANY world,whether Proper Human History or a Lostbelt.
Musashi:
...
Musashi:
Yup, pretty much!
Musashi:
I mean, I AM a female Musashi who doesn't belong anywhere, let alone in Fujimaru's history!
Musashi:
I used to be a drifter with no place to call home, wandering around with no goal beyond improving my swordsmanship...
Musashi:
...but now that I've reached zero, and attained a sword that surpasses my father's, I don't even have that!
Musashi:
Honestly, I don't know why I bother to travel at all anymore!
Fujimaru 1:
Musashi...
Fujimaru 2:
(No place to call home...Does that mean...)
Musashi:
Aw, don't worry. I'm totally fine with it! I may not be totally corporeal anymore, but I'm still me.
Musashi:
All I need are beautiful people to look at, money to buy udon, and challenging enemies to fight!
Musashi:
Still, it sucks that my presence here is unstable.
Musashi:
After letting loose in that battle, I can tell this place just doesn't quite agree with me!
Musashi:
I guess even my connection to Fujimaru isn't enough to keep me anchored.
Mash:
So, that means...
Musashi:
I've done this enough that I can tell it probably won't be too long before I tumble off into another world.
Musashi:
I'm sorry to say I won't be able to stick by you to the end here.
Musashi:
...In fact, this might even be the last time I ever...
Musashi:
Nope, not bringing myself down! Whatever happens from here on out, I'm glad I showed up in this world.
Musashi:
After all, I got to save your life just in the nick of time. Not every day I get a chance like that!
Patxi:
I don't really get what's going on, but basically, you're gonna be disappearing soon? ...Doesn't that scare you?
Musashi:
Of course it does. And I hate that I won't be able to stick around. But if I sit around feeling sorry for myself, I'll miss the chance to help out while I can.
Musashi:
Anyway, there you have it, Fujimaru! Time is definitely not on my side!
Musashi:
I might not be able to help you out as much as I'd like, but I'll do my best to clear the way forward for you while I can!
Fujimaru 1:
Thanks, Musashi!
Goredolf:
Hmph. Are you finally done talking? People from the East being unafraid of death is nothing special!
Goredolf:
It's the same culture that gave us harakiri and wabi-sabi, you know.
Goredolf:
At any rate, we've no more use for that Yaga. Get rid of him! Go on, get out of my sight!
Patxi:
...Yeah, that figures.
Fujimaru 1:
Wait!
Patxi:
What?
Holmes:
We can't speak for the rebel army, but for our part,we don't blame you for cooperating with our enemy.
Holmes:
However, we do want as much information as you can give us on Ivan the Terrible.
Patxi:
...What, are you still planning to defeat him? Forget it! It's impossible!
Holmes:
Oho, impossible, you say? And why is that?
Patxi:
Because...I can't tell you.
Patxi:
It's so horrible I can't even put it into words. He's that much of a monster.
Holmes:
...A monster, eh. So then, he must be quite large.
Patxi:
Large doesn't begin to describe it. He's on a whole other level.
Mash:
It's all right, Patxi.
Mash:
We've fought and beaten some truly enormous enemies before.
Fujimaru 1:
Remember Tiamat? Talk about huge...
Holmes:
...That said, with the rebel army wiped out, our chances of defeating Ivan the Terrible now are slim verging on nonexistent.
Patxi:
...That's why I keep telling you not to even try going after him.
Da Vinci:
Hmm, this is going nowhere fast...Any ideas for how to break this stalemate, Holmes?
Holmes:
Not yet. I'm afraid Patxi's remarks alone aren't nearly enough to draw reliable conclusions.
Holmes:
Every single piece of the puzzle must fall into place. Inspection, eyewitness testimony, and evidence...
Holmes:
Only with all of those can I begin to accurately determine our chances for victory.
Patxi:
Lemme save you some time. Here it is right now: zilch.... But okay, fine.
Patxi:
If you're that determined to fight the Tsar, you should just see him for yourselves and have your spirits broken in the process.
Holmes:
Well, before that, there's the matter of whether we can even get close to him. As matters stand, we cannot.
Holmes:
The frontier may be fairly free of Oprichniki,but the capital area is crawling with them.
E：???:
...Then I guess it's up to me to do something about that.
Fujimaru 1:
That voice...
Fujimaru 2:
Beowulf!
Beowulf:
In the flesh.
Beowulf:
I came as soon as I could after the Yaga I had watching this place told me what was happening...but I guess I was too late.
Beowulf:
...So what do we do about the plan now?
Fujimaru 1:
We go ahead with it.
Fujimaru 2:
I'll figure something out...!
Beowulf:
Good! Glad your spirit isn't broken. Long as you can keep your chin up like that, you'll be all right.
Beowulf:
...Huh? Hang on. Is this all the Servants we had?
Mash:
No, I'm afraid Avicebron is still missing...
Beowulf:
I see...
Billy:
Oh, by the by, the little lady over there makin' eyes at you hopin' for a duel is Miyamoto Musashi.
Beowulf:
Hmm, Miyamoto Musashi, huh. And here I thought she was just some crazy...Wait. Miyamoto Musashi, as in the great swordmaster from the Far East!?
Musashi:
Oh, I don't know if I'd go THAT far.
Musashi:
But never mind that. Is it true you fought the giant Grendel all on your own?
Beowulf:
Aha, I see what your game is now. But unfortunately,I'm not fighting anyone here unless I have to.
Beowulf:
Not with circumstances being what they are.
Musashi:
Aw man, foiled again...At least old man Tajima had the decency to take me up on my challenge...
Musashi:
Anyway, is this the plan you told me about earlier? Hmm...You really think it'll work?
Patxi:
Of course not.
Beowulf:
Hey, if it isn't Patxi. So why isn't it going to work?
Patxi:
Because–
Billy:
Easy there, partner.
Billy:
...Gotta admit, I ain't thrilled about Ivan seemin'so much more powerful than even we bargained for.
Billy:
Still, we learned ourselves a little somethin'. Not sure you're gonna like it. Wanna hear anyways?
Beowulf:
Shoot.
Billy:
Heh. Looks like Ivan the Terrible's gotta be countin' sheep to use that Noble Phantasm of his that summons all those damn Oprichniki.
Billy:
So all we gotta do is wake him up...and the Oprichniki oughta disappear in a flash.
Beowulf:
I see...So that's why he's able to summon as many as he wants and have them stick around...
Patxi:
Don't do it!
Beowulf:
Don't do what, Patxi?
Patxi:
You can't wake Ivan the Terrible up! And you shouldn't even be THINKING about fighting him!
Beowulf:
Did you see him?
Patxi:
...Yeah. I did. And I...I...!
Billy:
Settle down, now. That's enough.
Billy:
The short of it is that Patxi here got a look at Ivan the Terrible in the flesh and it's spooked him somethin' fierce.
Beowulf:
...Is that so? And now you say we shouldn't even think about fighting him?
Patxi:
That's right! He's...how do I put this...He's so far beyond us I can't even put it into words.
Patxi:
Even thinking about fighting him or beating him doesn't make sense. He's...he's a god. I mean a GOD!
Yaga:
Pathetic coward...
Patxi:
......
Beowulf:
Stop it!
Beowulf:
...A god, huh. Patxi, let me tell you a little secret.
Beowulf:
We heroes? Fighting gods like that is pretty much our whole deal.
Beowulf:
That goes for Fujimaru too.
Mash:
...That's exactly right. Some of our past opponents could best be described as gods.
Patxi:
Even you, Fujimaru?
Fujimaru 1:
Well, I mean, I–
Billy:
Oh, quit bein' so damn modest. You were there, weren'tcha? Right in the thick of it?
Fujimaru 2:
I was just watching.
Beowulf:
Just watching, huh...
Beowulf:
I don't remember what happened, but I bet you were the first to jump into the fray, weren't you?
Da Vinci:
That's true. I've watched the record I left for myself several times now, and that's how it went.
Patxi:
...So you're not gonna give up?
Beowulf:
Patxi, this [♂ guy /♀ girl] doesn't even know how to give up.
Beowulf:
Anyway, if the Oprichniki are all going to disappear once Ivan the Terrible wakes up...
Beowulf:
...maybe I should take the fight to the capital instead.... Hey, guys.
Yaga:
Y-yes, General?
Beowulf:
I hate to ask, but can I trust you guys to handle the diversion near the capital?
Yaga:
But, sir, without you there, we can't possibly–
Beowulf:
Hey now, don't give me that.
Beowulf:
I thought I trained you guys to be able to operate even when I'm not around.
Yaga:
...!
Beowulf:
You've got the numbers, and you've got what it takes to fight. If you want, you can always run away, too.
Beowulf:
There's no shame in running away from the Oprichniki so you can live to fight another day.
Beowulf:
That's what I trained you guys for. You hear me?
Yaga:
...Yes, General.
Beowulf:
We've been over this, remember?
Beowulf:
You don't get through life by making the world unequal. You do it by spreading equality wherever you go.
Beowulf:
You can get where you're going a lot easier with someone at your side than you can on your own.
Beowulf:
The joy you get from working together beats the joy you get from kicking others down any day of the week.
Yaga:
I couldn't agree more, General. But, I'm still nervous.
Yaga:
Without you around to guide us,I don't know if we can make it...
Beowulf:
Part of being a king is planning for what happens after you're gone.
Beowulf:
You guys'll manage okay without me, right?
Beowulf:
Now that I've taught you how to hunt, how to hide, and especially how to live together in big groups.
Yaga:
General Beowulf...
Beowulf:
So, sorry, but I'm gonna go with these guys. If I don't, you'll never get the real tomorrow you've been working for.
Billy:
......A real tomorrow, huh.
Fujimaru 1:
Billy?
Billy:
Oh, sorry. I was just thinkin' it might be 'bout time I started takin' all this serious.
Billy:
'Specially now we know Yaga're capable of learnin' and growin' much as anyone else.
Billy:
Beo, I got a feelin' that just that diversion ain't gonna do the trick.
Billy:
We're gonna need one in the capital, too. So, I'll play decoy to draw their attention.
Beowulf:
...By yourself? Are you nuts? The Oprichniki in the capital are all freakishly strong.
Beowulf:
It'd be like taking on a hundred Servants all on your own.
Billy:
Aw, don't give it no thought. I'm an Archer,after all. We ain't the sort to go down easy.
Billy:
I'll keep 'em fightin' as long as I can. Whaddya say?
Beowulf:
...I know Fujimaru said you and I never ran into each other in America...
Beowulf:
...but if we had, I'm sure I would've remembered.
Beowulf:
'Cause there can't be many kick-ass outlaws like you around.
Fujimaru 1:
There's a reason Billy the Kid's still known today.
Fujimaru 2:
He's a legend among legends in the Old West!
Billy:
Aw shucks, you're making me blush!
Billy:
Anyway, this oughta make things a mite easier for those of you 'round the capital. Good luck out there!
Yaga:
...All right, Beowulf, Billy. We'll find a way to make it work on our own!
Yaga:
Thanks for everything! Make sure you two come back safe and sound!
Beowulf:
You bet. Once Ivan the Terrible's out of the picture...Well, we'll try to make it back.
Beowulf:
No promises, though.
Yaga:
That's okay. I know you hate making promises you're not sure you can keep.
Yaga:
All right, we'll make our way ahead of you then. Once we're all set, we'll make sure we get their attention.
Patxi:
...Are you just gonna abandon them?
Beowulf:
I'm not abandoning anyone. But I'm not gonna keep them safe forever, either.
Beowulf:
The time for that's long past. This isn't the age of heroes anymore.
Beowulf:
I'm not even sure how I arrived at this conclusion myself...
Beowulf:
Anyway, the point is, this isn't a time when only heroes or the strong get to survive anymore. Not even in this Yaga world.
Beowulf:
And there's no way anyone should still be ruling on high as God's agent for hundreds of years.
Patxi:
Not a time when only the strong get to survive...huh.
Beowulf:
So there you have it, Fujimaru. I know it took a while to get here, but now I'm finally joining your team!
Beowulf:
And to kick things off, I've got an idea...What do you say we go in and save Atalante and Salieri?
Mash:
Atalante and Salieri...? Then, they're still alive!?
Beowulf:
Sure are. I'm told they were taken captive.
Beowulf:
They could've handled themselves just fine, of course, but Atalante gave herself up when the enemy took some kids hostage.
Mash:
That...does sound like her.
Beowulf:
Right?
Beowulf:
And Salieri probably followed her lead.
Holmes:
Just a moment.
Holmes:
If they succeeded at capturing a Servant as strong as Ms. Atalante...
Holmes:
...then surely, they must have taken her back to the capital, no?
Beowulf:
You'd think so, but it doesn't look that way. I had some Yaga tail them, and they told me they actually bypassed the capital and brought the captives somewhere else:
Beowulf:
An old fortress they turned into a prison.
Holmes:
Hmm. Well, fortunately we won't need to infiltrate the capital to rescue them...but why would they avoid the capital to begin with?
Holmes:
(...Perhaps they're concerned about Ivan the Terrible being assassinated? But no, if that were the case, they would have executed them right away. )
Holmes:
(Atalante and Salieri are both Servants powerful enough that they need to be heavily guarded at all times...)
Holmes:
(Why would the enemy go so far as to build a prison just to keep them away from the capital? )
Holmes:
(...Could it be...because of who else is in the capital...? )
Holmes:
Patxi, you were taken to Yaga Moscow after you were captured, correct?
Patxi:
Y-yeah, that's right.
Holmes:
What were things like there? Were the Yaga afraid of Ivan the Terrible?
Patxi:
...No, it didn't look like it. I didn't hear a single one bad-mouthing the Tsar when I was there.
Patxi:
I don't blame them, seeing how they live way better off than we do in the frontier. Not to mention all the Oprichniki everywhere they go.
Holmes:
Then, can you tell me if they appeared to be living in fear of the Oprichniki, or if they seemed to genuinely love and respect the Tsar?
Patxi:
G-genuinely!? I don't know, that's hard to say...
Holmes:
Close your eyes, Patxi. Take a deep breath,and think back to what you saw there.
Patxi:
A-all right.
F：Yaga Citizen:
Goodness, I can't believe he defied the Tsar...
E：Yaga Citizen:
Worthless Yaga. Hell's too good for him.
G：Yaga (Child):
Did that Yaga do something bad?
E：Yaga Citizen:
The incorrigible runt forgot the debt of gratitude we owe to the Tsar. Now he's suffering the consequences for incurring the Tsar's wrath, and rightly so.
E：Yaga Citizen:
Make sure you don't ever end up like him.
E：Yaga Citizen:
I don't know what he was thinking, defying the strongest being in existence. We all need to stick together if we're going to survive in this world.
Patxi:
...They didn't sound like they were being coerced. They actually sounded like they worshipped him...
Patxi:
They didn't seem to be afraid of the Oprichniki at all, either.
Holmes:
Then, based on what you saw,there were no signs of dissent there?
Patxi:
...Not as far as I can tell, no.
Holmes:
Excellent! You have just provided another key piece of the puzzle to the mystery of Ivan the Terrible.
Holmes:
You have my thanks, Patxi.
Patxi:
Uh, no problem...really.
Goredolf:
How can this possibly help us, Holmes?
Goredolf:
Of COURSE the citizens of Yaga Moscow are going to sing Ivan the Terrible's praises!
Holmes:
The Yaga may be devoted to their principle of “the strong get to eat,” but they are no less possessed of emotions than humans.
Holmes:
As we saw with Patxi earlier,there is no Yaga that does not feel fear.
Holmes:
All the more so if they are confronting the Tsar,a being said to be an agent of God Himself.
Holmes:
So then, if the Yaga in the capital revere the Tsar, rather than fear him...
Goredolf:
Yes?
Holmes:
...that, my friends, means the Tsar MUST be revered.
Mash:
Huh?
Fujimaru 1:
What's going on?
Holmes:
Heh.
Da Vinci:
(Ohhh, this had better not be going where I think it's going. )
Holmes:
I'm afraid that question will have to wait until...right now!
Goredolf:
THEN WHAT THE HELL WAS THE DRAMATIC PAUSE FOR!?
Holmes:
What it means is that Ivan the Terrible is on the verge of waking up.
Holmes:
However, the other authority figures wish to prevent this at all costs.
Holmes:
I cannot imagine the Tsar would be especially pleased by the current circumstances, after all.
Holmes:
As if the rebellion weren't enough, now there are Servants being summoned one after another for the express purpose of defeating him.
Holmes:
The Tsar would surely see this state of affairs as nothing short of a personal attack on him and the reign he has established here.
Holmes:
As such...even the slightest of disturbances in the capital would be all it may take to wake him up.
Holmes:
Fortunately, that means we may only have to contend with the Oprichniki army for a short time.
Beowulf:
...Now I see.
Beowulf:
But either way, we're not heading to the capital just yet. First, we need to rescue Atalante and Salieri!
--ARROW--
Atalante Alter:
...I am so ashamed. I cannot believe they decided to spare us.
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
Those dirty bastards, threatening to kill those kids if we don't go along...That's no way for the strong to behave!
Atalante Alter:
Be that as it may, it was my fault for not refusing them. I apologize...I just could not abandon those poor children.
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
You did everything you could, Boss.
Atalante Alter:
I have no right to call myself your boss anymore. Not after so much blood has been spilled.
Atalante Alter:
The rebel army has no hope of rebuilding itself anymore...I will never be able to bare these fangs against the Tsar again.
B：???:
...Things may not be as bad as you think, Atalante.
Atalante Alter:
Huh!?
Kadoc:
You've sure been running around making a mess of things, haven't you?
Atalante Alter:
You...You are the mage who was invited to the palace. The Crypter!
Kadoc:
Don't bother. That cage uses Command Spell binding techniques to keep Servants in check.
Kadoc:
There's no way you can break through it with your Magic Resistance.
Atalante Alter:
...Hmph. I suppose I must have frightened you more than a bit if you have taken such precautions.
Atalante Alter:
So why are you here? Is it time for my execution?
Kadoc:
No.... I'm here to recruit you.
Kadoc:
I want you to form a contract with me,and fight for our side.
Atalante Alter:
...Are you mad? What mush do you have between your ears in place of brains?
Kadoc:
No. I'm dead serious.
Atalante Alter:
So long as you side with the Tsar, we are enemies!
Kadoc:
...I'm NOT on his side.
Atalante Alter:
What?
Kadoc:
I'm not on the Tsar's side at all. Just take a look around. See any Oprichniki here?
Atalante Alter:
...!?
Kadoc:
I want to make a deal with you.
Atalante Alter:
A deal...?
Kadoc:
That's right.
Kadoc:
...I want to take the Tsar down,and I want you to help me.
Atalante Alter:
What do you mean by that?
Kadoc:
And the Tsar's not the only one you'll need to defeat.
Kadoc:
If you really want to help this abandoned world...
Kadoc:
...then you'll need to take down Chaldea too.
Atalante Alter:
...I...
Salieri:
......So that's his plan.
Kadoc:
Surely you must have realized it yourself.
Kadoc:
You may be a Servant from Proper Human History, but your true sympathies lie with this side, don't they?
Kadoc:
This Lostbelt is one of the dregs of history. If Chaldea succeeds in their goal, you know what will happen to it.
Atalante Alter:
......
Atalante Alter:
Tell me more.
Kadoc:
Gladly.
Kadoc:
All you Yaga here should listen to this too. I think we could all do great things together.
Kadoc:
Especially seeing as we have the same goal.
Kadoc:
(...This should give me everything I need. )
Kadoc:
(My Caster. The rebel army, and Atalante. )
Kadoc:
(Salieri. And most importantly, Avicebron. )
Kadoc:
(Chaldea. Mash Kyrielight.... Fujimaru. )
Kadoc:
(...I WILL surpass you. All of you...)
Kadoc:
(Heh. I'm finally getting going. )
Beowulf:
So since Avicebron isn't here,I guess that means we can't use golems now.
Holmes:
Ah yes, no need to worry about that. We'll take you there in the Shadow Border.
Holmes:
Things being what they are,we cannot afford to simply hide away any longer.
Holmes:
We'll come pick you up right now.
Goredolf:
Y-you want us to move TOWARD the fighting!? Have you lost your mind, Holmes!?
Holmes:
The time for confining ourselves to our immediate surroundings has long since passed, Goredolf.
Holmes:
From here on out, we will be assuming the same risks that [♂ Mr. /♀ Ms. ] Fujimaru has been facing on the front line all this time.
Holmes:
Attention, all hands in the cockpit-slash-Command Room, as well as those of you at your positions throughout the Shadow Border.
Holmes:
We will now be piloting the Border across Russia's vast territory.
Holmes:
We will most likely have to fight off Demonic Beasts and Oprichniki on our way. It will be risky, but it is a risk we must take.
Mash:
I understand, Holmes! No objections here!
Meunière:
Aw man, so we're finally wading into combat ourselves, huh...Oh well, I guess we can't have the gas pedal rusting over from disuse.
Meunière:
That plan is A-OK with me. I, Jingle Abel Meunière,as well as the rest of the staff are all on board!
Da Vinci:
Speaking as technical advisor and the Border's in-transit mainframe, I'm on board with this too. But...what's this?
Da Vinci:
Be still, my heart! Could it be that the only one who ISN'T on board with the plan is the big shot, tough, elite mage sitting in the fancy chair?
Da Vinci:
Aren't you a prestigious Clock Tower mage? A graduate from the Policies Department at that? You must have SOME experience in military affairs!
Da Vinci:
But now, you're telling us you're afraid of a little combat action?
Goredolf:
I-I'm not afraid! I'm just concerned about the Shadow Border's safety!
Goredolf:
It's the last bastion of humanity, after all! It's my duty to protect it!
Holmes:
I'm afraid just keeping the Border safe won't stop the world from ending. We also need to use it to fight back. Am I wrong?
Goredolf:
Grrr...Grrrrrr!
Goredolf:
You think I don't know that!? Of course I do! But can you guarantee our safety!?
Goredolf:
Especially from, say, a cannon shell being fired straight into the Command Room!?
Holmes:
I'm afraid you'll just need to trust my and Mr. Meunière's piloting technique on that.
Holmes:
But if it's any comfort, I can tell you that we have completed the simulator's most difficult course ten times out of a hundred.
Goredolf:
Really? The same course I've only ever beaten five times myself!? I'm impressed!
Meunière:
Wait, you mean you tackled that course by yourself...!? That thing's like the Safari Rally!
Goredolf:
Hmm...Very well, I'll allow it! Being as I am a master driver myself, I know talent when I see it!
Goredolf:
But as the commander, I reserve the right to order an immediate retreat if I sense we might be in the slightest bit of danger!
Holmes:
Understood, Goredolf.
Holmes:
Ms. Kyrielight, would you be so kind as to contact [♂ Mr. /♀ Ms. ] Fujimaru?
Holmes:
Tell [♂ him /♀ her] the Shadow Border is on its way!
Mash:
There you have it, Master. We'll be heading your way now.
Mash:
Please hold tight until we get there!
Musashi:
...Say, I just realized something.
Musashi:
That was Mash, right? The girl you told me about before?
Musashi:
If she's a Servant, why isn't she here with you?
Fujimaru 1:
Well...
Musashi:
Hmm, hmm, hmm. I see, I see...
Musashi:
Got it! Just leave everything to me!
Beowulf:
So that's your ride, huh? I like it already.
Mash:
Thanks for waiting, everyone!
Mash:
Please, come on board!
Beowulf:
Haha, this is great! It's faster than any horse could ever hope to be!
Billy:
Damn right. Puts me in a mind to head up to the deck and let loose a good, old-fashioned “Yeehaw! ” This thing's practically a boat runnin' on land!
Holmes:
It is, isn't it? There's nothing better than blasting across a barren wasteland at full throttle!
Holmes:
I have to advise against going up on the deck, though. Rushing through this weather at such speeds would freeze anyone to death, even a Servant!
Da Vinci:
Couldn't they just use their spirit forms? Oh, but then they wouldn't be able to feel the wind on their faces, would they?
Goredolf:
Don't you ever shut up? This, this right here is EXACTLY what I hate about your boorish Heroic Spirits. Why couldn't Chaldea find any DIGNIFIED Servants!?
Holmes:
I am sure you will meet some of those later in our journey, Goredolf. Ah, what about the Grand Duchess? She would seem to be nothing if not dignified.
Goredolf:
Are you mad, man!? Why would I take an ice demon like her as my familiar!?
Goredolf:
Not to mention, just seeing her face makes my groin seize up something fierce!
Meunière:
Talk about a traumatic experience...Still, I'm actually with the old man on this one. That Grand Duchess scares the hell out of me, too.
Holmes:
Nonetheless, we cannot let our fear hold us back forever.
Holmes:
If we are to get through this, we will need to face her sooner or later. Don't you agree, [♂ Mr. /♀ Ms. ] Fujimaru–
Holmes:
Hm? Where IS [♂ Mr. /♀ Ms. ] Fujimaru?
Mash:
Welcome back,Senpai, Fou.
Fou:
Fou!
Musashi:
Hi there!
Mash:
Hello, Musashi. It's a pleasure to meet you in person.
Musashi:
Same here. Nice to finally meet you, Mash.
Mash:
Th-thank you...
Musashi:
Aha, mmhmm. Hmmm. Hm? Hmm!?
Mash:
Um...
Musashi:
Your shoulders and thighs are kind of stiff, aren't they? Have you been doing something?
Mash:
N-nothing special! Just my usual training regimen...!
Musashi:
I see, I see. Guess we don't have to worry about the physical side. So that just leaves the mental side.
Mash:
...!
Musashi:
Hey, think you could make some time to talk later?
Musashi:
There are sooo many things I want to ask you!
Musashi:
For example, maybe you could tell me some juicy stories about Fujimaru? Teeheehee!
Fujimaru 1:
Wait, WHAT kinds of things do you want to ask her!?
Mash:
I-I can't answer any questions that would violate [♂ his /♀ her] privacy!
Fou:
Fou fou.
Mash:
It's nice to be outside again, Senpai.
Mash:
Holmes said I could go with you,what with the Border close by and all.
Beowulf:
Well, it's nice that we got here in record time...but something seems off.
Billy:
...You're right. I ain't sensin' any enemies 'round here at all. May as well head inside.
Musashi:
Hmm...I'm not smelling much here. We might've been wrong about where they were.
Holmes:
We scanned this location earlier ourselves and found nothing whatsoever.
Holmes:
They must be masking all the Servants' readings, but it still seems strange that it would be completely deserted.
Holmes:
Hmm. Beowulf, I take it you would prefer to go charging in?
Beowulf:
Huh? Well, yeah, pretty much. That's about how a siege oughta work when you're in a hurry.
Billy:
...Somethin' about that don't make a lick of sense...
Billy:
Still, I gotta agree that quicker's better at this point.
Holmes:
Very well, go ahead and charge in, though I don't believe you'll find anything worthwhile.
Beowulf:
So we got the go-ahead, huh? In that case...HRAH!
Mash:
He smashed the door to pieces in a single blow...
Fujimaru 1:
That's one way to win a race against time...
Billy:
I'll say.
Fujimaru 2:
I didn't even have time to start a stopwatch...
Billy:
Talk about bein' quick on the draw...
Beowulf:
Looks like you were right. The place is deserted.
Musashi:
I don't sense anyone here either. Definitely deserted.
Patxi:
...I can make out Atalante's scent. And Salieri's, though just barely.
Patxi:
It looks like they were shipped out of here about three days ago. What do you make of it?
Fujimaru 1:
Uh...your guess is better than mine...!
Mash:
Y-you can track scents?
Patxi:
You can't? You all got stuffy noses or something?
Billy:
Nothin' like that. Regular old humans ain't got the noses you Yaga do.
Patxi:
So your nose AND your ears are basically useless? Well that's gotta suck.
Beowulf:
Hey, Master, there's a note here.
Beowulf:
...Looks like someone named Kadoc wrote it. You know him?
Fujimaru 1:
Mash...
Mash:
Right. Beowulf, could I see that note, please?
Mash:
......
Mash:
Yes, this is definitely Kadoc's handwriting.
Mash:
I remember it from his magecraft essays.
Mash:
...It says Atalante and Salieri are to be executed in Yaga Moscow.
Mash:
It's scheduled for...five days from now.
Beowulf:
Damn, so that's their plan.
Billy:
...So he's callin' us out. We gotta ride to the capital to stop him, huh?
Billy:
Hmm...S'pose we could make it in time.
Billy:
'Course, once we do, we'll have a whole passel of Oprichniki to contend with 'fore we can even think about gettin' to the execution site.
Patxi:
Why would you even go at all!? It's obviously a trap!
Mash:
I'm sure it is...But the fact is, our only hope for success is to distract the enemy and defeat them as quickly as possible.
Mash:
And to do that, we need as many Servants to help us as we can possibly get.
Mash:
...Atalante in particular is capable of taking on a large army all on her own.
Mash:
So if we're going to defeat Ivan the Terrible,or even face him, we're going to need her help.
Mash:
Ideally, I would like to have Avicebron and his golems around too, but...
Billy:
Hey, speakin' of Avicebron, that note mention him at all?
Billy:
After all that happened last we saw him, he must be either dead or captured...
Mash:
No, I'm afraid there's no mention of him at all. Patxi, can you make out Avicebron's scent too?
Patxi:
Avicebron's tough to make out. His scent's always mixed in with dirt and rocks.
Patxi:
That mask and full-body outfit don't exactly help, either.
Beowulf:
Too bad. I was hoping I'd get to meet the legendary golem keeper for myself, but oh well...
Beowulf:
Anyway, it looks like we're done here, Master.
Beowulf:
Now all we've gotta do is make a choice. Do we go to the capital, or not?
Beowulf:
...What do you say?
Fujimaru 1:
I say we fight.
Fujimaru 2:
I say we go save them.
Beowulf:
...So we've got me, Billy, and Miyamoto Musashi.
Beowulf:
That means it'll just be the three of us against the entire capital.
Beowulf:
Even if we luck out, find Avicebron,and rescue Atalante...
Beowulf:
...that still only makes five.
Mash:
W-well, if things start to look bad, I can fight too. I should at least be able to help keep you all safe while–
Beowulf:
No. You won't be any use to us in combat, not with the state you're in. If anything, you'd only drag us down.
Beowulf:
Listen. In this world, you're either strong enough to survive, or you die.
Beowulf:
Just because you can technically fight doesn't mean you'll actually be useful on the battlefield.
Mash:
I...
Beowulf:
...Heh. We're going up against the Oprichniki...the Minotaur...
Beowulf:
...that priest and Koyanskaya, two Servants we know almost nothing about...Grand Duchess Anastasia...and Ivan the Terrible himself.
Beowulf:
Not to mention–
Fujimaru 1:
Kadoc Zemlupus.
Mash:
Yes. One of the seven Crypters.
Mash:
...I have no doubt he's waiting for us.
Beowulf:
I'm pretty sure I can beat just about anyone, but I know Ivan the Terrible's a monster who's been ruling this world for four hundred and fifty years straight.
Beowulf:
I can't really say for sure that I can beat him until I've seen the bastard for myself.
Patxi:
...You're gonna regret that. I promise.
Patxi:
...If you guys want to go off and get yourselves killed, that's your business. But what about Fujimaru?
Patxi:
Even I can tell [♂ he's /♀ she's]...well...
Patxi:
...different.
Patxi:
Right? [♂ He's /♀ She's] a weakling who can't even kill a single Demonic Beast on [♂ his /♀ her] own...right?
Patxi:
Well, Fujimaru!? Are you really okay with dying!?
Fujimaru 1:
...Of course not. But I still need to keep moving forward.
Patxi:
...Well, you're not going anywhere right now.
Fujimaru 2:
I just want to do my best.
Patxi:
Your best, huh...I'll tell you how you can do that.
Patxi:
Don't move!
Mash:
Patxi!?
Billy:
...
Musashi:
...
Beowulf:
Hold it, Billy. You too, Musashi.
Patxi:
I want to talk to [♂ him /♀ her] in private. Just us.
Holmes:
Fine with me, Patxi.
Mash:
Holmes!?
Holmes:
It's quite all right, Ms. Kyrielight. Stand down, Billy, Ms. Miyamoto. Patxi won't hurt [♂ him /♀ her].
Holmes:
He just wants a private talk. Isn't that right?
Mash:
...All right. We'll go wait outside the prison...
Mash:
...until you're done with your talk.
Holmes:
And I'll go ahead and end our call.
Da Vinci:
Wait, are you sure that's a good–
Holmes:
Don't worry, it's fine.
Patxi:
There. Now it's just the two of us.
Patxi:
...“Us,” huh. I don't know when we all started lumping humans and Yaga together.
Patxi:
Anyway...Now there're no more Servants here to keep you safe.
Fujimaru 1:
Nope, there aren't.
Patxi:
Killing you would be way easier than killing a Demonic Beast.
Patxi:
I wouldn't even have to use my gun.
Patxi:
All I'd have to do is twist your neck a bit to break it, and you'd be dead. Isn't that right?
Fujimaru 1:
Yep.
Patxi:
You'd die if one of your arteries got cut too,or if you just fell sick with an incurable disease.
Patxi:
You can't handle drowning or fire as well as we can, and...you especially can't handle this cold.
Patxi:
If I ripped that coat off of you right now,you'd be dead in no time, wouldn't you!?
Fujimaru 1:
Yep.
Patxi:
Yaga don't die nearly that easily.
Patxi:
This cold might be deadly for you, but for me, well...I'd call it a bit chilly is all.
Patxi:
If you want to kill a Yaga, you'd have to completely cut off their head. I heard that something called “infectious diseases” used to kill humans all the time. Never heard of a Yaga dying that way.
Patxi:
I'm a lot stronger than you. All Yaga are stronger than humans.
Patxi:
Which is why I don't understand...
Patxi:
How are you able to smile?
Fujimaru 1:
Am I smiling?
Patxi:
Yeah. All the damn time.
Patxi:
Even if you're depressed, or angry, you always look to me like you're smiling deep down inside!
Patxi:
I don't get it. This world is nothing but pain and suffering.
Patxi:
I don't ever...EVER smile. There's never been anything to smile about.
Patxi:
The closest I come is when I've had enough vodka to get drunk...I've never actually smiled deep down, from the heart...
Patxi:
Be straight with me, Fujimaru...
Patxi:
Is your world really that happy?
Fujimaru 1:
Speaking for myself, I was happy, yes.
Patxi:
...Is that so.
Fujimaru 2:
I don't know for sure, but...
Patxi:
But?
Fujimaru 1:
I do know lots of people who smiled for me.
Patxi:
So there were other humans who cried and laughed besides you, huh?
Patxi:
...Now I get it.
Patxi:
I finally understand why I decided to go along with you, even if doing it got me killed.
Patxi:
I want you...to be driven to despair.
Patxi:
I want you to curse this brutally cruel world. To curse your body for being weak and fragile.
Patxi:
I want you to curse yourself for being weak...!
Fujimaru 1:
That's not going to happen.
Patxi:
You say that now...
Patxi:
...but you'll change your tune quick once you meet Ivan the Terrible.
Patxi:
...I've changed my mind. The rebel army, the Tsar...I don't care about any of it anymore.
Patxi:
I'm not gonna kill you myself.
Patxi:
But what I AM gonna do...is watch you fall into despair. I'm gonna be there when you're reduced to crawling on your hands and knees.
Patxi:
...You don't get to be happy. Not when even the IDEA of happiness is unattainable for us.
Fujimaru 1:
So you're still going to come with us?
Patxi:
...You couldn't stop me if you tried.
Patxi:
It's not like you can kill me, right? Go ahead and tell all the others if you want.
Patxi:
Besides, I'm sure that Holmes guy is eavesdropping on us anyway...He is, isn't he?
Fujimaru 1:
...Huh? No, I actually don't think he is.
Patxi:
Oh come on, sure he is! There's no WAY a guy like that isn't listening in as we speak!
Holmes:
Oh, done already? That went faster than expected.
Fujimaru 1:
Weren't you eavesdropping the whole time?
Holmes:
Hahaha, I'd never do anything of the sort. An English gentleman's word is his bond.
Billy:
...So, what was all that about anyhow? 'Cause it looked to me like he needed killin'.
Fujimaru 1:
Everything's okay now.
Billy:
...You sure?
Musashi:
Hmm. Well, if you say so,I'll take your word for it.
Musashi:
Of course, all bets are off if he pulls another stunt.
Patxi:
Yeah, I understand.... Don't worry, it won't happen again.
Da Vinci:
Holmes's so-called gentlemanliness aside,I can promise you we weren't listening in at all.
Patxi:
For real?
Goredolf:
Oh yes. I saw this good-for-nothing detective do nothing but demurely sip his tea the whole time!
Holmes:
It's important to rest when one can. Particularly in our case, given that we are cooped up in the Shadow Border.
Holmes:
The longer this situation continues,the more likely it is to wear on our minds.
Holmes:
I'm quite sure Chaldea's staff will come out the other side just fine...but what about you, Goredolf?
Goredolf:
Ha! Don't you mock ME, Servant! Not a day goes by when I don't wish for the sweet embrace of death!
Goredolf:
And with the massive losses I've suffered this time around, I'm all but doomed no matter what happens...
Goredolf:
Oh, no. Now I want to die all over again.
Goredolf:
But that aside, we only have so much tea to go around! I certainly don't see us finding more here!
Da Vinci:
Talk about bouncing back...
Patxi:
...Heh. Well, it doesn't matter either way. Come on, let's get going.
Patxi:
You ARE going to the capital, aren't you, Fujimaru?
Fujimaru 1:
Yep.
Mash:
Are you coming along too, Patxi...!?
Patxi:
What, is that a problem? ...I won't get in your way.
Patxi:
And that thing I wanted to discuss with Fujimaru is all settled now. Right, Fujimaru?
Billy:
...Well, it's okay with me if it's okay with Master.
Fujimaru 1:
I'm good.
Mash:
All right.
Mash:
But, being one of the people who's been here from the beginning, there's something I want to say.
Mash:
Patxi, never try anything like that again.
Mash:
And I don't just mean because I don't like what you did. I'm saying this for your own personal safety, too.
Patxi:
...You...
Patxi:
...Yeah, okay. I got it, don't worry.
Patxi:
Besides, I won't have to do anything like that again, anyway.
Mash:
...?
Patxi:
It's gonna take at least a few days to get to the capital. So what's your next move?
Holmes:
For the moment, I think we shall take the Shadow Border as close to the capital as is safely possible.
Beowulf:
After that, we can ride bicorns the rest of the way.
Mash:
You mean, the same bicorns the Yaga ride...!?
Beowulf:
Those're the ones. Think you can handle that, Fujimaru?
Fujimaru 1:
I can do that now, yeah.
Mash:
Master, does this mean you've been practicing horseback riding in secret ever since you fell off that horse in Rome?
Billy:
Huh, that so? Well, then you can get your own mount and saddle up!
Fujimaru 2:
I'm sorry, I don't know how...
Billy:
Don't worry 'bout it. You can ride with me.
Musashi:
Fine with me, of course. I got around on horseback a lot back when I was crossing America.
Holmes:
Very well then, everyone on board!
Holmes:
It's finally time to begin our assault on Yaga Moscow, the very center of Russia, and the home of that enormous tree!
Section 20: The Tumultuous Land
Holmes:
We'll soon be in the vicinity of the capital.
Holmes:
This should be the closest we can get without the Oprichniki detecting us.
Holmes:
Beowulf, Billy, once we park the Border, I would like you two to find bicorns for everyone to ride.
Holmes:
It is imperative that you do so before daybreak.
Holmes:
I'll have our Master take a quick nap in the meantime.
Holmes:
Ms. Musashi, you and I will keep an eye on things here.
Billy:
All right, see y'all later. Give my regards to Sleeping Beau–I mean, Master.
Patxi:
So I'm on bicorn duty too, huh? Yeah, all right, whatever.
Beowulf:
Aw, don't worry. This'll be easy. Okay, we'll be back soon.
Mash:
All right. Be careful, everyone!
Mash:
...(Sigh) ...It's so cold...I can feel my breath actually freeze...
Musashi:
Yeah, I'd be dead in no time if I weren't a Servant. Man, it's beyond freezing out here, isn't it?
Mash:
Musashi? Aren't you supposed to be on standby in the Command Room with Holmes?
Musashi:
Oh, that? I slipped out when no one was looking. There's nothing for me to do in there, anyway.
Musashi:
Besides, I wanted to talk to you. Mind if I sit next to you?
Mash:
Uh, n-no, that's fine with me...
Mash:
You've been to America, and other countries in the northern hemisphere, a number of places in the southern hemisphere, AND the tropics? Amazing!
Mash:
Oh, but exactly where in the tropics? Guam? Indonesia?
Musashi:
Hehehe, nope! It was actually Hawaii! It was a real lucky break for me that they speak Japanese there!
Musashi:
They even had an udon restaurant! Maru...something or other!
Musashi:
Anyway, Hawaii was the best! I didn't get along too well with their goddess Pele at first, but we were good friends by the end!
Mash:
Wow, you're such a seasoned traveler, Musashi. It's like...you could Rayshift anywhere and fit right in.
Musashi:
Y-you think? I mean, I'm always getting into some sort of trouble, like when I have to dine and dash...
Mash:
But you seem to enjoy that kind of commotion, and always find a way to overcome it. I really admire that.
Mash:
Me...I could never hope to do that.
Mash:
I used to look forward to visiting all sorts of places outside of Chaldea...
Mash:
...but now, the idea just fills me with dread.
Mash:
I thought I understood that reading about things and actually experiencing them were completely different.
Mash:
And yet...I used to be able to fight,but now, my shield feels unbelievably heavy.
Mash:
...I'm finding myself scared of the people in this Lostbelt, and how they live their lives...
Musashi:
Hmm, I see. So that's why you haven't been able to go out on the front lines.
Musashi:
You know, Fujimaru used to brag about you all the time. I remember once, [♂ he /♀ she] told me...
Musashi:
“Mash's the best Shielder in the whole world! There's no other girl in the world I trust as much as her! ”
Musashi:
And that's made meeting you kind of strange.
Musashi:
I thought, what happened to the strong girl Fujimaru always told me about? But now, it all makes sense.
Mash:
...I'm so sorry. I know I'm the only one relegated to providing rear support.
Mash:
I hate knowing I could be out there fighting as a Servant, if only I could get out from under this fear holding me back...
Musashi:
Hm? So it's fear that's keeping you from fighting,huh. In that case, isn't it out of your hands?
Musashi:
I mean, who in their right mind WOULDN'T be scared to risk their life in battle?
Musashi:
That's not really something you should feel bad about, you know.
Mash:
Huh? You mean, you're scared too, Musashi?
Mash:
Even after seeing so many worlds and surviving so many incredible, impossible things?
Musashi:
...Ouch. I didn't realize you thought of me as some kind of unfeeling gorilla woman...
Musashi:
I mean sure, I love fighting duels,but I've never not been scared to risk my life.
Musashi:
Hell, when you get right down to it, the only reason I fight at all is because it's all I know how to do.
Musashi:
If there was something else I was good at, or something else I WANTED to do, I'd give up the whole dueling thing in a heartbeat!
Musashi:
I mean, the fact that I'm STILL drifting around aimlessly just goes to show I'm no more than a scoundrel who could never find another way to live, but never mind that.
Musashi:
For you it's different. You used to be able to do this, and now you can't. Before, you were able to give it everything you had, but now, it feels like you just don't have anything left to give.
Musashi:
And that right there says it all. You guys have never had to fight a battle where the whole world wasn't rooting for you.
Musashi:
You've never been in a fight where your opponent loathed you, bystanders despised you...
Musashi:
...even though what you were doing may have been the right thing, or if you were fighting to save countless lives from something terrible.
Mash:
...
Musashi:
When you get down to it, these sorts of battles, they're all about making your problems someone else's.
Musashi:
And that's ALWAYS gonna make your opponents unhappy. No matter how it shakes out.
Musashi:
And now you're here in this world of polar extremes, and you've never experienced that. I'd be more surprised if you WEREN'T having a hard time of it.
Mash:
...Then what should I do? Do I just need to shut my emotions off, like some kind of machine?
Mash:
Is that how you've overcome all the obstacles you've had to face, Musashi?
Musashi:
Not really. I don't care what my opponent's problems are. I just tell myself that everyone's got their own stuff to deal with and that's that.
Musashi:
So then if I end up cutting them down easily,that proves I was right and their battle's over.
Musashi:
And if I can't do that, and they end up defeating me, it proves I was wrong, and that's that for MY battle.
Musashi:
That's just the sort of good-for-nothing swordmaster I am. So I guess what I'm saying is that I am not really gonna be much help to you, Mash.
Mash:
...I see. So I'm the only one who can solve my problems...
Mash:
Still...I can't help but think...
Mash:
Are we really doing the right thing for this world's history, and the Yaga who live in it?
Musashi:
...Doing the right thing, hmm?
Musashi:
Well, whether you are or aren't,you're just gonna have to get past it!
Musashi:
If it gets down to a life-or-death choice, you'll find the answer's pretty clear, pretty quick. That's when people start showing you who they really are.
Musashi:
Still, your worries are important and just as valid as anyone else's, and you shouldn't be afraid to have them. That, I can say for sure.
Mash:
R-really...? All this time, I thought I was just wasting opportunities...
Musashi:
Thinking about things is never a waste. If you actually did shut off your mind, that'd weaken you more than anything else you could do.
Musashi:
Sure there might be times when it seems like, physically, you've got nothing left, and you can't save anyone on your own...
Musashi:
...but there's nothing more exhausting than the constant feeling that you should be doing something when you can't.
Musashi:
I mean, sure, some people end up so overwhelmed by guilt or indecision that they end up becoming a burden, but that's not you.
Musashi:
You're the kind of person who turns all that fretting into your own strength when all's said and done. So please don't feel like you're doing something wrong by worrying about this sort of stuff right now.
Musashi:
Worrying is just what you need to be doing! Trust me, people like you are some of the scariest opponents you can face!
Mash:
Musashi...
Musashi:
Anyway, this isn't the sort of problem you can solve in a day, and in the meantime, you've got me!
Musashi:
And when we face Ivan the Terrible, I plan on repaying for all the help I got in Shimousa and then some!
--ARROW--
Narration:
Chaldea had assembled a group of mages chosen for their aptitude for Rayshifting. Of these mages, Team A was head and shoulders above the rest.
Narration:
Kirschtaria Wodime, the prodigy said to be the true successor to the Animusphere legacy.
Narration:
Ophelia Phamrsolone, the modern-day Valkyrie.
Narration:
Scandinavia Peperoncino, a man as shrouded in mystery as he is cheerful and well-liked.
Narration:
Beryl Gut, a mage who seemed more like he belonged in a gang.
Narration:
Akuta Hinako, the taciturn, misanthropic engineer who somehow got along well with everyone.
Narration:
...Daybit Sem Void, a man who seemed like a hole in reality itself.
Narration:
And Mash Kyrielight, the sole success of the Demi-Servant experiments.
Narration:
...I guess that makes me the eighth.
Narration:
Kadoc Zemlupus. I know how little I'm capable of better than anyone.
Narration:
My magecraft is mediocre, and my family history is practically nonexistent.
Narration:
Our bloodline only goes back about two hundred years. Nothing worth being proud of.
Narration:
But I was still chosen to be a Master. Not for my lineage, or my spellwork, but for the power I was born with.
Narration:
I already felt like I'd wasted my life, so hearing they needed my help was the greatest joy I could imagine.
Narration:
After I came to Chaldea and joined Team A, I think my pride and my inferiority complex positively exploded.
Narration:
Every single member was an absolutely top-notch talent.
Narration:
Mash Kyrielight was a test-tube baby born and raised in Chaldea. She was more like another piece of equipment than a person.
Narration:
At best, she was on par with a homunculus. She may have had the same rights as any human, but nobody had any expectations as far as personality or achievements went where she was concerned.
Narration:
A real mage like Wodime must have thought just having her around was good enough.
Narration:
I agreed, of course. Neither me, nor Daybit, nor Akuta interacted with her more than was strictly necessary.
Narration:
Although I think Pepe and Ophelia used to invite her to eat with them, saying she was one of the girls. It bewildered her more than anything.
Narration:
...Even so, Team A needed her.
Narration:
The other members all had an abundance of strengths besides their ability to Rayshift.
Narration:
But not me. There was only ONE thing I had.
Narration:
All I could do was cling to the lucky coincidence that I just happened to be able to command high-quality Servants.
--SECTION BREAK--
Peperoncino:
Oh come on, that's no coincidence. Being good at other things doesn't necessarily mean you're the right person to restore humanity, you know?
Peperoncino:
That's just as true even if you're bad at other things.
Peperoncino:
This is how it's supposed to be. Think about it! Destiny has practically smashed in your door here! Ooh, what an image☆
Peperoncino:
So the only thing YOU, my friend, need to worry about is how you make that destiny YOURS! Once you do that, Kadoc, you'll be well on your way!
Peperoncino:
Me? Oh, don't you worry about me one bit. Destiny and I have always been on the outs.
Peperoncino:
But you? You're just getting started. Think about it: the first line of protection for humanity itself!
Peperoncino:
Who wouldn't dream about that? It's the closest any of us could get to being a real live superhero, right?
Narration:
Then Pepe clapped me on the shoulder, as if to tell me to shape up and stop feeling sorry for myself.
Narration:
Usually I don't like people invading my personal space, but for some reason, I could never seem to get angry at him about it.
Narration:
...He was right. I had to own this destiny. To swallow all the humiliation and bitter regrets I'd had leading up to this point.
Da Vinci:
The most notable characteristics of Casters? Well, that's hard for me to say, being the unparalleled genius among geniuses that I am.
Da Vinci:
But if I had to name SOMETHING, I'd say Casters are just as difficult to command as Berserkers, but in a different sense, really.
Da Vinci:
I mean, I'm one of the good ones. You know what I'm talking about, don't you?
Da Vinci:
A true mage is so caught up in their own thoughts and craft that they don't even see people as people anymore.
Da Vinci:
So don't even think about asking one to teach you their secrets. Your senses of what magecraft is will be so different they might as well be from another dimension!
Narration:
...Yeah, that figures.
Narration:
But even so, I'll still go with a Caster.
Narration:
Ideally, after they've learned to supply themselves with magical energy first.
Narration:
I stepped into the Coffin, doing my best to deal with the feeling of my own mind becoming undone.
Narration:
Soon, my journey to restore humanity will begin,in the little Japanese town of Fuyuki.
Narration:
I asked Akuta about it, but all she had to say was that it was nothing special.
Narration:
Maybe so, but there's still got to be something going on there. I can't let my guard down.
Narration:
Now's the time to show everyone what I can do. To prove that I was chosen for a rea–
Narration:
......Ah.
Narration:
So much for that. It was all meaningless.
Narration:
My life was stolen from me before I ever had a chance to prove how useful I could be. I didn't even get to take the first step.
Narration:
Still, at least now, it would be over.
Narration:
No more of this inferiority complex shit that tormented me all my life. Or, at least that is what I thought...
Narration:
They said [♂ he /♀ she] saved humanity.
Narration:
A single, completely ordinary [♂ boy /♀ girl]. The very bottom of the barrel, recruited because we just needed to fill a quota, who just happened to be the only one to survive the explosion.
Narration:
[♂ He /♀ She] got to take the stage that was meant to be OURS and accomplish something so great that no one could ever deny [♂ his /♀ her] worth.
Narration:
...Normally, I could just ignore that. I could just tell myself not to compare myself to anyone else and just let it go. Normally.
Narration:
But when I heard that, I was overwhelmed by the strongest jealousy I'd ever felt in my life.
Narration:
...It's not fair. It's not fair...It's not fair...IT'S JUST NOT FAIR!
Narration:
That could've been me! I could've done everything[♂ he /♀ she] did! I could've done it BETTER!
--SECTION BREAK--
???:
...Circumstantial change confirmed.
???:
I have a proposal for you chosen ones. An offer for those of you who were cast aside.
Narration:
...I heard a voice that wasn't my own. A voice so calm, so dispassionate, in such stark contrast to the gravity of what it had to say.
???:
If you desire acclamation, then choose rebirth. If you desire indolence, then choose eternal sleep.
???:
It makes no difference to God.
Narration:
...What kind of choice is that? Any living being would value their survival above anything else.
Narration:
The other six all made the same choice. So then each of us was given territory, and a Heroic Spirit.
???:
I have descended upon this world from another.
???:
The Tree of Emptiness will reset this world. From there, it will create new mythology.
???:
Crush Proper Human History. Construct new gods with your own hands. Create laws that are capable of accepting me.
Narration:
...My territory...my Lostbelt...
Narration:
...was a twenty-first-century Russia where Ivan the Terrible still rules supreme.
Narration:
The Caster I summoned was Anastasia Nikolaevna Romanova, the tragic descendant of the Romanov Dynasty, and the last to bear its legacy.
Narration:
...But things here can't stay like this. The way of life here is completely at odds with the rest of the world.
Narration:
The Yaga life cycle is slowly but surely speeding up...
Narration:
And that broken excuse for a tsar...
Narration:
...is planning on invading the other Lostbelts,without letting the Tree of Emptiness take root...!
Narration:
That can't ever happen. So I'm going to take him out.
Narration:
I'm going to put an end to his centuries-long reign,and save Russia from his tyranny.
Narration:
Not for the Yaga's sake, but for hers.
--SECTION BREAK--
Anastasia:
...I don't mind either way. Well, no, I suppose that's not true.
Anastasia:
I hate them.... I hate those “innocent” humans who killed me.
Anastasia:
Nonetheless, I am human...I am a Romanov. I am not Ivan the Terrible.
Anastasia:
So even though I shall always carry this hatred, and never again lower my guard for as long as I live...
Anastasia:
...I will unite this Russia, and see that it enjoys peace. That is both the Romanov's wish, and our solemn duty.
Narration:
...When she said that, she looked every bit the empress she aspired to be.
Narration:
Fine with me. If that's what she wants,I'll do everything I can to make it happen.
Narration:
I'll use anything I can get my hands on,and trample anything that stands in my way.
Narration:
I'll even figure out a way to do something about Ivan the Terrible, who lives up to his name in every way.
Narration:
If he finds out what I'm up to, he'll have me brutally tortured, and see me die for the second time in my life.
Narration:
...But I don't mind dying again. At least it won't be as miserable as my first death.
Narration:
All right, Kadoc, it's time to make a stand. It's time to grit your teeth and face your fears.
Narration:
Remember, everything you're doing...is for THIS world.
--SECTION BREAK--
Salieri:
...I'm surprised you let me live.
Priest:
I imagine Kadoc wants to keep as many Servants around as possible.
Priest:
He has his own ambitions, and his own mountains to climb. The more pawns at his disposal, the better.
Salieri:
...I remember something now.
Salieri:
Back when you fiddled with my memories,you told me you would let me see Amadeus.
Priest:
I said that, did I?
Salieri:
At the time, I thought that meant Amadeus was on Proper Human History's side...but he wasn't.
Salieri:
He was nowhere to be found among their ranks. They hadn't even seen or heard from him.
Salieri:
He's not here in Yaga Moscow,nor is he with the rebels.
Salieri:
Is it that he was never summoned here to Russia in the first place? No, that's not right. He WAS here at one point. I'm sure of it.
Salieri:
In which case–
Priest:
Ah, I see you've eliminated all the logical possibilities then. Very well. I suppose that must mean the time is indeed right.
Priest:
Yes, we WERE keeping the great prodigy here. We even took you to his room once.
Salieri:
You what...!?
Priest:
You were, in fact, the one who wished for this.
Priest:
To be honest, I'm reluctant to open old wounds like this...but if this is what you want, I am honor bound as a man of God to comply.
Priest:
Salieri, the Man in Grey, who willingly cast aside his own sanity...
Priest:
Allow me to unlock the memories you overwrote of your own accord.
Priest:
Come...The time for the requiem is upon us.
Billy:
Right, think this here'll be where I get off.
Beowulf:
Got it. Go out there and give 'em hell.
Billy:
I'll damn well try.
Billy:
...Well, Master, guess this is adiós. Good luck taking down Ivan the Terrible.
Billy:
I'll meet y'all later! 'Course, that's assumin' I come outta this alive!
Fujimaru 1:
I'll hold you to that.
Billy:
Aww, don't you worry. I swear on my momma's grave.
Billy:
'Course, I gotta admit that since I've been summoned here, I can't remember for the life of me what my momma looked like...
Billy:
...but I do remember that I had one.
Billy:
This ain't me sayin' thanks for that or nothin', but playin' distraction is the least I can do for ya now.
Fujimaru 2:
Pinky promise?
Billy:
Pinky promise.
Billy:
......Well, this is downright embarrassin'.
Billy:
But I'm sure serious. I WILL make sure I'm there when you face off with that tyrannical bastard!
Beowulf:
Well, this is it. The moment of truth. We've got no idea what we're in for, but if we're gonna do this, it's now or never. No prep, no practice.
Beowulf:
...Gotta say, you don't seem too fazed.
Fujimaru 1:
I'm just trying not to let it show.
Beowulf:
That so? I'm all in favor of putting on a brave face,but don't keep it TOO bottled up.
Beowulf:
It's human nature to look for an interpretation of something that fits what we want. Don't let people make you out to be a hero without regard for [♂ his /♀ her] own self-interest, all right?
Fujimaru 2:
Not with all you guys here to help me.
Beowulf:
...Tch. Well, now this is kind of embarrassing, huh, Lady Musashi?
Musashi:
Can't let [♂ him /♀ her] down now, can we?
Beowulf:
I know that. Come on, let's do this thing!
Kadoc:
...It's almost time. Anything you want to say?
Atalante Alter:
...No.
Kadoc:
You look troubled. Having second thoughts? Feeling caught between a rock and a hard place?
Atalante Alter:
...In doing this, I am betraying the future.
Kadoc:
No, you're not. We're the ones who've been betrayed.
Kadoc:
I just want to show [♂ him /♀ her] that[♂ his /♀ her] actions have consequences.
Kadoc:
And if [♂ he /♀ she] has any conscience,I want [♂ him /♀ her] to make amends.
Kadoc:
...Deep down, you know we're in the right.
Atalante Alter:
...So you want me to bear this shame.
Kadoc:
You can call it shame if you want. Me, I think you should be proud.
Atalante Alter:
Tch......Right.
Anastasia:
Can we really be sure [♂ he'll /♀ she'll] come? [♂ He /♀ She] must know [♂ he's /♀ she's] at a great disadvantage.
Atalante Alter:
...[♂ He /♀ She] will come. I am sure of that.
Atalante Alter:
[♂ His /♀ Her] actions to date speak for themselves.
Kadoc:
If we're going to do this, I want to turn the tables on everything, all at once.
Kadoc:
Right, Avicebron?
Avicebron:
...Oh, yes. I suppose this must be quite the thrilling story of a much-wronged underdog emerging triumphant. At least as far as you are concerned.
Kadoc:
You're wrong about that. There's nothing thrilling about this for me.
Kadoc:
This is simply a demonstration. I'm going to prove once and for all that I can do everything [♂ he /♀ she] can and more.
Avicebron:
...I see. Well then, this is goodbye.
Avicebron:
It's time I met back up with Fujimaru, after all.
Anastasia:
Cowardly, sensitive, bold, cunning...I must say, my Master is certainly anything but dull.
Kadoc:
...I'm only third-rate at best. I can't leave any stone unturned.
Anastasia:
Well, if it's any consolation,I don't dislike that self-deprecating side of yours.
Kadoc:
I'm not being self-deprecating. I'm just being honest.
Anastasia:
If Koyanskaya were still here, I would have had her keep an eye on all the key points...but it looks like that little minx isn't here in Russia anymore.
Anastasia:
I suppose she decided early on that we weren't worth her time.
Kadoc:
...Hmph. Fine with me. I'm used to being written off.
Kadoc:
I'll go ahead and announce that the execution is about to begin. That way, we'll know exactly where they'll show up.
Kadoc:
What was that!?
Oprichnik:
I have a report to make.
Anastasia:
Then you can make it to me. I speak for the Tsar.
Anastasia:
You must not trouble him,no matter what the circumstances may be.
Oprichnik:
Yes, Your Imperial Highness.
Oprichnik:
A Servant has appeared in southwest Yaga Moscow. He is attacking every Oprichniki in sight.
Anastasia:
Master?
Kadoc:
You said “a” Servant? So there's only one of them?
Oprichnik:
Yes, sir.
Kadoc:
Then it's just a diversion. Ignore him.
Oprichnik:
We can't do that.
Oprichnik:
We Oprichniki are sworn to kill any who defy the Tsar. That is the sole reason for our existence.
Kadoc:
All right, all right, I get it. Then just make sure you deal with this quickly.
Kadoc:
Do NOT wake the Tsar up, no matter what.
Oprichnik:
Yes, sir.
Kadoc:
...That could've gone a lot better.
Anastasia:
You truly are a “glass half empty” type, aren't you?
Kadoc:
Well, the Oprichniki here are damn near invincible. They should be able to handle a single Servant.
Kadoc:
If they use the Emergency Prerogative, it won't be too long before they send his head rolling.
Billy:
Tch...Gotta reload!
Billy:
(Huff, huff, huff, huff...)
Billy:
Dammit, how many does that make now? I've lost count!
Billy:
A hundred? Two hundred? Maybe it was closer to three hundred?
Billy:
Man, damn good thing I'm a Servant.
Billy:
If it weren't for the whole limitless ammo thing I got goin' on, I'd be down to usin' my fists 'n harsh language at this point.
Billy:
But talkin' of limitless things...looks like there's no end to these Oprichniki either.
Billy:
I ain't half bad at guerilla warfare,but this is a tall goddamn order!
Billy:
Hey y'all! I don't s'pose you'd mind givin' up and skedaddlin' anytime soon, would ya!?
Billy:
(Let's see. I've got two at my one o'clock,three at my seven, and another one at my four. )
Billy:
(All right, Billy, just take a deep breath, whistle a little tune, and make sure your gun hand's steady. )
Billy:
Hey, I almost forgot! There's something else I wanted to ask y'all...
Billy:
Dammit! Missed one...!
Billy:
Ow...! You little...!
Billy:
(Pant, pant, pant...)
Billy:
Pantin' like a damn dog here.
Billy:
I get the feelin' I musta done this sorta thing plenty back in the Wild West, water bein' scarce as it was.
Billy:
Dammit, that smarts. Dunno know what I was thinking, goin' this one alone!
Billy:
I'm an idiot, plain and simple. Still...
Billy:
...I'm the only outlaw 'round these here parts. If the odds weren't against me, I wouldn't be me!
Billy:
That said...this ain't no picnic...
Billy:
Dunno that I can take 'em on alone anymore...
Billy:
...I wonder if all that nonsense Da Vinci was goin' on 'bout could really help...?
Da Vinci:
Do you mind if I tinker with your gun?
Billy:
Huh? Where'd that come from!?
Da Vinci:
See, I'm a genius without peer in history, but I still can't do anything with weapons that were forged by gods or legendary smiths.
Da Vinci:
After all, weapons like that have their origin in Mystics from a time long before my own.
Da Vinci:
Of course, that doesn't stop SOME cheeky Heroic Spirits from modifying other's weapons, but that's a topic for another day.
Da Vinci:
At any rate, your Thunderer came off an assembly line, so I can work my magic, as it were, on it for you!
Da Vinci:
And as luck would have it,that particular model's a rare find.
Da Vinci:
Mass production may have succeeded at standardizing the quality of most goods, but every now and then an exception still manages to sneak through.
Da Vinci:
As luck would have it, that weapon of yours just so happens to be one of the finest specimens anyone could hope for. But without help from a genius like myself, that's all it'll ever be.
Billy:
I gotta say, I'm mighty fond of the weight and balance of my gun as it is now.
Da Vinci:
No, you only THINK you are. Let me have a look at it. Trust me, you'll be glad you did.
Da Vinci:
By the time I'm through with it, you'll be able to shoot through anything and everything! Those magical bullets really do wonders!
Da Vinci:
The only catch is, you'll need to be ready to handle this modified gun's kickback. You ready to raise your Spirit Origin another rank?
Billy:
...There's only one way to activate it. Concentrate, overcome, and keep on movin'.
Billy:
Look to the limits beyond the limits. Head for the lightnin' that lies beyond.
Billy:
Set your sights on the horizon, and keep runnin'. Mount your horse and head straight for glory and destruction.
Billy:
...All right!
Billy:
...Let's settle this, Oprichniki!
Billy:
...Hmm, hmm, hmm.
Billy:
Turned out a mite bigger than I thought,but the grip still feels as good as ever.
Billy:
Heavier now, though. But I s'pose the improved balance offsets that real nice.
Billy:
And to top it off, it's got three times the destructive power...Now THAT'S what I'm talkin' about!
Billy:
All right then, Oprichniki.
Billy:
Y'all better not be comin' 'round here thinkin' I'm the same old Billy the Kid you been kickin' around all this time. I ain't.
Billy:
Now show me what you got, you yellow-bellied shits! I'll gun you down by the thousand if I gotta!
Holmes:
Confirming Master Fujimaru's coordinates...Confirming infiltration into Yaga Moscow.
Holmes:
You're coming in loud and clear on our end. Beowulf, do take good care of our Master.
Fujimaru 1:
...Where's Mash?
Fujimaru 2:
...Holmes?
Goredolf:
Oh, yes. That girl is off getting treated in Da Vinci's ICU, so she can transform into a Servant.
Goredolf:
Given how close we are to enemy territory, there's no telling when they might try to attack the Border!
Goredolf:
So I suggested she go and prepare for battle, just in case. Even if she can't fight on the front lines, she can at least stand in front of me and hold a shield!
Fujimaru 1:
...!
Fujimaru 2:
What the...!? Goredolf!
Goredolf:
Wh-wh-why are you looking at me like that!? I'll have you know this is a perfectly reasonable plan!
Holmes:
Pardon me, Goredolf, but I suggest you keep an eye on the mountains to the north of Yaga Moscow.
Holmes:
...Fujimaru, Goredolf is right. Ms. Kyrielight is receiving a tune-up of sorts from Ms. Da Vinci as we speak.
Holmes:
Ms. Kyrielight was most insistent upon it. She said she wished to fight as a Servant in the event that circumstances called for it.
Fujimaru 1:
You mean you knew, and you let this happen!?
Fujimaru 2:
...
Holmes:
Please don't glare at me like that. This happened after you left for Yaga Moscow.
Holmes:
If all goes well there should be no issue whatsoever, so please, focus your efforts on rescuing Ms. Atalante.
Holmes:
Personally, even if she is able to transform again, I still have no plans to include her in our combat ranks.
Holmes:
Nor do I have any intention of sending a Servant out to the front lines when her output has dropped so dramatically.
Holmes:
I will only send one there if I am certain they are capable of seeing their mission through.
Holmes:
...Even if that means stopping her from rushing to your aid while you are in a dire predicament.
Holmes:
Do you understand? Then do please focus on the task at hand, [♂ Mr. /♀ Ms. ] Fujimaru.
Fujimaru 1:
...Of course.
Fujimaru 2:
...I'm not going to add to her burden.
Holmes:
Very good. Then let us consider the current situation.
Holmes:
It seems we still have some time before Ms. Atalante is scheduled to be executed.
Holmes:
Billy and Beowulf's fighters have begun their diversion.
Holmes:
There are fewer Oprichniki here in the capital than we had foreseen, though there are still...quite a lot.
Holmes:
Now, is there anything in particular that stands out to you?
Fujimaru 1:
...There's not as much snow around here.
Fujimaru 2:
...It's actually a little warm here.
Beowulf:
They say the Tsar's power keeps the blizzard from raging too hard in the capital.
Beowulf:
...There's some truth to that. This part of Russia's a lot nicer to live in.
Meunière:
I don't see many onlookers...Maybe they're all afraid of the Oprichniki?
Holmes:
Once the Oprichniki begin fighting, I imagine any crowds that have gathered to watch won't stick around for very long.
Holmes:
The problem is...Well, the most urgent problem,I should say, is the enemy's Servants.
Holmes:
Of them, we must be especially wary of one in particular. No, not the priest, nor Koyanskaya, nor Anastasia, nor Ivan the Terrible.
Holmes:
It is, in fact, the Minotaur. His position will determine our opening gambit.
Holmes:
Now then...
Yaga Citizen:
I saw the court mage not too long ago.
Yaga Citizen:
...This may be rude of me, but old-fashioned humans really do have such interesting faces.
Kadoc:
......
Kadoc:
...Let it be known that the leader of the rebel army is to be executed by beheading!
Kadoc:
Unfortunately, as we don't have a guillotine here,we will be doing something special for this execution.
Minotaur:
HAAAAAA...
Kadoc:
Farewell, Atalante, leader of the rebel army.
Atalante Alter:
......
Holmes:
Well this is fortunate. It would seem luck is on our side.
Fujimaru 1:
How!?
Holmes:
Our first, most pressing order of business is to rescue her. To do that, it is imperative we not get separated.
Holmes:
What, therefore, should our next course of action be?
Holmes:
Right, right. All we need do is get close.
Holmes:
Asterios may have some measure of intellect,but from my own observations, the Minotaur does not.
Holmes:
...Which means that a plan which would never work on the former should succeed on the latter.
Holmes:
This makes him the perfect target.
Holmes:
Are you ready, Fujimaru?
Fujimaru 1:
...I think so!
Meunière:
...That's it. Good luck, Fujimaru!
Fujimaru 2:
(...Okay, deep breaths...)
Holmes:
...Well done. As you have proven time and time again, you are always at your best when matters are at their worst.
Beowulf:
All right, let's charge in head-on!
Musashi:
Sounds good to me! Musashi, heading out!
Patxi:
So you're just going to barrel in there with no plan at all? That's insane!
Patxi:
...Dammit!
Fujimaru 1:
Maybe you should think about getting out of here...?
Patxi:
I will! Once I get a little closer!
Kadoc:
See? I knew they'd show up.
Atalante Alter:
...!
Kadoc:
I wouldn't last two seconds if I got caught up in a Servant battle, so I'm gonna get out of here.
Kadoc:
...Atalante, it's time for you to make a choice.
Kadoc:
I don't care which one you go with myself. But if you want to save the Yaga here, you know what to do.
Atalante Alter:
...Stay back, Master of Chaldea!
Musashi:
All right, Patxi, I think it's time you skedaddled! You just find somewhere to hide, then sit back and enjoy the show!
Patxi:
You don't have to tell me! I'll go find a hiding place right now!
Minotaur:
SO...YOU'RE HERE.
Minotaur:
THIS TIME...I'LL EAT YOU...FOR SURE!
Beowulf:
Ha, is that so? If you think you can handle me,then you just take your best shot!
Beowulf:
But I should warn you, not even the dragon was able to choke me down!
--BATTLE--
Minotaur:
HEEHEE, HEEHEEHEEHEE! YOU LOOK...GOOD ENOUGH TO EAT!
Holmes:
I'm picking up a spike in magical energy. He's about to use his Noble Phantasm.
Holmes:
Now, do it!
Fujimaru 1:
Atalante!
Atalante Alter:
I told you to stay back...!
Minotaur:
CHAOS LABYRINTH...!
Atalante Alter:
Huh? What in the world are you–
Musashi:
All right, so far so good!
Fujimaru 1:
Now's our chance...!
Musashi:
Hang on. Don't move a muscle...!
Atalante Alter:
So, you cut through my shackles. Impressive.
Musashi:
I'm just glad it worked! My fingertips are feeling a little numb in this freezing cold!
Atalante Alter:
Now I see.
Atalante Alter:
So you allowed the Minotaur to use his Noble Phantasm on purpose in order to rescue us.
Musashi:
Yup! They said kicking the enemy's asses could wait until we rendezvoused with you.
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
......
Fujimaru 1:
Is this everyone?
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
No...This is only a few of us. There...there are still children on the outside...
Atalante Alter:
Get a hold of yourself!
Atalante Alter:
Rushing in headfirst will solve nothing. The first thing we must do is take down the Minotaur.
Atalante Alter:
The rest of you will remain on standby until then. Make sure Fujimaru stays safe!
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
Yes, Boss!
Beowulf:
All right, now comes the hard part! We gotta actually–
Minotaur:
HEEHEE...HEEHEEHEE...THERE YOU ARE...!
Musashi:
Anyone who's not a Servant, get back! This guy is no joke.
Musashi:
Once we start fighting him,we won't be able to worry about you too!
Beowulf:
...Dammit! I knew it! He's even stronger than before! Guess the labyrinth gives him a serious home field advantage!
Beowulf:
Still, if you were hoping that'd surprise us, demon of the labyrinth, you've got another thing coming.
Beowulf:
Let's find out once and for all if you're a worthier foe than Grendel!
--BATTLE--
Beowulf:
Try THIS on for size!
Minotaur:
AH...AAAH!
Minotaur:
NOT YET...NOT YET! I HAVEN'T EATEN ANYTHING YET!
Minotaur:
I...I...I...!
Fujimaru 1:
Asterios...!
Minotaur:
WHAT...WHAT WAS THAT...MEMORY...?
Minotaur:
...HAHAHA. WHAT IS THIS? WHAT IS THIS? WHAT IS THIS!?
Minotaur:
NOBODY...EVER LOOKED AT ME...LIKE THAT...I WISH...I'D BEEN...THAT ME...
???:
Ah, I see you've defeated him. My apologies for my tardiness.
Beowulf:
Who goes there!?
Fujimaru 1:
Avicebron!?
Musashi:
Avicebron...You're Fujimaru's Servant, right?
Musashi:
What are you doing here?
Avicebron:
I suppose you might say I have been caught up in the whirlwind of all this. Or perhaps, that I jumped in of my own accord.
Avicebron:
...To be honest, the circumstances are far from ideal. But, if we don't do exactly what he says, they're only going to get worse.
Beowulf:
I am Beowulf. Avicebron, what are you saying?
Beowulf:
You sound like...you've gone over to the enemy's side.
Musashi:
......
Avicebron:
Perhaps I have. It's complicated.
Avicebron:
...Nonetheless, I'm afraid I can't explain right now. We simply do not have time.
Avicebron:
With the Minotaur gone, there is no one left to claim ownership of the labyrinth.
Avicebron:
Now that the magical energy required to maintain this miraculous relic from the Age of Gods is gone, we should soon be able to escape.
Avicebron:
However...if we act now,we can use this labyrinth for our own means.
Beowulf:
...What are you talking about?
Fujimaru 1:
Wait. You don't mean...
Fujimaru 2:
You want to turn it into a golem?
Avicebron:
I do. It is a relic from the Age of Gods,and so would make the perfect body for a golem.
Avicebron:
The only question to be answered is,what do we do about its core?
Fujimaru 1:
Core...
Beowulf:
I know what that is. It's the thing that powers a golem and makes it function, isn't it?
Avicebron:
That's right.
Avicebron:
I have been worrying about what to use for my next golem's core for quite some time.
Avicebron:
The ones I have been using in combat so far are mere replicas, designed for the briefest of use.
Avicebron:
These replicas do require a vast amount of magical energy, but that is all they require.
Avicebron:
Unfortunately, they alone won't be enough to defeat Ivan the Terrible.
Avicebron:
I got a glimpse of him before the rest of you. Kadoc Zemlupus showed him to me.
Avicebron:
...That thing is utterly inhuman. He is a primal being, the kind that must have existed on this planet long before humans ever did.
Avicebron:
It would be impossible to slay a monster like that with such impermanent forces.
Avicebron:
So then, what can we do? How should we fight such a fearsome opponent?
Avicebron:
...If we cannot find an equally powerful entity for the core, then...
Musashi:
......
Avicebron:
Yes, I will admit that I have long dreamed of recreating the Primordial Man.
Avicebron:
And you're saying that you would aid me in that goal in exchange for my assistance?
Kadoc:
Exactly.
Kadoc:
As luck would have it, we have an amazing asset on our side. And I'm sure we will have an opportunity to use it sometime very soon.
Kadoc:
Because, you see...
Avicebron:
...I see. That does make sense. It will all come down to the timing.
Kadoc:
Does that mean you're on board?
Avicebron:
I certainly am. Especially now that I finally understand your goal.
Avicebron:
If you can provide me with materials like that,then the only other thing we will require is a core.
Kadoc:
Core...?
Avicebron:
Worry not. I'll take care of that.
Avicebron:
...My only choice, you see,is to become the core myself.
Beowulf:
Wha...
Musashi:
Wait. What...!?
Fujimaru 1:
Avicebron...?
Avicebron:
...I have a confession to make.
Avicebron:
Among the lives I have taken, one was a child.
Section 21: The Lightning Tsar Reigns
Atalante Alter:
......
Musashi:
......A child, huh.
Beowulf:
......I see.
Avicebron:
After I was summoned as a Servant,I began killing people.
Avicebron:
...I doubt I am the first to dirty hands as a Servant that were so determinedly kept clean in life.
Avicebron:
Once one has been summoned as a Servant, bloodshed is all but inevitable. Especially given how central it is to Holy Grail Wars. They are, after all, events held for the sole purpose of fulfilling mages' desires.
Avicebron:
And in one such Holy Grail War,I proved to be the worst kind of Servant imaginable.
Avicebron:
All I have ever desired is to recreate the Primordial Man and save my persecuted people.
Avicebron:
I threw away the sense of pride and the morals that I held so dear, all in pursuit of that goal.
Avicebron:
I killed my own Master, who was just a child.
Avicebron:
...I only know about this from records of the event. I can't remember their name or face.
Avicebron:
Such a horrible deed,and I cannot remember anything about it.
Avicebron:
But the records speak for themselves.
Avicebron:
They torment me, proving beyond any doubt I am just as driven by my desires as any other ruthless mage.
Fujimaru 1:
That can't be true...!
Beowulf:
...We can't rule it out. Speaking for myself,I don't really care about that too much.
Beowulf:
Whether a Servant remembers or not probably depends on them, and the sort of memories they're dealing with.
Beowulf:
I know I don't care about remembering fighting in any boring-ass war, but I'd at least like to remember saving the world.
Beowulf:
...If you feel bad about knowing you killed a child at some point, I'd say that just proves that deep down you're really a good guy.
Beowulf:
But you're here now to save all of humanity.
Beowulf:
You don't get to sacrifice yourself.
Avicebron:
...Yes...I may just be making excuses...
Avicebron:
Nonetheless...
Avicebron:
Right now...we don't need a Servant. We need a giant...One that is powerful enough to stand up to that truly horrible beast of a tsar.
Avicebron:
As for Kadoc Zemlupus...a word of advice.
Avicebron:
Don't write him off. Don't underestimate him. If you do...you'll regret it...
Fujimaru 1:
Avicebron...!
Avicebron:
Master...I'm sorry.
Avicebron:
But, I'm afraid...this is the only way I can be useful to humanity.
Avicebron:
I leave the giant's command in your hands. Good luck, Master.
Avicebron:
You have a long path ahead of you,and difficult choices to make. But I believe in you.
Avicebron:
...Fight hard, courageous young [♂ man /♀ woman]. You are human, but I know you have the strength you need to fulfill your duty...!
Fujimaru 1:
...!
Atalante Alter:
Avicebron...I can't believe it...He didn't just use part of the Minotaur's labyrinth for a golem...
Atalante Alter:
He used ALL of it...!
Patxi:
The hell!? Where'd this shadow come from!? Is that...a golem? Did Avicebron make that...?
F：Yaga Citizen:
Run awaaay! This place is going to turn into a battlefield!
Patxi:
...!
Anastasia:
Hold it.
Patxi:
!
Anastasia:
Don't point your gun at me. It makes me want to end you.
Patxi:
What the...My gun!
Anastasia:
You're with Chaldea, aren't you?
Patxi:
That's right.
Anastasia:
...Why would a Yaga help them? Are you a remnant of the rebel army?
Patxi:
No.
Patxi:
...Then again, I guess I am. I DID think about rebelling for a little while.
Patxi:
But I changed my mind as soon as I saw Ivan the Terrible in person.
Anastasia:
I see. So you were THAT Yaga.
Anastasia:
I was told you were all but undone when the priest decided to make you look upon the Tsar.
Anastasia:
But it looks like you rather enjoyed it.
Patxi:
Wha...
Anastasia:
It's okay. You needn't be afraid anymore. This disturbance will cause the Tsar to awaken.
Anastasia:
...Which means that the Tree of Emptiness will finally start absorbing mana from the land.
Patxi:
...What are you talking about? Did you say that...thing...is going to wake up!?
Anastasia:
That's right. I can see even the thought of that terrifies you.
Anastasia:
But it's okay. We're going to defeat Ivan the Terrible ourselves.
Patxi:
Wha...!
Anastasia:
Ahh, I said it. I finally said it.
Anastasia:
I feel so much better now. I've been holding that in for a long time.
Anastasia:
We're going to destroy the Tsar,the last vestige of Russia in this world.
Oprichnik:
What are you talking about? Are you betraying the Tsar?
Patxi:
...!
Anastasia:
Well, that didn't take long. I suppose I should have expected that here. Nonetheless...
Oprichnik:
...!
Anastasia:
...now that the Tsar is about to awaken from his dream,I'm afraid you Oprichniki have outlived your usefulness.
--SECTION BREAK--
Narration:
...This took place not too long ago. Back when I had only just been summoned.
Salieri:
...At last, I will have the audience I desire. I can sense him here.
Salieri:
Stand in my way, and I shall kill you as well. Now take me to see him, you swine in priest's clothing.
Priest:
I'm impressed you got through the Oprichniki and made your way here, especially with that pitifully frail Spirit Origin.
Priest:
Very well. Out of respect for your hard work, I will grant you the audience with Amadeus that you desire.
Priest:
Besides, he told me to let you through himself. In fact, his exact words were:
Priest:
“If a man claiming to be my friend should ask to see me, please show him the way. He has every right to be here, you see. ”
Priest:
...All while smiling the most innocent,angelic smile I have ever seen.
Narration:
...Amadeus. Amadeus.
Narration:
I must see you. I must speak with you.
Narration:
I want to ask you what purpose we were meant to serve by being summoned to this Lostbelt?
Narration:
Are we meant to kill one another?
Narration:
Or is only one of us meant to kill the other?
Narration:
Is this passion stirring in my heart meant to be offered to a friend? Or is it an iron stake, meant to be driven into an enemy?
Narration:
I thought that once I saw you, I would know the answer.
Priest:
However, I must warn you before you see him. He is, after all, thoroughly exhausted.
Priest:
He has been performing his Noble Phantasm without rest for the last two months.
Priest:
I am afraid his Spirit Origin is more fragile now than decaying flesh, and the flame of his soul has dimmed only to scant embers.
Priest:
Frankly, he's in no state to receive visitors.
Narration:
A dreadful sense of foreboding seized me.
Narration:
I knew from those words that something must be wrong, and yet...
Narration:
...I still saw him, even before I knew what that something was.
Amadeus:
...I thought that was you. I'd recognize those firm, uptight footsteps anywhere.
Amadeus:
Ah, the Man in Grey. Are you here to kill me?
Salieri:
Mozart...!? What did you lot do to this prodigious talent!?
Priest:
As you can see, we've been having him play the piano,though, I must confess, without time to rest.
Priest:
But rest assured, we did not coerce him into doing so.
Priest:
He volunteered of his own accord, after learning of the...special circumstances here in Russia.
Priest:
I distinctly remember him saying, “Well great. Guess I'm just going to have to set a new record for longest performance of all time. ”
Salieri:
This is madness! You're playing the piano and the rest of the orchestra all on your own!? How have you been doing this for so long!? You hate hard work! You grow bored almost at the drop of a hat...!
Amadeus:
Well that's not very nice. Sure, I'd much rather just play a single song, get paid, and go back to my life of leisure.
Amadeus:
But given who I'm playing for this time,even I can't help but be motivated.
Amadeus:
Besides, the Tsar was on the verge of waking up when I began to play. I didn't dare to give him anything but my best.
Amadeus:
He could easily end up grinding this entire country to a pulp if he were to wake up, after all. What choice did I have but to ensure he kept dreaming sweet dreams?
Salieri:
So...that's why you've been playing the piano...?
Salieri:
You mean a greedy miser like you has been playing his heart out here in the frigid cold for months on end...
Salieri:
...for a demented old man who couldn't understand your worth if his life depended on it...!?
Amadeus:
No need to be so rude to him. Though I will grant you that he's rather up there in years.
Amadeus:
The Tsar has been an excellent audience. He told me my music was like paradise itself.
Amadeus:
But, I'm afraid I'm at my limit. In fact, I won't be around much longer. This environment was just too much for a frail Servant like me.
Amadeus:
I can't even move my fingers anymore. It's worse than the illness I contracted before I died the first time.
Amadeus:
Still, if I have to die again here, I don't want to do it without being useful in some way.
Amadeus:
So I thought you should kill me. I even told Macarius that was my condition for helping out.
Amadeus:
Come on, the Grand Dutchess and the others are nowhere to be found. This is your chance.
Amadeus:
You DO hate me enough to kill me, right? Then go on, just do it.
Salieri:
You...! Why would...Why would you say that!?
Salieri:
Your skill is divine! A gift from God Himself! And now...now you want me to kill you with my own hands!?
Salieri:
You want me to make those awful rumors the truth!? How can you say that...!?
Amadeus:
Why not? If you hate me enough to kill me,go ahead and get it out of your system.
Amadeus:
Who knows? You might feel a lot better.
Amadeus:
Just don't expect it to save your life or anything. I might be a peerless genius, but there are some things even I can't help with.
Amadeus:
Ghh...!
Salieri:
Mozart!
Amadeus:
Whoops. Once I let myself relax, I guess I ended up like a puppet with its strings cut. I don't think I'll last another minute.
Amadeus:
This is always how it went with us, wasn't it?
Amadeus:
I'd show up unannounced, challenge you out of nowhere,then make impossible demands when I won.
Amadeus:
Why break with precedent now? Salieri, when this is all over, would you play Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star for me?
Salieri:
...What are you...?
Amadeus:
...I knew it would come to this.
Amadeus:
I may not have any hope of surviving,but you still have a chance to win.
Amadeus:
Salieri. It's all about timing.
Amadeus:
Friends and enemies alike must work together...or no one will be able to defeat that thing.
Amadeus:
Salieri, you stayed closer to me than anyone else. You kept on hating me, even knowing your hate would never be requited. I always appreciated that.
Amadeus:
So until the time to defeat the Tsar comes...I'm going to leave his lullaby to you.
Amadeus:
Don't worry. This patron's ears aren't exactly the sharpest.
Amadeus:
You and I may notice the many minute differences in our performances, but he never will.
Amadeus:
So before I go, I'm going to put a curse on you.
Salieri:
Stop! You can't–
Amadeus:
...Now you must be Mozart for a while.
Salieri:
Ghh...Gaaaaaah! Mozart, you...!
Amadeus:
Ahh, what an incredibly dull job that was...
Amadeus:
But, then again...I guess it had its moments...? Seeing the greatest monster in the world...dreaming to the sound of my piano...
Amadeus:
It was almost like...I was holding the world...in the palm...of my tiny hand...
Amadeus:
And that...wasn't too bad...at all...
Salieri:
Ah...Aah...Aaaaaah.
Salieri:
AaaaaaaaaAAAAAAaaahhh!!!
Salieri:
That's right. I remember now...I...I...!
B：Priest:
Now, go ahead and play your requiem as much as you like.
B：Priest:
You may play it for Amadeus, or the Tsar...or for yourself, when you lost sight of who you are.
B：Priest:
You will find an instrument right over there.
--SECTION BREAK--
Patxi:
That's ridiculous! What the hell are you thinking!?
Patxi:
Are you completely insane!?
Anastasia:
I have been quite sane for a long time now, Yaga. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Anastasia:
We now have Chaldea, those Servants,Kadoc, myself...and that giant.
Anastasia:
That giant is from a realm, from a time that Demonic Beasts could not hope to touch. So I'm going to cooperate with that [♂ boy /♀ girl] and [♂ his /♀ her] team.
Anastasia:
Together, I'm certain they will achieve a miraculous victory.
Patxi:
...So they're gonna take down that mountain of a tsar?
Anastasia:
That's right. Otherwise, this world will never be saved. Everything we do, we do for the sake of this world.
Anastasia:
...Oh yes, I almost forgot. There's a very important detail you should know.
Anastasia:
Do you know what those devils at Chaldea are attempting to do?
Patxi:
Huh...?
Anastasia:
I believe they mean to restore this planet to its proper form, in order to restore humanity.
Anastasia:
But that doesn't mean you Yaga are going to benefit from that. Your mistaken history–your erroneous path–will merely be pruned away.
Anastasia:
I take it you know that human from Chaldea well? Then please, tell me everything you can about [♂ him /♀ her].
Anastasia:
Does [♂ he /♀ she] really know what it is [♂ he /♀ she] should be doing?
Oprichnik:
The Tsar is waking up. The Tsar is waking up.
Oprichnik:
After all this time, the Tsar is waking up.... Now, it is time for us to move on.
Oprichnik:
Glory to the great Tsar.
Meunière:
The lopsided Spirit Origin readings in Yaga Moscow are dropping like flies!
Meunière:
I think the Oprichniki are disappearing!
Holmes:
As we expected. Once a battle began in Yaga Moscow,it was only a matter of time before the Tsar woke up.
Holmes:
...Though I will say that I certainly didn't expect THIS to begin moving!
Goredolf:
Wh-what is...? Are my eyes deceiving me? Is the monitor broken? Is this one of Da Vinci's practical jokes!?
Goredolf:
What's going on here, Holmes!? What is that...thing on the monitor!?
Goredolf:
Huge doesn't even BEGIN to cover it! For that matter...
Goredolf:
...is it just me, or are we headed straight towards it!?
Goredolf:
Stop the vehicle, Meunière! Hit the brakes!
Goredolf:
What could we hope to accomplish by going there? Nothing, that's what! We'll just end up a stain on the bottom of that thing's foot!
Goredolf:
Give Fujimaru the order to retreat! Forget about investigating this Tree of Emptiness or whatnot!
Goredolf:
We're leaving Russia right now! If we must risk our lives, I'd rather take my chances on a Zero Sail!
Holmes:
That's impossible. We have team members in Yaga Moscow. We can't retreat now.
Holmes:
That thing could catch them and crush them in just a few steps, well before they have a chance to escape!
Holmes:
No, our conditions for victory are unchanged. Defeat Ivan the Terrible and capture the Crypter.
Holmes:
If we are to accomplish those goals,we will need everything we have at our disposal.
Holmes:
...How are things shaping up over there, Da Vinci? Skip your opinions and just give me the numbers.
P. A. System:
The Ortinax exoskeleton is operating within expected parameters. Internal pressure regulation, combustion, and weaponry are all good to go.
P. A. System:
...Armor checks out. Ready to transport her at any time. Beyond that...it all depends how mentally prepared she is.
Holmes:
Just the numbers, Da Vinci. Mr. Meunière, take us into Yaga Moscow's western area.
Holmes:
By my estimation, we should rendezvous with the investigation team in ten minutes and thirty seconds!
Goredolf:
Stop, damn you, stooop! Phoenix or not,I won't be able to make it out of this aliiive!
Priest:
Ivan the Terrible is no ordinary Yaga.
Priest:
Long ago, an ancient primordial beast was discovered in Russia's tundra.
Priest:
By merging with this creature, Ivan the Terrible began a period of...growth.
Priest:
...And perhaps due to his heroic temperament,or his imperial bloodline...
Priest:
...that growth continues to this day.
Priest:
It is said that mammoths and saber-toothed tigers went extinct when their tusks and fangs grew too large...
Priest:
...but Ivan the Terrible has moved beyond such concerns.
Priest:
He is no longer beloved or worshipped. Now he is no more than a horrific monster.
Priest:
Keep playing with every ounce of hatred you can muster, Salieri.
Priest:
Now that his nap is over, the Tsar is finally about to come face-to-face with reality.
Oprichnik:
...The Tsar's dream is ending.... He is about to wake up.
Oprichnik:
We are born from the Tsar's dreams. Once he awakens, we will return to dust.
Oprichnik:
Glory to the Tsar! Long live the Tsar!
Yaga Citizen:
Huh? The Oprichniki are...turning into dust...?
Beowulf:
Does this rumbling mean he's woken up!? ...Uh oh. What about the golem!?
Musashi:
It's still coming together. Its stone body is being assembled piece by piece, like muscles growing on a skeleton...
Musashi:
Holy shit! That is HUGE!
Beowulf:
!?
Fujimaru 1:
What's wrong?
Beowulf:
...Is this some sort of joke?
Musashi:
...Doesn't look like it.
--SECTION BREAK--
Narration:
...Aah.... Aah, aah, aah.
Narration:
I have awoken from my dream. I see now what is happening in the world.
Narration:
It seems my dreams for Russia are yet to come to fruition...
Narration:
I must eradicate the countless traitors and expand my territory!
Narration:
My nap is over. The time has come...for me to make a stand!
Priest:
So, he has finally awakened.
Priest:
...Ivan the Terrible is said to have once moved the capital of Russia from Moscow to the city of Alexandrov in the northeast.
Priest:
But that city no longer exists in this Lostbelt.
Priest:
It disappeared from this world as Ivan the Terrible continued to sleep, to mutate, to undergo further growth and mutation.
Priest:
...Indeed, that mountainous creature is what remains of the man who fell back into a dream after his return from Alexandrov.
Priest:
Ivan the Terrible is no longer man, nor even Yaga.
Priest:
He is a beast of the gods. The engorged culmination of his many dreams.
Ivan the Terrible:
Anastasia! Anastasia! The Oprichniki told me what you said!
Ivan the Terrible:
Is it true? Have you betrayed me!?
Ivan the Terrible:
Were the peace and happiness you told me of nothing but lies!? Tell me, AnastasiaaaAAAaaa!
Yaga Citizen:
What...IS that...? Don't tell me that's...?
Yaga Citizen:
The Tsar is furious...We're all doomed...
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
O-oh God...
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
We can't defeat THAT...Nobody could...We should never have gone against it...!
Atalante Alter:
Keep your distance! Do not get caught up in the civilians' evacuation!
Atalante Alter:
Never mind the lines between rebel army and civilian now!
Atalante Alter:
Keep them in line and get as far away from here as you can!
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
G-got it!
Atalante Alter:
...I have fought both Demonic Beasts and giants before, but...
Atalante Alter:
...I have never seen one of this size. I think he would even give the gods of Olympus's true forms a run for their money.
Beowulf:
I've heard there were giant folk all over the place back in the Age of Gods...
Beowulf:
...but at least where I lived,they only grew to be about ten meters at best!
Patxi:
See!? This is why I told you not to wake the Tsar up!
Patxi:
There's nothing anyone can do against a monster the size of a mountain!
Musashi:
Excuse me, but you never told us he was LITERALLY a mountain-sized monster!
Musashi:
If you'd just mentioned that one tiny detail earlier,we'd have been a lot more prepared for this sight!
Musashi:
Besides, he's not a mountain! He's a mammoth! A kind of giant elephant!
Patxi:
Huh? Elephant? What's an elephant!? Some sort of animal!?
Musashi:
...Oh, right. I guess all the elephants in this world went extinct a long time ago...I don't know how I would go about describing one now...
Musashi:
Anyway, the point is, he's an elephant, not a mountain! A really, REALLY big elephant, but still an elephant!
Patxi:
You mean these elephant creatures are common in your world!? Wow!
Fujimaru 1:
...Is it even possible to fight him?
Musashi:
Hmm. Let me take a good look...
Musashi:
...I'd like to cut him down starting at the legs, but I don't think that'll work. Even my Heavenly Eye can't see a way to beat him!
Musashi:
I'm kinda not sure he can even feel pain! If we're going to take him down, our only choice is to kill him.
Fujimaru 2:
Do you think we can beat him?
Beowulf:
It doesn't matter whether we can or not. We've just got to fight him, no matter what.
Fujimaru 1:
...(Slap face)
Fujimaru 2:
...(Hold hand over heart)
Musashi:
Now that's how a general ought to be. Keep an eye on the big picture from on top of the golem for us, okay?
Beowulf:
We'll be counting on you to use a Command Spell and play our trump card when the time is right.
Beowulf:
...That said, he's not actually seeing us right now, is he?
Beowulf:
He's calling for Anastasia. Saying something about her betraying him.
F：???:
That's because she did.
Fujimaru 1:
Kadoc...!
Kadoc:
This works out nicely. If you're still alive, then help us out.
Kadoc:
...You WILL help us, right?
Fujimaru 1:
You're going to fight Ivan the Terrible too?
Kadoc:
At least you're not a complete idiot.
Kadoc:
The Oprichniki are gone, and Ivan the Terrible's awake.
Kadoc:
All that's left now is to take him down.
Fujimaru 2:
What do you mean?
Kadoc:
Okay, maybe you ARE a complete idiot. I mean I want to work together to defeat Ivan the Terrible.
Beowulf:
...You're after our golem, huh?
Kadoc:
That's right. In this Russia, Ivan the Terrible's neither human, nor Yaga, nor even a Heroic Spirit.
Kadoc:
He's a walking natural disaster, an active volcano that only causes destruction whenever he wakes up.
Kadoc:
It's better for everyone if we get rid of him once and for all.
Kadoc:
We need to build a new Russia, and your arrival here gave us the perfect chance to do it. Don't get it?
Kadoc:
Come on. Really? Ah, fine, I'll explain. When you got here, I saw a chance. Long time coming, but I saw it, so I took it. I used you to further my own ends. No, I don't feel bad about it. Get with it, Fujimaru.
Musashi:
...Well that's an awfully roundabout way of doing things.
Musashi:
If you'd just asked nicely from the start instead of being a jackass, Fujimaru would've been glad to help.
Kadoc:
I'm not here to make friends. My only goal is to get more game pieces I can use to beat him. Understand?
Kadoc:
So I set up a game board.
Kadoc:
One where the rebel army, Chaldea, Anastasia,and me would all have no choice but to defeat him.
Kadoc:
Well, Fujimaru?
Kadoc:
You're used to this sort of thing by now, right? Let's go save this world.
Fujimaru 1:
...All right.
Kadoc:
Good answer.
Fujimaru 2:
What do we have to do?
Kadoc:
We start by using that Golem Keter Malkuth of yours to hold him back.
Kadoc:
Ivan the Terrible's got at least one weakness: he's slow.
Beowulf:
...Does that even matter?
Musashi:
I'm with Beowulf on this. He may not be as big as a Daidarabotchi, but we're still talking literal mountain size here. Of COURSE he's gonna be slow.
Kadoc:
It means he can't keep up with you Servants. If nothing else, you know he can't dodge your attacks.
Kadoc:
He can't fly. He packs tremendous force.
Kadoc:
He can cause an avalanche with a single step. He can even slam his trunk into the ground in place of an Anti-Army Noble Phantasm.
Kadoc:
His only weak point is the crown on his head...that is, his real body.
Fujimaru 1:
Real body?
Kadoc:
Try enhancing your vision. You should be able to see it, even in this blizzard.
Fujimaru 1:
I, uh, don't know how to do that.
Kadoc:
...Ugh. Amateur.
Beowulf:
Yeah, there it is. Doesn't look any bigger than a pea from here, but still probably monstrous compared to us.
Musashi:
It's gonna be tough to get up there. Even running up his trunk at full speed won't be enough to keep from getting swatted before one of us reaches the top.
Anastasia:
Are you all here?
Anastasia:
...With matters having come to a head,we must now put our old allegiances aside.
Anastasia:
Disaster has struck, and the Tsar has awoken. He won't stop until he destroys everything.
Anastasia:
I understand why you might bear a grudge against me,but right now, we all need to work together.
Kadoc:
...Anastasia, the Tsar is after you.
Kadoc:
So...
Anastasia:
Yes. I'll hold him back with my Noble Phantasm for as long as I possibly can.
Kadoc:
After that, it'll all depend on how motivated you are. Can you do this?
Anastasia:
...I have no right to be a ruler. I hate the people. I hate this land.
Anastasia:
Everything I cared about is long gone. I don't even know why I became a Servant in the first place.
Anastasia:
I barely even remember my own life anymore. All I have in my head now is knowledge of this Lostbelt.
Anastasia:
Still, I did love my family. And they loved Russia.
Anastasia:
So...
Anastasia:
...I will not shirk my duties. I refuse to drown in my grief, or to flail around in desperation.
Anastasia:
I will simply do everything in my power to eliminate Ivan the Terrible, no matter how hard it may be.
Kadoc:
...There you have it. Please, help us.... You do want to save the world, don't you?
Beowulf:
Guess we've just gotta go along with this, huh...Sheesh.
Musashi:
No word from the Border, Fujimaru? Are the comms not working right?
Musashi:
We'll just have to decide this for ourselves. Although...
Musashi:
(This feeling...I don't think I'll be able to stick around here much longer...)
Musashi:
Know what, never mind. Let's just get going. There's no time to waste.
Beowulf:
...Guess Billy's not gonna make it. Might as well give Shanshan a message for him in the meantime.
Beowulf:
...All right, do it.
Kadoc:
Anastasia, I'll back you up with Command Spells.
Kadoc:
Atalante, I'm sure you can tell this is no time to be worrying about a rebellion.
Atalante Alter:
......I know.
Kadoc:
Then go on the attack. You should be plenty strong enough to provoke him.
Kadoc:
Show him your speed, show him how high and far you can jump.
Kadoc:
...After that, I don't care. Figure the rest out on your own.
Kadoc:
Come on, Anastasia. The Tsar's waiting for you.
Anastasia:
...Hehe. The fire inside him may be little more than petulant embers, but it never goes out.
Anastasia:
He's indifferent, jealous, and hateful in equal measure...How wonderfully human.
Anastasia:
Master of Chaldea, do you really think you can defeat my Master?
Anastasia:
...No need to answer now. You can tell me later.
Beowulf:
Okay, let's get going. Master, we'll be counting on you to back us up.
Beowulf:
It looks like this Noble Phantasm golem answers to your commands...
Beowulf:
...so make sure you have it put up a good fight!
Musashi:
Okay, guess I'll be off too! See you later, Fujimaru!
Atalante Alter:
Be careful to stay put. I use a lot of arrows, and they do not care what they hit.
Patxi:
...What'd I tell you, Fujimaru? This world is finished now.
Fujimaru 1:
It's not over yet.
Patxi:
Are you nuts? Just look at that thing.
Patxi:
It's destroying this whole city and it's not even breaking a sweat. How is he not a literal demon?
Fujimaru 2:
We still haven't fought him.
Patxi:
...You're actually going to fight? With this huge golem?
Patxi:
...I can tell.
Patxi:
None of the Servants, or even this golem, can match the Tsar.
Patxi:
You really think you can beat him just by working together? You're out of your damn mind.
Patxi:
The Tsar is THE strongest being in this world. Period.
Patxi:
That's why it's impossible to beat him.
Patxi:
Deep down, you know that's true. Don't you, Fujimaru?
Fujimaru 1:
I...
Patxi:
...When I saw that thing, and heard him speak, that was it. I was done.
Patxi:
I mean come on, WHO'D believe they could rebel against that kind of ruler?
Patxi:
You think you can beat that thing? Well you can't!
Patxi:
He's a god! A real-life, flesh-and-blood god!
Patxi:
He's the ultimate being! There's nothing that can stop him from doing anything he wants!
Patxi:
So...we Yaga have no choice but to submit to him. Come on, you get it, right?
Fujimaru 1:
Oh, I understand what you're saying, yes.
Fujimaru 2:
I can still move, so I'm not done.
Patxi:
...What?
Fujimaru 1:
People are counting on me to win this.
Fujimaru 2:
I'm going to fight, for the people I care about.
Patxi:
...What!?
Patxi:
I...Huh!?
--SECTION BREAK--
Narration:
...I awaken from my long dream, only to find myself alone.
Narration:
I can no longer hear Metropolitan Macarius's stories,nor Anastasia's sweet nothings.
Narration:
My Oprichniki tell me they were all lies,every last one of them.
Narration:
...Long ago, I became a Yaga, and unified all of Russia.
Narration:
When the Great Cold Wave struck, and my subjects were starving, I kept moving west in order to protect them.
Narration:
I moved west to help my subjects, to spread the Tsar's glory.
Narration:
And yet, we were suddenly cut off.
Narration:
This world was determined to be a loser. It didn't matter how hard we worked, or how desperately, how fervently we wished otherwise.
Narration:
So spoke the Foreign Priestess from beyond the stars,in an unearthly voice unlike any I had heard before.
Narration:
...But I refuse to accept that.
Narration:
I did not endure this hell on earth to give up now. To passively accept our so-called fate.
Narration:
I certainly did not endure it so that I could welcome this sort of end to our world!
Narration:
Neither I, nor Russia, will ever fall to ruin! Ever!
Ivan the Terrible:
Anastasiaaaaaa!
Anastasia:
...Do keep your voice down, Your Imperial Majesty. I can hear you just fine.
Anastasia:
You are right to be angry. You are right to be furious.
Anastasia:
But...the time has come for you to pass your fury on to another.
Anastasia:
At this point, your very existence has become a sin.
Anastasia:
Russia no longer has any need of your backward notions.
Anastasia:
We are the ones who must lead it into a new era.
Ivan the Terrible:
I refuse!
Ivan the Terrible:
I AM Russia! I am the one who bears this world on his shoulders!
Ivan the Terrible:
No obsolete human upstart will take that away from me! Not now, not ever!
Anastasia:
Hm? That sound...!
Fujimaru 1:
Let's do this!
Fujimaru 2:
Golem Keter Malkuth!
Ivan the Terrible:
Who are you!? Where did you come from!?
Fujimaru 1:
I'm from Chaldea!
Ivan the Terrible:
Chaldea...The keepers of Chaldeas! You let some of them escape, Koyanskaya!?
Kadoc:
...I know Avicebron the golem master made that.
Kadoc:
And I know it's possible to ride on its shoulder, since it's outfitted with defensive spells, but...it's one thing to know it and another to DO it!!!
Kadoc:
Are you out of your damn mind, Fujimaru? Hmm...Maybe this is exactly the sort of crazy you need to be to succeed in these sorts of situations.
Kadoc:
I'll have to remember that one! Dammit!
Anastasia:
...This must feel like a terribly unfair punishment to you, my tsar.
Anastasia:
But, this is simply what fate has in store. Prepare to die, Ivan the Terrible!
--BATTLE--
...The giant's fists roared. Each blow slammed into the Tsar's monstrous form with earth-shattering force.
The Tsar howled, raising his trunk and calling down lightning from the very heavens.
The blasts stripped the giant of skin and flesh...the resultant thunder leveling the deserted buildings around the combatants.
The giant's wounds began to knit back together as if winding back a clock...
...while the Tsar still had not so much as a single scratch upon him.
The Yaga who bore witness to this battle would come to say this was nothing less than a battle between primordial gods...
...and that no ordinary folk should ever have seen its like.
Kadoc:
Dammit...!
Kadoc:
I knew this going in, but he's just too damn strong...!
Kadoc:
Still, we've got all our trump cards ready. Our enemies,our allies, and even our dead are all working together.
Kadoc:
Maybe if Amadeus had lasted a little longer...? No, we couldn't have done this any faster.
Kadoc:
All we have to do now is beat him. Nothing to it.
Kadoc:
I know I can do this! I know it...!
Anastasia:
Sumerki Kreml'. Viy Viy Viy!
Beowulf:
Dammit, his hide's just too tough!
Atalante Alter:
I cannot believe it! Even my arrows cannot blind him...!
Kadoc:
Dammit...He's even stronger than I thought.
Kadoc:
If only I had the Emergency Prerogative...No, forget about that.
Kadoc:
Macarius! You're out there smirking even as you're watching this all go down, aren't you!?
B：Priest:
Well that's not very kind. I prefer to think of myself as more of an overseer.
B：Priest:
So, why have you called for me? Does this mean you're finally ready to escape from this Russia?
B：Priest:
That you have exhausted all of your options?
Kadoc:
Not yet. I've still got you.
Kadoc:
...You've got something up your sleeve, right? I know you've been hiding something from Anastasia.
Kadoc:
If you're still hanging on to some kind of trump card, now's the time to play it. This is your problem as much as it is ours.
Priest:
Yes, I suppose you're right.
Priest:
Neither Anastasia nor I can escape the Tsar's wrath any longer.
Priest:
So I've got someone to help.
Priest:
He may be quite ordinary compared to Mozart,but that only motivates him to try so much harder.
Priest:
In fact, that effort makes his performances so much more emotional in a way prodigies like Mozart would never even bother to attempt.
C：Priest:
Kadoc. Your idea of using Mozart's music to keep the Tsar asleep was a good one.
C：Priest:
But that was never going to solve the fundamental problem. You still need to learn how to stir up other people's emotions.
Kadoc:
...Is that so? Thanks for the warning. So what IS your trump card, anyway? Knowing you, I bet it's in terrible taste.
C：Priest:
The only way to fight a dead-end delusion is with a delusion devoid of hope.
C：Priest:
Did you really think waiting patiently would bring you salvation, that you could achieve greatness if only you had talent? I am afraid you are dead wrong.
C：Priest:
One needs neither talent nor repentance. Now, come, conductor. The time to blossom is at hand.
C：Priest:
Now is the time to let your howls resound. Take a page from Kadoc's book, and fix your mistakes.
Salieri:
I can't...! I can't, I can't, I can't!
Salieri:
My piano could never hope to pacify the Tsar's fury!
Salieri:
I just don't have that sort of talent!
Salieri:
It's impossible! I know myself better than anyone!
Salieri:
I know all too well what I'm capable of! And I can't play the piano the way we need!
Salieri:
I...I can never hope to be a match for you,no matter how hard I try!
Narration:
“...I don't care. Play it anyway. ”
Salieri:
Silence!
Salieri:
A prodigy like you would never understand what it's like to be forsaken by the god of music!
Salieri:
I am a Salieri born only of a desire to end your life!
Salieri:
Who cares about instruments!? I forgot everything I knew about them back when I was alive!
Narration:
“...I don't care. Play it anyway. Otherwise, the world is doomed. ”
Salieri:
The...the world...? You expect an Avenger like me to...
Salieri:
Ghh...Khh...Ghh...Gaaaaaahhh!
Salieri:
I could never hope to make the kind of music that you do...the kind that resonates with every listener's heart as they hear your requiems.
Narration:
“...I know. ”
Salieri:
I'm incapable of moving people like you could.
Narration:
“...I know that too. ”
Salieri:
Ah, but...Mozart, you phantasm of my own deluded mind, there is one thing I do know...
Salieri:
I know your dark side.
Salieri:
I know how you covered your face in shame,in a pit utterly devoid of light!
Salieri:
You never saw us...us common folk, us humans. And why would you?
Salieri:
The only thing you ever fought with were your own inner demons!
Salieri:
You loved music more than they did. You loved music made by human hands, no matter what manner of demons preyed upon your mind!
Salieri:
And yet...neither music, nor society, nor anything humanity could make brought you salvation.
Salieri:
So if you continued to play the piano with such elation,even after becoming a Heroic Spirit...
Salieri:
...then I too have a reason to play the piano.
Salieri:
So I WILL play, no matter what sort of humiliation I suffer, nor what mockery I am subjected to.
Narration:
“...Exactly. Don't even worry about how good you are. ”
Narration:
“After all, everyone sucks compared to me. ”
Salieri:
There you go again, Mozart!
Salieri:
Very well then. I shall play. I shall play for all I'm worth!
Salieri:
Your prodigious talent is far too unreliable to be taught in textbooks anyway!
Salieri:
I WILL catch up to you, even if I must employ every musician's technique ever created!
Salieri:
Well!? What do you think of this!? Have I caught up to you now!?
Salieri:
...No.
Salieri:
No, this isn't it! I'll never catch you like this!
Narration:
“...Let your emotions guide you. ”
Salieri:
...Let my emotions guide me? My emotions are grief,anger, and my lust to end your life.
Salieri:
Is that truly how you want me to play!?
Salieri:
...How's this!?
Salieri:
Feel my anger! My hate! I'll kill you! Behold, Mozart!
Salieri:
Look upon my regret, my hate, my passion, my fury!
Narration:
“That's it. ”
Narration:
“You don't need skill when you look like that. Let your anger over the unfairness of it all ring out. ”
Narration:
“Let your emotions pour out of your fingers, my brother! ”
Salieri:
Silence! Be quiet and listen!
Salieri:
I am not your brother! I will follow my own path!
Musashi:
I hear music playing throughout the town...I think it's coming from the top of the palace?
Beowulf:
It's Salieri. This must be his own personal Dies Irae–Day of Wrath.
Beowulf:
It's not about talent anymore. He's just whaling on the keys desperately, even furiously.
Beowulf:
Which is exactly why it speaks to the heart. At least it seems to be getting to the big guy.
Ivan the Terrible:
This sound...This anger...Stop! Do not bind my heart!
Fujimaru 1:
...You're wide open!
Kadoc:
...I don't get it. Salieri's Spirit Origin–his Noble Phantasm–is growing stronger!?
Kadoc:
How is that possible...? There's no way anger should be able to boost a Servant's abilities like this...
Priest:
Of course there is. At least, if that anger is a core part of that person, rather than something fleeting and superficial.
Priest:
He has finally abandoned all pretense. That scream you hear now is Antonio Salieri's true nature.
Priest:
He admired Mozart more than anyone, which is also why he hated, feared, and pitied him.
Priest:
He loathed the masses who failed to understand Mozart's genius, calling them all fools and idiots.
Priest:
He feeds his own anger, but so does Mozart, and the very period of time that created their relationship.
Priest:
That is Antonio Salieri, the Man in Grey turned Avenger. Now, he is pouring every experience of his life into this very performance.
Salieri:
Listen well, Ivan the Terrible! Yaga of grief, and of anger!
Salieri:
For a long time you have been doing the pruning, but now, it is your turn to be cut away! You may be livid, but your anger is misplaced!
Salieri:
You supped the blood of hundreds...thousands of Demonic Beasts in order to gain that enormous body! For countless years, you have used your power for cruelty and tyranny!
Salieri:
You let your Oprichniki roam free,killing Yaga after Yaga for untold generations!
Salieri:
You say everything you did was done to survive.
Salieri:
But even so...
Salieri:
...your existence now is nothing more than a monument to sin!
Ivan the Terrible:
How dare you worm your way into my mind...! Begone, miserable little musician!
Salieri:
Khh...!
Fujimaru 1:
His lightning just struck the palace!
Beowulf:
That bastard. I can't believe he'd burn down his whole palace just to get at Salieri!
Musashi:
He won't if we have anything to say about it! If we're gonna hit him hard, now's the time to do it!
Atalante Alter:
I know that! This is our last chance! We have to pull him off that mammoth, no matter what!
Atalante Alter:
Get the golem ready, Fujimaru! We are going to stop this Demonic Beast once and for all!
--BATTLE--
Beowulf:
Dammit, it's still not enough! And we're too far from the palace to boot!
Anastasia:
So this is the tenacity that's kept him alive for four hundred and fifty years...!
Ivan the Terrible:
Holy! Divine! Sacred! Mine heart is pure and unclouded!
Ivan the Terrible:
How dare you disturb it! How dare you!?
Fujimaru 1:
Salieri! Run!
Fujimaru 2:
You need to get out of there, Salieri!
Salieri:
No. He will regain his power if I leave now!
Salieri:
I cannot leave this place, no matter what happens! Besides, this is the only piano in this entire world!
Salieri:
I will perform in my rage until I die...no, even beyond my death!
Salieri:
And not only my anger...Mozart's as well!
A：Ivan the Terrible:
Begone, musician!
Fujimaru 1:
Oh no you don't...!
Fujimaru 2:
Get between them, Keter Malkuth...!
Ivan the Terrible:
Cursed stone statue! You dare impede me...!? You would protect my palace in my stead!?
Ivan the Terrible:
Impudent clod! How dare you...!? I shall send you back to the ground from whence you came!
Ivan the Terrible:
Lightning runs through my veins! My trunk calls forth tempests!
Atalante Alter:
Look out, Fujimaru! He is creating a storm with the tip of his trunk!
Atalante Alter:
It's on par with a Divine Spirit's lightning attack! The golem might survive it, but nothing else will!
Atalante Alter:
It will obliterate you AND the palace! Get the golem away from there! Hurry!
Fujimaru 1:
But...!
Fujimaru 2:
...!
Holmes:
We made it! I must say, Goredolf, your driving technique is every bit as good as you boasted!
Beowulf:
The Shadow Border!? I can't believe it crossed all that rubble to make it here!
Holmes:
Don't give up just yet, Fujimaru! You and the golem stay right where you are!
Holmes:
I'm sending out our last remaining fighting force right now...!
Fujimaru 1:
...You don't mean...
Fujimaru 2:
...Mash!?
Narration:
For a moment, I flashed back to Solomon and the Temple of Time.
Narration:
First, there was a strong, destructive light...It was so powerful, I was certain it would end me. Then, there was the light that guided me back to life...to what I thought was lost.
Narration:
That was the moment when I picked up my shield and stepped forward.
Narration:
Back then, the only reason I could do it was because I felt it was the right thing to do.
Narration:
I was scared, yes, but more than that,I was proud...and, deep down, lonely.
Narration:
I thought that, even if we won this battle, I would never again get to spend time with [♂ him /♀ her]. I couldn't help but be a bit sad about that.
Narration:
But that's not true anymore. Now, all my pride is gone, along with any sense of what the right thing to do is.
Narration:
I never did get over my concerns. Instead of sadness, I'm overcome by fear.
Narration:
I'm scared that I may not be in the right. That what we're doing may just be a cruel, empty victory.
Mash Kyrielight:
But, then again...
Narration:
I also know that I would be even more ashamed to give up just because I'm scared or unsure.
Narration:
If all sides are equally in the right...then I want to protect what I can't bear to lose.
Narration:
To fight once again for the life I gained on that journey. So I'm asking you now...
Narration:
...Please, Galahad. Please, lend me your shield once again...!
Da Vinci:
We're almost to the ejection point. Are you all set, Mash?
B：Mash:
...Yes. Each transformation is good to go. I'm ready for live combat.
Da Vinci:
You don't have the same Spirit Origin you did before, and you also won't be able to use any of the skills you got from Galahad.
Da Vinci:
But your Ortinax exoskeleton will make up for anything that's missing, and I guarantee it's been tuned perfectly, so there's no need to worry about that.
Da Vinci:
All that remains now are the finishing touches, but you'll have to do the crucial final tune-up yourself.
B：Mash:
Final tune-up...? What do I have to do?
Da Vinci:
What else? Prove that you're a Heroic Spirit. Once you awaken your Noble Phantasm, you'll be a new you.
Da Vinci:
You can't use Galahad's Noble Phantasm anymore,and you don't have to.
Da Vinci:
All you have to do...is put everything you've cultivated into that shield.
B：Mash:
...Everything I've cultivated...
Holmes:
I'm impressed, Da Vinci! We really are going to make it! Who knew he genuinely had that kind of driving technique in him!
Holmes:
I can see the palace now! Seven hundred meters until we reach Golem Keter Malkuth!
Holmes:
I've unfolded the electromagnetic catapult on the deck! We'll reach the ejection point in thirty seconds! Hurry!
Da Vinci:
That's all I've got to say, Mash. You sure you're good with this, right?
B：Mash:
...I am. I never did find an answer I was satisfied with, no matter how much I thought about it.
B：Mash:
But, that doesn't change the fact that I'm Fujimaru's...Chaldea's Servant.
B：Mash:
And losing trust in what I'm capable of...in what's right in front of me...is the one thing I can't do!
Da Vinci:
I see. Then you'd better get going! Shadow Border, open the hatch!
Da Vinci:
Armored Shielder, deploying for Russian throne, ready for battle!
Ivan the Terrible:
My lightning shall swallow all of you! Your shadows shall sully my Russia no longer!
Beowulf:
Aw crap, there's nothing we can do about that thing! Musashi, grab Master and get out of here!
Beowulf:
There's no reason both of you have to die here too!
Musashi:
...
???:
Do you copy? ...on our way now...We'll arrive in–
Beowulf:
Come on, Musashi! What's more important!? Killing Ivan, or Fujimaru's life!? Hurry!
Musashi:
...Gnnn...!
Musashi:
I'm sorry, Fujimaru! This is a battle we can't win! I'm getting you out of here!
Fujimaru 1:
...Not yet.
Fujimaru 2:
...We've still got a chance!
Musashi & Beowulf:
What the!?
Ivan the Terrible:
...Hrm!?
Mash:
Senpaaaaaai!!!
Fujimaru 1:
Mash! You're here!
Mash:
Yes! Thank goodness I made it! I'm sorry I took so long!
Mash:
From here on out, I'll be joining you on the front lines again!
Ivan the Terrible:
A new Servant...!? No matter! I shall blow you all away just the same!
Meunière:
Ivan the Terrible is gearing up for another blast! His target remains unchanged! How's this possible!? He's like a bottomless well of magical energy or something!
Mash:
Don't worry, everyone...! Please, let me handle that lightning...!
Salieri:
Wha...Don't be ridiculous! What can you possibly do with a single shield!?
Salieri:
Never mind me, hurry up and get to the golem! I'll be fine! Go on, leave!
Mash:
No...No, I won't!
Mash:
Please keep playing, Mr. Salieri! Don't stop your beautiful recital now!
Salieri:
(Hm!? She thinks my playing is beautiful...! No, wait! I mustn't lose sight of my anger! )
Salieri:
Thank you, young miss. But, are you quite certain you can defend against that lightning!?
Mash:
...I am! Senpai and I have seen far worse than this in our journey together!
Mash:
I may still have much to learn,but that, I know for a fact.
Mash:
We wouldn't be here right now if we hadn't overcome the Incineration of Humanity, and Solomon, the King of Mages!
Mash:
Compared to those, Ivan the Terrible's power is nothing!
Salieri:
(What incredible bravado! I've never seen such a heartening display of valor before! )
Mash:
My shield may be heavy, and my heart still plagued with uncertainty...
Mash:
...but even so, I can still hear [♂ him /♀ her] calling me. I know that much, at least.
Mash:
...Senpai. I hear you loud and clear.
Fujimaru 1:
I believe in you, Mash Kyrielight.
Mash:
Thank you!
Meunière:
Here it comes! Ivan the Terrible's about to unleash another lightning blast!
Mash:
Ha–Aaaaaahhh!!!
Narration:
...In that moment...
Narration:
...for just a fleeting fraction of an instant...something clicked, and the gears meshed together.
Narration:
My shield, once heavy and cumbersome, now shone bright, and a revelation unfurled in my mind.
Narration:
“...No fortress lasts forever, Mash. ”
Narration:
“But we can get close by being willing to rebuild. As long as it keeps rising up even if it falls to ruin, it will stand tall forever. ”
Mash:
True Name...frozen deployment!
Mash:
This is the castle of fantasy that holds many paths and wishes...
Mash:
Answer my call...Mold Camelot!
Mash:
(Huff, huff, huff)...!
H：Chaldea Staff:
Our monitors are back online!
H：Chaldea Staff:
I'm getting vital signs on Fujimaru...and Mash Kyrielight! They're both fine!
H：Chaldea Staff:
And Salieri is still playing!
Salieri:
Are you all right, young miss? If you are,I would love to autograph your shield later.
Mash:
Yes, I'm fine...But, um, I'll pass on the shield autograph, thank you.
Salieri:
Young miss!
Mash:
I'm okay...really. I can still fight!
Mash:
But we need to focus on Ivan the Terrible...!
Ivan the Terrible:
...Ah. Ahhhhhh!
Ivan the Terrible:
That light...! That was the very light of peace I have been searching for!
Ivan the Terrible:
Did you see that, Macarius, my mentor!? The holy light has at last revealed itself to me!
Ivan the Terrible:
I must have it! I must have it for myself...! That is the light that shall support my Russia for years to come...!
Fujimaru 1:
He's bringing his trunk down...!?
Fujimaru 2:
Maaash!
Musashi:
...Gotcha. You finally dropped your lightning guard, you big tengu.
H：Beowulf:
Musashi!? When did you–
H：Ivan the Terrible:
...Servant. Wait...You are not from Proper Human History...
H：Ivan the Terrible:
I do not understand. You are one of us! Why would you turn your blade against us!?
Musashi:
One of you? Pretty sure I don't know any other talking elephants. And any enemy of Fujimaru's is an enemy of mine.
Musashi:
Plus, this is clearly the decisive moment of this battle! It's the Sekigahara of this world! There's no better time for me to show what I'm truly capable of!
Musashi:
...Sorry about this, Tsar! But if you think you have a long face now, you haven't seen anything yet!
Musashi:
(...The causality keeping me manifested here is wavering. This'll probably be the last attack I can pull off in this Lostbelt. )
Musashi:
(...It's true. I AM meant to disappear, just like them. I shouldn't be taking sides at all...)
Musashi:
(But thanks to you, Ivan the Terrible, I finally know why I'm still on this journey...why I still haven't grown tired of it. )
Musashi:
(It's because there's still something out there I've yet to slice...! )
Musashi:
Come hither, my roaring sword!
Musashi:
Ishana Daitenshou!!!
Anastasia:
Impossible...Did she just cut the Tsar!? It seems as though she split his enormous trunk clean in half...!
Mash:
M-Master...I can confirm that Musashi has left this Lostbelt.
Mash:
She disappeared, as if she had Rayshifted!
Holmes:
She must have drifted out of this world! But we can worry about that later!
Holmes:
[♂ Mr. /♀ Ms. ] Fujimaru! This is the best chance you will get!
Fujimaru 1:
Right! Golem Keter Malkuth...
Fujimaru 1:
Grab onto Ivan the Terrible's crown...!
Ivan the Terrible:
You dare take hold of my crown...!?
Ivan the Terrible:
Insolent whelp...! Get your filthy hands off me...!
Mash:
Master!
Fujimaru 1:
I'm okay! I can do this!
Fujimaru 2:
Hang in there!
Ivan the Terrible:
G...gaaaaaaaaah!
Mash:
Master!
Fujimaru 1:
Mash!
Fujimaru 2:
Catch me!
Mash:
Thank you!
Meunière:
The mountainous Demonic Beast has completely shut down! And the Golem Keter Malkuth has fallen apart!
Da Vinci:
What about Fujimaru!?
Holmes:
[♂ He's /♀ She's] all right. Mash took good care of [♂ him /♀ her].
Mash:
You did it, Master! You took down that massive Demonic Beast!
Fujimaru 1:
Thanks, Mash. You did great too.
Fujimaru 2:
Thanks, Mash. You look awesome in that.
Mash:
Oh...Uh, thank you...
Mash:
B-but I'm afraid our battle isn't over yet! We only managed to get the crown off the Demonic Beast's head!
Salieri:
She's right. Take a look at the ground. Ivan the Terrible's still very much alive.
Salieri:
...It's all the more frightful,knowing he isn't a Servant.
Salieri:
So that is the ultimate Yaga. Or rather, the ultimate expression of humanity's will to survive.
Salieri:
He may have been a horrific tyrant...but at least in that regard, he was indeed a great hero.
Salieri:
...Now, come, Master of Chaldea.
Salieri:
You have an obligation to answer his final questions.
Section 22: The Grand Duchess of the Beast Nation
Anastasia:
I can't believe it...[♂ He /♀ She] really managed to separate Ivan the Terrible's true body away from that monstrosity...That golem really came through.
Ivan the Terrible:
...Insolent whelps...Speak your names.
Beowulf:
Beowulf. My name is Beowulf.
Ivan the Terrible:
...Beowulf, hm? The fearsome warrior turned wise king in his old age.
Ivan the Terrible:
What about you? The one who can fly?
Atalante Alter:
......I am Atalante.
Ivan the Terrible:
I see. The huntress of Greek myth.... What about you? What is your name?
Anastasia:
Anastasia. Anastasia Nikolaevna Romanova.
Ivan the Terrible:
Hmm. A Servant from Proper Human History...and one who bears the same name as my beloved empress.
Ivan the Terrible:
But, you are not her.
Anastasia:
Not at all. I am a descendant of the Romanov Dynasty,who reigned over Russia after you.
Ivan the Terrible:
I know nothing about them. Although...Yes, I see...
Ivan the Terrible:
The time for our pruning has come at last.
Anastasia:
...No, you are wrong there. I will never let this Lostbelt be pruned.
Ivan the Terrible:
What...?
Anastasia:
Our history will continue, and Proper Human History will burn away. These facts will never change.
Anastasia:
Now is the time to build a new,eternal empire, together with the Yaga.
Beowulf:
......So that's how it is. Dammit.
Atalante Alter:
......
Ivan the Terrible:
...And...you would have me serve as your foundation?
Anastasia:
Yes.
Ivan the Terrible:
...
Ivan the Terrible:
...Grand Duchess. The crown is not something to be merely passed on...It is neither a gift nor a right of inheritance.
Ivan the Terrible:
...Hehe, good. My body still moves.
Ivan the Terrible:
...I understand all too well that the sun has set on my time. I see now that my vigor and spirit have all but faded away.
Ivan the Terrible:
My enemies are numberless, and my only ally is myself! I do not have so much as a single jester with which to relieve my solitude!
Ivan the Terrible:
And yet...here I stand. Now then, Grand Duchess of the Beast Nation.
Ivan the Terrible:
Fight me. Prove to me you have the power of a tsar.
Anastasia:
Oh I will, worry not.... I swear on the new Russia I will build in your absence.
Ivan the Terrible:
Then I too shall swear, on the old Russia: I will never submit, no matter what the circumstances may be.
Ivan the Terrible:
So, this is as far as I go...
Anastasia:
So it would seem.
Ivan the Terrible:
But first...I must ask that [♂ boy /♀ girl] there something. Something important.
Ivan the Terrible:
Let me pass, Servant who bears the name of my beloved empress.
Anastasia:
......Very well.
Kadoc:
Anastasia!
Anastasia:
It's okay. He is simply making his final pilgrimage.
Anastasia:
It doesn't matter what they discuss. Our side will not be swayed.
Kadoc:
Maybe he'll even deliver the decisive blow for us.
Anastasia:
...Ah, yes. That.
Anastasia:
I must say, I can't tell if the Master of Chaldea is merely dense, or if [♂ he /♀ she] has deliberately chosen to turn a blind eye.
Kadoc:
It doesn't matter either way.... But never mind that now.
Kadoc:
Come on out, Macarius. I know you're there.
Priest:
So, Ivan the Terrible has left for his last expedition. As his mentor, I am both saddened and overjoyed to finally see this moment.
Anastasia:
...
Kadoc:
I bet. Regardless of what he looked like, he was a tsar through and through, even in a Lostbelt.
Kadoc:
Now drop the act. With him out of the picture,you don't have to be Metropolitan Macarius anymore.
Kadoc:
...Isn't that right, Rasputin?
Anastasia:
...Rasputin? Did you say Rasputin?
Kadoc:
Yes, I did. His True Name isn't Macarius at all. He just called himself that when he first met Ivan the Terrible. And without so much as a snicker.
Kadoc:
His True Name is Grigori Rasputin. He is the monster responsible for the Romanov Dynasty's collapse.
Kadoc:
Although right now, he's just a Pseudo-Servant possessing a human corpse.
Kadoc:
Since you knew the actual Rasputin, so you'd recognize him, he had to come up with a disguise pretty quickly if he was gonna fool you.
Anastasia:
...I see. No wonder you–
F：Priest:
...Heh. I'm sorry to spoil your gloating,but you're wrong. I am not Rasputin.
F：Priest:
That role has come to an end, Kadoc Zemlupus.
Kadoc:
...What do you mean by that?
F：Priest:
Rasputin's wishes have been fulfilled. And so he is free now.
F：Priest:
He may have been a member of the clergy, but he was also a guardian for the last of the Romanovs.
F：Priest:
The only reason he agreed to become a Pseudo-Servant was to ensure that SHE took the throne.
F：Priest:
Now that Ivan the Terrible has fallen,there is no tsar left but Anastasia.
F：Priest:
Which means he no longer has any reason to remain in this world. I trust all is now clear?
Kadoc:
...In that case, I guess what we see is what we get with you now.
F：Priest:
Oh, I don't know about that.
F：Priest:
I may not have Rasputin's desires any longer...but the prospect of a second chance at life does interest me.
F：Priest:
So, now that my connection to this Lostbelt is ended, I think I will continue performing my job as I see fit.
Kadoc:
...Well, aren't you just a giant, walking ego? Fine, I'll bite. What job are you talking about?
F：Priest:
My job as a priest, of course: granting my blessing to newly born life.
F：Priest:
Farewell, Grand Duchess. Long may you reign.
Anastasia:
...So you refuse to kneel and beg my forgiveness,even after revealing your true identity.
Anastasia:
......
Anastasia:
But that's all right. This suits you better.... Thank you, Rasputin.
Anastasia:
In the end, it was your villainous scheming that returned Russia to its citizens, where it belongs.
Anastasia:
To be quite honest, I think you are an absolutely horrible man, but I cannot bring myself to hate you.
G：Priest:
...
Anastasia:
But could I ask one last favor of you? Not that you have any right to refuse.
G：Priest:
By all means. As long as it is within my power.
Anastasia:
...
Anastasia:
...That's all I have to say. You CAN read lips, can't you?
G：Priest:
...Of course I can.
G：Priest:
Very well then, it shall be done. And with that, I bid you farewell, Your Imperial Majesty, Tsaritza Anastasia.
Anastasia:
...
Kadoc:
What's wrong? Should I go ahead and kill him after all? He IS one of your greatest enemies, isn't he?
Anastasia:
...No. That priest was not my enemy.
Anastasia:
He is just a man who helped Russia to rot.
Anastasia:
Aside from that, he is just another man of the cloth struggling with the demons he was born with.
Anastasia:
...I think that's why he was always so considerate to me, even here.
Anastasia:
Grigori Rasputin. I'm sure what he really wanted...was...
Kadoc:
I see. He was an insufferable jerk,but I guess he did at least treat you with respect.
Kadoc:
...All right, let's get going, Anastasia. It's finally time to settle this.
Kadoc:
Once this Lostbelt is ours, you're going to be tsaritza, and I'm going to be the victor.
Beowulf:
...Phew. Can't believe we really pulled that off. I guess Master and Mash must still be at the palace.
Beowulf:
Come on, Atalante, let's go meet up with them.
Beowulf:
Billy ought to be headed there too,now that the Oprichniki are gone.
Atalante Alter:
...Yes, you are right. With Ivan dead, there is only one thing left to do.
Atalante Alter:
Come, Yaga. It is time for the final battle.
--SECTION BREAK--
Narration:
I was lonely, indifferent, wicked.
Narration:
Good, villainous, tyrannical.
Narration:
Simple, fearsome, clearheaded. I was all these things and more.
Narration:
I once had a dream. A dream of Russia as a land of joy and happiness.
Narration:
...I must have been exhausted. A dream is all it ever was. Never reality.
Narration:
Ruling over Russia was always a daunting task. But it was not the people's fault.
Narration:
It was the fault of the world itself. A world almost devoid of food and life. A world where only the strong could hope to survive.
Narration:
Walking. Walking. So much walking.
Narration:
...It is as though I am on a pilgrimage.
Narration:
I once dreamed of days like this, back when I was human. Simple, ordinary days, when I could spend my time doing naught but praying to God.
Narration:
...But even that small luxury is now gone. This world took it away.
Narration:
...Young [♂ man /♀ woman] from Proper Human History,here to restore the world to its rightful form...
Narration:
...as the Tsar who leads this world,there is something I must ask you.
Narration:
...Are you prepared?
Narration:
I found [♂ him /♀ her] amidst the blizzard, next to [♂ his /♀ her] Servant.
Fujimaru 1:
...Ivan the Terrible.
Ivan the Terrible:
How good of you to come, pruner of humanity.
Ivan the Terrible:
As the former ruler of this world,there is something I would ask you.
Ivan the Terrible:
I hope you will answer me honestly.
Fujimaru 1:
...What is it?
Fujimaru 2:
...Tell me what it is.
Ivan the Terrible:
Why do you wish to destroy our world? Is your own truly worth so much?
Ivan the Terrible:
Is it worth slaughtering each and every Yaga struggling to survive here!?
Fujimaru 1:
...I...
Mash:
...Master...
Fujimaru 2:
Huh...?
Ivan the Terrible:
...Your ignorance is the greatest sin of all.
Mash:
Master...I'm sorry...
Ivan the Terrible:
With Proper Human History gone, this world gained the impossible: a chance at restoration.
Ivan the Terrible:
At first, I believed that to be a miracle. But now that I am awake, I understand the truth.
Ivan the Terrible:
Soon, our world will be pruned.
Ivan the Terrible:
The miracle of our survival will have been for naught. We will be driven to extinction, our very existence erased the moment this land dies.
Goredolf:
Huh!? Don't be ridiculous, you Demonic Beast castoff!
Goredolf:
Fixing these Lostbelt whatnots will solve everything!
Goredolf:
How dare you call us murderers simply for working to restore humanity, you despot!?
Ivan the Terrible:
Silence, cretin. I am speaking with this Master, not you.
Ivan the Terrible:
Do not interrupt again.
Ivan the Terrible:
...As I was saying.
Ivan the Terrible:
Do you have the strength of will to do that?
Ivan the Terrible:
To save your world means to destroy ours.
Ivan the Terrible:
If you do this, you will be responsible for the death of every Yaga in Russia.
Ivan the Terrible:
So I ask you! What gives you the right!?
Ivan the Terrible:
Are you truly going to order these Yaga to die!?
Fujimaru 1:
I...
Fujimaru 2:
(Unable to answer)
Ivan the Terrible:
Answer me! If you cannot, then THAT is your answer!
Ivan the Terrible:
I will never lose. I will never retreat so much as a single step! I shall keep this world safe!
Ivan the Terrible:
Hrk...Khh...
Mash:
(He's...coughing up blood...)
Ivan the Terrible:
I...I still have not lost...!
Ivan the Terrible:
These injuries are nothing to me! The lives you weaklings from Proper Human History have led are NOTHING compared to the suffering of my subjects!
Ivan the Terrible:
Behold the power of the Yaga...The power of the Tsar...!!!
--BATTLE--
Ivan the Terrible:
Ah...Aah...Aaaaaah...So, this...This is the end...
Ivan the Terrible:
And you...you stand here,though you still lack resolve...
Ivan the Terrible:
How fitting for one from the realm of the weak that is Proper Human History...And yet...
Ivan the Terrible:
That grief you hold in your heart...Your empathy for others...We Yaga no longer have the capacity for it...
Ivan the Terrible:
You may be weak, but you are also...happy...Yes...I remember now...
Ivan the Terrible:
My empress...Anastasia...was like that...too...
Ivan the Terrible:
She did not weep over life's hardships...Instead...she wept for others' misfortune...
Ivan the Terrible:
It was that...excess...that I found to be...the most beautiful thing about her...
Ivan the Terrible:
...Yes...I see now...That is why...this world...was defeated...
Ivan the Terrible:
It is because...we lost everything...we should have cherished...above all else...
Ivan the Terrible:
...Victory...is yours, Fujimaru...I accept...my defeat...
Ivan the Terrible:
Even if you refuse to do so...I accept...my defeat...and so...I must...depart...
Mash:
...Ivan the Terrible's disappearance...confirmed...
Fujimaru 1:
Holmes.
Holmes:
It's true.... Everything he said was correct.
Fujimaru 2:
Da Vinci.
Da Vinci:
...Yup.
Da Vinci:
I'm pretty sure everything he said...was spot-on.
Mash:
I'm so sorry, Master. I...I knew what the ramifications of our actions were, too.
Mash:
I understood that protecting our history...would mean destroying this world...
Kadoc:
So he finally went down for good, huh? Took him long enough.
Fujimaru 1:
Kadoc...!
Kadoc:
I hate drawing shit out, so let's just get this done. Atalante, hurry up and finish them off.
Kadoc:
That was the deal, right? You agreed that after they got rid of Ivan, that you'd help us kill them.
Mash:
Atalante!?
Atalante Alter:
...
Kadoc:
What's wrong? You can't turn back now,not after we've come this far.
Kadoc:
Or what? You're telling me you don't care what happens to those kids anymore?
Atalante Alter:
...No, you are right.... I am so sorry, Fujimaru.
--ARROW--
...Just as life has winners and losers,so too does history itself.
History's true winner was always Proper Human History,the world Fujimaru set in place.
The losers are the Lostbelts,like the world the Yaga live in.
This world was supposed to be pruned. Survival here is difficult, and happiness all but forgotten.
But, it is still alive. Life here may be harsh and unbearable, but it strives to endure nonetheless.
And there are six other worlds just like it.
Kadoc:
...That makes this something like a Holy Grail War.
Kadoc:
We Crypters use Servants to try and ensure our own world wins.
Do battle with monsters in realms beyond your reach,and prove that you are the strongest of all. :
Kadoc:
This Russia might be a rough place to live,but it's strong. It's got a real shot at winning.
Kadoc:
I'm going to put my whole life on the line to prove I've got what it takes once and for all.
Atalante Alter:
...I am sorry. You did nothing wrong.
Atalante Alter:
I admire your willingness to keep fighting,even after your world was destroyed.
Atalante Alter:
More importantly, I am a Heroic Spirit from Proper Human History myself. I should be siding with you.
Atalante Alter:
But...after I was summoned, I spent so much time among the Yaga that I cannot help but care for them.
Atalante Alter:
So I am siding...with them.
Mash:
No...!
Da Vinci:
...You serious about this? You know if you do that,you'll end up a drifter with no place to call home?
Da Vinci:
If Proper Human History disappears,it won't be long before you cease to exist too.
Atalante Alter:
...Even so, I cannot do it.
Mash:
Atalante...?
Atalante Alter:
I cannot desert the Yaga. Not when I know too well the pain of abandonment...!
Holmes:
I'm afraid that doesn't change the facts, Ms. Atalante. As things stand now, you're simply refusing to face reality.
Kadoc:
Doesn't matter. 'Cause the other reality is, you guys are screwed.
Kadoc:
Anastasia!
Anastasia:
...Thanks to you, we no longer need to live in fear of the Tsar. I do appreciate that.
Anastasia:
But that no longer matters. Still, the least we can do for your efforts is to ensure that your deaths are quick and painless.
Beowulf:
You kidding me with this crap? This [♂ guy /♀ girl] here won. Even the Tsar recognized that.
Beowulf:
I'm not handing [♂ him /♀ her] over to you now. Outta the way, you jackasses!
Anastasia:
Yaga.
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
...!
Beowulf:
Tch...!
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
We...we know you're a good human. Please, just stand back.
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
We don't want to kill you...if we don't have to...
Beowulf:
...Dammit! I don't want to have to fight you all either.
Beowulf:
But...I'm still gonna make my way through you,whether you like it or not!
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
Oh no you don't!
Holmes:
Well, this would appear to be checkmate. Kadoc certainly planned this well.
Goredolf:
How can you be so calm about this!? Just look at Fujimaru's face!
Goredolf:
[♂ He's /♀ She's] completely lost [♂ his /♀ her] will to fight! We need to get [♂ him /♀ her] out of there and make our escape!
Holmes:
I do not see Kadoc allowing that to happen.
Holmes:
With Anastasia keeping Beowulf occupied,we won't be able to count on his help.
Holmes:
And Mash needs to wait to gather the energy for her Noble Phantasm after using it repeatedly.
Holmes:
Our last ray of hope was Ms. Miyamoto,and she has vanished from this Lostbelt.
Da Vinci:
...I can't believe Atalante went over to our enemy's side. Can't you talk her out of this, Holmes?
Da Vinci:
Unless and until Fujimaru snaps out of it,Mash isn't going to be of any help.
Holmes:
...I'm afraid not. Frankly, our hands are tied.
Holmes:
Were this a matter of deduction, I could gather evidence and build a case to find the truth.
Holmes:
Were our opponents evil, I could handle them with logic, dialogue, and baritsu.
Holmes:
But this...this is something Fujimaru will need to overcome by [♂ himself /♀ herself].
Holmes:
[♂ He /♀ She] is not a bullet we can fire on command. [♂ He /♀ She] is a Master, and thus must come to terms with this on [♂ his /♀ her] own.
Holmes:
We are [♂ his /♀ her] allies, the ones who stand with[♂ him /♀ her] in defense of Proper Human History.
Holmes:
There is nothing we can do here but honor [♂ his /♀ her] wishes.
Meunière:
Atalante's making a move! She's about to engage Fujimaru in combat...!
Atalante Alter:
...Why did it come to this? You did nothing wrong, and neither did they.
Atalante Alter:
All I wanted...was to save this world.
--BATTLE--
Mash:
(Huff, huff, huff...)
Salieri:
My strength...is leaving me...Perhaps it's because...my role here has ended...
Mash:
Not yet! As long as Master hasn't given up...!
Fujimaru 1:
Mash...
Fujimaru 2:
Just stop...
Mash:
...Senpai...?
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
Now's our chance! Fiiire!
--SECTION BREAK--
Narration:
...There. You see that? I know you did.
Narration:
Before I knew it, a smile of pure joy spread across my face.
Narration:
After an incredibly hard-won victory, all [♂ he /♀ she]got in return is the worst outcome imaginable.
Narration:
Death, at the hands of those[♂ he /♀ she] thought [♂ he /♀ she] had saved...
Narration:
...and the knowledge that the world [♂ he /♀ she] worked so hard to save would ultimately be destroyed.
Narration:
...That's all [♂ he /♀ she] has to show for [♂ his /♀ her] efforts, even after[♂ he /♀ she] finally managed to bring down Ivan the Terrible.
Narration:
That's the reward [♂ he /♀ she] got for not only standing up to, but actually defeating that mountain of a tsar.
Narration:
[♂ He /♀ She] fought so bravely, and now look at [♂ him /♀ her]. [♂ He /♀ She] looks so weak it's all [♂ he /♀ she] can do just to stay on [♂ his /♀ her] feet.
Narration:
...If I wanted to, I could easily kill [♂ him /♀ her] myself now.
Narration:
Even as I thought that, I found myself running.
Narration:
Bowstrings are pulled back. Bullets are loaded into their chambers.
Narration:
My legs keep moving. I can't hold back any longer.
Narration:
I think back to a street performer I saw when I was a child, and how he kept laughing idiotically at his own comical antics.
Narration:
...Hmph. He was the only one there laughing, that's for sure. As if anyone could ever put food on the table doing something so completely useless. Pathetic.
Narration:
...But when did it become normal for us to see that sort of stuff as pathetic? When did we Yaga lose our ability to smile?
Narration:
I keep running. As a Yaga, I've never been afraid of anything. I've always known death was inevitable.
Narration:
If there's anything I AM scared of, I think...
Narration:
...it's the idea of someone dying when they know how to go through life smiling.
--SECTION BREAK--
Patxi:
Ah...dammit.
Fujimaru 1:
Patxi...?
Atalante Alter:
......You...
Patxi:
......
Patxi:
...I'll never forgive you.
Fujimaru 1:
Huh...?
Patxi:
I'll never forgive you, for as long as I live. You know why?
Patxi:
Because thanks to you, I now know there's another,happier world out there.
Patxi:
So stand up, dammit. Stand up and fight for it.
Patxi:
Go on and brag about how you can smile in your world,and tell us why it should be the one to survive.
Patxi:
Be proud. Hold your head up high,and fight for your weak little world.
Patxi:
...Don't you dare go losing to a world like this,a world whose only virtue is strength!
Fujimaru 1:
But, I...
Patxi:
...Yeah, you'll have a lot of blood on your hands. You won't be able to pretend it never happened.
Patxi:
But you've still gotta do it. After all...
Narration:
...your world sounds so much more beautiful.
Narration:
So it should be the one to survive.
Patxi:
Me...I don't know anything.
Patxi:
Masters, Servants, Proper Human History, Lostbelts...I don't know the first thing about any of it.
Patxi:
But, if our world IS wrong...and, if there's any meaning to be found in our lives...lives that are just one hardship after another...
Patxi:
...I think it's that we were able to learn there's a better place–a world filled with happiness, a world that's right...
Patxi:
We Yaga might've made a mistake and ended up in the wrong place. But I'm sure even that mistake has meaning.
Patxi:
Isn't that right?
Fujimaru 1:
That's enough, Patxi. You have to save your strength–
Patxi:
...Don't worry.
Patxi:
We Yaga barely even feel pain or fear.
Patxi:
You...and Mash...must've been way more scared. It must've hurt a lot worse for you.
Patxi:
But that's exactly why you've gotta keep on fighting. Why you've gotta be the ones to live.
Patxi:
...Well? Say something, dammit.
Patxi:
Let me...hear your answer...
Fujimaru 1:
Okay...
Fujimaru 2:
(Nod)
Patxi:
...Haha...Look at you...You're crying...
Patxi:
...Well damn. Turns out...making you cry...isn't as much fun...as I thought...
Atalante Alter:
...
Mash:
...Master.
Fujimaru 1:
Mash.
Fujimaru 2:
Can you still stand?
Mash:
...Yes! Yes, I can...! ...I can still fight!
Mash:
As long as you keep standing, Master...I'll always be there with you...!
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
...Dammit...!
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
!?
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
What the...!? M-my gun!
???:
This ain't no fit place for the likes of you. Y'all done chose her for your boss, right?
???:
Then ain't no way to settle this but a duel.
Mash:
Billy!
Billy:
Well, s'pose I didn't quite make it in time to save Patxi...but at least Master's still with us.
Billy:
Awright, then, Ms. Greek Huntress of Myth.
Billy:
I'm Billy the Kid, and I'm callin' you out!
Atalante Alter:
...Understood. My name is Atalante.
Atalante Alter:
Billy the Kid, I would make just one request of you.
Atalante Alter:
...Please, go easy on the Yaga. All they ever wanted was to live their lives.
Atalante Alter:
I cannot blame them for that. They have done nothing wrong.
Billy:
...That much I can do.
Narration:
Usually, I could fire my bow as swiftly and easily as water flows downstream...but this time, for some reason, it felt slow and heavy.
Narration:
...Right. I see. I must have strayed from the right path the moment I sided with them.
Narration:
Am I being punished for my betrayal? ...No, I don't think that is it.
Narration:
I think...it is simply because...
Atalante Alter:
I knew...all...along...
Billy:
Rest in peace, Atalante.
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
No way...Boss...!
Atalante Alter:
I am...so sorry, everyone...
Atalante Alter:
I knew all along...As a Heroic Spirit from Proper Human History...this Lostbelt was the wrong place for me...
Atalante Alter:
I also knew that...in the end...some things would need to be cut away...I knew that, and yet...I never told you...
Atalante Alter:
I suppose I should have also known this was bound to happen...since I could never make up my mind...
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
...No. No, Boss! You've got it all wrong!
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
We always knew too!
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
We know how you used to lie awake at night, crying,trying to muffle your sobs so we wouldn't hear!
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
We know you've been apologizing to us all along,even though you're stronger than any of us...
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
...and we know you believed in our future, even though you should've cast us aside, because we're weak...
Atalante Alter:
Wha...
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
Anyone could see where this was going!
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
But you still never gave up! Even though we meant to let you die!
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
We knew you were going to die, even if we managed to win...We can never make up for that...
Atalante Alter:
...I see. I never knew...I was such a poor actor...Do not worry about it...None of you did anything wrong...
Atalante Alter:
It is only natural for living things to try to survive. It is their purpose...
Atalante Alter:
...Fujimaru...Patxi...was right...
Atalante Alter:
Please...keep fighting to keep your world safe...I may have lost any right I had to cheer for you...
Atalante Alter:
...But at least...I can still pray...that you succeed...
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
Ah...Boss......We're sorry...We're so sorry...
Billy:
You doin' all right there, Salieri?
Salieri:
...Yes. My strength may be gone,but it seems there is still something I must do.
Billy:
All that's left now...
Kadoc:
...Hmph. Guess I should've known nothing would be that simple.
Billy:
...is to take out the Crypter, and that Servant.
Billy:
Beo!
Beowulf:
Right.... So, Atalante's gone, huh?
Beowulf:
No wonder they're all down in the dumps.
Anastasia:
Does this mean [♂ he /♀ she] has “bounced back,” Kadoc?
Kadoc:
Yeah, probably.... But hey, that's life for you.
Kadoc:
Screwups are inevitable. You can't dwell on them. You've just gotta learn from them and move on.
Kadoc:
Besides, it should be time now. Well, Anastasia? Can you use it?
Anastasia:
Yes. As I thought.
Anastasia:
I have become the Tsaritza of this Lostbelt,and thus can make use of the Emergency Prerogative.
Anastasia:
Now, I shall make our dreams a reality.
Kadoc:
That's it. The Tree of Emptiness Orochi has connected...
Kadoc:
Now I can finally, FINALLY get started.
Mash:
Master, this shaking is coming from the giant tree!
Fujimaru 1:
What did you do!?
Kadoc:
It's a wedge from outer space. It's designed to let this world take root.
Kadoc:
Now that I can finally expand this Lostbelt,Proper Human History is as good as finished.
Kadoc:
...Ivan the Terrible was broken.
Kadoc:
He still believed in the old God,even after turning into a Yaga.
Kadoc:
The Tree of Emptiness brought this Lostbelt back to life, but he refused to let its wedge be driven into the ground, choosing to go to sleep instead.
Kadoc:
And in this Russia, the Tsar's word is absolute. Want to know why?
Kadoc:
Because the Tsar is the only one who can use Russia's greatest power, the Emergency Prerogative...the ability to control the land itself.
Kadoc:
I had to do whatever it took to make sure Anastasia assumed the throne and obtained that power for herself.
Anastasia:
...Yes. I wonder how long it's been since you chose me back in that darkness.
Anastasia:
Six months? A year? It's hard to say for certain, since we were in fantasy time, and it was all so hazy.
Kadoc:
Beats me. My memories of that are so vague,it might as well've been a dream.
Kadoc:
But all that vagueness ends now. It's time to make our dreams reality, Anastasia.
Kadoc:
I'm finally going to fulfill my promise. I'm going to defeat these guys and become a Master worthy of you.
Anastasia:
...Yes. I always knew you had it in you, Kadoc.
Anastasia:
Come, Viy. My spirit of disaster,and the Romanov Dynasty's secret treasure.
Anastasia:
Show these people your true form. Show them your dreaded Mystic Eyes that can pierce anything and everything!
Anastasia:
...Indeed, I am no longer the Grand Duchess of the Beast Nation.
Anastasia:
I am Anastasia Nikolaevna Romanova.
Anastasia:
I am the new Tsaritza, and I shall destroy my Master's enemies, for they are Russia's enemies as well...!
--BATTLE--
Kadoc:
How...!? I KNOW we're stronger! I KNOW WE ARE!
Kadoc:
So how could this happen...!?
Billy:
I'd put it down to the difference in y'all's experiences.
Billy:
Y'all gonna come along peacefully,or we gonna do this the hard way?
Billy:
Just so's y'all know, I ain't never had nothin' to do with mages in my life, so you won't get no mercy from the likes of me.
Billy:
Try anything funny, and I'll gun you down.
Kadoc:
...No. It's not over yet!
Kadoc:
I promised I'd make her tsaritza! If I can't do that in this world, I'll just build a new one!
Kadoc:
Then I'll make her tsaritza there! I'm not gonna give up! I'll NEVER give up!
Kadoc:
I know I can do what you've done! That and more!!!
Fujimaru 1:
...!
Billy:
...That so?
Kadoc:
I've still got a card up my sleeve! With this Command Spell, the Sirius Light, I can–
...Whatever Kadoc Zemlupus had up his sleeve,it was too little, too late.
Billy did not hesitate. In less than the space of a heartbeat, he pulled the trigger.
Crypter or not, Kadoc simply did not have time to react.
All of this, then, was...inevitable.
Anastasia:
...I always did...hate guns...
Kadoc:
No...! Anastasia! What're you doing!?
Anastasia:
...Silly Kadoc. Don't you see?
Anastasia:
If you died, I would die too.
Anastasia:
I'm your Servant, remember?
Kadoc:
No! You didn't have to do this!
Kadoc:
I'm a Crypter! I still had my Sirius Light!
Kadoc:
I could've used it and remade this entire world!
Kadoc:
Once I turned everything around, you could've won...I know you could've won!
Anastasia:
Oh, silly...What would be the point of winning like that?
Anastasia:
I'm Anastasia. The rightful heir to the Romanov Dynasty.
Anastasia:
As far as I'm concerned a victory stolen on a technicality is no victory at all.
Kadoc:
...Maybe not, but...
Anastasia:
I also refuse to let you take your own life once I'm gone.
Anastasia:
Calm yourself Kadoc...I believe in you.
Anastasia:
I believe that no matter how misguided you may be, no matter how many mistakes you make...you will always do the right thing in the end.
Kadoc:
...No, I won't.
Kadoc:
My whole life, all I've had is regrets about things I was so sure I could do, but never got a chance.
Anastasia:
...Hold on to those regrets, Master. Hold on to them and live on.
Anastasia:
You know...I still can't quite believe I threw myself in front of a gun. I don't think I could ever do it again.
Anastasia:
Listen, Kadoc. I didn't save you because you're an excellent mage.
Anastasia:
I simply did what any Servant would do...because you believed in me.
Anastasia:
...You should be...honored...My dear...sweet...Kadoc...
D：Kadoc:
...!
Billy:
...
Kadoc:
...Damn...it...
Billy:
This work, Master? Say the word and I'll put one in his ear right now.
Fujimaru 1:
...No, that's all right. This is good enough.
Billy:
Guess I ain't done you wrong, then.... Thanks.
Fujimaru 2:
Thank you, Billy.
Billy:
No problem, Master. Just doin' my job.
--ARROW--
Goredolf:
H-hmm...I'm surprised to see that wicked Servant save her Master's life...
Goredolf:
I'll still never forgive her for destroying my Chaldea, but I will at least commend her for that.
Goredolf:
At any rate, well done, Fujimaru! I'm impressed you managed to capture Kadoc Zemlupus alive!
Goredolf:
Now bring him back to the Shadow Border, and we'll have him cough up everything he knows abou–
Goredolf:
NOW what!?
Da Vinci:
Hold on, we've got a new emergency! I'm detecting a massive wave of magical energy coming from the Tree of Emptiness!
Da Vinci:
I've rarely seen so much magical energy in one place before! It's the Age of Gods True Ether! It's taking humanity and winding it back to the gods...!
Da Vinci:
If we don't do something, this world is going to literally be turned on its head! No exaggeration!
Holmes:
Then the Tree of Emptiness HAS been activated, as I suspected!
Holmes:
But it's not too late, Fujimaru! From what I can tell, the Tree of Emptiness has only just taken root!
Holmes:
You need to destroy it now,before it can finish the job!
Fujimaru 1:
You want me to destroy THAT!?
Fujimaru 2:
That's impossible!
Goredolf:
I don't care if it's impossible, you fool! You're going to have to do it anyway!
Goredolf:
You almost died defeating Kadoc! Why would you give up now!?
Goredolf:
If you can't do it, we'll all be wiped out,and we won't even go down in history as losers!
Goredolf:
The Musik family still has a name to make for itself! I'm not about to let it fade away in this abominable wasteland!
Da Vinci:
Never mind his stupid crap! We'll back you up however we possibly can!
Da Vinci:
This is the final battle! I'll send every last bit of extra magical energy the Shadow Border's got to your Servants!
Da Vinci:
That should let them fight in midair,if only for a short while!
Da Vinci:
Fujimaru, I know you've just been through a lot! I know you're tired and you have a lot to work through, but right now, you need to focus on the job at hand!
Da Vinci:
That enormous, mysterious tree has been looming over us ever since we got here...
Da Vinci:
...but now it's time to find out what it really is for yourself!
Fujimaru 1:
...Right. I'm on it!
Mash:
Understood...!
Mash:
Mash Kyrielight, moving out to provide backup and keep Master safe!
Mash:
Kadoc let slip our enemy's name once before. The first Lostbelt's Tree of Emptiness! Its name is Orochi!
Mash:
The central heat source appears to be located five thousand meters above! Initiating ascent now...!
--BATTLE--
Mash:
The Tree of Emptiness's heat source is gone! But, I'm afraid we still have another problem...
Fujimaru 1:
How do we chop down a tree THIS big...?
Fujimaru 2:
Beowulf, you're up!
Beowulf:
You kidding me!? That thing's gotta be three hundred meters across!
Mash:
Ah! Master, over there...!
Mash:
There's something by the tree's roots...
???:
...
Billy:
...Is that...a person? No, wait...That's...mighty odd...
Billy:
Can't move my fingers a bit...Can't even summon up the will to fire.
Billy:
...Never had no problem trainin' my gun on nothin' before...
Beowulf:
...Is that Grendel? ...No, that's not right. Grendel didn't have a face, but he at least had an identity.
Beowulf:
But this thing...I can't tell what it is. I can see them just fine, but it feels like they're not even here...!
Mash:
Border! Border, do you read me!?
Mash:
Please examine the point thirty meters above the Tree of Emptiness's roots! There's something there!
Mash:
Please, put it up on the monitor immediately!
Meunière:
Well, I'm looking at the monitor right now,and I'm not seeing anything unusual...
Holmes:
...Impossible. There's nothing there. We can't see this entity at all...!
Holmes:
Da Vinci! Are you sure our instruments are working correctly!?
Da Vinci:
Yup, I'm sure. The readings all check out. What you see is what you get, Holmes. Or don't get, as it were.
Da Vinci:
What they're seeing out there is real,even if we can't see anything at all from in here.
Mash:
What's going on!? Should we assume she's an enemy!?
Holmes:
I'm afraid we can't get any reading on whatever that thing is from the Border, Mash. But I can at least confirm that there is SOMETHING right in front of you.
Holmes:
Because there is NOTHING there, in the truest sense of the word. Not a single signal given off by anything you could find on Earth.
Holmes:
It's like reality itself has been hollowed out to form a blank void in the shape of a person.
Holmes:
Machines may not be able to observe this shadow,but the emptiness proves there is SOMETHING.
Fujimaru 1:
What...IS she...?
Beowulf:
What the...!? The Tree of Emptiness is–
Mash:
The Tree of Emptiness has been destroyed...I can't see that mysterious woman any–
Mash:
Wait. This ultradense magical energy signal...Is that...a Holy Grail!?
Da Vinci:
...No, I think...it's an imitation Holy Grail?
Da Vinci:
Either way, we can't just leave it lying around. Besides, we need to take advantage of everything we can use.
Da Vinci:
Mash, Fujimaru, you know what to do!
Mash:
Yes. Not to worry. I can store it in my shield,just like I did with all the other Holy Grails.
Mash:
I'll collect the Pseudo-Holy Grail now.
Meunière:
...The magical energy that was flowing into the ground has stopped. The only vital signs I'm picking up now belong to Fujimaru and [♂ his /♀ her] team.
Holmes:
...Y-yes, I see. Well, that one wholly inexplicable event aside...
Holmes:
...it would seem the battle has ended, and we have emerged victorious, [♂ Mr. /♀ Ms. ] Fujimaru.
Mash:
...Yes. I can confirm that the battle here has ended as well.
Mash:
Though I'm afraid...our losses were high.
Billy:
...Welp, looks like my work here's done.
Billy:
But, 'fore I hit the trail,there's somethin' we gotta do, ain't there?
Fujimaru 1:
We can't leave Patxi's body lying here.
Fujimaru 2:
I want to give Patxi a proper burial.
Billy:
Damn right!
Mash:
Master...
Fujimaru 1:
He said he'd never forgive me.
Mash:
Yes, he did.
Mash:
He was very harsh.
Fujimaru 2:
He said I'd better not go losing.
Mash:
Yes, he did.
Mash:
...He didn't say to win. Only not to lose.
Mash:
I think he understood somehow,maybe intuitively, what was at stake.
Mash:
This journey is going to be much harder than our last one.
Mash:
Chaldea has been frozen solid,and now all we have is the Shadow Border.
Mash:
But most importantly,this journey involves destroying other worlds.
Mash:
After all, this time...we aren't heading out to save other worlds...
Mash:
...but to destroy them, because we have to,in order for our own world to live.
Fujimaru 1:
Yeah...
Mash:
...
Fujimaru 1:
Even so...we can't give up.
Fujimaru 2:
We can't afford to lose, Mash.
Mash:
Right...!
Mash:
Patxi also said we have a responsibility.
Mash:
A responsibility to protect humanity,and to survive...!
Mash:
...! Master, look! The sky!
Fujimaru 1:
It's blue again...
Mash:
Yes, it is.
Mash:
It's the first blue sky we've seen since we got here...!
Mash:
...I only wish...Patxi could have seen this...!
Beowulf:
Well, looks like this is it for us...
Billy:
Seems it is.... Gotta say, it was a real treat meetin' a good king.
Billy:
Democracy don't know what it's missin',lumpin' y'all in with the other corrupt tyrants.
Beowulf:
Hah, fine with me. I'd take that over ruling a country any day.
Beowulf:
I'd be happy to spend my days fighting,just like any other warrior.
Beowulf:
...But for some reason,people keep trying to make me a king.
Billy:
Rest in peace, Berserker with a heart of gold.... You really were more of a bear than a bee, weren't you?
Billy:
...S'pose that makes it my turn.
Billy:
Make sure y'all gimme a call if you ever need to break a few laws.
Billy:
After all, you know me.
Billy:
...I ain't the young king of rascals for nothing.
Salieri:
...Even though my part is done...it seems my Spirit Origin refuses to disappear.
Salieri:
I think this means I'm supposed to see you off.
Mash:
...Understood.
Fujimaru 1:
Take care, Salieri.
Salieri:
A Servant has nothing personal to take care of.
Salieri:
As I am now, I'm little more than an empty husk. I wasn't even the slightest help in battle...
Mash:
That's not true! Your piano playing helped us out a lot when we were fighting Ivan the Terrible!
Salieri:
No, that won't do at all. There was no beauty to be found in that recital. Only anger.
Salieri:
I suppose THAT is what held the Tsar back. The grating noise from my piano. The foul taste it left in his mouth.
Salieri:
...In the end, it seems the only way I can move anyone is with my anger...
Da Vinci:
Now, now, don't be so hard on yourself, Salieri.
Da Vinci:
Nothing good ever comes of envying geniuses and prodigies, you know!
Salieri:
Don't be ridiculous. As far as I'm concerned, anyone who isn't a musician is a mediocrity at best!
Da Vinci:
Oh yeah? Why don't you come to the Shadow Border and say that to my face? I'll show you firsthand just how mediocre my newly improved staff really is!
Salieri:
No thank you. I still have my own duties to attend to. This is where we part ways.
Salieri:
...Master of Chaldea, young miss.
Salieri:
Thank you for listening to my recital. As you know, I'm not the most agreeable man...
Salieri:
...but if you should ever need my help,please don't hesitate to call on me.
Salieri:
Just don't put me near you-know-who. I doubt I would remain sane if you did.
Mash:
...It looks like Salieri headed for Yaga Moscow.
Mash:
It's always sad saying goodbye, but at least he was smiling when he left. He must still have something important to do there.
Goredolf:
Hmph. I wouldn't form a contract with a third-rate Servant like that even if he begged me. It would be nothing but a waste of magical energy!
Goredolf:
Now let's hurry up and rendezvous already! We'll come pick you up in the Border right now!
Holmes:
I've also confirmed that the storm wall surrounding this Lostbelt has dissipated.
Holmes:
As I suspected, it seems that storm and the Tree of Emptiness were something of a pair.
Holmes:
At any rate, we now know our primary goal: eliminate the Tree of Emptiness in each Lostbelt, no matter what.
Holmes:
Or perhaps I should say this clarifies the direction in which we were already headed.
Goredolf:
Quite so. And now that our Logic Formula armor has been repaired, we are free to leave Russia!
Goredolf:
Now hurry up and return to the Shadow Border! And don't forget your captive, Kadoc!
Goredolf:
I daresay you've earned yourselves a piece of my favorite beef jerky!
Mash:
Understood. We'll return to the Shadow Border right now, Goredolf!
Goredolf:
That's "Commander" to you!
Fujimaru 1:
You got it, Commander!
Fujimaru 1:
Let's get going, Mash!
Mash:
Right!
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
......
Yaga (Child):
What's wrong, Dad? The boss is gone now, right?
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
I know...It's just...What are we going to do now...?
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
What SHOULD we do now...?
Salieri:
...Good. You there, come with me!
Salieri:
There's something I want you to carry.
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
Huh?
Yaga (Child):
Huh?
Salieri:
Easy does it...
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
What IS this thing, anyway?
Yaga (Child):
Yeah, what is it?
Salieri:
It's a piano. A kind of musical instrument.
Salieri:
Now that Ivan the Terrible is gone,you can use it as much as you like.
Salieri:
...Mind if I play a bit?
Yaga (Child):
Play what?
Salieri:
The piano, of course.... It's a form of art that used to be reserved exclusively for the Tsar.
Yaga (Child):
Does it hurt?
Salieri:
Not at all.
Yaga (Child):
Does it fill you up?
Salieri:
It does indeed.
Yaga (Child):
Okay, go ahead!
Salieri:
...Very well then. I shall play Mozart's request.
Salieri:
The one he asked me to play...if this world ever saw peace.
Salieri:
Much as I may loathe him,I can't refuse a dying prodigy's final wish.
Yaga (Child):
It makes sound?
Salieri:
That's right.
Salieri:
In our time, this was a song about love,but it seems it later came to be a song about stars.
Yaga (Child):
What are stars?
Salieri:
You'll see them for yourself tonight,after the sun goes down.
Salieri:
When you look up to the sky, you will see them. They are tiny, glittering dots scattered across the heavens.
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
What good's seeing that sort of thing gonna do for us now...?
Salieri:
...It won't be long before this Lostbelt disappears...before it returns to its original form:
Salieri:
A pruned phenomenon that never existed in the first place. It will be as though waking from a dream.
Salieri:
After a few nights have passed here, all of a sudden, things will go back to the way they were.
Salieri:
I am from Proper Human History,and so cannot imagine your desperation.
Salieri:
...But, what I CAN do is continue to play for you until this world comes to an end.
Salieri:
None of you did anything wrong. Your world just happened to go down a mistaken path.
Salieri:
...It's very sad. But none of you should feel any responsibility for that.
Salieri:
There is still some time before the end.
Salieri:
You could use it to take back what you lost,or you could give up entirely.
Salieri:
...I only ask that you refrain from hurting anyone else. There's no need for that anymore.
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
...Can I keep listening, just a little longer?
Salieri:
Of course.
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
...Our world could have never inspired such beautiful sounds like this, I'm sure.
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
But, then...I guess that's only to be expected.
Yaga (Child):
What's wrong? Does it hurt somewhere?
Yaga Rebel Soldier:
It's nothing. I'm fine.
A sea of glittering stars. Their fleeting forms twinkling brightly from unfathomable distances, each of them glittering at the end of their lives.
Yaga who knew nothing, and Yaga who knew everything, either gave shouts of joy...
...or merely sighed softly, as they gazed up in wonder at this incredible sight.
All they knew about the stars was that they were bright and glittering.
Elder Yaga stared up, stupefied at finally seeing the sort of starry sky they only knew from legends.
For the Yaga who had spent their whole lives simply trying to survive in the harsh tundra, it was the single most beautiful thing they had ever seen...
...the gleam of a future they would never experience.
Meunière:
...That's it! We just reached the Russian Lostbelt's border!
Meunière:
Monitors are back online! Opening the shutter now! Let's see what's out there...!
Mash:
...THIS is what was outside Russia...? Is this really our world...?
Fujimaru 1:
There's...nothing here.
Fujimaru 2:
It's just...white.
Meunière:
...! What am I doing!? This is no time to be at a loss for words!
Meunière:
Let's see, atmospheric composition...Oh man. It looks like the air outside is the same as it was on the old Earth.
Meunière:
Does this mean we're still getting sunlight, even though the cosmic rays have stopped? I don't get it. What the hell's going on here...?
Goredolf:
...(Mental shutdown)
Da Vinci:
Hmm, sure looks like a whole lot of nothing as far as the eye can see. For the moment, guess we might as well wait for Kadoc to wake up.
Da Vinci:
He should know what all this is about. We can think about what to do next after–
Meunière:
...Huh? ...Wha?
Meunière:
...H-H-Holmes! Da Vinci! Commander Old Guy!
Goredolf:
Don't call me that!
Holmes:
What is it, Mr. Meunière? Do not tell me there is yet another surprise in store for us.
Meunière:
There sure is! And it's the biggest one yet! We just picked up a transmission!
Meunière:
Someone's been broadcasting a magecraft-based long-range signal nonstop!
Meunière:
We must've finally been able to pick it up once the Tree of Emptiness was destroyed!
Goredolf:
Wh-whaaat!?
Holmes:
What does it say!?
E：Chaldea Staff:
It's a coded message, so I'll need to decrypt it first...Just a second!
Da Vinci:
Does this mean...there were survivors?
E：Chaldea Staff:
There, it's done! Here, listen!
E：Chaldea Staff:
“I am a mage from Proper Human History. I am a mage from the correct history. ”
E：Chaldea Staff:
“If you're hearing this, please come find me. ”
Mash:
Ah!
???:
“This is Baldanders. I am currently traveling across the North Atlantic Ocean. ”
???:
“I await other survivors. I repeat: I await other survivors from the correct history. ”
???:
“Please come find me at the following coordinates. ”
???:
“This is Baldanders, the Wandering Sea. ”
Goredolf:
Wandering Sea...Wandering Sea...!? THE Wandering Sea!?
Goredolf:
That's one of the three great organizations of the magecraft world...! There's the Clock Tower in London, the Atlas Institute in Egypt...
Goredolf:
...and the oldest of them all, the Wandering Sea...! It was located on an island from the Age of Gods, hidden in the northern oceans...!
Goredolf:
Does this mean...it still exists!?
???:
“...I repeat: I am a mage from Proper Human History. Please come find me at the following coordinates...”